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Empire's Legacy #5
Empire's Reckoning
How many secrets does your family have? For 13 years, Sorley has taught music alongside the man he loves, war and betrayal nearly forgotten. But behind his calm and ordered life, there are hidden truths. When a young girl’s question demands an honest answer, should he lie, breaking the most important oath he has made – or tell the truth, risking the destruction of both his family and a fragile political alliance?
Continuing the story begun in the Empire’s Legacy trilogy, Empire’s Reckoning asks if love – of country, of an individual, of family – can be enough to leave behind the expectations of history and culture, and provide an uncharted path to peace.
Continuing the story begun in the Empire’s Legacy trilogy, Empire’s Reckoning asks if love – of country, of an individual, of family – can be enough to leave behind the expectations of history and culture, and provide an uncharted path to peace.
- GenresFantasy
320 pages, ebook
Published May 30, 2020
2 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Marian L. Thorpe
17 books88 followersMy books are historical fiction of an imagined world, one that is close to Britain, Northern Europe, and Rome, but isn't any of them. A world where a society evolved differently after the Eastern Empire left, where one young fisherwoman answers her leader's call to defend her country, beginning a journey into uncharted territory, in an Empire on the edge of history.
After two careers as a research scientist and an educator, I decided it was time to do what I'd always really wanted, and be a writer. As well as my novels, I've published short stories and poetry. My life-long interest in Roman and post-Roman European history provided the inspiration for my books, while my other interests in landscape archaeology and birding provide background.
After two careers as a research scientist and an educator, I decided it was time to do what I'd always really wanted, and be a writer. As well as my novels, I've published short stories and poetry. My life-long interest in Roman and post-Roman European history provided the inspiration for my books, while my other interests in landscape archaeology and birding provide background.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 18, 2020
*review to come* but... <3 Love, love, love!
September 7, 2020
"Why are there so many secrets in this family?"
That was a difficult question for Lord Sorley to answer, for there were many secrets. But the most damning secret was about him. How could he tell Gwenna that her father had stolen his heart when he was just a boy of sixteen?
Time slips by unnoticed but Sorley remembered everything – the gentle touch, an all to fleeting look. Comiádh Cillian had stated many times that Lena was the love of his life, but they all knew he could not live without his Sorley.
It had been a time of change, of coming together for the greater good, but the road to unity was thwarted with difficulties, it still was, and not every kingdom was as tolerant as the one Lena came from. If it were known that Cillian had feelings for a man then his career, his achievements, would count for nothing. And so, what was between them must remain forever a secret. But how can Sorley look into Gwenna's eyes and lie? Dare he trust her with the truth?
From a young woman's questions to the story of one man's life, Empire's Reckoning: Empire's Reprise, Book I by Marian L Thorpe is a book in a million.
Oh, this story. It has everything a reader can dream of and then some. I adored every word, every sentence every syllable. This is a delectable read from the opening sentence to that final full stop. I am so glad this is a series because I am not ready to leave this world and these characters, just yet.
The powerful, unquenchable and undeniable nature of love is explored in all of its exquisite detail. This is not a story of unrequited love, nor is it one of desperate pining, Lord Sorley's life is not put on hold because he loves where society says he should not. He does, instead, forge a life for himself and achieve his goals. However, he is influenced by that love, and although anger drives him away from it for a time, he cannot run from it forever. Lord Sorley is one of those characters whose depiction is so fabulously real in the telling that it seems almost cruel that he never lived. Lord Sorley, who is the narrator of this story, is a protagonist that one cannot help but adore. His struggle, his success, and his desperate desire to do the right thing make him all the more endearing. This novel could have so easily been a tragic love story, but it isn't. Lord Sorley laments for what he cannot have, of course he does, but he is also very accepting of what he can have, and I think that is what endeared him to me so much.
A relationship that I was interested in throughout this novel was between Lord Sorley and Lena. They are both in love with the same man, and Cillian cannot live without either of them. This could have been a massive recipe for disaster, but Lena is a character that has gone through a great deal – if you have not read her story in the Empire's Legacy series then I highly recommend that you do. Lord Sorley and Lena have to find a middle ground, in which both of them can live with. Thorpe approached this relationship with a great deal of care and understanding.
