Chaos king / Kacen Callender.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

WHEN THE WORLD BURNS, ASH WILL RISE.

The explosive sequel to instant New York Times bestselling YA debut Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender.

The hardcover edition features a beautiful jacket with silver foil, a case stamp, an in-world map and illustrated endpapers.

Ever since he rose up against his father and saved New Anglia from destruction, Ash has been struggling to adapt to his new life. He has nightmares every night, haunted by strange black orbs and his screaming dead mother. Ash is sure she's trying to warn him that the world is still in danger, and becomes determined to find a way to speak to her again--but communicating with the dead isn't easy, even for an alchemist as powerful as Ash.

It doesn't help that violent anti-alchemist sentiment is spreading across New Anglia. When Ash is captured by a radical group, inspired by his father's legacy, he must decide if alchemist rights can be trusted in the hands of the Houses, along with his partners Callum and Ramsay--or if Ash must follow the path his father laid for him, and become the leader of an alchemist revolution.

Can Ash keep his relationships together and stop the world from falling apart?

"Spellbinding." --Aiden Thomas · "Brims with possibility." --A. R. Carpetta · "A thrilling, expansive adventure." --Elana K. Arnold ·
"A blast of heart-racing magic." --Andrew Joseph White

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Gr 10 Up--Ash Woods didn't realize how many things would still feel wrong after successfully defeating his father. Followers of Lune are still targeting alchemists in violent attacks, claiming that their ability to manipulate Source is sinful. Ash is haunted by nightmares filled with strange black orbs and his dead mother's screams. At home, transgender Ash struggles to navigate his polyamorous relationship with boyfriend Callum and their genderfluid partner Ramsay as it becomes clear that all three have different ideas about how to deal with the growing unrest throughout New Anglia. Tasked with infiltrating a radical alchemist group, Ash soon finds himself playing both sides as a double agent while trying to figure out if true revolution can be achieved without bloodshed. Callender delves deeper into this inclusive but hierarchical world and its complex alchemical magic system while exploring the ethical questions of justice and societal change. VERDICT A strong sense of urgency and shocking twists make this a propulsive duology conclusion.

Horn Book Review

Ash Woods, the transmasculine alchemist who saved the city from his father's destructive magic in Infinity Alchemist (rev. 3/24), begins this novel now licensed, honored by House Alexander, and cohabiting with the two people he fell in love with, Callum and Ramsay. But Ash is coping with symptoms consistent with PTSD and is worried that the other two will realize they love each other and not him. When Lord Alexander suggests -- threateningly -- that Ash become his spy in the outlaw Alchemist Liberation Party, and then the ALP kidnaps Ash to recruit him to spy on Lord Alexander, Ash becomes a double agent to protect Callum and Ramsay from attack but ends up forced to betray each of them. The motivations and pressures brought to bear can be difficult to track at times, but Ash finds he aligns with the goals of the ALP and takes steps he can't back away from, alienating both of his lovers in the process. Meanwhile, chaos energy left over from Ash's father's attack raises the stakes to potential universal destruction. Fast-paced action sequences and a dollop of metaphysics make this exciting sequel a good fit for those who like their fantasy to take big swings. Anita L. BurkamMay/June 2025 p.82 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.