Echoes of the Imperium (Tales of the Iron Rose #1)
Nicholas Atwater
Nicholas and Olivia Atwater combine ghosts, goblins, and dreadful faeries in a “swashbuckling steampunk adventure that delivers” (Caitlin Rozakis). Pick up Echoes of the Imperium and dive into a daring, madcap adventure that dashes from start to finish.A fallen empire. A goblin airship captain. One big, blasphemous problem.Captain William Blair has taken shady jobs before—what goblin hasn’t? But this shady job has pirates off the port bow and legendary aethermancers knocking at his cabin door. Unfortunately, Wil has sworn an Oath to escort his newest dubious passenger wherever she wants to go… and a goblin must be worth his word.The ragtag crew of the Iron Rose once survived the fall of an empire—but none of them are interested in revisiting the experience. As the dregs of the Imperium rise again to claw at their heels, Wil and his crew must face the literal ghosts of their past… or else history may well repeat itself.Praise for Echoes of the Imperium"Swashbuckling steampunk adventure with a healthy dose of self-awareness, Echoes of the Imperium keeps sight of the social and ecological impacts of a steam-driven empire while delivering what we're here for--airship dogfighting, aether-driven explosions, goggles that do something, and tragically shattered tea sets. And found family. And goblins." —Caitlin Rozakis, NYT-bestselling author of Dreadful "Whether you're here for madcap airship battles and swashbuckling steampunk knights, or the hard and beautiful truths about redemption and second chances, this is a rollicking adventure that satisfies on every level!" —Davinia Evans, author of Notorious Sorcerer"A subversive, heartfelt and heart-soaring adventure of found family, redemption in the wake of war, broken tea sets and one singularly wonderful goblin captain. This is unmissable swashbuckling fantasy." —Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne "My favourite kind of adventure--smart, swashbuckling, wildly inventive, with lovable characters at its heart and questions of redemption, family, faith, and how to live in a world haunted by past atrocities at its soul. An absolute blast from start to finish." —H.G. Parry, author of The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door "The Atwaters deliver a punchy, riotous ride through tumultuous skies, with a cast of gold-hearted rogues. Fans of Firefly and Leverage will want to join this motley crew!" —Charlotte E. English, author of Wyrde and Wayward and Modern Magick "Echoes of the Imperium resounds with wit, adventure, and heart, in a story that weaves irresistible roguish charm with powerful themes of regret and redemption. This is a world and a crew you'll never want to leave." —Jacquelyn Benson, author of Empire of Shadows
Publication Year: 2024
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I knew after reading the prequel novella [b:A Matter of Execution|59426869|A Matter of Execution (Tales of the Iron Rose, #0)|Nicholas Atwater|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1634847654l/59426869._SY75_.jpg|93604330] that this was a series that had my preferences written all over it and it's nice to be absolutely correct. I had never seen a swashbuckling steampunk that so effectively combined airships and a bit of magic with traditional fae elements. Echoes of the Imperium takes the delightful goblin captain, William Blair, who is introduced in the novella and sets him and his ragtag crew into the path of some very dangerous people who are doing their best to bring back the oppressive empire that Blair and his crew are sworn against.
First off, I'll say that this is the kind of high action swashbuckling adventure that I grew up absolutely loving and I think folks who love a lot of action with loveable characters will get along best with it. The authors certainly don't give the crew a lot of downtime to breathe as they get dragged from one scrape into the next, which made it very difficult to put this book down once I started it.
It also strongly wears its influences on its sleeve and I loved that about it. Echoes gave me the anti-imperial notes I love about the Stars Wars' New Republic era where the oppressive empire has been defeated but certainly hasn't disappeared as various factions fight for control of areas, leaving room for smugglers, pirates and those just trying to get by. Several of the crew (including Blair) are in fact former Imperials trying to make up for their past and seeing them really struggle with that guilt and the strong thematic tones about grief and governance was so deeply compelling to me. You also get a bit of a Firefly vibe, particularly with the humor and Wil being a flawed but heroic captain who is frequently underestimated outside of his crew but never within it.
And the fae element was so well done! It's very much the older style of capricious, heartless fae that don't care about individual mortal lives but only about their own conflicts and interests. And the magic is deeply connected to them and the weapons that they have granted to various mortals. I haven't seen other steampunk weave in this type of worldbuilding and it was so fascinating to see it unveiled.
This may lean a little tropey for some folks but it's so strong on the characters, themes and the social commentary that I found myself alternating between nodding along and laughing out loud at the loving bickering between crew members. The authors mention in the afterword that they wanted to turn some fantasy stereotypes on their heads and they did a spectacular job of it. If you want a high action adventure with loveable characters reckoning with their actions and some great social commentary, I really cannot recommend this highly enough. It's absolutely a new favorite for me!
Thanks to the authors and NetGalley for early access to the book in return for an honest review!
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