The Hunger of Empires: A thrilling epic fantasy of battle and adventure (The Erland Saga, #2)

by R S Moule

Erland is in flames.

Two kings claim the throne and the war between them lays waste to the country.

Far away, an old enemy scents weakness. The vast empire of Ulvatia desires new lands. Under a ruthless new leader, the empire turns its armies on Erland.

Orsian has lived in hiding since his father Andrick was cut down in battle. On the dark backstreets of Cliffark, surrounded by thieves and pirates, he finds a home. When Erland is threatened, Orsian knows he must fight. Will he protect his new friends or risk returning to his family?

Rymond Prindian wears the crown of West Erland, but his struggle for power is just beginning. The might of the empire will fall on his new kingdom soon. Courtiers whisper and ruthless mercenaries sharpen their knives—and Rymond can show no sign of weakness.

High above, Pherri pushes through wind and snow on the mountain of Eryispek to discover the origins of her magic. There, she learns of another war, far greater than the one being fought on the plains below. Two rival gods, with unimaginable power, have been imprisoned in the mountain for centuries.

And now they are breaking free.

An utterly gripping adventure packed with battles and betrayal, twisting politics and wild magic, The Hunger of Empires continues R.S. Moule’s epic Erland Saga. Guaranteed to keep you reading late into the night, it’s perfect for fans of John Gwynne, Raymond E. Feist and George R.R. Martin.

• ISBN10: 1837904618
• ISBN13: 9781837904617
• Publish Date: 13 October 2023
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Bookouture
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 628
• Language: English
• URL: https://secondskybooks.com/books/2914/

Reviews

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

The Hunger of Empires continues the saga of the Erland Empire. After the conclusion of book one, Fury of Kings, I eagerly awaited the sequel. It did not disappoint, because I had a great time returning to this rich and complex world.  Magic, war, betrayals, revenge and political manoeuvrings awaits fans of the genre

The Hunger of Empires picks up immediately after the tragic ending of book one. The family affected by the tragedy are grieving in their own way. The wife is hell-bent on revenge, one son has taken to drowning his sorrows in alcohol, while the other fled and ended on a pirate ship. Meanwhile, the daughter went on a journey with her mentor to obtain answers regarding the source of her magic.

Like the previous book in the series, the story features multiple POVs, with each chapter alternating between them. Despite the jumps between the various POVs with each chapter, I had no issues following the story. It was like watching a film and observing the switching of scenes throughout.

The characters featured, from the good guys to the villains, were fascinating and complex. Some you gladly cheer on, and others one would wish to see get their comeuppance.  Surprisingly, there was one villain I admired. My admiration came about because of the way he is always one step ahead of all who desire to take him down. I can't wait for him to find his match. That should make for some interesting reading.

I can't say much for fear of spoilers. However, I can attest that the action, political intrigue, and the desire to know the outcome, will have readers flipping the pages. The story hidden in The Hunger for Empires is one which would have fans of the genre clamouring to get their hands on a copy.

This was a delightful addition to the series and I eagerly await the next book. My only regret is not getting the opportunity to listen to the audiobook like I did for the first book.