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The Age of Ravens #1
Servants of War
* Running time: 16 hours and 38 minutes *
New military fantasy from the creator of Monster Hunter International, Larry Correia, and master of horror Steve Diamond.
The war between Almacia and the Empire of Kolakolvia is in its hundredth year. Casualties heap even higher on both sides as the conflict leaves no corner of the world untouched.
Illarion Glaskov’s quiet life on the fringes of the empire is thrown into chaos when tragedy strikes his village. When he is conscripted into the Tsarist military, he is sent to serve in The Wall—an elite regiment that pilots suits of armor made from the husks of dead golems.
But the great war is not the only - or even the worst - danger facing Illarion, as he is caught in a millennia-old conflict between two goddesses. In order to triumph, he must survive the ravages of trench warfare, horrific monsters from another world, and the treacherous internal politics of the country he serves.
©2022 Larry Correia and Steve Diamond (P)2022 Audible, Inc.
New military fantasy from the creator of Monster Hunter International, Larry Correia, and master of horror Steve Diamond.
The war between Almacia and the Empire of Kolakolvia is in its hundredth year. Casualties heap even higher on both sides as the conflict leaves no corner of the world untouched.
Illarion Glaskov’s quiet life on the fringes of the empire is thrown into chaos when tragedy strikes his village. When he is conscripted into the Tsarist military, he is sent to serve in The Wall—an elite regiment that pilots suits of armor made from the husks of dead golems.
But the great war is not the only - or even the worst - danger facing Illarion, as he is caught in a millennia-old conflict between two goddesses. In order to triumph, he must survive the ravages of trench warfare, horrific monsters from another world, and the treacherous internal politics of the country he serves.
©2022 Larry Correia and Steve Diamond (P)2022 Audible, Inc.
17 pages, Audible Audio
First published March 1, 2022
88 people are currently reading
597 people want to read
About the author
Larry Correia
121 books4,404 followersLarry Correia (born 1977) is the New York Times bestselling author of the Monster Hunter International series, the Grimnoir Chronicles, and the thriller Dead Six.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
April 9, 2022
When I found out that lefties dislike Larry Correia.... a lot, I decided it would be a good idea to read some of his books and put a little coin in his pocket. Thank you lefties! This is awesome! I hadn't even heard of this author until the sound of your whining reached my ears.
This book was thoroughly enjoyable.
The audio book is over 16 hours.
Larry gives you your money's worth.
This book was thoroughly enjoyable.
The audio book is over 16 hours.
Larry gives you your money's worth.
March 4, 2022
Hella Dope!
January 27, 2023
Unique and Exciting Fantasy
WWI style trench warfare, mechs, guns, gods, monsters, and magic. Throw that all in a blender with some slavic inspiration and you get a really kick ass book.
On the surface level there is something that feels familiar in that it could be considered a chosen one story but besides that it all felt like nothing I have read before. This story takes place in a fantasy world where 2 empires have been at constant war for 100 years with each side having a goddess as its patron. The technology level is similar to late 19th century early 20th century warfare but with magic and specifically magic powered mechs. Its absolutely wild and that's what hooked me in. I needed to know more and the way the world building is explained and how humans ended up there is clever. What made me stay is the fact that I got really involved with these characters as they fight the war and learn more about what is really going on. There's a cool found family aspect to it that I'm a sucker for. Also the action is incredible and there is no drag in this book. Finally the narration of the audio book is worth an Audible credit all by itself.
Ok some minor criticisms and I don't have very many, but basically this is definitely a series book 1. While it may not be a super cliffhanger this is definitely not a standalone and it leaves you wanting more of everything. I think the other thing I'd say that kind of goes along with that is that the villain of this book isn't particularly strong. Yes it sets up a series "big bad" but the antagonist for this book isn't that great.
Overall I loved this and it feels like a real hidden gem that may be almost too unique to find an audience. It's not sci fi and it's not sword and shield fantasy or even flint lock fantasy. It's something entirely its own. I don't know what that is but I know it's pretty damn good.
WWI style trench warfare, mechs, guns, gods, monsters, and magic. Throw that all in a blender with some slavic inspiration and you get a really kick ass book.
On the surface level there is something that feels familiar in that it could be considered a chosen one story but besides that it all felt like nothing I have read before. This story takes place in a fantasy world where 2 empires have been at constant war for 100 years with each side having a goddess as its patron. The technology level is similar to late 19th century early 20th century warfare but with magic and specifically magic powered mechs. Its absolutely wild and that's what hooked me in. I needed to know more and the way the world building is explained and how humans ended up there is clever. What made me stay is the fact that I got really involved with these characters as they fight the war and learn more about what is really going on. There's a cool found family aspect to it that I'm a sucker for. Also the action is incredible and there is no drag in this book. Finally the narration of the audio book is worth an Audible credit all by itself.
Ok some minor criticisms and I don't have very many, but basically this is definitely a series book 1. While it may not be a super cliffhanger this is definitely not a standalone and it leaves you wanting more of everything. I think the other thing I'd say that kind of goes along with that is that the villain of this book isn't particularly strong. Yes it sets up a series "big bad" but the antagonist for this book isn't that great.
Overall I loved this and it feels like a real hidden gem that may be almost too unique to find an audience. It's not sci fi and it's not sword and shield fantasy or even flint lock fantasy. It's something entirely its own. I don't know what that is but I know it's pretty damn good.
March 12, 2024
This book is incredible. It blends military sci-fi, horror and fantasy in a near-perfect execution. I was blown away by how good this was. I cannot wait until the next book comes out. I can already tell this will become one of my favorite series. Time to start devouring Larry Correia's backlog.
March 12, 2022
This is the first book in a new book series from Larry Correa. The book is co-written by Steve Diamond whom I have not really read anything from until now. Larry Correia however is one of my favorite, if not the favorite, author. Unlike, for example, Michael Anderle who is a quite good author himself but unfortunately seems to be happy putting his name on a lot of rubbish written by other authors having Larry Correia’s name on a book is always a sign that it is a good book.
