What do you think?
Rate this book
Sun War Trilogy #1
Warlock of Muscovy
When words fail, bring out the guns, swords, and death spells.
Marina is the daughter of Tsar Alexander the Cruel, the most powerful warlock. She’s also a princess of the Court of White Rose. The only problem is that she’s mundane—she has no magic.
On her sixteenth birthday Marina fled from her father’s tsardom to the revolutionist side of Muscovy, and five years later she’s doing all right, working as a seamstress in the United Workers’ Factory. Despite the political police, the never-ending witch hunt, and her best friend living as an orange cat, she’s happy. She gets along with her cottage mates and is even seeing a guy... until the city blows up, she’s implied in the sabotage, her guy turns out to be an enemy, her friends are murdered, and an alchemist maniac hunts her down for a blood vendetta.
With the Red Army and the Alchemist Federation on her heels, Marina runs back to the Court of White Rose, but when death follows her home she must uncover a prophecy, reconcile with the warlock, and stop an oncoming war. It’s a tall order for a seamstress.
The first book in the Sun War Trilogy, this intensely dark tale of magic and mayhem is full of grey characters that blur the line between good and evil.
Content warning for strong language, graphic violence, and intimate situations.
Marina is the daughter of Tsar Alexander the Cruel, the most powerful warlock. She’s also a princess of the Court of White Rose. The only problem is that she’s mundane—she has no magic.
On her sixteenth birthday Marina fled from her father’s tsardom to the revolutionist side of Muscovy, and five years later she’s doing all right, working as a seamstress in the United Workers’ Factory. Despite the political police, the never-ending witch hunt, and her best friend living as an orange cat, she’s happy. She gets along with her cottage mates and is even seeing a guy... until the city blows up, she’s implied in the sabotage, her guy turns out to be an enemy, her friends are murdered, and an alchemist maniac hunts her down for a blood vendetta.
With the Red Army and the Alchemist Federation on her heels, Marina runs back to the Court of White Rose, but when death follows her home she must uncover a prophecy, reconcile with the warlock, and stop an oncoming war. It’s a tall order for a seamstress.
The first book in the Sun War Trilogy, this intensely dark tale of magic and mayhem is full of grey characters that blur the line between good and evil.
Content warning for strong language, graphic violence, and intimate situations.
202 pages, Paperback
Published May 3, 2023
About the author
Brien Feathers
25 books221 followersBrien Feathers is a fantasy author living in the land of permanent frost, horses, and Mongols. She likes reading, writing (of course), riding, drinking dark beer, and checking things off a to-do list.
Although she claims to love everyone equally, she really loves her youngest son the most. He has autism superpowers that allow him to speak all types of rare languages including drumbeats, elevator dings, and police sirens.
Miss Feathers loves grey days, orange cats, and all creatures human or otherwise. And she hopes you will love her world (fantasy) and people (characters) as well.
Connect with the author.
Sign up for the Feathers Newsletter at https://www.brienfeathers.com.
Although she claims to love everyone equally, she really loves her youngest son the most. He has autism superpowers that allow him to speak all types of rare languages including drumbeats, elevator dings, and police sirens.
Miss Feathers loves grey days, orange cats, and all creatures human or otherwise. And she hopes you will love her world (fantasy) and people (characters) as well.
Connect with the author.
Sign up for the Feathers Newsletter at https://www.brienfeathers.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
August 7, 2023
Review originally on JamReads
Warlock of Muscovy is the first book in the Sun War Trilogy, a Slavic inspired historical fantasy, written by Briend Feathers, a SPFBO9 entry. A book with an amazing setting, which is partly gaslamp, drinking from the Russian Revolution times, and mixing it too with Slavic folklore, creating a unique world where our story will be developed.
Marina fled from the court when she was sixteen, and now, six years later, she's doing quite well on the revolutionist side of Muscovy, working as a seamstress in a factory; despite how oppressive the atmosphere is, with the political police, the repression and the paranoia, she's happy. That's until the city blows, and she gets accused by the power, being called as implied in the sabotage, her friends murdered.
And now it is even discovered her origin: she's the daughter of Tsar Alexander the Cruel, the most powerful warlock, and leader of the tsardom, the enemy of the revolutionist side; she will be forced to return to The Court of the White Rose, but behind her, many dangers are coming. If she wants to keep safe all the people she appreciates, she will have to work on stopping the war, reconciling with his father and uncover an ancient prophecy. All of this while being a mundane, a non-magical person.
Let's start talking of the most outstanding aspect of this book: how unique the worldbuilding feels. Muscovy is clearly inspired by the tsarist Russia and the revolutionary atmosphere that followed 1917s revolution; as a result, we see a revolutionary side where the repression and witch hunt are the everyday bread, focusing strongly on industrial production, squeezing the last blood drop out of workers. On the tsardom, Slavic folklore gets mixed with tradition; the court is built around the fae world. That duality, tradition/magic vs progress is the major conflict that fuels the war between tsardom and revolutionaries.
On the other hand, I feel this book could have been benefited by a greater length, as some parts of it feel rushed, being the pace extremely fast. Usually, that isn't a problem, but in this particular case, readers might prefer to know more about Marina's motivations, as some of her acts feel random, at all. While some characters are more developed than others, I cannot stop thinking that I would have love to know more for example of Alexander. Said that, there's plenty of action and impactful moments, Feathers doing greatly at keeping ourselves glued to the page.
Warlock of Muscovy is a great introduction to the world of Sun War Trilogy, a book perfect for those that are not afraid of some darkness in their historical inspired fantasy. If you are looking for a unique world, definitely pick this book.
