The Emperor's Blades
Jan 2014 · Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne Book 1 · Pan Macmillan
4.4star
39 reviewsreport
Ebook
400
Pages
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About this ebook
Winner of the 2015 David Gemmell Award for Best Fantasy Debut.
An explosive fantasy debut, The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley is a fast-paced, thrilling epic. If you like Joe Abercrombie and George R. R. Martin, you'll love this.
'Will keep you turning the pages late at night' – Pierce Brown, Sunday Times bestselling author of Red Rising
The circle is closing. The stakes are high. And old truths will live again . . .
The Emperor has been murdered, leaving the Annurian Empire in turmoil. Now his progeny must prepare to unmask a conspiracy. His son Valyn, training for the empire's deadliest fighting force, hears the news an ocean away. And after several 'accidents' and a dying soldier's warning, he realizes his life is also in danger. Yet before Valyn can act, he must survive the mercenaries' brutal final initiation.
The Emperor's daughter, Minister Adare, hunts her father's murderer in the capital. Court politics can be fatal, but she needs justice. Lastly Kaden, heir to the empire, studies in a remote monastery. Here, the Blank God's disciples teach their harsh ways, which Kaden must master to unlock ancient powers. But when an imperial delegation arrives, has he learnt enough to keep him alive, as long-hidden powers make their move?
'A vividly imagined story of conspiracy and empire' – Col Buchanan
'A fantastic and compelling fantasy world' – Io9
The Emperor's Blades is the first novel in Brain Staveley's epic Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne series. Continue the story with The Providence of Fire.
An explosive fantasy debut, The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley is a fast-paced, thrilling epic. If you like Joe Abercrombie and George R. R. Martin, you'll love this.
'Will keep you turning the pages late at night' – Pierce Brown, Sunday Times bestselling author of Red Rising
The circle is closing. The stakes are high. And old truths will live again . . .
The Emperor has been murdered, leaving the Annurian Empire in turmoil. Now his progeny must prepare to unmask a conspiracy. His son Valyn, training for the empire's deadliest fighting force, hears the news an ocean away. And after several 'accidents' and a dying soldier's warning, he realizes his life is also in danger. Yet before Valyn can act, he must survive the mercenaries' brutal final initiation.
The Emperor's daughter, Minister Adare, hunts her father's murderer in the capital. Court politics can be fatal, but she needs justice. Lastly Kaden, heir to the empire, studies in a remote monastery. Here, the Blank God's disciples teach their harsh ways, which Kaden must master to unlock ancient powers. But when an imperial delegation arrives, has he learnt enough to keep him alive, as long-hidden powers make their move?
'A vividly imagined story of conspiracy and empire' – Col Buchanan
'A fantastic and compelling fantasy world' – Io9
The Emperor's Blades is the first novel in Brain Staveley's epic Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne series. Continue the story with The Providence of Fire.
Ratings and reviews
4.4
39 reviews
Malcolm Silcock
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March 30, 2015
I gave up on fantasy novels some years ago as the ones I read were poorly written with little in the way of story lines - The Emporers Blades has me hooked again proving there is still good science fantasy being written. I had to keep tuning the page to see what would happen next.
4 people found this review helpful
Jae Singh
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February 19, 2017
Good read, but of a slow burner for any action, got better towards the end.
2 people found this review helpful
Alex Cook
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March 14, 2018
Really new and diiferent ideas about the fantasy genre as well as gripping! Loved it. And I'm a miserable bugger who finds it hard to really get into books.
4 people found this review helpful
About the author
Brian is the author of the award-winning fantasy trilogy, The Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, which has been translated into a dozen languages worldwide, The Ashes of the Unhewn Throne trilogy, and Skullsworn, a stand-alone novel set in the same world.
After teaching literature, philosophy, history, and religion for more than a decade, Brian began writing fiction. He now lives on a steep dirt road in the mountains of southern Vermont, where he divides his time between fathering, writing, mountain biking, splitting wood, skiing, and adventuring, not necessarily in that order.
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