The Cathedral of Known Things

The Relic Guild #2

by Edward Cox

Divided, hunted and short on resources, the surviving members of the Relic Guild are in real trouble. Their old enemy, the Genii, and their resurrected master have infiltrated Labrys Town and taken over the police force.

So the Relic Guild must flee their home, and set off on a dangerous journey across the worlds of the Aelfir. One that will lead them to a weapon which might destroy the Genii. Or the whole universe...

And forty years before all this, the war which led to the fall of the Genii continues. And what happens to the Relic Guild during that conflict will change the course of their desperate flight.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Steampunk

400 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2015

About the author

Author of THE RELIC GUILD trilogy (The Relic Guild, The Cathedral of Known Things, The Watcher of Dead Time) published by Gollancz. Represented by Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. Daddy, husband, reader.

I can also be found here:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EdwardCox10

Tumblr: http://edward-cox.tumblr.com/

Wattpad:http://www.wattpad.com/user/Edward_Cox

Reviews

[Maryam · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sequel. I absolutely love this series and just don’t understand why it’s been read only by few people. It deserves much more attention.

The Genii have come back and took control of Nightshade. They have lives on million denizen of Labrus Town in their hand now. Relic Guild few live members hardly escaped police attack and found themselves in horror of Retrospective.
Clara has changed into the wolf, Samuel and Vam Bam don’t know if they should watch Clara or monsters coming from Retrospective. And there is a suspicious shadow carriage that can carry them to an unknown Aelfirian houses. Something that hasn’t happened for forty years. They don’t know what is waiting them on Aelf houses, who is friend and who is foe anymore. But one thing is clear, if they don’t do anything Labrys Town would be destroyed and The Genii will gain control all over the world.

Similar to the first book, The Cathedral of Known Things switches between two timelines, 40 years ago when Genii war happened and now. Lots of secrets are known and with them great dangers are coming to light.

This is a brilliant story, characters, events, everything is just very good planted. The ending was unexpected but I can’t say it disappointed me. We knew it was coming. So highly recommended.

[Lynn Worton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Relic Guild series. I absolutely LOVED it!

The story is again narrated by Imogen Church, who also narrated Bridget Jones's Diary. She did a fantastic job in bringing the characters to life. Her ability to voice the different accents used for the various characters impressed me. I loved her speaking voice, and her reading pace was perfect.

Clara is a young woman of eighteen, who has been working as a prostitute in a brothel since the age of fourteen in the Labyrinth city called Labrys Town. I really liked her. She is stubborn and determined. She has magic in her veins and is known as a magica; she's a wolf shifter.

The story continues from the end of the first book. Now working with the remaining members of the Relic Guild, Clara finds herself, together with Van Bam and Old Man Sam, on the run from Fabian Moor and the Genii in an attempt to contact the Thaumaturgists. Meanwhile, Hamir, the Necromancer is pursuing his own line of investigation. There are also new characters introduced, such as Sergeant Ennis, a policeman of Labrys Town, who has been tasked to investigate and locate the members of the Relic Guild. Then there is Namjee (sorry, not sure of the spelling since I can only go by phonetics due to this being an audiobook), who is an intriguing character. She is an Aelfir that Van Bam had met before the end of the Genii war. Then there is Hillam and Gloguilder, who are also Aelfir. These two characters are extremely likable, their banter made me grin. They are best friends and sound like siblings at times. We also get to spend time with the Genii: Fabian Moor, Hargie Tabbet, Victor Gadrill and Mo Asherzad. This gives the reader a deeper understanding of their motivations and actions. Are they as evil as painted? Only time will tell.

