The Trials of Empire didn’t quite end the way I expected. I expected a battle, which I did get but then there is almost a coda at the end which is far more subdued than I thought was going to happen.

The book continues on from the previous two books, dealing with the religious nutter, Claver, as he tries his best to bring down an Empire and Vonvalt, Helena et al have to stop him.

I really liked this book, much as I liked the trilogy as a whole. I enjoy Helena’s narrative and the book is well written. You only see Vonvalt from Helena’s perspective but he always comes across as a compelling and principled character and I have enjoyed following him around as he dispenses judgement.

Even though the ending was a little more subdued than I was expecting, it was a very good ending. It fits perfectly with the overall tone of the book and it is a fitting end for all the characters involved.

The series definitely ends with the potential for more stories to be set in that world with the characters you’ve come to know and love but it rounds the series off in a very enjoyable fashion.

Another fantastic series that our students have loved so far and I have no doubt that in this book - the grand finale - they will have another all time favourite.

It's another astounding series! Swan's world and characters are superb and captivating. The dark and eerie vibe of the premise made it more engaging. I can say that Swan should plan the whole finale without a rush or add another book rather than congesting all the scenes and happenings in one book.

Looking forward to Swan's upcoming books!

Following events in The Tyranny of Faith, Konrad Vonvalt is now a disgraced and powerless ex-Justice. With the Imperialist Magistratum disbanded, and by the order of the Emperor, Vonvalt and his band – Helena Sedanka, Vonvalt’s protegee and the narrator of our tale, female knight von Osterlen, and Sir Radomir, the former Sheriff of Galen’s Vale in The Justice of Kings – are still determined to make the Emperor see the impact radical Bartholomew Claver could have upon the Sovan Empire. Despite being under threat of death, they secretly travel north to Seaguard to hopefully find the Emperor’s missing son, Prince Gordan Ksosic, and the 16th Legion. Rumours of their total destruction were given in the last book.

At Seaguard, Vonvalt finds nothing but an eerily empty city, as a result of Claver’s use of the Draedist arcana. Vonvalt realises that the Empire needs more allies, and so travels south, to the Southern Plains beyond the Empire, where he meets the Kasar – basically a race of wolf-like humans – to persuade them to help Vonvalt against the global threat that Batholomew Claver has become. Further aid is sought from other places, previously enemies to the Sovan Empire, such as the Kova Confederation to the east. This is not easy, as the Empire, the Confederation and the Kasari have been at loggerheads with the Sovans for years, but Claver’s determination to usurp the Emperor and destroy the Empire means that he is a threat not just to the Empire, but to the other states and even other worlds as well.

Although much of this otherworldly element, and in particular Helena’s connection to it, has been visited before in The Tyranny of Faith, in Trials of Empire, its importance here is ramped up. The group find themselves not only embroiled with Claver on the mortal plane but fighting him and his demon overlord in the afterlife, from where horrific creatures wish to escape and subjugate the world of the living. At times, the opposing numbers seem unstoppable, and major mistakes are made by all along the way, which makes the outcome uncertain.

Helena is in particular affected by such things. As a young woman in her twenties, experiencing the horror of battle would be bad enough, but she also has to deal with the graphic nightmares sent to her by demons from the Other Realm. It nearly breaks her, and part of the novel that most convinces is the physical and emotional toll things have upon Helena as she recounts the story.

To complicate things further, Helena’s emotional relationship between her and Vonvalt is still unresolved and unclear. Both have feelings for each other as shown in the last book, but are wary of taking it further. As dream-like journeys in the afterlife become more and more frequent, both Helena and Vonvalt are affected.

In the mortal realm Vonvalt returns to Sova in secret to find the emperor besieged. With Claver’s army due imminently, Vonvalt has to take control of the city, using soldiers once seen as his enemies before facing the approaching Claver and his zombie army powered by the secret magic of the Draedist arcana. The city becomes the mortal world’s setting for a final battle between Claver and Vonvalt’s smaller army, with further challenges in the spirit world of the afterlife.

“The world is changing. The Magistratum is disbanded. Even if we are successful in our mission, I do not think it will be reincorporated. I do not think there is a place for Justices any more. People do not trust us. The power we wield. It is too much for one person.”

With such a title as The Trials of Empire and foreshadowing throughout the books so far, clearly this is a time of challenge in the Empire. Vonvalt is an advocate of the principles of the Empire, even if he doesn’t always agree with its methods. The idea that the Empire might fall is not new – the fall of the Empire was foreshadowed at the beginning of The Justice of Kings. But it is alarming to see how such small events can lead to such catastrophic global changes.

Such events are not entirely achieved through political diplomacy. Along the way desperate methods are used to get information – people are set alight, given as sacrifices, eviscerated, tortured and skinned alive in order to get what each side needs. When the opposing armies meet in Sova, Swan does not spare us the gruesome details of battle. There’s limbs hacked, throats torn out, eyeball squishing and bodies crunched upon as they are stepped on. Such violence may seem gruesome and extreme, but it has a point, to show us the desperation on both sides and the extreme measures each are willing to take in order to win. But it must be said – this is not a book for those faint of heart – it is one of the most grimmest Grimdark books I’ve read in recent years.

Some may find the beginning of the book slower than expected, and even occasionally nothing more than irrelevant detail. I must say that the beginning was a little slower than expected, but it does in the end serve a purpose. I’m pleased how it is all been thought out from the beginning. Although the end is expected and known, it is how we get there that is the fascination. There is resolution after enormous discord and after facing near-impossible challenges, without resorting to creating a convenient ending seemingly out of nothing makes the conclusion a strength.

The journey that the characters make in these books is both effective and life-changing, and as readers we accept the changes. The books throughout have shown a broadening of scale, with each novel building in detail and complexity on the earlier books. The Justice of Kings was relatively local in Galen’s Vale, The Tyranny of Faith showed life in the city of Sova and introduced us to the complex politics of the Sovan Empire, this third novel shows us global impacts. Unlike The Tyranny of Faith, this one works best if you have read what has gone before.

The sign of a good series for me is that you want to go and read it again, to pick up the clues that have been carefully laid out throughout the series. This is how I felt about this trilogy. Although it is perhaps too intense a read to do so straight away, I suspect it is a series that will repay a rereading.

As Epic Fantasy goes, The Trials of Empire and indeed The Empire of the Wolf series, ticks all of the things I would hope for in an Epic Fantasy. Although you may think you know where The Trials of Empire is going, it keeps you guessing to the end. It manages to combine deep philosophical and moral questions with multi-faceted characters that evolve over the length of the series, and it is not afraid to show us, through Helena, the potential horrors that could happen in such a world to such characters. In short, The Trials of Empire is the effective culmination of one of the best Fantasy series I’ve read in recent years.

Recommended.

I’ve loved both the previous novels in Richard Swan’s Empire of the Wolf series, and was worried this might not live up to the last two, but was delighted to find a brilliant finale for this trilogy.

Helena and Vonvalt’s relationship with one another is pursued brilliantly, there are some brilliant (and brutal) set pieces, and the moving pieces that Swan is able to bring to play - many laid down in the first novel - are fantastic.

It’s one of the best fantasy series I’ve read in a long time.

While I absolutely loved and admired the first two books in the Empire of the Wolf trilogy, this final instalment was sadly a miss for me.

This might have been due to the fact that I was simply not in the mood for a book quite this dark, but a few days after finishing it, I find the book has already completely slipped my mind.

While The Justice of Kings was almost written like a legal thriller with fantasy elements, the sequel added some Gothic horror elements to it. In my opinion, those elements really added to the story and I didn't mind them, especially since we still had a mystery to solve. However, this final book dove headfirst into the horror genre, and had the reader wade through a sea of gore and body horror. It is definitely not for the faint of heart and I found myself severely grossed out several times. Medieval splatterpunk was not what I expected from this book and I have a hard time evaluating how I felt about it. Figures in the demonic realm that were set up to be important ended up not mattering all that much and I felt like the entire plot-line around the demons was wrapped up too easily. While having cool, albeit gross, visuals I found myself overall dissatisfied with the demonic story arc.

