The Autumn Republic by Brian McClellan

Book #3 of the Powder Mage Trilogy

Introduction

War has come to the country of Adro in this gunpowder mage fantasy. The main characters, Field Marshal Tamas, Powder Mage Taniel Two-shot, and Inspector Adamat, seek to liberate Adro from its enemies. The Brudanians hold Adro’s capital city of Adopest and the Kez army is driving up through Surkov’s Alley. Taniel and the main Adran army is stuck in between them. Tamas and his two veteran brigades along with their Deliv allies are hurrying to save the day. Can the two armies meet up in time? Can Taniel’s savage priestess keep the sleeping god named Kresimir asleep keeping him from destroying the whole world? Can the heroes win the war and save Adro from its enemies?

Summary

This is the third book in the powder mage trilogy, so long-standing plot threads resolve though new ones start to set up the next trilogy in this series. Field Marshal Tamas threw over the Adran monarchy before the events of the first novel. He wants to develop a long-term plan to support a republic and throw out the foreign invaders of Adro. Tamas is a powerful powder mage. Powder mages ingest gunpowder by eating it or sniffing it. The powder gives them supernatural powers. Taniel, Tamas’s son, is also a powder mage. His talent gives him healing power, strength, and the ability to direct bullets from his gun to his desired target. Taniel loves fighting in the war but despises politics. Setting up a republic demands the election of a prime minister. The candidates are labor leader Richard, who wants Taniel as his running mate, and Lord Claremont. The election will have ramifications for Adro’s future.

Some people in this world have special abilities of a minor nature and they are called Knacked. Inspector Adamat’s knocked power is a photographic memory which helps him solves cases. He works for Tamas trying to learn about what is going on in occupied Adopest. Another type of magic power is used by the Privileged, who tap into an elemental power they call the Else. Bo is the last living member of the Adro Cabal, a group of privileged, and his apprentice is named Nila. The wildcard is Ka-poel who has a voodoo-like talent using dolls. Taniel brought her to Adro from savage Fatrasta during the time when he fought there. She is honor bound to him. He treats her like a younger sister sometimes, but at other times he thinks of her a potential lover. Vlora, another powder mage, was Taniel’s former lover and almost fiancé. She conflicts Taniel because they have feelings for each other despite their breakup. Olem is Tamas’s most trusted aide. He is romantically linked to both Nila and Vlora.

All these characters have come to Adro in this novel and must succeed in each one’s individual tasks doing their part to save the republic. An unexpected powerful enemy disrupts their plans and they must improvise or not just Adro, but the whole world will be in jeopardy of destruction.

Recommendation

The Autumn Republic was a great conclusion to the powder mage trilogy. The many viewpoint characters complete their assigned tasks and prepares for the final challenge. The conclusion changes the world forever but shows how the next trilogy will begin. The next trilogy is called Gods of Blood and Powder starting with the novel Sins of Empire which was released in 2017. Wrath of Empire was released in 2018 and Blood of Empire is scheduled to be released in 2019. I have a copy of Sins of Empire and will read it soon in 2019. Highly recommended. I suggest reading the whole trilogy, from the beginning to the end.

Links

Link to Goodreads page for The Autumn Republic

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20883847-the-autumn-republic?ac=1&from_search=true

Link to my review of The Crimson Campaign (Powder Mage Book #2)

The Crimson Campaign by Brian McClellan