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Ile-Rien #2
The Death of the Necromancer
Nicholas Valiarde is a passionate, embittered nobleman with an enigmatic past. Consumed by thoughts of vengeance, he is consoled only by thoughts of the beautiful, dangerous Madeline. He is also the greatest thief in all of Ile-Rien... On the gas light streets of the city, he assumes the guise of a master criminal, stealing jewels from wealthy nobles to finance his quest for vengeance the murder of Count Montesq. Montesq orchestrated the wrongful execution of Nicholas's beloved godfather on false charges of necromancy--the art of divination through communion with spirits of the dead--a practice long outlawed in the kingdom of Ile-Rein.
But now Nicholas's murderous mission is being interrupted by a series of eerie, unexplainable, even fatal events. Someone with tremendous magical powers is opposing him. Children vanish, corpses assume the visage of real people, mortal spells are cast, and traces of necromantic power that hasn't been used for centuries are found. And when a spiritualist unwittingly leads Nicholas to a decrepit mansion, the monstrous nature of his peril finally emerges in harrowing detail. Nicholas and his compatriots must destroy an ancient and awesome evil. Even the help of Ile-Rien's greatest sorcerer may not be enough, for Nicholas faces a woefully mismatched battle--and unthinkable horrors await the loser.
But now Nicholas's murderous mission is being interrupted by a series of eerie, unexplainable, even fatal events. Someone with tremendous magical powers is opposing him. Children vanish, corpses assume the visage of real people, mortal spells are cast, and traces of necromantic power that hasn't been used for centuries are found. And when a spiritualist unwittingly leads Nicholas to a decrepit mansion, the monstrous nature of his peril finally emerges in harrowing detail. Nicholas and his compatriots must destroy an ancient and awesome evil. Even the help of Ile-Rien's greatest sorcerer may not be enough, for Nicholas faces a woefully mismatched battle--and unthinkable horrors await the loser.
544 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1998
400 people are currently reading
5924 people want to read
About the author
Martha Wells
109 books24.7k followersMartha Wells has been an SF/F writer since her first fantasy novel was published in 1993, and her work includes The Books of the Raksura series, the Ile-Rien series, The Murderbot Diaries series, and other fantasy novels, most recently Witch King (Tordotcom, 2023). She has also written media tie-in fiction for Star Wars, Stargate: Atlantis, and Magic: the Gathering, as well as short fiction, YA novels, and non-fiction. She has won Nebula Awards, Hugo Awards, Locus Awards, and a Dragon Award, and her work has appeared on the Philip K. Dick Award ballot, the British Science Fiction Association Award ballot, the USA Today Bestseller List, the Sunday Times Bestseller List, and the New York Times Bestseller List. She is a member of the Texas Literary Hall of Fame, and her books have been published in twenty-five languages.
She is also a consulting producer on The Murderbot Diaries series for Apple TV+.
She is also a consulting producer on The Murderbot Diaries series for Apple TV+.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 513 reviews
June 8, 2018
Delightful. The Lies of Locke Lamora co-ops The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
The book blurb doesn’t have it quite right: “Nicholas Valiarde is a passionate, embittered nobleman with an enigmatic past. Consumed by thoughts of vengeance, he is consoled only by thoughts of the beautiful, dangerous Madeline. He is also the greatest thief in all of Ile-Rien…”
No, no, no. Nicholas Valiarde is a classic comic-book dark hero. He has a secret persona; to the respectable world he is the adopted son of a noble hung for necromancy (naturally, he was framed), but in the underworld, he is Donatien, master thief. Like all dark heroes, he has a mission of vengeance--against the unscrupulous Count Montesq, the man who framed his father. He’s a bit obsessive about his goal and at one point, pauses to weigh public interest against his quest for retribution. He is assisted in his pursuit by a team with dark pasts: Reynard, a disgraced soldier; Crack, accused murderer and man of few words; Cusard, elderly master thief; Arisilde, sorcerer with an addiction problem; and Madeline, a stage actress (I kind of suspect Wells of having fun here–either Madeline was slumming or she’s implying something about acting).
As Viliarde is robbing a house as part of an elaborate plan to orchestrate Montesq’s downfall–because a simple murder is too easy–he and his crew discover someone has been at the scene before them and left a ghoul. Later that night, an ominous golem appears at his estate, sent by a spiritualist of suspicious origins. In an effort to learn more, the crew infiltrates an estate to attend a seance led by the spiritualist. Adventures continue, but since that’s only the first sixty pages, I hate to add any more at the risk of spoilers. Suffice to say that it’s a great deal like Robert Downey Jr.‘s version of Sherlock Holmes with as much action as introspection, and a fondness for disguises.
The world and culture sounds a great deal like 19th century London, so it is easy to immerse in the story. There are coaches, lanterns, tenements and opium addictions. There are references to people educated at the sorcerer’s college in London/Lodun, and Persian/Parscian rugs. The various magic systems are not entirely explained–sorcerers, witches, and necromancers–and references are made to the Fay and the Unseelie Court. Since necromancy is the most pertinent of the magic systems, it is explained well enough, and we get tantalizing glimpses of the rest. Characters are done well, and I give Wells a note of applause for having an alternate-sexuality supporting character without making it an issue, and for having a lead female with appropriate pluck and cleverness, and the ability to convincingly cross-dress. Evilness was nicely divided between the human and the supernatural, and provided plenty of tense moments, particularly in (of course) the sewers.
While the plot is brisk and the tone is serious, Wells seems willing to poke a little fun at her revenge-obsessed hero. I chuckled a few times at her sly humor:
Arisilde was on his hands and knees…”let’s see where this goes. I love secret tunnels, don’t you?”
“My back’s bad,” Cusard said quickly.
Lamane immediately asserted that his back was bad, too.
“He (Nicholas) should be grateful to them for destroying the great Inspector Ronsarde, something that he had never been able to do…. He wasn’t grateful, he was homicidal. It wasn’t enough that they endanger his friends and servants, they had to attack his most valued enemy as well.”
Dialogue is pleasantly snappy at times, with Reynard trading barbed witticisms, and Madeline sassing an elderly lady, but without characters becoming so enamored of their wit that they stop to trade one-liners with Evil. I enjoyed Wells writing style and found it sophisticated enough to maintain engagement, but not so ponderous that I lost interest. One of the underlying plot points is an interesting extrapolation of the classic detective-criminal meeting, and I was impressed that the writing made it seem possible.
Small things prevented this from five stars, including a couple of small moments that felt a bit deus ex machina later in the story. Still, it’s one that I’d consider adding to the library, I added to the library, in hardcover, no less, and I’d wholeheartedly recommend. Note: nominated for a Nebula.
