I was compelled to see it through. I guess I was hoping for some redemption for someone.
Either the author, or the empress's son or SOMEthing. Anything worth saving. But nope.

It's been years now since I read those books, and I still get mad whenever I think about it, lol.
I really liked the empress even though she was bloodthirsty. She was an ass-kicking brown-skinned woman --
so naturally, she had to turn out evil. And the white woman was on the side of Good.