The book's biggest fault by far was the pacing. The beginning felt really slow pacing-wise and yet, many plot developments happened too fast. Half of the book can be summarised as Gathering the Allies for the Big Fight and travelling between places. Now, I don't like travel sequences. If there are enough obstacles to overcome and dialogue, I don't mind them. But here, so much dreary travelling was done, it felt like I was walking every single mile with the characters. And damn, I hate hiking.

To me, neither of these places or people we travelled to had enough depth or importance to even be considered real allies. Moreover, those settings felt inconsequential since our main characters were back in Sova by the halfway point. I feel like this book should have really been split into two volumes to give those characters the depth they deserved. Moreover, the emotional core of the first two books - the friendship between Helena, Sir Radomir and Bressinger - was sorely missing in this installment and the addition of Severina van Osterlen couldn't fill that hole.

I will say Helena's character development here was phenomenal. While technically Vonvalt is the "main character", Helena and her relationships with the other characters have always been the heart of the books. This book is no exception as Helena's already fraught relationship with Vonvalt - which I still find extremely creepy by the way - is at its breaking point. I never liked Vonvalt much as a character and was wary of Helena's hero worship of him, and this book confirmed all my negative feelings regarding his character. Yet, I found the development of Helena's feelings towards him very emotional. Helena truly grows into her own person here and is in many situations the moral compass of the group. She has come a long way from the first book and is truly the star of the show in this finale.

A fascinating aspect of this series has to me always been the depiction of the fall of an empire. Most of fantasy media either concerns itself with the building of an empire or fighting an evil empire. Not many have main characters that are part of the empire and are watching it fall apart. In a similar vein, I found the author taking inspiration from the Holy Roman Empire interesting. However, those elements couldn't make up the glaring faults of the book.

All in all, I do still like the series and I love the characters of Helena Sedanka and Sir Radomir, which I would happily read about in another series. Also, Heinrich is the best boy in all of fantasy, I said what I said. I was honestly more invested in what happened to the dog than the plot. I do think Swan is a fantastic writer and I'm excited to see what he does next. 3/5 stars.

Thank you to netgalley and publishers for the e-arc.
I can’t help to feel divided in this conclusion to what I hoped to be one of my favourite series.
The first half of the book was hard to get through due to….monotony. For me, it felt a lot of fillers were inserted in every aspect and scenario: geography, travelling, conversation, even the politics.
The second half the pace definitively picked up and I was sucked in to the eerie and dark atmosphere that I adored on the last two books. This series peaks with the politics and the necromancy aspect although this could have been developed differently.
I do feel that everything got resolved too easily. There was a massive build up and heighten responsibility in Helena’s role in the last epic battle and it felt deflated when the action finally came.
I am not a massive fan of the attempt of romance between the main characters. I would have preferred if it was a mentee-mentor relationship and I think the series would have benefited from it.
Overall, it was a satisfying conclusion to an epic saga and I am interested in reading more from the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Orbit for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: injury, violence, references to suicide and torture, gore, murder, body horror, death

“The Empire of the Wolf” is one of the best fantasy series I’ve read and its final book is no exception. “The Trials of Empire” picks up months after the ending of the second book with Sir Konrad Vonvalt, his assistant Helena Sedanka and former sheriff Sir Radomir on the run from the same Empire they’re trying to save from the rot within. To save it, Vonvalt and Helena must turn to the rivals in the south and north- a group of furious pagans driven out by religion and a legendary race of wolfmen- to return to Sova and take it back. However, justice and law have vanished and their new allies would benefit from Sova collapsing entirely. At the same time, their enemy- the magically gifted and religious zealot Bartholomew Claver- uses the gifts granted to him by the demonic patron that has raised him to the level of ruler for many. Lacking allies and mourning the loss of one of their own, Helena and Vonvalt need more than just mortal help; relying on forces and friends beyond the veil, they face battlefields on two sides and a heavy price is paid on all of them. Vonvalt’s belief in the justice system where he is judge, jury and executioner is no longer enough, and his relationship with Helena- which had begun to be romantic- grows more complicated as she communes with gods and he pushes the limits of the law further than ever.

