What I Loved/Enjoyed About The Book:

Story/Writing/Structure:

* Simple while effective style of writing throughout
* No jargons


Background/A Bit Of The Plot Without Giving Anything Away:

* Story revolves mainly around the main character which is Bethany. She is a lovely matured, intelligent and brave woman
* The story does fit in well with the characters and there is twist to it

I Highly Recommend This Book I Will Give This 5 Out Of 5 Stars

Thank you netGalley and Everlast Books for the eARC.

Blood and Empire is the first in the series following a few characters, Bethany, Queen Zhuana, Kendrick, and Julian on their respective journeys.
Now the world building was pretty interesting, and the exposition had my attention, but there were some flaws that almost made me want to shut the book at several points. The different povs gave us a lot of insight into the world, but frankly a lot of them were unfinished arcs and most did not appear to cross over each other until the circumstances provided one. In some ways I almost wish we just kept to one main protagonist, I felt like I was getting jerked about a bit between what was going on in the plot, but it was a choice that was made. There was the insinuation of a greater darkness coming upon the land, but that really hit the back burner when it maybe shouldn’t have.
Last gripe, but the huge time-skip where we don’t get to see the rise of Queen Zhuana is kind of a shame, but it might be it’s own standalone, I don’t know. It irked me that the prologue was all of that runaway queen and we got nothing after that except some vague paragraph about 18 years of her life that apparently wasn’t important enough to talk about. I would have liked to see Bethany and Zhuana have the engaging povs with their struggles.

First, the writing style is very enjoyable and easy to read and enjoy. The book is marketed as a story about Bethany but is actually a multi-POV book with characters who come together. Although I found most of the book great I did feel like the ending was not great, it left me very unsatisfied as if the story wasn't actually finished properly. I also felt that much of the book just fell flat. However, due to the writing style and the ease of reading I still found the book enjoyable.

As the opening to a new series, Blood and Empire dropped ample breadcrumbs to attract different kinds of sci-fi fans. Unfortunately, while the potential is great, I think the scope is too vast for such a short book. It needed more world building details because the scarce details made it difficult to vest in the story. Nonetheless, it was still an enjoyable read and I look forward to seeing how the plot unfolds.

Despite the ensemble of first person POVs, the strongest voice is Bethany’s. Her relationships and motivations are the most fleshed out and believable. She attends a magical school for most of the novel which suffers from minimal descriptions. You don’t really know how much time passes between events or even how they’re spending their time. Her tests come abruptly, and the relationships she makes there seem shallow and forced upon us. Where her story shines is her interactions with her mother and Charlton.

The other POVs offer very different perspectives that make the characters more multi-dimensional. That said, this is a double-edged sword: while this makes the main POVs more human and complex, the supporting characters seem like dull caricatures in comparison.

Most importantly for me, I really want to learn more about their magic system. Maxwell’s attempts to expound thus far seem disjointed, confused, and designed more to give the impression of complexity, rather than being intelligible. The idea of using star systems, materiality, gateways, hallucinogens, etc. is intriguing and I hope his later novels can elaborate more.

Grazie a @netgalley e Everlast Books per la copia in anteprima in cambio di un'onesta recensione.
⭐⭐⭐.5
EArch richiesto a caso perché la sinossi mi intrigava, non avevo mai sentito nominare l'autore nonostante sia evidentemente prolifico. Bl00d and Empire è il primo libro della sua nuova saga "Gateway Saga" di cui il secondo volume è già programmato per quest'anno, ulteriore motivo che mi ha spinto a richiederlo.

