“They claim we are trying to become a god, that we have too much power.”
G. R. Matthews newest novel delivers in all the best ways, that is, if you enjoy political intrigue, magic, and battles nestled within a dark plot. A plot that, I felt, borrowed from Tacitus’ Germania, that is, if the Roman historian was sympathetic to the Goth’s plight. Matthews’ Seven Deaths of an Empire delivers on its promise of death and continues that promise strongly throughout the novel. In fact, Matthews’ first installment is sure to please any dark fantasy fan who enjoys the fast-paced action of Mark Lawrence, the vibrant characters of Brian Lee Durfee’s The Five Warrior Angels, or the slow-burn of political intrigue from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire.
In Seven Deaths we follow two characters who are servants of the empire: the young magician-in-training Kyron and the seasoned, but growing weary, General Bordan. Both are tasked with safe-guarding the empire against known and unknown assailants. While Kyron is ensuring the recently deceased emperor of Sudrim, who is in possession of the Amulet that grants ruler-ship over the empire, arrives safely back to the empire, General Bordan is handling the mess of politics back home. This involves safeguarding the emperor-to-be Prince Alhard, while becoming entangled in messy politics, such as suspecting Duke Abra of conspiring against the empire and the worrying situation of the prince himself, who is mentally showing he is unfit for rule. Both characters are on the precipice of change, where Kyron is still in training to become a formidable magician, Bordan has gone past his prime and is nearing retirement.
Aside from guarding the emperor’s body and the Amulet, Kyron is being tutored by Master Padarn, who is one of the few people able to keep back the forest raids. It is revealed that Kyron went against the wishes of his grandfather, who had wanted him to join the military and not become a magician.
The Empire’s army is also guided by one of the forest barbarians Emlyn, who is not hesitant to remind them of her agreement. And while she is treated as the Other by everyone, she doesn’t mind the company of Kyron and Master Padarn, forming an unlikely pack. As the magicians themselves are treated with disdain and suspicion, for the Empire is ruled by the Flame, a religious sect at odds with the Gymnasium of Magicians.
Early on while reading Seven Deaths of an Empire, I felt more invested in General Bordan’s character than in Kyron. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy Kyron’s interactions with his master and Emlyn, I just didn’t feel fully invested until the latter half of the novel. General Bordan trying to keep the empire from falling apart outweighed Kyron’s early struggles to protect the emperor’s body from the forest barbarians, but this rapidly changed as I learned more about his past. And when Matthews reveals the identity of Kyron’s grandfather, the plot reached a whole new level, and I was fully invested in the character. Matthew’s story really begins to shine as his begins pulling the final threads of the plot together, crossing character’s paths and upping the conflict.
By the end I felt fully invested in the characters Matthews has created, such as Emelyn’s position between helping her enemies or Bordan facing the end of his career. And when Matthews ramps-up the conflict with magical warfare in the dark forest, I felt right there in the middle of the action, as our characters struggle to stay alive.
Whether you love the heat of political battles that are a slow burn throughout, or fast-paced action, bloody warfare and a wonderful cast of characters, look no further than Seven Deaths of an Empire. Matthews has really outdone himself on this one and I very much am looking forward to reading the next installment. It’s an awesome dark fantasy novel to add to your reading list and surely one not to be missed.
Seven Deaths of an Empire is out today in the US and Thursday in the UK! You can learn more about it an Matthews’ other works on his website and follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Julia Kitvaria Sarene