Intrigue and magic collide in this epic fantasy about Sir Conrad Vonwalt, the Emperor's Justice, who is detective, judge and executioner rolled into one. The Wolf Empire is in turmoil. Rebels, heretics and powerful patricians all challenge the power of the imperial throne. These are dangerous times for Justice. Only the Order of Magistrates stands in the way of chaos. Sir Conrad Vonwalt is the most feared judge of them all, upholding the law with his keen mind, magic and swordsmanship. When Vonwalt and his protégé investigate a murder, they uncover a conspiracy that reaches to the very top of Imperial society. As the stakes grow and become more personal, Vonwalt finds himself tempted to break the law. But is even the highest goal worth it? such a sacrifice? ““Justice of Kings” is both a heroic fantasy and an exciting detective story. The powerful intellect and magical power of Sir Conrad Vonwalt amaze the imagination. But thanks to Helena, his young protégé, the plot really begins to play with all its colors. The sophistication that Richard Swann brings to the fantasy genre makes readers eagerly await the sequel.” – Sebastian de Castell, author of The Spellcaster “An outstanding example of modern fantasy.” – R. J. Barker, author of Ships of Bone “The book was written so masterfully, grippingly and convincingly that I could hardly stop reading. The characters seem so real that I seriously experienced all the horror and severity of the hangover with them. And their world - even if only a small part of it is visible to us - it seems extremely complex, teetering on the brink of the catastrophe that I anticipate.” – Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of Creep “A mesmerizing look at justice, vengeance and the law with great characters, compelling and beautifully written. A brilliant debut and a fantastic start to the series." - James Islington, author of Shadow of the Gone "A stunningly detailed world with exciting adventures and a unique perspective." – K. S. Villoso, author of She-Wolf Oren-Yaro “Swan created a strong, dynamic hero in Vonwalt. This is a guarantee that the series will become even better in the future.” – Publishers Weekly “A murder mystery interweaves with dark political fantasy. An intriguingly dark deconstruction of beloved detective tropes." – Kirkus Reviews “The world of the Wolf Empire is rich and interesting. Readers "I'll love the world structure, Sir Conrad and his team, and the unique details the author has added to the classic fantasy story." – Booklist “Richard Swan's knowledge of law and politics makes perfect use of his knowledge in the grim world of dark fantasy, where these areas come to the fore. He subjects prejudices, morality and the law itself to close analysis, which is then presented to the readers.” – R.R. Virdi, author of The First Formula “Justice of Kings instantly became one of my favorite new books this year. In addition to vivid characters, impeccable storytelling and an expressive author's style, the book has everything that I love so much - mystery, military onslaught, necromancy and characters so realistic that I reluctantly turned my heart last page. This was a truly exciting read and I can't wait to read more." – H. M. Long, author of The Smoky Hall