Series: Empire of the Wolf #2
Release Date: February 14th 2023
Publisher: Orbit Books
Pages: 496
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I received an E-ARC via Netgalley
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis

A Justice’s work is never done.

The Battle of Galen’s Vale is over, but the war for the Empire’s future has just begun. Concerned by rumors that the Magistratum’s authority is waning, Sir Konrad Vonvalt returns to Sova to find the capital city gripped by intrigue and whispers of rebellion. In the Senate, patricians speak openly against the Emperor, while fanatics preach holy vengeance on the streets.

Yet facing down these threats to the throne will have to wait, for the Emperor’s grandson has been kidnapped – and Vonvalt is charged with rescuing the missing prince. His quest will lead him – and his allies Helena, Bressinger and Sir Radomir – to the southern frontier, where they will once again face the puritanical fury of Bartholomew Claver and his templar knights – and a dark power far more terrifying than they could have imagined.

Review

The Tyranny of Faith is the second installment in Richard Swan’s Empire of the Wolf series. Picking up after the events of The Justice of Kings, we follow Helena and Sir Konrad as they return to Sova after the battle of Galen’s Vale. Sir Konrad and his team know the work is only just beginning – there is the threat of rebellion and traitors within the Magistratum. When the Emperor’s grandson is mysteriously kidnapped, the Emperor tasks Vonvalt with finding him and bringing him home alive, but as Vonvalt, Helena, Bressinger and Sir Radomir dig deeper, they uncover a much bigger plot than they could possibly have imagined.

After meaning to read The Justice of Kings for months I finally picked it up and was absolutely hooked. After finishing the book I immediately order The Tyranny of Faith because I was desperate to know where the story was going to go next. This fantasy series is well executed and I really enjoyed the plot of this second installment. There were a number of threads that Swan wove together seamlessly to create such a compelling narrative. We get to see more of the world in this installment and I was fascinated by the descriptions of Sova that practically leaped off the page.

In The Justice of Kings, I was keen to learn more about the magic and Vonvalt’s powers and we definitely get more of that in The Tyranny of Faith. This was probably the aspect of the book that intrigued me the most and I’m so glad we got to see more of it. The story features some really compelling characters that are so well-developed. Each character is dealing with their own issues and it was fascinating seeing how the dynamics between the four main characters changed as the story progressed and the tension heightened.

The Tyranny of Faith is an impressive second book in the series. It’s got wonderful characters and plenty of tense, action-filled moments to keep the reader turning pages. Swan has a really compelling writing style and that definitely shines through in this book. If you’re looking for a fantasy series with magic, mystery and tons of intrigue, this is definitely a series worth checking out. The Tyranny of Faith will definitely be on my best books of 2023 list and I cannot wait to see where the story goes next.