A review by angh
A House Of Powder And Plot by A.P. Beswick

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️

A new entry in the Tales of Levanthria series, which works as companion books to the main series. It features characters from Book 2, but the ending is referenced at the beginning of Book 4, it works best if it’s read before that one, so I treated it as Book 3.5.

As always, these books are fantasy retellings, this time apparently it takes inspiration from the story of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot.

This time we follow a singular POV, Morvin, a dwarf that created a special explosive powder and the “boom pistol,” who is recruited by Tarin and his crew, also joined by Ulrik, Zerina, and Darmour from Book 2, as they plot to assassinate King Athos to end the war. All of them have something in common, they have lost people because of the King’s continuous wars and actions.

It uses a similar formula to Book 2: a crew with a quest, but I think it works better here. We had more time getting to know the members of the group, seeing their interactions, there’s good banter between them, so when there’s a loss, it really hits this time. We see how much Ulrik, Zerina, and Darmour have changed since the second book.

It’s an overall solid story, though due to its short length it can feel a bit rushed at times. But the good thing about Beswick’s books is precisely that they’re not long (usually less than 300 pages), fast paced, with good action, and easily bingeable. I think he found what works for him and he’s taking advantage of it.

Now I’m looking forward to final books in the series!



The Levanthria Series Reviews:

  • The Book of Frost:
#1 A Frost Of Fear And Fortitude → 3.75⭐️
#2 A Frost Of Death And Deceit → 4⭐️
#3 A Frost Of Time And Tears → 4⭐️
  • Main Series:
#0.5 A Loch of Grace and Greed → 2.75⭐️
#1 A Forest Of Vanity And Valour → 2.75⭐️
#1.5 A Forest Of Bastards And Betrayal → 3⭐️
#2 A Sea Of Sorrow And Scorn → 3.5⭐️
#3 A Kingdom Of Courage And Cruelty → 3.75⭐️
#3.1 A House Of Powder And Plot → 3.5⭐️
#3.2 Dust → 3⭐️
#4 A Stone Of Destiny And Despair → 4⭐️
#5 A War Of Chaos And Fury - Part 1 → 4.25⭐️
#6 A War Of Chaos And Fury - Part 2 → 4.75⭐️
  • Standalones:
#1 A Heart Of Secrets And Shadows → 3⭐️
#2 The Ballad Of The Borag-I → 3.25⭐️
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