The Tyranny of Faith

Empire of the Wolf #2

by Richard Swan

From a major new debut author in epic fantasy comes the second book in a trilogy where action, intrigue, and magic collide. Sir Konrad Vonvalt is an Emperor's Justice: a detective, judge, and executioner all in one. But these are dangerous times to be a Justice....

A Justice's work is never done.

The Battle of Galen's Vale is over, but the war for the Empire's future has just begun. Concerned by rumors that the Magistratum's authority is waning, Sir Konrad Vonvalt returns to Sova to find the capital city gripped by intrigue and whispers of rebellion. In the Senate, patricians speak openly against the Emperor, while fanatics preach holy vengeance on the streets.

Yet facing down these threats to the throne will have to wait, for the Emperor's grandson has been kidnapped - and Vonvalt is charged with rescuing the missing prince. His quest will lead him - and his allies Helena, Bressinger and Sir Radomir - to the southern frontier, where they will once again face the puritanical fury of Bartholomew Claver and his templar knights - and a dark power far more terrifying than they could have imagined.

"Richard Swan's sophisticated take on the fantasy genre will leave readers hungry for more." - Sebastien de Castell on The Justice of Kings

"A fantastic debut." - Peter McLean on The Justice of Kings

Also by Richard Swan:

The Empire of the Wolf
The Justice of Kings
The Tyranny of Faith

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Audiobook, High Fantasy, Adult, Dark Fantasy

496 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 14, 2023

About the author

Richard Swan is a critically acclaimed British genre writer. He is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling Empire of the Wolf and Great Silence trilogies, as well as fiction for Black Library and Grimdark Magazine. His work has been translated into ten languages.

Richard is a qualified lawyer, and before writing full time spent ten years litigating multimillion pound commercial disputes in London. He currently lives in Sydney with his wife and three young sons.


For updates follow him at stonetemplelibrary.com.

Reviews

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 stars

The Tyranny of Faith is a great sequel filled with wonderful characterizations, thought-provoking passages, and explosive ending sequences.

“If our lives were inherently meaningless, were we not obliged to extract every happiness from it that we could?”

First things first, if it has been a while since you've read The Justice of Kings and you don't have the time to reread the first book before reading this one, Richard Swan has prepared a detailed recap of what happened in the first book on his website. Make sure to check it out. I used it, too, and I certainly benefitted from it because I read The Justice of Kings in late 2021. And it wouldn’t be right for me to start this review without giving a proper shoutout to the cover artist, Martina Fackova. I thought the cover art to The Justice of Kings, the first book in the Empire of the Wolf trilogy, which features Justice Konrad Vonvalt, was incredibly striking already. However, Fackova topped it even further with the beautiful cover art of The Tyranny of Faith. Helena Sedanka in the cover art looks badass, and I think this is another victorious cover art from the artist and Orbit Books. I am curious to find out what the cover art of the third and final book of the trilogy will look like. The same goes for the content of the third book, too, of course! But all of that remains to be seen. For now, this is my review of The Tyranny of Faith, the riveting sequel to The Justice of Kings.

“No event simply occurs. Each is the culmination of countless factors that trace their long roots back to the beginning of time. It is easy to bemoan an era of great upheaval as a sudden commingling of misfortunes– but the discerning eye of history tells us that there are few coincidences where the schemes of man are concerned.”—JUSTICE (AS HE THEN WAS) EMMANUEL KANE, THE LEGAL ARMOURY: ENTANGLEMENT, NECROMANCY, AND DIVINATION

The story in The Tyranny of Faith continues from where the previous book ended. The Battle of Galen’s Vale is over, but that doesn’t mean the war for the Empire of the Wolf’s future is finished. The majority of the plot in this book takes place in a new setting, the capital city of Sova. And this capital city is evidently gripped by whispers of conflict and rebellion. Justice Konrad Vonvalt, Helena Sedanka, Dubine Bressinger, and Sir Radomir, however, are ordered by the Emperor to focus on a quest to rescue the missing prince first instead. No man is above the law. If you have heard or read a review or two about The Justice of Kings, there is a good chance you would know about this phrase. Law, morality, and justice are some of the main themes of the first book, and if you loved reading about them before, I am confident you will love reading what Swan has in store in The Tyranny of Faith.

“There are times when a guilty person must go free. There are other times when the difference between a just killing and murder is procedural formality.”

I have a difficult time deciding which book I love more, The Justice of Kings or The Tyranny of Faith. Halfway through the novel, I was confident I loved the first book more. This isn't to say The Tyranny of Faith was ever bad or boring to me. Swan's prose did not allow me to feel bored reading his books; if we're speaking of writing quality and memorable passages about justice and morality, this one was unquestionably superior to the first book. But the entire plotline regarding the missing prince almost felt like filler. I knew it wouldn't be the case; there MUST be something important to this plot thread that takes up more or less half of the book. And yeah, there were. But we did not reap the satisfying result until late into the novel. Until we reached the last 30% of the book, the pacing sometimes felt on and off to me. I will go back to talking about the final 30% of the book later. Allow me to say this first. Even though this missing prince quest felt like filler initially, Swan did include many crucial character moments and development as compensation.

“History is neat. It is packaged, artificially broken up into epochs, and dissected remotely, both geographically and temporally, with the benefit of long hindsight. The reality of living through these turbulent times was much different. Matters are insidious. They build up over time, like small pieces of wood being chipped out of a supporting beam. Complexities and nuances are lost in the retelling of the story. Even this personal account omits a great deal.”

Just like in the first book, the narrator of the series is still Konrad Vonvalt's apprentice and protege: Helena Sedanka. This does not change the fact Justice Konrad Vonvalt is one of the main characters. Heck, sometimes I even forgot this book is written from the perspective of Helena just because so many story and conflicts centers around Vonvalt's and his decisions. But comparatively, there were several scenes where Helena shined bright in the spotlight. In The Justice of Kings, Vonvalt, Helena, and Dubine Bressinger were the trio characters of the book. In The Tyranny of Faith, Sir Radomir can now be added to the equation, and the book is better for it. These characters are lonely individuals, and they don't have a lot of, or any, real friends other than each other. I think the relationship development between Konrad Vonvalt and Helena Sedanka will be divisive among readers. Even as I write this review, I am still unsure what to think about it. However, I am confident many will agree it was so good and heartwarming seeing the relationship development between every one of these four characters and having more background revealed on Vonvalt and Dubine.

“It is strange how when two people are of one mind, thoughts can be expressed as clearly as if some third party were to appear out of thin air and speak them aloud.”

To me, one of the most surprising elements of this book was how much the villain grew to become so memorable. We know that Vonvalt wouldn't be the perfect paragon of virtue Helena seemed to think he is. I do not consider it a spoiler at all to say that. But Vonvalt's existence and the tenacity of the law keepers are necessary to fight against the evil that is Bartholomew Claver. My memory of Claver was a bit hazy at first. He felt like a forgettable villain in the first book for the sake of being the target enemy of the main characters. That notion has changed here. I don't want to say much on this, but Claver is a superb example of what would happen if evil is left unchecked for too long.

“In peace send me the kind, the goodly, and the strong of heart. In war give me the cruel, the hardy, those who will act in want of all honour. The latter build nations; the former sustain them.” COUNT HAMER VON SCHOFF, 2ND MARGRAVE OF SEAGUARD

With a more terrifying villain and increasing danger, it is safe to expect the conflict and circumstances our main characters struggled with here to be more threatening. I've mentioned in my review of The Justice of Kings that the world of the series didn't utilize many magicks. Yes, we have Emperor's Voice, used by Justices to command people to answer questions truthfully, but that's mostly it. This situation is no longer the case here. The Tyranny of Faith displayed grimoires, magicks, and supernaturals that are more potent, violent, and destructive in their nature and execution frequently. And the final 30% of the novel was insane, intense, and brimming with explosive action scenes. Swan did a terrific job writing these chaotic scenes, immersing readers into the chaos and stakes of the situation emotionally and vividly with ease. Everything came together in the final pages of the novel nicely. The wait for the final volume of the series, currently planned to be published in 2024, will be painful. But as always, I will be patient.

