The Kingdom of Liars was an interesting and unique first installment of The Legacy of the Mercenary King series where magic, politics, and rebellion are at the forefront. There’s betrayal and action aplenty, and the magic system, particularly the price paid for using it, was my favorite aspect.
The story starts in what I’m assuming is the present, where Michael Kingman is on trial for killing the king. Through the course of the story, readers are taken back to the events leading up to the trial. Or some of them, because only a small fraction of the story is revealed, but what’s definitely clear is the kingdom is one that’s on the brink of toppling. Rebels and their cause play a very large role in this first book and it’s just starting to become clear where each of these characters fall in the war against the king.
I’ve not read many fantasies, excepting urban fantasy, where guns are present. In the case of The Kingdom of Liars, not only are guns present, but they play quite a large role in shaping this world that Michael Kingman inhabits. Or reshaping, in this case. There are quite a lot of unique elements in this book, including something called the Gunpowder War, and while it’s just barely been touched upon in this first installment, I can’t wait for the entire picture to be revealed. Same with the freaky moon.
The magic system was definitely a highlight of this book and I absolutely loved the premise of the payment required for using magic — memories. It’s an interesting concept and certainly made for some hardships in terms of Michael trying to piece together what happened with his father’s death, especially when those involved or those who’ve witnessed the events have piecemeal recollections at best. Fabricators and Forgotten — magic users and those who’ve had their memories taken by magic, and it’s a fine line between the two.
There were many things I enjoyed about this first installment, although I did have some trouble with several parts, mainly the world and some of the events that shaped this world, though I have no doubt any wrinkles will be ironed out in future installments. All told — The Kingdom for Liars was a fast-paced and action packed first installment, and I can’t wait to see what happens in future books of this series.
The story starts in what I’m assuming is the present, where Michael Kingman is on trial for killing the king. Through the course of the story, readers are taken back to the events leading up to the trial. Or some of them, because only a small fraction of the story is revealed, but what’s definitely clear is the kingdom is one that’s on the brink of toppling. Rebels and their cause play a very large role in this first book and it’s just starting to become clear where each of these characters fall in the war against the king.
I’ve not read many fantasies, excepting urban fantasy, where guns are present. In the case of The Kingdom of Liars, not only are guns present, but they play quite a large role in shaping this world that Michael Kingman inhabits. Or reshaping, in this case. There are quite a lot of unique elements in this book, including something called the Gunpowder War, and while it’s just barely been touched upon in this first installment, I can’t wait for the entire picture to be revealed. Same with the freaky moon.
The magic system was definitely a highlight of this book and I absolutely loved the premise of the payment required for using magic — memories. It’s an interesting concept and certainly made for some hardships in terms of Michael trying to piece together what happened with his father’s death, especially when those involved or those who’ve witnessed the events have piecemeal recollections at best. Fabricators and Forgotten — magic users and those who’ve had their memories taken by magic, and it’s a fine line between the two.
There were many things I enjoyed about this first installment, although I did have some trouble with several parts, mainly the world and some of the events that shaped this world, though I have no doubt any wrinkles will be ironed out in future installments. All told — The Kingdom for Liars was a fast-paced and action packed first installment, and I can’t wait to see what happens in future books of this series.