Premise: Found Sins of Empire in a library's used bookstore while on vacation when needing something to read. Thought it was really fun but only after reading it I realized that there's a preceeding trilogy and it's at least somewhat connected (tried to avoid spoilers as best I could). I would like to read the first trilogy before continuing, but Idk how interconnected the two series are and am worried about it being too spoiled for me if I were to jump right in.

Question: My thought was to read another book or two before starting the series to provide some 'buffer'. Should I, or are they disconnected enough that I should just jump right in to Promise of Blood?

Thanks!

First off, just wanted to say I have been blazing through the powder mage universe and I have found myself fully transfixed by it. It seems I have more to write about this than I thought, so I'll include a TL;DR.

TL;Dr: Why did Ben Styke end up in the Fatastran Work Camps? Was it ever mentioned or hinted at , and I just forgot, or has it not been written about yet?

I started it on a whim as I was looking for other fantasy genres to engage in, as over my roughly 12 years of High Fantasy, I have grown a little tired of Dnd-Esque fantasy content, much to my gaming buddies chagrin. After playing Avowed, I found myself looking for something close to it, a blending of Fantasy with Firearms, (I seriously want to play some form of gunslinger and I have been denied countlessly.). One of my favorite genres/tropes(?) is the common folk using technology to match the power of sorcery. I'm a sucker for an underdog using guile, ingenuity and engineering to get one up on pompous spell slingers. Naturally, I love steampunk because of this. But then I learned of Flintlock Fantasy, and thought it would be up my alley.

Low and behold, The Crimson Campaign was one of the top suggestions in the genre. So I thought I'd give it a read. I have now run out of books and novellas, and I literally just grabbed my wallet so I could buy Mr.Styke.

Ben Styke quickly became one of my favorite characters. A big lug who is a monster in combat but still manages to have a big heart. How could I not? I also have a secret theory that he actually has 2 Knacks, not just one, but no need to dive into my head cannon.

After reading The Mad Lancers novella, I realized that, I can't remember how Ben managed to get sent to the work camps. So it leads me to my question.

How did Ben get sent to the Work Camps after The Revolution? I can't remember if it was mentioned in passing, blatantly stated, or just not written about. I fully admit I could be not remembering it due to my late night reading and rampant unmedicated brain, but I just wanted some clarification from other readers so I don't have to re-read the second trilogy.

Thanks in advance for any help given!

P.S. Not nearly enough fan art exists for Powder Mage. Get on it my fellow nerds with drawing Talent!

P.P.S. I would love to see designs of in world uniforms and weaponry. I'm a prop nerd and would love to make some and some costuming.

I own the first two books, but I have been hesitant to start the series because I haven't felt like tracking down all the novellas.

Am I fine to just read the books and skip the novellas?

I drew Tamas from the cover of "The Crimson Campaign" and Tamas and Erika from the cover of "Servant of the Crown".

Its been a while since I'd read the series. I just finished empire of the vampire and I needed something the exact opposite of that. Really enjoying the re-read. I think Brian's world building is so strong. Its something you can get really immersed in.

I think the world itself is my favourite character.

No seriously it bothers me every read. And there is not a single description in the book. Someone put me out my misery

The man has one goal in life

There isn’t a character in fiction I feel for more than this poor bugger 😆😆😆

Living rent free in my head: the parallels between Frodo (+Sam) and Taniel (+Ka-Poel)'s trauma.

Anyone have one they’d part with? Comment or dm me!