Warlock of Muscovy is the first book in the Sun War Trilogy, a Slavic inspired historical fantasy, written by Briend Feathers, a SPFBO9 entry. A book with an amazing setting, which is partly gaslamp, drinking from the Russian Revolution times, and mixing it too with Slavic folklore, creating a unique world where our story will be developed.
Marina fled from the court when she was sixteen, and now, six years later, she's doing quite well on the revolutionist side of Muscovy, working as a seamstress in a factory; despite how oppressive the atmosphere is, with the political police, the repression and the paranoia, she's happy. That's until the city blows, and she gets accused by the power, being called as implied in the sabotage, her friends murdered.
And now it is even discovered her origin: she's the daughter of Tsar Alexander the Cruel, the most powerful warlock, and leader of the tsardom, the enemy of the revolutionist side; she will be forced to return to The Court of the White Rose, but behind her, many dangers are coming. If she wants to keep safe all the people she appreciates, she will have to work on stopping the war, reconciling with his father and uncover an ancient prophecy. All of this while being a mundane, a non-magical person.
Let's start talking of the most outstanding aspect of this book: how unique the worldbuilding feels. Muscovy is clearly inspired by the tsarist Russia and the revolutionary atmosphere that followed 1917s revolution; as a result, we see a revolutionary side where the repression and witch hunt are the everyday bread, focusing strongly on industrial production, squeezing the last blood drop out of workers. On the tsardom, Slavic folklore gets mixed with tradition; the court is built around the fae world. That duality, tradition/magic vs progress is the major conflict that fuels the war between tsardom and revolutionaries.
On the other hand, I feel this book could have been benefited by a greater length, as some parts of it feel rushed, being the pace extremely fast. Usually, that isn't a problem, but in this particular case, readers might prefer to know more about Marina's motivations, as some of her acts feel random, at all. While some characters are more developed than others, I cannot stop thinking that I would have love to know more for example of Alexander. Said that, there's plenty of action and impactful moments, Feathers doing greatly at keeping ourselves glued to the page.
Warlock of Muscovy is a great introduction to the world of Sun War Trilogy, a book perfect for those that are not afraid of some darkness in their historical inspired fantasy. If you are looking for a unique world, definitely pick this book.
May 21, 2023
1 pepper
What a delightfully dark gem.
The Warlock of Muscovy was a fast and intriguing read, with Russian/Slavic inspired lore, which I found very interesting, especially seeing how the author weaved magic and steampunk-ish elements together alongside events that are loosely reminiscent of history. Despite it being a relatively short book, I appreciated the way the author managed to immerse the reader into the world. I could clearly picture the setting and atmosphere of every scene, despite there not being excessively detailed descriptions, which is exactly how I prefer descriptions to be.
However, if I was fascinated by the setting and the worldbuilding, what really hooked me were the characters. There’s a lot of morally gray in this book, with some characters leaning more into villainy than others. A lot of it depends on perspective. Our protagonist, Marina, was an interesting perspective to follow, as she belongs to both worlds. As the daughter of the tsar, the Warlock of Muscovy Alexander, she belongs to the Court of the White Rose. She’s been raised by witches, she knows magic—but she doesn’t practice any of her own. In fact, she’s a mundane, meaning she possesses no magic, and therefore when the opportunity presents itself to leave the court, she does, and lives amongst the revolutionists, leading an ordinary life—albeit always with the risk of being discovered. And because she kind of belongs to both sides, you feel like you can’t trust anyone at some point—not her lover Yuri, who is a chekist and loyal to his country, not her family who scorn her for not having magic. The only pure soul whom I truly believe had no ulterior motive aside from caring for Marina was my boy Kosha.
All this being said, the most interesting characters for me were the warlock himself, Alexander, and Yuri. Aside from his complicated relationship with Marina, Alexander is a very complex character with an interesting backstory I would love to delve into deeper. I feel like there’s so much we still don’t know about him! One could write a whole book just about him. Yuri, on the other hand, was a very deceptive character, the type of character I easily love until he terrifies me—and he had several moments where he did that. It’s easy to want to trust him when he’s being cute with Marina, but then he does things that remind you that he’s actually the enemy. So do I ship him and Marina? The answer is yes. They have the potential for a great enemies to lovers romance.
Ironically, I wish this book had been a little longer. Strange to say because I enjoyed how fast of a read this was, but I would have so loved seeing a little more of Marina’s past somehow, because her relationship with her father—and family and magic—is very intriguing and shaped a lot of who she is the moment we meet her. However, I do believe we’ll see a lot more of this in the second book, which is shaping up to be a very interesting sequel seeing as the world is expanding to include the tsar’s allies: the Sun Empire, the Akari. This is going to be interesting not just for the political aspect of the worldbuilding, but also for Alexander’s personal ties with the Akari.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
What a delightfully dark gem.
The Warlock of Muscovy was a fast and intriguing read, with Russian/Slavic inspired lore, which I found very interesting, especially seeing how the author weaved magic and steampunk-ish elements together alongside events that are loosely reminiscent of history. Despite it being a relatively short book, I appreciated the way the author managed to immerse the reader into the world. I could clearly picture the setting and atmosphere of every scene, despite there not being excessively detailed descriptions, which is exactly how I prefer descriptions to be.
