The Age of Kings is dead . . . and I have killed it.
It's a bloody business overthrowing a king... Field Marshal Tamas' coup against his king sent corrupt aristocrats to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving. But it also provoked war with the Nine Nations, internal attacks by royalist fanatics, and the greedy to scramble for money and power by Tamas's supposed allies: the Church, workers unions, and mercenary forces.
Stretched to his limit, Tamas is relying heavily on his few remaining powder mages, including the embittered Taniel, a brilliant marksman who also happens to be his estranged son, and Adamat, a retired police inspector whose loyalty is being tested by blackmail.
But when gods are involved... Now, as attacks batter them from within and without, the credulous are whispering about omens of death and destruction. Just old peasant legends about the gods waking to walk the earth. No modern educated man believes that sort of thing. But they should...
In a rich, distinctive world that mixes magic with technology, who could stand against mages that control gunpowder and bullets? PROMISE OF BLOOD is the start of a new epic fantasy series from Brian McClellan.
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Powder Mage
1 books in catalog
Flintlock fantasy combines epic fantasy world-building with gunpowder-era military warfare and political upheaval. Brian McClellan established himself in this subgenre with the release of his debut novel, Promise of Blood, which launched the Powder Mage Universe. His work introduced readers to a setting where magic systems interact directly with early modern weaponry and tactical battlefields.
Born on January 25, 1986, in Cleveland, Ohio, McClellan began writing at fifteen while engaging with online role-playing communities focused on fantasy fiction. He attended Brigham Young University, where he studied creative writing. McClellan made his professional publishing debut in 2013 with Promise of Blood, the first entry in the Powder Mage Trilogy. He completed that series with The Crimson Campaign and The Autumn Republic before expanding the setting in the Gods of Blood and Powder trilogy, which includes Sins of Empire, Wrath of Empire, and Blood of Empire.
In addition to his primary epic fantasy series, McClellan created the Valkyrie Collections, releasing urban fantasy works such as Uncanny Collateral and Blood Tally. He has also published essays sharing practical observations on the business and craft of writing. McClellan lives in Utah with his wife, Michele, where he continues writing fantasy fiction.
McClellan's fantasy features magic systems rooted in industrial and martial technologies, most notably powder mages who ingest gunpowder to gain heightened sensory abilities, physical strength, and firearm accuracy. His stories frequently center on military logistics, coup d'état politics, soldier camaraderie, and the societal conflict between traditional magic and emerging technology.
His narrative approach blends fast-paced action sequences with meticulous world-building, emphasizing political pragmatism and the human costs of war. Beyond his novel-length fiction, McClellan routinely writes about the mechanics of the publishing industry, offering transparent discussions regarding both traditional publishing paths and independent releases.
