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Sins of Empire
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Series: Gods of Blood and Powder, Book 1
- Length: 20 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy
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Wrath of Empire
- Written by: Brian McClellan
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 23 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 106
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 98
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 98
The country is in turmoil. With the capital city occupied, half a million refugees are on the march, looking for safety on the frontier, accompanied by Lady Flint's soldiers. But escaping war is never easy, and soon the battle may find them, whether they are prepared or not.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Can't wait for the third book.
- By Lisa Driscoll on 2018-09-30
Written by: Brian McClellan
-
Blood of Empire
- Written by: Brian McClellan
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 20 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 86
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
The Dynize have unlocked the Landfall Godstone, and Michel Bravis is tasked with returning to Greenfire Depths to do whatever he can to prevent them from using its power: from sewing dissension among the enemy ranks to rallying the Palo population. Ben Styke's invasion of Dynize is curtailed when a storm scatters his fleet. Coming ashore with just 20 lancers, he is forced to rely on brains rather than brawn - gaining new allies in a strange land on the cusp of its own internal violence.
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3 out of 5 stars
-
I would recommend reading the paper book
- By Mark on 2020-03-18
Written by: Brian McClellan
-
The Autumn Republic
- Written by: Brian McClellan
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 19 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 111
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 101
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 101
The capital has fallen...Field Marshal Tamas returns to his beloved country to find that for the first time in history, the capital city of Adro lies in the hands of a foreign invader. His son is missing, his allies are indistinguishable from his foes, and reinforcements are several weeks away. An army divided...With the Kez still bearing down upon them and without clear leadership, the Adran army has turned against itself. Inspector Adamat is drawn into the very heart of this new mutiny with promises of finding his kidnapped son.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
A solid ending
- By Ben G on 2021-10-26
Written by: Brian McClellan
-
The Crimson Campaign
- The Powder Mage Trilogy, Book 2
- Written by: Brian McClellan
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 20 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 119
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 107
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 107
A staggering defeat on the border of Adro and Kez leaves Tamas and his powder mages in grave danger and cut off from all aid. Meanwhile, deadly political games threaten his allies at home. When invasion looms...Tamas's invasion of Kez ends in disaster when a Kez counter-offensive leaves him cut off behind enemy lines with only a fraction of his army, no supplies, and no hope of reinforcements. Drastically outnumbered and pursued by the enemy's best, he must lead his men on a reckless march through northern Kez to safety, and back over the mountains so that he can defend his country.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great book. Always kept me interested.
- By Mitch on 2021-08-03
Written by: Brian McClellan
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Promise of Blood
- Written by: Brian McClellan
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 19 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 164
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 147
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 147
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....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Surprising find
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Written by: Brian McClellan
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The Rage of Dragons
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- Narrated by: Prentice Onayemi
- Length: 16 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 353
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 321
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 323
The Omehi people have been fighting an unwinnable fight for almost 200 years. The lucky ones are born gifted. One in every 2,000 women has the power to call down dragons. One in every 100 men is able to magically transform himself into a bigger, stronger, faster killing machine. Everyone else is fodder, destined to fight and die in the endless war. Young, giftless Tau knows all this, but he has a plan of escape. He's going to get himself injured, get out early, and settle down to marriage, children, and land. Only, he doesn't get the chance. Those closest to him are murdered....
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4 out of 5 stars
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Worth sticking with
- By Chris Smythe on 2019-07-22
Written by: Evan Winter
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Wrath of Empire
- Written by: Brian McClellan
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 23 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 106
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 98
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 98
The country is in turmoil. With the capital city occupied, half a million refugees are on the march, looking for safety on the frontier, accompanied by Lady Flint's soldiers. But escaping war is never easy, and soon the battle may find them, whether they are prepared or not.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Can't wait for the third book.
