First off - WHOA. Cry, Voidbringer has been one of the most difficult reads for me in 2025. Does “difficult” mean “bad”? Absolutely not!! This author so expertly crafted complex characters navigating various shades of personal trauma, difficult emotions, and clashing motivations. The reader is given a birds eye view of rampant false promises, and is left facing the terrifying truth that complacency only breeds tyrants.

If you are looking for a happy go lucky fantasy book that’s a light read, this is not the one for you. But if you’re ready for a heavier, war torn book that makes you feel uncomfortable at times, definitely give this a try! The book’s overall vibes? Horrifying. But the execution of the writing, the presentation of the cruelties of tyrants, and the narrative of unchecked power choking the tiniest ray of hope? EXCELLENT. I was honestly blown away by this book. When I put it down, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. There were so many moments that share similarities with real life oppression strategies, the danger of corruption, and how inaction against an onslaught of political manipulation will leave no one unaffected in the end. This book presents and forces its readers to grapple with complicated feelings, all set in a fantastical world filled with Gods, gifted individuals and wartime tactics. I was stressed when I wasn’t reading this book! And quite honestly, this is a book I will not easily ever forget. Brace yourself, and check this out on October 28, 2025! Thank you to Elaine Ho, Michael LaBorn and Bindery Books for allowing me to receive an advanced reader copy!

I really enjoyed this book! I came in as an empty slate; I found the book on NetGalley and was intrigued by the premise! It ended up being a unique, and emotional fantasy. I am impressed by this debut and look forward to reading more from the author! I cannot stop thinking about this story and characters, and am so glad I got to read it!

I loved the theme of found family within the book, and how people have different roles in their various families (daughter, mother, friend) This book is filled ith complex characters that readers will love, or love to hate.

The characters are well crafted, and the story weaves them together in a brutal struggle to free themselves from being powerless in a struggle for land

The last act of this book felt like getting kicked in the ribs in the best way. I was non-functional for the rest of the day after finishing this book.

A brutally honest tale that holds not just its characters, but its readers accountable for their role in the rise of tyranny. Elaine Ho's raw, unflinching storytelling coils around your chest and squeezes. Cry, Voidbringer is unlike anything I have ever read before.
- R. A. Basu, author of To Bargain with Mortals

This is the best book I've read so far this year.

Cry, Voidbringer is a debut fantasy novel that follows: Hammer, a soldier, whose main goal is survival. Viridian, a child with god-like powers. And Naias, a commander, who wants to prevent the current ruler from making the same mistakes as the previous ones.

This novel has themes of tyranny, oppression, broken systems, sacrifice, found family, survival, and so much more.


*Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery for the eArc*

I think this is a book that is needed right now. It is one that deals with political manipulation, oppression and the corruption of power. The author did a great job creating characters that felt real. There are so many interconnecting stories and motivations and it was heartbreaking to read, but needed to be read. The characters were not perfect, they had flaws and their own ideas about what is right. The ending was not tied up perfectly with a bow, it was fractured and hurt, like endings in the real world. I think the author did a wonderful job creating a fantasy world that mirrors the world with all of its flaws but with heroes willing to fight for it. I can only hope that we have real life heroes that are willing to fight for our world the way the characters in this book did.

Hot damn, talk about a book that pulls no punches. There are some really heavy themes here, and the author doesn’t shy away from their brutality and ugliness. But my favorite part has got to be the character work. The cast runs the full gamut: characters you want to root for, characters you want to see change, and characters you want to absolutely throttle. I find that a lot of times with multi-POV books, I always have one favorite that I’m impatient to get back to, but here, I was equally invested with each. If I had one complaint, it would be that the pacing is a bit off in the middle, but it picks back up in the third act and finishes with a bang.

Cry VoidBringer By Elaine Ho is a dark anarchist story about powerful women, resistance to colonialism and tyranny, and the dangerous allure of complicity. This was an amazing, beautiful, and powerful story that is going to be THE BOOK of 2025.

Starting this book I knew it would be powerful, that it would deal with issues that feel both so far from reality, but also incredibly relevant to the world we are living in. It is the sort of story that at first makes you think " that kind of thing would never happen to me" or "I could NEVER do that kind of thing!"

Sometimes we get so ground down by what the world throws at us that it is easy to just give up and not push for change or expect better from life or the people around us. Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking we are doing things to improve life for all, when our actions are really only serving ourselves.

This story is about women who are surviving in the different ways they have each been pushed into by the world and their individual experiences and how they react and change when a young girl with a rare and dangerous ability that could change the entire path of their world is found. But what will they each be willing to do or sacrifice to save what they value?

“You read our lives because you want to be entertained. But it’s the same story. Of death, and tyranny, and the banality of it all.”

Cry, Voidbringer weaves together three perspectives, that of Hammer, Viridian and Naias to tell a story of anger, loneliness, anti-colonialism and found family.

Hammer was wretched from her home and culture as a child to serve as a Faceless, a second-class citizen soldier (little more than a slave) in Ashvi. Her years as a Faceless and the seeming endlessness of the war against Tevu has hardened her heart.

Viridian is a child that Hammer accidentally saves during a mission. She was predicted by Tevu’s prophet queen to have a power that could change the fate of the war and the world.

Naias is the commander of the Faceless, having been raised from the same fate by becoming the lover of the queen, Khall. Khall is a nervous and new queen, not yet sure of how to operate the throne with the fresh memory of her father’s death on her mind. Perhaps it’s thankful then that Naias can be such a helping hand.

~*~*~

4.75/5 stars

I absolutely ate this and up. This was absolute excellence.

This is a dark story, and the characters don’t always make the “right” choice. They are complex and grey, but the author does a good job of establishing their characters so it could not have gone any other way.

It should be noted that you are dropped right into the world - it is expected of the reader to pick up the world as you go, since they don’t stop and explain anything. This is my preferred style of world building, so I really appreciated this. On the topic of world building, I really enjoyed it. Even if we didn’t see the entirety of the world, I liked the bits we did. It felt solid and realistic. I liked the different gods/religion and how the magic system was divine in nature (a particular favourite of main as a cleric main <3).

I found the entire really engaging and provoking, though it did drag at some points (though this was purposeful. It is hard to explain without spoiling, but I promise it was a creative choice. While I agree with the choice, it didn’t stop me from getting through that section much slower than the rest).

There were some choice use of second person narration, and I felt they really added to the story. I enjoyed the choice of which characters to follow - it would’ve been a different story if we followed other ones, and I don’t think the message would have been as impactful.

The world was queernormative, and a large majority of the characters were casually queer, which I deeply appreciate. There is a prominent f/f relationship, a bisexual main character and an important non binary side character, none of which is challenged (ie: homophobia or transphobia) by the narrative.

All in all, a fantastic story that I highly recommend you pick up when it comes out in October (2025), especially if you’re a fan of Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse and The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco.

~*~*~

Content warnings: Gore/descriptions of violence, genocide, drug use (opium), slavery, child abuse and death, colonisation


Disclaimer: I received this as an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books (via Left Unread).

This book takes commitment because it will hurt, several times I had to make myself go back and read the harsh passages. The way the author executed the themes of suffering and entertainment. This is most definitely a must read.

I really enjoyed the world building and the magic in this book. I really loved the idea of it all but I found myself wanting more. It felt like there was so much backstory that could be brought to light but maybe that’s just me wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of Cry, Voidbringer by Elaine Ho. This book opens up at full speed and throws you in the elaborate world Ho has created. Both the world and the characters are complex, challenging, and powerful, and so each chapter brings a new layer to process.

Cry, Voidbringer is full of political intrigue, relationships that warm your heart as well as ones that chill you to the bone, and perspectives on war from all sides. Ho does an incredible job crafting a story that is both original and reminiscent of the world we know.

As a Bindery supporter for this book, I am thrilled to be connected even in a small way to this project. I believe the world needs stories like this because they show the patterns that destroy us individually and throughout the world. If we’re smart, we will learn how to recognize and avoid these pitfalls. Ho is a voice to watch out for and Cry, Voidbringer is not to be missed

This was such a powerful story and the writing was great! I would definitely look into trigger warnings prior to reading if you’re sensitive to trauma and violence!

Thank you to bindery books for the arc. This book surprised me. I knew it had to be good because I trust a lot of people who have read this so far. And it really didn’t disappoint. Such a layered and dynamic read. At times it was tough to read more due to the trauma happening. I will definitely be rereading this once my physical copy comes in!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery for the opportunity to read this eARC!

WOW! I just wow. Nothing I say about Cry, Voidbringer will do it any justice. All I can say is preorder this book, put it on top of your TBR, and enjoy getting lost in this world.

I really enjoyed this one! It was well-paced, with compelling characters and genuine moral ambiguity. So many books these days will be advertised as having "morally grey characters" and it's almost never really true, so I was thrilled that that's not the case here. There are no easy answers in this book, and the most unsympathetic characters are still very human. There are a couple of twists I DID NOT see coming--props to this book for actually being able to surprise my jaded reader self.

The worldbuilding was layered and intriguing, and I'm interested to see the wider scope of things in future books. This one leaves off on a pretty significant cliffhanger, and I will definitely be picking up the sequel to where it goes!

4.5/5 stars

Whoa this book!

In this epic fantasy we follow the interconnected lives of a soldier, a royal advisor, and a child with magical powers with the potential of changing the outcome of the ongoing war as they do what they can to survive in a system of oppression, each facing impossible scenarios where they are forced to make terrible choices.

The storytelling was masterful, with a mixture of third and first person narratives for different characters to help bring out their personalities in each chapter, and the plot was fast-paced and kept me on my toes at all times.

This was a fantastic debut with an impressive and well developed world that will make you feel the feels and leave you wanting more.

Thank you Bindery and NetGalley for this eARC in return for my honest review.

"Cry Void Bringer" plunges into a morally complex world where survival clashes with the burgeoning responsibility for another. The synopsis paints a grim picture of Ashvi, a kingdom desperate enough to tear children from their homes in a bid to reclaim its former glory. In this broken system, we meet Hammer, a soldier hardened by war and focused solely on self-preservation – a stark reflection of the brutal realities she's endured.
The arrival of Viridian, a child wielding immense and unpredictable power, acts as the catalyst for Hammer's transformation. The synopsis deftly sets up this pivotal shift, hinting at the profound impact Viridian has on Hammer's carefully constructed defenses. The queen's desperate ambition to weaponize Viridian adds a layer of chilling urgency, forcing Hammer to confront the very system that molded her into a survivor.
The central conflict – Hammer's desire to protect Viridian against the queen's machinations – promises a compelling exploration of loyalty, sacrifice, and the cost of liberation. The nuance introduced by the colonized cities' potential resistance to the queen's "liberation" adds a welcome layer of political intrigue and raises questions about the true meaning of freedom.

I wasn’t prepared for Cry, Voidbringer to hit as hard as it did. I went in expecting dark fantasy, but what I got was something a lot deeper—something that stayed with me long after I finished.

The worldbuilding is some of the best I’ve seen in a long time. It feels fully realized without ever overwhelming you with details. Everything you need to understand about the gods, the cities, and the broken systems people are trapped in, you learn through survival moments, not exposition. It’s a brutal world, but it’s also stunning in how carefully it’s built.

The book starts with Hammer, a jaded soldier who’s been surviving for so long she’s almost forgotten what anything else feels like. The beginning is a little slower as it follows her younger years and how she ended up where she is, but once the story picks up—with the introduction of Viridian and the impossible choices that follow—it becomes impossible to put down.

Hammer, Viridian, Naias, and Khall are some of the most complicated, believable characters I’ve read in a long time. None of them are easily heroic, and every choice they make feels both inevitable and heartbreaking. Viridian is caught between being a child who deserves protection and a weapon everyone else wants to control, and that conflict sits at the heart of the story. Watching Hammer slowly, painfully start to care again wrecked me.

This isn’t an easy book. It’s violent, both physically and emotionally. It digs into colonialism, survival, complicity, and grief in ways that never feel cheap or easy. But there’s also something stubbornly hopeful underneath it all—a quiet belief that survival and healing are still possible, even when the world has taken almost everything.