“Humankind is not so self-terminating that we would allow our greatest quality– that of our capacity for hope– to be fully extinguished. But I shall readily admit that there are times when we are reduced to fanning the embers.” MISTRESS OF THE MAGISTRATUM NEVENKA ZORIĆ

Overall, The Tyranny of Faith is another enthralling volume in the Empire of the Wolf trilogy. Ask me today, and I will say The Justice of Kings in its entirety is a better book, but ask me tomorrow, and I might end up choosing The Tyranny of Faith over it. The halfway portion of the book did feel like filler at times, but it's worth persevering through. The ending sequence of this book was so impactful, and I am eagerly looking forward to reading the third book as soon as possible.

“The Nemans preach that if one is good and moral in the course of their life, paradise awaits them in the afterlife. Well, in my experience the afterlife and everything in it is completely indifferent to us and our ‘souls’. One should lead a good and moral life because that is the right thing to do as an end in itself.”

You can pre-order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel

Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!

My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Barbara, Brad, Casey, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, Radiah, Romeo, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.

[Allen Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review to come.

This book is an anxiety-inducing, heartpounding mystery in this world and the next. Very different in scope and stakes than book 1 and just as good. I don't even know how I'll go another year without seeing how this concludes!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[William Gwynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A BookTube review of The Tyranny of Faith with my brother - The Brothers Gwynne

I have been lucky enough to be granted early access through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

This is a great sequel to The Justice of Kings that amps up the tension as we journey to the capital of the Sovan Empire. This is rife with mysteries, political intrigue, action and moving forces. The twist and turns and revelations in the final third are simply outstanding, and Richard Swan does a brilliant job setting up the final act to make it as impactful as possible. So satisfying.

Richard Swan really explores the relationships that keep his main cast together. Their interactions are complex, with so much subtext coming into play that evokes so much emotion. The scenes with Bressinger, Radomir and Helena together were some of my favourites, as we see how friendships are strained under dire circumstances, and we see an insight into what really drives them. Very engaging and rewarding.

I love the discussion between the law, justice, and what it right, and how these at times do not go together. As our driving characters are Sir Konrad, an Emperor's Justice who is judge, jury and executioner in one, and Helena who is training under him, this elevates that discussion even more. When rules are bent for the 'greater good' or to deliver justice, is it right? Richard Swan does not give us answers, which I also loved! This is a book that will present problems and questions and turning points, but then leaves it up to us to decide what it signifies and what is 'right'. A thought-provoking edge throughout a tense read.

Overall, I thought Tyranny of Faith was great, It has a great dose of mystery as we are introduced to the capital of the Sovan Empire, a completely different setting from book one of this series. But whilst changing a lot, it also maintains what I thoroughly enjoyed about The Justice of Kings. It just raises the stakes. A lot! A great core cast, with dynamic relationships, and an amazing build up to a climactic conclusion full of twist and turns and just outright chaos.

I highly recommend to those looking for something fresh in the fantasy genre!

5/5 STARS

[Library of a Viking · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite reads of the year!

I read The Justice of Kings in January, and it is one of my favourite books of the year. I was, therefore, incredibly excited to continue this series with The Tyranny of Faith. So what did I think?

Let me start by stating that I loved this book. This book delivered on almost every single thing I was hoping to see more of in this series. Firstly, The Tyranny of Faith fully embraces its fantastical elements. Magic and forbidden magic, demons and other horrifying creatures play a significant role in this book! This book was significantly darker than The Justice of Kings, which I loved. Secondly, the plot thickens considerably, and the number of twists and turns makes this a riveting read. Thirdly, this book has an absolutely epic conclusion – one of the most satisfying and page-turning endings I have read. I read the last 125 pages in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. There were so many moments where I literally gasped!

I also love how this story is presented. Similarly to book 1, this book is told through Helena’s point of view and explores the character of Konrad. The fact that the reader knows that Helena and Konrad will survive at least the first two books should make you expect that there wouldn’t be as much tension. However, this book filled me with excitement which goes to show how talented Richard Swan is as an author.

I also love that this book focuses much more on dialogue and exploring characters and themes over action sequences. Yes, there is action in this book, but that is not the main focus. The Empire of the Wolf has made me realise that I need to read more fantasy books that focus more on “dialogue” and “intrigue” over action – recommendations are welcome!

However, I can see some readers having issues with the pacing. The section from 30% to 60% is relatively slow and, initially, almost feels like a “side mission”. However, Swan brilliantly ties everything together in the final act, so I would recommend trusting the process. Everything Swan has put in place serves a purpose for the final act – and the payoff is worth it!

In conclusion, Ì will say that if you loved The Justice of Kings, you will likely enjoy this book as well. The Tyranny of Faith is a riveting read, full of twists and turns and is one of my favourite reads of the year. I can’t wait for the final volume in this series!

5 / 5 stars

Thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Nick Borrelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original review posted on my blog Out of This World SFF:
https://outofthisworldrev.blogspot.co...

Richard Swan's The Justice of Kings is one of the best fantasy books I have ever read and it ultimately ended up being my clear cut choice for top read of 2022. So it goes without saying that the sequel THE TYRANNY OF FAITH had a lot to live up to. Would it continue the action-packed pacing and brilliant intrigue that I loved so much in book one? Or would it fall prey to the "set-up" book syndrome where nothing much gets advanced in preparation for a rip roaring finish? Well turns out I needn't have worried too much because TTOF was not only book one's equal, but it may have surpassed it in pretty much every way possible.

THE TYRANNY OF FAITH picks up right where the amazing ending of the first entry left off. Konrad Vonvalt is now charged by the Emperor with trying to get a handle on a very tenuous situation where potential revolution is brewing on the outskirts of the center of the Empire Sova. Part of that is seeking out those religious fanatics who are fomenting dissent among the populace and snuffing them out when and where they are found. But it isn't going to be easy as the charismatic Patria Claver has gained much momentum and there is even talk that he may be gaining otherworldly powers through dealings with some dark and sinister friends.

A once stable Sova is now very vulnerable to Claver and his adherents as a conspiratorial powder keg is edging closer and closer to exploding. Throw into the mix that the Emperor's grandson is inexplicably kidnapped and the skills of Vonvalt, Helena, and company are pushed to their very limits as an almost inevitable collision is on the horizon between two incredibly powerful factions that both want the same thing - ultimate and overwhelming control of the empire.

I can't stress enough just how wonderfully written this series is. The plotting is beautifully laid out, the double-dealing and treachery is insanely good, the characters are all morally gray and never behave the way you might expect, and the magic and worldbuilding are simply breathtaking. I'm hard pressed to think of another fantasy series that left me this flabbergasted with what happened at the conclusion of book two. I have no idea how Richard Swan is going to tie everything up and resolve the incredible shit storm he has created here, but I'm not betting against him given what I've read thus far. And I'm sure that whatever he comes up with will be just as masterful and a finale for the ages.

If you haven't yet started the Empire of the Wolf series you are really depriving yourself of what I believe will be one of the great works of fantasy fiction when all is said and done. If you love the truly epic stories of Robin Hobb, Joe Abercrombie, and Tad Williams, then you should jump on this series immediately. It's supremely dark in all the right places, occasionally rips your heart from your chest, dazzles you with next level magic, and just flat out compels you to keep on reading by virtue of its unputdownable story. I don't like to gush because I feel like it can be viewed as unprofessional at times, but this book and series deserves to be gushed about in the grandest of fashion, it's really that impressive. Kudos to Richard Swan for delivering yet another overwhelming success in THE TYRANNY OF FAITH. I don't know how I'm going to deal with the anticipation for the next volume.

[Christopher Buehlman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rarely do I enjoy the second book in a series more than the first, and never before have I enjoyed one so much that I immediately revisited book one AND took a second lap around the sequel.

Richard Swan’s villains get even nastier and stronger in this brilliantly-paced follow-up, and we dive much further into magic and the occult. In fact, an argument could be made that The Tyranny of Faith is a full-on Fantasy/horror hybrid, what with its resurrected dead being piloted by far away magickers, its unfathomable gods, and a persistent extradimensional soul-sucker with a moth’s head but a sharp-toothed human mouth.

As in book one, Swan’s characters are the real stars, and are never eclipsed by the fantastical. Sir Radovan Dragić, the crusty old alcoholic sheriff from Galen’s Vale, has joined Vonvalt’s retinue, and I could listen to him spar with fellow taskman Bressinger all day, in between telling deserving criminals to fuck off (these are his favorite two words). And narrator Helena’s evolving feelings toward her employer/savior/mentor/crush Vonvalt as he impresses her with his gravitas or disappoints her with his all-too-human moral lapses ring very true.