However, if I was fascinated by the setting and the worldbuilding, what really hooked me were the characters. There’s a lot of morally gray in this book, with some characters leaning more into villainy than others. A lot of it depends on perspective. Our protagonist, Marina, was an interesting perspective to follow, as she belongs to both worlds. As the daughter of the tsar, the Warlock of Muscovy Alexander, she belongs to the Court of the White Rose. She’s been raised by witches, she knows magic—but she doesn’t practice any of her own. In fact, she’s a mundane, meaning she possesses no magic, and therefore when the opportunity presents itself to leave the court, she does, and lives amongst the revolutionists, leading an ordinary life—albeit always with the risk of being discovered. And because she kind of belongs to both sides, you feel like you can’t trust anyone at some point—not her lover Yuri, who is a chekist and loyal to his country, not her family who scorn her for not having magic. The only pure soul whom I truly believe had no ulterior motive aside from caring for Marina was my boy Kosha.
All this being said, the most interesting characters for me were the warlock himself, Alexander, and Yuri. Aside from his complicated relationship with Marina, Alexander is a very complex character with an interesting backstory I would love to delve into deeper. I feel like there’s so much we still don’t know about him! One could write a whole book just about him. Yuri, on the other hand, was a very deceptive character, the type of character I easily love until he terrifies me—and he had several moments where he did that. It’s easy to want to trust him when he’s being cute with Marina, but then he does things that remind you that he’s actually the enemy. So do I ship him and Marina? The answer is yes. They have the potential for a great enemies to lovers romance.
Ironically, I wish this book had been a little longer. Strange to say because I enjoyed how fast of a read this was, but I would have so loved seeing a little more of Marina’s past somehow, because her relationship with her father—and family and magic—is very intriguing and shaped a lot of who she is the moment we meet her. However, I do believe we’ll see a lot more of this in the second book, which is shaping up to be a very interesting sequel seeing as the world is expanding to include the tsar’s allies: the Sun Empire, the Akari. This is going to be interesting not just for the political aspect of the worldbuilding, but also for Alexander’s personal ties with the Akari.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
July 1, 2024
i did finish this! rtc
May 26, 2023
This is a dark fantasy with elements of Russian inspired lore, which reminded me a bit of the Grishaverse! This is completely different than the Grisha stories though, which I really appreciated. It’s a short, twisty read that I absolutely flew through. I loved the characters in this book. Though it’s relatively short, this author still manages to fully develop her characters which allows you to quickly connect with them (especially Marina) in a short amount of time. I loved the warlock, Alexander…he’s super complex, has a fascinating back story, and is just so interesting to learn about. I’m hoping we get to know more of him in book two!
Def recommend giving this book a try, especially if you’re looking for something quick to devour in a sitting or two.
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Def recommend giving this book a try, especially if you’re looking for something quick to devour in a sitting or two.
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 29, 2023
I really enjoyed my experience reading this book. It's dark and gritty and definitely different from other books I've read in this genre. I adored the lore and world building, I think the author did a great job of making it both believable and easy to understand. I'm definitely going to continue this series because I'm so interested to see how it ends.
June 1, 2023
I enjoyed this story! This was filled with Slovic and Russian lore. The author takes us into a world where our main character, Mariana is the daughter of an evil Tsar. She was born with no magic and that is completely frown upon when you are the daughter of the Warlock of Muscovy.
Although, the main character has no magic, she tries hard to prove herself. Which is why she takes the opportunity to live with the revolutionist. This story has you rooting for everyone cause you seriously can't pin point the mystery! it definitely keeps you on your toes. I enjoyed the action and the intricate world building in the story. And like always I absolutely loved the villain lol.. my toxic trait lol. Can't wait to learn more! If you're a lover of intricate lore, likable characters, and a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, then give this a go.
huge thanks to the author for gifting me a review copy! all opinions are my own.
Although, the main character has no magic, she tries hard to prove herself. Which is why she takes the opportunity to live with the revolutionist. This story has you rooting for everyone cause you seriously can't pin point the mystery! it definitely keeps you on your toes. I enjoyed the action and the intricate world building in the story. And like always I absolutely loved the villain lol.. my toxic trait lol. Can't wait to learn more! If you're a lover of intricate lore, likable characters, and a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, then give this a go.
huge thanks to the author for gifting me a review copy! all opinions are my own.
November 2, 2023
3.75 stars.
This was pretty good. At 196 pages, I read it fairly quickly in one sitting.
I was very excited to read this; it’s a dark gas lamp fantasy, full of alchemy and Slavic folklore, all things I love! Unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me. It was missing *something*, and I’m not sure what what something is.
Perhaps because it was so short, there was little room for deeper development in the characters and expansion/explaining the world. I think that led me to be a bit confused on who was who (although that is not uncommon due to the Russian naming system), and what was happening.
There were also a few spelling and grammatical errors, not a huge deal, but it does detract from the story a bit.
Overall, the characters themselves have the potential to be more interesting as the series goes on. Book 2 appears to go backwards in the timeline but is over 300 pages long so I’m hoping we get further expansion and explanation. I think the story has a lot of potential as well so I’m keeping my hopes up for when I continue reading.
This was pretty good. At 196 pages, I read it fairly quickly in one sitting.
I was very excited to read this; it’s a dark gas lamp fantasy, full of alchemy and Slavic folklore, all things I love! Unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me. It was missing *something*, and I’m not sure what what something is.
Perhaps because it was so short, there was little room for deeper development in the characters and expansion/explaining the world. I think that led me to be a bit confused on who was who (although that is not uncommon due to the Russian naming system), and what was happening.
There were also a few spelling and grammatical errors, not a huge deal, but it does detract from the story a bit.
Overall, the characters themselves have the potential to be more interesting as the series goes on. Book 2 appears to go backwards in the timeline but is over 300 pages long so I’m hoping we get further expansion and explanation. I think the story has a lot of potential as well so I’m keeping my hopes up for when I continue reading.