Cry, Voidbringer is one of the best books I’ve read in years. Elaine Ho’s writing is sharp, devastating, and full of heart. I’ll be thinking about these characters—and everything they fought for—for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

i cannot recommend this book enough, and i must stress the importance of actually taking in what it is saying. although, the text itself will directly address you and make you understand so the only way someone could miss the messages portrayed is willful ignorance.

amongst the stories of corruption, oppression, war, grief, loneliness, betrayal, colonialism, tyranny... there is also a story of hope, and of love, and of power in resistance. There's found family, and moments of true humanity, and a deeply rich fantasy world that just keeps impressive right to the very end.

unfortunately for me, this is in fact the first in a series and so ends on a cliffhanger. it would not be the first ARC i have read a long time before release that i finished already desperate for the next book but this is definitely the worst.

i can't wait to buy this when it is released in October.

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is heavy. It is brutal. There are gory moments.
But the violence that lingers most is the emotional kind.
Still, there is light here. There is connection. There is tenderness in the cracks. And there is an insistence, quiet and unwavering, that healing is not only possible, but worth reaching for even if it hurts

This was beautiful, the last third had me gripping my kindle, unable to put it down. i loved the twists, the rage, the heartbreak, all of it. i can't wait to see the hype this book will get when its released.

Thank you to #netgalley for providing an e-arc of this book! Cry, Voidbringer releases on October 25, 2025.

Y'all this book. THIS BOOK. I have been SHAKEN to my very core. I was stunned speechless. I was screaming and crying. I love a good found family story and this book delivered just that - then ripped it away from me along with my heart. The void it left me, if you will...

The fact that the character CONFRONTS the readers about their judgments. I physically recoiled.

As a book lover, I will never stop reading and supporting authors from Palestine, Sudan, the DRC, the so-called Xin Jiang region, and any places that are being occupied and exploited. That said, I must admit the fact that books have also been used as not just mere distracting entertainment but also propaganda by the empires. The fact that certain (yt) authors have no qualms writing about the justice of violently resisting an evil empire yet refuse to acknowledge, let alone support real life resistance (looking at you Brandon Sanderson). The fact that readers can read these books and fail to take absolutely anything away from them. Reading and supporting marginalized authors are important but they can't be the only things we do. They are not enough to stop the exploitation, occupations and genocides.

Bleak tales like Cry, Voidbringer should never be treated as just entertainment, one that people read and go "aw that was so sad but so moving" and then forget all about. They must become reminders that we need to keep resisting in our own ways, towards a liberated future for all of us.

Wow. I don’t have the right words to do this book justice. Cry, Voidbringer is not for the weak. It is gritty, it is heartbreaking, and it is INCREDIBLE. I have no idea where Elaine Ho pulled this from in her brain but I really hope she has a lot more where this came from. Perhaps the best fantasy I’ve read in quite awhile.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery for the opportunity to read this eARC!

Thank you to Elaine Ho, Bindery books, and Netgalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I want to start this review apologising as I won't be able to describe what this book did to me, but I'll try my best, I promise.

First of all, let's talk about characters. One of my favourite things or reasons I asked for this Arc is that the main points of view are from women. What I wasn't expecting was how well constructed they would be, how you can see their true self without any filter. You may not love all of them and, even then, find yourself understanding how they did end up in their positions and how they made their decisions. You get to know their souls. Even when I thought that a decision was wrong, there was a voice in my head telling me: this is how it should be. There wasn’t a single page where anyone felt out of character. And don't even let me start with the character arcs!

I won't lie. This is not an easy read. This book feels real; raw and cruel as it is. I spent many hours crying through the pages. It gives you perspective about humanity, how war works, and how it affects differently depending on your positioning. The novel makes you see the ugliness in people but also their beauty. How, even in the hardest of the hearts, there is kindest but also how there is destruction in the softest ones.

There are not many books that can change a reader, but I consider "Cry, Voidbringer" has changed me.

Also, I want to acknowledge Elaine Ho's voice, her writing, her mind. “How?” That is all I can say. How can someone plan this whole perfection?
As a reader, it felt like seeing thousands of domino pieces waiting to fall down at the right moment and not being able to stop them from falling into place. Every time a decision or action a character takes makes a direct impact on a future event, you can't see it coming. It is like a spiderweb taken to another level.

Someone may now realise I haven't explained a single thing about the actual content of the book, but in this case, I have the feeling that even the smallest information would be a spoiler. What I'll say instead is that I am for sure following Elaine closely. I don't know what she is writing next, but I can promise that I will be reading it.

Cry, Voidbringer is a book I’m never going to get out of my head. I loved every second of this book and its characters, all a narrative for tyranny that we need now more than ever. Elaine Ho has become not only an auto-read author for me, but an auto-buy. This book was masterfully written, lulling you into a false sense of calm before ripping your heart apart.

The book opens to us meeting Hammer, a Faceless solider who was conscripted to another nations army when she was a child. During a job with another Faceless, Crescent (they are not permitted their own names, only the name of their weapons) they steal a godchild named Viridian. The three of them become inseparable, becoming a small family in short amount of time. And then Viri’s power awakens and nothing is ever the same again.

This book’s world building is a master class on how to make it feel fully fleshed out without becoming tedious. In cases where it does feel like a fully realized world, most books can leave readers feeling confused, mixing up the different names of places or gods or even the characters. And yet, with this book featuring a number of names for the same characters, I was never confused through it which proves just how much care went into crafting this book. Same goes for how the characters are crafted. Every character was fully realized and not a single one was one dimensional. They were not wholly good or bad, showing just how human they really are. Khall is a naive queen new to the throne, but becomes twisted and abusive as her fear overtakes her. Naias has been a weapon her life and only sees the world as another battle she has to conquer, which makes her twist her love for Khall. Hammer has a hard exterior but a soft heart for those she loves, but when pushed her anger over what life has dealt her is all encompassing.

This book is queer normative, which I loved a lot. There was also depictions of disability.

I cannot state however how dark this book can get and I highly recommend looking up trigger warnings for this book. This includes: racism, abuse, violence, war, death, gore, child soldiers, murder, PTSD episodes, children stolen from their families, trauma, grief, and more.

This book is highly original and takes place in a fresh fantasy world that I haven’t seen before. The writing is rich and colorful, and the characters are just as complex. It was a ride to go through with them and I was always excited for what was to come next for them. Overall I highly recommend, as this is a wonderful story.

This book….was a ride. I read it in the span of three days (cause work 😩) and I loved it so much. It’s heartbreakingly beautiful.

We are introduced to Hammer, an enslaved warrior, who is on a mission. She doesn’t want to be there but she has no choice. She has no say in her life at all. But during this mission she and another member of the “faceless” fighters uncover and rescue a child, but not just any child. Viridian is a god child, one who will manifest powers from the god that chooses to tie their soul to them.

From this meeting the fates of Hammer and Viridian are sealed and we are lead on a journey of oppression, love, war, grief and betrayal. This was such an emotional experience that it just hurts my heart for the characters in this story.

This was an excellent read!

The fantasy world was definitely original, reminding me of the Eastern world with nomadic tribes, and I loved how different point of views were explored (warriors, children, rulers). All the voices were clearly recognizable and original, and even though I am not a big fan of first person narration, I think the choice of having only Viri and her child's point of view in first person was brilliant... and heartbreaking. The Faceless warriors were also such a great concept!

Also, Hammer/Elera. I was craving a ruthless female warrior character that hates caring for people until... Well. Her character development was amazing and felt so natural.
The end caught me by surprise, and I mean... what a cliffhanger!
I will definitely be looking forward to book 2!

What I sampled was intriguing, fascinating, and made me want more. Since this is an ARC, there are some formatting issues on my ereader that prevent me from being able to read this work in full currently.

That being said, I am beyond excited for the release of this book! The portion I sampled I heavily enjoyed. The writing style was unique yet easy to follow and the plot line pulled me in.

Thank you so much for allowing me to sample this eARC (I received a free eARC). I am leaving this honest feedback voluntarily.

There was so much happening and I cannot wait for more by this author. Incredible. Highly recommend. Also, the writing style was spectacular.

Wow! What an epic read…. Lots of strong female leads, magic, politics, love and war. Fantastic book. Thank you to the author, please write more. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

thank you net galley for allowing me to read this early!!

this book was phenomenal. the characters were so complex, drawing you in yet pushing you away at the same time. it’s so refreshing to have such complex characters, characters you root for, and characters that make you want to scream at them.

this was beautiful, the last third had me gripping my kindle, unable to put it down. i loved the twists, the rage, the heartbreak, all of it. i can’t wait to see the hype this book will get when it’s released

the unchecked power was amazing, the hierarchy of these kingdoms symbolic to so much more

Thank you to Bindery Books and Left Unread for the digital ARC of Cry, Voidbringer by Elaine Ho.

Some books entertain. Some inform. But once in a long while, a book comes along that reconstructs you from the inside out. It does not just invite you into its world, it drags you into its marrow and demands that you look, truly look, at what it means to hope in the face of annihilation. What it means to be complicit, to survive, to love, to lose, and to keep breathing anyway.

Cry, Voidbringer is that book.

This debut novel is nothing short of breathtaking. It is literary alchemy. It is ferocious and tender, intimate and epic, unflinching and achingly human. It is a fantasy novel, yes, but calling it that alone feels reductive. It is also political. It is deeply emotional. It is mythic. It is real in the ways that matter most.

Elaine Ho explores the rot of colonialism, not as an abstract idea, but as something embedded into the daily lives, choices, and compromises of people trying to survive inside systems designed to crush them. The story asks a brutal question: what happens when those who have been broken by empire become its enforcers? There are no tidy answers here. Instead, we are given flawed, exhausted people making impossible decisions that are just as understandable as they are devastating.

Hammer is a marvel of character work. She is hardened by trauma and dulled by routine. She is someone who has long given up on hope. Watching the smallest ember of her compassion reignite as she protects Viridian, who is both a child and a symbol, fragile and frighteningly powerful, is one of the most emotionally nuanced arcs I have read in years. And Viridian herself? She is a child shaped by violence and hunger, who refuses to let the world define her completely. She tries to hold onto her softness even as the world punishes her for it. Her chapters cracked me wide open.

And then there is Naias. She is a former faceless who now holds the illusion of power in a structure still built to break people like her. Her chapters are quiet and surgical. Her arc is a meditation on survival under empire. It shows how empire shapes you, how it hardens you, how it convinces you that you have overcome it even as it continues to consume you. The way she moves through the world is a masterclass in character complexity.

The structure of this book is as bold as its themes. The narrative voice shifts fluidly throughout the story and it is done with clear intention, each change drawing the reader deeper into a specific emotional space. These shifts create a kaleidoscopic effect that makes the story feel more alive, more intimate, more human. You don’t just read this story. You experience it. It breathes on your neck. It whispers in your ear. The second-person passages especially feel like being seen in your most vulnerable state.

Let’s talk about the worldbuilding. There is no info dump, no front-loading of lore. You are dropped into a world that is brutal and beautiful, and it demands your attention. Slowly, through character choices and moments of survival, the picture becomes clear. The world feels fully realized without ever feeling overwritten.

This book is heavy. It is brutal. There are gory moments. But the violence that lingers most is the emotional kind. Still, there is light here. There is connection. There is tenderness in the cracks. And there is an insistence, quiet and unwavering, that healing is not only possible, but worth reaching for even if it hurts.

By the end, I was not the same person. I had cried, whispered no to myself, gasped aloud, and clutched my chest through scenes that shattered me. And I was grateful for every moment. This book is a reckoning. It is a song for the lost and the wounded. For the ones who are still fighting. For the ones who need to believe they are worth saving.

This is not just a five-star book. This is a masterpiece. It is the kind of debut that will be taught and talked about for years to come. It sits comfortably on the same shelf as the works of Octavia Butler and N.K. Jemisin. Elaine Ho has written something extraordinary, and I count myself incredibly lucky to have read it early.

Elaine Ho, thank you.

This was such a beautiful and complex story. Each character in the book, whether main, secondary, or otherwise had layers.

