Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan

Blurb:

In this thrilling first book of the Powder Mage Trilogy, civil unrest has crippled the citizens of Adro in the aftermath of the revolution that obliterated the monarchy—now, Field Marshal Tamas and his lieutenants must confront the true cost of freedom.

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

Field Marshal Tamas' coup against his king sent corrupt aristocrats to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving. But it also provoked war with the Nine Nations, internal attacks by royalist fanatics, and the greedy to 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 ...

Now, 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 walk the earth. No modern educated man believes that sort of thing. But they should ...

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

Review:

As a fan of dark, gritty atmospheres and bloody conflicts, this book was right up my alley. I was pleasantly surprised by how immersed I became throughout this read. Promise of Blood is an extremely impressive debut, and McClellan has earned his spot among notable authors such as Abercrombie and Erikson.

As we’re thrown into the thick of a conflict sparked by an unexpected coup and the resulting political chaos, we’re introduced to several intriguing characters. Adamat is an investigator and family man who becomes mired in the affairs of various opposing factions. Field Marshal Tamas carries arguably the heaviest burden as he deals with the fallout of his momentous actions, reminiscent of the French Revolution. And Taniel Two-Shot is a man who throws himself into his work, often forsaking the need to address his personal troubles.

The good news is that every POV character is interesting and leads to enjoyable plot threads. McClellan does a great job of weaving characters, plot, and pacing into a steady flow that blends into a seamless narrative.

On a similar note, the world-building and magic systems compliment each other beautifully. The concepts of gunpowder-related magic and elemental sorcery provide a unique interplay, made even more intriguing by the wide range of “knacks” that some characters might possess. This fits incredibly well with the early-modern/industrial-age setting, albeit almost solely from the perspective of military officers and nobility. The atmosphere is tense and unnerving as we’re dragged through high-stakes events that could cause a nation already on the brink of disaster to utterly crumble.

What I loved most about this book (aside from a dark and bloody conflict involving grey characters), is the way in which McClellan feeds the reader information. The writing style gives a sort of real-time effect, as relationships and history aren’t always contextualized in the moment, leaving the reader on the edge of their seat and tearing through pages for answers. While some questions are answered eventually, there is always a looming mystery or threat to uncover or solve. Personally, I enjoy this type of storytelling the most as it requires a little more brainpower from the reader, knowing that the author will not be holding your hand the whole way through.

Being a character-driven reader, I have to admit that the character development could have used a bit more attention. The characters are interesting but largely stay the same throughout the book. This was nowhere near a dealbreaker for me, though, as the plot kept me hooked from beginning to end with excellent pacing and plenty of twists and intrigue. Add into the mix well-flowing, accessible prose, and it’s easy to see how quickly 500+ pages can fly by!

If you’re looking for a fast-flowing flintlock fantasy with an early-modern military setting, then Promise of Blood is your best bet!