So at first I was putting off this book because I had to wait forEVER for my library hold on the prequel to come in. (It was really fun, I'm glad I waited)

But now I'm in a pickle.

See, the first book in this series really reminded me of Firefly if it was fully remixed and mashed up and you threw in goblins and fairies. And now I'm reading Echoes and it's EVEN MORE Firefly... which I just genuinely don't know how to feel about. Like the literal "Red" Reavers and how they're described exactly like Firefly's reavers.... idk man

I think I need to put some distance and come back when I'm in the right headspace to meet this book where it's at, cause right now I'm fully struggling not to perceive everything through a Firefly lens.

One thing I can’t get over is how quickly the characters feel so real. You know how you read a book, and you love the drama, and the characters are sooo good—but you also can’t even begin to understand why they make the choices they do? The Atwaters naturally provide a peek into why characters make decisions, even when they aren’t the most logical choice—and it’s so very real. The characters are what shine in this book, easily fitting us into this swashbuckling steampunk fantasy world.

There are moments where I would have loved a little more depth to the action at key moments to match the rest of the book, but Echoes of the Imperium is a really interesting introduction to what promises to be an epic series.

A ragtag crew of steam punk pirates travels through post war territories while smuggling contraband cargo in their airship - battling aether-ghosts and those who are trying to bend that aether to their whims.

Captain William Blair, a goblin and past oathbreaker of the Imperium, agrees to a job exporting a highly caustic cargo into rough terrain. Little does he know that he’s carrying the very fuel source that could be used to bring back the Imperium-the last thing that Blair and his crew would ever want. Blair and crew must battle to save each other and their beliefs from a rebuilding empire.

This is the most fun I’ve had reading a book in so long. The story is fast paced and the characters are well developed, complex, and likable. The book speaks of redemption, friendship, forgiveness, and faith while somehow being filled with explosions, airship gun battles, and quirky characters. I loved every minute of this book and cannot wait for book two, Winds of Fortune.

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwatch Press for the opportunity to read this book!

This is the first book I've read by Nicholas Attwater, but it won't be the last.

Echos follows a ragtag crew aboard the Iron Rose, captained by Willian Blair, a goblin. There are very few books which feature goblins in anything other than a menial role, so to find one in charge, and making decisions which affect all his crew, is refreshing.

Seelie and Unseelie aether plays a big part in this tale of ghosts and pirates, where the armies and commoners of the past still haunt the places they were killed. William Blair accepts some dubious cargo and an even stranger passenger which starts the ball rolling on this page turning epic.

If you enjoy magic, pirates, ships and all sorts of other mayhem, this just might be the book for you.

It’s the end of the year, and I’m looking for something amusing and Fantasy to pick up to get me into the first bit of 2025. I was perusing synopses, and one caught my eye: pirate goblin with a ragtag group of swashbuckling/steampunk adventurers.

Yeah, I was hooked.

The engaging thing about Echoes of the Imperium is that it hit the ground running and spalled off lore, history, world-building and character development while we were in the throes of getting this adventure going.

William Blair is a goblin who went from being a lowly young cabin boy to the captain of his own airship: the Iron Rose. Wil, and his very eclectic crew have a very unique history and are attempting their best at trying to eke out a living in a post-Imperium world that isn’t always the most sympathetic to their cause.

Wil’s closest friends, and confidants, however, are his ever-supporting crew, and they will do just about anything for their captain.

The real adventure in Echoes of the Imperium kicks of in a two-fold action that gets the Iron Rose in a bit of a pickle. First, Wil agrees to deliver a “no questions asked” shipment of “something,” while, at the same time, takes on a mysterious passenger who seems to need to be getting out of town rather quickly: Miss Hawkins.

Oh, this is very important to know going into this. This world revolves around subservience and worship of the Seelie Fae. That little twist really carries a lot of weight on the history of this realm, as well as to the impending future of survival and conflict.

I’ll cut right to it: I loved this book. The characters were all beautifully developed, and a lot very likable. There were sufficient flaws that helped drive the story along while not being the typical cliches that often get thrown into High Fantasy. The dialogue is very diverse, and random enough to build a nice, tightly woven, story with an excellent variety.

To me, the characters were very autonomous. I never felt that I was on a predestined path, aside from the few parts that were actually intended to be that way.

