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thiefofcamorr's review against another edition
4.0
I didn’t realise this was a novella when I first picked it up, but it works incredibly well in this format. Much like Seanan McGuire’s ‘Every Heart a Doorway’, this in the shorter format leaves you wanting more whilst feeling utterly satisfied with the characters and plot.
In a Victorian England-esque city, we have Drake, a private investigator for hire who frequents the worst part of town, and doesn’t make much to show for it. When he gets an offer that’ll earn him more than he sometimes makes in a year, even if it does involve nobility (who he usually tries to avoid), he takes on the job for the gold alone and heads on to the fancy estate to start investigating.
He doesn’t solve the mystery without difficulty – from a hurried chase and many battles that almost take his life, Drake finds himself at times within a grave or trading words with the head of the crime syndicate. If you’re looking for a quick and exciting read, this certainly is a high contender.
What expands this novel well even though it’s short, are the brief mentions of who’s currently in power and the history of conflict between rulers, and noting who has loyalty to which side – this instantly gives depth and makes the world building spring to life, and it’s very well handled indeed.
The characters are quite excellent, Drake especially, though having two family characters with such similar names (Colin and Corth) can be slightly confusing.
Overall, this is a very fun book, and one I recommend for a lazy afternoon where you want some excitement, or snarky and snazzy writing.
In a Victorian England-esque city, we have Drake, a private investigator for hire who frequents the worst part of town, and doesn’t make much to show for it. When he gets an offer that’ll earn him more than he sometimes makes in a year, even if it does involve nobility (who he usually tries to avoid), he takes on the job for the gold alone and heads on to the fancy estate to start investigating.
He doesn’t solve the mystery without difficulty – from a hurried chase and many battles that almost take his life, Drake finds himself at times within a grave or trading words with the head of the crime syndicate. If you’re looking for a quick and exciting read, this certainly is a high contender.
What expands this novel well even though it’s short, are the brief mentions of who’s currently in power and the history of conflict between rulers, and noting who has loyalty to which side – this instantly gives depth and makes the world building spring to life, and it’s very well handled indeed.
The characters are quite excellent, Drake especially, though having two family characters with such similar names (Colin and Corth) can be slightly confusing.
Overall, this is a very fun book, and one I recommend for a lazy afternoon where you want some excitement, or snarky and snazzy writing.
mayhappily's review against another edition
2.0
It might've been two, three days ago, no more, that I told a customer at the bookstore where I work, that, in my opinion, a novella published by Tor was as much a stamp of quality as a book being picked up by either HBO or, maybe even more so - I say, and think of the wonderful adaption of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - BBC.
Maybe that's also why I feel almost betrayed (that is a strong word, I know) by City of Wolves...
Now, that sounds interesting. It might've been done a few time already, but what's to say that a story already told can't be worth yet another read as long as it is done well.
As long as it is done well.
It actually isn't so much a lack of good storytelling that's the cause for my low rating; it's the fact that there is so much potential storytelling that's been shrunk to fit the number of pages allowed a novella! There's no depth to the characters or the story itself, the events feel rushed and the conclusion a bit like a helicopter parent solving the puzzle for you rather than offer you the tools you need to do it yourself.
Maybe that's also why I feel almost betrayed (that is a strong word, I know) by City of Wolves...
Alexander Drake, Investigator for Hire, doesn’t like working for the Nobility, and doesn’t prefer to take jobs from strange men who accost him in alleyways. A combination of hired muscle and ready silver have a way of changing a man’s mind. A lord has been killed, his body found covered in bite marks. Even worse, the late lord’s will is missing, and not everyone wants Drake to find it. Solving the case might plunge Drake into deeper danger.
Now, that sounds interesting. It might've been done a few time already, but what's to say that a story already told can't be worth yet another read as long as it is done well.
As long as it is done well.
It actually isn't so much a lack of good storytelling that's the cause for my low rating; it's the fact that there is so much potential storytelling that's been shrunk to fit the number of pages allowed a novella! There's no depth to the characters or the story itself, the events feel rushed and the conclusion a bit like a helicopter parent solving the puzzle for you rather than offer you the tools you need to do it yourself.
etienne02's review against another edition
3.0
An okay and quick read. Nothing great but nothing bad either in this one. A mix of style in this investigation story inside a fantasy world, which I like but Raphaël Albert does in better in his Sylvo Sylvain series. Some twist in this story were easy to see coming, others a bit less. If the writer continue to work and develop her own voice she could be doing something really interesting, because the biggest problem here is probably the lack of experience.
artemisblack's review
3.0
This short story was well written and entertaining. I would have liked to see this as a full book instead of a novella. The story seemed a bit rushed and the characters underdeveloped, so there was plenty of room to expand this book into a full novel. Enjoyable read, but very quick.
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
reanne's review
2.0
Review crossposted from Reanne Reads.
This novella (or possibly novelette; it’s only about 100 pages) has an interesting premise. It’s set in what I would guess is some sort of alternate 19th century England. Except no one says England and no English cities are named that I could tell, so it’s a really alternate history. It’s a mystery with a private detective who gets hired to solve the death of a nobleman. And it’s a fantasy, with at least magic and werewolves and probably other stuff not shown in the story itself.
It starts off pretty interesting. Took me a little while to get a grip on the setting, since I didn’t know this was an alternate history sort of thing going in. The main character is a pretty standard private detective sort, and it does work for this story. He has his own morals, he doesn’t back down from them, he’s cool and collected in a crisis—all that sort of standard P.I. stuff we see in detective stories. Most of the other characters are familiar as well.
I enjoyed this story pretty well for a while. It wasn’t outstanding, but as an alternate 19th century England fantasy murder mystery, it was a nice different sort of thing. There’s even an exciting stagecoach chase scene involving a werewolf.
But then it introduced an incredibly cliché evil, corrupt church official. There are actually many clichés in this book, but that is one that particularly grates on me. In keeping with the alternate part of this setting, the religion in this story is not actually called Christianity or Catholicism (it’s not named at all, in fact); there are only references to “the Light” and “the Dark”, which is about as generic as generic religion gets. Except in reference to this corrupt official and his church, they use words like “vicar” and “cathedral”, which are clearly words relating to Catholicism/Christianity. The author does not use words from Islam or Buddhism or other religions, nor does she make up new words entirely, but uses words clearly referencing certain branches of Christianity. Which makes this a corrupt, evil priest. Totally cliché and also offensive. The worst part, though, is how this character doesn’t even have any real part in this story but is apparently only there to set up his role in a potential sequel.
The ending of the story is, again, a bit predictable, but there were some werewolf-related twists I didn’t quite expect.
This would have been a perfectly serviceable read, though not outstanding, had it not annoyed me with the “BWAHAHAHA!” evil priest whose appearance only made me more aware of the other clichés the story was employing.
Overall, a disappointing story. Had it been more original in its character choices, it could have been a lot more enjoyable than it was.
This novella (or possibly novelette; it’s only about 100 pages) has an interesting premise. It’s set in what I would guess is some sort of alternate 19th century England. Except no one says England and no English cities are named that I could tell, so it’s a really alternate history. It’s a mystery with a private detective who gets hired to solve the death of a nobleman. And it’s a fantasy, with at least magic and werewolves and probably other stuff not shown in the story itself.
It starts off pretty interesting. Took me a little while to get a grip on the setting, since I didn’t know this was an alternate history sort of thing going in. The main character is a pretty standard private detective sort, and it does work for this story. He has his own morals, he doesn’t back down from them, he’s cool and collected in a crisis—all that sort of standard P.I. stuff we see in detective stories. Most of the other characters are familiar as well.
I enjoyed this story pretty well for a while. It wasn’t outstanding, but as an alternate 19th century England fantasy murder mystery, it was a nice different sort of thing. There’s even an exciting stagecoach chase scene involving a werewolf.
But then it introduced an incredibly cliché evil, corrupt church official. There are actually many clichés in this book, but that is one that particularly grates on me. In keeping with the alternate part of this setting, the religion in this story is not actually called Christianity or Catholicism (it’s not named at all, in fact); there are only references to “the Light” and “the Dark”, which is about as generic as generic religion gets. Except in reference to this corrupt official and his church, they use words like “vicar” and “cathedral”, which are clearly words relating to Catholicism/Christianity. The author does not use words from Islam or Buddhism or other religions, nor does she make up new words entirely, but uses words clearly referencing certain branches of Christianity. Which makes this a corrupt, evil priest. Totally cliché and also offensive. The worst part, though, is how this character doesn’t even have any real part in this story but is apparently only there to set up his role in a potential sequel.
The ending of the story is, again, a bit predictable, but there were some werewolf-related twists I didn’t quite expect.
This would have been a perfectly serviceable read, though not outstanding, had it not annoyed me with the “BWAHAHAHA!” evil priest whose appearance only made me more aware of the other clichés the story was employing.
Overall, a disappointing story. Had it been more original in its character choices, it could have been a lot more enjoyable than it was.
jiba's review
4.0
I would like to thank netgalley for advancing me a copy of this book for review.
4.25 rating
I really liked the cover of this short story. I wanted to know who this man was and coupled with the title, I was even more curious. I am not usually a fan of short reads, I like for the book to be long enough for me to inhabit it for a few days and the weakness of the story was in its length. But this may not be so for connoisseurs of short fiction. Besides that, I found it an excellent read. It was tight and well written and kept my interest until the end. In addition I thought the world was intriguing and hopes that the author and the Main Character will appear again. I truly am a fan of historical alternative universe types of stories.
4.25 rating
I really liked the cover of this short story. I wanted to know who this man was and coupled with the title, I was even more curious. I am not usually a fan of short reads, I like for the book to be long enough for me to inhabit it for a few days and the weakness of the story was in its length. But this may not be so for connoisseurs of short fiction. Besides that, I found it an excellent read. It was tight and well written and kept my interest until the end. In addition I thought the world was intriguing and hopes that the author and the Main Character will appear again. I truly am a fan of historical alternative universe types of stories.
jameseckman's review
3.0
A gas-lit Philip Marlowe with the werewolves of London Lupenwald (it howls for justice, groan :)) A fun, lightweight novella and well done for a new author.
krissy22247's review
4.0
This was an interesting and quick read. There were some holes in the plotline and the series of events were sometimes a stretch. However, the dialogue and pacing were engaging. It had a nice flow to the text that made it a pleasure to read.
I also really love the cover. I think it is beautifully done. Overall, a satisfying read.
I was given this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway. This has not altered my review.
I also really love the cover. I think it is beautifully done. Overall, a satisfying read.
I was given this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway. This has not altered my review.