I loved the world building in Cry, Voidbringer. From the description of the sceneries to the lore of the Gods and practices, I felt fully immersed while reading. There were some times where the book became difficult, but not in a negative way. There were deep themes of grief, abuse, trauma, and loneliness that made it tough to not get caught up in the emotions.

This story also made you question right and wrong at times. Was this character right in their actions? Should this person be saved? The complexity and questions of morality at times were real strengths in this book.

This was a beautifully written novel that tackles themes of tyranny, oppression, broken systems, found family, and so much more. I think it is a book that is very much needed in this current political climate. It was heartbreaking to read, but I am glad that I was allowed to read it. The characters were not even a little bit perfect and it made you feel for them even more. The ending felt very realistic, it wasn't summed up nicely just like stuff isn't in the real world. Amazing read!

This book was such a trip—in the best way. Cry, Voidbringer is eerie and emotional, kind of like if cosmic horror had a nervous breakdown and wrote poetry about it. Elaine Ho's writing is gorgeous and unsettling, and she somehow makes the end of the world feel incredibly personal.

The vibes? Immaculate. There's this slow, creeping dread that builds the whole time, but it's also deeply introspective—more about loss, memory, and identity than just straight-up horror. That said, parts of it did feel a little vague or abstract, and I had to reread a few sections to really get what was happening.

Still, it stuck with me. If you're into beautifully written weird fiction that leans more sad than scary, this one’s for you.

Bindery is absolutely killing it with all their books and this is no exception! I love the premise of the story and the execution didn't fail. I was so invested right from the start and it kept my interest, making it hard to put the book down.

That is how epic fantasy should be ! i was very impressed for a debut it was amazing, the political side was complex and could mirror the real world perfectly to talk about the oppressor and oppressed dynamic where the inaction starts to help the oppression unfortunately and also the current atrocities. It was hard to see these character grow up and come to conflict and come to extreme conclusions when you know where they come from and understand their point of view. I adore Viri she was compelling and found myself attached and there was Naias that i am fascinated wit, the queen's confident and lover she tried and believed herself to have power because of it and didnt see how it turned Her into an oppressor, traitor of her land until it was too late and seeing her process was heartwrenching. I also loved the deities created they were super interesting and you could feel the respect for them through the book and its very hard to do so i respect that

in conclusion it was a violent read, i wont forget in a while because the message sent is strong as much as i loved to read about those characters

No matter how many times I’ve heard the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover”, I can’t help but feel like that’s bad advice. I understand the wisdom that it’s trying to impart, but I feel that it omits the possibility of finding something wonderful based on nothing but an initial aesthetic infatuation. Case in point, while scrolling through NetGalley a couple of months ago, I was stopped in my tracks by the elegant simplicity of the cover art for Elaine Ho’s debut novel, Cry, Voidbringer. Fantasy novels often have what I would consider kind of garish and overstimulating book covers, going for a type of maximalism that I just can’t get behind. In contrast, Cry, Voidbringer’s minimalist art drew me in instantly, and I’m so glad it did because boy howdy, this thing’s a winner.

Cry, Voidbringer is a fantasy novel in that there are magical powers, kingdoms warring with each other, and a messianic figure of sorts that hangs in the balance between good and evil. Underneath those well-tread tropes of the genre lies something much stickier and more substantive. This story manages to exist as both fantasy entertainment and a parable for real world atrocities, near flawlessly. No one likes a book that feels like a lecture, and that is not the case here.

Cry, Voidbringer on its face is about a kingdom called Ashvi that is actively falling apart after the death of its king, near constant war with neighboring kingdoms, and the hasty appointment of the king’s daughter to the throne. The military strength of Ashvi comes from generations of “faceless” soldiers; children violently conscripted into the queen’s service, branded with tattoos on their foreheads as a symbol of their subjugation. One of these faceless soldiers is our main POV character, Hammer, a jaded nihilist who has known almost nothing but cruelty and betrayal in her life as a mercenary. However, a sense of empathy and compassion begins to grow in Hammer as she is charged with protecting Viri, a young girl stolen from her homeland. Viri is far from ordinary, as she may have powers that could all but ensure Ashvi’s ascension as a colonial power.

The book rotates POV chapters between Hammer, Viri, and Naias, the queen’s lead advisor and part-time lover. As much as I appreciated all three points of view, I found the Naias chapters especially compelling. Naias, while being the queen’s closest confidant, is perpetually at arm’s length from real power because of her ancestry. As is the case with colonial powers in the real world, Ashvi’s strength as a kingdom comes from the exploitation and destruction of other cultures and the people around it. Naias, having come from one of these subjugated cultures, finds herself in no man’s land; a traitor to her people while never being accepted as one of their own by the ruling class. This dynamic makes her emblematic of so much of what Cry, Voidbringer tries to impart on its readers. What happens when the oppressed become the oppressor? How can someone be chewed up and spit out by such a monstrous force decide to become another tooth in the maw of their own abuser?

I cannot claim to be an expert on any of what Cry, Voidbringer brings to the table. However, it doesn’t take a genius to be able to draw parallels between what goes on in this beautifully constructed novel and what’s happening in front of our noses in the very real world around us. Cry, Voidbringer for my money is a masterpiece that manages to paint a crushing, poignant picture of the horrors of colonialism while giving some of the best character work of any fantasy novel I’ve ever read.

Alongside the brutality and violence that persists throughout the book, these is also a sense of aching spirituality that really sold the book for me. The animating forces of the world are represented by three gods that the various cultures represented in Cry, Voidbringer revere, fear and interpret to their own ends based on their distinct cultural practices and histories. Without giving too much away, the last thrust of this book as it careens towards the end delves heavily into the spiritual aspects of this world, elevating this story from something good to something transcendent. For what it’s worth, it took me about four weeks to read the first 60% of the book and about 24 hours to read the rest. I was absolutely gob smacked by the last half of this book.

Cry, Voidbringer is a brutal read, but one that I won’t forget for a long, long time. Congratulations to Elaine Ho for creating what I hope to be a lasting work of art as a first-time author. I am along for the ride for whatever she decides to write next, and I hope that this book gets all the attention it deserves. 5/5.

Thank you to Bindery Books for the ARC of this book.

It took me a bit to get going with this book—in part due to formatting issues with the e-ARC—but once I did, it completely sucked me in.

Hammer and Viridian's found family is the emotional driving force of this story. They provide 2 of the 3 perspectives in the book, and my investment in these characters was what kept me reading during some lulls in the pacing.

The third perspective follows Naias, a former "faceless" soldier, who has climbed her way into the role of the Queen's advisor and lover. I struggled with this perspective for the first third or so of the book because Queen Khall was so insufferably whiny and incompetent. I never came to sympathize with Khall, but she did thankfully evolve enough that I was able to appreciate Naias's perspective. Naias provides a really interesting example of what it means it try to compromise with power and institute changes from within, and the way it can change you. It feels particularly relevant to explore the ways one becomes complicit in and a perpetrator of state violence, how easy it is to feel powerless—and thus not responsible—from a position of relative power.

This was a compelling and heartbreaking exploration of colonial violence and the ways that violence cascades—how the colonized become colonizers, how a subjugated country will further subjugate its own people, and how victims of colonial violence also become its perpetrators. The book is unique both in its structure and the way it plays with perspective and in its thematic explorations, and I can't wait to read more.

Since I've joined this site, my sleep schedule has been effed up because I am already way too addicted to it.

I HAD to stay up late to finish this book. It was a ferocious need. I couldn't put it down in spite of my eyes demanding I closed them for the day. It was too good and it required I knee how it ended.

I simply adored it.

This book's perspective was so unique, and I felt that contributed to how heart wrenching and emotional this was. You get to see characters manipulated into horrible things and you understand where nearly everyone is coming from so when characters come into conflict you really feel it. The anti colonial messaging of the book is strong and it's themes of revenge, loss, and fear are deeply explored. The magic and world building were so interesting, too!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book.
I found a great fantasy book after a long time spent reading same old same old.
The characters in Cry, Voidbringer are multifaceted, constantly evolving, and it’s a real pleasure reading of their endeavors, cheering for them or hating them (tsk, royals, amirite?).
The story in itself is not the most original I’ve ever read, but after so many fantasy books that have been published I’ve come to appreciate the writing way more than the plot itself. And it was superb, well paced, descriptive enough, with the POVs all having their own distinct voice.
The whole book unravels a feral criticism of empires and the people who hold power, and it displays different truths of those who are hammered by powerful people in charge - I’ll never have enough of fantasy books portraying reality through inventive worldbuilding that mirror our world, sometimes from a scarily close perspective.

This is a wonderfully unique and stand out debut novel, and I was so impressed by the scale of everything it accomplished. The world building is a major stand out, it's beautifully written and deeply immersive. I love the rich fantasy system and the influence from southeast Asia that added those extra layers of depth and culture.

I think some of the grandness of the story leaves smaller details to feel unfinished, and the pacing takes a heavy hit because so much focus is directed at the world building. I can appreciate going as big as possible and trying to crank the story to amazing heights but it does feel like some beats are missed and it takes away some significant impact. It leaves me a bit off kilter with being truly satisfied with the book as a whole, but overall I'm impressed and interested in seeing where this author goes next.

Thankyou NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This cover is spectacular and can’t wait to see it go to print!

Early reviews left me feeling VERY excited at the prospect of this book but unfortunately I think this may have tarnished my ability to really enjoy it for myself as much as others as expectations were sky high.

The world building is unique and very strong - I found the south East Asian influences of the world building to be a real strong point of this book - however really struggled to keep track at the beginning and a map and character list would have gone a long way.

I found the writing beautifully descriptive and very enjoyable - although I do think at times it really slowed down the pacing where I wanted it to pick up. It took me forever to finish this book. I felt like every time I picked it up I was confused and nothing was progressing until it was all happening at once. Court politics unfortunately almost put me to sleep.

Despite my issues I still had a good time with this book and look forward to seeing what Elaine Ho releases in the future!

4.5 stars for Cry, Voidbringer. This is a uniquely made, debut fantasy and I was impressed with it. Was it literal perfection? I wouldn’t say that, but hey, the majority of books aren’t. Some key elements that kept me enthralled were the political machinations, exciting battle action sequences, godchildren concepts, found family theme, and intriguing prose.

The narrative style was complex - alternating between 3 main POVs primarily in the 3rd person, but sometimes slipping into the 2nd or 1st for a few chapters, which was significant to the story. I personally love when authors do this - I think it had a really impactful effect and was well timed.


This book explores some devastating concepts: power, tyranny, love, hope, despair, and rage. The characters were well fleshed out and their motivations made sense (whether I agreed with them or not). The plot twists were brutal and caught me by surprise - thanks for crushing my heart Elaine Ho! Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I plan to read any additional books if there are plans for a series.

Thank you to Bindery Books and NetGalley for this eARC.

This book was incredible! The world building and characters had so much depth. It had everything a fantasy novel should have: tension, love, heartbreak, deception, intrigue... and my favorites: FEMALE RAGE and FOUND FAMILY!

There were times in this book I had to turn to my kid (who often reads or watches tv next to me) to passionately describe what I was reading in this book. I NEEDED to share it with someone, anyone. There were times my heart was so full and times my jaw was on the floor!

I so desperately hope there will be more from this world and this author!

An absolute jaw-dropping debut dark fantasy about a “godchild” who discovers her powers with help from two deadly assassins/soldiers trained to protect a falling, corrupt kingdom

One of the most intriguing, unique, complex, enthralling, yet horrifyingly familiar words I’ve read before - an anarchist, postcolonial society where power is wielded in unsightly ways.

There is no hand-holding here - readers are thrown straight into action and world, left to piece together the magic system and characters as the story unfolds quickly before us. Although this sounds alarming, it did not feel confusing or disorienting. I appreciated the confidence the author has in her audience to grasps the ideas and themes on their own, not over-explaining or oversimplifying anything, letting us drawn our own conclusions.

Besides being one of the most unique, enthralling, and page-turning dark fantasy books I’ve had the pleasure of reading, the commentary on present day society, the power struggles and political unrest mirroring our own felt so poignant. Fantasy that touches on important and current topics is seemingly more rare yet the most impactful of stories - this novel executed it perfectly.

