In his continuous work, the author keeps the themes of exploration of the dangers posed by religious extremism and the erosion of individual freedoms in the name of faith. It was a bit unsettling for me, in the work we still come to few concrete solutions or recommendations for addressing the issues it raises.

Richard Swan has created a worthy successor to “The Justice of Kings” in this dark next chapter in the fall of the Empire of the Wolf.

An elderly Helena Sedanka agains narrates hers and Sir Konrad Vonvalt’s actions many years earlier. Her chronicle is a story of treason, sedition, fear, violence, and growing darkness. The young Helena is a little less idealistic after the events in Galen’s Vale (book one), but still retains her hero worship of Vonvalt, even while feeling herself confused by her attraction to him.

We already know, from elderly Helena’s words at the outset of this trilogy, that the empire fell, but what is fascinating is the how. Swan takes us through the many actions and missteps of those in power, on both sides, that instead of stopping the fall, actually precipitate and hasten the breakup of the mighty Wolf empire.

That even Helena, who has, despite her work with Vonvalt and her adulation of the man, often wonders about the point of the Empire, only highlights that there are issues and weaknesses that no amount of harsh punishments by the Emperor and his tools (Magisterium, Templars, etc) will be able to forever sustain his rule.

This next step in the empire’s destruction begins with the return to Sova by Justice Sir Konrad Vonvalt, Helena, Sir Radomir and Bressinger. They hear that the Magisterium's power is waning, and they find the city a nest of plots and intrigues. Vonvalt has also been suffering from a strange malady that comes and goes, some times a mere irritation, others debilitating.

Vonvalt informs the Emperor that he encountered those immune to the Emperor's Voice (a magical way to compel the truth or force into a particular action), and who could wield some of the same powers of a Justice. Claver, the priest they encountered earlier, is gaining power and followers, and Vonvalt seeks the Emperor’s resources in stopping the dangerous man.

In response to Vonvalt’s report, and his own sources of information, the Emperor decides to bring rogue elements within the Magisterium to heel, first, by appointing Vonvalt Prefect, and second, by sending Vonvalt to arrest all Justices who have strayed, including Vonvalt’s mentor/friend, the current Prefect.

The results are bloody, and shocking to all. Helena is sickened, and sees Vonvalt behaving in ways she finds uncomfortable.

Vonvalt is furious and heartsore that Justices would have strayed from their duties, but before he can begin to process his feelings, word arrives that the Emperor’s grandson is kidnapped, and all other concerns are set aside to tackle this new, urgent problem.

Helena, Vonvalt, Radomir and Bressinger, and by extension, all those still faithful to the Emperor, seem always to be, not just on the back foot, but dangerously out-manoevered. There are horrific scenes, whether in the Magisterium, or in a battle, or in a terrifying after-life, that show an Empire coming to pieces both on its borders, but also from within.

Helena shows much growth between the beginning of book one and who she is by the end of this novel. At the same time, elderly Helena shows us how much further the woman has come, and how her faith in the Empire, and even Vonvalt, was tested repeatedly, and how she gained in inner strength, maturity and insight consequently.

The rule of law, or how it is administered, is shown to be flawed, as is the very premise of the empire. Meanwhile, Vonvalt is not the paragon of virtue she thought he was; this demonstrates that young Helena of book two is finally leaving her youthful admirations behind and beginning to see the man and the system he represents and upholds in a more nuanced, mature fashion.

Swan’s portrait of Helena, the friendship amongst the small band of four aiming to save the empire, and the well-rendered slow-motion destruction of the Empire of the Wolf makes for engaging, and occasionally heartbreaking, reading, but is well worth the effort. I greatly look forward to reading the next in this trilogy.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Orbit Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

I enjoyed book one, but for me, this sequel was a huge improvement.

Our MC Helena has grown tremendously since book one, while still being the same person at her core. It's a tough balance for authors to strike--the idea of someone feeling the same, but growing due to their experiences--and Richard Swan captured that well.

The small snapshots we get of our side characters were often brief, but spoke volumes. One interaction in particular regarding a character's drinking habits was especially noteworthy to me.

The plot itself was almost like a fantasy horror Batman at times, which fits characters we're following, while simultaneously having shifts in power and machinations that can rival many of my favorite political fantasies.

The horror elements themselves were quite disturbing, and equally dark and mysterious.

I'm quite excited for book three. I can't wait to see how this trilogy wraps up.

I requested this book on a whim and I was shocked how great it was. Action, Intrigue, Morally Gray characters.... I was pulled in from the very first page. The world building and character development were superb!! Perfect for fans of John Gwynne and Matthew Ward!

I received an eARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley...

This was a brilliant and fast paced follow up to The Justice of Kings, both working well as a sequel and a bridge to the final in the trilogy, which is releasing soon...

3 stars.