We also go further afield in Tyranny, exploring both the Imperial capital, Sova, and the southern frontiers where battered castles cast their shadows on flowered plains while this world’s Templars attempt to colonize the locals.

Heinrich the Sovan war shepherd is a nice touch for those of us who enjoy the company of canines, as well.

Richard Swan has now written two fantasy books that I’m shelving with my favorites of the genre.

I can’t wait for the third.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
The Justice of Kings was one of my favourite fantasy books published last year so I was very excited to continue on with The Tyranny of Faith. I was so excited that I read this book twice. After finishing the second read through, I must conclude this book is very better than the first.

The prose continues to be strong, but the character development really stole the show. At times, these books are slower paced, yet I found myself gripped. There were some particularly character interactions that me caught me off guard but work so well.
(Ch XXX... I'm looking at you)

Needless to say, I'm now dying for the third and finale book. This epic fantasy series has earned a place among my favourites.

I would recommend this series to readers looking for a rich new piece of fantasy.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I review books on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheShadesofOrange

[John Mauro · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tyranny of Faith continues the story of Justice Vonvalt and his apprentice, Helena. This second book of the Empire of the Wolf trilogy doesn't quite live up to The Justice of Kings. The last 30% of the book is excellent, full of action and unexpected twists. But the first 70% of the book suffers a bit from uneven pacing. I feel like a hundred page or so could be cut from the first part of the book to tighten up the story.

Highlights of this second book include plenty of necromancy and excellent character development for our band of protagonists. There is certainly lots of love here, despite some shortcomings early on.

[Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller

[4.5/5 stars!] One of the best books I read last year!

I liked Justice of Kings quite a bit, but wasn’t blown away by it. Even though the unconventional narrative won me over and I enjoyed my experience, I found the main character a bit hard to read and the mystery a bit underwhelming. By grace of the book gods, I picked up the sequel immediately and I’m SO GLAD I DID!

Gone were my problems with the main character – she grew into her own in a way that felt progressive and organic. I found a personal connection to her I was missing in the first book and as a result was 100% invested. In fact, all of the characters were compelling in their own way, their story arcs taking totally different directions than I was predicting – I love that. My favorite thing about the book, easily, was the relationships and bonds between the characters and the overwhelming sense of camaraderie. I usually have to pick up a Greatcoats novel for that.

The mystery element was awesome, involving a lot of moving pieces and gradually revealing answers without being too over-complicated. If I wasn’t in it completely for the characters, I would’ve been compelled to keep reading anyway just to figure out whodunnit. I loved the mash-up of fantasy/mystery (it read like a fantasy) and especially appreciated the legal components included in the book. There was this great debate of morality and justice on the merits of following the letter of the law vs. the spirit of it, which was particularly good food for thought and added a lot of depth. It’s great when authors can present grey-area problems that don’t have a clear right answer. It’s up to the characters to decide which hard decision to make and I find the thought-process fascinating. This is an intelligently written book.

The magic system was also a lot more realized. I usually don’t have patience for metaphysical components, but here it was handled well enough that for once it didn’t bother me.

And to boot: it was funnier.

Overall, I can’t wait for the next one!

Recommendations: pick up this series for great character companionship, an interesting exploration of justice, and an unconventional POV writing style. This series gets better and better as it goes along.

Thank you to my Patrons: Filipe, Dave, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Katrin, Melissa, and Derek! <3

Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com

I'd like to thank Richard Swan, Orbit Books, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of Tyranny of Faith - I loved it! :D

Other books you might like:

[S. ≽^•⩊•^≼ I'm not here yet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid 10/10
I'm Speechless.



Don't come down, I really have no idea how to write anything about this book. I was just reading my review of The Justice of Kings, Empire of the Wolf's first book, already find it one of my best books of all time, I expressed my love to Konrad, all the characters, their relationship and their loyalty to each other, The Justice of Kings was indeed my whole heart.

Now I'm here, sitting in front of my laptop, looking out of windows to the crowded city and have nothing to say about this excellent sequel, The Tyranny of Faith that unexpectedly, cruelly and unfairly was much better than the prior!

For the one who didn't read this series, first, do consider yourself lost (especially when dark fantasy is your type!), second, do not hesitate to read this book and third, know that:
This is the story of Sir Konrad Vonvalt, the story of the rise and fall of the Sovan Empire, Empire of the Wolf!

And now for the ones who read the first book,
After the events in The Justice of Kings, Justice Konrad Vonvalt in company with Helena Sedanka, his clerk (and the narrator of the story), Dubine Bressinger, Vonvalt’s taskman, and Sir Radomir, the former Sheriff of Galen’s Vale, arrived to the Capital city of the Sovan Empire, Sova, city of emperor and justices.

And there will be bloodshot, betrayal, twists and turns and many things you never will guess and make you insomnia, heartbroken and mad! I really, I mean truly, walked in this city, watched and felt everything.

From now on I can not fall in love with any books, I may be like, enjoy or even love a book but no, I am sure of it, this never going to happen, there will not be another Empire of the Wolf! Still, we have another book, The Ruin of Empires

My huge thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Orbit via NetGalley for giving me the chance to read The Tyranny of Faith (Empire of the Wolf #2), I have given my honest review with a broken heart. Richard Swan, you turned my world upside down!

[Read By Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this follow up to Justice of Kings! Helena, Vonvalt, and co get even deeper characterization and the political situation and magic is greatly expanded here. The magic is insane...very eldritch horror style, and some of it was genuinely frightening.

The middle of this book deals with a sub plot that made my interest wane, but Swan makes this plot matter for the end and the last third of this book is explosive and addicting. The villain in this series is such a great one, even if he is pretty one note. Just a guy you love to hate.

I will say though, my least favorite part of this series continues to be anything romance related. Several bizarre choices are made here that I wish weren't. And I think Vonvalt and Helena's characters sometimes suffered from lack of communication, which is especially frustrating because in book one they communicated well. Still, these were minor issues for me.

9/10

[ivanareadsalot · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tyranny of Faith was an exceptionally brutal 2nd installment in the Empire of the Wolf series! The gore, the horror, the supernatural dark energy reached yet another level, and I obviously loved every second of it! Ahhhhh and all the political upheavals and betrayals, while obvious, were still awful and deeply affecting! We also love a dependable furbaby with killer instincts, so Heinrich was an automatic star for being best boy!
 
Richard Swan has written some of the most compulsively readable fantasy I have ever...well, read, in all my life! I just could not look away from this. It was electric and creepy and had a vitality that I found completely arresting. The characters all got grungier, and vulnerability was the name of this arc, which saw everyone go from a place of intrinsic power to the short end of the stick.
 
Except for helena, who as you know irritates me to no end, but when she’s not whining and complaining, she’s doing. And what she’s doing is epic. And the reason why I think so is because she’s the least skilled of the group but she has the potential to do some VERY scary and dangerous otherworldly shit, AND also wage real world stabby violence, despite her quaking fear which is sooo real! everything she does is messy and screams newbie. Like disastrous. She’s pretty much awkward and graceless at everything, and I commend that characterization because her going from zero to hero in every situation should ALWAYS look like that in fantasy!
 
Vonvalt’s massaging my brain like a beast. His transformation, his demonstrable power in waning range, his fallibility and his core substance...his depth on display…my gawd Book 2 basically turned him inside out and served up all his imperfections on a platter! but really, only helena was disabused of her notions of the man’s experiential truth. Because it's understood on a level that battle tested warriors will have and keep secrets of a past spent in combat and bloodshed. For both conquerors and the conquered, there’s no such thing as clean killing. All purveyors of violence tracks. It’s a state of being that cannot be unlived. But it can be repackaged and repurposed and be imbued with the Emperor’s Voice and continue onwards with privilege and power.

Until it’s taken away again, and the system reduces the hero to ashes and the bones determine who rises and who returns to the aether.

the empire is imploding, and I’ve no idea what is going to happen next (because I didn’t read the blurbs for Books 2 or 3 to keep my reading experience free of influence), but I’m excited for everything to come because there’s black rep on the cover of The Trials of Empire and I legit fucking cried BECAUSE YES TO ALL OF THAT!!! this series has been outstanding so far, and top tier best fantasy I’ve read to date! each book has evoked some of the richest, most vigorous wonders of the genre, and I can’t wait to see out the Empire of the Wolf through to its epic conclusion!

[Bookish Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Swan needs to add some women to his beta reader group because poor Helena deserves better.

