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The Gateway Saga #1
Blood and Empire
Power is never granted… it is only seized.
BLOOD AND EMPIRE begins best-selling author James Maxwell’s long-awaited new epic fantasy series, THE GATEWAY SAGA—a gripping tale of ambition, sacrifice, and defiance in the face of destiny.
Young seamstress Bethany dreams of becoming a diviner, one of the select few able to navigate the mysterious gateways that unite the empire. But without wealth or education, and only her mother to raise her, she is on a path to disappointment.
Then Bethany meets Charlton, a cleric, who offers her books and guidance, and she glimpses a life she had thought unreachable. Her problems grow, however, when her ambitions draw attention and her father re-enters her life, confronting her with a past she still needs to come to terms with.
As invasion threatens the empire, and intrigue and betrayal create fault lines amongst the highest circles, Bethany must learn to master both powerful forces and herself, in order to confront the darkness within her own bloodline—and save the empire from itself.
The Gateway Saga Book 2 is coming in 2025!
BLOOD AND EMPIRE begins best-selling author James Maxwell’s long-awaited new epic fantasy series, THE GATEWAY SAGA—a gripping tale of ambition, sacrifice, and defiance in the face of destiny.
Young seamstress Bethany dreams of becoming a diviner, one of the select few able to navigate the mysterious gateways that unite the empire. But without wealth or education, and only her mother to raise her, she is on a path to disappointment.
Then Bethany meets Charlton, a cleric, who offers her books and guidance, and she glimpses a life she had thought unreachable. Her problems grow, however, when her ambitions draw attention and her father re-enters her life, confronting her with a past she still needs to come to terms with.
As invasion threatens the empire, and intrigue and betrayal create fault lines amongst the highest circles, Bethany must learn to master both powerful forces and herself, in order to confront the darkness within her own bloodline—and save the empire from itself.
The Gateway Saga Book 2 is coming in 2025!
- GenresFantasy
351 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 11, 2025
447 people are currently reading
2066 people want to read
About the author
James Maxwell
16 books1,105 followersJames Maxwell is a British-Australian best-selling author of epic fantasy novels, with millions of copies sold in multiple languages worldwide. With over a dozen acclaimed novels, including Enchantress, Golden Age, and A Girl From Nowhere, he is celebrated for his richly imagined worlds and epic, interwoven plots. His books have received multiple award nominations, including the World Fantasy Award, the Aurealis Awards, and three Arthur C. Clarke Award nominations, as well as garnering tens of thousands of reviews on Amazon.
Born in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, and raised in Brisbane, Australia, James attended Brisbane’s Anglican Church Grammar School and the University of Queensland, where he studied a diverse mix of arts and sciences.
Since becoming a full-time author in 2012, he has made his home on Australia’s Sunshine Coast, where his writing is accompanied by the rumbling sound of the sea and the antics of his capricious white cat.
Blood and Empire, published in March 2025, begins James Maxwell’s latest gripping series, The Gateway Saga.
Born in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, and raised in Brisbane, Australia, James attended Brisbane’s Anglican Church Grammar School and the University of Queensland, where he studied a diverse mix of arts and sciences.
Since becoming a full-time author in 2012, he has made his home on Australia’s Sunshine Coast, where his writing is accompanied by the rumbling sound of the sea and the antics of his capricious white cat.
Blood and Empire, published in March 2025, begins James Maxwell’s latest gripping series, The Gateway Saga.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
February 14, 2025
The star rating is something I had to think about a lot. My enjoyment fluctuated almost from chapter to chapter, and while the second half of the book is considerably stronger, it all fell flat due to an unsatisfying ending.
Let’s start with a few basics though. The description makes it look like this story is about Bethany. Along with her you also get POVs of three other characters following separate but converging paths. This was unexpected as they aren’t mentioned at all in the blurb on the back. Ironically, I have enjoyed the chapters of these characters more than Bethany’s. So who else are you getting? Power hungry prince Julian, the son of emperor; Zhuana, queen of “civilized barbarians” and ex-soldier Lord Kendrick. If you are looking for strong female characters that do not feel like Mary Sues then you will like both Bethany and Zhuana.
The writing was highly readable and very light on fantasy lingo, but still immersive. I felt that James Maxwell is at his best when he slows down and zooms in on a specific scene or character. Descriptions of the gateways, clothes, duels and inner monologues were among my favorite moments. Whenever we got a bird’s eye view of events or had to catch up on what happened to characters between chapters it just felt rushed and lacking.
So why the two stars?
Unfortunately, I think this book has an identity issue. What was it supposed to be? It’s supposed to be Book 1, but what you get is Part 1 of Book 1. Prologue, setup, character background, lots of promises of more exciting things to come and none of it actually takes place in this book.
Imagine you are reading the first Harry Potter book and just as he arrives at Hogwarts the book ends. Katniss Everdeen finally stepping into the arena… aaand scene. Paul Atreides breathes in the air of Arrakis and that’s it. What you read until these points in these other stories is entertaining but is it enough?
And if you agree with me that that’s where these stories truly begin then you’ll understand my feelings about this book.
Another thing, I have expected to visit different places in this fantasy world, it’s the gateway saga after all. There is a beautiful map at the beginning of the book but it’s a map of places you won’t visit. You are not really shown much beyond the gate itself.
I felt like I have flown around the world. At night. And never left the airplane. The moment I touched down on the runway I immediately turned around and left to the next destination.
I think there is a lot of untapped potential here and that this can work once more installments in the series are out and you can just continue reading. As it stands now, this book only delivers a promise of more exciting things to come. Whether that is enough everyone needs to decide for themselves, but I think it’s fair to point it out to potential readers.
Thank you to Everlast Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Let’s start with a few basics though. The description makes it look like this story is about Bethany. Along with her you also get POVs of three other characters following separate but converging paths. This was unexpected as they aren’t mentioned at all in the blurb on the back. Ironically, I have enjoyed the chapters of these characters more than Bethany’s. So who else are you getting? Power hungry prince Julian, the son of emperor; Zhuana, queen of “civilized barbarians” and ex-soldier Lord Kendrick. If you are looking for strong female characters that do not feel like Mary Sues then you will like both Bethany and Zhuana.
The writing was highly readable and very light on fantasy lingo, but still immersive. I felt that James Maxwell is at his best when he slows down and zooms in on a specific scene or character. Descriptions of the gateways, clothes, duels and inner monologues were among my favorite moments. Whenever we got a bird’s eye view of events or had to catch up on what happened to characters between chapters it just felt rushed and lacking.
So why the two stars?
Unfortunately, I think this book has an identity issue. What was it supposed to be? It’s supposed to be Book 1, but what you get is Part 1 of Book 1. Prologue, setup, character background, lots of promises of more exciting things to come and none of it actually takes place in this book.
Imagine you are reading the first Harry Potter book and just as he arrives at Hogwarts the book ends. Katniss Everdeen finally stepping into the arena… aaand scene. Paul Atreides breathes in the air of Arrakis and that’s it. What you read until these points in these other stories is entertaining but is it enough?
And if you agree with me that that’s where these stories truly begin then you’ll understand my feelings about this book.
Another thing, I have expected to visit different places in this fantasy world, it’s the gateway saga after all. There is a beautiful map at the beginning of the book but it’s a map of places you won’t visit. You are not really shown much beyond the gate itself.
I felt like I have flown around the world. At night. And never left the airplane. The moment I touched down on the runway I immediately turned around and left to the next destination.
I think there is a lot of untapped potential here and that this can work once more installments in the series are out and you can just continue reading. As it stands now, this book only delivers a promise of more exciting things to come. Whether that is enough everyone needs to decide for themselves, but I think it’s fair to point it out to potential readers.
Thank you to Everlast Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2025
Wow! I've missed fantasy books like this! 'Blood and Empire' is a fantastic beginning to this new world James Maxwell has crafted; an epic political high fantasy wrought with intrigue!
The reader follows multiple POV's throughout the story, all cleverly interconnecting; a queen and her nation fleeing a great evil, a retired war hero, a prince fighting for his right to be heir to the empire, and an impoverished young diviner in training.
I loved Bethany's character the most. We follow her education at the school of divination, where she is training to become a diviner, a select group of individuals who can traverse the gateways connecting the empire. It was so fascinating and exciting to watch her learn.
Queen Zhuana was a powerful and magnificent character. I can't wait to see more of her in the next book. A specific moment I loved in her POV was with her son Garric and a bunch of children. It was so heartwarming that it brought a tear to my eye. I find myself rooting for each characters POV even though Zhuana is on the opposing side from the rest of them. I look forward to seeing what the resolution for her and her people will be in the future books.
The authors writing style is so vivid and descriptive. There are so many wonderful details that brought this story to life in my mind. I could feel the sensations and the environments the characters were experiencing as if I were experiencing them myself. And what an incredible magic system! I absolutely loved the gateways and the diviners! Bethany reaching her potential was so exciting and magical to read.
Political / high fantasies may not be for some people, however they were my introduction to reading when I was younger, my favourites being Trudi Canavan, Christopher Paolini, and David Eddings. This book sits right up there for me. A fantastic world is being built here, and I feel honoured to have been able to read it early. I loved reading about the inner workings and conflicts of the courts and kingdoms of their world. I will say the pacing was slightly slow at times, but this didn't bother me much as my interest was always held.
Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this!
*I received this book as an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) for free in exchange for an honest review*
The reader follows multiple POV's throughout the story, all cleverly interconnecting; a queen and her nation fleeing a great evil, a retired war hero, a prince fighting for his right to be heir to the empire, and an impoverished young diviner in training.
I loved Bethany's character the most. We follow her education at the school of divination, where she is training to become a diviner, a select group of individuals who can traverse the gateways connecting the empire. It was so fascinating and exciting to watch her learn.
Queen Zhuana was a powerful and magnificent character. I can't wait to see more of her in the next book. A specific moment I loved in her POV was with her son Garric and a bunch of children. It was so heartwarming that it brought a tear to my eye. I find myself rooting for each characters POV even though Zhuana is on the opposing side from the rest of them. I look forward to seeing what the resolution for her and her people will be in the future books.
The authors writing style is so vivid and descriptive. There are so many wonderful details that brought this story to life in my mind. I could feel the sensations and the environments the characters were experiencing as if I were experiencing them myself. And what an incredible magic system! I absolutely loved the gateways and the diviners! Bethany reaching her potential was so exciting and magical to read.
Political / high fantasies may not be for some people, however they were my introduction to reading when I was younger, my favourites being Trudi Canavan, Christopher Paolini, and David Eddings. This book sits right up there for me. A fantastic world is being built here, and I feel honoured to have been able to read it early. I loved reading about the inner workings and conflicts of the courts and kingdoms of their world. I will say the pacing was slightly slow at times, but this didn't bother me much as my interest was always held.
Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this!
*I received this book as an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) for free in exchange for an honest review*
February 9, 2025
Game of Thrones meets Wheel of Time in this first introduction to the city of Everlast and the shifting of forces that tie us to time, change, and each other - in the darkness and in the light. A lowly seamstress with hidden roots in the empire dreams of becoming a Diviner. A misguided prince longing for approval pushes against noble lines to gain power. A legendary knight seeking a simpler life constantly pulled back into the tides of the Dymantine Empire. A rogue queen desperately seeking answers as a strange darkness creeps its way into their world.
Blood and Empire has the perfect mix of world building, character creation, and storytelling at a pace that both demands attention while feeding imagination. James Maxwell put tremendous thought into how the world of The Gateway Saga works - and watching it all click into place was just as beautiful of a journey as following the characters within its lands. The connection I feel between Bethany, Charlton, and Maryam is incredible, and there is also a pull to Zhuana and the tough choices she is having to make with her enemy by her side.
I could not put this down. I devoured every bit of it in 3 days and am on the edge of my seat for more. Looking forward to the release of book 2!
Blood and Empire has the perfect mix of world building, character creation, and storytelling at a pace that both demands attention while feeding imagination. James Maxwell put tremendous thought into how the world of The Gateway Saga works - and watching it all click into place was just as beautiful of a journey as following the characters within its lands. The connection I feel between Bethany, Charlton, and Maryam is incredible, and there is also a pull to Zhuana and the tough choices she is having to make with her enemy by her side.
I could not put this down. I devoured every bit of it in 3 days and am on the edge of my seat for more. Looking forward to the release of book 2!
February 11, 2025
Blood and Empire
James Maxwell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Looking for an epic fantasy complete with extensive world building and phenomenal plot development? Blood and Empire (The Gateway Saga, Book 1) by James Maxwell checks all the boxes.
The first book in Maxwell’s new series, the gateway saga, shows us a world of political intrigue, an impending darkness looming and follows multiple characters in their unique journey to survive it. This was a breath of fresh air for me with complex world composition and characters with dynamic relationships with consequence. It has the makings of a game of thrones series. While the beginning was a bit slow in plot development- I think the breadth of the world is vast and needed to be established so it’s understandable. This is a 4.5 star read for me and I cannot wait to read the next installment.
Thank you so much to James Maxwell, NetGalley and Everlast Books for the ARC.
James Maxwell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Looking for an epic fantasy complete with extensive world building and phenomenal plot development? Blood and Empire (The Gateway Saga, Book 1) by James Maxwell checks all the boxes.
The first book in Maxwell’s new series, the gateway saga, shows us a world of political intrigue, an impending darkness looming and follows multiple characters in their unique journey to survive it. This was a breath of fresh air for me with complex world composition and characters with dynamic relationships with consequence. It has the makings of a game of thrones series. While the beginning was a bit slow in plot development- I think the breadth of the world is vast and needed to be established so it’s understandable. This is a 4.5 star read for me and I cannot wait to read the next installment.
Thank you so much to James Maxwell, NetGalley and Everlast Books for the ARC.
February 5, 2025
A sweeping epic of an empire on the brink of something, dangerous or good, you don't quite know. Bethany, along with her ageing mother run tailor business and she dreams of being a Diviner, folks who've harnessed the magic of mystical gateways that lead to all reaches of the empire. Julian, the heir to the throne, disliked and scheming to be on top. Zhuanna, a queen in her own right, forced, along with her people, from their homeland in search of a new home to outrun the darkness. And Kendrick Conway, Lord of the realm who values his family over the empire. Such great world building and I cannot wait to read the next book!
March 23, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Thank you Netgally and the publisher for this book.
I enjoyed most of this book. The writing was good and the character work was entertaining enough and had some decent action. I can see how this series actually gets better but this book just didn’t grasp me enough to continue. If I was stranded on an island and this was my only book then I’d be just fine with it but there are too many good books to read.
I will say that whoever was in charge of the book cover editing didn’t do a very good job. There is entirely too many words that is very distracting from the illustration.
Thank you Netgally and the publisher for this book.
I enjoyed most of this book. The writing was good and the character work was entertaining enough and had some decent action. I can see how this series actually gets better but this book just didn’t grasp me enough to continue. If I was stranded on an island and this was my only book then I’d be just fine with it but there are too many good books to read.
I will say that whoever was in charge of the book cover editing didn’t do a very good job. There is entirely too many words that is very distracting from the illustration.
March 12, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Everlast Books, and the author James Maxwell, for a copy of this e-ARC.
An epic fantasy with political intrigue, told from multiple perspectives.
The story is well written and paced, and this book is definitely setting up a much grander plot for the coming books.
Unfortunately, it didn’t grip me enough as a reader - this is definitely a me thing, as I’m sure many people would enjoy this much more. I didn’t emotionally connect with any of the characters, and I wasn’t really hooked until the 70% mark.
An epic fantasy with political intrigue, told from multiple perspectives.
The story is well written and paced, and this book is definitely setting up a much grander plot for the coming books.
Unfortunately, it didn’t grip me enough as a reader - this is definitely a me thing, as I’m sure many people would enjoy this much more. I didn’t emotionally connect with any of the characters, and I wasn’t really hooked until the 70% mark.
February 17, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Blood and Empire.
I was drawn to this book because of the synopsis which left me very intrigued, as the author was not one that was known to me.
I don't mind a book that is told in multiple POVs as we tend to get more information from them that adds to the overall story. It did throw me off in the start because I was expecting it to be more focused on Bethany due to the description of the novel. In this novel in particular there are four different POVs- Bethany (a seamstress looking to become a diviner), Zhuana (Queen of Veldria), Julian (Crown Prince of the Dymantine Empire) and Kendrick (a military hero who once served alongside Julian’s father).
This book does a lot to build up for future events but is also relatively fast paced. Although for me it was a little slow moving in the beginning. I did find though once I was further into the story I was enthralled in the story, needing to know what was happening next.
I would definitely deem this book to veer towards the side of a political fantasy book but was not disappointed in reading it. The author shows us a world of political intrigue, an impending darkness that threatens people, while giving us a glimpse into the lives and unique journeys of the different characters. I will definitely be looking for book two when it comes out.
I was drawn to this book because of the synopsis which left me very intrigued, as the author was not one that was known to me.
I don't mind a book that is told in multiple POVs as we tend to get more information from them that adds to the overall story. It did throw me off in the start because I was expecting it to be more focused on Bethany due to the description of the novel. In this novel in particular there are four different POVs- Bethany (a seamstress looking to become a diviner), Zhuana (Queen of Veldria), Julian (Crown Prince of the Dymantine Empire) and Kendrick (a military hero who once served alongside Julian’s father).
This book does a lot to build up for future events but is also relatively fast paced. Although for me it was a little slow moving in the beginning. I did find though once I was further into the story I was enthralled in the story, needing to know what was happening next.
I would definitely deem this book to veer towards the side of a political fantasy book but was not disappointed in reading it. The author shows us a world of political intrigue, an impending darkness that threatens people, while giving us a glimpse into the lives and unique journeys of the different characters. I will definitely be looking for book two when it comes out.
March 2, 2025
A fantastic read, start to finish. Compelling characters, easy to get caught up in the story. Very well written and I personally am looking forward to buying the next installment of this story.
June 5, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
3.5
This was a well written and entertaining book that I'm sure will improve more with the second book set to come out this year as well. The pacing was done well with good action scenes and character development. It does start off rather slow at first, but it does pick up later on. Some parts of the story did feel slightly incomplete, but I have a feeling we will learn more about those parts in the upcoming book.
