The Flux

'Mancer #2

by Ferrett Steinmetz

Love something enough, and your obsession will punch holes through the laws of physics. That devotion creates unique magics: videogamemancers. Origamimancers. Culinomancers.

But when ‘mancers battle, cities tremble…

ALIYAH TSABO-DAWSON: The world’s most dangerous eight-year-old girl. Burned by a terrorist’s magic, gifted strange powers beyond measure. She’s furious that she has to hide her abilities from her friends, her teachers, even her mother – and her temper tantrums can kill.

PAUL TSABO: Bureaucromancer. Magical drug-dealer. Desperate father. He’s gone toe-to-toe with the government’s conscription squads of brain-burned Unimancers, and he’ll lie to anyone to keep Aliyah out of their hands – whether Aliyah likes it or not.

THE KING OF NEW YORK: The mysterious power player hell-bent on capturing the two of them. A man packing a private army of illegal ‘mancers.

Paul’s family is the key to keep the King’s crumbling empire afloat. But offering them paradise is the catalyst that inflames Aliyah’s deadly rebellious streak…

File Under: Urban Fantasy

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction, Ebooks

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 6, 2015

About the author

Ferrett Steinmetz’s latest novel THE DRAGON KINGS OF OKLAHOMA, a.k.a. "The Tiger King but with baby dragons," will be out in September 2024. He was once nominated for the Nebula, for which he remains moderately stoked, and lives in Cleveland with his very clever wife and an occasionally friendly ghost.

He has become wise enough to no longer spray the world with ill-advised words in blogs or social media, but sporadic updates are posted on his website at www.theferrett.com.

Reviews

[Mogsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/12/12/a...

Let me start my review of The Flux the same way I started my review of the first book Flex. There was some of this:



And then some of this:



And this:



As well as this:



And even…this:



By the way, if you haven’t read Flex yet, I highly recommend picking it up first because you’ll definitely want the complete ‘Mancer experience. If nothing else, getting the full rundown of the magic system will be worth it, because this series features some of the most intricate and unique concepts I’ve ever seen.

Imagine a world where magic is based around obsession. Love something hard enough—whether it be cats, cooking, or donuts—and it might just actually become your special power, giving you the ability to shape reality to your vision. As you can imagine, the possibilities are virtually limitless. For instance, protagonist Paul Tsabo (he loves paperwork, God help him) is a bureacromancer, and his friend and partner in crime Valentine is a videogamemancer (three guesses what her favorite hobby is?)

In The Flux, a third ‘mancer character also rises to prominence—Paul’s own daughter Aliyah Tsabo-Dawson. The events at the end of Flex might have turned her into the world’s most dangerous eight-year-old, but to Paul she’ll always be his little girl. It’s now up to him to hide Aliyah’s secret and protect her from those who will want to use her or do her harm. But Paul is living a double life himself, hunting rogue ‘mancers for the government by day and brewing magical drugs by night. To make matters worse, there’s now a new power-player in town called “The King of New York” and he’s got Paul and Valentine in his sights.

Like its predecessor, The Flux was pure geek escapism. In general I still think Flex was the better book, though I liked certain aspects of this sequel more. For one thing, Valentine plays a much bigger role. I remember being so excited when I realized that was her on the cover. She’s my favorite character in this series, and not just because she has great taste in video games. I am totally in love her offbeat personality, and her confidence also makes her a force to be reckoned with. Because of her, the plot is also heavier on videogamemancy. Needless to say, I was right where I wanted to be. We’re talking loads more gaming references, which to me was one of the best things about Flex. Gamers will no doubt experience multiple nerdgasms while reading this series, though in truth, I think anyone can appreciate the humor and action in these books.

Speaking of which, The Flux also introduces Valentine’s new friend Tyler Durden, whom I hope we’ll be seeing again soon in some way, shape or form. Yes, I said Tyler Durden. Didn’t I say the possibilities were limitless?

Okay, so maybe this book went just a tad overboard with the pop culture references. Which is why I’m thankful for the story’s focus on family again, especially the father-daughter bond between Paul and Aliyah. In this book, Paul faces the challenges of raising an angry and traumatized little girl, while Aliyah realizes that her father doesn’t have all the answers. If it weren’t for the emotional hurdles, ‘Mancer might have been just another entertaining yet hollow urban fantasy series, but the emphasis on relationship dynamics gives both the characters and story much needed depth.

Final thoughts on the audiobook: I started the series in this format, so I decided to continue in this format, and I am quite happy with my decision. Peter Brooke is fantastic with voices (especially with his New Yorker accent) and in my opinion the only character he faltered with was Aliyah. Granted, this probably has something to do with her written dialogue itself, which I didn’t find convincing. Still, there’s a very good chance I’ll do the third book in audio too. All in all, well worth the listen!

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is going to be an easy review.

I loved it.

Unfortunately for most of you out there, the book hasn't been released yet and I'd be spoiling most of the greatest shit ever if I started blabbing too soon, so The first rule: You don't talk about FLUX. The second rule: You DO NOT talk about FLUX. Third rule: If someone says "stop" or goes limp, taps out the FLUX is over.

If you don't like that, then tough-titties.

Is it as good as Flex? Pretty damn close, and perhaps the last minute fixes before publication will wrap that up. Is the magic system still rocking? OH. HELL. YES.

Is it still serious, with real ups and real downs, with great and flexible characters learning and growing as their lives take new twists? Very much so.

Did we move away from Breaking Bad into some new territory? Is it just as good, with all the love and admiration we as readers can kindle and fan into another's life-blood of writing? I do believe so!

Did we get a painful and disturbing roller-coaster of falls and rises and falls before getting one absolutely fantastic payoff at the end? Without a doubt in the whole damn world, Yes.

I'm loving that little girl more and more and more, and Paul's no slouch. And let's face it, Valentine finally got her boy, and I can't be anything but happy for her. (Even if the property damage ranks an ES of at least 5.)

I don't care what the author says in his afterward. He's no Daffy Duck, filling himself with explosives to please his fans one last time before going boom. I think he's a freaking Keeper, and if us fans aren't able to keep him up with our own instant HP bars for the duration, then we're seriously piss-poor 'mancers, ourselves.

I AM A NEW FANBOY. I thought I was with the first, but this second proves that he's no fluke, and seriously no joke.

