** Sins of Fantasy Novels to Support Authors Surviving in a Capitalist System **
- You’re about the only decent person in this whole damned city. *
Sins of Empire is likely a story you’ve read before. Main characters include a mage (Vlora), an oddly unstoppable brute (Styke), and a hard boiled spy (Michel), all involved in various machinations for power in the capital of Fatrasta, known as Landfall. While Sins is the first in its own trilogy, it’s the 4th novel in the powder mage universe, which helped the world feel fleshed out more than most fantasy books. There were no surprising character arcs, but the pacing was spot on: start with an intriguing mystery, then introduce memorable characters, let these plot arcs merge towards a trajectory that will also solve mystery but set up the inevitable sequel.
** 82nd book of 2021 **