New Release!Locked beneath Manel’s crumbling empire, Catelan Vanstrom labours in secret. She builds a new breed of weaponry for a war anticipated since before she was born. As the eldest daughter of the empire’s greatest weaponeer, she masters a craft no lady is meant to touch. Society’s segregation, a trusted friend, and a charming spy each keep her away from the marksman she loves most. Catelan and her mechanical beasts become a coveted prize in a game she never agreed to play.Mark Beormann’s sudden rise from hunter to captain causes resentment. Lords, ladies, and strangers alike start to favour him at every turn. Is it his father’s legacy? His mother’s grace? Or the political manoeuvring of those who would use him for their own ends? The empire’s armies are scattered. New allies offer a desperate bargain. Mark carries a mandate he never sought, and must choose which call to trust.Despite a lifetime of preparation, they are hopelessly unprepared for the war already breaking on their doorstep.There is no second shot. They must find a way to win.

Empire of Manel
Book I: The Weaponeer's Daughter

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Robert Mann is an Australian Architect, college lecturer, and author. With qualifications in Architecture, Arts, Construction, Teaching and Theology, Robert designs immersive fantasy environments, rich in detail and lore.
First imagined in 2012, the Empire of Manel universe continues to grow, expanding into a nine-book series.When he's not writing, designing, building, or teaching, Robert is coaching football (soccer), refining his skills as a hunter, training in the gym, serving at his local church, or researching and acquiring skills across an ever-increasing range of disparate topics.Robert lives in Sydney, Australia, with his family and cheeky golden retriever, splitting his time between the fresh mountain air and warm sandy beaches as much as his work allows.

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Catelan Vanstrom

Says: “I will never be like those ladies! I am not one to remain at home, waiting for my husband’s return! If you cannot recognise my worth, then you do not know me in the slightest.”Said of her: “That weapon was not crafted by my tired hands, but by the delicate ones you see before you. Catelan herself fashioned the helical caliver you speak of.” — UlrichPhysical: “her thin, pale arms” (age 13); later, “cascades of golden locks held in place by a silver clasp... her piercing sapphire blue eyes”Weapons: her own helical caliver “she comfortably cradled the caliver into her right shoulder”; her father’s sword (duel with Tenyin); “The small knife in her pocket was well-suited for sharpening her charcoal pencils, not much more.”Clothing/jewellery: “Dressed in grubby leather coveralls and goggles, how are my daughters expected to attract attention? I could at least rework their coveralls to be less frumpish. They are young women after all, and should not be forced to wear boys’ clothes.” — Vela. “pale blue linen sundress”; a sapphire “tied with a black silk ribbon choker,” gift of Ramona.Key relationship: Daughter of Ulrich and Vela Vanstrom; sister of Jessika, Talisa, Lucinda.

Mark Beormann

Says: “Only with my caliver in hand and plenty of time to reload” does he fancy his skills against a Silvercoat.Said of him: “You are more like them than you know... You bear many of your mother’s traits and are the embodiment of everything they accomplished.” — JacquelynPhysical: “The water dripped from his long curly fringe”; “that dark, scruffy hair that was long overdue to be cut” — CatelanWeapons: the helical caliver (gift from Catelan); his father’s sword, spear, knife.Clothing/jewellery: “waxed linen coats, dyed to match Idon’s granite”; his father’s “scale-mail vest of polished idon…a wedding gift from Verona’s queen” that “shone in a brilliant hue of cyan blue”; a leather cord bearing his mother's ring; later, Jacquelyn's rebore chain.Key relationship: Sir Carle and Rose Beromann's son; raised by Darius and Margaret; bond brother of Tyrone, Ronan, and Malcolm.

Ulrich Vanstrom

Says: “Sir Ulrich Vanstrom, the Grandmaster of the Empire’s weaponeers, with nothing to show for his investment,”; “Am I not already a slave?”Said of him: “Do you drink that poison while crafting these contraptions? ... No wonder they’re faulty.” — CarlePhysical: “his shiny bald head topped with goggles"; "unruly, ashen eyebrows”Weapons: double-barrelled blunderbuss; a pistolClothing/jewellery: burgundy leather coat; brass-rimmed gogglesKey relationship: Husband of Vela; father of Catelan, Jessika, Talisa, and Lucinda.