I'm tempted to say he's the new Authoromancer of urban fantasy, but it'd be wise to hold off on any pronouncement of kingship until at least his third novel, no?


(I am saying all this in full knowledge and respect for all of the fantastic UF authors I have already read. Do not take these statements lightly. These books are seriously awesome shit. (These books are single-sit reading sessions, with all the problems concomitant with such, including much angry barkings at friends and families who might have intimated a whispered desire to disturb my frantic reading. (For those who worry about their safety, I'm letting you know now that They Survived, but it was a close thing.)))

I'm so happy to have read these books!

[Carly · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I Am Become Mario, Destroyer of Worlds"

TL;DR: If you're looking for some truly original urban fantasy, particularly if you're a gamer, you need to try this series. The Flux was good I read it twice. It is the sequel to the equally awesome Flex , which you should probably read first.

**WARNING: I tried to minimize spoilers of the previous book, but it's not entirely possible.**

I absolutely loved The Flux. It's incredibly difficult to follow an awesome first book, but this book actually surpasses the first. The Flux continues the story of Paul, a bureaucromancer, whose belief in the power of rules is so strong that it actually bends the fabric of reality, granting him 'mancy. I adore Paul, and I'm slightly disturbed by how well I understand his perspective. He copes with stress by making lists, including lists of all the certain deaths facing him. He's hilariously uptight, sees the universe in terms of rules, and believes that "Paperwork was what made the universe fair."

All of the characters flawed and vibrant people. I loved how Steinmetz managed to create a character like Valentine a goth videogamemancer who is very sexually demonstrative and comfortable in her body, without ever objectifying her. Part of that comes from Paul's narrative perspective, as Paul finds Valentine to be equal parts embarrassing and bemusing. I absolutely adored their dynamics. They argue constantly--as much as Paul is capable of arguing--and then "hug it out later." Standard dynamics:

"You come up with half a plan, then expect me to pull a miracle out of my ass?"
"...can't you?"
"Of course I can, but you shouldn't expect that!"

Or:

"Oh, God," he muttered. "This is such a mistake."
"That's how you always say yes!" Valentine squealed, and tackle-hugged him.

This book also solved one of my (few) issues with the previous book. While Imani was simply a two-dimensional nagging ex in Flex, in The Flux, she comes into her own. I'm not exactly sure I like her, but the exploration of her personality and motivations humanized her to the extent that I think I want to. I also enjoyed the addition of Oscar the hyper-organized mob boss and K-Dash and Quaysean, the donut-bearing gangsters.

And then there's the 'mancy. This book is dominated by videogamemancy, but we also encounter a Fight-Club-mancer (he insists he's a Palahniuk'mancer), but there's also plenty of bureaucromancy, pyromancy, and origamimancy to add a bit of spice. While this book will be more fun if you're a fan of videogames or Fight Club, the first time I read through, I caught precisely none of the pop culture references and still loved it. (When I reread, I employed a bit of Googlemancy and once I understood what Tyler Durden, Alex Mercer, and JRPGs referred to, the book was infinitely funnier.)

Like its predecessor, while this book may be a little slow to get started, when the story picks up momentum, it's utterly un-put-down-able. Sure, there's plenty of mancy and mayhem, but it's also about family and children and the pangs of growing up. It's about a little girl who discovers that Daddy isn't superman and good doesn't always triumph. It's about how learning that have value only through the efforts taken to achieve them. It's about the struggle to raise a child, the balancing act to protect her while still letting her grow through the consequences of her actions. It's about the terrible pangs of being a parent:

"If you give up everything for your children's happiness, Paul, you can't teach them how to be happy."

It's about how seeing others around us as human is part of what gives us our humanity.

And all of that is packed into a thoroughly entertaining, engrossing story told within a thoroughly fascinating world.At first I was supremely unhappy by the Payne twist because it simply didn't work. Payne is and was a bully, a petty tyrant, a man who harnesses other people's misery to build his own little antiseptic greenhouse of third-rate mancers. I was infuriated that he somehow now was supposed to be good, and that he was supposed to be a bureaumancer. He doesn't follow rules. He doesn't love rules. He makes rules. I was utterly thrilled by the ending because it simply worked.
And while the ending is utterly, utterly satisfying, I can't wait for the next book.

~~I received this ebook through Netgalley from the publisher, Angry Robot Books, in exchange for my honest review. Quotes are taken from an advanced reader copy and while they may not reflect the final phrasing, I believe they speak to the spirit of the novel as a whole.~~

[Stephanie Swint · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steinmetz second book in the Mancer Series is perfectly enjoyable. Valentine, Aaliyah, and Paul come back to us. Paul Tsabo, the world’s most unlikeliest hero, takes us through the fine back alleyways between right and wrong, mancer’s vs. mundanes, faith vs. antagonism. How nice it would be if the world was black and white. Instead it is many murky shades of grey where the meek become powerful. Mancer’s are created from intense passion. Intense passion, obsession, is usually is born of loss and sadness. So, the world is left in the hands of Paul, a lanky man of Greek heritage missing a foot who is a bureaucromancer; Valentine, an overweight/voluptuous twenty-something female videogamemancer; and Aaliyah, Paul’s baydly burned, mixed race, nine year-old daughter. If the bookiemancer we meet in this book were to place a bet on these three I doubt it would be in their favor.

Paul Tsabo is in charge of the New York police force hunting mancer’s. Who would be better for the job than the only mundane man to take one down? Well, its complicated, Paul isn’t mundane is he? He’s carefully hidden his bureaucramancy. He is legitimately trying to find other mancer’s, but he doesn’t have any intention of capturing them if they are not a threat. Paul hopes to find others like him, Valentine, and his daughter.

Paul’s second job is brewing the drug Flex for a criminal entity. Unfortunately, his first job and his daughter keep getting in the way -resulting in him owing larger and larger sums to his Oscar. K-Dash and Quaysean are Oscar’s employees tasked with supporting Paul. Paul has amazing talent and skill but no one – not his daughter, not Valentine, not Oscar, or some other characters we meet, have any faith that Paul can/will protect himself. His faith in his fellow man, mancer or mundane, leaves him at risk. So, their attempts to protect him, while sometimes positive, usually result in highly dysfunctional trainwrecks.

