Blood and Empire

The Gateway Saga Book 1

Power is never granted… it is only seized. 

Young seamstress Bethany dreams of becoming a diviner, one of the select few able to navigate the mysterious gateways that unite the empire. But without wealth or education, and only her mother to raise her, she is on a path to disappointment.

Then Bethany meets Charlton, a cleric, who offers her books and guidance, and she glimpses a life she had thought unreachable. Her problems grow, however, when her ambitions draw attention and her father re-enters her life, confronting her with the fact that she still has a troubled past to come to terms with.

As invasion threatens the empire, and intrigue and betrayal create fault lines amongst the highest circles, Bethany must learn to master both powerful forces and herself, in order to confront the darkness within her own bloodline—and save the empire from itself…

Blood and Empire The Gateway Saga, Book 1 out 11 MARCH 2025!

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The Gateway Saga

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

Explore The Gateway Saga World

BLOOD AND EMPIRE begins best-selling author James Maxwell’s long-awaited new epic fantasy series,
THE GATEWAY SAGA—a gripping tale of ambition, sacrifice, and defiance in the face of destiny.
Power is never granted… it is only seized.

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Book 1

Book 2

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Book Reviews

What Readers Are Saying

It's been far too long since we've heard from James Maxwell. Thankfully, he has returned with Blood and Empire, a superbly crafted book. I feel that this book, the first in a series, is a prologue, setting the stage for what is to come in the next volumes.
Lyriel Claire
Wow! I've missed fantasy books like this! 'Blood and Empire' is a fantastic beginning to this new world James Maxwell has crafted; an epic political high fantasy written with intrigue!
Mia
My one complaint? It ends. Now I’m stuck pacing like a nomad without a horse, itching for Book 2. That’s not a flaw—that’s proof Maxwell’s got me hooked and waiting for more. If you crave epic fantasy with brains, guts, and a “one more page” pull, snatch up Blood and Empire.
Tre
Blood and Empire has the perfect mix of world building, character creation, and storytelling at a pace that both demands attention while feeding imagination. I could not put this down. I devoured every bit of it in 3 days and am on the edge of my seat for more. Looking forward to the release of book 2!
Hilary Colleen
This was a breath of fresh air for me with complex world composition and characters with dynamic relationships with consequence. It has the makings of a game of thrones series.I cannot wait to read the next installment.
Sally Rozumalski
This was my first high fantasy since Game of Thrones. What a journey! Immersive world building, political intrigue and some fantastic characters made this an easy 5 star read for me!
Lissy
A sweeping epic of an empire on the brink of something, dangerous or good, you don't quite know. Such great world building and I cannot wait to read the next book!
Anne Marko
Honestly, James' books are a breath of fresh air and this one was no different to all of the previous books of his that I have read. I honestly looked forward to getting into bed with this one and reading every night, sometimes far later than I should have. I cant wait to see what happens next.
Mark Angel-Trueman
If you enjoy books with political intrigue, fantastic world-building, and dynamic characters, I think you’ll love this one. Am I going to read the next book in the series? Absolutely.
Anonymous
A fantastic read, start to finish. Compelling characters, easy to get caught up in the story. Very well written and I personally am looking forward to buying the next installment of this story.
Mark Poole
Blood and Empire was like a breath of fresh air, it was exactly what I needed to cleanse my reading palate. This book hit all the right notes, and it felt like a serious upgrade after some of the more painful, uninspired books I’ve been reading lately.
Louis Hughes

Other Series by James Maxwell

The Evermen Saga

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The Shifting Tides

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The Firewall Trilogy

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Seven Words of Power

A standalone collection of seven stories.

Apprentice enchantress, Evora Guinestor, is summoned to a mysterious meeting with Master Zoran. Her suspicions are confirmed when her two rival apprentices have also been summoned: it’s time for Master Zoran to name his successor.

But along with her rivals Evora is shocked when Master Zoran announces a contest. In three days, the apprentice who demonstrates the most powerful magic with the fewest number of words to call forth its power will be named a master.

Evora will need to use every trick at her disposal to win the contest.

Her mind turns to the mysterious seven words of power… And in the end, she will be in danger of her very life.

 

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get a free E-Book

 Seven Words of Power

A standalone collection of seven stories.

Apprentice enchantress, Evora Guinestor, is summoned to a mysterious meeting with Master Zoran. Her suspicions are confirmed when her two rival apprentices have also been summoned: it’s time for Master Zoran to name his successor.

But along with her rivals Evora is shocked when Master Zoran announces a contest. In three days, the apprentice who demonstrates the most powerful magic with the fewest number of words to call forth its power will be named a master. 

Evora will need to use every trick at her disposal to win the contest. 

Her mind turns to the mysterious seven words of power… And in the end, she will be in danger of her very life.