[Brooke (~!Books are my Favorite!!~) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ 5.0 for this Darkest of Fantasies
Disintegration and Putrification of a Corrupt Empire
🖤 The Tyranny of Faith🖤by Richard Swan is book 2 of the Empire of the Wolf .

Everything about the world of the Sovan Empire feels heavy as if the prose is dragging a heavy iron ball and chain. Because this author is also a master of horror, he suddenly takes that ball and chain and swings it skull-splittingly.

It is said no one forgets their first time in Sova

“When a wound becomes pustulent, it must be debrided; and if it festers further, the limb must be removed. A painful and dangerous process, to be sure, but a necessary one to save a life. The same can be said for the preservation of the state: sometimes, we must cut out those which would enpox it – lest the rot spread.”

The long moral debates of a philosophical nature are sliced through by sometimes very sudden and grim acts of violence and horror. Swan does not shy away from grotesqueness, in fact; he features it. The brutal consequences of violence cannot be avoided for the reader as well as for the characters. The brutal descriptions lend to the overall atmosphere of the decaying empire. Layers upon layers of filth, rot, destruction create a very slow decay, really examining the tired rot of moral destruction.

Vonvalt, imperial Justice to the emperor goes on a mission to Sova to address the political rebellion. He finds out the church has been involved in weaponizing the rebels as traitors. This leads to Vonvalt's crisis of faith and ongoing moral dilemma on top of moral dilemmas. The rebels are not merely fanatics; they are reacting to centuries of sanctioned hypocrisy, exploitation, and selective justice. Vonvalt and Helena uncover more truths about the Empire, and themselves personally. Vonvalt also experiences a degenerative illness, so his body is experiencing decay along with the failed corrupt Empire. “Being the retainer of a prince was exhausting.”

“No one is above the law” in High Saxan was rendered in black iron on the edifice.

The Justices investigate crimes and meet priests who saw first hand how the Empire weaponized doctrine for power. Helena also has a crisis of belief. Her relationship with Vonvalt is in crisis, she partakes on much of the journey alone, witnessing death first hand. She travels through the bowels of the empire. This book has what all Dark Fantasy requires, and what epic fantasy often includes: underground tunnels. So symbolic of digging up the dark and putrid elements of the human soul. There is also a hidden book of spells and lots of descriptions of gothic architecture, buttresses, and gargoyles.

ancient warren of hot, wood-panelled corridors that put me in mind of the labyrinthine tunnels of the kloster in Galen’s Vale.

we detoured away from the vaulted entrance halls and into a labyrinthine sequence of corridors. In that regard, the Imperial Palace was a little like the Grand Lodge: a termite mound of halls, passageways, and chambers, the home of a vast body of retainers and staff that kept the wheels of the Imperial apparatus turning.


Very happy with how this story is being crafted with the themes. Swan's writing paints with broad impressionistic brush stokes to create this dark centuries old world. The world is dense enough with intrigue that a follow-up series is currently being worked on that takes place 200 year after this series. It's been very interesting to get the background details in this world and know the whole history of its un-becoming.

***
“To Sova, and the Two-Headed Wolf, which will eat you whole and shit out your bones.”

Book 1: The Justice of Kings - 4 *
Book 2: The Tyranny of Faith - 5*
Book 3: The Trials of the Empire - TBR

[Edward Gwynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magnificent ending, yet again.

[Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5

A superb follow-up to one of my favourite books of last year, The Justice of Kings. The concept of this series is one of the most unique I’ve come across in fantasy - martial, ancient magic wielding lawyers dispensing justice. I have very little to critique, if at all. I read it in one sitting, it was that brilliant.

The first book in this series was driven by a murder mystery, whereas the sequel is primarily driven by the politics of this world, backed up by a kidnapping subplot. I wouldn’t even say this was an improvement over the first book, as the first book was just that good; it’s just a continuation of the extremely high quality just this time with a larger focus on the politics and impressive world building.

The strongest element of this series however remains its characterisation, particularly that of its four main characters. Helena Sedanka is quickly becoming one of my favourite characters in fantasy and is up there amongst the best female characters in fantasy with the likes of Orka from John Gwynne’s Bloodsworn. Sir Konrad Vonvalt continues to be a fascinating character of moral ambiguity as his charge to mete out justice begins to wrestle with his humanity. Then there’s Sir Radomir, one of my favourite characters from the previous book who very much was in a supporting role, expanded greatly in importance here as he joins the main cast and remains a highlight, as well as his blossoming friendship with my personal favourite character from this series, the tortured Dubine Bressinger. These characters are the heart of this series.

This is excellent Grimdark fantasy. Impressive world building, intricate politics, raw character work, religious zealotry, demons, a nitty-gritty world and to top it all off - there’s a very lovable dog companion. Do not sleep on this series.

[John Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

You have no idea how close I am to saying this is my favorite series ever. If book 3 and his new connected series keeps this trajectory then I’ll definitely say this is contention with my favorite.

I just love the frame narrative of a person thinking back on the past as if they’re telling a story. Since the events have already transpired the narrator can give little clues about what would happen later, for instance, “If I only knew that this would be the last time I ever saw him again”

The prose of this story is just so good and he likes to throw in some big words which really challenges my vocabulary.

The first story was more contained with it seeming to be a story about just enforcing law around the land, but book 2 turned into Vonvolt seemingly sliding into madness the cast is trying to figure out what is going on with the empire and what’s secretly being plotted, which later turns into a cosmic horror novel and my lord the horror in this book was amazing. I refuse to give any details on what it is. You simply must find out for yourself.


2025 5 Star Reads in Preferential Order

The Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan
Heart of the Mountain by Larry Correia
Once There Were Heroes by Philip C Quaintrell
Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
In The Shadow of Kings by Philip C Quaintrell

[vee · Rating 4 out of 5]

”The law is a perfect tool applied to an imperfect world. There are times when a guilty person must go free. There are other times when the difference between a just killing and murder is procedural formality.”

4.25 stars

The Tyranny of Faith offers a lot in terms of elaborations and discourse on morality, legislation, and the makings of an empire. there was much thought to be spared on these aforementioned topics and i enjoyed how the book posed valid arguments on those subjects.

the author also imparts kernels of wisdom and virtue in the form of chapter openers that come with little parables of insight. if i had bought the physical copy i would’ve been highlighting the hell out of them.

THE PLOT
the story is more interesting and fast paced than the previous book but i felt some disconnect between the fantasy elements and the main plot. there were times when it didn’t make any sense. it was as if that specific plot line was added as an afterthought and mostly brought up when the story needed a little push to move forward. nonetheless, i still found it super enjoyable and grim, especially the chilling horror bits.

the discussions and arguments on legal matters were my favourite part of course. i loved reading about how it all worked and the more i learned about it, the more i intrigued i became.

other than that, the world building and descriptions of the locations were fantastic while the prose was rich and pregnant with meaning.

THE CHARACTERS
i really warmed up to helena, bressinger, and sir radomir’s odd little trio in this sequel - especially sir radomir’s vulgar and amusing one liners were nothing short of entertaining.

i had conflicting feelings about helena in this book. she thought justice was black and white but often times it was loosely defined. she had a hard time coming to terms with this fact and couldn’t quite wrap her mind around the intricacies of morality and righteousness. in a way, she was rigid in her own beliefs and discomforted when they were challenged by vonvalt’s actions. i agreed with her on some things but disagreed on others. i also wanted her to become friends with another female character (because lord knows she needed one) but instead she let petty jealousy get in the way. the tension between helena and vonvalt was also palpable and i found myself warming up to it a little despite my initial distaste for her developing romantic feelings for him. aside from all that, she was an otherwise likeable character.

vonvalt exuded power and authority as always but he was losing control over the situation fast, thanks to his eldritch illness and i could feel his frustration through the pages. he seemed cold and withdrawn for most of the story and there wasn’t much nuance added to his character. it’s like he only had one personality. i wanted to see different sides of him but he was only ever vulnerable once in the whole book and while i understand his reasoning behind it, i still wanted to see other aspects of him. i do hope this will be further explored in book 3.

FINAL THOUGHTS
overall, The Tyranny of Faith is much better than it’s predecessor but i did feel as if the book lost its way in certain parts. the payoff at the end was satisfying and i’m glad i sat through the whole thing. a certain character’s death made me cry which was completely unexpected as i had failed to connect with them but kudos to the author for making me care about them in the end. as with any adult fantasy, the gore and violence was turned up a notch but that is just as well because even though it was mildly disturbing, i generally still enjoy those things. i’m excited to see how the story will conclude in the final instalment and hopefully i’ll be able to rate it full stars 🤞🏼.