Overall, this is an incredible debut novel set in a fascinating world occupied by a cast of diverse characters so cleverly crafted. I would absolutely encourage everyone to pick this one up, you wont be able to put it down.

MIND BLOWN.

Multiple POV Fantasy. Badass women taking control best they can of the completely out of control political system.

The gods used to rule. Their love and love lost resulted in the ending and rebuilding of a scorched, dead earth. The ruling Kings and Queens have quarreled ever since, using the conquered as their armies in constant battles of power.

Hammer and Crescent are part of the Faceless Army that support the Khall's takeover efforts. Fate intervenes as they come across Viri, a "godschild" possessing some serious power that she has yet to come into. Little do they know that Viri's love and devastation brings them together just as strongly as it tears empires apart.

Oh my lord was this book good. This world that Eliane Ho has built is flawless. There are so many facets to the characters, the empires, and the gods but you never feel like you're being lectured in history or flashbacks. And the ending. FUCK ME THE ENDING! I did NOT see that coming! I did not see ANY OF IT COMING!

6/5 stars. This book makes me want to re-think how I've rated all my books that have come before it.

Cry, Voidbringer is a brutal tragedy wrapped in divine power struggles and political deceit. It explores a world where the line between victim and villain is heartbreakingly thin. Viri’s journey from godchild to destroyer is as devastating as it is inevitable. Her love for Rafaeis, her bond with Elara, and her clash with Queen Khall’s cruel regime all culminate in a gut-punch of an ending. .
The worldbuilding is not too deep but the emotional weight lands: love costs, kindness becomes a crime, and sometimes, survival means becoming the very thing you swore to fight.

It’s not a happy story. But it’s a powerful one. If you like your fantasy dark, tragic, and morally tangled, this one’s worth your time.

My honest review was provided in exchange for an ARC on NetGalley. Thank you, Bindery Books, for giving me this ARC!

5/5

Content warning: genocide, torture, abuse, slavery, war, violent conquest

Spice: some on page sex, though nothing particularly graphic

I normally try to add a plot summary to my reviews, but there are so many layers to this story that a few sentences won’t do it any justice. If I had to sum up the message I took away from my read, though, it would be this. Mortals are willing to sacrifice everything - even their humanity - to fuel their never-ending struggle for power and control. But what are these atrocities if not re-enactments of their gods’ own traumas, forcing the world into cycles of pain and retribution ad infinitum.

This is Elaine Ho’s debut, and it is wildly good and wildly dark. Her writing feels poetic, adding gravity and solemnity to her prose. Which is necessary, since this is a story of sorrow; about power-hungry monsters, their descent into psychopathy, and the souls they break in the process. Among MANY, many themes, it is a chilling tale of complete power corrupting completely, no matter how noble intentions may seem.

Ho’s worldbuilding is unparalleled. The theology she crafted was masterful and perfectly woven into the story. She built rich and deep geographies, politics, and interpersonal relationships, and fed you that information in a way that felt well-paced and natural. She explored the impact of colonial genocide and slavery across rank and class with such gravity and painstaking care. Telling the story through multiple perspectives was such a genius touch. I needed that grounding to feel any semblance of empathy for characters I only wanted to hate.

This ending feels like it opens up the potential for a sequel, and I desperately hope that’s true. Not for any hope of happiness or resolution for any character, but just to see this world explored to its full potential. We got a taste, and I absolutely want more!

This book is exceptional. If you like dark fantasy that doesn’t pull punches, critiques the institutions we use to dominate and oppress, and which explores the darkness of human impulse, this is absolutely the book for you!

Wait so that was actually insane. Calling these characters morally grey is an insult to morality as a concept. The pitch of "toxic lesbians and the bi character is toxic too" is the best way to describe this book.

I thought, in the first quarter, that it was just *too* similar to The Unbroken, which is an all-time favorite. From that point on, it diverged pretty significantly, though I still found myself comparing the main romances in each book to each other.

This is such a different 5 stars than my usual 5 star reads. It was raw, personal, rough around the edges, and yet drew me in so neatly.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!

An incredibly creative story, full of complex characters and dynamic political intrigue, “Cry Voidbringer” is one of the most impactful adult fantasy books I’ve read in a while, and I already cannot wait for it’s sequel.

It can be immensely difficult to write characters that toe the line of morality; those that believe they are doing good while creating harm, those that believe political apathy is the key to moral righteousness, those that believe they know best for their people. And Elaine Ho has created each of these archetypes so succinctly in this story. From Hammer to Viri to Naias, and every side character in between, each character contains such raw depths of humanity, flawed in their choices and yet easily inducing empathy in their motivations. Their character arcs never hold back in displaying the full breadth of their flaws, allowing for a sequence of morally dubious actions that are never excused, forcing readers to reflect upon the entire scale of the story. This is a story that provokes deep thought and analysis of character, and it is such a breath of fresh air in that regard.

In tandem, the plot fully accommodates each character’s decision and the consequences of said decision. Each choice settles ingrains itself within the greater tapestry of the story, with repercussions rippling out into peoples and factions that feel so far detached from the main story. This was such a fantastic display of mastery over story, plot, and character; I loved seeing the specific ways in which Viri and Hammer’s choices in the first act influence the conclusion of their character arc. In addition, the plot of the book handles discussions and analyses of colonization from an angle that I feel is not often explored in fiction. In particular, it was intriguing to see how Naias’s character arc was a physical manifestation of these conversations, specifically with how her perspective featured a constant internal turmoil with her love for her former oppressor and her drive to end the oppression of the Faceless. By creating a character through which to have a critique on colonization, the conversation becomes so much more nuanced by design, especially in the hands of an author who is not afraid to write intensely flawed characters.

On top of this, I feel like the author balances plot and world-building so seamlessly; the events that occur are so numerous and densely packed, but it never feels like the story is over-saturated in any way. World-building is peppered into the story at key moments to expand the scope of the story, but never to the degree of overwhelming the story, and the lore is always enmeshed fully into the sequence of the plot. From the small details, such as the specificity in the armor of the Faceless, to the larger details, such as the entire pantheon of the world, every single portion of the world feels extremely intentional, either serving to create more dimension within the story or to help readers build a fuller mental image of the world itself.

As a whole, “Cry Voidbringer” is an unbelievably magnificent feat of storytelling. It’s a story that encompasses so many different, often diametrically opposed, shades of humanity; it’s violent & heart-breaking, it’s loving & gory, it’s anger & grief. And throughout it all, is a story that is so wholly character-driven, in a way that will have you rooting for characters you may not always agree with. “Cry Voidbringer” comes out on October 28th, and if you’re a lover of fantasy, I guarantee you’re not going to want to miss this one.

Thank you to the Bindery Books and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Initially, I found this story hard to follow and there were parts that I found difficult to understand. Although I do like to read multiple POVs, I did find it a little difficult following four POVs simultaneously at first but as the story progressed and I became more intrigued by Hammer, Viri, Rafaies and Naias’ character developments overall and with each other, I found that I enjoyed the multiple POVs and was able to follow them quite easily.

There were some scenes that I thought would benefit form a few extra bits but I really enjoyed the story. The world that it was set it was created beautifully and the descriptions allowed me to really imagine how it looked. I found myself really taking in the descriptions of scenes and was enjoying reading about the various parts of the world.

The characters were well written and had interesting back stories, although some could have benefited from additional background, and I really enjoy getting to know Hammer and her connection to some of the other characters as the book progressed.

Overall, I found it an enjoyable read and would happily read more if it was to be written, even though I found there were some scenes that I felt were rushed in their pacing. I loved most of the characters and their developing moments and relationships and found myself rooting for particular characters such as Hammer and Naias.

When histories and cultures are erased, the narrative reshaped to fit an imperialist ruling that claims oppression as the only option, perspective is key, and any choice can have dire consequences.

Woven into an intensely heartbreaking plot surrounding corruption and colonization, systemic dehumanization, and devastating loss, there is found-family, varying kinds of love, and optimism when faced with impossible odds, that will keep the reader holding onto glimmers of hope until the final page.

Cry, Voidbringer, a gripping dark fantasy by author Elaine Ho, is a novel filled with stunning prose, well-rounded characters, incredible imagery, and thought-provoking moments.

I had the honor of receiving this as an ARC through netgalley, and honestly, this was a top read of the year for me. I look forward to reading more by Ho!

Quite a showstopper of a debut. I had no expectations for how this novel would play out, and it really blew me away.

I think in some ways, objectively it'd be four stars, but pure enjoyment is five stars, and if I enjoyed it despite some 'flaws' then by all means it's a five star book.

We have so many characters at play, but all of them felt necessary. I loved learning about all of them. I loved reading each character grow and change, adapt to their environment in that moment. I think the author did a wonderful job of breaking down each character and their personality beyond what role they play in the plot.

I also really liked whatever world we were in. I think the worldbuilding could have used some work, but clearly it didn't miff me enough for me to rate the overall book any lower.

A part of me wishes for a second book, but I'm not sure if it needs it. I would totally accept a second book though. I don't wish to part from these characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books | Left Unread for the eARC!

This book is what comes into being when fantasy is fueled by real life. After all, the history of the real world is filled with the paths run by the conquered and the conquerors. And it has been a while since I have seen an author so accurately translate those feelings, that oppressive pressure, and the wanton insanity felt on both sides of the equation of war so effortlessly into a story.

Please note that by no means is this light reading. Do review the trigger warnings and brace yourself, because you will be unnerved by what quite a few people do in this book. Many of whom you will start off feeling as though they are villains, but by the end, the writing will have you wondering if they are not after all who their world shaped them to be. Could they have been different from how their world shaped them?

Yea, my brain kept churning and pondering things as I read. Good times!

The prose is crisp, clear, and accessible, even though some heavy topics are tackled. Also, I enjoyed reading every single point of view in this story. Each one gave me perspective and added to the whole in a way that made this one of the most treasured reads of 2025 for me.

The dominant theme of the book revolved around freedom. We are post a major battle where one of this world’s super beings was killed. The monarchs are licking wounds and adjusting to the new territory split. Then a new super being is discovered, stolen, and then kidnapped. Yes, ALL of those things happen within the first few chapters. (You barely have time to breathe lol I loved it!) The book unfolds as the characters we follow fight for power and freedom, all the while doing a shaky dance with love. Mistakes are made. Choices lead to death and despair. And the gods who create super beings decide it is time to get involved in human life again. It is a lot. The type of a lot that forces you to wonder, what would I do?

I feel shaken, somewhat traumatized, but also deeply moved, like I just witnessed the world shifting.

Read this book if you have a void (ha ha!) that needs epic sci-fi fantasy to fill it. But, prepare yourself for an emotional tale that has love, laughter, pain, tragedy, and in the end... hope.

I encourage everyone to get in and try this one. I know it will make your soul grow. And isn’t that the point of reading? (It is to me!)

Thank you to Elaine Ho, what a masterful debut. Thank you to Bindery Books and Net Galley for granting me this arc, in return for my honest review.

Definitely stunned after this one. Oooofffff!!!!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNiZuP_RdaT/?igsh=M3YzMWR3OGdxNjB3
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7700330203
https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/0d3db61b-c55b-4331-b7b7-7b73d9310fad

Overall, a very intriguing and immersive story. Cry, Voidbringer follows Hammer, a Faceless soldier with walls around her heart, Crescent, another Faceless who refuses to give up on love, Viridian, a child stolen from her home and imbued with powers of a god, Naias, formerly Faceless turned Commander and consort to the young queen of a dying kingdom. Elaine Ho brings questions of morality and duty to those without agency surrounded by the fickle and selfish desires of those in power. The relentless perpetuity of the cycle of violence inherent in war and colonialism is not an easy topic to tackle but Ho does a stellar job addressing this from different angles. I also appreciate the diversity of characters including queer MCs whose entire storyline isn’t defined by their sexuality.
I did have trouble following at times as point of view changed from chapter to chapter and sometimes within a single chapter. There also seemed to be some formatting issues, some of which can be blamed on sending the file to my Kindle, but others (including many sentences lacking capitalization) made it confusing.
I also really would’ve liked to have a map and a glossary of characters as I found myself having a hard time remembering which people worshipped which god and who those gods were.

