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The Cinder Spires #2
The Olympian Affair
The fate of the Cinder Spires may be decided by crossed swords in the next exhilarating fantasy adventure in the New York Times bestselling series of noble families, swordplay, and airships.
For centuries the Cinder Spires have safeguarded humanity, rising far above the deadly surface world. Within their halls, aristocratic houses rule, developing scientific marvels and building fleets of airships for defence and trade.
Now, the Spires hover on the brink of open war.
Everyone knows it's coming. The guns of the great airship fleets that control the skies between the last bastions of humanity will soon speak in anger, and Spire Albion stands alone against the overwhelming might of Spire Aurora's Armada and its new secret weapon--one capable of destroying the populations of entire Spires.
A trading summit at Spire Olympia provides an opportunity for the Spirearch, Lord Albion, to secure alliances that will shape the outcomes of the war, and to that end he dispatches privateer Captain Francis Madison Grimm and the crew of the AMS Predator to bolster the Spirearch's diplomatic agents.
It will take daring, skill, and no small amount of showmanship to convince the world to stand with Spire Albion--assuming that it is not already too late.
For centuries the Cinder Spires have safeguarded humanity, rising far above the deadly surface world. Within their halls, aristocratic houses rule, developing scientific marvels and building fleets of airships for defence and trade.
Now, the Spires hover on the brink of open war.
Everyone knows it's coming. The guns of the great airship fleets that control the skies between the last bastions of humanity will soon speak in anger, and Spire Albion stands alone against the overwhelming might of Spire Aurora's Armada and its new secret weapon--one capable of destroying the populations of entire Spires.
A trading summit at Spire Olympia provides an opportunity for the Spirearch, Lord Albion, to secure alliances that will shape the outcomes of the war, and to that end he dispatches privateer Captain Francis Madison Grimm and the crew of the AMS Predator to bolster the Spirearch's diplomatic agents.
It will take daring, skill, and no small amount of showmanship to convince the world to stand with Spire Albion--assuming that it is not already too late.
624 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2023
1427 people are currently reading
29195 people want to read
About the author
Jim Butcher
203 books51.1k followersJim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. An avid gamer, he plays tabletop games in varying systems, a variety of video games on PC and console, and LARPs whenever he can make time for it. Jim currently resides mostly inside his own head, but his head can generally be found in his home town of Independence, Missouri.
Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.
All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.
Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.
All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.
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October 10, 2022What two four sixteen idiots gave this book one star, months before it's even published?
ETA 3/10/18 - Correction: ratings and reviews for a book before it's published, if it's something available through legitimate channels which provide ARCs to readers, is not the problem here. Ratings and reviews for a book that is to the best of my knowledge not even fully written yet - that's the problem. So what I should have said is "months before it's even completed". Keep rating it low, folks - maybe the publisher will see the negative advance reaction and never actually publish it.
ETA 3/10/18 - Correction: ratings and reviews for a book before it's published, if it's something available through legitimate channels which provide ARCs to readers, is not the problem here. Ratings and reviews for a book that is to the best of my knowledge not even fully written yet - that's the problem. So what I should have said is "months before it's even completed". Keep rating it low, folks - maybe the publisher will see the negative advance reaction and never actually publish it.
October 8, 2023
I feel very differently about the first and second halves of this book.
The first half of this book is incredibly boring, dragging, and pointless. The plot does not progress. The characters are given no sources of conflict. The scenes are repetitive and unnecessary. It's unsatisfying and disappointing, especially from and author that I love the work of so dearly. This book is over 600 pages, and over half of them do absolutely nothing to justify their existence. Out of 4 POV characters that we get, I cared about none of them, despite being obsessed with them all in book 1 (which I just reread last month and gave 5 stars!).
In the second half of the book, things start to begin to actually happen. The plot kicks into gear, and some of our leads belatedly get motivations and character arcs assigned to them. There are actual stakes, and I was invested and enjoying myself. The book most definitely sticks the landing, with bombastic action sequences supported by emotional payoffs. There was a portion of this novel, 75%-95%, where I was loving it.
So, though there were many instances where I contemplated giving up on this one, I'm glad that I stuck with it to the end. I'm left feeling satisfied and hungry for the next installment. But this book should have been half as long, as it only had enough plot in store to support that much.
The cats in this book are as great, proud, and spunky as ever.
I enjoy how this book explores our antagonists, and is shaping the series into something quite epic.
The new cover style is ugly and does not represent the book well. I hate it, especially in comparison to the beautiful and fitting cover of book 1.
Thanks to Netgalley and Ace for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
The first half of this book is incredibly boring, dragging, and pointless. The plot does not progress. The characters are given no sources of conflict. The scenes are repetitive and unnecessary. It's unsatisfying and disappointing, especially from and author that I love the work of so dearly. This book is over 600 pages, and over half of them do absolutely nothing to justify their existence. Out of 4 POV characters that we get, I cared about none of them, despite being obsessed with them all in book 1 (which I just reread last month and gave 5 stars!).
In the second half of the book, things start to begin to actually happen. The plot kicks into gear, and some of our leads belatedly get motivations and character arcs assigned to them. There are actual stakes, and I was invested and enjoying myself. The book most definitely sticks the landing, with bombastic action sequences supported by emotional payoffs. There was a portion of this novel, 75%-95%, where I was loving it.
So, though there were many instances where I contemplated giving up on this one, I'm glad that I stuck with it to the end. I'm left feeling satisfied and hungry for the next installment. But this book should have been half as long, as it only had enough plot in store to support that much.
The cats in this book are as great, proud, and spunky as ever.
I enjoy how this book explores our antagonists, and is shaping the series into something quite epic.
The new cover style is ugly and does not represent the book well. I hate it, especially in comparison to the beautiful and fitting cover of book 1.
Thanks to Netgalley and Ace for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
November 9, 2023
Going into this Jim Butcher has been on a streak of 17 straight novels that to me are at least an 8/10, which is by far the longest of any author. I am happy to say the streak is still alive.... Barely.
let's go with the classic pro's and cons. Mostly pro's because I think it's really good.
pro's: The expansion of the worldbuilding is great. The Aeronauts Windlass introduced us to this really cool world where everyone lives in these massive stone spires because the surface is ridiculously dangerous, and it largely focused on Spire Albion. If you have read Alera, and you remember how book 1 was very local, and then the series expanded to other locations, this is similar, obviously we spend some time at Spire Olympia, but it also expands the setting to include various other spires and peoples who have a bunch of cool stuff going on.
The entire like second half of the book is madness in a great way. Chaos was dialed up to 11, well Jim Butcher has a high bar for chaos, so maybe not dialed up to 11 but it was dialed up quite a bit. And generally, was a thrill ride for like the entire second half.
The characters are generally still quite fun, and well done. The dialogue is really good at giving you a good idea of who people are quickly, it's snappy, it's Jim Butcher. It introduces a new PoV character which also expands upon a supporting character from the previous book, and is a great addition.
The airship battles are still really really cool.
And the lore here started to get much much more interesting. Jim Butcher loves his epilogues, but in general this book made theorizing much more viable for the world and has me more hooked on finding out answers. Added some really interesting stuff to the world.
So, I do have a couple cons.
Pacing wise Jim is normally about as good as it gets, but I think if I split this book into quarters the second quarter lost me a little bit. There was some political scheming going on, and it was just somewhat disappointing as political scheming goes. Which I know Jim can do well because there are bits of it in Alera.
In the past I have declared Jim the best of anyone I have ever read at time skips between books, where it always feels like the amount of time feels like it has happened, but we didn't miss something cooler than the actual book we are getting. So, this book starts a couple years after the previous one ends, and I just don't know if it feels like 2 years' worth of stuff has happened for some characters. The relationship between 2 characters who would have regularly interacted seems very similar to the end of book 1, and then rapidly progresses during this book for no real reason. Well it makes sense that the relationship would progress, just not that it stalled for 2 years and is suddenly progressing now. Also there is a war that kinda started, and it seems like it is basically in the same place as the end of book 1. For a lot of the characters the time skip was really good as it basically always is, but this is one of the first times I have ever thought a Jim Butcher time skip was slightly clunky, and it may have been caused by the book taking 8 years to write.
Finally, 1 last minor con, as none of these are deal breakers at all. The cat's feel different. So this series has talking cats, they are amazing still, but I felt that in book 1 it was clear that these cats have similar personalities to real cats but are quite a bit smarter. They still have holes in their understanding, but are actually smarter than humans in some ways, while also being dumber in some ways. In this book I still love the cats, and think they are well done, but they come across as clearly different. Which is that they feel more like cats who are as dumb as real cats(so quite dumb) but people can communicate with them. I don't really have a preference between the cats being smarter than real cats, or as smart, but my issue is it feels inconsistent to me between the 2 books.
Overall, though, still think it is really good, loads of fun, entertainment, twists, chaos, and heart, but I do think it had some cons that are not normal for Jim Butcher at this point in his career that holds it back from being among his best books.
Still though, the streak is alive.
8.1/10
let's go with the classic pro's and cons. Mostly pro's because I think it's really good.
pro's: The expansion of the worldbuilding is great. The Aeronauts Windlass introduced us to this really cool world where everyone lives in these massive stone spires because the surface is ridiculously dangerous, and it largely focused on Spire Albion. If you have read Alera, and you remember how book 1 was very local, and then the series expanded to other locations, this is similar, obviously we spend some time at Spire Olympia, but it also expands the setting to include various other spires and peoples who have a bunch of cool stuff going on.
The entire like second half of the book is madness in a great way. Chaos was dialed up to 11, well Jim Butcher has a high bar for chaos, so maybe not dialed up to 11 but it was dialed up quite a bit. And generally, was a thrill ride for like the entire second half.
