Review: Promise of Blood - Brian McClellan

The Age of Kings is dead . . . and I have killed it. 

Field Marshal Tamas' coup against his king sent corrupt aristocrats to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving. But it also provoked war with the Nine Nations, internal attacks by royalist fanatics, and the greedy to scramble for money and power by Tamas's supposed allies: the Church, workers unions, and mercenary forces. 

Stretched to his limit, Tamas is relying heavily on his few remaining powder mages, including the embittered Taniel, a brilliant marksman who also happens to be his estranged son, and Adamat, a retired police inspector whose loyalty is being tested by blackmail.

Now, as attacks batter them from within and without, the credulous are whispering about omens of death and destruction. Just old peasant legends about the gods waking to walk the earth. No modern educated man believes that sort of thing. But they should...

My thoughts:

I can never do good fantasy justice. You know how I ramble on. The book was good, the book was excellent. What more is there truly to say? If you like fantasy I will definitely recommend it.

But I will try.

Fantasy and guns. I have come across it before and thought it was cool, and yes it was still cool cos it is different. On top of that we have an interesting magic system where some snort in gun powder and get more powerful. Gotta love that idea. But the ones with a different power do not like the powder mages. Good start for some drama.

As for the premise think the French Revolution. Down with the king and nobles and send them to the guillotine. Just add in magic and Gods.

The book had me hooked from page 1. The story was good and the characters fascinating. Tamas who orchestrated the whole thing to save his country from a neighboring one. Adamat, a former police officer who is sent to find some answers. Taniel who is know to have killed Privileged (those with great powers). Then we have others like a young woman trying to protect a boy from a noble family, another woman who wreaks havoc in the city after the fall, and others who I grew to like.

The book kept up a good pace and at the end I needed more. Because more is sure to come. I like where he left it. Enough to want more, but not ending with a horrible cliffhanger.

Conclusion:

So like I said I recommend it. And book 2 is coming out in February, I am so glad that there is not a long wait.

Hardcover, 548 pages
Published April 16th 2013 by Orbit
The Powder Mage #1
Fantasy
Library