3.5
This was a well written and entertaining book that I'm sure will improve more with the second book set to come out this year as well. The pacing was done well with good action scenes and character development. It does start off rather slow at first, but it does pick up later on. Some parts of the story did feel slightly incomplete, but I have a feeling we will learn more about those parts in the upcoming book.
February 18, 2025
As the opening to a new series, Blood and Empire dropped ample breadcrumbs to attract different kinds of sci-fi fans. Unfortunately, while the potential is great, I think the scope is too vast for such a short book. It needed more world building details because the scarce details made it difficult to vest in the story. Nonetheless, it was still an enjoyable read and I look forward to seeing how the plot unfolds.
Despite the ensemble of first person POVs, the strongest voice is Bethany’s. Her relationships and motivations are the most fleshed out and believable. She attends a magical school for most of the novel which suffers from minimal descriptions. You don’t really know how much time passes between events or even how they’re spending their time. Her tests come abruptly, and the relationships she makes there seem shallow and forced upon us. Where her story shines is her interactions with her mother and Charlton.
The other POVs offer very different perspectives that make the characters more multi-dimensional. That said, this is a double-edged sword: while this makes the main POVs more human and complex, the supporting characters seem like dull caricatures in comparison.
Most importantly for me, I really want to learn more about their magic system. Maxwell’s attempts to expound thus far seem disjointed, confused, and designed more to give the impression of complexity, rather than being intelligible. The idea of using star systems, materiality, gateways, hallucinogens, etc. is intriguing and I hope his later novels can elaborate more.
Disclaimer: I received an advanced review copy via NetGalley.
Despite the ensemble of first person POVs, the strongest voice is Bethany’s. Her relationships and motivations are the most fleshed out and believable. She attends a magical school for most of the novel which suffers from minimal descriptions. You don’t really know how much time passes between events or even how they’re spending their time. Her tests come abruptly, and the relationships she makes there seem shallow and forced upon us. Where her story shines is her interactions with her mother and Charlton.
The other POVs offer very different perspectives that make the characters more multi-dimensional. That said, this is a double-edged sword: while this makes the main POVs more human and complex, the supporting characters seem like dull caricatures in comparison.
Most importantly for me, I really want to learn more about their magic system. Maxwell’s attempts to expound thus far seem disjointed, confused, and designed more to give the impression of complexity, rather than being intelligible. The idea of using star systems, materiality, gateways, hallucinogens, etc. is intriguing and I hope his later novels can elaborate more.
Disclaimer: I received an advanced review copy via NetGalley.
March 16, 2025
Now THIS is an epic fantasy. I was initially drawn to this book because epic fantasy with political intrigue is my favourite sub-genre to read, and based off the blurb, that's what I was in for. I was not disappointed.
This book gave me similar feelings to/reminded me of Throne of Glass, The Bridge Kingdom, Game of Thrones, and even the portal/gateway aspects of Crescent City.
Blood and Empire's main storyline follows Bethany, a seamstress who dreams of one day training to become a diviner. Bethany's story is interwoven with three other POVs that span across a kingdom threatened by a spreading darkness. We also read from the perspectives of a queen, a prince, and a war hero.
The writing style was clear and straightforward, I found that it read very easily. James Maxwell used vivid descriptions that made me feel super immersed in the story, I felt like I could imagine myself right there. I enjoyed the pacing and found that I just couldn't put this book down. It was the first book in a while that kept me up for most of the night to finish it!
Bethany's storyline was my favourite to read, I felt like I had a much deeper understanding of her character and life compared to others. I am also just absolutely obsessed with the concept of diviners! This magic system felt so unique, I was so curious to read about the travel between gateways. I LOVED this aspect. The world is so expansive and I can't wait to get to see more of it.
I'm a fan of multi-POVs in general, but I did struggle slightly with this because I was so invested in Bethany's story and I couldn't really see where the other POVs connected to her story yet. This does get answered at the end of the book, but as I was reading I definitely had less interest in other POVs.
I would've also loved to see a little bit more from Bethany's time at the Diviner school to see how those relationships developed.
Additionally, there is a lot left unanswered by the end of the book. This book did a great job at introducing us to characters, developing their various storylines and creating a solid foundation of world-building to further build upon in later books. However, it did feel like nothing was resolved, so it was a little unsatisfying in the end.
I'm definitely glad the next book is also coming out this year, because I am super invested in this world and kinda feel like I was left hanging. Overall very impressed with my first experience with a James Maxwell novel. I can't wait to read more from him.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book gave me similar feelings to/reminded me of Throne of Glass, The Bridge Kingdom, Game of Thrones, and even the portal/gateway aspects of Crescent City.
Blood and Empire's main storyline follows Bethany, a seamstress who dreams of one day training to become a diviner. Bethany's story is interwoven with three other POVs that span across a kingdom threatened by a spreading darkness. We also read from the perspectives of a queen, a prince, and a war hero.
The writing style was clear and straightforward, I found that it read very easily. James Maxwell used vivid descriptions that made me feel super immersed in the story, I felt like I could imagine myself right there. I enjoyed the pacing and found that I just couldn't put this book down. It was the first book in a while that kept me up for most of the night to finish it!
Bethany's storyline was my favourite to read, I felt like I had a much deeper understanding of her character and life compared to others. I am also just absolutely obsessed with the concept of diviners! This magic system felt so unique, I was so curious to read about the travel between gateways. I LOVED this aspect. The world is so expansive and I can't wait to get to see more of it.
I'm a fan of multi-POVs in general, but I did struggle slightly with this because I was so invested in Bethany's story and I couldn't really see where the other POVs connected to her story yet. This does get answered at the end of the book, but as I was reading I definitely had less interest in other POVs.
I would've also loved to see a little bit more from Bethany's time at the Diviner school to see how those relationships developed.
Additionally, there is a lot left unanswered by the end of the book. This book did a great job at introducing us to characters, developing their various storylines and creating a solid foundation of world-building to further build upon in later books. However, it did feel like nothing was resolved, so it was a little unsatisfying in the end.
I'm definitely glad the next book is also coming out this year, because I am super invested in this world and kinda feel like I was left hanging. Overall very impressed with my first experience with a James Maxwell novel. I can't wait to read more from him.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2025
Rating-
2/5 stars
Genre-
Fantasy
Age Rating For It-
13+ Only because there is some violence in it but other than that there’s pretty much nothing not even any romance like whatsoever 😭
Tropes-
Slowwwwww burn (like nonexistent slow burn)
Blackmail
Secret father
Sick mother
Multiple pov’s
Thoughts/Would I Recommend This?-
I honestly hated the first like 60% of this book so fricken much. I thought it was super confusing and weird and honestly just not great. The last like 30% of the book is what really came together and is the only reason this wasn’t rated like a -1-star rating in all honestly. The last bit of the book is when everything really came together and that wasn’t too bad and is the only reason I may consider reading the next book, but even that is a really low chance. I also felt unsatisfied with the ending andjust thought it wasn’t very well put together. So all in all I honestly feel bad to say this but I would not recommend this book whatsoever unless you like a book where the romance is nonexistent and the plot is as confusing as h***.
(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
2/5 stars
Genre-
Fantasy
Age Rating For It-
13+ Only because there is some violence in it but other than that there’s pretty much nothing not even any romance like whatsoever 😭
Tropes-
Slowwwwww burn (like nonexistent slow burn)
Blackmail
Secret father
Sick mother
Multiple pov’s
Thoughts/Would I Recommend This?-
I honestly hated the first like 60% of this book so fricken much. I thought it was super confusing and weird and honestly just not great. The last like 30% of the book is what really came together and is the only reason this wasn’t rated like a -1-star rating in all honestly. The last bit of the book is when everything really came together and that wasn’t too bad and is the only reason I may consider reading the next book, but even that is a really low chance. I also felt unsatisfied with the ending andjust thought it wasn’t very well put together. So all in all I honestly feel bad to say this but I would not recommend this book whatsoever unless you like a book where the romance is nonexistent and the plot is as confusing as h***.
(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
October 12, 2025
This is a great start to a new fantasy series following multiple points of view in a World where diviners transport people through gateways, a darkness is spreading, a ruthless Queen and scheming politics. I really enjoyed the different points of view and as we approached the end of the book you can see how they will begin to converge.
Though so much happened in this first book and at no point did I feel like it was dragging, we did end with so much unresolved I am really looking forward to the next book and knowing what is going on and what fate is going to befall Bethany and the other characters.
Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Though so much happened in this first book and at no point did I feel like it was dragging, we did end with so much unresolved I am really looking forward to the next book and knowing what is going on and what fate is going to befall Bethany and the other characters.
Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
February 25, 2025
If a cover with a fiery redhead clutching a staff and flames swirling against a brooding, mountain-strewn horizon screams “epic fantasy” to you, then Blood and Empire is about to hijack your free time. James Maxwell launches The Gateway Saga with a story so addictive I blazed through it in two days—mostly because putting it down felt like abandoning a heist crew mid-score. This is ambition, magic, and political knife-twisting that’d make Game of Thrones look like a polite debate club.