Note, for those worried about series: It is most definitely a stand-alone novel, and far better than anything else in the series--really more of a shared world, not a series.
“Could you be any less forthcoming? Nicholas wanted to ask, but he reminded himself that he was avoiding a quarrel.”
Cross posted at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/0...
The book blurb doesn’t have it quite right: “Nicholas Valiarde is a passionate, embittered nobleman with an enigmatic past. Consumed by thoughts of vengeance, he is consoled only by thoughts of the beautiful, dangerous Madeline. He is also the greatest thief in all of Ile-Rien…”
No, no, no. Nicholas Valiarde is a classic comic-book dark hero. He has a secret persona; to the respectable world he is the adopted son of a noble hung for necromancy (naturally, he was framed), but in the underworld, he is Donatien, master thief. Like all dark heroes, he has a mission of vengeance--against the unscrupulous Count Montesq, the man who framed his father. He’s a bit obsessive about his goal and at one point, pauses to weigh public interest against his quest for retribution. He is assisted in his pursuit by a team with dark pasts: Reynard, a disgraced soldier; Crack, accused murderer and man of few words; Cusard, elderly master thief; Arisilde, sorcerer with an addiction problem; and Madeline, a stage actress (I kind of suspect Wells of having fun here–either Madeline was slumming or she’s implying something about acting).
As Viliarde is robbing a house as part of an elaborate plan to orchestrate Montesq’s downfall–because a simple murder is too easy–he and his crew discover someone has been at the scene before them and left a ghoul. Later that night, an ominous golem appears at his estate, sent by a spiritualist of suspicious origins. In an effort to learn more, the crew infiltrates an estate to attend a seance led by the spiritualist. Adventures continue, but since that’s only the first sixty pages, I hate to add any more at the risk of spoilers. Suffice to say that it’s a great deal like Robert Downey Jr.‘s version of Sherlock Holmes with as much action as introspection, and a fondness for disguises.
The world and culture sounds a great deal like 19th century London, so it is easy to immerse in the story. There are coaches, lanterns, tenements and opium addictions. There are references to people educated at the sorcerer’s college in London/Lodun, and Persian/Parscian rugs. The various magic systems are not entirely explained–sorcerers, witches, and necromancers–and references are made to the Fay and the Unseelie Court. Since necromancy is the most pertinent of the magic systems, it is explained well enough, and we get tantalizing glimpses of the rest. Characters are done well, and I give Wells a note of applause for having an alternate-sexuality supporting character without making it an issue, and for having a lead female with appropriate pluck and cleverness, and the ability to convincingly cross-dress. Evilness was nicely divided between the human and the supernatural, and provided plenty of tense moments, particularly in (of course) the sewers.
While the plot is brisk and the tone is serious, Wells seems willing to poke a little fun at her revenge-obsessed hero. I chuckled a few times at her sly humor:
Arisilde was on his hands and knees…”let’s see where this goes. I love secret tunnels, don’t you?”
“My back’s bad,” Cusard said quickly.
Lamane immediately asserted that his back was bad, too.
“He (Nicholas) should be grateful to them for destroying the great Inspector Ronsarde, something that he had never been able to do…. He wasn’t grateful, he was homicidal. It wasn’t enough that they endanger his friends and servants, they had to attack his most valued enemy as well.”
Dialogue is pleasantly snappy at times, with Reynard trading barbed witticisms, and Madeline sassing an elderly lady, but without characters becoming so enamored of their wit that they stop to trade one-liners with Evil. I enjoyed Wells writing style and found it sophisticated enough to maintain engagement, but not so ponderous that I lost interest. One of the underlying plot points is an interesting extrapolation of the classic detective-criminal meeting, and I was impressed that the writing made it seem possible.
Small things prevented this from five stars, including a couple of small moments that felt a bit deus ex machina later in the story. Still, it’s one that
Note, for those worried about series: It is most definitely a stand-alone novel, and far better than anything else in the series--really more of a shared world, not a series.
“Could you be any less forthcoming? Nicholas wanted to ask, but he reminded himself that he was avoiding a quarrel.”
Cross posted at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/0...
December 23, 2023
4.5 stars. The first Ile-Rien book was fine, an entertaining fantasy story, but this one is on another level of sophistication. Compelling characters, the right amount of tension, lavish descriptions, complex relationships, clever world-building, mature romance just hinted at, top-notch storytelling and a hard-to-crack mystery.
Absolutely recommended. This story shares the Ile-Rien setting but it stands perfectly alone; there are a few spoilers about the previous book, so if you plan to read the The Element of Fire, pick that up first, but do read this one afterward because it’s not to be missed!!!
I want this sorcerer because I want him, there’s no altruism about it. He has challenged me, he has interfered with me, and I’ll see him in Hell if I have to escort him there personally.
Absolutely recommended. This story shares the Ile-Rien setting but it stands perfectly alone; there are a few spoilers about the previous book, so if you plan to read the The Element of Fire, pick that up first, but do read this one afterward because it’s not to be missed!!!
I want this sorcerer because I want him, there’s no altruism about it. He has challenged me, he has interfered with me, and I’ll see him in Hell if I have to escort him there personally.
July 3, 2018
Victorian mystery with a splash of horror and a touch of sly humour. Elegant prose, interesting characters, engaging mystery and great worldbuilding – on the whole a very good experience. The only thing I could pick at – the architecture/surroundings descriptions could‘ve been condensed or skipped altogether in some places to keep up the suspense. Still – a good read, if you enjoy Victorian fantasy/mysteries – highly recommended.
May 7, 2020
“i have a plan.”
this was true.
