Looking forward to reading this one in the new year! I wanted to get to it this month, but too many books too little time 🙂 I’m glad to hear it was a strong ending though, I have a feeling I’ll love it too!
I absolutely understand you, Mogsy. I can’t tell you the number of amazing new books I couldn’t get around to this year myself. Hopefully you’ll get around to finishing this trilogy up in 2020! 😀
With 6 books, and short stories, under his belt, McClellan has shown he has the staying power. I wonder if he’ll stay in this world or go off on something completely different for his future books?
Indeed. I want to make an exception with him and pick up the ebooks but I struggle with the idea of owning something digital while I have the rest as physical copies hahaha
I actually would love to see him extend this world even more, sort like Abercrombie has been doing since the beginning. Then again, I’m also curious to see what else he could write, just to see if he can do it. 😀
Wonderful review! I’m on the last 40 pages of this one myself and I’m both enjoying it immensely and feeling sad for the realization that I will have to say goodbye to these amazing characters. With Blood of Empire I ended up liking Michel Bravis very much, while before I felt just a lukewarm interest for him, and my love for Mad Ben Styke reached new depths – he’s one of the best, indeed… 🙂
Thank you so much, Maddalena! I hope the final 40 pages didn’t disappoint you. 😉 I too am sad that it has all come to and end but I love how all three characters grew on me. I think Vlora had the least impact on me personally… Somehow the direction it went with her character wasn’t as exciting as it could’ve been. But the giant and the spy were awesome! 😀
Vlora has always been one of my favorite characters, even in the first trilogy where she barely appeared, but I must say that everyone grew exponentially here and I cared for every single one of these characters: there were moments where I was worried for their safety, which shows that McClellan did an extraordinary job in fleshing them out and breathing life on them. My only hope is that there are some threads in the last chapter that might – just might – offer material for more of this story. Keeping my fingers crossed…😊
Lashaan I recall your reviews of the other books were you really were showing your admiration for his work! Too bad that he has been “forced” into tying up loose ends and the innovation paid the price because I suspect that would have been a 5 stars for you!
He’s definitely an author that any adult fantasy reader should check out. It’s such an awesome world! And yes, it could’ve been a 5 stars read if only it could’ve been more twistier! It was still a fantastic book though! 😀
I really need to give Brian McClellan a try one of these days. I think I have the Powder Mage trilogy in ebook format. I’m guessing that’s the best place to start?
Absolutely. To fully enjoy this world, I’d recommend starting with the Powder Mage trilogy. However, if you already have the Gods of Blood and Powder trilogy, and don’t have the Powder Mage trilogy, then it wouldn’t hurt to start here as well, the references to the first trilogy will just fly over your head hahah
Only 4 stars? 😉 Lashaan, what a crushing review!
But seriously, I’m glad it’s a solid conclusion to the series. It’s still ahead of me, in the plans for 2020, so I’m happy I can look forward to reading it 🙂
Hahahaha I really wanted to give it 5 stars but it unfortunately had a couple of issues and didn’t have the wow-factor that the previous two books had on me. I hope you get to read and finish this trilogy in 2020, Ola! I’ll look forward to hearing your thoughts on it! 😀
I’m not sure what you imply by “idiot plot”. Is it a fully pejorative label or do you just mean it’s a plot that doesn’t allow the author as much freedom as it could’ve?
I recently read it on another book reviewer type of blog. (Can’t remember where) It’s a movie/ book plot in which characters act in a non-smart way. It’s when someone goes swimming in an isolated lake at midnight with a serial killer on the loose. Or when they all go down to the basement with no light…
Sounds like a bit of a forgone conclusion. Too bad he couldn’t squeeze in some more twists. I do love getting to see the end for my favorite characters though. And it sounds like there could be more adventures?! I do love the trinity character setup in stories. Even if you don’t love all three the contrast can still work well.
Oh yes, I think you should dive back into fantasy books! I feel like you’ve been avoiding them ever since you read the LotR trilogy. 😛 Thanks, Caroline! 😀
Bookidote 
Looking forward to reading this one in the new year! I wanted to get to it this month, but too many books too little time 🙂 I’m glad to hear it was a strong ending though, I have a feeling I’ll love it too!
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I absolutely understand you, Mogsy. I can’t tell you the number of amazing new books I couldn’t get around to this year myself. Hopefully you’ll get around to finishing this trilogy up in 2020! 😀
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With 6 books, and short stories, under his belt, McClellan has shown he has the staying power. I wonder if he’ll stay in this world or go off on something completely different for his future books?
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Indeed. I want to make an exception with him and pick up the ebooks but I struggle with the idea of owning something digital while I have the rest as physical copies hahaha
I actually would love to see him extend this world even more, sort like Abercrombie has been doing since the beginning. Then again, I’m also curious to see what else he could write, just to see if he can do it. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful review! I’m on the last 40 pages of this one myself and I’m both enjoying it immensely and feeling sad for the realization that I will have to say goodbye to these amazing characters. With Blood of Empire I ended up liking Michel Bravis very much, while before I felt just a lukewarm interest for him, and my love for Mad Ben Styke reached new depths – he’s one of the best, indeed… 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Maddalena! I hope the final 40 pages didn’t disappoint you. 😉 I too am sad that it has all come to and end but I love how all three characters grew on me. I think Vlora had the least impact on me personally… Somehow the direction it went with her character wasn’t as exciting as it could’ve been. But the giant and the spy were awesome! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Vlora has always been one of my favorite characters, even in the first trilogy where she barely appeared, but I must say that everyone grew exponentially here and I cared for every single one of these characters: there were moments where I was worried for their safety, which shows that McClellan did an extraordinary job in fleshing them out and breathing life on them. My only hope is that there are some threads in the last chapter that might – just might – offer material for more of this story. Keeping my fingers crossed…😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lashaan I recall your reviews of the other books were you really were showing your admiration for his work! Too bad that he has been “forced” into tying up loose ends and the innovation paid the price because I suspect that would have been a 5 stars for you!
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He’s definitely an author that any adult fantasy reader should check out. It’s such an awesome world! And yes, it could’ve been a 5 stars read if only it could’ve been more twistier! It was still a fantastic book though! 😀
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I really need to give Brian McClellan a try one of these days. I think I have the Powder Mage trilogy in ebook format. I’m guessing that’s the best place to start?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely. To fully enjoy this world, I’d recommend starting with the Powder Mage trilogy. However, if you already have the Gods of Blood and Powder trilogy, and don’t have the Powder Mage trilogy, then it wouldn’t hurt to start here as well, the references to the first trilogy will just fly over your head hahah
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Only 4 stars? 😉 Lashaan, what a crushing review!
But seriously, I’m glad it’s a solid conclusion to the series. It’s still ahead of me, in the plans for 2020, so I’m happy I can look forward to reading it 🙂
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Hahahaha I really wanted to give it 5 stars but it unfortunately had a couple of issues and didn’t have the wow-factor that the previous two books had on me. I hope you get to read and finish this trilogy in 2020, Ola! I’ll look forward to hearing your thoughts on it! 😀
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I’ll do my best! Though I can’t give any guarantees regarding timing 😀
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Sounds like it was not one of those “idiot plots”, then.
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I’m not sure what you imply by “idiot plot”. Is it a fully pejorative label or do you just mean it’s a plot that doesn’t allow the author as much freedom as it could’ve?
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I recently read it on another book reviewer type of blog. (Can’t remember where) It’s a movie/ book plot in which characters act in a non-smart way. It’s when someone goes swimming in an isolated lake at midnight with a serial killer on the loose. Or when they all go down to the basement with no light…
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Ahhhh yes, typical stuff found in horror movies! 😂 I can assure you that this book doesn’t have things that seriously dumb. 😂
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Sounds like a bit of a forgone conclusion. Too bad he couldn’t squeeze in some more twists. I do love getting to see the end for my favorite characters though. And it sounds like there could be more adventures?! I do love the trinity character setup in stories. Even if you don’t love all three the contrast can still work well.
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Great review! I wanna read this series! Just gotta find time to slot it in between everything else I’m reading
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Thank you so much, Aislynn! I do hope you get the chance to read this formidable trilogy! 😀
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I think this book sounds so cool!! 😯 I also think that, lately, I crave fantasy books in general 😂 Great review, Lashaan!
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Oh yes, I think you should dive back into fantasy books! I feel like you’ve been avoiding them ever since you read the LotR trilogy. 😛 Thanks, Caroline! 😀
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