- By Lisa Driscoll on 2018-09-30
Written by: Brian McClellan
-
Blood of Empire
- Written by: Brian McClellan
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 20 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 86
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
The Dynize have unlocked the Landfall Godstone, and Michel Bravis is tasked with returning to Greenfire Depths to do whatever he can to prevent them from using its power: from sewing dissension among the enemy ranks to rallying the Palo population. Ben Styke's invasion of Dynize is curtailed when a storm scatters his fleet. Coming ashore with just 20 lancers, he is forced to rely on brains rather than brawn - gaining new allies in a strange land on the cusp of its own internal violence.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
I would recommend reading the paper book
- By Mark on 2020-03-18
Written by: Brian McClellan
-
The Autumn Republic
- Written by: Brian McClellan
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 19 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 111
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 101
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 101
The capital has fallen...Field Marshal Tamas returns to his beloved country to find that for the first time in history, the capital city of Adro lies in the hands of a foreign invader. His son is missing, his allies are indistinguishable from his foes, and reinforcements are several weeks away. An army divided...With the Kez still bearing down upon them and without clear leadership, the Adran army has turned against itself. Inspector Adamat is drawn into the very heart of this new mutiny with promises of finding his kidnapped son.
-
5 out of 5 stars
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A solid ending
- By Ben G on 2021-10-26
Written by: Brian McClellan
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The Crimson Campaign
- The Powder Mage Trilogy, Book 2
- Written by: Brian McClellan
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 20 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 119
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 107
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 107
A staggering defeat on the border of Adro and Kez leaves Tamas and his powder mages in grave danger and cut off from all aid. Meanwhile, deadly political games threaten his allies at home. When invasion looms...Tamas's invasion of Kez ends in disaster when a Kez counter-offensive leaves him cut off behind enemy lines with only a fraction of his army, no supplies, and no hope of reinforcements. Drastically outnumbered and pursued by the enemy's best, he must lead his men on a reckless march through northern Kez to safety, and back over the mountains so that he can defend his country.
-
5 out of 5 stars
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Great book. Always kept me interested.
- By Mitch on 2021-08-03
Written by: Brian McClellan
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Promise of Blood
- Written by: Brian McClellan
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 19 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 164
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 147
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 147
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....
-
5 out of 5 stars
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Surprising find
- By Micheal on 2018-10-25
Written by: Brian McClellan
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The Rage of Dragons
- Written by: Evan Winter
- Narrated by: Prentice Onayemi
- Length: 16 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 353
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 321
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 323
The Omehi people have been fighting an unwinnable fight for almost 200 years. The lucky ones are born gifted. One in every 2,000 women has the power to call down dragons. One in every 100 men is able to magically transform himself into a bigger, stronger, faster killing machine. Everyone else is fodder, destined to fight and die in the endless war. Young, giftless Tau knows all this, but he has a plan of escape. He's going to get himself injured, get out early, and settle down to marriage, children, and land. Only, he doesn't get the chance. Those closest to him are murdered....
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4 out of 5 stars
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Worth sticking with
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Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 8
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Story5 out of 5 stars 8
In the colonial cities and towns of Fatrasta, peace has never been easy. Immigrants fight amongst themselves or turn on the native population, while the governing power of the Kez Army steps in only to enforce the will of apathetic local governors assigned by a distant crown. Young war hero Ben Styke commands a colonial garrison in a sleepy frontier suburb.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Narrator got on my nerves.
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A retired group of legendary mercenaries get the band back together for one last impossible mission in this award-winning debut epic fantasy. Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best, the most feared and renowned crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld. Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk, or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay's door with a plea for help - the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for. It's time to get the band back together.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A Great Book about older Adventurers
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The epic story of Thomas Cale continues as the Redeemers use his prodigious gifts to further their sacred goal: the extinction of humankind and the end of the world.To the warrior-monks known as the Redeemers, who rule over massive armies of child slaves, "the last four things" represent the culmination of a faithful life. Death. Judgement. Heaven. Hell. The last four things represent eternal bliss - or endless destruction, permanent chaos, and infinite pain.
