Synopsis
The true horror of the Great Silence has been revealed. As nation after nation succumbs to the mind-plague and Sova scrambles to enlist help from across the globe, Ambassador Renata Rainer has been given a simple task: save the world.
While she travels to the Principality of Casimir to enlist the help of the Empire’s oldest enemy, Lieutenant Peter Kleist returns to the haunted forests of the New East to search for ancient answers – and finally confront the terrible fate that awaits him. In their wake, a task force of engineers, soldiers, and arcane experts will try and unpick the final secrets of the Great Silence – on both sides of the mortal plane.
But time is running out. Count Lamprecht von Oldenburg has returned to the capital, armed with a terrible vision and enough madness to see it through. Those who stand in his way face a simple choice: join the revolution, or die.
As the world tips towards chaos, all paths converge on the Eye of the Sea, where the fabric of reality wears thin – and where the Empire of the Wolf must confront the most terrible enemy it has ever known.
Review
Swan has done it again – Steel Gods is an incredible feat of fantasy writing that felt both mystical, demonic, epic, and also like a commentary of our times, with its leaders damning the world for a paycheck.
Arcane task force is back, and they are still trying to figure out the Great Silence – the heavens are being eaten by the Vorr along with anyone who dies. Ultimately, this book is a medieval zombie apocalypse but written in the incredible way Swan writes, with prose that’ll melt your eyes; it’s so very good.
Renata Rainer, Lyzander, Peter Kleist, Olwin and General Glaser – characters I have come to love – are back. Though, all are suffering from the events of the first book and the Knackerman’s attack. Especially Glaser, who struggles mentally and physically with the fact he has been blinded. A story that brings us closer to the man, makes us really feel the depths of despair this has taken him to. We’re also introduced to new characters: Laine was sent to intercept the Suigyu and bring back Koroda, a Tsukemese sorcerer, because he has a role to play in defending the eye; this brings the shogunate into The Great Silence – we’ve heard of them before but there hasn’t been a focus on them in any of Swan’s Sova novels yet (that I can remember – and I’m pretty sure I’m remembering correctly). And as a huge fan of Japanese history, in particular samurai culture, it was great to see this leaking through into these novels, as the Tsukemese are heavily inspired by the Japanese. They have samurai, great sorcerers – of a magic that is so very original to me. I won’t go into detail as this is a main feature of the plot. But be sure to know there’s the usual strange, magical antics in this book that you’ve probably come to love from Swan’s work.
Von Osterlen is front and centre – the villain this time reminding me of certain leaders that I would not mention. Driven by profit, he would see the entire world burn. I loved the parallel between this and current events – well, love is a strong word, but I always like it when fantasy writing is used to comment on real life. It added depth and authenticity to a story already brimming and confident with it. I like books that do not just make you think about the page, but also make you think about the world we live in. As a commentary on real life, I could definitely see there being people out there who sought to profit of such a disaster, so the fact that Swan brings that very deftly into a fantasy world with demons, magic, and industrial revolution is incredible.
As with all of Swan’s books, I’d wholeheartedly recommend this. Go out and get it!
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