I received this as a complimentary arc - thank you! All thoughts remain my own.

Concerned by rumours that the Magistratum's authority is waning, Vonvalt returns the capital city stinking of distrust, suspicion and rebellion. In the Senate, patricians speak openly against the Emperor, fanatics preach holy vengeance on the streets, and through it all there is a mystery of a Prince’s son disappearance at play.

This book takes us from the smaller, investigative murder mystery with hints of upheaval of the first book to an epic-scale uprising with numerous politics, powerful people and even otherworldly presences at play.

…this place is going to explode like a keg of blackpowder," Sir Radomir murmured from his place next to me on the litter.
"And the Emperor seems intent on nothing but filling the barrel to the brim, Vonvalt replied.

Like the previous book, Swan’s education in law is evident in his prose, in his provoking questions, his deep and dark reflections. This is particularly prevalent in this book as Helena must grab me with Vonvalt’s changing perception of justice and his role in it.

"This 'separate jurisprudence'. thought that was the point of the common law - it is common to all of us."

History is neat. It is packaged, artificially broken up into epochs, and dissected remotely, both geographically and temporally, with the benefit of long hindsight. The reality of living through these turbulent times was much different. Matters are insidious. They build up over time, like small pieces of wood being chipped out of a supporting beam. Complexities and nuances are lost in the retelling of the story.

Gallows humour was present like other dark fantasy books, not as dark as other grimdark books I’ve read, but perhaps this is because of the almost juvenile way in which Helena, the narrator, has been portrayed in some instances. As such, it makes a good beginners book into this genre.

"So I ward myself, hold your hand, and you chuck me into the afterlife like a pail of shit out the window?" I asked.

One gripe I had was the greater emphasis on relationships, and occasionally the aspect of the age gaps and attitudes made me slightly uncomfortable.

However, this is an exciting follow-up to the first book where Helena is shown as more independent, powerful and promising. I can’t wait to see how she progresses in book 3 - she has so much potential, as does the conclusion to this trilogy!

The Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan ⚖️🐺

A big up to Orbit for this eArc!!

It was great visiting this world again with everyone’s favourite clerk. If you enjoyed the first book, there’s no doubt that you will also love this

More twists, turns and plotting, it’s a bigger story and it’s better for it

I was glad to delve deeper into the magic of this world and what it’s like to be a Justice. You also learn more about the background of these characters as to why they are who they are

The writing may not be to everyone’s tastes though, especially if you get annoyed by over using of words

It sets up the final book in the trilogy very well with a satisfying ending and I already can’t wait for it

Much like the first, this book is an incredible spectacle to behold. I cannot wait for characters to be further unleashed and to lean into this world again. Swan really hits the head with the story and environment and has really excelled in this one.