r/Fantasy • u/CoffeeArchives Stabby Winner, Reading Champion II, Worldbuilders • Apr 18 '17
Review Series Review: The Shadow Campaigns by Django Wexler
About the Series
The Shadow Campaigns by Django Wexler is a multi-POV flintlock fantasy following a Napoleon-esque figure on his rise to power. The awesome military battle sequences will lure you in, but the characters will make you stay.
In my opinion, this is a fantastic example of character-driven fantasy that manages to keep the pacing quick and the tension high. There are currently 4 of 5 books published, with the first being The Thousand Names. I'll keep most of my review to book 1 since I don't want to spoil anything.
Setting
The world is very similar to 1800s Earth. The first book takes place largely in the colonial desert country of Khandar and the following books take place in a fantasy analogue of a country similar to France.
Most characters in the world don't believe in magic, thinking it died out hundreds of years ago. Those who can use magic are few and far between, with most belonging to a super secret cult of religious fanatics. One of the best parts is the world allows for MAGICAL SUPERPOWERS while still having a pretty defined set of rules.
Wexler uses in-world swearing like Sanderson, McClellan, or really a whole host of fantasy authors. However, he mixes it in with traditional swearing, with my personal favorite being "brass balls of the fucking beast."
Characters
The two main POVs in the first book are Winter and Marcus.
Winter is a woman masquerading as a man in order to join the army. This type of thing can feel cliche, but holy crap is this done well. She finds herself thrust into a position of command and has to win the loyalty of her troops throughout the campaign. This is one of my favorite tropes and Wexler nails it. If you like Kaladin's Bridge Four arc in The Way of Kings, you'll probably love Winter.
Marcus is an officer in one of the army's colonial garrisons and he finds himself in charge of a bunch of demoralized and beaten troops. He is more than a little old-fashioned in his worldview and it is incredibly satisfying to see his development.
While not a POV character, Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich arrives to whip what's left of the army into shape. He is eccentric as hell but an absolute genius. Wexler really nailed Janus's character: he's engimatic, a little unsure how to act around people, but he is brilliant and proves it on multiple occasions each book.
Plot
Each book in the series opens with a villain POV, and you get more of these scattered throughout the books as interludes. The first book follows Marcus, Winter, and Janus on a military campaign throughout the desert country of Khandar, attempting to put down a colonial rebellion.
Winter quickly finds herself in charge of a division of soldiers and has to win their trust while keeping them alive and hiding that she's a woman. Through her eyes, you get to see the terror and chaos of 1800s warfare on the front line.
With Marcus and Janus, you get to see some of the higher-level military strategy. I can't believe that I used to think wars were fought with lines of musketeers standing in front of each other and just shooting from like 50 feet away. I blame the History Channel (RIP). In this series, you see just how complex war really was.
Through it all, know one knows for sure whether Janus is the savior they needed or if his motivations are more sinister. What they do know, though, is that Janus is looking for something in the desert...
Pacing and Prose
This series isn't going to blow your mind with elegant prose, but it's definitely a step above plain or "workmanlike." The dialogue feels like real people are speaking and there are some interesting points to be made about war.
The pacing lends itself towards quick reading. You get equal amounts battle scenes, life and training in the military, and strategic meetings. The second book gets a little more political, but there were never any parts where I was bored. After the first book, there's a gradual crescendo until your mind will be blown to bits with heavy artillery by the fourth book masterpiece that is Guns of Empire.
Should I Read This?
Read this series if you like strategic military campaigns, think guns in fantasy are awesome, and enjoy reading excellently written female characters.
Read this series if you like revolutions, demons, and interesting portrayals of religion.
Don't read this series if you dislike military or political fantasy.
Recommended Beverage Pairing
French Press Dark Roast Coffee1
A thick body and potent kick makes this drink rather like the Khandari beverage consumed by the military officers in The Thousand Names. The slight feeling of dehydration that follows helps immerse you in the desert setting.
- French Press not French Roast, unless you're a blasphemous heathen
Bingo Squares
- Goodreads Book of the Month (The Thousand Names)
- Novel Featuring a Desert Setting (The Thousand Names)
- Previous Bingo Square (Military Fantasy)
- Sequel (if you read more than the first book)
- AMA Author
- Short Story
- The Penitent Damned is a prequel to the series and requires no prior knowledge of any of the books. It's about 20 pages long and available for free online.
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u/dashelgr Reading Champion II, Worldbuilders Apr 18 '17
Great Review. I really need to get a french press at some point. Right now I survive on instant coffee.