Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Epic, magical fantasy like a "Game of Thrones" for tweens.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
At the start of IMPYRIUM, the Faeregine dynasty rules over the empire, but their magic power seems to be waning and the possibility of war is greater than ever. Hazel, the youngest member of the family, wants nothing to do with politics, but the formidable Empress has great plans for her granddaughter. Hob, a young commoner working as a page, proves to be a skilled tutor, helping Hazel with her lessons -- even as he reports on activities at the castle to his spymasters. Both young people are on a collision course with powerful, magical entities who wish to destroy the dynasty and remake Impyrium.
Is It Any Good?
In the first volume of his new fantasy saga, Author Henry H. Neff hits all the right notes without being too derivative. In the wake of Game of Thrones, many fantasy writers aspire to write mammoth, epic sagas, but few have the depth of talent and breadth of imagination to pull it off. Neff does. Hazel and Hob are compelling main characters, and their interplay is what makes Impyrium special.
Whether Neff will be able to maintain the complex story's intensity across at least two more 600-page volumes remains to be seen, but he's certainly off to a promising start.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Impyrium uses the trappings of epic fantasy to tell its story. Why are multipart fantasy sagas so popular now?
How is violence used in Impyrium? Should violence be used as the first course of action?
Hob teaches Hazel about the rules of supply and demand. How important is it for kids to learn how to manage their money?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Harper
- Publication date : October 11, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 592
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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