Ghosts of Empire: A Ghost Novel (The Ghost Series)
The latest installment in acclaimed Ghost series from Sunday Times bestselling author George Mann
In the aftermath of the events seen in Ghosts of Karnak, and with the political climate somewhat eased, Gabriel takes Ginny to London by airship to recuperate. But he isn’t counting on coming face-to-face with a man who claims to embody the spirit of Albion itself, sinister forces gathering in the London Underground and an old ally – the British spy, Peter Rutherford – who could desperately use his help.
Latterday Batman type story,
5/5,
The Ghost series follows the endeavours of Gabriel Cross (a.k.a The Ghost) and Detective Felix Donovan who have formed an alliance against the dark evils threats that have started plaguing their home of New York City. From hideous tentacled monsters of other dimensions to ancient Egyptian gods pursuing world domination; these guys have been through a lot. Ghosts Of Empire pick the story up in London where the gang, including Ginny and Felixâs wife Flora, have embarked on a long overdue holiday. Three days into the holiday, an old friend appears having been attacked by an impossible animal and in saving his life they join a new war against an exceptional evil; invincible Russian wizards who are on a century old mission to take over the world.
Fighting constantly on the backfoot against an army of arcane magicians, The Ghost must team up with the British Secret Service to infiltrate and destroy this powerful new enemy. Ghosts of Empire is a high stakes fantasy thriller that is a must read for all fiction lovers. George Mann has created a story (and series) that has so much to offer readers of all calibres.
Gabriel had planned to hang up his goggle, boosters and guns for his vacation but he and Donovan are soon at it again, along with a god infested Ginny, fighting to save the world as they know it from benevolent villains. This is most certainly George Mannâs most ambitious storyline yet and I am happy to say that it pays off brilliantly. I was curious to see where GM was going with this story and having established his Steampunk inspired alternative history in the first trilogy; GM has now set his sights on bigger and better plots. GM has incorporated so many different genres into his writing, from Action, Thriller and Steampunk to Alternative History, Horror and Fantasy. What most impressed me about his writing is that they all mesh together perfectly without getting confused or having each genre constantly vying for attention. George Mann is all about delivering bold and brash plots that are intense, memorable and ascetically pleasing.
For those who are unfamiliar with the series Gabriel is a rich war veteran who has become the crime fighting vigilante The Ghost. Much akin to the Bruce Wayne/Batman concept but with The Ghost being more comparable to Marvelâs Starlord, with his red eyed goggles, leg boosters and handguns. Gabriel is the physical embodiment of Duality and is constantly trapped between to equally different versions of the true Gabriel. He is joined in his crusades by NYPD Detective Felix Donovan who is completely focused on protecting the streets he calls home and is happy to utilise The Ghost as an ally. There are a cycling roster of other individuals who join their band of evil bashing badasses but in Ghosts Of Empire there are only a handful of allies fighting a horde of immortal Russian wizards.
I loved this instalment of the series. I wouldnât say that by the fourth book I was expecting GM to shake the series up because GM has managed to craft a unique plot within each book that keeps it fresh and exciting. But I have to say I am glad that GM did take his series to another level by taking it to London and upping the ante with the powerful new enemy the group now face. These enemies were remarkably captivating and having to fight them in a foreign setting takes the action/adventure to a whole other level. I am slightly disappointed that GM didnât utilise a Steampunk inspired London as much as he could have (considering how well he has done with NYC) but the setting does have its moments. I found the drastically different location caused plenty of additional chaos and unsettled a previously confident band of heroes.
George Mannâs writing is certainly the stand-out element of each of The Ghost novels. It is great to see an author having such an invigorating and exciting experience writing new instalments of a much loved series. Every enemy that The Ghost faces is multi-dimensional (both literally and physiologically) and The Koscheis are just as threatening, brutal and challenging as any other beings that the shadows have thrown at Gabriel so far. There is more development with the villains in GOE with lots of showdowns and captivating twists. I also appreciated the consistent pacing that GM threads through his stories which keeps the focus on present stories instead of jumping all over the place.
I canât decide whether GMâs choice to make his novels shorter and more bold over longer and more in-depth is a good thing or not. I certainly wanted more from Ghosts Of Empire on depth side of things because I was fascinated by Koscheis and their mission (as well as their leader). But it is difficult to tell whether more would have taken away from the mysteriousness and magical effect their presence had on the novel. If you like bold action set pieces and chaotic mysteries that unfold with intensity and vigour, without going too…
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There’s a Ghost in My London House,
Sam Tyler (Reading, Berkshire)
Gabriel and Ginny are on holiday in London hoping to see the sites and relax a little. However, when one of you has a rocket propelled alter ego called The Ghost and the other has the power of an Egyptian God, this is not always easily achieved. After one of their friends gets in trouble they decide to investigate. What they uncover is a conspiracy that may bring the world to the brink of war once again. And a cult of Russian sorcerers. And an avatar of Albion, the protective God of England. A typical vacation then.
ââGhosts of Empireââ by George Mann is the fourth in the Ghost Series of books and highlights a confident author who knows the characters and the genre well. The universe that Mann has created is a fascinating one â a steampunk alternative to our own post World War One. Here the various worldwide royals wield more power and the use of engineering and underhand magic are considered valid weapons. Having fought various supernatural beings and automatons in the past, it was only natural for events to get even more intense in ââEmpireââ for The Ghost.
This book is pulp action at a very fine level. If you are looking for rocket propelled heroes taking on an army of cultists, you are in the right place. Enlightened prose â not so much. However, Mann makes the book work as it is not all just action. There is by now a mini ensemble of characters that surround The Ghost and between punch ups, you get some good characterisation, this is important as it makes the action more thrilling as you care about the outcome.
Indeed, at times the action is a little too thrilling and a reader can sometimes lose their way. There are loads of great ideas being fired at you; sometimes you canât keep track. The fascinating world that Mann has created is strong enough for you to explore without the need for a chase every twenty pages or so. It is rare for me to suggest this when reading a pulp novel, but a little less action would have probably helped.
By this, the fourth book in the series, it is impressive that Mann is still keeping up a high standard of new ideas and action. Across the entire series it is apparent that the universe itself gives a stronger sense of fascination than the individual stories can offer. Whilst you get the thrills in one book, you cannot help but seek tantalising glimpses of a larger world. Hopefully, with the ââEmpireââ putting this world on the brink of war, Mann will decide to make the politics, technology and magic of this universe the star and not just give hundreds of pages of action. This is still great pulp, but it could be unmissable.