A Vanishing Glow

The Mystech Arcanum #1-2

by Alexis Radcliff

When the High Sovereign of the five kingdoms of Ghavarim is murdered by a mysterious assassin, the realm is plunged into chaos. Jason Tern, a noble captain with a tragic past, must battle shadowy assailants and untangle an ever-widening web of lies to discover the true identity of the killer before mounting tensions spark a bloody civil war.

Meanwhile, Nilya Valsu, a talented army engineer with a broken heart, finds herself used as an unwitting pawn in a plot that has deadly consequences. Wracked by guilt, her sole chance for redemption lies with a man who would loathe her – but only if he knew her secret.

As the conflict intensifies between the magic-fueled technology of the West and the disaffected rebels of the East, all must fight for what they hold dear. Who will reign victorious and who will lie bloodied on the ground in the light of a vanishing glow?

Genres: Fantasy, Steampunk, Science Fiction, Fiction

346 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

Alexis Radcliff is an author, gamer, and history junkie who lives in the Portland area with her husband and a very fluffy, very surly cat.

Reviews

[Kylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

A Vanishing Glow was not a book that I had on my TBR list or had even heard of before, but when the author approached me to ask if I would read and review, and I read the synopsis, I knew I wanted to get my hands on it. This book was an intriguing story of murder, secrets, steampunk, and betrayal. In the beginning, we are introduced to Jason, a noble traveling to meet his childhood friend and prince, and Nilya, a young girl with a knack for engineering who is trying to run from her past. Though they initially start out with no connection, their stories soon intertwine, providing a story with dual perspectives and cause and effect through two completely different people’s eyes.

To start with, I really have to gush over the huge cast of interesting and mysterious characters in this book. On Jason’s end, we have multiple shady politicians, idealistic Nole, a weary war veteran, assassins, reporters, a disapproving father, and a mysterious man in a cloak who calls himself “Hood”. Then when we move over to Nilya we get introduced to her friend Verse, multiple other members of The Crimson Fist, an injured traveling companion, healing monks, and a rejected husband-to-be. Although there is a huge cast, each character is well written and unique enough that you manage to keep them all straight, as they all have some role to play in the story, be it good or bad.

One of the things I enjoyed the most was the world-building, which was in my opinion, rather superbly done. The world itself was very dense, with loads of different nobility, armies, and land, and while it’s hard to keep track of at first, you’ll get to the point where everything clicks. I loved how the steampunk elements were incorporated into the world and how believable I found them. And one of the main points of conflict in this story is the political struggle between all sorts of people, so we are getting multiple views on the world and how they think it should be changed, which I think contributed so much to the world-building. A smaller part of the world that I enjoyed was how open they are about their sexuality, even if in the end, the rules enforced about “joining” or having multiple partners are still unfair. I loved reading about Nilya, who likes women, and that it isn’t unacceptable that she has been with them. One of the biggest benefits of having Jason and Nilya’s POVs is that we get to see how different actions or decisions affect nobles versus commoners, which I really enjoyed. The contrast between Jason, who is trying to fight for the good of all the people, and Nilya who is trying to save herself and find some sort of redemption along the way, I found to be a really great portrayal of the many battles people fight and how different things are worth fighting for to different people.

The plot, though slow at some times, keeps you engaged in so many different ways. We get a great blend of mental and political battles mixed in with violence and actual fights. There are several occasions throughout the book where the tension is so thick that I had to stop myself from biting my nails or covering my eyes. And although I found certain parts to be more predictable, it balanced out well because some parts came out of nowhere and made me pause to collect my thoughts because it was the last thing I had been expecting. I enjoyed that lots of things constantly went wrong or got messed up, only for the characters to form a Plan B and keep moving forward.

There were only a few things I didn’t love about this book, hence the four start rating. First of all, Jason wasn’t my favorite character of all time, although I did find him very realistic. I struggled to understand some of his decisions and views on certain things and occasionally found myself wanting to give him a good thump on the head. Also, a few parts with him were rather slow, and while I liked that it contributed to character growth or world-building, I found it hard to get through.

Overall, this book was a huge and pleasant surprise and I’m very happy that the author approached me for a review. It was a great break from all of the YA I’ve been reading lately and I enjoyed the mature themes and complexity that A Vanishing Glow had in abundance. If you’re a fan of steampunk and plots full of death, deception, love, and redemption, I would definitely recommend checking out this impressive debut novel.

[Mark Gardner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to let A Vanishing Glow permeate before writing this review. I don’t know the history behind the story, but Shattered Dreams (vol 1) was radically different from Dark Omens (vol 2.) I almost stopped reading twice while reading Shattered Dreams. It was just so slow. When I stopped reading at the end of Shattered Dreams, I let out a Keanu Reeves-style “whoa!”

I consumed the Dark Omens rapidly. I was a swiping fool. I think it took me four days to read Shattered Dreams, and two to read Dark Omens. The political intrigue, action, and the tension of Dark Omens is excellent. There was no funky sentence structure that took me out of the story, and I was fully engrossed and committed to finding out where the story would lead me.

Both volumes defy genre. It’s kind of steampunk with a dash of cyberpunk, and a smattering of magick fantasy… But it’s none of those as well. I would recommend Dark Omens, and rate it four stars, but only three starts for Shattered Dreams.

Which brings me to the Goodreads & Amazon conundrum: How do I rate A Vanishing Glow? Of course the star ratings are different. I definitely liked Dark Omens, but Shattered Dreams was just okay. I’m gonna say 3.5 stars, and rate it 3 stars on both sites for consistency. I would read a third volume.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lynchings and shootings begin the book, which continues in a world with early industrial and agrarian economies and all the tensions those usually bring; manufactory owners exploiting workers who rebel and smash the equipment, industrial waste fouling water and land. Our guide is a young nobleman, Jason, who sees the turmoil all too clearly, having authority only if he has more guns and men, while an assassin strikes the heart of power just as in pre-WW1 Europe.

Another character is a woman called Nilya who assists a tinkerer with magic and steampunkish mechanicals. I found it odd that these two main characters never meet, but we see that their respective interests will collide. Both halves of the story go into a political discussion from time to time.

I think it's fair to say that the pacing is patchy. The start is quite slow and towards the end we get gallops, explosions, fights etc. on Jason's part of the tale. Meanwhile Nilya has brought someone to be healed in a monastery. Another woman is stabbed without warning. Violence is commonplace. At no point did I get the feeling that anyone was enjoying life, except maybe when Nilya was tinkering. Some readers will be interested enough to want to read the next instalment but I don't like cliffhangers and halfway story sequences, and I see no guarantee that the stories will either intertwine or reach any conclusions in the next book either. A lot of thought went into the worldbuilding here, and it's good to let readers look at portions of their own lives, like industrial issues, from a different standpoint. The style is not for me but it may suit others.

I was sent an e-ARC. This is an unbiased review.

[Juushika · Rating 2 out of 5]

The young federation of Ghavarim is threatened with political upheaval when court politics intrude on the uneasy balance between the undeveloped east and the growing, magic-fueled technology of the west. A Vanishing Glow takes place in a compelling world with convincing history and politics. It falls victim to some fantasy clichés, like excessive proper nouns (the biggest culprit may by the assassinations called "Endings"), but on the whole the strong sense of place will satisfy steampunk/flintlock fans. The human angle is less successful. The protagonists are interesting, and their dual plotlines are individually compelling. But Radcliff's characters are foolish--their motivations are simplistic and their constant mistakes are over-telegraphed and under-justified, and, while I admire the ruthless consequences, the effect is unconvincing. This doesn't ruin A Vanishing Glow, but it taints it; I never became truly invested, and don't recommend it. Bigger fans of these subgenres may still find this worth their time.

(Review copy provided by the author.)

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

*copy from the author in exchange for a review*

A Vanishing Glow is Alexis Radcliff’s debut novel; it’s an interesting blend of fantasy – gods and kings, aristocrats and prophecies – and a more steampunk-esque aesthetic. It’s got a lot going on - there’s politics, brawls, stand-up swordfights, some nice character moments, and rather a lot of explosions.

The world that Radcliff gives us, the Federation of Ghavarim, is a complex one. Brought together at the close of a conflict a generation before, the disparate parts of the Federation chafe against each other, and against the rule of their High Sovereign. Whilst the nobles argue over power, and the direction of the federation, those beneath them in the hierarchy have other concerns. The West of the Federation is industrialising – setting up factories for everything and anything they can think of. The East is more resistant, and meets the introduction of factories, and the decline in traditional labour, with riots and the smashing of machines. It’s an economy reminiscent of Britain in the 1800’s, but with an important difference – the industrialisation is powered by a kind of magic.

We spend much of our time in the capital of the Federation, and Radcliff manages to convey the sense of a city struggling into modernity very well. That said, it would have been nice to see more of the city; it’s worth noting also that whilst the text is generally inventive, there’s a few parts of the environment that may feel familiar to long term fantasy readers – a criminal organisation running the underclass of the city. A young man brought to prominence against his will. On the other hand, these familiar spaces carry some unique stylistic flourishes, and they manage to defy expectations on enough occasions to keep things interesting. They certainly don’t register too strongly amongst a swathe of world-building that feels distinctive and original. There’s some asides around the idea of marriage and morality as well, and it would be nice to see those explored in greater detail

From a character standpoint, we’re largely split between two protagonists. There’s the young hero, struggling to live up to family expectations, who gives us a view on the political situation and the broader scope of several actions. There’s also a young female sapper, who begins the text trying to become accepted into the military demolitions division, before things change for her rather rapidly.
The hero-prince came off as slightly too self assured, too confident in his own righteousness. On the other hand, given the age of the character, this is entirely plausible. It did make some of the political scenes hard to read, watching other characters dance around our hero. The author gives us enough insight into the character that we can empathise with him, and get a handle on his personality, his beliefs, needs and expectations; I would have liked to see a few smaller shifts of character, as events unfolded, but as presented, he comes off as…well, heroic. Sometimes annoyingly so. But Radcliff isn’t afraid of showing the consequences of raw heroism, and those can be downright brutal – I hope to see more character shifts in a later book. Still, as presented, he’s consistent, and enjoyably straightforward to read.

The sapper is, from a character point of view, the one I found more interesting. She begins , from the reader point of view, as a blank slate, with a suggestion of a complex past. This is quickly joined by further character forming actions, and she becomes increasingly conflicted, Watching her journey, physical and mental, across the narrative was a pleasure – Radcliff presents someone able to change, who is both willingly and otherwise changed throughout the text. It helps that she’s pragmatic, and lacks any ostentatious heroism to go with her obvious basic decency. Her view, of the lower strands of society, outside the cities, is sympathetic, and her overall character is both entertaining and heartbreaking to read – the author’s done a good job here.
The supporting cast includes weary soldiers, men held together by magic fuelled machinery, the occasional journalist, and the perhaps less rare killer. All seem to have enough room to contribute to the plot, and in some cases they get enough room to grow – our sapper’s companions are a case in point. On the other hand, I’d have been delighted if they’d had more room to grow.

The plot – well, as ever, I won’t get into detail for fear of ruining it. I will say that it ramps up relatively quickly. There’s a couple of interesting central mysteries (though I managed to get ahead of one of them), and in trying to solve those, our protagonists and their supporting cast run into a great many problems. The politics is largely alluded to, rather than seen close up, but the mood of scheming flattery is spot on. The action scenes are fast-paced , and often explosive. The plot has some promise, and it delivers on that; the narrative was compelling enough to keep the pages turning, and I’m determined to give the next volume a try.

Is it worth reading? It’s a rambunctious and enjoyable piece of fantasy. It’s got some original ideas, and they flow together well, into a fascinating read. I’d like to see more, but that’s presumably what any sequel is for – so yes, pick this one up, it’s worthwhile.

[DarkChaplain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I won a giveaway for the audiboook version, after having bought the ebook myself.

A Vanishing Glow first appeared on my radar back in October, when the author followed me on Twitter. I ended up returning the follow after realizing that she was an author AND a gamer (who seems to share my love for Final Fantasy VI, so I might be a little biased in favor of her as a person with some taste, haha), and decided to check out her book's sample on Amazon. Turns out I liked the first scene I read there, and so I bought the book.

To be frank, I was very skeptic at the start of the novel. There were a few stylistic choices that felt a little clumsy to me, namely the characters' thoughts in-between dialogue and action, which were heavy on exposition at times. I somewhat wish a few of these bits of exposition had been delivered in an indirect way, separate from the characters.
But as the story unfolded, these minor gripes became less and less relevant to me as I eased into Radcliff's own style of storytelling, which, I have to say, felt rather genuine and down to earth in a way that endeared me to it.

The novel tells a strong tale of political intrigue, court and military conspiracies, subterfuge and responsibility for one's own actions and, especially, faults. There's the series-naming Mystech, mechanical devices powered by spiritual energy, ranging from laundry machines to full-body prosthetics, which causes an uproar among the population.

The rapidly increasing industrialization of the federation of Ghavarim splits the country's council into east and west, with the western members pushing for ever stronger use of their mystech creations, while the east is slow to adapt and feel their livelihoods threatened by the technological advancements. With violent uprisings growing in frequency and the council divided, Ghavarim is steering for disaster.

Enter our two protagonists, Jason Tern of Fen, who becomes the new Lord Regent of his state and a council member, and Nilya Valsu, an aspiring engineer trying to make her way through the ranks of Ghavarim's Crimson Fist military. While their paths never cross directly throughout the novel, their stories complement each other excellently.
Where Jason has to deal with court intrigue and investigating the traitor in their midst, Nilya experiences first hand what is causing the federation's instability and riots. Both are instrumental to the story, even if their paths take them into wholly different directions eventually.
It was easy to relate to the two characters, and the majority of the rest, too - even the "villains". I can appreciate that even the bad guys' decisions could be traced back to some sort of consistent reasoning that fit their characters. That did not stop me from despising them, of course. If anything, I hated them more for the fact that I understood where they were coming from.

I would be amiss if I didn't mention - and praise - the way the author dealt with topics of sexuality in the book, too. Having "bedfellows" is seen as fairly normal, at least when it comes to the nobility, and it does appear like this happens mostly between same-sex friends. Sleeping around however is frowned upon in a big way, with it earning them the insult "breedlust". A proper joining, akin to marriage, normally tends to put an end to both, and is a desired outcome for the nobles.

The troubles arising from these personal relationships are explored rather well in the book, especially on Nilya's side of it. Her plot hinges quite a lot on her conflicted emotions towards her friends, and informs many of her actions.
I thought this whole aspect of the book was done justice by Radcliff. She kept these things a touchy subject best not be spoken of in polite company (or especially then, depending on your views), yet also presented them as a normal thing in the lives of many nobles of Ghavarim. She also hammered home the point that love shouldn't be objectionable, regardless of where it falls, in a very classy and uplifting manner.

Following the story to its conclusion was oddly enjoyable, and the world building Radcliff performed throughout made me long for more even before the final chapter. I felt intrigued by the cultures she presented, the mythology and the technology as well as the characters.
While I saw a bunch of the twists over the course of the novel coming, I didn't consider that a bad thing at all. It just made me feel that the story followed a natural curve of events that made sense.

This book offered a refreshing mix of intrigue, friendship, love, hate, betrayal and forgiveness. And clanking metal limbs that could tear people apart at the seams. A delightful combination!
Seeing how A Vanishing Glow is obviously setting up a sequel, I cannot help but look forward to what's to come from Alexis Radcliff and the Mystech Arcanum.

[Ely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at Tea & Titles

I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Alexis pitched this book to Michelle and I as ‘a deep and thrilling new adult blend of steampunk and flintlock fantasy with mature themes’, which sucked us both in immediately. Steampunk is not a genre I’m overly familiar with. I think I’ve read one series, which as Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld—that’s one of my favourite series, but I just never explored the genre more than that. I could not turn down a pitch like that, or the cover, to be quite honest.

According to my Kobo, A Vanishing Glow took me just under four hours to read. I hope that might help a few of you understand how amazing this book is. From page one, I was obsessed with the world and the story. I don’t read a lot of male orientated fantasy—most YA fantasy I’ve read is all about the kickass ladies, but I loved this one. Don’t get me wrong, this book has its fair share of interesting and badass ladies, but our main character is Jason Tern. I actually liked Jason much more than I expected to. He didn’t bore me or annoy me, though sometimes I wanted to scream at him for being so stupid (in a good way). We also get to see a lot of Nilya. At the start, she is selfish, a bit deluded, naïve etc. but she grows into this incredible character throughout the story. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen with her in the next book, especially with the way this ended.

You might have seen the guest post Alexis did for us back in October, in which she talked about her tips for world-building. Let me tell you, there is no one more qualified to have written that post than her. The world of Ghavarim is incredible. I can’t even begin to describe to you how much detail there is. There are all these tiny little details sewn into the story that seem pointless when they’re mentioned but as the story goes on the things become more and more important. It’s truly amazing. I can’t imagine how much Alexis would have put into creating this world, but it’s so evident that she knows exactly what she’s doing.

Like I said, I don’t know much about steampunk, but I really liked those elements in the story. This isn’t a spoiler because it’s on the cover, but the replacement of lost limbs with metal ones is something that really interests me. What’s particularly interesting to me is the way the characters perceive those with metal limbs—it’s not that different from how our society sees those with disabilities. Those characters are never shown as being weak or less than, which was just really nice to see, to be honest. That’s not all the diversity we get either. There’s also some LGBTQ+ themes in here, which I was totally not expecting to find. All of it was just incredible.

This is going to be one of those books that I constantly talk about and try to push onto you all, so I apologise in advance. I’ve already mentioned it in a Diverse Discoveries post a few days ago, and I’m sure it’ll feature in many more to come.

Thank you so much to Alexis who sent Michelle and I a copy of A Vanishing Glow to read.

[Ionut · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must say that the story was slow to grow on me since the first few chapters are pretty monotone (they mostly introduce the main characters and setup the background of the story). However, after I got about a third of the way into the two volumes, I started getting captivated and I had to finish the book. The ending has a couple of interesting plot twists and through the events that occur in the final chapters, we are getting setup for a follow-up book.

The book takes place in the world of Ghavarim, a federation that is going through an industrial revolution that is causing a tear between the industrialized west and the agricultural east. The chapters follow two story lines. The first story line we are introduced to is the story line of Jason Tern that is called by his friend Nole Ryon to help him rule Ghavarim and also help him handle the upcoming conflict with the lords from the more industrialized west. The other story line is the story line that follows Nilya, a military sapper with a gift for engineering. Although the main characters from the two story lines do not meet across the book, the stories are connected in a way revealed towards the end of the book.

It is hard to write a review and also not to reveal too much from the story. However, the world of Ghavarim is a pretty interesting place in itself. It is ruled by several noble houses and the different conflicts between them are revealed across the books. Jason Tern and his allies try to navigate these conflicts and at the same time keep Ghavarim at peace. Technology has brought changes to the lives of people, we have humans that now have machine body parts (basically cyborgs) for fighting or labor and there's a divide between the humans and the constructs (the cyborgs).

There are open questions introduced in this book that got me interested in the sequel. For example, the westerners are on a quest towards extreme industrialization because of an external threat which is not introduced in this book and I am curious what is making them so afraid. Overall, the author did a good job at writing a captivating story with not too many holes.

[Charles van Buren · Rating 1 out of 5]

 "Bedfellows are for childish fun." No, they are not., November 20, 2015

This review is from: A Vanishing Glow (The Mystech Arcanum) (Kindle Edition)

I was asked to read this book and write an honest review. I downloaded it via Kindle Unlimited rather than receive a free copy. Apparently Amazon would not post my original review because I included quotes from the book concerning a controversial subject. If this edited version is posted, I will then try to add my original remarks. Review is posted. I am now trying to add a rewritten version of my original review: "Cass," she began. "There was a girl at my school, Andalia. Her name was Tess. We were bedfellows together." "I loved her Lord Verien." In addition to being poorly written this sentence reveals the society which Ms. Radcliff has created in which same sex relationships are normal among the young. "Bedfellows are for childish fun and companionship." Another, "Everyone leaves their bedfellow behind as they age. Bedfellows are for childish fun." One passage actually uses the word children. There are inferences throughout the book which make it clear that these relationships are sexual. I can not in good conscience recommend a book in which child sex is acceptable and normal. It is disheartening that of 48 reviews at this posting, mine is the only one to review and criticize the book based upon the underage sexual relationships. Here is a quote from one of the five star reviews: "It's a fun read and I enjoyed seeing the different characters grow throughout the books. I also appreciate the openness within the communities to acknowledge different types of persons, including sexual orientations."

[Ben Mariner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC copy of this book by the author and I couldn't be happier with the results.

A Vanishing Glow is a story full of deception, betrayal, murder, and loss. The story follows Jason, a young nobel, and Nilya, a young engineer. Jason's part of the story finds him in a nest of vipers trying to keep his nation in tact while trying to find an assassin. Nilya finds herself far from home and a member of the Crimson Fist, the nation's military. As the two struggle to keep themselves alive in a world that seems to be out to kill them, the country that they love is crumbling around them.

It's hard to sing the praise of the book properly without giving out too many spoilers, but suffice it to say, Radcliff has constructed a wonderfully realized world and a story that will keep you guessing page after page. The story is well crafted and doesn't give a single thing away until you're aghast as it happens. Every time I think I had an idea how things were going to play out, things would take a turn in the complete opposite direction and left me shocked. Admittedly, a lot of the political stuff that happens at the very beginning was a little dull for me, but I'm not big on that kind of stuff and once you get to the end it all pulls together and it didn't even matter.

I can't say enough good things about this book. Incredibly strong debut novel from the indie author. MUST READ!

[Scott Kinkade · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Vanishing Glow is an enjoyable read with a good amount of uncertainty. Like Game of Thrones, Radcliff's characters are disposable, and you never know who will be sacrificed next. I also empathized with these characters, particularly Nilya who gets screwed over pretty badly but still finds the strength to keep on going.

I also like the pacing; the narrative has a nice flow and doesn't focus on any one character too much. It is kinda weird that Jason and Nilya never meet, but I don't mind; their separate stories intersect at appropriate points.

Furthermore, Radcliff put an impressive amount of thought into crafting her steampunk world, filling it with interesting figures and lore. I had no trouble buying into the idea of Ghavarim and its people.

And, finally, I should point out that this book only makes up parts 1 & 2 of the series, and the intriguing ending (which will leave you guessing) leaves it wide open for a successful sequel, which I look forward to reading.

[Terminally · Rating 2 out of 5]

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A Copy of this book was provided to me by the Author in exchange for an honest review

Lets start this with the official book blurb: "A VANISHING GLOW is the exciting opening to THE MYSTECH ARCANUM series, a deep and thrilling blend of steampunk and flintlock fantasy with mature themes.

It is an Age of Revolution, an Age of Industrialism. Constructs, living men who are as much brass and steel as they are flesh, man the factories and wage the wars of a ruling elite who gorge themselves on the fruits of the common man’s labor. Mystech, a brilliant fusion of magic and machine, gives rise to a new class of privileged inventors and merchants even as the country festers with wounds from decades of internal strife.

Only one man holds the promise of a brighter future: Nole Ryon, the crown prince. When his childhood friend Jason Tern answers his call for aid, the two of them set out to fight for the change their country needs in order to survive, even as shadowy foes frustrate their efforts. But soon, Jason and Nole’s idealistic mission of hope becomes a furious manhunt for a political murderer as the nation balances on the precipice of a country-wide civil war. Can they cut through the threads of intrigue to discover their true enemy before everything is lost?

Sweeping from the ancient cities at the heart of the nation to the dusty edges of the war-torn frontier, A Vanishing Glow tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and assassins, friends and lovers, who come together in a time of epic struggle. Here a brave officer risks everything to win back his estranged father’s respect; a brilliant young engineer attempts to atone for her sins; a war-weary commander tries to pick up the pieces of the life he lost; and a man touched by the gods struggles to prepare a nation for the coming of an ancient evil which only he can see. In the dying light of a once-prosperous society, amid twisting plots, suffering and betrayal, lost love and shattered dreams, all must fight for what they hold dear. Who will taste the fruits of victory and who will lie bloodied on the ground in the light of a vanishing glow?

This book contains Volumes 1 & 2 of The Mystech Arcanum, respectively titled Shattered Dreams and Dark Omens."

Sounds pretty epic right? You have man-machine hybrids and court intrigue and betrayal and suffering all that jazz! What more could you ask for?

Well...honestly quite a bit more. There will be SOME SPOILERS in this review in regards to the characters, specifically.

Allow me to explain. Alexis is a very pleasant woman and I am honored that she offered me a copy of her first book to review. And I feel that, with practice and polish, she can become a really solid writer. This book shows excellence in world building that appealed to my D&D roots, making me want to learn more about the world and its mechanics. What is numen? What are ascendants? What are the gods like and who are they? These questions popped up because of the way things were introduced, and this is a good thing.

Also from a technical standpoint her writing is spot on. No major spelling errors or grammatical mistakes.

However, there are some major problems that I had with this book, and sadly the problems exist with the two things I hold most paramount for a good story. The plot, and the characters.

You see, this is a dual plotline book. Similar to say Way of Kings by Brandon Sanders, or the Game of Thrones novels. We have two primary protagonists: Jason, a soldier who is a successful captain of a border patrol called the Windriders, and Nilya, a spunky sapper working for the Crimson Fist legion, the military of the Federation where the story takes place.

Each character has their own plotline. Thing is, only Jason's is really developed with an actual story to it. You see, Nilya spends the first part of the book just living life as a sapper in the military, hanging out with her squad mate and trying to get noticed so she can become a company engineer and thus invent things rather then just blow stuff up. Jason however deals with political intrigue, mystery, and is the primary focus of the real story. Nilya's story doesn't actually pick up till about 40% of the way into the book, when certain events transpire. Its also at this point that we get a hint that maybe the two plotlines are connected. But Nilya's story really doesn't go anywhere. Its a story of redemption for things Nilya has done, but what she has done doesn't really need redemption. Seriously. But I will discuss that more when I discuss her character.

And the second issue comes from the two characters themselves. Again, some spoilers about their history.

Jason is dull. Moreover, he is an archetype, a typical honest loyal and bullheaded soldier who is more at home on the frontlines then in a council room. He is also an idiot. He frequently does or says things that logically no one would say or do in these situations, but because he is super loyal and honest he does it anyway, damn the consequences! Thankfully when he fails (and he fails nearly constantly) he does suffer said consequences. He pisses off his few allies, misreads situations, and constantly gets his ass kicked in combat. This is supposed to be an intelligent and decorated captain of a border patrol, but he shows none of this during the course of the story. Further, he is constantly plagued by self doubt as to his ability to accomplish anything, and its warranted. Because he doesn't really accomplish much. He also of course has a dark past, which you learn about roughly 40% of the way into the book during a major plot event. And his dark past is legitimate: He accidentally as a child killed his younger brother. His father then proceeds to send him to boarding school and does not speak to him for years, till the start of the book.

Nilya however starts as a much more interesting character. She is funny, witty, intelligent and has a personality beyond "suffering and self doubt". One thing that drew me to her were hints that she had a dark past, as she constantly references thoughts of her parents, a school, and a girl named Tess. But she never goes into it. Its obvious early on that she is running from something she did, but its not until the 76% mark that you find out what she is running from. And when I did I about exploded in rage. Its the stupidest, most asinine thing I think I had seen. She ran...because she was a teenager who felt love for a girl and the girl did not love her back. So she ran to avoid being forced into a life she didn't want. Basically she is a selfish emotional teenager. I was like..SERIOUSLY?! It seemed that it would be vastly worse then this, the way I was strung along while reading about it.

And the way Nilya's story ends is ridiculous. She helps a man she helped nearly kill to a town where a Monastery to the goddess of healing is, and then trades her life for his...by becoming a priest of the goddess. This leads to her redemption from all the things she has done...I guess? It was a non-ending to a non-plot involving a character who could have had so much more done with her.

Now I want to talk about the ending a bit. There are hints that would lead to the already announced sequel. The villains of the book start making references to "something out there" that will come if the people do not prepare. And of course the only way to prepare is take over the world and force the people to submit! All the intrigue and stuff in Jason's story comes to head at the end, and the ending is adequate. The villains are believable at least, and the action at the end is decent. Be ware that there is not a lot of action but I did not mind so much.

Finally I want to point this out. The following is something the author tweeted when promoting the book:

"Steampunk cyborgs, flintlock soldiers, half-mad sorcerers, and a badass lady engineer. New debut novel!"

See that half-mad sorcerer bit? Yea. Unless you are referring to one villain who shows up for about 3 pages and gets captured at the end of the book and is more in common with a mad INVENTOR then a sorcerer, then there is not a HINT of actual magic in this book.

Everything is sword and gun here.

Further I would hesitate to place this is the "steampunk" genre. The standard definition of Steampunk is "a genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology."

There is no steam here. Everything is powered by Mystec Crystals, which are created through the use of Numen, or life energy. No steam. There is tech, but its pretty advanced.

Also, this doesn't really factor into my rating but...the word Constructs is not the same as Cyborg. The people in this book which are called Constructs are actually Cyborgs. The general definition of Construct that I am aware of would be more along the lines of a Golem or Robot. Basically something with sentience or programming made of nonliving matter. Just an odd choice of words really.

Overall, I cannot recommend this book. There are flashes of something more buried here, and I think with practice Alexis could become a better writer, but unless you are a REAL hardcore fan of this sort of thing and can put up with the issues with the characters, I would avoid this book.

I rate this a 2/5.

[Jordan (Forever Lost in Literature) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!

**I received a free copy of this book from the author, Alexis Radcliffe, in exchange for an honest review.**

Prior to the email I received from Alexis Radcliff, I had never heard of this book or the author, so I was in uncharted territory, something that can be either surprisingly pleasant or decidedly unfortunate. After reading the synopsis provided, however, I was definitely intrigued and knew that I would be reading this book - and it turned out even better than expected!

Quick note: this book is one of those where it's hard for me to discuss it too extensively for fear or revealing any spoilers, so I will try to be as detailed yet spoiler-free possible so as to avoid revealing anything too important.

A Vanishing Glow is set in a land that is spilling over with revolutionary vibes and political unease. Jason Tern arrives in Ghavarim in order to become Lord Tern, the right hand man to his childhood friend and soon to be crowned king, Nole Ryon. Meanwhile, Nilya has joined the Crimson Fist as a sapper, where she ends up embarking on a journey never expected with a companion she did not ask for.

To begin, if there's anything that Radcliff does really well, it's create and develop characters. As mentioned above, Jason is a young noble who travels to Ghavarim where he is about to become Lord Tern. What I really appreciated about Jason was that although he was an extremely intelligent, observant, and resourceful man, he certainly had his flaws. Jason is, to be blunt, a bit hotheaded and tends to let his emotions guide him at times, which I found to be very authentic and a common manner for many people to act in intense situations. At times, I felt somewhat annoyed with him, for he came off a bit overly confident and overly bullheaded at various points throughout the story, so I was actually glad to have that bit of complexity.

Nilya is a fierce woman intent on creating and doing big things with her talent; she wants to stand out and be respected. When we are first introduced to Nilya, we see only her intelligence, stubbornness, and determination - which are all great qualities, though somewhat one-dimensional. However, as the book progresses we are privy to much deeper mental struggles that Nilya deals with, creating a wonderfully well-rounded and intriguing character. I was very intrigued by Nilya, for as bold and determined as she is, she's also very sensitive and compassionate; she knows where her principles and morals lie, and she tries hard to stick to those.

Another thing I really liked was the dual point-of-view. By now it's probably pretty apparent that I'm not always a big fan of multiple POVs, but I was pleased to find that it worked extremely well in this book.Jason's POV gave us more of the noble and aristocratic POV; we got to see how things were working in the upper levels and within the monarchy itself. With Jason, though, we are also able to see a "hidden underworld" where people definitely do not act in accordance with the laws set up by the nobility. However, Nilya's perspective is of the lower class - the Crimson Fist (Ghavarim's army) to be precise. Nilya meets a fellow travel companion who is not a fan of the monarchy and upper class, so I enjoyed being able to see the differences between the two sides of the coin. I also found it interesting to see how different lands had adapted to various 'modern' mechanisms and ideas, and other were still considered 'backwards.' For instance, the upper class and nicer areas employ the use of Mystech for things like electricity, whereas other places still use candles and less advanced 'technology.'

Radcliff does a wonderful job of weaving in a mixture of fantasy, tech, steampunk, and political intrigue into this delightfully fresh and exciting book. I loved the mix of technology and steampunk mechanisms with magical elements, as it's something that I've rarely - if ever - had the opportunity to experience before. Radcliff has created a very vivid and extensive world, filled to the brim with political scandal and intrigue. There are twists and turns at every corner; Radcliff definitely keeps you on your toes, which made for an exciting trip. Now, I tend to get a bit muddled up in fantasy novels that have a vast amount of politics, unique world intricacies, etc. (here's looking at you, Steven Erikson), but Radcliff did a very nice job of creating and conveying her creation in a readable and enjoyable manner.

One of the aspects of this novel that was most interesting to me was how the relational and sexual aspects of society operates. Until a man and woman are 'joined' (which I assume is basically the equivalent of our marraige?), they do not have any form of relationships with those of the opposite gender as we normally do, but instead have 'bedfellows' with those of the same gender. If you were involved in a heterosexual manner with someone who you are not 'joined' to, you are referred as a 'breedlust,' and this is extremely frowned upon. I'm really hoping that subsequent books delve a bitter deeper into this world and its customs!

I can certainly see where this book could use some development, but on the whole I felt it was a very solid, intricate, and engaging story that any fantasy or steampunk fan would enjoy. There are so many places and ideas that Radcliff can and will hopefully explore in any subsequent books, so I will definitely be sticking around to check out the next book in the series!

Overall, A Vanishing Glow provided a thrilling and entertaining ride through a well-developed land with many diverse characters, and for that I am giving it four stars. As stated above, I would recommend this for anyone who likes fantasy, steampunk, or simply a entertaining book with interesting and unique story lines.

[Meghan Reads MM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok book, 3.5 stars. No real problems with it, but it was slow and plodding in a several places.

[Book Gannet · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a fantasy read set within a beautifully detailed world, with political intrigue, possible rebellions and steampunk elements, then you will probably enjoy this. The world has Epic written all over it, with a Federation formed out of five countries still deeply divided between the agricultural East and industrialised West. The High Sovereign leadership of the Federation is on the brink of being transfered from an old man to his highly idealistic son and there’s talk of rebellion flaring. Amidst this political manoeuverings is woven the idea of Mystech, mechanical things powered by god-given numen. Everything from lights to the mechanical limbs of the Constructs – humans with mechanical appendages from eyes to arms, to whole body transformations.

In the middle of all this is Jason, our erstwhile hero. After making a name for himself as a successful soldier in border campaigns, he’s been called to the capital by his best friend, Nole, heir to the High Sovereign and about to assume his father’s position. This is because Nole wants to transfer his old role of Lord Regent of their home country Fen to Jason. But however astute he was on a battlefield, Jason is politically naive, the awareness of which plagues him with self-doubts.

Jason is a likeable hero, whose idealistic streak is mostly tempered by caution, while his sense of honour and desperate need to please those he cares for can lead him to make foolish decisions. I frequently wanted to shout at him to stop being so obtuse because the answer to so many of his problems was right in front of his nose! He’s quite frustrating because from start to finish he doesn’t actually develop too well. He remains naive and foolish throughout the majority of the book – however, I have hopes for changes in any future books, given the way this one ends.

Away from Jason and his political troubles in the capital city, the story takes occasional breaks to visit an inventive young sapper engineer, Nilya. She has ambitions and secrets, a troublesome past and a habit of not asking questions when she really should. Because she’s been brought up in the West and believes implicitly in the superiority of tech over the more rural East. Unlike Jason she does undergo a fair amount of development and change over the course of the book. However, her story is fairly slow going and mostly reads as an introduction to big things to come for her. I also found the revelations from her past to be rather disappointing, since it mostly portrays her as a bit of a pouting brat who runs too easily from her troubles.

The plot itself is a slow dance that introduces the world, sets up the major political players and delights in sharp shocks – some more expected than others and many of them violent. I have to admit the politics never grew as intricate as I might have liked, but it did prevent too much confusion, even if I did find some of the major mysteries Jason’s attempting to uncover pretty obvious from early on. A lot of this is because of Jason and his unwillingness to engage in council politics, instead preferring to run around the city, getting himself in trouble. He does meet a few interesting characters along the way, though, which helped to keep things interesting.

Overall I really enjoyed this. It’s epic without being overwhelming and I found it a surprisingly easy read. The setting has a nice Victoriana gloss (guns, trains, wacky inventors) and the Federation adds a good sense of history. I would have liked to have known more about the Gods themselves and perhaps how life was in the West before the unification and land act (and likewise life for the Easterners before the West started building factories everywhere). There’s also a distinct sense throughout that everything is only just beginning and there’s plenty more to come – which is exciting. After this solid and intriguing start I very much look forward to seeing where the story turns next.

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

[Rae Sontheyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

New World With Machines, Mystery And Mutiny. . .

The genre of steampunk is still new to me but it's one that I'm discovering can be amazing if written well; And Alexis Radcliff delivered a great new world for readers to enjoy. Set in an era reminiscent of Regency with Lords and Kings ruling during a Industrial Revolution, the story takes readers through a series of events that will leave you wanting more.

Told from main characters perspectives who are central to the two plots developing; One perspective is for the underlying plot, which will flow into the next book and the second is central to the main plot in this book.

Called upon by the new High Sovereign of Ghavarim to become the realms new Lord Regent, Jason Tern, accepts the new position and comes to the aid of his friend, Nole. Jason hopes to help settle the growing tensions between the 5 kingdoms of the Federation along with balancing the continual power struggle between the East and West. However, events occur all to quickly and death surrounds the politics in Ghavarim's Capital. Jason is soon left alone to ferret out who is behind all the uprisings and unrest in the Federation, all while dealing with his personal grief. Finding his task of seeking justice too much for him alone, Jason turns to unlikely partners and with his Windriders seeks to stop an uprising and more.

Now all the while in the background a young sapper, or explosives specialist, named Nilya Valsu, is determined to become a recognized Crimson Fist engineer. Nilya ran away from her home, love, family duties in the hopes of starting new life. Content for the most part in her new life, Nilya is suddenly sent away on a secret mission with a group of soldiers to help ferret out rebels. It's only later that Nilya uncovers she used and lied to for some unknown purpose. Now she is faced with a life in her hands and decisions that are life changing.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. The scenes and world the story enfolds in is a mix of futuristic fantasy and past regency. The author did really great in using imagery to help the reader understand what was and where it was happening, despite this world not existing anywhere but within these pages. I even loved the geographical map in the begin, which yes, I looked at studiously before reading (cause I'm that nerdy). Now My only issue that kept me from saying the book was perfect were the relationships. Breedlust is the term for whore, slut, rake and so on, while a Bedfellow is the term for their same gender friend whom they sleep with till they Join aka. get married to the opposite sex. I was okay with this setup but it left every situation and relationship up for questioning, example: What is the age they HAVE to join, Do they have only one bedfellow, and Were Nole and Jason ever Bedfellows? I have tons of those questions and none will probably be answered, or shouldn't, because the books aren't really about the relationships. However, because they played into the plot at various points the books relationship structure did make me pause here and there as I started to over think characters interactions. So if you are interested in a world where Lords rule and people live with mechanical limbs all while working and living in a time of Industrial revolution, then this book will be intriguing for you.

**I received a free copy in return for an honest review**

------Read more of my reviews at: http://heyitwasfree.blogspot.com/------

[Jennifer Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of A Vanishing Glow:The Mystech Arcanum from the author. There will be spoilers in this review.

Strengths of the book include its vast, well-envisioned world and the setup for so many conflicts. There’s no lack of imagination on the author’s part when it comes to creating the world, its rules, and its peoples and history. The book takes place in a steampunkish setting that’s caught between industrial and agrarian ages, with all the birth pains that implies. History fans will appreciate the nods toward the struggles of industrialization, such as factories displacing agriculture, or workers being replaced with younger, more pliable volunteers such as constructs (people who’ve replaced missing limbs with metallic ones and are therefore stronger).

The backstory of the world is likewise sprawling, and I found myself wanting to know more about the history preceding Vaasan Dmitri and the introduction of mystech, and what relations between the nation-states were like, as well as with other countries. The politics were fascinating, but at times felt a bit too dense and tangled. Dialogue also went on at times, with characters discussing things in exposition-heavy blocks that I found myself having to reread.

Some characters start out very strong. Hugh Ketter feels like a real Chicago Newspaperman dropped into this fantastic world of mystical crystals and byzantine politics. I particularly appreciated his awareness of how tenuous his professional position is, with younger, hungrier writers coming up under him. Nilya also has a strong start, and both she and Hugh’s chapters feel the most comfortable, the most confident. Unfortunately I didn’t find either character’s arc that satisfying by the end of the book; Nilya was interesting because she was a female engineer working for the Crimson Fist, a military organization, and we slowly come to understand she is gay, but that aspect of the story didn’t really go anywhere and I wondered why-- in this world, juvenile same-sex relationships are no big deal, but people are expected to “grow out” of it and Nilya’s character was defined by her refusal to accept that societal pressure. Perhaps the third book will explore this more. Kinsey Hatton was another interesting character who seemed set up to be central to the plot and whom I’d like to have seen more of.

The weakest point of the series for me was Captain Jason Tern. Granted, Tern is supposed to be out of his depth in the city since he comes from a more country position, and he’s used to his commands being obeyed without question, but he has no situational awareness and doesn’t seem very capable at reading people or situations. I wondered if his becoming a construct would give him some perspective and make him more thoughtful, but it didn’t seem to change him at all. I’m curious to see if he changes in the next book.

Although many current steampunk tropes were present (in a good way), I found the world comparable to the Fable gaming series most of all. I would definitely recommend this book for avid fans of fantasy/steampunk, but it was a little dense for casual readers like myself. Still, I enjoyed the read and look forward to reading more from this author!

[Carrie Gulledge · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received A Vanishing Glow as an ARC in order to write an unbiased review based on my experience with the book.**
A Vanishing Glow was an interesting read quite unlike anything I’ve read to date. It’s told from the perspectives of several people, but mainly from the perspectives of Jason (a nobleman) and Nilya (a sapper in the army).
I did struggle with the first 25 percent of the book, but I think this is fairly common for many first novels in a series; there is a fair amount of world set up that has to happen, especially in book’s like Radcliff’s, where an entire world has to be formed for the readers. The pacing was a little slow, and it took me almost half of the book to get a good feel on what Constructs and Mystech really were (and I admin, I’m still a little confused about Mystech and the ideas and theories behind it). I also am still a little confused on the structure of the society, and the ideas behind why they allow “bedfellows” (relations with people of the same sex that you room and board with for school, or friends of the same sex that you grow up with), but “breedlust” is anathema (sleeping with someone you are not mated with as an adult). I hope that Radcliff gives us a little more insight in the next book into how these traditions came about, and the different ways they affect the society she is building.
But once you hit about 30 percent, wow, does the story pick up! Suddenly events are going off left and right, and it’s all you can do to not shut out the entire world so you can get to what happens next. The characters that I struggled to connect to in the first portion of the book became very real and connectible at that point, and the world that Radcliff had been building began to make a lot more sense. Radcliff’s style of writing is phenomenal – no stone is left unturned in her descriptions, and every sentence written has a wonderful flow that I was truly not expecting. I could feel her writing to the bone, and it left me wanting to much more. Why did she write from Nilya’s perspective; is it going to connect in later books to the rest of the story, or is it just a side story to give you a feel for some of the less fortunate? Who is going to be the High Sovereign now that the position is left unfilled? How will Jason mature from these books to the next book? And what does the death of Vasaan mean for the Mystech and the Federation?? I wait with bated breath to find out what happens in the next book, and feel compelled to give this book a 4 star rating that it fully deserves (which is unusual for me, because I rarely give 4 star ratings to the initial book{s} in any series). Treat yourself to reading a book that is so richly written!

[Hildegart · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Synopsis: There are so many minor story lines in this book that I would not be able to do justice to a synopsis. The official blurb, though, does a wonderful job of briefing you on the myriad of story lines.

Cover Art: The cover is interesting in that the man looks like he’s not sure what to think of his mechanical hand. It’s like he can’t believe it’s his hand. I can just picture him flexing the mechanical fingers and thinking, this really IS my hand! After I’ve read the book, I’ll have a better idea if that is the case. Okay, so the man on the cover is Jason Tern. He doesn’t start off with a brass arm, but does end up with one.

The background is the town of Adaron, the capital of the Federation of Ghavarim. With it being in the background and done in light, neutral colors, it’s harder to see the details. It would be nice if it had been just a little bit darker because it looks like it shows the disparity between the classes with all the factories and what appear to be residences of the wealthy.

I must say, though, it’s nice to see a cover where the character is how you picture him based on what you read in the book- the blue uniform, the mechanical left arm, dark hair…

My Thoughts: Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to keep all story lines straight. The main story revolves around Jason and the people he comes in contact with. The other secondary story revolves around Nilya and who she interacts with. I kept hoping through the book that Jason and Nilya would meet, but they don’t. That would have been a nice way to tie their stories together. Instead, one of the bigger characters at the beginning of Nilya’s story makes an appearance near the end of Jason’s story.

There also isn’t any confusion with names. You won’t find characters referred to by their titles in one chapter and then by their names in the next. If the character is called by their title, the author does a good job of making sure you know who it is, and you don’t have to sit there thinking, is Lord So-and-so Eddie, Pinky, Yoda, or Han?

Notes: I have not read much steampunk, so I don’t know if the books I’ve read in the past have been typical of the genre or not. I say this because this book doesn’t have as much of the steampunk flavor as the others. This book is more about politics and civil unrest and less about all the gadgetry associated with steampunk.

disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[H. P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Vanishing Glow is self-published. It shows with an utterly wretched cover and wretched map. The words on the inside, though, are another story. The writing is technically proficient—more than proficient—and wouldn’t look out of place in a traditionally published work. The early modern setting (A Vanishing Glow is billed as Flintlock Fantasy, but perhaps better fits as Steampunk or Clockpunk) is complex and dynamic. The characters are likeable (albeit with one major complaint), and the magic system interesting and well used. The plot, on the other hand, does have some issues.

Jason Tern has returned to civilization from fighting on the frontier with his Windriders at the behest of his childhood friend Nole. Nole is taking his father’s position as High Sovereign of the Federation and wants Tern to take his place as Lord Regent. The position comes with a seat on a council deeply divided by tensions between the growing, industrialized west and a more traditionally powerful east becoming inundated with migrants from the west. Nole threatens to upset this delicate balance with his reformist notions, and the Federation is young yet. Meanwhile, a young sapper in the army named Nilya invents a device that could have far-reaching implications and a hard-bitten reporter named Hugh sees something he should not have seen.

The Federation has early modern technology, with flintlock pistols and muskets. It is also rapidly industrializing thanks to “mystech.” Magic-infused crystals which can be used to power anything from lights to brass construct arms.

A Vanishing Glow is dragged down mightily by the fact that for the large bulk of the book, Jason Tern at no point does anything that isn’t idiotic. The best that can be said is that Tern isn’t given the Idiot Ball to temporarily carry to advance the plot. No, it’s an all the time thing, so that’s just characterization. The second, and secondary, POV character Nilya is much more compelling. Unfortunately, her storyline only tangentially connects with the primary storyline. (Hugh, on the other hand, interacts directly with Tern).

It’s a strong plot overall, although it starts a bit slow and has issues in spots. It’s technically two books in a single volume, I guess, although they stand together much better than they would apart. The story ends with a satisfying conclusion but sets the stage for the series to continue.

I received a copy of A Vanishing Glow from the author.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was emailed a free copy of this book from the author, Alexis Radcliff, in exchange for an honest review. This being my first such request, I am honored to say that I was pleasantly surprised by a book I didn't seek out on my own.

This is marketed as a cross between flintlock and steampunk fantasy which are genres I am not familiar with. I figured it was a worthy read based on the similarities to some other stories in the Young Adult (YA) world that I'd recently been referred to regarding dystopian segregated societies such as Aveyard's "Red Queen" and Maas' "Throne of Glass" series.

I was initially impressed by the great care that Radcliff took in describing the setting in this fantasy world and the characters emotional backstories. The depth of guilt that one main character feels is certainly identifiable and the self-doubt another character feels is also as palpable. Later, I was intrigued by her hints at relationships between same sex friends as acceptable teenage "bedfellows", which I have not ever come across before, especially since my reading tastes are typically not in a sci-fi or mature adult realm. I find it interesting that with the change in real-world societal prejudices comes a sort of clarity of character development in fiction. People on pages are becoming just as diverse as people on our planet. Disapprove of this type of lifestyle or not, the complexity of characters in this story is further layered by delving into a previously taboo subject matter. One can appreciate the courage of the author to tastefully explore that topic even if you might not agree.

Overall, I don't feel a steampunk vibe from what I've now researched about the genre, but there are elements of it as well as the flintlock. The steam powered aspect is there in certain references, but using the umbrella term "steampunk" for the myriad intricate explanations of Mystech power seems lackluster. I loved how the author gives this new tech a literal presence even down to the description of it having a delicious smell.

I think there are many questions left unanswered as well as many ideas left to the readers interpretation, but with the understanding that this is one book in a pending series...these suspenseful issues are understandable. For a debut novel, I believe Ms. Radcliff achieved a wonderful story which leaves me eager to fill in the blanks with the sequels.

[Anika Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable fantasy with lots of political wrangling. Like a steampunky version of Game of Thrones! More soon..

Review originally posted on Tea in the Treetops blog in November 2015:

A Vanishing Glow is a combination of parts one and two of the Mystech Arcanum series. The story is also told from two separate points of view – Jason and Nilya. Their paths don’t actually intersect in this book, but they are connected by some of the secondary characters and I feel they must meet sooner or later.

The two main characters couldn’t have been more different. I spent a lot of the book wanting to slap Jason. As the new Lord Tern, he spends the whole time taking impulsive risks and taking matters into his own hands, which is never a good thing. He didn’t seem to grow much throughout the story, and it was up to other characters to slap some sense into him from time to time. He really frustrated me, but the other characters around him made his story more bearable.

On the other hand, I loved Nilya! Despite plenty of obstacles being thrown in her way, she just gets on with it – a trait I appreciate in a protagonist. She has excellent mechanic skills and also happens to be holding onto a lasting unrequited love from her childhood bedfellow. Same-sex bedfellows seem to be an accepted part of this society, a situation they are expected to “grow out of” before taking a “more suitable” heterosexual partner. I found this a really interesting cultural phenomenon and I wonder if it was based on a real-world culture at all. I look forward to seeing how Nilya’s story continues.

The story itself is really quite complex – I was never quite sure what will happen next! I really enjoy Alexis Radcliff’s writing style and A Vanishing Glow makes a fantasic debut novel. There are plenty of twists and turns, and unexpected violent deaths and injuries. I also found the concept of “mystech” fascinating – a mystical force that has been concentrated into crystals so they can be used to power mechanical devices. I’m still not sure at this point whether there is actual magic involved or if there is a scientific explanation for it!

There was a tad more political plotting and wrangling than I usually like, but there was still enough action for it to be an enjoyable read. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next!

[Dixie Goode · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, the obligatory disclaimer, I received this copy for free in exchange for an honest review, and after glancing through several other reviews I see that it has worked well for her. Many other reviewers feel, as I do, that this book, although self published, is very well written and edited.

I'm not entirely certain which genre best fits this novel, or even if this is truly one novel or two shorter novellas? That is part of why I liked it. There were enough things that I couldn't predict to keep me interested until the very next surprise. A Vanishing Glow is billed as Volume 1 & 2 in the Mystech Arcanum but it feels like neither section would be complete without the other.

Set in the world of Ghavarim, the beginning of the book is complex and requires a degree of attention and some rereading, as the world building and character motivations and interactions are non-stop. Fortunately Alexis Radcliff proves to have a very firm grasp on the reality of her world and the loves, hates and politics of its young government. The characters quickly become fleshed out and I found myself reacting to them as I would to real people, adoring some, irritated by others, worried for the ones I really cared about and unable to stop them from making their own choices and putting themselves in danger. Hating a couple, as we should.

This story has sons and their Fathers in healthy, and in dysfunctional relationships, it has friends, and loyalty, betrayal and mourning, it has a lot of politics and intrigue and a murder mystery, and commitment and heroes. It has clockwork armies and steampunk tech, but most of all it has two strong story lines that you will care about. My favorite character may not be yours, because there are a lot of well developed characters, but the young, good-hearted, confused, determined, bomb setting explosives expert with a back for inventing, and a strong sense of loyalty and pride is my favorite. I love every moment with Aniya but her story is not a soft, easy story and it evoked a few tears.

Thank you for sharing your story with me, Alexis, and to anyone else who has time and a desire for good entertainment, A Vanishing Glow, is well worth reading.

[Brett Wilkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a fan of RA Salvatore's Corona books, specifically the Saga of the First King series, I suspect you'll be a fan of Alexis Radcliff's novel, A Vanishing Glow. The setting, the fictional world - it all felt so familiar (this was an impression I received very early into the book, which was strengthened as I read on). And I don't mean this to be a criticism of the writing - I'm a big fan of Salvatore's books (I really enjoyed the books in the Saga of the First King series). Despite the similarity to Salvatore's writing, I wasn't really hooked by the story until I was a couple of hundred pages in (it took a few weeks to read the first half of the book). But as the pace of the story picked up and the plot became more concrete, I found myself pulling the book up on my phone and reading whenever I had an idle minute - quickly tearing through the second half of the story. The intertwining plot elements kept me guessing about who was really pulling the strings behind the curtain, right up to the end.

If you're unfamiliar with the Saga of the First King novels, my comparison to Salvatore probably didn't mean a thing to you. So here's an attempt to explain. A Vanishing Glow is set in a medieval European-type world, though not our own. It's very similar, but obviously not anywhere on this planet in any timeline. As in our own world, there are no dragons, hobbits, elves, dwarves, goblins or other Tolkienesque inhabitants of this fictional world. And magic isn't really present, though there's some argument for magic. The technology of this world feels an awful lot like magic (and the embracing of the technology by at least one of this world's religions), but really feels more like science than magic - especially with the steampunkish robotic body parts and other machines. Salvatore does something similar with gems that feel a lot more like magic than science in his Saga of the First King stories. One would suspect that a visitor from these worlds to ours would see science in our universe and nothing more than magic.

I look forward to a sequel in this literary universe to provide some closure to some of the characters who didn't really get a "happy ending" (or any other kind of ending) in this introduction to Ghavarim.

[Jason Seftas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Very Good Debut...Worth Checking Out

First of, I'd like to say that I would give this 3 1/2 stars if I could, as I definitely believe it was above average, but neither Amazon nor Goodreads will let me so we're stuck with 3. Knowing from the start that I was going to review this book made for an odd experience.  My thoughts about the quality of what I was reading were constantly present, and may have distracted me a bit and kept me from wholly getting into the story.  However, with that being said, I have to say that I enjoyed the book a good deal more than I expected. For a debut novel in particular, it was very impressive, much better than some of the early works of very well established authors.  The characters are well developed with interesting backstories, although they may be a little too black and white for my tastes, but that's not unusual in fantasy literature. The world building wasn't bad, but could definitely use some work, in my opinion the weakest aspect of the novel. From a technical standpoint the writing was excellent.  The narrative flowed well and the pace of the story was brisk without seeming rushed.  I should also say that this is my first foray into the steampunk genre of fantasy, and while I'm not sure if I'm crazy about it, I'll certainly at least come back for the sequel to this work. As far as the plot goes, I'm not one to give book reports when I write a review, if you want a synopsis read the back cover. But the story was engaging enough to keep me reading with no apparent gaping plot holes, and while it started a little slow it picked up steam quickly and by the end was tough to put down. The worst I can say about it was that it was slightly predictable in some instances and maybe a little too straightforward. Overall, I enjoyed the book and particularly for a first effort I thought it was very impressive. I'll look forward to the sequel for sure. While I wouldn't necessarily call it a must read novel this year, I recommend that you check it out if you're into fantasy, I seriously doubt you'll regret reading it.

[Anjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wild and crazy world I just left. It was my first adventure with a Steampunk Fantasy and let’s just say the world that the author created was on point.



We start off through the eyes of Jason the soon to be named Lord Tern while his life -long friend Nole takes the High Sovereign seat (Think King of the realm). This putting Jason in first command under Nole. I can’t and don’t want to spoil it for you, but there is tragedy, a lot of tragedy. The story builds very quickly from Jason thinking his life is going to continue in a one directional pattern, to being completely thrown in different directions. He has an ongoing investigation to get through that will take him to hell and back, and in the end the truth will come out.


While Jason’s story is ongoing we also have a female in the mix. Her name is Nilya, and she is in another part of the country trying to make it in the Mystech world as an upcoming engineer, if only she can get them to notice her. We find out her back round growing up, and why she is also important to the story. I found myself rather intrigued by the parallel’s happening to Nilya at the same time Jason was in his own world of hurt. Nilya also has to travel through hell, losing her best friend in the meantime and finding her way to Belforn the main city.


One thing that was missing for me was any form of romance in the present or in the near future. I believe once we get to the second book we will see Jason and Nilya perhaps take off as there story will be connected, or at least I hope it is

.

I did enjoy the Steampunk aspect of it. The construct body parts and technical stuff had my mind creating something totally different then what I have read in the past. Always a plus to get out of your comfort zone once in awhile.

If you like Steampunk Fantasy type of reads then this is your book. Great job to the author on her writing, and world building they were done well throughout.



My favorite line: “Why do you call yourself a puppet?” “We all have strings. Can you not see yours?”

[K.C. Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Vanishing Glow is a pretty compelling read. The main, main characters (the two that are followed throughout the majority of the novels) are pretty well-crafted and compelling.

Jason is a soldier who is more comfortable with a weapon than in high society, but when his life-long friend, Nole, request that Jason takes a seat on the council, he decides to do just that. The relationship between the two was set up really well from the beginning. I could see Jason's level of comfort lower when with Nole is around. From the beginning, I could tell that characterization was the strong point of the author. I don't mean to take away from her writing, because that's strong, too, but her ability to craft characters is beyond good.

The next character I consider to be main is Nilya. She is a sapper, but desperately wants to become a weapons engineer. Her introduction has her frantically working on a device that could help make her dreams come true.

With both introductions, I found Nilya's more compelling. She was working towards a goal, and the audience saw it from the very beginning. Later on in the book, I found myself a little less interesting in what she was doing and way more fascinated by Jason and his search for a killer. I think this is the first issue I really had with the story. The balance was just a bit off with the plot, and there were too many lolls with either one character or the other.

Also, there was a missed opportunity in this volume, I think. A lot of time was spent setting up the social dynamic between people and constructs, but when a character suddenly finds himself/herself as one, this dynamic is not fully realized. I'm pretty sure this is going to be further explored in the next book, but it would have been nice to start that thread here.

Overall, there were things I loved and things I didn't, which brought me to a four star. I'll definitely be reading the next book, if for no other reason than to see how our construct handles his/her new form.

[Kingsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 / 5

The book is made up of two stories, told concurrently. They interact slightly but for the most part are two separate stories set in the same world. One of these stories is great while the other is a little lackluster.

The story following Jason Tern is great, full of political intrigues, double crosses, fights, discussions on the industrial revolutions etc. It builds to a great climax with repercussions for the entire Federation.

The other story, with Nilya Valsu, is less interesting. While it provides some more context for the world, gives us more culterual understand, and allows us to see several different aspects (such as the healers) ultimately I don't feel it mattered that much. It's a "small story" in among the big events of Jason's story. I was expecting it to build into Jason's story eventually and affect the final events but other than a few minor things (that could have been accomplished without Nilya's story being told) it didn't really play into them. It's climax, while important for Nilya, doesn't have the same impact as Jason's. Maybe the two will build together in Part 3.

The mix of magic and the industrial revolution (Mystech) is well thought out and really interesting. There doesn't need to be the science-based magical laws governing the magic like Rothfuss or Sanderson, but it is also not the almost "whatever goes" of Rowling.

The book touches of philosophical and ethical arguments around "technology is taking our jobs" and doing 'bad' to prepare the Federation for something worse that is coming.

Overall certainly worth the time to read.

Another quick thing to note: the murder of the High Sovereign mentioned at the start of the book blurb doesn't actually happen until 4 hours in, or more than half way through Part 1. So while it is a catalyst for some of the events it's not quite the kickoff that the blurb makes it out to be. The blurb could even be considered a bit of a spoiler, as you know that event is coming. Even the cover image could be considered a slight spoiler.

[Cissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy reading this novel, and will probably peruse its sequels.

Radcliff does many things well. Her protagonists are interesting and well-drawn, and the other characters reasonably so as well. The plot is twisty and complex.

Best, though, is the world-building: it ends up being fairly steampunk, but with the mechanisms powered by magic rather than chemistry. The result is a steampunk-style technology... but one that is entirely based on one vulnerable source of energy. Obviously nothing can go wrong there!

The politics were interesting. While most of the "important" stuff depended on the aristo class, there were 2 POV characters who were not noble. Mostly, though, they gave context- albeit valuable context- to the intrigues among the nobles.

However, I personally am much more interested in fantasy novels that include a peasant rebellion rather than yet another focus on the rich and privileged, and here (possible SPOILER) at the end the self-declaimed "voice of the people" is rather more a villain than a force for good, though it's not like the people have approved him or anything. -Now, this is pretty up in the air, and may well change in a subsequent book.

I wish there had been a bit more info about the customs around sexuality. It seemed to me that kids past adolescence but before the age of marriage had "bedfellows"- intense relationships, including sex, with peers of their own sex; once they reached maturity, they were married via "joining" and were expected to be faithful; outside-marriage heterosexual relationships were considered beyond the pale (though obviously people did them anyway) and called "breedlust". I would have loved to know more about these customs!

I received this for free as an ebook, in exchange for writing an honest review.

It is definitely an intriguing world, and I hope in subsequent books Radcliff provides a bit more context about the various social, political, and technological factors!

[Eric Landreneau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Industrial Fantasy!

Indie author Alexis Radcliff's novel is a punchy, fast-moving Stea...

...er...

Well, I'd say "steampunk," but it ain't. I've been wondering what this sub-genre should be called. Like my novel "BREAK!" it is a fantasy, but set in a dawning industrial age after man has bent magic to his will and harnessed it to power machines. (What, nothing could possibly go wrong!) I would name the genre "magitek," but that's just ripping Final Fantasy off.

Bah! No matter! Call it what you want - this book was great! The world is in upheaval, society reeling from the first couple of decades of an industrial revolution (that's not an easy change to
go through) and a fractious young federated government at the helm. In this environment - realistically complete but never overbearing in its description - the book follows two main protagonists in parallel storylines fraught with ambition, treachery, and heavy emotion. These are heroes who would not view themselves as such, weighed down as they are by heartbreak and self-doubt stemming from past events which are gradually and naturally revealed through the course of the story, taking you deper into the weight of their old wounds even as the action and rising chaos drive onward to a thundering climax.

This is not a gentle book, but there is a gentleness and empathy in the author's treatment of her characters, so that even the villains are allowed their humanity. As fantastical as the setting and events are, the characters are so realistically wrought in their drive and motivations that the story easily come to life in the mind. This has the side effect of turning some of the triumph at the end into tragedy - it's harder to feel good about the bad guys failing when you realize that they aren't evil, just broken. But I wouldn't have Radcliff change it for anything. This world is real to me, these people matter, and I'm eager to read what comes next.