Nella quarta di copertina non viene menzionato che si tratti di un multi POV, non è niente di scioccante, ma destabilizzante sorprende nel momento in cui la narrazione deraglia. Ci viene presentato come la storia di Bethany, una giovane sarta che sogna di diventare una "diviner", ovvero uno di quei pochissimi prescelti in grado di viaggiare attraverso enormi, misteriosi archi sparsi per il mondo. Squattrinata e senza educazione, questo sogno le sta sfuggendo di mano, finché entra in scena Charlton, un chierico che vede le sue potenzialità. Allo stesso tempo seguiamo, la rivalsa e la vend3tt4 di Julian, principe ereditario al trono; di Zuhana, regina di un regno distrutto e di un popolo in fuga; e di Kendrick, eroe di guerra che cerca la pace e una vita semplice. All'inizio questi quattro filoni narrativi sembrano totalmente slegati, ma nella seconda metà del romanzo - a mio avviso la più forte - trovano il modo di amalgamarsi decentemente.

Il punto forte di questo romanzo è il sistema magico, originale ed intrigante, ma non sufficientemente approfondito. L'idea che un popolo mitico abbia lasciato in eredità questi enormi archi che permettono viaggi spazio/temporali quasi istantanei è molto affascinante. Inoltre, la componente scientifica e lo studio approfondito di spazio/tempo - abilità e conoscenze fondamentali per navigare questi archi - rende tutto più credibile, realistico

James Maxwell se la cava benissimo con le descrizioni di scene dettagliate, ma quando si apre il grandangolo, sembra tutto molto frettoloso e superficiale. Ciò rende l'apprezzamento della narrazione altalenante. Inoltre, la trama in sè è molto lenta ed è come se fosse un prologo in cui creare l'ambientazione che non viene sviluppato al massimo delle sue potenzialità. Il finale non è molto accattivante e fa perdente un po' di mordente per i volumi a venire, però gli elementi che si potrebbero potenziare ce ne sono tantissimi.
Sul fuoco abbiamo intrighi politici, la minaccia di un'oscurità imminente, viaggi spazio/temporali, vendetta e rivalsa. Un bella grigliata succosa! (detto da una vegetariana).

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the change to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the cover before I even saw the synopsis! I did find the book slow to start and had trouble getting into it, additionally the change in pov was confusing. The first few times I read Zhuana chapters i thought maybe they were a mistake and accidentally included until they mentioned Everlast. Once I realized it made more sense and I enjoyed the book. I was confused about the time line as well, sometimes weeks had passed but I only caught that from context clues, I think dates in the chapter heading would have helped that. How long did it take Bethany to become a diviner? How long did it take Zhuana to get to the border? I feel like the time line is important.

All that said this was a great book, I enjoyed the characters and the different pov chapters. I hope the next book gets more indepth with the black plague that's coming towards the empire, I'm very invested in seeing how Julian messes up at the feilding or with Zhuanas people. I do wish we hadn't skipped around so much because I feel like we could have gone more into many of the things I'm this book! I would like to see less time skipping in the next book so I don't feel like I'm missing so much.

I was drawn to Blood and Empire due to the cover and blurb, sounding exactly like the books I love when reading fantasy.

I did find the story a little slow to get into but after that thoroughly enjoyed the differing points of view and storylines that finally joined together.

The world and character building was good, and can't wait to find out what happens with Bethany and Queen Zhuana.

Really looking forward to book 2.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Blood and Empire.

I was drawn to this book because of the synopsis which left me very intrigued, as the author was not one that was known to me.

I don't mind a book that is told in multiple POVs as we tend to get more information from them that adds to the overall story. It did throw me off in the start because I was expecting it to be more focused on Bethany due to the description of the novel. In this novel in particular there are four different POVs- Bethany (a seamstress looking to become a diviner), Zhuana (Queen of Veldria), Julian (Crown Prince of the Dymantine Empire) and Kendrick (a military hero who once served alongside Julian’s father).

This book does a lot to build up for future events but is also relatively fast paced. Although for me it was a little slow moving in the beginning. I did find though once I was further into the story I was enthralled in the story, needing to know what was happening next.

I would definitely deem this book to veer towards the side of a political fantasy book but was not disappointed in reading it. The author shows us a world of political intrigue, an impending darkness that threatens people, while giving us a glimpse into the lives and unique journeys of the different characters. I will definitely be looking for book two when it comes out.

