The Crimson Campaign

This swirling sequel to Promise of Blood draws the reader deep into political intrigue and military matters in a gunpowder-sprinkled fantasy world. Field Marshal Tamas of Adro, coup leader and powder mage, returns to the field to fend off the invasion from neighboring Kez that he hoped to provoke. Unexpected magic and the resurrection of the dead god Kresimir force Tamas and his troops to fight their way home through the army of his nemesis, Duke Nikslaus. In his absence, Inspector Adamat uncovers a network of spies in Adro’s capital and learns that its patron has plans to co-opt the new democracy for a grandiose purpose. The novel rushes headlong from battlefields to barroom brawls as McClellan bedevils his protagonists with betrayals, in-fighting, and reversals of fortune. When a laundress can become a mage of unprecedented potential, readers will not wonder whether characters can succeed, but will fear the price they must pay for that success. (May)