this series manages to be incredibly fun while not being shallow, and balance world-building with strong characters. Highly enjoyable adventure fantasy romps with queer characters, powerful women, and real stakes. Wonderful. Should be getting massive sales and immense advances!

What can I say about Shadow Baron other than I loved it?! There's so much to talk about, and this story built upon the world and characters in truly spectacular ways. It also fixed one of the only major issues I had with the first book, the frantic pacing. There was A LOT going on in Notorious Sorcerer, and it made things seem jumbled and confusing at times, especially with all the complex world-building. The plot of Shadow Baron moved forward at a steady pace and was much easier to follow from the beginning.

The world-building in Shadow Baron was fantastic. It shed light on so many of the mysteries from the first book while also setting up some fascinating ramifications for the next installment. I enjoyed the focus on Bezim and its history. The mundane magic/alchemy was expanded upon greatly, and there were some pretty amazing feats accomplished along with all the new magical creatures popping up. I did miss getting to see the other planes, but the additions to the understanding of the mundane realm more than made up for it. I also really liked the increased focus on Bezim's politics and the barons' role in the society.

Shadow Baron added depth to the characters, as well. Siyon was still a disaster bi icon. lol. He struggled to understand his new powers and the impacts of his decision to become the Power of the Mundane. He was constantly flying by the seat of his pants, even when he tried to plan, and his attempts at fixing things may have ended up causing more problems than he solved. He was chaotic and fun to follow, just as in Notorious Sorcerer. He also experienced grief and loneliness from losing Izmirlian, and there were some beautiful moments that made me feel his loss and understand the reasons he loved Izmirlian so much, which I didn't really grasp in the first story.

Zagiri also had a really interesting story in Shadow Baron. She decided to finally take on some responsibility so that she could make a difference for unregistered alchemists in the city. Her POV provided an inside look at the inner workings of Bezim's government while also allowing for the exploration of how best to reform a broken system. Zagiri struggled with the patience required to change the system from within and had to decide whether burning the whole thing down would be the better option. Her story explored the ethics of revolution in a really profound way that kept me hooked to see the path she chose.

Anahid was the star of Shadow Baron, which made me so happy. I loved her story in Notorious Sorcerer, and this book took her quest to live life on her own terms to a whole new level. She's spent most of her life stifled by trying to be the perfect Azatani woman, and I enjoyed seeing her throw off those shackles in exciting new ways. She slid farther and farther into the seedier sides of Bezim, but that's all I'll say because her journey is best experienced first-hand. The only thing that didn't really work for me was her fling. It felt way too abrupt. I am curious to see what becomes of it in the next book, though.

Overall, Shadow Baron was an excellent sequel that added so much depth to the world-building and characters. It had a great balance of action and character moments with a steady pace that completely drew me into the story. It surpassed my expectations, and I definitely recommend it! Therefore, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

This was so fun and a great sequel. I love that Zagiri and Anahid have so much more to do in the story. Can’t wait for book 3.

Amazing sequel to one of my favorite books I read this year! 
I thought this series was being set up for a trilogy but now that I've finished Shadow Baron it seems like this world is just getting started! 
I enjoyed getting more perspective from Anahid and her story though dark was very adventurous and had me on the edge of my seat many times. 
Zagiri's storyline in this book was fun as well although I think in comparison to Siyon and Anahid, hers felt the most meh to me. The biggest twist was that

Balian had been lying to them the entire time, but since they hadn't really gotten together it felt kind of pointless, Siyon ended up feeling more betrayed but even he seemed okay with the betrayal. I wanted more drama with them, although it happened in the end so maybe we'll see that in the next book.
Fallen Laxmi?!?!? I didn't see that coming and I loooooved Laxmi's character throughout this book and can't wait to see her as some kind of badass seductive fallen harpy flower or flower guard. 

 
Alright, now what I didn't love. The story was amazing and much like the first book most of it was built up for a big final event and WOW what an event! But it felt rushed this time, especially since there was virtually no wrap-up. Everything is so up in the air which is to be expected but I think it just needed more. 

Now what I really didn't like.

Huge lack of Izmirlian/Siyon, it was all wanting and longing and mysterious?? It made me feel like the happy ever after is not going to happen at all for them, which leaves me gutted. I loved their relationship in Notorious Sorcerer and maybe it's my bleeding heart but I was really hoping for more Siyon/Izmirlian. And all the scenes of Siyon being sad and missing him????? I have them tabbed in my book because they were ripping my heart out. We did get that last scene but come on! And Siyon has no love interest in the meantime. Justice for Siyon's heart :(

That said, loved and I'm excited for the next book!

 I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

I was reasonably impressed with the first in The Burnished City series, and book two, Shadow Baron, continues in a similar vein. While I don’t believe it really did anything radically different in terms of expanding the world, it’s a fairly solid bridge between books in other ways. 

The characters in particular remain relatable, especially in terms of how they navigate their world, with each of them taking on different, albeit still somewhat interconnected journeys. Siyon’s story was particularly compelling, dealing with class warfare, as well as struggling to make it within a cutthroat world where he doesn’t entirely know what he’s doing. Anahid goes on a side quest into the underworld, and her arc explores the dangers women in Bezim face (paralleling those they can face in the real world). 

The story throws you in right away, picking up not long after the first book left off, and it wasn't hard to get into it. I did feel the length at points, as there were moments where the pacing was off. However, I mostly felt the book was worth the read and avoided the second-book slump. 

I enjoyed this installment overall, and look forward to what’s to come in the next book. I recommend this book if you enjoy high/epic fantasy. 

 

I have been eagerly awaiting this book since finishing Notorious Sorcerer, and I am so thankful that I was able to get an arc from Orbit through NetGalley!

I wanted to tear through this book to get answers, but ultimately ending up savoring it because I simply did not want it to end. We pick up two months after the events of Notorious Sorcerer, and things are once again going awry in Bezim. Shadow Baron takes us on a much more political based journey than the first book, and I especially loved Zagiri’s POVs as she navigates the system and figures out how to make things work. Siyon is trying to find his footing as the Power of the Mundane while also caught in a loop of grief and pining. Meanwhile, Anahid lives an intense double life and slays while doing so. 

I really enjoyed this book!! It was definitely a slowdown compared to the first one, but I really loved learning more about Bezim and the way that the world opened up so much more. There are also some great new characters that added some interesting elements, particularly Mayar and Balian. The stakes seemed a lot higher in this installment, and things definitely took some darker turns as the characters tried to find answers. 

All things considered, this is truly Anahid’s book. She absolutely stole the show. Hers were my favorite sections and I absolutely loved the journey she was on, and the growth we saw in her character. I loved Siyon’s parts of course, but my heart was hurting for him missing Izmirlian, and Zagiri’s sections didn’t quite get to the same depths as Anahid’s. I did not expect Anahid to be my favorite character by the end of this, but I am so happy to say she is. She is the moment. 

This book is a rock solid 5⭐️ for me, and I will be rereading when I get a physical copy, and then desperately awaiting news of book three.