Echoes of the Imperium is, already, one of my top reads of 2025. I cannot wait for the continued adventures of the Iron Rose, and I’m really dying to see what kind of pickles Wil and his crew can get into going forward.

The epilogue, alone, set the state for much more sinister things rising up in the future. I’m here for it.

Thank you #netgalley for the review copy.

I discovered this book by way of Olivia Atwater’s Regency & Victorian Faerie tales and her newsletter. It’s in an entirely different series, Tales of the Iron Rose and it’s authored by Nicholas Atwater and Olivia. Despite this book also featuring faeries and having Olivia as a co-author this book is not very similar to the Regency or Victoria Faeries tales at all. It’s an adventure story, think more tales of swashbuckling pirates and less P&P lite with fae.

This book has a lot of things I enjoy, airships, found families, gays who don’t get fridged, non-human people, and a potentially ace protagonist. I’m also a sucker for stories involving a steampunk sort of vibe so this book didn’t have to work terribly hard for me to like it. Now that I’ve read Book 1 I want to read the prequel and of course will eagerly await Book 2.

If I enjoyed it so much why not 5 starts? Well, that’s due to having to search back a few times for better explanations of different elements in the world and struggling to visualize them. It’s a Book 1 in a new fantasy series which means there is a lot of world building and explaining going on to situate the reader…. We are all new here and need to know how the Fae which we have seen a zillion times in a zillion different books work in this universe and more importantly understand the magic system. While the Fae introduction is done pretty well, I swear I have re-read the sections about aether and wargear about ten times and still have questions. Because the book does everything else I look for nicely, that’s why it gets 4 starts from me…if it had lacked in any other area I would have ranked this in more the 2 stars category as I really really really dislike when I don’t understand the magic system or major aspects of the world due to what seem like missing paragraphs.

It's fun, well-paced and well-written. Longer review to come soon, when I have more time to sit and write it.

A swashbuckling steampunk fantasy with airships pirates, fae, goblins, and more!

I stepped outside of my comfort zone on this one, and I am so glad that I did. Reading Echoes of the Imperium was like getting swept up in a pirate-y, steampunk-y RPG world (to my gamer heart's delight!). The characters are unique and lovable, even for swashbucklers that I wouldn't have considered to be very "cuddle-y" characters in person (if such characters existed in real life). We get tons of action right off the bat, and the pacing was quite good, for the most part. You can tell that a ton of thought went into both the plot and the character development, which made the book very immersive. It was a dense read, for me, due to the unique use of language (in a good way), so it took me a while to get through the book, but it was certainly worth it. What a talented couple (literally) of authors!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

I so wanted to love this book, but I don't think it's right for me. At least not right now. I've been chipping away at it for about 3 months between reading other books that are more the pace I like, and I've decided it's time to give it a rest at about halfway through. There are a lot of things to love about this book, but it's just not working for me for the time being. I hope, one day, my brain will be more patient and I can sit down and really enjoy this book the way it deserves to be enjoyed.
I loved the characters of Echoes of the Imperium. They're a varied bunch with interesting motivations and quirks, and I can imagine them like old friends.
The world is very solidly built and full of war and struggle. The magic system is carefully devised. Because of this, there's a lot to learn and digest. This is where it kept losing me. I'm not good with intricate world-building. At some point, my brain no longer wants to follow.
I'm the same vein, I was often lost during the flashbacks. They're very important for building characters, and giving background that drives so much of the story, but, at times, they felt tedious and unnecessarily long to me.
I love Olivia Atwater's other works, but this book is a very different tone, and didn't lend itself to the qualities I usually enjoy in her work.
Something to note is that this book is quite long. I'm a slow reader, which doesn't help. However, if you like long books with lots of world-building and large casts of lovable characters, you'll love this book. And bonus points if you're a Treasure Island fan.
I truly did enjoy what I read, but I hate to hold an ARC hostage for so long after publication without reviewing. I know I'll read this whole book one day, and I look forward to the glowing review I'm sure I'll give it when the time comes.

Thank you to Starwatch Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

I love Olivia Atwater's novels and when I saw that she had a new series with her husband, I was immediately drawn to request the book - even though space opera steampunk is not my thing. (Comparable: I LOVE Jim Butcher's Dresden Files but have never been able to read Cinder Spires even though I adore the way he tells a story.) Still, I was intrigued and thought it worth a try.

