After spending two months struggling to find a will to finish this, I've decided to throw in the towel. When I first heard about this book I was soooooo excited. Immediate pre-order and everything. But ultimately this lived up to none of my expectations.
I found Helena to be unbearable because you could tell she was a female character written by a man. The murder mystery was fine, but not what I was looking for. And the story as a whole lacked consistent pacing.
Maybe I'll try this again on audio some time, but that probably won't at any point in the foreseeable future

Justice of Kings takes its time revealing the grim world of the Empire of the Wolf as Helena, Vonvalt and Bressinger conduct their investigation and the world has a very historical, lived-in feel that reminded me a bit of Robin Hobb combined with The Witcher. The atmosphere and tension is built slowly but deliberately to a tense, action-packed finish. I'm impressed that this was a debut as Swan does an excellent job in orchestrating that tension and exploring themes of justice and law in what felt like an organic way rather than just dumping exposition at every opportunity. The prose is uncomplicated but compelling and kept me intrigued.

There are however, a few gripes that keep this from being a full five-star glowing review for me. First, the story is written as a memoir but the commentary from older Helena looking back on it felt awkward in places and there's an unfortunate tendency to disrupt suspense with comments about how it all went to shit before the reader actually sees it go badly. As it gets closer to the ramping up of events, this seemed to occur even more often.

Second, I had some frustrations with some of the characters. Helena is believable as a teenager, but occasionally it gets almost maudlin and I started losing patience with her POV. I also had a bit of a hard time towards the end with Vonvalt's character arc. (view spoiler) I'm curious to see if Swan will sell this more in the next entry in the series though and I'm excited to see more of Helena as she gets older.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Justice of Kings. I felt so immersed in this grim world, (sometimes to the point that I needed a more cheerful book afterwards) and I loved the thematic exploration throughout the story. This is well worth picking up if you don't mind a fantasy story that starts a bit slow and feels nearly like historical fiction with fairly low levels of magic and supernatural elements. I will certainly be picking up the next book in the series and honestly, would probably pick up anything Swan writes in the future.

(Copied from my Good Reads review.)

I'm giving this a pity 3 stars but really I think it deserves a 2.5. I'm not sure what part of the story went wrong for me. I think it was a mix of storytelling issues, character issues, and elements that I personally don't like it fantasy.

Before I start, thank you to Orbit for giving me an ARC, I do really appreciate the chance to read this ahead of time.

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Quick Synopsis: In this book we follow a Justice of the Empire, Sir Konrad Vonvalt. He has the powers to investigate, judge, and exercise punishment on those who break laws. There is a murder mystery and a political plot that unfolds throughout the story that is better for the reader to go in blind than with prior knowledge. The story is told from his assistant/clerk/secretary's pov, Helena, as she recounts the story from a much older age but in the story she's about 19 years old.

Characters:

The most glaring issue for me were the characters. I could describe them to an audience pretty well. Most have aspects to them that you might see in other popular fantasy characters. And while that is not a bad thing, I don't think these characters really stand out from their comparisons. Also, I always felt at arms length from them the whole time. It's like knowing someone's resume but not really "knowing" them. I think any opportunity to emotionally connect with a character was hindered because tender moments were cut short or they were told to us by other characters with less emotional investment. For example, when we learn of Dubine's tragic backstory, we're told his story by Vonvalt, and while it was sad, it felt more of an info dump. My reactions were: "oh that's sad...oh well moving on."

Helena felt bland. She was an ok narrator. I don't think the story suffered from being from her POV, but I'm not sure it would have been much better if it was told from Vonvalt's or anyone else. Again, I could recite her biography, but I don't understand who she is other than she seems to disagree with a lot of Vonvalt's choices. She's described by other's as really bright and a perfect person for a future Justice but there's also moments where she seems super incompetent.

Romance:

Quick intermission because we had a SLIGHT romance that was so strange and weird. This might constitute as a spoiler but I'll keep it as vague as possible, or you can skip past this little romance section. Helena early on becomes infatuated with a local member of the city garrison. I thought because it was so poorly done, the author was merely trying to say that at Helena's young age, she becomes infatuated easily. While it never overcomes the main plot, the romance becomes very important to Helena and does play a small part in the story. So I think it's important enough for me, a now more well versed romance reader, to critique it...It was bad. Let's just say, I blinked and they were suddenly in love.