Jessica Vanstrom

Says: “One day, we will be the Master Weaponeers, and they will all need to listen to us!”Said of her: “Crazy beautiful!” — Ronan; “Truly, Jess, you were born for a palace.” — CatelanPhysical: “beautifully cheerful—yet cheeky—wide blue eyes”Weapons: “the brace of flintlock pistols strapped around her waist”Clothing/jewellery: a golden tasselled gown, gift of Ramona “Keep it. You wear it splendidly”. Weaponeer's work clothing.Key relationship: “the second eldest daughter of Sir Ulrich Vanstrom.” Sister of Catelan.

Lady Jacquelyn of Illetha

Says: “I am Jacquelyn of Illetha, ambassador to Queen Frenya of Verona”; “We do not wither with age, but grow in strength and skill through training that endless time permits.”Said of her:“Jacquelyn is a lady of Illetha and the sister of the count’s killer, who is apparently Illetha’s Duke”; “Slender yet strong, feminine and fierce, she stood in stark contrast to most women from Idon.”Physical: “sharply chiselled features”; “ruby lips”; eyes that “sparkled like deep wells under starlight”Weapons: a glaive - “double-ended blade”; a golden hairpin used as a blade against JindorClothing/jewellery: armour bearing markings matching Eliazer’s mace; a “flowing gown of sanguine velvet”; a black chain of rebore.Key relationship: “This is my brother, Tenyin.” Daughter of Eldoras; of the Vanguard bloodline; cousin of Mark’s mother, Rose.

Lord Tenyin, Duke of Illetha

Says: “I decree that you, as the rightful lord of this region, must steward this treasure until a new emperor can be crowned.”Said of him: “He and his kind are direct descendants of the Elders—a fact they like to remind us lowly folk of whenever they are given the chance.” — MarkusPhysical: Not specified in Book 1Weapons: “a short black [rebore] blade, cavilary lance,Clothing/jewellery: Black leather armoured riding outfit with gold engraving of foreign symbols; “a gilded sash”Key relationship: Brother of Jacquelyn; Duke of Illetha; ambassador of Queen Frenya.

Ronan Hauberk

Says: “Hey, ugly. Yeah, you!”; “I’ll gladly take a kiss,”Said of him: "Fraternising with a Wardorfan is the least of Ronan’s worries.” — TyronePhysical: “lean and muscular physique,” contrasted with TyroneWeapons: a blunderbuss; a long swordClothing/jewellery: Shirtless, whenever possible “This is what muscle looks like.” He then flexed his biceps before blowing Bree a kiss.”Key relationship: Twin brother of Tyrone “Only by a minute”; bond brother of Mark and Malcolm.

Tyrone Hauberk

Says: “It’s not right for you to be here. It’s not safe... You need to act like the other women of Idon!” — to CatelanSaid of him: “Tyrone remained forever guarded—even secretive.” — CatelanPhysical: “shaved heads, foreign hazel eyes, and tawny colouring” (shared with Ronan); “short and stocky”Weapons: a repeater caliver; heavy twin cleaversClothing/jewellery: “waxed linen coats, dyed to match Idon’s granite”Key relationship: “I am the eldest, after Malcolm.” Twin of Ronan, older “by a minute”; bond brother of Mark and Malcolm.

Darius Brutheim

Says: “Just make sure you don’t end up with a crossbow bolt in your back, leering off into the distance like that. Mind your surroundings. Our enemies won’t spare you a second chance,” Darius warned. “You’re lucky it was only me. If the count caught you like that, he’d have both our heads.”Said of him: “Da’ knows best. There’s a reason people call him Idon’s greatest hunter…he’s still alive.” — MalcolmPhysical: Not specified in Book 1.Weapons: Not specified in Book 1, except for a hatchet (thrown to kill Alum)Clothing/jewellery: Not specified in Book 1.Key relationship: Adoptive father of Mark; father of Malcolm; husband of Margaret; bond brother of Carle Beormann.

Malcom Brutheim

Says: “I will stay to ensure the safe return of your friends.”Said of him: “Malcolm’s willingness to be traded for collateral took Mark aback.”Physical: “never realising just how big he was” — CatelanWeapons: a “colossal log-splitting axe”; a caliver; a spear, a knifeClothing/jewellery: Hunter/soldier clothing.Key relationship: Son of Darius and Margaret; bond brother of Mark, Tyrone, and Ronan.