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Since discovering that his brutal military training has been for one purpose - to destroy God's greatest mistake, mankind itself - Cale has been hunted by the very man who made him into the Angel of Death: Pope Redeemer Bosco. Cale is a paradox: arrogant and innocent, generous and pitiless. Feared and revered by those who created him, he has already used his breathtaking talent for violence and destruction to bring down the most powerful civilization in the world.
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In the ice, east of the Black Rock, there is a hole into which broken children are thrown. Yaz's people call it the Pit of the Missing, and now it is drawing her in as she has always known it would. To resist the cold, to endure the months of night when even the air itself begins to freeze, requires a special breed. Variation is dangerous, difference is fatal. And Yaz is not the same.
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shrug
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On the planet Abeth there is only the ice. And the Black Rock. For generations the priests of the Black Rock have reached out from their mountain to steer the fate of the ice tribes. With their Hidden God, their magic and their iron, the priests’ rule has never been questioned. But when ice triber Yaz challenged their authority, she was torn away from the only life she had ever known, and forced to find a new path for herself. Yaz has lost her friends and found her enemies. She has a mountain to climb.
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The Ben-Elim, a race of warrior angels, once vanquished a mighty demon horde. Now they rule the Banished lands. But their dominion is brutally enforced and their ancient enemy may not be as crushed as they thought. In the snowbound north, Drem, a trapper, finds mutilated corpses in the forests - a sign of demonic black magic. In the south, Riv, a young, tempestuous soldier, discovers a deadly rift within the Ben-Elim themselves. Two individuals with two world-changing secrets. But where will they lead?
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found my new favorite author
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This is the way the world ends...for the last time. It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world's sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun. It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter. It starts with betrayal, and long dormant wounds rising up to fester. This is the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the Earth is wielded as a weapon. And where there is no mercy.
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Publisher's Summary
A new epic fantasy series from highly acclaimed fantasy author Brian McClellan, set in the same world as the Powder Mage trilogy.
A world on the cusp of a new age...
The young nation of Fatrasta is a turbulent place - a frontier destination for criminals, fortune hunters, brave settlers, and sorcerers seeking relics of the past. Only the iron will of the lady chancellor and her secret police holds the capital city of Landfall together against the unrest of an oppressed population and the machinations of powerful empires.
Sedition is a dangerous word....
The insurrection that threatens Landfall must be purged with guile and force, a task that falls on the shoulders of a spy named Michel Bravis, convicted war hero Mad Ben Styke, and Lady Vlora Flint, a mercenary general with a past as turbulent as Landfall's present.
The past haunts us all....
As loyalties are tested, revealed, and destroyed, a grim specter as old as time has been unearthed in this wild land, and the people of Landfall will soon discover that rebellion is the least of their worries.
What the critics say
"Furious, visceral, and relentlessly thrilling action." (Kirkus)
"Fans of McClellan's Powder Mage trilogy will be happy to return to this fascinating fantasy world, where magic and technology come together in the midst of complicated relationships and unsure alliances.... [A] compelling read." (RT Book Reviews)
More from the same
What listeners say about Sins of Empire
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jamie @ Books and Ladders
- 2021-08-16
A Great Fantasy!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.
I really liked this one. A good mix of low fantasy and steampunk to keep me (and my boyfriend) super interested! I loved the characters and how this progressed. But there were some things I wish that had been done differently - and it would have been nice for everyone to interact more.
When this book - and ultimately series - was first pitched to me (back in the day *hides*), I was told that I could jump right into this series without needing to read the first to understand what was going on. While that was true, this book is definitely the start of it's own own series and has a great cast of characters, there were winks and nods to the past that probably would have had more context if I had read that original series first. Which isn't all that disappointing because I am okay with not having that context but I am probably still going to read that first series. So it would have been nice to know how they related back to one another.
