I really enjoyed this book, but one comment occurred to me early in my reading, so it takes precedence in my review as well. Someone ought to make a rule and engrave it on the pedestal of Calliope, the muse of poets and writers. “Don’t make readers spend too much time with unpleasant people.”
This story, for example, starts by killing off the queen and the princess. A real downer. Then we have a long chapter of political intrigue. Then we are forced into the company of a treacherous thief who murders someone in cold blood. Then two more reprobates who kill another innocent woman. We’re thirty pages into the story, and we haven’t met anyone we’d like to spend several hours with. This is a dangerous spot for an author to place his work. Some readers might say, “Enough is enough,” and miss the enjoyment of the rest of the book.
Because then we meet the positive characters, the king’s life is saved, the puzzle is presented, and it all starts to be fun. The rest of the story balances our attention between the good and the evil characters, providing contrasting conflicts and keeping our attention.
In an interesting departure, this fantasy tale is set up as a murder mystery. Most books of this genre treat the odd dead body as collateral damage, and roll on to more important things. In King Axil’s realm, there are people responsible for the policing of the city, and when bodies start showing up, they take notice and start on the trail of the murderers.
The story is seen from many points of view, so readers follow along, snug in the knowledge of what really occurred, but in the dark enough to keep us interested in what will happen next.
The strength of the writing is in the variety of the characters and the interaction between them. The good guys (of both genders) are upstanding and sympathetic, as we expect in this genre. They also have individual character quirks that make them stand out for us. And even the villains have emotional ties to each other. I particularly enjoyed the interaction between the calculating and philosophical villain, Reynard, and his cold-blooded yet vulnerable sidekick, Spiro.
I admit to being less entertained by the chapters about the Guild Rulers. They fill a useful level in the conflict hierarchy, but I feel they don’t need or deserve that much of my reading time.
Highly recommended for fans of Fantasy and lovers of interesting characterization.
(5 / 5)