“i just don’t know whether it will actually work or not.”
this, unfortunately, was also true.
highly enjoyable gaslight fantasy with charming criminals and convoluted revenge plots. right up my spooky victorian alley, to be frank.
the start of the story instantly drops us on a heist-in-progression, meeting our cast of somewhat-loveable miscreants: unofficial protagonist nicholas valiarde, with a bit of a broody, sarcastic personality, wielding the alter ego of his criminal mastermind persona. madeline denare, an expert in disguise, acrobatics, and cutting the bullshit, who is a stage actress in daily life. there’s also reynard morane, a charming ex-military man who found his downfall through scandal and disgrace.
and in the background, arisilde damal, an incredibly kind-hearted and hilariously powerful sorcerer who’s struggling with an opium addiction that’s slowly destroying his life.
what initially looks like a simple heist turns out to be part of a revenge plot on nicholas valiarde’s part, only for the titular necromancer to thwart these plans and litter the streets of 19th century london-with-a-french-twist (no, not the hairdo) with bodies. and, of course, we also get a glimpse into the sordid histories of all the main characters.
i really gotta give it to martha wells -- she killed it with this book.
literally EVERY victorian mystery trope is in this story. i probably even missed a few. grisly murders, toeing the line between science and the supernatural, sneaky nobles, veteran thieves, vendettas, hidden chambers, dark and damp sewers, and a deduction-based approach to everything.
heck, even holmes and watson turn up at one point -- only here, their names are inspector ronsarde and doctor halle, with a few twists and additions to their personalities that make them unique amongst all the holmes interpretations over the last… well, century. (ronsarde is kinder and strangely adorable, and halle a stalwart and fierce protector.)
and yet it never felt cheap, easy, or played for a quick laugh.
instead, we get a rich, expertly-crafted world around these character archetypes and tropes that feels genuine and lived in. there’s this real sense of old-world decay, of spiritualism and being haunted by one’s past, that permeates not only the characters’ struggles but is also shown in the physical world around them.
societal traditions, historical events, and even architecture are lavishly described. the city is as much a mask for its slowly modernizing society as the personas the main characters have crafted for themselves due to criminal circumstance.
it’s subtle, also in its humor. there are a few moments that had me snickering to myself -- no loud one-liners, but rather clever observations and sneaky, cheeky comments. you can read over them quite easily when you’re not paying attention.
however, the weakest part of this book is undoubtedly the plot. the ideas valiarde has concocted for his revenge are contrived and eventually easily circumvented. there’s also a few hurdles very obviously thrown up to slow the protagonists’ progress. luckily, the pacing remains largely unaffected, but it’s annoying when i feel like a sign pops up that says, “Stand Aside, Plot Device Incoming!”
as a result, i enjoyed the set-up and progress in the first two acts more than the eventual climax and resolution. it simply feels more natural when it’s kept small and personal, rather than Big Villain Battles and mysterious magic.
but that still didn’t outweigh this story’s cool aspects, such as: casual inclusions of bisexuality, good banter without relationship drama, a fast pace, a well-researched fantasy world, and entertaining side characters (not to mention a bold and daring female lead!).
everything taken together, a lovely story for appreciators of criminals-with-morals narratives with a sherlock holmes-esque backdrop without ever feeling derivative.
✎ 4.0 stars.
April 16, 2022
The Death of the Necromancer is a triumph of execution over concept. This is not a bad thing. It may, in fact, be a very good thing.
What do I mean by this?
Essentially, if you look at the basic concepts of the book, you will not find anything terribly special. The characters are familiar archetypes -- the vengeance-obsessed conman, his plucky female companion, his loyal and taciturn henchman. We've even got Holmes and Watson running around. The plot is a fairly straightforward mystery as well, more on the procedural line of things, with an evil necromancer killing people and causing trouble and our heroes tracking him and putting him down. The setting is a familiar variation on 19th Century London, with sewers and slums and trains and a trip to Faux-Oxford/Cambridge.
And yet Wells makes it work.
The characters are familiar archetypes, but they are extremely well-developed. They are fully-developed, realistic, and treated with respect. The plucky female companion, for instance, is neither a useless damsel in distress nor some cardboard-thin action heroine. She's a vital member of the team, pulls her own weight, and her relationship with the protagonist is a very mature one -- they care for each other deeply, but they still periodically squabble, making the whole thing come off as very realistic. Our Holmes is a brilliant detective with a penchant for disguise, but he's also his own person, with mistakes he regrets, and while he's definitely prickly and a bit quirky he isn't the autistic savant of so many renderings.
The plot is likewise very elegantly done. There is a mystery here, and it is a gripping one. It's not as twisty and confusing as something by Brandon Sanderson or Scott Lynch, but it there is genuine complexity here, a real question of what's going on. Furthermore, Wells paces it to a perfection. Both the characters and the readers are constantly gaining a deeper understanding of the plot, and Wells alternates plot development, character development, and action scenes very, very well.
As for the setting, it's basically Fantasy London, but it's a rigorously researched Fantasy London. It's not just trains and aristocratic parties. Wells delves into many of the lesser-known aspects of the time period. Spiritualism and seances, a major craze of the late 19th and early 20th century, is central to the plot. There are interviews with sewer workers that could come straight from Henry Mayhew's London Labour and the London Poor. And there are nice little touches all around. One which struck me very early on was a character mentioning that while the old, male sorcerers were easy to spot due to their sashes and presentation medals, the women sorcerers would be trickier -- they'd only been admitted to the sorcerous academies in the last decade, so they'd be young and wouldn't be wearing their presentation medals. This is an aside of only a couple of lines, but it tells us so very much about the world. It tells us that there is gender bias, but it also tells us that there is progress, and that it is a world in motion. I adore it.
Overall, what I would say that what sets The Death of the Necromancer apart is that it treats its plot, its characters, its setting with respect. Wells takes her world seriously, and she develops its inhabitants as genuine people. (As a side note, I rather like how she handled LGBT matters -- one of the main side characters is bisexual-leaning-gay, and there are strong suggestions that the main protagonist is bisexual as well, but it's just treated as a part of the character, not something to ignore but not something to make a Big Deal Out Of, which I liked).
Now, not everything is roses and sunshine. Every so often Wells does concept things which even her writing can't mitigate, such as how both main characters come from rather exalted/intriguing bloodlines, which is plot relevant but feels contrived. Likewise, there's a bit of Deus Ex Machina towards the very end.
Still, I'd say this is a 4.5 star read at the very least, and one of my favorite books of the last few years.
What do I mean by this?
Essentially, if you look at the basic concepts of the book, you will not find anything terribly special. The characters are familiar archetypes -- the vengeance-obsessed conman, his plucky female companion, his loyal and taciturn henchman. We've even got Holmes and Watson running around. The plot is a fairly straightforward mystery as well, more on the procedural line of things, with an evil necromancer killing people and causing trouble and our heroes tracking him and putting him down. The setting is a familiar variation on 19th Century London, with sewers and slums and trains and a trip to Faux-Oxford/Cambridge.
And yet Wells makes it work.
The characters are familiar archetypes, but they are extremely well-developed. They are fully-developed, realistic, and treated with respect. The plucky female companion, for instance, is neither a useless damsel in distress nor some cardboard-thin action heroine. She's a vital member of the team, pulls her own weight, and her relationship with the protagonist is a very mature one -- they care for each other deeply, but they still periodically squabble, making the whole thing come off as very realistic. Our Holmes is a brilliant detective with a penchant for disguise, but he's also his own person, with mistakes he regrets, and while he's definitely prickly and a bit quirky he isn't the autistic savant of so many renderings.
