Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan

Promise of Blood (Powder Mage Trilogy, #1)

by Brian McClellan

It's a bloody business, overthrowing a king . . .

Field Marshal Tamas's coup against the king has sent corrupt aristocrats to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving. But he knows that the battle is just beginning. Because it also provoked war with the Nine Nations, internal attacks by royalist fanatics and a greedy scramble for money and power by Tamas's supposed allies: the Church, workers' unions and mercenary forces.

It's up to a few . . .

Stretched to his limit, Tamas is relying heavily on his few remaining powder mages, including the embittered Taniel, a brilliant marksman who also happens to be his estranged son, and Adamat, a retired police inspector whose loyalty is being tested by blackmail.

But when gods are involved . . .

As attacks batter them from within and without, the credulous are whispering about omens of death and destruction. Just old peasant legends about the gods waking to walking the earth. No modern educated man believes that sort of thing. But they should . . .

Promise of Blood is a spectacular fantasy debut set in a world where gods walk the earth and guns and magic create the perfect combination.

Reviewed by Rinn on

2 of 5 stars

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I don't know if my enjoyment of this was hampered by the fact that I read it very slowly, often only small amounts at a time. I think I'll try and re-read it next year or something, because I was expecting to love it.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 29 June, 2015: Finished reading
  • 29 June, 2015: Reviewed