Seven Seas revealed the cover for Volume 5 of their upcoming English release of priest’s Stars of Chaos: Sha Po Lang, which is the series finale.
Volume One was illustrated by artist Eornheit, but eleven small jars took over as artist from Volume Two onward. Stars of Chaos: Sha Po Lang is a danmei novel series written by priest, and debuted in English in July 2023.
When questioned by fans about the absence of a special edition announcement, Seven Seas stated that Stars of Chaos would only be receiving a Standard Edition release; though they have included a two-page foldout illustration in the upcoming volume to celebrate its conclusion. Fans vocally expressed their disappointment in this decision, as the finale volume of every other danmei series released by the company thus far has received a Special Edition that comes with merch exclusive to said release (such as postcards, bookmarks, and stickers). Fans begged the company through social media to reconsider and release a Special Edition for the series, but Seven Seas has not made any further comment on the matter. We can only speculate why this choice was made, but it would be simplest to conclude that sales for the series simply did not measure up to expectations, which would make a Special Edition financially unfeasible.
Many fans have spoken up to comment that they commonly wait for a given danmei series to be released in its entirety in English before they buy it, as they prefer to wait for book reviews of the full series to determine if it’s worth their time and money—and also to save themselves the agony of waiting for more story to be available. Although this approach definitely has its advantages, it can lead to deceptively low sales numbers and negatively affect a series’ future prospects. Back in August 2024, Seven Seas announced that Run Wild: Sa Ye would have a Special Edition with its first volume, which in retrospect seems to have been foreshadowing the company’s new way of handling special editions. Stars of Chaos seems to have been an unfortunate casualty during the interim, leaving its many fans quite disappointed indeed.
Seven Seas’ synopsis for the fifth volume is as follows:
DAWN OF A NEW ERA
With the Wolf King in the north defeated, Great Liang turns its full attention to the war’s southern front, where the Westerners have occupied the fertile land of Jiangnan. Gu Yun races south to lead Great Liang’s fledgling navy, while Chang Geng is recalled to the capital to solve the pressing matter of funding the war effort.
Yet the imperial court is no less treacherous than the battlefield. As Chang Geng walks a precarious path where one misstep could brand him a traitor or worse, he begins to suspect that Gu Yun is in more danger than he lets on. Chang Geng will stop at nothing to bring an end to the war and build a nation where his beloved can lay down his armor and live, at long last, in peace.
Stars of Chaos: Sha Po Lang Vol. 5 is scheduled for a January 14, 2025 release, with preorders available at all major retailers.
Source: Seven Seas Twitter/X