April 28, 2023
Absolutely loved this book! It was such an engaging and enthralling story about witches and warlocks and hunters too. Plot twists upon plot twists in this book! Some information is there but once you know the truth you recognize all the signs! The story is very well written and it’s just the right amount of descriptions versus action as well. The fight scenes are shocking and brilliant. I look forward to reading more of this universe.
June 14, 2023
I nearly stopped reading after a bit of unnecessary foul language at the beginning, but I am glad I read on as it was a good read, with believable characters and a nice storyline. I look forward to reading the next in the series to see what happens to the characters.
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 26, 2023
The lives of Alexander and Marina seem to be rife with sadness. They do things because they must, not because of want. I really enjoyed this book and I learned many new word meanings. Sometimes it felt a bit like Doctor Zhivago. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 29, 2023
The author has a clear love of Slavic culture, which was transparent on the page. I enjoyed this magical realism tale
May 4, 2023
Evocative. Glorious beginning, cannot wait to read more. A dark fictional twist to Russian history. Love the characters and their interactions with each other. Vivid imagery that I devoured. Definitely a book that I will read again and again and again. Enjoy!
July 27, 2023
1⭐️
I’m not sure if fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse would like this or not, as for me, it felt too similar. I could have been reading fanfiction about a new character set in the same universe. It was nicely written with vivid descriptions but it was only surface deep. There wasn’t any grit. The only grit in the entire book was in one sex scene. There was sex and there was was swearing. Revelations about the backstory of the main characters were not very forthcoming, which I found incredibly irritating as I feel it would have made it easier for me to connect with the plot and characters.
I’m not sure if fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse would like this or not, as for me, it felt too similar. I could have been reading fanfiction about a new character set in the same universe. It was nicely written with vivid descriptions but it was only surface deep. There wasn’t any grit. The only grit in the entire book was in one sex scene. There was sex and there was was swearing. Revelations about the backstory of the main characters were not very forthcoming, which I found incredibly irritating as I feel it would have made it easier for me to connect with the plot and characters.
December 15, 2023
I went racing through this book. It was really good. The descriptions are so vivid I could easily imagine the book being adapted for the cinema or a TV series.
I can't wait to read more of the trilogy.
This is the first time I have read Brien Feather and I definitely want to read all her other books now.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I can't wait to read more of the trilogy.
This is the first time I have read Brien Feather and I definitely want to read all her other books now.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 3, 2023
I discovered Brien Feathers last year and almost instantly fell in love with her writing. It flows easily for me, with plenty of detail and development. So, when given the chance to review a new series start she is working on, I jumped on it. Thus began my journey with "Warlock of Muscovy."
Set in an industrial style world, with a steampunk feel integrated into a Russian / Slavic inspired culture. While I did not understand all the nuances and had to look up some phrases and mythology, I enjoyed the gritty, technology meets old world feel created for this story. It was the perfect backdrop for the political drama and wartime setting. It lent itself well to the 'magic vs progress' dynamic. My only qualm really was that the countries, or courts and houses as they are called in the story, were not clearly laid out. It took a good portion of the story to figure out the players involved. A map or separate breakdown at the beginning would have helped.
As the reader, the world is traversed through the eyes of Marina. At first, not much is known about her, but as the story progresses, she reveals more and more. She is a reluctant hero with past trauma that keeps her very guarded. Her introducing you to her story as she 'lives' it makes for a slow start, but because of the dedication to world building in doing so, when the action hits, it has a hard, meaningful impact. The tale as a whole benefits from the love and care put into Marina by the author. Even Alexander, the perceived protagonist, becomes more interesting because of the empathy Marina has for him. I found her to be very likable. Clever, caring, and fierce.
As for the story, although not perfect, I found it very intriguing and full of depth that only became better as I learned more unraveling it. Twists that kept me guessing, and even surprised me at times despite familiarity to the fantasy genre. There were moments I wish were given more time or description. If only to make them more delicious to indulge upon. However, by the end, I was satisfied. Enough was told, with enough left open that I will be looking forward to book 2.
I highly recommend checking out all of Brien's works if you like world building fantasy with deep characters.
Set in an industrial style world, with a steampunk feel integrated into a Russian / Slavic inspired culture. While I did not understand all the nuances and had to look up some phrases and mythology, I enjoyed the gritty, technology meets old world feel created for this story. It was the perfect backdrop for the political drama and wartime setting. It lent itself well to the 'magic vs progress' dynamic. My only qualm really was that the countries, or courts and houses as they are called in the story, were not clearly laid out. It took a good portion of the story to figure out the players involved. A map or separate breakdown at the beginning would have helped.
As the reader, the world is traversed through the eyes of Marina. At first, not much is known about her, but as the story progresses, she reveals more and more. She is a reluctant hero with past trauma that keeps her very guarded. Her introducing you to her story as she 'lives' it makes for a slow start, but because of the dedication to world building in doing so, when the action hits, it has a hard, meaningful impact. The tale as a whole benefits from the love and care put into Marina by the author. Even Alexander, the perceived protagonist, becomes more interesting because of the empathy Marina has for him. I found her to be very likable. Clever, caring, and fierce.
As for the story, although not perfect, I found it very intriguing and full of depth that only became better as I learned more unraveling it. Twists that kept me guessing, and even surprised me at times despite familiarity to the fantasy genre. There were moments I wish were given more time or description. If only to make them more delicious to indulge upon. However, by the end, I was satisfied. Enough was told, with enough left open that I will be looking forward to book 2.
I highly recommend checking out all of Brien's works if you like world building fantasy with deep characters.
