Adult Fantasy Book Review: Engines of Empire (The Age of Uprising #1) by Richard S. Ford

Posted June 14, 2022 by jrsbookr in Fantasy / 0 Comments

Adult Fantasy Book Review: Engines of Empire (The Age of Uprising #1) by Richard S. Ford

by Richard S. Ford
Adult Fantasy Book Review: Engines of Empire (The Age of Uprising #1) by Richard S. FordEngines of Empire Series: The Age of Uprising #1
Published by Orbit on January 18, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Fantasy / Epic, Fiction / Fantasy / Military
Pages: 624
Find the Author: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram
Format: Ebook Arc
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Goodreads

"Perfect for fans of Brent Weeks, George R. R. Martin, or David Gemmell . . . . The best traditional epic fantasy I have read in years." — Grimdark Magazine

Epic fantasy fans listen up: This is the good stuff. Highly recommended.” — Kirkus (starred review)

FORGED IN FIRE, BOUND BY BLOOD.

From an unmissable voice in epic fantasy comes a sweeping tale of clashing guilds, magic-fueled machines, and revolution.
 

The nation of Torwyn is run on the power of industry, and industry is run by the Guilds. Chief among them are the Hawkspurs, whose responsibility it is to keep the gears of the empire turning. That’s exactly why matriarch Rosomon Hawkspur sends each of her heirs to the far reaches of the nation. 

Conall, the eldest son, is sent to the distant frontier to earn his stripes in the military. It is here that he faces a threat he could have never seen coming: the first rumblings of revolution.

Tyreta is a sorceress with the ability to channel the power of pyrestone, the magical resource that fuels the empire’s machines. She is sent to the mines to learn more about how pyrsetone is harvested – but instead, she finds the dark horrors of industry that the empire would prefer to keep hidden.

The youngest, Fulren, is a talented artificer and finds himself acting as a guide to a mysterious foreign emissary. Soon after, he is framed for a crime he never committed. A crime that could start a war. 

As the Hawkspurs grapple with the many threats that face the nation within and without, they must finally prove themselves worthy–or their empire will fall apart. 

 “An epic setting, and an incredible cast of characters.” – James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost

Review:

 

Engines of Empires is an epic fantasy tale of clashing guilds, magic-fueled machines, intrigue and revolution, and the one family that stands between destruction and salvation. Engines of Empires is the first book in the Age of Uprising series and the first book I read from this author. Set in an age of swords, kings, and guilds, and in addition to this, we got airships and jewels of powers, as well as giant mind-controlled machines. I would say this is a definite mixture of fantasy and some sci-fi.
The story is told from various alternative points of view rather than from the character’s perspective as events unfold. The Hawkspur guild takes center stage and is the head of the guild, and we have Roscommon and each of her children’s points of view as events unfold. Each character plays a part in how things grow, the author does not hold back on the unnecessary things that can happen in war times, and the action pulls you along through the whole book.
Overall I found this first book by this author. I read well-written, engaging, and with enough action that I would highly recommend and want to continue the st

 

About Richard S. Ford

R S Ford originally hails from Leeds in the heartland of Yorkshire. He is a writer of fantasy and historical fiction.