The Emperor's Blades (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, #1)

by Brian Staveley

Winner of the 2015 David Gemmell Award for Best Fantasy Debut.

An explosive fantasy debut, The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley is a fast-paced, thrilling epic. If you like Joe Abercrombie and George R. R. Martin, you'll love this.

'Will keep you turning the pages late at night' – Pierce Brown, Sunday Times bestselling author of Red Rising

The circle is closing. The stakes are high. And old truths will live again . . .

The Emperor has been murdered, leaving the Annurian Empire in turmoil. Now his progeny must prepare to unmask a conspiracy. His son Valyn, training for the empire's deadliest fighting force, hears the news an ocean away. And after several 'accidents' and a dying soldier's warning, he realizes his life is also in danger. Yet before Valyn can act, he must survive the mercenaries' brutal final initiation.

The Emperor's daughter, Minister Adare, hunts her father's murderer in the capital. Court politics can be fatal, but she needs justice. Lastly Kaden, heir to the empire, studies in a remote monastery. Here, the Blank God's disciples teach their harsh ways, which Kaden must master to unlock ancient powers. But when an imperial delegation arrives, has he learnt enough to keep him alive, as long-hidden powers make their move?

'A vividly imagined story of conspiracy and empire' – Col Buchanan

'A fantastic and compelling fantasy world' – Io9

The Emperor's Blades is the first novel in Brain Staveley's epic Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne series. Continue the story with The Providence of Fire.

• ISBN10: 1447235827
• ISBN13: 9781447235828
• Publish Date: 9 October 2014 (first published 14 January 2014)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Imprint: Tor
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 592
• Language: English

Reviews

[ayla_abbott]

Great is the book that features three young adults that don't bitch and moan and rebel and have angst all over the pages.

The three protagonists knuckle down and train and make rough choices and in all cases believe that their teachers want the best for them even if it's (very) painful at the time. All of them struggle with their emotions but all three of them are capable of control in a way that a lot of young protagonists aren't written to be. It's not a YA book so we don't need to hash out the emotions, just experience them and grow.

Took me half the book to realize that's why I wasn't bored with the long buildup comprised mostly of just training.

And in the end I'm genuinely interested in all three of them now that they've passed their tests.

[ross91]

The only thing I didn't like about this book was Adare.
Everything else was amazing.