Book Report: Season of the Serpent
By: Christa Kilday
Suyi Davies Okungbowa brings his West-African fantasy trilogy to a grand conclusion. With our heroes scattered and the continent of Oon on the brink of war, Season of the Serpent works overtime to bring The Nameless Republic series to a satisfying end, even if it means taking a large detour to get there.
BEFORE WE DIVE IN…
Season of the Serpent is the third installment of The Nameless Republic trilogy. Similar content warnings do appear throughout the trilogy.
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Adult
Content Warnings: parental death, pregnancy termination, torture, racism and xenophobia (imagined universe), animal death, body horror, genocide, police violence
Spice Level: Little to none
ABOUT THE BOOK (synopsis)
Character Art by Diana Dworak.
The old world has fallen. Now is the time of serpents.
The continent is split. The islands have sunk. The empire of Bassa is no more. With the resistant Nameless Republic and the conquering Kangalaland on the brink of war, all must choose a side: ally or fall. Oon's heroes and villains must rise from their ashes and meet a Third Great War.
Peace won't come easy. Long-lost family will fight to reach Danso before war erases him forever. Lilong has survived the island catastrophe but lost her power, and will do anything to get it back. And fate will find Esheme where it left her. Will the dead queen rise again?
For Oon, the first season of the five states is a season of serpents. After the storms pass and winds blow, what will remain? And who will survive?
Season of the Serpent includes multiple points of view.
READER PROFILE
This might be for you if:
The political intrigue aspects of fantasy epics like Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon kept your attention more than the dragons did.
You enjoy seeing women warriors kick ass in movies like The Woman King and Black Panther, then you’ll enjoy meeting Lilong, a fierce warrior from the Nameless Islands who joins our hero on his quest for answers.
You’re an anime fan who can’t get enough of the forbidden magic seen in Fullmetal Alchemist or Delicious in Dungeon. You will have something in this series to enjoy as we see our characters interact with Ibor: a powerful mineral that contains power that can be drawn upon by trained users, called Iborworkers, to perform supernatural feats.
You always watch the recap before the next episode of your favorite show. Suyi provides readers with detailed recaps of each book in this series. If it’s been a while since you’ve read Son of the Storm and Warrior of the Wind then he’s got you covered.
These trilogies left you wanting more non-Western inspired fantasy books: The Drowning Empire trilogy by Andrea Stewart, the Ending Fire trilogy by Saara El-Arifi, and The Burning Kingdoms trilogy by Tasha Suri.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Suyi Davies Okungbowa is a Nigerian-born, Canadian-resident, award-winning author of fantasy, science fiction, and general speculative fiction. He has published various novels for adults, the latest of which are the science fiction novella Lost Ark Dreaming (2024 Nebula Award finalist and Ignite Award Winner); Season of the Serpent, Warrior of the Wind and Son of the Storm—all three of The Nameless Republic epic fantasy trilogy—and The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, a Black Panther novel. His debut novel, David Mogo, Godhunter, won the 2020 Nommo Award for Best Novel.
WHAT READERS THINK
“This book combines rich world-building with an engaging story. The characters were compelling, and I enjoyed following their journeys. The author created a vivid setting that felt immersive and unique. The plot moved at a steady pace and kept my interest throughout. Themes of power, survival, and identity were woven into the story effectively. Overall, it was a strong and entertaining read.” — Reviewer via NetGalley
“Season of the Serpent by Suyi Davies Okungbowa is a mesmerizing fantasy filled with rich worldbuilding, unforgettable characters, and powerful storytelling. Okungbowa masterfully blends mythology, politics, and emotion into a gripping narrative that keeps readers invested from beginning to end. The prose is vivid and immersive, bringing every scene to life with stunning detail and atmosphere. The character development feels authentic, and the themes of identity, power, and survival resonate deeply throughout the story. Fans of epic fantasy will appreciate the originality and depth woven into every chapter. This is a beautifully crafted novel that leaves a lasting impression long after the final page.” — Reviewer via NetGalley
BOOK REPORTER’S REVIEW
Ending a series must be one of the hardest things for an author to do. As a fantasy reader, I encounter series on the regular, and The Nameless Republic trilogy is no exception. Going into Season of the Serpent, our main trio of characters have all been left for dead. So, as a seasoned (no pun intended) fantasy reader, I knew at some point we would see them once again and learn of their individual journeys back to the main storyline, which is the big war—the ultimate show-down.
What I was not expecting was the endless bombardment of new POVs in this installment. For me, it took too long to get back to our main cast of characters, and by the time we did, so much had already happened without their involvement that they almost became irrelevant to the story, and certainly to the looming war back on the main continent.
However, my frustration with the final book should not diminish what Suyi has accomplished, which is a fully fledged fantasy world based on the pre-colonial empires of West Africa. This trilogy is very character driven with common themes to forward the plot. The magic system, while simple in its premise, gives us those crucial fantasy elements. And with your typical fantasy tropes included, such as the hero’s journey, an epic quest, forbidden magic, scary beasts, and much more, The Nameless Republic trilogy is still worth picking up. Davies is a great writer and world-builder. I have no doubt that I’ll be picking up another book by him in the future.
A special thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.