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The Autumn Republic

(Powder Mage #3)

Brian McClellan (Goodreads Author)

4.37 · Rating details · 27,388 ratings · 1,462 reviews

In a rich, distinctive world that mixes magic with technology, who could stand against mages that control gunpowder and bullets?

The capital has fallen...
Field Marshal Tamas returns to his beloved country to find that for the first time in history, the capital city of Adro lies in the hands of a foreign invader. His son is missing, his allies are indistinguishable from his ...more

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Kindle Edition, 585 pages

Published February 10th 2015 by Orbit

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Mar 29, 2018 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-all, own

Fanfreakingtastic ending to a great trilogy!!

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May 09, 2017 Petrik rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Flintlock fantasy fans

Recommended to Petrik by: Lema

The Autumn Republic is the conclusion to the Powder Mage trilogy, Brian McClellan’s debut series and in my opinion, it ended satisfyingly on a great note while saving more stories for the future trilogy.

I’ll try keep my review for this one as brief as possible to avoid spoilers. The story continued straight after the end of book 2 and it followed the same 4 main POV. Yes, there is no more side POV. Nila, the only female POV of the series finally get the spotlight she deserved.

“I would di
...more

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Jun 03, 2017 Luna. ✨ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: badassery, flintlock-fantasy, great-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 1003/5

Put me in the bin because I am utter trash for the Powder Mage Series.

Really what I should do in this review is coherently review the novel, but let's be real now, what even are 'proper informative reviews' when you are suffering from a fangirl heart attack (a very serious condition FYI). I'm ready to crumble into a screaming mess over this shit. So much happened in this book and I just can't deal. I am so grateful for this series existence, like I woke up this morning and thanked the lord 1003/5

Put me in the bin because I am utter trash for the Powder Mage Series.

Really what I should do in this review is coherently review the novel, but let's be real now, what even are 'proper informative reviews' when you are suffering from a fangirl heart attack (a very serious condition FYI). I'm ready to crumble into a screaming mess over this shit. So much happened in this book and I just can't deal. I am so grateful for this series existence, like I woke up this morning and thanked the lord that Brian McClellan started writing. I have enjoyed every book in the series and I'm shattered that it has come to an end.

“After the adrenaline had worn off and medals had been awarded and the glory meted out, only the suffering remained after a battle."

This book is the last instalment of the Powder Mage trilogy and with it comes an epic journey of badassery & sexy grandpa kicking arse. I am very satisfied with the way this series ended and I'm glad it left room for some of the characters to progress more in the next series. I did however have a few minor issues with this conclusion. I feel like there is two characters who developed extremely well in this series however I can't help but feel these characters had super powers that were not explained so therefor they are both Gary Stu's imo. Why can one person do magic without gloves? Huh? Yeah you can't answer because there was literally no reasonable explanation. Also why did another character turn into superman but it wasn't explained where or why they recieved those powers? I felt like all the loose ends in this book were not tied neatly at the end, the magic system is still pretty random and has no major repercussions. I also feel that the ending was rushed, I don't like the way the author dealt with all the on going issues that surrounded our characters and the plot. There was no big boss fight & I hate that shit. This is the only thing that affected my reading experience. Apart from those two minor issues i enjoyed reading this series, definitely my favourite series of 2017 so far & I'm looking forward to completing the short stories and starting the new series Sins of the Empire. My favourite thing about this series (apart from Taniel of course) is the character development. in book one I hated Adamant & Nila with a passion. By the end of the series I found myself rooting for both characters & crying shamelessly if anything bad happened to either character. Another thing I loved was the plot pacing, it's so fast paced and full of action, magical explosions with limbs flying left right and Centre. I was not bored once in any of the books, but I must admit book three is my least favourite.

Can someone please order a Black Warden to come and break my body in half. I can't go on living now that I've finished this series. After I'm dead please bury these books with the remains of what was left of my body. Seriously this book hit me like a semi truck full of feels that was going 180km in a 40km school zone. For real though, this book smashed my face in and now I'm dead. (finito). But death wasn't the worst thing to happen, this book has actually put me in a 35 year reading slump. See y'all in 2052.

Recommended to everyone who loves fantasy & sexy grandpas. I also think think this would be a great starting point for anyone wanting to get into flintlock fantasy.

Buddy read with Choko & Twilia. (Who I will tag later. when I edit this review.)

Actual rating for this book; 4.5/5

P.s. Ive snorted lots of gunpowder and I'm now in a powder trance to numb the pain of that ending. S.O.S. Someone send urgent help to fix my shattered heart. ...more

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May 24, 2017 Haïfa rated it really liked it

Shelves: owned

The Autumn Republic is the third and last book of the Powder Mage Trilogy and again, it's a brilliant (and equally frustrating) mix of military tactics, fantasy, politics and investigative narrative.

The action began a few days after the closing events of the Crimson Campaign. Some of the main characters found themselves in dire situations, others were beginning new adventures. So to say the least, the book started off with a bang!

“I would die for my country. But I’d rather kill for it.

...more

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Jun 03, 2017 Choko rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

*** 4.44 ***

A buddy read with my friends @ BB&B, because Flintlock Fantasy is fun!!!

I just finished this last installment of the Powder Mage Trilogy and I am still a bit shell-shocked, so I will only say that the author got better with every new book and from the second book on it is perfectly paced and memorably written. It is a Fantasy homage to the soldier adventures about the British-French Wars as well as the First World War... This will sound a bit corny, but Taniel reminded me a bit of a ...more

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May 11, 2014 Dan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, man-tears

Adro is in foreign hands. Taniel Two-Shot is missing and presumed dead. The war with the Kez continues.

The conclusion of the Powder Mage trilogy has been a long time coming. Not in a geological, George R.R. Martin sort of way but I've been anticipating it since closing The Crimson Campaign. Was it worth it?

Pit, yes! All the seeds Brian McClellan planted in the previous two volumes bore bloody fruit! Who would have thought what an important character Nila the washer-woman would have become in the ...more

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Feb 20, 2017 Jody rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, flintlock-fantasy

"Death is a bloody painter and this is his canvas."

I wasn't aware of the term flintlock fantasy until I had finished book 1 of this trilogy. After finishing book 3, I am hooked, and will definitely be looking for more in this genre. My only concern is will anything else live up to the standards Brian McClellan has me expecting of this type of fantasy. The mixture of politics, magic, and military is done extremely well in these books. I felt like I was reading a cross between Brandon Sanderso "Death is a bloody painter and this is his canvas."

I wasn't aware of the term flintlock fantasy until I had finished book 1 of this trilogy. After finishing book 3, I am hooked, and will definitely be looking for more in this genre. My only concern is will anything else live up to the standards Brian McClellan has me expecting of this type of fantasy. The mixture of politics, magic, and military is done extremely well in these books. I felt like I was reading a cross between Brandon Sanderson and Joe Abercrombie. I know! I know! You can all call me crazy, but I based my comparison on these three areas. There are well developed and diverse characters, a unique magic system, and blood and gore a plenty. These are two of my favorite authors, so I don't compare their works to just anyone. Mr. McClellan has earned the comparison with these fabulous books, and I look forward to what he has in store for us as fantasy readers in the future. Now that I have rambled long enough, on to the review!

The events of The Autumn Republic take place right after book 2. The country of Adro is in turmoil. A war is waging against the Kez on their southern border, plus an invasion of the Brudanian Trading Company and Lord Claremonte in their capital city of Adopest. Field Marshall Tamas is heading back to the front lines of the war after his mad dash behind enemy lines. His goal is to finish this war before they are fighting on two fronts.

We get to see Tamas' military genius really stand out in this book. He wasn't one of my favorites in the first two books, but it seems the old man has grown on me over time. Taniel and Ka-Poel still played a major part in this book, but they don't get as much page time as the previous books. That role is given over to Nila and Bo. I will admit, after book 1, I was wondering what part Nila had to play in this story. Little did I know she had a much larger and important part to play than I could imagine. Her and Bo's scenes were a nice addition to this story, but Taniel and Ka-Poel are still my favs.

Good ol' inspector Adamant, or Mr. Reliable as I have come to call him. Without him and his perfect memory a lot of the events over this trilogy may not have played out the way they did. As far as characters go, he was the perfect yin to Tamas and Taniel's yang.

The start of The Autumn Republic starts a little slower than the previous two books. I felt this was a nice change of pace that helped build up to the maelstrom of events that occur later. The plot is pretty straight-forward and allows the characters to drive the story. If you have read my previous reviews you know I like a character driven storyline. The tons of military and magical action are a great bonus I welcome in any fantasy. Especially, if they are done as well as they are in these books.

Well, with another trilogy complete and time to reflect over, I must say these were my favorite books of 2017 so far. I am not done with the Powder Mage world by no means. I plan on starting the short stories right away. I urge you all to give these books a try, and hope you find them as fun and entertaining as I did.

5 powder charged stars *****
...more

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Apr 21, 2019 Matthew rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, library, fantasy, 2019

It would seem like, after looking through other reviews, that my opinion of this book is in the minority. So, if you are reading this and wonder if it really is as blah as I make it seem, you might want to check out other reviews and still give it a shot. Maybe I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

When I first started this series I kept waiting for it to click. It came highly recommended and many people insisted that I would not be able to put it down. But, I found myself responding like ...more

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Feb 22, 2017 TS Chan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 stars.

