The Crimson Campaign: The Powder Mage Trilogy, Book 2

I really enjoyed the second installment of the Powder Mage trilogy. The author created a world that has sucked me in over two books and continued to grow and surprise me.Probably my favorite part is the strength of the magic system. With two major types of magic users and seemingly clear rules about how they work and what their capabilities are the characters can really grow and shine. The book does a good job of not solving most problems entirely with magical intervention. You can really see Sanderson's influence on his former student here.The characters are numerous and enjoyable. Trying to avoid spoilers, but I really enjoyed several of the relationships as they grew and developed in this book. One especially is a relationship with unique elements of communication right on the edge of romance and friendship and I continually wanted to know more. Some of the secondary characters I felt were less developed or fell off in this second book. This isn't necessarily a problem but it did stick out to me.Overall, the world is well developed, the magic system is a ton of fun and the second book in this trilogy more than continues to work of the first. If you liked the first, absolutely continue with this. If you haven't, I'd start there!

Another thrilling and captivating installment to the Powder Mage Trilogy. The second book had just the right mix of action and political intrigue that I enjoy, not one aspect overtook the other. The story in The Crimson Campaign picks up some weeks later after the end of book one and we find all of our main characters dealing with the fallout in very different ways. Taniel's arc is still my favorite of the three POVs. His character arc was very well developed and I enjoy seeing him grow as a man throughout this story. Tamas' arc was much better in my opinion in this book compared to book one. You definitely got more details into his past that made you understand his actions just a little more which was much appreciated. Adamat's arc on the other hand was about the same to me. He is without a doubt my least favorite of the three POVs but that in no way is me saying I hate his character because I don't. I do think he has a very emotional arc in book two but it doesn't build from book one. The world expanded and I am living for it. This world is so enormous and I love learning about everything. The detail that goes into each nation is top notch and even though this book focuses more about the Adran and Kez conflict, I love that we as the readers get to see how it is affecting the other nations, it's a real treat. The magic system is still very unique and it evolved a little bit in this book but I can't really say how without spoiling this book. However just know that this magic system is organic and rich and it's not overly complex. This series has been such a joy to read and I am sad and excited to see how it all wraps up in book 3.

Sequels are hard to do especially for a first book that felt so unique and interesting but Crimson Campaign was just as engaging - if not a tiny bit more - than the first one. For the most part, we didn't get a new character as a perspective though the world certainly grew with what happens to each character. Folks were still mostly separate though there are a few more strands overlapping.I love the amount of smart subversion in this book. There's a scene close to the end of the book where we are dealing with a villian that I think may be one of my favorites scenes.

Book two is amazing, jaw-dropping, surprising and heart wrenching. The characters are vibrant, expressive, written with such detail one feels their grief, triumph and worry. The Adro powder mages and soldiers are kick-a** with their ability to fight using telepathic skills for firing weapons and controlling ammunition mid-air.The story continues on with dual wars happening across the land with the Kez. The Kez continue their campaign to take down the Adro army. Both father and son, Tamas and Taniel are as brave, forthright and determined as ever to win the fight. Both take quite a few beatings and just when one thinks they're down for good, they continue on. Poor Inspector Adamat continues to hunt Lord Vetas. The gentleman Inspector can't catch a break. His journey continues in one part of the nine as Tamas and Taniel each fight their own war in separate locations.Field Marshal Tamas, Captain Taniel Two-Shot, Royal Cabal Bo, and Sorceress Kar-Poel are memorable characters. As brave and bold as they are, McClellan keeps them "real" and they aren't perfect. They regret, grieve and struggle.

If anything, this sequel was better than the outstanding first book. The events which began with the coup overthrowing the monarchy in Adopest and led to the war with Kez, which began in Promise of Blood, have escalated. Now there is also betrayals, treachery, and schemes for power creating a complex and fascinating web of subplots and each of the focus characters have their own stories. Adamat is working to rescue his family, Tamas and a contingent of his army are fighting their way back to Adro after becoming trapped behind enemy lines. Taniel's story alone will keep you reading. He struggles with his love/hate feelings for his father, and his feelings for his charge, Ka-poel, He tries to make sense of the strange things he feels has changed him in some way after he tried to kill the god Kesimer. To make matters worse, he has to fight to survive the attacks on him by his father's trusted chiefs of staff and his own comrades in arms while he also tries to find a way to ultimately kill the god, Kesimer.

Another enjoyable entry in the series. We start off shortly after the events of the first book. Taniel is recovering from his injuries. Tamas is dealing with an impending Kev invasion. Adamat is still trying to get all of his family back and Nila is captive of Lord Vetas. Like the previous book the pace is crazy and soon we have both Taniel and Tamas in different military engagements, betrayals and reversals all over the place. Adamat's and Nila's POV's are all based in Adro and we see what's going on there through their eyes.I really enjoyed Taniel's and Tamas' storylines. There is a lot of action but there was also some good character development. Tamas' especially was good as I struggled to connect with him in the first book but his motivations became a lot clearer in here, he seemed more human. Taniel's was similar, dealing with aftermath of the events of the first book and the relationship between him and Ka-poel. She is still one of the best characters and I would love some POV from her. Adamat's I did not enjoy nearly so much. Honestly for a 'family man' he spends zero time with them. Most of his storyline, except for when Bo entered the picture, did not hold my interest. It did not feel that integral to the plot, except tangentially. Nila's was similar but I did like hers, mainly because I like the character. Still fell she doesn't really get enough page time, hopefully that'll get better in the final book.So overall a good book. Full of action and the worldbuilding gets more intricate. We see some other countries so the scale has expanded. Still have a thing in my head that I'm missing some prequel style books that deal with Tamas' story when he was younger. Quite like that. I still have some reservations about the whole powder mage concept but that's really just me and doesn't seem to bother most people. Looking forward to the finale.

Starting with a particularly gruesome "interrogation", this is not an easy read. Despite being a fantasy novel, and having exceptionally good world building within it, there are a number of parallels with the current war in Ukraine which make it quite uncomfortable in places.This trilogy was gifted to me by my son who assured me that I would enjoy them. I'd already wishlisted the first, and had I read them last year would have wholeheartedly enjoyed the writing. But I feel compelled to drop a star on the grounds that "these things never happen to us" in fantasy novels is not an appropriate response at this time.Of all the characters, I am most intrigued by Ka-Poel, and hope I can understand her background within the scope of the next, final part of this trilogy.

Every now and then a book comes along where it just comes together for a particular reader. This does not mean that everyone is going to feel the same about the book, just that in one case the book is just going to vibrate in every possible way with one reader, in this case me. (Although I know there are plenty others who feel the same way.)In this instance, I am referring to Brian McClellan Powder Mage trilogy and in particular the second book in the series The Crimson Campaign. For me this is a book where everything comes together in a near perfect mix, making it all the more enjoyable. It had an incredible story, great characters, some stunning set pieces. You can get frustrated with some characters, love others, dislike yet more. There is enough of a familiarity to make a lover of fantasy feel at home, but there is enough originality to give the books that fresh feeling. To top it all off McClellan has a prose that just seems to be easy on the mind, very readable, making you want to continue without feeling that you are being bogged down by any unnecessary excess.Of course, having said all that it might not be the same for everyone, it just resonates with me in just about every way it is possible for a book to.The story itself follows straight on from the previous novel, which ended on a seismic note when Taniel Two-Shot put a bullet through the eye of returning god Kresimir…This novel deals with the aftermath of this, how Taniel begins to recover from the feedback of what he has done, how his father Tamas tries to hold back the encroaching Kez invasion, Adamat the former inspector searches for his family in the city of Adopest and all the contingent subplots that cross over in places with one another, oh and dealing with the fact that Kresimir is slightly miffed that someone dared put a bullet through his eye.Of course, there is a lot more going on than just that…There is a lot to commend the novel, but one of the things that stands out is the magic system that McClellan has put in place, it is something that is easily identified as magic but different as well. The book itself is not quite as straightforward medieval fare as a lot of fantasy is, instead it has more in common with the American War of Independence. The soldiers are armed with swords and flintlock style guns, and this is where one of the most important parts of the magic system is put in place.Both Taniel and Tamas are Powder Mages. They have the ability to draw power from gunpowder, by consuming it they are able to effect weapons, improve their senses, become stronger. Taniel himself might have been changed due to his confrontation with a god. There are also Privileged, these are those closest to the traditional magic users, incredibly powerful, but constrained by the fact that they need to wear specially embroidered gloves in order to use their magic safely. Remove their hands, you render them useless.Finally there are the knacked. In many ways these are the most interesting, appearing as little more than everyday people, they might have one particular talent that could be considered an exceptional natural skill – in the case of Adamat he can remember everything.Not only are these things entertaining there are a few hints that the rules that the characters have known for a long time are changing, and perhaps that the so-called Gods might be little more than Privileged whose powers have grown immeasurably.Obviously the magic system is only part of the setup of the novel. In this case we have military campaigns, epic battles, twists and turns, double crossing, hidden traitors, secret agendas… all the things you need to keep you reading.I can’t wait to pick up the third…

It had been almost a year since I last read about Tamas, Taniel and Adamat in the land of Adro.I didn't need any reminding or much time to catch-up, I was back in and enthralled from the first chapter.This starts with the Kez about to mount their attack; Taniel in a bad way back in Adopest (after his previous confrontation with a god); Tamas leading his men on the line and Adamat desperately seeking out his kidnapped family.The main thing here is the pacing: the book runs along like a racehorse. From the front-lines in the war with the Kez, to Tamas -- having a one point been cut off from the main line with a small force of elite troops -- finding his way back into Adro with heavy troops on his tail, and even for Adamat -- there's skirmishes, battles and fights here a-plenty.It often seems like Adro is surrounded by a myriad of threats, and while the main threat presented here are the Kez -- things appear far more complicated for book 3.All the main characters have it tough here -- particularly Taniel (a favourite of mine), alongside his hilariously-devious super-sorcerer sidekick Ka-poel -- and in the few quieter moments are allowed to develop a little.One little part of Adamat's story is resolved here at least (Lord Vetas); while the product of the end of book 1 (Kresimir) isn't touched on at all until the very end, clearly a hold-over for the next book.A thriller of a read - 4 stars -- if possibly a little too fast-paced for its own good.Will be back for Autumn Republic.

I had previously become such a Brandon Sanderson fan of his short and epic novels, I had found it hard to find ANYONE else who could provide the same excitement and thrill. I'm glad that I found Brian McClellan and his books.The best way I can describe his writing style is gritter than Brandon Sanderson, similar politics, war and investigation stories working in tandem but never unnecessarily overreaching when describing a situation like Terry Goodkind.