Review: Paladin's Hope, by T. Kingfisher

Piper is a lich-doctor, a physician who works among the dead, determining causes of death for the city guard's investigations. It's a peaceful, if solitary profession…until the day when he's called to the river to examine the latest in a series of mysterious bodies, mangled by some unknown force.
Galen is a paladin of a dead god, lost to holiness and no longer entirely sane. He has long since given up on any hope of love. But when the two men and a brave gnole constable are drawn into the web of the mysterious killer, it's Galen's job to protect Piper from the traps that await them. He's just not sure if he can protect Piper from the most dangerous threat of all…

"Maybe a hero is just what we call someone who doesn’t have the sense to stop before they destroy themselves." 

T. Kingfisher's Paladin's Hope is a fantastic adventure set in the author's World of the White Rat, a series of interconnected series, and while it's the third in the Saint of Steel series and references many other works, it's a perfect standalone or entry point. Starting off as a cozy mystery with mild horror vibes, it quickly turns into a survival game in a death trap, and even deals with the aftermath while delving into issues of racism.

Running parallel to the mystery is the romance subplot between an honorable warrior with a dangerous problem and a bone-doctor who thinks he can't have nice things. The tension can be cut with a knife, and the resolution of their relationship isn't so clear-cut, adding some very good conflict to the mix.

The worldbuilding is incredible, touching on many mysteries and vestiges of times long past while giving away few answers and pulling in the reader for more. We have various god-touched Paladins and an overarching mystery that doesn't get resolved, and a whole race of badgerlike sentient beings with a complex cast system and language; the gnole Earstripe is an excellent coprotagonist, with some real depth and great one-liners.

Paladin's Hope is a delightful read.

✨ 4 stars

 

Review: Thief Acolyte Consort, by James Robert Paige

A new city and a fresh start was what former thief Catt Zago was looking for, but what she found instead was Great Bakak, a city-state ruled ancient tradition and full of everyday magic. A place full of many gods and many people. A place where the King rules supreme, but the royal executioners seem to be calling the shots.
What Catt didn't expect was to meet a fascinating woman, a professor of magic at the local wizard university, doomed by a strange bit of luck to become the next King. Catt wasn't planning on committing any crimes, this was supposed to be a safe place to start over, but now, could she really be contemplating stealing a King?

"The new king might be anyone." 

James Robert Paige's Thief Acolyte Consort is a fun sapphic novella that oscillates between cozy and horrific, with a strong disconnect between the themes and the tone of the book. It reminds Pratchett, in a sense, but the prose is very simple, almost elementary. It's a bit of a shame, because the worldbuilding is wonderful, rich, with attention to detail and some very nice ideas that subvert expectations, and some twists and turns that add depth.

Catt and Segna are a lovely couple, especially when they start working together. Their relationship starts in a subdued way, but by the end you really root for them to find a way out. The ending wraps up everything very nicely while keeping the door open, and it drives home the commentary about organized religion.

Thief Acolyte Consort is a nice palate cleanser.

✨ 3.5 stars

 

 

 

Snippet: The Wolf and His King, by Finn Longman

The wolf-sickness strikes always without warning, stealing Bisclavret’s body and confusing his mind. Since boyhood he hasn’t dared leave his isolated holdings—not to beg the return of his father’s lost estate, not to seek brotherhood among the court, not even to win the knighthood he yearns for. But when a new king ascends, Bisclavret must deliver his kiss of fealty or answer for the failure.
Half an exile himself, the young king is intrigued by this uneasy, rough-hewn nobleman. Bisclavret seems a perfect knight: bold, strong, and merciful. But he keeps his secrets close, and the king’s longings are not for counsel alone. As his fascination grows, the barriers between them multiply, until the king battles desperation and grief. Then Bisclavret vanishes beyond reach, just as the greatest threats to the kingdom converge. Only duty to his people stands between the king and ruin—duty, and the steady loyalty of the strangest wolf.

"Always I am tired of running."

Finn Longman's The Wolf and His King is the achillean retelling of a medieval tale about a werewolf at court, teeming with yearning and courtly love and fealty in spades. The gorgeous writing, very atmospheric, gives the reader the impression of reading an old lai. The author experiments with PoVs, weaving an incredible tapestry of second and third person, and writing in verse from the perspective of the Wolf. No character is named, save for Bisclavret, giving a feeling of both deep disconnect and great immersion. The nameless king, the wife, the cousin, the knight in green: everyone's a reflection of the role they take in the old tale, but also vivid characters of their own. We feel deeply the King's yearning for Bisclavret, and the latter's turmoil. This isn't a novel in the truest sense, more of a joyful reclamation.

✨ 5 stars

 

 

Review: Nightshade and Oak, by Molly O'Neill

 

When Malt, the goddess of death, is accidentally turned into a human by a wayward spell, she finds she's ill-equipped to deal with the trials of a mortal life. After all, why would a goddess need to know how to gather food or light a fire?
Trapped in a body that's frustratingly feeble, she's forced to team up with Bellis, warrior daughter of Boudicca on a perilous journey across Roman-occupied Britain to the afterlife to try to restore her powers. As animosity turns to attraction, these two very different women must learn to work together if they are to have any hope of surviving their quest.

"The most important thing is how you get back up." 

Molly O'Neill's Nightshade and Oak is a pretty straightforward historical fantasy with strong focus on mythology. The depiction of myth and folklore is definitely its strong suit as we follow the adventure of a goddess made human and we see her experience the full gamut of human emotions, including love. The book fails to compel, though, meandering through a side-quest for a long section after the half mark before getting back on track and delivering a bittersweet finale that doesn't make up for the lack of focus.

While the themes are worth exploring - grief and inner strength - the character work doesn't fully support their weight, and the love between goddess and mortal develops at once too fast and too slowly. It remains an interesting premise, one that could have been developed a bit more and more subtly.

Nightshade and Oak is a nice standalone.

✨ 3.5 stars

 

 

ARC Review: Princeweaver, by Elian J. Morgan

Born with forbidden, nature-infused magic in an occupied land, anxious apothecary Meilyr survives by keeping his head down. Until he ends up engaged to invading prince Osian in order to save his brother’s life. Now, he is in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse to hide his true self.
When nobles in Osian's court are gruesomely murdered by the same magic that flows through his veins, Meilyr realises someone is seeking revenge for his homeland. As suspicion towards him grows, he and the prince work together to uncover the killer, or risk losing the crown - or their lives. Between court politics, unwieldy magic and a murderer on the loose, Meilyr must keep his wits about him. Especially as his feelings for Osian grow deeper with every passing day...

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Elian J. Morgan's Princeweaver is an achillean murder mystery inspired by Welsh folklore and filled with yearning, also offering a stern condemnation of colonialism and showing the toll it takes on the land and its people. It perfectly sets the pieces for what promises to be a gorgeous series, but readers should be warned that the ending is quite abrupt and heart-wrenching, leading to the ferocious need to immediately get to the next book.

The slow burn between Meilyr and Osian is exquisite and acutely slow, a perfect counter to the terrifying and quite horrific murder spree happening around them. Meilyr is a sympathetic protagonist, torn between his secret past and the loyalty to his wrecked land, and the love he starts to bear for the very representative of the kingdom that destroyed his home. For his part, Osian is keenly aware of the wrongs of his royal family, and it shows both in his politics and in the tender respect he gives Meilyr, every interaction between them laden with care and attention. It's rare, refreshing, and beautiful to see so much attention given to consent, even for the smallest gestures, and each moment truly is swoon-worthy. There seems to be demisexual representation, too, which is lovely to see.

The rich worldbuilding ensnares the reader, seamlessly weaving elements of folklore into the narrative. The countryside of the Welsh-inspired conquered nation is rarely explored, most of the action set in the keep, but the old magic and the incredible resilience of its people seep through, especially with the focus on the banned language and on the persecution of magical individuals. The focus on herbology is also very interesting, and the magical system derived from it is clearly described.

This being a mystery, it offers clues that a more savvy reader may catch quickly on; I was personally taken aback, having been working on a completely different theory, but the signs were there, ready to lead to a stunning showstopper of an ending.

Princeweaver is a gorgeous first installment.

✨ 5 stars