December 10, 2023
“You have no idea have many Muscovites are dying as we speak, their bodies falling apart like boiled flesh.”
I love a novel filled with beautiful descriptions, even those of graphic violence. This author is new to me, but I already marked her other books as TBR [to be read]. Having no experience with Slavik folklore, I love the little details even when I struggle with the foreign words.
War has come, and Marina is at the heart of it. As a runaway princess, she spent the last 5 years hiding among other mundanes...but it doesn’t matter. Her father has never searched for her. The Tsar has always been disappointed with her lack of power.
[/Spoiler]She survives a bombing because a dear friend, Kasha sacrifices himself to save her.
[\Spoiler]
As for a romantic entanglement, she has been intimate with a harsh captain called Yuri. Underneath he seems to have a sympathetic heart because he creates a fake ID for her, but in her words:
“Yuri--he’d always been too much of a chekist—scratch the surface and cruelty seeped out.” It’s not that he’s HAWT, but they are a pair. The betrayals between them are painful.
Then there is the Federation: the alchemists. They depend upon technology rather than magic, and I realized the story depends upon an age-old theme of magic vs. science. Technology is the demon; their golems, tanks, and bombs can destroy the tsardom.
Her father is the last of the line, and her kingdom/state is on the verge of dying. I cannot believe I am rooting for Marina to fix the system. She is so tough, despite having neither the advantage of magic nor technology.
The politics between the separate regions are amazing, and the pacing is excellent. But the best part are the moments of epiphany:
“You are a tsar. You are never late, My Grace, the others are simply early.”
“The dark gods know more for being ancient than they do from being gods.”
I loved it. We are slowly drawn into the world of magic, and it is seamless and natural.
Trigger Warnings:
===============
* Graphic Violence
* Torture
* Backstabbing
* Possible rape of minor characters (hinted)
==============
I love a novel filled with beautiful descriptions, even those of graphic violence. This author is new to me, but I already marked her other books as TBR [to be read]. Having no experience with Slavik folklore, I love the little details even when I struggle with the foreign words.
War has come, and Marina is at the heart of it. As a runaway princess, she spent the last 5 years hiding among other mundanes...but it doesn’t matter. Her father has never searched for her. The Tsar has always been disappointed with her lack of power.
[/Spoiler]She survives a bombing because a dear friend, Kasha sacrifices himself to save her.
[\Spoiler]
As for a romantic entanglement, she has been intimate with a harsh captain called Yuri. Underneath he seems to have a sympathetic heart because he creates a fake ID for her, but in her words:
“Yuri--he’d always been too much of a chekist—scratch the surface and cruelty seeped out.” It’s not that he’s HAWT, but they are a pair. The betrayals between them are painful.
Then there is the Federation: the alchemists. They depend upon technology rather than magic, and I realized the story depends upon an age-old theme of magic vs. science. Technology is the demon; their golems, tanks, and bombs can destroy the tsardom.
Her father is the last of the line, and her kingdom/state is on the verge of dying. I cannot believe I am rooting for Marina to fix the system. She is so tough, despite having neither the advantage of magic nor technology.
The politics between the separate regions are amazing, and the pacing is excellent. But the best part are the moments of epiphany:
“You are a tsar. You are never late, My Grace, the others are simply early.”
“The dark gods know more for being ancient than they do from being gods.”
I loved it. We are slowly drawn into the world of magic, and it is seamless and natural.
Trigger Warnings:
===============
* Graphic Violence
* Torture
* Backstabbing
* Possible rape of minor characters (hinted)
==============
October 2, 2023
The premise was interesting, as I love a steampunk/alchemy vibe, but the story didn’t really reel me in. The book begins with a setting in the present, followed by a flashback that took 85% of the book to get back to, just to repeat the exact same chapter. I kept wondering if we’d ever even get back to it.
A lot of things happen in this relatively short book. I don’t think Marina goes to the same place twice, but she moves around a whole lot and I didn’t think that added a lot to the story. There are also a lot of characters, and most of them only play a small role, so when a character came back later in the book, I found myself wondering who they were and where we knew them from.
Unfortunately the main character Marina is not very likeable and I just didn’t really care what would happen to her that much. I think the author did a good job showing her caring and hardworking personality, but for me she lacked depth. I found some of the secondary characters way more interesting and likeable and would’ve preferred to read about them instead of Marina.
Also, the story is inspired by Russian culture and mythology, but the use of the Russian language was overdone. When it’s used and immediately translated, I wonder why not just use the translation in this English book. Especially because some words are recurring but not translated again and by that point I don’t remember what they meant. Some of the terms are also Russian, which is fine and understandable, and they are explained but I noticed they get explained a few pages further, instead of immediately, which I thought was confusing.
Won’t be reading the rest of the series.
A lot of things happen in this relatively short book. I don’t think Marina goes to the same place twice, but she moves around a whole lot and I didn’t think that added a lot to the story. There are also a lot of characters, and most of them only play a small role, so when a character came back later in the book, I found myself wondering who they were and where we knew them from.
Unfortunately the main character Marina is not very likeable and I just didn’t really care what would happen to her that much. I think the author did a good job showing her caring and hardworking personality, but for me she lacked depth. I found some of the secondary characters way more interesting and likeable and would’ve preferred to read about them instead of Marina.
Also, the story is inspired by Russian culture and mythology, but the use of the Russian language was overdone. When it’s used and immediately translated, I wonder why not just use the translation in this English book. Especially because some words are recurring but not translated again and by that point I don’t remember what they meant. Some of the terms are also Russian, which is fine and understandable, and they are explained but I noticed they get explained a few pages further, instead of immediately, which I thought was confusing.