I was blown away by this deeply emotional tale - it ripped my heart out! There were a few moments where it felt like there was a bit of a lull but it picked up, asking very important questions. Perfect characterisation and worldbuilding - definitely amazing.

This book was almost a DNF for me, but for some reason I kept reading and then things were getting more interesting as I turned the pages until I realized that I was halfway done, so now I couldn't possibly abandon it and, besides, I really wanted to know what was going to happen.

So, the start of the book is kind of slow at some points, but the exposition of the worldbuilding is one of its strong points. We get to meet our main characters through action and then we get so many questions that the only thing we can do is keep reading.

The thing is, there are three points of view: Hammer's and Viri's were my favourites, but we also get Naias' and this is where I felt the book dragged a little. Naias is focused on the political aspect of the story, and it was good, but I felt her chapters were too long and, honestly, at first I really didn't care about her at all, although this changes towards the middle of the book, from there on I was totally invested in seeing how things would progress for her at the end of the story, and it didn't disappoint.

One thing that for me wasn't done in the best way is the relationships between characters, I felt there could've been more moments where we could see them develop a relationship instead of being told that now they're like a family. I get that, and I love when characters end up in a found family, but here I would've liked it better if I could see how they ended up in it in the frist place. In these cases there was so much told by the narrative and so little showed.

Now, the THEMES. I absolutely loved how they were represented in the story. Do you like power corrupting characters, or perhaps betrayal, or destoying what you wanted to protect, or maybe characters being chased by a never ending grief? Well, do I have good news: this book has it all. And it was so well done that that alone is what made me give it four stars instead of three. One thing I especially loved was the breaking of the fourth wall in some chapters and it destroyed me in the best way possible.

So, all in all, the book has some flaws and a slow start, but I think in the end it's all worth it, if you keep that in mind I'd totally recommend it.

Cry, Voidbringer is a compelling journey into a world of misfits and found family, where unexpected powers and hidden secrets intertwine. I was completely captivated by the dynamic between the characters, especially as their bonds deepened amidst the chaos and betrayal that surround them.

What really stood out to me was the blend of themes—politics, betrayal, belonging, and sacrifice—throughout the narrative. The story explores deeply human emotions and complex loyalties, making the moments of triumph and tragedy all the more impactful. The revelation of one character’s powers was a twist I didn't see coming, adding an exciting layer of intrigue and stakes to the story.

The ending was shocking and somber, leaving me reflecting on the cost of loyalty and the sacrifices made for the greater good. It’s a thought-provoking read that stayed with me long after I finished.

Overall, *Cry, Voidbringer* is a beautifully written, emotionally charged story about the importance of chosen family and the sacrifice required to protect those we love. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys dark fantasy with rich character development and intense themes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is hard to review, as it's quite complex even with its tight pacing and straight-to-the-point descriptions. It's a story that really sucks you in, with imperfect characters and ugly dynamics. I really loved how power and love are portrayed, how isolation and discomfort interact with imbalanced relationships. Particularly, I find the relationship between Naias and the queen extremely compelling; it's a constant push and pull, but it's also, in my opinion, the most well-developed in the book. We read from different POVs, and while for Viri and Hammer this means a lot of plot and fast-paced action and little time to dwell on feelings, the political sections with Naias and Khall always ended up gravitating around their dynamic, making it feel much more fleshed out.
The worldbuilding is really well done and described with unique images and locales. There is enough to make sense and intrigue the reader with its unique takes, but it also has a limited scope and doesn't bloat an already quite complex story. The world isn't the usual middle-European medieval fantasy (it has guns!), and it shines and feels complete, a real backdrop to the events.
My only issue is that I would have liked even more time with the characters and the settings, having most of the main character's bond develop either very quickly or duiring time skips cheapens a little all the compelling interactions we do see, and as all the POVs are from self proclaimed loners we don't really get to see much interaction or society, especially in the first half.
This doesn't mean we don't get satisfying payoffs or interesting side characters, but I do think I would have enjoyed even more of them.
There is a trope that's not one of my favorites, but even that manages to be well done and feel earned by the character. <spoiler>I really liked that Hammer, a regulatr person, had been able to kill a godchild, and in general I rather prefer reading about that that a 3rd act surprise special power, but it does feel like yet another part of her heritage that she had been kept apart from and it does overall work, even if not my favourite.</spoiler>
This book is not light, it deals with manipulative relationships, loss of identity, colonialism, brutality, and abuse, but it manages to feel balanced and enjoyable, and I'm sure that it will leave you with characters and insights that will stay with you for a long time.

This is a really interesting start to a series. The world building was beautifully done and the fact that a lot of the political aspects reflect the real world made it more tragic. I loved learning about the world and the set up. I will have to say Naias' viewpoint was probably my favorite because of how she had to maneuver in the world and how frustrating it was to read what she had to do and the mistakes she was making. Her world was very psychological manipulation and seeing her edge that line and trying to figure out her next move was the best part of the book. I liked Hammers view point it just was not as interesting and at parts got boring. Overall a really good start to a series 100% would recommend.

I'm not sure I'm able to give a spoiler free review of this book. The summary describes most of the book well, but it transforms so much within the last third. The book for the most part is focused on colonialism and its effects, but I can't tell if that will be the focus of the next one. More than anything, it is a story about loneliness and the effects indoctrination has on the mind. The author clearly had a clear vision of this book, so I am hopeful the sequel is able to deliver as strong of a message as this one.
I think my biggest issue with the book was the world not feeling as fleshed out as it could have been. The countries we do not have much insight into like Tevurian and the one Viridian is from would probably make the world feel more lived in and also clarify Ashvi's place in the world. The summary states Tevurian is Ashvi's imperialist oppressor, but I think more info on how the empire has harmed them would be useful history as the whole book is focused on Khallen and Ashvi's war crimes than Teru. Teru is also quite passive in this book, which feels inconsistent with what the characters know about the empire. I hope the future books are able to go deeper into this and maintain this combined focus on colonialism and psyche without neglecting one. This book has the potential to be even better as part of a series so I am excited for future books, whenever they come out. I am especially hopeful for Naias's future. Her political machinations were some of my favorite and very realistic, so her uncertain future that is still wrapped in politics has so much potential.
Well-paced, engaging, and brutal.
4.5/5

This book is an incredible fantasy novel that touches on politics, grief, love and loneliness in a powerful way. The three perspectives were so well done and connected me to the characters immediately. There were times where I was nearly talking to the pages because I disagreed with a character’s actions or I knew what a character would do next. As a reader, once you’re hooked by this book, you’ll begin rooting for the characters despite the crazy things they do. They are complex, none are perfect, they suffer in every way possible and they feel so human.

A big contribution to this book’s success was the worldbuilding. I was able to enter this world and learn these characters quickly, which is not always an easy task for an author. Ho used two literary point-of-views to emphasize character development and the overarching message of this book. At times, the book is directly speaking to the reader, driving home the point of how colonialism corrupts and destroys lives in any possible way. The characters are direct products of this brutality. For this reason, this book is a crucial read today and I can’t wait for it to be officially published.

I’m super excited for Elaine Ho and her killer debut novel! Thank you Bindery Books for the digital ARC!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Bindery, and Left Unread Books for an e-ARC copy of this book

The fact that this is a debut blows my mind. The political intrigue alone feels masterful, then with the added elements of the character work and the emotional depth of the story, I'm left reeling and needing a sequel IMMEDIATELY. For fantasy readers, this has everything: a unique magic system, betrayal, Queer love, found family, snarky FMC matched against her scheming ex-love interest, people trying to change the tyrannical system they are trapped in, and so, so much more. If you enjoyed books such as Godkiller, Blood Over Bright Haven, or the Poppy War, you'll want to pre-order this EXPEDITIOUSLY.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The characters are vivid and well written. They have depth, and the emotional roller-coaster is highest of highs to lowest of lows. Slight spoiler- the author breaks the 4th wall, and it is incredible!! Love it!

Holy shit.
This is good. So damn good.
It is not a comfortable read, it is harsh and cruel. It is truthful. It is beautiful.

I 100% recommend this book. It is not an easy read, but I could not put it down.

Devastating, visionary, and fiercely human, Cry, Voidbringer delivers the kind of speculative fiction that doesn’t just rip open the world—it guts you emotionally while doing it.

Through the eyes of Hammer—a conscripted soldier forged by war and disillusionment—we’re dropped into a brutal empire where magic has withered and power is now wielded through colonization, manipulation, and generational trauma. Hammer is a hardened survivor, but the quiet, dangerous arrival of Viridian cracks something open in her: duty colliding with conscience, survival twisted up with love.

This book feels like it was created by an artist in every sense. The prose is sharp and muscular but rich with visual detail—like battlefields painted in ash and fire, or cities trembling under the weight of history. The story doesn’t shy away from moral ambiguity, and it refuses to let you look away from the consequences of power—how it’s hoarded, stolen, misused, and mythologized.

Viridian herself is a revelation: a child born into a system that only wants to weaponize her, but whose presence forces everyone around her to confront what they’ve accepted as “necessary.” And as the war machine lurches on, Hammer is left questioning whether liberation is truly possible—or just another face of conquest.

If you loved The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin or The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, this belongs on your shelf yesterday. Cry, Voidbringer is not just about fighting back—it’s about who we become in the fight, and what we’re willing to lose to win.

One of the most interesting things about this book is the style and how perspective is portrayed. We step into the through the eyes of Hammer, Naias and Vidi. The perspective of the former two is through third-person narration, making the reader step back and see the world holistically. It’s also a great way to offer exposition without it feeling too forced. Vidi’s perspective is told through first person narration at first - drawing in the reader and offering more emotion and introspection - before switching to third (and later, second) person half way through, revealing an almost dissociative trance. Each perspective is unique, making it easy for the reader to remember who’s narrating at any given time.

The author also uses poetic technique such as repetition, using lowercase even for proper nouns, and removing punctuation to place the reader in the same stream-of-consciousness as the narrator. This is usually used when memories or flashbacks are presented. The character focused narrative means the plot is quite slow. However, it does quicken during action scenes and with the use of shorter chapters. That said, there lulled moments - with some feeling intentional and beautiful with the use of poetic technique, while others drag on. This is because it felt like the book was trying to say too much and go in too many different directions, rather than focus on one central thesis.

Even though this novel is character-driven, some of the relationships feel underdeveloped. Vidi and Rafaeis’ connection is beautiful and tender from the start, but Hammer starts off loathing Vidi and having to take care of her then sudden cares for her intensely. The tension between Hammer and Naias was delicious, you could feel their history stitched into every interaction, but Hammer and Rafaeis went from “there is something brewing here” to co-parents who love and trust one another implicitly in what felt like a small amount of time. This would be fine in plot-driven novels, so readers who prefer stories driven by plot may not find issue with this at all. However, as a person who loves character-driven story, it felt like the characterisation that had been established was often neglected when it cane to forwarding certain plot points.

All that said, I did enjoy the plot. The world-building felt tangible and the godchild aspect was an intriguing way to have characters hold godlike powers while also being deeply and humanly flawed. I liked the political nuances across the different kingdoms(?) and Khall felt like a political type one would see in our own world today: self-centred and unable to empathise with others outside her own class and ethnicity. The anti-colonialism messaging was strong - particularly around Naias’ storyline and her trying to win over her oppressors and fight ‘from the inside’ - and the theme of resistance - whether it was outright rebellion, malicious compliance, or playing the game to achieve results - was multifaceted and realistic. That said, many of these plot points felt rushed, such as how quickly powers are manifested and understood; how easy recovery from intense wounds are (i.e., recovering from lashes super quickly); and how abruptly the battles and action scenes seem to end.

