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Empire: Country
The conquest of demon ridden Traag almost destroyed the Solarian Empire. Now, the Empire is slowly being rebuilt - but the demons are still out there. Tia Samos came to Cosslet Barony hunting for an aristocrat willing to marry a wealthy commoner. She finds an impoverished populace terrorized by a deadly beast. Her maybe swain, Baron Ian Cortez is good looking and has a great personality - but he also comes with a giant pile of bills. Is he the one? Sir Peter Cortez is Ian's bastard brother, a hard man tired of shedding blood on distant battlefields. Bringing Tia to Ian and dispatching the pesky monster is sure to win him a place - right? Tia's oafish carriage driver Kyle is a veteran with a knack for magic and a headful of nightmares. He wants to settle down and forget the horror - and Cosslet just might be that new home. Together, they find secrets, opportunities, and sheer terror.
217 pages, Paperback
Published October 12, 2022
4 people want to read
About the author
Tim Goff
20 books19 followersI was raised on an Alaskan homestead at the edge of civilization, an upbringing that brought with it passing knowledge of everything from mechanics to gardening to carpentry.
I was an avid reader from an early age - and started my first writing efforts as a teenager. It took me a while to actually get published.
I was an avid reader from an early age - and started my first writing efforts as a teenager. It took me a while to actually get published.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 24, 2022
It is a thrilling fantasy novel that follows the journey of Tia Samos of Equitant as she travels to Cosslet Barony under the pretext of seeking investment opportunities, but her real aim is to find a suitable husband.
One of the standout elements of this book is world-building. The Solarian Empire is richly described, with a history of demon conquests and a society divided between aristocrats and commoners. In addition, the descriptions of the landscapes and cities are vivid and immersive, making the world of the book feel fully realized.
Overall, it is a must-read for fans of fantasy and adventure, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Read the detailed review here - Books Charming
One of the standout elements of this book is world-building. The Solarian Empire is richly described, with a history of demon conquests and a society divided between aristocrats and commoners. In addition, the descriptions of the landscapes and cities are vivid and immersive, making the world of the book feel fully realized.
Overall, it is a must-read for fans of fantasy and adventure, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Read the detailed review here - Books Charming
June 23, 2023
Lieges and Tia and Bearaks, Oh My! (with apologies to L. Frank Baum)
Tim Goff has created a detailed fantasy world, the Solarian Empire, replete with a rich history and illustrative maps, as the stage for his six-part “Empire” series. “Empire: Country” is the first in the series and the only one that I’ve read so far. The action takes place in a section of the Empire known as the Cosslet Barony, its dismal and diminished state a result of a war with Traag and its miscellaneous demonic creatures. The settings are well described as the principal female, wealthy commoner Tia Samos, travels through Cosslet in a horse-drawn wagon, a temporary replacement for a grand carriage which is in the repair shop as the story begins. Tia’s traveling companions include oafish driver Kyle, Gypsy maid Rebecca, and escort knight Peter Cortez as she journeys through the Empire in search of family business opportunities as well as a suitable aristocrat to marry. The history is primarily told through flashbacks and dream sequences by the principal characters, as well as offhand references to occurrences and characters not featured in the book. Evil beasts, including the fearsome bearak, still live in the nearby woods, occasionally venturing out to slaughter cattle and terrorize the populace.
The story is told in twenty-five chapters (denoted by Roman numerals, presumably to emphasize the historic tone) from alternating points of view – Tia, Peter, and Kyle are primarily featured, but one chapter is Rebecca’s and two feature a character named Li-Pang, whose appearances frankly left me scratching my head. As the story proceeds, we learn more about the main characters, and several others are added to the mix, including a traveling “Saban” magician named Silam and a troupe of Rebecca’s fellow Gypsies. About two-thirds of the way through, the story takes a very dark turn into mayhem and violence, perhaps erasing all hope of a happy ending. On the other hand, this is only Book One. What will Goff do with his Empire? There are many opportunities for future developments.
I was impressed by the extensive detail Goff has brought to his Empire, including the wide array of baronies, many of which I assume are featured in the subsequent books, and the well-documented history laid out as background. I presume that fans of the fantasy genre will find these details equally impressive – though having read only a few such fantasy novels I’m not necessarily a good judge of how this stacks up in the overall canon – and I’d recommend it on that basis.
However, there were several aspects of the book that were not as impressive. For one, the dialog at times seems inconsistent with the narrative. While the narrative tone is formal and somber, with an 18th century vibe, the characters occasionally blurt out modern idioms such as “this sucks” and “piss poor driving.” I also didn’t care for the “convenient” use of tropes such as “Gypsies” and “Sabans” – black people – as shortcuts implying dishonesty and evil. The book portrays many battles and other scenes of violence, but the descriptions are often convoluted and confusing. Finally, there are far too many missing or erroneous words, in particular the near-constant misuse of plurals and possessives. Extensive editing is needed.
All in all, I’ve rated “Empire: Country” with three stars, as Goff’s impressive world-building outweighed the negative factors cited above. Fantasy fans with more tolerance than I will surely love it.
Tim Goff has created a detailed fantasy world, the Solarian Empire, replete with a rich history and illustrative maps, as the stage for his six-part “Empire” series. “Empire: Country” is the first in the series and the only one that I’ve read so far. The action takes place in a section of the Empire known as the Cosslet Barony, its dismal and diminished state a result of a war with Traag and its miscellaneous demonic creatures. The settings are well described as the principal female, wealthy commoner Tia Samos, travels through Cosslet in a horse-drawn wagon, a temporary replacement for a grand carriage which is in the repair shop as the story begins. Tia’s traveling companions include oafish driver Kyle, Gypsy maid Rebecca, and escort knight Peter Cortez as she journeys through the Empire in search of family business opportunities as well as a suitable aristocrat to marry. The history is primarily told through flashbacks and dream sequences by the principal characters, as well as offhand references to occurrences and characters not featured in the book. Evil beasts, including the fearsome bearak, still live in the nearby woods, occasionally venturing out to slaughter cattle and terrorize the populace.
