YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

A new grimdark fantasy for fans of Anna Smith-Spark, GRR Martin and Mark Lawrence.

The Emperor is dead. Long live the Empire.

General Bordan has a lifetime of duty and sacrifice behind him in the service of the Empire. But with rebellion brewing in the countryside, and assassins, thieves and politicians vying for power in the city, it is all Bordan can do to protect the heir to the throne.

Apprentice Magician Kyron is assigned to the late Emperor’s honour guard escorting his body on the long road back to the capital. Mistrusted and feared by his own people, even a magician’s power may fail when enemies emerge from the forests, for whoever is in control of the Emperor’s body, controls the succession.

Seven lives and seven deaths to seal the fate of the Empire.

I'm so late on all my BRs and may get to this one early into August, if I run out of days in this month.

First quarter - (view spoiler)[Bordan is in a position of power and is trusted to protect the heir to the throne, after the death of his father. he revealed his past interest in Prince Alhard's younger sister, Aelia, but her close position to the throne made their involvement an impossible one. I'm hopeful for something more to occur there. I haven't really got a good understanding of her character yet but am really disliking her brother. He already seems like a poor ruler with little understanding of the struggles of his people.

I don't know if the Empress is an individual to be trusted or not yet either. She seems quite cold and aloof but her powerful position could have made her thus. She also seemed distant from her deceased husband and not too upset by the news of his passing.

Kyron is an apprentice magician but is tasked, along with his mentor, with leading the Emperor's body back to the capitol. It isn't an easy task though as many of his citizens did not agree with the endless war he kept his kingdom locked in nor does their religion allow for a tolerance for magic. I knew his first observations, that the procession through the trees was a boring task, was going to come back to haunt him.

Emlyn journeyed with them and has already opened Kyron's eyes to a world beyond his small own. I can foresee him betraying the Emperor as she shows him more about the struggles of her people. A potential romance can already seen to be blossoming, at least on Kyron's part, too.

This is already proving an interesting story and the amount of dialogue is also making the pages fly by. (hide spoiler)]

Second quarter - (view spoiler)[The Prince acted rashly and killed where it was not necessary, putting Bordan in the uncomfortable position of hating his actions without being able to voice his opinions on them and still having the support his rule. It came as such a surprise to learn he died after the raid, although I bet the kingdom will be all the better off for it.

I really hoped Padarn's trust in Emlyn wasn't going to prove wrongly placed. Kyron seemed to be harbouring some misgivings about her and was more attune to her slyness, even as he was learning about her different way of life.

It seems I didn't have to worry about Emlyn as Padarn died at other hands and Emlyn seems to be bonding more with Kyron, as she helped him buty the body and fake the cremation.

The Empress has now been slain too, leaving only the princess alive. I wonder if she hired the assassins? She has escaped two attacks now, which were maybe created to cast suspicions away from her but not have her actually killed in them.

I'm enjoying reading the snippets of another's life that begins each chapter but am wondering where it will fit in with the overarching story-line? Is the boy Bordan, perhaps? Kyron? I don't think he's been named yet. (hide spoiler)]

Third quarter - (view spoiler)[Emlyn aided Kyron in 'meeting' with his parents. They revealed much about his heritage and the misinformation spread about the Empire. It seemed obvious from the start that Kyron would switch sides, so to speak, or at least empathise with them far more, but I'm super interested to see what he will do next. (hide spoiler)]

Fourth quarter - (view spoiler)[I had the ages for these characters so wrong and Bordan was far older than I realised, after the revelation of his relationship to Kyron as his grandfather.

Aelia was crowned as Emperor and had Bordan arrested directly after! Kyron fought to save him and his frustration at being initially thwarted was hard to read.

Political intrigue was the focus for the first half and war for the second. I wished the kingdom had been painted in more detail and a better understanding of the magic system was provided, but this proved a fascinating fantasy story nonetheless. (hide spoiler)]