I finally went back and finished this book after taking an extended break. The first and last quarters of this book were fantastic with all the culty mind breaking fantasy horror I was hoping for. The middle half...was just not my cup of tea. It was filled with what I felt like was a rather pointless mystery that was conveniently wrapped up and felt like way more of an emphasis than necessary. I wish we had spent more time delving into the fantasy horror elements because they are just fascinating and so gruesome and cool that I have a lot of fun with them. I also don't particularly like Vonvalt and the relationship dynamics between him and Helena was just weird to me. I am curious to see how things conclude in the next novel, and after the ending of this one I can definitely say I am excited to continue.


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

For those of us who have been stuck waiting for the next George RR Martin book, this series is a great fill-in. Well written and great characters, I'll definitely finish off this trilogy.

This is the middle book of a trilogy, and as far as I'm concerned an improvement on the first, which was also excellent. The narrator is Helena, clerk to Justice Sir Konrad Vonvalt, who has returned to the capitol city Sova after the events which transpired in the first book, with a grave warning for the Emperor regarding his encounters with Bartholomew Claver, a religious leader who has seemingly allied with an entity from another plane of existence in order to have supernatural powers. His warning goes unheeded when the nephew of the Emperor is kidnapped, and the Emperor demands that Vonvalt along with every other available resource search for him. Vonvalt suspects Claver is involved, after interrupting him at a seance too coincidentally at the same time as the abduction. Denied the freedom to pursue him directly, Vonvalt and his retainers are side tracked to deliver the ransom and have to watch as the empire starts falling apart around them. The foreshadowing hints lead to a sense of dread throughout the book, and Vonvalt is also suffering some sort of illness which is causing him to feel overwhelming dread. Everything feels destined for disaster, but Vonvwalt, Helena, and the other retainers press on, increasingly having to make decisions that feel evil or wrong, but with the intent of making the empire a better place for others. The characters and their relationships are very interesting, as is the unfolding complex political machinations, and Helena's otherworldly experiences. I'm not sure how pleased I would have been at the ending, with Claver still at large and so many things still unexplained, but I will continue following this story in the next book!

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

IT TOOK ME SEVEN MONTHS TO READ THIS!

It's not that it was bad. By all measurements, it's very good!

All the good things about book 1 were present here in book 2: It's a tight story. The characters feel real, compelling, and gritty. Helena's POV as a world-weary elder looking back and telling the story of when she was young is intriguing. There's politics and dark necromantic magic. Vonvalt is there, magnetically at the center of the story.

Another thing present in both books - THE STRESS.

Things that are stressful:

1. The fact that Helena is looking back into her youth as the narrator and is telling the story from a point of view decades in the future gives the whole story a doomed, fated, "This story happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. It is already over. Nothing can be done to change it. All things die, Anakin Skywalker" kind of foreboding feeling.

2. This is enhanced by the fact that Helena the narrator is always adding INCREDIBLY OMINOUS throwaway asides really everywhere, but ESPECIALLY at the chapter endings. "But little did I know how much we were to suffer before reaching our destination." Okay, thanks Helena. Love that. EVERY single time we end a chapter.

3. In this book, by the 20% mark you can pretty much tell what's going on. It's fairly clear. But Vonvalt and all the rest of the cast continue to wade forward against the undertow of deepening conspiracy, refusing to acknowledge the main thrust of the plot. Helena even tries to bring it up a couple times and Vonvalt refuses to discuss it until nearly the book's halfway point. It's frustrating.

4. Vonvalt is devolving rapidly through this whole story. The narrative makes it obvious both implicitly and explicitly that as Vonvalt goes, so goes the Empire.

5. It's been a given since day one of book one that the Empire was always going to fall. All things die, Anakin Skywalker. But the suspense, interestingly, surrounds where the moral center will be anchored during this process. Are we terrified to see the end of the Empire because it's the end of stability and order? Are we gleeful because the sun is setting on brutal tyranny and oppression? Is there any real justice in the Justices, in kingdoms, in the Templars? Are there any guiding ethics to be found anywhere? This book really chronicles Helena's descent into questioning everything she once believed. Vonvalt's "fall from grace" began in the first book, but comes to a crisis point here along with the Empire. For some reason, experiencing this chaotic movement of Helena's moral center, like a compass manipulated by a magnet, is extremely stressful.

6. The fact that the worldbuilding continues to be revealed only piece by tiny, infinitesimal piece. We don't know what's going on!!! None of the characters do either! We get the feeling of blindingly groping in the dark, knowing that the enemy can see just fine! It's awful!

7. Helena and Vonvalt's situationship. It's so uncomfortable. For power dynamics reasons and because both of them are so uncomfortable about it and because NO ONE in this group every talks to each other!

