Reviews

The Alchemy of Chaos by Marshall Ryan Maresca

powder_and_page's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Well, well, well. Mr. Maresca has provided his readers with another dashing adventure in Maradaine and it was GREAT. He has yet to disappoint and I love how he’s writing two series at once, both set in the same city but in totally different atmospheres. I’m waiting for the characters to overlap, even if it’s just a tiny, insignificant interaction. I’m going to shriek and wave the book about in a dangerous looking manner and find someone to fangirl about it to if that moment ever comes.

Once again Veranix Calbert, magic student and masked vigilante, gets in way over his head in his fight to stop the trafficking of the drug known as effitte. This time the trouble makes its way inside of the University’s walls and Veranix is fighting a war on several fronts- the malicious “pranks” happening on campus, the Deadly Bird assassins hired by Fenmere, and encroaching effitte trade. The whole situation is made even messier by the fact that Veranix is trying to pass his exams in the midst of this trouble. The action in The Alchemy of Chaos was paced well considering there was such an abundance of it. Not everything happened in the last 50-100 pages of the book, which seems all too common in books of all genres.

This particular installment gave me these great West Side Story vibes, because we readers get a little more insight into the gangs of Maradaine. The grandstanding and bravado displayed by the members of the Rose Street Princes is super fun to read about. They get such pride out of the fact that the Thorn is on their side and the Princes are probably his biggest cheerleaders because the constables see the Thorn as a troublemaking vigilante that needs to be arrested. Veranix’s cousin Colin, who himself is a Captain in the Rose Street Princes, is trying to help out without Veranix’s identity being discovered and keep himself under the radar of the gang leaders. This really doesn’t work out so well. Veranix’s side of the story is full of excitement and dangerous activities as usual, though his friends Delmin and Kaiana don’t get quite the screen time that I had expected. They’re present when it counts and there’s so much other stuff going on that you really don’t notice, plus two minor characters are introduced that get a significant amount of focus, though I doubt they’ll appear again.

I wasn’t quite as hooked on The Alchemy of Chaos as I was when I read The Thorn of Dentonhill, which is why this installment has earned a 4.0/5.0 from me… HOWEVER, this was still an admirable addition to Maresca’s literary repertoire and I am always so excited for his new releases! Again, I do wish these came in the larger paperbacks or hardcover editions because I do enjoy them so much and like to display my favorite books. If you’re looking for a fun summer (or anytime of the year) read, then I highly recommend this series, ESPECIALLY if you are a fan of Scott Lynch or Patrick Rothfuss’s books. Do yourself a favor and try this series out!



lyndiane's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

4.5 stars Good sequel to Thorn of Dentonhill.

I re-read Thorn of Dentonhill as a refresher prior to reading The Alchemy of Chaos and thoroughly enjoyed it again. Unfortunately the sequel suffers from 'patchiness' and some overcrowded scenes in a few places and this tends to detract from the charm of the first story.

That being said, I love this author's writing and I am looking forward to all future works, especially if he continues to hang out with Stina Leicht (another literary genius)

navik's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous fast-paced

4.5

zannez's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

thush's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

I loved the whole, complicated storyline in this book. At times there was a lot going on but it was really interesting the whole way through. Veranix (as expected) makes some brash decisions (Kai as well) but I truly loved, loved Delmin. He was such a sensible creature compared to other gung-ho characters running around. So it was a really good contrast. In addition to adding a great balance to Veranix, it brought humour to these serious situations.

rlaferney's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

Alchemy of Chaos by Marshall Ryan Maresca is a somewhat enjoyable installment in the Maradaine world. It continues to carry forward the excitement of magic and gangs we met in The Thorn of Dentonhill and even introduces some deadly female assassins into the mix but I found myself bored by the novels end.

Once again Veranix Calbert, magic student and masked vigilante, gets in way over his head in his fight to stop the trafficking of the drug known as effitte. This time the trouble makes its way inside of the University’s walls and Veranix is fighting a war on several fronts- the malicious “pranks” happening on campus, the Deadly Bird assassins hired by Fenmere, and encroaching effitte trade. The whole situation is made even messier by the fact that Veranix is trying to pass his exams in the midst of this trouble.

How does Veranix deal with these new challenges? Will our masked vigilante pass his exams? Will his secret be discovered? How does he deal with facing flamboyant assassins and a formal collegiate dinner? You’ll just have to read to find out.

This book is full of character growth for our masked vigilante. Veranix is learning to rely (and trust) others to help him. He may have started as a solo vigilante, but taking out Fenmere’s entire effite trade is proving to be more than just a single man operation. Even powerful vigilantes need help sometimes (doesn’t Batman have Robin for a reason after all?). It's nice to see that Veranix has some limitations that prevent him from being completely unbeatable - he’s still a bit too eager for his britches. Without the help of his close friends and allies, the story would have gone much differently.

Alchemy of Chaos is a fast paced and fun book for fans of superheroes/fantasy/crime/academies of magic but the novel on the whole feels a bit pedestrian. And I think the problem is characterization. I just couldn’t relate to any of the characters and the magic system is honestly too simple (while attempting to appear complex) to be intriguing. And despite the danger that Mr. Marseca puts his characters into, you never feel as if they are ever really in any danger. I don't know how else to explain it other than to say that I was not invested in any of them so never had any concerns.

With that being said, there is an audience for this book, and if I were a teenager again, I would love the heck out of this series. But, alas, I think it’s just okay.

I’m not in a rush to pick up the third novel sadly. But if you love superheroes, fantasy, crime, schools of magic and all the trappings that come with it, take a chance of this one.

depizan's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

The main character's power level felt a little less ridiculous here, possibly because it was more of a group effort. Still, literary popcorn.

(I think I liked this one best of this particular trilogy.)

thesffreader's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

This book was very quick but I didn't like it as much as the first one; it followed the classic superhero/ vigilante "I want to save my city" trope and I watched to many Batman movies and Arrow/Daredevil episodes for this thing to work on me anymore.

The characters were interesting to read about but I didn't especially like the way female protagonist were portayed and so far, I am not interested at all in a Veranix/Kaiana romance because those two have zero connections (if you take away the fact that both of their parents had an effite overdose which is not enough to form a relationship in my opinion).

I don't want to sound overly harsh with this book, it was fun, it was quick, the world is interesting and if you're looking for a fast-paced adventure, you'll probably enjoy it!

I won't do a full review because I don't have much more to say about it and I am already too behind on book reviews!

vinayvasan's review

Go to review page

3.0

Given how the previous book ended, Veranix proves himself to be the veritable Thorn in the side of the drug boss. However, he has other things to contend what with this 3rd year exams around the corner and the emergence of a new gang that wants to tear down the old order

Yet another super packed, super fun book that is a delightful breeze to read even as it doesnt stray far from the YA tropes. Nothing groundbreaking save an exploration into the nature of magic. The action sequences are amazing and kinetic. Timepass read

bibliotropic's review

Go to review page

4.0

Having read and enjoyed the other two Maradaine novels that Maresca has written, it was no surprise to me that I similarly enjoyed this one. The story returns to Veranix, still attempting to get through his classes at the university while maintaining his secret life as a vigilante bent on bringing down a druglord. The pressure rises as attacks on the University and its residents disrupt life and make it more difficult for Veranix to sneak out and live his alternate life, and at the same time a group of assassins have been hired to take down the Thorn once and for all.

Maresca has a gift for writing action and intrigue, both of which shine in The Alchemy of Chaos. There’s a mystery afoot, and while some hints are dropped along the way, there’s also enough misdirection to keep the reader turning pages, looking for more information about who’s attacking the University and who’s prodding the Red Rabbits along. First you think you know, then you don’t. It’s a great tense mystery, and it was a lot of fun to read through. That’s really what these novels come down to, in a nutshell. They’re fun. They’re fast and witty and like any good action story, they keep you hanging on and wanting more because you don’t want the adventure to end. That’s why I enjoy this series so much. It doesn’t pretend to be deep and dark and serious and some epic world-changing piece of fantasy. It excels at being what it is, and that is pure enjoyment.

I do have a minor nitpick, and your mileage may vary on this one, but the the ending of the novel seem too… neat for my taste. Specifically, a chance accident early on in the book leads to things being set up in what is stated as literally the only way for the culprit’s plan to be foiled and everyone to be saved. I admit that in a novel that is basically about a secondary-world superhero, you have to allow for some suspension of disbelief, but this too-convenient setup stretched that to its limits. It didn’t ruin anything, but it did have me raising an eyebrow.

Still, The Alchemy of Chaos was a good trip back into a fun fantasy world, and I’m keeping my eyes open for future installments. This is the kind of series that you keep coming back to for low-commitment low-stress light reading, and I like this ideas that Maresca plays with here, from retribution to the effects of the past to just plain knowing the difference between friends and enemies. Worth taking a chance on, and if you already liked the other 2 books he wrote, then chances are you’ll like this one too.

(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
More...