This book was exciting and entertaining. I enjoyed the world building and the dual POv was a unique way to keep the story going. I thought we were seeing flash backs but then realized it was during the same time but different places. I'm excited and ready to the next book!

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-arc!

I liked this book more than I thought I would. I found the banter between characters and the action and adventures within the pages captivating. I also resonated with Bethany fairly early on which made it that much better for me to enjoy the story.

First of all, multiple POVs, sold,

The premise of this being an epic fantasy was what had my invested. I was intrigued by the world building and potential plot but felt it dropped off toward the end, it was somewhat anticlimactic but I feel like this was purposeful to set up for the second book.

Thank you for the arc.

An heir with something to prove, a queen and her people fleeing an unknown darkness, and a girl battling the odds to achieve her dream. As their stories began to weave together I got hooked!

The world-building felt well thought out and I loved the role of the Diviners with the blend of science/logic/mysticism they use.

This was a great start to a series, and I'll be looking out for the next book to see what's in store for these characters.

Wow! I absolutely loved this book, it was really well written with very relatable characters. It has multiple POV’s which start to overlap at the end setting a good foundation for book 2. It has heavy world building which I loved and gave a game of thrones vibes! I will definitely be continuing this series and I highly recommend this book! I’m giving it a 4.5 stars rating.

One thing I wish James Maxwell would do would be to start each chapter with a heading of who’s pov it was based on since not all the chapters had the characters name on the first page.

I can’t wait to see what happens next with Bethany’s new assignment and how she will handle what is expected from her from all the other characters that are connected to her!

Thank you NetGalley for the free book for my honest review! I also reviewed it on Goodreads but was unable to find a link to copy with my profile @ prob_ably_reading. I will add another review on Fable as well!

James Maxwell books are like a comfy blanket. You know you’re going to get good world building, interesting characters, and a plot that moves. This book follows a seamstress that is trying to become a diviner, the crown prince that is trying to hold his position, and a queen that will do anything to protect her people. There are underlying threats for each, but are still interconnected. Each will make decisions that could upend the Eternal Empire. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for an honest review

Blood and Empire

✨ High Fantasy
🌍 Heavy World Building
👥 Multiple POV
🗡️ Game of Thrones vibes

This was my first high fantasy since Game of Thrones. My preferred genre leans more towards Romantsy. But wow! What a journey!
Immersive world building, political intrigue and some fantastic characters made this an easy 5 star read for me!

I think it’s important to note that similarly to GOT you have to expect the first book is laying the groundwork and introducing you to that world and the characters, so it did feel a bit difficult at first to push through and I did have to go double check and reread some parts, but once you get to the 50% mark you can not put this down! I am so excited for the sequel and I will absolutely be snagging a copy when it’s published

The star rating is something I had to think about a lot. My enjoyment fluctuated almost from chapter to chapter, and while the second half of the book is considerably stronger, it all fell flat due to an unsatisfying ending.

Let’s start with a few basics though. The description makes it look like this story is about Bethany. Along with her you also get POVs of three other characters following separate but converging paths. This was unexpected as they aren’t mentioned at all in the blurb on the back. Ironically, I have enjoyed the chapters of these characters more than Bethany’s. So who else are you getting? Power hungry prince Julian, the son of emperor; Zhuana, queen of “civilized barbarians” and ex-soldier Lord Kendrick. If you are looking for strong female characters that do not feel like Mary Sues then you will like both Bethany and Zhuana.

The writing was highly readable and very light on fantasy lingo, but still immersive. I felt that James Maxwell is at his best when he slows down and zooms in on a specific scene or character. Descriptions of the gateways, clothes, duels and inner dialogues were among my favorite moments. Whenever we got a bird’s eye view of events or had to catch up on what happened to characters between chapters it just felt rushed and lacking.

So why the two stars?

