On The Last Mortal Bond:
“The culmination of Staveley’s trilogy succeeds in every possible way, delivering readers a truly epic tale full of memorable characters, clever politics, an intelligent magic system, brutal battle scenes, and witty dialogue.”—Fantasy Faction, 10/10 Stars
“Deeply satisfying.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“Darker and fiercer than the other two books […] the way Staveley crafts the ending, bringing everything together, is just masterful.” —Speculative Herald
“The Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne is a trilogy that’s gone from strength to strength as it’s gone on—that’s gotten not just bigger but measurably better with every increasingly vital volume—and it’s my pleasure to tell you that The Last Mortal Bond is, without question, Staveley’s most impressive and immersive effort yet […] What I didn’t expect was that it would take my breath away. But it did.”—Tor.com
“Staveley shows how to end a fantasy epic with The Last Mortal Bond.”—io9
“One of the most brutal, gut-wrenching, raw, emotional, masterfully told, brilliantly plotted, beautifully written series I have ever had the pleasure of reading.”—The Book Eaters
“A phenomenon like the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne comes along once in a lifetime.”—The Qwillery
“Epic does not even begin to describe this dramatic third and final installment in the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne.”—Bibliosanctum
“The perfect ending to a fantastic trilogy.”—Beauty in Ruins
On The Providence of Fire:
“Brutal, intriguing and continuing to head toward exciting events and places unknown.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“A stunning follow-up... Most definitely recommended.” —Beauty in Ruins
“It’s one of those books that is an experience rather than a story. Brian Staveley is not only an invaluable new voice to the epic fantasy genre, and the literary world at large, but he’s on his way to being one of the greats.” —The Book Geek
On The Emperor's Blades:
“A complex and richly detailed world filled with elite soldier-assassins, mystic warrior monks, serpentine politics, and ancient secrets. Readers of Sara Douglass's Wayfarer novels and George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series should enjoy this opener.” —Library Journal, starred review
“Will hold your attention until the last page. This intense novel is impossible to put down.” —RT Book Reviews
“Staveley puts his protagonists to the test and is wise enough to allow them shortcomings even as they develop extraordinary abilities.” —Publishers Weekly
“Filled to the brim with history, lore and potential…a modern epic fantasy mixed in with a nice dose of Lovecraftian weirdness.” —io9
“Familiar ingredients come to life in the hands of a promising new master chef.” —Locus
“Staveley creates a richly layered world that melds together elements of ancient magic, religion, political intrigue and battles large and small. The suspense is relentless and the moral compromises the protagonists confront, often accompanied by violence, are wrenching.” —Shelf Awareness
“An enchanting union of old and new, Staveley's debut will keep you turning pages late into the night.” —Pierce Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Red Rising
“A spectacular adventure, by turns elegant and brutal, and one I couldn't put down. The Emperor’s Bladesis expertly crafted and wickedly sharp.” — V.E. Schwab, New York Times bestselling author of A Gathering of Shadows
“The Emperor’s Blades is a complex and fast-moving fantasy set in a world where treachery and intrigue are everywhere, accomplished through ferocious brutality and subtle intrigues, and everything in between, and where no one is what he or she seems, including the three children of the slain emperor of Annur, who seek who is behind the assassination – if they can even survive a world where powers of all sorts, some dating back millennia, if not longer, seek their own ends, and where everyone’s motives are anything but obvious.”—L. E. Modesitt, Jr., New York Times bestselling author of the Imager Portfolio
“Brian Staveley introduces himself to the field of epic fantasy as a storyteller to watch with an exciting first salvo involving Machiavellian politics on multiple levels, an intriguing world of magic,and three protagonists whose personal journeys after the murder of their father - the emperor - may not only save or destroy everything they hold dear but will also keep the reader impatiently waiting for the next book!”—Richard A. Knaak, New York Times Bestselling author for The Legend of Huma
“Come for the intrigue, assassination, death priests, black-ops bird riders, and giant poisonous hive-lizards. Stay for Staveley's characters, his language, and his way-cool fantasy Zen.” —Max Gladstone, author of the Craft Sequence
“Intricate characters, complex relationships, and plots within plots... these are the hallmarks of great fantasy and Staveley succeeds across the board. A brilliant debut!” —Jason Hough, New York Times bestselling author of The Darwin Elevator
“Takes a story of family, loss, conspiracy and revenge and gives it new legs. It's epic fantasy with a sharp, jagged edge to it, a modern sensibility, prose as tight as the leather wrapped around a sword's hilt, and characters that you can relate to and give a damn about. I look forward to the next installment of Staveley's chronicle.” —R. S. Belcher, author of The Six-Gun Tarot
“Staveley brings together a richly imagined world and vibrant characters, and serves them up with monks and monsters, tension and treachery--an exhilarating adventure.” —Elspeth Cooper, author of Songs of the Earth
“A vividly imagined story of conspiracy and empire.” —Col Buchanan, author of Farlander
“Here, Staveley has delivered on what this reader seeks; an embracing of what is enjoyable about the genre in a fun, very engaging debut and launch book for Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne.”—SFFWorld.com
“This is epic fantasy for a new generation, gritty and grim at times, but never losing sight of the awe and the wonder.”—Beauty in Ruins
★ 2016-01-10
Humanity teeters toward doom in the concluding Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne (The Providence of Fire, 2015, etc.). The invading Urghul army nears the heart of the crumbling Annurian empire, led by Long Fist, the human host of Meshkent, the god of pain. The Annurian general, Ran il Tornja, appears to be defending the empire, but his main goal is to kill both Long Fist and the courtesan Triste, the human host of Ciena, goddess of pleasure. Doing so will exterminate most of humanity while potentially converting the remainder to il Tornja's own kind, the long-lived, emotionless Csestriim. Kaden, the abdicated emperor, abandons his ineffectual attempts at politics and devotes himself to protecting Meshkent and Ciena's hosts. His sister, Adare, the self-declared new emperor, rallies Annur's defenses and tries to defuse the plots of il Tornja, her baby's father. Her brother Valyn, betrayed by Adare and blinded by il Tornja, searches both for a purpose and the death of Balendin, Long Fist's deputy, a leach whose magical power feeds on pain and terror. Many classic epic fantasies have concluded with the defeat of the Big Bad, followed by the wiping away of pain and terror and the start of a glorious, happy future for the hero. This novel lays out a much more plausible truth: it's difficult forging a future on a nation ruined by war and civil unrest; the past's consequences persist. No one is wholly good or wholly bad, and sometimes, even when protagonists have reached the very limits of their strength to earn their happy endings, there is no happy ending available, no matter how deserving they are of such a thing. A deeply satisfying but bleak, dark work; its only illumination are flashes of high tragedy and perhaps the glimmers of a realistic but not far-ranging hope.
