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Levanthria #4.5
A House Of Powder And Plot
An isolated inventor burdened by loss. Can his newfound invention bring justice or will it plunge the kingdom into chaos?
Morvin Torhold has spent years in solitude, haunted by the death of his wife and son in the Great War. A dwarven inventor, he channels his grief into creating something a unique powder that powers a weapon unlike any ever seen in Levanthria.
Just when Morvin resigns himself to a life of lonely obscurity, a charismatic mage appears with a tempting offer. A path to vengeance against the one person he blames for his family’s death—the king himself. All he needs to do is help the mage and his motley crew of outcasts infiltrate the heavily-guarded royal base deep within Zorubia. The goal? Nothing short of regicide.
As Morvin grapples with the morality of assassinating a ruler, he must also navigate the complexities of working with a group of societal misfits. Will they become Levanthria's most wanted heroes or its most notorious criminals?
"A House Of Powder And Plot" is a fast paced, heist adventure set in the Tales of Levanthria fantasy-retelling series. If you're captivated by morally complex heist stories, jaw-dropping inventions, and underdog tales of vengeance, you won’t be able to put down A.P Beswick's latest narrative.
Morvin Torhold has spent years in solitude, haunted by the death of his wife and son in the Great War. A dwarven inventor, he channels his grief into creating something a unique powder that powers a weapon unlike any ever seen in Levanthria.
Just when Morvin resigns himself to a life of lonely obscurity, a charismatic mage appears with a tempting offer. A path to vengeance against the one person he blames for his family’s death—the king himself. All he needs to do is help the mage and his motley crew of outcasts infiltrate the heavily-guarded royal base deep within Zorubia. The goal? Nothing short of regicide.
As Morvin grapples with the morality of assassinating a ruler, he must also navigate the complexities of working with a group of societal misfits. Will they become Levanthria's most wanted heroes or its most notorious criminals?
"A House Of Powder And Plot" is a fast paced, heist adventure set in the Tales of Levanthria fantasy-retelling series. If you're captivated by morally complex heist stories, jaw-dropping inventions, and underdog tales of vengeance, you won’t be able to put down A.P Beswick's latest narrative.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 5, 2023
46 people are currently reading
2683 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
December 26, 2025
honestly probably my favourite in the series so far ( I have just started part one of a war of Chaos and fury)
the humour, seriousness and storyline had me hook line a sinker
the humour, seriousness and storyline had me hook line a sinker
July 25, 2025
I enjoyed this book, as it took a great spin on the classic guy Fawkes story. It fits well into the world, and sets up future books well. I found it did start a little slow, so getting through the first third was a bit slow. But overall, I really enjoyed it!
November 17, 2023
Review to come
February 20, 2026
A House of Powder and Plot by A.P. Beswick
A House of Powder and Plot is the explosive, blood‑soaked turning point of the Levanthria saga — the book that finally shows us how the king dies, and why the world doesn’t magically get better afterward. Beswick trades sweeping fantasy for a gritty, boots‑on‑the‑ground assassination thriller, and the result is one of the most intense entries in the series.
The story begins with Tarin, the mastermind behind the plot, and his towering elven‑blooded bodyguard Skyrar recruiting Morvin — a dwarven tinkerer whose genius has been buried under a lifetime of prejudice. Morvin’s invention, a crude gun and the gunpowder that fuels it, becomes the heart of the plan to kill the king on the front lines of the Zarubian war. Their alliance with Zerina, Ulfric, and a crew of pirates sets the tone immediately: this isn’t a noble rebellion. It’s a desperate, messy, makeshift mission held together by anger, trauma, and necessity.
The journey to the front is brutal. A deadly desert crossing and an attack by giant scorpions strip away any illusion of heroism. By the time the group reaches the war camp, they’re already scarred and exhausted — and the real danger hasn’t even begun.
