Brian McClellan is an American fantasy author best known for the Powder Mage universe, where gunpowder can fuel magical abilities and political revolutions unfold beside conflicts involving gods and sorcerers.
He also writes the Glass Immortals series, the urban fantasy Valkyrie Collections, and the standalone military fantasy novella War Cry. These works belong to separate continuities and should not be combined into one reading sequence.
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The only complicated part of his bibliography is Powder Mage. Its six main novels are supported by numerous prequel novellas, short stories, and a later Ben Styke story set after both trilogies.
A Reading Map for Brian McClellan
Readers can choose among four clear entry points.
- For the main epic fantasy experience: Begin with Promise of Blood.
- For a newer fantasy world: Begin with In the Shadow of Lightning.
- For contemporary urban fantasy: Begin with Uncanny Collateral.
- For a single short military fantasy: Read War Cry.
The safest overall choice is Promise of Blood (2013). It introduces McClellan’s most developed setting without requiring any knowledge of the prequel fiction.
The Essential Powder Mage Order
Read the six central novels in this sequence:
- Promise of Blood (2013): Field Marshal Tamas overthrows the king of Adro, only to discover that ending a monarchy has awakened political, military, and supernatural dangers.
- The Crimson Campaign (2014): Tamas becomes trapped behind enemy lines while Taniel fights an increasingly desperate war and Adamat uncovers a conspiracy inside the capital.
- The Autumn Republic (2015): Adro’s revolution reaches its decisive stage as armies, gods, politicians, and personal loyalties collide.
- Sins of Empire (2017): A decade later, Lady Vlora Flint is hired to protect the frontier city of Landfall as rebellion and ancient forces threaten the young nation of Fatrasta.
- Wrath of Empire (2018): Vlora’s Riflejacks, Ben Styke’s Mad Lancers, and Michel Bravis face invasion, occupation, and divided loyalties across Fatrasta.
- Blood of Empire (2019): The struggle against the Dynize reaches its conclusion as the characters race to control the godstones and determine the future of two continents.
This order gives readers the complete main Powder Mage narrative. The short fiction adds history and character detail, but none of it is required before Promise of Blood.
Powder Mage Is One Universe with Two Main Trilogies
The Powder Mage books are not two separate continuities.
The first trilogy follows the Adran Revolution and the war that results from it. The second begins roughly ten years later in Fatrasta and includes returning characters, changed political relationships, and direct consequences from the original ending.
Read the Powder Mage trilogy before Gods of Blood and Powder. Starting with Sins of Empire would reveal the survival, status, and later roles of several characters from the first three books.
The Powder Mage Trilogy in Order
1. Promise of Blood
Promise of Blood (2013): Field Marshal Tamas executes the royal family, dissolves the monarchy, and declares that Adro will become a republic.
The revolution immediately begins to fracture. Tamas must control angry citizens, foreign enemies, royalist opposition, and a warning that the gods themselves may object to what he has done.
His son Taniel is a powder mage who can consume gunpowder to sharpen his senses and guide bullets over extraordinary distances. Inspector Adamat, meanwhile, investigates the hidden forces working behind the revolution.
This is the correct beginning because it introduces powder mages, Privileged sorcerers, Knacked abilities, the Adran government, and the conflict between political ambition and divine power.
2. The Crimson Campaign
The Crimson Campaign (2014): Tamas is cut off in enemy territory with part of his army, forcing him to attempt a dangerous march home while pursued by superior forces.
In Adro, Taniel resists both military authority and the influence of powerful sorcerers. Adamat continues investigating a conspiracy that places his family and the revolution at risk.
The novel begins from the unstable military situation created by Promise of Blood. It does not provide a new introduction, so readers should continue directly from the first volume.
3. The Autumn Republic
The Autumn Republic (2015): Tamas returns to a country threatened by invasion, internal betrayal, and forces whose goals reach beyond ordinary politics.
Taniel and Ka-poel confront the deeper supernatural conflict, while Adamat tries to expose the remaining conspirators before the republic collapses.
This volume completes the Adran Revolution storyline. It resolves the first trilogy’s central war, but the political consequences continue into Gods of Blood and Powder.
What to Read Between the Two Powder Mage Trilogies
Readers can move directly from The Autumn Republic to Sins of Empire.
A more detailed route adds three prequel novellas before beginning the second trilogy:
- Ghosts of the Tristan Basin (2016): Taniel Two-shot and Ka-poel join a military expedition into dangerous territory during the Fatrastan Revolution.
- The Mad Lancers (2017): Ben Styke leads his cavalry company through a brutal campaign that establishes his reputation before Sins of Empire.
- Siege of Tilpur (2017): Taniel and Ka-poel become trapped during a military operation connected to their earlier service overseas.
These stories introduce Fatrasta’s revolutionary past and give Ben Styke more background. They are helpful, but Sins of Empire still explains its immediate conflict well enough for readers who prefer novels only.
Gods of Blood and Powder Books in Order
Gods of Blood and Powder is a direct sequel trilogy set about ten years after The Autumn Republic.
Its central location is Fatrasta, a former colony that won independence and developed into a powerful new nation. The trilogy follows both returning Powder Mage characters and new figures caught between rebellion, invasion, and the legacy of the gods.
1. Sins of Empire
Sins of Empire (2017): Lady Vlora Flint and her Riflejacks are hired to help control unrest in Landfall, a wealthy city where colonial ambition and revolutionary resentment remain close to the surface.
Ben Styke, once the commander of the feared Mad Lancers, is released from a labor camp and drawn into a new conflict. Michel Bravis, an agent of the secret police, investigates sedition while questioning the institutions he serves.
This should be read after The Autumn Republic. The novel reveals Vlora’s later position and assumes knowledge of the war that reshaped Adro.
2. Wrath of Empire
Wrath of Empire (2018): The Dynize invasion transforms Fatrasta’s internal unrest into a wider war involving occupation, resistance, and the search for powerful magical artifacts.
Vlora attempts to keep her soldiers alive while carrying political responsibilities she never wanted. Styke rebuilds the Mad Lancers, and Michel works inside enemy-controlled territory where every allegiance becomes dangerous.
The second book continues immediately from Sins of Empire and expands the importance of the godstones.
3. Blood of Empire
Blood of Empire (2019): Vlora, Styke, Michel, and their allies pursue separate plans to stop the Dynize and prevent the godstones from being used to transform the balance of power.
The final volume returns to unresolved conflicts involving nations, gods, sorcery, revenge, and the cost of military victory.
Blood of Empire completes the Gods of Blood and Powder trilogy. It also closes the principal six-novel Powder Mage storyline, although later fiction continues individual characters.
Mr. Styke and the Future of the Powder Mage World
Mr. Styke (2026): Fifteen years after the Dynize War, Ben Styke has left military life behind and is trying to exist as an aging businessman and horse breeder.
His attempt at a quieter life ends when he refuses to sell horses to the wrong person. Wealthy enemies assume that the older man can be intimidated, forcing Styke to decide how much of his former violence still remains.
The novella takes place after Blood of Empire and is currently the latest story in the Powder Mage timeline.
Read it last. It reveals Ben Styke’s fate after the second trilogy and assumes familiarity with his history as commander of the Mad Lancers.
Powder Mage Short Fiction by Story Era
McClellan’s shorter Powder Mage works move backward and forward across the timeline. Publication order is easy to verify, but it is not always the most useful order for reading them.
The following groups place each story beside the characters and historical period it develops.
Stories About Tamas Before the Revolution
Forsworn
Forsworn (2014): Tamas is placed in conflict with the established order when a powder mage faces execution under laws designed to suppress the emerging magical class.
The novella explores Tamas before the coup and shows how personal loyalty, military authority, and injustice shape his later political convictions.
Read it after Promise of Blood. Its younger version of Tamas is more meaningful once readers know the revolutionary leader he becomes.
Servant of the Crown
Servant of the Crown (2014): Tamas serves the Adran monarchy while navigating court politics, military duty, and the dangerous attention surrounding powder mages.
The story adds context to his relationship with the royal government he eventually destroys.
It occurs before Promise of Blood, but reading it after the first novel preserves the effect of meeting Tamas at the moment of his revolution.
Green-Eyed Vipers
Green-Eyed Vipers (2015): Tamas confronts danger tied to his earlier military and political life, revealing another stage in the development of his reputation.
The story was first collected in In the Field Marshal’s Shadow rather than released separately.
It is optional background and can be read after Promise of Blood or with the rest of the collection.
Hope’s End
Hope’s End (2013): Captain Verundish and Tamas face a difficult military situation in which discipline and survival depend on decisions made under extreme pressure.
The short story adds depth to Verundish, a figure connected to Tamas’s army and to Vlora’s development.
Read it after Promise of Blood, even though its events occur earlier.
Taniel and Ka-poel Stories
The Face in the Window
The Face in the Window (2014): Taniel and Ka-poel become involved in a tense encounter that highlights their unusual partnership before the main trilogy.
The story shows how Taniel’s powder-mage abilities and Ka-poel’s less familiar magic operate together outside the central revolution.
It is a brief optional prequel best read after Promise of Blood.
Ghosts of the Tristan Basin
Ghosts of the Tristan Basin (2016): Taniel and Ka-poel join a dangerous expedition into the Tristan Basin during their military service in Fatrasta.
The novella combines battlefield tension with supernatural threats and gives readers a fuller picture of their life before returning to Adro.
Read it after The Autumn Republic and before Sins of Empire for the strongest placement.
Siege of Tilpur
Siege of Tilpur (2017): Taniel and Ka-poel face a siege during their overseas military campaigns, where survival depends on improvisation and their growing trust.
The story adds another chapter to their Fatrastan service and provides more context for the world revisited in Gods of Blood and Powder.
It works best after Ghosts of the Tristan Basin.
Vlora Stories
The Girl of Hrusch Avenue
The Girl of Hrusch Avenue (2013): A young Vlora meets Taniel while living at a boarding school, beginning a relationship that will influence both of their lives.
The story presents the characters before military rank, betrayal, and revolution complicate their connection.
Read it after Promise of Blood. Beginning here would weaken the deliberate way their shared history is revealed in the novel.
Return to Honor
Return to Honor (2015): Captain Vlora attempts to rebuild her position and sense of purpose through a mission set around the period following the Adran Revolution.
The story concentrates on her military competence and the difficulty of recovering from damaged trust.
Its chronology places it after Promise of Blood, but it is safest to read after The Autumn Republic because it draws on Vlora’s established character arc.
Ben Styke and the Mad Lancers Stories
The Mad Lancers
The Mad Lancers (2017): Ben Styke commands an elite cavalry company during the Fatrastan Revolution, earning the fearsome reputation that follows him into Sins of Empire.
The novella shows Styke at the height of his military power and explores the violence behind the legends told about him.
Read it immediately before Sins of Empire or shortly after meeting Styke in that novel.
Mr. Styke
Mr. Styke (2026): An older Ben Styke tries to maintain a civilized life until criminal pressure awakens the instincts that once made him one of the most dangerous soldiers in the Powder Mage world.
Because it is set fifteen years after Blood of Empire, this is the chronological endpoint of the universe as of August 5, 2026.
Adamat and the Kinnen Hotel
Murder at the Kinnen Hotel
Murder at the Kinnen Hotel (2014): Inspector Adamat investigates a killing at one of Adro’s most prominent hotels and encounters a case involving wealth, secrecy, and political influence.
The novella provides a focused mystery featuring Adamat before the full upheaval of Promise of Blood.
It can be read after the first novel without interrupting the trilogy.
Powder Mage Short Story Collection
In the Field Marshal’s Shadow
In the Field Marshal’s Shadow (2015): This collection gathers five shorter Powder Mage stories featuring Tamas, Taniel, Ka-poel, Vlora, Captain Verundish, and other familiar figures.
The included stories are:
- Hope’s End: Captain Verundish and Tamas face a dangerous military crisis before the main trilogy.
- The Girl of Hrusch Avenue: Young Vlora and Taniel begin the relationship later complicated by war and betrayal.
- Green-Eyed Vipers: Tamas encounters another threat connected to his pre-revolutionary life.
- The Face in the Window: Taniel and Ka-poel handle a supernatural danger during their earlier adventures.
- Return to Honor: Vlora attempts to restore her confidence and military standing after personal and political upheaval.
The collection is the simplest way to obtain these five stories. Readers who own it do not need to purchase the same stories separately.
A Complete Powder Mage Reading Order
For readers who want the novels and major shorter works together, this sequence protects the novels’ introductions while adding the most useful background at natural pauses.
- Promise of Blood (2013): Tamas destroys the monarchy and begins a revolution that quickly attracts enemies both human and divine.
- The Crimson Campaign (2014): The war worsens as Tamas is isolated, Taniel resists authority, and Adamat pursues the conspiracy.
- The Autumn Republic (2015): The revolution reaches its conclusion through military, political, and supernatural confrontations.
- Forsworn (2014): A younger Tamas confronts the persecution of powder mages.
- Servant of the Crown (2014): Tamas serves the monarchy he will later overthrow.
- Murder at the Kinnen Hotel (2014): Adamat investigates a self-contained murder before the revolution.
- In the Field Marshal’s Shadow (2015): Five stories fill in the histories of Tamas, Taniel, Ka-poel, Vlora, and other figures.
- Ghosts of the Tristan Basin (2016): Taniel and Ka-poel face a dangerous Fatrastan expedition.
- Siege of Tilpur (2017): Their overseas service continues through a military siege.
- The Mad Lancers (2017): Ben Styke earns his legendary reputation during the Fatrastan Revolution.
- Sins of Empire (2017): Vlora, Styke, and Michel Bravis confront unrest and conspiracy in Landfall.
- Wrath of Empire (2018): The Dynize invasion turns rebellion into a continental war.
- Blood of Empire (2019): The godstone conflict and the second trilogy reach their conclusion.
- Mr. Styke (2026): Fifteen years later, Styke’s quiet retirement is destroyed by men who underestimate him.
This is the recommended expanded order. A strict chronological arrangement is possible, but many of the prequels are stronger after their characters have been introduced in the novels.
Powder Mage Chronological Order
Readers returning to the world can use this approximate internal sequence:
- Forsworn (2014): A younger Tamas confronts the legal persecution of powder mages.
- Servant of the Crown (2014): Tamas serves within the royal system before choosing revolution.
- Hope’s End (2013): Tamas and Captain Verundish face an earlier military crisis.
- Green-Eyed Vipers (2015): Tamas deals with another threat from his pre-revolutionary career.
- The Girl of Hrusch Avenue (2013): Vlora and Taniel meet as children.
- Murder at the Kinnen Hotel (2014): Adamat investigates a prominent murder in Adro.
- The Face in the Window (2014): Taniel and Ka-poel confront danger during their earlier partnership.
- Ghosts of the Tristan Basin (2016): Taniel and Ka-poel serve in Fatrasta before the Adran coup.
- Siege of Tilpur (2017): Their overseas military experiences continue.
- Promise of Blood (2013): Tamas overthrows the Adran monarchy.
- The Crimson Campaign (2014): The revolution becomes a prolonged international war.
- The Autumn Republic (2015): The Adran conflict reaches its decisive conclusion.
- Return to Honor (2015): Vlora undertakes a mission connected to her recovery after earlier events.
- The Mad Lancers (2017): Ben Styke’s past during the Fatrastan Revolution receives a focused account.