One may be mistaken in thinking Empire's Reckoning: Empire's Reprise, Book 1 is just another love story, but it is not – it is an adventure, it is a journey, it is an absolutely wonderful book that swept me away in its brilliance. Thorpe certainly knows how to entertain her readers, and this novel is written with a great deal of imagination and energy. It is vivid. It is astoundingly ambitious, but in all ways, it is an absolute triumph. I cannot praise this book enough. The narrative is enthralling. The prose is lyrically pleasing — this is a book that keeps on giving. It is immensely readable and is a reward for any reader.
This story is told through two different timelines, which I thought was masterfully executed. It certainly made for an enthralling read. I loved learning the truth along with Gwenna – on the face of it Lord Sorley is a gifted musician, a loyal friend, but he is like still waters, he runs deep. By using the two timelines, we learn so much about him that it is as if he becomes an old friend. There is a very intimate feel to this novel which I thought was simply brilliant.
Thorpe has a novelist's intuition into the human soul – her depiction, not only of Lord Sorley, but the other characters in this book, are vivid, and filled with an intuitive empathy towards their plights. It was a real pleasure to read about them, to get to know them. Thorpe is the master at portraying characters that stay with the reader long after the last page is turned. Bravo, Ms Thorpe. Bravo Indeed.
The world that Thorpe depicts is a fantasy one where social decorum's, and the dangerous world of political uncertainly and fragile alliances is explored in detail. The backdrop of this story is enthused with a tangible realism. This is a world that is very easy to imagine and become immersed in.
Empire's Reckoning: Empire's Reprise, Book I by Marian L Thorpe is a book that demands to be read again and again. This is a novel that is deserving of a place in your heart and on your bookcase for the simple reason that no one writes Historical Fantasy the way Thorpe does.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
January 19, 2021
Marian Thorpe’s “Empire” series takes place in an alternative dark age. For this novel, the first in a new series (yay!) we get a new narrator: Sorley. Maybe it’s because I was a musician myself, or maybe it’s because I am simply drawn to “gentler” and more sensitive male characters, but I quickly fell in love with Sorley as a narrator. He’s just wonderful, and I really liked getting to know him.
We also get dual timelines in this story. Generally, I’m not a huge fan of dual timelines. I think they are hard to pull off because too often one story ends up being more compelling than the other and/or the switches between the timelines can feel contrived. Here, however, both timelines and stories were equally compelling and well-written, and the switch offs were smooth. The choice to use the dual timelines lets the reader learn what happens alongside Gwenna in a way that did not feel forced or inorganic. Instead of feeling contrived, here, the dual timelines made the story flow better.
But what made this book really standout to me is the same thing that makes Marian’s other books standout: How her careful worldbuilding and attention to rich detail results in authentic characters. People are products of their time, culture, and society -- none of us exist in a vacuum. Marian is able to seamlessly weave her multi-layered world and characters together so that they authentically reflect one another -- her characters never feel like they exist apart from their world but always as parts of it. This might seem like a relatively small element, but it's what makes Marian's writing so compelling to me -- her world and her characters always fit together in a way that is genuine and credible.
I would highly recommend "Reckoning" to readers who like rich, detail-oriented worlds and characters and well-written prose. Although reading the other books would be helpful, I believe this book could be read as a standalone.
We also get dual timelines in this story. Generally, I’m not a huge fan of dual timelines. I think they are hard to pull off because too often one story ends up being more compelling than the other and/or the switches between the timelines can feel contrived. Here, however, both timelines and stories were equally compelling and well-written, and the switch offs were smooth. The choice to use the dual timelines lets the reader learn what happens alongside Gwenna in a way that did not feel forced or inorganic. Instead of feeling contrived, here, the dual timelines made the story flow better.
But what made this book really standout to me is the same thing that makes Marian’s other books standout: How her careful worldbuilding and attention to rich detail results in authentic characters. People are products of their time, culture, and society -- none of us exist in a vacuum. Marian is able to seamlessly weave her multi-layered world and characters together so that they authentically reflect one another -- her characters never feel like they exist apart from their world but always as parts of it. This might seem like a relatively small element, but it's what makes Marian's writing so compelling to me -- her world and her characters always fit together in a way that is genuine and credible.