Here’s the rundown: Bethany, a scrappy seamstress with dreams bigger than her paycheck, longs to join the diviners—elite gateway-hoppers who keep the empire stitched together. Enter Charlton, a cleric armed with books and a knack for mentorship, opening doors she’d only peeked through in her wildest fantasies. Things get messy when her noble dad—who ditched his lands for battlefield flings and hooked up with her mom mid-war—waltzes back into her life. Add a looming invasion and some empire-shaking intrigue, and you'll understand why Bethany has her hands full. It’s Deadly Education meets The Poppy War but with Maxwell’s own epic spin.
Maxwell flexes hard here, juggling three POVs like a pro: an academic lens full of dusty scrolls and gateway lore, a political thread sharper than a freshly forged blade, and a nomadic arc that’s all raw grit and open skies. They braid together so well that you’ll be flipping pages like it’s a race. The world-building paints a landscape you can practically smell—smoke, stone, and all—and the characters? Layered, flawed, and real enough to share a beer with (or dodge when they inevitably stab someone in the back).
The hook is in the pacing—relentless, crisp, and paired with Maxwell’s talent for grounding wild stakes in human heartbeats. Take this gem: “Your stubbornness can be a strength but also a weakness. Bravery must be tempered with wisdom.” It’s like a truth bomb you’ll be chewing on between chapters. There’s a twist or two about lineage that’ll have you texting your book buddy, “Did not see that coming,” but don’t worry—no spoilers here. (If I ruined it, I’d have to apologize with tacos, and I’m fresh out.)
Who’s this for? Readers hooked on fantasy academies like The Atlas Six or The Will of the Many, new adult fans who dig late teens, early twenty-somethings finding their footing, and anyone who savors political chess matches like The Cruel Prince.
My one complaint? It ends. Now I’m stuck pacing like a nomad without a horse, itching for Book 2. That’s not a flaw—that’s proof Maxwell’s got me hooked and waiting for more. If you crave epic fantasy with brains, guts, and a “one more page” pull, snatch up Blood and Empire. You’ll either thank or curse me when you’re bleary-eyed at 2 a.m. I’m cool with either—just pass the coffee.
Disclosure: Big shoutout to Everlast Books for sliding this beauty my way via NetGalley for review. All quips and opinions are straight from me.
Here’s the rundown: Bethany, a scrappy seamstress with dreams bigger than her paycheck, longs to join the diviners—elite gateway-hoppers who keep the empire stitched together. Enter Charlton, a cleric armed with books and a knack for mentorship, opening doors she’d only peeked through in her wildest fantasies. Things get messy when her noble dad—who ditched his lands for battlefield flings and hooked up with her mom mid-war—waltzes back into her life. Add a looming invasion and some empire-shaking intrigue, and you'll understand why Bethany has her hands full. It’s Deadly Education meets The Poppy War but with Maxwell’s own epic spin.
Maxwell flexes hard here, juggling three POVs like a pro: an academic lens full of dusty scrolls and gateway lore, a political thread sharper than a freshly forged blade, and a nomadic arc that’s all raw grit and open skies. They braid together so well that you’ll be flipping pages like it’s a race. The world-building paints a landscape you can practically smell—smoke, stone, and all—and the characters? Layered, flawed, and real enough to share a beer with (or dodge when they inevitably stab someone in the back).
The hook is in the pacing—relentless, crisp, and paired with Maxwell’s talent for grounding wild stakes in human heartbeats. Take this gem: “Your stubbornness can be a strength but also a weakness. Bravery must be tempered with wisdom.” It’s like a truth bomb you’ll be chewing on between chapters. There’s a twist or two about lineage that’ll have you texting your book buddy, “Did not see that coming,” but don’t worry—no spoilers here. (If I ruined it, I’d have to apologize with tacos, and I’m fresh out.)
Who’s this for? Readers hooked on fantasy academies like The Atlas Six or The Will of the Many, new adult fans who dig late teens, early twenty-somethings finding their footing, and anyone who savors political chess matches like The Cruel Prince.
My one complaint? It ends. Now I’m stuck pacing like a nomad without a horse, itching for Book 2. That’s not a flaw—that’s proof Maxwell’s got me hooked and waiting for more. If you crave epic fantasy with brains, guts, and a “one more page” pull, snatch up Blood and Empire. You’ll either thank or curse me when you’re bleary-eyed at 2 a.m. I’m cool with either—just pass the coffee.
Disclosure: Big shoutout to Everlast Books for sliding this beauty my way via NetGalley for review. All quips and opinions are straight from me.
March 1, 2025
I was so excited to pick up this book. It has such a unique concept. I adored the FMC chapters, but really disliked the MMC ones. I was originally hooked from page one. But the more I read, the more disappointing the story became. This story had so much potential but it lacks development and depth. There’s too much tell and not enough show in many places, especially the Diviner training. That is brushed over a lot. The overall plot could do with more chapters to add embellishment. However, there was too much spoon feeding in places, with titles and plot points needlessly repeated. The story didn’t really go anywhere, it was mainly a set up. The first 30% was the most exciting. It should be longer and more developed! I was so excited but I won’t be continuing this series.
Thanks to Everlast Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Thanks to Everlast Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
April 4, 2025
Thank you so much to both NetGalley and Everlast Books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
I really enjoyed this book for the most part - the writing was fairly good, the characters were intriguing, and the action was paced nicely. However, 80% of this book is filler - I know that it's setting up for the series, but the 20% that remained was not even close to enough to make me want to continue reading this series.
I figure I might try? But I'm not entirely invested. I also just didn't feel anything in particular for any of the characters that makes me care or want to read what comes next for them. I think this might be a better one for someone to read that's just starting with Fantasy and wants to slowly get invested in a new series.
I really enjoyed this book for the most part - the writing was fairly good, the characters were intriguing, and the action was paced nicely. However, 80% of this book is filler - I know that it's setting up for the series, but the 20% that remained was not even close to enough to make me want to continue reading this series.
I figure I might try? But I'm not entirely invested. I also just didn't feel anything in particular for any of the characters that makes me care or want to read what comes next for them. I think this might be a better one for someone to read that's just starting with Fantasy and wants to slowly get invested in a new series.
March 11, 2025
Having just read a number of other books that trotted out a load of typical fantasy-speak I was almost set to take a break from the genre for a book or two. After receiving a free ARC from James Maxwell and NetGalley (thank you!) I reluctantly decided to persevere with fantasy and go again…and I’m so glad I did. I really enjoyed Blood and Empire and was invested more or less from the get-go.
If you’re looking for a stand-alone fully fleshed out story in one book, this isn’t it. There’s a lot of subtle world building and Maxwell is clearly leading up to bigger events (I hope, come on book 2!). We jump between multiple POVs which initially almost seem to be unconnected but by the end of book 1 we’re beginning to see how these are coming together. Thankfully, from the announcement at the end of Blood and Empire, it looks like we won’t have to wait too long for the next installment.
My one criticism would be that Bethany’s new friendships seem to just happen overnight. Nothing much happens to draw them closer to one another. Maybe the scenario they all find themselves in is meant to be enough, but it doesn’t feel that way to me. It feels a bit rushed and reminds me of how teenagers can make a new best friend in a week and are suddenly pouring their hearts out to them. Bethany isn’t 15 years old though and doesn’t otherwise behave like a teenager. I’d love to have had a bit more time for her to grow into those friendships. A bit more of a reason to trust one another and to believe that those relationships mean something.
I enjoy stories with strong, intelligent, female leads and we have those in Bethany and Zhuana. Very different characters but both driven in their own way. Then we have the background players Samara and Anthea who have potential to become something more in later books, with more depth and nuance but whether that pans out or not remains to be seen.
I read a lot of epic fantasies and I don’t mind a bit of a slow burn when I know there’s more to come. Looking forward to the next in The Gateway Saga, “Wrath and Ruin”.
Thanks to James Maxwell, Everlast Books and NetGalley for landing this book on my lap.
If you’re looking for a stand-alone fully fleshed out story in one book, this isn’t it. There’s a lot of subtle world building and Maxwell is clearly leading up to bigger events (I hope, come on book 2!). We jump between multiple POVs which initially almost seem to be unconnected but by the end of book 1 we’re beginning to see how these are coming together. Thankfully, from the announcement at the end of Blood and Empire, it looks like we won’t have to wait too long for the next installment.
My one criticism would be that Bethany’s new friendships seem to just happen overnight. Nothing much happens to draw them closer to one another. Maybe the scenario they all find themselves in is meant to be enough, but it doesn’t feel that way to me. It feels a bit rushed and reminds me of how teenagers can make a new best friend in a week and are suddenly pouring their hearts out to them. Bethany isn’t 15 years old though and doesn’t otherwise behave like a teenager. I’d love to have had a bit more time for her to grow into those friendships. A bit more of a reason to trust one another and to believe that those relationships mean something.
I enjoy stories with strong, intelligent, female leads and we have those in Bethany and Zhuana. Very different characters but both driven in their own way. Then we have the background players Samara and Anthea who have potential to become something more in later books, with more depth and nuance but whether that pans out or not remains to be seen.
I read a lot of epic fantasies and I don’t mind a bit of a slow burn when I know there’s more to come. Looking forward to the next in The Gateway Saga, “Wrath and Ruin”.
Thanks to James Maxwell, Everlast Books and NetGalley for landing this book on my lap.