Won’t be reading the rest of the series.
Want to Read
March 11, 2024This is not a full review. I read through the beginning of all 300 SPFBO9 contest entries. This was a book I wanted to read more of.
A crew takes over an Alchemist’s ship, throwing the frozen dead into the icy sea, as a warlock tortures a captain who’s been divested of his iron limbs. A very cold open.
I want to commend the effectiveness of the details in this opening. They are specific and evocative, giving the reader a fuller sense of the gaslamp/steampunk setting page by page.
The characters feel distinct, tho I find myself more interested in the setting than in them, and that is because our story takes place so very in the middle of things I actually thought Amazon had started me on the wrong chapter.
It’s disorienting, esp. because the more I read the more I feel I’ve missed and the less I feel oriented in the story. The questions that pile up don’t intrigue, they confuse. I feel left out of the scene instead of drawn into it.
It does look like our narrative flashes back in chapter 2, but it seems like there’s an enormous amount of ground to cover. But! I do feel the prose and dialogue have enough promise to make me read on.
The setting is unique. The action of the story is well paced (though I think it starts in the wrong place). Our characters are morally gray to say the least, and the magic seems wicked.
I want to enjoy this, but I need to find my footing in it. Luckily, the quality is just enough to get me to read another chapter to see if I can. I’m in.
A crew takes over an Alchemist’s ship, throwing the frozen dead into the icy sea, as a warlock tortures a captain who’s been divested of his iron limbs. A very cold open.
I want to commend the effectiveness of the details in this opening. They are specific and evocative, giving the reader a fuller sense of the gaslamp/steampunk setting page by page.
The characters feel distinct, tho I find myself more interested in the setting than in them, and that is because our story takes place so very in the middle of things I actually thought Amazon had started me on the wrong chapter.
It’s disorienting, esp. because the more I read the more I feel I’ve missed and the less I feel oriented in the story. The questions that pile up don’t intrigue, they confuse. I feel left out of the scene instead of drawn into it.
It does look like our narrative flashes back in chapter 2, but it seems like there’s an enormous amount of ground to cover. But! I do feel the prose and dialogue have enough promise to make me read on.
The setting is unique. The action of the story is well paced (though I think it starts in the wrong place). Our characters are morally gray to say the least, and the magic seems wicked.
I want to enjoy this, but I need to find my footing in it. Luckily, the quality is just enough to get me to read another chapter to see if I can. I’m in.
May 2, 2023
"Warlock of Muscovy" by J.K. Chen is a thrilling and dark fantasy novel that takes readers on an epic journey through a world filled with magic, revolution, and danger. Marina, the daughter of the powerful warlock Tsar Alexander, is a mundane with no magical abilities, yet she finds herself at the center of a tumultuous conflict.
Chen creates a richly imaginative world where political intrigue, witch hunts, and alchemists collide. Marina's struggles and challenges are palpable as she fights for survival, facing betrayal, murder, and a blood vendetta from an alchemist maniac. Her journey takes her from the revolutionist side of Muscovy to the Court of White Rose, and she must reconcile with her warlock father, uncover prophecies, and stop an impending war.
The characters in "Warlock of Muscovy" are complex and morally grey, blurring the line between good and evil. Marina's strength and resilience as a seamstress caught in the midst of a dangerous conflict are truly admirable. Chen's writing is fast-paced, filled with vivid descriptions, and keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
However, readers should be aware of the content warnings for strong language, graphic violence, and intimate situations. "Warlock of Muscovy" is a gripping and intense read, perfect for fans of dark fantasy and intricate world-building. Overall, it is a promising start to the Sun War Trilogy, leaving readers eager for more.
Chen creates a richly imaginative world where political intrigue, witch hunts, and alchemists collide. Marina's struggles and challenges are palpable as she fights for survival, facing betrayal, murder, and a blood vendetta from an alchemist maniac. Her journey takes her from the revolutionist side of Muscovy to the Court of White Rose, and she must reconcile with her warlock father, uncover prophecies, and stop an impending war.
The characters in "Warlock of Muscovy" are complex and morally grey, blurring the line between good and evil. Marina's strength and resilience as a seamstress caught in the midst of a dangerous conflict are truly admirable. Chen's writing is fast-paced, filled with vivid descriptions, and keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
However, readers should be aware of the content warnings for strong language, graphic violence, and intimate situations. "Warlock of Muscovy" is a gripping and intense read, perfect for fans of dark fantasy and intricate world-building. Overall, it is a promising start to the Sun War Trilogy, leaving readers eager for more.
November 8, 2023
Wow--Brien Feathers can write!
This historically-tinged secondary world fantasy was a fast, engaging read that has me excited to read more of Feathers's work. Aside from some minor tense issues, this was gorgeously written and Feathers has a strong sense of drama and flair to her scene-setting.
I was impressed by the way Feathers drew on real-world Russian and Soviet history to craft her story. The world she's invented is very much its own place, yet it was clear to me she has a solid respect for (and understanding of) the real-world contexts she's drawing on. This care in terms of setting really elevates her characterization and enriches the world-building, adding to the immersion she's able to achieve.
The side characters were great and there are some big personalities. Despite the short length, the character work was strong enough that I genuinely cared and had emotional reactions to their plights and situations. One character moment in particular was utterly heartbreaking and so so so well done. I hadn't expected it and the scene was just crushingly dramatic and tense.
Warlock of Muscovy is one I'd recommend and I'm looking forward to reading the next volume, as well as the rest of Brien Feathers's work.