I would highly recommend "Reckoning" to readers who like rich, detail-oriented worlds and characters and well-written prose. Although reading the other books would be helpful, I believe this book could be read as a standalone.
May 11, 2021
This book is the latest novel in Thorpe's Empire series, historical fiction of another world. If you're new to the series, you can jump in, but I recommend reading the Empire's Legacy trilogy and also Oraiaphon, the novella that bridges the first trilogy with this next one. The novella also introduces the switch in narration from Lena in the first trilogy to Sorely.
Sorely is a 'scaeli', a poet and musician who becomes an increasingly important character in Empire's Legacy and now begins to tell his story. Also welcomed back are much loved characters Lena, Cillian and Drusius. The novel operates on two separate timelines. The earlier timeline is set a few weeks after the events of Oraiaphon, wheras the later timeline is set about 14 years later. As such, another central character, Gwenna is a baby in the first timeine and is a teenager attempting to understand the world and her place in it in the second timeline.
The novel seamlessly jumps back and forth, to the treaties the main characters work through to ensure peace after the war and the consequences of those treaties in the later timeline. However, the politics of the world are far from abstract. Sorely is also an important figure in his homeland and although he longs to return, the peace treaties mean going home is now far more complicated.
Sorely is also no stranger to love and loss and Thorpe masterfully allows Sorely's story to pour through onto the page. Politics, love, friendship and secrecy all blend together. Both in the earlier and later timelines - as Sorely attempts to explain the decisions made to Gwenna, desperate to understand - the characters and complicated love of Sorely, Drusius, Cillian and Lena beat strong in the heart of this novel.
The novel is not as perhaps as fierce and as action-packed as Lena's story in the first trilogy, but that makes sense, as Sorely is not Lena. Rather the heart of a poet and musician is wonderfully tuned on every page. The intelligence of Thorpe's world, the stunning depiction and the heart of each character means Sorely's story will stay with me as much as Lena's ever did. I cannot wait for book 5 to come out!
Sorely is a 'scaeli', a poet and musician who becomes an increasingly important character in Empire's Legacy and now begins to tell his story. Also welcomed back are much loved characters Lena, Cillian and Drusius. The novel operates on two separate timelines. The earlier timeline is set a few weeks after the events of Oraiaphon, wheras the later timeline is set about 14 years later. As such, another central character, Gwenna is a baby in the first timeine and is a teenager attempting to understand the world and her place in it in the second timeline.
The novel seamlessly jumps back and forth, to the treaties the main characters work through to ensure peace after the war and the consequences of those treaties in the later timeline. However, the politics of the world are far from abstract. Sorely is also an important figure in his homeland and although he longs to return, the peace treaties mean going home is now far more complicated.
Sorely is also no stranger to love and loss and Thorpe masterfully allows Sorely's story to pour through onto the page. Politics, love, friendship and secrecy all blend together. Both in the earlier and later timelines - as Sorely attempts to explain the decisions made to Gwenna, desperate to understand - the characters and complicated love of Sorely, Drusius, Cillian and Lena beat strong in the heart of this novel.
The novel is not as perhaps as fierce and as action-packed as Lena's story in the first trilogy, but that makes sense, as Sorely is not Lena. Rather the heart of a poet and musician is wonderfully tuned on every page. The intelligence of Thorpe's world, the stunning depiction and the heart of each character means Sorely's story will stay with me as much as Lena's ever did. I cannot wait for book 5 to come out!
May 30, 2020
This was a wonderful way to lose a weekend. I loved the Empire's Legacy trilogy, and the bridge novella, and have been impatiently waiting for this first part of the next trilogy. It did not disappoint.
Marian Thorpe has so thoroughly imagined this world that it's difficult to believe it's not historical fiction. Every detail is developed, and I can only imagine how much unseen planning went into this.
If the world-building is good, the characters are even better. Empire's Reckoning reunites us with Lena, Cillian, Druisius and Sorley, and introduces an adolescent Gwenna, who is very much in need of Sorley's talents as storyteller to make sense of the complex world in which she will soon play a part.
I could say more, but you need to read this and discover the Empire for yourself.
