Broken Sky is fun; there are skyships, magic, a well-done coming-of-age story, and a diverse cast of characters. The story centers oRead for SPFBO 8.
Broken Sky is fun; there are skyships, magic, a well-done coming-of-age story, and a diverse cast of characters. The story centers on Dorian Valmont, the sorriest excuse for an aeronaut, who joins the crew of the skyship named Phoenix. Dorian is a gentle soul, easy to like and relate to. He may lack agenda or physical stamina, but his personality makes up for it. Seriously, it's impossible not to like him, even if he does seem awkward at times.
Dorian is bonded to a demon, and as the story progresses, he also bonds with a dragon. The story gets interesting, and the pace picks up from this point on. Broken Sky gets most things right - it has memorable characters, cool (if somewhat shallow) world-building, and an interesting premise. It's about love, magic, and betrayal. Family ties play a role in the story, too.
While most things worked well for me, I didn't feel like there was much at stake. Even though it was the opposite (the fate of the world!). The thing is, the novel has this optimistic tone that suggests everything will turn out well for almost everyone in the end. Because of that, there wasn't as much tension as I would like to experience. Because of the age of the characters, their problems may not be entirely understandable to older readers. That's not meant to be a criticism; I just think Broken Sky might appeal to a YA /NA audience rather than "Adult" Fantasy fans.
All in all, it's an enjoyable book, quick to read, entertaining, and imaginative. Worth a shot....more
Cool cover, I thought, before diving into the story. Initially, I was confused but intrigued. Then confusion turned into amazement. The story is uniquCool cover, I thought, before diving into the story. Initially, I was confused but intrigued. Then confusion turned into amazement. The story is unique, and it’s trying to do something fresh.
Set in a secondary world influenced by Edwardian aesthetics, The Thirteenth Hour can be classified as Gaslamp Fantasy. Twelve omnipotent gods have complete control over their domains and the mortal races created in their image. Domains and their inhabitants are radically different. Travelers can reach them only through a magical portal called The Gate, located in the steampunk city of Chime.
Twelve races include the red-skinned Ember who can summon flame, bird-like Zephyr who can fly, or elve-like Vesper, who can summon and manipulate shadows. Necro can manipulate the physical body (but also feel an appetite for flesh). Diviners manipulate time and also explore the past and future of those they touch.
TL; DR: Twelve gods, twelve domains, twelve races. All cool.
The story revolves around the mystery of soul-sucking creatures made of aether. The main protagonist, Kayl, becomes the primary suspect of Quen, a Warden with impressive time-manipulation skills. After unexpected discoveries, the two team up to solve the mystery (involving the world, their pasts, and their nature). We follow the plot through the first-person points of view of Kayl and Quen. An interesting choice. Initially, it felt slightly confusing, but each of them was different and had a distinct voice. No chance of mistaking their chapters.
Kayl is a Vesper. She considers herself godless and wants to live an independent life free from her god’s whims. She’s also flirty and emotional. Plus, it seems she has rather unique magical abilities. As a Diviner, Quen can manipulate time (pause, rewind it, see the future, and deaths, of mortals he touches). He is a member of the Wardens, the police force of Chime. He loves tea and biscuits and is rather charming.
The author charged their interactions with painful history, and their relationship oscillates between conflict and cooperation. And maybe something spicier. There are a lot of intriguing side characters here but I don’t want to write an essay no one will read. Suffice to say, the secondary characters feel well-rounded and I wouldn't mind reading short stories written from their POVs.
The emphasis on world-building usually turns me off, but in this case, it almost worked for me. I found the world exciting, but there’s a steep learning curve here to understand how it all works. In consequence, parts of the book are slow and inflated with backstories/histories. Because the world awed me, I didn’t mind that much, though.
A few words about gods. They’re a nasty bunch. They are horrifying, bloodthirsty, and powerful beyond measure, with alien ways of reasoning. They own the souls of mortals and can “extinguish” them in an instant. Blasphemy and apostasy are crimes, and committing them has dire consequences.
Skies brings the sights, sounds, and smells of Chime to life with crisp prose that moves swiftly between thrilling action sequences and imaginative worldbuilding. Equal parts dark and entertaining, The Thirteenth Hour tells a satisfying and imaginative story. I can’t wait to read the sequel....more
I love superheroes. Watching them casually achieve impossible feats to save the world relaxes me, plus it offers a sentimental value. As a child, I’veI love superheroes. Watching them casually achieve impossible feats to save the world relaxes me, plus it offers a sentimental value. As a child, I’ve spent a fortune (thanks mom and dad) on comic books. Despite my fondness of the genre, I find most books about superheroes lacking compared to movies and graphic novels. Obviously, there are exceptions to every rule, and Weiland’s Wayfarer is one.
Set in the Regency England, the story takes place in 1820 London, where an outlaw speedster and a master of illusion confront each other to decide who will own the city. It seems the author has done a lot of research to make things feel and sound right. Weiland’s London is one of the most vivid and memorable settings I’ve had the pleasure to read about recently. You can almost smell it (not recommended, Regency England isn’t famous for hygiene or environmental care). Sure, she used more than few solid paragraphs to paint the world, but I didn’t mind. The setting played an important role in the events.