And yet, with all this, I’m keeping my rating high because, even with the issues I had, this book still felt fresh and exciting. As I mentioned earlier, I really enjoyed the use of poetic technique, and the strong narrative voice helped novel the story forward. I liked the fact that most (if not all?) the characters were queer and even when you despised them, their queerness was never related to their flaws; it was a natural and integrated part of characterisation and story. I also think this novel carries a helpful message of hope and shows the reader that, while one person can’t change the world, a collective might have a fighting chance. This is something that is really needed right now. That said, the ending does set the scene for a sequel and I’m not that invested in any continuation of this story if that were to happen.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story kept me engaged from start to finish and had some moments that really stood out. Overall, it offered an entertaining reading experience.

What a book. I was floored from the first moment. Politically heavy fantasy isn't usually for me, but Ho reminds me of N.K. Jemisin--rich worldbuilding, characters whose evolving relationships will stick to your ribs forever, a huge universe hiding just beyond the pages. An unflinching examination of colonialism, racist power structures, and war--heartbreaking and real, real, real. But truly what makes this a five-star read for me is Viri's characterization--how her relationship with Hammer develops across the pages is so achingly real I know it will stay with me.
100000/5, read this book!

The opening scene of this book grabs you by the hair and drags you in, all your protests ignored. Hang on 'cause it will be a turmoilous ride!
The worldbuilding was nice, though not always easy to follow. Explanation earlier on of the religious system would have been great. It made the last 100 pages kind of heavy to read.
I could sympathise with most characters, with Rafaeis in the lead and Hammer the epitome of female rage. Viri is a cool character, but I couldn't get into her head as much: her voice didn't feel like one of a 12 year old to me. While reading, the POVs switch often and it gives you insight into the problems from different angles. But when characters and POVs start changing names and then a narrator (?) takes one as well... I felt a bit taken out of the flow.
If you love romance in your fantasy, then this book has -very lgbtqia+ proof by the way- two connected subplots. Without giving away too much: I sometimes felt you got too much of one and too little in the other subplot. The focus lies more on the psychological themes of loneliness and belonging reflected in the micro relations between characters as in the macro politics in the different realms.
The style of writing in this book isn't easy and that's great. Fantasy should have more challenging books linguistically.

All in all a good story with great elements. Would I recommend it? If you are up for a world full of warriors and gods, with a good amount psychologically damaged characters, I'd say go for it!

This book took a hammer to my heart, so many times I’m surprised I survived it. Suffice to say, it was a wonderful experience.
I found this intense, well written and I absolutely ate this up. I loved how well I knew the characters, how much I loved and hated them at the same time. That understanding of their decisions from their perspective but also the frustration with their decisions was perfectly evoked. The wording and the chapters felt economical in words and concepts, it didn’t feel inflated at all but concurrently held so much.
I loved the world-building and the Gods, I feel like it created something so big in a way that didn’t feel hefty. The people and cultures created were beautiful and the pieces on the board that were all constantly moving in their own directions outside of what we could see. But goodness it was intense. I wanted to rant at characters. I was gasping out loud. I had to put the book down a few times to fume.
This is going on my books with bisexual main characters list as well! I also clocked some light poly rep which I enjoyed. There are many queer relationships centre stage here, with three sapphic main characters and queer side characters, and also many people of colour.
Negatives: I think the only thing I didn’t enjoy was the ending. I feel like it should have ended a couple of chapters earlier to leave the reader with that conflicting feeling I mentioned earlier. The ending the author chose left me wondering why they chose to end it that way. I can’t say more as I want to avoid spoilers. However, the ending didn’t spoil the experience of the book for me - I felt like there was still payoff and the ending I wanted was there.
Are there notes? Yes. Is it still five stars? Also, yes.

Thank you Netgalley & Left Unread Books for the ARC.

A gorgeous and violent saga of fantasy and fighting!
I'm a huge fan of taking down the system (especially one as corrupt as the system from this world) and when done with beautiful writing like this, it all comes together.

My only issue was that there were some spots that were a little difficult to follow (from wording and pacing), but that wasn't too difficult to get past.

Overall a great read, that was gripping and very interesting!

3.5 or 3.75 rounded up!

The aspects of this book that I especially enjoyed are the characters, mythology, and plot. The characters are fully-formed--as individuals and in their relations to each other--and the found-family themes are some of the most compelling. I think my favorite part is the world that's created, of indentured soldiers and god-children. There's a ruthlessness in this book that I really enjoyed (as weird as that may sound)... when depicting such gruesome ideas, I think you need ruthlessness. The idea of a child having such a horrendous gift... this was especially intriguing.

I struggled with the pacing, world-building, and some of the writing. I was engaged all the way through but zoomed out, i really struggle with the novel's structure. We cover a over a year, but I found it hard to *feel* that; I didn't feel that all that much had happened. With the world-building, I must acknowledge that I'm not the best reader when it comes to political machinations. That being said, I did find the court intrigue to be a little confusing and uninteresting.

I'd definitely check out more from this author, and/or a sequel... i just wish there had been a little more editing.

I don’t even know how to put this book into words without setting my own heart on fire. Cry, Voidbringer is easily one of the most gut-wrenching, fantastical, and politically rich pieces of literature I’ve read in a LONG time. It’s for sure a dark fantasy. Bleak but beautiful, intimate but epic. The author doesn’t waste a single sentence.

The world-building? Immersive! We’re thrown into it & Ho trusts us to keep up! It reminded me so much of how N.K. Jemisin's layers of cultural commentary are always so woven/embedded into the story. It's just raw power, survival, colonization, and what happens when liberation gets weaponized. Hammer is the kind of character that makes you ache physically! She's tough as hell but cracked a little, you know? Viridian? Whew. Watching THAT relationship evolve damn near broke me. These aren’t your typical hero tropes, because they’re so EPIC-ALLY human. In the final third, I was clutching my Kindle like it was the last lifeline. I could not put down the absolute rage, the heartbreak, and the twists (that I didn't recognize as a thing coming up)? Pure gold!

This style needs a new genre: it's feminist, anti-colonial, and feral in the best way. More like this, please. Immediately! Elaine Ho, you deserve the flowers.

Cry, Voidbringer is a complex narrative about tyranny, complicity to violence, and xenophobic exploitation. The book focuses especially on the coping strategies one might use to survive such a dark world, and the consequences of these choices. The narrative spans a wide variety of characters: the manipulative consort of a struggling queen, a child who has the power to massacre her enemies, and a warrior stolen from her culture from a young age and made complicit in a tyrannical government. This book follows the consequences both of rising paranoia and escalating violence of a young queen who inherited her father’s rebelling kingdom. Amidst the bloodshed, a found family is formed for a brief moment in time: Viridian, a child stolen from her home for the supernatual power she might one day possess; Hammer, a dour and violent Faceless warrior assigned to look after her, and Crescent, a fellow Faceless who sees a hope in the world that Hammer does not. Much of the book centers on the consequences of this brief peace: what would you do to restore your family and its happiness? What actions are justifiable if your ultimate goal is peace for the people you once cared about? What happens in the ensuing violence irrevocably changes the people you once loved?

These questions are the greatest strength of this novel: I thought it did an amazing job setting up interesting and complex questions. The characters diverge greatly in how they respond to the conditions they find themselves in: do they hold on to hope or let it go? Do they seek ways to gain from the situation, or do they care more for the people around them? When do the relationships built in these conditions fracture? In terms of building a story that frames a weighty moral, I think this book is a great success.

However, I did struggle with the pacing of this book. It covers a lot of ground—both in the questions it raises and the sheer bulk of plot covered. Especially with how much time focal characters spend apart, there is just a lot of story in this book. By including so much, I felt that there were large pieces that lost their impact because there just wasn’t time. Especially Hammer and Crescent’s relationship, though I felt that Viridian’s relationships with both of them suffered as well. There overall pacing of the book exacerbated this: the first half of the book was so slow to build story and stakes I nearly put it down for lack of interest, and the last half of the book covered so much that I was often confused about the state of things. For context, in the first half of the book, I legitimately couldn’t figure out the scale of the kingdom because so few aspects of it were described, and in the second half I had the opposite problem—suddenly so much existed that I couldn’t keep track of the stakes of the world.

In the end, this was a 3.5 star book for me, rounded up. It has given me a lot to think about even if there were some technical aspects of the writing that I struggled with. I do think it is important context that this is written as though it is the first book in a duology or series. While I wouldn’t call the ending a cliffhanger, it’s clear that the story isn’t over; I wish that this had been made clear in the marketing of this book as it would have changed how I approached it.

The world building was immersive and an absolute joy to experience! I loved how there were such high stakes for the characters! The book also nailed using multiple POV. The pacing was good as well!

Elaine Ho does a fantastic job in writing this book, it had that element that I was wanting from the description and how it was told in this storyline. The characters had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall concept of them in this storyline. The overall package worked well and am excited for more from Elaine Ho.

Cry Voidbringer is like no work of fantasy that I’ve read in my near twenty years of avid reading. With deep themes reminiscent of So Let Them Burn and This Ends in Embers, the reader can only hang on for dear life as they are riveted with a gut wrenching series of interconnected stories that coalesce into a tragic tale like none other. You might want to grab your tissues for this one, and you certainly will not want to put it down. As a side note, I cannot express how long I’ve waited for a character like Hammer. A somewhat unlikable MC who  mirrors the plot with her own experiences while holding up as an extraordinary character. Personally, I love the ending (more specifically I love the choices made in the end without offering spoilers). On a final note (because I simply cannot say enough about this book), I cannot remember a book with more intricate and complex characters than Cry Voidbringer. There is no single character that I can point to and say “they’re evil” and that is a refreshing change of pace.

WOW. This book starts right in the thick of the action. It’s heart-pounding and does not let up for a second. This is a book about power, corruption, and the erosion of innocence told through multiple viewpoints. Hammer, a solider without a name or face, who fights for the nation she was captured by. Naias, once a Faceless like Hammer, but trying to find a way to make change through the new ruler and her bed despite being considered a “lesser” being. And Viridian. A godchild taken by one clan for slavery and then by another, only to be forced into serving a petty queen for her powers to kill. She’s 12.

This book doesn’t blink. It doesn’t flinch. It doesn’t look away at the hard parts. It’s raw and brutal. It has moments of hope. It has moments of utter despair. It’s not an easy read, but it should be an essential one. There’s beauty in the brutality, in the way it lays everything out and asks you to really see the effects of war and tyranny. I don’t know what to say to make you read this except for this quote:

“Tyranny doesn’t happen in the blink of an eye. It is a slow descent, helped by the complicity of those who think they have no power.”

Don’t blink. Don't flinch. Don’t turn away.

Cry, Voidbringer hits shelves October 28. Thank you to Bindery Books | Left Unread for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for the e-arc :)

Y'ALL! This had me hooked. Raw, political fantasy that had me chomping at the bit. Scenes that made me gasp, actual twists I didn't anticipate. Characters I adored for the right and wrong reasons. Elaine Ho is an incredibly talented writer and I can't wait to see what they write next.

I wish I could write more eloquently share how this made me feel. Highly recommend. I've read over 50 books this year and this is the 4th one to receive 5 stars from me which might not capture how much I loved this in a poetic way but I did, I loved it.

4.25 stars

thank you to netgalley and bindery books for giving me access to the e-arc. all opinions are my own.

content warnings: war, violence, genocide, grief, child abuse, death, trafficking

cry, voidbringer is a dark epic fantasy novel, told from a variety of povs, about grief, loneliness, war, the complexities of family (biological and found) and love. all of the characters are incredibly complex and fleshed out, which i always appreciate so much. this novel is deeply political and often difficult to read - the reader is let into the cruel world and the characters' innermost thoughts and motivations, so it's a tough (but great) read.

elaine ho seems like such a gifted and self-aware writer, and i can't wait to see what's next for her!

ARC Review
4.5/5 ⭐️

Cry, Voidbringer is an adult fantasy book full of political intrigue, with multilayered characters and extremely powerful children that get sucked into a world of war and cruelty. This book poses the questions…where does the endless cycle of war and tyranny begin, and where does it end? Is there actually someone to blame? What happens when every path ends the same? Which one do you choose?