The characters are generally still quite fun, and well done. The dialogue is really good at giving you a good idea of who people are quickly, it's snappy, it's Jim Butcher. It introduces a new PoV character which also expands upon a supporting character from the previous book, and is a great addition.
The airship battles are still really really cool.
And the lore here started to get much much more interesting. Jim Butcher loves his epilogues, but in general this book made theorizing much more viable for the world and has me more hooked on finding out answers. Added some really interesting stuff to the world.
So, I do have a couple cons.
Pacing wise Jim is normally about as good as it gets, but I think if I split this book into quarters the second quarter lost me a little bit. There was some political scheming going on, and it was just somewhat disappointing as political scheming goes. Which I know Jim can do well because there are bits of it in Alera.
In the past I have declared Jim the best of anyone I have ever read at time skips between books, where it always feels like the amount of time feels like it has happened, but we didn't miss something cooler than the actual book we are getting. So, this book starts a couple years after the previous one ends, and I just don't know if it feels like 2 years' worth of stuff has happened for some characters. The relationship between 2 characters who would have regularly interacted seems very similar to the end of book 1, and then rapidly progresses during this book for no real reason. Well it makes sense that the relationship would progress, just not that it stalled for 2 years and is suddenly progressing now. Also there is a war that kinda started, and it seems like it is basically in the same place as the end of book 1. For a lot of the characters the time skip was really good as it basically always is, but this is one of the first times I have ever thought a Jim Butcher time skip was slightly clunky, and it may have been caused by the book taking 8 years to write.
Finally, 1 last minor con, as none of these are deal breakers at all. The cat's feel different. So this series has talking cats, they are amazing still, but I felt that in book 1 it was clear that these cats have similar personalities to real cats but are quite a bit smarter. They still have holes in their understanding, but are actually smarter than humans in some ways, while also being dumber in some ways. In this book I still love the cats, and think they are well done, but they come across as clearly different. Which is that they feel more like cats who are as dumb as real cats(so quite dumb) but people can communicate with them. I don't really have a preference between the cats being smarter than real cats, or as smart, but my issue is it feels inconsistent to me between the 2 books.
Overall, though, still think it is really good, loads of fun, entertainment, twists, chaos, and heart, but I do think it had some cons that are not normal for Jim Butcher at this point in his career that holds it back from being among his best books.
Still though, the streak is alive.
8.1/10
December 7, 2025
~Etheric Espionage~
Book 2 of Jim Butcher's Fantasy series The Cinder Spires has a more narrowed single focus on diplomatic mission and conversing with alliances instead of frontline action. The sentient cats are back and continue to steal the show, reminding us what cats are here for. This book includes much of the same as the first. My favorite part about this series is how the airships take on a life and personality of their own. They are talked about as entities with names and even a sort of techno-consciousness. I enjoyed the characters, their humor and growth in this book, and felt they had more moments to shine. The first book really sparkled with exciting world-building, and tons of steampunk action scenes. We still get some of the that here, but there was something else missing.
Background: Spires were built long ago by the ancients and are now where humanity dwells in the skies. Outside the spires there lies a wilderness of fog and dangerous fauna. Only skilled aeronauts can operate the crystal powered sky ships. Spire Aurora and Spire Albion are rivals at war.
Characters
Captain Grimm: disgraced former Fleet officer turned privateer-like airship captain of the Predator.
Bridget: shy noblewoman-in-training, unexpectedly discovering strength and leadership.
Rowl: heir to the feline warrior-lords
Gwendolyn Lancaster, sharp-witted aristocrat from the most powerful crystal-producing House.
Folly, apprentice to an eccentric Master Etherialist
Etherealist Master Ferus, brilliant and odd
What I liked most
~The ship named Predator is referred to as its own entity and takes on a character of its own.
~Smart sentient felines
~Bridget's strength
What was missing
x I would have liked to see some of the steampunk elements with crystal technology blended more into the plot
x I am not against love triangles completely (when done right). I did not like the addition of romance in this book. Just didn't work for me.
What's Next
There will be a third book though I know not when. I will definitely be reading it! I hope the characters continue to be funny, and the intrigue stays intriguing!
Book 2 of Jim Butcher's Fantasy series The Cinder Spires has a more narrowed single focus on diplomatic mission and conversing with alliances instead of frontline action. The sentient cats are back and continue to steal the show, reminding us what cats are here for. This book includes much of the same as the first. My favorite part about this series is how the airships take on a life and personality of their own. They are talked about as entities with names and even a sort of techno-consciousness. I enjoyed the characters, their humor and growth in this book, and felt they had more moments to shine. The first book really sparkled with exciting world-building, and tons of steampunk action scenes. We still get some of the that here, but there was something else missing.
Background: Spires were built long ago by the ancients and are now where humanity dwells in the skies. Outside the spires there lies a wilderness of fog and dangerous fauna. Only skilled aeronauts can operate the crystal powered sky ships. Spire Aurora and Spire Albion are rivals at war.
Characters
Captain Grimm: disgraced former Fleet officer turned privateer-like airship captain of the Predator.
Bridget: shy noblewoman-in-training, unexpectedly discovering strength and leadership.
Rowl: heir to the feline warrior-lords
Gwendolyn Lancaster, sharp-witted aristocrat from the most powerful crystal-producing House.
Folly, apprentice to an eccentric Master Etherialist
Etherealist Master Ferus, brilliant and odd
What I liked most
~The ship named Predator is referred to as its own entity and takes on a character of its own.
~Smart sentient felines
~Bridget's strength
What was missing
x I would have liked to see some of the steampunk elements with crystal technology blended more into the plot
x I am not against love triangles completely (when done right). I did not like the addition of romance in this book. Just didn't work for me.
What's Next
There will be a third book though I know not when. I will definitely be reading it! I hope the characters continue to be funny, and the intrigue stays intriguing!
July 7, 2024
To will, skill, and steel
Steampunk is a special genre that requires talent and wit to write properly, and Aeronauts’ Windlass was steampunk at its very best: it had an ingenious world building of Cinder Spires, elegant prose, original cast of characters and a plot that hooked the reader both in the small details (Captain Grimm, his colourful crew—that nearly unthroned the Ketty Jay squad—and his ship) and grande scheme of things where the capital E Enemy lurks behind sinister machinations of scheming humans.
In the second book, the inconceivable, i.e. the war between Spire Albion and Spire Aurora, is as good as a well-brewed tea and ready to serve. All one needs is an elegant porcelain set, the one reserved for esteemed guests. A trade summit in Spire Olympia fulfils that role. Spire Albion sends their best to attend, and unsurprisingly that means Predator and her crew. But not only them. The whole story is divided into four somewhat complementary arcs that provide the reader with a kaleidoscopic view of the unfolding events:
My God, there are days when this job is nothing but madness.
In the first place, the irreplaceable Captain Grimm and his shipmates. Two years have passed since the previous book's events; things changed and progressed. Mr Creedy is no longer the executive officer. We have no idea what has happened to him, but Gwen Lancaster, of all people, has this position now (I really did wonder how that happened, but stipulations are all we have at this stage). Miss Folly also made Predator her home and indeed developed a close friendship with the ship (that includes casual gossip).
The second branch of the story is told by someone we knew only by proxy in the previous book: Abigail, Duchess Hinton, mistress of Captain Grimm’s best friend, Commodore Alex Bayard stops being a name and starts being a person. And what a formidable person she turns out to be! She is not only one of the key diplomats sent by Spire Albion to the summit in Spire Olympia. When the verbal sparring gets out of hand, Duchess Hinton, who does not shy away from challenges, proves that her blades are as sharp as her wits.
The third, and admittedly somewhat redundant, narrative is offered by Bridget Tagwynn, the warriorborn Benedict of House Lancaster, and the cats. Or should I say by the felines and the humans serving their needs? Cats still have a distinct role and voice in the Olympian Affair. I am a cat person, too, and I understand the need to indulge, but I confess I was weary when more cat protagonists were introduced. An overdose of honey can ruin even a perfectly brewed tea.
Finally, we accompany the “antagonists” aboard Mistshark commanded by no other than Captain Ransom (who also happens to be Grimm’s wife) at present offering her services to Spire Albion’s archenemy, Spire Aurora and thus hosting the rouge etherealist, Madam Cavendish, and a troop of Marines on another nefarious mission.
Captain Grimm. You have been a troublesome adversary.
I understand this was not an easy novel to write for Mr Butcher; it took long and arduous years. It could be expected that some things might change in the Author’s mind, and there are small slips (how the ship be rechristened in a world without Christ?), inconsistencies (like Abigail’s confession that she never liked Grimm, when in the previous book she was so concerned for him to send Bayard inquiring after Grimm’s health), some shocking developments introduced as an afterthought (suddenly Grimm can speak with his ship just like that?!). I can see that it was a tough journey, mostly by how much time is needed to set things in motion. While the previous instalment offered a swift ascent on the etheric currents, this book begins with the sedate pace of the dirigible warming its lift crystal. It requires time to warm up the power core and build momentum, gradually picking up speed as it prepares for an exhilarating journey through the skies.
I want to say it very clearly: I did not mind the pace since, after such a long wait, I was reading the book rather slowly, savouring every page precisely because it’s been such an eagerly awaited release. What I mind is that either personal turbulences took their toll on Mr Butcher or he was swayed by his agent, who told him that since he is writing an adult book, he should put some ducting into it. And perhaps the writing was like therapy sessions for him because Olympian Affair is a far cry from the exquisite marvel of its predecessor, which did not have to resort to banal sexual shortcuts. This happens at a detriment to the quality of the characters and the whole book. Suddenly, Captain Grimm is a man who knows his duty is always true to his word, except for the word given to his wife, because that was some different kind of word in a different language that is not by a grammar of honour. This destroyed the credibility of the character for me. Worse, everything is sexual now, looks, thoughts, and plots included. I guess “affair” did not make its way into the title by accident, but I find this very cheap and demeaning.
