The Autumn Republic by Brian McClellanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Autumn Republic starts shortly after the end of The Crimson Campaign. Field Marshall Tamas has returned to Adro to find Brudanian Forces under the command of Lord Claremonte have taken control of the city.
The war with the Kez continues on, but Adro's forces are divided.
Taniel and Ka-poel are in hiding all the while being hunted by brigades of his treacherous country men.
The Autumn Republic is a great yet at times sad conclusion to the Powder Mage trilogy. All the familiar elements of the series return with magic, mystery, betrayal, shock, family, and of course gods. The finale does not disappoint.
While most books start out slowly, The Autumn Republic beings in a sprint. Battles rage in the first few chapters and all throughout the book as Brian McClellan packed this one full of action. I had the chills more than once through some of the battle scenes.
I really enjoyed seeing the depth of many of the characters in this one particularly Tamas, Taniel, and Nila.
Tamas had the feel all throughout the book that he'd grown tired of all the fighting and betrayal. He shares a ton of sentimental scenes with Taniel, Bo, and Vlora throughout which just seemed right since they are all his kids. Tamas still had his edge, but he's really showing his kindness and caring more than ever before.
Taniel shows plainly that he's grown up even at the beginning of The Autumn Republic. Gone is the pompous powder mage replaced by a young man who cares deeply for those he loves and he even shows respect for others too.
Nila was really a shining star in this one. The newly minted privileged shows resolve far beyond what a young woman with zero training in war or fighting should have. Over and over she steps up in this one to protect herself and others. Prior to this one Nila's chapter seemed somewhat unimportant, but she was an essential part of the team in The Autumn Republic. Her interactions with Bo were also some of my favorite scenes.
The big reveal and conclusion in The Autumn Republic was unreal. Brian McClellan saved some massive twists that I hadn't considered for a moment. I love when I'm pleasantly surprised by any stories twists and McClellan had some great ones. The conclusion left me saddened and stunned, but McClellan captured the moment beautifully.
The only thing I didn't like was a certain plot point that I saw through instantly, but it really didn't effect my overall enjoyment of the book.
The Autumn Republic brilliantly caps the end of the Powder Mage trilogy. I'm looking forward to all of Brian McClellan's future works particularly his next Powder Mage trilogy which is already in the works.
5 out of 5 stars
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