While brewing Flex, his daughter steps in to protect her daddy when his own police force tracks him to his laboratory. He might have been able to compensate for one variable but both result in the total loss of the Flex, millions of dollars he will now owe Oscar, and the loss of his job with the police. The usual upbeat Paul is forced to slink back on his belly to Samaritan Mutual, the Insurance Company, he used to work for. The information he will find working there about the King of New York, a Police Informant whose always one step ahead of him, and about other mancers in New York takes his life in very unexpected directions. Paul and Valentine are forced to suffer terrible indignities in the name of doing what appears to be best for Aaliyah in this book. Eventually, we learn all that looks righteous and good isn’t and entities that appear criminal and wrong aren’t either. I told you this book was murky and grey.

We did meet some new mancers in this book. I wasn't particularly fond of some of them. I get that Steinmetz mancy is based off of obsession but I had a hard time with the plushomancer. Everything about that just seems downright wrong.

A wonderful component of Steinmetz’ Mancer series is the complex characters. They are flawed well-intentioned underdogs. Most books present their heroes as fit ideals. They are the epitome of what society says is desirable – wealthy, attractive, and clever. Things come to them easy. We rarely know how they learned their skill set. They just intuit how to use a sword, naturally lead through charisma, and save the day with their unwavering confidence they are right. They have crisis of faith and challenges, but they start the game with advantages. Steinmetz characters aren’t like that. You only have to look at Valentine to see this. She turned to gaming because it offered her an escape from her life. The obsession became magic, but that magic came with Flux/backlash. She can’t care about anyone because they die. She lives in her car – her magic getting her evicted regularly. She has sex with random people met online because it’s the only way she can connect with someone without fear of the Flux taking them. She eats horribly, but hell carbohydrates make you feel good and in the midst of so much terrible in life a girl should get to have carbohydrates if nothing else. While this book has focus on Aaliyah; what Paul, Valentine, and her mother believes are the right things for her; there is also added focus on Valentine. I enjoyed this insight. K-Dash and Quaysean’s characters are also developed. They are two of my favorite supporting characters in a book. For gangsters, who can wreak a high level of havoc and pain, they are kind loving men. This book stands on its story, writing, and characters, but it also presents diversity in an intelligent realistic way.

I read and listened to the audio version of this book. Peter Brooke narrates the series. He does a wonderful job. He grasped Steinmetz humor. He also handled the range of emotion and characters well. This is definitely a book you can enjoy listening to. Fair warning: you might laugh out loud. So, if you are at work listening to this, potentially in violation of work policy, be aware.

It’s clear I enjoyed this book and respect Steinmetz. I encourage you to read/listen to it. It’s geared to a fantasy audience, but I will say it should appeal to comic book lovers and dystopian fans too.

I received this from Netgalley and Angry Robot in return for an honest review.

[Michael Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ferrett's first novel, FLEX, was hilarious and heartbreaking, inventive and intense.

THE FLUX is all of that and more - it digs deeper in every way - character, concept, and plotting, to deliver another phenomenal ride.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full Review at Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2015/1...

The Flux was definitely an enjoyable read, I still love the concept of magic that spawns from people’s obsessions, and we get to see more of that in this book. I also really enjoyed finding out what has become of Paul, Aliyah and Valentine since the last book. There’s definitely some adjustments being made! Especially in terms of Aliyah. It is definitely fun seeing how she is growing up and handling the world around her (as well as how the world around her responds to her as well).

But unfortunately I can’t say The Flux worked on the same level for me as Flex. Perhaps it is just more of a second book thing, where the novelty of the magic and world are already established so I miss that initial excitement I had from the introduction to it in book 1. Maybe it is because I listened to this one as an audiobook rather than reading it. Don’t take that as a negative towards the audiobook, I actually felt like the narration was well done. The problem for me, I think, is that the narrator’s choice of emphasis and level of drama associated with Valentine did not mesh with how I read her in the first book.

I also felt like the ending came on a bit strong. Suddenly too many things were wrapped up in pretty little bows. Don’t get me wrong, not everything is happy, happy, perfect, perfect. And it’s not like I want everything to be all dismal, but for me, this ending just felt like the author tried to give all the characters their own personal happy endings. At least to some degree. And while we all know Valentine and her eager and vigorous sexual exploits is going to be all for happy endings, it just felt a bit forced.

Despite all of my negativity, I do think this is still a good book and I suspect other readers will respond more positively to it than I did myself. I think the odds are very good I will still read book 3, I will just make sure to return to the print version for it.

[Frank Errington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review copy

After twenty years of wandering desolate as a writer, Ferrett Steinmetz attended the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop in 2008 and was rejuvenated. Since then, he's sold stories to numerous publications and in March of 2014, Ferrett saw his first novel, Flex, released by Angry Robot Books. He lives in Cleveland with his wife, and a friendly ghost.

First a bit of background. Flex is distilled magic in crystallized form, gifted to ordinary people by 'mancers. Along with Flex, and the powers it bestows, comes The Flux. Think Newton's Third Law, "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."

In this worthy sequel, Paul Tsabo is now the chief of the New York Task Force For 'Mancer Control. No one on the team knows Paul is a 'mancer himself, a bureaucromancer, which means he's adept at manipulating paperwork to perform his unique brand of magic. Both his daughter, Aliyah, and best friend, Valentine, are videogamemancer's.

The world Ferrett Steinmetz has created is wildly imaginative and his writing style is somewhat reminiscent of Richard Kadrey's Butcher Bird and Sandman Slim novels. Needless to say, both Flex and The Flux are wild rides which take the reader to places they've never been before, and beyond.

All of the characters are fully developed, the banter is clever, and the writing is filled with pop-culture references. If you've already read Flex, (and I do recommend that, even though The Flux reads well as a stand alone novel), The Flux is somewhat darker overall.

If you're a gamer, you're going to love the ending to this book and good news, there are plans for a third and final book in the series.

Both Flex and The Flux are available in a wide array of formats from Angry Robot Books.

If you like your reads to be "out there", this series may be just what you're looking for. Recommended.

[Jeff Raymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Closer to a 4.5.

So Flex is great, and if you've read it, you know that already. The Flux is absolutely in the same universe, but it's a very different book. That's not a bad thing, but it also means that there are parts that stumble and there's some attention to detail that needs to be done by the reader for things to truly pay off.