Marian Thorpe has so thoroughly imagined this world that it's difficult to believe it's not historical fiction. Every detail is developed, and I can only imagine how much unseen planning went into this.
If the world-building is good, the characters are even better. Empire's Reckoning reunites us with Lena, Cillian, Druisius and Sorley, and introduces an adolescent Gwenna, who is very much in need of Sorley's talents as storyteller to make sense of the complex world in which she will soon play a part.
I could say more, but you need to read this and discover the Empire for yourself.
July 12, 2020
A group of countries on the edge of history, this is the story of a new arrangement, a new agreement between states that border each other, overlap and have to find a way to work together. A story which started in the Empire Legacy trilogy, this is a historical fantasy which looks at a group of people at the heart of a political situation. It features Cillian, unwilling politician, linguist and thinker, his wife Lena, warrior, who narrated the original novels, and, Sorley, a musician who has taken over the narration. In this book he narrates the story of his experiences with the couple, as well as Druisius or Druise his companion, bodyguard and lover in two time lines, fourteen years apart. It makes for a complex book, but the element that holds it together is the people, four people who appear in both timelines, strong characters that affect all they meet. Sorley is a vivid narrator, expressing his feelings, often of regret, but also hurt,desire and helplessness. This brilliantly paced book has so much momentum that it is a compelling read. Difficult to categorise, this is such a fascinating book that I was so pleased to have the opportunity to read and review it.
Sorley is a very involved narrator, who has witnessed and been an important part of the lives of the other three people. The book opens with the situation in the later period, as Cillian and Lena lead a community where there are several students studying various topics as part of a new arrangement of countries. Included in the students are Lena and Cillian’s two children, ten year old Colm and fourteen year old Gwenna, the latter appearing in both timelines as an important person in her own right. The rules concerning the community are strict regarding the expression of affection even between married couples, and Cillian’s relationship with Sorley is complex. Lena is still the tough, fierce defender of those she loves. Sorley is about to leave for his homeland, and it is the subject for debate about who is to go with him. Gwenna is already a political figure as her father is of the Emperor’s family, she is officially a princess. Aware of the tensions surrounding her, she complains “Why are there so many secrets in this family?” As the politics of several countries are still complex, fourteen years on from an uneasy settlement, Sorley’s narration returns to that difficult period when the treaties were signed, and Cillian is still recovering from the severe injuries he suffered in a battle. There was confusion about where true loyalties lay, the loves that existed which could not be easily expressed, and the natural concern of a teenager questioning everything about her life and the lives of those around her.
While it is difficult to describe what makes this such a good read, the momentum that draws the reader in, the real insight into the people involved. It is not necessary to have read the books that go before, but they will be irresistible when you have read this wonderful blend of life, love and more in a detailed setting of countryside, farms and fortifications. Sorley’s tale strikes at the heart of his identity and the actions of those around them, and a vivid deeply felt book is the result.
Sorley is a very involved narrator, who has witnessed and been an important part of the lives of the other three people. The book opens with the situation in the later period, as Cillian and Lena lead a community where there are several students studying various topics as part of a new arrangement of countries. Included in the students are Lena and Cillian’s two children, ten year old Colm and fourteen year old Gwenna, the latter appearing in both timelines as an important person in her own right. The rules concerning the community are strict regarding the expression of affection even between married couples, and Cillian’s relationship with Sorley is complex. Lena is still the tough, fierce defender of those she loves. Sorley is about to leave for his homeland, and it is the subject for debate about who is to go with him. Gwenna is already a political figure as her father is of the Emperor’s family, she is officially a princess. Aware of the tensions surrounding her, she complains “Why are there so many secrets in this family?” As the politics of several countries are still complex, fourteen years on from an uneasy settlement, Sorley’s narration returns to that difficult period when the treaties were signed, and Cillian is still recovering from the severe injuries he suffered in a battle. There was confusion about where true loyalties lay, the loves that existed which could not be easily expressed, and the natural concern of a teenager questioning everything about her life and the lives of those around her.
While it is difficult to describe what makes this such a good read, the momentum that draws the reader in, the real insight into the people involved. It is not necessary to have read the books that go before, but they will be irresistible when you have read this wonderful blend of life, love and more in a detailed setting of countryside, farms and fortifications. Sorley’s tale strikes at the heart of his identity and the actions of those around them, and a vivid deeply felt book is the result.