This historically-tinged secondary world fantasy was a fast, engaging read that has me excited to read more of Feathers's work. Aside from some minor tense issues, this was gorgeously written and Feathers has a strong sense of drama and flair to her scene-setting.
I was impressed by the way Feathers drew on real-world Russian and Soviet history to craft her story. The world she's invented is very much its own place, yet it was clear to me she has a solid respect for (and understanding of) the real-world contexts she's drawing on. This care in terms of setting really elevates her characterization and enriches the world-building, adding to the immersion she's able to achieve.
The side characters were great and there are some big personalities. Despite the short length, the character work was strong enough that I genuinely cared and had emotional reactions to their plights and situations. One character moment in particular was utterly heartbreaking and so so so well done. I hadn't expected it and the scene was just crushingly dramatic and tense.
Warlock of Muscovy is one I'd recommend and I'm looking forward to reading the next volume, as well as the rest of Brien Feathers's work.
September 27, 2023
~ I received this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion ~
4.5 stars
This book had everything I needed from a short fantasy! It gripped me from the very beginning, and if I wasn't such a baby and managed to not fall asleep I probably would've finished this in one sitting!
I recently finished The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner and I just couldn't help comparing the two. They were both short fantasy reads, but where The Thief I felt was kind of dragging out and nothing was happening, Warlock of Muscovy succeeded in keeping me entertained the entire time! I felt like it had everything The Thief lacked for me! An engaging story that I just didn't want to stop reading about, an amazing fantasy world that was so rich with Russian folklore, and lovable characters that just didn't stop shocking me with their actions!
The story is action packed, never for a single moment dull, and left me wanting more! I'll definitely be moving on to the next books in the series soon!
The only thing I wish I had while reading this was a map, I got confused at times, but the story was so great I got over it pretty quickly.
4.5 stars
This book had everything I needed from a short fantasy! It gripped me from the very beginning, and if I wasn't such a baby and managed to not fall asleep I probably would've finished this in one sitting!
I recently finished The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner and I just couldn't help comparing the two. They were both short fantasy reads, but where The Thief I felt was kind of dragging out and nothing was happening, Warlock of Muscovy succeeded in keeping me entertained the entire time! I felt like it had everything The Thief lacked for me! An engaging story that I just didn't want to stop reading about, an amazing fantasy world that was so rich with Russian folklore, and lovable characters that just didn't stop shocking me with their actions!
The story is action packed, never for a single moment dull, and left me wanting more! I'll definitely be moving on to the next books in the series soon!
The only thing I wish I had while reading this was a map, I got confused at times, but the story was so great I got over it pretty quickly.
May 12, 2023
I enjoyed this book that has set up a foundation for the rest of the series. I liked the main characters especially Marina and Alexander. I suspect there’s a lot more to Marina than what has been covered but can only read on to confirm my suspicions.
The book is fantasy based with different cultures of magic based, alchemical based and mundane (non magical or technical) plus one more which hasn’t been clarified yet. These cultures are at war wanting to be the one on top controlling the other lands. However there is a hint that everything needs to be in balance or all cultures will fail. I think this will be further explained as the stories progress and how Marina will play a role in this happening….maybe?
The writing was smooth and easy to read. Sometimes I felt that the characters lacked depth after some major events but I suppose better to continue the storyline.
Received a complimentary copy of the book from BookSirens. I have provided this review voluntarily.
The book is fantasy based with different cultures of magic based, alchemical based and mundane (non magical or technical) plus one more which hasn’t been clarified yet. These cultures are at war wanting to be the one on top controlling the other lands. However there is a hint that everything needs to be in balance or all cultures will fail. I think this will be further explained as the stories progress and how Marina will play a role in this happening….maybe?
The writing was smooth and easy to read. Sometimes I felt that the characters lacked depth after some major events but I suppose better to continue the storyline.
Received a complimentary copy of the book from BookSirens. I have provided this review voluntarily.
May 4, 2023
When Marina was sixteen years old, she revolted against her father's rule the most powerful warlock Tsar Alexander the Cruel and ran away to live on the revolutionist side of Muscovy. She has done well. She has a job, friends including her best friend who ran away with her, and a boyfriend of sorts. Then the Red Army along with the Alchemist Federation attack her homeland and in a bizarre twist she will be accused of being a traitor. With no other recourse, she will make the difficult choice of returning to her home and the father she never really knew, but war will follow, and the Court of the White Rose is attacked shortly after her arrival. Now her only hope of preventing war from tearing her home apart is finding out the truth of an ancient prophecy and reconciling with her father.
Wow, these are all fascinating characters, they are well written and unique in a world where magic and technology collide. Action packed, magic, shapeshifters, war, unexpected twists, murder, and betrayal, this book has it all. This is a must read for fans of this author and I highly recommend this book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Wow, these are all fascinating characters, they are well written and unique in a world where magic and technology collide. Action packed, magic, shapeshifters, war, unexpected twists, murder, and betrayal, this book has it all. This is a must read for fans of this author and I highly recommend this book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
June 13, 2023
A wonderfully different piece of storytelling. This book has a diverse feel to it. Historical Eastern block fairy tale vibes.
A beautifully written narrative which transports you to a time before. Consuming characters that draw you in to their storyline, leaving you quite invested in their well-being.
Fantastic story and character development throughout this story. I loved the magic elements and the fairytale vibe of this book. A little far fetched at times, but that’s the beauty of imagination… anything is possible.
A wholly wonderful narrative. I can not wait to follow these characters through the next book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A beautifully written narrative which transports you to a time before. Consuming characters that draw you in to their storyline, leaving you quite invested in their well-being.