Overall, we're past the point of Flex and now Paul is inside the machine. But if the first book was about saving his daughter by any means necessary, The Flex, in a sense, is about Paul trying to save his daughter from herself. It's an interesting dynamic in the story in that there are things we can control and things we can't, and this story is largely about both of those things as a result, as Aliyah is torn between what's right and what's true. And she's eight. And there are good guys and bad guys, but a significant amount of grey to go along with it.

Yeah, it's that kind of book.

There's a lot of balls in the air here, and what Steinmetz does well is keep them in the air while not losing the sense of the overall. Sometimes there's an inbalance between the action and the story, sometimes things are a little longer than they need to be, but the key point is that the story works. The beginning is a crazy adventure, and the end is just an enjoyable boss battle in every way, including a part that both got me visibly excited and emotionally upset - I tend to be a stoic reader, so that's worth praise in and of itself.

Ferrett Steinmetz is a longtime internet friend/acquaintance, and so knowing some of the things that inform this book definitely has a director's cut feel as a result. I might have actually enjoyed this more if I didn't know some of what he's shared over the years, and that's a testament to how good this book is on a whole.

Overall? A worthy sequel, even if it doesn't reach those heights. Read Flex first, obviously, but give this series a shot. It's some of the more unique and enjoyable urban fantasy I've read as of late.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this sequel to Flex. It continues the fun of 'mancy, obsession based magic, and throws in characters with real lives and family problems.

[Jasper · Rating 5 out of 5]

originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2015...

Ferret Steinmetz surprised a lot of people earlier this year with Flex the first book in the 'Mancer series published by Angry Robot. Flex for me was a book that brought something completely refreshing to the Urban Fantasy genre. The concept of "mancy" is just sheer brilliance. Of course a concept doesn't solely make a book, it takes more and also in this field Ferret Steinmetz didn't fail to deliver. Writing a set of solid set of characters to show the concept by. One thing that I hate about series is when they take ages to show the sequel. I don't know if Angry Robot pushes it's authors but they have a good schedule, I personally hadn't expected to see the sequel this Fall, but you don't hear me complain.

The Flux picks up after the events of Flex, though sometime has passed. Aliyah, Paul's daughter has slowly grown to the age of eight years old and Paul is currently leading the anti mancer task force in New York. Everything seems to be going rather smoothly. I forgot to mention that Paul is still a bureaucromancer, he has the power of paperwork, now it might not sound very exciting but trust me it is. Already in the first few pages of the book Ferret Steinmetz readily accelerates the story to a breakneck speed, showing the goodness of Mancy. Paul and Valentine, a videogamemancer have somethings to pay and one of the best ways to do it is to make Flex. Which the strongest drug out there, and loved and more over needed by many, because it grants powers. However one power known as The King of New York doesn't fully agree with what Paul is doing. A small spoiler. Paul has been running the Mancer Task Force, their job is to catch Mancer but Paul of course does everything not to get caught himself, because you know... Anyway The King of New York finds that it is time for Paul to get caught. And the Task Force gets an anonymous tip on Paul's location. Just as when Paul and Valentine think they are done, certain things hit the fan... And thus they both have to use their Mancer powers to safe the day. It all works to a certain degree, as Aliyah, makes things slightly more difficult... Now things start to get complicated. Paul was in charge of the Task Force but well things start to get to the surface due to the King and in order to keep himself and his family safe Paul has to track down the King and get rid of him. But with the powers that the King has these things are easier said then done. A true test of powers.

i have been thinking about this a lot. This book is called The Flux and if you know the flex system of magic, you know what flux is, the negative feedback that makes you very sick and unable to do anything. If you take this into account the story makes a lot more sense. Paul has been living a steady life able to manipulate a lot of things with his bureaucromancy, but in the end things have to give... And this is comparable to the flux feedback. Quite brilliant if I say so.

Of course The Flux shines in the magic department, I wouldn't have though otherwise. The magic system that Ferret Steinmetz has developed is awesome, if you love something enough, things might happen. However just having a cool sounding magic system won't cut it, it also takes utilization. And this utilization is precisely what Ferret Steinmetz aces. You get truly drawn into the whole Mancer system and what it takes to be a Mancer. It is not only just having fun.

Seqeuels can be a tricky thing. They shouldn't stall, postpone or drag the story to a halt. Ferret Steinmetz circumvented this by creating on one hand an action packed plotline with Paul trying to get to the King of New York and on the other hand delving deeper into the characters. By letting The Flux take place a few years after Flex there is a lot of time to catch up and this is one side that is told, the other that Ferret Steinmetz shows more of some of the character relationships as well. Like how Paul and Imani think and not think alike about Aliyah. Flex already brought with it some hints but they do get fully shown in The Flux, all to my pleasure. This complicates the story in a very good way. This somewhat more emotional track gives a nice balance towards the action packed other track that is steam-waltzing through The Flux.

Just as with Flex, I can only say good things about The Flux. Storywise it is definitely one of the coolest things that I read in a long time. Ferret Steinmetz shows a lot of creativity with the whole Mancer magic system that he has divised. Delving deeper into what is takes to be a Mancer, he doesn't shy away from showing the bad and the ugly as well. I will be definitely checking out The Fix next year. If you need your fix in the meantime make sure you get the Mancer series. Good stuff I tell you.

[Lynn Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://lynns-books.com/2015/10/11/the...
I recently read and reviewed The Flux by Ferrett Steinmetz over at The Speculative Herald (below is a condensed version). My review of Flex is here). Basically: I love both these books and can’t wait for No.3.

Be aware that, whilst I try to avoid spoilers, this review may contain spoilers for Flex so if you haven’t yet started this series probably best to stop reading now!

The Flux starts a short while after the conclusion of Flex. Aliyah is now 8 years old and her mancy powers make her something of a handful to manage. Her parents have divorced and Paul, following his heroics at the conclusion of Flex, heads up the task force who track mancers. Of course, being a mancer, and not wishing to be caught (or brainwashed) he uses every trick in the book to fail. His lack of success is starting to attract attention!

As the book begins we have Paul and Valentine cooking up a batch of flex (a powerful drug that is created using magic). Unfortunately, following a tip off from the mysterious King of New York, the task force have honed in on their location and are about to try and apprehend the pair. And that’s when the magic really kicks off.

I went into this story with raised expectations and wondered if the author could sustain the level of enthusiasm I felt for Flex. I’m pleased to say he managed to do just that. In a rather cunning ploy FS brings not only all sorts of game references and characters into play but also creates something of a film geek fest and in fact uses the love of films to create a different sort of mancy. I love the concept here and think FS has given himself massive scope to create all sorts of different magical abilities and super obsessed evil baddies.