Life in the king’s camp is a powder keg. Morvin faces constant prejudice, the kind that makes every interaction sting. Tension simmers as the group blends in, waiting for the right moment to strike. When Tarin is killed, the entire mission nearly collapses. But Morvin discovers the identity of the inside man within the king’s guard, and the plot snaps back into motion with a new, desperate plan: use Morvin’s gunpowder to blow up the king’s garrison.
Then the Zarubians attack.
What follows is chaos — a full‑scale battle that tears the camp apart. In the carnage, Zerina unleashes her power in a way that is both awe‑inspiring and terrifying, cutting through enemy forces like a storm given flesh. While the battlefield burns, Morvin and Skyrar crawl through the filth of the waste chute to plant the explosives beneath the king’s feet. It’s disgusting, claustrophobic, and perfectly Beswick.
A cowardly captain discovers them, a fight breaks out, and Skyrar is mortally wounded. In their final act, they choose to detonate the explosives themself. The blast tears the garrison apart — but the king survives long enough to confront Morvin, who is captured by the surviving guards.
And then Ulfric appears.
After being absent for much of the book, he delivers the killing blow in a brutal, unceremonious strike that ends the king’s reign in the dirt and chaos of his own war. It’s not clean. It’s not glorious. It’s exactly the kind of death a tyrant like him deserves.
The survivors flee, believing they’ve changed the world for the better. But the reader knows the truth: the king’s death is not salvation. It’s the spark that will ignite the collapse of the kingdom, the rise of new powers, and the chaos that will ripple through every storyline in the saga.
A House of Powder and Plot is raw, tense, and unflinchingly human. It’s a story about prejudice, sacrifice, desperation, and the brutal cost of rebellion. Beswick delivers a gripping, cinematic assassination tale that shapes the entire series.
A House of Powder and Plot is the explosive, blood‑soaked turning point of the Levanthria saga — the book that finally shows us how the king dies, and why the world doesn’t magically get better afterward. Beswick trades sweeping fantasy for a gritty, boots‑on‑the‑ground assassination thriller, and the result is one of the most intense entries in the series.
The story begins with Tarin, the mastermind behind the plot, and his towering elven‑blooded bodyguard Skyrar recruiting Morvin — a dwarven tinkerer whose genius has been buried under a lifetime of prejudice. Morvin’s invention, a crude gun and the gunpowder that fuels it, becomes the heart of the plan to kill the king on the front lines of the Zarubian war. Their alliance with Zerina, Ulfric, and a crew of pirates sets the tone immediately: this isn’t a noble rebellion. It’s a desperate, messy, makeshift mission held together by anger, trauma, and necessity.
The journey to the front is brutal. A deadly desert crossing and an attack by giant scorpions strip away any illusion of heroism. By the time the group reaches the war camp, they’re already scarred and exhausted — and the real danger hasn’t even begun.
Life in the king’s camp is a powder keg. Morvin faces constant prejudice, the kind that makes every interaction sting. Tension simmers as the group blends in, waiting for the right moment to strike. When Tarin is killed, the entire mission nearly collapses. But Morvin discovers the identity of the inside man within the king’s guard, and the plot snaps back into motion with a new, desperate plan: use Morvin’s gunpowder to blow up the king’s garrison.
Then the Zarubians attack.
What follows is chaos — a full‑scale battle that tears the camp apart. In the carnage, Zerina unleashes her power in a way that is both awe‑inspiring and terrifying, cutting through enemy forces like a storm given flesh. While the battlefield burns, Morvin and Skyrar crawl through the filth of the waste chute to plant the explosives beneath the king’s feet. It’s disgusting, claustrophobic, and perfectly Beswick.
A cowardly captain discovers them, a fight breaks out, and Skyrar is mortally wounded. In their final act, they choose to detonate the explosives themself. The blast tears the garrison apart — but the king survives long enough to confront Morvin, who is captured by the surviving guards.
And then Ulfric appears.
After being absent for much of the book, he delivers the killing blow in a brutal, unceremonious strike that ends the king’s reign in the dirt and chaos of his own war. It’s not clean. It’s not glorious. It’s exactly the kind of death a tyrant like him deserves.
