The Sovereign brings princess Luca and soldier Touraine together one last time in the thrilling conclusion to C. L. Clark’s beloved queer political fantasy trilogy.
Luca is the new queen of Balladaire. Her empire is already splintering in her hands. Her uncle wasn’t the only traitor in the court, and the Withering plague will decimate her people if she can’t unearth Balladaire’s magic. The only person who can help her wants the only thing Luca won’t give—the end of the monarchy.
Touraine is Luca’s general. She has everything she ever wanted. While Luca looks within Balladaire’s borders, Touraine looks outward—the alliance with Qazal is brittle and Balladaire’s neighbors are ready to pounce on its new weakness. When the army comes, led by none other than Touraine’s old lover, Touraine must face the truth about herself—and the empire she once called home.
A storm is coming. Touraine and Luca will stand against it together, or it will tear them apart once and for all.
REVIEW
This colonial fantasy of epic battles and personal rivalries blooms into something different; how can love survive in the dark web of politics? How can that be the case? How can that be when the protagonist and the antagonists believe their side is superior? That two former enemies could become lovers? That was the case when I read this book. Every time I read a section or a chapter of this rich world, it feels like there is more lore. There is something akin to my wanting to learn more about this world. What makes me sad is that during war, love itself is a rare luxury. And that is what I feel about Luca and Touraine as well. The personal rivalries of this world will not let them exist together.
Because it is a love that should never have existed. If I had the option to believe in the Hindu universe of different multiverses, perhaps there would have been a time when Luca and Touraine would not have been lovers. Perhaps they would have been bitter enemies to the last. Or merely friends. There is always a rich cast of characters within this world. It feels like I’m entering a world that I want to read more of. But what is the case that would happen when a colonising nation overtakes a colonised one? When do the people of the colonised nation think of themselves as superior? It is no wonder that throughout history, oppressed colonial people have always risen, from the Vietnamese against the French, the Japanese and the Americans, to the Indians against the British and the Algerians against the French.
That said, I’m deeply disappointed in only one aspect: that this is the last in the trilogy. We need more colonial fantasy, and C.L. Clark expertly does this. Clark poured in passion, effort, and a lot of hard work went into this. I recognise this effort. Writing fantasy novels or deep colonial ones is never a straightforward task. Completing this amazing trilogy from the very first book I reviewed is a treat. And this is a story full of twists, full of stakes and tension that, yes, it’s a slow burn, yes, it takes time, but it is something that if you commit from the start, the end will be worth it. I can guarantee you that much. The sovereign delivers an ending to a trilogy that I only want to read a spinoff in its rich world. This is the pursuit of a fantasy novel steeped in colonial lore and magic, with a rich cast of characters who have their own stakes. You are in for an epic journey!
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