Grave Empire

I no longer receive review copies from Orbit, so I didn't get the chance to read Richard Swan's Empire of the Wolf as the books came out. I have since then purchased them during ebook sales, but I was loath to give another big series a shot, what with all the unread SFF works that vie for my attention.

When I snatched a free copy of Grave Empire and realized that you didn't need to read the previous trilogy to get into the story, I knew it was time to give Swan a shot.

Here's the blurb:

From critically acclaimed author Richard Swan, Grave Empire begins the epic tale of an empire on the verge of industrial revolution, where sorcery and arcane practices are outlawed – and where an ancient prophecy threatens the coming end of days.

Blood once turned the wheels of empire. Now it is money.

A new age of exploration and innovation has dawned, and the Empire of the Wolf stands to take its place as the foremost power in the known world. Glory and riches await.

But dark days are coming. A mysterious plague has broken out in the pagan kingdoms to the north, while in the south, the Empire’s proxy war in the lands of the wolfmen is weeks away from total collapse.

Worse still is the message brought to the Empress by two heretic monks, who claim to have lost contact with the spirits of the afterlife. The monks believe this is the start of an ancient prophecy heralding the end of days—the Great Silence.

It falls to Renata Rainer, a low-ranking ambassador to an enigmatic and vicious race of mermen, to seek answers from those who still practice the arcane arts. But with the road south beset by war and the Empire on the brink of supernatural catastrophe, soon there may not be a world left to save...

The Great Silence series takes place about two hundred years following the events of the Empire of the Wolf trilogy. The setting is no medieval European analogue. It's a flintlock fantasy featuring a vast empire akin to the British Empire spanning dominions, territories, colonies, etc, which has reached a certain level of industrialization. As such, the worldbuilding is interesting and well realized. The author does an excellent job depicting the changes brought by urbanization and technological advancements. Swan also portrays the bureaucratic aspects of the imperial apparatus, the army, the diplomatic embassies, companies, etc, quite efficiently. However, certain things make little sense, chief among them why the wolfmen are exterminating each other in the name of a human religious schism similar to that of Catholicism vs Protestantism. I'm not sure whether or not this is a nuance that I would have understood better had I read the previous trilogy. The second thing which appears to make little sense is Renata's position as a minor official for Ambassador Didacus Marushka at the Imperial Office. Why would these two be the representatives of the underwater kingdom of the Stygion when they have never had contacts with the mermen felt odd to say the least.

I have to admit that I was completely captivated by the premise and the plot, yet the characterization didn't quite work for me. Not because the protagonists are not well drawn, mind you. Once again, Richard Swan did a good job fleshing them out and giving them agency. It's just that I never could really root for any of them. Grave Empire features three main characters and a vast supporting cast. The most important protagonist, at least in this first installment, is the aforementioned Renata Rainier. Impulsive and often annoying, I had a hard time getting into her plotline. Especially since a lot of things feel contrived just to keep the story moving forward. No less easy to like is Peter Kleist, a craven commissioned officer in the Sovan army sent to the New East. In over his head, a stranger in a strange land, he nevertheless grows on you as the tale progresses. Peter's storyline is by far the darkest and goriest of the novel, and it's also the most fascinating. I loved how Swan focused on the physical and psychological and emotional hardships of facing an unknown and invisible enemy that decimates your troops and threatens your own sanity. The third perspective is that of Count Lamprecht Von Oldenburg, an opportunistic nobleman bent on reintroducing outlawed magic back into the empire. Needless to say, his dabbling in forbidden knowledge will have grave repercussions on what is to come. There are a few standouts in the supporting cast such as Captain Furlan, Yelena (though her sexual/magical talents felt a bit gratuitous and irrelevant), Broz, and Captain Lyzander.

Grave Empire does suffer from pacing issues from time to time. It takes a while for all three perspectives to come together, but that was to be expected. The author needed time to lay down the groundwork for all three storylines, so this wasn't a problem. Trouble is, Swan does like to overindulge when it comes to the travelogues and he makes sure to showcase every single village/city/region down to the smallest detail. It does make his universe come alive with arresting imagery, yet it also slows the rhythm of the tale too often for my liking. I guess it's just a question for him to find the right balance.

Slow-moving as it can be at times, even if it takes a while the various plotlines eventually come together and set the stage for an interesting endgame. Grave Empire features a number of exciting chapters near the end, with thrilling action scenes and a captivating visit to the underwater kingdom of the Stygion. Revelations are made that elevate this tale to another level, but the rushed finale and the way an important magical artifact falls into the hands of Count Lamprecht left something to be desired. Still, this dark fantasy novel sets the stage for what appears to be an ambitious and multilayered saga that many should find appealing. Looking forward to the next volume.

The final verdict: 7.5/10

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.