The survivors flee, believing they’ve changed the world for the better. But the reader knows the truth: the king’s death is not salvation. It’s the spark that will ignite the collapse of the kingdom, the rise of new powers, and the chaos that will ripple through every storyline in the saga.
A House of Powder and Plot is raw, tense, and unflinchingly human. It’s a story about prejudice, sacrifice, desperation, and the brutal cost of rebellion. Beswick delivers a gripping, cinematic assassination tale that shapes the entire series.
March 17, 2025
dwarven inventor Morvin Torhold, grieving his family's loss, is recruited for a dangerous mission against the king. Armed with a revolutionary explosive powder, he joins a crew of outcasts in a high-stakes plot that could change Levanthria forever. But as the plan unfolds, Morvin must question whether revenge is worth the price.
This one is a dark fantasy retelling of the Guy Fawkes story, and it’s done brilliantly.
The heist setup is tense, Morvin is a great lead, and the moral dilemmas add real depth. What I really enjoyed was the crossover with characters from the main series, which made the world feel even more connected.
On top of that, this directly references an fleshes out an event mention in the main series which I feel is extremely pivotal, so much so I'm not sure why this is classed as a standalone and not part of the main series itself.
Some of the side characters could maybe have been given a little more time and focus, however there is geat pacing throughout which the stakes continually rising
Once more we have a gripping, well-written addition to Levanthria, and if you love dark fantasy and political intrigue, it’s well worth a read.
This one is a dark fantasy retelling of the Guy Fawkes story, and it’s done brilliantly.
The heist setup is tense, Morvin is a great lead, and the moral dilemmas add real depth. What I really enjoyed was the crossover with characters from the main series, which made the world feel even more connected.
On top of that, this directly references an fleshes out an event mention in the main series which I feel is extremely pivotal, so much so I'm not sure why this is classed as a standalone and not part of the main series itself.
Some of the side characters could maybe have been given a little more time and focus, however there is geat pacing throughout which the stakes continually rising
Once more we have a gripping, well-written addition to Levanthria, and if you love dark fantasy and political intrigue, it’s well worth a read.
October 9, 2024
In short, this book felt like someone had taken D&D campaign, and written down the plot.
It was not until I finished the book that I even realized it was the fifth in a sequel of books . This is my fault for not investigating this previously, but at no time during the the reading of this book did I even question it being a sequel. I think this shows a certain level of connection between the other books.
There were also a lot of smaller issues.
Oftentimes senses were written with repeated words at the beginning and end.
Character wise, the MC is likable, but is too perfect of a fit for the mission that he is tasked with. It was a fine read but I felt it was stale and undeveloped.
There are a few instances where a long period of time pass in the book where characters are together and literally no assumed development happens. It even says they didn’t talk at all until the story picked back up.
Maybe the other books in the beginning of the series are more developed. I don’t know. I am not incentivized to read them
It was not until I finished the book that I even realized it was the fifth in a sequel of books . This is my fault for not investigating this previously, but at no time during the the reading of this book did I even question it being a sequel. I think this shows a certain level of connection between the other books.
There were also a lot of smaller issues.
Oftentimes senses were written with repeated words at the beginning and end.
Character wise, the MC is likable, but is too perfect of a fit for the mission that he is tasked with. It was a fine read but I felt it was stale and undeveloped.
There are a few instances where a long period of time pass in the book where characters are together and literally no assumed development happens. It even says they didn’t talk at all until the story picked back up.
Maybe the other books in the beginning of the series are more developed. I don’t know. I am not incentivized to read them
March 9, 2026
The second of the 'Tales of Levanthria' set of books and what a great retelling of the classic Guy Fawkes story.
With every book A.P. Beswick just keeps getting better and better, rich characters seem to just naturally develop in his world and the pacing stays fast and punchy without glossing over engaging the reader.
I thought Morvin was a brilliant character, funny and dry which worked really well with Skyrar at the start, then in one chapter A.P. gives them both a heartbreaking backstory which connects the two for the remainder of the book. He reintroduces some previous cast members, something I always like, but they don't carry the book, they just lend some support to the story.