[Gyan K · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 STARS!

Like its predecessor, great story, awesome writing, great adventure, with horror elements! The horror bit starts to take the stage here. Is it grim dark? Is it horror? A mystery?Cannot decide. A genre bender and a genre blender for sure. Cannot wait for the next one!

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

HELLO, WAKE UP, THE SEQUEL TO ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BOOKS JUST DROPPED, EVERYONE STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND READ THIS INSTEAD. THANK YOU.

I HAVE BEEN not-so-patiently WAITING FOR THIS BOOK FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!! HURRAY!!!

And luckily it didn't fall prey to second book syndrome. Although the pace did seem slower in some parts, but honestly I'm here for the characters and vibes so I don't even mind.

I said in my review of the first book that the writing was amazing and I couldn't see how he could get any better. WELL, my dear friends, he got better. How??? Who knows. Richard Swan could literally write a grocery list and I'd still read it and recommend it to my friends.

You know what else got better? The names. And I'm specifically talking about the Slavic names here (although I did notice the German ones made more sense too), because in there were some that were a mishmash of both Slavic and German cultures and while I was happy to see them, they sounded funny.

This time around it shows that Mr Swan did even more research in between books one and two and some new character names were just perfect. Every time a new one would pop up, whether in the chapter intro or in the chapters themselves, I'd progressively get happier and happier.

It feels like this series was written for me. Like, this is the Slavic rep that I have been looking for my whole life.

And there were also little things, Slavic words that made my soul warm. I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH OKAY? OKAY.

Helena is still the narrator and I really like her PoV. I think she really grew as a character here, especially near the end. All of the characters did some growing actually, and they became closer to each other so if you like the found family trope READ THIS.

AND THERE'S A LITTLE ROMANCE ON THE HORIZON! I can't say that I didn't see it coming but I love this development very much.

The ending is probably my favourite part of the book, also the strongest because everything that's been building up over the course of the book comes together and it's hard to stop reading.

I really like how Mr Swan does endings, both times so far he's proven he can wrap things up while still leaving the reader curious about what is to come. So obviously I can't wait until I get my hands on book three even though I'm not ready to say goodbye to my babies. But yes, I just know that it'll be good and I'll probably cry.

*Huge thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

[Nils | nilsreviewsit · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Stupidity loves company, whilst wisdom must prepare for a lifetime of solitude."

This review may contain minor spoilers for the first book, The Justice of Kings.

In the aftermath of The Battle at Galen’s Vale, Sir Konrad Vonvalt, Helena, Bressinger and Sir Radomir journey to Sova, the capital of the empire. The Emperor must be warned of the threat Bartholomew Claver poses should he gain further access to the Draedist Arcana, for the authority of the Magistratum is at stake as is the downfall of the Sovan Empire. Once they enter the city they soon discover ripples of rebellion, the streets are filled with fanatics declaring notions of Holy vengeance, the nobility openly speak ill of the Emperor and inside the Magistratum traitors lurk. Immediately the Emperor tasks Konrad Vonvalt in rooting out these traitors and identifying those who have been supporting Claver. Just as Konrad discovers the truly horrifying powers Claver now wields, a member of the Emperor’s family is kidnapped and much to Konrad’s annoyance he must abandon his pursuit of Claver and orchestrate a rescue mission. Yet with Konrad’s health waning and with thickening plots pulling our characters in several directions the story takes a terrifying turn.

The Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan is simply a masterful sequel to The Justice of Kings. Filled with political intrigue, religion, law, philosophy and necromancy this is a richly layered medieval fantasy that’s both familiar and refreshing.

Once again the novel is written through Helena Sandaka’s first person narration as she writes an account of her time with Konrad Vonvalt. Yet now she is more than just his clerk, she is his trainee apprentice. Immediately we fall into a comfortable dynamic between these characters after watching their closeness develop in the first book. Helena still casts a judgeful eye over Vonvalt’s actions, and Vonvalt still acts as Helena’s tutor, teaching her to hone her skills in his art. Bressinger is ever the protector even with the loss of his arm, and Sir Radomir who joined the band in Galen Vale, becomes much more than just our comedic relief, although he still fulfills that role. Though tensions run high between them, these four characters also illustrate their close bond, which of course I loved. We are also introduced to new characters, most notably the Emperor, who was rather different from the kind of character I had initially expected, despite his stubborn demeanour, I actually found myself liking him.

“Now you see, Helena. I have never been some paragon of virtue, a rigid stickler to every law and by-law of the Empire. l am exactly what my title is: justice, no more and no less."

We spend a large majority of the beginning chapters in Sova and I loved Swan’s use of juxtaposing images. When Helena first glances upon Sova she describes it as a mesmerising place, vividly colourful with art and culture, a bustling place where every race of people were to be found. However, as Helena looks behind the curtain, when she gets inside the Emperor’s palace, she witnesses corruption in all its forms. Previously it became apparent that Vonvalt had become lapsed in the lawful and moral codes he was sworn to abide by, but as the nests of lies and deceit unravel and the Emperor asks Vonvalt to enact new decrees, we see those codes horrifically breaking. As beheadings and gruesome executions mount, as many are sent to be tortured to confess and disposed of without trial, Helena’s viewpoint of Vonvalt and the Sovan Empire shifts. For what was the point of the war, the bloodshed and the lives lost if they couldn’t maintain the law and order the Emperor himself had fought to establish? Yet in this book Vonvalt’s attention is being pulled in several directions, even when his temper flares and more often than not he loses complete control, it is easy to see why he makes the decisions he does. Helena may be rightful in her critical judgment, but she also shows her naivety. Something which she reflects upon time and time again in her account.

This reflection is significant throughout and I love the way Swan balances politics, law and philosophy with thought-provoking depth. Can the rights and wrongs of rulership, power, vengeance, and even the deeds of the entities in the afterlife be fairly judged when only looking at it from one perspective? What of emotions, personal morals and instincts? This was something I particularly enjoyed pondering over. It also cleverly works to build character growth, as Helena learns to accept that not every action will be just and people have their reasons. Once again Helena and Vonvalt’s characters work like scales, weighing their deeds and their faults.

“Perhaps, reader, you see me as dogmatic in my own way.
Perhaps I am too idealistic, or I certainly was, expecting the law and morality and ethics to marry perfectly. But I was not so self-righteous to think that the life of one man, ten, or even a hundred were more important than a hundred million. After all, people died all the time, for a variety of reasons and injustices. But to me that meant the deaths we could control, the killings we could prevent, were all the more important.”

When I read The Justice of Kings, although I thoroughly enjoyed the murder mystery narrative, I was left wanting more depth and exploration of the magical abilities used by Justices. Well Swan certainly remedies that in this book because a prominent strength in The Tyranny of Faith is how it expands upon our knowledge of necromancy. We learn through the history of the world that a ‘magickal cataclysm’ first brought about arcane powers, as when the mortal plane and the holy dimensions unified it opened a gateway between the realms, meaning energies from the afterlife could be tapped into. I found this thoroughly fascinating, but Swan doesn’t just stop here. As we head towards the climax of this novel we witness exactly what necromancy can achieve in wrong or inexperienced hands and I have to say these scenes were absolutely incredible. If not more than a little terrifying.

“My chest hurt where my heart pulsed and squirmed painfully, stressed to exhaustion, moments from giving out. The entity opened its mouth parts, its disjointed maw a huge void filled with teeth like daggers. It made a sound that I simply cannot describe.”

Swan is an author who consistently knows how to deliver an edge of your seat ending, an ending where all hell breaks loose and in this book that’s quite literally. I simultaneously cannot wait and fear for the third and final instalment in this trilogy, which will see Helena Sedanka bring her account of Konrad Vonvalt to an end.

ARC provided by Nazia at Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the copy!

The Tyranny of Faith is out now!

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swan’s the Tyranny of Faith is the linchpin, the rubber game, the middle volume of his epic trilogy, Empire of the Wolf. Note that the first volume, The Justice of Kings, has an illustration of Sir Konrad Vonvalt, a traveling Emperor’s Justice, on the cover, but the second volume is graced by another figure, that of Helena Sedenka, Vonvalt’s young apprentice who has trained since she was an orphan found in the streets. Though both volumes are narrated in her voice, she is front and center of the Tyranny of Faith, as illustrated by the cover art.

