Published in 2023, The Way of Renegades is the first book in The Bards & Dragons Saga by Steve D Wall. One for lovers of flintlock fantasy, this title caught my eye with its beautiful cover and I’d been meaning to read it for a long time. In the end, I picked up the audiobook version and was rewarded with a really enjoyable tale. Definitely a case of a book I should have picked up sooner!

“As with anything in life, he who controls the mob controls everything.”

The audio version is narrated by Steven Pacey and I have to say Wall made a superb choice here. Pacey has narrated audiobooks for Joe Abercrombie, Robert Harris, Susan Hill and Joanne Harris to name but a few, so he brought a vast amount of experience to this project. I was impressed at the range of voices and accents he used to help distinguish the extensive cast. He also delivers a nuanced acting performance, ensuring each of those characters come to life. It really is an excellent audio production, and Pacey’s narration certainly helped immerse me in the story and Wall’s fantasy world.

The Way of Renegades takes place at a time shortly after the discovery of the land of Teo by the Coalition, which has been formed by a group of established world powers. The scenario is analogous to the early stages of the colonisation of America by the Europeans. In the hands of a less gifted author, the topics and themes raised by this narrative choice could have posed problems. I’m pleased to say Wall handles the issues of colonialism and the harsh impact of the resulting culture clash extremely well and in ways that I felt were very realistic. This book doesn’t shy away from the fact that the Coalition is concerned with profit and expansion, irrespective of the impact on the native Teo tribes. The people of Teo must in turn face up to the reality that the rifles and other advanced technology used by the Coalition makes them impossible to fight on even terms. What does this mean for their way of life? Do the Teo fight and face defeat, or assimilate and lose their identity?

I liked the fact this story is told from multiple viewpoints, giving Wall the opportunity to show the different outlook of the colonists and the Teo, and he uses a varied cast of characters to tell his story. Gali, the daughter of one of the Odagna Teo tribe chieftans, makes the decision to learn more about the Coalition. She journeys to the Coalition port of Quinport to try and find allies and secure help. The treatment of her and her companions as outsiders, and their struggles to cope with a way of life that is alien to them, is both heartbreaking and believable.

The Coalition is not as unified as its name suggests, as the various chancellors of Quinport are all ambitious and not above putting each other down in their pursuit of more power and riches. Exiled army veteran Ulrich and his loyal team are looking to make their own way in the world, but it seems his history may be catching up with him. In contrast to Ulrich’s upright and straightforward nature, the bard Dellioph is looking to make his mark on this new world in a different way. With the powers of a sorcerer who can put people under his sway with a magical lute, Dellioph steals every scene he’s in.

The setting of Quinport quickly feels like a real place, and reflects Wall’s attention to detail in creating his fantasy world. Quinport is a destination for a host of people from all corners of the globe, each country having its own characteristics, politics, history and religion, which Wall introduces at just the right pace to maintain the illusion this is real without overwhelming you with too much information. I also loved the use of music to work feats of magic. Fans of Patrick Rothfuss will find much to like here.

Overall, The Way of Renegades is a terrific debut novel. I loved the world, the characters and the magic and the fact (with one exception) no one was portrayed as being intrinsically good or bad. Everyone is just a person trying to make their way in the world. The general feel of this story is one of high adventure with just enough gritty realism to keep it feeling believable, as each group of characters face various obstacles as they try to achieve their own goals. Wall carefully draws these threads together amid a wider backdrop of changing world events, leading to a memorable finale. My only criticism is those closing scenes don’t ultimately deliver a clear conclusion by the final page. Whilst I appreciate that in a series there will be narrative arcs that run across more than one book, I was still left with a sense that everything had stopped mid-action. That said, I was also left with a strong urge to pick up the next book (and indeed did so), so clearly Wall is doing something right!The Way of Renegades is a distinctive calling card by an author with so much talent and it’s clear the wider saga has the potential to be a fantastic series in every sense of the word. If you like flintlock fantasy, character-driven stories and tales packed with action and adventure then Steve D Wall’s writing will certainly be for you.