- Sins of Empire (2017): The later Fatrastan conflict begins.
- Wrath of Empire (2018): The Dynize invasion spreads.
- Blood of Empire (2019): The second trilogy concludes.
- Mr. Styke (2026): An older Styke faces new enemies fifteen years after the Dynize War.
Some short stories are not dated with enough precision to support an exact chapter-by-chapter chronology. Their positions should therefore be treated as practical placements rather than a definitive calendar.
Powder Mage Roleplaying Game
The Powder Mage Roleplaying Game (2017): This Savage Worlds sourcebook allows players to create characters and campaigns within the Powder Mage setting.
Its default period is four years after The Autumn Republic, during a time of political and technological change following the Adran-Kez War.
The book includes world history, locations, rules, character options, and setting information rather than a new novel-length narrative.
Read it after The Autumn Republic to avoid learning the outcome of the first trilogy through its background material.
Glass Immortals Books in Order
Separate continuity
Glass Immortals takes place in the Ossan Empire, where magical glass supports warfare, communication, medicine, industry, and political power.
The central resource, godglass, is becoming scarce. The series combines an imperial murder investigation with guild-family rivalries, military unrest, labor politics, and the approaching collapse of a magic-dependent society.
1. In the Shadow of Lightning
In the Shadow of Lightning (2022): Demir Grappo returns from self-imposed exile after his mother is murdered, forcing him to become head of a powerful guild-family he abandoned years earlier.
As Demir investigates the killing, he discovers that the empire’s supply of godglass is running out. His allies include the feared cudgelist Montego, the glassdancer Thessa, and figures caught between the empire’s guilds, army, and revolutionary pressures.
This is the main entry point for Glass Immortals. It introduces the setting, the godglass system, and the crisis expected to continue through later novels.
Glass Immortals Book Two
The second main Glass Immortals novel had not received a confirmed title or publication date as of August 5, 2026.
McClellan has continued working on the series, but readers should not treat estimated retailer dates or unofficial names as final.
In the Shadow of Lightning remains the only published full-length novel in the main sequence.
Glass Immortals Prequel Novellas
Two published novellas explore important characters before In the Shadow of Lightning.
Montego
Montego (2023): Twelve-year-old Montego al’Bou leaves his provincial home after his grandmother’s death and travels to the capital under the protection of the Grappo guild-family.
His humble origins make him an outsider among the wealthy elite, but he hopes to build an independent future through the empire’s dangerous cudgeling arenas.
The novella explains how Montego enters the Grappo household and begins developing the identity seen in In the Shadow of Lightning.
Read it after the main novel. The emotional effect is stronger once readers know the adult Montego and his loyalty to Demir.
Swords, Cider, and Other Distractions
Swords, Cider, and Other Distractions (2025): Demir Grappo wanders the provinces after witnessing his own troops suppress a revolt with greater brutality than he intended.
His attempt to escape responsibility intersects with Ciata, a foreign squire searching for a stolen holy sword. Together, they confront an Ossan guild-family protected by money, influence, and armed enforcers.
The novella explores Demir during the period between his military career and the withdrawn figure introduced in In the Shadow of Lightning.
It is best read after the main novel, when the source of Demir’s guilt and isolation has already become significant.
Recommended Glass Immortals Reading Order
- In the Shadow of Lightning (2022): Begin with Demir’s return to Ossa and the discovery that godglass is running out.
- Montego (2023): Revisit Montego’s childhood and his first years with the Grappo family.
- Swords, Cider, and Other Distractions (2025): Follow the younger Demir through a crisis involving military guilt and a stolen holy sword.
- Glass Immortals Book Two (Forthcoming): Continue the main story when an officially titled second novel is published.
This order favors narrative revelation over chronology. Both novellas take place earlier, but they were written to deepen characters already established by the novel.
Glass Immortals Chronological Order
- Montego (2023): A young Montego arrives in the capital and begins pursuing a future as a professional cudgelist.
- Swords, Cider, and Other Distractions (2025): Demir meets Ciata while trying to escape the consequences of a violent military campaign.
- In the Shadow of Lightning (2022): Demir returns to lead the Grappo family after his mother’s murder.
- Glass Immortals Book Two (Forthcoming): The main imperial and godglass crisis is expected to continue.
Chronological order is suitable for rereading. First-time readers should still begin with In the Shadow of Lightning because it supplies the clearest explanation of the empire and its magic.
Valkyrie Collections Books in Order
Separate continuity
The Valkyrie Collections is an urban fantasy series centered on Alek Fitz, a collections agent whose work involves supernatural debts.
These books are much shorter than McClellan’s epic fantasy novels. They combine criminal investigation, magical enforcement, contemporary settings, and the problems caused by owing favors to powerful beings.
1. Uncanny Collateral
Uncanny Collateral (2019): Alek Fitz collects supernatural debts for a powerful employer, using both physical skill and the magical protection carried inside his ring.
A routine assignment becomes more dangerous when he is drawn into a disappearance involving souls, criminal activity, and forces capable of challenging the system he serves.
This novella introduces Alek, his employer, and the rules governing supernatural debts.
2. Blood Tally
Blood Tally (2020): Alek’s work becomes personal when a case involving stolen blood and supernatural obligations exposes him to new enemies and unresolved questions about his own position.
The sequel expands the magical underworld while continuing relationships and consequences from Uncanny Collateral.
Read the two books in publication order. Blood Tally assumes that Alek’s abilities and employment have already been established.
Is Valkyrie Collections Complete?
The series has two published books:
- Uncanny Collateral (2019): Alek investigates missing souls while carrying out supernatural collection work.
- Blood Tally (2020): A new case involving blood and magical debts pushes him deeper into the hidden world.
No third Valkyrie Collections book had a confirmed title or publication date as of August 5, 2026.
The first two stories form a continuing sequence, but readers should not assume that the broader series is formally complete.
War Cry
Separate continuity
War Cry (2018): A shapeshifting military unit remains stranded behind enemy lines in a prolonged fantasy war where supplies, trust, and personal identities are becoming increasingly unstable.
The novella combines military fantasy with espionage and transformation magic. Its central question concerns what soldiers become when survival requires them to wear other people’s faces.
War Cry is a standalone work. It does not connect to Powder Mage, Glass Immortals, or Valkyrie Collections.
Books and Collections That Repeat Existing Material
Readers may encounter collections and bundles containing stories already available separately.
In the Field Marshal’s Shadow
In the Field Marshal’s Shadow (2015): This volume collects Hope’s End, The Girl of Hrusch Avenue, Green-Eyed Vipers, The Face in the Window, and Return to Honor.
Buying the collection makes separate copies of those five stories unnecessary.
Powder Mage Trilogy Bundles
The Powder Mage Trilogy Bundle: This set contains Promise of Blood, The Crimson Campaign, and The Autumn Republic.
It does not include the Gods of Blood and Powder trilogy or the Powder Mage novellas.
Gods of Blood and Powder Trilogy Bundles
The Gods of Blood and Powder Trilogy Bundle: This set contains Sins of Empire, Wrath of Empire, and Blood of Empire.
It is the second half of the main six-novel Powder Mage sequence and should be read after the original trilogy.
Powder Mage Novella Bundles
Powder Mage Novella Collections: These packages combine selected shorter works such as Forsworn, Servant of the Crown, Ghosts of the Tristan Basin, and The Mad Lancers.
Contents can vary by edition. Readers should check the included titles before buying them alongside In the Field Marshal’s Shadow.
Brian McClellan Books in Publication Order
The list below places his principal novels, novellas, and collections by first publication.
- Promise of Blood (2013): Tamas overthrows the monarchy and discovers that revolution is only the beginning of Adro’s crisis.
- Hope’s End (2013): Captain Verundish and Tamas face a dangerous military situation before the coup.
- The Girl of Hrusch Avenue (2013): Young Vlora and Taniel begin a relationship that will later be tested by war.
- The Crimson Campaign (2014): Tamas is trapped behind enemy lines while Adro struggles to survive invasion and conspiracy.
- Forsworn (2014): A younger Tamas confronts injustice directed at powder mages.
- The Face in the Window (2014): Taniel and Ka-poel face a supernatural threat during an earlier adventure.
- Servant of the Crown (2014): Tamas serves within the monarchy before becoming its greatest enemy.
- Murder at the Kinnen Hotel (2014): Adamat investigates a murder involving Adro’s wealthy and influential citizens.
- Return to Honor (2015): Vlora attempts to reclaim confidence and status through a new military assignment.
- The Autumn Republic (2015): The Adran Revolution and its supernatural conflict reach their conclusion.
- In the Field Marshal’s Shadow (2015): Five shorter Powder Mage stories are gathered into one collection.
- Green-Eyed Vipers (2015): Tamas faces another challenge from his earlier career within the collected volume.
- Ghosts of the Tristan Basin (2016): Taniel and Ka-poel join a dangerous expedition during their Fatrastan service.
- Sins of Empire (2017): Vlora, Styke, and Michel confront unrest in Landfall ten years after the first trilogy.
- The Mad Lancers (2017): Ben Styke commands his cavalry company during the Fatrastan Revolution.
- Siege of Tilpur (2017): Taniel and Ka-poel face a siege during their overseas campaigns.
- War Cry (2018): Shapeshifting soldiers struggle to survive behind enemy lines in a separate fantasy world.
- Wrath of Empire (2018): The Dynize invasion turns Fatrasta’s internal tensions into a continental war.
- Uncanny Collateral (2019): Alek Fitz investigates missing souls while collecting supernatural debts.
- Blood of Empire (2019): The struggle over the godstones concludes the second Powder Mage trilogy.
- Blood Tally (2020): Alek’s next supernatural case involves stolen blood and dangerous obligations.
- In the Shadow of Lightning (2022): Demir Grappo investigates his mother’s murder as the supply of godglass begins to fail.
- Montego (2023): A young orphan enters the Grappo household and pursues a future in the cudgeling arena.
- Swords, Cider, and Other Distractions (2025): A guilt-ridden Demir helps a foreign squire recover a stolen holy sword.
- Mr. Styke (2026): Fifteen years after Blood of Empire, an aging Ben Styke is forced to confront men who mistake retirement for weakness.
Some short works have appeared in multiple editions and formats. The years above refer to their first publication or first collected appearance where appropriate.
Latest Brian McClellan Book
The latest published Brian McClellan book as of August 5, 2026 is:
Mr. Styke (2026): Ben Styke has become a tired businessman years after the Dynize War, but a dispute over his horses draws him back toward the violent instincts of his military life.
It is set fifteen years after Blood of Empire and therefore occupies the latest confirmed point in the Powder Mage timeline.
The most recent Glass Immortals release is:
Swords, Cider, and Other Distractions (2025): Demir Grappo and the foreign squire Ciata cross paths during a mission involving a stolen holy sword and an influential Ossan family.
A second full Glass Immortals novel remains in development, but no confirmed title or publication date had been announced by August 5, 2026.
Which Brian McClellan Series Is Complete?
The original Powder Mage trilogy is complete:
- Promise of Blood (2013): The Adran Revolution begins.
- The Crimson Campaign (2014): The war spreads across several fronts.
- The Autumn Republic (2015): The first trilogy reaches its conclusion.
Gods of Blood and Powder is also complete:
- Sins of Empire (2017): Landfall becomes the center of rebellion and conspiracy.
- Wrath of Empire (2018): The Dynize invasion changes the conflict.
- Blood of Empire (2019): The second trilogy and godstone storyline conclude.
Glass Immortals is not complete:
- In the Shadow of Lightning (2022): The first main novel establishes the godglass crisis.
- Book Two (Forthcoming): No official title or release date has been confirmed.
Valkyrie Collections currently has two books, but no formal final-volume announcement has established it as a completed series.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Brian McClellan book should I read first?
Begin with Promise of Blood (2013).
It introduces powder mages, the Adran Revolution, Field Marshal Tamas, Taniel Two-shot, Ka-poel, and Inspector Adamat without relying on any earlier short fiction.
Should I read the Powder Mage novellas before Promise of Blood?
No.
Several stories occur earlier, but they were published for readers who already know the characters. Promise of Blood provides the strongest introduction to the world and preserves the mystery surrounding Tamas, Taniel, Vlora, and their shared history.
What comes after The Autumn Republic?
The next main novel is Sins of Empire (2017).
It begins Gods of Blood and Powder about ten years later. Readers can add Ghosts of the Tristan Basin, The Mad Lancers, and Siege of Tilpur between the trilogies, but those novellas are optional.
Can I start with Sins of Empire?
It is possible, but not recommended.
Sins of Empire begins a new conflict with several new viewpoint characters, yet it reveals the later positions and survival of figures from the Powder Mage trilogy.
Are the Powder Mage and Gods of Blood and Powder trilogies connected?
Yes. They share one continuity.
Gods of Blood and Powder takes place later and develops the political and supernatural consequences of the original trilogy.
Where does Mr. Styke belong?
Read it after Blood of Empire.
Mr. Styke (2026): The novella is set fifteen years after the Dynize War and reveals Ben Styke’s later life.
Is In the Field Marshal’s Shadow a novel?
No.
In the Field Marshal’s Shadow (2015): It is a collection of five Powder Mage short stories featuring Tamas, Taniel, Ka-poel, Vlora, and other established characters.
Do I need to read every Powder Mage novella?
No. The six main novels contain the complete central storyline.
The novellas are most useful for readers who want more of Tamas, Taniel, Ka-poel, Vlora, Adamat, and Ben Styke.
Is In the Shadow of Lightning connected to Powder Mage?
No. Glass Immortals is a separate fantasy continuity.
Its magic depends on godglass rather than gunpowder, and its characters, nations, religions, and history have no confirmed connection to the Powder Mage world.
Should I read Montego before In the Shadow of Lightning?
Read In the Shadow of Lightning first.
Montego (2023): The novella takes place earlier, but it is designed to deepen the background of a character introduced in the main novel.
Where does Swords, Cider, and Other Distractions belong?
It takes place before In the Shadow of Lightning.
However, it should be read afterward because Demir’s guilt, military background, and emotional withdrawal have more meaning once the main novel has established him.
Has Glass Immortals Book Two been released?
No.
As of August 5, 2026, only In the Shadow of Lightning has been published as a full-length Glass Immortals novel. The two available companion novellas are Montego and Swords, Cider, and Other Distractions.
Are the Valkyrie Collections books connected to Powder Mage?
No.
Uncanny Collateral and Blood Tally form a contemporary urban fantasy series about supernatural debt collection.
Is War Cry part of a series?
No confirmed series connection has been established.
War Cry (2018): It is a standalone military fantasy novella about shapeshifting soldiers trapped behind enemy lines.
The Best Route Through Brian McClellan’s Books
Begin with Promise of Blood (2013), then finish The Crimson Campaign and The Autumn Republic without inserting prequels.
After the original trilogy, read selected Powder Mage novellas if you want more character history. Ghosts of the Tristan Basin and The Mad Lancers are especially useful before moving into Sins of Empire.
Complete Gods of Blood and Powder with Wrath of Empire and Blood of Empire. Finish the continuity with Mr. Styke, which currently occupies the latest point in the timeline.
Treat Glass Immortals, Valkyrie Collections, and War Cry as separate reading paths. For Glass Immortals, begin with In the Shadow of Lightning rather than either of its chronologically earlier novellas.
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