I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience. Note: I ended up purchasing a final copy to read in the future.

Fantastic. This is what I want when I pick up epic fantasy. I've described this over and over again as FFXII meets Game of Thrones, because I loved the world-building, the characters, and the intrigue. I absolutely cannot wait for book two--it's hands down one of my most anticipated releases of 2023, and book one was one of my favorite books of 2022.

Unfortunately I wound up not being a fan of this novel. I found the premise amazing! But I wasn't able to connect well to the characters, and I'm a very character-driven reader. If you are more of a worldbuilding or plot-focused reader, you may enjoy this one!

Stars: 1 out of 5.

DNF at 30%.

The description of this book sounded so promising, and I was really excited to start it... Unfortunately, my excitement quickly turned into puzzlement, then annoyance, then simply boredom.

This story feels so... disjointed. First we have a prologue that has almost nothing to do with the story itself - we are introduced to characters that never appear in the book again (at least in the part I read before I called it quits), in a location that is barely mentioned again, only because one of the protagonists is sent there. But then again, that particular protagonist has the least page time, so I maybe got to read his POV twice before I dropped the book.

Then we are briefly introduced to our protagonists who are promptly sent their separate ways, so we don't really get a feel for their family dynamics or feelings. They are together for maybe a couple pages and manage to squabble like kindergarteners for that whole duration. There is no sense of familial ties or history there. Then they leave to their specified locations... and that's it for the ties between them.

I understand that that the author wanted to show different parts of this seemingly vast empire through the eyes of the protagonists. Unfortunately, that didn't work for me. There isn't enough meat in the worldbuilding to visualize the actual world. We have this Empire that is seemingly ruled by industrial Guilds. And the Emperor is the head of the most powerful Guild... Okay, how does this work? Apart from a brief reception for a foreign dignitary (during which the emperor behaved like a simpleton), and a sham of a trial in front of the Guild council, we get nothing about what makes this empire tick - what about the non-guild citizens? Army? Militia? Judiciary system? Anything? Same for the "Demon empire" that supposedly was their enemy for a thousand years. We get disjointed glimpses of things but they don't make a clear picture.

It didn't help that I couldn't like any of the protagonist enough to care about them. Especially Tyreta, who behaves like an entitled brat with no self-control for most of the story I managed to get through. And while that could have been excused for a teenager, her mother, who is supposedly in her 40s, isn't much better. This book suffers from a distinct lack of good characterization.

Finally, the fight scenes are... uninspired to say the least. Who could imagine that a fight scene can be boring? Well, they are in this book. They last for pages at a time but aren't dynamic or suspenseful. They are just boring. I found myself skipping paragraphs during the fights.

Maybe I am just spoiled by other great epic fantasy books I read this year, since a lot of people seemed to have loved this one and left me cold.

PS: I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the writing style, I loved the world-building, and was surprised at how fast-paced and immersive this nearly 600-page tome was. Each chapter felt compelling and important, with high stakes and interesting characters. Even though the very beginning was a bit slow, it quickly gained pace and took off like a bat out of hell.

Absolutely beautiful! The story was so rich and full of life that it transported me it’s world! I really enjoy stories like this one with so many layers, living to other peoples expectations is never great, but seeing how this story unfolded it was magical.

Engines of Empires is an epic fantasy tale of clashing guilds, magic-fueled machines, intrigue and revolution, and the one family that stands between destruction and salvation. Engines of Empires is the first book in the Age of Uprising series and the first book I read from this author. Set in an age of swords, kings, and guilds, and in addition to this, we got airships and jewels of powers, as well as giant mind-controlled machines. I would say this is a definite mixture of fantasy and some sci-fi.
The story is told from various alternative points of view rather than from the character's perspective as events unfold. The Hawkspur guild takes center stage and is the head of the guild, and we have Roscommon and each of her children's points of view as events unfold. Each character plays a part in how things grow, the author does not hold back on the unnecessary things that can happen in war times, and the action pulls you along through the whole book.
Overall I found this first book by this author. I read well-written, engaging, and with enough action that I would highly recommend and want to continue the st

While the world itself is interesting, I found the characters and plot to be a bit too inaccessible. The book takes a good long time to get into, and while there are some highlights and crazy good fun in the mix, I wish this book had been able to get me invested more quickly.