Vela Vanstrom

Says: “How is she ever to attract a suitor, smelling of sulphur?”Said of her: “Now, hurry back home before your mother starts to worry.”Physical: Not specified in Book 1.Weapons: None. Not specified in Book 1.Clothing/jewellery: Not specified in Book 1.Key relationship: Wife of Ulrich Vanstrom; mother of Catelan, Jessika, Talisa, and Lucinda.

Margret Brutheim

Says: “It’s never just a dream though, is it? You should know by now that dreams always have a meaning.”Said of her: Not specified in Book 1.Physical: “her auburn hair had not yet faded or greyed like Margaret’s” — a comparison Mark drew about Ramona.Weapons: None.Clothing/jewellery: Not specified in Book 1.Key relationship: Adoptive mother of Mark; wife of Darius, mother of Malcolm.

Lord Markus Blundurst

Says: “Heavy is the head that wears the crown... So, I have chosen to lighten my burden by sharing the weight.”Said of him: “You know nothing of justice... A marshal who steals a kingdom from the hands of his murdered count—that is all you will ever be!” — AlumPhysical: “battle-hardened fingers”; “greying auburn beard”Weapons: a sword; inherits Eliazer’s war mace/sceptreClothing/jewellery: “silver scale-mail and spotted white fur”Key relationship: Husband of Ramona; half-brother of Darius, bond brother of Carle and Alum Beormann; steward and lord of Idon Keep.

Lady Ramona Blundurst

Says: “We must stick together. Heed my warning: He is a master of deceit. He will betray us all!”Said of her: “Her eyes seemed to be aflame with an intensity that sent a shiver coursing down Catelan’s spine.”Physical: “her auburn hair had not yet faded or greyed like Margaret’s”; “She is very beautiful… for her age.”Weapons: None mentioned.Clothing/jewellery: “a thin gown of gold silk”; a “circular emerald pendant hanging from a thin golden chain”Key relationship: Wife of Markus, Lady of the Keep; previously courted by Count Aldrin and Lord Alum.

Lord Alum Beormann (Barkensaw)

Says: “Do you think we do not see how you favour the baby Beormann? ... The younger is favoured while the older is despised!”Said of him: “Wielding me as a weapon, Alum strung me along just long enough to receive titles and privileges.” — RamonaPhysical: “his steely grey eyes flickered back and forth”; “his narrow nose elevated in disdain”Weapons: a swordClothing/jewellery: Not specified in Book 1Key relationship: Brother-in-law of Count Aldrin; brother of Carle; father of Jindor and Baden, uncle of Mark.

Count Aldrin Barkensaw

Says: “The Empire of Man shall never kneel before your queen! You shall never receive the keys to our kingdom!”Said of him: “You are no emperor. You shall never sit upon his throne!” — TenyinPhysical: Not specified in Book 1Weapons: Eliazer’s war mace — “an ancient war mace... a glistening eight-pronged sceptre inscribed with foreign symbols”Clothing/jewellery: Not specified in Book 1Key relationship: Brother-in-law of Lord Alum.

Sir Carle Beormann

Says: “Our enemies will not wait for you to finish your work.”Said of him: “Carle was a great leader and a dear friend of mine.” — MarkusPhysical: Not specified.Weapons: a swordClothing/jewellery: signet ring; “studded black peacoat”Key relationship: Father of Mark; husband of Rose; brother of Alum, bond brother of Markus, Darius and Alum; former ambassador of Verona and marshal of Idon.

Rose Beromann

Says: No dialogue in Book 1Said of her: “Rose was more than just family to me. She was my friend.” — JacquelynPhysical: Not specified in Book 1Weapons: Not specified in Book 1Clothing/jewellery: “a flowing gown of sanguine velvet”; a gold ring given by CarleKey relationship: Mother of Mark; wife of Carle; cousin of Jacquelyn.

Felix

Says: “Lord Markus, if it pleases you, we will lend you our aid in constructing your defences. We possess skills in carpentry and stone masonry without equal—passed down to us from the Elders.”Said of him: General Felix led a hunting party in pursuit, taking the Midlander with him. They have yet to return, and we dared not depart without first informing you of our failure. — Penndel;Physical: Not specified in Book 1.Weapons: Not specified in Book 1.Clothing/jewellery: Not specified in Book 1.Key relationship: Not specified in Book 1.

