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.
Ok, I’ve been pretty vocal on this blog about trying to make 2022 the year that I finish a lot of the trilogies/series that I’ve already started. Hopefully saying it again & again will help me stick with that plan!
That said, getting the chance to start a brand new fantasy trilogy published by Orbit is something I’m always excited about, and dang… this is a good one!
ENGINES OF EMPIRE is the first book in a new trilogy called THE AGE OF UPRISING, by R. S. Ford.
First, shoutout to Mike Heath/Magnus Creative on an incredibly striking cover. This is one of those covers you really need to see in person to appreciate…there’s just a depth to that gray background that makes it look like you’re holding an actual woven flag in your hand… just really cool & understated design work!
I think what struck me most about ENGINES OF EMPIRE is just…things start off in a way that will feel familiar to fantasy readers. It’s a multi POV book, we’re meeting a lot of new characters & trying to get a handle on this world & its source of magic, its politics & how things generally work. And it’s good, and engaging, right from the start.
But there comes a point not too far into the book where Ford just pulls the fucking rug out from under you, and things start to feel wildly unpredictable.
We primarily follow the three Hawkspur siblings & their mother, Rosomon. A widow, Rosomon represents the Hawkspur Guild, and her children are all highly placed within it. Torwyn is an industrial nation, and there are several different Guilds that run things.
Rosomon’s brother has recently been made Emperor, but his status feels… tenuous from the word go.
The youngest of the Hawkspur siblings is Fulren, who is living in the Anvil alongside his uncle. Fulren is a gifted artificer who is most at home in his workshop, creating machines that are powered by magical pyrestones. Fulren is selected to show an emissary from Nyrakkis around, as Fulren’s uncle attempts to forge a fragile alliance between Torwyn and Nyrakkis. He soon finds himself falsely accused of a crime that may ultimately lead to war.
Tyreta is the middle child, and she wound up being my favorite character in this book for sure. A webwainer, she can channel the power of the magical pyrestones in this world. Tyreta is something of a free spirit & resists her mother’s attempts to “civilize” her, so to speak. Upon arrival in the Anvil, Tyreta and one of her cousins embark on something of an adventure in the jungle that turns deadly in a fucking hurry, and from there, Tyreta’s story just becomes an absolute whirlwind survival tale. Oof. What a cool character she is.
Conall is the oldest of the Hawkspur children, and a soldier. He takes his battalion out to the Karna Frontier on assignment, and to effectively prove he is not the entitled noble everyone believes him to be. This turns out to be the stuff of nightmares, really. The pull back home is strong for Conall, especially in light of the treachery & pain that seems to follow him everywhere.
Conall’s second-in-command is a woman named Sted, and she’s a fucking delight. I think every fantasy novel that has a militaristic aspect needs the slightly cantankerous & bawdy character, and here it’s Sted.
This is one of those fantasy novels that refuses to be any one thing, kind of drawing in elements of steampunk & flintlock fantasy & dark fantasy & more. There’s a heavy political element as well, and the book touches on religious fanaticism as well as colonization. It gets heavy on occasion, but there’s also a great sense of adventure that permeates the story.
This is an outstanding start to a new trilogy & I kinda adored this book. I took to all these characters straight away & found the action scenes completely riveting. ENGINES OF EMPIRE is for sure an early favorite from 2022, and I’m really excited about where this story goes from here!
Additionally, I did a bit of a mix of reading the physical version and the audiobook version, and the audiobook is fantastic! It’s got a full cast & all the narrators are wonderful. So if audiobook is your preferred format, you’re in for a treat with this one!!
Big thanks to Orbit for sending ENGINES OF EMPIRE my way!!!
Grimdark Dad 
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