Unfortunately, I think this book has an identity issue. What was it supposed to be? It’s supposed to be Book 1, but what you get is Part 1 of Book 1. Prologue, setup, character background, lots of promises of more exciting things to come and none of it actually takes place in this book.
Imagine you are reading the first Harry Potter book and just as he arrives at Hogwarts the book ends. Katniss Everdeen finally stepping into the arena… aaand scene. Paul Atreides breathes in the air of Arrakis and that’s it. What you read until these points in these other stories is entertaining but is it enough?
And if you agree with me that that’s where these stories truly begin then you’ll understand my feelings about this book.

Another thing, I have expected to visit different places in this fantasy world, it’s the gateway saga after all. There is a beautiful map at the beginning of the book but it’s a map of places you won’t visit. You are not really shown much beyond the gate itself.
I felt like I have flown around the world. At night. And never left the airplane. The moment I touched down on the runway I immediately turned around and left to the next destination.

I think there is a lot of untapped potential here and that this can work once more installments in the series are out and you can just continue reading. As it stands now, this book only delivers a promise of more exciting things to come. Whether that is enough everyone needs to decide for themselves, but I think it’s fair to point it out to potential readers.

Thank you to Everlast Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Blood and Empire by James Maxwell is a solid read with a rich and immersive world. The worldbuilding is detailed and the plot is engaging, with plenty of political intrigue and action that kept me hooked really the whole time! The characters are well-crafted, though some felt more developed than others. Some of the friendships felt a little rushed. The magic system is unique and adds an interesting layer to the story, however!

One standout character is Queen Zhuana, whose strength and determination are truly inspiring. Bethany's perspective on the travel-based magic system of Divination is fascinating, though her character remains somewhat enigmatic. Julian is a mixed bag; his portrayal swings between being weak and easily manipulated to showing strong ambition.

While the book has many strengths, it does have a few pacing issues and some characters could use more depth. Overall, Blood and Empire was super enjoyable & kept me yearning for more, earning a solid 3.5 stars. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story develops in future installments! Thank you NetGalley & James Maxwell for the ARC!

Blood and Empire
James Maxwell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Looking for an epic fantasy complete with extensive world building and phenomenal plot development? Blood and Empire (The Gateway Saga, Book 1) by James Maxwell checks all the boxes.

The first book in Maxwell’s new series, the gateway saga, shows us a world of political intrigue, an impending darkness looming and follows multiple characters in their unique journey to survive it. This was a breath of fresh air for me with complex world composition and characters with dynamic relationships with consequence. It has the makings of a game of thrones series. While the beginning was a bit slow in plot development- I think the breadth of the world is vast and needed to be established so it’s understandable. This is a 4.5 star read for me and I cannot wait to read the next installment.

Thank you so much to James Maxwell, NetGalley and Everlast Books for the ARC.

Blood and Empire is an excellent start to a new fantasy series. Well paced, great world building and character development. I'm excited to see where this story goes with book 2.

This was my first James Maxwell novel and I picked it up because the description of Blood and Empire sounded like something right up my alley; an epic fantasy with a young student character at the heart of it all.

I've got to admit that the story took some time getting into. By 20%, I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue reading. By 50%, I was curious as to where the story was heading and I found myself thinking about the book when I wasn't reading. By 75%, I was reading on the train platform, on my short commute, even riding the escalators out of the station. I was hooked.

Usually, multiple POVs isn't really my cup of tea, and I was reminded here why I feel that way. Even though I thought that Bethany's story was the one I was going to enjoy the most, I found myself slightly bored during her chapters. Her character is a bit underdeveloped and she is hard to relate to. Her relationship with her friends and her time at school feels a bit shallow, and I feel that the multiple POVs contributed to this.

Also, I found the ending to be a bit... lackluster. I really enjoyed the world and the many characters, but it felt like it was leading up to something bigger and then it simply fizzled out. I do realize that it is setting up the next book really well, but it felt like the payoff wasn't quite there.

Despite these smaller flaws, I did really enjoy the book and I am looking forward to the next installment. I'd give this book a very solid 3.5 stars.

I want to say thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.