This one is no exception. It is a very good book indeed although I have to confess that I do like his Monster Hunter International and Grimnoir Chronicles series more than I liked this book. Maybe that’s just because this book is a lot about trench warfare which is not exactly my favorite subject. That still leaves this book in the top of the back range of books I have read lately though.
The books is set in a fantasy world where magic exists and monsters and gods roam the land. Out main protagonist, Illarion, is thrown into a war between the two largest nations of this world by one of the goddesses when everyone else in his small village is slaughtered.
The world that Larry has created is a mix of science a’la first world war and magic. There are guns, gas warfare, snipers and… mechs. Yep, that is right, mechs. No it is not steam punk. As we learn these mechs, or Objects as they are called for reasons I never really understood, are magical constructs with a human driver inside. Some drivers are better at controlling there mechs than others and I’m sure you can guess which end of the spectrum Illarion finds himself.
During the course of the book we learn much about this world and how it works. The Tsarist nation and its military is, not surprisingly, quite autocratic and it doesn’t take long before the political KGB-style apparatchiks and political officers makes their appearance.
There are plenty of political scheming and plots within plots going on. The book starts with the story line of three different main characters which are weaved together as the story progresses. A few twists follows of course and by the end the plot has evolved quite a bit and what started of a foes have become friends. Perhaps a bit out of necessity but still on the same side of the good-bad line.
The book is somewhat dark and the world is quite dark and gritty. There are a lot of combat and gruesome deaths in between the plotting and scheming and sometimes it feels like a borderline horror story. The book is also much less humorous and serious than, for instance Monster Hunter International which is perhaps also why I could not bring myself to give it a 5 out of 5 rating.
Still, this is a very good book. It’s as well written as one would expect of a book with Larry Correia’s name on it. Not surprisingly this is a series I will continue.
This one is no exception. It is a very good book indeed although I have to confess that I do like his Monster Hunter International and Grimnoir Chronicles series more than I liked this book. Maybe that’s just because this book is a lot about trench warfare which is not exactly my favorite subject. That still leaves this book in the top of the back range of books I have read lately though.
The books is set in a fantasy world where magic exists and monsters and gods roam the land. Out main protagonist, Illarion, is thrown into a war between the two largest nations of this world by one of the goddesses when everyone else in his small village is slaughtered.
The world that Larry has created is a mix of science a’la first world war and magic. There are guns, gas warfare, snipers and… mechs. Yep, that is right, mechs. No it is not steam punk. As we learn these mechs, or Objects as they are called for reasons I never really understood, are magical constructs with a human driver inside. Some drivers are better at controlling there mechs than others and I’m sure you can guess which end of the spectrum Illarion finds himself.
During the course of the book we learn much about this world and how it works. The Tsarist nation and its military is, not surprisingly, quite autocratic and it doesn’t take long before the political KGB-style apparatchiks and political officers makes their appearance.
There are plenty of political scheming and plots within plots going on. The book starts with the story line of three different main characters which are weaved together as the story progresses. A few twists follows of course and by the end the plot has evolved quite a bit and what started of a foes have become friends. Perhaps a bit out of necessity but still on the same side of the good-bad line.
The book is somewhat dark and the world is quite dark and gritty. There are a lot of combat and gruesome deaths in between the plotting and scheming and sometimes it feels like a borderline horror story. The book is also much less humorous and serious than, for instance Monster Hunter International which is perhaps also why I could not bring myself to give it a 5 out of 5 rating.
Still, this is a very good book. It’s as well written as one would expect of a book with Larry Correia’s name on it. Not surprisingly this is a series I will continue.
October 14, 2022
Good story which went in a completely different direction than what I was expecting. If you like god wars, military in the style of Pacific Rim, this is a good book for you
January 24, 2023
Wow great book, read this now. WW1 trenches, golem powered mecha, Magi, conspiracies, angry gods. Snipers. Big guns, adventure, cannot wait for next book.
March 8, 2022
Superb fantasy/mecha story!
Very original military fantasy that is a real pageturner. Simply amazing! It has an aura of David Gemmell over it and if that legend was still with us he would give this book his highest acclaim.
Very original military fantasy that is a real pageturner. Simply amazing! It has an aura of David Gemmell over it and if that legend was still with us he would give this book his highest acclaim.
October 11, 2022
Review posted on Black Gate:
https://www.blackgate.com/2022/09/25/...
Veteran fantasy readers may yawn if they hear about an epic fantasy about a farm boy in a remote village rising to power, and the first few pages of Servants of War dangles that trope before readers. And then horror rushes in like a tidal wave, and before Chapter 1 can end, the worn trope is burning with hellfire billowing alchemical smoke, a Grimdark spirit rises out of the book to slap the reader in the face, crank the head back, and pour gasoline-action down a thirsty throat.
Welcome to Servants of War.
The combination of military-fantasy veteran Larry Correria with horror-guru Steve Diamond promises “military fantasy with horror” and you’ll get trenches full of that. Baen released this masterpiece that opens The Age of Ravens series in hardcover and audiobook in March 2022; the paperback is due February 2023. Without spoiling, this post covers a summary, excerpts, and a small hint as to the forthcoming sequel.
OFFICIAL SUMMARY:
MILIEU & STYLE
The setting resembles an alternative earth on the Eurasia continent. A never-ending war continues between the Almacian state (West) and the Kolakolvia (East); cities and named battle zones resonate with pseudo-Eastern European flare: Rolmani, Praja, Transellia. Both sides disrespect (or forsake) the old ways and religions which are explicitly and overtly present, albeit repressed. Golems, ghouls, and blood storms haunt both armies. The clearest sacrilege is the repurposing of golem bodies to make Objects, the name for the mechanized war-suits Kolakolvia employs (how else can one defile another species than to tap its magical potential while playing in their corpses?). In short, there are three conflicting entities: the East, the West, and the Others. Each is manipulated by a Sister goddess. The variety of conflicts keeps this interesting, expect: human vs human; state vs state; human vs. state; and heroes vs supernatural.