The plot is likewise very elegantly done. There is a mystery here, and it is a gripping one. It's not as twisty and confusing as something by Brandon Sanderson or Scott Lynch, but it there is genuine complexity here, a real question of what's going on. Furthermore, Wells paces it to a perfection. Both the characters and the readers are constantly gaining a deeper understanding of the plot, and Wells alternates plot development, character development, and action scenes very, very well.
As for the setting, it's basically Fantasy London, but it's a rigorously researched Fantasy London. It's not just trains and aristocratic parties. Wells delves into many of the lesser-known aspects of the time period. Spiritualism and seances, a major craze of the late 19th and early 20th century, is central to the plot. There are interviews with sewer workers that could come straight from Henry Mayhew's London Labour and the London Poor. And there are nice little touches all around. One which struck me very early on was a character mentioning that while the old, male sorcerers were easy to spot due to their sashes and presentation medals, the women sorcerers would be trickier -- they'd only been admitted to the sorcerous academies in the last decade, so they'd be young and wouldn't be wearing their presentation medals. This is an aside of only a couple of lines, but it tells us so very much about the world. It tells us that there is gender bias, but it also tells us that there is progress, and that it is a world in motion. I adore it.
Overall, what I would say that what sets The Death of the Necromancer apart is that it treats its plot, its characters, its setting with respect. Wells takes her world seriously, and she develops its inhabitants as genuine people. (As a side note, I rather like how she handled LGBT matters -- one of the main side characters is bisexual-leaning-gay, and there are strong suggestions that the main protagonist is bisexual as well, but it's just treated as a part of the character, not something to ignore but not something to make a Big Deal Out Of, which I liked).
Now, not everything is roses and sunshine. Every so often Wells does concept things which even her writing can't mitigate, such as how both main characters come from rather exalted/intriguing bloodlines, which is plot relevant but feels contrived. Likewise, there's a bit of Deus Ex Machina towards the very end.
Still, I'd say this is a 4.5 star read at the very least, and one of my favorite books of the last few years.
February 26, 2023
This book blends fantasy with suspense/mystery in a vaguely 18th/19th century European setting, with likeable main characters and a fairly complex plot. Neither of the main characters can use magic, and the magic system appears to be mostly plausible in the story without much explanation. Although the two main characters are lovers, that's just part of the background; this is not a "romance". The reader is not confused when the point of view switches between Madeline and Nicholas. I'm thinking about reading more by this author.
Ratings:-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Ratings:-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
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August 30, 2015So take a Sherlock Holmes mystery, change the names, add magic. Holmes and Watson are currently investigating a recent rash of disappearances, while having a long-term goal of gathering enough evidence to bring Moriarty down.
Tell the story from the viewpoint of a character who is halfway between Holmes and Moriarty, and considers himself an enemy of both. Then waylay everyone's schemes with a necromancer.
Nicholas is out for revenge for the death of his mentor, and has set himself up as a master thief, with a small but loyal gang of criminals - and an Irene Adler equivalent as lover and partner. The story is enjoyable and the worldbuilding pleasantly recognisable as alt-Victorian. It's not a perfect story - the necromancer shows a sad tendency to not kill his enemies when he has them at his mercy, and unfortunately Wells has not altered any of the social mores when she added magic, limiting the amount of things Irene/Madeleine can do (though I enjoyed Madeleine's willingness to dress up as a man and insert herself into the action anyway).
There was only one brief conversation between women in the entire story, and Madeleine is participating in events solely as a support to her lover, so even though she's a strong character in herself, this is one of those books where I just itch for greater opportunities. I also found it hard to like Nicholas, who had a distinct tendency to snap or run off to sulk when people didn't do exactly what he wanted or he was just feeling irritated.
I liked quite a few of the secondary characters a lot and rather wished for more of them instead of Nicholas.
Tell the story from the viewpoint of a character who is halfway between Holmes and Moriarty, and considers himself an enemy of both. Then waylay everyone's schemes with a necromancer.
Nicholas is out for revenge for the death of his mentor, and has set himself up as a master thief, with a small but loyal gang of criminals - and an Irene Adler equivalent as lover and partner. The story is enjoyable and the worldbuilding pleasantly recognisable as alt-Victorian. It's not a perfect story - the necromancer shows a sad tendency to not kill his enemies when he has them at his mercy, and unfortunately Wells has not altered any of the social mores when she added magic, limiting the amount of things Irene/Madeleine can do (though I enjoyed Madeleine's willingness to dress up as a man and insert herself into the action anyway).
There was only one brief conversation between women in the entire story, and Madeleine is participating in events solely as a support to her lover, so even though she's a strong character in herself, this is one of those books where I just itch for greater opportunities. I also found it hard to like Nicholas, who had a distinct tendency to snap or run off to sulk when people didn't do exactly what he wanted or he was just feeling irritated.
I liked quite a few of the secondary characters a lot and rather wished for more of them instead of Nicholas.
July 22, 2019
Irregulars in Moria
This was a fun and fast read. 19th c. style cat and mouse featuring magic with an air of revenge, Sherlock Holmes meets Fellowship of the Ring story. The characters are fun, the setting is detailed, almost too much, but it is rendered completely.
Nicholas Valiarde is the leader of these "irregulars", a motley crew of unfairly wronged persons pursuing their own justice. I suppose I should go read book #1, now.
This was a fun and fast read. 19th c. style cat and mouse featuring magic with an air of revenge, Sherlock Holmes meets Fellowship of the Ring story. The characters are fun, the setting is detailed, almost too much, but it is rendered completely.
Nicholas Valiarde is the leader of these "irregulars", a motley crew of unfairly wronged persons pursuing their own justice. I suppose I should go read book #1, now.
"He united the ferocity of a madman with the cognitive ability of the sane; this is not a pleasant combination."
October 18, 2024
While it may start with another heist just like its predecessor, The Death of the Necromancer hasn't just changed the characters and dates but in parts the genre itself.
While it stays similarly close to fantasy, and much of the novel is concerned with mysteries and thrills (and some of them are truly splendid, the high point the hunt in the prison maze, but pretty much everything keeping one on the edge of one’s seat once the story got going proper), the scope is quite a bit smaller than in The Elements of Fire, with the previous novel’s concerns of the royals replaced with a gang of thieves (though some of them quite wealthy and close to people close to royals). And while much of The Elements of Fire was spent in an impressive struggle between large forces, The Death of the Necromancer follows its appealing characters down alleyways and backhalls of suburban manors as they work to figure out why the hell any of this is happening. Their opponent is appropriately powerful, but the feeling is different, especially once you find out Ile-Rien has, amongst other things, upgraded from oil to gas and one-shooters to six-shooters. The Elements of Fire was also a far darker book, with few characters surviving until the end, while here only a few do not (the deadliness which I think added to the first book's specific tone, but is not missed here).