The characters. Firstly Paul, his magic seems tame compared with most of the others but it’s actually subtly ingenious. Perhaps not the explosion of fireworks that Aliyah creates or the fun game worlds that Valentine pulls out of the hat but in a world where most people leave a paper trail, bureaucromacy is very effective. Valentine is an amazing character. She’s so full of passion for what she does and who she is that she’s a force of nature waiting to happen. She loves Paul and Aliyah and is protective of their small unit. On top of that she’s about to gain a love interest. Then of course we have the maniacs of the piece. One of them very obvious and one of them not as immediately apparent.

I don’t really have any criticisms. You could say that after the dramatic and horror filled start of Flex, The Flux has something of a tamer start but I think it’s appropriate and allows you to stop and gain a feel for the characters. That isn’t to say the action is in short supply but the author takes the time to show you how Aliyah feels and how she’s dealing with the traumas she’s already suffered. Paul also suffers unimaginable guilt and will go to great lengths to secure his daughter’s happiness (almost forgetting to be a parent in the process). Valentine is also desperate to retain the friendship and closeness she values but needs something more in her life. They all have things to lose and for a while these fears drive a wedge between them.

In a nutshell – this is a great story. It expands on the possibilities created in Flex, has a great plot, excellent writing, action, heartbreak and loss, tempered with fun and laugh out loud moments. Highly entertaining with an addictive comic book/super hero feel. I have no hesitation in recommending. Explosively good fun.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only time I had heard about The Flux, was on another blog discussing the covers of several releases. When I was contacted about reviewing an audiobook I read the synopsis that was provided and quickly replied with a yes. After a few technical glitches I was able to get the credit to download this from audible. It was that moment that I realised that The Flux was the second book in a series, one where I had not read or listened to the first one.

When I began listening to The Flux I was hooked, I love this world that Ferrett Steinmetz has created. I love the different 'mancy, how something you are skilled at can be used as a form of 'mancy, enabling you to do a lot of things that are physically impossible, like turning dressing yourself in you favourite game outfit to fight in a battle, using Pokeballs to capture people.

The Flux has some amazing action sequences, with lots of brutal fight scenes and it does not hold out on the gore factor either, but I loved it. The attention to detail was truly outstanding, and it really made things come to life even more. I love the cover of this audiobook, and after getting to know the characters I like seeing who it portrays. The characters themselves have a way of standing out and making sure they are memorable. I love the interaction between the primary characters and how they work so well together. The 'mancy itself sounds amazing, but also scary. Wanting something so much that your 'mancy can make it happen, but one shift in that feeling of need can backlash, and can have dire effects, from turning a minor crash into a fatal one, from a safe place becoming unsafe fast, and from life to death.

The plot behind the book was fantastic, and while it initially started out easy to follow, as it progressed I did feel like I was missing important events that occurred in the previous book. The author has done a good job to fill in most of the blanks and explain things, but to me because I knew I had missed out I couldn't help but see the glaring gaps, this did affect me somewhat in my enjoyment,but it just makes me more determined to pick up the previous book so I can enjoy this book again as a whole series so far.

Narration
The narrator, Peter Brooke, has done a great job of telling this story. He made it easy to distinguish which character was who with slight differentiation in his voice. He helped the story draw you in even more than you already had been, and want to keep listening.

Final Verdict
The Flux was an amazing audiobook, and I have problem with listening to this all over again once I pick up the previous book in the series.

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ferrett has done it again. This one is just as good as the first and just as hard to put down. Unfortunately, I'd had less time to read so it took me far longer than it should have! I'm not great at writing reviews, but Ferrett sure is great at writing books I want to read! I can't wait for the next installment! And I'll miss all of these characters until it gets here! :)

[Jennifer Stoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these characters so much and I buy their weaknesses without feeling like they are shit. That is 5 stars for me.

[Patrik Sahlstrøm · Rating 3 out of 5]

A veritable rollercoaster of quality. Parts of this book are outstanding, other parts are pretty meh. Steinmetz is a bit to keen on referencing popular culture (note to self, since I'm not a fan of that I'd better stay away from Ready Player One), it works well when he references movies I like, but I fall of the cart when he starts referencing things I hate. And Steinmetz does that quite a bit. There are also enough plotholes to satisfy a swiss cheese, but all in all this book isn't bad and if you liked the first in the series you'll enjoy this one too, more of the same

[Sunil · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Flex , Ferrett Steinmetz introduced one of the coolest magic systems in recent memory: 'mancy manifests a person's specific obsessions, be it fire, video games, or...bureaucracy. The Flux picks up a couple years after bureaucromancer Paul Tsabo faced the fearsome 'mancer Anathema. And wouldn't you know it, there's a new player in town: the King of New York, who seems to be foiling Paul's Flex-making plans at every turn.

The Flux has a bit of a rough start, dropping the reader right into a Flex cook and allowing Paul and Valentine to establish the new status quo. What's happened in the last couple years? What is everyone's status? Who was that one guy? I got lost in the descriptions of 'mancy, and yet, the opening chapters do provide a satisfying follow-up to the major event at the end of the last book, which is pretty much impossible not to spoil in a review of this book: Aliyah is now a 'mancer (she's on the friggin' cover!). Soon enough, the plot emerges, as Paul has a goal: track down the King. But that's just what drives the engine of the narrative. What's really at stake is his relationship with Aliyah, especially now that they're both 'mancers, and his relationship with his ex-wife, Imani, especially now that they're both 'mancers. (One of my favorite things about this book is Imani's increased role.)

I don't know what I expected from a sequel to Flex, but The Flux is an excellent continuation in so many ways. Steinmetz explores the characters and their relationships in new ways because they've changed; I love how frustrating and contradictory they can be. They feel real and complex, so when they tackle an oft-tackled thorny issue, the book makes it compelling rather than cliche. Steinmetz also explores many different 'mancies while adding new twists to the ones he's already established. Plus, those wonderful fucking chapter titles are back ("I Am Become Mario, Destroyer of Worlds"), and he does some great things with his chapter style. It's a fluid, fun read.