Engines of Empire is a fresh take on the fantasy genre, and at many times finds much more in common with Final Fantasy than Lord of the Rings. In reality, This book is certainly fantasy in structure, themes, and ideas. Many of the elements have a sci-fi feel as well. There are airships and other machines which are powered by magic but would certainly feel out of place in the archetypal medieval Europe setting.

What is familiar is the narrative. We have kings, emperors, guilds, and political intrigue. While these aspects are really nothing new, the setting, worldbuilding, and magic system are so unique, that they don't have that "here we go again" feeling that many modern fantasy books have.

The characters are excellent in this book and the relationships between them felt authentic.

The pacing of this book was also excellent, just when I felt the need for a twist or a turn, it came out of nowhere, and I was NEVER expecting how they played out.

This book was an absolute breath of fresh air and represents the best of modern fantasy. New stories in new settings filled with realistic, fleshed-out characters who we truly care about.

R S Ford https://www.wordhog.co.uk/ is the author of eight novels. This novel, Engines of Empire was published in January of this year. It is the first in his Age of Uprising series.

I categorize this novel as ‘R’. This is due to scenes of violence and mature language. The nation of Torwyn is run by the various Guilds. Each of those is dominated by a family. The Hawkspurs is one of those principal families. Sullivar is head of the Hawkspurs family and the emperor of Torwyn, his wife Rosomon the matriarch of the family. They have three adult-age children.

The story revolves around Rosomon and her three children. Conail is the eldest and an officer in the military. He leaves the capital for the frontier to establish a reputation for himself. He is committed to a life in the military even though many career officers consider him an interfering noble.

Daughter Tyreta is the middle child and a sorceress. She is learning to channel the power of pyrestone. That substance is the magic behind the industry of Torwyn. She leaves the capital for another part of the frontier. She discovers the truth behind the native population that is being suppressed.

The youngest child, Fulren, is a skilled artificer. The foreign emissary, Assenah Neskhon of Jubara, arrives from Nyrakkis. Fulren is tasked to be her guide around the city. After a few days, assassins attack the two. He is left wounded and framed for the attack. To prevent a war with Nyrakkis, he is sent there for punishment.

Once the children have all left the capital, Emperor Sullivar is killed in a coup. Rosomon must find a way to flee the city to safety. Each of the children faces their own dangerous adventures. They all must find a way to survive if the Empire is to be saved.

I enjoyed the 16.5 hours I spent reading this 625-page fantasy. The story is full of perilous adventures. It is also filled with plots, political wrangling, and conspiracies. If you like epic tales of fantasy, you will enjoy this novel. I give it a rating of 4.8 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to review this book! This was a good read. I look forward to reading the sequels.

I tried guys, really I did. The premise was so interesting, but I just couldn't be bothered. The prologue was really engaging and I was on board. Then I started to meet the main cast of characters, and I slowly stopped caring. None of them were very likable, and if I hadn't read someone else's review telling me Rosomon's children were all adults I would not have been able to guess.

I also didn't really care for the writing style, I don't know what it was about it I didn't like but it made the narrative feel like it was dragging a little. It made it hard to follow along at times as well. Or that might have just been me already bored and trying to keep reading.

Engines of Empire is epic in many ways: scope, storytelling, and character viewpoints (of which there are at least five!) to name just a few. The story centers around the Hawkspurs, one of many guilds but by far the most powerful and influential. Our major viewpoint characters are all members of the Hawkspur family, sans one, and include Rosomon Hawkspur and her children, Tyreta, Conall, and Fulren. There is one other major character in the form of Lancelin, who is not a member of the Hawkspur family or guild but whom has a connection to the Hawkspurs nonetheless.

The book opens with a group of soldiers encountering a mysterious and powerful warrior-sorceress. It’s a good opening, full of intrigue, mystery, and a spectacular battle that, despite the seemingly lopsided odds, goes decidedly in the warrior-sorceress’s favor. As good as this opening is, it’s entirely standalone in the novel. The lone survivor of the battle has a brief appearance later on in the book, but his warning about dark tides coming is entirely ignored and really has no immediate bearing on the story. I can only assume that this minor storyline becomes much larger in the ensuing books, but I would have wanted to learn more about the mysterious woman and what role she will play in the coming strife in this book first.

