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5 out of 5 stars
By
jessica
on
06-01-14
Fantastic start to a fantasy series
This is fantasy as good as it gets. The writing and voice of the piece are meant to be 1800's English, the story starts around the start of Queen Victoria's reign. The style and tone are somewhat akin to Susanna Clarke in Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. While I loved that story, the cast here is richer and more diverse and so is the language.
The worldbuilding and magic systems are very elegant, using familiar myths and legends in interesting ways and weaving them all together with interesting tidbits of actual social history.
The last story that captivated me this much was Game of Thrones, the book not the tv show. This is obviously a shorter story that moves at a faster pace, its nice because it deals with some difficult subjects without becoming hopelessly sad and depressing.
Simon Prebble's performance is great, he is always great. Couldn't recommend it more highly
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5 of 5 people found this review helpful
5 out of 5 stars
By
lisa
on
09-19-15
Perfect blend of Narrator and Story
A disclaimer - I am a huge Simon Prebble fan... When searching for my next book, I always start with books narrated by Simon.. So I am more than a little prejudice towards this novel.
However, if you are a fan of historic fiction, victorian fantasy, or even steam punk fiction, you will love Charlie Fletcher's new series. I can't get enough of the period detail in clothes, modes of travel, and the advent of the 'natural sciences'.
I also love a good story - and Charlie Fletcher has written a very good story. The heroes all shine brightly, the villains create their own inky darkness. There is also a very confused young lady caught between.
This is one of those reads that you must revisit. There will be fresh details uncovered each time you do. Enjoy!
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2 of 2 people found this review helpful