The level of detail, cultural and language accuracy feels immersive without being overly expositional. It should impress history enthusiasts. Weiland incorporates a vernacular to her storytelling and as much as I appreciate her elegant language I admit the use of archaisms (naughts, aughts, and more) tired me and took out of the story few times. I needed a while to get used to it but with time I started to appreciate the richness of her writing. Coupled with the unique twists, it made Wayfarer difficult to put down, especially the final third, which seemed to fly by.
Main and secondary characters feel distinct, well-rounded and three-dimensional, but it’s the antagonist, Fitzroy, who truly shines and overshadows others with a distinct personality and single-minded focus on reforming London, no matter the cost. Despite the atrocities he commits, at times it was difficult not to respect him. As a vengeful politician with dark secrets and impressive powers, he stands out as a memorable villain.
Wayfarer himself is a simple lad trying to figure out what to do with his new powers and longing for a better life. He makes mistakes and pays for them. His choices are questionable, but he remains relatable and believable throughout. He falls for a beautiful (and smart!) girl from high-society. I’m not a fan of romance in books, but Weiland made it balanced, difficult and clever. No complaints here.
Any issues/drawbacks? Well, Weiland loves language/ Sometimes too much and her writing becomes too wordy (subjective). Also, the climax. She didn’t pull the punches, but it was just too long (also subjective). Anything else? I don’t think so.
Readers appreciating elegant (if sometimes flowery) prose and immersive settings will appreciate the book. But it offers much more than just craftsmanship and dedication to well-rounded and beautiful sentences. Weiland’s way of blending action, suspense and drama keeps the novel moving with a superb pace and she knows well when and how to tug at reader’s heartstrings. If you’re in the mood for a well-written gaslamp heroic fantasy, consider Wayfarer as your next read.
The Fall expands Townsend’s alternate universe where science has become a religion and people see God as a great experimenter. Rowena Downshire is oneThe Fall expands Townsend’s alternate universe where science has become a religion and people see God as a great experimenter. Rowena Downshire is one of The Nine - current test subjects of the God who assesses all creation based on their behavior. The problem? No one knows the criteria of the evaluation. Also, scholars assume all nine subjects are human, but why wouldn’t the creator inspect all creation?
In The Fall both Aigamuxa (lethal eye-heeled creatures) and Lanyani (sentient, mobile, and murderous trees) get their POV chapters. We get an insight into their cultures and aspirations. Where The Nine portrayed Aigamuxa as heartless monsters, The Fall casts a sympathetic eye on them and their society helping readers to understand them better. It turns out they differ from each other, and, as humans, have varied personalities, beliefs, and emotions. They don’t lack intelligence, but their society emphasizes strength and violence rather than careful planning and philosophy. That’s why Aigamuxa fall victim to cunning Lanyani who make them pawns in their plan to purge humanity and show the Creator that they are above judgment.
Lanyani don’t resemble the conventional high fantasy arboreal creatures like Dryads or Ents. Their bodies and ways of communicating are alien. Their outlook on the world has nothing in common with our perception of the natural order. I applaud Townsend for creating such terrifying but also relatable (in a way) creatures. They play the role of villains, but it’s not that simple. Nothing in The Fall is that simple or one-dimensional. Even Bishop Metteron’s machinations and nefarious schemes may have a valid cause.
Speaking of the creatures, magnify The Fall’s cover and look at it. A thing of beauty. Adam S. Doyle did a spectacular job in his presentation of The Fall’s characters and setting. The book takes us to new regions of the world, to Nippon where we can observe a Shogunate, logicians in actions, and clockwork constructs serving people. A well-rounded cast of secondary characters is diverse and include a non-binary character who plays an important role in tightening the plot.
Rowena, the Alchemist and Anselm play a key role in the story, but other characters introduced in The Nine (Haadiyaa Gammon, Philip Chalmers, Beatrice Earnshaw, Clara Downshire) get strong developments as well. To simplify it, our main characters travel with Chalmers to Grand Library in Nippon (a steampunk Japan of sorts) to decipher its mysteries, while Gammon and her team try to make sense of Lanyani’s schemes. Both arcs are emotional and surprising.
Comparing sequels to original stories is unfair but also inevitable. I always expect the sequel to top the previous entry in the series and get pumped before reading it. When things don’t develop the way I wanted, they annoy me. Where The Nine grabbed my attention from the first page, I needed more time to get invested in The Fall. The book suffers from pacing issues caused by intricate, but sometimes too detailed, world-building. As impressive as this world is, I felt there was too much informations to process. My other gripe with the story concerns Rowena. I loved her in The Nine, but couldn’t relate to her in The Fall most of the time. She’s still herself, a tough street-rat with a foul mouth, but she lost some of her charm. What else? Well, we get some pieces of information that set the table for the things yet to come. Don’t expect everything will serve something immediately or to have all questions answered.
But these are just minor complaints. When things finally start to come together, and stakes grow you can’t help but admire a complex intrigue. Also, the ending. The Fall finishes with a nasty, but also exciting cliffhanger that made me crave book three. I’m desperately hoping that this book sells well enough to ensure that full series (Townsend planned Thieves of Fate as a trilogy) will be published according to plan, without a single day of delay. This story must be told. I need to know what happens next.
So, if you like deadly politics tangled up in scientific research and religion, steampunk settings with clockwork technology, and imaginative world-building, do yourself a favor and read Thieves of Fate. It’s gorgeously written, unique and clever.
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