This series changed my, rightly or wrongly, pre-conceived notions about flintlock fantasy. I thought I might not enjoy it as much as epic or high fantasy, which was why it took me so long to start reading the Powder Mage trilogy, but clearly I was mistaken. And this is a testament to the ability of the author to draw up an interesting story and supplement that with fascinating characters that you feel invested in.

One thing that McClellan's books do not suffer from is poor pacing. Righ ...more

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Mar 10, 2014 Kaora rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, good-fantasy-series

The perfect ending to an incredible series earns my first 5 stars of 2015.

I fell in love with this series immediately, and it quickly became one of my favorites. The Autumn Republic continues what Promise of Blood and The Crimson Campaign starts, with Tamas' dream of Adopest becoming a republic instead of a monarchy. This time a foreign army occupies Adopest the capital, and the Kez army threatens the border.

The world building in this series is amazing. I love the different levels of magic incl ...more

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Sep 24, 2017 Bradley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, 2017-shelf, worldbuilding-sf

I have very few bad things to say about the conclusion to this epic Flintlock Fantasy. There's tons of action, tons of characters to develop and enjoy, and plenty of interesting reveals.

Specifically, however, is how much I've been enjoying Bo and Nila. Don't get me wrong, I'm head over heels for Taniel's storyline and enjoyed it from start to finish, but Bo's understatements and Nila's growing power from a washerwoman into a firestorm was easily my favorite bit.

The Adamant storyline felt like a ...more

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Jul 24, 2014 Eon ♒Windrunner♒ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

And so all good things come to an end. And what a satisfying conclusion!

Here is the short and sweet - If you have read end enjoyed the first two entries in this series, then you will love this, the last. It is better in every way.

I am really going to miss the characters and the amazing world that the author imagined. A special mention must also be made for the wonderful magic systems created. I like to think, that the author, as a student of Brandon Sanderson, has definitely picked up some valua ...more

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Feb 26, 2017 Samir rated it really liked it

Actual rating 4.5 stars.

The first two books of this trilogy have been a revelation. They have broadened my fantasy horizons and made me fell in love in flintlock fantasy, something I’ve never thought would happen.

Carried forward by the momentum of the aforementioned books I was looking forward to reading this final installment. I’m glad to say that my eagerness was justified.

The story continues right after the myriad of amazing battle sequences from The Crimson Campaign. Our heroes are presente Actual rating 4.5 stars.

The first two books of this trilogy have been a revelation. They have broadened my fantasy horizons and made me fell in love in flintlock fantasy, something I’ve never thought would happen.

Carried forward by the momentum of the aforementioned books I was looking forward to reading this final installment. I’m glad to say that my eagerness was justified.

The story continues right after the myriad of amazing battle sequences from The Crimson Campaign. Our heroes are presented with new and unexpected threats and plunged into more fast paced, action packed and thrilling adventures, faced with seemingly impossible odds.

The strongest point of this book is character development; not just the main POV-s but the side characters as well. Even though most of them have some sort of powers or similar kick-ass ability, making them look strong and confident, they are also flawed and those flaws are giving them distinctive personalities, fleshing out their fears and insecurities and giving them more depth, making them feel more human.

One thing this book doesn’t lack is unpredictability, there are a lot of game changing plot twists which make this a very entertaining, gripping and compelling read.

Some readers are put off with the simplicity of the narrative but in case of this trilogy, I think it goes hand in hand with the flow of the story and makes it exceedingly addictive and provides an immersive theatrical experience.

This was a pure page turner filled with excitement on every page and plethora of edge of your seat scenes which ended with a bang (pun intended) and delivered a satisfying conclusion. But all good things must come to an end. That is always a bittersweet feeling, leaving the world you have grown accustomed to, saying goodbye to the characters you fell in love with, flipping the pages not wanting to reach the end but there were, alas, none left. Sadly, the time has come to put away the musket and to perform a ceremony of scattering gunpowder in memory of this great trilogy. ...more

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Jul 11, 2017 Chris rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-buddy-reads

That was brilliant. Not just this book, but the whole trilogy. I had a great time getting to know these characters and understand the world and magic system behind them. It was refreshing to have a base trilogy to go with, rather than an unending epic. It was also a plus that all three books came out within a year or two of each other. That doesn't always happen...

Yes, there is a new series that just got started in this world, as well as a bunch of prequel novellas. That's fine. I look forward t ...more

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Feb 22, 2017 Solseit rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

5 stars. Great series, great characters, great story.
For a moment I was tempted to give 4.5 stars but this series was my obsession, I could not put it down, I would read rather than sleep so highest marks!

