The trilogy primarily takes place in the fictional kingdom of Adro, one of the Nine Kingdoms founded by Kresimir, a semi-mythical figure now worshiped as a deity. At the beginning of Promise of Blood, Field MarshalTamas has just committed a coup d'etat against Adro's corrupt and ineffective monarchy. The novel then focuses on the efforts of three men – Tamas, his son Taniel, a soldier, and former police inspectorAdamat - in the aftermath of the coup, dealing with conspiracies by royalist supporters, war with Adro's neighbors, and an emerging scheme to "summon" Kresimir. The technology level of the Nine Kingdoms is roughly on par with that of Europe during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods; flintlock firearms are the prevalent weaponry. However, magic is present and its users are usually divided into three classes:
Knacked are the least powerful, with few or no active magical powers; instead, they have a variety of uncanny abilities; Adamat, for instance, has an eidetic memory, and Tamas's bodyguard, Olem, never needs to sleep;
Powder Mages are wizards with the ability to metabolizegunpowder and use it as fuel for various magical powers, including telekinesis; they can also manipulate gunpowder, such as causing it to explode spontaneously. Tamas and Taniel are both powder mages;
Privileged are powerful sorcerers; being exceedingly rare, they are almost exclusively gathered into "Royal Cabals" in direct service to the Nine Kingdoms' various monarchs; at the outset of Promise of Blood, Tamas has assassinated almost the entirety of Adro's Royal Cabal.
Reception
Promise of Blood
Kirkus Reviews gave the book a starred review stating: "A thoroughly satisfying yarn that should keep readers waiting impatiently for further installments." Publishers Weekly, in reviewing the book, stated "McClellan neatly mixes intrigue and action..." and gave the book a generally positive review. In 2014, Promise of Blood won the Morningstar Award for Best Fantasy Newcomer. The book's cover, by Gene Mollica and Michael Frost, was also nominated for the Ravenheart Award for Best Fantasy Book Jacket/Artist.
The Crimson Campaign
Publishers Weekly referred to the book as a "swirling sequel" and Staffer’s Book Review stated it was "just great fun." Kirkus Reviews gave a more reserved appraisal stating the "book is less relentlessly inventive than the inaugural volume but still impressively distinctive and pungent…". Richard Bray of Fantasy-Faction wrote in his review, "In all, The Crimson Campaign is the rare middle book of a trilogy that actually kicks its pace up a notch. It’s an amazing work, and has the series well-situated for an outstanding finale in The Autumn Republic due out next year.
Books in the series
Promise of Blood
The Crimson Campaign
The Autumn Republic
Eight novellas and short stories set in the world of The Powder Mage Trilogy were released:
