503 pages
English language
Published April 5, 2018
A thief in a city controlled by industrialized magic joins forces with a rare honest police officer to stop an ancient evil ritual that endangers thousands of lives.
Main character becomes almost god-like through the narrative but somehow dwelled in obscurity for years before. Some set piece scenes were out of place and others abbreviated.
I mainly read this through the lens of a fan of "City of Stairs" and its sequels.
The magic system here didn't grab me as much as the one in Bennett's "Divine Cities" books. The book telegraphs that the series it starts may turn into political thriller closer to the City books, but this first installment is mainly about the adventures of a small band of extraordinary characters.
The main character Sancia is a heroic thief with a tragic past. There are several romantic-ish subplots, but no sex to speak of. The fact that Sancia can't touch other humans might have something to do with that
Reads like if Sanderson knew about swears and sex.
Refreshing and action packed.
One of my favorite fantasy books in recent times. Excited to see where the series goes.
This book was fine. As positives:
- Didn't have mopey hero syndrome
- Had some surprises I didn't anticipate
The things that were negative for me:
- The dialog felt shallow
- I wouldn't want to spend time with any of the characters
Ultimately, I am ambivalent towards this book. It is a fine book, just not one that resonated with me very much.