I enjoyed the previous novel more than seems to be right by the apparent consensus, and I was quickly made nostalgic for its characters and court intrigue and its emphasis on action with weapons with limited power; but this book didn't take long to find its appeal, and it have a few things over the previous one, like a bit tighter plotting and side-characters that have more personality than what you can sum up in a shallow paragraph (and, seeing the way this series is going, it's too bad we'll never meet any of them again).
The casual queerness of a few characters and no damsels in distress this time around was also more than appealing.
However, the book does unravel a bit by the end as Wells attempts to satisfactorily tidy up all the threads while keeping up the thrills, but it's difficult to be that thrilled when so much breath is spent on turning potentiality into certainty and the characters are just half-going through the motions of a grand finale. Even the final chapter seems to mimic the one in the previous book (though again showing the difference in genre - while it was an exciting action scene that took care of the pesky lingering problem in the previous book, it's intrigue and sly subterfuge that deals a finishing blow in this one).
And Wells does start relying more than is fair share on magic to solve problems (the eternal problem in books dealing in magic), though again to her credit the way she limits the power of her most powerful sorcerer throughout the book is a stroke of genius.
But never minding the complaints about the culmination, on the strength of most of the book alone this is a fine reading and Martha Wells a writer that I regret I almost never made the acquaintance with. Thank you again, Murderbot, and I'm sure to keep thanking you as I keep working my way through the delightful backlog of your impressive creator.
While it stays similarly close to fantasy, and much of the novel is concerned with mysteries and thrills (and some of them are truly splendid, the high point the hunt in the prison maze, but pretty much everything keeping one on the edge of one’s seat once the story got going proper), the scope is quite a bit smaller than in The Elements of Fire, with the previous novel’s concerns of the royals replaced with a gang of thieves (though some of them quite wealthy and close to people close to royals). And while much of The Elements of Fire was spent in an impressive struggle between large forces, The Death of the Necromancer follows its appealing characters down alleyways and backhalls of suburban manors as they work to figure out why the hell any of this is happening. Their opponent is appropriately powerful, but the feeling is different, especially once you find out Ile-Rien has, amongst other things, upgraded from oil to gas and one-shooters to six-shooters. The Elements of Fire was also a far darker book, with few characters surviving until the end, while here only a few do not (the deadliness which I think added to the first book's specific tone, but is not missed here).
I enjoyed the previous novel more than seems to be right by the apparent consensus, and I was quickly made nostalgic for its characters and court intrigue and its emphasis on action with weapons with limited power; but this book didn't take long to find its appeal, and it have a few things over the previous one, like a bit tighter plotting and side-characters that have more personality than what you can sum up in a shallow paragraph (and, seeing the way this series is going, it's too bad we'll never meet any of them again).
The casual queerness of a few characters and no damsels in distress this time around was also more than appealing.
However, the book does unravel a bit by the end as Wells attempts to satisfactorily tidy up all the threads while keeping up the thrills, but it's difficult to be that thrilled when so much breath is spent on turning potentiality into certainty and the characters are just half-going through the motions of a grand finale. Even the final chapter seems to mimic the one in the previous book (though again showing the difference in genre - while it was an exciting action scene that took care of the pesky lingering problem in the previous book, it's intrigue and sly subterfuge that deals a finishing blow in this one).
And Wells does start relying more than is fair share on magic to solve problems (the eternal problem in books dealing in magic), though again to her credit the way she limits the power of her most powerful sorcerer throughout the book is a stroke of genius.
But never minding the complaints about the culmination, on the strength of most of the book alone this is a fine reading and Martha Wells a writer that I regret I almost never made the acquaintance with. Thank you again, Murderbot, and I'm sure to keep thanking you as I keep working my way through the delightful backlog of your impressive creator.
August 12, 2025
The pages burst with dark magic in this delightful Victorian-esque, detective-style novel. Nicholas and friends are connected by a desire for revenge—not of a simple blood-thirsty make but a poetic one borne out of injustice. It is not enough for the scoundrel to be held accountable for his actions, he must also know how it feels to be accused and executed for crimes he did not commit.
Revenge is holding tightly onto broken glass made to endure by an acute sense of justice. Nevermind the bloody cuts, the more they dig, the more buried they become in the muck until they get to the bottom sprawled with mutilated corpses. Upon closer examination, they are horrified to find that the bodies bear evidence of agonising death brought about by torture carried out by or for the benefit of a cruel and depraved necromancer who has become irritated by their meddling.
Happily, the alliance strengthens with sorcery-practitioners, doctors and magical artefacts. They travel through stuffy catacombs, prisons, palaces and parties alike sometimes on horse-drawn carriages to battle ghouls, golems and revenants until they finally get to the elusive Necromancer.
Hardly a dull moment and a wonderful accompaniment to the red hues of autumn.
Revenge is holding tightly onto broken glass made to endure by an acute sense of justice. Nevermind the bloody cuts, the more they dig, the more buried they become in the muck until they get to the bottom sprawled with mutilated corpses. Upon closer examination, they are horrified to find that the bodies bear evidence of agonising death brought about by torture carried out by or for the benefit of a cruel and depraved necromancer who has become irritated by their meddling.
Happily, the alliance strengthens with sorcery-practitioners, doctors and magical artefacts. They travel through stuffy catacombs, prisons, palaces and parties alike sometimes on horse-drawn carriages to battle ghouls, golems and revenants until they finally get to the elusive Necromancer.
Hardly a dull moment and a wonderful accompaniment to the red hues of autumn.
