StanleyWheeler

Best Flintlock Fantasy

What makes a book a flintlock fantasy? How is it different from gunpowder fantasy?

Flintlock fantasy, as I understand it, designates a genre defined by a certain level of technological advancement in the mundane weaponry, as opposed to ancient or medieval weapons as seen in classic, or high fantasy. The flintlock saw roughly two centuries of use, from the early to mid 17th century to the early to mid 19th century. The flintlock replaced the matchlock and wheel lock firearms. A flintlock fantasy novel would typically employ technology, including flintlock muskets, from this two-hundred year time span. Specifics may vary among authors. As for gunpowder fantasy, I believe it could span a greater technological period to coincide with the first wide use of gunpowder weapons, making flintlock fantasy a sub-genre of gunpowder fantasy. Flintlock fantasy may cover alternate history of the relevant time period, or complete fantasy worlds at the flintlock technology level.

The two centuries dominated historically by flintlock weapons were characterized by conquest, colonization, empire, and revolution. How much of that was the result of the technology and industrial revolution, and how much sprang from ideology would make for an interesting debate.

I think the most well-known flintlock fantasy would be Brian McClellan's Powder Mage Trilogy. It takes place in a fantasy world, similar to France and Europe at the time of the French revolution. There are various magic systems in the novels, with two especially at odds with one another. I reviewed the first book in the trilogy, here.

Django Wexler has also written the Shadow Campaigns series. I've read the first book, which takes place in a fantasy world which made me envision Europe and North Africa. I suppose it has a Napoleon-in-Egypt flavor to it. I particularly liked the small unit action descriptions. My review of The Thousand Names is here.

David Drake's Old Nathan was set in early America--Tennessee, maybe--but the flintlock technology was not crucial to the tale. I enjoyed the book and posted my review of it here.

William King's Tetrarch Chronicles don't get mentioned much, but they definitely qualify as flintlock fantasy. King writes well and creates an interesting world where the magic seems to come from conquerors from space. My review of Death's Angels is here.

Will Wright's The Elder Empire series is set in a flintlock fantasy world with sailing ships and Cthulhu Mythos. The early chapters of the first book, Of Sea and Shadow piqued my interest, and there were elements that I quite enjoyed. My review of Of Sea and Shadow is posted here.

Most people may not think of Eric Flint and his 1632 and sequels as flintlock fantasy, but I think they qualify in the alternate history category. A West Virgina mining town (from the 1980s?) is whisked away into Thuringia in 1632. It's a good read. I've posted a review here
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Michael Bolan's Devil's Bible Series is at least a gunpowder fantasy, if not a flintlock fantasy. I can't remember the exact weapons used in The Sons of Brabant which I read but didn't post enough of a review to bother giving a link.

Christina Ochs also writes gunpowder fantasy -- my interview with her, and pictures of some of her books are posted here.


I don't think I've reviewed Manly Wade Wellman's The Curse of Fearful Rock, and it's probably not technically a flintlock fantasy as those involved are from the American Civil War and used percussion firearms, if I remember correctly. The book is also more of a horror or ghost story than a fantasy.

Adrian Tchaikovsky, Brent Weeks, Brandon Sanderson, Jim Butcher, and Naomi Novik have also written flintlock fantasy novel's or series, but I have not read any of them in the genre. I think DJ Butler's Witchy Eye series may fit into the flintlock fantasy genre; I haven't read it yet, but I plan to do so. I'm also currently reading Tim Powers' On Stranger Tides, which is a pirate themed flintlock fantasy. I may post a review next week.

Each of the books I've listed had qualities that I liked. For me, it's important that a flintlock fantasy emphasize the flintlock and other period weapons in small unit actions. Large battles are a bonus that I enjoy, but I haven't seen that aspect of it well done. Wexler's The Thousand Names came close, but stumbled when it came to the important main battle, practically skipping over it entirely. In my own flintlock fantasy series, Bunker Hill has been the only large battle, the rest of the conflicts are mere skirmishes and personal battles--but some of them involve dragons or other interesting creatures. Of course, my Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series is my personal favorite - but I've found something to like in every flintlock fantasy that I've read. I advocate reading the genre in its entirety.

Know of a flintlock fantasy I missed? -- Suggest it in the comments.