I absolutely adore this series, and I’m so glad that I went back and read “The Tyranny of Faith” before starting this one. These have been powerful, bleak and haunting books with incredibly strong, morally grey characters that you can’t help but love despite their flaws. One of the highlights has been that the entire series is from an older Helena’s perspective, writing years later, and she admonishes her younger self even as she despairs at the grim events happening. The relationship between Vonvalt and Helena has never been more complicated than at the end of the second book- almost romantic partners, Helena is his student and beholden to him as an apprentice while Vonvalt mourns the loss of his former partner- and here it takes a backseat except for some truly vibrant and tense scenes. I loved the new characters and the return of the old as well as the widened world and further expanded afterlife. The first two books had a mystery to solve but this one didn’t need it, all the threads of the previous stories were beautifully wrapped up in a heartwrenching, gorgeously written finale- I hope this isn’t the end of Richard Swan’s time with Helena and Vonvalt.

This was a very satisfying end to the trilogy although not quite as strong as the first two in the series. The first half was very slow and I wasn’t feeling very inspired, but the second half made up for it. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

https://lynns-books.com/2024/02/15/the-trials-of-empire-empire-of-the-wolf-3-by-richard-swan/
4.5 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review : I’m Missing This Series Already

Wow. Just wow.

Okay, the Empire of the Wolf has been a truly amazing series. In fact I hardly know where to begin with this final review.

I was in fact scared to pick up this final instalment, I always feel a little worried when I’m on the last book of a series, especially one that has been so very good. Will it continue to impress – in fact sometimes I think that’s why I have so many incomplete series in my past – fear that things would go pear shaped at the very end and ruin my happy glow. Basically, right now, I’m procrastinating because I can’t get my thoughts into order.

I would mention that I’m going to dive straight into my review without too much description of plot, I hope to avoid spoilers but I can’t promise anything more and I would say if you’re reading this review without having read the first two books you should go back and start from the beginning. This is a series that has gone from strength to strength, the characters have grown – not always in ways you may like, some have fallen along the way and the plot has developed into this terrific melting pot of religious zealotry, horrific infernal beings that threaten the existence of humankind and one man’s stand for justice and peace – even if he’s becoming a little frayed around the edges.

TToE drops us back into the story where we left off. Lets just be brutally honest, the Empire is having a nightmare of a time, it’s basically teetering on the brink and faces almost certain destruction. Vonvalt, one of the few men with the strength and faith to make a difference is living in exile, outlawed by the Emperor but still not ready or prepared to accept defeat. In this final hour he is determined to rally together allies from the most unexpected quarters. at the end of the day (which coincidentally is nigh), when all humanity is faced with evil and chaos, well, the enemy of your enemy is your friend (for a short time at least). So, yes, Vonvolt looks to all quarters for aide. Of course he has some explaining and convincing to do because why should these old enemies help the Empire now?

This third in series does have a different feel to the previous two books. Previously there’s been a mystery of some description taking place that Vonvalt has been called to investigate and mete out justice. This time round, well, there’s no time for such niceties. There’s much racing across the country in search of allies. The tension is ratcheting up nicely, nerves are fraught and the main two characters are definitely not getting on well.

Which brings me to Helene. I love her as a narrator and in fact love the choice that the author made to have her as the storyteller. She surprised me a little in this edition. She’s always been quite a steadfast character but in this final edition she becomes a little too inflexible at times. She judges Vonvalt for his actions. Lets just say she’s always had him on a pedestal, a paragon of virtue and now he is sullied by his actions – in her eyes at least. Of course, he isn’t acting totally within the parameters that he would have previously. Vonvalt is a man of the world, he’s older and more experienced than Helene and he realises that sometimes you have to sacrifice some of your values for the greater good.

In this final edition not only the tension is ramped up – there is plenty of action. Vonvalt manages to rally some of the strangest allies to the cause and for a brief moment you begin to feel almost hopeful. Then things get absolutely crazy and literally go to hell – with or without a handcart. The finale, well, what can I say. There was so much going on, so much death and destruction on both the mortal and spiritual plane – which actually leads me into another trail of thought. Swann has given us such a lot to think about with this series. Ultimately, it feels like everything revolves around right and wrong, good or evil, but at the same time it shows us that nothing is ever quite that simple be it religion or justice.

