The Fall of Ventaris

The Grey City #2

by Neil McGarry, Daniel Ravipinto

This is an ACE for ISBN13:9780985014919 The Fall of Ventaris

She had been Marina Kell...wealthy and wellborn, until a night of fire and a mysterious brass coin changed everything.

She became the baker's daughter...fallen and forgotten, until another brass coin changed her life once more.

She is Duchess of the Shallows...the newest member of the secret society of thieves and spies known as the Grey.

Yet even as she exorcises the ghosts of her old life, new enemies threaten from all sides. Her struggle to survive will take her from the temples of the imperial cults, through the workshops of the great guilds and finally to the court of the empress herself.

And she will learn that in the Grey City, some ghosts are not so easily put to rest...

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fiction

ebook

First published September 20, 2013

About the author

Neil is a former technical writer, former stand-up comedian and current indie author and podcaster living in Philadelphia. While not working with Daniel Ravipinto on the third book in The Grey City, or on the Star Trek podcast, "Nipicking: The Next Generation", Neil reads about World War II, plays both Ultimate Frisbee and volleyball, follows politics and tries to perfect the peanut butter cookie.

Reviews

[Pauline Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in this series, ‘The Duchess of the Shallows’, was a breath of fresh air, a fantasy work set in a single city, with compelling characters and a beautifully woven plot, filled with double-dealing and double meanings, where nothing and nobody can be taken quite at face value. I could say that this is more of the same, which is true as far as it goes, but it doesn’t do the book justice. This time we begin to see far more of the underpinnings of the city, both literally (the maze of tunnels and caves dating back much further than the present regime) and in political terms, as Duchess is drawn into the orbit of the upper echelons of society. The three main religions also feature heavily, and we learn a lot more of the history of the city and of Duchess herself. If this sounds like a lot of ground to cover, it is, but the authors skillfully weave the many different strands together to create a brilliantly nuanced picture of Rodaas and its people, which comes alive in a way that the first book didn’t quite manage, for me.

Unlike the first book, which had a single audacious theft as its heart, this one has multiple plot threads. For one, Duchess decides to set up business with a talented young weaver who is unable to get guild membership because she’s not Rodaasi. I found the motivation for this move a bit unclear; it seemed rather an odd thing for Duchess to want to do. However, Jana, the weaver, is a lovely addition to the character list, and her Domae culture adds depth to the story. Then there's a ring stolen by dodgy gaming practices to retrieve, and a scheme to provide Duchess with a skilled swordsman as a bodyguard. Again, the bodyguard scheme seemed an odd thing for Duchess to want to do. While it led to some exciting moments, and the bodyguard came in very handy for a couple of incidents (a warrior-type is a great addition to the book, in my opinion), but then at a crucial moment he leaves Duchess on her own. It struck me as being a bit implausible (methinks I smell a plot device). However, all of these are dealt with in Duchess's usual audacious style (read: almost impossible to pull off), so there’s plenty of action along the way.

These various schemes, however credible or otherwise they may be, give Duchess the excuse to move around the city, and it is her adventures in the various districts and below the surface that bring the book to vivid and dramatic life. Some of her encounters are unforgettable: the strange candlelit ceremony at one temple, the meeting with the facet (priestess) in another and the events underground, for instance. The facets are a truly spine-chilling invention, a sort of hive-mind of masked women, all identical, and there’s a moment near the end, when the hive-mind slips slightly, which is awesome.

The characters are as believable as always. Lysander is (as before) my favourite, but I liked Jana and Castor (the bodyguard), too. Duchess makes a very sympathetic lead, although she’s a little reckless for my taste. Is that a hint of a romantic interest for Duchess in Dorian? Even the minor characters have a complexity which is refreshing, and add depth to the story.

What didn’t work so well for me? As with the first book, I found the convoluted plot threads a tad too tricky to follow all the time, so there were references along the way that I just didn’t get. Sometimes there would be a line revealing some possibly crucial information (‘Ah, so that’s what so-and-so meant...’), which just whizzed over my head altogether. There is also the constant problem that everyone Duchess encounters may possibly be double-crossing her, so I tend to regard every new character as potentially hostile. I found myself always waiting for the double-cross from them. In fact, mostly they were surprisingly helpful and even charming, perfectly willing to further Duchess’s ends, while (obviously) working for their own ends as well. In some ways, everything was a little too easy for Duchess, as things fell into place rather readily. The retrieval of the ring, for instance, was a real let-down.

One issue that bothered me was the bodyguard, whose name started as Pollux and then changed to Castor, with an overt reference to the mythological twins. Does this mean, then, that we are in our own world at some future point? Or perhaps this is an alternate world, that happens to have some common history. Either way, it jolted me out of the story altogether for a while.

A highlight for me was the uncovering of some of Duchess's family history. For the first time, there is some detail about what actually happened when her father died and she was torn away from the safety of her family. More significantly, we learn what should have happened that night, and some of what went wrong. The suggestion that perhaps her brother and sister may have survived too opens up all sorts of intriguing possibilities.

As with the first book, the authors have pulled off an impeccable blend of mystery, action and world-building, combined with compelling characters about whom it's all too easy to care deeply. Who could be unmoved by Lysander and his friends, dealing with tragedy in the only way they can; or by Duchess, accepting the truth about Lysander for the first time, or realising the sort of life she might have had if events had gone otherwise, and coming to terms with her life as it now is? And then there was her final meeting with one of the facets, which was truly heartbreaking. This is a polished and cleverly thought out book which would repay a second read to understand all the nuances and subtexts. Highly recommended for those who like depth to their fantasy. A very good four stars.

[Jefferson Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having recently been accepted into a secret fraternity of thieves, Duchess must now learn the ropes quickly, to fend off several rivals who have already moved against her. But as she sets the wheels of her vengeance in motion, Duchess discovers plots within plots and is forced to confront a disturbing possibility: is she turning those wheels? Or are the wheels turning her?

Every bit as enjoyable as the first one. The authors have found an interesting structure. Rather than lead their protagonist through a series of problems in the usual way - one after the other - they opt instead to give Duchess half a dozen problems all at once. Then they sit back and watch as she tries to untangle them all without hanging herself in the process. The result is surprisingly engaging, but with a different feel from most plot-driven rogue stories. This structure allows for a greater sense of uncertainty and a more palpable conviction that, this time, Duchess might not be able to handle everything that's thrown at her.

[Sian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet again, the authors have left me wanting - I re-read Duchess first, before starting this, and I'm very glad I did, because the characters, the tone, the city had all faded from my memory - I think it may've been a little jarring to launch straight into this, months on from reading the first.

More adventures - more, complex plots, which somehow ravel just the right way to work out - although not always as intended - I very much enjoyed the new characters, and am intrigued to learn more about the Domae, hopefully not just the nomads they are now, but the history of the Grey City itself.

Also, of course, a lurking horror. I would not venture under the city for quids! Well, I probably wouldn't have even after Duchess, but now... :O

Another ripper read, the only disappointment being 'running out again'.

Thanks!

[Neil McGarry]

"A thrilling story of thievery and self-discovery" - Kirkus Reviews.

[Vivienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reread this before starting the third book, The Ruling Mask and it's even better as a reread!

[S.B. (Beauty in Ruins) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was exactly a year ago today that I posted my review of Neil McGarry & Daniel Ravipinto's debut novel, The Duchess of the Shallows. That was a character-driven, tightly-plotted fantasy novel that was propelled along by an intriguing central mystery. It took the guys a while to find their stride and really settle comfortably into the novel, but it all paid off in the end.

I am pleased to say The Fall of Ventaris picks up right where the first book left off, with the world already established, Duchess at the height of her game, and the guys already at full stride. There's nothing drastically different about this second volume in terms of tone or theme, but that's a relief, not an issue. What is different this time around is the layers and the complexities - there's even more than in the first book, and they're even more carefully intertwined.

On the surface, Duchess gets herself even deeper into the political, religious, and cultural machinations of the city. She's a bit wiser than before, but still just as reckless and desperate for approval. Jana, a Domae weaver, is the strongest and most interesting addition to the cast, both for the way in which she allows Duchess to reveal herself, and for the development of her character itself. As for Lysander, I was concerned about what McGarry & Ravipinto could possibly do with him, given how his role in the first story ended in such a sacrificial betrayal, but I think they do a superb job here of exploring the implications of that, and in transforming his relationship with Duchess.

Beneath the surface - quite literally - we're provided with a deeper glimpse of the mysteries and the horrors that underlie the city. Of those horrors, the facets are by far the most interesting . . . and the most chilling. A coven of priestesses with a shared sort of mind, their masks may never slip, but their solidarity does, setting up one of the most brilliant scenes in the novel. The climax of the ring caper, by comparison, isn't nearly as effective, but it still works.

There's a lot going on here, and reading the story does demand a certain commitment that casual readers may find hard to involve themselves in. While it is largely a linear tale, with one event progressing from another, there's a lot of overlap, the Duchess juggling as many tasks and assignments as the reader does threads. Deeply layered and richly detailed, The Fall of Ventaris not only offers a satisfying follow up to the first tale, but makes the reader hungry for more.


Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sequel to the entertaining “Duchess of the Shallows” manages to retain the charm of the first novel while expanding its world and the complexity of the story. It starts a few months after the first book with an initially unexciting plot by Duchess to try to get her new business partner admitted to the local weaver’s guild but from this simple beginning she quickly finds herself trying to carry out multiple overlapping schemes that take her to the very top of Rodaasi society. Her efforts to keep all of those plates spinning is entertaining and means the book feels much more fast-paced than the first book (which largely concentrated on a single heist). It does sometimes seem a little bit implausible when she embarks on a new scheme without waiting for the conclusion of her previous plots and on a couple of occasions it’s not entirely clear why she’s so determined to do some of the things (such as freeing the imprisoned Castor). A couple of the solutions to plotlines do seem a little bit too easy (such as when trying to retrieve a ring held as a gambling debt) but on the other hand some of the novel’s best moments come from some of Duchess’ schemes having unintended consequences. The ending is particularly strong, with Duchess belatedly realising how much others have been using her schemes for their own ends.

For most of the first book Duchess only really had a single ally in the form of Lysander but the sequel does expand the cast with a number of interesting characters, some of whom are uncertain allies with ambiguous intentions towards Duchess. Her interactions with the amiable but devious head of the Keepers were particularly good, although her more straightforward friendship with Jana is a also a good contrast to the duplicity of most of her relationships.

The world-building had been good in the first book and it is expanded greatly in the second book. The highlights of the world-building in this book mostly centre on the city’s three religious cults and on the ongoing mystery of the sinister catacombs beneath the city. Duchess’ confusion at being caught in the middle of a carefully choreographed religious ceremony is a particularly striking scene, and the contrasting religious orders of the Keepers and the Facets are both intriguing. The three religion’s shadowy battle for prominence becomes increasingly prominent as the book goes on and the fallout is likely to play a key role in future sequels. Duchess’ encounters with mysterious forces beneath the city feel slightly disconnected from the main plot of this book, but are probably going to be very significant for the series as a whole. One of the criticisms I had of the first book was that for much of the book it felt like the characters weren’t in much peril, but this part of the plotline (particularly a scene set in an underground crypt that injects a bit of horror into the story) manages to make it feel like the stakes are becoming much greater.

Overall, this is an entertaining story with a set of interlocking and fast-moving plots, good characterisation and a few neat additions to typical fantasy world-building. The Grey City is definitely turning out to be a good fantasy series.

[Stuart Langridge]

The scheming continues, and Duchess rises up a notch or three in the level of the schemes she's involved in. She still doesn't really know what she's doing, though. One nice thing here is that the overtly sexist nature of the city's inheritance laws -- marriage means the woman belongs to the man and he makes all the decisions, even if the woman is heir to a noble title and the man is some random bloke -- becomes a plot point, because Duchess could actually get her inheritance but she doesn't want to do so and then be forced into a marriage where the bloke gets it all. That's well-handled; normally the whole princess-raised-by-gypsies thing has as a plot goal that the princess reclaims her inheritance, and that's explicitly disavowed here; Duchess prefers being Duchess to being a disenfranchised Marina, and who can blame her?

She's still a cat's-paw for all the schemes, though, and she thinks she's cleverer than she is. She is, however, aware of this, as are about fifteen other characters, and she has a commendable lack of worry about it; the thing she wanted done got done, and, fine, maybe a bunch of other stuff happened too and she enabled that, but whatevaaaaar. In a bunch of other books this would result in endless angsty whining and here it doesn't. Duchess is actually confident, rather than being brash and naming it confidence.

More of the Big Underlying Plot, too, although it's sparingly parceled out in little bits; we still don't know what the deal is with He Who Devours or why (or even whether) he's taken a special interest in Duchess. This stuff -- the voice from the pit, the skeletons -- are touches of actual magic, which is a bit weird because this fantasy city doesn't have any magic or magical things at all; it's like mediaeval London, not like mediaeval Camorr. So meeting some animated skeletons shouldn't just be scary, it should be utterly mind-blowing, and Duchess's mind is not blown as much as it perhaps should be.

I'd like to read a crossover book with Duchess and Locke Lamora and Veranix in it, I think.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second book of baker-orphan-turns-master-thief trilogy. (Is this a trilogy? I forgot to ask. Series, anyway.)

The traditional middle-book problem is that the protagonist doesn't have a lot to *do* except suffer a disastrous, cliffhangery setback on the last page. This is not that book. Duchess gets into a whole stack of schemes, from guild politics to sabotage to undercity explorations to good old-fashioned heists. Some of them she starts; some just happen to her. (Some -- both.)

The city remains interestingly multileveled, and I mean that in every sense. There are alley-trawling thugs and high-society grandees and everything in between, but the interesting interactions are *between* the layers. The whole backdrop of this series is the War of the Quills, where a nobleman tried to change the political balance of the city by arming low-city bully-gangs, and it went... poorly. That history looms large in this book's story, too.

Duchess is not as extravagant or as dramatic (or as foul-mouthed) as some of the fantasy thieves we've known, but she's got a nice mixture of determination and naivete. (All her schemes are clever; *none* of them come out exactly the way she intends.) So I will stick with this.

I find that I now visualize Lysander as Jordan Gavaris in a blond wig. Perhaps you will have this problem too.

Looking back at my previous review: Yes, this book gives us a much better perspective on the Grey. On the other hand, I didn't feel entirely up to speed with the events of the previous book (which I read more than two years ago). So there's a general pattern of the authors not being quite good enough at inclueing important background. (I suspect this is a risk of the self-publishing world; experienced editors catch it.) If you read the books together, of course, this will be less of a problem -- but then you get to wait with me for book three. So it goes.

(Interest: I had dinner with Daniel Ravipinto and he handed me a free copy of the book.)

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The further adventures of the Duchess of the Shallows and another excellent read.

I do not want to give any spoilers so this will be quite general.

Throughout the book we learn more about the main character, Duchess, and the political and social landscape of Rodaas. The characters are richly developed and the setting of the series is nicely detailed. We get to see how the various guilds and religions are fighting for supremacy and the political intrigue in and amongst the various groups is fascinating.

As for Duchess she goes on several adventures throughout the book and gets to learn a lot about herself. it is quite interesting to watch her grow throughout the book as she learns more about how the politics of Rodaas really work.

Will Duchess (Marina of House Kell as we found out in book one) eventually get her inheritance from her father's estate or will the coming religious war keep her from her birthright?

That is something we will not find out until the next installment of the series and I highly look forward to it.

[Jim Genzano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Took me a while to get into it, I think because there are so many plot lines and characters, and so much to absorb and to follow, but about halfway through everything starts coming together, and the tension and drama builds to the breaking point. Then there's a fight with reanimated skeletons, magic, surprise reveals, and an amazing conclusion. Can't wait for the next volume!

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Sigh, seems goodreads closes the editor and disposes of your content if you dare to click the "read" link on the Bookshelves/tags field.]

Anyway. It's a nice book, but for some reason I feel slightly let down about it, and I didn't quite enjoy it as much as the first. Can't quite put my finger on why - perhaps I just expected the story to progress more than it did.

With that said, it's still a nice book and I'm looking forward to future books by Neil and co!

[Jessica Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second installment of Duchess' story lives up to the first part. The intrigue and multi-layered political reality she lives in finds new depth and interest without becoming overly complicated. The new characters are as interesting as the ones from the first book, and consistently have their own depth and motives (are not just foils or tools for the main character). I look forward to the next book.

[Sanjida · Rating 3 out of 5]

solid return to the world and characters but meanders a bit, possibly because it's a middle chapter meant to set up mysteries and situations.