Bree

Says: “Stupid boy... You clearly don’t understand the Veroni Vanguard and Princess Ana’s importance.”Said of her: “I don’t like the looks of her at all.” — CatelanPhysical: “the slightest warrior he had ever seen”Weapons: a spearClothing/jewellery: Not specified in Book 1Key relationship: Not disclosed in Book 1, besides Jacquelyn’s aide.

Princess Ana of Blenemor

Says: No direct dialogue in Book 1Said of her: “She is my mother’s youngest daughter... the granddaughter of our queen and second in line to Verona’s throne.” — TenyinPhysical: “short with freckles and wavy brown hair”Weapons: None mentioned in Book 1Clothing/jewellery: None mentioned in Book 1Key relationship: Half-sister of Jacquelyn, daughter of Prince Tyber; granddaughter of Queen Frenya.

Princess Paige of Gladstone and Preeble

Says: “We princesses past understand your pain. Only those who submit survive the turning.”Said of her: “Vero’s princesses... He stole them from across the Empire.” — JacquelynPhysical: “her hair was a shade of red Mark had never seen on a living person, and her skin held none of the sun’s colour—pale as bone”; “unnaturally bright green eyes”; “crimson lips”Weapons: a “needle-tipped dagger”Clothing/jewellery: “a long [golden] silk slip”; “red tower guard uniforms…black capes and masks”Key relationship: Not disclosed in Book 1, besides being called “Mother” by Simon.

Prince Micah of Kearns

Says: “I will not flee while you stay and fight! I refuse to take the coward’s path!”Said of him: “You bring war upon us, Micah”Physical: “thick forearms”, “tall and muscular, not quite as large as Malcolm”Weapons: “a short-shafted axe”; his great-grandfather’s swordClothing/jewellery: “polished armour”Key relationship: Son of King Bourg, stepson of Gendylien; prince and heir of Kearns.

Queen Gendylien of Knell

Says: “You will never have my daughter.”Said of her: “So much like your mother—weak and in need of what I alone can offer.” — ZeyaPhysical: Not specified beyond frailty from illness.Weapons: a daggerClothing/jewellery: Not specified in Book 1Key relationship: Queen of Kearns; wife of Bourg; mother of Estelle; stepmother of Micah.

Queen Zeya

Says: “I am Zeya, queen over all.”Said of her: “Her voice was deep and thick with hatred.” — narratedPhysical: Not specified.Weapons: None disclosed in Book 1Clothing/jewellery: Not specified.Key relationship: Not disclosed in Book 1.

Knar/Vero

Says: “You fool! I have no interest in your games... Soon, you shall join my slaves”; “You will obey me, or you will suffer the consequences!”Said of him: “I think he’s a vampire.” — Malcolm; “No, I don’t think he is a vampire—not exactly” — Tyrone.Physical: "his mutilated head—engraved with hideous tattoos. His bald scalp bore rows of unspeakable dark runes"Weapons: Unarmed/physical assailant; no named weapon.Clothing/jewellery: a cloak, torn off in battleKey relationship: Master of Paige and the turned "princesses"; Not disclosed in Book 1.

Simon/Sart of Haulier

Says: “My name is Simon, the Earl of Haulier and ruler of the entire Perosi shire.”Said of him: “I don’t trust him. Something about him seems off.” — TyronePhysical: “a handsome man—fair-skinned and fair-haired like her” — CatelanWeapons: a knifeClothing/jewellery: Not specified beyond torn prisoner's garb.Key relationship: Claims to be Earl of Haulier; formerly bound in service to Knar; loved Isabelle.

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At the heart of this map, nestled within Midland’s ancient volcanic mountains, lies Idon Keep, the fortified mountain stronghold where Book One begins. Its underground mines conceal the weaponeer’s workshops, and the setting for Catelan’s apprenticeship.Scattered through Midland are the smaller waypoints of the story: Sutcliffe, where the trail of Carle Beormann’s assassin went cold; Meath, the river town where Carle and Markus’s disastrous campaign against the mountain-beast tribes cost Carle his life years later; and Mount Manet, the great peak whose name echoes that of Eliazer Manel, the vanished Elder Emperor. To the north-west, Haulier marks the upper coastal borders of the Perosi Shire, the earldom secretly ruled by Simon — the prisoner known to Idon only as “Sart”.Far south, past the river crossing at Barkensaw — where a young Carle first met Jacquelyn as a cadet — lies Wardorf and its capital, Searest: the ancestral homeland the Vanstrom family longs for throughout the book, and the destination Catelan and Jessika are sent toward when Markus stages their deaths.

