Brian McClellan Books in Order: Complete Reading Guide
Author of the Powder Mage Trilogy and Gods of Blood and Powder — the author to read immediately after Mistborn, with a gunpowder magic system that stands among the most original in epic fantasy.
About Brian McClellan
Brian McClellan came up as a student and assistant to Brandon Sanderson, and the craft influence is evident — his plotting is meticulous, his magic systems are built on rules with costs, and his multi-POV narratives are managed with more confidence than most debut novelists can claim. But the Powder Mage world is entirely his own, and what sets it apart from the Cosmere is the specific historical setting: a world on the cusp of an industrial revolution, where a military coup has overthrown a corrupt monarchy and the consequences of that decision drive six books of political and military fiction.
The powder mage concept — the ability to manipulate gunpowder with one's mind, to ignite it at will and control bullet trajectories — is one of the few genuinely original magic systems in a genre that has produced thousands of them. It makes every battle sequence kinetic and specific, and the cost structure built into the magic (more powder means more power and more instability) creates character pressure that extends beyond the action scenes. Promise of Blood remains one of the strongest debut epic fantasy novels of the past decade.
Reading Order: Two Trilogies, One World
Start with Promise of Blood — it's Book 1 of the Powder Mage Trilogy and the correct entry point to the whole world. Finish the Powder Mage Trilogy (The Crimson Campaign, The Autumn Republic) before starting Gods of Blood and Powder. The second trilogy is set a decade later with new main characters; reading it first would cost you significant context.
Brian McClellan Books in Order
Powder Mage Trilogy
The original trilogy — start here. A revolution, a gunpowder magic system, and the grim work of holding power together after you've seized it.
- 1
Promise of Blood
Powder Mage Trilogy, Book 1
Note: The essential starting point — one of the strongest debut epic fantasy novels of the past decade.
- 2
The Crimson Campaign
Powder Mage Trilogy, Book 2
With the revolution in crisis and an invading army at the gates, a powder mage must fight on two fronts — the battlefield and the political void at home.
- 3
The Autumn Republic
Powder Mage Trilogy, Book 3
The final battle for Adro arrives — and the powder mages must face gods, traitors, and the full weight of a revolution gone wrong.
Gods of Blood and Powder
A sequel trilogy set a decade later in the same world. Read the Powder Mage Trilogy first for full context.
- 1
Sins of Empire
Gods of Blood and Powder, Book 1
A detective, a soldier, and a mage uncover a conspiracy threatening the nation in McClellan's flintlock fantasy set in the Powder Mage world.
Note: Start here for Gods of Blood and Powder — read the Powder Mage Trilogy first.
- 2
Wrath of Empire
Gods of Blood and Powder, Book 2
The occupation of Landfall tightens as the resistance splinters — and the powder mages must decide how far they are willing to go to free their city.
- 3
Blood of Empire
Gods of Blood and Powder, Book 3
The resistance makes its final move against the empire — and the cost of victory may be higher than any powder mage is prepared to pay.
If You Like Brian McClellan, Try:
McClellan studied under Sanderson, and the approach shows — same hard magic system philosophy, same meticulous plotting, similar epic scope. Start here after finishing Mistborn.
For readers who love McClellan's revolution narrative and morally complicated power structures — Brown's Red Rising delivers the same political betrayal and high-stakes warfare in a science fiction setting.
Shares McClellan's interest in the grim mechanics of revolution and what happens to idealism when it meets actual governance — with more cynicism and darker humor.
For readers drawn to McClellan's grimdark elements and morally grey protagonists — Lawrence's Broken Empire trilogy goes further into darkness with the same investment in character.