CONTENT WARNING: violence, murder, excessive gore, blood, grief, harm to an animal, self-harm, mention of suicide

I was thrilled to buddy read this with Leslie @ Books are the New Black, There’s so many reasons to love buddy reads, but in this case, I was able to process everything that was going on, make wild and occasionally inaccurate predictions, and have a laugh when things got too dark, heavy, or serious in the book.

This series stole my heart with the first two books, but there were a few things about this book that set it apart and made it a really good read. Over the course of the series, we’ve gotten pretty familiar with the world-building. We’ve seen some of the outer borders of the empire, as well as the capital city and beating heart of the empire. But in this book, we got to see the lands outside of the empire as Vonvalt and company seek allies from anywhere they can possibly find them.

Another thing I loved is that Helena plays a much more active role in this story. While she was a side character who took on a narrative role in the first book and gradually played a bit more of a role in the second, she is front and center in nearly all of the action in this book. She made the ambitious leap from a narrator to a main character in this book, and it was wonderful to see how brave she was, acting according to her values despite her fears. There’s so much growth in Helena’s character, not just in how she sees herself, the way she thinks, and her behavior, but also in how she interacts with others, sees herself in relation to them, and her place in their lives.

This is seen most clearly in her relationship to and with Vonvalt. Throughout the first two books, there has always been a simmering, almost-tension between them, leaving readers (and by readers, I can only confidently speak for myself and Leslie) wondering about the will-they-won’t-they dynamic. And complicating that dynamic has been the mentor-mentee relationship that they have. But in this book, all bets are off in so many ways, making things complicated for the characters, but fascinating for readers.

As the empire crumbles, so does the justice system. The story starts with a scene of an ethics lesson, which is ironic, since there is such a breakdown of ethics later in the story. Swan incorporates foreshadowing in multiple instances, warning readers to prepare themselves. This is a much darker and gorier book than the previous two, bordering from grimdark into horror. And various characters state a warning, but it was most chilling coming from the stand-up, stickler for rules himself:

“‘Desperate times call for desperate deeds,’ Vonvalt said. ‘I think we are all going to have to get our hands dirty in order to save the Empire—or rather, the parts of it that can be saved.’”

Rather than focusing on the politics and set-up involved with the earlier books, this one allows Swan the freedom to explore what happens during the breakdown of the empire. The pacing was a bit slow at the start, but then it found a flow and was fast-paced and smooth sailing until the end. I was glued to the pages and couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. Because I knew something was going to happen, and it was going to be horrific and shocking and have me unable to put the book down. There’s more fighting, both in the mortal plane and the immortal plane, and everything tied together so neatly. Swan even ties everything up with a bow for his readers, with an ending that I found satisfying and thought was the best possible ending to this series.

Wow, what an ending! I have loved this trilogy, and I’m sad it’s over. I will say that this third book was a lot darker than the previous two. I found many moments that we were crossing into some horror aspects. The first two were more political, but we delve into the afterlife and demons. I’m not kidding there are things described in such detail that I may or may not have had nightmares. I’m a big chicken when it comes to gruesome and gory details. It was unexpected, but somehow added so much tension to the story.

We have this whole story, being told by Helena, which I adore. I was so nervous for her, but we all know she lives through this. She not only states that in the first book, but how else would she be recounting this for us? Still there were several moments that I was wondering if just maybe… Throughout the first two books her relationship with Vonvalt has been of admiration and love. There are so many instances that you wonder if it will go there, but they tread that line. Their relationship can sometimes be frustrating because it feels very unbalanced. Helena has a much bigger role to play in this book. She’s mostly a side character in the first two, but takes over in this book.

Swan’s writing is just as good as the first two books! Besides some pacing issues in the beginning, I had a hard time putting this down. He is not afraid to go there, and explore how religion and laws effect society. Helena and Vonvalt butt heads in a lot in this book. I do understand how she had a hard time with the man she knew, and what he became. Vonvalt is a stickler for law/justice, and his journey ends up taking him down a questionable road. Sometimes we have to do things to fight a greater evil but at what cost? How far will you go?

Overall, this was a satisfying ending to a great trilogy. It’s not one that I ever expected to enjoy so much but I’m glad I picked it up. I will miss Helena, and all of these characters! I look forward to what Swan does next.

Many thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.75 ⭐️I'm sad to say I did not enjoy The Trials of Empire nearly as much as the first 2 books in the series. The first half of the book was very slow and spent a lot of time in and out of dream sequences. The constant question of morality from the characters including Helena towards Vonvalt became repetitive. I loved the second half of the book, the pacing picked up and was written as well as the first 2 books. The ending of the series was very well done. Overall a solid debut and I will absolutely read more from Richard Swan.

Thank you Netgalley and Orbit for the eARC.

I really enjoyed the third and final book in the Empire of the Wolf series. Richard Swan really took the elements that he dabbled with in books 1 and 2 and cranked the volume in regards to the horror and visceral action. The exploration of the more eldritch elements was greatly appreciated, and the climax was very satisfying. The shifting across physical and spiritual planes while our main characters figure out the battle between good and evil, and the twists and turns that come with that provided a great reading experience. The characters and the settings for me were always interesting and kept me engaged.

Swan is definitely an author I'll keep on my list of must-reads from here on out.

If you're even remotely interested in horror, supernatural, darker fantasy, I would recommend this series.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read one of my most anticipated releases of the year.

I feel like I maybe should have reread the second book before jumping into this, because for some reason, I just felt so disconnected from characters that I had LOVED previously this time around. The entire first half of the book honestly felt like a different story to me. Whereas in the first two we had this sort of mystery element, this time there was more horror sprinkled in instead and it just didn't have that same impact on me as the other adventures this unlikely group of allies have had previously.

I will also say that the beginning dragged for me quite a bit. I think that this could have done more with being broken into two books were this one focused on the set up and journey and still gave us what we were used to and included a bit of the horror, so it wouldn't have just felt so thrown in and rushed. Which I know seems contradictory since I just said that it was quite hard for me to get into at first, but I don't really know how else to explain it.

I feel like my rating seems low and harsh especially with how much I loved the first two books in this series and how highly I rated them, but this just didn't keep me as engaged right from the beginning in the same way that they did.

I am definitely sad to see these characters go, but I am looking forward to what comes next for Richard Swan because I will continue to pick up books by this author because I have genuinely enjoyed everything so far.

***Thank you to Orbit Books for providing a copy of The Trials of Empire via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

The Trials of Empire was a solid and satisfying conclusion to the overarching narrative of the series, while also exploring new ground and deepening the world and characters in significant ways. It is going to be so hard to talk about this book without spoiling anything, but I'm going to give it my best. The writing was just as good as I've come to expect from Swan, and the story had everything I could have wanted from an ending, plus more.

That being said, it did take me quite a while to get re-invested in the story of The Trials of Empire. The first half of the book was a slower pace with the characters doing a lot of traveling to rally forces from all over the continent. Personally, the traveling quest is one of my least favorite tropes in fantasy because I tend to get bored with it pretty quick. Swan did a good job with it, though. I liked the additions to the world-building, and there was enough action interspersed throughout the travels that my interest remained piqued even if I wasn't always running to pick the book up.

On the other hand, I DEVOURED the second half of The Trials of Empire. It was more political and philosophical with tons of great commentary on the nature of justice and law. The conversations about these topics, as well as the dangers of populism and religious extremism to a secular society, were pointed and did not mince words. There was so much to think about, and it was paired with some gloriously gruesome action that had me constantly wanting to read just one more chapter. Swan was a master at writing the fight scenes and at making me cringe from the horror of it all. lol.

Speaking of horror, The Trials of Empire doubled down on the supernatural and horror elements when compared to the first two books. Readers got a taste of some of the esoteric monstrosities in the second book, but this one took things to a whole new level. Trips into multiple afterlife realms, demons, angels, possession... You name it, and this book probably had it. I loved all of the additions to the magic and the greater understanding of the arcane and its place in shaping the world. The sheer power provided the perfect opportunity to explore the danger of its corruptive influence, and I loved how the supernatural tussle gave life to the theme of chaos versus order.

The characters in The Trials of Empire were as fantastic as ever. I enjoyed seeing how Helena's idealism and Vonvalt's pragmatism caused them to react to the horrors they faced in distinctly different ways. Vonvalt's arc left me on pins and needles waiting to see if he would become the villain that he'd worked so hard to destroy. It allowed for so many interesting ethical discussions about whether the ends justify the means when the means are just as horrible as those you are fighting against. The story also managed to add more depth and understanding to the toxic turns of the relationship between Helena and Vonvalt in the second book, and I was grateful to see their growth.

All in all, The Trials of Empire was a fitting conclusion to the trilogy. It had so many of the elements I loved about the first two books, such as the fascinating ethical discussions about law and riveting action scenes. The story also added so much more to the world-building while taking the characters through the wringer and giving them a compelling end to their journey. I'll definitely be on the lookout for whatever Swan writes next. Therefore, I give The Trials of Empire a rating of 4.25 out of 5 stars and highly recommend the entire trilogy.

Richard Swan's The Trials of Empire serves as a riveting conclusion to the Empire of the Wolf trilogy, seamlessly blending elements of fantasy, horror, and political intrigue into a cohesive and immersive narrative. Following Sir Konrad Vonvalt and Helena as they navigate the Empire's turmoil, readers are thrust into a world besieged by internal strife and external threats. Swan's deft characterization, particularly the dynamic between Vonvalt and Helena, adds depth to the narrative, while the epic showdown between good and evil delivers a climax that is both exhilarating and emotionally resonant. With every plot thread meticulously woven together, Swan crafts a satisfying conclusion that leaves readers eager for more. The Trials of Empire stands as a testament to Swan's storytelling prowess and the enduring power of fantasy literature, making it a must-read for fans of the genre. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for an eARC of The Trials of Empire.

I really liked the way this book ended. There was a lot of movement in the first half of the book that disengaged me a bit, but the last half was a snowball. I love all the characters, and of course Heinrich is my favorite. I didn’t expect this series to evolve into fantasy horror, but I didn’t mind it, even though I don’t usually like horror. If you haven’t read The Justice of Kings yet, go start it now! You won’t be sorry with this trilogy and it’s ending.

An absolutely brilliant final installment of the Empire of The Wolf, this book was wonderfully written and I’m sad to see it end. But so looking forward to reading more of Mr Swans books in the future!

Swan has done such a neat thing with this series and Trials of Empire was such an experience to read! If you thought book two got dark, strap in and maybe don't read this book before bed, cause Swan fully embraces the horror elements. There's always been a good mix of character work and plotting going on in these books, and while we still get some great character moments and conversations, Trials is definitely more plot-oriented. And wow a lot happens here although I obviously can't say much for plot reasons. There were definitely some twists and turns that I did not expect, and some crazy stuff goes down. And we got a great law scene hallelujah! I have some mixed feelings about the ending, but overall I think it was a good ending for the trilogy.

My favorite part of the book was definitely the philosophical conversations about law and ethics - such wonderfully thought out questions and conclusions here! The main negative for me was that I got a little lost in some of the arcane magik going on and it being so plot heavy, but those were minor negatives for me.

I highly recommend the series and hope more people read it soon!

Thanks to Orbit and to Negalley for an advance eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

“Do you know, Sir Konrad, that you may just be the most offensively insolent man I have ever met?”

The Trials of Empire is the stunning conclusion to the Empire of the Wolf Series. It plunges you back into the heart of the action, seamlessly picking up where The Tyranny of Faith left off. This whole series is so refreshing and unique, that I never knew that I needed to read a medieval horror fantasy with a hefty dose of politics, but I did. The ending of The Trials of Empire is nothing short of masterful. While not all questions are neatly tied up, I found myself surprisingly satisfied with the bittersweet conclusion.

I can't praise Swan's writing enough. The decision to tell Vonvalt's story through Helena Sedanka's perspective was pure brilliance, adding layers of emotional depth to the narrative that linger long after the final page. I'll miss all of these characters really dearly. The climax sequences in this book are a testament to his skill, delivering one of the most finely crafted endings I've encountered in fantasy literature. Every skirmish and battle leads inexorably to a moment of breathtaking action that brings the story to a perfect close.

However, it's not without its flaws. The beginning of the book felt somewhat disjointed, like a series of side-quests before the main plot truly kicks in halfway through. Additionally, considering the depth and complexity of the story, I can't shake the feeling that this series could have benefited from an extra book. The final battle with Claver, in particular, felt slightly rushed given the extensive buildup over three books.

Richard Swan has created something really special here and is on my radar for years to come.

Book 3 of the Empire of the Wolf series did not disappoint. I wasn't sure how the author could top Tryanny of Faith, but the Trials of empire absolutely exceeded my expectations and got better with each page. I was so engrossed while tittering on the edges of excitement and dred for the well being of our protagonists! If you've ever look for a series that focuses on the concept of law and order, versus the ramifications of justice on the populace, versus dominant religion and its influence on the State, all wrapped up in a high stakes fantasy with a mystery and horror element, then thianisnthe one for you!!! The Trials of Empire, and by extention the entire series, is very unique and easily joins the ranks of my all time favorite series. The power struggle between the different sects are so nuanced and compelling that found myself switching sides and debating with myself about who I wanted to root for at various points of the novel. By the end, I was left feeling fulfilled and simultaneously wanting more. Using Helena as such a fantastic storyteller with great intricate insights on Vonvalt, herself, Sir Radimir, Claver, et al. as they evolved throughout the pages was so clever. Richard Swan is an absolutely skilled author and has now become and auto author for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orbits Books for the opportunity to read and review this Arc!!

Richard Swan’s Empire of the Wolf series caught my attention almost immediately when I first saw the cover of The Justice of Kings. It’s hard to miss a cover like that when you’re 1.) a fantasy fan and 2.) a library employee. I picked up the audio books via Libby last summer, when I realized that a second book was out, and now I’ve had the immense privilege of returning once again to the Sovan Empire with book #3.

The Empire of the Wolf is told from the perspective of Helena Sedanka, an orphan who was been taken in and trained by Sir Konrad Vonvalt, an Emperor’s Justice. In that position, he serves as travelling judge, jury, and when needed, executioner, carrying out the will of the courts wherever he may be. Helena acts as his legal clerk and apprentice, producing documentation of their efforts and learning the intricacies of the Sovan legal system along the way. For some time, they were both content to travel the northern reaches of the empire, but an encounter with a zealous church official, Patria Bartholomew Claver, changed everything.

Claver sought a return to the days when the Church of Nema controlled the powers now held by the Order of Justices: ancient magics that could be used to compel action, the ability to confer with the dead, command over wildlife. All of these and more had once officially been the exclusive realm of the church, but they had been taught to the Justices to aid their work. Frustrated by the lack of action from the majority of the Church, Claver found his way to darker places, making bargains with powers that he didn’t truly understand in order to bring about the change he desired. Now, he seems to have set his sights on control of the Empire itself, no matter what demon or deity he has to bargain with to make it happen. He sits at the head of an army of Templars poised to strike down the Emperor, ostensibly in Nema’s name.

Now, Vonvalt’s own unshakable faith in the Common Law is beginning to break. In his attempts to thwart Claver, he has become persona non grata, believed to be responsible for the death of the Emperor’s grandson. A rebellion against the Magistratum has reached its zenith, and the justices are by and large disbanded or dead. Vonvalt will find no safe haven in the capital. What he and Helena need most are more allies who can withstand Claver’s burgeoning Templar army. A journey far beyond the borders of Sova might be able to accomplish just that, but acquiring the aid they need may prove deadly. Such travels will need to be made not only on the material plane but in the various realms accessible only through the ancient magics. Helena and Vonvalt will place their lives and their souls on the line in order to defeat Claver, but it might not be enough to save the empire. Loyalties will be questioned, near-death experiences will be had, and trickster gods will play their hands at last. It’s going to be messy.

Richard Swan brings his fantasy trilogy to a powerful conclusion in The Trials of Empire. His strength in blending traditional elements of western fantasy with jurisprudence makes for compelling reading, especially for someone raised on Lord of the Rings and John Grisham like me. The Empire of the Wolf hews far closer to A Song of Ice and Fire than to LOTR, but the comparison stands. I have enjoyed this series more with each book, and I’m thrilled to say that The Trials of Empire is out on shelves today. You should check it out.

My utmost thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for an eARC of The Trials of Empire in exchange for a fair review.

This review originally appeared here: https://swordsoftheancients.com/2024/02/06/the-trials-of-empire-a-review/

"Rough deeds await" a line that was not wrong. Another series concluded, once again I was privileged to help throw this one in folk's faces for the last few years. But it is time for for the final chapters of Empire of the Wolf. It goes out with a bang.

"The Trials of Empire" by Richard Swan puts everything on the table. Claver's army of zealots is on the move, though their powers are slightly limited due to the remove of certain tomes. But a force of hopped up nut jobs thinking they are on a divine mission be bolstered by infernal magics is still a bit of a threat. Sir Konrad Vonvalt and Helena aren't going to take this laying down, because the Empire is better than the hellscape Claver would impose. They must rally forces that would ordinarily slaughter each other must put aside their grievances to defend the mortal plane. While contending with things humans probably should not see in the not-mortal realms. Pebbles that were cast ages ago are now boulders flying left, right, and center; what will be left in the rubble?

Once again thank you to the folks at Orbit and Richard Swan for helping me nudge this one into your brain space. Think I want to try a long form video on the series after a reread.

Reasons to read:
-Me certified conclusion, fantastic
-The return of the goodest boy who eats faces
-We get answers to what's going on behind the Veil and I'm definitely not having nightmares about thinks my brain conjured
-Some really great lines that (unfortunately) can be applicable to events of the modern age
-Bravo to Helen's arc over the course of the series
-Oh the mad lad did it, didn't think it was going to be in this book but I'm so happy it is
-Learn a bit about a specific culture
-How do people act when they find out the afterlife is almost a dice roll about where you end up?
-A fall from grace with a glimmer of hope

Cons:
-I was unprepared for the emotional reaction I had to such a good book series being done. That really surprised me

The landing was stuck. I repeat, the landing was stuck!!

Final journey apparently :) with Sir Konrad and his conscience Helena. We get to experience the conclusion of all the planted seeds and story lines established in previous books of the trilogy and get to finally arrive at the future we have been given glimpses into.

Action, twists, the exploration of the nature of humanities hunger for knowledge and power and our ability to package our limited information as a fountain of knowledge, the moral quandary of how far one can justifiably go in pursuit of their goal to defeat a clear evil all blend together to form an amazing cocktail that would leave you satisfied despite some of its roughness.

Thank you Sir Konrad! Thank you Helena!! And for being a completely deranged villain I feel I also have to squeeze in a thank you to Claver too :)

Normally, I'm not a fan of final books in a series. The often fall flat, leaving plot points unfinished, or present characters doing things seemingly out of character for the sake of finishing off a plot. That's not the case in The Trials of Empire, Richard Swan's phenomenal conclusion to The Empire of the Wolf series. Swan continues to build upon the horrors, both physical and spiritual, unleashed in book two, while remaining true to the characters he's created. The legal theory and philosophy that built such a strong world in the first two books returns, with even higher stakes. This book is an easy five stars for me, and I can't wait to see where Swan's career goes from here.

Ahoy there me mateys!  Minor spoilers ahead. This was an immensely enjoyable ending to the trilogy.  Helena is back to finish the story of the decline of the empire.  The book picks up where the second book ended.  Where the first two books had more mystery elements to them, this went in a different direction with more action and horror.

I basically gobbled this up in one day.  The major issue I had with this novel is mostly a me problem.  I didn't love the fighting taking place on the spiritual plane and felt those sections were the least interesting.  There were also a lot of questions about the spiritual realm that really don't get dealt with much.  Because the action is seen through the lens of Helena's perspective, this works but I personally could have done without a lot of it.  I am in the minority in this though.

While I enjoyed the novel, the climax and how the empire ultimately ended absolutely delighted me.  It brought me overall score up in the end.  I loved the end battle and how difficult it was to fight Claver's army.  I loved how the issue of Claver was resolved.  I loved more monster dog.  I loved Justice Konrad Vonvalt's actions after the empire ends.  I loved the insight into what happens to the other members of Vonvalt's party.  I can't say for sure whether the dissolution of the Empire is good overall or not.  Life goes on regardless.  It has been a while since the ending of a series was just so satisfying.  I think I would reread this series someday to see the difference now that I know the conclusion.

If ye haven't picked up this series, I highly recommend it.  Excellent characters, good world building, and lovely writing.  Arrrr!

The last paragraph of this book leaves hope that we might get more in this world. More of Helena, even if it does not include Vonvalt or Radomir. Though I sure as hell hope it includes Heinrich.

The Empire of the Wolf trilogy is such an amazing read and one that I will recommend for years to come. Trials of the Empire, while not perfect, is a strong conclusion to an incredible journey. Unlike the first two, Trials of the Empire veers more into horror than murder mystery. While I missed the investigative aspect, I found myself greatly enjoying the horror.

Trials of the Empire does suffer from what I find a lot of fantasy (whether it be video games or novel) stories do. The desire to do, and conclude, so much, with not enough time or pages to do so. I almost think Empire of the Wolf would have benefited from being a quartet instead of a trilogy. The first half of the book is slow, especially with this introduction to horror. I don't mind it. I greatly enjoy Swan's writing, however, the chase for Claver felt almost non existent? We've also been introduced to a lot of characters at this point and as a result some just drop off the pages/are forgotten until the giant conclusion at the end.

That being said, Trials of the Empire will not leave you unsatisfied. Swan has done an amazing job wrapping up the story and relationships (you know which one I'm referring to the most). After three books I still found Helena's POV to be unique and refreshing. I really looked forward to the release of each installment over the past couple of years and am sad to see it end.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow! What an epic ending to the Empire of the Wolf trilogy!

Richard Swan has crafted an incredible trilogy with Sir Konrad Vonvalt and Helena at the helm. The empire is on the brink of collapse, our heroes have lost their way, and the enemy is consorting with demons.

This instalment definitely had a lot more aspects of horror, but it fit so well with with the story. Things have gotten darker, gods/demons/tricksters are involved, and we see a darker side of the empire.

I don’t want to say too much, as if you’ve made it this far in this series, you know the characters and plot and I wouldn’t want to ruin anything. Simply know that this finale is expertly executed and won’t leave you disappointed!

Wonderful characters, incredible stakes, and an EXQUISITE dog (Heinrich I love you!!). The Empire of the Wolf should go down as a modern fantasy classic!

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up. This is the kind of three stars where I have OPINIONS. On one hand the lore and magic are just awesome. Like judeo-Christian entities with an eldritch horror flare, infernal spells that make the user bleed from their mouth as they speak them, awesome battles. But on the other hand many of the main plot beats felt kind of cliche, and the story focused much more on the human than the awesome supernatural elements. I can see that really clicking with some readers, but if you are like me and want to really since your teeth into the awesome lore the author created, that is never a focus in this series. The end overall was also a little neat for how gnarly and dark the events were. Overall I would highly recommend if you want a kind of classic medieval fantasy world with strong horror elements (particularly in how the magic works) and a plot full of political intrigue.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.