And so, with a tender curiosity of a frolicking lamb, I need to ask: why did you have the urge to butcher your own tale this way, Mr Butcher?
You can do better than that. Next book, I am sure.
Also in the series:
1. The Aeronaut's Windlass ★★★★★
Steampunk is a special genre that requires talent and wit to write properly, and Aeronauts’ Windlass was steampunk at its very best: it had an ingenious world building of Cinder Spires, elegant prose, original cast of characters and a plot that hooked the reader both in the small details (Captain Grimm, his colourful crew—that nearly unthroned the Ketty Jay squad—and his ship) and grande scheme of things where the capital E Enemy lurks behind sinister machinations of scheming humans.
In the second book, the inconceivable, i.e. the war between Spire Albion and Spire Aurora, is as good as a well-brewed tea and ready to serve. All one needs is an elegant porcelain set, the one reserved for esteemed guests. A trade summit in Spire Olympia fulfils that role. Spire Albion sends their best to attend, and unsurprisingly that means Predator and her crew. But not only them. The whole story is divided into four somewhat complementary arcs that provide the reader with a kaleidoscopic view of the unfolding events:
My God, there are days when this job is nothing but madness.
In the first place, the irreplaceable Captain Grimm and his shipmates. Two years have passed since the previous book's events; things changed and progressed. Mr Creedy is no longer the executive officer. We have no idea what has happened to him, but Gwen Lancaster, of all people, has this position now (I really did wonder how that happened, but stipulations are all we have at this stage). Miss Folly also made Predator her home and indeed developed a close friendship with the ship (that includes casual gossip).
The second branch of the story is told by someone we knew only by proxy in the previous book: Abigail, Duchess Hinton, mistress of Captain Grimm’s best friend, Commodore Alex Bayard stops being a name and starts being a person. And what a formidable person she turns out to be! She is not only one of the key diplomats sent by Spire Albion to the summit in Spire Olympia. When the verbal sparring gets out of hand, Duchess Hinton, who does not shy away from challenges, proves that her blades are as sharp as her wits.
The third, and admittedly somewhat redundant, narrative is offered by Bridget Tagwynn, the warriorborn Benedict of House Lancaster, and the cats. Or should I say by the felines and the humans serving their needs? Cats still have a distinct role and voice in the Olympian Affair. I am a cat person, too, and I understand the need to indulge, but I confess I was weary when more cat protagonists were introduced. An overdose of honey can ruin even a perfectly brewed tea.
Finally, we accompany the “antagonists” aboard Mistshark commanded by no other than Captain Ransom (who also happens to be Grimm’s wife) at present offering her services to Spire Albion’s archenemy, Spire Aurora and thus hosting the rouge etherealist, Madam Cavendish, and a troop of Marines on another nefarious mission.
Captain Grimm. You have been a troublesome adversary.
I understand this was not an easy novel to write for Mr Butcher; it took long and arduous years. It could be expected that some things might change in the Author’s mind, and there are small slips (how the ship be rechristened in a world without Christ?), inconsistencies (like Abigail’s confession that she never liked Grimm, when in the previous book she was so concerned for him to send Bayard inquiring after Grimm’s health), some shocking developments introduced as an afterthought (suddenly Grimm can speak with his ship just like that?!). I can see that it was a tough journey, mostly by how much time is needed to set things in motion. While the previous instalment offered a swift ascent on the etheric currents, this book begins with the sedate pace of the dirigible warming its lift crystal. It requires time to warm up the power core and build momentum, gradually picking up speed as it prepares for an exhilarating journey through the skies.
I want to say it very clearly: I did not mind the pace since, after such a long wait, I was reading the book rather slowly, savouring every page precisely because it’s been such an eagerly awaited release. What I mind is that either personal turbulences took their toll on Mr Butcher or he was swayed by his agent, who told him that since he is writing an adult book, he should put some ducting into it. And perhaps the writing was like therapy sessions for him because Olympian Affair is a far cry from the exquisite marvel of its predecessor, which did not have to resort to banal sexual shortcuts. This happens at a detriment to the quality of the characters and the whole book. Suddenly, Captain Grimm is a man who knows his duty is always true to his word, except for the word given to his wife, because that was some different kind of word in a different language that is not by a grammar of honour. This destroyed the credibility of the character for me. Worse, everything is sexual now, looks, thoughts, and plots included. I guess “affair” did not make its way into the title by accident, but I find this very cheap and demeaning.
And so, with a tender curiosity of a frolicking lamb, I need to ask: why did you have the urge to butcher your own tale this way, Mr Butcher?
You can do better than that. Next book, I am sure.
Also in the series:
1. The Aeronaut's Windlass ★★★★★
November 6, 2023
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2023/11/06/...
Eight years after the release of The Aeronaut’s Windlass, the sequel The Olympian Affair is finally here. Not going to lie; I’d almost lost hope that this book would ever be released, but of course now that I have read it, I am as content as can be. While I was worried that, after so long, my memory of the first book might have faded, I’m happy to report that getting back into the world of The Cinder Spires was easier than expected. In fact, the real challenge I faced was a slow first half.
But first, we catch up with protagonist Captain Francis Grimm as the approaching war threatens everything he cares about. His home of Spire Albion and their rival Spire Aurora have been at odds for a long time, and soon the might of their respective airship armadas, as well as the skills of the aeronauts who lead and crew them, will be tested.
However, things do not feel as dire initially as the story opens on a strange, curious note. Grimm and his crew aboard the Predator receive a call to check up on a colony, but they arrive to find it gone, completely destroyed by a mysterious force. In the meantime, it appears that a population of sentient talking cats had moved in. One of their representatives proceeds to make a bargain with the humans to reveal what happened to the colony in exchange for new territory for its clan. Here, the plot splits into two fronts, one which sees Spirearch guards Bridget Tagwynn and the warriorborn Benedict of House Lancaster embark on a mission of cat diplomacy, while Grimm continues towards Spire Olympia to attend an important trade summit where representatives from Spire Aurora will also be in attendance.
Unfortunately, one of these delegates is Rafe Valesco. An arrogant but immensely skilled duelist, he prides himself on never having lost a fight. And now he has it in for Grimm and his friend Commodore Alex Bayard. Despite their attempts to stay out of the skilled swordsman’s way, a public confrontation ultimately escalates to the point where duels to the death will become necessary to settle the matter.
Up until this point, it pains me to admit the book was quite challenging to get through—almost a struggle in places. Call me cranky, but maybe I’m just not a fan of cats-or-anything-cutesy as a central plot element, because the entire subplot involving Bridget, Benedict and Rowl felt like a timewaster, a self-indulgent treat for Jim Butcher whose love of cats is obvious. Of course, that’s not to say their chapters didn’t have their moments, because there was plenty of action and the cats were fantastic and full of sass. Still, I should think even the most fervent of cat lovers would agree, dedicating so many pages to push the overall story forward so little might be a bit much.
No, the real action starts when the dueling begins. I breathed a sigh of relief as the dam broke, giving way to the excitement of spire politics and the ruthless intrigue and maneuvering that it involves. While the worldbuilding places The Cinder Spires firmly in the realm of sci-fi steampunk, the story’s vibe is pure swashbuckling fantasy. I was delighted to find that the second half of The Olympian Affair managed to capture that same sense of wonder and adventure that made The Aeronaut’s Windlass such an exhilarating read. From soaring airships and sky-dwelling leviathans to high stakes duels atop floating platforms miles above the surface–it simply doesn’t get any better than this.
In short, despite a few early speed bumps where Butcher seemed overly focused on the side plot about the cats, the latter half of the book made it all worthwhile. In fact, I was quite impressed with the recovery. I went from practically forcing myself to keep pushing through the first half to not being able to read fast enough in the second. Leading up to the novel’s climax, the energy was on fire and in full swing, steering the narrative toward another brilliant conclusion.
I think it’s safe to say, if you enjoyed The Aeronaut’s Windlass, you’re likely to enjoy The Olympian Affair as well. Personally, I struggled with the first half, but if the talking cats end up being your favorite part, you may very well disagree. Regardless, here’s hoping that we don’t have to wait quite as long for the next book.
Eight years after the release of The Aeronaut’s Windlass, the sequel The Olympian Affair is finally here. Not going to lie; I’d almost lost hope that this book would ever be released, but of course now that I have read it, I am as content as can be. While I was worried that, after so long, my memory of the first book might have faded, I’m happy to report that getting back into the world of The Cinder Spires was easier than expected. In fact, the real challenge I faced was a slow first half.
But first, we catch up with protagonist Captain Francis Grimm as the approaching war threatens everything he cares about. His home of Spire Albion and their rival Spire Aurora have been at odds for a long time, and soon the might of their respective airship armadas, as well as the skills of the aeronauts who lead and crew them, will be tested.
However, things do not feel as dire initially as the story opens on a strange, curious note. Grimm and his crew aboard the Predator receive a call to check up on a colony, but they arrive to find it gone, completely destroyed by a mysterious force. In the meantime, it appears that a population of sentient talking cats had moved in. One of their representatives proceeds to make a bargain with the humans to reveal what happened to the colony in exchange for new territory for its clan. Here, the plot splits into two fronts, one which sees Spirearch guards Bridget Tagwynn and the warriorborn Benedict of House Lancaster embark on a mission of cat diplomacy, while Grimm continues towards Spire Olympia to attend an important trade summit where representatives from Spire Aurora will also be in attendance.
