"Grave Empire" by Richard Swan is an impressively dark and intricate fantasy that immediately drew me into its grim, compelling world. Swan's ability to craft a deeply atmospheric setting, filled with compelling lore and a sense of encroaching dread, is truly exceptional. The narrative is packed with political intrigue and thrilling action sequences that keep the pages turning at a rapid pace. I was particularly gripped by the complex characters and the morally grey choices they are forced to make. While there were a few instances where I felt certain background elements could have been slightly more elaborated on, it doesn't detract from the overall masterful storytelling. A highly recommended read for fans of dark and epic fantasy.

Grave Empire returns to the Empire of the Wolf universe, set many years later and a very welcome return as a fan of that series.
We have 3 new POVs to follow; Renata , Peter and von Oldenburg seeing different parts of unfolding connected conflict.
Renata was easily my favourite at the start, but one thing about Swan is he is great at developing characters and my interest in all three POVs increased as the book continued, even if some of the characters are technically unlikeable.
What I also loved was similar to his previous trilogy, Swan combines horror to a fantasy setting and is one of the best example of this type of writing. However it did reflect similarly to his previous in focusing on the supernatural/ afterlife.
It gets particularly gripping towards the end and I look forward to the next instalment.
Thanks to Netgalley for the arc.

Grave Empire by Richard Swan is the return to the Empire of the Wolf world and it was phenomenal. First of all, if you haven't read the original trilogy, don't worry because there's a strong introduction to this world and you won't feel lost. This series is placed around 200 years after the last installment and i must say Swan as done a great job to create a certain feeling of going further in time rather than remake the world we already knew.

This is a deadly but fantastic first installment of a new series in a world filled with conflict, culture, religion and new relationships. We follow three POV's that offers an unique view of the world expanding and the way the plot unfolds throughout the story. We have new places and new people being introduced to us and as usual a lot of new horrors to uncover. The story takes it's time to unfold and gives the characters time to develop which is great.

I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to see where the next book in this series will take us. This is a must read for Swan's fans and everyone who enjoys a fantasy book with a strong world building and a nice pace.

Grave Empire ought not to work. Swan has gone back to the world of his Justice of Kings trilogy for a followup, set several hundred years later and with entirely new characters. The setting is recognisable, but beyond a few callbacks to the earlier books, the action is new (though, as the story develops we see that what I might call the theological character of the world is also the same).

There are pitfalls of writing a continuation to a successful trilogy. You may rehash the original, undoing the earlier resolution and making the reader ask what the point was (hello, Chronicles of Thomas Covenant! Hello, Star Wars episodes VII - IX!) Or you may produce something notionally related but not really, and be accused of simply cashing in on the earlier success. Either want you may miss what appealed the first time round.

Swan, however, avoids both of these traps and indeed rather gloriously transcends them. If the first trilogy had a sort of neo-Roman Empire setting, albeing garnished with Northern, rather than Southern, European tropes, Grave Empire picks things up in a more gunpowdery age. The warfare is a bit Napoleonic, the geopolitics more Age of Empires (complete with colonial excesses) than Ancient World. Yet, behind it all, the menace that Sir Konrad discovered, the cosmic horror that drove events in the earlier books, still festers. Only, the re-established Empire of the Wolf has now made the lore that might have allowed it to resists, even more forbidden. Quite the conundrum.

Against that background, Grave Empire gives us some brilliant new characters. There is Peter, a young man recently recruited to the Sovan Army. Swan is good on the motivation for the this, the mix of personal drift, family situation and peer pressure. He also creates a plausible military for Peter to join, and a plausible disillusionment for him to undergo, amidst the coming apart of Sovan political and diplomatic influence and an increasingly precarious strategic position. Peter's arc will lead him to and beyond the fringes of Sovan power and to him becoming the holder of strange secrets.

There's also Renata, a studious if obscure Sovan diplomat in a little-regarded branch of the bureaucracy, that will soon be brought to the centre of matters as the crisis escalates. I rather like the "obscure functionary unexpectedly thrust into the limelight" trope (as a bureaucrat myself perhaps it plays into my wish fulfilment: if only people would actually listen to ME!) and Renata's an ideal subject for it, a mix of high competence and low confidence.

This opening volume of the new trilogy takes its time, and gives plenty of space, allowing both Renata and Peter to develop and for us as readers to take their measure. (And also introduces a number of others). Plenty else is happening, with military expeditions, plots and a mysterious master-spy whose motives seem deeply dubious, if still rather obscure. Many of these threads remain separate, though Swan uses the alternate viewpoints they provide to provide more information about the "modern" version of his world.

It's a gripping read, one that fairly rattles along in terms of pace and Swan successfully prevents the reader from pining overmuch at the loss of his earlier roster of characters, as she or he might have if it had been set closer in time.

Recommended.