I do wonder how some readers may react to the preponderance of pop culture references. Videogamemancy is a huge part of the book, and for the most part Steinmetz provides enough relevant information to get what's happening across, but it definitely helps to have some familiarity with the numerous games Valentine and Aliyah use to influence reality. Not to mention that a good portion of the book involves references and homages to a very specific movie (one of my favorites, thankfully). I'm afraid this could prove alienating to those not In the Know, but since I am In the Know, I enjoyed all of the references, as they made me feel like the target audience.

The Flux made my eyes bug out in shock, it made me laugh out loud, it made me smile in sly appreciation, it made me want to steal Steinmetz's talent for my own. Ferrett Steinmetz is the real deal, folks.

[Brandt · Rating 2 out of 5]

So let's get this out of the way. I don't know Ferrett Steinmetz, even though we both live in Cleveland and have a friend in common. It is through that friend that I learned of the 'Mancer series in the first place and read the first volume Flex . Since Ferrett and I have this mutual friend and I always want Clevelanders to be successful I really wanted to enjoy this book.

Alas.

My problems with the 'Mancer series are that for the originality of the magical system that exists in its universe (and to be sure, the fact that magicians in Steinmetz's universe can basically make magic out of their obsessions is incredibly clever and the strength of this series) Steinmetz puts zero effort into actually building his universe and instead relies on the reader's knowledge of true-life pop culture to fill it out. Why is this a problem? Because one of the reasons magicians are considered so dangerous in the 'Mancer universe is because at the end of World War II, a magic war essentially had Germany destroyed by some sort of magic black hole. However, even though this exists, the course of human history doesn't change one bit in the 'Mancer universe. In the sci-fi/fantasy genre, the setting is almost as important character as the characters themselves. Would readers be nearly as fascinated with Game of Thrones if it weren't for the political machinations of Westeros? So to with universes based on our own, as Ian Tregillis' The Mechanical shows. In Tregillis' work, Christiaan Huygens creates clockwork men, making the Dutch the supreme power of the world. But this one pivotal event changes the course of human history. I would asume if there was a magical black hole that ate Germany, history would be similarly changed.

I recently lauded Megan E. O' Keefe for her skill in creating the "Scorched Continent" in her debut novel Steal the Sky . Because even though one could argue that the heist narrative has been played out more times than a zombie trope and that there are obviously elements that remind readers of Dune she is really successful at painting us a picture of the Scorched Continent enough to make sure that the little we learn about it will have us coming back for more. Steinmetz, however is content to just throw pop culture references at us with a wink and a smile saying something to the effect of "If you liked Fight Club, you're going to like this. The problem with that attitude is that if I wanted to read Fight Club I would, and not going through the actual exercise of fleshing out the universe you are asking me to care about comes off as sloppy at best and lazy at worst. Unfortunately, this detracted from enjoyment of this novel, which I think is weaker than its predecessor (which I had the same problem with) and I'm sorry to say, I won't likely be back.

[Els · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review first appeared at readingthething.net

Just so you know, that is the risk you run when you read THE FLUX by Ferrett Steinmetz. This book will be published October 6th of this year (only a month and a day away, guys!) by Angry Robot Books. This is the second book in the ‘Mancer series; the first book, FLEX, I reviewed as well.

I’ll try to give my opnion relatively spoiler free, but the fact it’s the second in a series, gives some spoilers of the first book in itself (but after my review of book one, I do expect you to have bought and read it. Right?). It took me a bit to get warmed up to THE FLUX. You get dumped right into the story from the first page, but I found it hard to get the feel back. Maybe because it seems to want to and get you back in the atmosphere and give clues to the past, and be action packed. My brain couldn’t do that.
After a bit, I did did find the right feel again and loved the descriptions of all the different kinds of ‘mancy, and could relate to most of the characters, who have to deal with their life not being as it once was, and change is always hard even for people in books. However, there was this sense of things being too easy for everyone, especially with some plottwist that felt like deus ex machina’s at times.

And then… there is another plottwist, but this one makes it all right again. It made me yell at the book (see the tweet at the beginning of this post), because shit got real, and real is often horrible. There is genuine chaos, destruction and emotion, and it made the first two thirds of the book much better in retrospect, because it made this changing view in the mind of the main character much more intense.

So. Again. Get this book. Read it. Be entertained.

[DK Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to come write a review. Book two (Flex being book 1) was not only very happily as good as book 1, but BETTER. I was enrapt with Flex and read it over two days. Book 2 kept me up half the night as I quite literally couldn't put it down and read it in one. Ferrett has surpassed himself. The strange world he has created with 'mancy and world bending potential is extraordinary; so much so I wish I'd thought of it. Wonderful three dimensional characters that aren't all plastic-likeable but are rounded out so they're intriguing even when disliked... plus, well, Valentine. As horrendous as she is fabulous, I want to be her best friend but suspect she'd bore of me and fry me somehow very quickly. Simply put, I cannot WAIT for the 3rd, Fix... and will be watching for it avidly!

[Daniel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started it, but I had to put it down after the first act, since I just couldn't get behind how things happened.


*spoilers of the first act below*


Valentine should have definitely known better than to start screaming at him while he was dealing with the Flux.
His daughter is INCREDIBLY selfish and has NO self control, only doing ANYTHING she apparently can to make the situation worse, then crying when she realizes AGAIN that she's making things worse. You'd think she'd learn a thing or two?
Why should I continue to read though this?

Thanks, but no.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending is pretty sloppy and rushed but man, is this a fun series. Dark though.

[Chris Berko · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great sequel, just as much fun as the first one.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 2.5 of 5

When I read the first book in the 'Mancer series I was only moderately impressed (see review here). I've glanced at the reviews on Goodreads for both the first book and this volume and it seems pretty clear that the series is a hit with most sci-fi readers. So what am I missing?

Paul Tsabo is a drug dealer. He makes "Flex" - a very powerful drug that can give a person magical abilities - or ''Mancy' - to control the things that they are most passionate about. Bureaucrats can be 'bureaucromancers.' We also hear of bookiemancers and illustromancers and paleomancers and pyromancers and ninjamancers and so on. But most important to the story is the videogamemancer, Aliyah ... the eight-year-old daughter to Paul.

Paul also happens to be a cop in charge of hunting down 'Mancers. He's the only non-mancer (or 'mundane') to take down a 'Mancer. But of course there's a reason which no one has figured out - it's because he has the inside scoop and isn't a mundane after all.

But Paul is also a doting father who will do whatever it takes to protect his daughter, Aliyah. This isn't easy, given that Aliyah is one of the most powerful 'Mancers out there and she's still learning to understand and control her powers. She is also wrestling with the adult concepts of morality and if/when it is ever an 'okay' idea to kill someone - even someone who is bad and deserves to die.

The book starts off with a huge rush of action as Paul's own police force has tracked down the Flex lab where Paul is currently cooking up a new batch and Aliyah takes her obsession with video games and her 'mancy ('Mancy works on a person's obsessions) and protects her father. The entire sequence is fantastic and really hooked me. But as I came down from this Flex high, I just never got back into the story.

This story is about Paul and Aliyah. Aliyah is too young to understand the power that she wields and Paul is too spineless to really put up a good fight - which is interesting given that he makes a powerful drug and work(ed/s) with the police force. But his entire motivation is the protection of Aliyah. I'm a father, and I get that aspect, but we need something here for our protagonists to hang onto and fight for. We get a little bit of that with some of the other characters (Valentine, K-Dash and Quaysean), and there is the search for The King of New York who has some insight into the manufacturing of Flex and 'Mancers in the area. But overall this feels like a lot of waiting for something big to happen with a bunch of drug/magic action to keep the reader from getting too antsy.

Looking for a good book? The Flux by Ferrett Steinmetz is the second book in the 'Mancer series and starts out with an attention-getting bang but dwindles off from there.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[Ria Bridges · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the very concept of magic when I first read Flex. The idea that someone’s obsession can be so powerful, so focused, that it can warp the universe, essentially telling reality that no, I believe so strongly that this is how things should happen that indeed it does. That the consequences of rearranging the laws of reality like that is that reality can break down and extradimensional beings can break through and cause untold havoc. I can’t say it appealed to me in the sense of wanting to be a ‘mancer like that, but I can say that, as someone who has struggled with keeping their passions and interests in check so that others don’t get bored/intimidated/weirded out because I’m not being socially appropriate, I can at least say that I can relate a little to what it might be like for someone to have something they cling to that powerfully. And from there I was drawn in.

Last time, we saw Aliyah become the youngest ‘mancer in history. We saw Paul struggle desperately to shield his family from the danger of his ‘mancy, fail to hold his marriage together, defeat and survive any number of deadly issues. This time, in The Flux, we see Aliyah a little bit older, still conflicted about her ‘mancy, trying to make sense of the world that has created her and where she fits in it. Paul, for his part, uncovers a sort of safe haven for ‘mancers, but that safe haven comes at a price, and it’s one that Valentine, at least, doesn’t really want to pay even as Paul argues that it’s best for Aliyah’s sake. The King of New York has his own agenda, one that often intersects with Paul’s desires, and it’s plot twist after plot twist as the story unfolds and everybody suffers along the way.

Everything I liked about Flexis back in The Flux. Valentine is still a kick-ass awesome woman who doesn’t need to be model-thin to be that way, perfectly at home with her kinky sexual expression, a friend to Paul and mentor to Aliyah, and I love her to death because she’s the kind of character SFF needs more of. Paul is still a devoted father who doesn’t do things perfectly and makes frequent mistakes, but he tries to make amends and does what he thinks is best even when it’s a hard call. Aliyah goes through moment of being far too bratty and then far too insightful, but I also admit that’s what happens when you have a troubled kid who has plenty of evidence that the world really is out to get her, who has powers that are hard to control, and when the only person to give her what she wants is a psychopathic pyromancer. I’d be bratty myself, no matter what my age, if all that was heaped on me.

Steinmetz is very good at writing a believable reality that you fall into. Whether it’s through the little name-drops of brands to centre a reader on familiar things in the world, to characters that tug at your heartstrings (who didn’t feel emotion at reading Paul’s attempt to leave Aliyah for her own safety, or at the fate of K-Dash and Quaysean?), it all feels so very real. There’s more to realism than just a high level of detail and clear descriptions, and Steinmetz knows how to bring it all together to create a strong world that readers care about. It’s been a long time since I’ve read an urban fantasy that I want to share with people as much as the world that has ‘mancers in it.

Speaking of emotion, really, The Flux has it in spades. It’s an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end, mostly thanks to Aliyah’s development. Aliyah starts off with her continuing love/hate relationship for ‘mancy, which turns into disdain for those who can’t do ‘mancy and thus, to her mind, will never understand her and she won’t understand them, to being angry at her father for all the times he needs to be saved. But the real heartache for me was seeing Aliyah’s relationship to Imani, her mother. Aliyah craves her mother’s love and attention in the same way most young children do, but at the same time is truly afraid that if Imani discovers Aliyah is a ‘mancer, Imani will want to kill her. And given some thoughtless comments that Imani or David made in the past, her fear isn’t an overreaction. It’s heartbreaking to see that kind of conflict in anyone, let alone such a young child.

The story in The Flux feels like it’s got a bit of second-book syndrome. It is a complete story in its own right, a good continuation of the events in Flex, but it feels more like an interlude, the necessary setup and establishment for things that need to happen in the third book later. There was plenty of tension, great pacing, the snappy dialogue I love so much, but a lot of it felt like a book in which this character gets introduced, that realization occurs, to prop up a novel to come. This doesn’t make it a bad book — far from it! — but it does make it feel less important than the first novel, by far.

But I’m in love with the world that Steinmetz has created, and the characters within it, and the overarching story in this series so far is pulling me along at breakneck speed and I don’t want to stop. It’s a wonderfully creative take on magic, has a weird and varied cast of characters, and I can’t wait to dive into Fix to continue the story!

(Book received in exchange for review.)

[Savannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll admit I was ultimately disappointed by this book. It's still the same great universe. It still has the same creativity and humor as the first book. It still has copious amounts of video game references which is awesome. I loved the beginning and I loved the end. However, for an extensive period of time in the middle, Paul flops around like a salted slug. That is to say, oblivious to where the danger is coming from, not capable of using a higher intelligence to problem solve, and most importantly, spineless. Utterly and wholly spineless. To be fair, these traits have always been a part of Paul's character, but his more redeeming qualities balanced him out before. Now the traits that I actually admired about him (i.e. love for his daughter) actually create this vortex of suffocating stupidity that goes on for pages and was frustrating for me to read.

Despite all of this, I still enjoyed the resolution of this book and I am currently preparing to start the next one. I do not think the painful middle section has ruined the whole series for me. At worst it was a section we had to trudge through in order to create a better, more developed ending. I would have certainly liked it to be different, but I still read this book at the speed of light so it can't have been TOO terrible. I did like this book. I just can't claim to have loved it due to the large amount of time I spent glaring at Paul. However, I look forward to reading Fix and still have hope for the series as a whole.

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. I picked it up because Ann Leckie was quoted as saying "Read this book!" on the cover, and she was right. I thoroughly enjoyed every single page.

What amazed me most was how tension was maintained through every single scene, regardless of whether it was a full-on, knife's edge action sequence or just a father & daughter chatting but not understanding each other. It also has impressively complex and developing characters for a sci-fi book.

I didn't want to put it down, and I'm looking for more stuff by Steinmetz immediately. Consequently, I only found out at the end that this was a sequel, so I'm super-keen to read the 1st one now, but props to the author for writing it so well that I didn't notice I'd jumped in at Part II of the story.

[Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worthy sequel

Sequels can be tough to balance but this one manages and in some aspects excels. It's rare that I have the urge to yell at a character in a book the same way I might yell at a character in a film but this book absolutely gave me the same feeling. I think perhaps one of my favorite things about this author's style is that it is inherently cinematic. Chapter after chapter read like perfectly contained scenes that could easily make the leap to film. This style also makes for a fairly quick read.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

*copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review*

The Flux is the second part of a trilogy by Ferrett Steinmetz. It follows a magic user, Paul Tsabo, as he attempts to cope with the effects and consequences of using magic. It also examines his relationship with his young daughter, also a user of magic, as he attempts to keep her safe from harm whilst allowing her the freedom to grow. In between these emotional character arcs, there’s a fair few chases, explosions, and the occasional gunfight.

The world that the author gives us in The Flux is an interesting one. It posits a world in which individuals with sufficient passion for a subject can work magic based around that subject. So there are bureaucromancers, videogame-mancers, moviemancers, cookingmancers – a whole cavcalade of passionate individuals, in a minority to the world’s population. But they have the power to change that world, in the limits of their passion – forms changing on demand for the bureaucromancer, food becoming lavish banquets for a cookingmancer, and so on. It’s an interesting system – with these individuals isolated and outnumbered, there’s plenty of room for conflict, and for discussion of individuals rights. There’s also the problem of the titular Flux – once a ‘mancer has changed the world to fit their whim, the universe punishes them with a backlash of bad luck. Each opportunity to work a miracle is balanced by the following disaster – usually to something or someone the ‘mancer holds dear.

Steinmetz’s system is clever, and gives his magic a sense of emotional depth; the characters dare not act too far into the realms of fantasy, lest they be punished awfully by the universe for doing so. There’s also the possibility of government response – an army of ‘mancers madeinto a hive mind and set after their fellows, and the more common task forces of city police forces. It’s all plausible, if a little dystopian – but the idea of letting passion run free, and facing the consequences, is a powerful one, which sits at the core of this world, making it feel both vulnerable and real. That it looks at those consequences unflinchingly gives it a vibrant emotional truth.

The central characters of this piece are Tsabo (the aforementioned bureaucromancer), his daughter Aaliyah, and their friend, Valentine. The latter is also known as Psycho Mantis, a dangerous and destructive videogame-mancer. Despite, or perhaps because of this, the extroverted Valentine gets on well with the more emotionally cautious Paul, and seems invested in both their friendship, and her bond with Aaliyah, as she tries to teach the little girl to live with her magic, and remain sane.

Steinmetz writes Valentine as caring, pleasant, occasionally excitable, with a core of fire and steel that allows her to consider actions that Paul finds reprehensible. Paul, by contrast, has at his heart his relationship with his daughter – the author gives us a man determined to keep the most precious person in his life safe, at any cost – and that cost, in family stability, emotional health, and even blood, could be very high indeed. Aaliyah is portrayed with the emotional sensibilities of pre-teen – which given she is one, is a piece of spot on work by Steinmetz. She’s looking to keep her father safe, ironic given that he wants the same for her, but carries a more ruthless streak, willing to dare more to do so, whilst faltering over what kind of person she wants to be – whether she’ll be defined by her incoming power, or craft her identity in another way.

There’s other relationships here - Paul’s relationship with his ex-wife, for example, is poignant, edged, and carries an undertone of caring that feels entirely real. But the core, that triad of affection, platonic and familial, between Paul, Valentine and Aaliyah, is the heart of the book. That relationship feels genuine – often fraught, sometimes sharp edged, but always with love at the centre – and Steinmetz sells it, making those three characters into real, caring people, based on the way they interact with each other. It’s an outstanding piece of character work.

The plot, not to spoiler, begins with Paul and Valentine trying to generate a load of ‘Flex’, a sort of liquid luck. Things very quickly go downhill from there. There’s SWAT teams, hostile magic, and an effort by Paul to keep his seemingly crumbling family and friends together. The story serves the character relationships, but it isn’t afraid to land a few punches – there are moments of real emotional resonance, and Steinmetz isn’t afraid to show that Tsabo and his family live in an often deadly world.

What starts off as a simple brewing operation quickly becomes something else, and the reader is gradually led into the wider story at the same time as their protagonist. The pacing is spot on, and by the end I was flipping pages quickly to find out what happened next, whilst hoping the book wouldn’t end.

Overall, this one’s worth giving a look to. It has a strong core of characters, with well defined and evolving relationships. It has a world with an interesting backstory behind it, shifted from our own, but believable. And it has struggles against oppression, comments to make about marginalisation, and...did I mention massive explosions? There’s something for everyone here, and it’s all in a very neat package indeed. Having missed the first volume in the series, I'm looking forward to the next one immensely!

[John Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rare sequel that not only preserves the good things from the original (the nifty magic system and the fun characters) but addresses the problem with its predecessor (replacing an overstuffed and sometimes incoherent plot with one that was streamlined and without egregious plotholes). It particularly stands out for the engaging depiction of an eight-year-old girl and for seriously addressing the ethical issues raised by the magic system and plot details.

[Jenn Callahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

i don't understand why I hadn't heard about this book until now, and it was nearly impossible to find a copy of it. I couldn't find a copy of the first one at all!
Really good read. Highly recommend. Would definitely recommend reading #1 first -- I had a few moments of Hunh? as a result of not having read the first one.