And, I think I should end there. I don’t want to inadvertently give anything away although I also feel like I’ve said not nearly enough – and such it is when reviewing a book that has stolen your heart.

To conclude the Empire of the Wolf is an absolutely brilliant series. It took my breath away and completely surpassed any and all expectations that I had. The third was perhaps a little heavier on action and missing the mysteries that I had enjoyed previously but regardless was a perfect end to an absolutely fantastic fantasy trilogy. If you haven’t started this series, or maybe you’re sitting on the fence a little, I would encourage you to jump on board and give this a try. Frankly I’m hopeful of a return to this world.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

This is a great final entry to the Empire of the Wolf trilogy. I really enjoyed being back with these characters and I loved the expansion of the world in this book. The plot was compelling throughout and the writing is great. I highly recommend checking this trilogy out.

Richard Swan's Empire of the Wolf trilogy took me completely by surprise. It's such a unique, complex tale dealing with themes of justice and morality in a way I haven't read about in a long time, if ever. 'The Trials of Empire' concludes this trilogy, and what a strong conclusion it is.

Once again, we return to Helena as our narrator. She's traumatised after the events of the previous novels, and honestly, that makes perfect sense. She tells us the last chapter in Konrad Vonvalt's story, and it's a dark, gritty chapter indeed. 'Trials of Empire' is basically fantasy horror. There's a lot of graphic violence and gore, paired with a constant feeling of dread and loss. Death is everywhere, and I was genuinely scared for the characters - even Helena, even though I knew she would survive her ordeals due to her, well, telling the story as a much older woman.
I could barely put the book down, to be honest. Swan's writing is impeccable, never letting you off the hook, never allowing you to lean back and relax. The plot is unpredictable and exciting, which kept me on my toes at all times.
Now, I wasn't the biggest fan of how the author resolved the romance between Helena and Konrad. I liked how he clearly worked out that it's a very unhealthy relationship, but it was told in a surprisingly heavy-handed way. Swan usually excels at subtlety and doesn't have to spell everything out for the reader, but in this case, he hit us over the head with it. Helena went from being hurt, confused, but clearly enamored in book 2 to monologuing about the toxicity of their relationship basically come the very first chapters of book 3. It felt a little like Swan read the criticism and made sure we knew he read and understood it. It was a little jarring when compared to the narrative choices made in the rest of the novel.
Still, it was a fitting end to both Helena's and Konrad's story. I'm always nervous when I near the final chapters of a trilogy, but in this case I left the very last page with both feelings of sadness and satisfaction - sad because I had to leave the characters and the world behind, satisfied because it was as close to a perfect ending as one could get for a grimdark tale such as this.

While I think this last book is my least favourite of the three, it has more to do with just how perfect I thought the previous two books where. I'm not a horror reader, so I was taken aback by some of horrific elements of this story, but it still fit the tone of the trilogy. I cannot recommend the Empire of the Wolf series enough and I will absolutely read anything this author releases.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (though I also had this book on preorder because of course I had read the other two and was highly motivated to finish off the series.

Welp. That’s over and I’m very sad for it. Empire of the Wolf has had a special place in my heart for a number of years and I’m sad to finally say goodbye to this excellent trilogy.

Whilst “Tyranny of the Faith” remains my favourite of the series, this book is well deserving of every star I can give it. Swan is an expert storyteller with a knack for exciting and engaging plot married up with some excellent characters.

I want to focus a little on our narrator, Helena. She goes from a whiny little child in the first book, to something more well rounded in the second, to a mature and reasonable individual in the third. This character arc is easy to miss, despite her being the narrator, but to see this world through her eyes, the reader is left profoundly affected by the opinions of a young adult in a world where she should never be exposed to such trauma. And this is a group of people whose very existence is predicated on the knowledge that they will experience the very worst the world has to offer. The dilemmas Helena faces in “Justice of Kings” are so woefully unimportant by the end of “Trials of Empire”.

It is a testament to Swan’s writing.

My only comment is that this trilogy is best read in short order - i.e. I wouldn’t recommend taking a bread between books to read a palate cleanser, unless you have a very good memory. There are characters and events that are easily forgotten, and you risk losing something of the plot if you are not up to speed with what has been going on.