On a clear day, the great lands of Verona can be spotted across the channel. Duke Tenyin and his sister Jacquelyn travel from Verona’s Western state, Illetha, on behalf of Queen Frenya. Their allegiance binds them to Blenemor, capital of Verona.To the east of Idon, beyond Midland’s borders, lies Turrock, and beyond it, Kitel. These are the ancestral hunting grounds of the paninthulars that Mark and his bond brothers face in the caverns of the Perosi Shire.Finally, beyond the map’s northern edge, the Northern Barbarians’ twin cities of Kearns and Knell come under attack by the Zeya and her Marauders. As Queen Gendylien and King Bourg fall victim to Zeya’s evil, Prince Micah flees south to Idon’s gates.This map represents the extent of Midland knowledge. Manel’s Empire and the world beyond expand across the rest of the Empire of Manel series.

This map shows Idon’s broader region, isolated and hidden from the rest of Midland. Too far to be of any interest. Idon Keep is a small mountain stronghold pressed into a narrow gap between the Western Forest and the Northern Wastes, with Idon Lake stretching away to its south like a moat carved by the surrounding peaks. Catelan reflects that Idon Keep was chosen precisely because of its isolation; no one would think of questioning what goes on here.”The Western Forest sprawling across the map’s left half is the hunting ground shared by Mark, Malcolm, Tyrone, and Ronan — the streams they follow to disguise their tracks in Chapter 8, the spring where they first encounter Jacquelyn’s Veroni cavalry, and later the terrain Mark and Tyrone slip through on their night reconnaissance of the Marauder camp in Chapter 34.To the south, east, when the lake froze over, Mark and Malcolm tracked and hunted two Gargathons in the book’s opening chapters. It is in these forested mountains that Mark procures the pelt he later gifts to Catelan.

Idon Lake itself, shown here at its true scale, is the route for two of the book’s pivotal journeys: the ferry crossing to Poole that carries Mark, Tyrone, Ronan, and Jacquelyn toward the rescue of Princess Ana, and — far more gravely — the later ferry south toward Barkensaw and Wardorf, where Desmond’s attack leaves Jessika overboard, and Catelan presumed drowned. The lake is noted for its “sheer cliffs of obsidian”. Water that kills all the fish, and the ferry’s “black oar blades” that disappear into the dark below.The East Banks, hugging the lake’s northeastern shore, mark the direction from which the greatest threat approaches: this is the ground Markus scrambles to fortify before the Marauder host arrives, and where Darius leads the Silvercoats and Third Battalion to make camp and hold the line.Further north still, the Northern Wastes and Northern Passage trace the route the Marauders take in their southward advance — and the same corridor down which Prince Micah leads the last survivors of Kearns, mothers and children in tow, in their desperate flight to Idon’s gates.

Carved into Mount Idon and ringed by sheer cliffs and Idon Lake, Idon Keep is half above ground, half hollowed out beneath it. The map’s outer bowl of black-roofed rooftops is the Keep proper; everything that matters to Catelan's story happens in the seam between what the city can see and what it can’t.The path marked ‘Mine Access’ leads to the weaponeer’s workshops. To access the mines, Catelan must navigate Jindor and Baden before descending the tiered terraces, plunging ten storeys to an underground lake. This is where the Keep’s darkest secrets are kept: the warship foundry and the chemical-engine workshop. The boiler explosion nearly kills Ulrich and Catelan in Chapter 24, sending plumes of smoke up through the craggy rock cliffs, drawing the hunter’s attention while out training for war.At the city’s highest level, the Great Hall is Idon’s seat of power — Count Aldrin’s throne room, and later Markus’s. Under its glistening pendants, Tenyin and Aldrin’s battle in "trial by combat”. Markus is crowned steward, and Catelan duels Tenyin with her father’s sword, before Sart is captured and interogated. The Central Courtyard and Marshalling Yards near the Northern Gates, are where Catelan grew up underfoot of soldiers drilling, and later, where she hands out calivers to her own marksmen before watching them depart for war from the northern wall.The Mews is where Mark waits for Catelan in the early chapters, and the Prison where she secretly visits Simon. It is in the prison’s muddy courtyard that justice is ultimately delivered upon Jindor and Baden, both losing their heads.

