📖 Overview
Sam Hawke is an Australian fantasy author best known for writing the Poison Wars series, which began with her debut novel City of Lies in 2018. Her work focuses on political fantasy and intrigue, featuring complex characters and innovative worldbuilding.
City of Lies won the 2019 Ditmar Award for Best Novel and was nominated for several other awards including the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel. The sequel, Hollow Empire, was released in 2020, continuing the story of siblings Jovan and Kalina as they navigate political conspiracies and threats to their city-state.
Hawke's writing often explores themes of loyalty, family bonds, and the moral complexities of power. Her background as a lawyer influences her detailed approach to crafting political systems and power structures in her fictional worlds.
Prior to becoming a novelist, Hawke worked as a corporate lawyer in Canberra, Australia. She continues to write while balancing family life and maintains involvement in the Australian speculative fiction community.
👀 Reviews
Readers praise Hawke's fresh take on political fantasy, particularly her focus on poison-craft and sibling relationships in City of Lies. The detailed worldbuilding and moral complexity draw frequent mentions in reviews.
What readers liked:
- Unique poisoner protagonist perspective
- Strong family bonds between characters
- Complex political intrigue without excessive violence
- Representation of chronic illness and anxiety
- "A welcome change from grimdark fantasy" - Goodreads reviewer
What readers disliked:
- Pacing in first half of City of Lies
- Some found the politics overly complex
- Multiple POV shifts caused confusion for some readers
- "Takes time to get into the story" - Amazon reviewer
Ratings:
- Goodreads: City of Lies 3.9/5 (6,800+ ratings)
- Amazon: City of Lies 4.2/5 (380+ ratings)
- Hollow Empire maintains similar ratings with fewer reviews
- Positive reviews outnumber negative 4:1 across platforms
Several readers note the series offers a more cerebral fantasy focused on problem-solving rather than combat, though this slower approach doesn't appeal to all readers.
📚 Books by Sam Hawke
City of Lies (Book 1 of The Poison Wars)
A proofer and his sister must protect their city from an unknown killer using poison and political intrigue against the ruling family they serve.
Hollow Empire (Book 2 of The Poison Wars) In the aftermath of a siege, siblings Jovan and Kalina face new threats to their recovering city as mysterious enemies emerge from within and beyond their borders.
Hollow Empire (Book 2 of The Poison Wars) In the aftermath of a siege, siblings Jovan and Kalina face new threats to their recovering city as mysterious enemies emerge from within and beyond their borders.
👥 Similar authors
K.J. Parker writes political fantasy focused on complex systems and competent protagonists who must navigate treachery, with detailed attention to practical elements like crafts and governance. Parker's work shares Hawke's interest in the mechanics of power and the moral choices faced by people trying to protect their society.
Katherine Addison creates intricate political fantasies centered on characters navigating court intrigue and conspiracies while dealing with personal responsibilities. Her work features similar themes of duty, family obligation, and the burden of protecting others from hidden threats.
Seth Dickinson writes about characters forced to make difficult choices within complex political systems while questioning the nature of power and loyalty. His work contains comparable elements of political maneuvering and protagonists who must use their minds rather than military might to overcome challenges.
Melissa Caruso focuses on political fantasy with detailed magic systems and characters caught between duty and personal desires in dangerous political environments. Her stories share similar themes of loyalty testing and the responsibility of protecting a city-state from both internal and external threats.
Robert Jackson Bennett creates fantasy worlds with intricate political systems where characters must uncover conspiracies and navigate complex power structures to protect their societies. His work features comparable elements of mystery, political intrigue, and characters who must use their intelligence to overcome threats to their civilization.
Katherine Addison creates intricate political fantasies centered on characters navigating court intrigue and conspiracies while dealing with personal responsibilities. Her work features similar themes of duty, family obligation, and the burden of protecting others from hidden threats.
Seth Dickinson writes about characters forced to make difficult choices within complex political systems while questioning the nature of power and loyalty. His work contains comparable elements of political maneuvering and protagonists who must use their minds rather than military might to overcome challenges.
Melissa Caruso focuses on political fantasy with detailed magic systems and characters caught between duty and personal desires in dangerous political environments. Her stories share similar themes of loyalty testing and the responsibility of protecting a city-state from both internal and external threats.
Robert Jackson Bennett creates fantasy worlds with intricate political systems where characters must uncover conspiracies and navigate complex power structures to protect their societies. His work features comparable elements of mystery, political intrigue, and characters who must use their intelligence to overcome threats to their civilization.