The story is told in twenty-five chapters (denoted by Roman numerals, presumably to emphasize the historic tone) from alternating points of view – Tia, Peter, and Kyle are primarily featured, but one chapter is Rebecca’s and two feature a character named Li-Pang, whose appearances frankly left me scratching my head. As the story proceeds, we learn more about the main characters, and several others are added to the mix, including a traveling “Saban” magician named Silam and a troupe of Rebecca’s fellow Gypsies. About two-thirds of the way through, the story takes a very dark turn into mayhem and violence, perhaps erasing all hope of a happy ending. On the other hand, this is only Book One. What will Goff do with his Empire? There are many opportunities for future developments.
I was impressed by the extensive detail Goff has brought to his Empire, including the wide array of baronies, many of which I assume are featured in the subsequent books, and the well-documented history laid out as background. I presume that fans of the fantasy genre will find these details equally impressive – though having read only a few such fantasy novels I’m not necessarily a good judge of how this stacks up in the overall canon – and I’d recommend it on that basis.
However, there were several aspects of the book that were not as impressive. For one, the dialog at times seems inconsistent with the narrative. While the narrative tone is formal and somber, with an 18th century vibe, the characters occasionally blurt out modern idioms such as “this sucks” and “piss poor driving.” I also didn’t care for the “convenient” use of tropes such as “Gypsies” and “Sabans” – black people – as shortcuts implying dishonesty and evil. The book portrays many battles and other scenes of violence, but the descriptions are often convoluted and confusing. Finally, there are far too many missing or erroneous words, in particular the near-constant misuse of plurals and possessives. Extensive editing is needed.
All in all, I’ve rated “Empire: Country” with three stars, as Goff’s impressive world-building outweighed the negative factors cited above. Fantasy fans with more tolerance than I will surely love it.
May 19, 2023
A fantasy novel that doesn’t change the genre, but is entertaining in its own right. The format has each chapter coming from a different character’s perspective, a trick I personally enjoy (and have employed myself) but some readers find off-putting. There are a decent number of characters overall, but the focus tends to remain on Tia and Sir Peter. Tia has traveled to Cosslet Barony on behalf of her family’s interests, secretly looking for an appropriate husband. The land has been ravaged by a war with demons, an event that’s left many with scars. Along the way, there’s romance, intrigue, and action. I will note the draft I received has numerous typos, but this is something the author could easily correct. The overall reading experience was enjoyable.
May 5, 2023
Review: 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.
This fantasy had an interesting storyline, with once prosperous towns struggling in the aftermath of a terrible demonic war. I found that intriguing. Many of the characters were in dire straits, haunted by nightmares and trying to survive poverty. That said, the adults spoke and acted like children, with immature insults and simplistic language. It was hard to find any of them sympathetic.
I disliked the reliance on stereotypes, such as the "thieving gypsies." The female characters were almost all sluts or ugly.
This book needs some deep editing to clear up the abundance of typos and incomplete sentences, as well as the badly written characters.
This fantasy had an interesting storyline, with once prosperous towns struggling in the aftermath of a terrible demonic war. I found that intriguing. Many of the characters were in dire straits, haunted by nightmares and trying to survive poverty. That said, the adults spoke and acted like children, with immature insults and simplistic language. It was hard to find any of them sympathetic.
I disliked the reliance on stereotypes, such as the "thieving gypsies." The female characters were almost all sluts or ugly.
This book needs some deep editing to clear up the abundance of typos and incomplete sentences, as well as the badly written characters.
June 9, 2023
A well-built world and interesting characters fill this book, if you can get through the first few chapters. There are the usual minor editing mistakes to be expected of most indie authors, but the book is still perfectly readable. The world is rather misogynistic, but the female MC is a well-rounded character with a mission and the knowledge and means to attain it-presumably. Despite the critiques, I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
February 12, 2023
This book follows the journey of a woman from the professional classes who is looking for a noble husband.
The fantasy world is well described.
I thought that this was well written and professional book. It was a little bit dark for me and I didn’t like the occasional swearing. However, I do recommend it unless you only like the lightest of fiction (like me).
The fantasy world is well described.
I thought that this was well written and professional book. It was a little bit dark for me and I didn’t like the occasional swearing. However, I do recommend it unless you only like the lightest of fiction (like me).
May 11, 2023
Game of Thrones-esque
A kingdom destroyed and the power is up for grabs- this always makes for an epic tale. I particularly enjoyed Peter & Tia’s slow burn romance which I hope is building for book 2.
Several typos and a daunting parade of characters kept me from a five. But the story was solid & I look forward to the sequel. And the maps were a nice touch.
A kingdom destroyed and the power is up for grabs- this always makes for an epic tale. I particularly enjoyed Peter & Tia’s slow burn romance which I hope is building for book 2.
Several typos and a daunting parade of characters kept me from a five. But the story was solid & I look forward to the sequel. And the maps were a nice touch.
August 31, 2025
An exciting mix of fantasy, intrigue, and danger! The Conquest of Traag blends courtship, magic, and monstrous threats into a fast-paced adventure. With vivid characters each carrying secrets and scars the story delivers suspense, humor, and heart in equal measure. A must read for epic fantasy fans!
March 5, 2023
Quite honestly, I found this story a bit gloomy at first, but the more I read the more I began to enjoy it. A tale of people surviving in a country blighted by war, strange creatures and frightening magic.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews