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The Seer
Detective Laeric Scoth is good at his job, but he’s also an ass. And Jesco Currane has just gotten stuck with him on the most frustrating case of their careers.
When the body of a courier is discovered in an alley, Jesco is called in to assist with his seer skills. All he has to do is touch the clothing of the deceased to identify the killer. But the victim has been stripped naked, and the only evidence at the scene is a timepiece. The people he sees within it have nothing to do with the murder, yet they must be related to the case.
Chasing down leads with Scoth lets Jesco see another side of the surly, if handsome, detective. But as their feelings for each other grow heated, so does the investigation. Someone doesn’t want them to know who killed the courier . . . and plans to add them to the death toll if they don’t stop pursuing it.
When the body of a courier is discovered in an alley, Jesco is called in to assist with his seer skills. All he has to do is touch the clothing of the deceased to identify the killer. But the victim has been stripped naked, and the only evidence at the scene is a timepiece. The people he sees within it have nothing to do with the murder, yet they must be related to the case.
Chasing down leads with Scoth lets Jesco see another side of the surly, if handsome, detective. But as their feelings for each other grow heated, so does the investigation. Someone doesn’t want them to know who killed the courier . . . and plans to add them to the death toll if they don’t stop pursuing it.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 10, 2015
62 people are currently reading
434 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
January 13, 2017
3.5
This story is an example of why people shouldn't avoid something labelled romance. To think of all those who usually avoid romance like a plague and who are going to miss out on a really good mystery set in an interesting world. Add zero info-dumps and you get a well rounded story with likeable (and some less so) characters.
The lack of info-dumps left me knowing enough to love the story, but at the same time wishing there was more of it (othelins like Jesco and their different abilities, the badlands and its dangers, the travelling carnivals and their people, their autohorses and other various mechanical goodies, the arguments between the religious and the rest of the world about the othelin children and so on).
The thing is, this is not a romance. Yes, there is a romantic element and the two main characters have this thing between them, but it is always somewhere in the background of the story. All the focus is on a murder of a courier. If not for these two, his death would be forgotten because he wasn't someone famous or rich. Their priorities are right where they should be.
The mystery is great. In the end everything is explained and all the red herrings (which were pretty good) weren't simply forgotten.
The world where this takes place deserves a lot more books than just this one and, as far as the main characters go, even if there should have been more about Laeric Scoth and Jesco Currane (if I am nitpicking), I wouldn't mind to see more of them.
This story is an example of why people shouldn't avoid something labelled romance. To think of all those who usually avoid romance like a plague and who are going to miss out on a really good mystery set in an interesting world. Add zero info-dumps and you get a well rounded story with likeable (and some less so) characters.
The lack of info-dumps left me knowing enough to love the story, but at the same time wishing there was more of it (othelins like Jesco and their different abilities, the badlands and its dangers, the travelling carnivals and their people, their autohorses and other various mechanical goodies, the arguments between the religious and the rest of the world about the othelin children and so on).
The thing is, this is not a romance. Yes, there is a romantic element and the two main characters have this thing between them, but it is always somewhere in the background of the story. All the focus is on a murder of a courier. If not for these two, his death would be forgotten because he wasn't someone famous or rich. Their priorities are right where they should be.
The mystery is great. In the end everything is explained and all the red herrings (which were pretty good) weren't simply forgotten.
The world where this takes place deserves a lot more books than just this one and, as far as the main characters go, even if there should have been more about Laeric Scoth and Jesco Currane (if I am nitpicking), I wouldn't mind to see more of them.
June 11, 2016
I liked this story. I truly did. Why three stars?
- Here is a good piece of info for anyone starting the book. Last name Scoth is pronounced same as "both", not "moth". BUT ... busy with the ramblings the author only gets a chance to mentioning it 30% into the book.
What? You didn't know? @.@
- The romance is almost non-existent. The MCs get "together" together while intoxicated. They are cute while doing it, but - really? I don't mind the lack of romance, however this clumsy attempt at it was nearly a turn off for me. There isn't much chemistry between the two anyway.
- The mystery is almost lost in overwhelming amount of unnecessary details. The book is bursting at the seems with them and the story's momentum, slowly and painfully gained through numerous attempts, keeps getting buried under pointless deviations from the plot to describe this or that or ...
- To make us feel ...scandalized? A child (a girl) from a respected family, smart, well mannered, was forced (by the author) to describe an orgy in the neighbour's garden. That orgy was already described by her aunt and her father 3 or 4 times. WHY???? What is the purpose of this? Not to mention, that said aunt should have removed children (there were more than one) from the garden at once the moment the party started.
Oh, I must mention a girl with a shock collar on her. It zaps her every time she raises her voice. Sure, she breaks glass for a hobby that way, but did the author have to even write her in? She wasn't relevant to anything in this story.
Child services, please!
- The Seer, Jesco. He sees people or rather he becomes them by touching their belongings. As a result, Jesco avoids coming in contact with objects that belong to other people, so not to be overwhelmed by their owner's personalities. For his own use he prefers items that are brand new, without anyone's imprint on them. Which makes no sense once you think about it. What about manufacturers? What about tailors, who spend hours, days making a suit. What about furniture? Someone has to cut wood, put together a frame, stuff and upholster it. And so on.
On the bright side:
- Cut 10-15% off the page count and the book is priceless.
- Hasten Jibb. A man-child with wild imagination. Love him. He is my favorite character in this book.
- Here is a good piece of info for anyone starting the book. Last name Scoth is pronounced same as "both", not "moth". BUT ... busy with the ramblings the author only gets a chance to mentioning it 30% into the book.
What? You didn't know? @.@
- The romance is almost non-existent. The MCs get "together" together while intoxicated. They are cute while doing it, but - really? I don't mind the lack of romance, however this clumsy attempt at it was nearly a turn off for me. There isn't much chemistry between the two anyway.
- The mystery is almost lost in overwhelming amount of unnecessary details. The book is bursting at the seems with them and the story's momentum, slowly and painfully gained through numerous attempts, keeps getting buried under pointless deviations from the plot to describe this or that or ...
- To make us feel ...scandalized? A child (a girl) from a respected family, smart, well mannered, was forced (by the author) to describe an orgy in the neighbour's garden. That orgy was already described by her aunt and her father 3 or 4 times. WHY???? What is the purpose of this? Not to mention, that said aunt should have removed children (there were more than one) from the garden at once the moment the party started.
Oh, I must mention a girl with a shock collar on her. It zaps her every time she raises her voice. Sure, she breaks glass for a hobby that way, but did the author have to even write her in? She wasn't relevant to anything in this story.
Child services, please!
- The Seer, Jesco. He sees people or rather he becomes them by touching their belongings. As a result, Jesco avoids coming in contact with objects that belong to other people, so not to be overwhelmed by their owner's personalities. For his own use he prefers items that are brand new, without anyone's imprint on them. Which makes no sense once you think about it. What about manufacturers? What about tailors, who spend hours, days making a suit. What about furniture? Someone has to cut wood, put together a frame, stuff and upholster it. And so on.
On the bright side:
- Cut 10-15% off the page count and the book is priceless.
- Hasten Jibb. A man-child with wild imagination. Love him. He is my favorite character in this book.
September 4, 2018
Good but slow
TW: Misogyny, mention of drug use and abuse of minor characters.
3.5 stars
This was well-written and the world-building was paced so you had the information you needed when you needed it without info-dumping on you, except at the very beginning. The mystery was intricate and complex, which I appreciated. There was no obvious answer but there were enough hints scattered throughout that it wasn't out of nowhere too. It was also oddly slow for a murder mystery, and the "romance" between Scoth and Jesco was low-key at best, tacked on to meet the m/m requirement at worst. I'm not really sure why it was there. They had no chemistry at all. At least the sex was mostly off page, which I consider a bonus though I know some will disagree.
If you're looking for a good mystery, this is your book. If you're looking for M/M romance, it is not.
TW: Misogyny, mention of drug use and abuse of minor characters.
3.5 stars
This was well-written and the world-building was paced so you had the information you needed when you needed it without info-dumping on you, except at the very beginning. The mystery was intricate and complex, which I appreciated. There was no obvious answer but there were enough hints scattered throughout that it wasn't out of nowhere too. It was also oddly slow for a murder mystery, and the "romance" between Scoth and Jesco was low-key at best, tacked on to meet the m/m requirement at worst. I'm not really sure why it was there. They had no chemistry at all. At least the sex was mostly off page, which I consider a bonus though I know some will disagree.
If you're looking for a good mystery, this is your book. If you're looking for M/M romance, it is not.
October 17, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. The mystery is a bit plodding, but it actually builds nicely. The romance is barely-there but I liked all the characters, and the steam-punky backdrop was pretty cool. I could see this becoming a series, and I'd definitely read on.
December 9, 2022
I liked the mystery, it was really engaging. The writing was a bit slow at times though, so it took me a while to finish it. The world building seemed a bit sparse, except the seer parts of it - I would have liked to know more about the autohorses and the whole engineering part of the world, the logic behind it and more about the whirly-gigs. The romance was low key and not the main focus of the book, and it really worked for the story. Jordan Reece is a new to me author and I would be interested in reading more from them.
April 19, 2020
This was a really enjoyable story with a really thoughtful story.
Both characters were great and I enjoyed their interactions.
This was my first book by Jordan Reece but it will not be my last
Both characters were great and I enjoyed their interactions.
This was my first book by Jordan Reece but it will not be my last
March 2, 2016
We are in the country of Ainscote, in the city of Cantercaster. Our hero is an othelin in his mid-twenties, Jesco Currane. Periodically he is asked to leave the security of the asylum where’s lived since he was a boy to help out the Cantercaster police with particularly difficult murder cases. One detective he often works with is Laeric Scoth. Scoth seems distant and dismissive of Jesco’s talents, but Jesco knows that they share at least one common interest. When Jesco and Laeric are thrown together in a particularly frustrating murder case, they begin to understand each other.
So here’s a book that was recommended by a friend. I finished it late last night. I realize that I’ve sort of fallen for the Steampunk romance genre, but there was so much about this particular book that pleased me, I couldn’t resist giving it one of my rare five-star reviews. While I tend to shy away from historical novels—because I’ve read so much period literature that the flaws are often too obvious—Steampunk is a liberating sort of genre. Because the author can create a world that mixes contemporary, historical, and science-fiction, it all comes down to literary skill and not historical detail.
Jordan Reece has created a puzzling, almost-recognizable but distinctly off-kilter world in which to place her two anti-heroes. It is a world in which computerized horses pull the carriages, in which knives are called blades and guns are called shooters. People travel by train and there are dirigibles, but there seems to be no way to communicate beyond letters and in person. It is the typically odd world of Steampunk, feeling both modern and archaic at the same time.
But Reece has infused this complicated and ugly murder mystery with a profound gentleness—an odd thing, that—through her characters of Jesco and Laeric. The religious element of this world is anti-science, and condemns Jesco’s paranormal powers as demonic. The rational part of this world sees the value of Jesco’s ability to see into people’s lives by touching objects they have touched, and uses him. While nobody proclaims same-sex attraction publicly, there seem to be no religious strictures against it, and Jesco’s emotional loneliness is mostly due to the limitations imposed upon him by his own psychic abilities. The laconic Laeric is a workaholic, and as Jesco begins to see through the gruff exterior, he realizes there is a man of great wisdom and dedication. The friendship that buds into romance between these two men is central, but not what drives the plot. This is, above all, a murder mystery, set in a world where—as in our own—money is power and justice is for those who can afford it.
I really loved this book, because it was interesting and very well written. But it was Jesco and Laeric who really drew me in. Their humanity made me care about them and their world, and that’s exactly what an author needs her characters to do.
So here’s a book that was recommended by a friend. I finished it late last night. I realize that I’ve sort of fallen for the Steampunk romance genre, but there was so much about this particular book that pleased me, I couldn’t resist giving it one of my rare five-star reviews. While I tend to shy away from historical novels—because I’ve read so much period literature that the flaws are often too obvious—Steampunk is a liberating sort of genre. Because the author can create a world that mixes contemporary, historical, and science-fiction, it all comes down to literary skill and not historical detail.
Jordan Reece has created a puzzling, almost-recognizable but distinctly off-kilter world in which to place her two anti-heroes. It is a world in which computerized horses pull the carriages, in which knives are called blades and guns are called shooters. People travel by train and there are dirigibles, but there seems to be no way to communicate beyond letters and in person. It is the typically odd world of Steampunk, feeling both modern and archaic at the same time.
But Reece has infused this complicated and ugly murder mystery with a profound gentleness—an odd thing, that—through her characters of Jesco and Laeric. The religious element of this world is anti-science, and condemns Jesco’s paranormal powers as demonic. The rational part of this world sees the value of Jesco’s ability to see into people’s lives by touching objects they have touched, and uses him. While nobody proclaims same-sex attraction publicly, there seem to be no religious strictures against it, and Jesco’s emotional loneliness is mostly due to the limitations imposed upon him by his own psychic abilities. The laconic Laeric is a workaholic, and as Jesco begins to see through the gruff exterior, he realizes there is a man of great wisdom and dedication. The friendship that buds into romance between these two men is central, but not what drives the plot. This is, above all, a murder mystery, set in a world where—as in our own—money is power and justice is for those who can afford it.
I really loved this book, because it was interesting and very well written. But it was Jesco and Laeric who really drew me in. Their humanity made me care about them and their world, and that’s exactly what an author needs her characters to do.
February 12, 2016
4.5 stars
Fantastic world building! I got sucked into this story so quickly. It was a great mystery with an enjoyable slow burn, enemies to lovers romance. I especially adored Jesco - I've never seen a character quite like him before and I so wanted him to get his HEA. I feel like the ending was HFN and I'm wondering whether (actually, hoping that) the author has a sequel planned.
Fantastic world building! I got sucked into this story so quickly. It was a great mystery with an enjoyable slow burn, enemies to lovers romance. I especially adored Jesco - I've never seen a character quite like him before and I so wanted him to get his HEA. I feel like the ending was HFN and I'm wondering whether (actually, hoping that) the author has a sequel planned.
September 19, 2022
Kindle-Sort-ReRead
I had the hardest time getting into this story. At the start the author gets carried away with fancy wording and info dumps, creating too much distant. Almost quit several times.
I'm very glad I persevered. This proved a fascinating Steampunk world with interesting characters.
Jesco's no touch milady seems not fully thought out. Furniture is made, food is grown, prepared..
Scoth became likeable, his brusque manner hiding a caring clever man. Though, I could have done with the disdainful guide to pronouncing his name coming at the beginning.
The relationship is understated but has depth.
The mystery a good tangle, spiralling out to bigger things.
Tammy is a breath of fresh air and I loved Kyrad, what an unapologetically great character.
Children get a tough deal here though.
I had the hardest time getting into this story. At the start the author gets carried away with fancy wording and info dumps, creating too much distant. Almost quit several times.
I'm very glad I persevered. This proved a fascinating Steampunk world with interesting characters.
Jesco's no touch milady seems not fully thought out. Furniture is made, food is grown, prepared..
Scoth became likeable, his brusque manner hiding a caring clever man. Though, I could have done with the disdainful guide to pronouncing his name coming at the beginning.
The relationship is understated but has depth.
The mystery a good tangle, spiralling out to bigger things.
Tammy is a breath of fresh air and I loved Kyrad, what an unapologetically great character.
Children get a tough deal here though.
February 8, 2016
Great story and great writing. Difficult to know what genre to place this story into. M/M romance, Mystery, Fantasy, Paranormal?
The novel is set in an imaginary world, similar to 19th century America but more cleverly up to date. If I were trying to describe the setting, Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk immediately springs to mind, in fact the style of writing/story telling is reminiscent of Ms. Hawk's series.
The reader needs to keep their wits about them with this novel, people's names and place names are not familiar to our history - this is a fantastical world with names similar to those of Dickensian characters and it demanded my concentration.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this highly addictive plot set in an alternative reality. Light on the romance and what there is not particularly descriptive; being either gay or straight is not a particular big deal in this totally inclusive society.
Loved it. 4.5 stars
The novel is set in an imaginary world, similar to 19th century America but more cleverly up to date. If I were trying to describe the setting, Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk immediately springs to mind, in fact the style of writing/story telling is reminiscent of Ms. Hawk's series.
The reader needs to keep their wits about them with this novel, people's names and place names are not familiar to our history - this is a fantastical world with names similar to those of Dickensian characters and it demanded my concentration.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this highly addictive plot set in an alternative reality. Light on the romance and what there is not particularly descriptive; being either gay or straight is not a particular big deal in this totally inclusive society.
Loved it. 4.5 stars
January 25, 2016
Pacing problems and lite on romance. Frequently offered too much detail about things that ultimately did not move the story along. Particularly frustrating at the end when extraneous information prolonged the resolution and so much was told to us/Jesco.
February 26, 2016
“I know them as I know myself, and I want to bring them justice just as much as you do. If not more, because for a short time, I am them.”
Jesco Currane is a seer who’s on retainer with the Cantercaster Police Department. Jesco is othelin and it’s his ability to “see” that makes him an integral asset at the scene of a murder investigation where the killer leaves no clues—he need only touch the clothing or a personal item of the deceased and he becomes them, even at the moment of their death, and it’s this ability to become the victims, figuratively speaking, that allows the police to catch their killers. An othelin’s talent is so accurate, in fact, that their testimony is not only admissible in court but their word is nearly law when it comes to fingering a perpetrator, which makes Jesco invaluable to the justice system. This ability, however, doesn’t come without a hefty price. It also makes him a freak, an outcast; according to the Church he is demon spawn, evil incarnate, and there are many who fear him. And, for days after “seeing,” Jesco is left little more than an invalid, in the worst cases unable to move or take care of his most basic of needs, eventually able to be strapped into a wheelchair before he can graduate to walking with a cane and then recover his full range of motion.
When it became evident at the age of eight that Jesco was “other,” his family took to beating him, attempted to cast the demons from him through vigilant prayer, then eventually abandoned him to the Cantercaster Asylum where he’s lived ever since they realized the demons had taken hold of Jesco’s soul and weren’t about to let him go. Let me just say right here that what we learn about Jesco in relationship to this backstory is every single thing that makes him a brilliant and embraceable character. Where all too often we might see an author manipulate these events and their aftereffects, using them as an opportunity to manufacture drama and make Jesco a pitiable character weakened by his own misery or self-loathing, Jordan Reece does the opposite. Reece gives Jesco a home and a family filled with children who are othelin like him—and Jesco loves that home and the family he’s been gifted there (although, after his sister married a man of science, he did regain at least one member of his biological family). The author also gave Jesco a purpose driven life. While he is hated and feared and is even looked upon unfavorably by some of the members of the very police force he works for, Jesco’s life is also enriched by that which also proves to be a great burden at times. Jesco brings justice to the deceased and closure to those who may mourn them, and it’s this ability that drives him to put himself and his body through such trauma. He’s heroic in no uncertain terms, but he’s also not infallible.
It’s this infallibility that’s at the heart of this mystery novel. When Jesco is called to the scene of a murder in one of the most desolate (in a post-apocalyptic way) areas of the city to try and identify a killer, what he discovers upon his arrival is that the victim has been left in an alley, naked. It would appear to be the perfect crime—if a seer has nothing upon which to use his second sight, the killer gets away, quite literally, with murder. It’s in this place dubbed Poisonous Lane that we first meet Detective Laeric Scoth.
Scoth isn’t an easy man to like, at least not at first. He and Jesco are oil and water, both prickly with each other to the point they’re consistently poised on the defensive, both expecting the other to be offensive in one way or another, when what really grates is the fact they’re both a little arrogant. Jesco has pulled the rug out from under Scoth at least once when the detective thought he’d had a murder solved, but then Jesco came along and with one touch proved Scoth wrong. Their antagonism toward each other proves to be more fruitful than the answers they’re able to glean from Hasten Jibb’s denuded corpse, though, and their investigation begins in earnest when a watch is discovered near the young man’s body.
The investigation of this crime is nothing less than superb, the action at times intense, the danger significant as more clues are revealed, and the man-child Jibb is revealed to have been, along with the fact that no one mourns his loss, makes him a touching and sympathetic character even in death, which was an unexpected bonus. The evidence piles up and leads to so many suspects which leads to twists and turns and, in the end, a motive for murder that is not only entirely plausible but is so well detailed that it almost overshadows every other aspect of this story. Jordan Reece gets the historical feel of the novel down well, but it’s the steampunk that makes The Seer fun (an example being that because Jesco is unable to read, for reasons that have nothing to do with illiteracy, we get to witness the first audiobook).
Dovetailing with all of this is the third person omniscient narrative—a mode that’s not easy to write and not be accused of head-hopping, but in this case is finessed well. The dialogue is outstanding, serving to move the story forward and completing the exposition of not only the characters but the plot as well. The only niggle I can say I had was in some of the instances of when Jesco could and could not touch something, specifically Laeric, without having a reaction—there were times when his seer talent was a distraction for me as I tried to suss out what was and wasn’t going to put him in thrall, but in relationship to my overall love of this book, that was minor. I also never really warmed up to Scoth much, but his surliness did fit both his job (think hardboiled detective) and the contrast in personality to Jesco’s gentler nature.
In the spirit of my love for steampunk and a good murder mystery, I suppose I should insert the disclaimer here that The Seer is not a romance novel. While Jesco and Laeric do become romantic partners, and the affection they feel for each other is evident, the building of their relationship is secondary to the crime being investigated. And while I’d love to see a continuation to their story (we do get an interesting glimpse one-hundred-fifty years into the future through Sfinx, one of the othelin children, which shows us who Jesco eventually became), this book is a complete standalone novel. That doesn’t mean, though, that there couldn’t be so much more story to tell.
Reviewed by Lisa for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
Jesco Currane is a seer who’s on retainer with the Cantercaster Police Department. Jesco is othelin and it’s his ability to “see” that makes him an integral asset at the scene of a murder investigation where the killer leaves no clues—he need only touch the clothing or a personal item of the deceased and he becomes them, even at the moment of their death, and it’s this ability to become the victims, figuratively speaking, that allows the police to catch their killers. An othelin’s talent is so accurate, in fact, that their testimony is not only admissible in court but their word is nearly law when it comes to fingering a perpetrator, which makes Jesco invaluable to the justice system. This ability, however, doesn’t come without a hefty price. It also makes him a freak, an outcast; according to the Church he is demon spawn, evil incarnate, and there are many who fear him. And, for days after “seeing,” Jesco is left little more than an invalid, in the worst cases unable to move or take care of his most basic of needs, eventually able to be strapped into a wheelchair before he can graduate to walking with a cane and then recover his full range of motion.
When it became evident at the age of eight that Jesco was “other,” his family took to beating him, attempted to cast the demons from him through vigilant prayer, then eventually abandoned him to the Cantercaster Asylum where he’s lived ever since they realized the demons had taken hold of Jesco’s soul and weren’t about to let him go. Let me just say right here that what we learn about Jesco in relationship to this backstory is every single thing that makes him a brilliant and embraceable character. Where all too often we might see an author manipulate these events and their aftereffects, using them as an opportunity to manufacture drama and make Jesco a pitiable character weakened by his own misery or self-loathing, Jordan Reece does the opposite. Reece gives Jesco a home and a family filled with children who are othelin like him—and Jesco loves that home and the family he’s been gifted there (although, after his sister married a man of science, he did regain at least one member of his biological family). The author also gave Jesco a purpose driven life. While he is hated and feared and is even looked upon unfavorably by some of the members of the very police force he works for, Jesco’s life is also enriched by that which also proves to be a great burden at times. Jesco brings justice to the deceased and closure to those who may mourn them, and it’s this ability that drives him to put himself and his body through such trauma. He’s heroic in no uncertain terms, but he’s also not infallible.
It’s this infallibility that’s at the heart of this mystery novel. When Jesco is called to the scene of a murder in one of the most desolate (in a post-apocalyptic way) areas of the city to try and identify a killer, what he discovers upon his arrival is that the victim has been left in an alley, naked. It would appear to be the perfect crime—if a seer has nothing upon which to use his second sight, the killer gets away, quite literally, with murder. It’s in this place dubbed Poisonous Lane that we first meet Detective Laeric Scoth.
Scoth isn’t an easy man to like, at least not at first. He and Jesco are oil and water, both prickly with each other to the point they’re consistently poised on the defensive, both expecting the other to be offensive in one way or another, when what really grates is the fact they’re both a little arrogant. Jesco has pulled the rug out from under Scoth at least once when the detective thought he’d had a murder solved, but then Jesco came along and with one touch proved Scoth wrong. Their antagonism toward each other proves to be more fruitful than the answers they’re able to glean from Hasten Jibb’s denuded corpse, though, and their investigation begins in earnest when a watch is discovered near the young man’s body.
The investigation of this crime is nothing less than superb, the action at times intense, the danger significant as more clues are revealed, and the man-child Jibb is revealed to have been, along with the fact that no one mourns his loss, makes him a touching and sympathetic character even in death, which was an unexpected bonus. The evidence piles up and leads to so many suspects which leads to twists and turns and, in the end, a motive for murder that is not only entirely plausible but is so well detailed that it almost overshadows every other aspect of this story. Jordan Reece gets the historical feel of the novel down well, but it’s the steampunk that makes The Seer fun (an example being that because Jesco is unable to read, for reasons that have nothing to do with illiteracy, we get to witness the first audiobook).
Dovetailing with all of this is the third person omniscient narrative—a mode that’s not easy to write and not be accused of head-hopping, but in this case is finessed well. The dialogue is outstanding, serving to move the story forward and completing the exposition of not only the characters but the plot as well. The only niggle I can say I had was in some of the instances of when Jesco could and could not touch something, specifically Laeric, without having a reaction—there were times when his seer talent was a distraction for me as I tried to suss out what was and wasn’t going to put him in thrall, but in relationship to my overall love of this book, that was minor. I also never really warmed up to Scoth much, but his surliness did fit both his job (think hardboiled detective) and the contrast in personality to Jesco’s gentler nature.
In the spirit of my love for steampunk and a good murder mystery, I suppose I should insert the disclaimer here that The Seer is not a romance novel. While Jesco and Laeric do become romantic partners, and the affection they feel for each other is evident, the building of their relationship is secondary to the crime being investigated. And while I’d love to see a continuation to their story (we do get an interesting glimpse one-hundred-fifty years into the future through Sfinx, one of the othelin children, which shows us who Jesco eventually became), this book is a complete standalone novel. That doesn’t mean, though, that there couldn’t be so much more story to tell.
Reviewed by Lisa for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
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November 7, 201911/7/19 Currently FREE via Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011EVNP2I/...
February 1, 2016
** 4.5 Stars **
Captivating!
I really loved the very imaginative and descriptive world building. The murder/mystery is intricate and it's slow but that's what I like, so I didn't mind. The romantic relationship isn't the main focus but it's definitely there, you'll just have to be patient - it's a very 'slow-burn' romance! I was a bit confused with all theses 'fantasy' names and places at the beginning but I always have more or less the same problem with the fantasy genre. ♡
Captivating!
I really loved the very imaginative and descriptive world building. The murder/mystery is intricate and it's slow but that's what I like, so I didn't mind. The romantic relationship isn't the main focus but it's definitely there, you'll just have to be patient - it's a very 'slow-burn' romance! I was a bit confused with all theses 'fantasy' names and places at the beginning but I always have more or less the same problem with the fantasy genre. ♡
December 28, 2016
I am absolutely kicking myself for having waited so long to read this! This book kind of reminded me of Sherlock Holmes only with a psychic playing the part of Watson and some steampunk elements thrown in to great effect. Jesco's abilities aren't your run of the mill psychic talent; the things he sees stay with him and take a great physical toll during and after use to the detriment of his own health and safety. I really liked that part of the book as it added a greater weight behind his choice to use his abilities to assist the police when other seers have gone mad from the strain of it.
Laeric was pretty awesome too; appearing standoffish at first, it was great seeing him open up slowly as he and Jesco worked together and the care he showed for Jesco and his needs was even better. Besides all of the great characters and the really well done setting, was the mystery and boy, was that fantastic! I never once had the murderer or reason pegged before everything was revealed and the whole thing was really intricately put together. I was hooked in the beginning and my intrigue and enjoyment of the story never once flagged. Loved it, loved it, loved it! I'm already looking forward to re-reading this! :D
Laeric was pretty awesome too; appearing standoffish at first, it was great seeing him open up slowly as he and Jesco worked together and the care he showed for Jesco and his needs was even better. Besides all of the great characters and the really well done setting, was the mystery and boy, was that fantastic! I never once had the murderer or reason pegged before everything was revealed and the whole thing was really intricately put together. I was hooked in the beginning and my intrigue and enjoyment of the story never once flagged. Loved it, loved it, loved it! I'm already looking forward to re-reading this! :D
October 11, 2015
Paranormal
I started this book last night. I could not put it down. I loved reading about how they solved the mystery. They went from disliked to maybe extreme like. In this book there was no instant love but a slow build up to a relationship. It is a hfn ending but very satisfying one. I hope to read more of this couple.
I started this book last night. I could not put it down. I loved reading about how they solved the mystery. They went from disliked to maybe extreme like. In this book there was no instant love but a slow build up to a relationship. It is a hfn ending but very satisfying one. I hope to read more of this couple.
January 18, 2016
Wonderfully imaginative, beautifully conceived and perfectly executed. I could not wait to finish this story, and at the same time, I never wanted it to end - it is everything a brilliant story should be, and more.
Alp
Alp
February 4, 2020
A thoroughly enjoyable paranormal historical whodunnit mystery. Highly recommended - 4.5 stars.
October 23, 2021
So the mystery was pretty good. I liked jesco and Scoth.
Only thing I didn't like was the insinuation that if you're not neurotypical you aren't sexual lol
And that asexual/aromantic people are weird or broken.
Idk if that was the author's intent, but Hasting rubbed me the wrong way.
Only thing I didn't like was the insinuation that if you're not neurotypical you aren't sexual lol
And that asexual/aromantic people are weird or broken.
Idk if that was the author's intent, but Hasting rubbed me the wrong way.
March 29, 2017
Streampunk dystopian police procedural murder mystery mm romance
You don't get to put those words together often enough.
In this dystopian alt_universe, things are generally unpleasant (environmental disasters, cooperate mega-misdoings, crime, oppressive industrial factories, poverty, big drug problems) and yet our MCs seem to wander through doing their stalwart duty without chips on their shoulders or despair in their hearts. The guys weren't morose, fatalistic, morally ambiguous, or bitter as typical for many dystopic residents in other books. What they do isn't easy but they don't question that they need to do it. It made it easier to hang out in their world.
Just enough world building for me. The characteristics of this world are major features in the story: transportation options, neutral attitude towards same gender relationships, whirli-gigs, attitudes towards psychics (hated by the large religious community; utilized by the police), neutral attitudes towards prostitutes. This is a rich world, but to an experienced fantasy/scifi/alt_earth reader (such as myself) the author doesn't spend excessive time leading us through an encyclopedic presentation or 'brochure' moments. I found he feathered in the information skillfully. But it is a new and different world, people! So, yes, the author does sometimes need to describe things so you can gleen some understanding of the political, environmental and day to day context. Otherwise you are just a dumb tourist interpreting things from your weird globalcentric earthview. You'll never get into the Star Academy with that attitude!
Right away we are dunked into the world as Jesco (MC1). The story is generally from his POV. He is a seer, so we learn about his needs/strengths and rather drastic physical consequences to his ability during his consultation with the police early in the book. At the murder site, we meet up with detective Laeric Scoth (rhymes with both)(MC2), and we are off on the murder mystery.
Against a backdrop of interviewing and tracking down clues, we have Jesco's in depth seer abilities: with inanimate objects. Jesco (and the reader) can see into the heads of individuals that have handled a given inanimate object (as long as they had feelings while holding it and held it long enough). He can review all thoughts for these people while they touched the object, sometimes generations back with heirlooms. There are physical consequences, and objects handled briefly or by too many people aren't very useful for clue gathering. But the author makes some skilled use of this, and we get layers of rich side stories and insight into select individuals. This really pays off for the story in some ways: experiencing the mind of our innocent murder victim is a sweetly touching experience. And some of the stories touch on historic events, so informative about the world. But Jesco's power needs to be handled carefully by the author to keep a murder mystery going, as some major suspects just up and prove their innocence immediately through Jesco's seeing. Gets rid of some red herrings, right? But you don't want to make it too easy, or Poof! goes the story.
Recommend this story. Hope the author writes this into a series, and that subsequent volumes are as carefully orchestrated.
Some ratings for mm book characteristics of interest to me:
Smexy 1-5: 2 (one explicit scene, I think...otherwise tends to do the fade out...hard enough for authors to orchestrate a sex scene without every inanimate object screaming its life story out to one of the people involved and he could thus fall into a coma)
Likable MCs 1-5: 4 yep, likable and like them together. I bought into them as a potential couple early. It's a relatively slow building collaboration and connection between the two. (Although I think most of the book is done over only a couple of weeks?)
Humor 1-5: 2 Humorous banter, things to smile about. Not a 'funny' book.
Angst 1-5:3 this is an odd one to score for a dystopian book...things are not pleasant in this world, the two MCs (particularly Jesric) have some unpleasant childhood history and stressful lives. But the guys aren't too brought down or emotional about it all. So there is some sense of distance from negative events,much of the time (except when Jesric's powers suck us deep into events)
Hope the author gets one more round of editing in on a new edition. Overall this one was pretty well edited and written; dialogue is smooth,which is key. There are a few mischosen words, and some times when I couldn't tell what antecedent went with a pronoun or descriptive clause. Threw me off at the beginning, having to pause and puzzle over a sentence... but either became less frequent over the story or I got too caught up to care. Warning: take a deep breath when you meet Tammie. She's a talker!
You don't get to put those words together often enough.
In this dystopian alt_universe, things are generally unpleasant (environmental disasters, cooperate mega-misdoings, crime, oppressive industrial factories, poverty, big drug problems) and yet our MCs seem to wander through doing their stalwart duty without chips on their shoulders or despair in their hearts. The guys weren't morose, fatalistic, morally ambiguous, or bitter as typical for many dystopic residents in other books. What they do isn't easy but they don't question that they need to do it. It made it easier to hang out in their world.
Just enough world building for me. The characteristics of this world are major features in the story: transportation options, neutral attitude towards same gender relationships, whirli-gigs, attitudes towards psychics (hated by the large religious community; utilized by the police), neutral attitudes towards prostitutes. This is a rich world, but to an experienced fantasy/scifi/alt_earth reader (such as myself) the author doesn't spend excessive time leading us through an encyclopedic presentation or 'brochure' moments. I found he feathered in the information skillfully. But it is a new and different world, people! So, yes, the author does sometimes need to describe things so you can gleen some understanding of the political, environmental and day to day context. Otherwise you are just a dumb tourist interpreting things from your weird globalcentric earthview. You'll never get into the Star Academy with that attitude!
Right away we are dunked into the world as Jesco (MC1). The story is generally from his POV. He is a seer, so we learn about his needs/strengths and rather drastic physical consequences to his ability during his consultation with the police early in the book. At the murder site, we meet up with detective Laeric Scoth (rhymes with both)(MC2), and we are off on the murder mystery.
Against a backdrop of interviewing and tracking down clues, we have Jesco's in depth seer abilities: with inanimate objects. Jesco (and the reader) can see into the heads of individuals that have handled a given inanimate object (as long as they had feelings while holding it and held it long enough). He can review all thoughts for these people while they touched the object, sometimes generations back with heirlooms. There are physical consequences, and objects handled briefly or by too many people aren't very useful for clue gathering. But the author makes some skilled use of this, and we get layers of rich side stories and insight into select individuals. This really pays off for the story in some ways: experiencing the mind of our innocent murder victim is a sweetly touching experience. And some of the stories touch on historic events, so informative about the world. But Jesco's power needs to be handled carefully by the author to keep a murder mystery going, as some major suspects just up and prove their innocence immediately through Jesco's seeing. Gets rid of some red herrings, right? But you don't want to make it too easy, or Poof! goes the story.
Recommend this story. Hope the author writes this into a series, and that subsequent volumes are as carefully orchestrated.
Some ratings for mm book characteristics of interest to me:
Smexy 1-5: 2 (one explicit scene, I think...otherwise tends to do the fade out...hard enough for authors to orchestrate a sex scene without every inanimate object screaming its life story out to one of the people involved and he could thus fall into a coma)
Likable MCs 1-5: 4 yep, likable and like them together. I bought into them as a potential couple early. It's a relatively slow building collaboration and connection between the two. (Although I think most of the book is done over only a couple of weeks?)
Humor 1-5: 2 Humorous banter, things to smile about. Not a 'funny' book.
Angst 1-5:3 this is an odd one to score for a dystopian book...things are not pleasant in this world, the two MCs (particularly Jesric) have some unpleasant childhood history and stressful lives. But the guys aren't too brought down or emotional about it all. So there is some sense of distance from negative events,much of the time (except when Jesric's powers suck us deep into events)
Hope the author gets one more round of editing in on a new edition. Overall this one was pretty well edited and written; dialogue is smooth,which is key. There are a few mischosen words, and some times when I couldn't tell what antecedent went with a pronoun or descriptive clause. Threw me off at the beginning, having to pause and puzzle over a sentence... but either became less frequent over the story or I got too caught up to care. Warning: take a deep breath when you meet Tammie. She's a talker!
October 3, 2016
I'm giving this book a strong 3.5 stars. It was pretty well written with only minor grammatical errors occasionally and quite interesting. But I very much agree with M'rella's review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
It did get a bit wordy at times... although a lot of fantasy is much more wordy (The Fellowship of the Ring, A Game of Thrones). The MC's had a great relationship. They got along well, they had a lot in common. They made good best friends. The sex kinda came out of nowhere, while they were drunk, and didn't seem needed or wanted. Maybe it was stress relief. The characters didn't seem like a romantic pairing, although the author did try to shoehorn it in a bit later.
As M'rella commented, it was annoying that the author didn't mention the pronunciation of the main character's name until halfway through the book.
Scoth (rhymes with Both), is a determined detective and Jesco becomes his sidekick and lover. Jesco is a Seer who has visions whenever he touches objects that other have touched while emotional, but not while engaging in routine everyday activities (as long as those activities are their job and don't involve caring for Jesco). Everything they touch allows him to temporarily become them when he touches the same object. He can touch food, plants, animals, people... but not wood or cotton (both of which are plants). This world would make much more sense if only metals held memories... only non-carbon based objects. But the author decided on this weird middle-road that makes very little sense if you think too hard about it.
Yes... there are definitely a lot of unnecessary, disturbing details just put in to be disturbing. And there's the prostitute both MC's frequent, Collier.
As M'rella points out, Hasten Jibb, the murder victim, is an example of the authors amazing writing... his... existence as an innocent man-child who lives in a world of his own imagination. A whole book from his perspective would be lovely.
Jordan Reece can definitely write. As a romance, this book scores about two stars. The sex scenes aren't actually bad... but they lack emotional connection and come late in the book. In some ways... the author seems to struggle to write adult emotion. So many of his characters are emotionally stunted and that seems to be where the author is most comfortable. But I call is solidly 4 stars as a fantasy novel. It will never win awards, but it is creative and interesting and engaging and spell-binding. I could hardly put down the book. There was... plenty of fat that could have been trimmed and the characters felt a bit underdeveloped to me, but a decent read overall.
It did get a bit wordy at times... although a lot of fantasy is much more wordy (The Fellowship of the Ring, A Game of Thrones). The MC's had a great relationship. They got along well, they had a lot in common. They made good best friends. The sex kinda came out of nowhere, while they were drunk, and didn't seem needed or wanted. Maybe it was stress relief. The characters didn't seem like a romantic pairing, although the author did try to shoehorn it in a bit later.
As M'rella commented, it was annoying that the author didn't mention the pronunciation of the main character's name until halfway through the book.
Scoth (rhymes with Both), is a determined detective and Jesco becomes his sidekick and lover. Jesco is a Seer who has visions whenever he touches objects that other have touched while emotional, but not while engaging in routine everyday activities (as long as those activities are their job and don't involve caring for Jesco). Everything they touch allows him to temporarily become them when he touches the same object. He can touch food, plants, animals, people... but not wood or cotton (both of which are plants). This world would make much more sense if only metals held memories... only non-carbon based objects. But the author decided on this weird middle-road that makes very little sense if you think too hard about it.
Yes... there are definitely a lot of unnecessary, disturbing details just put in to be disturbing. And there's the prostitute both MC's frequent, Collier.
As M'rella points out, Hasten Jibb, the murder victim, is an example of the authors amazing writing... his... existence as an innocent man-child who lives in a world of his own imagination. A whole book from his perspective would be lovely.
Jordan Reece can definitely write. As a romance, this book scores about two stars. The sex scenes aren't actually bad... but they lack emotional connection and come late in the book. In some ways... the author seems to struggle to write adult emotion. So many of his characters are emotionally stunted and that seems to be where the author is most comfortable. But I call is solidly 4 stars as a fantasy novel. It will never win awards, but it is creative and interesting and engaging and spell-binding. I could hardly put down the book. There was... plenty of fat that could have been trimmed and the characters felt a bit underdeveloped to me, but a decent read overall.
October 17, 2015
Steampunk mystery
I never give 5 stars, but I really enjoyed this story. One of the other reviewers gave this story 1 star for having too many characters and that was a completely unfair review. I've read stories where there were so many characters, that I would use the highlighter excessively to keep track. This wasn't one of those stories.
I really enjoyed the alternative reality setting. The mixture of mechanisms and psychic powers was very interesting. The lead characters slow building of their relationship and the fleshed out secondary characters were well done.
And the primary premise of this story - murder most foul. And foul it was. The painstaking process to discover the who, why, how, etc. Made for an excellent whodunit. I never guessed (I love guessing right, but I really like being proved wrong). And I wouldn't even say there were red herrings to lead you astray. Just methodical police investigation.
Would I read this again? Yes. Would I like to see another book based in this world? Yes.
I never give 5 stars, but I really enjoyed this story. One of the other reviewers gave this story 1 star for having too many characters and that was a completely unfair review. I've read stories where there were so many characters, that I would use the highlighter excessively to keep track. This wasn't one of those stories.
I really enjoyed the alternative reality setting. The mixture of mechanisms and psychic powers was very interesting. The lead characters slow building of their relationship and the fleshed out secondary characters were well done.
And the primary premise of this story - murder most foul. And foul it was. The painstaking process to discover the who, why, how, etc. Made for an excellent whodunit. I never guessed (I love guessing right, but I really like being proved wrong). And I wouldn't even say there were red herrings to lead you astray. Just methodical police investigation.
Would I read this again? Yes. Would I like to see another book based in this world? Yes.
June 7, 2016
This book was unexpectedly brilliant. This was a new to me author so I took a chance and ended up with a favourite that I will definitely read again. I loved the slow build of the relationship between Jesco and Laeric and they were definitely worth the wait. I found the truth about the murder absolutely heart-breaking and at times it was difficult to read. Great story, great characters and I wish there were more stories about these two.
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April 4, 2016Not For Me I'm not going to rate this because this didn't work for me on any level. Jordan Reece is a very talented writer but I never got into this story and I know most other readers will enjoy this one.
August 30, 2015
Interesting world building. Oddly for a murder mystery, no real.sense of urgency, it's a very slow pace.
February 7, 2016
Really enjoyable read!
January 25, 2016
Loved it. Well written mystery with many characters and twists that never stopped turning.
June 10, 2016
Really well written, steampunk is just hard for me to get through.
February 6, 2017
4.5 stars
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