Characters (cont.):

Vonvalt was disappointing, because as intriguing as the author set him up to be, I was never enthralled by him. The two main reasons for this were: (1) he made a very obvious mistake that, in my eyes, made him a giant fool that he could never recover from. In any politically charged fantasy novel, a character can make a small choice that leads to greater consequences, and that's what makes these stories so addicting for me. But seeing Vonvalt make a very obvious big mistake that leads to very big consequences gives me no satisfaction at all. (2) Helena picks apart and judges a lot of choices that Vonvalt makes, especially in the second half of the book. So if she has moments where she disrespects him or doesn't revere him like we're told everyone does, why should I?

That being said I did grow to like August, Dubine, and especially Sir Radomir. I think because they were minor characters, compared to Helena and Vonvalt, I didn't NEED to emotionally connect with them. I would have liked to have seen more of August and Dubine, but I think they did exactly what the author wanted them to do for the story and I was happy with that. Sir Radomir had a lovely arc and he would be a character that I would look forward to seeing in the next book.

Story/plot:

Both the political plotline and the murder mystery were fine. I had no glaring issues with either. I don't think any were particularly strong. I've read better and worse. I'm seeing other reviewers really enjoy the murder mystery aspect, but I liked the other bits of the story more. Personal tastes, I suppose.

What I was really interested in were these powers given to the Justices' to carry out their duties. We see a few in the story. Vonvalt has the "Voice" which can compel most people to tell the truth. He also has some ability to talk to the recently deceased. Both very impressive. We also meet another Justice who can travel through animals. I think it's a psychic connection. Some hints of other magik abilities. I think this will be explored later on, but I really liked them and wished we got to see more here because I'm a greedy magic lover.

Other:

The other issues I had are more based on personal tastes. I'm hesitant to continue with this series because I think a major trope or theme that will be explored, and was talked about in the conclusion, is blurring vengeance and justice and how it corrupts a person's character. Again this is personal taste so feel free to ignore this entire section but I'm not in the mood for that right now in my fantasy journey. I've had my fill of "when they go low, we go high" type stories. I, personally, don't feel satisfied seeing characters be the bigger person in grave situations, and if they don't, the narration demonizes them. There's nothing wrong with this, I just don't like it. Obviously I haven't read the next book, but it seems like that is clearly where the author is leaning and I'm just not in the mood.

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I know it sounds like I'm absolutely hating on this book, but it wasn't bad. While I had my issues with it, I definitely think there's still an audience for it. 2.5 is literally mid, so...yeah. Also it looks like I'm in the minority here.

This is absolutely my favorite book of the year so far. And I have to say, I don’t see it being bested any time soon. What a great book.

This new debut fantasy book is really terrific. The book explores an expansive world, and Vonvalt’s journey through it as seen through the eyes of Vonvalt’s young apprentice Helena. It explores themes of justice, vengeance and loyalty that she is only just beginning to fathom. I love this narrator, because she steps in as the reader does, inexperienced and still learning about her place in this world. As a mom of a teen daughter I really appreciated the complex nature of their relationship. She loves her protector and teacher, while also being extremely frustrated and angered by his care. It was a really realistic relationship and I found it fascinating. If you are not a mom of a teen, don’t worry there is still plenty for you to love about this epic fantasy. I’ve been waiting to find another series that has the depth and gravitas I found when reading the A Song of Ice and Fire series and I think this is it. High praise and well deserved.

Thank you to @netgalley and @orbitbooks_us for the advance copy!

This book is the first in a fantasy epic series, and is told from the point of view of Justice Konrad Vonvalt’s clerk, Helena, as an old woman looking back on her life in Vonvalt’s service.

The first two thirds of this book reads like Sherlock Holmes meets fantasy epic. Vonvalt, Helena, and their companion Bressinger are completing routine checks for the empire when they come across a perplexing murder. As they investigate the case, they begin to unravel a conspiracy that threatens to bring the world as they know it crashing around them.

The third act of this story is genuinely one of the wildest I’ve ever read. I was sitting in my silent, calm living room, reading next to my husband, when something happened that literally made me yelp “holy shit!” out loud.

Overall, this was a fascinating take on a fantasy world, if a little slower than I expected at first. Some of Helena’s characterization was a little shallow, feeling more like a dad trying to guess at what his teenage daughter might be thinking or feeling, but this is also a debut, and I feel confident that those issues can easily be fixed moving forward.