I would recommend this series a thousand times over. It’s been a long and exciting journey.

BOOK REVIEW: The Trials of Empire by Richard Swan

A huge thank you to @netgalley @orbitbooks_uk and @littlebrownbookgroup_uk for giving me access to an advanced copy ahead of publication day in exchange for an honest review.

The third and final instalment in the Empire of the Wolf trilogy was as exceptional and beautifully crafted as I’d knew it would be.

The two previous titles (The Justice of Kings and The Tyranny of Faith) are amongst my favourite books of all time and I always feel like this series has flown under the radar.

This was dark, bloody and downright gruesome with certain scenes just painting amazing (and horrifying) images in my head. The battle scenes were just beautifully done and I genuinely felt the characters have come on leaps and bounds in their growth that I felt like a proud parent.

Happy Publication Day @richardswanauthor - you have created a trilogy that lives rent free in my head and I’m eternally grateful.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

The Trials of Empire is the third and final instalment in Richard Swan’s Empire of the Wolf trilogy, a series that follows Justice Sir Konra Vonvalt and his protege Helena. In this final instalment, we follow the pair as they attempt to stop Claver from destroying the empire once and for all but Claver now wields dark and demonic powers that even Vonvalt might not be able to defeat. They must find allies where they can and even they might not be enough. Will the empire survive or will Claver ascend the imperial throne?

The Justice of Kings and The Tyranny of Faith were both five star reads and favourites of the year for me so going into this I had pretty high expectations. If possible, I’d give The Trials of Empire six stars. This book is so well executed and so gripping that I could not tear myself away from it. Swan has done a magnificent job of bringing the series to a close and has absolutely cemented this series as one of my all time favourites.

Like the previous instalments, The Trials of Empire is dark, bloody and gruesome. The writing is vivid and engaging and there are some truly horrifying and grisly that practically leapt off the page. The world is really fascinating and I really enjoyed getting to learn more about the holy dimensions and the monsters that reside there. After three books I’ve become quite attached to the characters in this series and I was so intrigued by the way they’ve grown and changed as the story has progressed. Particularly in this instalment as the effects of all they’ve been through really begins to get to them.

The Trials of Empire is full of action and Swan does a brilliant job of writing dynamic battle scenes. I am so sad that this story has come to an end and would read a hundred more books in this world. The Trials of Empire will without a doubt be on my best books of the year list and if you haven’t had a chance to pick up book one yet, this series is one you do not want to miss.

This series has been living in my head rent free since 2022 when the first book dropped. I became obsessed with the world and its characters, even more so because of the Slavic influences, so it's very hard for me to say goodbye.

With that said, I didn't enjoy The Trials of Empire quiteeee as much as the first two books, but I did still have fun reading it. Overall I did like the ending, I think it was a fitting one for the series and left room for more books set in the world which is always a plus.

The second half was stronger than the first, which could drag a bit. It felt like they kept doing "side quests" in order to finally get to the last battle, which I can understand, of course, but in comparison to the past two installments where we also had a slower pace, it was the slowest.

Things picked up a bit before the battle and I found myself enjoying those parts just as much as I expected to. There were a few scares worthy of a heart attack, I didn't know if my faves would live or die (since Richard Swan has shown us that main characters can be killed in the previous books). I was on the verge of tears, not ready to let them drop just in case someone's death didn't "stick".

SO THANK YOU RICHARD SWAN FOR PUTTING ME THOUGH ALL THE STAGES OF GRIEF, MUCH APPRECIATED.

The very (very) slight romance is something I'd like to mention as well, because I feel like I'm the only person in the world who actually shipped it! Hah, I'm serious, I really didn't care that they weren't good for each other, I wanted to see them together!!! But I'm not mad about it either. It was resolved well.

Helena grew a lot as a character since The Justice of Kings, and the bulk of it was done in this book. She may only be twenty by the end, but because of everything she's experienced, it feels like she's aged a ton, gotten much wiser etc, so I'd love to follow an older version of her (and Heinrich!) on some new adventure.