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Mar 19, 2014 Mr. Matt rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-gunpowder, 2015

The cannons are silent across Adro. The pall of gunsmoke and spent powder are gone, as are the armies of Kez, the old royalist order, and the corrupt machinations of a mad God. And I kinda sorta don't care, which is very, very sad.

Maybe it was because I had really looked forward to this book. The first two books in the Powder Mage series were off the charts for me. I couldn't wait to see how it all came to a close; however, on reflection I don't think it was anticipation. For me it was the lack The cannons are silent across Adro. The pall of gunsmoke and spent powder are gone, as are the armies of Kez, the old royalist order, and the corrupt machinations of a mad God. And I kinda sorta don't care, which is very, very sad.

Maybe it was because I had really looked forward to this book. The first two books in the Powder Mage series were off the charts for me. I couldn't wait to see how it all came to a close; however, on reflection I don't think it was anticipation. For me it was the lack of passion. The book was well constructed but utterly devoid of passion.

Here's what I couldn't wrap my mind around. In less than a year's time Adro had been rocked by profound change. Field Marshall Tamas had launched a successful coup. The King and royal family were publicly guillotined - along with tens of thousands of nobles. The royal Cabal of Privileged sorcerers were killed. The power of the church was broken. There was street fighting between reactionary royalists and the revolutionaries. They were invaded by the Powerful, conservative Kez monarchy. And no one really seemed to care!

It is impossible to avoid comparisons to Revolutionary France when reading this series, and if you know your history France at the time was a hive of revolutionary zeal. The French patriots wanted to spread their new order across not just France but all of Europe. The French Revolution ushered in nearly 25 years of war across all of Europe. In McClellan's world everything was neatly wrapped up in less than a year with a freely elected Republican government established. I'm not buying what the author is selling. Most revolutions lead to long periods of conflict as a new order is slowly, grudgingly established.

On the theme of not buying what the author is selling, what the heck is up with Nila? The one time maid servant in a conservative royalist household is suddenly revealed to be a super powerful Privileged Sorceress. She is so strong that she can wield her powers without her gloves. More than that she is able to over-power the strongest mage-breaker Kez could field. Really?! I prefer stories that do not revolve around special or extraordinary powers. I want my stories to focus on normal people (and if there is magic in the world, magic users can be normal) who overcome extraordinary situations.

Profoundly disappointed in the end. In a world of complexity, the book was too clean and too simple. It was also a lost opportunity. I imagine that McClellan could've created a fantastic world of revolution and counter-revolution. Instead, at Tamas' funeral Kings and Queens were present.

Upgraded to three stars out of five based on additional thought. ...more

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Mar 06, 2017 Bookwraiths rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, own

Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.

Brian McClellan fans! Powder mage lovers–
And everyone else here who is searching for the next great fantasy series to read:
Today, today, you must fall to your knees in thanksgiving.
Bow your head in joyful celebration.
For I have the pride, the privilege, nay, the pleasure
Of announcing before all my fellow bibliophiles that The Autumn Republic is splendid.
Nay, far more than that: spectacular.
A finale which amazes, excites, and, more importantly, leaves nary a dan ...more

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Feb 10, 2016 Petros Triantafyllou rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Meh...
I don't know, it wasn't the epic conclusion i was expecting.
Sure, it followed in the tracks of the previous two books, but nothing special about it. The whole story could and should fit in 2 books and not 3.
Two positive things from this book. Firstly, Adamat's POVs suddenly got more interesting. Secondly, we have a nice grim finale and not a fricking happy ending. Thank God.

You can find more of my reviews over at http://BookNest.eu/ ...more

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May 23, 2014 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-and-galleys, netgalley, epic, fantasy, magic, review-copy

3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/03/21/5...

The end of the Powder Mage trilogy has finally arrived with The Autumn Republic. I really enjoyed the first two novels, and was very much looking forward to this concluding volume. So did it meet my expectations? All told I’m happy to say that it did, in all the ways that count. Still, I confess I can be quite particular about my series-enders. As much as enjoyed this book, if I’m to be completely honest, I did feel ther 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/03/21/5...

The end of the Powder Mage trilogy has finally arrived with The Autumn Republic. I really enjoyed the first two novels, and was very much looking forward to this concluding volume. So did it meet my expectations? All told I’m happy to say that it did, in all the ways that count. Still, I confess I can be quite particular about my series-enders. As much as enjoyed this book, if I’m to be completely honest, I did feel there were a couple areas that fell short.

I can’t deny that Brian McClellan did a wonderful job wrapping things up, though. The Autumn Republic starts the way the previous book The Crimson Campaign ended – with the world in chaos. The capital city of Adro has fallen, and Tamas returns from the field only to find his beloved country occupied by a foreign force. His son Taniel is missing and presumed dead. Without strong leadership, his own army is tearing itself apart from the inside out. And on top of all that, the Kez have not ceased their attacks on Adran territory.