The setting here is the Sovan Empire, a Middle Ages type fantasy Empire filled with walled cities, knights on horseback, religious orders, and more. It’s an empire that encompasses much of the civilized world with, of course, barbarians raging in the north and the south. What knits thus giant kingdom together though is the rule of law and the promise that no man is above the law. The law is enforced by roving justices who speak with the Emperor’s authority and are judge, jury, and executioner all in one. They also have a few magic tricks up there sleeves like the Voice (like the Bene Gesserit voice) which no ordinary man can resist.

Sir Konrad Vonvalt is among the most fabled of the justices. His legend includes being a great swordsman with a history of battles. He needs no army at his back. His authority is questioned by none – until now.

Swan begins his narrative as Vonvalt and his companions, Helena and two others beholden only to him, stage their journey to the capital to meet the Emperor. There is no attempt to fill the reader in on what has gone on in the earlier volume, but if you hang in there long enough that will not matter. Instead, you will be caught up in the magic, the warfare, and the chess match that has gone on for far longer than anyone anticipated.

Helena is but an apprentice magician, but that matters little here as she delves deeply into the world of the afterlife, coming face to face with demons that few can comprehend. Indeed, there are portions of the tale where Vonvalt is ailing and it is only Helena and her wits which stand between this world and utter failure.

Claver rears his head again as the ultimate villain, a traitorious magician, but one who almost no one other than Vonvalt can see for who he really is and can comprehend Claver’s growing ambitions.

What makes this fantasy novel succeed so well is how believable Swan’s writing makes it all seem. Whether it is doing battle with devils from another dimension or a full-fledged battle from the point of view of one ill-prepared for it, it all comes together quite well.

Most of all what we get here is a sense that Helena is maturing and growing from a mere clerk to a force that few might reckon with. Yet, by the end of this novel (as the reader prepares for the final novel in the trilogy), every foundation by which the Empire is constructed teeters and falls.

[Marc *Dark Reader with a Thousand Young! Iä!* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grim, potent, relentless, this powerful continuation of The Justice of Kings left me breathless.

I learned since reading the first book that the first book was a lead title for its UK publisher. I don't know if I just missed the hype or it didn't make it fully across the pond, but after devouring the first book in two days while laid up with SARS-CoV2 after picking up on a whim while stocking up from my local library branch in advance of an expected strike, and then eating up this equally magnificent beast, I can say it fully deserved it. I'm grateful it was there just sitting on the right shelf at the right time for me to discover it.

The prose is sophisticated without being ostentatious, and the style is welcomingly devoid of the sensationalism of most contemporary fantasy. The tone is dark, grim, and determined. The setting is an alternate medieval Europe centuries after the barrier between the natural world and hellish realms were breached, but even without this magical component the story would be utterly compelling (it adds welcome depth and terror regardless). The book is stuffed with foreboding pronouncements, fitting the storytelling framework, although they sometimes fall a bit frequently. We get it: everything's going to go to shit. I'm here for all of it.

I honestly would not have been surprised for most of the book by any major character death excepting, logically, the narrator, who lays out this tale from decades in the future, providing an account of the momentous, empire-breaking events unfolding with nigh-unstoppable force on the page. The perspective and character voice is absolutely perfect. There are no unwelcome characters, new or old.

And the action: ceaseless, riveting, brutal, corporeal, and with great variety.

I don't know what else I can gush about. This is adult fantasy told perfectly. It lets the characters and events carry their own weight. It's everything I only partly knew I needed, and many other books are lesser as a consequence of reading this. Great job, Swan: you've ruined countless other books for me.

[Sleepy Boy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent somehow gets better. Thoroughly enjoyed this & will now twiddle my thumbs until the final release.

Edit: Oh shit it's out, don't mind meeeee flying to the bookstore.

[Shauna Lawless · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some writers just make you feel comfortable. From the get go, you know you are in a safe pair of hands and an epic story awaits.

Richard Swan is one such author.

By the time I had finished the first chapter, I knew this book was going to be incredible – and it was.

Everything was more. More world, more tension, more war, and more lore. The magical system was established in book one and also showcased in many ways, however in The Tyranny of Faith, it is expanded. We see not only how Vonvalt uses his power, but also how others, using it to their own ends, utilise the magic to devastating effect.

The relationship between Helena and Vonvalt was also explored. Sexual tension simmered in this book – always hinting at something more, which I just really loved. It’s not romantasy by any stretch of the imagination, more Jane Eyre than ACOTAR, if you know what I mean.

I don’t want to give a spoilery review, only rest assured if you’ve not yet started this series you should. Just as The Justice of Kings set up a larger world for The Tyranny of Faith, this book has set up a larger story again for the final instalment.

I’m very much looking forward to finding out what happens next.

For more reviews, see my website at www.shaunalawless.com

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all I want to thank Orbit and Netgalley for giving me the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Let's get into it.

I read Justice of Kings about 1 year ago exactly and upon finishing I thought it was a great book that was entertaining front to back and a unique take on epic fantasy by smashing it together with the mystery genre. I have to say after reading the sequel, Tyranny of Faith, it may just be even better. While the first book introduces us to the characters, the magic, and the world, the second book really leans into all of that a lot harder since it doesn't have to do so much scene setting and exposition. The magic in this world is based around necromancy which is always a hook for me, and this book really goes into the magic as part of the plot with a fervor. And I don't mean that in a Brandon Sanderson kind of explain it like science kind of way. Swan just really expands on what we know about it and how it is used and abused with sometimes horrific consequences. And I use that term fully meaning that there are parts of this book that feel like straight up horror with eldritch beings and ghastly entities of all types playing a role. I loved it. Also, while it gets away from the "murder mystery" set up that was the essence of book one, mysteries and conspiracies play a prominent role here where they raise the stakes significantly. Finally, I enjoyed what this book does as the middle book of a trilogy. I think a lot of times authors end up having "middle-book-syndrome" because they aren't willing to take an "Empire Strikes Back" mentality to their book and having our protagonists take a few losses in serving the overall plot. I won't spoil anything, but Swan does not fall into that trap. This is a book full of adversity for our main characters and the series is better for it.

What I didn't like in this book is a pretty short list. Before concluding it I think my main gripe is that for a large portion of the middle of this book the characters are given a side-quest to accomplish before they can move on with what they actually want to accomplish. This is frustrating on the page for the characters, but I also felt frustration as a reader because while the side-quest wasn't boring it did kind of grind the main plot to a halt. For the longest time I was wondering how any of it matter, but Swan does indeed make it matter. I will still say it went on a little long for my taste.

Overall, I think I know how to put this among my favorite currently ongoing fantasy series as Swan has written what I think are 2 home runs. I'll be reading the third book in the trilogy as soon as I'm able, and I may even go check out his backlist space opera.

[L'encre de la magie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 très bonne suite je ne m'attendais pas à aimer autant ma lecture et retrouver Helena a été un pur plaisir ! J'adore ce personnage 😍

[Benghis Kahn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is now in contention for my most disappointing read of all time, coming as it did after a debut book 1 in The Justice of Kings that I greatly enjoyed last year and that set up extremely high hopes that this series could become a possible favorite. It wasn't awful and it's more like a 2.5 star read that I almost rounded up to 3 stars, but I have to be honest with how little I was engaged during most of this, combined with how it took a story I was highly invested in and brought me to a place of total apathy. Also it feels like I've been reading this for a month rather than the 8 days it took me to finish.

Is this just the wrong read at the wrong time? Part of me thinks so based on how well received it's been, and how it's not like the writing quality or tone changed noticeably from what I enjoyed in book 1. I think I wanted more of the philosophical-Judge-Dredd-brings-justice-to-an-empire's-outskirts kind of read and much less of a traditional in-the-middle-of-a-crumbling-empire kind of plot. The first person retrospective narration that worked so well before for me now seemed unnecessary and annoying, and characters I used to care about were doing and saying things I no longer found interesting.

A giant portion of the middle of this book feels like a side quest that's setting up some pretty obvious plot twists for later. Then when we reach the end and all is revealed, nothing felt particularly revelatory. This whole book felt like I was watching a slow motion car crash that I didn't care how it played out since the car was just filled with crash test dummies and the wall we're crashing into is cardboard that was set up to fall (excuse the poor analogy). Swan presents the bare minimum of worldbuilding for a secondary-world fantasy epic, so the over-arching political plot with the Sovan Empire feels like it has no stakes. We learn so little about all the different political and religious factions, and the little we do learn makes me utterly apathetic about how this is all going to play out.