I must admit that, so far, these books, the world A.P. has built and the great characters he has chosen for the retellings have been a brilliant journey, one which I don't want to come to an end (I have four books to go).
With every book A.P. Beswick just keeps getting better and better, rich characters seem to just naturally develop in his world and the pacing stays fast and punchy without glossing over engaging the reader.
I thought Morvin was a brilliant character, funny and dry which worked really well with Skyrar at the start, then in one chapter A.P. gives them both a heartbreaking backstory which connects the two for the remainder of the book. He reintroduces some previous cast members, something I always like, but they don't carry the book, they just lend some support to the story.
I must admit that, so far, these books, the world A.P. has built and the great characters he has chosen for the retellings have been a brilliant journey, one which I don't want to come to an end (I have four books to go).
March 23, 2025
This is definitely one of the better books of the series. A drastic difference from book 4. This is either, again, written later on and added to the timeline, or at the very least, more thought and care was put into it. The writing itself is a huge step up from book 4. While there are still a good number of typos, they're easily overlooked with the story it told. I loved being able to get a little backstory into the king's death, and how it came to be.
It's definitely one of the more darker books in the series. A lot death. A lot of maiming. Actual war. Some sad moments from those deaths. I was really starting to like two of the characters that died... But those are the stories I love the most. When an author isn't afraid to kill a character and break your heart a little.
It's definitely one of the more darker books in the series. A lot death. A lot of maiming. Actual war. Some sad moments from those deaths. I was really starting to like two of the characters that died... But those are the stories I love the most. When an author isn't afraid to kill a character and break your heart a little.
February 7, 2024
Great story. I read this a little out of order from how it connects to the rest in the series. I already like the characters of Zerina and Darmour but this gave me additional characters to fall in love with and feel a roller coaster of emotions over. Loved the banter between Morvin and Skyrar and the easy friendship between him and Vorax. A true reminder that friends come in all shapes and sizes and that how long you’ve known someone doesn’t determine the depth of the friendship. This is second book the author has written that’s had moments that made me want to cry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2025
Wow! A fascinating story, full of action from the get go. Plot to kill a tyrant of a King, reluctant heroes, sacrifices for the greater good, love & loss, Revenge, this story has it all. I needed to stop reading at a few points due to the emotions that I was feeling (mostly anger as the bad characters were written so well). I will read this again once I get over the twists and the big bang (pun intended) of an ending. Second story I've read from this author and I've already requested the other Levanthria books as presents.
June 23, 2024
A heartbroken dwarf with a brilliant inventor's mind and revenge in his heart joins a secret group in a scheme to commit regicide and end a war. Beswick gives a intriguing set of characters with their own motivations, a fleshed out world, and a delightfully despicable villain in King Athos, the target and arch-foe of our main protagonist. Quite a few twists and turns await in this short tale, and spoiler alert: not everyone survives to the end of this story.
October 17, 2024
I always leave these books as a respite between heavy reading. Though this one was filled with some heavy moments of its own, generally they are an easy, fun and interesting read. This one really feels like the story is heading towards its overall conclusion.
This book, and many of the others, feels like a dungeons and dragons campaign, mixed with English folklore and history. What's not to like?
This book, and many of the others, feels like a dungeons and dragons campaign, mixed with English folklore and history. What's not to like?
November 29, 2024
I actually finished this book just in time for Bonfire Night, making it a perfectly-timed read. Inspired by the real-life Gunpowder Plot that attempted to assassinate James I in 1605, this has been Beswick’s most successful rehash of a piece of UK history to date. The characters feel fully fleshed out and I loved the contribution to the overarching storyline, despite being a side-step novel. Highly recommended for a quick jaunt into Levanthria, listened to on Spotify at 2x speed.
July 16, 2025
I didn't even realize this was part of a series until I had already listened to a good chunk of it and I thought about giving up because I didn't want to have to read 4 other books to understand what was going on.