It took me a little bit to fully immerse myself in this world, but once I did I just couldn’t put the book down. This story is original and raw, and it put me through every range of sadness and rage possible. You can’t help but feel empathy towards the characters, even though they are deeply flawed, because it’s difficult to judge the decisions someone makes to survive when all they know is war and suffering.

And also…THAT ENDING?!?! I can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Bindery Books for the e-arc!

I honesty don’t even know where to begin with this one. It was rough in all the ways you want a book to be rough. It was gritty and raw and powerful and anger and hatred and suffering and love and sadness and hope, a small whisper of hope. My words cannot begin to do justice for this book, this book which caused my heart to feel like it was being ripped from my chest on more than one occasion. As far as I can tell this is Elaine Ho’s debut, and if it is then WOW, nothing more I can say than I am in absolute shock over this one.

It’s a haunting and gritty epic fantasy filled with politics and war and all the things that come along with that, and just a hint of romance tossed in to soften the edges just enough. There are scenes in here that may be triggering to read, but this is a book that deals heavily with war and the consequences thereof. Be careful going into this one, but if you do, it is worth it!

This book was wow. I admit I struggled in the beginning but thats because I personally struggle with multi povs, especially when I find one character not very likeable. But by 25% I was hooked. Even the character I didn't like I was invested in their story.
This story made me feel so conflicted cause I did not know how I wanted this to end, like I do not know what the ultimate happy ending would be in this story of warring empires where both sides had committed atrocities and those doing what they need to survive. I was both hopeful but also feeling the same bleak inevitable hoplessness of some of the characters.
I felt different for each pov character but felt for them and the position they were stuck in. I understood their terrible choices even as I wanted to throw my book.

This book made me want to tear my hair out from chapter one. And I say this with the most love and adoration. This isn't a book that sugarcoats the hard truths about war. It's frustrating. It's devastating. It's horrific at times. There's death, an array of child soldiers, and cages- both chosen and forced. There's even ambivalent gods!

Grey morality is in abundance here. There isn't a single character in the book that can be considered a moral compass. Well... maybe one, but you'll see how that goes. On another note, shoutout to my girl Naias! She really goes through it and makes every mistake in the world, but I love her anyway. That's MY emotional support toxic lesbian.

The world Elaine Ho has crafted feels full and real, without being too overbearing. The story shines most in the narrative, even when it lulls about around the middle. There were points in the third act where I was gasping out loud. The ending isn't incredibly satisfying in my opinion, but that's the point, so it's hard to complain about.

Overall, this is a strong debut dark fantasy. I would absolutely pick up anything else Elain Ho puts out, especially if it's in this universe.

fun and awesome romantasy. the location and sense of plot is built up really well. would definitely recommend. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

One of the most tragic, complicated, and unique books I've read.

While the general premise of Cry, Voidbringer is one we've seen versions of before, the relationships and dynamics in this book is where it really shines in my opinion. Khall and Naias' incredibly complex relationship had me conflicted the entire time, and Hammer Crescent and Viri...I couldn't have pictured where things would go with them by the end if I tried.

There were times I felt like the author was hand holding a bit too much, and not trusting the reader to understand what was happening; telling, instead of just showing, especially with Khall and Naias.

Overall I enjoyed this a lot and that ending...no idea where things are going to go from here but I'm very interested to find out.

Thank you Netgalley as always for the eARC!

I didn't know what to expect from Cry, Voidbringer, and as a result this book hit me like an absolute freight train. It's fresh, it's confident, and it's really, really exciting. I was engaged right away and couldn't put it down.

Cry, Voidbringer is an adult epic fantasy set in a world loosely based on East Asian histories and cultures - already a point in its favour because, let's be honest, aren't we all tired of reading yet another thinly veiled retelling of British history? At the same time, this book is a trenchant critique of inequality and prejudice in society, and of the slow descent into tyranny, all of which it manages to do without feeling heavy-handed or preachy. The book also manages to work equally well as either a standalone novel or the first in a series. Selfishly, I would love it to become a series, as I'd love to spend more time with these characters. But I also won't feel something is missing if there is never a second book.


This novel centres women and girl characters - the two adult women protagonists are also queer - and quietly sets out a world where misogyny is largely absent, and homophobia and transphobia are not present at all: queer characters, queer families, and women and girls doing the same tasks as men and boys are all normalized. Despite this, it is anything but a utopian novel: Cry, Voidbringer is frequently quite bleak, with strong apocalyptic vibes. If you're looking for a cozy fantasy or a guaranteed happy ending, this book isn't for you, at least not right now.

For me, this is an excellent read for fans of East Asian-inspired fantasy series like the Dandelion Dynasty and dark fantasies like Blood over Bright Haven and the Broken Earth trilogy. (And it's no accident that all of these series have strong women characters and most have central queer characters as well.)

I'm very impressed that this is a debut novel: Ho's writing is confident and self-assured, and she takes big chances in her writing style that really pay off. She's created a unique and very fascinating world that I loved getting to know. I'm looking forward to reading more of her work in the future (ideally, a Cry, Voidbringer sequel or two!).

Cry, Voidbringer was EVERYTHING I love in a high fantasy novel. My brain is still trying desperately to process the turmoil of emotions I just went through. The found family Elaine Ho developed was an absolute masterpiece of deeply flawed characters trying to survive terrible circumstances and worse decisions. And the consequences of having to live with those decisions.

Another ARC….Wow, this was an action-packed adventure through a very intense world. The world building was good but the characters were great and kept me reading. I feel that there are some parts that could have been edited out, but overall I really enjoyed this book 5stars. #netgalley #cryvoidbringer

Cry, Voidbringer is nowhere near the best fantasy novel I’ve ever read. It’s not even the best debut fantasy novel I’ve ever read.

For one, the “magic” system is not well explained. I’m a fan of show, not tell, and kudos to author Elaine Ho for working it into the narrative rather than giving the reader a lecture, but it’s not well shown either. You have to do a lot of reading between the lines. The godchildren, for example, are apparently vessels of their gods in living human children granted the powers of the god they represent, and at some point, their powers manifest. How the godchildren are identified is unclear, but there are hundreds if not thousands of them and upon the moment of their birth certain individuals are able to identify, or “name” them, but not what god they represent or the power they will wield. When their power does eventually present itself, these godchildren seem able to wield and control it instinctively and completely. And somehow human rulers manage to enslave even the most powerful among them. How either of those things is possible is never really clear.

For another, world building is murky at best. The different kingdoms and the relationships between them (mostly adversarial, or wary alliances) must be determined as the story goes along, and again, I do appreciate the fact that I wasn’t given an impromptu history lesson, but this is tangled and lacks clarity. In this case, it did occur to me that this was an intentional representation of the politics at play. But there’s also the matter of the faceless, the blood tithes, and the reborn. And again, you can kind of get the gist as you go, but there’s no real explanation, even as part of the narrative.

And finally, there are brief references to the past in the lives of both Viri and Hammer in the form of italicized paragraphs of two or three sentences. These are confused and unclear as traumatic memories tend to be, and while it’s an intriguing plot device in my opinion it’s overdone and becomes annoying.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that I checked twice to be sure that Cry, Voidbringer was not the sequel to another book that introduced all of these things. It is just past the halfway mark that the reader begins to learn more about the gods and, eventually, the godchildren, but there is much that is not fully clear even at the book’s conclusion.

The book itself is bleak. This is not cheery stuff. It starts on a dark note and if anything travels deeper into it. This story lives in the shadows. There are content warnings at the beginning, and if you’re considering reading it be sure to review them.

Hammer is the first character the reader is introduced to, and she is aptly named. Hammer is a faceless, taken from her family as a child and forced to be a soldier, and she is a blunt-force weapon. But that’s not all she is, and as her bonds to the other characters in the story are strengthened in spite of herself, her rage becomes a protective fury. Rafaeis is a faceless who fights alongside her, and he is far more than he seems.

Viri is a child when the book begins, and a child still when it ends. But it’s often difficult to remember that she is a child given her behavior, and I could not determine for sure how much of that was intentional, though I am of the opinion that at least some of it was.

Naias and Khall, in spite of the fact that they are clearly the antagonists of the story and are in many ways unredeemable, may well also be the most brilliant part of the story. The journey these two travel is frankly nauseating, but it’s also mesmerizing. These two are like an ill-fated yin and yang. It’s a train wreck you see coming miles away and all you can do is watch it unfold as they make one reckless decision after another. I’ve already spilled enough minor spoilers here for one review and I don’t want to reveal any more but trust me when I say that you’ll be both fascinated and sickened in equal measure by these two.

And this says nothing of Crescent or Engale, Soridian or Nasu, or the host of others that are woven throughout the story.

Having said all that, I loved it. Cry, Voidbringer is not a simple tale; it’s layered and beautifully crafted. This book has a lot to say. And if you’re in the “books aren’t political” camp you won’t want to hear it so you should probably read something else. For everything about this book that drove me nuts, I fully intend to read the sequel that I really hope is forthcoming, in spite of the fact that I am not fond of cliffhangers, because that ending is a little bit brutal and I really want to know what happens next.

4.75⭐️

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review.

I can’t stop thinking about this book. Cry, Voidbringer by Elaine Ho is the kind of story that grabs you by the throat from the first page and refuses to let go. Elaine Ho builds a brutal, beautifully complex world where faith, empire, and survival collide and somehow makes it feel heartbreakingly human.

Hammer’s voice gutted me. She’s tough, cynical, and scared by a system that never gave her a choice and yet, when she meets Viridian, this fragile yet terrifyingly powerful child, something inside her cracks open. Their relationship isn’t soft or easy; it’s full of pain, defiance, and a desperate kind of hope. I found myself holding my breath as Hammer tried to protect Viridian from becoming another weapon in someone else’s war.

What I loved most was how the book refuses simple answers. It asks: what is liberation if it means destroying what’s left of yourself? By the time I reached the end, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to cry, scream, or start the whole thing over just to feel it again.

⚡️Thank you Colored Pages Book Tours and Elaine Ho for sharing this book with me!

I ran into this book blind. Then I discovered this was a queer good time. Our FMC hammer and Veridian., they will latch on into your heart. Also, the question of how colonialism has impacted our lives being a discussion in a dark fantasy is wild.

Wow, how to review a book that leaves you staring at the wall for an eternity after finishing it?

I love books that make me feel something, but most books only manage to make me feel for the characters and not with them (as in, the same emotions). Cry, Voidbringer made me do both and I am still full of rage, sadness and being so tired from it all. Which, honestly, is also how the world makes me feel, just amplified by a lot.
Understanding all the MCs actions, finding them justified, and at the same time seeing where they lead, is really something else. All of the plot this led to was absolutely amazing and gripping, right up until the last chapter/epilogue, which I am not a fan of. Still, the book left me wanting more (and at the same time not wanting to be devastated like this again), and the ending gives hope for that.
I care for all the main characters and most side characters and will be rereading this book many times.
There is also lots of social commentary, which by itself makes this book worth a read. It vividly portrays how colonialism and racism destroy lives and entire cultures, and only bring violence. Go read it.

Now, back to staring at the wall and processing.

Such a heartbreaking and compelling story. So many badass character to love or love to hate. The multiple POVs were done well and I really felt connected to all the characters and understood their motivations. I can't wait to read more from this author.

I received an electronic ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

This is a dark and depressing story. It regularly refers to hope as poison, and shows that nothing changes with complacency. It will drag you to the deepest pit of despair, while dangling a twinkle of light in front of you and occasionally letting you taste a spark, just to ensure you keep following, helpless in your desire to have something, anything, go right.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are messy and their motivations tangled. None of the characters are your stereotypical "I'm a teenager and the chosen one"; all of them are yanked along by the plot, taking actions that will hopefully save them from the unstoppable plodding of the world around them.

All of the characters are wonderfully done and feel truly unique, with their own voices. Viridian is the true victim of her circumstances and of the greedy adults around her, and there are only one or two people who truly care for her as a person. Naias is a wonderfully complicated character and constantly vacillates between coldly furthering her goals and letting her anger lash out, effectively pushing her backwards. It's a fascinating mix of emotions and desires crammed into one person. Hammer is a callous soldier broken by her years and experiences, and Crescent the embodiment of hope and family. And of course, Khall, the queen put on the throne after her father's assassination, paranoid and terrified and letting these emotions consume her.