This was sadly a DNF for me😢 I can’t tell you how excited I was for this book but I just couldn’t get into it. I got just past half way and still I couldn’t push through.

However, I might pick this book up again. I will say that the writing style is great! It’s just a bit slow for me.

Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Con esta nueva trilogía situada en el mismo mundo que The Justice of Kings y secuelas pero dos siglos en el futuro, Richard Swan se afianza como un escritor al que seguir, ya que ha conseguido pulir algunos defectos de sus anteriores novela para ofrecer una lectura inquietante y absorbente, que deja con ganas de más a pesar de las más de quinientas páginas del libro.


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La novela compagina diversos puntos de vista, aunque todos giran alrededor del cumplimiento de una antigua profecía denominada el Gran Silencio, cuyo comienzo lo marcan la imposibilidad para hablar con los espíritus de los fallecidos. Swan aprovecha la modernización del entorno para modificar el sistema de gobierno y la aproximación científica hacia los asuntos mágicos, un poco como Joe Abercrombie en la saga de la Era de la Locura. El Imperio del Lobo renunció a la magia en los hechos de los que tuvimos conocimiento en la primera trilogía pero es ahora cuando empieza a pagar verdaderas consecuencias por ello, cuando a su alrededor se han seguido llevando a cabo experimentos e investigación.

Swan no desperdicia la oportunidad para mostrarnos escenas macabras, torturas que escapan a nuestra comprensión. Y lo hace de un modo aséptico, como si desmembrar a personas fuera una consecuencia inevitable del orden del mundo, que hace que las escenas sean aún más terroríficas por su frialdad. La crítica al capitalismo desaforado también está presente en la novela, cuando uno de los personajes pretende hacer uso de la plaga para obtener pingües beneficios, sacrificando a cualquiera que considere inferior a él para progresar en su empeño. Y qué decir del colonialismo y su forma maniquea de ver el mundo como una columna de debe y haber. El mundo académico y sus rencillas también reciben su consideración, si bien es cierto que nos deparan algunas de las escenas más divertidas de un libro bastante sobrio.

A los que hayan leído los libros anteriores les encantará encontrar los guiños que el escritor ha ido dejando para ellos. Y los que, posiblemente decidan enmendar su error.

Un libro muy recomendable, que te deja con ganas de empezar con el siguiente enseguida.

Okay, I'll admit it—I'm totally that person who got lured in by the gorgeous cover art like a magpie spotting something shiny! But holy plot twists, Batman—the story inside was even MORE spectacular than the eye candy on the outside! This was my first dance with Swan's writing (fashionably late to the party, I know), but if you're debating whether to dive into this novel—DO IT!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this eARC.

This novel was fantastic, with an interesting premise that is not only executed effortlessly but also provides even more than could be predicted. The horror elements in this fantasy novel are executed perfectly and is certainly a fantastic start to what is set up to be a grippingly dark series.
My only warning would be that the chapters are rather long so sometimes doesn’t feel as easily digestible, however I would not let that deter one from reading this novel. Also due to the multi POV’s I did have my favourites which meant that sometimes certain chapters were not are interesting as others.

What can I say? Richard Swan has truly done it again. This book was incredible and I ended up ordering a special edition from the broken binding because it was just that good!!

Richard Swan has been an author that I’ve wanted to read for ages and as soon as I seen the underwater dark fantasy, I had to read it.
The horror elements were incredible but this still had a fantasy aspect to it.

I had so much fun reading Grave Empire by Richard Swan. As someone that has previously read his trilogy Empire of the Wolf, I was genuinely excited for this upcoming series of his. First of all, if you’re keen to jump right into this book but haven’t read the original Empire of the Wolf trilogy, don’t worry – Swan provides a strong and comprehensive introduction to this world that ensures new readers won’t feel lost. Having a new series take place 200 years after the last installment in Empire of the Wolf is quite the challenge, but despite that, Swan manages to do a fantastic job of making it feel like a world later in time, rather than a remake of the old one.

Here, everything is broader—from the wars being fought to the push for magic to return (rightfully banned at the end of the last "Empire of the Wolf" book)—while still providing the reader with beautiful and complex characterization in a deadly but fantastic first installment of a new series. Richard Swan is incredibly skilled at creating a vast but realistic world of conflict, culture, religion, and relationships.

In Grave Empire, we follow three distinct points of view, each offering a unique lens through which the plot unfolds and the world expands. With new places to discover, new people to meet, and a lot of new horrors to uncover, the backdrop for a looming disaster couldn’t be more perilous.

I will look forward to Swan's next installment in this series!

Thank you for approving my request!

A superb fantasy action adventure that will have you on the edge of the seat right from page one. A must read that is highly recommended.

