Brian Staveley Books In Order

Publication Order of Chronicle Of The Unhewn Throne Books

Publication Order of Ashes Of The Unhewn Throne Books

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Anthologies

Brian Stavely is the man behind the Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne. A fantasy trilogy from Tor Books. Before starting his career as an author, Brian has taught religion, history, philosophy and literature. Subjects that influence his writing style. He is also a Masters in Arts holder in creative writing from the Boston University.

Currently, he lives in Vermont with his wife and young son, working as an editor for the Antilever Press while at the same time publishing poems and essays, both online and print.Apart from writing, Vermont enjoys splitting wood, running trails and baby wrangling.

The Chronicles Unhewn Throne trilogy.

Brian’s writing is greatly influenced by the subjects he has taught. This is evident from his novel Emperor’s blade from his Chronicles Unhewn Throne trilogy that displays history, psychology and literature mastery.

Like other epic fantasies, The Emperor’s Blade begins with the death of a ruler. It then continues to paint the follow through of a fall out as it consumes his children and empire.The trilogy is set on a wonderfully immersive fantasy world known as the Annurian Empire.

In this case, Brian begins with three children. Two male hires( Kaden and Valyn) and a daughter who is suited to rule in every aspect but her gender, Adare. The King decides to send his sons away from the court to learn how to lead from other masters. This is not the only reason the king sees it fit to send his heirs to a foreign land. He wants to protect them from the courts conspiracies too.

Kaden, the first in line for the throne is a monk. Not those sexy D and D monks with fists of stone and kicking power of a horse, but a contemplative monk-ascetic, with a mission, to understand the world from a different perspective. On the other hand, Valyn leads a very different life among the empire’s special forces known as the Kettral.

Most of Brian’s narrative is based on the brothers conflict. With Kaden struggling to discover the state of mind that his father send him to learn while Valyn strives to get accepted in the elite brotherhood. Even though their father’s death resonates through the story, it does so in a very overarching way. In fact, The Emperor’s Blade is a coming of age story rather than the fate of the world and epic struggle for the Unhewn Throne.

Most of the Staveley’s narrative is concerned with the brothers’ conflicts: Kaden to realize a state of mind his father sent him to learn, and Valyn to find acceptance in an elite brotherhood. Of course, the impact of their father’s death resonates throughout their stories, but only in an overarching way. The Emperor’s Blades is very much a coming of age story and less about the epic struggle for the Unhewn Throne and the fate of the world. Brain tells the reader one thing while simultaneously showing another but providing a climax supported by neither instances.

Adare, the eldest daughter of the dead empire, is given only a fraction of the coverage the brothers get throughout the book. After her father death, she is conferred as the minister of finance. As she goes about her duties, she gets caught in the middle of a political conflict as the man who assassinated her father seeks absolution in his faith.

Among the three characters point of view, Brian paints hers as the most significant. This is about the overall arc of the forthcoming epic confrontation. She will become the core focus later on in the series after the two men resolve their personal conflicts and struggle to become the men who their father wanted them to be.

Sadly, Adare impeaches her capability as she commits impetuous and stupid acts that serve to further Brian’s plot.

The book is very thrilling with interesting characters and the magic system that compels the reader to invest mentally. Brian manages to make the reader a participant in the deduction, not just a spectator without knowing the source of the leeches power. The aspect alone works very fantastically.

The Providence of Fire.

The providence of fire is one thrilling adventure that manages to blend action, politics, and magic. It picks up immediately from the climatic and dramatic events of the Emperor’s Blades.

Valyn and Kaden are reunited after an attempt to end Kaden’s life fails. The chaotic acts serve to bring them together as the flee from their hunters. After their sister Adare discovers that one of her generals is behind the conspiracy, flees from the palace to build an army and lead them in challenging the brewing coup. Kaden and Rampuri, his teacher, are separated after they are attacked by Flea and his Kestrel, Wing, the Annurians elite special forces.

He later finds himself fleeing across the empire where they are trapped by a group of fanatics who aim to fight against the Csestrimm. Valyn and his group flee to the north to escape and regroup in Anna later on.

The providence of fire would have worked better if it was split into two books as the military coup by itself is enough to fill one book. The book’s first half aims to get the character in place and embrace the dramatic finish. This takes a bit of time to pull off.

Although this book is evidently better than the Empires’ blade, the female characters are somehow compressed. Am not being a feminist but this is what may be termed as a classic case of male literary chauvinist. Or what term can be used to describe the fact the Adare, although she plays a pivotal role in the book is given a fraction of the page time that his brothers get?One of the best thing about this book is that it packs a great deal of history. The characters are well shaped, and the plot entices the reader to invest in it physiologically. The suspense will keep you craving for more.

With the Chronicles Unhewn Throne, Brian Stavely manages to flaunt his literacy expertise combine with historical knowledge, making it one epic read.

One Response to “Brian Staveley”

1. Trevor Hob Sherman: 7 years ago

   Skullsworn will be out this year. I love the site just found it but will be back often. A hell of a lot of work put in but just wanted to say thanks 😉

   Reply