A review by lulustjames
Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
4.0
I am pleasantly surprised with Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett, which shouldn’t even be a surprise considering how many good things I’ve heard about Bennett’s writing. The reason for my surprise is I partly went into this reading the synopsis with my brain thinking oh, girl thief story? Must be a YA fantasy and let me tell you I’ve never been happier to be mistaken! The world-building is absolutely incredible and Bennett is unafraid at showing the rough half of having a world accustomed to convenience.
Before I get into the world-building, let’s talk about the characters! I hope I’m not the only one that looked at young girl thief and automatically thought oh no another typical YA fantasy, as this was anything but. Sancia is truly a well-rounded and fleshed out character whom we see struggle with her place in society and whether she even wants to belong to society. A realist living day to day in a putrid city that cares little for the little people. Her foil, in MANY WAYS, Gregor Dandolo, the son of a wealthy and powerful family who knows his place in society and rejects it in order to make the city he loves and calls home a more just place. Their paths intertwine and their worlds combine in a way I was not expecting, which was incredibly refreshing.
But now, to one of the novel’s greatest strengths – its sublime world-building. Bennett uses Italian sounding names and surnames, as well as words, to center the reader in a world that feels familiar and intimate. We don’t feel as though we’re stepping into some strange land with fourteen syllable cities or characters with names that sound like generic prescriptions. Using that, Bennett adds small tweaks to a world we already know, making it fantastical. And that’s why it works, because the world makes sense. Our brains are able to fill in what the history is because we’ve already lived through the motions, and Bennet doesn’t shy away from showing how great advancements can often come from horrible injustices. Slavery, wars, revolutions, fights for power, cold wars – it’s all we know and the only difference is the tools used. Bennett has the people of Tevanne fight not with simple guns, but with enchantments. It’s a clever addition to the Words/Names Are Power popularized with Ursula K Le Guin’s Earthsea series, as well as Patrick Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicles and Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files. Bennett puts actual science behind this notion so that it isn’t simply magic that is explained with a shrug and a, “That’s just how it is.” And this is what makes the world-building so amazing — that Bennett actually took the time come up with and explain the science behind what makes everything work in world.
With such strong praise, why not an easy 5 stars? Because Foundryside is a first novel in a new world and as such, I want to leave room for the following book in the series to grow. Additionally, while I loved the science behind how everything works in the world, the lengthy descriptions did slow the pacing slightly. I imagine the second book in the series will move much quicker with readers having a much greater understanding of the world and how things work. I’m ready for the intrigue and the subterfuge.
If you’re looking for a new fantasy novel that escapes the usual cliche trappings, or reinvents them completely, I wholeheartedly recommend Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett. This is such a strong introductory novel to a new series sure to be a fave!
/ I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title. /
Before I get into the world-building, let’s talk about the characters! I hope I’m not the only one that looked at young girl thief and automatically thought oh no another typical YA fantasy, as this was anything but. Sancia is truly a well-rounded and fleshed out character whom we see struggle with her place in society and whether she even wants to belong to society. A realist living day to day in a putrid city that cares little for the little people. Her foil, in MANY WAYS, Gregor Dandolo, the son of a wealthy and powerful family who knows his place in society and rejects it in order to make the city he loves and calls home a more just place. Their paths intertwine and their worlds combine in a way I was not expecting, which was incredibly refreshing.
But now, to one of the novel’s greatest strengths – its sublime world-building. Bennett uses Italian sounding names and surnames, as well as words, to center the reader in a world that feels familiar and intimate. We don’t feel as though we’re stepping into some strange land with fourteen syllable cities or characters with names that sound like generic prescriptions. Using that, Bennett adds small tweaks to a world we already know, making it fantastical. And that’s why it works, because the world makes sense. Our brains are able to fill in what the history is because we’ve already lived through the motions, and Bennet doesn’t shy away from showing how great advancements can often come from horrible injustices. Slavery, wars, revolutions, fights for power, cold wars – it’s all we know and the only difference is the tools used. Bennett has the people of Tevanne fight not with simple guns, but with enchantments. It’s a clever addition to the Words/Names Are Power popularized with Ursula K Le Guin’s Earthsea series, as well as Patrick Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicles and Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files. Bennett puts actual science behind this notion so that it isn’t simply magic that is explained with a shrug and a, “That’s just how it is.” And this is what makes the world-building so amazing — that Bennett actually took the time come up with and explain the science behind what makes everything work in world.
With such strong praise, why not an easy 5 stars? Because Foundryside is a first novel in a new world and as such, I want to leave room for the following book in the series to grow. Additionally, while I loved the science behind how everything works in the world, the lengthy descriptions did slow the pacing slightly. I imagine the second book in the series will move much quicker with readers having a much greater understanding of the world and how things work. I’m ready for the intrigue and the subterfuge.
If you’re looking for a new fantasy novel that escapes the usual cliche trappings, or reinvents them completely, I wholeheartedly recommend Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett. This is such a strong introductory novel to a new series sure to be a fave!
/ I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title. /