Promise of Blood (Powder Mage series Book 1)

In this first book of the Powder Mage Trilogy, Field Marshal Tamas has successfully orchestrated a coup against the king, executing corrupt aristocrats and providing relief to the starving. However, the revolution has created new problems: war with the Nine Nations, attacks from royalist fanatics, and internal power struggles among the Church, workers unions, and mercenary forces who seek to exploit the upheaval. Stretched thin, Tamas depends on his remaining powder mages, including Taniel, a skilled marksman and his estranged son, and Adamat, a retired police inspector whose loyalty is being tested through blackmail. As threats mount from multiple directions, rumors spread among the population about omens of death and destruction—whispers of ancient gods awakening to walk the earth. While educated people dismiss such peasant legends, events suggest these old stories may warrant serious consideration. Winner of the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Debut Fantasy.