June 15, 2020
Empire's Reckoning is the first in a proposed new trilogy from the author of the Empire's Legacy series. That first trilogy was told by the main character, Lena and we followed her story through times of war and change across the fictional empire. We review Ms Thorpe's books here on Discovering Diamonds because while they are fantasy, they are so grounded in historical research that reading them feels like reading historical fiction, right down to the different languages used in various parts of the empire.
In this new book, the narrator is no longer Lena, but Sorley, a musician whom we met in part two of the previous trilogy. I happen to have read the bridge novella, Oraiáphon, too, which is also told by Sorley and fills in some gaps between the conclusion of the first series and the beginning of the second.
In this new volume, we learn about what has happened to Sorley in the intervening years, and travel with him back to his homeland. The book switches from events immediately after the last series ended, to fifteen years afterwards as Sorley discovers things about the past and has to decide how much to reveal to the next generation. In revealing secrets, will he be guilty of betrayal himself?
I've talked in previous reviews about the skilful world-building and deep, realistic characterisation of Ms Thorpe's books and the same must be said of Empire's Reckoning. It took me a while to get used to hearing Sorley telling the story, but he is just as good a narrator as Lena was.
For those who love sweeping sagas, beautifully described settings and a real sense of watching the characters as they go about their lives, I can't rate this highly enough. As always with these books, it's like you are in the room, witnessing every scene.
I would say though that in this volume, the theme is very much that of secrets being revealed and to get the most out of this book, I feel that you need to have read the preceding volumes, including the novella, which introduces a couple of new characters who feature here. But having said that, all good series are worth reading from the beginning to gain full enjoyment!
Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
In this new book, the narrator is no longer Lena, but Sorley, a musician whom we met in part two of the previous trilogy. I happen to have read the bridge novella, Oraiáphon, too, which is also told by Sorley and fills in some gaps between the conclusion of the first series and the beginning of the second.
In this new volume, we learn about what has happened to Sorley in the intervening years, and travel with him back to his homeland. The book switches from events immediately after the last series ended, to fifteen years afterwards as Sorley discovers things about the past and has to decide how much to reveal to the next generation. In revealing secrets, will he be guilty of betrayal himself?
I've talked in previous reviews about the skilful world-building and deep, realistic characterisation of Ms Thorpe's books and the same must be said of Empire's Reckoning. It took me a while to get used to hearing Sorley telling the story, but he is just as good a narrator as Lena was.
For those who love sweeping sagas, beautifully described settings and a real sense of watching the characters as they go about their lives, I can't rate this highly enough. As always with these books, it's like you are in the room, witnessing every scene.
I would say though that in this volume, the theme is very much that of secrets being revealed and to get the most out of this book, I feel that you need to have read the preceding volumes, including the novella, which introduces a couple of new characters who feature here. But having said that, all good series are worth reading from the beginning to gain full enjoyment!
Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
August 2, 2020
This is an excellent start to a new series. This time, we see the world from Sorley's point of view. I was impressed with the wide range of emotions (longing, pride, humor) I felt as a reader through his eyes. Thorpe's descriptions of people's mannerisms made her characters come alive and feel unique to the reader. I never felt that any characters were cardboard cutouts, for example.
I also loved the world Thorpe created. The book's world has clear parallels to Europe after the Roman Empire's zenith in the form of linguistic clues, place and personal names, and culture. As an example, the Romans had clear delineations between public life and private life. This tension plays out in all of Thorpe's novels. At the same time, the world she constructed has a distinct feel. Fans of Guy Gavriel Kay will love Thorpe's work as will those who like fantasy and historical novels. Highly recommended.
I also loved the world Thorpe created. The book's world has clear parallels to Europe after the Roman Empire's zenith in the form of linguistic clues, place and personal names, and culture. As an example, the Romans had clear delineations between public life and private life. This tension plays out in all of Thorpe's novels. At the same time, the world she constructed has a distinct feel. Fans of Guy Gavriel Kay will love Thorpe's work as will those who like fantasy and historical novels. Highly recommended.