November 29, 2025
The writer did a good job with the book. The plot comes off as an intense and dramatic tale. The main characters Bethany Sylvana, Charlton Balforth, Princess Zhuana and Alric, the chief of the druids were all fantastic. Each helped bring forward the fun and excitement of the story. The magic and wizardry was given in great detail. The plot is appropriately attributed to the characters and what they hope to achieve by the end of their tale. I found this to be an enjoyable story that feed my imagination with an intriguing fantasy tale. I received an advance review copy for, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 17, 2025
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the change to read this in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the cover before I even saw the synopsis! I did find the book slow to start and had trouble getting into it, additionally the change in pov was confusing. The first few times I read Zhuana chapters i thought maybe they were a mistake and accidentally included until they mentioned Everlast. Once I realized it made more sense and I enjoyed the book. I was confused about the time line as well, sometimes weeks had passed but I only caught that from context clues, I think dates in the chapter heading would have helped that. How long did it take Bethany to become a diviner? How long did it take Zhuana to get to the border? I feel like the time line is important.
All that said this was a great book, I enjoyed the characters and the different pov chapters. I hope the next book gets more indepth with the black plague that's coming towards the empire, I'm very invested in seeing how Julian messes up at the feilding or with Zhuanas people. I do wish we hadn't skipped around so much because I feel like we could have gone more into many of the things I'm this book! I would like to see less time skipping in the next book so I don't feel like I'm missing so much.
I loved the cover before I even saw the synopsis! I did find the book slow to start and had trouble getting into it, additionally the change in pov was confusing. The first few times I read Zhuana chapters i thought maybe they were a mistake and accidentally included until they mentioned Everlast. Once I realized it made more sense and I enjoyed the book. I was confused about the time line as well, sometimes weeks had passed but I only caught that from context clues, I think dates in the chapter heading would have helped that. How long did it take Bethany to become a diviner? How long did it take Zhuana to get to the border? I feel like the time line is important.
All that said this was a great book, I enjoyed the characters and the different pov chapters. I hope the next book gets more indepth with the black plague that's coming towards the empire, I'm very invested in seeing how Julian messes up at the feilding or with Zhuanas people. I do wish we hadn't skipped around so much because I feel like we could have gone more into many of the things I'm this book! I would like to see less time skipping in the next book so I don't feel like I'm missing so much.
February 21, 2025
Honestly, James' books are a breath of fresh air and this one was no different to all of the previous books of his that I have read. The character arc of the main character, Bethany, was such fun to follow along with, as she went from simple roots to what appears to be potentially one of the most powerful characters in this world. The parallel threads of war and struggles for power with the impending mysterious threats following not far behind really kept me coming back for more. I honestly looked forward to getting into bed with this one and reading every night, sometimes far later than I should have. I cant wait to see what happens next.
February 14, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for an honest review
Blood and Empire
✨ High Fantasy
🌍 Heavy World Building
👥 Multiple POV
🗡️ Game of Thrones vibes
This was my first high fantasy since Game of Thrones. My preferred genre leans more towards Romantsy. But wow! What a journey!
Immersive world building, political intrigue and some fantastic characters made this an easy 5 star read for me!
I think it’s important to note that similarly to GOT you have to expect the first book is laying the groundwork and introducing you to that world and the characters, so it did feel a bit difficult at first to push through and I did have to go double check and reread some parts, but once you get to the 50% mark you can not put this down! I am so excited for the sequel and I will absolutely be snagging a copy when it’s published
Blood and Empire
✨ High Fantasy
🌍 Heavy World Building
👥 Multiple POV
🗡️ Game of Thrones vibes
This was my first high fantasy since Game of Thrones. My preferred genre leans more towards Romantsy. But wow! What a journey!
Immersive world building, political intrigue and some fantastic characters made this an easy 5 star read for me!
I think it’s important to note that similarly to GOT you have to expect the first book is laying the groundwork and introducing you to that world and the characters, so it did feel a bit difficult at first to push through and I did have to go double check and reread some parts, but once you get to the 50% mark you can not put this down! I am so excited for the sequel and I will absolutely be snagging a copy when it’s published
May 27, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for access to this ARC 📚.
🔥Quick Fire Review🔥
Genre/Themes: 🏛️⚔️🧙🏻♂️🔮⌛️📜
Tropes: World-Ending Threats, Countdown to Destruction, Magical Academy, Oblivious to Love, Socially Inferior, Ancient Settings, Secret Heir, Knights, Complex Political Systems, Female Warriors, Supernatural Abilities, Wise Old Mentor, War Between Kingdoms
Positives ✅ : overall good use of multi-POVs, engaging plot aspects, interesting world building
Room for Improvement 🔎 : characterisation somewhat lacking, after-thought romance sub-plot, some slow parts
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕
✍🏻 Full Review - RISK OF SPOILERS 🛑
While this story had all the elements for something I’d really be in to, and objectively there are good things about this book, I can’t say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think this was mostly down to the characters and the writing style. Some parts felt like a bit of a drag, and while I’m sure the continuation of the story would be interesting I can’t say I’d rush out to read part two.
Characterisation:
The story follows four POVs. Bethany, a seamstress’ daughter who dreams of becoming a sorcerer called a Diviner, somebody who can teleport through ‘gateways’ across their planet by manipulating the cosmos. Zhuana, a queen of a far southern city who must rule following her father’s death, much to the disappointment of some of the nobles. Julian, the prince of the Eternal City, who is desperate to be named heir to his father but is deeply unpopular following his manslaughter of a noble’s son. And Kendrick, a respected but semi-retired warrior who is deeply involved in maintaining alliances between two legions due to his marriage.
My favourite POV was by far Bethany, but as was the common theme across all of these main characters, I didn’t find her particularly likeable. She is very intelligent, but struggles socially. She is fiercely loyal to her mother, but is also lying to her by secretly working for her father, the leader of the Eternal City. When it comes to him, she is a pushover. Most likely desperate for his validation, especially as he consistently reinforces her feelings of imposter syndrome. While reading her journey through the academy was interesting, she as a character didn’t grab my interest in the same way. Her dialogue was basically the same style as most of the other characters, sometimes stilted and unnatural and full of exposition - again a common theme across the board - and she didn’t have a sense of humour to make me like her. Her ‘romance’ with Xander was a complete afterthought and had no build up whatsoever, adding nothing to the story or developing either of them as characters. Her friendships with Xander and Carina were vague and superficial, and both of them were pretty one-dimensional supporting characters. Her relationship with Charlton was the most heartwarming of the book, with Charlton being a patriarchal figure for her. He was kind, encouraging and gentle. But… that was kind of it. We never learn why Charlton was so drawn to helping Bethany and her mother. Bethany’s mother was very much the same. Kind and warm, but not distinguishable enough for me to feel sad about her declining health or to feel scared about her being in peril.
Zhuana was, again, kinda boring. She is having to lead a whole civilisation to a new life following an attempted siege by a foreign invader, but later learns they are escaping something far bigger than all of them. She has to do this while knowing that one of her advisors, Maren Dresk, who tried to become heir instead of her after her father’s death, is constantly trying to undermine her authority in the hope of a successful coup. Zhuana always starts off trying to avoid violence where she can, but as soon as Dresk starts to manipulate the noble’s opinions and encourage violence she too takes this stance to regain a sense of authority, to make it look like she was the one who came up with these ideas all along. She was supposed to be ‘terrifying’ according to Julian, but again she just came across as a pushover to me.
Julian is another character desperate for the approval of others, but is yet another character wrapped around somebody’s finger. In his case it is his wife, Samara. Samara is by far the most intriguing character in the book, essentially being the mastermind behind all of Julian’s actions and secretly the puppet-master of the imperial court and its legions. She came across as scarier than Zhuana ever did, with her ability to smooth talk her way out of everything. Julian however just came across as impulsive, obsessive and power-hungry. Another unlikeable character.
Kendrick’s POV was the least interesting by a country mile, and I’m not convinced he even needed one. He’s supposed to be the wise, mature, patriarchal figure who is pretty grumpy about having to be involved in any politics. But all he really does is scold his kids, play both sides between his legion the Blacks and his wife’s legion the Blues and organise a festival to bring together all of the eligible knights or warriors in the land. I had to flick through the book again to remember his name, he was that unremarkable.
World-Building:
The world seemed to take a lot of its influence from the Ancient civilisations we know well, such as the Romans, the Egyptians and the Incans. The magical elements of the story, the Diviners, were interesting. I really liked the combination of physics and astronomy, and giving it a magical twist. The Academy was the part I enjoyed the most, but I felt the Diviner tutors and their abilities, the specialties that they taught, weren’t explored very much. The Diviner’s existence is shrouded in secrecy after the gateways were found abandoned by a previous civilisation, who left barely a trace of ever living in the Kingdom. I felt that because Bethany was a drop-out from organised education, and lived amongst the lower classes, we didn’t get to see the lifestyle of people like Xander or Carina who spent their childhoods being prepped for the academy. The magical elements of Zhuana’s people was explored less, namely Alric’s alchemy and his ability to make their warriors feel so little pain that they could continue fighting after being halved at the waist. I’d have enjoyed more of this, especially since Zhuana relies so heavily on Alric and his healing. The darkness and the black, scaled monsters plaguing the southern territories also appears to be a dark magic or supernatural aspect that again wasn’t explained very much in the sense that it wasn’t clear if magic like this has existed before. Is divination the only known magic in the world, or are there other types? The political aspects of the story were again very reminiscent of Rome, especially with the leaders who are essentially imperators with very Roman sounding names, the presence of factions, gladiators and an assembly. The architecture in the city sounded very similar to the forum, too. But I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that surrounding lands were of all different terrains, geographies and cultures to add variety into the world building.