The concept of a gruff older warrior becoming the reluctant caretaker of a child is a familiar one, but the execution is fresh, and the side of the story we get from Veridian and the addition of Crescent provide a new angle to this type of dynamic.

As the only younger character in this book is Viridian at twelve years old, all of the other characters are adults, and as such this is for an older audience. There are two explicitly adult scenes in amongst this depressing tale.

The story is slower-paced but not agonizingly so, as someone experienced with worlds like the Wheel of Time. I adore how flashbacks and backstory tidbits are done, and the world feels fleshed-out and real, though I could have done with a bit more of the immediate history as some things were just stated matter-of-fact and not explained. We are thrown right into the story, and the reader is trusted to pick up any relevant information they need without much handholding.

One of my favorite details, as a language nerd, is how Hammer and the other Faceless could understand Iskanti but not speak it, and how that reflected the greater part of the Faceless being wiped of their culture and turned into pawns in war. I also love their matriarchal society, and how women had everything under control until a man came along.

One of my least favorite details was one of the POVs talking directly to the reader. Maybe this choice will be explained in another book, but it just felt jarring and out of place to me. It would probably be more enjoyable to someone who enjoys meta-commentary or epistolaries.

There is definitely at least one more book planned after this one, and I wish that was reflected somewhere. I went into this expecting a standalone story, and while I'm grateful there will likely be more, I do feel a bit misled on that.

All in all, this book was a solid 4 stars for me. I enjoyed the concepts and the world, and while the story itself was extremely dark and depressing, it had enough hints of light, especially at the end, to make me want to read a continuation of the story.

This review is cross-posted on Goodreads, Storygraph, and Netgalley.

I don't know where to start. This was heartwrenching and beautiful at the same time.
I am currently in mourning and overwhelmed. I predicted nothing, and loved every moment of this read, even when my heart was being crushed by a metaphorical hammer and sliced to shreds.
Ho's writing is breathtaking, and I am floored that this was a debut novel???? The prose was beautiful and I struggled to put this down.
Sometimes I struggle with multiple narrators as I don't think the voices are different enough to warrant, but this was not the case. From Hammer' harshness, to Viri's childlike innocence and Maia's scheming, the voices were consistent for the characters and different enough to keep me hooked on their story.
I am honoured to have read this, and will be keeping any and all future releases on my radar

Cry, Voidbringer is a heavy, emotional fantasy that explores power, survival, and the cost of silence. The world feels raw and real, and the characters are written with so much depth that you can’t help but think about them long after reading. At times the pacing slows, but the impact of its themes makes this a story worth sitting with.

First, thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books x Left Unread Books for the ARC! I rated Cry, Voidbringer 4.5 stars, but rounded up to 5 here.

This was a gripping, thought-provoking story with complex characters and devastating circumstances. Multiple POVs give the reader insight into each character and help further the world building. As people have said in other reviews, this is not a fun, light-hearted fantasy read, but I was hooked the whole way through. There are some hard-hitting quotes in here that will stick with me (the chapters from Diavijra 🥲). I loved Hammer, Viri, and Rafaeis, and I need a sequel to know where their stories go from here.

I struggled a bit with the pacing and timing. Found family is one of my favorite tropes and I would have loved more time spent on building those relationships. Some felt a bit rushed and I felt less connected to them. There were also moments I was confused and surprised about how much time had gone by in the story, particularly in the second half of the book.

Overall, this is an incredible debut and I will definitely read anything else Elaine Ho writes! I would definitely recommend Cry, Voidbringer to readers of dark, emotional fantasy.

I cannot believe Cry, Voidbringer is Elaine Ho's debut novel, because it shows such a skill in the writing, especially in the character work. The voices of the three POVs are so distinct, you immediately know in which character's head you are, and there are some incredible changes in the narration (including a great use of second person, which is one of my favourite literary devices).

Truly the highlight of this book are the characters. When I started reading i immediately knew I would love Hammer, this headstrong warrior looking for glory, because her identity is being entirely stripped by the kingdom she is forced to serve and she wants to be remembered. But also seeing her gradually soften as she gets closer and maybe even cares for and loves people for the first time in a long while.

I found Naias to be an unlikeable character, but who captivated my attention as I internally screamed at the decisions she was making, thinking that in this system, she could get to be anything more than a Faceless or make meaningful changes to this regime. I kept thinking (and annotating) "girl that is never gonna happen". Also her relationship with Khall is so horrible, it was like watching a trainwreck, and I enjoyed every second of it.

And finally we've got poor Viri, just a child but going through the horrors (big TW for child abuse). The things she is forced to live through, and witness, and made to do, are horrifying. You wish that there was a way to save her from all this, but in the world she inhabits, adding to that the fact she's a Godchild, her exploitation and misery feel so inevitable. You wish that the moments of happiness she snatches with her newfound family could last forever, but alas, this is not the case...

If I had to give some flaws, the romance with Hammer really came out of nowhere for me. I feel like the romantic elements of their relationship weren't built up enough, it felt a lot more platonic to me. (But maybe I'm just too aro to notice ¯\_(ツ)_/¯). Also, I didn't really get what corruption is exactly. The worldbuilding here is never done through infodumps, it's woven through the narrative, which is great, but we lacked an explanation for this. However, I loved the rest of the story so much that it largely makes up for these flaws!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery for providing me with an ARC.

Wow. Wow. Wow. Cry, Voidbringer was incredible. I was excited to read it because Michael LaBorn had done such a fantastic job promoting it, but I didn’t expect to like it this much. Easily a top read of the year for me. Elaine Ho did such a great job creating complex characters that just want to survive the brutal world they live in. While there were certainly antagonists, it felt like there were very few “bad guys”. Everyone had their own traumas and motivations for doing what it takes to survive in war. Same is true of the protagonists, there were no morally clean “good guys”. All the characters were varying shades of gray.
I’m a sucker for a good “found family” storyline, and Cry, Voidbringer had an excellent found family trope which made this book even more emotionally difficult to get through. The found families throughout this book showed that even in the darkest of times, good can still be found.
This book was a devastating read, so if you’re looking for a cozy/happy fantasy book, this isn’t that, but I still encourage you to give it a try. As emotionally wrecked as I was by the end, I found myself wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bindery Books x Left Unread, and Elaine Ho for the opportunity to read this fantastic book.

Thank you to Bindery Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Elaine Ho, how dare you end a book like this😭❤️‍🩹 how am I supposed to go on with my life waiting for the next book?! This is a criminal offense against my heart 💔

This was a badass novel. And it’s Ho’s DEBUT? Absolutely iconic. The writing was so gripping!! I was completely enthralled the moment Hammer enters the scene. The Faceless and the godchildren deserve to be free fr 😫 The world building was so good, and I loved learning more about this world and their gods and traditions. Hammer, Viridian, Rafaeis. I love them all so much, and that’s why everything that happened hurt me so bad 😭

I’m so looking forward to continuing this series, no matter how hurt I get!! If you’re a fantasy lover, I highly recommend this book. There’s intense hand to hand combat, found family, a small subplot of romance, gods, godchildren, etc…. Go read it, when it comes out 10/28/25!!!

CW: death, child death, violence, war, genocide, kidnapping, injury/injury detail, torture

I was so invested in the characters and the story from page one.
This story puts you through the wringer with every emotion and forced you to confront your deepest fears and hopes right along side the characters.
This book kind of broke me. I’m still not sure what to think about that last 10% of the book. An emotional whirlwind that had me both wanting to read faster, to find out what happens next, and slower, to prices these heavy emotions and deep thoughts that creep into our minds.

This is a book about our nature as people, how it seems inevitable to always be destined for the same things and tragedies over and over, and it’s about the people we let into our lives that help us realize things can be different. It’s about loneliness and things we’ll do to protect ourselves from getting hurt. It’s Scott funding friendship and family in the least likely of places. And it’s about hope.
“Hope is whispered in a single breath, for it is too scared of the wretchedness of this world, and once spoken, it’s gone forever. Suitable, I think, for the foreigners it brings. Hope. Hope. An exhalation, a puttering out at the end. “

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book absolutely wrecked me. It’s creepy and cosmic but also way too emotional in the best way. Elaine Ho somehow makes the void feel terrifying and tender at the same time, and I wasn’t prepared. The writing is gorgeous, the vibes are eerie, and the feelings hit harder than I expected.

It’s not the kind of horror that jumps out at you, it just crawls under your skin and stays there. Days later and I’m still thinking about it. Highly recommend if you want something haunting, sad, and beautiful all at once.

Cry, Voidbringer is a fantasy novel with a painfully realistic depiction of tyranny and how it affects people. In other words, this book hurts.

Elaine Ho's writing is hard hitting, the characters are incredible, and the found family had my entire heart. Out of the three POV characters, I loved Hammer and Viri from the very beginning, and despite how much she annoyed me, I somehow appreciated Naias by the end.

My only real issue with this book is, like many others online have said, this seems to be set up for a series but isn't advertised as one. Either that or it has a suspiciously open ending. It just didn't feel fully finished, so I'm hoping there's a sequel.

Regardless, this book had me gasping and raging and sobbing for these characters is a way I haven't in a while. Thank you NetGalley and Bindery Books for the opportunity to enjoy and cry over this arc.

What a powerful debut!

Objectively there are some crafting issues in this book, notably with the pacing, how much time was passing by and how that was affecting the different character dynamics, but oh my god I loved this book so much? It was heart-wrenching, raw and staring many harsh truths directly in the eye.

I fell in love with the characters straight away and I loved all the different relationships explored. A gruff warrior has to take care of a child and it teaches her how to love and hope again? My ultimate weakness I fear. It was also so interesting to read from Viri’s perspective, seeing how the people she’s loved have let her down or are gone, but how much she wants to give her trust to the adults around her because she’s only ten... It is so worth paying attention to how her perspective starts out being the only one in first person, but eventually see how she loses herself because that is the easiest way to survive. Hammer will go to any length to protect her innocence and identity, having that been stripped away from her so early in life, and maybe saving just one child from the same fate might be worth hoping.

And oh how freely Crescent feels despite it all and how he determined he is to gain Hammer’s trust and show her she is still human. But she can’t shake off the betrayal she’s been through and the resentment she feels towards Naias is unwavering. However, could that personal betrayal be worth it for a chance at survival? Naias is now the lover of the new Queen, discontented and wanting power for herself, maybe to change her own circumstances but maybe to topple the system that has kept her people in servitude. But can she truly change things from the inside? For once in fantasy,we don’t see a romanticised relationship between oppressed and oppressor. Naias’ and Khall’s relationship toes the line between love and devotion, entitlement, manipulation and power imbalance. Seeing how the dynamic plays out throughout the story is exactly as it should be, because how can someone who doesn’t even see you as human love you.

The ending was also wild and while it definitely feels like there should be a sequel, the story stands on its own in my opinion, almost as an origin myth for the gods mentioned in this world and being told to future generations.

Elaine Ho is unflinching in her exploration of the monstrosity of humankind through the trauma of child soldiers, ethnic oppression and cleansing, and the hypocrisy of the powerful and observant actors. While unrolling a narrative that is doomed from the start and following broken characters, it is at its heart a book about love and its sacrifices. Can’t wait for more by this author and to see how her authorial voice grows in the future! And imagine writing this heart-wrenching of a book AND being a talented illustrator!!

I've done it again with a blind pick based off of the cover and skimming the synopsis and I have you know it is yet again one of tbe most entertaining fantasy reads -- yes coming from a not big fantasy reader -- this was gorgeous!!! The world building pulled me in from the get go! The flawed characters added such layers to the story but my favourite part? The politics? Oh my days I couldn't book the book down.. The badass FMC .. The writing style was so well done the blend between first and third person,  usually I'm not a fan of third person narrative but I guess it differs from story to story. If you enjoy complex layered characters and political intrigue reads then this book is for you!

The concept of god children is very interesting but I had trouble getting attached to the characters (with one exception). I would still happily read the sequel.