Now for the rating, it's somewhere between a 3.5 and a 4, like a 3.75 so wherever I can I'm going to round it up to a 4, because I really do love this series so so much, and would recommend it to literally everyone. I've even seen some people saying this is their favourite book in the series, so if you ask me you have nothing to lose, you're guaranteed to like it if you give it a try.

P. S. I need Richard Swan to tell me what his favourite Severina song is NOW (there's just no way he doesn't listen to her when one of the characters shares her name) PLEASE MISTER SWAN THIS IS VITAL INFORMATION!!!

*Huge thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Richard Swan's "The Trials of Empire" seamlessly continues the narrative from "Tyranny of Faith," thrusting Helena, Vonvalt, Sir Radomir, and Templar von Osterlen into the tumultuous aftermath of being branded traitors by the Empire. The looming bounty on their heads underscores their commitment to preserving the Empire or, at the very least, upholding the lawful peace it once embodied.

Amidst the chaos, Claver emerges as a destructive force, hell-bent on the empire's ruin. The added layer of intrigue arises as it becomes evident that he's receiving assistance from a malevolent entity in the astral plane, causing the fabric between worlds to thin and allowing demons to wreak havoc.

Swan elevates the storytelling by introducing a compelling psychological element, delving into the manipulation of justice to achieve a supposedly greater good. This thematic exploration adds depth to the narrative, engaging you with its nuanced approach to morality and justice.

The dynamic between Helena and Vonvalt stands out, providing a captivating focal point. Helena's struggles, particularly in her relationship with Vonvalt, offer a poignant exploration of personal growth and moral quandaries. The narrative's success lies in portraying Helena's evolution into a teacher, guiding Vonvalt back to morality. This character dynamic is well-executed and contributes significantly to the broader narrative.

"The Trials of Empire" not only maintains the momentum of its predecessors but also introduces intricate layers of psychological depth and moral exploration. Swan adeptly weaves a tale that captivates with its characters' struggles, intricate relationships, and the looming threat to the Empire's stability. Definitely one of the the best trilogies in recent years. My thanks to both NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for a free e-arc and an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The final book in a complex, deep and interesting trilogy.
We started with a “Justice” and his young clerk travelling the Sovan Empire dispensing the Emperor’s Justice. Some interesting aspects of Law, magic and the relationship between the Justice and young Helena. The second book threw that all apart as the structure of society is torn apart and suddenly everything changes.
The final book brings it all together and is perhaps the darkest and most complex of the trilogy. Justice Vonvalt must seek unexpected allies if the world is not to fall to darkness and horror. And the battles may need to be fought in other dimensions where daemons want to break through.
Sat within the story is the narrative from young Helena and in some degrees the story is hers. We’ve seen her grow and change as a character. From a teenager she is now 20 and very much pivotal to much of what happens.
Proper fantasy this, enjoyed it a lot. You MUST read them in order and you’ll be glad you did.

If the entire previous novel was that perfect moment of tension when the empire and its ruler are at the precipice-you know, that high-pitched sound ringing in your ear juuuust before the inevitable collapse- than following on that analogy, this novel is chaos.
It's the absolute abandonment of social norms for the sake of survival.

The book opens with Vonvalt, Helena, Sir Radomir and Selena on the run, trying to gather forces against Claver and his faction in Sova. The dire situation they are in forces Konrad to compromise in different ways in order to get support from unexpected places. Pagan worshipers on northern settlements, the original wielders of old powers and Draedist Arcana who are familiar with Afterlife and various plains of existence, make a tenuous alliance with Konrad, but don't hide they don't have much love for Sovan Empire. On the southern plains of Sova lies Kasar, a weird and humid land of wolfmen, creatures who follow their own logic and rules and who nobody know will help Konrad or kill him in the name of their allegiance to the Empire. And all the while patria Claver looms over Sova, getting closer to his goal, prompted by a terrifying creature from Afterlife whose ultimate agenda if bigger than the Empire.

