Blood of Earth is a series of novels written by Beth Cato.
Blood of Earth traces the life of Ingrid Carmichael, a young woman living in an alternative San Francisco of 1906. She is the first female to possess the powers of geomancy, powers that allow control and domination of the telluric energetic forces, which cause earthquakes in that city. This power is managed by the Council of the Guardians, an organization of geomancers — but in San Francisco, only men can be geomancers and geomancy is forbidden to women. Carmichael must therefore hide her power, while foiling an imperialist conspiracy by the Japanese confederation to dominate the Pacific Ocean and conquer China.
The series consists of three novels:
- Breath of Earth (2016)
- Call of Fire (2017)
- Roar of Sky (2018)
Blood of Earth contains examples of:
- Alternate History: Takes place in an alternative history where magic and geomancy exist, where Abraham Lincoln was not assassinated in 1865, where Theodore Roosevelt never became president of the United States, and where an alliance has been created between the United States and the Empire of Japan. This confederation has gained control and domination of the Pacific Ocean, and is on unfriendly terms with China.
- Americasia: The stories are set in a steampunk Pan-Pacific Rim alternate universe in 1906.
- Culture Chop Suey: The novels exhibit a fusion of early-20th-century San Franciscan culture with those of China, Japan, and Ireland.
- The Empire: The American-Japanese Confederation, also called United Pacific or Pacific Union, is a major world power and the primary influence in the Pacific region. It's also on the brink of full-scale war with the Qing Empire of China.
- Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The Pacific Union is formed by an alliance between the United States and a 19th century version of the Japanese Empire. The latter shows traits of both the Meiji and Taisho periods.
- Magitek: A fusion of magic and technology is seen in San Francisco during these novels, based on the mystical energy of kermanite and geomantic energy, fused with steampunk technology. A class of magicians, known as geomancers, can control and dominate the tellurgical forces of the subsoil, which keeps San Francisco afloat.
- Fantasy Kitchen Sink: In San Francisco, magical races of different origins coexist, including kitsune from Japan, unicorns, and selkies.
- Richard Nixon, the Used Car Salesman: Theodore Roosevelt is not the president of the United States, but is instead a high-level diplomat on behalf of the Pacific Union.
- Steampunk: The books are set in a retro-futuristic San Francisco, dominated by advanced steampunk technology.
