At the helm of the people’s rebellion is Evie, the Sparrow General. She has been captured by the Skrain, Crache’s vicious army, and is being brought back to the Capitol for punishment. But reinforcements are coming for her.
Dyeawan, who has climbed from street urchin to Crache’s highest seat of power through clever schemes and ruthless bloodshed, finds trouble on every front once she arrives. The rebellion approaches, and there are whispers of a martyr within the city who holds enough sway to stage a coup. If she doesn’t act quickly, her rule will be short-lived.
As the women who hold the nation’s future meet each other from different sides of the battlefield, will they be able to find a shared vision of Crache, or will they destroy each other first?
Years ago, I used to post every day on Bookstagram. I don’t miss that, but sometimes I wish I was doing more to shout about some of my favorite books, beyond just posting reviews. I have tried, at every opportunity, to make as much noise as I can about Matt Wallace’s SAVAGE REBELLION trilogy. The first two books, SAVAGE LEGION (2020) and SAVAGE BOUNTY (2021), were on my Favorite Reads list at the end of the year they were released in, and SAVAGE CROWNS will be too.
And I’ve tried to recommend the books whenever possible, to anyone who was looking for a suggestion for a fantasy series with either a different vibe, or a really diverse/inclusive cast of characters. Ultimately, that’s what’s been so amazing to me about these books.
There isn’t some wildly complex magic system at the center of these books (there isn’t really magic at all), there’s just people. And the people in these books are a great reflection of the people in our world. It shouldn’t feel so unique that the SAVAGE REBELLION trilogy is populated by people of all races, genders, and sexual orientations. Or by people with disabilities.
But here we are.
It’s always hard reviewing the last book in a series, especially one that’s meant as much to me as this one has. I want to get it right, but I’m not even sure what that means. These books all somehow come off as both a primal scream of rage and injustice, as well as something profoundly human and hopeful. I really am in awe of what Matt Wallace was able to do with these books…oof.
I’m writing the bulk of this review (and hoping to post it) on Nonbinary People’s Day, so what better way than to highlight one of my very favorite nonbinary characters, Taru. In SAVAGE LEGION, Taru was an extremely prominent secondary character. The end of the book set them up as a main character though, and the last two books have totally delivered on their epic storyline. In many ways, I think of Taru as the beating heart of these three books: tireless, courageous, badass, funny. In ways that are tricky to describe without spoiling things, this whole story kind of hinges on Taru’s efforts, and just…I love them, completely. All of the characters in this book are so thoughtfully written, perhaps none more so than Taru.
Dyeawan will for sure always be my favorite character from this trilogy, and from really any fantasy novel I’ve read. She finds herself facing dire threats and challenges in SAVAGE CROWNS, from inside the Planning Cadre as well as beyond. But goddamn, there is no quit in this character, as she shows time and time again. I can’t speculate as to Matt Wallace’s writing process and whether these characters are influenced by people he knows, or if there are sensitivity readers involved. I just think that he did some truly great work in writing Dyeawan, a wheelchair user. The way that her wheelchair (called a tender in this world) is crafted & works feels so completely aligned with the level of technology that exists in this world, and the chair’s usefulness (and limitations) are a big part of Dyeawan’s story. She is such a special character…so outrageously clever & ultimately big-hearted, even facing the absolute cruelty that Crache frequently represents…just real big I WOULD DIE FOR HER energy for me reading Dyeawan’s story these last few years.
And then of course there’s Evie. The Sparrow General herself. But wow, her story is so different in SAVAGE CROWNS than the other books! She’s been captured by the Skrain & is being dragged back to the Capitol to face punishment for leading the rebellion. And she is Not Fucking Happy about it. Thankfully, Evie has no small amount of allies looking to help her get back into the fray!
The SAVAGE REBELLION trilogy is without question one of my very favorite fantasy trilogies ever. There’s blistering action scenes, people rising up against their treacherous government, and incredible friendships forged in battle. All three books are wildly entertaining, and deeply heartfelt. And as I’ve mentioned in all three reviews, the diversity & inclusivity of these books is phenomenal. I’m sad this trilogy has ended, but so thrilled to have been along for the ride. Matt Wallace has written something truly remarkable here, and these books will always have a special place on my shelf!
Many thanks to Saga Press for sending a copy my way!
Grimdark Dad 
I was given an eARC of the first book in this series, but I never got around to reading it. I’m glad to know that this series is a great one; hopefully, I’ll get around to reading it soon.
LikeLike