This book goes really dark. Claver's shadow is far reaching and scary and his powers makes the task Konrad and his companions are set upon on, in times impossible. How do you fight the army of demons and priests wielding Arcana with swords? So, there is a lot of pain and hardship for Helena and the crew before the culmination. So many near-misses, deaths and losses, and considering Helena knows just what awaits after death, it feels like there is no escape from horror. But, it's not the scenery or the brutality of the war that really makes this book more dark and somber. I almost feel validated for realizing what Swan was doing with Vonvalt's character and kept defending him to fellow readers who were turned off by the potential romance and I admit there was a lot of clues from the beginning if you are coming from the law background. This was a brilliant deconstruction of a character and it worked so well because it was done through Helena's account who, in her age and through her naivete and idealistic view, gratitude and admiration built Konrad to the highest of highs. THAT'S way it took so long and it was so impactful. Part of it is, of course, that he was teaching her about the law and the duty citing great scholars and jurists, full of virtue signaling and grand posturing, and reality simply doesn't conform to that idealistic view. He knows it, but Helena had to learn and IT IS painful, IT IS a heartbreak. Swan was successful in making me emotionally invested in his characters and Helena above everyone else for various reasons. This is why novel gets so dark. It's ugliness of the world and the life mercilessly tearing down the idealistic views of heroes and stripping them of comforting and self-aggrandizing ideas of life led solely by the principles of cardinal virtues and values. The whole process, full of disappointments and justifications leading to the realization that Konrad Vonvalt is not a hero is the harshest of cuts for Helena.
But, perhaps, the writing on the wall is that there at the top when it's crisis there is no place for heroes.
The crumbling of myth of Konrad is mirrored by the crumbling of Sovan empire and the myth of Empire as whole. I wrote in my review of The Tyranny of Faith that when we got to the famous Sova, to the center of the Empire and saw all the stifling bureaucracy and the politicking, that it would be apt for the wolf to fall down by gnawing on its own leg. It proved to be quite an astute observation by the end of trilogy.
A lot of the chaos and the battle was happening in Afterlife and, to be honest, I wasn't quite ensnared into this plot as I was in previous book. One part of it is that there was quite a lot of explaining about how it works on this metaphysical plane of existence and I think I enjoyed it more when it was just another dimension, not fully understood or explained. The other part of it is that I just liked the Lovecraftian vibe of Mupharaab more than the biblical, eternal fight between good and evil in this novel. I also expected Aegraxes to have a more prominent role in the novel or at least a more meddling one than what we got, but, I guess the role of the Trickster is somewhat on the side considering the dichotomy of angels and demons theme Swan was going for. The most important battles and culmination were happening in the Afterlife and I admit I was more drawn to "the justice and governing with a bit of Arcana thrown in" part of the story than the other way around.
But that deconstruction of character of Sir Konrad Vonvalt? That was just excellent.
This whole trilogy was one of my favorites offerings in the fantasy genre in recent years and I hope there is more books from Swan in the future.

Review - The Trials of the Empire, Book 3 of the Empire of the Wolf Trilogy by Richard Swan.
Happy Book Birthday to The Trials of Empire!

What a way to end this trilogy. This was my most looked-forward-to book since I finished the second book in the series, Tyranny of Faith last February. It did not disappoint.

I was delighted to get an e-ARC from Netgalley and Orbit UK.

As Justice Vonvalt and Helena are fleeing from the very Empire they seek to save, they find some unlikely allies who help guide them to those who may be able to give them the answers and solutions they need to save the Empire from Claver and those malign forces behind him.

I loved this book. The plot continued straight on from the end of the second book and it kept me thoroughly engaged throughout as we follow Helena and Vonvalt as they try to save the Sovan Empire. The build-up towards the end point was constant and the mysteries as they revealed themselves at times surprised me which I loved. And the ending was just spectacular. I loved every word of it.

The characters in the book really brought it to life with the relationship between Helena and Vonvalt developing in a way that felt natural as events moved around them and they had to do what they felt they had to. I liked the Margrave Severina von Osterlen and Sir Radomir as they played their own parts in the background and even the small bit we get about the villain Claver.

The world-building as expected was just superb. I enjoyed seeing more of the world outside the empire and the occasional sojourn into the otherworld. While I am not normally a fantasy horror fan it was so well done and felt so natural for the world that the author has created.

I would recommend this book to any fans of fantasy especially those who like theirs epic and with a healthy dash of horror.