This is a unique story; the world building and character development is extraordinary. I loved the descriptions of the scenes and characters. The story has a post apocalyptic feel to it, with a hint of steampunk, which is further enhanced by the split timelines, which are forty years apart. The characters in both the past and the present are quite interesting. This split timeline shows the reader the events in the past that led to the isolation of Labrys Town from the houses of the Aelfir, and also reveals secrets hidden by a few of the characters. This story has several twists and turns that kept me hooked. There is not a lot of action (as in explosions and weapon fire, although there is some in a few scenes) but, it's the storytelling that instantly pulls you in. I found myself on a roller coaster ride of emotion from beginning to end. There is a huge twist near the end of the story that had me in tears. I will not say whether they were happy or sad, because that would be a spoiler. However, the story does end in another little cliffhanger that made me gasp. I have a love/hate relationship with cliffhangers because they frustrate me to the point of screaming, but I am looking forward to continuing this story as soon as I can.
At the end of the audiobook, there is a 15 minute interview with Edward Cox and Imogen Church, which I found very interesting.

Edward Cox has written an interesting sequel to his debut novel. I loved his fast paced writing style. The flow of the story seemed a little more seamless than the first book, and this increased my enjoyment. I will be keeping an eye out for more of this author's work in the future.

Due to scenes of violence and gore, I do not recommend this book for younger readers under the age of 15. However, I highly recommend this book if you love science fiction and dark fantasy genres. - Lynn Worton

[Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has been sitting on my bookshelf for quite a long time, having won it in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. It isn't what I would normally read, but having said that, I do enjoy reading something different now and again.

I didn't read the first book of the Relic Guild, so could be the reason why I didn't find it easy to get in to. Or it could be that it was just one of those books that wasn't really for me.

[Foggygirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent albeit bloody and gruesome story. Ended on a major cliff hanger so I will definitely have to read the next installment.

[Ben A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooooo... that was a cliffhanger ending.
Quality read there Mr Cox.
The Relic Guild are hard at work trying to save the world(s) from the Genii, again. Labrys Town is in the control of a new resident and the million human lives are at stake, the Aelferian portal supplying the town has stopped supplying sustenance, the chief of police has been deposed and a Sergeant has been tasked with hunting the Relic Guild.
I am still liking the twin storylines between “present day” and 40 years ago, my only gripe is that I have to make sure which era I am in as it tells me when it’s 40 years ago but doesn’t remind you immediately that it’s “now” - the same characters on different time periods make it a little discombobulating.
I really like the link between magic, sci-fi, technology, portal-travelling as well as “traditional” elf/werewolf/vampire/humans with a bit of daggers/swords/frikkin lazer beams... What’s not to like? Oh, add some higher magic into the mix and some semi-deity absent creatures that are set on helping. Then being no help whatsoever.
I’m liking the suspense, intrigue and thrill ride it’s making me read on...
There’s so many spoilers, but needless to say Hamir has an alias, Clara is building her power and abilities (a nicely written female role along with Marney and Namji) and Van Bam (thankyoumam) and Samuel still excite me.
As for my personal guide telling me I’m their idiot, I’m still waiting.

[Keshnee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story but a little long winded and very slow paced. So while you get good background stories about the characters and the plot is interesting, it takes very long to get the information. A lot of the book is spent listening to the characters being angry that they don’t know what’s happening and asking for explanations - even when they are very much in danger, instead of running away from it.

I also don’t think the author explains surroundings or visual things very well, I had to re-listen to descriptions a few times and still didn’t have a good idea of what the author was describing, especially the characters, maybe it’s because the descriptions are dealt out piecemeal so I was left with half an image and then had to change that image the next time the character was mentioned. Or maybe that part was so boring I wasn’t paying much attention... hard to say for sure which.

Still the story is worth a listen if you are looking for an interesting plot and have patience.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cathedral of Known Things is the second instalment in the Relic Guild Trilogy. Cox delves into the world of the Aelfir that was, up until this point, only on the horizon. The flashbacks are one of my favourite aspects of these novels because you delve into how the characters became who they are. More often than not, it is our actions, not our words that define us and sometimes - tragically - we don't imagine the consequences until it is too late.

I enjoyed the Audible version read by Imogen Church.