For various reasons, I had hard time getting into this book. Catching up at the beginning of each sequel is never easy for me, and it wasn’t helped by the book’s slower pacing, at least for the first half. I recall I had a similar issue with book two as well. It appears I’m in the minority, but I felt that unlike The Crimson Campaign, things here didn’t hit its stride until well into the second half. That’s not to say I didn’t find the novel interesting; on the contrary, McClellan juggles multiple points-of-view and furthers his characters’ story lines. Tamas has his hands full dealing with angry gods and invading armies. Meanwhile, Inspector Adamat is on a mission to rescue his kidnapped son, and finds himself investigating more cases besides. Bo finds a worthy apprentice in the former servant-turned-Privileged-sorcerer Nila. And Taniel Two-Shot, who is in fact very much alive, is hiding in the hills with his companion Ka-Poel, the two of them on the run from enemies he once thought were his friends.

The scope of the story has expanded, and likewise the number of players. In spite of the many subplots, however, the feeling that we were just biding our time never truly left me. There’s so much going on, but that the ending is the main showpiece here was never in doubt, and many developments felt secondary when I could see that everything was building towards the grand finale. No other chapters made me feel this way more than Adamat’s. His eldest child had been taken from him, and yet his grief is hardly conveyed; after that issue plays itself out, he takes on another investigation and life goes on, almost like the author needed to give him something to do. I liked following his storyline, but its progression and resolution was just unexpected to say the least, especially in light of everything he and his family experienced. It was a bit disappointing, considering how Adamat was my favorite character in Promise of Blood.

That said, other characters were much more convincing. In the last book, Taniel was the one who emerged as the clear favorite as I found him and his story to be the most compelling, but he spends most of the time in this book on the lam. I therefore wondered if it would finally be Tamas’s turn to shine in The Autumn Republic. What actually happened surprised me. The one who really stood out for me this time was not any of the main characters but Nila, the young woman who started off as a secondary character in Promise of Blood, but whose role eventually grew when huge revelations about her were dropped on readers at the end of The Crimson Campaign. She gets a lot more page time in this book, along with her own side plot which I really enjoyed. Her relationship with Bo was one of the major highlights, and I wish it had been given more attention because something special was definitely happening there.

The writing has become more natural and polished over the course of the series, which makes this concluding volume all the more rewarding. I did assert that the ending here was the crown jewel of the book, and McClellan gives it his all, delivering a stunning send-off to the trilogy. He ties up the major loose ends, though I felt there were a few important matters still left unresolved. Ka-Poel’s character immediately comes to mind. Where did she come from? What’s the origin behind her amazing abilities? How did she get mixed up with Taniel in the first place? I’ve been asking these questions since the first book hoping to find answers in this final installment, but I still feel none the wiser. Nila’s transition from humble servant to powerful sorceress also happened way too quickly, and I wish there had been more time spent on her growth, not to mention a better explanation for her immense power that had remained latent for so long.

One thing to keep in mind is that I do tend to be more critical of endings – especially bittersweet ones. I have nothing against bittersweet endings (I love them, in fact) but predictability takes away a lot of the enjoyment. I had guessed correctly how things were going to end for at least a couple of the characters, so that dulled the emotional impact considerably. All told, however, I don’t want to come across too negative, or discourage anyone from picking up these Powder Mage books. They’re totally worth it. Even though McClellan may have missed a few opportunities here and played things a bit too safe, I liked this book and thought it was a worthy conclusion to a fantastic trilogy. My issues with it are minor and hardly deal breakers, especially for a relatively new author who now has a completed epic fantasy trilogy under his belt. I am looking forward to his future writing endeavors with much enthusiasm and interest. ...more

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Mar 11, 2014 Rob rated it it was amazing

Shelves: not-a-bookclub-club, own, read-2015, fantasy, author-male, flintlock-fantasy

Executive Summary: A highly satisfactory conclusion to a highly enjoyable series. Easily the best one yet.

Full Review
12 likes and I hadn't even written a word of my review yet, talk about pressure!

I was hovering back and forth between 4 and 5 on this one. I think if I could give it a 4.5 star rating I might. However, the end had me so wrapped up in it, and I enjoyed this book/series so much that I rounded up for a change, something I almost never do.