After the opening, we are introduced to the world as it is today over the next several chapters before all hell breaks loose and life as our characters know it changes for the worse for all of them. A movement is afoot, and it does not have the Empire’s best interests at heart. Fulren is framed for murder, Conall finds that court intrigue and deceit exists even at the frontier, and Tyreta must flee for her life amidst distant jungles from a tribal race that has been pushed too far by the Empire and its insatiable appetite for pyrestones.

Pyrestones are magical gems that fuel the machines of R.S. Ford’s world. Honestly, there weren’t a lot of machines or devices that really stood out to me. Stormhulks, which are basically human piloted behemoths, probably resonated the most as they appear in many scenes. Unfortunately, with the exception of one scene where Tyreta uses one to great effect, hulks are mostly in the background, and only seem to be a real threat during the final scenes.

In my mind, characters can often make or break a story. Good ones make a story better, while weak or uninteresting ones can have the opposite effect. As a reader, I need to identify with their characteristics or their plight in order to really feel invested in their struggle. ‘Struggle’ is the right word here as every major character faces some sort of adversity. Sometimes its because of forces beyond their control, like in Fulren’s case. Other times it’s because a character doesn’t know how to get out of his own way, as is the case with Conall. Regardless, reflecting back on the novel, I have a hard time seeing how the Hawkspurs have remained the most influential of the guilds when really not a one of them has the chops to successfully navigate the political or even the business landscape. Let’s look at each character.

First there’s the matriarch of the family, Rosomon. She’s capable enough, but is blindsided one too many times by those who would see the empire remade. Someone with this much power should have a much better idea what’s happening around her, I felt.

Conall is the oldest son, and therefore the one person you would expect to be ready to seize the reins when he is needed to do so. Yet he’s focused on leading a scouting troop and making his mark by serving at the front. True, this is an honorable pursuit, yet one cannot help but notice that Conall is just not a very a good leader. He gets in his own way more often than not, doing himself and those of his company no favors. Like Rosomon, he is completely ignorant of the forces moving against him until it’s too late.

Tyreta is a likeable pyremancer, or one who can control the energy of the pyrestones. She has the bravado, charisma, and guts to lead her family, if only she were the oldest and not Conall. Her struggle is intriguing as she finds herself pitted against some pretty ferocious warriors. She finds allies in an unlikely place and, with their help, becomes something more than just a pyremancer. The only problem I had with Tyreta is that her transformation was not that believable. City girl to druid-like wild woman? It didn’t work for me.

Last, there’s Fulren, who I thought was the best of the bunch. He’s an artificer but also a swordsman with intelligence, a keen sense of adventure, and a wry humor. Framed for murder, he makes the best of the situation and actually thrives despite the odds against him. Another good candidate for leadership of the Hawkspur Guild.

Engines of Empire is storytelling on a grand scale. I’m not sure how many books are in the series, but it could easily go 4, 5, or even more. This first book sets the stage; I expect much more intrigue and adventure for the main characters as the story continues to unfold. There’s still the mysterious witch woman from the opening scene and whatever dark purpose she represents. I am truly interested in seeing where the author takes things. Thank you to the publisher who provided me a free review copy of Engines of Empire in exchange for an honest review.

I picked this book up with very little knowledge about the premise, and oddly enough? It's actually a very interesting concept with a pretty cool magic system! The pace is a liiiitle bit slow though—which I realize is pretty common in adult fantasy books for worldbuilding as such, but even though, this one was definitely on the slowest side of the scale.

Engine of Empire by Richard S. Ford never stops. From page one until the end, it is a never-ending spiral of excitement, corruption, deception, and alliances. It provides a careful balance between fantasy and technology, weaving swords together with machines and explosive devices. If I were in Ford’s shoes, I could not have done it half as well. It is often said that there is strength in moderation…this is a mantra Ford did not—and should have—followed with Engine of Empire.