If a dystopian, war-ravaged alternative earth feels too familiar, don’t worry. You’ll be salivating for a trip to an even darker realm, and you’ll get that too. That jolt reminded me of the beauty of the Silent Hill games in which players experience a terrifying ghost-town for a while until an air siren blares, paint peels off walls, Hell arrives, and players yearn to find a way back to the relative safety of the ghost-town.
Stylistically, this felt like a mashup of Warhammer’s gritty sci-fi battles, with Silent Hill’s weird world-building and exploration-of-Hells, with the demon-confronting Solomon Kane leading the sorties. Somehow the warfare was never portrayed as a giant chess board; instead, the combat was intimate, frontline adventure. Localized views of battle felt like episodes of Sword & Sorcery focused on the hero(ine). I kept thinking, this is what I’d expect if Mary Shelly teamed up with Robert E. Howard to rewrite Frankenstein for BattleTech fans.
WHO ARE THE SERVANTS OF WAR?
One didn’t think about war and politics when you had a mill to run, cows to tend, and crops to plant. The greatest question in Ilyushka every year had been how deep would the ground freeze? – Illarion character’s thoughts
Humans are just the puppets of the Three Sisters, but they comprise the titular servants of war. You’ll be rooting for them in a heartbeat. There are many characters, but the primary ones are below. Their paths intertwine, of course, as some become comrades and others enemies.
• Illarion Glazkov – a farm boy who evolves into an awesome soldier; he’s trailed by ravens as he seeks atonement
• Scout Specialist Natalya Baston (once in the 17th Sniper Division) – she’s an outstanding rogue motivated to free her family
• Arnost Chankov – a ghoul-tattooed, low-ranking officer over Illarion
• Oprichnik Kristoph Vals – Secret Service Agent under Chancellor and Tsar of Kolakolvia – no one can trust this guy, and all fear crossing him
• Amos Lowe – a mysterious prisoner seeking to remain anonymous and lost
EXCERPTS Reveal What to Expect
Mechanized Melee:
…More soldiers rushed out of the fog, swarming his legs. The hatch rattled as soldiers tried to pry it open. If they got that open he’d end up a red, oozing skeleton like the last pilot he’d seen.
Only Illarion’s Object did not react in the lumbering, clumsy fashion they’d come to expect. He brought the empty cannon barrel down on the head of one, crushing his skull and snapping his spine. Inside the coffin of rapidly dwindling air, Illarion twisted the controls. 12 spun and kicked. Frail bodies were crushed underfoot. Instinctively, he crouched as low as the braces around his legs allowed, then launched his body up. He’d never seen anyone jump in the suits before, and didn’t know if it was at all possible, be he had to try something.
12 was briefly airborne. The ground shook when he landed, and most of the soldiers were thrown free. He stomped down, popping skulls and driving bodies deep into the mud. A punch from his gun arm caved in a chest. A sweep of his halberd cut three bodies into six pieces. The last man hanging onto the latches was hurled free, but unfortunately for him, he left one of his gloves behind. He hit the ground, flesh already smoking, and quickly tried to bury his hand in the mud to save it. Illarion would’ve killed him, but that would’ve taken another second or two worth of air….
Horrors of War, Confronting Weird Creatures:
The doors were being torn to splinters. Kristoph watched, fascinated and appalled, as a monstrous head snapped through a window and bit off a trencher’s face off. A scorpion tail, but big around as his arm, zipped through a window lightning quick and stabbed another soldier in the chest. He fell near Kristoph’s feet. Kicking and twitching.
Kristoph looked up to see the monster trying to squeeze through the gap nearest him, despite two other soldiers spearing it with their bayonets. Somehow, its body was still slick and pale, as if the blood snow slid right off. Jaws snapped at him. Spittle hit him. Kristoph aimed his pistol and shot through the gap, and another immediately took its place.
As he looked down to reload, the man who had been stung was grasping at Kristoph’s boots. It was hard to understand him, with all the foam coming out of his mouth, but Kristoph suspected he was begging for a quick and merciful death. Anything to be spared the torture of this poison. It was so piteous that even Kristoph was tempted to aid him, but he might need the ammo, so he kicked the dying man’s hand away….
NEED MORE OF The Age of Ravens?
Noir Fatale, an anthology edited by Larry Correia and Kacey Ezell (Baen, 2019), has a prequel to Servants of War called “The Privileges of Violence” by Steve Diamond. It’s a grim homage to the Maltese Falcon featuring at least three of the same characters. Highly recommended.
Servants of War focused on the machinations of two of the three Sisters. Subsequent books promise to highlight the remaining goddess as all the servants of war resolve their tension with the Tsar of Kolakolvia and the Sisters. Book 2 in The Age of Ravens is forthcoming and has a tentative title of Instruments of Violence.
AUTHOR BIOS
About Larry Correia
“Correia piles on the intrigue, action, and cliffhangers in the invigorating second Saga of the Forgotten Warrior epic fantasy. . . . Correia also weaves in elements that question the value of belief and the cost of giving authority to those who find more profit in preying on the weak. . . . Brisk fight scenes, lively characters, and plenty of black humor continue to make this series a real pleasure.” — Publishers Weekly
About Steve Diamond
“An intense, high-energy, what-lurks-in-the-shadows take of monsters, both men and otherwise. Steve Diamond can make you shiver.” — Terry Brooks, NYT Bestselling Author of the Shannara Chronicles, on Diamond’s Residue
Larry Correia is the Dragon Award-winning, best-selling author of the Monster Hunter International series, the Saga of the Forgotten Warrior series, the Grimnoir Chronicles, and the Dead Six series of military thrillers.
Steve Diamond is a Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction author for Baen, Wordfire Press, Gallant Knight Games, and numerous other small publications. His two most recent works are a collection of short fiction, WHAT HELLHOUNDS DREAM, and a Dark Fantasy/Horror novel co-written with Larry Correia, SERVANTS OF WAR.
https://www.blackgate.com/2022/09/25/...
Veteran fantasy readers may yawn if they hear about an epic fantasy about a farm boy in a remote village rising to power, and the first few pages of Servants of War dangles that trope before readers. And then horror rushes in like a tidal wave, and before Chapter 1 can end, the worn trope is burning with hellfire billowing alchemical smoke, a Grimdark spirit rises out of the book to slap the reader in the face, crank the head back, and pour gasoline-action down a thirsty throat.
Welcome to Servants of War.
The combination of military-fantasy veteran Larry Correria with horror-guru Steve Diamond promises “military fantasy with horror” and you’ll get trenches full of that. Baen released this masterpiece that opens The Age of Ravens series in hardcover and audiobook in March 2022; the paperback is due February 2023. Without spoiling, this post covers a summary, excerpts, and a small hint as to the forthcoming sequel.
OFFICIAL SUMMARY:
NEW MILITARY FANTASY FROM THE CREATOR OF MONSTER HUNTER INTERNATIONAL LARRY CORREIA AND MASTER OF HORROR STEVE DIAMOND
The war between Almacia and the Empire of Kolakolvia is in its hundredth year. Casualties grow on both sides as the conflict leaves no corner of the world untouched.
Illarion Glaskov’s quiet life on the fringes of the empire is thrown into chaos when an impossible tragedy strikes his village. When he is conscripted into the Tsarist military, he is sent to serve in The Wall — an elite regiment that pilots suits of armor made from the husks of dead golems.
But the great war is not the only — or even the worst — danger facing Illarion, as he is caught in a millennia-old conflict between two goddesses. He must survive the ravages of trench warfare, horrific monsters from another world, and the treacherous internal politics of the country he serves.
MILIEU & STYLE
The setting resembles an alternative earth on the Eurasia continent. A never-ending war continues between the Almacian state (West) and the Kolakolvia (East); cities and named battle zones resonate with pseudo-Eastern European flare: Rolmani, Praja, Transellia. Both sides disrespect (or forsake) the old ways and religions which are explicitly and overtly present, albeit repressed. Golems, ghouls, and blood storms haunt both armies. The clearest sacrilege is the repurposing of golem bodies to make Objects, the name for the mechanized war-suits Kolakolvia employs (how else can one defile another species than to tap its magical potential while playing in their corpses?). In short, there are three conflicting entities: the East, the West, and the Others. Each is manipulated by a Sister goddess. The variety of conflicts keeps this interesting, expect: human vs human; state vs state; human vs. state; and heroes vs supernatural.
If a dystopian, war-ravaged alternative earth feels too familiar, don’t worry. You’ll be salivating for a trip to an even darker realm, and you’ll get that too. That jolt reminded me of the beauty of the Silent Hill games in which players experience a terrifying ghost-town for a while until an air siren blares, paint peels off walls, Hell arrives, and players yearn to find a way back to the relative safety of the ghost-town.
Stylistically, this felt like a mashup of Warhammer’s gritty sci-fi battles, with Silent Hill’s weird world-building and exploration-of-Hells, with the demon-confronting Solomon Kane leading the sorties. Somehow the warfare was never portrayed as a giant chess board; instead, the combat was intimate, frontline adventure. Localized views of battle felt like episodes of Sword & Sorcery focused on the hero(ine). I kept thinking, this is what I’d expect if Mary Shelly teamed up with Robert E. Howard to rewrite Frankenstein for BattleTech fans.
WHO ARE THE SERVANTS OF WAR?
One didn’t think about war and politics when you had a mill to run, cows to tend, and crops to plant. The greatest question in Ilyushka every year had been how deep would the ground freeze? – Illarion character’s thoughts
Humans are just the puppets of the Three Sisters, but they comprise the titular servants of war. You’ll be rooting for them in a heartbeat. There are many characters, but the primary ones are below. Their paths intertwine, of course, as some become comrades and others enemies.
• Illarion Glazkov – a farm boy who evolves into an awesome soldier; he’s trailed by ravens as he seeks atonement
• Scout Specialist Natalya Baston (once in the 17th Sniper Division) – she’s an outstanding rogue motivated to free her family
• Arnost Chankov – a ghoul-tattooed, low-ranking officer over Illarion
• Oprichnik Kristoph Vals – Secret Service Agent under Chancellor and Tsar of Kolakolvia – no one can trust this guy, and all fear crossing him
• Amos Lowe – a mysterious prisoner seeking to remain anonymous and lost
EXCERPTS Reveal What to Expect
Mechanized Melee:
…More soldiers rushed out of the fog, swarming his legs. The hatch rattled as soldiers tried to pry it open. If they got that open he’d end up a red, oozing skeleton like the last pilot he’d seen.
Only Illarion’s Object did not react in the lumbering, clumsy fashion they’d come to expect. He brought the empty cannon barrel down on the head of one, crushing his skull and snapping his spine. Inside the coffin of rapidly dwindling air, Illarion twisted the controls. 12 spun and kicked. Frail bodies were crushed underfoot. Instinctively, he crouched as low as the braces around his legs allowed, then launched his body up. He’d never seen anyone jump in the suits before, and didn’t know if it was at all possible, be he had to try something.
12 was briefly airborne. The ground shook when he landed, and most of the soldiers were thrown free. He stomped down, popping skulls and driving bodies deep into the mud. A punch from his gun arm caved in a chest. A sweep of his halberd cut three bodies into six pieces. The last man hanging onto the latches was hurled free, but unfortunately for him, he left one of his gloves behind. He hit the ground, flesh already smoking, and quickly tried to bury his hand in the mud to save it. Illarion would’ve killed him, but that would’ve taken another second or two worth of air….
Horrors of War, Confronting Weird Creatures:
The doors were being torn to splinters. Kristoph watched, fascinated and appalled, as a monstrous head snapped through a window and bit off a trencher’s face off. A scorpion tail, but big around as his arm, zipped through a window lightning quick and stabbed another soldier in the chest. He fell near Kristoph’s feet. Kicking and twitching.
Kristoph looked up to see the monster trying to squeeze through the gap nearest him, despite two other soldiers spearing it with their bayonets. Somehow, its body was still slick and pale, as if the blood snow slid right off. Jaws snapped at him. Spittle hit him. Kristoph aimed his pistol and shot through the gap, and another immediately took its place.
