Promise of Blood: Book 1 in the Powder Mage trilogy

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Doesn't matter the format, or when it was published or produced--just give him a grim story told in a dark world by a morally grey protagonist and this bloke's in his happy place. The first challenge comes when a royalist uprising of 20,000 attempts to reestablish the monarchy with young Jakob as a figurehead king, with the remaining nobles acting as his regents. Which is not to say Promise of Blood is by any stretch anything less than an excellent first act to what has proven to be an exciting trilogy, filled with some of what I love most about fantasy. Kirkus Reviews gave a more reserved appraisal stating the "book is less relentlessly inventive than the inaugural volume but still impressively distinctive and pungent…". As for Adamat, his storyline is a great way to get a bit of distance, a little break from all the Army and politics and it reads like an atypical Victorian detective story in all the best ways.

There’s plenty of depth as well, as the novel progresses — and the next two books in the trilogy add a lot to make the magic systems feel even more distinct.His relationship with famed general Tamas is a strained one, and despite his best efforts, Tamas always seems to want him around as no more as a particularly useful soldier. It’s an amazing work, and has the series well-situated for an outstanding finale in The Autumn Republic due out next year. A couple weeks ago I announced the sale of Promise of Blood and two untitled sequels to Orbit Books.

and I have killed it” declares Field Marshal Tamas, having overthrown the self-indulgent and utterly uncaring monarch who not only bankrupted the state of Adro and left his people starving, but intended to sell what was left to powerful, warlike and covetous neighbor Kez. It wouldn’t be high on my recommendation list, but I’d recommend it to readers who cared more about plot, the magic system, and action than the characters themselves. This is a stew of splendidly diverse and flavorsome ingredients, outstanding action sequences and well-handled, relentless if sometimes overelaborate plotting, despite some worrisome indications than McClellan hasn’t fully thought all the concepts through. Powder Mages are wizards with the ability to metabolize gunpowder and use it as fuel for various magical powers, including telekinesis; they can also manipulate gunpowder, such as causing it to explode spontaneously. This world of female warriors and leaders feels natural, and while there is a “chosen one” aspect to the tale, it’s far from the main point.Ignoring the Dynize, and other “savage cultures”, there didn’t seem to be much driving conflict between nations on a cultural or ethnic level. Back in Adopest, Taniel is instructed by his father to find an uncommonly powerful member of the Royal Cabal who managed to escape during the coup.