To the west, the ‘Hunter’s Gate’ and ‘West Gate’ open onto the Western Forest — hunting grounds for Mark, Malcolm, Tyrone, and Ronan. Come spring, they are caught bathing in the shallows of their favourite pool when Jacquelyn and the Veroni knight thunder across the meadow grass.South of the city, the Southern Gate, Pebble Beach, and Docks open onto Idon Lake. It is via this route the the King’s Ferry ushers Mark to Poole. Jessika and Catelan unexpectantly experience the lake’s depths on their way south to Barkensaw and then Searest. Disappearing into the lake’s depths, Catelan finds her way into a glowing cave amidst the lake’s cliffs in the Epilogue to Book 1.To the east, the East Gate, Eastern Market, and the open ground of the East Banks mark the direction of Idon's greatest vulnerability — the “outer eastern defences”. They must complete the work before the Marauder host arrives.Finally, the Quarry at the map’s eastern edge is where the story itself opens — the site of the Prologue's caliver trials. “Thunderous cracks echoed off the quarry’s stone” as Midland's soldiers first learn to fire Ulrich’s weapons. Beyond the Keep’s walls, the Northern Wastes and Northern Cliffs stretch toward Barbarian country — the direction from which Prince Micah’s refugees, and the Marauder horde behind them, finally arrive at Idon’s gates.

Names

Aldrin = ol-drinAlum = al-umAna = ah-naAyana = A-ah-naBaden = bay-denBourg = borgBree = brECarle = kRlCatelan = Kt-lanCorcyra = kor-sy-raDarius Bruithiem = da-rE-us broo-timeDelaney = del-A-kneeDesmond = Dez-mondEliazer Manel = el-E-A-zer ma-nelFelix = fee-licksFrenya = fren-yaGendylien = gen-dil-lenJacquelyn = jack-el-linKnar = narLucinda = loo-sin-daMalcolm = mal-kumMark Beormann = mark bee-or-manMarkus Blundurst = mar-kus blun-durstMicah = my-kaPaige = pAjPenndel = pen-dulPersephone = per-sef-oh-neeRamona = ra-mo-naRandall Hauberk = ran-dal hor-berkRonan = ro-nanSephora = se-for-ahTalisa = ta-lee-saTenyin = ten-yinTyber = ty-berTyrone = ty-roneUlrich = ool-rickVela = vel-laZeya = zay-ya

Places & Terms

Barkensaw = bar-ken-sawBlenemor = blen-em-orHaulier = haw-lee-erIdon = Eye-donIlletha = ill-E-thaKearns = kernzKnell = nellPeris = peh-risPerosi = peh-ro-seeSearest = see-restSutcliffe = sut-cliffVerona = ver-oh-naWardorf = war-dorfCaliver = kal-iv-erGargathon = gar-gath-onPaninthular = pan-in-thu-larRebore = ree-boreRevenant = re-ven-antVanguard = van-gard

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1.

The Prologue is told from Ulrich's point of view, before Catelan's birth. What are the advantages and disadvantages of starting a YA novel with a prologue in this way?

2.

The title ‘The Weaponeer’s Daughter’ defines Catelan by her relationship to her father, yet Ulrich calls the helical caliver:
“That weapon was not crafted by my tired hands, but by the delicate ones you see before you.”
Why might the author have chosen a title that initially seems to define Catelan through her father rather than through her own achievements? What does the gap between the title
and the story arc ask the reader to notice?

3.

The phrase “At the beginning, as always” appears at both the beginning and the end of the novel.
What has changed about Catelan between the first time she hears this phrase and the final time she says it to herself?

4.

The back-cover blurb ends: “There is no second shot. They must find a way to win.”
How does this line set reader expectations before the story even begins? Does the novel’s ending fulfil, complicate, or delay this promise?

1.

Where in the book is Catelan's work attributed to, overlooked by, or overshadowed by the men around her?
How does she respond in each situation?

2.

Catelan requests to be called "Cate" in the book's final chapters.
Who or what might have inspired this name change, and what is its significance?

3.

The Back Cover Blurb describes a “war anticipated since before she was born.”
How does this threat shape Catelan’s sense of purpose, urgency, and identity? Would she be a different person innpeacetime?

4.

The Back Cover Blurb calls Catelan and her “mechanical beasts” a “coveted prize in a game she never agreed to play.”
Identify at least three characters who try to use Catelan (or her skills) for their own ends over the course of the novel.
Does she ever succeed in playing the game on her own terms?