The Justice of Kings releases TODAY and I highly recommend it to any fantasy fan!!

You’d think as someone who has been reviewing books for as long as I have, I should be better at this, but whenever I come across something I absolutely and wholeheartedly adored, I always seem to find myself at a loss for words. You know the kind of book I’m talking about—the ones that leave you with a hangover for days and in agony over what to say, because I feel like nothing I could ever come up with will do it justice. It’s those times that I wish I could write, “I loved this book, PERIOD” and leave it at that, but of course, another part of me just wants to gush and gush and gush. I promise I’ll try to be as coherent as possible.

The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan takes place in a world vaguely analogous to our own, influenced strongly by the time of the Holy Roman Empire which was marked by strong papal authority and the spread of the Church. The story is told through the eyes of a young woman named Helena, the nineteen-year-old clerk and perhaps one day the apprentice to the Emperor’s Justice Sir Konrad Vonvalt. On his travels across the vast expanse of the empire, it is Vonvalt’s duty to ensure that its laws are being observed and followed. Safeguarding the peace and doling out justice wherever he goes, his authority is only second to the Emperor’s.

And wherever Vonvalt goes, Helena is also by his side to assist him, as it has been so since he rescued her from an orphanage when she was child. Traveling with the Justice is also his steadfast friend and protector, the veteran soldier Dubine Bressinger. As the three of them arrive at a town under investigation for suspected heathen practices, Vonvalt shows his dedication to upholding the law but also his compassion for the villagers who simply want to worship their old gods. This act of mercy, however, may have just doomed them all. It soon becomes clear there is more to the situation beneath the surface. The brazen murder of a Baron’s wife may be involved, which sets Vonvalt, Helena, and Bressinger on the trail of an unknown killer. Still, a simple investigation isn’t going to cut it this time, as the layers of the case peel back to reveal a darker conspiracy rotting at the heart of the Empire.

The entire story is told in retrospect by a much older Helena, recalling the adventures of her youth. It may be a common fantasy trope but it’s one of my favorites, and I loved the juxtaposition between the character’s wiser, more seasoned narration describing the naïve, fresh-faced, and impulsive girl she used to be. And young Helena is most certainly someone still struggling to find herself. Having been in Sir Konrad Vonvalt’s service since she was a child, she’s forever grateful to him for giving her a future even though she harbors doubts about whether she actually enjoys the work. Still, she respects Vonvalt too much to voice her concerns, even as the constant pressure to seek his approval frequently makes her grumpy and resentful, leading her rebel in little ways, much like how a teenager would test the limits of her father.

Which brings me to the best part of the book: the expertly written mentor/apprentice relationship. Speaking of tropes I love, this is another one of my favorites. In many ways, Vonvalt and Helena in The Justice of Kings reminded me very much of Merela and Girton in The Wounded Kingdom trilogy by RJ Barker (which, incidentally, is another amazing fantasy series you should not miss). Both are narrated by protagonists looking back on their apprenticeships to mentors who were more parent than teacher. From the tone of older Helena, it was clear she had much fondness for Vonvalt and vice versa, though neither were quite equipped to show it. There were just so many nuances in their dynamic, so much the reader could read into the subtle complexities of their bond, that I was simply consumed with the masterful way in which all of this was conveyed.

The characters themselves were deep and superbly written. The more time I spent with them, the more I felt involved in their lives and cared about what happened to them. My heart was in my throat whenever they found themselves in danger, or if one of them had a brush with death. I even found my eyes tearing up for minor characters when tragedy befell them. My favorites were of course Helena, Vonvalt, and Bressinger, but I pretty much felt involved with all of the supporting cast and even the villains.

Finally, I can’t end this review without mentioning the story or the world-building, so well entwined that both were equally important in bringing the setting to life for me. The Justice of Kings starts off as a murder mystery, but quickly develops into something much greater and far more satisfying. For a Justice has more in their toolkit than just the authority granted to him or her by the Emperor; skilled ones like Vonvalt can also work a form of magic, enabling them to imbue their voice with the power to compel, or even use necromancy to talk to the dead. A vast conspiracy also drives the plot, as a power struggle in the capital threatens to undermine the power of the Justices. To an honorable man like Vonvalt, who is firm in his belief in the law and that no one is above it, it is a harsh truth to accept, and it’s fascinating to watch how the effects of this conflict gradually weigh him down.

Funny how I started this review feeling at a loss for words, and now I have to force myself to stop before I rave on for another ten paragraphs! While I’m aware it’s only February, I have a feeling this will be my favorite book of the year as it’s going to be damn difficult to unseat. Fantasy, mystery, drama, intrigue, action—The Justice of Kings has it all. Needless to say, I loved this book to bits, and I am wholeheartedly recommending it to everyone! It certainly ended far too soon, and I cannot wait for the next installment.

Sir Konrad Vonwalt is an Emperor's Justice. For two years he has been making a trek around the outer portions of the realm to dispense justice. He keeps to these outer reaches because in the interior of the empire courts, laws, and juries have become well-established, eliminating the need for justices. In the past he was held in high esteem by the emperor, and even now, his words would probably carry weight. But he has, for two years, been blissfully unaware of malign developments at the center of the empire. When he hears word of these happenings, he does not find them so urgent as to break off his business immediately and head for the capital to speak to the emperor and see what he can do to save the situation. That is almost his undoing, and we will find out in the coming book(s) if he and his companions can get back to the capital and to what extent they can be effective.

I didn’t know anything about this book except that everyone was talking about it. I didn’t want to miss out and jumped on the opportunity to read this.

I’m going to be honest and tell you that I struggled with the first 35% of this book. I was at a crossroads of stopping or pushing on. Thankfully, I jumped into a Twitter discussion and was told to keep going. I’m glad I did because it was worth it. The plot of this book is slow-moving. Keep that in mind if you are a plot-driven person – It is so very slow. Swan has some great prose and once I to used to his writing style I had a hard time putting this down. I’ve seen a few people talk about the world being kind of similar to ours and I think that rings true here. There’s not a lot of world-building, which works for the most part. There’s magic but it’s only lightly touched on. I would have liked a little more here but maybe that’s for later.

One of the things I found interesting is the way this story is told. It’s a retelling of events, written by the much older clerk to the Justice. We are getting the story through her experiences from the past. I really enjoyed her perspective and thoughts about Vonvalt’s actions. On the flip side, I think I would have enjoyed this much more if we would have gotten Vonvalt’s POV too. It was an interesting choice and it works for the most part. Even though we are getting Helena’s story, Volvant definitely steals the show. Another reason I would have loved his POV.

“’The wise man arms himself with knowledge before a sword.’”

All the characters in this book are what I loved most about this book. I attached to them all so quickly and was on the edge of my seat. I was hoping and praying that they would get out of this alive. Did they? I can’t say but it’s stressful! I found myself going through so many emotions when it came to each of their journeys.

While I struggled with the beginning of the book, I had the opposite issue with the end of it. I had a hard time putting it down. Events start to take off and so many impactful moments that you can’t stop. I love how we start in one place morally and then start to cross into a more gray area. It makes you think and it makes me excited for a sequel.

“Empires are built and maintained with words. Swords are a mere precedent to the quill.”

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I struggled with a good chunk of it but once we got past a lot of the legal jargon, things take off. There’s a lot that happens in the end that has me wanting more. Swan makes some choices that kind of come full circle and are brilliant. Although I didn’t completely love this book, I think that there’s a strong start here, and I’m excited to see what comes next.

Many thanks, to Orbit, for providing me an e-arc of this book to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As a soon-to-be law student, I love finding books that meld SFF with legal topics, and Richard Swan's The Justice of Kings does that as well as any I've found before. Swan has built a seriously deep and full world; you only get hints of it in this first of three novels, but I'd be impressed if we only ever learn half of what he trickled out to the reader. The characters feel authentic to their setting, with what we learn about their histories showing their growth and development. While not heavy with action, what scenes Swan has used feel hefty and vibrant, fitting of his universe. Fans of heavy-handed plot and constant action probably should look elsewhere, but anyone interested in intrigue, politics and and the evolution/devolution of law in an alternate fantasy setting should definitely dive right in.

I felt like this book had so much potential, but ultimately just fell flat for me. If I were to pitch this book, I would say that it's English Constituional Law 101 meets How to Get Away With Murder, with the aesthetics/setting of Skyrim. Which again, sounds incredible, but I feel like the execution of this book leaves a lot to be desired, and while I know that this is the author's debut novel, I still think some of it is not excusable.

Let's start with what I actually did really like - the themes. It's very clear to me that this author has a background in English law, and I think for the most part, the setup of the main themes here - separation of powers, common law vs canon law, natural law vs positive law - is really well done. That being said, I feel like the book quickly just devolves into a basic murder mystery, and not enough attention is given to the themes consistently throughout the book.

As for the plot itself - it was solid. I think the murder mystery was a bit basic, but it was fast-paced and easy to read, and anyone who enjoys a very violent and action-packed climax will be happy with the last 20% of the book I think.

In terms of the characters, I feel kind of neutral about them. I didn't dislike any of the characters per se, though I did distinctly feel like Helena fell into the trap that a lot of male SFF authors fall into and felt more like a man's idea of what a young woman is than an actual young woman. The character dynamics between the main trio is very much reminiscent of HTGAWM, to the point where I am half convinced this might've started out as a HTGAWM fanfic. Vonvalt is basically a male Annaliese Keating, Bressinger is Frank, and Helena is Bonnie/Wes. Their relationship with each other and with Vonvalt in particular is very similar, and just as toxic as it is in HTGAWM, but I did enjoy it for what it was.

I have two main gripes with this book that keeps me from rating it higher. Firstly, there is an absolutely absurd and unbelievable instalove relationship that permeates the first 60% of this book, and in my opinion, bogs down Helena's entire character arc. When I say instalove, I mean that when Helena declares her love for this man about 20% into the book, I genuinely had no idea who this character was. I hated it with every fibre of my being, and I felt like it was only shoehorned in because the author felt like a young female character must have a love interest, and it led to a lot of Helena's character choices revolving solely around men and not having a lot of autonomy.

My second issue with this book is the ableism. I think if it were not for the ableism, I might've rated this book a 3 stars, but unfortunately, this really ruined the last 15% of the book for me and I wasn't able to enjoy it at all because I was so angry. Throughout the book, I did notice multiple instances where ableist language was used as a descriptor (ie. using the word "mute" to describe someone in shock, rather than something like "speechless"). However, at about the 85% mark, there is a character who magically has their mind severed from their body, and they're described as a "drooling simpleton", which in my opinion, is incredibly offensive. On top of this, the characters go on to speak of this character as if they are actually dead, when in the previous paragraph, it is specifically said that they are not dead, just that they lost the connection to their mind. I think that the idea that someone who loses their mind/intelligence is equivalent to being dead is incredibly ableist, and doubly so when the language used to describe them has real world implications and history attached to a specific disability. If this didn't happen so close to the end of the book, I probably would've DNF'd.

All in all, I think this is an okay debut. It was a highly anticipated debut for me because of the themes that it promised, and unfortunately, it just did not meet my expectations at all.

Richard Swan joins Stephen and Ben to talk about his first traditionally published fantasy book, The Justice of Kings. Check out the interview/review here https://youtu.be/4QE_WNtDcfo

Sir Konrad Vonvalt is known as a Justice, which is a judge, jury, and an executioner. Vonvalt ends up investigating a murder of an aristocrat and unearths a conspiracy.

You would think because this is about Vonvalt that it would be told in his perspective, but nope it is told by Helena who is a clerk to the Justice. So, we get all the investigating through her eyes and a little of her adventure to figure out the murder. However, it is basically just Helena telling us about Vonvalt and what he is doing to investigate the murder and find out about the conspiracy. I would have liked to see Vonvalt and Helena’s point of views since I did not like the writing style that much with it being purely Helena’s point of view. I found Vonvalt’s magic to be interesting and I would love to explore his magic and the world more since was a great start to the building of both the magic and world. The murder mystery was well done and kept me wanting to keep reading to find out who the killer was and what their motive was. The ending feels wrapped up, but there is a sequel, so I’m interested in the direction the sequel will go.

This comes out February 24, 2022. Thank you Netgalley and Orbit for this arc!

This is fantasy at its finest! I was in love with the author’s writing style, I truly felt like I was along for the adventure with Justice Vonvalt, and his retinue consisting of Dubine Bressinger and Helena.
The story is mostly told from Helena’s point of view, she’s telling/remembering it during her elder years. We travel with Vonvalt, Bressinger and Helena as they travel the Kingdom and enforce the laws of the emperor. Justice Vonvalt has some special powers to assist in finding the truth. We journey with them as they solve a case that is woven throughout the story. It’s a really enjoyable adventure between the pages! Highly recommend!
I was given an arc by Orbit books in return for an honest review.

The Justice of Kings starts fairly slow - you get a feel for the world, the three main characters, and Sir Konrad's position and powers. Once the murder takes place, things pick up a little and the plot begins to unfold. I enjoyed the three main characters and their interactions. Helena, a 19-year-old scribe, is the POV character. She shows her age and immaturity and gets into frequent arguments with Sir Konrad. I enjoyed the characterization though and her relationship with Sir Konrad.

I will note I was surprised when I started reading this book because it's not from the point of view of Sir Konrad, but from his scribe, Helena. I had to go back and re-read the synopsis because I didn't remember a mention of her. I think they've since redone the synopsis to include a mention of her and it's a lot less confusing.

Overall - I enjoyed the world and the characters and it was a good mystery. I'm excited to continue the series.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

The Justice of Kings was such an interesting and captivating read for me. It’s the beginning of a fantasy series that I can see just getting more and more epic as the series progresses.

The story is told through the eyes of Helena Sedanka, a 19 year old clerk for Justice Sir Konrad Vonvalt. Helena, Vonvalt and Vonvalt’s swordsman, Bressinger tour the backwater towns of the Empire and hear cases and pass judgement in the name of the Emperor. Konrad has the arcane skills of the Emperor’s Voice, a way to compel a person to speak the truth and can also speak to the dead given the right circumstances. As Konrad investigates the death of a noblewoman, he reveals a much deeper plot that will leave far-reaching implications for the fate of the entire Empire.

My favorite genres are fantasy and mystery, so I was biased from the beginning to love this! Swan does an amazing job of creating a fully fleshed out world. He begins to introduce and intriguing mythology and lore, and the mystery always drew me back to the page. I liked that just when we get a handle on the initial mystery, a far greater mystery begins to evolve that left me very excited for the future of the series.

The writing style is just detailed enough that it’s easy to visualize this world, yet the writing is never dense. I still have vivid pictures in my mind of the small towns, forests and roads the characters travelled. The first person structure of the book worked out perfectly for telling this story. In fact, I would even forget it was told in first person! It flowed so easily and I felt intimately connected with all the major characters in the story.

My favorite character is Helena. She goes through a lot in this story, changing from a somewhat whiny and ungrateful teenager to someone who appreciates the opportunities she has been given and becomes a bit more world-wise and mature. I’m very curious whether the story will continue from Helena’s POV or if that will change in the sequel.

My slight criticism is that the pacing in just a few places was a bit off to me, and I wanted just a bit more detail in the world-building, but I am incredibly impressed with this first book and am absolutely looking forward to continuing in this series. I’m also very interested in reading Swan’s earlier self-published works.

*Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for my advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Anyone want some JUSTICE?!?! "Justice of Kings" by Richard Swan is told from the pov if Helena Sedanka, a law clerk to an Emperor's Justice. Sir Konrad Vonvault as a Justice is a traveling detective, necromancer, judge, and executioner. So nothing bad happens! *sweats*

I'm looking forward to the more in the Empire of the Wolf Series.

This book takes some inventive choices with character traits, and that had the hooks in me early. This is not a nice world, but people trying to provide justice in such a place is something I enjoy reading. The dread I felt with just a couple of sentences near the beginning was palpable, thank you Scotch as a coping mechanism.

Reasons to read:
-The primary three characters have layers and do things that surprise me.
-Yo you thought that was a tragic backstory? Hold all the drinks
-The pacing between investigation and world building is spot on
-I got invested in the legal system of a fantasy book!
-The sudden and swift violence
-Dramatic courtroom scenes
-Shit is going to get nuts
-The character growth at the end (oh shit)
-Oh good another religion I'd throw hands with

Cons:
-It is not a nice world, probably uncomfortably similar in some ways to reality. There may be some triggering content in this story
- I needed a drink

WGB Justice of Kings Review

I shall attempt to keep this review of Justice of Kings by Richard Swan as concise as a guillotine. This dark fantasy book kept me up well after midnight, when that true dark sets in and everything in the house is quiet and still. As much as I would love to say this happens often, it does not. Mostly because I’m in my 30s with kids and have to be up early most days, but also because not every read hooks me deep enough for me to choose to fight my internal clock with fang and fist until it concedes. It’s books like Justice of Kings that create personal zeitgeists for me where even looking at the spine on my shelf or flipping through the pages transports me back into the world but will also remind me of all of the thoughts and feelings I experienced outside of reading during that time. Most of the books in my Personal Top 10 have this in common and while I think it’s entirely subjective, I still believe it is largely due to the skill of the author too.

Justice of Kings was an incredibly well-written book, inspired but still original, and quick paced similar to the works by authors Pierce Brown and Joe Abercrombie. This book is terse. I was never bored and had a very hard time putting it down as much as sleep would beckon. While I have not read Cicero, which I recently learned was a major inspiration for Swan, I have read Name of the Wind (Rothfuss) and Empire of the Vampire (Kristoff) and, more recently, Empire of Silence (Ruocchio), so I am familiar with this storytelling device and the different ways it can be used to enhance the narrative. Swan chose to tell this story of Justice Konrad Vomvalt through the first-person retrospect of his clerk, Helena, and I was stricken by how effective this simple storytelling device was.

I felt this element was taken to an entirely different level in Justice of Kings by having the main character be the clerk to the main “hero” of this story. This is not something I have read before and I found the perspective to be unique, unexpectedly progressive from a male author. I felt the way Swan wrote Helena was genuine. She felt real, especially when speaking from the present time looking back at her life and expressing strong emotions towards the events unfolding for the reader following her in her youth.

Helena struggles with being really good at being a clerk to a Justice but also really bored with it and stuck at that crossroads in life I think many of us come to where we think just because we are good at something doesn’t mean it will make us happy later in life. Is this the right career path or is there something more out there for me? I loved that aspect of this book.

While I felt strongest toward Helena’s character, I was equally smitten over Vonvalt and his Tasman, Dubine, the two men whom Helena travels and works with. They spend nearly every minute of the day with one another and have this great chemistry. When these characters were in danger, I felt my heart racing. When they laughed, I found myself smiling. I wanted to be right there beside them sharing their fire and food and stories. Even the town sheriff and the fellow Justices to Vonvalt felt three-dimensional and full of depth.

Ultimately, it is through Helena’s eyes that we enter the world of the Sovan Empire, Empire of the Wolf, where the predominate society has made “peace” with the surrounding regions, rewritten the laws, and reshaped religion which once leaned more toward paganism. Now there is only the one god, Sova, a goddess and her two-headed wolf become the symbol of an empire that rules a massive expanse of land with borders that stretch out far beyond the main cities and towns and into the wilds of this Slavic-esc continent. The world feels very tangible. I felt the coldness of the winter and the rugged terrain the characters traversed.

We follow Helena as she performs her clerical duties for Vonvalt while he operates essentially as a traveling magistrate for the Sovan Empire. Holding trials and investigations for crimes big and small, grizzly and sacrilegious. The Justices have magical abilities that aid them in their role as they travel the countryside upholding the law. There is an element of the supernatural by way of necromancy in this book too that I felt was very cool and compelling, at times unsettling, but also metal as fuck. That is to say, I thought it was executed really well and in a way that felt different than other stories that use similar elements.

The plot revolves around the investigation of a town illegally practicing pagan rituals far from the watchful eyes of the Empires seat. The investigation spirals into chaos and reveals a deep rooted conspiracy festering at the fringes of the Sovan Empire. Despite the dark aspects of the world, some nasty and near irredeemable villains, morally grey heroics, and a dash of courtroom and investigatory procedures, I strongly recommend picking up this book. If you’re drawn to gritty and harsh landscapes occupied by hardy folk, I think you’ll find a strange sanctuary in this place like I did. If you dig dark fantasy like The Witcher (Sapkowski) or video games like Dragon Age (BioWare), you will devour this book like a two-headed wolf.

Shout out and thanks to the folks over at Net Galley for providing me with an arc of this title. I read the ebook and was able to purchase a physical copy last week (a week early) and cannot wait to reread and explore this frigid and ominous world Swan has so justly created.


WGB Rating: 98/100 (4.5/5 Stars)

I loved this book! From the moment I opened it, I didn't want to put it down. The writing was fantastic, and the pace was steady throughout. I was surprised, at first, to find that the book was narrated in first person by a character other than Vonvalt, the Justice, but I really, really liked this choice. It allowed the reader to have a somewhat inexperienced window into the story and kept Vonvalt more mysterious and aloof than other forms of narration might have allowed. The plot was great, and I enjoyed the murder mystery that dovetailed into a giant empire-shaking conspiracy.

The world-building was interesting. I had some difficulty understanding the structure of the empire, especially toward the beginning of the story, but it didn't really impact my enjoyment or immersion in the immediate plot. By the end, it all made sense, and the empire Swan created was quite complex. Swan's excellent writing brought the environments to life and evoked the sense I was there with the characters. The magic was fascinating, and the author struck what I would consider to be the perfect balance in explaining just enough about it while leaving the door open to learn so much more in future books.

The characters were well-developed, and it was interesting seeing them all through the recollections of Helena. She struggled to figure out her place in the world throughout this story, and I thought it was quite sad how the direction of her life was largely decided by external factors outside of her control. However, I did get the sense that these struggles helped her grow into a more independent, capable person, and I'm curious to see the rest of her journey to becoming the woman narrating the story. Vonvalt was mysterious, scary, noble, and a bit crazy, which made for an interesting combination. His story was truly epic in the sense that it impacted so much of the political maneuvering within the empire. It also highlighted the dangers of giving one person too much power, even if they seem capable of using it fairly. His slow descent from doling out justice to vengeance was disturbing to read, but I couldn't help but be on his side despite the moral corruption of his character. He was just all around a well-developed, three-dimensional character, as were many of the other characters who populated this story.

The themes of this book were very heavy, but it never felt like too much. The story posed questions about justice, the judicial system, the corrupting influence of power, the separation of church and state, and the scheme of insurance, among others. It definitely made me think but never in a way that took me out of the story, if that makes sense. I liked how it emphasized that the rule of law, and faith in it, is the only thing that keeps everything from descending into madness while also highlighting how important it is that the law be written and dispensed in a way that is fair to all. It showed the dangers of one group going around the law, which can ultimately lead to others following suit out of desperation until all the principles of civilized society get washed away in blood. There's so much to talk about regarding the themes of this book I could write an entire essay, but I won't. lol. The court room scene alone could probably inspire an entire essay of analysis.

Overall, this book was fantastic and is one of my favorites of the year so far. I can foresee it being on my, and many others', best of 2022 lists at the end of the year. I'm sure I'll be mulling it over for some time to come. If you enjoy fantasy, please don't miss out on it.

The murder mystery was a pleasant surprise. While it has something’s it needs to work on, I feel like this did a pretty good job setting up an intriguing series that I’m excited to continue with.

The book started out really great and exciting, full of promise and potential, and it had a very creative world building. Halfway through the book, however, the story started to go downhill for me, and I wanted nothing more than to finish reading it and not dwell on it like a chore, or put it on my DNF list. I decided to persevere and I finished the book.

Although the premise of the story was great, the narrative and writing style was often confusing. This book was told in a first-person POV through the lens of Vonvalt's female clerk, Helena. Oftentimes it read as though it was in a third-person POV where Vonvalt was the main character and Helena was pushed and forgotten on the sideline. The reason (and issues) with this was that Helena was always not mentioned or included in almost every conversation in the book where Vonvalt and Bresinger were involved. Her lack of involvement in every scene made it so easy for me to forget she was even a character in the book. Many times, I thought Vonvalt was the main character, until you get to the end of the chapter where Helena finally decided to act and became involved in the closing scene. Her character was also very bland and unemotional that I could not fully connect with her at all. Her relationship with Matas also felt rushed as though it was only to propel the plot forward. Oftentimes, she narrates the story as though she was speaking directly to the reader and giving her full recollection of what happened. Also, the story shifts between different settings (for reasons that were so pointless; you literally had to spend chapters moving characters from Town A to Town B, then back to Town A). I almost wished this book was written in multiple perspectives through Vonvalt, Bresinger, and Helena's POV just to make the story more interesting...and honestly, so we're not spending so much time transporting characters to different places, and so everything in the book actually made sense for once.

The book was also too long that it could've been shorter. Many of the scenes in the later chapters were too wordy and unnecessary, and I ended up skimming through the dull battle scenes. I also could not root for Helena in the end since she pretty much did nothing. She always needed saving, and she's always getting saved by another character. This felt, to me, a weak characterization, a non-hero, someone who couldn't stand and defend herself and others on her own.

This book was sent to me by the publisher for an honest review, so thank you! The world, magic system, and fantastical and religious element of the story were interesting and it had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, with all the issues I had with this book, I'm not sure if this series is for me.