w33nr's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Blood, Classism, Body horror, Sexual assault, and Gore
sally_nigh's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
icbeck21's review against another edition
4.0
I think the biggest compliment I can give this book is that it felt refreshing to read. The world Robert Jackson Bennett built here and the magic system within it felt something entirely new and so interesting and stimulating. The characters moving within that world were wonderfully written and brought the book to life. I especially loved clef, who sprinkled humor and wit to the story. A great read, can’t wait for the rest.
kiracreativemod's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
farfromdaylight's review against another edition
4.5
Honestly, it’s hard to find fault with this book. It was a phenomenal read from start to finish, and one I really couldn’t put down. Loved the worldbuilding, loved the magic system, loved the characters. Absolutely can’t wait to see where this series goes next. I really enjoyed the Divine Cities trilogy by the same author, and I’m thrilled to have enjoyed another of his works so much.
makifanclub's review against another edition
4.5
This book was truly so fun to read. The characters were engaging and entertaining - Clef especially was a total show-stealer. The worldbuilding and magic system were very interesting and original, and it has a ton of potential for even more expansion in the next two installments, but it wasn’t so complex that I struggled to keep details straight, which is what I sometimes fear with fantasy novels. The plot was fast-paced and exciting, with many twists that caught me totally off guard (and, to be fair, some that I saw coming from a mile away). Maybe not a masterpiece, but a pretty well-written story and, overall, a very good time.
ncurtis6's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
shane_digiovanna's review against another edition
5.0
Robert Jackson Bennet is perhaps *the* best fantasy author writing today. He doesn’t just write flawless stories with compelling characters, fast plot, and absolutely stunning worldbuilding — he uses all of that to *say something*.
In Foundryside, he creates an incredibly innovative magic system — scriving. This world is run on code. Magical code. Set in a city resembling Renaissance era Venice or Genoa. In this story there are heists, coding, and gods.
It’s an incredible story. And RJB uses it to critique Silicon Valley, capitalism, slavery, exploitation, and human nature. How is this possible? Read it to find out.
In Foundryside, he creates an incredibly innovative magic system — scriving. This world is run on code. Magical code. Set in a city resembling Renaissance era Venice or Genoa. In this story there are heists, coding, and gods.
It’s an incredible story. And RJB uses it to critique Silicon Valley, capitalism, slavery, exploitation, and human nature. How is this possible? Read it to find out.