‘The Empire’s Ruin’ is an epic, engrossing fantasy novel
It’s an exciting opening to a new series by an experienced author
Brian Stavely is best known for his Unhewn Trilogy fantasy trilogy that concluded in 2016. It was an epic, lengthy work of high fantasy that I always felt was deserving of more attention than it received. His latest book, The Empire’s Ruin, is set in the same world with some of the same characters (similar to Joe Abercrombie’s latest trilogy).
Empire’s Ruin is a rich, rewarding novel that’s worth the time investment it asks of readers. It’s clear from reading that this was a deeply researched and edited project. There’s a level of depth to the storytelling and worldbuilding that few authors can match.
The Good
Empire’s Ruin is told from the perspectives of three different characters: an elite soldier, a dropout from a monastery, and a conflicted priest. These roles change somewhat as the story develops, but to say more on that front is to give away fairly significant plot points. What I will say is this — each individual story proves interesting, even if one arc has a few more dull chapters than its counterparts.
What I love the most about Empire’s Ruin is the deep sense of history and complexity that Stavely weaves into the setting. The Annurian Empire is at the core of the plot, a sprawling, unraveling nation that’s struggling to stay afloat. There’s also the region of Dombang, which had recently fought its way free from imperial control at the beginning of the book. Finally, there’s also the far-distant continent of Menkiddoc, home to a mysterious disease that taints everything it touches.
In the arcs of the three main characters, we see the history and lore of each region play a clear role in the overall story. The locations themselves often shape the actions of the people in them. All told, the world that Empire’s Ruin takes place in feels real and complicated.
If you choose to read this book, what you’ll get is a slow-burning narrative with interesting characters that picks up significantly in the final third. You’ll find a work of high fantasy that moves through the actions of characters that always feel realistic. This is a world where magic and monsters are real, but the three protagonists feel grounded and are relatable. I found that this was enough to easily carry me through some of the slower plot sections.
The Bad
Empire’s Ruin is a little longer than it needed to be. I think the quality of writing and storytelling is generally quite high, but there were some sections (particularly in the middle) that could have accomplished their plot responsibilities in much shorter space. However, I’ll also note that I never lost interest in the plot, which I think makes this is a fairly minor criticism.
Final Evaluation
Empire’s Ruin is a really good book that I think most fans of high fantasy would enjoy. Its considerable strengths far outweigh my complaint about its length. Some of my goodwill toward this book probably is due to Stavely being the author that helped me get back into Fantasy in 2018 with the original Unhewn Throne trilogy, but I think I’d enjoy this work even if I’d never heard of the author before. And as excellent as this first trilogy was, I think Stavely’s skill as a writer has only grown.
One of the best quality indicators of a book or series for me is how often I find myself thinking about what I’ve read weeks or months down the line. I still remember some of the highlights from the Unhewn Throne books and there were moments in Empire’s Ruin that I expect I’ll think about for some time as well. Whether epic action sequences or meaningful conversations between the characters, there’s a lot to chew over in the 750 or so pages of this novel. It’s a lengthy investment, but I think it’s worth that asking price.
Notes:
- I just started reading Sea of Tranquility (which I wrote about back in April), and I’ve been impressed by its quality so far. Emily St. John Mandel has some of the strongest prose I can remember reading recently. Station Eleven (whether the book or the tv show) was an awesome experience and I’m glad to see her get more acclaim and attention.
- Adrian Tchaikovksy’s Shards of Earth is sitting on my Kindle to be read sometime in the next few weeks as well. The first book in the trilogy blew my expectations out of the water, so I can’t wait to dig into this one soon.
The views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the views of my employer or any other person or organization.