September 8, 2023
This is one of those books that I feel quite conflicted about. There was a lot of positive elements that I liked. I enjoyed the world building and there was an interesting magic element that bordered on horror in its descriptions. The balance of fantasy, mystery and horror was well executed and I enjoyed the writing. What kept this from being a read I was thoroughly engaged with was an unfortunate narration on audible that had all the characters sounding alike…old stuffy Victorian Englishmen…which, considering the Holmes/Watson vibes the author was going for, was completely understandable but also wasn’t very engaging for me. It was also hard to discern who was who at times which added to a sometimes confusing narrative. Partly, that’s on me as I’m struggling a little with focus right now, as well as a poor narrator, but also the book is written in such a way as to make me feel as though I had missed some context on what went on before the events playing out in the current timeline. Things happened off the page and are alluded to but it did have me asking myself, wait…when did that happen? It was a bit disorienting and added a level of confusion my focus deprived brain was unable to keep up with. All the backstory alluded to was important in building a feeling of investment with the characters and the narrative and with the way it all happened off page contributed to less reason to root for anybody. Consequently, I never felt very engaged with the characters which is probably the most important aspect for me to thoroughly enjoy a book. I’m interested to see if my feelings are less conflicted If I just read the book rather than listen to it when I’m back to my usual focused self again because it does have many elements that were very well done.
November 23, 2009
This is the first of Martha Wells' books that I read; it is still my favorite, although I love everything that she's written. The book is set in Ile-Rien, a world similar to Victorian England, although with the addition of magic. Wells brings the setting to life, making it a character in itself; however, the plot and the characters more than live up to it.
The plot centers around Nicholas Valiarde, who has spent the past twenty years attempting to destroy the man responsible for the unjust execution of his foster father. Nicholas is a strange combination of hero and crime lord; something like a corrupt Robin Hood or a somewhat civic-minded Moriarty.
Just as his plans to defeat his enemy begin to bear fruit, Nicholas is distracted by strange occurances in the city. Corpses vanish, or take on the appearance of living people, strange creatures appear in the sewers, and traces of necromantic power unlike any used for centuries appears. Nicholas is forced to put aside his own plans in order to discover who is responsible for the turmoil in the city, and work to stop the greatest evil the city has ever seen.
The storyline and characters are fascinating; nothing seems forced or awkward, and the conclusion is highly satisfactory. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy. The trilogy which follows this novel focus on Nicholas' daughter, and are also excellent books.
The plot centers around Nicholas Valiarde, who has spent the past twenty years attempting to destroy the man responsible for the unjust execution of his foster father. Nicholas is a strange combination of hero and crime lord; something like a corrupt Robin Hood or a somewhat civic-minded Moriarty.
Just as his plans to defeat his enemy begin to bear fruit, Nicholas is distracted by strange occurances in the city. Corpses vanish, or take on the appearance of living people, strange creatures appear in the sewers, and traces of necromantic power unlike any used for centuries appears. Nicholas is forced to put aside his own plans in order to discover who is responsible for the turmoil in the city, and work to stop the greatest evil the city has ever seen.
The storyline and characters are fascinating; nothing seems forced or awkward, and the conclusion is highly satisfactory. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy. The trilogy which follows this novel focus on Nicholas' daughter, and are also excellent books.
June 13, 2023
Fun and clever.
April 16, 2020
Abandonado al 18%, casi 100pags.
¿Esta autora es la misma que escribió el primero de esta saga?¿La que ha escrito los dos de Matabot? A esos les puse 4 y 5 estrellas. ¿Y este libro tiene más de un 4 de media de las reviews?
Vale, pido enajenación mental por mi parte (espero que transitoria) y digo que imposible, que me aburro, que me cuesta coger el kindle, que los personajes me aburren (ni puta chispa que tienen), que los diálogos no tienen gracia, que la historia no tiene ningún interés y que le den al libro.
Ni por la ambientación (lo único bueno, lo que le salva de tener una estrella) soy capaz de continuar. Si alguno me decís que a partir de la página 350 es buenísísísísísísímo me alegro, no pago ese peaje de páginas. Una lástima, la autora no me había fallado hasta ahora.
¿Esta autora es la misma que escribió el primero de esta saga?¿La que ha escrito los dos de Matabot? A esos les puse 4 y 5 estrellas. ¿Y este libro tiene más de un 4 de media de las reviews?
Vale, pido enajenación mental por mi parte (espero que transitoria) y digo que imposible, que me aburro, que me cuesta coger el kindle, que los personajes me aburren (ni puta chispa que tienen), que los diálogos no tienen gracia, que la historia no tiene ningún interés y que le den al libro.
Ni por la ambientación (lo único bueno, lo que le salva de tener una estrella) soy capaz de continuar. Si alguno me decís que a partir de la página 350 es buenísísísísísísímo me alegro, no pago ese peaje de páginas. Una lástima, la autora no me había fallado hasta ahora.
July 9, 2019
I have several of Wells' books sitting unread on my shelf. I had this one, then also the Fall of Ile-Rien trilogy and Wheel of the Infinite. Decided to start working on the Ile-Rien books so here we are.
Since it is a Martha Wells Book, I knew I was in good hands. She's a great author and the Raksuran books are among my all time favourite books.
This book has a Victorian-esque world building. It has gas and stuff, guns and trains. Also magic. The magic is vague since none of the POV characters are sorcerers. The book is dual-POV and follows Nicholas, a nobleman and patron of arts at day, and Donatien, a thief/con-man at night. And he wants revenge. A man in my taste so to say; and Madeline, a could-have-been sorceress who didn't wanna so she became an actress instead, and competent partner in crime. They claim not to be married (Nicholas states so at one point) but they are very much married. Still, the book has little-to-no romance which is great.
The book starts with your run-down-the-hill con/thievery which ends up not going to plan. Nothing unusual, but our friends are unwillingly dragged into a scheme of necromancy. Necromancy used to be merely frowned upon but is now very much illegal and punished with death. Nicholas and his friends has to put aside revenge plans and instead find who's causing the necromancy.
It was a fun ride Wells created here. The characters are super fun to follow and it has a fun worldbuilding.
Since it is a Martha Wells Book, I knew I was in good hands. She's a great author and the Raksuran books are among my all time favourite books.
This book has a Victorian-esque world building. It has gas and stuff, guns and trains. Also magic. The magic is vague since none of the POV characters are sorcerers. The book is dual-POV and follows Nicholas, a nobleman and patron of arts at day, and Donatien, a thief/con-man at night. And he wants revenge. A man in my taste so to say; and Madeline, a could-have-been sorceress who didn't wanna so she became an actress instead, and competent partner in crime. They claim not to be married (Nicholas states so at one point) but they are very much married. Still, the book has little-to-no romance which is great.
The book starts with your run-down-the-hill con/thievery which ends up not going to plan. Nothing unusual, but our friends are unwillingly dragged into a scheme of necromancy. Necromancy used to be merely frowned upon but is now very much illegal and punished with death. Nicholas and his friends has to put aside revenge plans and instead find who's causing the necromancy.
It was a fun ride Wells created here. The characters are super fun to follow and it has a fun worldbuilding.
January 9, 2014
Now available for free online reading!
http://marthawells.livejournal.com/55...
http://marthawells.livejournal.com/55...
August 9, 2012
Possible minor spoilage through. Major spoilers behind tags.
*sigh*
There's nothing particularly wrong with this story, but I never really got caught up into it. I don't know if it was the writing style, the meh characters, or what, but I never clicked with the characters and, by extension, was never fully engaged in what was going on.
And it's not the anti-hero or revenge plot aspect or anything, because I can quite get behind both of those. It's... ugh... I don't know...
Let's start with Nicholas. I just didn't really like Nicholas all that much, and it's not a good thing to not like your protagonist. But, like I said, it wasn't because of the criminal mastermind aspect or the revenge thing or anything... it was just because he was kind of a douche to his friends. I mean, he was constantly impatient and snappish with his friends - all of them - including his lover, Madeline, and I'm not quite sure I ever bought that there was much in the way of love in their relationship - at least not from him.
They're all part of his group and helping him out in his (overly) elaborate revenge scheme (i.e. ), worried about his obsession and worried about him in general, but he's constantly berating them and chiding them. At least most of this happens mentally, but he is very short and snappish in general.
Anyway...
I was also a bit put out by the fact that some of my favorite characters - Crack, the tough who actually prefers figuring things out to breaking skulls; Arisilde, the opium-addicted sorcerer, and Ronsarde; the Sherlock Holmes clone (of sorts) - weren't around enough, as most of the focus goes to Nicholas and Madeline. (Heck, I'd even prefer more Reynard to those two, to be honest. Though, well, Madeline was okay, but I kept getting distracted by the fact that she seemed to be portrayed as the way that people who don't know many actors think actors are like, as opposed to how they actually are. Meaning, she seemed to be 'on' almost all the time and, yes, part of this was her persona in the criminal group, but part of it just seemed to be how she was.)
(Ye gods, I'm all over the place with this review. Where was I?)
Ok, so Nic and Co get side-tracked from the revenge scheme when a mad necromancer is killing people and they get caught up in it. Along the way they cross paths and join forces withHolmes Ronsarde and Watson Halle, whom Nic both admires and fears, considering his own criminal activities.
And I liked Ronsarde, 'cause I like Holmes... but, of course, since this is Nicholas' story, Ronsarde has to be pretty much put out of action for most of the time, and ends up being someone who has to be rescued on more than one occassion and is sort of more of hindrance than a help, and never really does any grand deducing or anything, so, really, the only point to have him enter the story at all, aside from having to be rescued, is for the convenient ending to work - but I'll get to that.
Similarly with Arisilde, there are some things that don't make sense. He starts being useful to Nicholas, and then is similarly decommissioned. But, see, the way he was decommissioned makes no sense except that it's necessary for the plot. but, really, it makes no goddamn sense!
And then there are all the coincidences. The last big battle stuff all happens in the sewers in which we're told workers have gotten lost and died, and yet everyone seems to always end up where they need to be. Sure they had a map at first - but then shit happens and they get separated and into sections that weren't on the map but, still, everyone conveniently finds the missing people and the way out and whatever the fuck they need to find in order for the plot to work.
So, ya know what, fuck it. I lied - it's not just that the book didn't work for me and I don't know why. There are logical gaps and inconsistencies and overly convenient conveniences and flat characters and all the interesting characters are under used.
I'm not even sure why I'm giving this a 2 stars anymore.
No, I lie. I didn't hate it, and it had some interesting things about it.
It was kind of overlong and I kept falling asleep while reading it but, um, really, there were some good things about it. (Why do I have the feeling I'm gonna end up changing this to a 1-star at some point in the future, when I can't even begin to remember what I remotely liked about it?)
I don't know. I feel bad if I think about giving it a 1 star. It wasn't dire, and there was some cool magi-tech stuff about it, and I can see how other people would like it more, and I probably wouldn't have noticed some of the annoying things I noticed towards the end if I'd been more engaged but, meh, whatever.
I think it's just because I really wanted to like it. It had all the elements to make up a story that should be my thing but... it just wasn't.
Blech.
ETA: OMG - I got forgot about the thing with the denouement. So, I'd mentioned Nic's revenge plans getting side-tracked 'cause of the Necromancer guy, and then they get scrapped all together because it's just not feasible after teaming up with Ronsarde and whatnot... but
*sigh*
There's nothing particularly wrong with this story, but I never really got caught up into it. I don't know if it was the writing style, the meh characters, or what, but I never clicked with the characters and, by extension, was never fully engaged in what was going on.
And it's not the anti-hero or revenge plot aspect or anything, because I can quite get behind both of those. It's... ugh... I don't know...
Let's start with Nicholas. I just didn't really like Nicholas all that much, and it's not a good thing to not like your protagonist. But, like I said, it wasn't because of the criminal mastermind aspect or the revenge thing or anything... it was just because he was kind of a douche to his friends. I mean, he was constantly impatient and snappish with his friends - all of them - including his lover, Madeline, and I'm not quite sure I ever bought that there was much in the way of love in their relationship - at least not from him.
They're all part of his group and helping him out in his (overly) elaborate revenge scheme (i.e. ), worried about his obsession and worried about him in general, but he's constantly berating them and chiding them. At least most of this happens mentally, but he is very short and snappish in general.
Anyway...
I was also a bit put out by the fact that some of my favorite characters - Crack, the tough who actually prefers figuring things out to breaking skulls; Arisilde, the opium-addicted sorcerer, and Ronsarde; the Sherlock Holmes clone (of sorts) - weren't around enough, as most of the focus goes to Nicholas and Madeline. (Heck, I'd even prefer more Reynard to those two, to be honest. Though, well, Madeline was okay, but I kept getting distracted by the fact that she seemed to be portrayed as the way that people who don't know many actors think actors are like, as opposed to how they actually are. Meaning, she seemed to be 'on' almost all the time and, yes, part of this was her persona in the criminal group, but part of it just seemed to be how she was.)
(Ye gods, I'm all over the place with this review. Where was I?)
Ok, so Nic and Co get side-tracked from the revenge scheme when a mad necromancer is killing people and they get caught up in it. Along the way they cross paths and join forces with
And I liked Ronsarde, 'cause I like Holmes... but, of course, since this is Nicholas' story, Ronsarde has to be pretty much put out of action for most of the time, and ends up being someone who has to be rescued on more than one occassion and is sort of more of hindrance than a help, and never really does any grand deducing or anything, so, really, the only point to have him enter the story at all, aside from having to be rescued, is for the convenient ending to work - but I'll get to that.