Fantastic story and character development throughout this story. I loved the magic elements and the fairytale vibe of this book. A little far fetched at times, but that’s the beauty of imagination… anything is possible.
A wholly wonderful narrative. I can not wait to follow these characters through the next book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 24, 2023
The Warlock of Muscovy
The cover on this book is gorgeous, which was what first drew me in. There's a lot of cool world-building and gaslamp fantasy. The magic was intriguing, and I really liked the character of Alexander. Parts of this book reminded me of Fullmetal Alchemist. I did struggle to connect with the Mc, and a lot of the plot I think could have been expanded upon. If the book had been longer, I wouldn't have minded. The pacing felt a bit rushed, and I didn't really understand Marina's motivations for why she did things. Some things were over-explained and the beginning being repeated at the end I think could have just jumped where it left off toward the ending. 3.5
The cover on this book is gorgeous, which was what first drew me in. There's a lot of cool world-building and gaslamp fantasy. The magic was intriguing, and I really liked the character of Alexander. Parts of this book reminded me of Fullmetal Alchemist. I did struggle to connect with the Mc, and a lot of the plot I think could have been expanded upon. If the book had been longer, I wouldn't have minded. The pacing felt a bit rushed, and I didn't really understand Marina's motivations for why she did things. Some things were over-explained and the beginning being repeated at the end I think could have just jumped where it left off toward the ending. 3.5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2025
A difficult book to rate!
3.5 ⭐?
Listen, I found the story, world building, and characters fantastic. Pacing worked well for ne though I felt it went a little quickly about , I wish there had been a little more explanation.
I read it all in one sitting which never happens to me.
What brings it down in my opinion? It needs editing. Not necessarily grammar-wise, more in its structure. The sudden explanations (sometimes repeated) kill the pace, and I found the action scenes often chaotic. Overall, it read a like an early draft.
I can only hope it'd get a good edit one day because it's a gold mine, in my opinion. Amazing ideas but rough in execution.
3.5 ⭐?
Listen, I found the story, world building, and characters fantastic. Pacing worked well for ne though I felt it went a little quickly about , I wish there had been a little more explanation.
I read it all in one sitting which never happens to me.
What brings it down in my opinion? It needs editing. Not necessarily grammar-wise, more in its structure. The sudden explanations (sometimes repeated) kill the pace, and I found the action scenes often chaotic. Overall, it read a like an early draft.
I can only hope it'd get a good edit one day because it's a gold mine, in my opinion. Amazing ideas but rough in execution.
April 29, 2023
First time reading a piece from Brien, and I am quite frankly baffled. I could not put it down. Amazing storybuilding, relationship building and interesting twists. I DO not know where the sequel will travel. But IM totally on for that ride. The different cultures, baba-yagas and all. Its amazing. I really hope more out there discovers this amazing author. She has a heritage and she explores our worlds different cultures in her works. She has a bright future. (I really hope there is a bright future for this somewhat dystopian world too, because it really is amazing).
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 1, 2023
‘The minds of weak men are truly rancid’
A dark fantasy tale set after the Russian Revolution - full of betrayals, environmental destruction, palace politics, Slavic folklore, and the occult. Kind of a biopunk/steampunk feel to it, as well.
Fave quote:
‘The great hypocrisy of the revolutionist state was that it denied the old ways all the while standing knee deep in it.’
I read the author’s “Light of Adua” series and was excited to read this new one by her. Boy, was this better than what I was hoping for by the description.
No spoilers, but the ending does set up ‘Dragon of Akari’ right sweet!
A dark fantasy tale set after the Russian Revolution - full of betrayals, environmental destruction, palace politics, Slavic folklore, and the occult. Kind of a biopunk/steampunk feel to it, as well.
Fave quote:
‘The great hypocrisy of the revolutionist state was that it denied the old ways all the while standing knee deep in it.’
I read the author’s “Light of Adua” series and was excited to read this new one by her. Boy, was this better than what I was hoping for by the description.
No spoilers, but the ending does set up ‘Dragon of Akari’ right sweet!
January 2, 2024
It is a wonderful novel and a great and rare homage to slavic folklore. As someone from Eastern Europe, I can attest it is rare to find reads that can weave in nostalgia in fantasy in such a lifelike manner.
This said I have a couple of issues with the book and editing would have solved both. The pacing was rushed at times and there were some typos. This said, this wasn't enough reason for me to knock off a star from the rating, as I was enchanted with the writing in all other aspects and am now a fan of the trilogy.
This said I have a couple of issues with the book and editing would have solved both. The pacing was rushed at times and there were some typos. This said, this wasn't enough reason for me to knock off a star from the rating, as I was enchanted with the writing in all other aspects and am now a fan of the trilogy.
January 23, 2025
A gas lamp fantasy with a princess in disguise, magic and plenty of action.
The eagerly moving plot never settles enough to let me take it all in however. The breakneck pace does the characters no good. There were several moments where Marina's feelings should have drawn me in, but it was all telling, not showing. Several emotional beats in the story fall flat because of this.
With more time spent on showing instead of telling, this could have enough nuance to support the darker tone.
Overall, a quick, entertaining adventure with interesting worldbuilding
3,75 stars
The eagerly moving plot never settles enough to let me take it all in however. The breakneck pace does the characters no good. There were several moments where Marina's feelings should have drawn me in, but it was all telling, not showing. Several emotional beats in the story fall flat because of this.
With more time spent on showing instead of telling, this could have enough nuance to support the darker tone.
Overall, a quick, entertaining adventure with interesting worldbuilding
3,75 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews