"For those who love sweeping sagas, beautifully described settings and a real sense of watching the characters as they go about their lives, I can't rate this highly enough." Annie Whitehead, Discovering Diamonds Historical Fiction review.

Marian L Thorpe created her own genre - history of an alternative world, rather than an alternative history of the one we think we know - then perfected it in Empire's Reckoning. Politics; love; the politics of love; the love of politics: all mix, using a double timeline to create tension that will clearly be resolved... but how? Told by a scáeli, the novel turns into a Saga of its own where every word choice matters. I laughed, I cried, I accused the author of being a monster. I feared and cheered for the people I loved, shouted at the pages, promised myself to stop reading for the day, then decided to maybe read just another page. Or chapter. Or four. Those are not characters, they're my friends, and I almost felt privileged to be able to find out what they've been up to. And they've been up to a LOT. If you think you know what to expect, you're wrong. Keep a beverage of your choice and a cold compress for your forehead nearby.

Trust me when I say that you've never read a book like this before. Empire's Reckoning is an outstanding work of art from an outstanding wordsmith. A wonderful gift for Marian L Thorpe's fans who worried that the series would end up being a trilogy. - Bjørn Larssen, author of Storytellers.

"...it is testament to Marian L Thorpe's writing skill that this book really made me stop and think about various prejudices that exist throughout the world, and how these can be set aside to create something better." - Mai Taylor, Mai's Musings Book Blog

"Sorley is a vivid narrator, expressing his feelings, often of regret, but also hurt, desire and helplessness. This brilliantly paced book has so much momentum that it is a compelling read." - Joules Barham, Northern Reader Book Blog