[Kathryn Lees · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good continuation of the first book. It introduced you to more of the world that this series takes place in and picks up the story right where it left off. The story continued to switch back and forth between the present and the Genii War, giving more details. Definitely a good read

[Sarah Cornforth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible! Can't wait to start the third one in the series

[Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still loving this series! The world and characters are amazing, story is very interesting and there are so many little bits of detail that bring it all to life.

[Cailyn Dey · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? THERE WAS NO REASON TO END THE BOOK LIKE THAT, LIKE WHAT THE HELL.

[Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these books, the story ramps up and you get to see so much more of the world in this one!

[Richard Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cathedral of Known Things is the sequel to Edward Cox’s 2014 debut, The Relic Guild.

It picks up immediately following the events of that book. The titular Guild, ‘magickers’ with varying supernatural abilities ranging from powers of illusion, to mind-influencing, to shape-shifting, are in disarray. They are tasked with protecting Labrys Town, a human city with a population of a million. Labrys is at the centre of a vast Labyrinth which was once connected to the manifold Houses of the Aelfiran, a humanoid (possibly Elf-like) race. The Guild’s base, a building with a strange sentience of its own, has been overtaken by the Genii, a group of ‘higher magic’ users serving Lord Spiral. Spiral is the arch-nemesis of Labrys Town and the Guild, thought to have been defeated in a Great War some forty years before the current day timeline of the book. Following the war, all links between the Houses of the Aelfir and Labrys were severed, save one: a connection to a House that loyally supplies the city with the food and comestibles it depends upon, which is now under threat. The plot follows the Guilds efforts to maintain it, whilst searching for something with which to combat the Genii, all the while being ejected from Labrys and on the run from House to House, not all of which are supportive of their cause.

Yes, as you can see, there is complexity here, with the story carried across multiple plot strands and points of view, including those of the Genii antagonists. There is a lot of information to assimilate but is rarely at the expense of pacing. The strands are tightly woven together and all storylines move forward with clarity and purpose: no character is a spare part; no passages tread water. The book accelerates to its conclusion with juicy revelations but a shock held back for the final pages…everything a reader would want to compel them onto the final book of the trilogy, due in 2016.

This is a book about magic in many and various forms, and it is intrinsic to all that occurs. Because it is set outside of any real-world historic equivalent, with an anachronistic blend of technology and magic, it feels like anything can happen, and it often does, lending the book a sense of the unexpected. Also, because of this, the book does not have familiar frames of reference, incorporating touches of fantasy, horror and the weird but eschewing many of the regular tropes of the genre: it is quite an achievement to create something so different and so fresh.

Every page bursts with magic—in the action, the characters and the plot, and of course the relics and artefacts that are often central to the story. Arguably it represents the subtext of the book too, questioning how such capabilities should be deployed and the role of an elite group of magically-gifted individuals. It is a credit to the author that the magic with which characters are imbued brings them closer to the reader: it makes them vulnerable, responsible and understandable, when so often ‘powers’ make a character more difficult to relate to. The Guild members each have back-story, fleshing them out as individuals, imperfect and human, though it could be said there is room to develop them more as they progress through their travails.

As in the first in the series, much of the back-story is carried in regularly-interwoven chapters set forty years before the present day, in the time of the previous war against the Genii. Though occasionally it can be a challenging to keep track of both timelines, the author avoids the pitfall of just presenting the historic sections as sepia-toned back-fillers, investing them with immediacy and deep relevance to the present.

Lastly, none of this would work if it was not depicted with control, not just of the plot but of the prose too. Aside from much high-speed action, many of the book’s bravura passages are descriptive, bringing to life the many weird and wonderful worlds with fervid and sensual writing, without recourse to the hyperbole that can often undermine a fantasy setting in the mind of the reader.

It is an impressive sequel, building on its predecessor in its sheer inventiveness, scope and story development. It is hard to call anything ‘unique’, but perhaps this is as close as fantasy gets.