Unfortunately, one of these delegates is Rafe Valesco. An arrogant but immensely skilled duelist, he prides himself on never having lost a fight. And now he has it in for Grimm and his friend Commodore Alex Bayard. Despite their attempts to stay out of the skilled swordsman’s way, a public confrontation ultimately escalates to the point where duels to the death will become necessary to settle the matter.
Up until this point, it pains me to admit the book was quite challenging to get through—almost a struggle in places. Call me cranky, but maybe I’m just not a fan of cats-or-anything-cutesy as a central plot element, because the entire subplot involving Bridget, Benedict and Rowl felt like a timewaster, a self-indulgent treat for Jim Butcher whose love of cats is obvious. Of course, that’s not to say their chapters didn’t have their moments, because there was plenty of action and the cats were fantastic and full of sass. Still, I should think even the most fervent of cat lovers would agree, dedicating so many pages to push the overall story forward so little might be a bit much.
No, the real action starts when the dueling begins. I breathed a sigh of relief as the dam broke, giving way to the excitement of spire politics and the ruthless intrigue and maneuvering that it involves. While the worldbuilding places The Cinder Spires firmly in the realm of sci-fi steampunk, the story’s vibe is pure swashbuckling fantasy. I was delighted to find that the second half of The Olympian Affair managed to capture that same sense of wonder and adventure that made The Aeronaut’s Windlass such an exhilarating read. From soaring airships and sky-dwelling leviathans to high stakes duels atop floating platforms miles above the surface–it simply doesn’t get any better than this.
In short, despite a few early speed bumps where Butcher seemed overly focused on the side plot about the cats, the latter half of the book made it all worthwhile. In fact, I was quite impressed with the recovery. I went from practically forcing myself to keep pushing through the first half to not being able to read fast enough in the second. Leading up to the novel’s climax, the energy was on fire and in full swing, steering the narrative toward another brilliant conclusion.
I think it’s safe to say, if you enjoyed The Aeronaut’s Windlass, you’re likely to enjoy The Olympian Affair as well. Personally, I struggled with the first half, but if the talking cats end up being your favorite part, you may very well disagree. Regardless, here’s hoping that we don’t have to wait quite as long for the next book.
Want to read
June 5, 2016Here's how Jim described the book at Copperfield's Books on 10/2/15:
It’s called the Olympian Affair, where our heroes are sent off to Olympia. Aurora and Albia are jockeying for position in terms of alliances with the other spires. So there’s essentially going to be a convocation of the spires. They are gong to try to be there to win as much support as they can and I’m sure it will go very well and spire Aurora will back down and so on.
It’s called the Olympian Affair, where our heroes are sent off to Olympia. Aurora and Albia are jockeying for position in terms of alliances with the other spires. So there’s essentially going to be a convocation of the spires. They are gong to try to be there to win as much support as they can and I’m sure it will go very well and spire Aurora will back down and so on.
July 18, 2024
“Assume things will fall apart. Be ready to adjust when they do.”
The swashbuckling sky adventurers are back, trying to save their world from a ruthless tyrant and from a mysterious new monster that is attacking the Spires where most of the human population has taken refuge. These people live in mile-high stone towers to escape from a planet overrun by a toxic, exuberant jungle where monsters of all varieties and sizes freely roam.
It was a long wait for this second episode, long enough for me to almost forget the salient points of the plot from the first book.
It’s OK, though, because this sequel throws you right in the middle of a new edge-of-your-seat blockbuster action thriller, and you’re going to get the hang of it ... eventually.
“You sound like you’re talking about a game of chess.”
“There is a reason to practice such thinking,” Vincent confirmed. “For moments like this.”
Yes, the analogy is helpful. Playing with the white pieces is Spire Albion, a merchant powerhouse whose dominant position of the sky trade routes is under attack from the black pieces sent by Spire Aurora, a military power seeking to expand its control over the whole system of stone towers where humanity has taken refuge. There are of course, several minor spires that could ally themselves either with Albion or with Aurora in this upcoming war, the first broadsides of which were fired in The Aeronaut’s Windlass .
Butcher will explain it all to you better than me. What is relevant for now is that both players will be present at the annual meeting in Spire Olympia, the political and diplomatic hub of the CinderWorld TM.
As in chess, the two kings will not participate directly in the game, but they will send their minions / pawns to do their bidding at the conference. Some familiar faces from book one will return here to entertain us with their martial prowess, their cloak & dagger skills and their romantic entanglements.
Without getting into details, the siblings Gwendolyn and Benedict Lancaster, scions of Albion nobility will lead the hostilities, albeit in two separate plot threads that will develop on parallel tracks for most of the proceedings.
Benedict, aided by his friend Captain Grimm of the privateer airship Predator will head to Spire Olympia to try to counter the moves of the Auroran delegation, led by a famous and deadly duellist.
Gwen [Captain Ransom], aboard a different ship, is trying to stop a dangerous magician, called etherealists in this setting, from unleashing the forces of darkness upon innocent civilian settlements / spires.
The plot is extremely complex, but the reader has no time to get bored with these chess moves because the author is throwing curve balls left and right, and everything than can go wrong will probably go worse that you expect, as per my opening quote. So there’s really no way of explaining what goes on without spoilers.
For me, the summer blockbuster vibe was welcome, making it easier to ignore the relative lack of depth and subtlety in the story. It’s Jim Butcher after all, and you know his books will be fast-paced, fun and a little over-the-top.
What the Cinder Spires does a little better than the Dresden Files or the Codex Alera series is the world building where the magic system [ethereal powers] , the warriorborn fighting abilities, the intelligent cat tribes [reminding me of the Monstress comic series], the crystal based technologies for flying and the whole swarming, filled with monsters ground floor of the world hold a lot of promise for future instalments.
“Verily,” said the tall, broad-shouldered figure in the grey cloak. “The very ending of days, or their new dawning, is upon thee, bold Maul.”
This wouldn’t be a serious fantasy offering without a mysterious stranger [an Archangel] coming in the closing chapters to utter devastating prophecies about the future of the Cinder Spires world.
Let’s just hope that the author will not make us wait another 8 years for the resolution of this threat.
edit : upon checking out other reviews, it appears I have placed Gwendolyn Lancaster aboard the ship captained by Grimm's former wife, Calliope Ransom, the one dealing with the etherealist threat. Mea culpa. Gwen is still the second in command aboard the Predator
The swashbuckling sky adventurers are back, trying to save their world from a ruthless tyrant and from a mysterious new monster that is attacking the Spires where most of the human population has taken refuge. These people live in mile-high stone towers to escape from a planet overrun by a toxic, exuberant jungle where monsters of all varieties and sizes freely roam.
It was a long wait for this second episode, long enough for me to almost forget the salient points of the plot from the first book.
It’s OK, though, because this sequel throws you right in the middle of a new edge-of-your-seat blockbuster action thriller, and you’re going to get the hang of it ... eventually.
“You sound like you’re talking about a game of chess.”
“There is a reason to practice such thinking,” Vincent confirmed. “For moments like this.”
Yes, the analogy is helpful. Playing with the white pieces is Spire Albion, a merchant powerhouse whose dominant position of the sky trade routes is under attack from the black pieces sent by Spire Aurora, a military power seeking to expand its control over the whole system of stone towers where humanity has taken refuge. There are of course, several minor spires that could ally themselves either with Albion or with Aurora in this upcoming war, the first broadsides of which were fired in The Aeronaut’s Windlass .
Butcher will explain it all to you better than me. What is relevant for now is that both players will be present at the annual meeting in Spire Olympia, the political and diplomatic hub of the CinderWorld TM.
As in chess, the two kings will not participate directly in the game, but they will send their minions / pawns to do their bidding at the conference. Some familiar faces from book one will return here to entertain us with their martial prowess, their cloak & dagger skills and their romantic entanglements.
Without getting into details, the siblings Gwendolyn and Benedict Lancaster, scions of Albion nobility will lead the hostilities, albeit in two separate plot threads that will develop on parallel tracks for most of the proceedings.
Benedict, aided by his friend Captain Grimm of the privateer airship Predator will head to Spire Olympia to try to counter the moves of the Auroran delegation, led by a famous and deadly duellist.
The plot is extremely complex, but the reader has no time to get bored with these chess moves because the author is throwing curve balls left and right, and everything than can go wrong will probably go worse that you expect, as per my opening quote. So there’s really no way of explaining what goes on without spoilers.
For me, the summer blockbuster vibe was welcome, making it easier to ignore the relative lack of depth and subtlety in the story. It’s Jim Butcher after all, and you know his books will be fast-paced, fun and a little over-the-top.
What the Cinder Spires does a little better than the Dresden Files or the Codex Alera series is the world building where the magic system [ethereal powers] , the warriorborn fighting abilities, the intelligent cat tribes [reminding me of the Monstress comic series], the crystal based technologies for flying and the whole swarming, filled with monsters ground floor of the world hold a lot of promise for future instalments.
“Verily,” said the tall, broad-shouldered figure in the grey cloak. “The very ending of days, or their new dawning, is upon thee, bold Maul.”
This wouldn’t be a serious fantasy offering without a mysterious stranger [an Archangel] coming in the closing chapters to utter devastating prophecies about the future of the Cinder Spires world.
Let’s just hope that the author will not make us wait another 8 years for the resolution of this threat.
edit : upon checking out other reviews, it appears I have placed Gwendolyn Lancaster aboard the ship captained by Grimm's former wife, Calliope Ransom, the one dealing with the etherealist threat. Mea culpa. Gwen is still the second in command aboard the Predator
November 16, 2023
6/10
Kinda disappointing. I imagine someone waiting 8 years for this sequel and I'm just appalled. Half the book is people preparing for duels I found pretty uninteresting, and the character dynamics in this one are just...static? I'm not sure how to describe it. The cats are also much less charming. In general, the whole book just felt half-assed to me, which is a huge shame. The last 20% or so was really good, though.
Kinda disappointing. I imagine someone waiting 8 years for this sequel and I'm just appalled. Half the book is people preparing for duels I found pretty uninteresting, and the character dynamics in this one are just...static? I'm not sure how to describe it. The cats are also much less charming. In general, the whole book just felt half-assed to me, which is a huge shame. The last 20% or so was really good, though.
November 7, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for gifting me an advanced copy. Below you'll find my honest review.
I'm really torn on this one. The parts I loved were definitely worthy of 5 stars - mostly Abigail's storyline, the interactions with Folly, and everything involving Bridget/Benedict/Rowl/Fenli. I also liked the redemption ARC of a certain character, and the masterful development of some of the characters.
But there were a lot of places that felt like they needed more editing. There were sections that felt very repetitive, storylines that built and then were dismissed with no payoff, and lots of scenes that just weren't necessary to really push the story forward. This book could have lost probably 50-100 pages and been better off for it. So for those sections, which I still enjoyed for the most part, I'd have to give 3 stars.
That averages out to 4 stars. I really like the world, and absolutely adore some of the characters - the cats especially.
Recommended for those who enjoyed the first one and can deal with a little rambling.
I'm really torn on this one. The parts I loved were definitely worthy of 5 stars - mostly Abigail's storyline, the interactions with Folly, and everything involving Bridget/Benedict/Rowl/Fenli. I also liked the redemption ARC of a certain character, and the masterful development of some of the characters.
But there were a lot of places that felt like they needed more editing. There were sections that felt very repetitive, storylines that built and then were dismissed with no payoff, and lots of scenes that just weren't necessary to really push the story forward. This book could have lost probably 50-100 pages and been better off for it. So for those sections, which I still enjoyed for the most part, I'd have to give 3 stars.
That averages out to 4 stars. I really like the world, and absolutely adore some of the characters - the cats especially.
Recommended for those who enjoyed the first one and can deal with a little rambling.
Read
December 9, 2022UPDATE December 8th 2022.
Jim Butcher tweeted: "It looks like I will finish the next Cinder Spires Book, The Olympian Affair, by Christmas or shortly after :) "
I really enjoyed the first one of the saga and was losing hope about this one's publishing.
Jim Butcher tweeted: "It looks like I will finish the next Cinder Spires Book, The Olympian Affair, by Christmas or shortly after :) "
I really enjoyed the first one of the saga and was losing hope about this one's publishing.
October 19, 2025
The Olympian Affair is the second book in the Cinder Spires series by best-selling American author, Jim Butcher, following on directly from Warriorborn, but with enough recap to be read without it (though why deny yourself that pleasure?)
On Spire Aurora, Spirearch Tuscarora, having observed a demonstration of his new brutally effective weapon, assigns Colonel Renaldo Espira and his marines to protective duty for the etherealist who controls it, Madame Sycorax Cavendish, on the airship Mistshark, captained by Calliope Ransom. Their mission? To obliterate anther undisclosed Spire.
Meanwhile, Captain Grimm and the crew of Predator, having just rescued Lieutenant Benedict Sorellin-Lancaster and a tribe of tiny cats, the Swift Slayers, from the desolate Spire Dependence, get little respite as Predator is to accompany Commodore Alex Bayard, captain of a captured and refurbished Auroran ship, and the Albion delegation to Spire Olympia for a trade summit.
The gathering is a chance to get the necessary support of other Spires now that it is clear Spire Atlantea is allied with Spire Aurora. Spirearch Albion sends his Prime Minister Lord Lancaster in the diplomatic role, but knows that the Auroran delegation includes the murderous warriorborn duelist, Rafe Valesco, whose instruction from Tuscarora will be to provoke a duel that Albion will likely lose. Grimm is to, by any means possible, circumvent such an interaction.
Saza, Chief of the Swift Slayers tribe, demands to see Spirearch Albion, whom they know as Longthinker, intent on a trade: information about what caused the destruction on Spire Dependence for a territory where her tribe can live and hunt. To facilitate this Arrangement, Guard Sergeant Bridget Tagwynn and Benedict must descend to the surface. Encounters with dangerous creatures, serious injuries and some very brave actions ensue.
On Spire Olympia, Duchess Abigail Hinton, part of the Albion delegation (and Bayard’s lover), is invited to a Spectral Tea attended by the highborn women of the attending Spires. While her Olympian hostess is courteous, barely subtle insults are traded with the Atlantean, Initiate Hestia, an etherealist protected by an elite warrior. Physical insult comes from a surprise quarter, and quick-thinking Abigail issues her own challenge: fighting a duel is not what she wanted, but it can’t be helped.
Meanwhile, both Calliope and Ren are becoming increasingly uncomfortable about what the mad and dangerous etherealist is doing, but know that to abort their mission will almost certainly mean a death sentence for them and their crew.
In this instalment, there are two duels, with many bets placed; the shocking nature of the Auroran secret weapon is revealed; it seems the tables are turned on the mad woman… or are they? A crowd of desperate people is saved by quick and innovative thinkers; the old-style gunpowder weapons are put into use; etherealists come up with interesting weapons and novel counter-measures.
Without even a formal declaration of war, many airships are lost and there are numerous casualties on both sides, including one who will be sorely missed; at least twice, enemies unite against a common threat; there is lots of courage, and loyalties are tested.
As always, every scene with cats is an utter delight: “Humans are not aware enough to truly understand a cat’s perspective,” Rowl assured her. “Most of us do not consider your poor sight, hearing, and smell to be your own fault” and “Bridget sighed. “Gentlemen,” she pointed out, “I observe that you are in just as much danger of being devoured as we are.” Both cats leaned back to stare at her with expressions somewhere between astonishment and pity. “We are cats,” Rowl said with towering confidence. “We will think of something” are examples.
Butcher assures the reader in his acknowledgements that there will be further instalments, and there are a few clues about what might be explored: where and when this world of spires exists; Miss Folly’s parentage; a pregnancy; the potential existence of fast-growing weapons crystals; and the re-emergence of ancient powers. Lots more to find out in this very addictive series.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK.
On Spire Aurora, Spirearch Tuscarora, having observed a demonstration of his new brutally effective weapon, assigns Colonel Renaldo Espira and his marines to protective duty for the etherealist who controls it, Madame Sycorax Cavendish, on the airship Mistshark, captained by Calliope Ransom. Their mission? To obliterate anther undisclosed Spire.
Meanwhile, Captain Grimm and the crew of Predator, having just rescued Lieutenant Benedict Sorellin-Lancaster and a tribe of tiny cats, the Swift Slayers, from the desolate Spire Dependence, get little respite as Predator is to accompany Commodore Alex Bayard, captain of a captured and refurbished Auroran ship, and the Albion delegation to Spire Olympia for a trade summit.
The gathering is a chance to get the necessary support of other Spires now that it is clear Spire Atlantea is allied with Spire Aurora. Spirearch Albion sends his Prime Minister Lord Lancaster in the diplomatic role, but knows that the Auroran delegation includes the murderous warriorborn duelist, Rafe Valesco, whose instruction from Tuscarora will be to provoke a duel that Albion will likely lose. Grimm is to, by any means possible, circumvent such an interaction.
Saza, Chief of the Swift Slayers tribe, demands to see Spirearch Albion, whom they know as Longthinker, intent on a trade: information about what caused the destruction on Spire Dependence for a territory where her tribe can live and hunt. To facilitate this Arrangement, Guard Sergeant Bridget Tagwynn and Benedict must descend to the surface. Encounters with dangerous creatures, serious injuries and some very brave actions ensue.
On Spire Olympia, Duchess Abigail Hinton, part of the Albion delegation (and Bayard’s lover), is invited to a Spectral Tea attended by the highborn women of the attending Spires. While her Olympian hostess is courteous, barely subtle insults are traded with the Atlantean, Initiate Hestia, an etherealist protected by an elite warrior. Physical insult comes from a surprise quarter, and quick-thinking Abigail issues her own challenge: fighting a duel is not what she wanted, but it can’t be helped.
Meanwhile, both Calliope and Ren are becoming increasingly uncomfortable about what the mad and dangerous etherealist is doing, but know that to abort their mission will almost certainly mean a death sentence for them and their crew.
In this instalment, there are two duels, with many bets placed; the shocking nature of the Auroran secret weapon is revealed; it seems the tables are turned on the mad woman… or are they? A crowd of desperate people is saved by quick and innovative thinkers; the old-style gunpowder weapons are put into use; etherealists come up with interesting weapons and novel counter-measures.
Without even a formal declaration of war, many airships are lost and there are numerous casualties on both sides, including one who will be sorely missed; at least twice, enemies unite against a common threat; there is lots of courage, and loyalties are tested.
As always, every scene with cats is an utter delight: “Humans are not aware enough to truly understand a cat’s perspective,” Rowl assured her. “Most of us do not consider your poor sight, hearing, and smell to be your own fault” and “Bridget sighed. “Gentlemen,” she pointed out, “I observe that you are in just as much danger of being devoured as we are.” Both cats leaned back to stare at her with expressions somewhere between astonishment and pity. “We are cats,” Rowl said with towering confidence. “We will think of something” are examples.
Butcher assures the reader in his acknowledgements that there will be further instalments, and there are a few clues about what might be explored: where and when this world of spires exists; Miss Folly’s parentage; a pregnancy; the potential existence of fast-growing weapons crystals; and the re-emergence of ancient powers. Lots more to find out in this very addictive series.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK.
September 22, 2024
Snarky cats and duelling what more do you need?
Well worth the wait, this second entry in the Cinder Spires series is pure fun. The talking cats, with their clever banter and mischievous personalities, steal the show, but Captain Grimm, calm and competent in any and every situation, comes in a close second. He's the kind of leader even I would die for and I'd read a hundred more books with him as the main character. There's high action and bloody violence, sly machinations and creepy creatures, enough to keep a reader engaged from the first page to the last.
Finger's crossed we get more!
ARC via Netgalley
Well worth the wait, this second entry in the Cinder Spires series is pure fun. The talking cats, with their clever banter and mischievous personalities, steal the show, but Captain Grimm, calm and competent in any and every situation, comes in a close second. He's the kind of leader even I would die for and I'd read a hundred more books with him as the main character. There's high action and bloody violence, sly machinations and creepy creatures, enough to keep a reader engaged from the first page to the last.
Finger's crossed we get more!
ARC via Netgalley
August 23, 2023
I was so excited to get an early copy of this book! It's been a long time coming, and I dove right into this, even though I probably should have done a reread of The Aeronaut's Windlass first. There were quite a few things, and even characters that I had forgotten, but they all came back to me as I read. I loved the world building in this but what I love most are the characters. I especially love Miss Folly and Master Ferus, Captain Grimm, and Bridget and Rowl. Yet again the cats were there to provide a lot of the humor, which I loved. The airship battles and the duels were quite fun. There was a part that I found very sad near the end, and it ends with one character in quite the predicament, so obviously there will be more. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next! Thank you Mr. Butcher for continuing this series!
On a side note- I'm not super crazy about the cover redesign. I don't think it's a bad cover but I have the hardcover on pre-order and it won't match my hardcover copy of The Aeronaut's Windlass.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with and ARC of this book.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader and on Facebook.
On a side note- I'm not super crazy about the cover redesign. I don't think it's a bad cover but I have the hardcover on pre-order and it won't match my hardcover copy of The Aeronaut's Windlass.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with and ARC of this book.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader and on Facebook.
Want to read
October 8, 2019I despair of ever having the pleasure of a read. The synopsis says the same characters go on a new adventure. Could Mr. Butcher even remember the character's quirks and foibles at this point. Sigh...I would so totally snap this up if it ever appears. Sigh...
Did some googling and read that he would work on this book after he finished Peace Talks...and Peace Talks has recently been finished!! Be still, my heart.
Did some googling and read that he would work on this book after he finished Peace Talks...and Peace Talks has recently been finished!! Be still, my heart.
December 25, 2023
An exceptional blend of fantasy and steampunk. Oh three are airships! That alone bumps this book up a notch to me. Fantastic 2nd book and the cats are once again the stars of the story. Highly recommend.
November 21, 2023
November 2023: I didn’t know whether this book would ever be a real possibility, and reading this was so, so satisfying! All of our favorite characters are back in action and the world greatly expanded to permit developing political systems/conflicts and new and periphery characters (hello, Lady Hinton!).
This book took place two years after the first book, which I did find a little jarring. The first book had an intense trajectory to it, and so it didn’t feel like too much had actually happened in the two years since - it felt like this was a mere few months later. The first half of the book was very slowly paced, perhaps partly because the readers needed reorientation to the world again. While I still enjoyed the first half, particularly with its focus on the characters, it did feel like it was stalling the plot. Halfway through the plot REALLY picked up and then I was on the edge of my seat.
The relationship between Bayard and Abigail was beautifully done, and I enjoyed seeing the political side through Abigail’s perspective. What a clever woman! The duels were very exciting and vividly written, particularly the one with Valesco. And I was so impressed with the redemption arc of some of the “bad guys/girls” from book 1.
Surprisingly, I was disappointed with some of the cat dialogue/interaction. I loved Rowl in the first book, but in this one he seemed too insufferable. There was no “save the cat” (pun fully intended). I wonder if this was mostly because of the addition of the Fenli, who did not make Rowl present as his best self.
And where was Mister Creedy? I know that he was only temporarily aboard the Predator last book, but his disappearance with no comment was strange. I liked his uptight preference for rules and order, and I kept expecting him to make an appearance on another fleet later during the action scenes.
Overall, greatly enjoyed this book, even with its mild hiccups, and am eagerly anticipating the next installment, where apparently there is an even greater, more terrifying enemy than Madame Cavendish!
March 2023: I just want to point out that this book is finished, in editing, and FINALLY has a publication date for this November. REJOICE!
This book took place two years after the first book, which I did find a little jarring. The first book had an intense trajectory to it, and so it didn’t feel like too much had actually happened in the two years since - it felt like this was a mere few months later. The first half of the book was very slowly paced, perhaps partly because the readers needed reorientation to the world again. While I still enjoyed the first half, particularly with its focus on the characters, it did feel like it was stalling the plot. Halfway through the plot REALLY picked up and then I was on the edge of my seat.
The relationship between Bayard and Abigail was beautifully done, and I enjoyed seeing the political side through Abigail’s perspective. What a clever woman! The duels were very exciting and vividly written, particularly the one with Valesco. And I was so impressed with the redemption arc of some of the “bad guys/girls” from book 1.
Surprisingly, I was disappointed with some of the cat dialogue/interaction. I loved Rowl in the first book, but in this one he seemed too insufferable. There was no “save the cat” (pun fully intended). I wonder if this was mostly because of the addition of the Fenli, who did not make Rowl present as his best self.
And where was Mister Creedy? I know that he was only temporarily aboard the Predator last book, but his disappearance with no comment was strange. I liked his uptight preference for rules and order, and I kept expecting him to make an appearance on another fleet later during the action scenes.
Overall, greatly enjoyed this book, even with its mild hiccups, and am eagerly anticipating the next installment, where apparently there is an even greater, more terrifying enemy than Madame Cavendish!
March 2023: I just want to point out that this book is finished, in editing, and FINALLY has a publication date for this November. REJOICE!
November 26, 2023
“Maker of Ways, save me from men and their pride,”
The Olympian Affair is the highly anticipated second book in The Cinder Spires series and after an eight-year wait, Jim Butcher's fans were eager to dive back into this fantastical world. I read two books and a novella this year (many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK via NetGalley for ARC) and I found it to be both entertaining and engaging.
Besides being a fantasy book with flying ships, magical crystals, and battles fought for countries and kings, what really captured my attention were the characters of Rowl and Fenli, are most to my delight in this book, and please do remember that in this non-Dresden Butcher world, cats are treated as equals to humans, oh no please forgive my mistake, of course from their point of view (and mine), cats are superior to many of stupid humans.
Overall, there was a refreshing twist that added a new layer of complexity to the story and the characters are well-developed and memorable. I like to see where the series goes next.
the ginger cat said magnanimously. “But then, humans do not seem to function well under pressure.”
“Present company excepted, of course,” Fenli said hurriedly.
“Oh, of course,” Rowl said, patting Bridget’s (injured, she noted) leg absently with one paw. “But where would they be without man‑ agement?”
“Where, indeed?”
****
“Finally,” Rowl said, and promptly heaved himself up from Bridget’s lap. “Fenli, we must go. They’re going to mate, and I do not wish to embarrass Littlemouse by laughing.”
“Rowl!” Bridget exclaimed.
Fenli rose , stretched, and said, “Oh, of course. It’s . . . unfortunate when humans mate. So awkward. But I also find it endearing. They have no idea how foolish they look, so they feel very confident afterward.”
The Olympian Affair is the highly anticipated second book in The Cinder Spires series and after an eight-year wait, Jim Butcher's fans were eager to dive back into this fantastical world. I read two books and a novella this year (many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK via NetGalley for ARC) and I found it to be both entertaining and engaging.
Besides being a fantasy book with flying ships, magical crystals, and battles fought for countries and kings, what really captured my attention were the characters of Rowl and Fenli, are most to my delight in this book, and please do remember that in this non-Dresden Butcher world, cats are treated as equals to humans, oh no please forgive my mistake, of course from their point of view (and mine), cats are superior to many of stupid humans.
Overall, there was a refreshing twist that added a new layer of complexity to the story and the characters are well-developed and memorable. I like to see where the series goes next.
the ginger cat said magnanimously. “But then, humans do not seem to function well under pressure.”
“Present company excepted, of course,” Fenli said hurriedly.
“Oh, of course,” Rowl said, patting Bridget’s (injured, she noted) leg absently with one paw. “But where would they be without man‑ agement?”
“Where, indeed?”
****
“Finally,” Rowl said, and promptly heaved himself up from Bridget’s lap. “Fenli, we must go. They’re going to mate, and I do not wish to embarrass Littlemouse by laughing.”
“Rowl!” Bridget exclaimed.
Fenli rose , stretched, and said, “Oh, of course. It’s . . . unfortunate when humans mate. So awkward. But I also find it endearing. They have no idea how foolish they look, so they feel very confident afterward.”
April 5, 2024
Review originally posted to SFF Insiders:
https://www.sffinsiders.com/home/revi...
I waited years for this novel. The first book in the series was something that hit the spot when I read it shortly after it was released. The sequel, THE OLYMPIAN AFFAIR did not disappoint. It has airships, duels of honor, an incredible world, intriguing political schemes and talking cats. I was extremely thrilled to be back in the lives of characters that I had come to love and see the changes that had occurred in their lives. The political aspect takes a much bigger role in this novel, as the spires are on the brink of war. I was glad to find that it is not overly confusing but still builds the intrigue in a very believable manner. The world that has been built is extremely well done and is definitely a highlight of the entire series. The fear of the surface that the characters show and experience was something that really stood out to me.
The strength of this novel is definitely the aerial battles. They are brought to life with great details, especially with escalating the fear that the characters can feel through every moment of each clash. They are easy to visualize and definitely are very exciting to read, getting the heart pumping as if the reader is actually there. It definitely was a close call to Raul being the highlight again. The way that the author is able to capture the essence of a cat makes them a complete joy to read. The pacing is a little slower than book one, especially the first half, which might be a drawback for some readers. The ending definitely picks back up and is everything that a reader could hope for.
Overall, this is a solid entry in the Cinder Spires series. It is a step back from the first but is most definitely worth a read, especially if you love spunky cats who know that they can not do anything wrong. I recommend it to readers who are fans of steampunk, airships, and cats. I hope that the next novel is not as long of a wait as it was for this sequel, but look forward to seeing what happens next. It is definitely left open for even more adventures in this incredible world. I look forward to where we get to soar off to next.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!
https://www.sffinsiders.com/home/revi...
I waited years for this novel. The first book in the series was something that hit the spot when I read it shortly after it was released. The sequel, THE OLYMPIAN AFFAIR did not disappoint. It has airships, duels of honor, an incredible world, intriguing political schemes and talking cats. I was extremely thrilled to be back in the lives of characters that I had come to love and see the changes that had occurred in their lives. The political aspect takes a much bigger role in this novel, as the spires are on the brink of war. I was glad to find that it is not overly confusing but still builds the intrigue in a very believable manner. The world that has been built is extremely well done and is definitely a highlight of the entire series. The fear of the surface that the characters show and experience was something that really stood out to me.
The strength of this novel is definitely the aerial battles. They are brought to life with great details, especially with escalating the fear that the characters can feel through every moment of each clash. They are easy to visualize and definitely are very exciting to read, getting the heart pumping as if the reader is actually there. It definitely was a close call to Raul being the highlight again. The way that the author is able to capture the essence of a cat makes them a complete joy to read. The pacing is a little slower than book one, especially the first half, which might be a drawback for some readers. The ending definitely picks back up and is everything that a reader could hope for.
Overall, this is a solid entry in the Cinder Spires series. It is a step back from the first but is most definitely worth a read, especially if you love spunky cats who know that they can not do anything wrong. I recommend it to readers who are fans of steampunk, airships, and cats. I hope that the next novel is not as long of a wait as it was for this sequel, but look forward to seeing what happens next. It is definitely left open for even more adventures in this incredible world. I look forward to where we get to soar off to next.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!
February 10, 2024
Book 1: 5*
Book 2: 5*
I just love the characters in this book and while not everyone will appreciate the cat humor it cracks me up. This is up there with Ketty Jay for my favorite steam punk (yes Ketty is more cyber) of all time.
I hope it's not the same gap for books 2 and 3 as it was between 1 and 2.
Book 2: 5*
I just love the characters in this book and while not everyone will appreciate the cat humor it cracks me up. This is up there with Ketty Jay for my favorite steam punk (yes Ketty is more cyber) of all time.
I hope it's not the same gap for books 2 and 3 as it was between 1 and 2.
October 23, 2023
It's been two years since the events that concluded The Aeronaut's Windlass and, though open war hasn't yet broken out, anyone with eyes can see it's coming. Captain Grimm and his XO, Gwen Lancaster, fly specifically for the Spirearch himself, while Grimm's estranged wife Captain Calliope Ransom has begun taking jobs for Spire Aurora. Meanwhile, the warriorborn Benedict has been slowly laying the groundwork to court Sergent Bridget Tagwynn, who has been moving up in the ranks of the Spire's Guard. When representatives from several spires meet at Spire Olympia for a trade summit, tempers flare and secret plans that have been in the making for years begin to take shape. Will humanity survive the coming conflict?
I love the world Butcher has created and his characters feel real - strong and flawed and heroic and floundering all at the same time. The cats are especially awesome!
I have been looking forward to this book for awhile and was thrilled to receive an ARC. I enjoyed it! However, it easily could have been 200 pages shorter. As a matter of fact, it would have been better 200 pages shorter! This installment wasn't nearly as tight as the first one and the action didn't really pick up until the last third. But, when it did pick up, hold on tight because it didn't stop!
3 stars instead of 4 because of the fluff in the first half of the book that didn't contribute to the plot, but I liked the book and plan on reading the next installment!
P.S. The new cover is NOT an improvement! I definitely prefer the style of The Aeronaut's Windlass' cover.
Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I love the world Butcher has created and his characters feel real - strong and flawed and heroic and floundering all at the same time. The cats are especially awesome!
I have been looking forward to this book for awhile and was thrilled to receive an ARC. I enjoyed it! However, it easily could have been 200 pages shorter. As a matter of fact, it would have been better 200 pages shorter! This installment wasn't nearly as tight as the first one and the action didn't really pick up until the last third. But, when it did pick up, hold on tight because it didn't stop!
3 stars instead of 4 because of the fluff in the first half of the book that didn't contribute to the plot, but I liked the book and plan on reading the next installment!
P.S. The new cover is NOT an improvement! I definitely prefer the style of The Aeronaut's Windlass' cover.
Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
November 2, 2023
4.5 Swashbuckling fantasy with politics, battles and more.
Hold on to your seat this slow build gets moving rapidly in the second half and the ending will leave you panting for the next book. Slow, yes the first half was a slow build, and long, but if you know Jim Butcher you know there is something coming. It does come after 50% the world speeds up, at 75% it catches on fire.
The characters were so well developed. The villains were so easy to despise, and yet they had moments were they weren't. I love that, evil is not completely evil or is it ? Same with the good guys, not perfect. The cats, they are as complicated as they are in real life, difficult beasties and I loved them. The brilliant play with the politics was fantastic !
This was the first time reading and Butcher book that I struggled to stay with it in the beginning. Was it because I have waiting 8 years for this book and was desperate for my Jim Butcher fix ? Maybe. I also can't wait to get it on audio, this will be such a great read/listen on audio, like all his other books ! He always has the best narrators that make his books come alive ! I recommend rereading book 1 if you can.
Thank you to the publishers for sharing a copy for an honest review
Hold on to your seat this slow build gets moving rapidly in the second half and the ending will leave you panting for the next book. Slow, yes the first half was a slow build, and long, but if you know Jim Butcher you know there is something coming. It does come after 50% the world speeds up, at 75% it catches on fire.
The characters were so well developed. The villains were so easy to despise, and yet they had moments were they weren't. I love that, evil is not completely evil or is it ? Same with the good guys, not perfect. The cats, they are as complicated as they are in real life, difficult beasties and I loved them. The brilliant play with the politics was fantastic !
This was the first time reading and Butcher book that I struggled to stay with it in the beginning. Was it because I have waiting 8 years for this book and was desperate for my Jim Butcher fix ? Maybe. I also can't wait to get it on audio, this will be such a great read/listen on audio, like all his other books ! He always has the best narrators that make his books come alive ! I recommend rereading book 1 if you can.
Thank you to the publishers for sharing a copy for an honest review
November 19, 2023
The Olympian Affair occurs about two years after the events described in The Aeronaut's Windlass, and overlaps with the very end of the novella Warriorborn (which is briefly summarised in The Olympian Affair). A trading summit at Spire Olympia results in politicking, several duels, back-stabbing, and some battle action. The first half of this novel is a slow (and rather tedious) setup for the more action-packed and exciting second half. The bouncing around between four point-of-view characters was exceptionally annoying, especially since Butcher bounces to a different character every time something interesting is happening. These mini-cliffhangers would have resulted in skimming vast swathes of the novel if I were reading the text instead of listening to the audiobook. We do, however, spend some time on the surface (the only interesting thing to happen in the cat side plot) and find out more about Miss Cavendish. The novel ends on a cliff-hanger, so I really hope Jim Butcher manages to publish the next book in a timely manner. A flawed, but entertaining novel, with compelling characters.
January 14, 2025
4.0 stars
Overall IMO a very solid addition to the series. There is only a slight slump in the second book. Let me explain.
Aeronaut's Windlass was so unique in perspective with the cats having mini nationalities independent of our own. Not only would there be a huge impact on any other advanced society, but the concept alone has a far-reaching impact.
In book two, it is hard to top that. Don't get me wrong, the world building is strong as ever, and most of the characters continue to develop. The plot gets more interestingly complex, and there is a wonderful setup if Butcher decides to continue.
I did quite enjoy the book. Some of the spark diminished, but there is still plenty of enjoyment left.
Overall IMO a very solid addition to the series. There is only a slight slump in the second book. Let me explain.
Aeronaut's Windlass was so unique in perspective with the cats having mini nationalities independent of our own. Not only would there be a huge impact on any other advanced society, but the concept alone has a far-reaching impact.
In book two, it is hard to top that. Don't get me wrong, the world building is strong as ever, and most of the characters continue to develop. The plot gets more interestingly complex, and there is a wonderful setup if Butcher decides to continue.
I did quite enjoy the book. Some of the spark diminished, but there is still plenty of enjoyment left.
September 7, 2025
4.5 stars
As all good fantasy sequels, this one expands the world - we see more Spires, politics, magic and myth. The scope of the conflict (and danger) expands, and our characters rise to meet it across many spheres (in battle, diplomacy through dueling, cat quests and more).
Really liked this one, but the pieces didn’t always fit smoothly together, in terms of pacing or interest on my end (e.g. wasn’t too interested in the Aurorans, or leaving a thread on a cliffhanger only to return to it quite some time after in the book).
Still, loads of fun, and I continue to appreciate the amazing worldbuilding and characters we see. Abigail and Ravenna are both marvels, as are the cats (naturally). Strong focus is also on relationships, romantic and not, even in the midst of terrible danger. We see more glimpses of how the Spires came to be, and why they might not last forever.
As all good fantasy sequels, this one expands the world - we see more Spires, politics, magic and myth. The scope of the conflict (and danger) expands, and our characters rise to meet it across many spheres (in battle, diplomacy through dueling, cat quests and more).
Really liked this one, but the pieces didn’t always fit smoothly together, in terms of pacing or interest on my end (e.g. wasn’t too interested in the Aurorans, or leaving a thread on a cliffhanger only to return to it quite some time after in the book).
Still, loads of fun, and I continue to appreciate the amazing worldbuilding and characters we see. Abigail and Ravenna are both marvels, as are the cats (naturally). Strong focus is also on relationships, romantic and not, even in the midst of terrible danger. We see more glimpses of how the Spires came to be, and why they might not last forever.
August 10, 2023
I loved book one, but I found myself struggling to get in to book 2. Any series that has talking cats has my attention, but book two is slow to start. I believe that when the characters are together they play off each other better then when they are apart. About chapter 12 is where I set the book aside for other reading material, before returning to it. It didn't keep my attention as well as the first book, but it was good. I got back to it, but this alone hinders my love for book two. In truth I think Jim Butcher is better at Fantasy then Steampunk/Sci-Fi. I think I would have preferred this as an audio.
January 5, 2024
I read the Aeronaut's Windlass when it was first published and have been waiting for the second volume ever since. Finally, it's out and does not disappoint. The Olympian Affair is not a short book (over 600 pages) but it is riveting. Duels, monsters, betrayers, honorable aeronauts, pirates both good and bad, nefarious plots, romance, this book has them all. I loved it. Never a dull moment and some wonderful characters. Can't wait for the next volume.
November 22, 2023
The Olympian Affair is the second offering in Butcher’s fabulous Cinder Spires series and picks up two years after the conclusion of the battle between the Albions and Aurorans depicted in The Aeronaut's Windlass. This series is complex and must be read in order, and with there being eight years since the first book, I also recommend a re-read of The Aeronaut's Windlass (which I did).
The series is set on a world where the surface of the planet is inhospitable and has been all but abandoned. Most humans and cats live in large towers called spires that are miles tall and endlessly large. We aren’t given many details on how they were built or why the planet has deteriorated. The protagonists live on Spire Albion, and their primary enemy is Spire Aurora, which continues to aggressively plan war using never-seen-before weapons of mass destruction.
This time around, our original gang of youthful soldiers, unbalanced etherealists, and experienced privateers is augmented with high ranking Albions and a new cat clan. I like that the book is primarily set away from Albion and readers get to see additional cultures from this world. There is a summit of the most powerful spires taking place at the commerce hub of Spire Olympia, and Albion hopes to sway them away from its neutral stance in the conflict with Aurora. We also meet the sly Atlanteans and additional Aurorans. Finally, there is a side story involving the cats that takes two of the primary characters to the surface, where readers witness some of the deadly creatures lurking.
Similar to the first book, The Olympian Affair is shared via the POVs of a number of key characters, primarily the protagonists, but some from the antagonists. We heard from nearly all of the narrating characters in the first book, making this one a bit easier to follow. With that said, I kept a running list of the key players in order to retain their names and key attributes. And while the primary plot is based on political machinations and conflict, it’s the characters that drive the series. The various relationships are ever shifting and engrossing to follow. My heart and mind are heavily invested.
The Olympian Affair is large and fantastic. It’s long but never boring. The character-building is elaborate: some utterly evil, others gloriously good, but many fall within shades of gray. I love the uniqueness and complexity of each, and we witness several struggle with conflicts between duty and personal code. Seeing some characters go against the grain to do what’s right-witness them change and grow-is delightful. Even cat prince Rowl and newcomer Finley mature as the book goes on. The story is rich in detail and fulfilling emotions. They are gruesome moments, bright moments, frightful moments, quiet moments, and heroically triumphant moments. I cried tears of sadness and joy.
Narration: Morton utilizes a British-accented masculine voice for all third person POV narrators. He successful alters each character’s dialogue for gender, age, social class, and geographic region, creating an entire catalogue of unique voices. While some differences are subtle, each character is identifiable. I was blown away by the richness of his voice no matter what character he portrays. Morton also infuses the performance with the appropriate amount of emotion, adding much value to the entire reading experience.
On the surface, The Olympian Affair is a story of political maneuvering. However, this time around we learn more about the powerful player who is manipulating and using the Aurorans to achieve an unknown endgame. I look forward to finding out more about everything this world has in store. It is so good!
My Ratings:
Story: A
Narration: A
Review copy provided by the publisher
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
The series is set on a world where the surface of the planet is inhospitable and has been all but abandoned. Most humans and cats live in large towers called spires that are miles tall and endlessly large. We aren’t given many details on how they were built or why the planet has deteriorated. The protagonists live on Spire Albion, and their primary enemy is Spire Aurora, which continues to aggressively plan war using never-seen-before weapons of mass destruction.
This time around, our original gang of youthful soldiers, unbalanced etherealists, and experienced privateers is augmented with high ranking Albions and a new cat clan. I like that the book is primarily set away from Albion and readers get to see additional cultures from this world. There is a summit of the most powerful spires taking place at the commerce hub of Spire Olympia, and Albion hopes to sway them away from its neutral stance in the conflict with Aurora. We also meet the sly Atlanteans and additional Aurorans. Finally, there is a side story involving the cats that takes two of the primary characters to the surface, where readers witness some of the deadly creatures lurking.
Similar to the first book, The Olympian Affair is shared via the POVs of a number of key characters, primarily the protagonists, but some from the antagonists. We heard from nearly all of the narrating characters in the first book, making this one a bit easier to follow. With that said, I kept a running list of the key players in order to retain their names and key attributes. And while the primary plot is based on political machinations and conflict, it’s the characters that drive the series. The various relationships are ever shifting and engrossing to follow. My heart and mind are heavily invested.
The Olympian Affair is large and fantastic. It’s long but never boring. The character-building is elaborate: some utterly evil, others gloriously good, but many fall within shades of gray. I love the uniqueness and complexity of each, and we witness several struggle with conflicts between duty and personal code. Seeing some characters go against the grain to do what’s right-witness them change and grow-is delightful. Even cat prince Rowl and newcomer Finley mature as the book goes on. The story is rich in detail and fulfilling emotions. They are gruesome moments, bright moments, frightful moments, quiet moments, and heroically triumphant moments. I cried tears of sadness and joy.
Narration: Morton utilizes a British-accented masculine voice for all third person POV narrators. He successful alters each character’s dialogue for gender, age, social class, and geographic region, creating an entire catalogue of unique voices. While some differences are subtle, each character is identifiable. I was blown away by the richness of his voice no matter what character he portrays. Morton also infuses the performance with the appropriate amount of emotion, adding much value to the entire reading experience.
On the surface, The Olympian Affair is a story of political maneuvering. However, this time around we learn more about the powerful player who is manipulating and using the Aurorans to achieve an unknown endgame. I look forward to finding out more about everything this world has in store. It is so good!
My Ratings:
Story: A
Narration: A
Review copy provided by the publisher
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
November 8, 2023
"It's steampunk Victorian naval fantasy! Like Horatio Hornblower with magic. And talking cats!" I explained, somewhat feverishly, to a friend after mainlining the second volume of the Cinder Spires in a single night (don't mind any grammatical errors; I was up until 3am finishing it up). And that really does capture what I find to be the beauty of the setting--I grew up watching the Ioann Gruffudd Horatio Hornblowers on repeat (thanks, Mom!), and then reading the novels as I got a little older; I loved Master and Commander (movie and book), and have always very much enjoyed steampunk renditions ever since I watched Disney's deeply underrated (and far before its time) "Treasure Island." So reading Butcher's Cinder Spires feels like home.
But it's more than just that. Butcher is a great writer who continues to hone his craft. I've read his works from beginning until end, and he's not just sitting back and living on his name recognition--he continues to get better as a writer. That's a lot of fun to witness. And the Olympian Affair feels like a better book in many ways than its predecessor (which was itself one of my favorite books in the year it came out), even though some of the setting isn't as much of a jaunty adventure story as the first (which I prefer), and the gang is never "all together" (which I'd prefer). So the fact that I still think this is a better book on the whole should say something.
The best thing about Butcher's writing has always been his characters, and that continues here. We get additional character development from all of our favorite characters (mostly seen through plot-driven growth, but--in the case of Grimm--by finding out a bit more backstory), and much more information and development from some of the side-cast and a few new characters.
Overall, this was a ton of fun to read and I look forward already to listening through to the audiobook with my wife shortly!
But it's more than just that. Butcher is a great writer who continues to hone his craft. I've read his works from beginning until end, and he's not just sitting back and living on his name recognition--he continues to get better as a writer. That's a lot of fun to witness. And the Olympian Affair feels like a better book in many ways than its predecessor (which was itself one of my favorite books in the year it came out), even though some of the setting isn't as much of a jaunty adventure story as the first (which I prefer), and the gang is never "all together" (which I'd prefer). So the fact that I still think this is a better book on the whole should say something.
The best thing about Butcher's writing has always been his characters, and that continues here. We get additional character development from all of our favorite characters (mostly seen through plot-driven growth, but--in the case of Grimm--by finding out a bit more backstory), and much more information and development from some of the side-cast and a few new characters.
Overall, this was a ton of fun to read and I look forward already to listening through to the audiobook with my wife shortly!
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