But ultimately, that was my biggest complaint. I loved the characters, the action, and the pacing. I liked seeing how it all progressed throughout and thought that there were some really good twists and turns. Both my boyfriend and I thought that there was a big introduction to the stone obelisk at the beginning that didn't really make its way back until too late but I was happy with how it turned out.
I would have liked for the main three storylines to intersect more, especially since they only did through a character that wasn't even a "main" character of this book, but the previous series. That's probably what annoyed me the most out of it. But I loved how the main characters were portrayed and how they ultimately worked together without knowing it. I thought there was the right amount of smarts, perserverence, and tenacity spread across the characters.
And the world was really fun to be in! I loved the lower fantasy elements to it mixed in with some steampunks elements, which made it a really fun read. I always enjoy going into those types of worlds since I don't visit them often. But McClellan does a good job of making it accessible to all audiences - and keeping me and my boyfriend (who have VERY different fantasy tastes) engaged and intrigued the entire time.
This was definitely a fun read and everything I could have asked for in a low fantasy. But the questions becomes: should we finish this trilogy first or go back and read the "prequels" to this so we have more context? Stay tuned to see what we choose to do!
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Matthew Laine
- 2022-02-26
Outstanding
A masterpiece. Both the writing and the performance are first class. An absolute joy.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Duane Morgan
- 2021-01-01
Excellent Tangle of Webs
Great story that bounces back and forth between 3 very different characters. They interwine with one another often, and the story moves fast.
I at times had difficulty following places and groups of people, but it doesn't hurt the story, nor warrant a rating down.
I especially liked Ben Styke. His character was gritty and raw. The voice for him in particular was great.
The narrator is general was flawless. He has a large amount of voices in his arsenal.
Recommend this book if you're looking to lose yourself in a beautiful world of chaos.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2020-07-14
better than previous trilogy
This book was way way way better than previous books. The characters were more fascinating I found. The only thing missing was a solid ending. which fell flat for me.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- John O'Neill
- 2020-05-26
Fun story, characters and world
The performer did a great job bringing the characters to life. I will be looking for others in the series if they're as well performed.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2020-05-11
Great story, compelling characters
worth the listen, I enjoyed it alot powder magic is pretty awesome. alot of awesome characters
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lisa Driscoll
- 2018-09-19
Loving this more than the Powder Mage Trilogy
I enjoyed the Powder Mage Trilogy, but in Sins of Empire, the first in a new series set in the same world we meet familiar loved characters and new interesting ones. I found the writing to be better and the characters to be well fleshed out and having very individual traits and personalities. I've already purchased the second book in the series, Wrath of Empire, and know I will enjoy that too. #Audible1
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- nxn8
- 2018-09-14
nice way to coninue this world
this was a nice way to continue the powdermage world. bringing back alot of the characters in the powdermage trillogy. Christian rodska does a great job with giveing the characters live through his voices and emotions. #audible1
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jason Grosch
- 2017-03-29
Making a great book: Mystery, magic, and mayhem
In short, this is a well-written book that is worth your time and money.
The good: The narrative is great, certainly a lot better than I was expecting. There is a fair amount of mystery about what the real motivation is for everybody. About every quarter of the book you learn something important to change how you view the world. Going into the book, I was cynical about the character tropes based on the publisher summary; however, I found every character reasonable and believable (even the antagonists). Each character has their own motivation and didn't seem to do things just so the author can move the plot along. The magic system is interesting, but is not fleshed out too much. The narrator does a good job keeping tone and rate of speaking consistent with the tone of the book. When the action is getting fast and furious you can really feel the tension.
The bad: the narrator does a bad job with female voices. Men voicing for women are not usually very good, but this was particularly bad. I think if the 'Lady' in Lady Vlora Flint was removed I would never have known her gender based off the narrator's voice. It also took me about an hour to warm up to the narrator's voice in general, but I found it enjoyable (eventually). It could have been like one of those "the beatings will continue until the morale improves" situations.
There are several references to the past of some characters that would probably be appreciated if prior novels were read (this is the first book I've read from this author).
