(Title: The Tyranny of Faith / Author: Richard Swan / Publisher: Orbit / Publication Date: February 14, 2023 / Total Pages: 496)
Book Blurb
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 in 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
Richard Swan's The Justice of Kings is one of the best fantasy books I have ever read and it ultimately ended up being my clear cut choice for top read of 2022. So it goes without saying that the sequel THE TYRANNY OF FAITH had a lot to live up to. Would it continue the action-packed pacing and brilliant intrigue that I loved so much in book one? Or would it fall prey to the "set-up" book syndrome where nothing much gets advanced in preparation for a rip roaring finish? Well turns out I needn't have worried too much because TTOF was not only book one's equal, but it may have surpassed it in pretty much every way possible.
THE TYRANNY OF FAITH picks up right where the amazing ending of the first entry left off. Konrad Vonvalt is now charged by the Emperor with trying to get a handle on a very tenuous situation where potential revolution is brewing on the outskirts of the center of the Empire Sova. Part of that is seeking out those religious fanatics who are fomenting dissent among the populace and snuffing them out when and where they are found. But it isn't going to be easy as the charismatic Patria Claver has gained much momentum and there is even talk that he may be acquiring otherworldly powers through his dealings with some dark and sinister friends.
A once stable Sova is now very vulnerable to Claver and his adherents as a conspiratorial powder keg is edging closer and closer to exploding. Throw into the mix that the Emperor's grandson is inexplicably kidnapped and the skills of Vonvalt, Helena, and company are pushed to their very limits as an almost inevitable collision is on the horizon between two incredibly powerful factions that both want the same thing - complete control of the entire Empire.
I can't stress enough just how wonderfully written this series is. The plotting is beautifully laid out, the double-dealing and treachery is insanely good, the characters are all morally gray and never behave the way you might expect, and the magic and worldbuilding are simply breathtaking. I'm hard pressed to think of another fantasy series that left me this flabbergasted with what happened at the conclusion of book two. I have no idea how Richard Swan is going to tie everything up and resolve the incredible shit storm he has created here, but I'm not betting against him given what I've read thus far. And I'm sure that whatever he comes up with will be just as masterful and a finale for the ages.
If you haven't yet started the Empire of the Wolf series you are really depriving yourself of what I believe will be one of the great works of fantasy fiction when all is said and done. If you love the truly epic stories of Robin Hobb, Joe Abercrombie, and Tad Williams, then you should jump on this series immediately. It's supremely dark in all the right places, occasionally rips your heart from your chest, dazzles you with next level magic, and just flat out compels you to keep on reading by virtue of its unputdownable story. I don't like to gush because I feel like it can be viewed as unprofessional at times, but this book and series deserves to be gushed about in the grandest of fashion, it's really that impressive. Kudos to Richard Swan for delivering yet another overwhelming success in THE TYRANNY OF FAITH. I don't know how I'm going to deal with the anticipation for the next volume.
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