History has weight behind it. The power to crush an empire… or birth it anew.
Welcome to one of the November 4th stops on the blog tour for Gravitas by Christopher Russell with Storytellers on Tour. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, author guest posts & interviews, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post. #gravitas #ataleoftheconstella #storytellersontour #readindie
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About the Book
Gravitas
A Tale of the Constella
by Christopher Russell
Published 8 September 2021
Divinitys Twilight Fantasy Novels LLC
Genre: Dark Epic Fantasy
Page Count: 51
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History has weight behind it. The power to crush an empire… or birth it anew.
Nowhere is this more true than the Republic of Lestadt, an island nation founded upon the bones of tyrants and sustained by the might of Gravitas. This magic is the manifestation of the past, drawing upon the heritage of relics and heirlooms to bend the forces of nature. The more storied an artifact, the more power it commands.
Yet after 300 years of prosperity, Lestadt is crumbling. Revolutionaries gather in the docklands, seeking restitution for the crimes of the ruling oligarchs. A mysterious augury pronounces the nation’s doom.
Desperate to save themselves, Lestadt’s Court of Magisters turns to Lord Fixer Scraw for salvation. The deformed man may be ruthless in his methods, but he has never failed them. With a powerful Gravitas relic in his scarred hands, unlimited resources at his disposal, and a depraved plan taking root in his mind, can Scraw stop the revolution and save Lestadt?
Or will the cure be worse than the disease?
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CW: Fantasy violence, mild gore, slavery, racism, death of children, genocide, chronic illness
My Review
My Rating: 4 Stars
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I was sent a complimentary copy of Gravitas as part of my participation in a blog tour for this title with Storytellers on Tour. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
Short and sweet, Gravitas is a new novelette in the Divinity’s Twilight universe that can serve as an introduction and entry point to both the series and this author. Having not read Rebirth yet myself, I can attest that this little morsel stands on its own perfectly and can be enjoyed as-is, even if you haven’t read its 400+ page big brother.
While I love fantasy in general, this particular flavour of dark fantasy isn’t quite my taste. That said, I can still recognize a fine specimen of the subgenre, and this is one of them. Scraw is insane, shady, and not exactly a “good guy,” but the reader wants him to succeed. He’s interesting, he’s compelling, and somehow even a little sympathetic. The little we got in this story about the world’s magic system is also fascinating and makes me want to pick up the longer book even though this isn’t my favourite subgenre.
If you like a heavy helping of dark in your dark fantasy, read these books! Christopher Russell knows how to use a pen and use it well! Or let’s face it, probably a keyboard. It’s 2021 after all. Either way, this is like grimdark level dark fantasy, which I don’t enjoy, but dang is it well done!
About the Author
Christopher Russell (native of Williamsburg, VA) is a 29-year-old mechanical and aerospace engineer (graduate of the University of Virginia) who has loved reading since the day he picked up a book and writing since he could scrawl his first letters. After voraciously consuming titles from every genre—ranging from Star Wars to Lord of the Rings—he decided to combine the expertise from his professional education, passions, and Christian faith into fantasy epics bridging the gap between magic and science. He currently resides in Charlottesville, Virginia, with his loyal dog, Vallen, named after the protagonist of his first work. For behind-the-scenes information on all of Christopher Russell’s works, visit christopherrussellauthor.com.
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Giveaway Alert!
Prize: Signed copies of Gravitas AND Divinity’s Twilight: Rebirth by Christopher Russell + Swag – International
Starts: November 3rd, 2021 at 12:00am EST
Ends: November 10th, 2021 at 11:59pm EST
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Sounds interesting!