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[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the last couple of years there have been a raft of exciting new talents appear on the UK fantasy fiction scene. Liz de Jager, Jen Williams and Den Patrick have all released multiple books that are great fun. Last year, Edward Cox’s debut novel, The Relic Guild, joined the throng and delivered a wonderfully original read. Now, the second book in this series is upon us and the good news is that, as with his contemporaries, Mr Cox proves without doubt that he’s no one-trick pony.

When we re-join the remnants of the Relic Guild in book 2, it doesn’t take a genius to quickly surmise that things have taken a turn for the worse. On the run, hunted by everyone, they are doing anything they can just to keep one step ahead of their pursuers. Can our oddly dysfunctional little family of weirdos hold things together long enough to take out the Genii and save humanity?

Old Man Sam retains that stoically gruff demeanour that his difficult not to enjoy and Van Bam is still driven by his quest for answers. Clara is making peace with the power that flows through her veins, in fact, now that she has accepted its existence she is revelling in her magic. It’s Hamir, however, who remains my favourite character. He is so delightfully dry and sardonic. His reactions to almost every situation are priceless. The way he views every other character is a joy. It feels like he observes others in the same way a scientist would view bugs under a microscope, we are little more than a curiosity.

Fabian Moor and the rest of the loathsome Genii also return. Cox takes some time to detail the genesis of this evil bunch and it adds a nice additional layer of depth to their characters. We get to discover more about the force that is driving their mission and the reasons why they are so hell bent on their goal.

I’m a stickler when it comes to understanding character motivations. Reading is such an emotive experience for me, I need to be able to understand what makes a character tick. Cox’s writing excels, and delivers the level of details that I’m looking for. It doesn’t matter if a character is good, bad or somewhere in that grey area in-between, they have to make sense. The characterisation on display here confirms to me that Edward Cox understands that need.

As an aside, the key thing I learned from The Cathedral of Known Things? Do not, under any circumstances, upset an empath. The resulting chaos that will ensue is going to be described as incredibly messy at best.

As with the first book in the series the plot spans two different time periods. I really enjoy how you start to see Cox drawing together the various narrative threads. The events unfolding, irrespective of when they occur, are all leading towards the same ultimate goal. Though there are only a handful of characters followed in this ongoing war the events they take part in are affecting millions. Everything suggests that we are hurtling towards an epic conclusion, I can’t wait. The second book of The Relic Guild ends with a suitably cliffhangery moment. Well played Mr Cox, you’ve got me actively waiting for next book in the series. There is going to be one isn’t there? Don’t leave me hangin’, I don’t think I could cope.

Interested parties, worriers such as myself, you have nothing to fear. I can confirm that you can rest easy, safe in the knowledge that The Relic Guild have returned and they are bringing Hell with them. How very splendid.

[Anna Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cathedral of known things picks up where the relic guild finishes and we continue the twin narratives of past and present. Edward Cox's writing is strong and fearless, and the moments of horror are all the more shocking for being few and far between. The Toymaker seriously freaked me out, but the climax of this novel left me uttering curses upon the author's head - what happens next? Is she really...? What the...
The scope of the relic guild trilogy is huge and ambitious and Edward fulfills it's promise brilliantly in this second book. I can't wait to see how it all concludes. highly recommended.

[Runalong · Rating 4 out of 5]

An immersive second volume in the Relic Guild trilogy. This is epic fantasy is with a refreshingly modern tale on the genre - it's a slightly more grimy and textured universe. In this book I'm really impressed by the scale of the many worlds it explored, the sense of history it explains and some fascinating characters in two narratives separated by forty years. Really impressive

[Craig Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! Can't wait to find out what happens next...

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good follow up to The Relic Guild. Cox continues to impress.

3.5 Stars.

[Stephanie McLeay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A glorious novel. Adventure, mystery, a fascinating world and a glorious cast.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This built well on the first book, with a totally unexpected ending. Can't wait for book 3!