The one thing I do care about are the small band of protagonists, though even with them there's not a lot to latch onto, with 2 of the side characters Bressinger and Radomir feeling underdeveloped and Helena and Vonvalt both becoming less sympathetic/engaging to me. This book privileges the mystery and political plot above all else and shoves character stuff to the side, and unfortunately that put the (subjectively speaking) lackluster plotting and worldbuilding front and center.

One note about a prose thing that greatly annoyed me is the incessant cursing by all of the characters. Swan goes out of his way to give the prose an old-timey feel which does indeed feel suitable for a Medieval-Europe style setting. Then every f-bomb and s-bomb kicks me out of my immersion, but his in-world curse of "Nema's tits" didn't work any better for me, so maybe there was no winning on this front. Beyond the cursing I found a lot of the dialogue to be wooden and melodramatic, though I suspect this is mostly because I was fairly disengaged and not immersed in the story like I was with book 1 where I didn't have any issue with it. What a shame this series hasn't worked out for me like I had hoped!

[Vi Heikkila · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can’t say I liked the first book too much, but it interested me enough to read the second part. Boy… I wish I didn’t. I don’t recall reading another book so filled with character stupidity and logical inconsistencies (“Mass Effect: Deception”, maybe, but it was franchise, not an original work). Forget diverging from the main plot for the sake of completely boring “investigation”, forget Helena’s sudden interest in Vonvalt mere month after losing her first love, forget constant repetitions of “grasping nettles” and “being about it”, forget that nearly every building is described as “saxan gothic”, forget Mary Helena Sue, forget that every character is prone to hysterics… I probably could endure all of it and still find something to like about the book. But logical fallacies… nope, throw the whole novel out.
Below is a list of the problems that I remembered after reading. Some were just irksome, others made me want to scream from frustration. Here we go.
HUGE SPOILER ALERT

1. Justice Rosa, her “subterfuge” and nonexistent “Order of the Magistratum”
Yeah, that’s the biggest issue I have with this book. Let’s see:
First, Rosa somehow successfully entered the Lodge, even though main heroes couldn’t do that without verification in ch.4. No other Justice or lawman ever stopped her to ask who she was, no one asked their new Master who she was, no one ever told Vonvalt that Lodge never had any Justice Rosa, and if they did, she didn’t look like that girl.
Then, in ch.16 she performs “tasks that only another Justice could���. Except she isn’t a Justice. But, again, there’s no trouble at all, nobody asks Vonvalt who the hell is she.

And you know why that happened? Because our protagonists exist in a vacuum. Because, beyond the initial “purge”, they never interact with the Order or other Justices. The author stays true to his “Tell, don’t’ show” principle (as stated on his Twitter), and that’s where it leads.

Second, in the end of ch.24 Rosa goes to question the prisoner – in Bressinger’s presence. And Bressinger never wonders, why she doesn’t use Emperor’s Voice?
Also – I find it very implausible that Claver would send someone to pose as a Justice without teaching them (at minimum) to withstand and (at maximum) to use the Voice. Especially since it is supposed to be the easiest power to learn.

Third, I also find implausible that Vonvalt, after getting Rosa (who is unknown to him) instead of Gotheid (who is somewhat known to him, if only by reputation), wouldn’t test her powers first, to see if he can rely on her. Tell Helena to hide somewhere in the Lodge and then ask Rosa to find her. But no, we have her word and a letter! And a seal (which, apparently, couldn’t be stolen? Or forged?..)! Let’s believe it all without any confirmation.

To sum up in a short and rude way - the entire plot with Rosa is a result of protagonists being idiots at every turn and not interacting with the world they are supposedly exist in.

2. Unrest in Sova
When we first see the capital, Helena describes it as a “constant carnival”. We don’t see hungry homeless beggars in the streets (as in Galen’s Vale), we don’t see jobless workers, we don’t see people being sent to war against their will. Then why are there tensions? How mlianars are able to rouse everyone?
The only problem we do hear about concerns provincial lords. They are losing money, they stop paying taxes. That explains why provinces might want to rise against Emperor (if these lords began taxing their people too much) – but people in the capital? What do they want? We never learn.
Also, so far we’ve seen three provincial holdings: Rill, Seaguard, Galen’s Vale. The last two were fairly rich and were partly financed by Autun. Rill wasn’t prosperous by any means, but sir Otmar said that he was paying his taxes. So… no unrest there as well.

3. Abduction
First – no one saw the abduction, no one heard screams, everyone knows that the boy was hiding in the pits… And no one stops to think and suggest that maybe the boy got stuck somewhere and can’t get out? Or maybe kept playing hide and seek? Or he lost his life guard and went home? Even before we know of the ransom note, there’s immediately one version that everyone latches on. Why?

Second – in ch.13 when Heinrich goes toward the palace, everyone stops following him. Again – why? They are at the northern point of the capital (near the market and northern gate), there’s the entire city in the direction of the palace!!! The boy could be anywhere! And they don’t go after the dog? Come on! And even if the dog went to the palace (which it did) – are you sure nobody from Emperor’s household (servants, or nobles, or whoever) is involved in the boy’s abduction? Are you sure the dog didn’t pick up the perpetrator’s scent, and not the boy’s?

Same as with Rosa, everything that comes after this point in the story with this “investigation” is 100% the protagonists’ fault. Because they act like morons.

And in the end, the fact that the boy ended up exactly in the place where the dog led them to doesn’t feel like a clever twist – instead it just drives home the point of how dumb the “heroes” are.
---
These three points were enough to completely ruin the story for me. But that wasn’t all. Lets continue…

4. Who are Mlianar Patricians?
Two thirds of the story passed, and here’s what we still don’t know about half of our bad guys:
Who are they? Are they aristocrats? Are they lords, same as Haugenates? Do they have the same stature? If so, why they want to remove the Emperor from power, and Haugenates do not? What is their problem or goal? What makes them different from other lords? Why they are called what they are called?
The only thing we do know for sure is that they want to limit one man’s power and expand the Senate’s power – which, in our world, was historically a good thing. A small step towards future liberty and democracy. Why should I be against them?

Well, I guess knowing that they are an evil, stupid and childish caricature of any politician ever would have to be enough.

5. Helena, her mind as sharp as a dull blade
Our main protagonist never had much in terms of intelligence (despite everyone’s constant and annoying assurances that she is smart), but in this book her moronic inclinations shine as never before. Here’s three of her f-ups that I could remember from the top of my head:
Ch. 34 – Helena has this dialogue with a demonic nun:
“I do not recognise you,” “Yes, well…” I said lamely. What was there to say to that?
Uh… the truth? That you’d just arrived at Keraq, was immediately sent into battle and recently woke up in an infirmary? Truth was all the cover you needed, you moron!
Ch. 35 – by this point Helena knows: a) you cannot intuit and should not read spells unless you understand what the words mean; b) you shouldn’t to magic without first learning how to discharge powers; c) failing (a) or (b) will lead to you exploding into bloody goo. So, what does Helena do? That’s right – she reads a spell that she sees for the first time and summons demons into the world. And somehow survives… unfortunately.
Ch. 39 – as soon as von Osterlen tells Helena that she “didn’t betray her”, Helena believes her and immediately tells her about sir Gerold’s visit, putting him at risk. Apparently, time at Galen’s Vale monastery didn’t teach her anything. Just… Facepalm.
4. Architecture - Glass Library
It’s probably a small one, but I have several problems with that.

One – direct sunlight destroys books. So making a library with walls and roof made of glass is not the best idea if you want to keep ancient tomes intact.

Two – to build a huge structure of glass and steel you need industry. You need factories. And to have that you need concentration of capital and capitalist relations, at least in nascent form. Which is something this world doesn’t have, apparently – all we hear about are solitary craftsmen and workers, no guilds, no feudal corporations (the unions of craftsmen in medieval cities, which led to creation of factories and manufacturies). Read up on Crystal Palace and wonder why such structures were nonexistent until 19 century.

6. Architecture - Keraq sewers
Two pieces of stupidity that nearly made me throw the book at the wall. (Yes, I’m a bit enthusiastic about architecture and engineering. Sue me.)

Before I get to the gist of it – modern sewers work pretty much the same as ancient ones – there’s a pipe (or a channel), it lies at a small angle, and waste flows by itself, moved from highest point to the lowest by gravity. Today (for the past century or so), if the landscape doesn’t allow to trace the pipe as engineers need it to go, we can make a pumping station, to lift the waste up and allow it to flow down from a higher point. But it’s expensive, and complicates the system, needs costly maintenance, and should be avoided if necessary.

Now, Keraq is a medieval (!) castle, which stands at the bottom of the lake (!!) – in the lowest point of the local landscape. The sewerage channel goes UNDERGROUND, beneath it (!!!). I get how you can provide castle with water, but… where is it supposed to flow out? How are you going to get all this shit OUT of the castle? The technology to make pumping stations is not invented yet. And there’s a reason why privy in castles was usually made ABOVE ground, not beneath it. Waste was usually gathered in the moat, from which there was an outflow (!!!), so that the waste didn’t stay in a place where people live. You know, sanitary reasons.

Speaking of sanitary reasons, that leads me to the second point. There’s no way in hell ventilation would be combined with the sewers. Not unless you wanted everyone in the castle to die from some sickness as soon as one person gets ill. Also – have you ever seen a U-shaped pipe under your sink? It’s called a trap, and it prevents noxious gases and smells, produced by the waste, to come up to your living quarters. So, combining ventilation and drainage together would be a death sentence to everyone in the castle, and not an “engineering marvel”.

Also, on a side note – what is the strategic value of building a castle at the lowest point of surrounding landscape?

7. Two horses for three people
In ch.31 Helena, sir Radomir and Bressinger are planning to infiltrate the enemy fortress, and their allies prepare the escape route… with TWO horses waiting for them. TWO horses for THREE people. And in ch.36 when de Rambert comes to get protagonists, he comes also with TWO horses (excluding his own).
Guess Severina von Osterlen knew they won’t be needing the third…

Also - in ch.37 sir Radomir asks de Rambert if sir Conrad is okay, to which de Rambert says that the margrave “keeps her counsel on the matter”. How does he know that?! Are you saying that he went to Kunoburg, then back to Sudenburg, and then back to Keraq? But just a few chapters ago we were told that castles are too far away from each other, and that de Rambert would remain in Kunoburg!
Does he know how to teleport?..

8. Murder! Murder!
In the end of ch.34 Helena gets splashed by blood and gore from exploded priest (not to mention that her feet must be covered in shit after walking through sewers). Several minutes later, in the beginning of ch.35, she walks out into the courtyard, filled with templars… and not a single soul pays attention to her. Even after everyone starts looking for the murderer (!!!), nobody looks at the girl, who is right there, covered from head to toes in blood, brains and shit!

This is the level of intelligence everyone in the book possesses. Have fun, dear readers.

9. Miscellaneous (just a few more things that irked me)
a) Colossal Autun – in ch.2 Helena describes the statue looking north and east – from the city outwards. In ch.10 Autun “regards” their chase – which happens within the city. How, exactly, is he looking at them? Does he have eyes on his arse? Or does the colossus move its head?

b) The timing – in the beginning of the book protagonists ride “for the most of the month of Sorpen”, but then some time later the kidnappers note says to leave ransom “on 18th of Sorpen” – which Vonvalt says is going to be in a week! So… time travel?

c) Ch.13 – a member of the life-guard, a knight, tells another knight to fuck off. Yep, that’s aristocrats for you, folks. Dumb and badmouthing as any peasant grunt.

d) “Schoolchildren” are mentioned at least twice in the book (ch.15, ch.34). I’m sure medieval orphan Helena knows exactly what schoolchildren look like and how they behave. Because education was so widespread and affordable in medieval times! Right? Right?!

e) In ch.15 Helena is worried that Bressinger will kill sir Radomir because B. is just better at fencing… and not because he has a long sword, which gives him a huge advantage over short sword – as told by Vonvalt in ch.7.

f) In ch.18 Helena from medieval times also knows how the birth and death of a sun looks like. Seriously, this Empire’s education system is just top notch!

g) Ch.19 – Helena says: “For the longest time, I had been taught that the short sword was most effective in formation fighting”. Except Vonvalt only says that in ch.7, and before that she trained with sir Radomir, who wasn’t teaching her to fight with the shield… Apparently, a few days is “the longest time” now!

h) Ch.22 – Jansen says about blackpowder: “we shall have to wait until someone can turn up more than a thimbleful of it at a time”. Except, there was at least a barrel in the docks (ch.16), and templars in Sudenburg have been battered by explosives for more than two years now (ch.29). Jansen must know this if he keeps in touch with von Osterlen. Is he hiding something?

i) Ch.35 – “Claver took another step towards us”. Except several lines above “Claver… didn’t move”. So why “another” step?

j) Also in ch.35 – when Claver enters the church, he is followed by TWO templars. About a page or two later there’s only ONE templar – the one who got hacked by Helena. The one who lost his sword just disappears. Maybe he got cut off for a moment after the door slammed shut – but he never returns. Spooky, I tell you.

j) Ch. 36 – did the demon really manage to mangle both Bressinger’s legs with one arm? I’m impressed.

k) Ch. 38 – Helena starts crying “tearlessly”. Then, several lines later, tears “still stream down her face” and she wipes them. Great attention to detail right there.

l) Ch. 39 – “Never mind the Emperor, or the Haugenates, or the Two-Headed Wolf. Some will mourn their loss, but there are plenty who will not. If the Empire collapses, it will be the commonfolk who pay for it”. Please, someone, explain to me the difference between the Two-Headed Wolf and the Empire. Why losing one is not the same as the collapse of another? I read two books now and thought they were one and the same.

m) Ch. 40 – how exactly did they dig out narrow and very long tunnel for Helena to escape through? Can you imagine shoveling in such a tunnel? Or did they have a boring machine? And how did they make sure such tunnel won’t collapse? (yes, more engineering questions for you)

n) Epilogue – protagonists enter a small room with no ventilation and burning candles. Finally, they are going to die from suffocation, right? Right?! Please, kill them already…

10. Chekhov’s guns that never shoot
A few moments that I was hoping would have relevance to the story, but were there just for the sake of inflating the book’s volume:

a) Bressinger’s knighthood – a lovely moment that has no impact on the story or his character arc;

b) Bressinger’s tiff with Helena - has no impact on the story or his character arc;

c) Bressinger’s tiff with sir Radomir - has no impact on the story or his character arc;

d) Bressinger’s loss of an arm gets constantly mentioned but has no impact on the story and only impacts his mood, but not his character arc;

e) Bressinger’s past losses – are also mentioned, he has a few moments during the child abduction investigation… but, you guessed it, no further impact on story or Bressinger;

f) Bressinger’s presence in the story – he has no arc. He survived, he tagged along, he died. When he was dying in the first book, I felt sad, but by the time he was dying now, I was indifferent.

g) Master Kadlec’s powers – mentioned several times, but have no impact on the story.

h) Master Kadlec himself – gets removed from the story almost as soon as he enters in, has no impact on it (even Claver says so in ch. 34)

i) Sir Radomir’s drunkenness – mentioned several times, has no impact on anything (also… dear author, are you really defending alcoholics in chapter 9?)

j) Sir Radomir’s presence in the story – seriously, he is there for two reasons: to praise Helena and to provide her with someone to talk to. That’s it. Oh, and to be a comic relief during some scenes. The whole “will I get a chance at revenge” shtick he had by the end of the first book is gone completely.

k) Imperial Guard’s corruption – mentioned once, never brought up again. Even thought it could be a great piece of the puzzle at some point.

l) Kimati – an awesome, non-human man, who gets mentioned once in the first book, twice in this one, even gets one appearance… And nothing. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t even show up in the third one. By now he seems more like a backdrop than an actual character.


Conclusion
I don’t know what more there is to say. I wanted to give this book one more star for Heinrich, because he was the goodest boy and the best character in both books – but the way he was removed from the story irked me to no end. So, no additional star.

Also, a bit of advice to all other authors (completely unrelated to this book) – please, pay your beta-readers if you want your book to be a commercial product. Maybe then they’ll do their job well.

Cheers!

PS. English is not my first language, so if I misunderstood something from above (or everything, who knows? Maybe it's me who is the idiot and not everyone else!) please, do rub it in my face.

[Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, great imagery - I'd like to see Helena's adventures in the Purgatorial Plane rendered on film or illustrated. Magnificent stuff!