Review Day: A Drowned Kingdom by P.L. Stuart

There are no major spoilers in this review.

A Drowned Kingdom by P.L. Stuart, starts an epic, heroic saga spanning dynasties, politics, religions, and continents. The story requires an upfront commitment of patience through an exhaustive bout of worldbuilding, but once the threads start to weave together you'll find yourself inexorably hooked on the intricate plot.

The story is told from the point of view of Othrun, a young prince who once was second in line for the imperialistic kingship of Atalantyx but now finds himself sailing into exile with the last remnant of his subjects. Othrun is a flawed protagonist who isn't necessarily likable, but is an engaging narrator and has plenty of space to grow over the series. (The author plans for a 7-book series and has released the first three books each just a year apart).

The prologue opens with Othrun in shock after a great catastrophe has destroyed the kingdom of Atalantyx. I found it a very daring choice that the author then spends the first third of the book going back in time to explain the inner workings of Atalantyx -- detailed lineages of the king's family, lengthy histories of colonies claimed and conquered by seafaring armies, and the geography of towns and land holdings. This decision mostly works, as it reinforces what Othrun has lost and offers a palette of vignettes that inform how the characters interact going forward. There's a little too much repetition in parts of this section, which I suppose is better than dropping an important clue just once and hoping it gets noticed.

The plot gains momentum in the book's second part (of three). Othrun brings his people to Acremia, a continent that has never been conquered by the Atalanteans. His views of Atalantyx as the greatest civilization of all time are constantly challenged as he meets and befriends allies he initially dismisses as heathens and savages. Every step Othrun takes to protect his people is hampered by logistic, political, or religious complications based on his own upbringing or ignorance. By the final pages of the book, I was very impressed with how many layers the author had managed to introduce -- this payoff was partly due to the weighty worldbuilding in part one.

Drowned Kingdom is a solid success as P.L. Stuart's debut novel. You might enjoy it if you like reading about geopolitical conflict, constantly challenged assumptions, or the intersection of religion and magic. The book ends at a temporary stopping point in the action, so it will be unsatisfying as a standalone read. The climax to this chunk of the story doesn't present itself until the end of Book 2. (I started Book 2 immediately and found that the two of them together worked best as a unified duology).

Final Grade: B

• Book 1: A Drowned Kingdom review
• Book 2: The Last of the Atalanteans review
• Book 3: Lord and King review
• Book 4: A Lion's Pride review