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The Drowning Faith

The Drowning Faith

Epic FantasyFantasy
Published
2020
Language
English

Synopsis

A short companion piece to the Poppy War trilogy, told from the perspective of Yin Nezha. Across three brief stories, the collection turns away from Rin, the trilogy's protagonist, toward one of the people orbiting her, revisiting events of the series through Nezha's eyes and dwelling on his fraught, shifting relationship with her. Originally released for free on R. F. Kuang's website alongside the trilogy's conclusion, it is a supplementary work rather than a standalone novel, offering emotional and interior context for readers already invested in the main books. Best read by those who have finished at least the first two volumes, it deepens a secondary character whose loyalties and feelings stay ambiguous throughout the series.

Prose complexity
4/10

Vibe

MelancholicReflectiveDark

Genres

Epic Fantasy Fantasy Short Stories Dark Fantasy

About the author

R
R. F. Kuang

Born in Guangzhou, China, in 1996 and raised in Dallas, Texas, after immigrating to the United States at age four, Rebecca F. Kuang writes fantasy and literary fiction under the name R. F. Kuang. She began her debut novel, The Poppy War, at nineteen during a gap year in China spent coaching competitive debate, and published it shortly before turning twenty-two. A trained historian of modern China, she holds a BA in History from Georgetown University, an MPhil in Chinese Studies from Cambridge an...

Characters

Yin NezhaProtagonist

The point-of-view character of these stories; a warlord's son whose complicated relationship with Rin anchors the collection.

Fang RuninSupporting

The trilogy's protagonist, seen here from the outside through Nezha's eyes.

RinSupporting

Seen from Nezha's perspective as events of the trilogy replay through his eyes.

All characters in The Drowning Faith

Frequently asked questions

  • Is The Drowning Faith part of the main Poppy War trilogy?

    No. It is a short supplementary companion piece, usually numbered 2.5 in the series, set between The Dragon Republic and The Burning God. The three main novels are The Poppy War, The Dragon Republic, and The Burning God.

  • Whose perspective is The Drowning Faith told from?

    It is told from the point of view of Yin Nezha, shifting away from Rin to explore his interior experience of the trilogy's events.

  • Where can I read The Drowning Faith?

    Kuang originally released it for free on her own website in 2020, timed to the release of The Burning God.

  • When should I read The Drowning Faith?

    It is set between the second and third novels and contains minor spoilers, so it is best read after at least The Dragon Republic.

  • How long is The Drowning Faith?

    It is very short, roughly fifteen pages collecting three brief stories, rather than a full-length novel.

  • When is the best time to read this in the series?

    The narrative is most effective when read after completing the first five chapters of the third book in the trilogy. It provides internal perspective on a key character that adds tension to the events unfolding at that specific point in the larger story.

  • What does this book contain that is not in the main novels?

    This work consists of a collection of scenes written exclusively from the point of view of Yin Nezha. It bridges gaps in his personal history and motivations throughout the first two books and includes an opening sequence that aligns with the start of the final volume.

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