July 4, 2020
Relationships can be complicated
I loved The Empire’s Legacy series, and this book is a continuation of that series, but with a new narrator, Sorley. It was fun getting more of his backstory and childhood, and more about his relationship with Cillian. We were also introduced to Cillian and Lena’s firstborn, Gwenna.
This story didn’t have as much action in it as the previous books, but took a deep dive into the relationships of the people we fell in love with in the earlier series. Ms. Thorpe does an excellent job again with blending a sense of history and fantasy in this book. Recommend.
I loved The Empire’s Legacy series, and this book is a continuation of that series, but with a new narrator, Sorley. It was fun getting more of his backstory and childhood, and more about his relationship with Cillian. We were also introduced to Cillian and Lena’s firstborn, Gwenna.
This story didn’t have as much action in it as the previous books, but took a deep dive into the relationships of the people we fell in love with in the earlier series. Ms. Thorpe does an excellent job again with blending a sense of history and fantasy in this book. Recommend.
August 1, 2020
Let me start by saying if you haven’t already read the Empire’s Legacy trilogy, go away and do that now, and then come back to read this review. Although I think there is enough backstory in Empire’s Reckoning for it to make sense if you picked it up with reading the first trilogy, you will be missing out on a really wonderful series if you don’t read it, and it adds so much depth to this book too. I also thoroughly recommend reading the novella Oraiáphon in between the two trilogies. It is a wonderful book, and offers a deeply emotional insight into what happens immediately after the Battle of the Taiva at the end of Empire’s Exile. It also works as a really good way of easing you in to the narrator change that occurs for Empire’s Reckoning.
Getting back to Empire’s Reckoning, I am pleased to report that I loved this book just as much, if not more, than the Empire’s Legacy trilogy. It has a gentler, more emotional feel to it than the first trilogy, which I feel is reflective of the differences between Lena and Sorley’s personalities. Sorley has long been a favourite of mine and him picking up the narrative felt like the perfect way to move forward. Empire’s Reckoning is a tale of love and shared history, and could really only be told by a scaeli of Linrathe.
Picking up some years after the end of Empire’s Exile, Empire’s Reckoning offers a fascinating look at what happened next for some of the much loved characters, and gave an insight into how they had changed and grown in the intervening years. That said, as much as liked reading about where everyone was now, it was the slow unpeeling of the years between the two books that I really enjoyed, seeing how each of them got to the point they were now at, and unveiling the intricacies of their relationships and betrayals.
Often with fantasy and alternate world books, it is easy to completely separate them from the reality of the world that we live in, and I think it is testament to Marian L Thorpe’s writing skill that this book really made me stop and think about various prejudices that exist throughout the world, and how these can be set aside to create something better.
I could gush about this book for ages, but that would eat into valuable reading time for you, so instead I will let you head off to your favourite outlet for books so you can buy all five of the books set in this wonderfully rich world and settle down for a few happy days reading.
Getting back to Empire’s Reckoning, I am pleased to report that I loved this book just as much, if not more, than the Empire’s Legacy trilogy. It has a gentler, more emotional feel to it than the first trilogy, which I feel is reflective of the differences between Lena and Sorley’s personalities. Sorley has long been a favourite of mine and him picking up the narrative felt like the perfect way to move forward. Empire’s Reckoning is a tale of love and shared history, and could really only be told by a scaeli of Linrathe.
Picking up some years after the end of Empire’s Exile, Empire’s Reckoning offers a fascinating look at what happened next for some of the much loved characters, and gave an insight into how they had changed and grown in the intervening years. That said, as much as liked reading about where everyone was now, it was the slow unpeeling of the years between the two books that I really enjoyed, seeing how each of them got to the point they were now at, and unveiling the intricacies of their relationships and betrayals.
Often with fantasy and alternate world books, it is easy to completely separate them from the reality of the world that we live in, and I think it is testament to Marian L Thorpe’s writing skill that this book really made me stop and think about various prejudices that exist throughout the world, and how these can be set aside to create something better.
I could gush about this book for ages, but that would eat into valuable reading time for you, so instead I will let you head off to your favourite outlet for books so you can buy all five of the books set in this wonderfully rich world and settle down for a few happy days reading.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews