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luisvilla's review against another edition
3.0
Gimmick bad; book good?
The craft books have always been based on, essentially, a gimmick: mundane office jobs in a magical world. But Gladstone has always been really, really committed to the gimmick, which made it feel less gimmicky and more fun. You were never going to confuse it for high literature, but pushing hard on the edges of a profession was at least entertaining. Here, Gladstone's commitment to the gimmick wanes. I'd been excited to see VC through his entertaining, screwy lens. But he pays it lip service, instead: not integral to the plot in any way, and glossed over so trivially that you learn nothing interesting about our world or his. Might as well have left it out altogether.
All of this probably makes it a better book? So I guess if you're into decently written fantasy, by all means! Just don't go into this expecting the same thing as other Craft novels.
The craft books have always been based on, essentially, a gimmick: mundane office jobs in a magical world. But Gladstone has always been really, really committed to the gimmick, which made it feel less gimmicky and more fun. You were never going to confuse it for high literature, but pushing hard on the edges of a profession was at least entertaining. Here, Gladstone's commitment to the gimmick wanes. I'd been excited to see VC through his entertaining, screwy lens. But he pays it lip service, instead: not integral to the plot in any way, and glossed over so trivially that you learn nothing interesting about our world or his. Might as well have left it out altogether.
All of this probably makes it a better book? So I guess if you're into decently written fantasy, by all means! Just don't go into this expecting the same thing as other Craft novels.
elros451's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars
Pretty easily the best of the Craft Sequence for me. The best setting, the best of Gladstone's writing, the best cast of the characters and one of the coolest premises for a book that I've read in a while.
Pretty easily the best of the Craft Sequence for me. The best setting, the best of Gladstone's writing, the best cast of the characters and one of the coolest premises for a book that I've read in a while.
mcmanifold's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
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? Yes
3.25
While the concept was really great, and there were some good story beats, I didn’t really connect with the characters as much, even characters I connected with in previous books.
nicolemhill's review
4.0
The Craft Sequence continues to be one of the most original series going in fantasy — and, quietly, one of the most feminist.
elusivity's review
4.0
This one started off somewhat slowly. I puzzled over what the vignette about a young Kai and her sister Ley meant. Apparently, the loss of their father to the sea kicked off a slow dissolution to the family, with Kai staying in Kavekanvana and Ley heading off for her fortunes in Agdel Lex, the city that is three cities in one space.
This story seemed keyed to Ley, a secretive person who also harbor a great drive to ...something. I wasn't sure how much having lost a father can contribute to her closed-off personality (mentioned and emphasized throughout), nor why the family would drift apart so drastically. Not that the situation cannot arise, but I wish the family dynamic is a LOT more fleshed out. As it stood, Kai rarely if ever sees Ley, they don't understand or disclose anything true of intimate to one another Yet Kai will drag herself and a bunch of people to try and first extricate Ley from law, then from the world altering plan Ley created with the dastardly Alethia Vane (who is so evil, like Cruella de Ville evil, casually shoving pedestrians off the sidewalk as she passed, for no reason except she wanted to. What is the reason for her being so evil?!). They just have that inexplicable and wondrous sibling bond I guess.
This is a women's story; or rather, a story peopled by women. No important character is male, apart from a secondary character who is transgender male yet had sufficient experience with of being a woman that he bore children, and another who modded himself as a giant crocodile or something. The delver crew of Zeddig, Rayment, Gal, and Ley back in the days when she was dating Zeddig, ended up being 2 homosexual pairs. The ponderingly slow but brutal police/villain was a woman who punch and break necks and fed people to be tortured by her Lord the giant star Squid.
Inventive as always. Despite all my tiny nits, recommended highly!
This story seemed keyed to Ley, a secretive person who also harbor a great drive to ...something. I wasn't sure how much having lost a father can contribute to her closed-off personality (mentioned and emphasized throughout), nor why the family would drift apart so drastically. Not that the situation cannot arise, but I wish the family dynamic is a LOT more fleshed out. As it stood, Kai rarely if ever sees Ley, they don't understand or disclose anything true of intimate to one another Yet Kai will drag herself and a bunch of people to try and first extricate Ley from law, then from the world altering plan Ley created with the dastardly Alethia Vane (who is so evil, like Cruella de Ville evil, casually shoving pedestrians off the sidewalk as she passed, for no reason except she wanted to. What is the reason for her being so evil?!). They just have that inexplicable and wondrous sibling bond I guess.
This is a women's story; or rather, a story peopled by women. No important character is male, apart from a secondary character who is transgender male yet had sufficient experience with of being a woman that he bore children, and another who modded himself as a giant crocodile or something. The delver crew of Zeddig, Rayment, Gal, and Ley back in the days when she was dating Zeddig, ended up being 2 homosexual pairs. The ponderingly slow but brutal police/villain was a woman who punch and break necks and fed people to be tortured by her Lord the giant star Squid.
Inventive as always. Despite all my tiny nits, recommended highly!
kearneykd's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
tmikerx's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful. This was the type of story that drove me to love Gladstone so much. This book is, essentially, one giant love story - but of so many different types. Familial love, romantic love, platonic love, love of your job(?)... But the story does not focus on that aspect as odd as it sounds. Rather, the love stories are the motivating factors behind the movements of the characters, and it helps to focus on why things are being done the way they are.
The cities in themselves are worthy of praise in their world building, and while reading I couldn't help but feel that as Agdel Lex and Alikand are layered on top of each other, so is our world layered on top of theirs. References to things like looking at a watch to meet a step goal, or wearing a comic book t-shirt helped foster this sense that some of the events that played out in the book also had an effect on events in the real world (or vice versa).
The characters... Every single one of them is a bad ass Woman who don't need no man (yes, there are men, but they are not the focus). I love a good story where there is character growth, and Gladstone did not disappoint on this front.
While I think this book COULD be read on its own, I definitely don't recommend it. There are references to characters and events beyond the scope of this story that having prior knowledge of makes this book so much richer.
Most definitely a 5 star read.
The cities in themselves are worthy of praise in their world building, and while reading I couldn't help but feel that as Agdel Lex and Alikand are layered on top of each other, so is our world layered on top of theirs. References to things like looking at a watch to meet a step goal, or wearing a comic book t-shirt helped foster this sense that some of the events that played out in the book also had an effect on events in the real world (or vice versa).
The characters... Every single one of them is a bad ass Woman who don't need no man (yes, there are men, but they are not the focus). I love a good story where there is character growth, and Gladstone did not disappoint on this front.
While I think this book COULD be read on its own, I definitely don't recommend it. There are references to characters and events beyond the scope of this story that having prior knowledge of makes this book so much richer.
Most definitely a 5 star read.