I should not be surprised that I didn't enjoy the concept. I should also not be surprised that a joint venture would not be written in the voice of a single one of the authors participating in it but would rather be a joint voice. I was surprised by both of these things - particularly by how aggressive and dark the opening scenes of this one turned out to be. This is not the Olivia Atwater of Regency or Victorian Faerie Tales, that's for sure! I can't really speak to it as an exemplar of its genre, as I neither know the genre nor finished this one - it was too much not-for-me for me to continue, despite my best attempts.

If you're going into this looking to have a gap-filler until the next Olivia Atwater comes out, you may find yourself disappointed. If you do into it for itself, you will likely have much better luck, at least according to what I'm seeing from other reviewers!

I really enjoyed this book!

I found this to be a wonderfully fun read, deeply atmospheric steampunk vibes that enhanced my enjoyment. I loved the characters and the found family trope was done really well here.

I admit I was more invested in the characters than the plot at times, but that by no means the plot was bad, just that the character's are what I felt drove the story forward.

Overall, I thought this was well written, enjoyable and just a very fun read. I am looking forward to more from these authors.

4.5/5 rounded off to 5 stars.

Thank you to Victory Editing and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own and I am posting voluntarily.

steampunk fantasy, flying ships, action packed and character driven.

Echoes of the Imperium was a very fun romp with non stop action and adventure, but with a cosy, found family dynamic to it.

I really enjoyed this one and I hope there will be more to come!

3.5/5, rounded up

I requested this book on a complete whim. I hadn't read either of the authors before, but was interested by the steampunk and airship descriptors. There is a sort of humorous and cozy-adjacent tone to the story. It isn't low stakes, but there's a motley crew led by a spirited goblin captain who is more endearing than menacing, knitwear, and broken teacups that give it a lighter atmosphere. Despite this, Echoes of the Imperium is packed with a surprising amount of meaningful and heavy topics. Consequences of war. Reckoning with a problematic past. Seeking redemption. Working through grief.

Personally I found the pacing a bit uneven. There were parts that lulled where I struggled to stay engaged - I ended up skimming a few small sections. I also wanted more clear worldbuilding. The characters were the focus. It's a fun, diverse, and distinct bunch. They all have their own quirks and pasts that I imagine over the course of the series will be further expanded on. I really enjoyed the found family. There's all kinds of different family dynamics explored.

Thank you NetGalley and Starwatch Press for the copy!

It took me longer than usual to read this one, but it is by no means, the book’s fault. It’s just that I started it and then remembered that I had two buddy reads planned. So I had to put this one on hold for a bit before going back to it. And I loved every moment I spent with this!
(also, be warned that some of the points in this review are the same I made in the review for one of the shorter stories, because they really are the strength of this series!!)

1)A Goblin Captain. William is an amazing character, goblin or not goblin. But still, the fact that we have a goblin captain is just soooo cool!

2)Flying Ships. Because as cool things went, flying ships are pretty high on the list, too.

3)Amazing characters. You need to meet the crew. They are all unique and they feel so real! And I can’t choose a favorite, I simply cannot. I love them all. For example, the head gunner is an older lady, a former teacher. And she is not the only “old” lady on board. We have also older men, asidethe younger ones. And I love to see some age diversity in my books!!

4)Adventures! Fights! Heist! Shawbuckling! Daring Escapades! Even more daring Plans! Oh my! There is so much happening between these pages! And you will find yourself on the edge of your sit, because you need to know how they would come out of a certain situation, or how they would do a certain things because the odds are all against them. Time and again. And William and his crew are there, with a new, mad plan. It is so fun! And so unbelievable, but in the best possible way! And the gal of them all! It reminded me a bit of Locke Lamora. And I loved it!

5)The Humor. This book made me laugh (and cry, a bit. Do not trust the authors they are bad and they will make you suffer!!!). It is full of action, it has a lot going on, and there are some really deep themes in there, but it has a levity to it, too, a sense of humor that is so pervasive and so good!

6)The Deeper Themes. As if all the things above weren’t enough. This book starts pretty small, but slowly you will find yourself knee-deep in some really heavy themes, because this book is not only about the best found family ever, or mad adventures, but it is also about personal growth, it is about taking responsibility for the choices we made in the past, it is about carrying the weight of something that it is way bigger than us, and it is about making the right choices. It is so deep, too, and the authors did an amazing job with all of these, they treat all these heavy topics with deep care and tact.

7)Found Family. It is one of my favorite tropes and here we have one of the best.

