Ghosts of the Scattered Kingdoms

by Wade Garret

Flintlock fantasy and post-apocalyptic sci-fi collide in this tale perfect for fans of Steven Erikson and Brian McClellan.Once a place of magic and modern industry, the old empire has fallen into ruin. The remaining patchwork of torchlit bergs are full of unrest and followers of the Enemy. Arium Black, the Rebellion's best man, has dedicated his life to bringing down these foul agents and their familiars. In return, they killed everyone he cared about. It's a bloody game they're playing, but it's one he means to win.When he returns to his safe house in Pehat's Berg, however, he discovers the Enemy may have gained the upper hand. There are agents in the Berg, looking for him. Thus, begins the longest night of Black's life.

Genres: Fantasy

284 pages, Paperback

Published November 23, 2021

About the author

Born in NY, but raised in the Southern United States, Wade is married to a wonderful woman and lucky to have his first beautiful daughter. When not reading, writing or occasionally drinking at the pub, he can be found researching the latest comics or in the chair of his favorite tattoo shop. GENESIS is only the beginning of Mr. Garret’s epic Kingdom Come series.

Reviews

[Arthur Fortune · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If Anna Smith Spark is the queen of grim dark and Brian McClellan is the king of flintlock fantasy then Wade Garrett has to be the five star general leading the industrial punk revolution”

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this one, had some great ideas, but it needed some more editing and sharper writing sometimes less words are better and have more of impact in telling a story.

[Nick Dutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of cool concepts in this book and I probably would've rated it higher if they were more fleshed out. I don't often ask for more pages, but I would've enjoyed more world-building early on to make the ending more impactful.

I do think the author is onto something here and will be watching for the next book.

[Sheree Lyons]

Great characters

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I look forward to reading book 2, and many more in the future. Thanks Wade

[Jeffrey Philips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wade Garret did an excellent job of creating new worlds. The book is filled with mystery and adventures. The book had me gripped on every page.

[Eduardo Azevedo Graça · Rating 1 out of 5]

I finally got through what i felt was one of the most difficult reading experiences i ever had. Being a massive fan of Sci-fi, fantasy and newpunk environments i was captivated by the synopsis of the book when i figured wanted to read a fantasy novel.
So, this book is either one of two things. One: Demands investigation on the world it is set on/is a sequel to a book i couldn't find online. All my research didn't get me anywhere in trying to find a sequel. Two: Just a complete mess in terms of pace, characters and world building.

[M.P. McVey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read any Flintlock Fantasy before, but this book was a wonderful introduction. It's filled with well-paced action and interesting characters. The world building is top notched, too. You can read my full review on my site!
http://mpmcvey.com/2021/11/17/ghosts-...

[Sunyi Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great debut in the flintlock fantasy tradition with a highly memorable character (the rather well named Mr. Black) who moves through an appropriately dark and weary world. Atmospheric and punchy, with complex characters and and a grounded setting. (I'm trying to write this without too many spoilers!)

[Scott Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of Wade's previous work, I was excited to jump into Ghosts of the Scattered Kingdoms. I really enjoyed the fantasy noir vibes I got from Arium Black's introduction. As the night goes on the story becomes a race against time and a fight for survival against monstrous enemies. I loved the characters and thrilling adventure. I highly recommend!

[Ville · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too meandering for the genre

The world seems well-layered and hints at a larger inteigue are more than welcome. However, focus is split between too many characters, I consistently get a feeling that this should have been preceded at least two books, and the shifts between narration and exposition are jarring.

[Belinda Richee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read!

Great characters, lots of monsters, magic, and mayhem! Lots going on in this story to keep you watching out for the sequel. But it definitely has the chance of being the next great series. Loved it!

[Jake Bucsko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellently done, very well written and expertly paced. Highly recommended to any dark fantasy readers or those looking to dive in for the first time.

[Mr. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

need more books like this

I love this book. Good story and intresting characters. And a good plot. I have never heard about this author before, but i am happy i read this book

[Marco Landi · Rating 3 out of 5]

In qualche punto tra 2.5 e 3 stelle..
Il libro è un misto di sci fi e fantasy, un po' tipo Vagrant.. una sorta di mondo post apocalittico dove c'è tecnologia come metropolitane o androidi, ma tutto sta andando in malora e marcendo.. ci sono armi da fuoco, e strane creature, mostri di vario tipo.. il mondo creato è interessante, e lo stile usato particolare.. è uno di quei libri che richiede un atto di fede, tipo Malazan, dove uno deve andare avanti a leggere e prima o poi capisce.. si perché l'autore investe il lettore di nomi, luoghi, bestie, armi, titoli di ogni tipo e solo dopo diverse pagine si capisce un po' cosa sono.. il problema vero e proprio è che continua a farlo fino alle ultime pagine, e quindi tante cose restano non spiegate e da metà in poi anziché rendere il tutto affascinante come all'inizio, il tutto diventa noioso e fastidioso.. in più la trama non è che poi si rivela questo granché.. fino a metà è interessante, ma poi dopo che passa un botto di capitoli a far partite una metro, per nulla interessante, diventa tutto chiacchere fino alla fine, e la risoluzione finale è piuttosto semplicistica.. quando poi il protagonista estrae la sua spada incantata e tutto sembra diventare fighissimo, beh, il libro finisce.. vabbè, non credo di continuare la storia se esce un secondo volume..

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars.

Took me a long time to get through this for various reasons, not all of which had to do with this book.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Mr. Black was a strange character, which is not at all a bad thing, and there are some pages in here with some excellent writing.

But sections of this book confused the hell out of me, because there are probably two or three novels worth of backstory and history here that buried THIS story. I spent way too much time trying to figure out what to pay attention to, and trying to decide what world building was important to THIS story, and what were things and names I didn't need to know. At times there seemed to be a focus on atmosphere over story or plot or character, all of which slowed the pacing down.

Garret can write. What this book suffered from, for me anyway, was a lack of clarity, and an unmuddied plot thread to pull readers through from the beginning to the end. What it needs, imho, is one more edit.

[Sheldon Matson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m still coughing up dust and gun smoke after this read. I’m officially adding a new author to my shelf, because Wade Garret delivers a brutal, relentless story where survival is never guaranteed. From page one, you’re thrown into a world of ruins with Mr. Black and a cast of hardened survivors fighting their way through enemies, killers, traitors, and paranormal horrors. It’s the kind of story where survival feels like a rumor, not a promise. By the final pages, I wasn’t sure who would make it out alive and that tension never lets go. Garret doesn’t just tell a story; he drags you through every desperate, violent moment of it, leaving you wondering how anyone survived the night.

[Andy Robson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea what to expect with this book but since i enjoyed the authors previous novel i thought i'd give it a whirl. What started out as dark fantasy took a sharp turn with buried technology ,assassinations and amazing and violent creatures. Very well written and very creepy in places. Go read it!!

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting mash up of genres. It felt like sci fi at times, fantasy and horror at others, alternating between flintlock and steampunk anachronism and futuristic technology. Definitely a good choice if you’re looking for something that doesn’t fit neatly into the usual boxes.