The reality is I don't have any complaint ...more

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Jun 19, 2014 Conor rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, the-powder-mage

4.5 Stars

The Autumn Republic was an engaging and brilliantly paced ending to a very enjoyable fantasy series. While this wasn't ground-breaking, it was very readable and enjoyable and with it McClellan has once again shown his ability to improve with each major publication. Combined with his high level of productivity (for more on this check out his bazillion (that's only a rough estimate, don't have the time to fact-check) short stories) this makes McClellan undoubtedly one of the most promisi 4.5 Stars

The Autumn Republic was an engaging and brilliantly paced ending to a very enjoyable fantasy series. While this wasn't ground-breaking, it was very readable and enjoyable and with it McClellan has once again shown his ability to improve with each major publication. Combined with his high level of productivity (for more on this check out his bazillion (that's only a rough estimate, don't have the time to fact-check) short stories) this makes McClellan undoubtedly one of the most promising emerging authors in the genre.

This book's biggest strength was it's pacing. From the very beginning this book engaged me and almost every chapter ended with a cliffhanger that left the reader wanting to find out what would happen next (reminiscent of the first 3 ASOIAF books but with less characters to stretch the wait) and there were very few parts where my interest waned. This was definitely one of the most readable and engaging books I've read recently.

The character POVs in this one were the same as in the previous books, although this time they overlapped with much greater frequency. This helped to weave plotlines together and was an improvement over the previous books. Tamas' sections were again more focused on tactics as he led a campaign to drive an enemy army off of Adran soil. Unfortunately these parts never matched the tense battle of wits in the first half of book 2 when Tamas' had to lead his massively outnumbered forces out from behind enemy lines, all the while battling against both logistics and the clock. While Tamas' return to his army here was awesome the battle that followed was somewhat disappointing and the climactic siege, while pretty good, didn't live up to the standards of the last book. (view spoiler)

Taniel's section were exciting and action packed, especially his pursuit of (view spoiler) My only real complaint about Taniel's otherwise quality arc in this book was the lack of screen time for Ka-Poel and the fact that we still don't really know anything about her. I've commented before on whether it would be better for Ka-Poel to remain mysterious but I really hope we get more info about her in a subsequent work by McClellan as she remains (along with Bo) my favourite secondary character. (view spoiler)

After 2 books where her sections seemed completely redundant and were a confusingly obvious weak-link in otherwise tightly paced storylines Nila finally became an interesting character in this one. While her rise from normal person to super-powerful mage seemed somewhat rushed it served as a vehicle to put some cool action sequences in her sections and generally make her a more important and interesting character (I did get kind of tired of the amount of times she was seemingly at the mercy of a powerful enemy who then went( paraphrasing): "Lol you don't have any magic gloves. Don't you know you need gloves to do magic in this universe? I mean really you shoul... Oh noooos you're a special snowflake who can do magic without gloves and now you've set me on fire". Nila's interactions with Bo were the highlights of her sections and his presence for the majority of her storyline might be a major reason why it was so enjoyable.

Adamat's section didn't seem as focused as they had in the previous books, with the inspector often put in positions that were outside his area of expertise where he wasn't able to do much. That being said I really enjoyed the parts where he was actually able to investigate stuff. The plotline with his missing son felt kind of glossed over and it would have been interesting to see a more detailed examination of the conflict between his duty to his country and his wife but overall his sections (especially when he was in full investigator flow with his hulking sidekick SouSmith) were really enjoyable.

Overall this was a gripping, brilliantly paced book that finished this series on a very high note. The fact that McClellan has improved with every major publication combined with his massive productivity mean that he's definitely a writer to look out for in the future.
...more

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Sep 13, 2017 Michael Britt rated it liked it · review of another edition

Actual rating: 3.25 stars. But this is a pretty good 3.25

Ok, I'm gonna keep this short because work has me exhausted. I liked this one more than the first book, but not nearly as much as book 2.

I loved each of the characters, but one of the characters basically getting super powers out of no where was a bit dumb. I liked the character and that character's chapters, but it took away from the story for me. The ending felt really rushed and underwhelming, too.

But I still loved the magic system, t ...more

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Dec 31, 2017 Phee 💗💜💙 rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2017

A fantastic way to end 2017, and an absolute corker of a finale.

This wasn’t quite as good as Crimson Campaign but it was one hell of a satisfying ending to a series and world that I have fallen utterly in love with.
Obviously being the last book in the trilogy, I can’t discuss any of the plot without spoiling things so I won’t do that. Just know that the action, the pace and stakes were even higher in this one. So much has happened since Tamas started his coup at the beginning of Promise of Blo A fantastic way to end 2017, and an absolute corker of a finale.

This wasn’t quite as good as Crimson Campaign but it was one hell of a satisfying ending to a series and world that I have fallen utterly in love with.
Obviously being the last book in the trilogy, I can’t discuss any of the plot without spoiling things so I won’t do that. Just know that the action, the pace and stakes were even higher in this one. So much has happened since Tamas started his coup at the beginning of Promise of Blood. War and destruction has changed the landscape (excuse the pun) and lives of everyone. Gods and magic are at the forefront to this story and as always, power is an imperative currency.
As I said, I won’t talk about the plot. My review will be more about the trilogy as a whole. Just read the damn books okay? Please just read them and love them like I do. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

So. Where the hell do I begin. Well, as I’m writing this review just after I finished the book and my emotions are running high, I guess I’ll start there.
In my previous reviews for these books I’ve explained my love for the characters. Honestly I’m in love with pretty much all of them. Things get very tense in this book, as in, nail biting, screaming and yes, even tears towards the end. This cold heart can cry believe it or not, even when I was expecting the ending. It was bittersweet, it had to end the way it did, it was always going to. But being bittersweet it doesn’t make it easy to swallow. But it was so so satisfying. The sacrifices made were great, many of them were painful and made my chest ache. But the sacrifices were purposeful, none of them were done without reason and in the end it saved many many lives. It didn’t feel like a waste.
I feel like all the characters grew in their own ways and became stronger and more resolved. Taniel especially, really grew up and although he still lets his temper and emotions get the better of him, his morals became firm, especially towards the end.
Adamat was the only character that annoyed me in this one. I felt like his story was a bit boring and definitely wasn’t as exciting as in previous books. Don’t get me wrong it was pivotal, I just wanted to get back to the action with Tamas and Taniel in the war going on. Adamat’s part of the story just wasn’t as exciting until the end then it picked up pace became interesting as it tied in with the rest of the story.
Ka-Poel, while not present for most of this book, had such a big role to play. I love her characterisation, she has so much personality and I think the way Taniel can communicate with her is adorable. It just shows how in sync they are.
I would also like to add that the character Vlora redeemed herself a little for me in this one. I think that after the ending scene with her and another character I can forgive her for actions in the previous books and I can even understand her a little. I know that in the next series in this world she is the main character but I don’t like her enough to warrant reading that series. I like the finality of this series and the closure that it gives. I feel like reading another series in this world will undo the magic that was this book.
Everything wrapped up quite nicely and it would be a shame to ruin that.

Something that this series made me realise was that I actually quite enjoy military fiction. There was so much War and battle in this trilogy, all the planning and tactics was rather well done and very enjoyable for me to read. All the fighting and battles took my breath away. The author has a wonderful way of making you feel like you are in the thick of it. Sure there was lots of very gruesome scenes and plenty of gore. I’m not sure whether this is classed as ‘grimdark’ or just ‘dark’ fantasy. But even the brutality and horrors of the book were written beautifully. I also learned a whole lot about how armies work and logistics and such.

The magic system that the author has created is what really kept me hooked. In this book the Knacked and the Powder Mages aren’t really the main focus. The Privileged are and I must say their magic is badass. It’s more of an elemental magic, with one hand the user can summon the elements with the finger that corresponds to that element, then with their other hand they can direct and control the element how they wish. So long as they have their gloves on.
Well it’s a little more complicated than that but it’s fucking awesome and I want to be a Privileged okay? Especially if I can be friends with Bo. He stole the show again in this one. He is a badass and a complete and utter flirt, what’s not to love?

Something I will admit. For the majority of this book it was a 4 star read. The last 100 pages are what bumped this up. 100 pages to go and I still had no idea how the author was going to resolve all the plots and save the day. It was a lot of wrapping up and resolution to be had but it was done well. It didn’t feel rushed, it felt well thought out and planned. When I look back on the trilogy as a whole, I can see the elements that have been present all the way through, just waiting for the ending for things to be revealed.

I listened to the audiobooks for all the books in the trilogy and read either the paperback or the kindle version alongside. The narrator was excellent really helped bring out the gritty atmosphere. All of the male characters were gruff and burly and all distinguishable from each other, some with different accents. The voices for Tamas and Taniel was similar but it was easy to tell the differences, Taniel was a bit more cool and collected (when he wasn’t angry). Tamas’ was more rough and older and definitely had his military command. I’d recommend the audiobooks as they really helped add atmosphere and depth to the characters and world.

I’m sad that this is over but very satisfied too. It’s hard to find a trilogy that doesn’t have a bad book, it’s hard to find a trilogy that keeps it pace and keeps you engaged throughout. This has got to be one of my favourite trilogies. The characters will have a place in my heart for a long time. As I mentioned earlier, I am not planning on reading the Vlora series. I want to leave the story here, and hopefully revisit it at some point in the future.
Please, just read these books. ...more

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Aug 09, 2014 Matthew rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The capital has fallen...

Field Marshal Tamas returns to his beloved country to find that for the first time in history, the capital city of Adro lies in the hands of a foreign invader. His son is missing, his allies are indistinguishable from his foes, and reinforcements are several weeks away.

An army divided...

With the Kez still bearing down upon them and without clear leadership, the Adran army has turned against itself. Inspector Adamat is drawn into the very heart of this new mutiny with pro ...more

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Jul 01, 2017 Lee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 stars.

By far the best of the trilogy, and we FINALLY got a great climax with a satisfying conclusion. Several questions still left unanswered though, and I have one or two complaints about the story as a whole.

These books were really, really good. Not incredible, not mind blowing (for me anyways). But honestly, just straight up good books are very hard to come by nowadays. What makes reading these books even more satisfying to read is that they get progressively better as you go. I can conf 4.5 stars.

By far the best of the trilogy, and we FINALLY got a great climax with a satisfying conclusion. Several questions still left unanswered though, and I have one or two complaints about the story as a whole.

These books were really, really good. Not incredible, not mind blowing (for me anyways). But honestly, just straight up good books are very hard to come by nowadays. What makes reading these books even more satisfying to read is that they get progressively better as you go. I can confidently say that this is a trilogy that I will definitely read a second time, and if you know me well, I don't re-read books that often unless I significantly enjoyed them.

BUT. It needs to be said that Brian McClellan ABSOLUTELY SUCKS at writing strong female protagonists. Nila, who plays a major role in this book, was so poorly developed in the first two books that her huge role in the this book almost felt out of place. Vlora, who is the only other female main character, is annoying as heck and I basically hate her. And apparently she is also a main character is McClellan's newest trilogy, which is frustrating as anything because there is literally nothing to like about her. She's whiney and pretentious and not well developed at all.

*Cough* Okay, now that we have that out of the way ;]. This book shined as a brilliant conclusion to this series, in almost every way. Threads that were woven throughout the series were all brought together, the magic systems were more adequately explained, the pacing was perfect, and the characters all had really satisfying resolutions.

The characters in this book are wonderful (except for the aforementioned lack of good female characters), and the relationships between the characters are portrayed realistically without making the plot drag. In my opinion, the characters really carry this book, and they are the reason I kept reading. Combine this with the fact that they were all given really good endings, and this trilogy was so satisfying to finish.

My only complaint is that we are never really given the why behind certain character identities. This is a spoiler, so I'm tagging it, but (view spoiler). If you've read the book, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

Kind of a brief, mish-moshed, lame review but I just haven't had a lot of time lately to write =/. Definitely read these books, but just keep in mind that there are a few faults. ...more

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Feb 22, 2017 Scott Hitchcock rated it really liked it

Shelves: completed-series-last-book, library-ebook

Great series and I'm looking forward to the next one starting in the same world. There were some issues I had with the series in terms of why a character would do a certain thing but overall again it was great. Unusual in that the middle book was the best of the series IMO. Books one & three were 4.5* and book two a 5*. ...more

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Jun 03, 2022 Hamad rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, good-covers, adult-books, 2022-reads, fantasy, rtc

Promise of Blood ★★★ 3/4
The Crimson Campaign ★★★★ 1/4
The Autumn Republic ★★★★

RTC...

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Mar 21, 2020 Deborah Obida rated it it was amazing

Shelves: adult, fantasy, favorite-books

“I would die for my country. But I’d rather kill for it"

That was awesome, when I started this series I didn't know I would come to love it this much and I'm glad I did.

This series changed my idea of flintock fantasy, what made this better was the magic system, it has three different kind of magic in this.

1. The powder mage which the series was named after, they can control gun powder and make it explode, they rarely miss when they shoot their guns, their magic was explained explicitly.
2. T ...more

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Aug 05, 2019 Terry rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, 2019-book-challenge

I’m finishing this trilogy with the same rating for book 3 that I gave to books 1 and 2, 4.5/5.0 stars. I was hooked on this series from the start, and that carried through until the end of the last one. For me, I just felt that there was a uniqueness to this series that felt right. In other words, it felt real. Book 3 picks up right after book 2 and works through to resolve what was set up in books 1 and 2 pretty well. Is the resolution perfect? No. I can think of a couple of things I wish woul ...more

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May 23, 2017 Anthony K rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Sneaky Sneaky Taniel!

This book ended fantastically. I wish I had more time to write better reviews, but I have been spending all my free time plowing through books. lol.

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About Brian McClellan

Brian McClellan

6,924 followers

Brian McClellan is an American epic fantasy author from Cleveland, Ohio. He is known for his acclaimed Powder Mage Universe and essays on the life and business of being a writer.

Brian now lives on the side of a mountain in Utah with his wife, Michele, where he writes books and nurses a crippling video game addiction.

Brian's novels include the Powder Mage Trilogy (Promise of Blood, The Crimson Camp ...more