Prose\Plot:
On the whole I thought the plot was engaging, and very clever in how all three POVs intricately linked together. I did find Kendrick’s POV quite boring though, and found myself skim reading it. The author’s prose reminded me of other epic fantasy writers I have read such as Brandon Sanderson or Anthony Ryan, in that there is rich and detailed descriptions for world building but characterisation and dialogue are much weaker. Too often I was told what a character’s personality was like rather than being shown. The parallel with Anthony Ryan was most obvious for me in that certain chapters dragged because of the over-explaining of architecture and settings, in a way that was actually detrimental rather than helpful and made it harder for me to visualise scenes in my head rather than make them more vivid. Overall I think this was a decent fantasy book but not unique enough to leave a lasting impression on me.
🔥Quick Fire Review🔥
Genre/Themes: 🏛️⚔️🧙🏻♂️🔮⌛️📜
Tropes: World-Ending Threats, Countdown to Destruction, Magical Academy, Oblivious to Love, Socially Inferior, Ancient Settings, Secret Heir, Knights, Complex Political Systems, Female Warriors, Supernatural Abilities, Wise Old Mentor, War Between Kingdoms
Positives ✅ : overall good use of multi-POVs, engaging plot aspects, interesting world building
Room for Improvement 🔎 : characterisation somewhat lacking, after-thought romance sub-plot, some slow parts
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕
✍🏻 Full Review - RISK OF SPOILERS 🛑
While this story had all the elements for something I’d really be in to, and objectively there are good things about this book, I can’t say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think this was mostly down to the characters and the writing style. Some parts felt like a bit of a drag, and while I’m sure the continuation of the story would be interesting I can’t say I’d rush out to read part two.
Characterisation:
The story follows four POVs. Bethany, a seamstress’ daughter who dreams of becoming a sorcerer called a Diviner, somebody who can teleport through ‘gateways’ across their planet by manipulating the cosmos. Zhuana, a queen of a far southern city who must rule following her father’s death, much to the disappointment of some of the nobles. Julian, the prince of the Eternal City, who is desperate to be named heir to his father but is deeply unpopular following his manslaughter of a noble’s son. And Kendrick, a respected but semi-retired warrior who is deeply involved in maintaining alliances between two legions due to his marriage.
My favourite POV was by far Bethany, but as was the common theme across all of these main characters, I didn’t find her particularly likeable. She is very intelligent, but struggles socially. She is fiercely loyal to her mother, but is also lying to her by secretly working for her father, the leader of the Eternal City. When it comes to him, she is a pushover. Most likely desperate for his validation, especially as he consistently reinforces her feelings of imposter syndrome. While reading her journey through the academy was interesting, she as a character didn’t grab my interest in the same way. Her dialogue was basically the same style as most of the other characters, sometimes stilted and unnatural and full of exposition - again a common theme across the board - and she didn’t have a sense of humour to make me like her. Her ‘romance’ with Xander was a complete afterthought and had no build up whatsoever, adding nothing to the story or developing either of them as characters. Her friendships with Xander and Carina were vague and superficial, and both of them were pretty one-dimensional supporting characters. Her relationship with Charlton was the most heartwarming of the book, with Charlton being a patriarchal figure for her. He was kind, encouraging and gentle. But… that was kind of it. We never learn why Charlton was so drawn to helping Bethany and her mother. Bethany’s mother was very much the same. Kind and warm, but not distinguishable enough for me to feel sad about her declining health or to feel scared about her being in peril.
Zhuana was, again, kinda boring. She is having to lead a whole civilisation to a new life following an attempted siege by a foreign invader, but later learns they are escaping something far bigger than all of them. She has to do this while knowing that one of her advisors, Maren Dresk, who tried to become heir instead of her after her father’s death, is constantly trying to undermine her authority in the hope of a successful coup. Zhuana always starts off trying to avoid violence where she can, but as soon as Dresk starts to manipulate the noble’s opinions and encourage violence she too takes this stance to regain a sense of authority, to make it look like she was the one who came up with these ideas all along. She was supposed to be ‘terrifying’ according to Julian, but again she just came across as a pushover to me.
Julian is another character desperate for the approval of others, but is yet another character wrapped around somebody’s finger. In his case it is his wife, Samara. Samara is by far the most intriguing character in the book, essentially being the mastermind behind all of Julian’s actions and secretly the puppet-master of the imperial court and its legions. She came across as scarier than Zhuana ever did, with her ability to smooth talk her way out of everything. Julian however just came across as impulsive, obsessive and power-hungry. Another unlikeable character.
Kendrick’s POV was the least interesting by a country mile, and I’m not convinced he even needed one. He’s supposed to be the wise, mature, patriarchal figure who is pretty grumpy about having to be involved in any politics. But all he really does is scold his kids, play both sides between his legion the Blacks and his wife’s legion the Blues and organise a festival to bring together all of the eligible knights or warriors in the land. I had to flick through the book again to remember his name, he was that unremarkable.
World-Building:
The world seemed to take a lot of its influence from the Ancient civilisations we know well, such as the Romans, the Egyptians and the Incans. The magical elements of the story, the Diviners, were interesting. I really liked the combination of physics and astronomy, and giving it a magical twist. The Academy was the part I enjoyed the most, but I felt the Diviner tutors and their abilities, the specialties that they taught, weren’t explored very much. The Diviner’s existence is shrouded in secrecy after the gateways were found abandoned by a previous civilisation, who left barely a trace of ever living in the Kingdom. I felt that because Bethany was a drop-out from organised education, and lived amongst the lower classes, we didn’t get to see the lifestyle of people like Xander or Carina who spent their childhoods being prepped for the academy. The magical elements of Zhuana’s people was explored less, namely Alric’s alchemy and his ability to make their warriors feel so little pain that they could continue fighting after being halved at the waist. I’d have enjoyed more of this, especially since Zhuana relies so heavily on Alric and his healing. The darkness and the black, scaled monsters plaguing the southern territories also appears to be a dark magic or supernatural aspect that again wasn’t explained very much in the sense that it wasn’t clear if magic like this has existed before. Is divination the only known magic in the world, or are there other types? The political aspects of the story were again very reminiscent of Rome, especially with the leaders who are essentially imperators with very Roman sounding names, the presence of factions, gladiators and an assembly. The architecture in the city sounded very similar to the forum, too. But I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that surrounding lands were of all different terrains, geographies and cultures to add variety into the world building.
Prose\Plot:
On the whole I thought the plot was engaging, and very clever in how all three POVs intricately linked together. I did find Kendrick’s POV quite boring though, and found myself skim reading it. The author’s prose reminded me of other epic fantasy writers I have read such as Brandon Sanderson or Anthony Ryan, in that there is rich and detailed descriptions for world building but characterisation and dialogue are much weaker. Too often I was told what a character’s personality was like rather than being shown. The parallel with Anthony Ryan was most obvious for me in that certain chapters dragged because of the over-explaining of architecture and settings, in a way that was actually detrimental rather than helpful and made it harder for me to visualise scenes in my head rather than make them more vivid. Overall I think this was a decent fantasy book but not unique enough to leave a lasting impression on me.
January 18, 2025
This is a story told from multiple POVs. One of the first POVs we get is from Bethany, a young seamstress with ambitions to become a diviner. She lives in the Eternal City, which is part of the vast Eternal Empire of Dymantus, where diviners are the well respected few who help people travel the gateways (I.e. travel from one place to another). I really liked Bethany and being in her POV, she is an interesting character with an intriguing back story and, if anything, I would’ve liked even more time with her as she was going through her studies, training to be a diviner.
The other POVs we get are from Zhuana (Queen of Veldria, a people who are now on the run from an unknown threat), Julian (Crown Prince of the Dymantine Empire, whose trying to establish his place as the future ruler in a land where many don’t want him to ascend the throne) and Kendrick (a military hero who once served alongside Julian’s father).
Bearing in mind this is a relatively short book and we have 4 POVs, it’s fairly fast paced, while also feeling like it’s doing a lot of set up for all the events to come. And while I wouldn’t say it’s like Game of Thrones, where I would draw the parallel is in the way that we’re predominantly following court politics and the jostling of different factions for power, but, looming above it all, is the threat of an unknown, supernatural danger.
Overall, I really enjoyed this start to a new series and would definitely recommend for the fantasy lovers out there. It also looks like we shouldn’t have to wait too long for book 2 🤞.
“Could she keep her two worlds separate? Her father’s world, of empires, nobles and power…and the world of divination, of Xander, stars and gateways? Her intuition told her no. Her two worlds were going to collide.”
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book.
The other POVs we get are from Zhuana (Queen of Veldria, a people who are now on the run from an unknown threat), Julian (Crown Prince of the Dymantine Empire, whose trying to establish his place as the future ruler in a land where many don’t want him to ascend the throne) and Kendrick (a military hero who once served alongside Julian’s father).
