Book Review: The Empire of Damnation by T.M. Kohl
Genre(s): Epic Fantasy
Book Synopsis:
The kingdom of Bhrea is on the brink of destruction.
All that is left to defend Bhrea and the rest of the world is the small, haggard group that survived the failed attempt to retake the capital city Terrn from the clutches of an evil goddess. They are weak and on the run; meanwhile, the enemy runs rampant in a terrorized city, soon to set their sights on the rest of the world. What Lauren and the other survivors don’t know is the enemy’s final plan, nor the catalyst that will set the endgame in motion.
The heroes have one final chance to win the battle—but are they prepared for what is in store? While they gather allies and resources, Astrin and her cohort of imposters stay one step ahead. Each choice, each move brings Lauren and her companions one step closer to the ultimate checkmate. And if they lose this time…there is no coming back.
Review:
I received an ARC copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. (Side note: I find it increasingly difficult to review books in a series without leaving spoilers from earlier installments, but I will do my best!)
As the fifth and final book in The Warriors of Bhrea series, The Empire of Damnation did not disappoint. All of the main characters were back—Lauren, Val, Am, Vadin, Radaman, and even the villain Thanatos had some POV time (more on him later.)
My favorite part of this series and the main thing that kept me coming back for each new book are the combat/action sequences. They’re intertwined with the main story arc seamlessly and often provide the characters with insight into their enemies—or a reason to continue their fight against Astrin. None of the action scenes are there as filler; they all have a purpose. And that’s a very good thing going into book five, since so much of it is centered around the final battle and all that it entails.
Most of the POVs in this book were either Lauren, Val, or Vadin, though the other characters had some. While I understand the reason for it, I was a little disappointed Radaman wasn’t featured as much as he was in book four (I really liked him!) But the main three—and the interludes with Thanatos—were the focus here. Both Lauren and Val really start to grow into their respective roles in this book, though Lauren needs a bit more convincing before she believes in herself than the others do. Vadin’s role was pretty well defined in previous books and doesn’t change.
But Thanatos… He’s a much more interesting villain than Astrin, who has been the main baddie since book one. In this book you get to see a bit of his history, and I almost felt sorry for him at one point. Almost. What he does immediately after that section made it pretty clear there would be no redemption arc coming. He’s as horrible as Astrin, if motivated by a different means, and he only gets worse over time.
The only part of the book I was a little conflicted about was the epilogue. I was happy to see that all of the major characters still standing after the battles had moved on and made lives for themselves, but it felt like they all wound up doing the same exact thing, no matter how far apart in the world they were. I don’t want to go into details here—spoilers and all—but I just wish some of them had followed a slightly different path. (And maybe having read this 2 weeks after my surgery made me a little sensitive towards certain themes, so take this part of my review with a grain of salt. It’s very likely the timing of reading the epilogue just didn’t jive with my mindset then.)
Anyway, The Empire of Damnation was an action-packed conclusion to a series that kept me on the edge of my seat for the duration. With characters you want to cheer for, villains you love to hate, a unique magic-based combat system, and nearly insurmountable odds, it’s a story I thoroughly enjoyed.
Author website: tmkohl.com
Amazon link: The Empire of Damnation
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