It is really hard to write a review for this book and to make it justice, because really, it is just good. So… yeah, I’ve tried, and I am really happy that this is the first review I share with you all, because this book was a great way to end the year, and talking about it is a great way to start the new one!

I've been trying to figure out to review this book. I liked the characters and the writing style. The worldbuilding is fun and well laid out. But I seriously struggled to care about the plot of this book. At every turn, I was uninvested.

Tho technically this is marketed as a book 1, it did feel like it was relying on the "prequel" first book too much for it to be a good entry point to the series. I would recommend going back to read "book 0" first. The biggest thing I felt like I was missing here was reasons to care about the character relationships and pasts.

Thanks to Netgalley and Starwatch Press for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Echoes of the Imperium by Nicholas Atwater & Olivia Atwater 100% has Firefly / Serenity vibes, if Firefly had Fae and goblins and River got her powers from Faery magic. For the record, I'm here for that! There's a lot of parallels, so I pictured Nathan Fillion in my mind the entire time as the MC, but it worked. Echoes is action packed, which will be appreciated by anyone who loves a plot driven book. There's a lot less on the character development front, but that didn't deter from my enjoyment or connection with certain characters and their found family, but I can see how those who love character driven books will be let down here. Fellow steampunk airship pirate fantasy space opera (well minus the 'space') fans, pick this one up!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a really refreshing and cool setting with some very intricate political inner workings (which I'm still not exactly sure if I fully understand it).

I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters aboard the Iron Rose however I feel like we were working with a really big cast and some of them were just quite superficial. Still I think the authors did a really good job fleshing out the main character and his closest companions, specially with the flashbacks. I really enjoyed those.

My main problem with this book is how action packed it was. There was soooo much action and the scenes on itself were incredibly long, which made them feel very drawn out and I would catch myself logging off sometimes. I wish there was more quiet and introspective moments.

The ending was quite satisfying so I will have to ponder if I want to continue the series.

Thanks to the Altwaters & Netgalley for opening up my eyes to another great subgenre of fantasy tye steampunk-fantasy world. Imaginative, refreshing & unique
Echoes of the Imperium" is for readers who appreciate character-driven stories, found family dynamics, and inventive takes on the steampunk and fantasy. Its blend of humor, action, and depth makes it a standout addition to contemporary fantasy literature.

World-building is intricate, blending elements of steampunk technology with fantasy creatures like goblins and faeries, set against the backdrop of a world recovering from imperial collapse.

I recommend you give this fun romp a try

Echoes of the Imperium is the perfect blend of pirates, adventure, unique characters, and found family. It feels like a high fantasy version of the movie Treasure Planet. I loved the diversity of the characters, and the thought put into each of them. Usually when there are more than a few characters mentioned I start to get everyone confused, but I did not have that issue with this book despite the character list being lengthy, and I very quickly found myself invested in the fate of this little band of misfits. This was such a fun, swashbuckling read, thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Echoes of the Imperium is the first novel in the steampunk series Tales of the Iron Rose, written by Nicholas and Olivia Atwater. An imaginative story that deliciously twists many of the classic fantasy archetypes to create a swashbuckling adventure, full of heart and action, in a romp of a book.

William Blair is the beloved captain of the Iron Rose, a goblin that manages to make his 5 feet height work; most of the crew has a past behind, but boarding into the Iron Rose means leaving all of those grievances behind. To keep sailing with the Rose, captain Blair and the crew are forced to take, let's say, some questionable jobs; and the last one includes smuggling blasphemous materials, and somehow, because life is not hard enough, an agreement with a fae, because the word of a goblin values a ton.

With this premise, the Atwaters take us into a extremely fun story, but which also excels at creating a found family cast; because everybody in the Iron Rose is memorable in their own way: from the engineer, to the fae navigator, to the own captain. Mixing together more action focused sequences with flashbacks about the past, we have a really balanced storytelling that makes reading it an absolute pleasure.

The worldbuilding is another highlight of this novel; from the past that marks how the current world looks, with the Imperium that was shattered in different small countries, and the own conflict against the Seelie. All is presented in a really smooth way, combined with a great pacing.

Echoes of the Imperium is an excellent way to kickstart this steampunk series, perfect if you are looking for a fantasy proposal non afraid of twist the tropes of the genre to create an swashbuckling adventure. Can't wait to read more about the captain Blair.