Yeah, that wasn't the case at all. Luckily it's a fairly self-contained story (you can tell some of the characters have popped up previously, but you don't need to know how) and it has so much heart to it, you can't help falling in love. Well, I couldn't at least.
Yeah, that wasn't the case at all. Luckily it's a fairly self-contained story (you can tell some of the characters have popped up previously, but you don't need to know how) and it has so much heart to it, you can't help falling in love. Well, I couldn't at least.
January 5, 2024
Really enjoyed this one, and felt more like it was getting back to the peak of Sea of Sorrow and Scorn for me. It was enjoyable to see both new and returning characters and also to discover that this fills in the gap between the previous two books about what happened to the King. It was still not as good as the second book in the series, but a solid read.
February 16, 2024
It was hard already knowing the king would die. It felt like he wanted to kill off all the extra characters rather than work them into the main story line. It was still a page turner and I found myself constantly wanting to know the exactly how despite knowing the overall result going into the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2025
The side story that I wanted to see after reading the lines “ I killed him myself” was uttered in the last book. The spin off book is a great page turn for those who like a heist like story with a plot of simply murder diving more into a question and plot point that will be sending the main series into its final conclusion.
April 15, 2025
I enjoyed this book and the expansion on the main story. Morvin is such an interesting character and it is fun to follow a non-human character in the series. I would have like to known why dwarfs are not around much anymore and why some of the characters are prejudiced against them.
Regardless, the story was good and fast-paced.
Regardless, the story was good and fast-paced.
December 6, 2023
Another solid book! Really liked this story! I loved that is gave backstory to a previous book in the series and introduced some new characters by co-mingling them with already known characters. A. P. Beswick's writing and storytelling just gets better and better with every book.
January 7, 2024
I love how these books get right into the story! Morvin Torhold is such a cool Dwarven. I also enjoy how these books are so easy to binge. I’m looking forward to more books by this author. If you haven’t given these books a try, you should.
September 17, 2024
A tale that falls within the world and events of the main series. I loved the tale and story but wished the author used the same first person approach of story telling like the main series. My only complaint and a must read since major characters are involved.
January 23, 2025
My rating:
1. A Sea Of Sorrow And Scorn
2. A Forest Of Vanity And Valour
3. A Loch Of Grace And Greed
4. A House Of Powder And Plot
5. A Kingdom Of Courage And Cruelty
6. A Frost Of Fear And Fortitude
7. A Stone Of Destiny And Despair
1. A Sea Of Sorrow And Scorn
2. A Forest Of Vanity And Valour
3. A Loch Of Grace And Greed
4. A House Of Powder And Plot
5. A Kingdom Of Courage And Cruelty
6. A Frost Of Fear And Fortitude
7. A Stone Of Destiny And Despair
January 10, 2026
The story itself was good. This authors writing style isn’t my favorite. He gets the story told, but there are times where it seems the focus is put in the wrong areas and pieces of the story could be fleshed out a little more.
November 24, 2023
Awesome!!
It had me gripping the seat, very well written, excellent plot and twist. I loved it! Worth reading for sure.
It had me gripping the seat, very well written, excellent plot and twist. I loved it! Worth reading for sure.
January 11, 2024
This series just keeps getting better !
With each book, the Levanthria Series gets better and better. New "dark" spins on classic British tales. A.P. Beswick has hit his stride.
With each book, the Levanthria Series gets better and better. New "dark" spins on classic British tales. A.P. Beswick has hit his stride.
February 10, 2024
Dammit. I won't say anything more. But...ugh!
:)
:)
April 4, 2024
Action packed novella that ties together a big part of the story in this series. Loved it!
June 9, 2024
What would you do to get revenge for what was taken from you?
Best read before "A kingdom of Courage and cruelty".
Best read before "A kingdom of Courage and cruelty".
June 20, 2024
Fun characters
August 20, 2024
Throughly enjoyed this book. Genuinely had to pace myself from not reading this in one sitting. Can't wait to see how this incorporates with the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews