Review of R.F. Kuang’s The Burning God and The Poppy War Trilogy

This video includes a spoiler-free assessment of The Poppy War Trilogy, followed by a spoiler discussion with examples from all three books, but especially The Burning God.
My review of book one, The Poppy War: • Review of R.F. Kuang’s...
My review of book two, The Dragon Republic: • A review of R.F. Kuang...

[@PetrikLeo]

This is such a great review, well done, Philip! I also love the key points you mentioned regarding Rin's relationship with Nezha and Kitay. Oh man her paranoid at the end, I felt that! So terrifying.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Kuang did an excellent job with those relationships, and that’s why that ending worked so well. It was a powerful, upsetting, provocative, and fitting end to the whole story. Overall, the trilogy has deeply impressed me.

[@TheNerdyNarrative]

"You should know that when you go to shaman school, you are going to go insane." LOL I do think the history aspect was what drew me to this series and the magic is what made me stay.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Both are excellent aspects of this trilogy. I really respect how Kuang incorporates the historical themes, and she does a fantastic job of putting a price on magic, making it an interesting part of the plot.

[@afantasybabble6222]

Fantastic review. I definately felt that at moments things just happen for the plot and we as a reader are just going along. At times , it seemed that the narrative would jump to those cool moments and what was in between was focused on something else entirely. My favorite thing about the book was the character Kitay. It was good to read about a character that was so supportive and just an all around stand out person.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I love Kitay too! His bond with Rin is not quite like anything I’ve seen before- it’s a beautiful relationship. Aside from those narrative hiccups, there’s a lot to love in this trilogy.

[@user-fl8mt3jl4q]

This is by far the best review of the burning god, I also loved the book so much (despite not seeing what happened to the Trifecta that was a let down) great video!!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you! There’s a lot to love about The Poppy War Trilogy. Despite my criticisms, I think it’s a great achievement on Kuang’s part, especially considering how young she was when she wrote it.

[@user-fl8mt3jl4q]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy agreed she’s so impressive, Babel is my current read now

[@Johanna_reads]

I had to chuckle thinking this is probably as close to a rant as we will see on your channel! You explained narrative clunkiness so well and with such great examples. Such a great point about the magic having consequences. I agree with every positive point and criticism you had. The only exception is that the very ending of the series didn't quite convince me, but I think most readers feel otherwise. This was such a thorough analysis!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks, Johanna! Though I’m critical of a few things, the trilogy did impress me for the most part. I actually loved the ending, and the funny thing is that I was nervous that I wouldn’t. The shamanism is a compelling part of the story, as are the historical themes and social critique. Kuang is an author who could really become a favorite of mine in time. I hope so!

[@Johanna_reads]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I understand that. The shamanism, historical influence, and social critique fascinated me as well. I still enjoyed and recommend this series even while having criticisms.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@Johanna_reads Same here!

[@paulregan9304]

Spoilers I think the trifecta death scene should have been told from Daji's pov. It would have been so much more impactful to actually show the fight between Riga and Jiang. I think the perspective switch in this moment wouldn't have felt out of place because of what it could achieve.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

That’s a good insight, I think. I actually wondered many times if the trilogy might have been improved by more POVs. I get that the focus is heavily placed on Rin, and that has its benefits. She’s the heart and soul of the trilogy. But there are certain moments that might have worked better or smoothed out some rough patches if we had another POV. Thanks for the comment!

[@paulregan9304]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I think a lot of new authors try to stick to one perspective to make the writing easier. But especially since we get Daji's povs in other cases throughout the 3rd book, I feel that climax would have made a lot more sense from her perspective instead of Rin's.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@paulregan9304 Totally agree, especially since, as you say, there’s precedent for her POV.

[@andyxz_8091]

Another recommendation for an Asian inspired fantasy series is The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee! Starting with Jade City! Amazing family mafia story set in a Asian inspired city!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Definitely on my long term TBR - thanks!

[@angelagualtieri5699]

I've been looking forward to this! I agree about the trilogy's focus on Rin and her "unlikable" qualities. She polarizes readers (I personally have a soft spot for her, but like you mention, she horrifies me at times too). Kitay and Nezha were fleshed out so much more than I initially thought, especially compared to how they started in TPW. Kuang handles stakes and consequences really well, Shamanism and the effects of war are good examples of this. I appreciated her exploration of social commentary throughout the series, especially trauma. Definitely agree about the overuse of a specific curse word and the issue of supporting characters in the first book (I remember we talked about this on your initial review of TPW). Exposition and the narrative clunky issues in Kuang's writing are aspects I think she will smooth out over time. I very much thought the same about the character death moment you mentioned in TBG; I wish there had been more build up to it. I also agree with you on the writing criticisms, so I'm interested in her growth with her next book (the first one away from TPW). My biggest issue with TBG was the one you mentioned regarding the Trifecta, but I absolutely loved the ending from the relationships to the final scene. (The Venka part was one of my favorites.) Great review, Philip! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks, Angela! It sounds like we are very much in agreement about The Burning God and The Poppy War Trilogy. Rin is a great strength of the story, along with shamanism, the setting, and the historical/social themes. Like you, I’ll be very curious to see how great Kuang’s writing becomes. It’s always great to hear your thoughts!

[@Abebech6]

YES! To me The Trifecta was the biggest reason for continuing with this series. (And also I wanted Rin to get hers.) Btw, YOUR lead ups were so good and engaging! Thank you for this analysis, I agree.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks so much! I’m glad my analysis made sense to you, and thanks for commenting!

[@moonoverlotus]

I just finished The Burning God and I enjoyed hearing your take on the plot that hadn’t thought of. I give this book and the series five stars all around. The end scene with them three( Nezha, Rin, Kitay) was definitely powerful! The trilogy is brilliant.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m so glad you enjoyed the trilogy!

[@mattburns6356]

Spot on review. I’m so glad I stumbled upon your channel. You and Mike are by far my two favorite book tubers. Keep up the great work. Thank you.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you! That’s high praise to be mentioned along with Mike. I appreciate the encouragement!

[@bethloubet4650]

I have not read this yet, so I stopped before the spoilers. I just want to thank you for this thoughtful literary review of this series. Sometimes, when a book is almost universally loved, it's difficult to find an objective review of the writing and the structure. Deeply appreciated.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

My pleasure! There’s a lot to love about the trilogy, but I think the narrative issues are worth discussing. I recommend giving it a try.

[@javadasadi7858]

Awesome review with major insights, one can use your reviews to modify his TBR, so as always, thanks for being there :)!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

My pleasure, Javad, and thank you, as always, for watching and commenting. It’s great to hear from you!

[@mvinson8706]

“A well placed f bomb is a great thing”.. 😂🤣😂🤣. I agree but not overdone lol. Wonderful review. Another series I keep eye balling. I have heard it’s socially relevant which could be interesting. I also agree about magic having consequences. I didn’t realize I like that until you spelled it out. I don’t want characters to have it too easy. Great video!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Michelle! This trilogy is definitely socially relevant - the consequences of caste, imperialism, colonialism, and war have seldom been portrayed more forcefully. If you give it a try, I hope you’ll find it engaging.

[@CarinaZacharias]

I love your reviews, thanks very much for your thoughts on these books. I will keep in mind to come back to this video and watch the spoiler part after I read the trilogy though. :)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Carina! I hope you'll enjoy the trilogy -- I came away with mostly positive impressions, and there are some brilliant moments in it!

[@alexnieves]

Finally got around to watching this and of course it was brilliant. I really loved this series and I'm glad you enjoyed it as well! RF Kuang created something excellent here and I totally agree with your points about Rin.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks, Alex! I’ll be intrigued to see what Kuang does next. She has real talent.

[@brazilianorange]

I was fine with Vaisra and Petra’s death (actually liked them both) but when the Trifecta died I felt like Daji’s story never paid off. At least Jiang had a moment where he saved Rin. Also I didn’t notice the over use of the word f*ck until watching this video hahaha

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

There was definitely a lack of payoff in certain threads of the story, but I admire where Kuang ultimately took Rin. It’s an impressive trilogy overall, I think. Cheers!

[@christopherend1032]

Tiger's tits

[@christopherspinzor3268]

Great analysis!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Christopher!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

What a great review, Philip! For me, the combination of the seemingly pointless 2nd act combined with the LACK OF HESPERIANS really disappointed me. I also wish the 3rd act had been longer.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

The lack of Hesperians is a genuine issue, and it’s connected to the complete lack of preparation for Petra’s scene. The scene is great, but with zero preparation or explanation for her presence, the scene is wasted. Still, I found a lot to admire in The Burning God.

[@PsyKotyK]

Thnks for doing these reviews

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for watching!

[@Jmlisheid]

This was not the series for me, and I couldn't finish it. I agree with everything you said regarding the clunkiness and the moving from one big moment to the next without much cohesion or set-up. I think this can be very easily explained, however, in how it was apparent to me that Kuang wanted to write an allegory for the second sino-japanese war. These big cinematic moments correlate to battles and real world moments. Those are the points Kuang knew she needed to hit. Everything else around them fell flat for me. I imagine the series is particularly great for history buffs who would enjoy finding all the allegorical moments and tying them to their real world counterparts. I would personally prefer to read a good history book instead.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Allen at The Library of Allenxandria is a big time history buff, especially of East Asia. I think he enjoyed this trilogy overall but also had some criticisms. I enjoyed the books a lot, but those big moments would be more compelling with more lead up and cohesion. You’re probably spot on about the historical motivation behind those big moments.

[@sluper12345]

Excellent timing! I finished this book yesterday and was in dire need of some debrief. Overall agree with your criticisms, and also REALLY liked this book (I don't know if I would call it enjoyable since it's hard to enjoy all the horrors that are a part of the story). Also, I get more annoyed by the term "F-bomb" than the accrual F**k, is it still so controversial that it is deserving of be called "a bomb"? Anyway, I feel like a lot of "grim dark" fantasy never really lives up to the horrible stuff that actually happens in war time. So when many got chocked by the descriptions in the first book (I assume based on Nanking and Hiroshima / Nagasaki) along with the descriptions of plague and starvation in books 2-3, I really felt the author was trying to REALLY highlight the awfulness of human behavior. I also liked the spiritual side of the books. By that I mean that the Gods are more like powers of nature, and they can be defeated by science and technology. And on that note... *SPOILER BELOW* ...having Petra ultimately losing faith in "the one true God" who was both benevolent and interventionist, was THUROUGHLY enjoyable.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Well said about Petra! The moment itself is brilliant. I just wish there had been more lead up to it, or at the very least some reason offered as to why she would be stupid enough to wait in the city to encounter Rin. As you say, enjoy isn’t the right word, but I have a ton of respect for this trilogy, and The Burning God was a compelling end to it. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@sluper12345]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Well than YOU for the content! I came for the Malazan, stayed for the rest. Really like how the channel has evolved, with a ton of collaborations with other BookTubers. Also agree with you that the plot was lacking once in a while (e.g. the Petra thing) but boy oh boy, the themes and mood of this trilogy. I was a bit of an emotional wreck at the end (despite kind of seeing it coming, I mean what other way out?)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@sluper12345 I do admire that ending! Thanks for the kind words about the channel. I’ve got some more collaborations coming up in a couple weeks that I’m excited for. The discussions are definitely my favorite thing to do on BookTube.

[@alburqueniense2442]

I think that you missed that Jiang and Hanelai were Rin parents. Or at least it's hinted. The resemblance of herself she sees on Hanelai, and that's also why Jiang was so horrified when he knew what Rigga had done. The last thing that it's on the tip of her tongue on Jiang's grave bur she never says and neither does Rebecca write is that she knows that he was her father. Instead "you were always such a fucking coward".

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

That final statement to Jiang is a powerful moment. I did wonder about the Hanelai connection, and if it’s true, it would seem even Jiang, whose memory is problematic, is unaware of the full truth, though he might feel it on some level. It’s left ambiguous, though, which to me is preferable over the “I am your father” reveal, which has been done enough.

[@alburqueniense2442]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy It's similar to "who is the traitor" later on. On things like this I don't mind not knowing the right answer all the time. Was Venka sending information to Nezha? Were Hanelai and Jiang Rin parents? Maybe.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@alburqueniense2442 Exactly, and I also love the way that Venka scene was handled, though I was sad.

[@rosebud849]

That was amazing

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks!

[@cynthiaholmes5124]

Can't wait to read the burning God even though others hate rin I do understand her and enjoy her🙂😐🤔

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Given what Rin has been through, I find it impossible to hate her. Some of her actions horrify me, it's true, but I have to wonder how I would respond if I had suffered similar oppression, exploitation, and betrayal. I hope you'll get a lot from The Burning God!

[@TheLittleX]

I want to adress the critism about the less impactfull resolutions with Vaisra and Petra. I think it shows very stronly the shear lack of satisfaction from Revenge if you get it. That it´s a very hollow and meaningless feeling.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

That’s a great take on that, and I think you could make an interesting case from that insight - thank you for your thoughts!

[@robpaul7544]

One of these days I'm gonna start this series 😅

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

It’s definitely worth it, Rob! I have some criticisms, but the positives outweigh them by far.

[@darkportents9835]

excited for this. I haven't finished it yet. I think the end of the book will be on March TBR. I'll listen to spoiler free part now tho.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I hope you’ll find the ending as impressive as I did!

[@darkportents9835]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I'm sorry Philip but in many working class and poor households fuck is as overused if not more than the poppy war. also she's tje source of many f bombs and she's super angsty and just the type to overuse it. the exposition criticism does land for me though. same with the narrative clunkiness and lurching/whiplash.

[@darkportents9835]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy done

[@darkportents9835]

yeah the petra scene just fell out of the sky... what if 27 soldiers had stormed the room and kicked the crap out of her instead of Rin going in alone

[@darkportents9835]

"I will stay in this one room for however long it takes for the exact person I wish to talk shit to to come beat me up"

[@philipmarsh2172]

Sorry can’t help hearing “The Puppy War” and I’m like nooo don’t hurt the puppies!

[@philipmarsh2172]

Also, great job coordinating the t shirt with the background art!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! The Puppy War! Who in their right mind could hurt puppies? Thanks for noticing the t-shirt too - subtle touches to add to your viewing pleasure!

[@ACriticalDragon]

So he popped in to pop off then?

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Eloquently stated! Ha ha! I would expect no less from you, A.P. Also, I’d love to hear your assessment of this trilogy if you read it and decide to review it!

[@thiswitchburnsforbooks]

In the end I felt like the trifecta didn’t even need to be there in the book at all, that whole 2nd part felt pretty pointless to me. I love this series and Rin is one of my favorite characters *Spoilers* I do wish at the end of the book though that Kitay would have killed Rin, showing him standing up to her finally but I still liked the ending

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Yes, you’re right. Either the part with the Trifecta should have been fully developed instead of abruptly dropped, or they shouldn’t have been there at all. I would have preferred following through with the storyline, but instead we got Rin “training” the new shamans in record time. Still, as you say, Rin is a tremendous character, and there are many admirable qualities to this trilogy. Thanks for watching!

[@thiswitchburnsforbooks]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy agreed, the training was way to quick. Kaung should have picked one or the either. Thanks for making the wonderful videos.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@thiswitchburnsforbooks My pleasure!

[@jules.mp3]

Love this video! I thought the book was fantastic but the demise of the Trifecta was the low point for me. It was built up and soooo anticlimactic! Riga had like 5 lines before sh** went down and I was so confused hahaha

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I was confused too, and not in a good way. As much as the trilogy was engaging and showed huge promise, I wish someone - a diligent editor - had helped Kuang to smooth out some narrative bumps. That said, I’ll be eager to see what Kuang does next. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!

[@jules.mp3]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy 100% agree, I love how atmospheric the trilogy was and Rin is an iconic protagonist!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@jules.mp3 Well said -- the trilogy rests on Rin, which is a choice I'm glad Kuang made.

[@chickenman7252]

Is this good to read between Malazan?

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

It’s pretty heavy stuff in terms of the atrocities and pain. If you’re looking for something lighthearted between Malazan books, I’d say this trilogy is not what you want, but it’s definitely worth reading in and of itself.

[@chickenman7252]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I don't want something light heated. Just something less dense and epic than Malazan. Or maybe just something lighter on the world building if that makes sense lol.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@chickenman7252 in that case, this would work, for sure!

[@abiiilegesse961]

As someone who did read this in between Malazan I would 100% percent recommend. It has a similarly dark tone with much faster pacing and much more focus on characters

[@terencedavis8434]

**Spoiler Warning** I did enjoy the first 2 books a lot more than the 3rd, but what ultimately ruined the entire series for me was the ending… The character of Rin has been built up the entire series as a hard arse bitch that has zero tolerance for anyone and anything and is going to do things her way no matter what, to then right at the end, suddenly do a complete 180 and decide to sacrifice herself in order to save Kitay and let the Hesperians win…. The whole thing was completely anti-climactic and it made everything else that she had been through all for nothing… but that is just my opinion lol

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I think there were several inconsistencies in the third book. I agree that the ending is one of them, though it’s not the one that bothered me the most. There was some great work and many great moments in the trilogy, though, so overall I’m glad I read it. All the best, Terence!