Bearing in mind this is a relatively short book and we have 4 POVs, it’s fairly fast paced, while also feeling like it’s doing a lot of set up for all the events to come. And while I wouldn’t say it’s like Game of Thrones, where I would draw the parallel is in the way that we’re predominantly following court politics and the jostling of different factions for power, but, looming above it all, is the threat of an unknown, supernatural danger.
Overall, I really enjoyed this start to a new series and would definitely recommend for the fantasy lovers out there. It also looks like we shouldn’t have to wait too long for book 2 🤞.
“Could she keep her two worlds separate? Her father’s world, of empires, nobles and power…and the world of divination, of Xander, stars and gateways? Her intuition told her no. Her two worlds were going to collide.”
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book.
August 9, 2025
James Maxwell (https://jamesmaxwell.com) is the author of more than a dozen novels. Blood and Empire was published last March and is the first book in his Gateway Saga series. It is the 22nd title I’ve completed reading in 2025.
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to minor scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as PG.
Zhuana Arianus becomes queen of Veldria at seventeen when her father dies after a riding accident. She is forced to flee as the Druadan lay the groundwork to take the throne even before the king has passed.
Years later, the rumored Blackness, a strange plague, is approaching. All retreat before it. Queen Zhuana must lead her people from their city and escape. It becomes a long, difficult road for them all, including sixteen-year-old Prince Garric. They head towards the Everlast, the capital of the Empire.
Young seamstress Bethany Sylvana dreams of becoming a diviner, one of the select few able to navigate the mysterious gateways that bind the Empire together. However, she lacks both the necessary wealth and education. Thanks to Charlton, a cleric she has become friends with, she has a chance. Following his guidance and books he has loaned her, she prepares herself for the School of Divination exams. The only other only has her mother, and her mother is in failing health.
Then Bethany meets Charlton, a cleric, who offers her books and guidance, and she glimpses a life she had thought unreachable. Her problems grow, however, when her ambitions draw attention and her father re-enters her life, confronting her with a past she still needs to come to terms with.
Emperor Rigel Regus Livius had fathered Bethany, but only she and her mother knew of this secret. Now, he surprisingly reaches out to her and arranges for her to be granted entry to the School of Divination, even though she had marginally failed the entrance exam.
As invasion threatens the Empire, intrigue and betrayal plague the Emperor’s court. Bethany struggles to learn the skills needed to become a diviner. She must also be aware of the currents of distrust and the many plots that flood the capital.
Lord Kendrick Conway is a knight and is well known as the savior of Curran Castle. Many want him to take a more active role there, but he hates the busy capital. Bethany, having passed all of the trials, is chosen to become the House Diviner for the Conways. This appointment attaches her to one of the most powerful families in the Empire.
Will she be able to help save the Empire? Will she survive the many plots?
I enjoyed the 8+ hours I spent reading this 351-page fantasy. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to minor scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as PG.
Zhuana Arianus becomes queen of Veldria at seventeen when her father dies after a riding accident. She is forced to flee as the Druadan lay the groundwork to take the throne even before the king has passed.
Years later, the rumored Blackness, a strange plague, is approaching. All retreat before it. Queen Zhuana must lead her people from their city and escape. It becomes a long, difficult road for them all, including sixteen-year-old Prince Garric. They head towards the Everlast, the capital of the Empire.
Young seamstress Bethany Sylvana dreams of becoming a diviner, one of the select few able to navigate the mysterious gateways that bind the Empire together. However, she lacks both the necessary wealth and education. Thanks to Charlton, a cleric she has become friends with, she has a chance. Following his guidance and books he has loaned her, she prepares herself for the School of Divination exams. The only other only has her mother, and her mother is in failing health.
Then Bethany meets Charlton, a cleric, who offers her books and guidance, and she glimpses a life she had thought unreachable. Her problems grow, however, when her ambitions draw attention and her father re-enters her life, confronting her with a past she still needs to come to terms with.
Emperor Rigel Regus Livius had fathered Bethany, but only she and her mother knew of this secret. Now, he surprisingly reaches out to her and arranges for her to be granted entry to the School of Divination, even though she had marginally failed the entrance exam.
As invasion threatens the Empire, intrigue and betrayal plague the Emperor’s court. Bethany struggles to learn the skills needed to become a diviner. She must also be aware of the currents of distrust and the many plots that flood the capital.
Lord Kendrick Conway is a knight and is well known as the savior of Curran Castle. Many want him to take a more active role there, but he hates the busy capital. Bethany, having passed all of the trials, is chosen to become the House Diviner for the Conways. This appointment attaches her to one of the most powerful families in the Empire.
Will she be able to help save the Empire? Will she survive the many plots?
I enjoyed the 8+ hours I spent reading this 351-page fantasy. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
April 2, 2025
Before you read my review, please don’t let it dissuade you from buying the book. These are only my opinions. Who knows, maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace and if I read it again I will love it?
I do have to say, despite my rating and review below, I am interested in what was set up to happen in book 2.
Ok, so this is an epic fantasy built in a rich world. It is a fantastical world, but not the one I was expecting from the way the book began. Honestly, I felt like there was a little bit of a bait and switch, or there were so many characters and plot lines that it felt a bit chaotic. There are multiple POVs but that wasn’t my problem with the book. I think it actually added something seeing different viewpoints and their investments in the empire.
We first meet Zhuana. A strong woman who knows the meaning of sacrifice. My heart both broke and cheered for her throughout the book.
We also meet Bethany. Against all odds, a dream she had since she was a little girl, that she believed impossible, was now within her grasp. That had me cheering out loud.
We also meet so many other characters with their own plans and agendas I feel like the author tried to fit too much into the first book. The book felt too short for everything that was in it. It was almost like the author was limited to a word count, instead of letting us into the world and it’s characters organically.
I understand as a reader, first books are hard for authors and I try to keep that in mind. We are being introduced to their world and the characters, but as soon as I felt invested in a character and what was going on with them, I felt like I was turned around and asked to be invested in another characters journey.
I wish more time was spent with Bethany and her journey and Queen Zhuana and her story as both a mother and a queen. The times she struggled to separate the two while caring and keeping her people safe. I wanted more of her story. These are the characters I was most interested in. Strong females who don’t shrink from duty or the seemingly impossible tasks they have to overcome.
The King, his conniving son, Julian along with his wife who I feel is even worse than him. All of the planning and backstabbing, I feel some of it could have waited for book two.
Give me some background. The map at the beginning is beautiful and detailed. If the author felt the need to jump ahead, at least, that’s what it felt like, maybe including a list of major characters at the beginning of the book, kind of like a “who’s who”, without major spoilers would have been helpful.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the author and their publisher Everlast Books for an advanced reader copy. All opinions are voluntary and my own.
I do have to say, despite my rating and review below, I am interested in what was set up to happen in book 2.
Ok, so this is an epic fantasy built in a rich world. It is a fantastical world, but not the one I was expecting from the way the book began. Honestly, I felt like there was a little bit of a bait and switch, or there were so many characters and plot lines that it felt a bit chaotic. There are multiple POVs but that wasn’t my problem with the book. I think it actually added something seeing different viewpoints and their investments in the empire.
We first meet Zhuana. A strong woman who knows the meaning of sacrifice. My heart both broke and cheered for her throughout the book.
We also meet Bethany. Against all odds, a dream she had since she was a little girl, that she believed impossible, was now within her grasp. That had me cheering out loud.
We also meet so many other characters with their own plans and agendas I feel like the author tried to fit too much into the first book. The book felt too short for everything that was in it. It was almost like the author was limited to a word count, instead of letting us into the world and it’s characters organically.
I understand as a reader, first books are hard for authors and I try to keep that in mind. We are being introduced to their world and the characters, but as soon as I felt invested in a character and what was going on with them, I felt like I was turned around and asked to be invested in another characters journey.
I wish more time was spent with Bethany and her journey and Queen Zhuana and her story as both a mother and a queen. The times she struggled to separate the two while caring and keeping her people safe. I wanted more of her story. These are the characters I was most interested in. Strong females who don’t shrink from duty or the seemingly impossible tasks they have to overcome.
The King, his conniving son, Julian along with his wife who I feel is even worse than him. All of the planning and backstabbing, I feel some of it could have waited for book two.
Give me some background. The map at the beginning is beautiful and detailed. If the author felt the need to jump ahead, at least, that’s what it felt like, maybe including a list of major characters at the beginning of the book, kind of like a “who’s who”, without major spoilers would have been helpful.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the author and their publisher Everlast Books for an advanced reader copy. All opinions are voluntary and my own.
March 6, 2025
Having managed to get my hands on an ARC of book one of the new Saga from James Maxwell I can kicks off pretty well. There are certain threads that support the tapestries in Maxwell’s story telling style and these are definitely present into this new saga’s opening spin. I love his world building and the sense of “a greater mystery” that this book opens up. I take great pleasure in trying to unravel the puzzles woven through the clues and have had mixed success with his other works! I can’t help but feel that the answers to these are just on the edge of my comprehension, so be warned, you will be left wanting far more! It is for this reason I tend to be wary of starting his books if they sequels aren’t out.
