Steel Gods - (The Great Silence) by Richard Swan (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Steel Gods is the second novel in the Great Silence trilogy, which began with Grave Empire, from Sunday Times bestselling author Richard Swan - a dark flintlock fantasy filled with epic adventure, arcane mysteries and creeping dread.

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION BECKONS.
SPIRITUAL CATASTROPHE LOOMS.
AND THE EMPIRE OF THE WOLF TEETERS ON THE BRINK

The true horror of the Great Silence has been revealed. As nation after nation succumbs to the mind-plague and Sova scrambles to enlist help from across the globe, Ambassador Renata Rainer has been given a simple task: save the world.

While she travels to the Principality of Casimir to enlist the help of the Empire's oldest enemy, Lieutenant Peter Kleist returns to the haunted forests of the New East to search for ancient answers--and finally confront the terrible fate that awaits him. In their wake, a task force of engineers, soldiers, and arcane experts will try and unpick the final secrets of the Great Silence--on both sides of the mortal plane.

But time is running out. Count Lamprecht von Oldenburg has returned to the capital, armed with a terrible vision and enough madness to see it through. Those who stand in his way face a simple choice: join the revolution, or die.

As the world tips towards chaos, all paths converge on the Eye of the Sea, where the fabric of reality wears thin - and where the Empire of the Wolf must confront the most terrible enemy it has ever known.

Review Quotes

"Endlessly fascinating ... All of the elements are here for this to be a series that will draw in epic fantasy fans."

--Booklist on Grave Empire

"The Justice of Kings is utterly compelling, thoroughly engrossing, and written with such skillful assurance I could barely put it down. The characters feel so real I swear I suffered every horror and hangover alongside them, and their world--though we see just the smallest portion of it here--feels vastly complex, poised on the brink of a disaster I can't wait to watch unfold."--Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld, on The Justice of Kings

"The Justice of Kings is equal parts heroic fantasy and murder mystery. Sir Konrad Vonvalt's fierce intellect and arcane powers will make you long to follow in his footsteps, but it's his young clerk, Helena, who brings heart and dazzle to the story. Together they're a formidable team, and Richard Swan's sophisticated take on the fantasy genre will leave readers hungry for more."--Sebastien de Castell, author of Spellslinger, on The Justice of Kings

"[A] dazzling and immersive epic fantasy ... The worldbuilding is lush, enhanced by Swan's rich descriptive prose, and the characters are complex. Readers won't need to be familiar with the earlier series to be drawn in--and this promising start will leave them eager for more."
--Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Grave Empire

"A fantastic debut."--Peter McLean, author of Priest of Bones, on The Justice of Kings

"A fascinating look at justice, vengeance and the law -- great characters, compelling and wonderfully written. A brilliant debut and fantastic start to the series."--James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost, on The Justice of Kings

"A marvelously detailed world with an engrossing adventure from a unique perspective."--K. S. Villoso, author of The Wolf of Oren-Yaro, on The Justice of Kings

"A stunning piece of modern fantasy writing."--RJ Barker, author of The Bone Ships, on The Justice of Kings

"Absolutely crammed with imagination, horror, epic scale, and characters I simply could not put down. I'm calling it now: Grave Empire is going to be one of the best dark fantasies 2025 has to offer."--Grimdark Magazine on Grave Empire

"Murder mystery meets grimdark political fantasy in this first of a trilogy ... An intriguingly dark deconstruction of a beloved mystery trope."--Kirkus (starred review) on The Justice of Kings

"Reminiscent of Andrzej Sapkowski ... [a] complex and dark historical fantasy series inspired by medieval state-military-church political conflicts."--Kirkus (Starred Review) on The Tyranny of Faith

"Swan crafts a strong, dynamic character in Vonvalt . . . This promises good things from the series to come."--Publishers Weekly on The Justice of Kings

"The world of the Empire of the Wolf is a rich and interesting one ... Readers will enjoy the world building, Sir Konrad and his crew, and the unique touches to a familiar fantasy tale."--Booklist on The Justice of Kings

About the Author

Richard Swan is a critically acclaimed British genre writer. His debut fantasy novel, The Justice of Kings, was an instant Sunday Times bestseller and has been translated into seven languages. His other work includes the Art of War and Great Silence trilogies, as well as short fiction for Black Library and Grimdark Magazine.

Richard is a qualified lawyer, and before writing full time spent ten years litigating multimillion pound commercial disputes in London. He currently lives in Sydney with his wife and three young sons.