Engines of Empire

"Perfect for fans of Brent Weeks, George R. R. Martin, or David Gemmell . . . . The best traditional epic fantasy I have read in years." — Grimdark Magazine

“Epic fantasy fans listen up: This is the good stuff. Highly recommended.” — Kirkus (starred review)

FORGED IN FIRE, BOUND BY BLOOD.

From an unmissable voice in epic fantasy comes a sweeping tale of clashing guilds, magic-fueled machines, and revolution.
 
The nation of Torwyn is run on the power of industry, and industry is run by the Guilds. Chief among them are the Hawkspurs, whose responsibility it is to keep the gears of the empire turning. That’s exactly why matriarch Rosomon Hawkspur sends each of her heirs to the far reaches of the nation. 

Conall, the eldest son, is sent to the distant frontier to earn his stripes in the military. It is here that he faces a threat he could have never seen coming: the first rumblings of revolution.

Tyreta is a sorceress with the ability to channel the power of pyrestone, the magical resource that fuels the empire’s machines. She is sent to the mines to learn more about how pyrsetone is harvested – but instead, she finds the dark horrors of industry that the empire would prefer to keep hidden.

The youngest, Fulren, is a talented artificer and finds himself acting as a guide to a mysterious foreign emissary. Soon after, he is framed for a crime he never committed. A crime that could start a war. 

As the Hawkspurs grapple with the many threats that face the nation within and without, they must finally prove themselves worthy–or their empire will fall apart. 

 “An epic setting, and an incredible cast of characters.” – James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost

• “Epic fantasy fans listen up: This is the good stuff. Highly recommended.”
  Kirkus (starred review)
• “An excellent start to a new series: fast-paced and engaging, with a properly epic setting and a cast of characters I look forward to seeing more of.”
  James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost
• “Ford succeeds in building a complex fantasy world, complete with warring factions, fearsome creatures, and bloody struggles for power . . . Fans of R.A. Salvatore’s DemonWars Saga will be especially hooked.”
  Publishers Weekly
• “A heady blend of action, arcana, and intrigue.”
  Gareth Hanrahan, author of The Gutter Prayer
• "The latest from Ford is the first in a new series that will give fantasy readers exactly what they want: conspiracy, magic, a delectable cast of characters, and an ending that will leave them begging to know what happens next."
  Booklist
• "Perfect for fans of Brent Weeks, George R. R. Martin, or David Gemmell . . . . The best traditional epic fantasy I have read in years."
  Grimdark Magazine