As he looked down to reload, the man who had been stung was grasping at Kristoph’s boots. It was hard to understand him, with all the foam coming out of his mouth, but Kristoph suspected he was begging for a quick and merciful death. Anything to be spared the torture of this poison. It was so piteous that even Kristoph was tempted to aid him, but he might need the ammo, so he kicked the dying man’s hand away….
NEED MORE OF The Age of Ravens?
Noir Fatale, an anthology edited by Larry Correia and Kacey Ezell (Baen, 2019), has a prequel to Servants of War called “The Privileges of Violence” by Steve Diamond. It’s a grim homage to the Maltese Falcon featuring at least three of the same characters. Highly recommended.
Servants of War focused on the machinations of two of the three Sisters. Subsequent books promise to highlight the remaining goddess as all the servants of war resolve their tension with the Tsar of Kolakolvia and the Sisters. Book 2 in The Age of Ravens is forthcoming and has a tentative title of Instruments of Violence.
AUTHOR BIOS
About Larry Correia
“Correia piles on the intrigue, action, and cliffhangers in the invigorating second Saga of the Forgotten Warrior epic fantasy. . . . Correia also weaves in elements that question the value of belief and the cost of giving authority to those who find more profit in preying on the weak. . . . Brisk fight scenes, lively characters, and plenty of black humor continue to make this series a real pleasure.” — Publishers Weekly
About Steve Diamond
“An intense, high-energy, what-lurks-in-the-shadows take of monsters, both men and otherwise. Steve Diamond can make you shiver.” — Terry Brooks, NYT Bestselling Author of the Shannara Chronicles, on Diamond’s Residue
Larry Correia is the Dragon Award-winning, best-selling author of the Monster Hunter International series, the Saga of the Forgotten Warrior series, the Grimnoir Chronicles, and the Dead Six series of military thrillers.
Steve Diamond is a Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction author for Baen, Wordfire Press, Gallant Knight Games, and numerous other small publications. His two most recent works are a collection of short fiction, WHAT HELLHOUNDS DREAM, and a Dark Fantasy/Horror novel co-written with Larry Correia, SERVANTS OF WAR.
March 14, 2023
Larry Correia and his Writer Dojo compatriot Steve Diamond hit the ground running with the first in a new fantasy series featuring military intrigue, feuding goddesses, and Gundam-styled golems.
In a world where two nations - Almacia and Kolakolvia - have been at war for decades, young Illarion Glaskov experiences a tragedy that sends him into the military, where his talents place him in the Walk, a military unit that pilots war machines made from the remnants of dead golems. But there is a lot more to young Glaskov than just farm-boy muscle, and he soon finds himself in the center of court intrigue, battling conspirators and horrible monsters alike.
The world Correia and Diamond have created bears some resemblance to Tsarist Russia, and there are plenty of hints sprinkled throughout the book of how that came to be, and also of how that may affect future books in the series. Secret policemen with secret agendas, Rasputin-esque advisors, and a deadly female sniper all figure into Glaskov’s actions, as do warring goddesses. And did we mention the ghouls?
All in all, Correia and Diamond have laid the framework for a fascinating series. Intense battle scenes, creative creatures, and a sympathetic antagonist combine to make sure I will definitely be on board for future installments.
In a world where two nations - Almacia and Kolakolvia - have been at war for decades, young Illarion Glaskov experiences a tragedy that sends him into the military, where his talents place him in the Walk, a military unit that pilots war machines made from the remnants of dead golems. But there is a lot more to young Glaskov than just farm-boy muscle, and he soon finds himself in the center of court intrigue, battling conspirators and horrible monsters alike.
The world Correia and Diamond have created bears some resemblance to Tsarist Russia, and there are plenty of hints sprinkled throughout the book of how that came to be, and also of how that may affect future books in the series. Secret policemen with secret agendas, Rasputin-esque advisors, and a deadly female sniper all figure into Glaskov’s actions, as do warring goddesses. And did we mention the ghouls?
All in all, Correia and Diamond have laid the framework for a fascinating series. Intense battle scenes, creative creatures, and a sympathetic antagonist combine to make sure I will definitely be on board for future installments.
August 11, 2022
Loved the world he created using Slavic mythology along with one of Larry's favorite subjects, battle mechs. Here they are powered by magic! 19th century setting and based on Eastern European monarchies fighting but using wizards and secret police. Did get bored with the mech after a while.
May 22, 2023
I liked it, and I look forward to the continuing story. 4 stars not because of any fault, it just didn't have any standout to push it over to 5.
April 4, 2024
4.5 stars
This military fantasy was an entertaining read. The battles with the golems were exhilarating and the setting within the trenches was very interesting. I liked the overall story, but I now realize I need to wait for the sequel.
This military fantasy was an entertaining read. The battles with the golems were exhilarating and the setting within the trenches was very interesting. I liked the overall story, but I now realize I need to wait for the sequel.
May 28, 2022
This one started off pretty rough for me - the writing seemed simple, the characters cookie cutter, and the story formulaic. Thank god I kept reading anyway though, because it definitely got better, way better, and delivered complex interesting characters, a rollicking good story, lots of great action scenes, and an intricate magic system driving events in a fully realized alternate world. I can't wait to read the next one.
June 12, 2022
Fantastic start to a great new series.
Servants of Wars world is brutal. Its fantastic brand of slavic and fairy mythos lends itself perfectly to the Magicpunk, WW1 darkness that permeates the setting.
The characters are vibrant and real, feeling like people you kniw you have met before while being fresh faces.
I greatly look forward to the next series, enough to want to include this series on my own next visit to The Needle.
Servants of Wars world is brutal. Its fantastic brand of slavic and fairy mythos lends itself perfectly to the Magicpunk, WW1 darkness that permeates the setting.
The characters are vibrant and real, feeling like people you kniw you have met before while being fresh faces.
I greatly look forward to the next series, enough to want to include this series on my own next visit to The Needle.
