The Justice of Kings
by Richard Swan
Empire of the Wolf, Book 1
The Empire of the Wolf simmers with unrest.
Rebels, heretics, and powerful patricians all challenge the power of the Imperial throne.
Only the Order of Justices stands in the way of chaos. Sir Konrad Vonvalt is the most feared Justice of all, upholding the law by way of his sharp mind, arcane powers, and skill as a swordsman. At his side stands Helena Sedanka, his talented protégé, orphaned by the wars that forged the Empire.
When the pair investigates the murder of a provincial aristocrat, they unearth a conspiracy that stretches to the very top of Imperial society. As the stakes rise and become ever more personal, Vonvalt and Helena must make a choice: Will they abandon the laws they’ve sworn to uphold, in order to protect the Empire?.
Easy and compelling
Story
A high-profile murder is investigated by an Emperor's Justice - judge, jury and executioner - and his clerk. As they unravel the case they discover threads to political intrigue and revolt. An intriguing mix of medieval, detectives and politics.
The pacing is very slow to start, but once it starts ramping up it doesn't stop. Some parts of the plot were very simple, but others were well-fleshed out and tied together well.
Strong themes around law and justice, which is really cool to see in fantasy.
Characters
I didn't feel a great deal of attachment to any of the characters as their depth wasn't shown. However, they were strong enough to carry a great story.
The characters did develop well, with events in the story changing them in plausible and noticeable ways.
There seemed to be reliance on character traits being explained by the narrator, rather than the characters' actions or dialogue bringing them out.
Worldbuilding
I liked the Tuetonic/Slavic angle of the world, but there wasn't much in the way of cool monsters or unique environments (not a bad thing, just a preference).
The focus of the story was the case, and so the world wasn't a major 'character'.
The laws and customs of the Sovan Empire came through really well, although sometimes they were told rather than shown.
Prose
Honest and effective - there were a lot of times when my critical eye would turn over a sentence, thinking it too simple or inelegant, only to be forgotten as I was pulled along into the story.
And also
While often told and not shown, there were some great insights into human nature, emotions and the effects of culture and law.
