Seeds of War is the aptly-named epic fantasy stunner of a debut by an author whose very best is yet to come.
Lately, I've gravitated more towards self-published fantasy books, with works like Illborn and The Way of Edan proving that you don't necessarily need the promotional backing of top labels like Tor and co. to show the world that you're a writer of great stories. With Seeds of War, I took a risk and was well-rewarded.
I deliberately avoid reading blurbs, as I see them as a major form of spoilers. So, I dived into this one with only the promise of a catchy title and a beautiful cover. And boy, did it deliver!
Seeds of War is an epic tale whose vast proportions only become known towards the very end of the book. It tells the story of a war veteran, a legendary mercenary warlord and a con man-turned-god as they struggle to find lasting peace and respite from their respective histories of trauma and violence. In their joint bids to gain control of a valuable resource that has the power to restore their troubled minds and souls, as well as bring the wealth needed to rebuild their lives, their story arcs converge.
Subsequently, a conflagration of ambitions, hopes, dreams and fears elevates the conflict from a mere scramble for resources to the official drawing of battle lines by two powerful deities.
Seeds of War is a prelude to bigger things to come, which is one reason why the book is so aptly named. The author writes the story at a calm, measured pace, confident in his ability to increasingly excite his readers with every new chapter. As a result, the character development is as good as it gets in this genre. Gimlore, Orberesis and Rednow gradually grow on you, and only much later does the author allow any personal sentiment to reveal who is the protagonist and who is the bad guy. Even then, I cannot precisely say that the bad guy (as portrayed in the book) is a genuine bad guy. The character appears a bit grey to me at the moment. Perhaps book two will make things clearer.
I felt that the author maybe rushed to certain conclusions at the end, so how the scale of the conflict transitioned from minor to major did not have as much of an effect on me as it should have. Perhaps this is what the prequel novella Ruins of Smoke remedies, but I currently don't know.
Despite the satisfying ending, I also have plenty of questions, as Seeds of War left more questions unanswered than answered. But then, I guess this is what a good book should do, though- keep you guessing.
I appreciate it when an author takes the time to develop a magic system and weave it deftly into the characters and lore. We see a bit of the latter toward the end, and I very much look forward to learning more about the Smokesmiths. That being said, the idea of an order of magicians with the power to access various enhanced physical abilities by inhaling the smoke of special herbs is absolutely fantastic. Although it's reminiscent of the Powder Mages of Brian McClellan's stories, I think it's really brilliant.
The world is also very well done, and the inclusion of various mythical creatures into the mix gives the story a very otherworldly feel, something that characterises the very best books in epic fantasy.
Seeds of War is a must-read for any reader of epic fantasy who loves character-based stories with superb worlds and clearly defined magic systems.