Structured similarly to George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, each chapter focused on a simultaneous but separate storyline of the book’s characters. Specifically, it followed Rosomon, Conall, Tyreta, and Fulren of the Hawkspur family, a powerful and respected Guild among several in Ford’s fantasy realm of Torwyn. The Guilds control every aspect of Torwyn’s life, besides the religious sect, which follows a previous way of life including the worship of the “Great Wyrms.”

I read Engine of Empire not long after finishing Age of Ash by David Abraham, and I liked the former only slightly more. Where Abraham focused too much on the world-building and not enough on anything else, Engine of Empire might have done the exact opposite. Engine of Empire featured a very believable world, yes, but Ford just rushed through everything. Almost every chapter of this 600-plus-page book had excitement of some sort. Whether that was murder, fighting, explosions, kidnapping, or political betrayal. It exhausted me.

By having so much action, I almost felt like Ford lessened its importance and impact. I did not care as much when something traumatic happened to a character, because it was one instance among many. Instead of being inspired to back the characters, I found myself feeling ambivalent toward their fates. Which was probably the exact opposite of what Ford wanted. A cup (even a figurative one) can only hold so much. With a flood of action, this cup can overflow to the point the reader cannot absorb it all.

I enjoyed Engine of Empire by Richard S. Ford, but it definitely had its flaws. It had too much dialogue, not enough descriptions. Some character development, but it was not organic. Instead of witnessing the change through the characters’ actions, Ford occasionally would describe the changes, as well, like “She used to be stubborn and immature; but now, she was a better person.” That is not a quote from the novel, but you get the gist.

Engine of Empire did not have the kind of impact it could have had, just because the book was too busy, like Ford did not want his readers to breathe. It pulled me in enough that I want to read the second book to see what happens in Torwyn. But I won’t be rushing to the bookstore to purchase it; I’ll get to it when I get to it.

Engines of Empire by R.S. Ford
The Age of Uprising #1

Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Engines of Empire is epic fantasy with a lot of the elements you would expect to see with such a label. We get to see powerful magic, conflicting factions, great characters, and an expansive world.

This is a story primarily about the Hawkspur family, a powerful guild which controls travel and commerce in this world. We follow an artificer seeking revenge on the man who killed his father, a soldier looking to prove that he's deserving of the privilege granted by his guild status, and a webwainer (gifted with the magic of this world) tasked with traveling the world to learn the Guild's business.

The magic in this story is intriguing. We see one culture which bases their magic off of technology and another which bases their magic off of what seems to be demon worship. This leads to stark cultural contrast and another layer of worldbuilding. I was thrilled to see the utilization of magic-powered exosuits in this book.

I won't lie to y'all, I almost DNFd this book. The worldbuilding in the beginning is dense without explaining much of anything. Shortly after I decided to persevere, the story hooked me and didn't let go. I ended up really loving the world built by Ford and that was due to the way his characters interacted with it. Like the worldbuilding, the characters took a little while for me to become attached but in the end I felt like part of the Guild.

I feel like I need to mention that Ford writes chaos exceedingly well. There are a lot of scenes in this book where an overwhelming amount of things are happening at once and the writing thrives in that space. Those scenes are hectic and anxiety-inducing in a way only good writers can pull off.

This is a lovely first entry in a series with a lot of potential. I'll definitely be continuing this series and keeping an eye on R.S. Ford's work in the future.

This was an interesting mix of sort of steampunk and magic I think. The magic systems are not totally defined yet and that still leaves room to expand on them or learn more about them in the next book in the series. The story itself was quite good but then in some parts it was a little lacking. I didn't feel like there was any character that I really liked but liked or disliked. To feel invested in a book you need to love the story or have a character that you love. The characters in this book aren't perfect and are somewhat privileged due to their status. They will find admirers though I think. Was looking for a convergence of the family but that will happen at some point in the future. They each are being sent on their journeys which is something I like to see depending how it's written. Pacing was good for the most part and it was a bit of page turner. The action was good and wasn't overly detailed. From the prologue I had some expectations but they didn't happen just yet but probably more things will happen later as the story progresses. There is a lot to enjoy in this one and look forward to the next book. Wondering where all the Hawkspurs will be and how their story will change.
Thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the chance to read another interesting book. Will give this one a solid four stars.

DNF @ 16%

Truthfully, I was intimidated as soon as I opened the (e)book to a very long list of characters. Several chapters in and I still hadn't connected with, or gotten significantly attached to, any of them - which in turn made it difficult to get invested in the plot or worldbuilding, particularly since the pacing felt off, somehow. The prose was also a bit distracting, in that it felt somewhat anachronistic with the setting and was more descriptive than I tend to prefer.

Engines of Empire is my first R.S Ford book and I enjoyed it very much! Thank you to Orbit for the chance to read it, and to Hachette Audio for the chance to listen to it.

The world that Ford built immediately sucked me in. I’m a fan of political intrigue so I was delighted to see the backstabbing and maneuvers started almost immediately. I felt like I was pleasantly strolling through the book and then it all exploded within a blink of an eye. Every character in the book is thrown into a different sort of mayhem and it was anxiety inducing, but pleasurable, to watch them work through that mayhem.

The book was only enhanced by the audiobook. I loved that with the wide range of POV characters, we had a full cast of narrators. This helped to differentiate tone and personalities of each character. I love books with multiple POVs, I think it adds to the overall experience and keeps books flowing. The only downfall is usually some of the effect of that gets lost with one narrator, so I think it was an excellent decision to do a full cast. Well done to Alison Campbell, Ciaran Saward, Phoebe McIntosh, Ewan Goddard, Andrew Kingston, Martin Reeve, and Stephen Perring. Each delivered a superb but unique performance that made this novel easy to listen to.

Engines of Empire was a constant whirlwind of adventure and mishaps. Some of our characters are learning about themselves along the way and some of them are losing themselves a bit. My favorite is the brainy and kind Fulren, and to say that he goes through a transformation is understating it. Tyreta is also forced to harden up from the privileged life she is used to which leads to important revelations that help to fuel the plot. Conall seems to have lived the least sheltered life and his character develops in an interesting way. All of these siblings have their own path and you can slowly see how their paths are going affect one another.

Ford builds a world that feels natural even though it is very unique. Majestic airships, diverse groups of people, and intriguing magic systems all add to the rich atmosphere he is weaving. By the end of the book, we have a good sense of the world but it also feels like we still have so much to learn. That’s not a bad thing, though! I like unwrapping the mysteries of new worlds over time.

Engines of Empire was a gorgeous first installment in The Age of Uprising series!

The premise of “Engines of Empire” by R. S. Ford is fantastic. The settings are diverse and intriguing, and the story takes place in a fantasy world where industrial guilds rule the nation. Throw in a powerful religion with ardent believers and an enemy nation that rejects machines and bases their society on dark magic, and you have non-stop action. 

Machines, magic, religion, and dark magic combine to make an amazing story. Also, humans control enormous machines using magic.

“Engines of Empire” is a cauldron of political intrigue and unrest ready to boil over. This is perhaps my favorite aspect of the story.

The story is action packed. The Hawkspurs, the point of view characters, wade into trouble, often oblivious to tensions and dangers around them—yes, they are privileged, wealthy, and unprepared for their world to turn upside down.

I have mixed feelings about “Engines of Empire.” While the events of the story held my attention, I found the characters flat and blah—I never cared about them. Terrible and fantastical events happen, and their emotional and thoughtful responses to life changing events are minimal.  

The risks inherent in their situations are obvious, yet time after time, they stumble into danger. All three adult children are immature and react to events as if they are unseasoned teenagers. Since they are the future leaders of the Hawspurs guild, the guild is in trouble.

Their mother isn’t much better. She seems blind to the obvious and misjudges situations for which her experience and knowledge should have prepared her. Since she’s the leader of one of the most powerful guilds and her brother is the emperor, one wonders how they lasted this long.

I prefer strong characters, who fight against overwhelming odds, using their wit and experience to overcome obstacles. I considered giving this book a three star review, but felt it was unfair to a book whose plot and world building are exceptional. 

If you care more about plot than character, and if you like fantasy, an intriguing world, and lots of action, you’ll enjoy this book. Those are the things that kept me reading. If you love intelligent, multifaceted characters, then go into the story, realizing the plot is central.

Thanks to Netgalley for giving me an ARC copy of "Engines of War."