3.5
The first half was quite enjoyable, I liked the conspiracy plot and the world building. It has lots of interesting stuff going on, like gods actually manifesting and interacting with characters instead of just giving vague signs. Lots of recent fantasy likes to incorporate morally complex characters but this book takes it one step further and does not shy away from them acting downright terribly. Both MCs are in positions of power and are very inconsiderate to people of lower standing but not in the way that they like to torment people for fun (unless it's their enemies). However I feel like this book went on for longer than it should and that the story got weaker towards the end. The set up for the next book sounds like it could be very good though.

I couldn’t seem to get past the first few chapters of this book sadly. While at first I thought I would enjoy the FMC being an empress and already in power, I just couldn’t bring myself to even appreciate that. I think I’m just so used to the FMC struggling to survive and rise up, I just couldn’t read about one that is already cruel with power. The world seemed like it would be an interesting one though, and I was intrigued at first. It just didn’t hold my attention.

Empire of Hanging Swords is an intense, immersive start to what looks to be a sprawling epic fantasy series. R.R. Egal builds a world teeming with clashing empires, vengeful gods, and characters who rarely fall into easy categories of good or evil. The moral complexity is a strong point, and the story pulls no punches when it comes to the cost of power and ambition.

The worldbuilding is rich—sometimes almost too rich—and the first few chapters can feel dense as you're thrown into the deep end. But if you stick with it, you're rewarded with a gripping tale full of sharp twists, brutal conflicts, and some genuinely surprising character turns.

Think grimdark with heart. Fans of Joe Abercrombie, R. Scott Bakker, or early Brandon Sanderson will likely enjoy this one. It’s not perfect—pacing issues crop up here and there—but it lays down a solid, compelling foundation for the rest of the Gods and Empires series.

Empire of Hanging Swords is out Feb. 5, 2025.

Thanks to NetGalley and R.R Egal for the ARC.

Slow start but definitely picked up in the second half and I really enjoyed the last quarter, room left for book 2 but I'm not 100% sure I would read it

Politics, gods and a lot of tension between both protagonists is what we get in this book.
Nef is an amazing fmc, especially since she’s not the usual „poor, inexperienced girl“ that’s common in books but she’s already an empress and morally let’s say „flexible“ 🤣 I loved her character for that reason.
But what made it hard for me was the amount of politics especially during the first half of the book while being extremely slow paced. I really had to fight myself to continue reading.
After around 50% it’s getting much better and at that point I was also able to bond to the characters more. Also the tension between Nef and Dante got much more intense and understandable.
And the ending? Wow. If you want your heart ripped out, absolutely go for that book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC !