I received an advance copy of Empire of Blood and Sand from author Al Hodge in return for a review. Please note, this book will be released on June 30, 2021.
Empire is a quick paced fun story about building a kingdom that must be won through battle and bloodshed, and believe me, there is plenty of bloodshed in this story. I have read some fantasy (it’s not my favorite genre) and have enjoyed a lot of what I’ve read, but this one moves to the top of my list of favorites.
Jael Crowfeeder is a beast hunter. Along with his partner, Pyx and Jael travel the countryside collecting bounties for killing troublesome beasts. There are many skeletons in Jael’s closet. One rears its head when he crosses a local official and winds up with a choice, either be hanged or be conscripted into the military. He chooses the latter and begins an adventure taking him into a fight for control of a kingdom.
Aging King Loic’s daughter, Princess Larika, is slated to become the ruler of Kalech by right of blood. But there are others who also wish to become ruler and go to great lengths to secure their possible ascendency. One is Larika’s cousin, Lord Revarc, a ruthless rival who has few redeeming qualities.
Before anyone can rise to succeed King Loic, there are problems needing to be solved. A rival king has control over giant beasts that seem to come right out of hell. Without a solution for this, there will never be a united kingdom for anyone to rule.
By far, my favorite character in Empire is Jael. He is a rough man with a good side. Don’t cross him though; there will be hell to pay. He is a member of a tribe of people who were feared in the past and have nearly been completely wiped out. They have special talents that come in very handy when fighting dangerous beats. He will help people until they cross him, then watch out! After spending much of his life in the military, he is a well-trained soldier who sees situations before they develop. He makes mistakes, some almost fatal.
Princess Larika is every bit as tough as Jael. Unlike many princesses in stories, she believes she must lead her army by being the first into battle. Against the advice of her advisors, she will not send others out to fight unless she will fight herself. She makes excellent decisions mostly and will usually listen to her advisors. She knows there are rivals for her future reign and will deal with them.
Lord Rezac is the antithesis to Larika. This character is flawed, he is vile and seems to have no redeeming qualities. Rezac takes pleasure at the pain of others. He doesn’t care for anyone or anything other than his own ambition.
There are surprises involving characters but will not spoil them here. I will say I was surprised at a revelation by a major character. But Al is known for having very human characters. Mostly, no one is all good or all bad, and everyone has character flaws.
Many other characters in the story add to the reading experience. They are dynamic, funny, tragic, and some of them are of poor character.
In this book, not all the things motivating characters are revealed in the exposition. Much of the backstory is covered by epigraphs that begin every chapter. As it goes along, we learn about Jael’s motivations to behave the way he does, and why his people, the Scalzini. Princess Larika gets wisdom and rulership advice from her father, King Loic. We also get a lot of insight into other relevant issues involving characters and situations. Keep the epigraphs in mind while reading the text.
Good versus evil is the overall theme of Empire, as one would expect from a fantasy book. Only in this story, good is vastly outnumbered by evil. Larika faces what she admits to herself is an impossible situation with just the sheer numbers of people under her command and those that oppose her. Evil has the upper hand, and it will take some clever planning to get her out of a grave situation.
Another takeaway for me was how bigotry can get to such a point that an asset can be wasted through fear and misunderstanding of the Scalzini. The eradication of Jael’s people marked him, and any others remaining, to hide their heritage. It is a sad story. No one really knows the actual reason for the slaughter. All everyone knows is that Scalzini are not to be trusted. Jael is fighting for Loric and Larika. When some find out who he really is, they call for his death.
Honor and Dishonor is another theme that stood out to me. There are no obvious lines of who is honorable and who is not. Mostly, honor is determined by the situation. Even Larika, a champion of “leadership by example,” does something dishonorable.
As I mentioned earlier, this is the best fantasy novel I have read so far. It is not my usual genre and most of the fantasy I do read is for a podcast I take part in. But Empire of Blood and Sand is a book, had I read it when first introduced to the genre, would have hooked me from the beginning. It is a great story full of intriguing characters, epic battles, and there’s even a dragon! I would recommend this for someone who doesn’t normally read fantasy novels as a gateway book into the genre.
I should mention though, there are graphic scenes describing injuries in some detail that some may find quite disturbing. Those with an aversion to descriptions of injuries may want to avoid this book. The author works in the medical profession and had seen his share of trauma. Otherwise, I give my highest recommendations for this book!
I am a Sydney, Australia-based author, writing within the genres of horror, thriller, and fantasy.
Outside of writing, I work as a Nurse Practitioner. Through working in Emergency, I’ve come in contact with humans at their best and worst. I’ve treated medical emergencies and witnessed the beginning and end of life. In such environments, the usual facades are stripped away, and it is a privilege to work with people in what can be the most stressful time of their life. It’s also an environment that reinforces the fact life isn’t always fair.
I think these experiences are reflected in my novels. My characters have flaws and face challenges. There is evil, and unfortunately the worst is often found in other humans and what we do to each other. When I describe blood, gore and pain, or life and death situations - it comes from personal experience. I know how the crunch of a broken bone feels under hand, and what the pattern of blood looks like on the ground after it squirts from a severed artery. I’ve experienced the stress and self-doubt that must be overcome during a medical emergency, and also witnessed the grief and distress of family members confronted with the loss of a loved one.
These are unforgettable experiences that can’t help but leave a mark on my subconscious and writing.
Well, there it is...
Qapla!