Normally I find more than a few things to gripe about in a book, but for this I only found the narrator irritating sometimes. This book was a great experience and I can't believe I found it from a random pick.
64 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Sherry
- 2019-04-02
Plods Along - PowderMage Trilogy had Great Pace
Same world with same magic system and politics. It is good. Not nearly as good as the Powdermage Trilogy.
The main characters in this series aren't anywhere near as intriguing as the Powdermage Trilogy. It is great writing. Needs a significant amount of editing. The conversations drag on and on and on. The pace of the novel is slow. I'd rather it be 15 hours long with all the unnecessary commentary taken out.
It's like being held hostage while somebody you don't really enjoy continues to enlighten you on their personal business. I had high hopes.
20 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Katelyn
- 2017-05-23
I thought the last book was the peak. I was wrong
Narrator has just the perfect gravelly, gritty tone that game sets the entire series.
The book is set after The Autumn Republic and brings back several favorite characters from the short stories and is simply glorious.
15 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mightiness
- 2017-04-28
Best McClellan book yet
New characters new intrigue,and plenty of action. This is by far my favorite of all the powder mage universe.
8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Johan
- 2017-03-25
Just fantastic
I actually think this is even better than the Powder Mage books. And that's saying a lot because I gave those a five star rating. The characters are so skillfully crafted that I in many ways feel I actually know them in the sense I could predict their reactions beforehand. The universe these books play themselves out within is beautifully illustrated and described. The world feels vibrantly "alive"
and very vast place indeed. I also think Christian Rodska does a wonderful job bringing the author's intentions to light with his narration. Go read the Powder Mage trilogy this instant unless you already have. I rank the author up there among my absolute favorites like Abercrombie, Rothfuss and Lynch! They all put something new on the table that none of us ever tasted before, and it's delicious!
8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- G. Parish
- 2017-04-10
A Great Start to a New Series
This is an excellent start to a new series in the world of Powder Mages. It has call backs to characters from the previous series without requiring you to have read that series and tons of new characters and story to keep you riveted to your seat. Buy this one. You won't regret it.
6 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jonathan
- 2017-05-12
Write More!!!!
Excellent plot and character development! This story continues to build into a wonderfully epic crescendo by the end. Very artfully written and planned.
5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- james
- 2017-04-19
Incredible & Magnificent
If you could sum up Sins of Empire in three words, what would they be?
Unbelievable world building
What did you like best about this story?
Some of the characters are the best in the fantasy genre. Ben Stykes is one of my favorite characters of all-time.
What about Christian Rodska’s performance did you like?
Performance is great.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes
Any additional comments?
This novel can be compared to any of Brandon Sanderson's novels.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jesse D Crafton
- 2017-04-03
Fun new story, 10 years after original trilogy
If you could sum up Sins of Empire in three words, what would they be?
Gritty, fast-paced, flintlock fantasy
Who was your favorite character and why?
Mad Ben Styke is a great new character to the series. He's a tough, brutal man who wants to protect his friends and countrymen. Be sure to read the original trilogy and Ghosts of the Tristain Basin before you read this book.
Which character – as performed by Christian Rodska – was your favorite?
Christian Rodska is perfect for this series. He has a dark, grisly voice that is completely appropriate for Ben.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- William
- 2017-04-06
Maybe I'm getting too old for this
What did you like best about Sins of Empire? What did you like least?
Enjoyed the first half of the book
What was most disappointing about Brian McClellan’s story?
Not close to his original trilogy. Way too many cringe worthy story arcs that only exist to push the thin plot along the way he outlined. Characters, with the exception of Ben, very flat.
Which character – as performed by Christian Rodska – was your favorite?
Ben
Do you think Sins of Empire needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
It will, but not sure I'm going to jump on it as quickly as the prior books.
Any additional comments?
Not sure how this is getting 5 star ratings from readers of the previous books. Just a thin facade of the Power Mage trilogy.
22 people found this helpful