January 27, 2022
Servants of War is a military fantasy set in a world with magic and goddesses that was colonized in the past by humans from presumably our world who built a sort of early industrial civilizations while pushing the original inhabitants in far corners or in another even more desolate world; as of the start of the book, there is a long running war between the two most powerful nations, Kolakolvia (a sort of Tsarist Russia with a whiff of the Soviet Union, poorer, but with large human resource and a powerful magical "cyborgs" front line unit, The Wall, that compensates for its technological disadvantages) and Almacia (a generic "western nation", possibly modeled on the Wilhemine Germany - we never really have any Almacian character so far in the book beyond the generic cannon fodder and all we know is through Kolakolvian eyes- more advanced technologically and prosperous, with better weapons including artillery and lethal gas); both powers operate under the aegis of one of three Goddess, "The Sisters" (the third protects the natives) and their fight is mostly about trying to control/deny control of the isolationist magical nation of Praja, which neither side can subdue as of now.
In a sideshow that eventually intersects with the main storyline, an old man hides in a neutral prison (currently under Almacian control)
The main storyline follows three main pov's, Ilarion Glaskov, a new recruit for the Wall after his village is annihilated by powerful magic from the third realm and he, the only survivor is marked as the Sister's protegee and sent to the front to atone; Kristoph Vals, a high ranking agent in Kolakolvia's Secret Police and direct report of the infamous (originally Prajan magi, now Kolakolvian by "adoption") chancellor of the empire, Nicodemus Firsch - brutal, cynical and with no scruples or mercy, Kristoph is very ambitious and he regards himself as quite patriotic, so has (very private) reservations about the foreign born chancellor, but of course he bides his time and looks for powerful tools to help him advance; the third character, Natalya Baston is an experienced scout sniper, Rolmani ( a sort of "people of the road" which have some magic too and who were persecuted for a long time by both empires until it dawned on their leaders to use them instead) and whose parents are "guests" of the empire to ensure her collaboration; discovering a deadly secret, she tries to make a deal with Kristoph (who actually saves her life from a night ambush in the city, as he has a weakness for "pretty girls in distress") and becomes embroiled in the highly dangerous business of magic and empire
And so it goes, with a lot of energy, fairly brutal and unsanitized descriptions of trench battles and dark magic until a good stopping point which promises a lot for the next installment.
Highly recommended for a dark military fantasy with lots of gore and magic, but also one that makes you turn pages until the end
In a sideshow that eventually intersects with the main storyline, an old man hides in a neutral prison (currently under Almacian control)
The main storyline follows three main pov's, Ilarion Glaskov, a new recruit for the Wall after his village is annihilated by powerful magic from the third realm and he, the only survivor is marked as the Sister's protegee and sent to the front to atone; Kristoph Vals, a high ranking agent in Kolakolvia's Secret Police and direct report of the infamous (originally Prajan magi, now Kolakolvian by "adoption") chancellor of the empire, Nicodemus Firsch - brutal, cynical and with no scruples or mercy, Kristoph is very ambitious and he regards himself as quite patriotic, so has (very private) reservations about the foreign born chancellor, but of course he bides his time and looks for powerful tools to help him advance; the third character, Natalya Baston is an experienced scout sniper, Rolmani ( a sort of "people of the road" which have some magic too and who were persecuted for a long time by both empires until it dawned on their leaders to use them instead) and whose parents are "guests" of the empire to ensure her collaboration; discovering a deadly secret, she tries to make a deal with Kristoph (who actually saves her life from a night ambush in the city, as he has a weakness for "pretty girls in distress") and becomes embroiled in the highly dangerous business of magic and empire
And so it goes, with a lot of energy, fairly brutal and unsanitized descriptions of trench battles and dark magic until a good stopping point which promises a lot for the next installment.
Highly recommended for a dark military fantasy with lots of gore and magic, but also one that makes you turn pages until the end
March 13, 2022
Full. Metal. Golems?
This story is a trip. I got the Audible version, so the narrator is part of this review. Daniel Thomas May absolutely nails it - the voices are distinct, the accents sound authentic (for a twist on Tsarist Russia that's not actually Russia), and the performance drew me in every step of the way. May's performance is up there with Luke Daniels in bringing a book to life.
The setting is roughly turn-of-the-century Tsarist Russia, though the names have been changed and the rivalry with what could be Germany runs back a century - wars fought on and off, but at a point where the weaponry and tactics is uncomfortably WWI-era, including trench warfare and gas attacks.
Oh, and magic is real.
Larry Correia has a great track record entertaining military dark fantasy (Monster Hunters International) and magic-infused alternate history (Hard Magic), and his epic fantasy series, Son of the Black Sword, is also of to a compelling start. He collaborates on Servants of War with Steve Diamond, who apparently writes solid horror. I know him only through the podcast Diamond and Correia do together, WriterDojo, about the craft and business of writing. If this book is them "eating their own dog food" then their advice is well worth listening to.
I'm sure the story isn't for everyone - the battles are brutal and bloody, and the injection of horror elements is darker than the Lovecraftian beasties in the MHI universe. When Baba Yaga is the cuddly one, you're in for a dark ride. But as is so often true, the humans show a capacity for evil that rivals the eldritch horrors.
The characters are well drawn, and most are surprisingly sympathetic. I really, really enjoyed this.
This story is a trip. I got the Audible version, so the narrator is part of this review. Daniel Thomas May absolutely nails it - the voices are distinct, the accents sound authentic (for a twist on Tsarist Russia that's not actually Russia), and the performance drew me in every step of the way. May's performance is up there with Luke Daniels in bringing a book to life.
The setting is roughly turn-of-the-century Tsarist Russia, though the names have been changed and the rivalry with what could be Germany runs back a century - wars fought on and off, but at a point where the weaponry and tactics is uncomfortably WWI-era, including trench warfare and gas attacks.
Oh, and magic is real.
Larry Correia has a great track record entertaining military dark fantasy (Monster Hunters International) and magic-infused alternate history (Hard Magic), and his epic fantasy series, Son of the Black Sword, is also of to a compelling start. He collaborates on Servants of War with Steve Diamond, who apparently writes solid horror. I know him only through the podcast Diamond and Correia do together, WriterDojo, about the craft and business of writing. If this book is them "eating their own dog food" then their advice is well worth listening to.