5.

In the epilogue, Catelan cuts her hair, changes its colour, discards her choker, and then retrieves the jewel.
Her actions are deliberate rather than panicked. What do these actions suggest about
what she is choosing to leave behind and what she is choosing to keep?

6.

Do you think Catelan's journey in this book ends in defeat, transformation, or both?
What might her arc in Book One mean for her character development as she enters later books in the series?

1.

The Back Cover Blurb asks: “Is it his father's legacy? His mother's grace? Or the political
manoeuvring of those who would use him for their own ends?”
Which explanation does the text support for Mark’s sudden rise from hunter to captain? Is it possible that more than one is true simultaneously?

2.

Mark’s bond brothers react very differently to his rise in status:
Tyrone with suspicion, Ronan with teasing, and Malcolm with quiet loyalty. What does each reaction reveal about their character?

3.

The blurb says Mark “carries a mandate he never sought, and must choose which call to trust.”
List the different “calls” competing for Mark’s loyalty. Which do you think Mark is most likely to follow into later in the series, and why?

4.

In Chapter 23, Mark receives a vivid dream-vision of a besieged city and a voice that tells him:
"You must ready yourself, Mark... I have shown you these things ahead of time."
How does this scene position Mark in relation to the prophesied return of Eliazer Manel?

5.

How does Mark respond when he is finally forced to confront the truth of what happens beneath Idon Keep?
What does his reaction tell us about his priorities?

6.

Mark carries his father’s ring and Jacquelyn’s rebore chain together around his neck for much of the book.
What does this physical detail suggest about the different kinds of inheritance — biological, cultural, and chosen — that shape him?

1.

Tyrone warns Mark that “a woman like Jacquelyn doesn’t offer favours for free,” yet Tyrone himself keeps his own secrets from Catelan and Mark. Is Tyrone a reliable judge of other people’s motives?
Why might the author give this warning to a character whose own honesty is questionable?

2.

Ronan is often the comic relief of the group, yet his account of Penndel’s death in Chapter 17 is one of the most emotionally serious moments in the book.
In addition to comic relief, what other role does Ronan’s humour contribute to the story and his character arc?

3.

Malcolm volunteers to stay behind as a Veroni hostage, and then later risks his life to save Princess Ana.
What do his choices across Book 1 say about the kind of loyalty he values most: to his bond
brothers, to duty, or to the people he loves?

4.

Jessika is often framed as Catelan’s more fun-loving, romance-focused foil.
Do you think this is a fair reading of her character by the end of the book? How does her relationship with Prince Micah typify or complicate this stereotype?

5.

Markus tells Catelan: “Faith matters most when all hope is lost.” Later, privately, he calls the Eliazer Manel prophecy “foolish fantasies.”
Is this hypocrisy, or is Markus performing two different kinds of leadership for two different audiences?
What does the gap between his public and private language tell us about his character?

6.

Jacquelyn claims kinship with Mark, positions him for influence, and is present at pivotal moments throughout Book 1. How much of Jacquelyn’s own motives can we deduce by the end of Book 1?
What questions about her character remain open heading into Book 2?

1.

Compare the gift-giving throughout the book: the helical caliver, the gargathon pelt, Ramona’s sapphire choker, and Jacquelyn’s rebore chain.
Comment on the stated and possible concealed motives behind each gift.

2.

The helical caliver becomes a symbol connecting Catelan and Mark.
Trace the weapon’s journey through the story: who carries it, desires it, and uses it? What does the weapon’s journey reveal about the relationship between Catelan and Mark?

3.

Catelan calls the caliver “one of a kind”
when Tenyin tries to purchase one. Why do you think she refuses to reproduce it, even though doing so could bring her favour and wealth?

4.

When Tenyin’s rebore blade shatters Ulrich’s finest steel, Ulrich simply says,
“Well, it was time for a new sword anyway”
What does his reaction suggest about his character?

5.

Catelan removes the sapphire choker from her neck more than once before finally discarding it in the epilogue.
Why might the author repeat this act? What does the repetition suggest about how difficult it can be to break free from something that has come to represent power, control, or worth?

6.

Both Mark and Catelan end up wearing jewellery given to them by powerful older figures (Jacquelyn's chain; Ramona's choker) that carries hidden strings attached.
Compare how each character comes to understand what they've been given.

1.