I could go on, but there's no need. I have no criticisms to level against the story and I suspect that this stress is a feature, not a bug. Nonetheless, that's why it took me so long to finish. I kept putting the book down and not wanting to pick it back up again because of the heart palpitations the whole thing was giving me.

Overall, this is a great series. It's just not for me, I fear. I don't need to suffer high blood pressure before my time, and I can't afford to take another year to read book 3.

There aren't many times where you can say a sequel is better than the first book, but this is one of those times. I feel the characters and the world-building really fleshed out through Helena's perspective. The cracks in the Empire of the Wolf grow wider, the characters find themselves in situations where they struggle to perceive right and wrong, and so much more. 10/10 recommend this.

I really enjoyed justice of kings, but this book takes it to a new level. Expanding upon the empire while moving the story along in unexpected ways!!! Love the development of the characters, especially making them feel more real and not perfect versions you would expect. So excited for the next book to see how it ends. Best part was the relationship conveyed between Sir Radomir and the others showing how different mindset he is from the others.

The Tyranny of Faith (Empire of the Wolf #2) by Richard Swan was such a good follow up to The Justice of Kings. If you're at all a fan of dark political fantasy, you can't miss this sequel. It just gets better as it goes along, both in terms of world-building and characters. Helena is still my favorite character of the group, but I really appreciated the new addition of Sir Radomir. I particularly loved getting to see him interact with Helena directly, especially if their duo included Bressinger as well. I can't wait to read more of Richard Swan's works in the future.

Tyranny of Faith lived up to the hype. I devoured this book because it has all the elements I love: well written characters, an exciting plot, an even some romance sprinkled in.

Do I recommend this book? Yes! I'm so glad that the sequel did the first book justice and cannot wait for the third book. Richard Swan is an excellent writer and wrote such a chaotic world that always leaves you hanging on to what will happen next.

This was as good as the first one, while having some of the same issues of the first one. I still don't like the romance aspects (that they exist, but also the way it's written), but the mystery and stakes in this book were amazing!
I did guess one of the main parts of the mystery and hoped the characters would get to that realization sooner, but I loved following them on their journey and was worried about their safety the whole time.
I love how the magic is being explored more, it's a fascinating magic system.
I still definitely recommend this series and can't wait for the final book!

Really, a sterling continuation of what began in Empire of the Wolf. Swan is one of the best fantastists writing today. With utterly splendid characters, strong plotting, twists and turns, along with one of the most powerful lead characters in years coupled with a fascinating world viewed through her eyes.

After finally reading Justice of Kings earlier today this year I can easily say that it was my favorite book I’ve read this year. Then, realized Empire of the Wolf book 2 Tyranny of Faith was releasing soon after I finished; I was very excited to get my hands on it.

Tyranny of Faith delivered exactly what I wanted. This book is so well written. The character development, story arch, and dialog are probably the best I’ve seen in a long time. I also enjoyed how expansive book 2 was in relation to book 1. While book 1 took place primarily in Galen’s Vale; book 2 finally took us to the capital of Sova. The description of the capital reminded me of Ancient Rome and I loved it.

The dialog and characters development was so amazing and was even better than book 1. I love how Richard Swan really dissects each character individually as well as uniquely.

I also really enjoy how Richard Swan delivered the fantasy themes in book 2. I mean he really committed. Swan embraced magic, occult, demons, crypts, magic tomes, parallel planes, and demon monsters. It was so satisfying to read and explore. Also, each of these elements are very important to the development of the overall story. Additionally to the main story, I love how Swan always hints at a side arch that always comes around. So pay attention.

The action is present in book 2 but book 2 truly focuses on the characters and how they are deeply connected to the politics of Sova. The plot of the story takes an unexpected twist which thrust the retinue into an amazing adventure. The twists and turns of book make Tyranny of Faith an exciting read. Book 3 can’t arrive soon enough.

The pace of the book kept increasing, moving faster and faster through the plot until the ending fell apart. Basically everything gets left for Book 3, which is fine, just felt disappointed.

Maybe wait until Book 3 is published and then read them back to back, highly recommended.

Really enjoyed this follow up to Justice of Kings! Helena, Vonvalt, and co get even deeper characterization and the political situation and magic is greatly expanded here. The magic is insane...very eldritch horror style, and some of it was genuinely frightening.

The middle of this book deals with a sub plot that made my interest wane, but Swan makes this plot matter for the end and the last third of this book is explosive and addicting. The villain in this series is such a great one, even if he is pretty one note. Just a guy you love to hate.

I will say though, my least favorite part of this series continues to be anything romance related. Several bizarre choices are made here that I wish weren't. And I think Vonvalt and Helena's characters sometimes suffered from lack of communication, which is especially frustrating because in book one they communicated well. Still, these were minor issues for me.

9/10

This was a strong follow-up to The Justice of Kings. A few plot choices didn't land with me as much as others, but the last two hundred pages were a wild ride.