Something I always appreciate about his stories is they always have interesting and capable female characters as protagonists and this one is no different. This time possibly even as villains, hard to be sure this early in the saga. Less in common with his other works I’m sensing an interesting development in his writing with the inclusion of a more morally grey set up. Conflict between characters who are equally right and equally wrong. Certainty and absolutism in the events they are caught up in is an in intriguing change of pace from his usual sagas.
In amongst the story I suspect I spotted what I suspected are nods to “Hyperion” and “Foundation” (with a near Hari Seldon). Odd in a Fantasy book but I suspect that the saga may well blend aspects of more than one genre by its completion. Not wishing to offer spoilers I’m being somewhat circumspect in my review and leave it to others to see if they draw the same conclusion.
My negatives? I feel the book could have expanded more on the world that very firmly exists there but isn’t explored as much. Fantasy offers the scope for lengthier tomes and I feel more could have been put in. The ending, obviously set up for the next instalment, does leave the book feeling a little like what we have covered is an introduction than a full story. Also, with some irony given the “rules of the world”, I did have some trouble judging the period of time covered. Going by what is stated it seems to take place in less than a year which seems too short a time for what happens.
In summary, if you have enjoyed Maxwell’s other works this one will not disappoint and I think its fair to say his craftsmanship and skills as a write only grow. And if you have not tried one this is as good a place as any. So treat yourself to his latest saga!
Something I always appreciate about his stories is they always have interesting and capable female characters as protagonists and this one is no different. This time possibly even as villains, hard to be sure this early in the saga. Less in common with his other works I’m sensing an interesting development in his writing with the inclusion of a more morally grey set up. Conflict between characters who are equally right and equally wrong. Certainty and absolutism in the events they are caught up in is an in intriguing change of pace from his usual sagas.
In amongst the story I suspect I spotted what I suspected are nods to “Hyperion” and “Foundation” (with a near Hari Seldon). Odd in a Fantasy book but I suspect that the saga may well blend aspects of more than one genre by its completion. Not wishing to offer spoilers I’m being somewhat circumspect in my review and leave it to others to see if they draw the same conclusion.
My negatives? I feel the book could have expanded more on the world that very firmly exists there but isn’t explored as much. Fantasy offers the scope for lengthier tomes and I feel more could have been put in. The ending, obviously set up for the next instalment, does leave the book feeling a little like what we have covered is an introduction than a full story. Also, with some irony given the “rules of the world”, I did have some trouble judging the period of time covered. Going by what is stated it seems to take place in less than a year which seems too short a time for what happens.
In summary, if you have enjoyed Maxwell’s other works this one will not disappoint and I think its fair to say his craftsmanship and skills as a write only grow. And if you have not tried one this is as good a place as any. So treat yourself to his latest saga!
April 11, 2025
Blood and Empire paints a vivid picture of a world on the brink of huge change.
There are multiple POVs, though initially we are introduced to Bethany, a young girl working in her mother’s shop with dreams above her station. When given the opportunity her talent and drive allow her to study to become a diviner, but the odds are stacked against her. Her mother’s health is failing and her path is influenced by others as she endures trials that will test her body, mind and soul.
We also meet Julian, the heir to the throne as he navigates the political world he’s determined to inherit. He is desperate to maintain control whilst other scheme against him.
Zhuana, a queen with a troubled past who will do anything to keep her people alive. Leaving her kingdom in ashes the Veladrians face uncertainty ahead aand death stalking closely behind.
Kendrick is a lord of the empire and revered soldier in his youth. He is focused on his family and has close ties to powerful people. Driven by his morals and duty he’s reluctantly pulled from isolation.
Blood and Empire delves into our protagonists lives setting the scene for their inevitable collision.
Outside of the empires internal, political turmoil and conspiracies a darker threat is looming. Marching inevitably closer to threaten the long reign of the empire.
The world building is intense and our understanding of diviners, cultural and political issues, how our characters are connected and general state of the world is carefully revealed.
The writing is rich and immersive. The plot is generally fast paced but there are some slower sections. The magic system in this book is fascinating and we only scratch the surface. I’m excited to dig deeper.
Reminiscent of Game of thrones, Maxwell weaves a complicated tapestry that will only grow. The cast of characters is diverse. Each has their own motives and moral compass. The impact of the small details we notice now will slot into place when we can see the whole picture.
It’s always interesting with multiple POV’s to witness how a characters perspective skews the narrative. War Mongering Barbarians can easily become resourceful, desperate refugees.
The story set up in Blood and Empire could span an epic series. There’s a lot of room for exploration and enough in this book to leave you hungry for more.
There are multiple POVs, though initially we are introduced to Bethany, a young girl working in her mother’s shop with dreams above her station. When given the opportunity her talent and drive allow her to study to become a diviner, but the odds are stacked against her. Her mother’s health is failing and her path is influenced by others as she endures trials that will test her body, mind and soul.
We also meet Julian, the heir to the throne as he navigates the political world he’s determined to inherit. He is desperate to maintain control whilst other scheme against him.
Zhuana, a queen with a troubled past who will do anything to keep her people alive. Leaving her kingdom in ashes the Veladrians face uncertainty ahead aand death stalking closely behind.
Kendrick is a lord of the empire and revered soldier in his youth. He is focused on his family and has close ties to powerful people. Driven by his morals and duty he’s reluctantly pulled from isolation.
Blood and Empire delves into our protagonists lives setting the scene for their inevitable collision.
Outside of the empires internal, political turmoil and conspiracies a darker threat is looming. Marching inevitably closer to threaten the long reign of the empire.
The world building is intense and our understanding of diviners, cultural and political issues, how our characters are connected and general state of the world is carefully revealed.
The writing is rich and immersive. The plot is generally fast paced but there are some slower sections. The magic system in this book is fascinating and we only scratch the surface. I’m excited to dig deeper.
Reminiscent of Game of thrones, Maxwell weaves a complicated tapestry that will only grow. The cast of characters is diverse. Each has their own motives and moral compass. The impact of the small details we notice now will slot into place when we can see the whole picture.
It’s always interesting with multiple POV’s to witness how a characters perspective skews the narrative. War Mongering Barbarians can easily become resourceful, desperate refugees.
The story set up in Blood and Empire could span an epic series. There’s a lot of room for exploration and enough in this book to leave you hungry for more.
March 2, 2025
-ARC Read via Netgalley-
Blood and Empire is a story featuring 4 different characters. Bethany, a seamstress that has dreams of being a diviner. Zhuana, a queen that is trying to save her people. Julian, a prince that is trying to prove he is worthy of being the heir to his father. Kendrick, the lord of Esk that is getting his homeland ready for an upcoming fielding event.
The story switches through 4 different perspectives and while I do enjoy multi-perspectives, I did feel like this slowed down the story. The pace from one perspective to another did not always flow and sometimes felt like an abrupt change to a completely different story. I do think that having 4 perspectives did make it difficult to fully divulge into each character. I would have loved more detail about Bethany and what was happening with her friendships and the diviner school. Since the description of the book only focuses on Bethany, I would have really liked to explore her relationships with other people and her studies more. If I did not read any other reviews, I would not have expected this book to have multiple other perspectives.
The first 50-60% of the book did a great job at setting up the story for each character. There was just enough information for the reader to understand the world building and not be overwhelmed or confused. Each individual character's story was compelling enough that I was interested in what was happening with that specific character. I did find myself wondering what the big conflict was going to be that would bring all the characters together. There was some overlap with characters, however, it was not until the last few chapters that a big conflict or turning point was truly presented. Because of this, there was not a lot of character development, I would imagine that the following books in the series is where those developments will take place.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I was interested in the characters and the world that was being set up by the author. The book was a really good setup for what is to come and I hope that the following books in the series pick up the pace as conflict arises and the characters come together.
Blood and Empire is a story featuring 4 different characters. Bethany, a seamstress that has dreams of being a diviner. Zhuana, a queen that is trying to save her people. Julian, a prince that is trying to prove he is worthy of being the heir to his father. Kendrick, the lord of Esk that is getting his homeland ready for an upcoming fielding event.
The story switches through 4 different perspectives and while I do enjoy multi-perspectives, I did feel like this slowed down the story. The pace from one perspective to another did not always flow and sometimes felt like an abrupt change to a completely different story. I do think that having 4 perspectives did make it difficult to fully divulge into each character. I would have loved more detail about Bethany and what was happening with her friendships and the diviner school. Since the description of the book only focuses on Bethany, I would have really liked to explore her relationships with other people and her studies more. If I did not read any other reviews, I would not have expected this book to have multiple other perspectives.
The first 50-60% of the book did a great job at setting up the story for each character. There was just enough information for the reader to understand the world building and not be overwhelmed or confused. Each individual character's story was compelling enough that I was interested in what was happening with that specific character. I did find myself wondering what the big conflict was going to be that would bring all the characters together. There was some overlap with characters, however, it was not until the last few chapters that a big conflict or turning point was truly presented. Because of this, there was not a lot of character development, I would imagine that the following books in the series is where those developments will take place.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I was interested in the characters and the world that was being set up by the author. The book was a really good setup for what is to come and I hope that the following books in the series pick up the pace as conflict arises and the characters come together.
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