I'm sure the story isn't for everyone - the battles are brutal and bloody, and the injection of horror elements is darker than the Lovecraftian beasties in the MHI universe. When Baba Yaga is the cuddly one, you're in for a dark ride. But as is so often true, the humans show a capacity for evil that rivals the eldritch horrors.
The characters are well drawn, and most are surprisingly sympathetic. I really, really enjoyed this.
August 27, 2024
Illarion Glaskov lives in a small remote village far from the cities of Kolakolvia and the endless wars with Almacia. When his village is attacked by a strange creature and everyone is killed, Illarion survives, and he's visited by the Sister of Nature (or the Baba Yaga) who claims him as her champion. At her bidding he enlists in the tsar's army and becomes one of the Wall, those who drive, protect, and service the war machine suits. The suits are powered by a fragment of soul, taken from golems. It requires magic to be attuned to the suits, but anyone with magical powers is a threat to the head magi and typically doesn't last very long. Illarion attracts a lot of attention from a lot of people...luckily he's likable...and useful to their own ends.
In true Correia fashion, there's a lot of fighting, explosions, guns. There's also a good amount of horrific creatures (like ghouls, corpse-eaters), blood, dismemberment, soldiers getting fed to war dogs.
And there are good characters!! I liked Illarion, and the romani sharp-shooter, and the nefarious secret-service guy, and the other soldiers of the Wall. There's a bit of character growth, a bit of romance, tragic stuff, good laughs.
It's not exactly a 5-star book for me, maybe 4.5, but had a lot of fun reading it and can't say anything particular that I didn't like about it.
Well, the Amos dude was kind of frustrating but he's not in much of it.
I've read Correia's Monster Hunters and his Grimnoir. This series is something else entirely, which I definitely appreciate. I mean there are monsters and fighting of course. And magic!
I haven't read Steve Diamond yet but this is a good introduction.
In true Correia fashion, there's a lot of fighting, explosions, guns. There's also a good amount of horrific creatures (like ghouls, corpse-eaters), blood, dismemberment, soldiers getting fed to war dogs.
And there are good characters!! I liked Illarion, and the romani sharp-shooter, and the nefarious secret-service guy, and the other soldiers of the Wall. There's a bit of character growth, a bit of romance, tragic stuff, good laughs.
It's not exactly a 5-star book for me, maybe 4.5, but had a lot of fun reading it and can't say anything particular that I didn't like about it.
Well, the Amos dude was kind of frustrating but he's not in much of it.
I've read Correia's Monster Hunters and his Grimnoir. This series is something else entirely, which I definitely appreciate. I mean there are monsters and fighting of course. And magic!
I haven't read Steve Diamond yet but this is a good introduction.
March 19, 2023
If you loved George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter, then you will most certainly love this book as well! It is in no way derivative, clichéd garbage of the aforementioned works, but rather something quite daring, truly unique, and rather refreshing in the realm of fantasy novels. It draws upon Eastern European mythology, as well as the culture and history of Russia during both WW1 and WW2, to create a world that feels as real as ours despite the existence and direct intervention of supernatural beings both big and small. The characters are written so vibrant and so real that it feels like they must have been based on the memoirs of real people. The depth of their characters and the realistic events, discussions, and warfare are all exemplary.
This story takes place in a fantasy world where two empires have been at war for over 100 years with each side having a goddess as its patron. The technology level is somewhere between the late 19th and early 20th century. It has the bloody curling trench warfare that defined WW1 except with magic and specifically magic-powered mech suits. The mech suits function in a similar fashion to early tanks. We follow both an earnest, kind hearted, strong, and honest to a fault young man who ends up in the center of all this conflict as well as a seasoned, cloak-and-dagger, and machiavellian secret police character who is cold, calculating,
logical... and highly ambitious.
It is only the first edition in a series that I'm certain will soon have a huge following if the sequels are as good as this first entry. I could even see it getting a live action adaptation in the future. I would definitely recommend it to any fan of the fantasy genre. I really love having a good fiction book among my constant rotation of non-fiction books. However, this one was so good that I finished it in a week, not even touching any of the other books that were in my rotation at the time, as is my typical habit.
This story takes place in a fantasy world where two empires have been at war for over 100 years with each side having a goddess as its patron. The technology level is somewhere between the late 19th and early 20th century. It has the bloody curling trench warfare that defined WW1 except with magic and specifically magic-powered mech suits. The mech suits function in a similar fashion to early tanks. We follow both an earnest, kind hearted, strong, and honest to a fault young man who ends up in the center of all this conflict as well as a seasoned, cloak-and-dagger, and machiavellian secret police character who is cold, calculating,
logical... and highly ambitious.
It is only the first edition in a series that I'm certain will soon have a huge following if the sequels are as good as this first entry. I could even see it getting a live action adaptation in the future. I would definitely recommend it to any fan of the fantasy genre. I really love having a good fiction book among my constant rotation of non-fiction books. However, this one was so good that I finished it in a week, not even touching any of the other books that were in my rotation at the time, as is my typical habit.
January 14, 2023
Larry Correia captivates again. While reflexively one might see "the upside down" from "Stranger Things" as a device in this tale, this similarity is superficial and easy to latch onto because of the availability heuristic. Correia masterfully builds a complex a layered world which appears to be an alternate history to our own.
As a Slav and a fan of history, I enjoyed the setting and the characters brought to life, with rich imagery blending WWI, folklore and mysticism themes. Visuals formed in the mind unbidden, easily placing the reader within the world and among the ensemble cast, shoulder-to-shoulder, with each hard earned step toward accomplishing the protagonists' mission.
Correia has proven to be adept at writing action scenes, and here he does not disappoint. By the time the story reached its conclusion, I was both exhaling, thankful for the reprieve, and wishing a sequel is in the works.
As a Slav and a fan of history, I enjoyed the setting and the characters brought to life, with rich imagery blending WWI, folklore and mysticism themes. Visuals formed in the mind unbidden, easily placing the reader within the world and among the ensemble cast, shoulder-to-shoulder, with each hard earned step toward accomplishing the protagonists' mission.
Correia has proven to be adept at writing action scenes, and here he does not disappoint. By the time the story reached its conclusion, I was both exhaling, thankful for the reprieve, and wishing a sequel is in the works.
March 20, 2022
Servants of War is the first book in "The Age of Ravens" series by Larry Correia and Steve Diamond. The only way to describe this book is as Military Fantasy. It is the story of a man, Illarion Glaskov, who is manipulated, by an entity claiming to be Baba Yaga, into joining the military of his country to fight in a war that is very far distant from his home. He will be subjected to brutal training and he must learn to fight in a spirit-empowered suit much like Mechs in Military Science Fiction. He has known for a while that he is different but it soon becomes apparent that he has powers unlike but a very few of his people. If the wrong people find out this could end very badly for him. He will make new friends as well as a few new enemies. This book held my attention from beginning to end and is a very good read.
April 1, 2022
This is a bit of a twist: MilSF in a fantasy universe that combines elements of Russian and Jewish mythology, and perhaps more that I didn't recognize.
When Illarion Glaskov and his friend Balan fail to report for duty with the Tsar's army, Illarion whole village is wiped out by an enemy Goddess. To release their ghosts from the land, his own Goddess charges him to go to the capitol and join the Army. He ends up in the Wall, a corps of magic-powered Armored Infantry. As he serves in a war rather like WWI, he meets Natalya Baston, a supernaturally good female sniper, and Kristoph Vals, agent of the Tsar's secret police. Adventures and intrigue follow.
Really good, with the usual Correia mixture of humor, action, and mystery. First of a series. Highly recommended.
When Illarion Glaskov and his friend Balan fail to report for duty with the Tsar's army, Illarion whole village is wiped out by an enemy Goddess. To release their ghosts from the land, his own Goddess charges him to go to the capitol and join the Army. He ends up in the Wall, a corps of magic-powered Armored Infantry. As he serves in a war rather like WWI, he meets Natalya Baston, a supernaturally good female sniper, and Kristoph Vals, agent of the Tsar's secret police. Adventures and intrigue follow.
Really good, with the usual Correia mixture of humor, action, and mystery. First of a series. Highly recommended.
December 16, 2022
Excellent military fantasy epic! A great start to a new series. Illarion Glaskov is a farmboy in the far northern land of the empire. Strange creatures attack his village and destroy all he's ever known. He's conscripted to join the military and serve in an elite unit where he's instantly sent to the front to join a war that's been going on for a hundred years. Great storytelling by Larry Correia and Steve Diamond. The essence of the Russian military in the descriptions and "attitudes" was fantastic. I look forward to the next in the series. I'll also go and look for books by Steve Diamond. Great narration by Daniel Thomas May for the audible version.
March 19, 2022
Outstanding World Building, Characters, and Story
This book transcends the genres of horror, military fiction, and fantasy simultaneously. It provides a blend which results in a deeper story, more engaging characters, and a richer mileau. It has great hardware, but it fills its place without having to be spotlighted. The story and characters, and their mythology, develop naturally as the tale unfolds. This is likely to be the best book you read this year.
This book transcends the genres of horror, military fiction, and fantasy simultaneously. It provides a blend which results in a deeper story, more engaging characters, and a richer mileau. It has great hardware, but it fills its place without having to be spotlighted. The story and characters, and their mythology, develop naturally as the tale unfolds. This is likely to be the best book you read this year.
June 13, 2022
"Do you believe in fate, Illarion?"
If that phrase don't cause existential dread by the halfway point, you don't have a pulse.
High fantasy World War I with mech suits made of dead golems, lobotomized shock troopers, trench lines with poison gas and raining blood, and the gods themselves manipulating the war for their own ends.
This is grimdark high fantasy of the very best sort, and it will grab you from the first chapter and not let go until the last.
If that phrase don't cause existential dread by the halfway point, you don't have a pulse.
High fantasy World War I with mech suits made of dead golems, lobotomized shock troopers, trench lines with poison gas and raining blood, and the gods themselves manipulating the war for their own ends.
This is grimdark high fantasy of the very best sort, and it will grab you from the first chapter and not let go until the last.
September 1, 2022
Larry Correia is usually a can't miss in the action fantasy genre, a few of the monster hunter money grabs no withstanding, and this is no exception.
This book is an unholy amalgamation of WWI western front, WWII Eastern Front, Mechs, and Russian myths all rolled into a inter-dimensional world of horror and intrigue I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great action and good characters.
Highly recommended for fantasy nerds.
This book is an unholy amalgamation of WWI western front, WWII Eastern Front, Mechs, and Russian myths all rolled into a inter-dimensional world of horror and intrigue I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great action and good characters.
Highly recommended for fantasy nerds.
March 10, 2022
Love Larry Correia, but this was just ok for me. Also not sure who the woman is on the cover. Natalya is the main female character, but I'd swear they said she had dark hair. Maybe Svetlana? Seems unlikely given how insignificant her character is. Also didn't care for the armored suits being called Objects. Why???
May 14, 2022
Loved this book. Larry Correia writes a lot of good fantasy, but I found this one to be better than his usual stuff. I felt that the world building was superb, and I really loved getting to know the characters. This is a fantastic start to the series and I honestly can’t wait for the next installment.
May 27, 2022
This is the best s/f-fantasy action novel that I’ve read in a long time. Although the grammar clearly reveals that Baen Books doesn’t employ quality copy-editors, the fast-paced plot and engaging character-development make it easy to overlook. I am unreservedly looking forward to the next in this series.
September 18, 2023
Not terrible. A Slavic flavored military horror fantasy. Lots of grimdark elements and bad guys. None of the characters really stand out as anything unique (the farmboy hero, the brave NCO, the beautiful Romani lady, the evil apparatnick, etc.) Still it did the job ok for a book I picked up due to a free sample.
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