In discussion with Mark, Jacquelyn points out that the ‘Empire of Man’ was originally the
‘Empire of Manel’. What is the significance of these extra two letters?

2.

Following on from the last question, what are some of the negative consequences associated with real societies forgetting, distorting, or rewriting their own history?

3.

The Wardorfans live and work beneath Idon Keep, separated from the people above them, while their labour sustains the city and is purposed to protect the entire empire.
How does the segregation
between the Wardorfans in the underground mines and the people above mirror our own society and global economy?

4.

Ulrich says of the Wardorfans’ status: “Am I not already a slave?” Is this a fair description of his situation, and how does this change when Markus replaces Count Aldrin?

5.

Compare the treatment of the Wardorfans, Kitelians (Tyrone, Ronan and their family), the Northern Barbarians, and Veroni.
In what ways are they treated as equals with Midlanders, “outsiders”, or even enemies?

1.

Tenyin says the prophecy speaks of Eliazer returning “in our darkest hour.”
How does the book use his absence to show the empire’s decline? Who benefits from his continued absence?

2.

In the epilogue, an unnamed voice revives Catelan in a hidden cave. What might it mean that this possible divine moment is private rather than a dramatic event witnessed by many people?

3.

Compare the different kinds of “calling” at work in the novel: Catelan’s calling to her craft, Mark’s calling to leadership he never sought, Mark’s dream, Catelan and Jessika being sent south, and the voice calling Cate’s name.
How do Mark and Cate respond to their unique calling?

4.

Markus dismisses the prophecy as “foolish fantasies” even while telling Catelan to hold onto faith.
Do the characters in this story possess agency, or are their actions fated? What evidence supports your reading?

1.

Sart/Simon presents himself as a victim, a prisoner, a wronged nobleman, a secret investor, an eligible suitor, and the next emperor.
Catelan is normally cautious and perceptive, yet she believes Simon, while Tyrone mistrusts Sart from the start. Why was Sart/Simon so effective in gaining Catelan’s trust but not Tyrone’s?

2.

The revelation that Simon was gathering intelligence rather than simply showing interest in Catelan changes the meaning of his prison visits.
Looking back, what small details might have hinted at his true intentions before the dramatic reveal?

3.

Ramona gives Catelan a jewel, then tells Mark it was “stolen” from her by a Wardorfan, setting a trap for Catelan. What does this reveal about Ramona’s character?

4.

Compare Ramona and Paige as two women who have both been mistreated by powerful men and who now use manipulation as a tool of survival.
Does the novel invite sympathy for either of them, or are they framed purely as villains?

5.

Knar’s “turning” of his victims requires a willing submission rather than a simple attack.
Why might the author have chosen consent (even coerced consent) as a necessary mechanism of this
transformation, rather than force alone? What does this suggest about the nature of the story’s real threat?

1.

Catelan’s 580-foot rescue shot is framed as “impossible” by Tyrone. She alone possesses the necessary skill and willingness to save Mark from the Marauder warlord. Find two other sequences where the author sets up a "damsel" expectation and then subverts, fulfils, or complicates it.
Consider Ana, Jacquelyn, and Bree in your answer. In your answer, comment on whether the result feels earned.

2.

Compare the various forms of ‘strength’ modelled by Catelan, Jacquelyn, Mark and Markus throughout this book. What form of strength appeals to you the most, and why?

3.

The novel includes a love-triangle-like dynamic between Catelan, Mark, and Tyrone. Where does the book lean into familiar romantic tropes, and where does it complicate or resist them?

4.

Compare and contrast the generational ‘bond brother’ relationships between
Alum/Carle/Darius/Markus, with Malcolm/Mark/Ronan/Tyrone. In what ways are each of these culturally-enforced brotherhoods beneficial and toxic?

1.

Catelan spends much of the book building and wishing she could drive monstrous warships into battle.
Comment on the ethical considerations of using such machines in war, and consider why the author chose Catelan to desire possessing such weapons.

2.

Mark and Catelan spend their early lives preparing for a war neither of them chose. Reflect on their ‘coming of age through war’ arcs, and compare their childhood to your own. What single formative event shaped who you are today?

3.

The blurb states: “Despite a lifetime of preparation, they are hopelessly unprepared for the war already breaking on their doorstep.”
What does the novel suggest is the difference between being trained for something and being ready for it?

4.

Which character in this book do you most closely identify with, and why? Describe your ideal outcome for this character by the end of the series.