If you've been a reader of Richard Swan since his fantasy debut, The Justice of Kings, you'll know his works have been on a steadily more horror-centric trajectory. From the more mystery based and subtle beginnings of The Justice of Kings (if you can call Necromancy and Communication with the dead as subtle), to the bombastic, cosmic Lovecraftian level of the final showdown in The Trials of Empire, each of his books has introduced more monsters, more inter-dimensional horrors, more fear-inducing violence. And if you have loved how each of books has introduced some new level of terror, then you'll be pleased to know that Grave Empire fully embraces the horror genre, so much so that I'd say this one feels more like a horror novel with fantasy elements, as opposed to the other way around with its predecessor.

Set 200 years after the events of the Empire of the Wolf trilogy (of which you do not have to have read to enjoy this new trilogy), Grave Empire follows three POVs, all of whom are fully unique from each other and largely self-contained. Renata Rainer, arguably our main POV, an ambassador to the merfolk tasked with connecting these vicious people to find answers to the fabled Great Silence. You have Peter, an out of his depth officer in the far flung frontier, facing violent horrors lurking in the jungle. And finally, Count Lamprecht von Oldenburg, an ambitious and ruthless nobleman, who is investigating a strange plague that turns people into mindless entities. All three of these POVs, whilst barely interlinking, are unique in their style. Renata's plot feels the most fantastical of the lot, and is essentially a quest/travelogue story of a mission, a journey, a destination, but with Swan's distinct geo-political and darkly magic flavourings. Count von Oldenburg is almost a gothic horror akin to Frankenstein, as we live with a deeply single-minded scientist type character, who finds everything and everyone in his pathway to his ultimate goal (of which is best to find out yourself) to be fully disposable. He's strangely funny, in his often moustache twirling way, much the same that Nicomo Cosca is in The First Law series. He's deplorable, but enigmatic and charming too.

Peter's story, however, is pure horror. This is where Swan goes fully balls to the wall, and everything that could possibly go wrong does, and in disgusting fashion! His story is like a blend of Cannibal Holocaust & Bone Tomahawk, but with a bunch of terrified Napoleonic soldiers all fully at breaking point. From disembodied screams to mutilated ghosts to long, drawn out scenes of uber-brutal ritualistic sacrifices, Peter has a pretty shitty time of it. His scenes are far & aware the most overtly horrific, but that doesn't mean the rest of the book is sunshine and rainbows.

These three plotlines do feel very separate from one another, with only vague nods to tie them together. But knowing Swan's previous works, and where the book ends up, I should imagine these threads will collide spectacularly. This isn't a criticism at all, just merely an observation. It's clear that this book is its completely own new thing, unshackled from the events of the original trilogy, and also a set up for what's to come. But at no times does it feel like its just trudging along to justify getting to the good stuff. It's all gripping, action packed stuff, full of the same intelligent, witty, biting prose that you should expect from Richard Swan. It really feels like that, now unshackled from the constraints of the original trilogy (which was spectacular, and Richard knows I loved these books), he's gone crazy with it and allowed himself to be bold with his decisions. It's this book that I feel is a great example of what I am hoping will become a trend in modern fantasy publishing. Throughout the 2010's we had the rise of Grimdark works and a resurgence of Epic works, and now in the 2020's we have cosy fantasy & romantasy dominating SFF sales charts. I believe these can all exist in tandem, but I'd love to see more Capital H Horror titles, but wearing a fantasy costume, sharing the big name space. Grave Empire is the example that this offshoot should follow.

I realise I've written a lot of words and not really said too much. Essentially, if you are looking for very distinct complying characters, following three storylines that are all different enough to keep the reading experience fresh, and to witness a story and author that really feel like they are paving the way for something new, some new trend, then this book is a must read. I've always said that Swan's work is appointment reading, especially for all his character interactions which I rate up there with Abercrombie in their ability to entertain and also bitterly denounce a real world topic (law and order, political nonsense, philosophy, the wealthy). I also haven't even mentioned the fact that the world feels real in terms of how it is presented here, the peoples that inhabit it, but also how it has evolved since the original trilogy, which, again whilst not necessary to have read to enjoy this one, knowing how things were and seeing the very logical progression to a Flintlock & Gunpowder style world is so cool. I also have a soft spot for these early Industrial Revolution influenced settings. For whatever reason, muskets and incompetent military leadership, steam powered machines and the subjugation of the working class really gets me hooked!

This is a brilliant beginning to a new horror fantasy trilogy that I really hope catches on, as I'd love to see more overt horror in the fantasy genre. Grave Empire rules, and you need to read it right now!

This just didn't really work for me.

The wins,

The prose and the writing style were smooth and clear. The author is a very talented writer.

The premise and idea were cool, and who doesn't want to see a merman riding a great white shark.

The world itself was pretty exciting, and the imagery created was decent.

On the other side of the coin.

I just didn't get on with any of the characters and their pov. I just was never entwined with them or really cared about them.

There can be too much fantasy, I couldn't keep track of where the characters were or who they were seeing, I spent most of my time reverting to a map

Solid idea, just wasn't my kind of book

I'm partway through Empire of the Wolf and very much a fan of Richards writing style. This mixes some genres into one, hitting the dark fantasy meets mystery and a hint of horror too.

There's a mix of POVs here as you get into the main story, all of them go hard on the Grimdark style with a cast of characters that would give Joe Abercrombie a run for his money on their level of grey!

But there's more magic fantasy here than your traditional grimdark world and one full of those stories like you find in The Witcher as the mysteries unfold.

I'm stocking and highly recommending this as one for dark fantasy fans, Definitely those who liked Empire of the Vampire.

Grave Empire is set in the same world as The Empire of the Wolf Trilogy, but around two hundred years later. There's a few references to the previous books, but you don't need to read these to get this story.
Set out in a multi POV. My favourite was Renata, a diplomatic ambassador who works hard to be taken seriously.
This is fantasy with supernatural horror running through it.
I found myself totally engrossed in this. The world building is immersive, and there's a few surprises along the way.
The cover is fantastic, too.
Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for the ARC

TW: gore, violence, cannibalism, sacrificial ritual.

The Great Silence is Richard Swan's new series set centuries after the events that took place in the Empire of the Wolf. If you haven't read The Justice of Kings, you are missing out on an original and intense fantasy story.

Grave Empire doesn't shy away from throwing the reader into the events currently unfolding of war and plague. We are immediately warned of the lost contact with the spirits of the afterlife and the unraveling of the ancient prophecy of the Great Silence, that beckons the end of time.

I found this to be a fast moving story, with no safe moments where I could take a deep breath. There is no safety in war after all. However, this didn't live up to the expectations that Empire of the Wolf gave me. In comparison, we follow three POVs instead of just one. We learn of different events taking place simultaneously instead of learning it the same time as the one main character.

While Grave Empire is a compelling story, I found it hard to stay invested in the story and the characters. Renata has genuine promise to be an endearing and memorable character to me, I just wish we had more time with her. I also found myself wondering on why we needed out points of view, as I didn't found it to be as entertaining as Renata's.

The writing was fantastic but since we were immediately thrown into action, it was difficult to root for the characters that are strangers to us. However, once the book ended I was rooting for Renata and Peter, and their companions.

I think Swan's writing is at its strongest with one single POV, but regardless I am happy to be back in this world.

I really enjoyed Swan’s previous series and I was excited to get back into the same world, albeit hundreds of years later. I always enjoy when authors push the world forward and I get to see what the world ends up looking like in another time. It’s a good way to stay in a particular world and introduce a completely new story and set of characters.

Grave Empire is dark. I’ve been a little off dark fantasy stories recently but the plot and the characters were so interesting that it didn’t really bother me all that much. This book is set at the very beginning of the industrial revolution and the tone of that is perfect for the story.

I really enjoyed the POVs. They are all very different from each other and they all have their own little stories in the overarching main plot but I found them all to be very compelling. Some were creepy. I wasn’t expecting some of the stuff that happens to happen but I was never bored while reading. Swan is very good at constructing his characters. Some of them are relatively good, some are relatively bad and some are just downright horrible but they’re always interesting.

Grave Empire is a great start to this series. The plot is tight, well written and full of action. The world is one that we already know and love, yet it feels very different to Swan’s previous trilogy. The book is well paced and I was hooked from the beginning. I didn’t want to put it down once I started and it definitely has me intrigued as to what is going to happen next.

Magical cataclysm in a world of blood, horror and conquest
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In a robust new fantasy set in his secondary world, Swan conjures up body horror, end of days threats and political machinations. Renata Rainer is the untried deputy ambassador of the Sovan Empire to the mer-people. Peter Kleist is a greenhorn lieutenant sent to the eastern front where strange and terrible things are happening. And Von Oldenburg is an elite landowner, prepared to do whatever it takes to keep his place in the world. As an invisible threat appears at all sides, tension ratchets up and the main characters and their supporting casts are thrust deeper and deeper into the unknown future, where the whole world is at risk.

The positives: immersive world-building and deep characters with plenty of room to grow. The negative: this is a prologue to the real story. Every fantasy epic looks towards Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings. What Professor Tolkien did was split his long tale into three parts but with discernible endings to each. By the end of this first book in this series, Swan manages to gather two of the main POVs, while the third character has just started their campaign. I wanted some sort of ending to the book, but instead it ends on a whimper of a cliffhanger, clearly laying the ground for another episode in the story but without really laying out the path to come.

An entertaining four stars.

I came into the book drawn by the cover, and stayed for the incredible story that it held within.
While this was my first foray into Swan's work, I have read his other series and can see many of the nods to it in Grave, and would thoroughly recommend reading it to understand the full world behind the book. Cannot wait for more!