The Emperor’s bride has been murdered, the result, war and the breakdown of a civil and lawful Empire.  The story is told from the view point of those who serve in the military and those who serve the law.

There are griffins, magicians, deserts, cities and royalty in this fantasy world.  The story is well written but despite 53 chapters there is very little in the way of description.  So far, I have learned a great deal about the law and little about the people.  I suppose the law is where this story falls down for me – I didn’t find the legal arguments the least bit interesting.  I would have been interested to learn more about the characters though – what they look like, how they dress, what they feel, as well as greater detail about their world.  I have hope that these things will be developed in future chapters. 

When the story shifts to the military view point it begins to shine – the fight scenes in particular are excellent!  Here the author teases the reader with a glimpse of what an exciting and epic story it is capable of being. 

The site design is easy on the eye and the chapters are nice bite-sized portions.  I think I would have found the story a little easier to follow if there had been a list of characters simply because there are a lot of them and some of their names were difficult to remember in between visits.

An Empire of Law is a slow moving and methodical story that has a lot of undeveloped potential and the possibility that it could turn into something that I might really enjoy.  I’m going to keep an eye on it for at least a little while longer in the hope that it will concentrate less on the court room and more on the action.

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An Empire of Law (AEOL) is a vast political thriller and a fantasy serial, all in one.  Griffins and wizards inhabit a world of forests and deserts, and the emperor declares war on the magic users when one of their number assassinates his wife.

With diverse characters and the intrigues of the imperial court, AEOL offers fast-paced action on a grand scale.  Each chapter increases interest and suspense, as stakes are raised in the conflict.  The author, Allan T. Michaels, has clearly given a lot of thought to the history of his fantasy world, and populated it very realistically.

AEOL is a traditional fantasy story, in the tradition of Tolkien, Guy Gavriel Kay and others of note.  If I have any complaints at all (as Allan’s writing improves on a weekly basis) it’s that the story isn’t as original a premise as his other work, Superstition, even though it has a better pace and grittier characters.

(Review subject to change as the serial continues)

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