Series: Empire of the Wolf #3
Release date: February 8th 2024
Publisher: Orbit Books
Pages: 496
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I ordered a copy of this book from Waterstones
Rating: 5/5 stars
Synopsis
THE TIME OF JUDGEMENT IS AT HAND
The Empire of the Wolf is on its knees, but there’s life in the great beast yet.
To save it, Sir Konrad Vonvalt and Helena must look beyond its borders for allies – to the wolfmen of the southern plains, and the pagan clans in the north. But old grievances run deep, and both factions would benefit from the fall of Sova.
Even these allies might not be enough. Their enemy, the zealot Bartholomew Claver, wields infernal powers bestowed on him by a mysterious demonic patron. If Vonvalt and Helena are to stand against him, they will need friends on both sides of the mortal plane—but such allegiances carry a heavy price.
As the battlelines are drawn in both Sova and the afterlife, the final reckoning draws close. Here, at the beating heart of the Empire, the two-headed wolf will be reborn in a blaze of justice . . . or crushed beneath the shadow of tyranny.
Review
The Trials of Empire is the third and final instalment in Richard Swan’s Empire of the Wolf trilogy, a series that follows Justice Sir Konra Vonvalt and his protege Helena. In this final instalment, we follow the pair as they attempt to stop Claver from destroying the empire once and for all but Claver now wields dark and demonic powers that even Vonvalt might not be able to defeat. They must find allies where they can and even they might not be enough. Will the empire survive or will Claver ascend the imperial throne?
The Justice of Kings and The Tyranny of Faith were both five star reads and favourites of the year for me so going into this I had pretty high expectations. If possible, I’d give The Trials of Empire six stars. This book is so well executed and so gripping that I could not tear myself away from it. Swan has done a magnificent job of bringing the series to a close and has absolutely cemented this series as one of my all time favourites.
Like the previous instalments, The Trials of Empire is dark, bloody and gruesome. The writing is vivid and engaging and there are some truly horrifying and grisly that practically leapt off the page. The world is really fascinating and I really enjoyed getting to learn more about the holy dimensions and the monsters that reside there. After three books I’ve become quite attached to the characters in this series and I was so intrigued by the way they’ve grown and changed as the story has progressed. Particularly in this instalment as the effects of all they’ve been through really begins to get to them.
The Trials of Empire is full of action and Swan does a brilliant job of writing dynamic battle scenes. I am so sad that this story has come to an end and would read a hundred more books in this world. The Trials of Empire will without a doubt be on my best books of the year list and if you haven’t had a chance to pick up book one yet, this series is one you do not want to miss.
Ally Wilkes’s All the White Spaces was one of my favourite reads of 2022 so Where the Dead Wait was one of my most anticipated releases for 2024. The story follows William Day who is haunted by a failed expedition to the Arctic. Hailed in the papers as a cannibal and murderer, his reputation has never recovered. Thirteen years since the failed expedition, Day’s second in command Jesse Stevens has gone missing on another voyage in the Arctic. Day sees his chance to restore his reputation but will he be able to face the ghosts of his past?
The Judas Blossom is the first installment in an all new series from Stephen Aryan which reimagines the invasion of Persia by the Mongolian Empire. We follow four main characters: Hulagu, grandson of Genghis Khan, is determined to see his grandfather’s vision of the Mongol Empire come to life, at any cost. Temujin Khan, Hulagu’s youngest son, has always been a disappointment to his father, but when he discovers a power he never imagined possible, he could become his father’s secret weapon. Kokochin is the last of her tribe and is forced into marriage with Hulagu. Determined to find a purpose for herself, she finds a path to power she did not think possible. And finally Kaivon, a Persian rebel whose only thought is revenge for his people. When he saves Hulagu’s life and becomes a General in his army, he knows the best way to destroy the empire is from inside.
The newest release from Evelyn Hugo author Taylor Jenkins Reid, the story follows retired tennis player Carrie Soto. After retiring six years ago, Carrie holds the world record for most grand slams. When she watches the 1994 US Open and sees Nicki Chan beat her record, she makes the decision to come out of retirement and try to reclaim her record. At thirty-seven everyone is ready to count her out but Carrie will do whatever it takes to succeed, even working with Bowe Huntley.
Craig Russell’s The Devil’s Playground is a dark and enthralling tale that follows two timelines. In 1967 journalist Paul Conway is attempting to track down the only copy of The Devil’s Playground in existence – a silent film that was thought to be a cursed production with several tragic accidents and deaths linked to the film. Meanwhile, in 1927 Mary Rourke is a fixer for a Hollywood film studio – she does what she can to ensure the studio and its actors are never seen in a bad light. The studio is currently working on a film that is thought to be the most terrifying horror film ever made – The Devil’s Playground. When Mary discovers the body of the lead actress, she begins to wonder if there are any truths to the rumour that this is a cursed production.
Mark Lawrence is one of my favourite authors so The Book That Wouldn’t Burn was one of my most anticipated releases for 2023. The story follows two characters – Livira, a young girl living in a remote village in the Dust. When her village is attacked, Livira finds herself rescued and taken to the city, where she is apprenticed to be a librarian. Evar has spent his entire life trapped in an ancient library. Searching for a way out, Evar knows there is a woman he must find, someone important to him. When Livira and Evar’s worlds collide, they will embark on an epic journey to save the ones they love.
Ed McDonald’s Raven’s Mark series is one of my all time favourite trilogies so I was incredibly excited to read his newest release, Daughter of Redwinter. The story follows Raine, a young woman with the ability to see the dead. Having this ability is a death sentence and if anyone finds out she will be killed. When Raine finds herself at Redwinter, she wants nothing more than to be trained as one of the legendary Draoihn, but instead is forced to serve the apprentices she hoped to train with. When Raine uncovers a plot to harm the van of the LacNaithe clan, Raine has to use her ability to save everyone she knows.
Lured in by that beautiful cover and intriguing synopsis, I picked up The Foxglove King even though I haven’t gotten around to reading Hannah Whitten’s For the Wolf yet. The story follows Lore, a young poison runner with the ability to channel Mortem – death magic. Channeling Mortem is illegal so when Lore is caught summoning she’s captured by the Presque Mort, an arm of the church where channeling Mortem is allowed. There Lore learns about a mysterious affliction that is wiping out entire villages and is tasked with using her magic to discover what is killing them. Having no choice but to accept Lore ends up in the Sainted King’s court, attempting to uncover the truth behind the killings, but will she be able to discover the truth before it’s too late?
Anna Stephens is back with the next installment in her brilliant Songs of the Drowned series and we pick up with our main characters two years after the events of The Stone Knife – Lilla is a slave warrior, training to be part of the biggest and most ruthless army the world has ever known. He secretly hopes to spark a rebellion amongst his fellow slaves, but how can they overcome the might of the Empire? Xessa is a slave in the fighting pits, tasked with providing entertainment to those she despises, she knows she will never get out alive, but can she help her fellow Tokob survive long enough to claim freedom? Tayan is stuck in the heart of the Empire, surrounded by the most ruthless and power hungry people, but the Singer’s magic speaks to him in a way no one thought possible – can he survive long enough to understand how to wield it? Meanwhile, on the other side of the conflict, Pilos and Enet are at each other’s throats, each one determined to outwit the other.
Godkiller is a compelling and hard to put down fantasy tale that follows the Godkiller Kissen as she stumbles upon a young girl who has become connected to the god of white lies. Kissen cannot kill the god without harming the girl and so embark on a quest to help separate the two. On the journey, they meet Elo, a baker on a quest of his own. Will the three survive the quest long enough to find the answers they seek?
The Bibliophile Chronicles 