Similarly with Arisilde, there are some things that don't make sense. He starts being useful to Nicholas, and then is similarly decommissioned. But, see, the way he was decommissioned makes no sense except that it's necessary for the plot. but, really, it makes no goddamn sense!
And then there are all the coincidences. The last big battle stuff all happens in the sewers in which we're told workers have gotten lost and died, and yet everyone seems to always end up where they need to be. Sure they had a map at first - but then shit happens and they get separated and into sections that weren't on the map but, still, everyone conveniently finds the missing people and the way out and whatever the fuck they need to find in order for the plot to work.
So, ya know what, fuck it. I lied - it's not just that the book didn't work for me and I don't know why. There are logical gaps and inconsistencies and overly convenient conveniences and flat characters and all the interesting characters are under used.
I'm not even sure why I'm giving this a 2 stars anymore.
No, I lie. I didn't hate it, and it had some interesting things about it.
It was kind of overlong and I kept falling asleep while reading it but, um, really, there were some good things about it. (Why do I have the feeling I'm gonna end up changing this to a 1-star at some point in the future, when I can't even begin to remember what I remotely liked about it?)
I don't know. I feel bad if I think about giving it a 1 star. It wasn't dire, and there was some cool magi-tech stuff about it, and I can see how other people would like it more, and I probably wouldn't have noticed some of the annoying things I noticed towards the end if I'd been more engaged but, meh, whatever.
I think it's just because I really wanted to like it. It had all the elements to make up a story that should be my thing but... it just wasn't.
Blech.
ETA: OMG - I got forgot about the thing with the denouement. So, I'd mentioned Nic's revenge plans getting side-tracked 'cause of the Necromancer guy, and then they get scrapped all together because it's just not feasible after teaming up with Ronsarde and whatnot... but
May 12, 2022
This is a fantasy set in alt-historic 19th-century equivalent, written by Martha Wells, who is more known for multiple award-winning Murderbot series. I read it as a part of monthly reading for May 2022 at Hugo & Nebula Awards: Best Novels group. This novel was nominated for Nebula for 1998, lost to Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman. While formally it is the second volume of Ile-Rien pentalogy, it can be read as a standalone without losing any context.
The story starts with a group of people attempting to steal valuables from a noble house with an intricate plan, which includes several team members appearing as guests, while others sneak into the mansion. Here were meet the main characters of the book – an actress and mistress of disguise Madeline Denare and a mastermind behind this attempt – Nicolas Valiarde, who is known in the underworld of the city of Vienne as Donatien. Nicolas is a man driven by revenge – ages ago, local nobleman and criminal Count Montesq set up Nic's foster-father Edouard, wrongly accusing the latter of dealing with necromancy, for Edouard's last experiment laid in combining natural philosophy and magic, in order to communicate with his dead wife. Nicolas works to reverse the tables and put Montesq on death row.
As it turns out, Nic’s team wasn’t the only one who decided to get something in the mansion that night, but rivals stole something that wasn’t in the safe. Moreover, they used ghouls, magic-raised dead powerful but dull creatures, which is a rarity – for while this world has magic and everyone knows it exists (there is an official royal mage) it isn’t broadly used – people prefer more mundane and dependable science-backed things in their daily life. Shortly after the incident, the protagonists find out that a spiritualist Doctor Octave visiting the city’s noble houses formally to let people to talk to their relatives but actually pursuing his own goals.
There is a cast of interesting secondary characters, from a disgraced cavalry captain Reynard, to a magician turned opium addict Arisilde. Initially, I was quite cool about the story, for I ain’t a fact of Ocean’s 9 kind of great heist stories, but this one turned more interesting and nuanced and characters grew on me. It is not a great SFF novel that strikes the imagination or halts a reader with awe, but a solid adventure yarn.
The story starts with a group of people attempting to steal valuables from a noble house with an intricate plan, which includes several team members appearing as guests, while others sneak into the mansion. Here were meet the main characters of the book – an actress and mistress of disguise Madeline Denare and a mastermind behind this attempt – Nicolas Valiarde, who is known in the underworld of the city of Vienne as Donatien. Nicolas is a man driven by revenge – ages ago, local nobleman and criminal Count Montesq set up Nic's foster-father Edouard, wrongly accusing the latter of dealing with necromancy, for Edouard's last experiment laid in combining natural philosophy and magic, in order to communicate with his dead wife. Nicolas works to reverse the tables and put Montesq on death row.
As it turns out, Nic’s team wasn’t the only one who decided to get something in the mansion that night, but rivals stole something that wasn’t in the safe. Moreover, they used ghouls, magic-raised dead powerful but dull creatures, which is a rarity – for while this world has magic and everyone knows it exists (there is an official royal mage) it isn’t broadly used – people prefer more mundane and dependable science-backed things in their daily life. Shortly after the incident, the protagonists find out that a spiritualist Doctor Octave visiting the city’s noble houses formally to let people to talk to their relatives but actually pursuing his own goals.
There is a cast of interesting secondary characters, from a disgraced cavalry captain Reynard, to a magician turned opium addict Arisilde. Initially, I was quite cool about the story, for I ain’t a fact of Ocean’s 9 kind of great heist stories, but this one turned more interesting and nuanced and characters grew on me. It is not a great SFF novel that strikes the imagination or halts a reader with awe, but a solid adventure yarn.
August 26, 2018
Well, I usually do not plunge into the middle of a series and so far, I came to regret most of these exceptions. But rules are here to be broken; this book came highly recommended by a reviewer I trust who also mentioned, that the other books are not really worth reading and that it stands well on its own. So, here I am (again).
Unsurprisingly, I had some trouble to get my bearings in this new world that started in the middle of a complex plot to frame a not-so-innocent count. However, these troubles might also have arisen because in the beginning I could read only short fragments due to a busy week. Also, the author plunges us into a new scene with every new chapter revealing only later where and why the protagonists did what they did. This was often coupled with some complex descriptions that somewhat interrupted my reading flow.
Having said that, I quite enjoyed the story, it was well written, humorous, but with a slight touch of horror and had a fascinating, authentic world. I’m no historian and unsure about the actual time-span, but it clearly reflected some old European cities (Vienna, London) and I quite liked the stinky underground action in the sewers. The group of protagonists were typically for “heists”: shrewd head, faithful henchmen, but they were also diverse (gay soldier, skilled and smart actress, drug-addicted sorcerer) and well developed. I also quite liked the twist of
Overall, I’d say: yes, this book stands well on its own, though it made me curious about the world. (But I will resist for now and keep faith with the above recommendations).
Unsurprisingly, I had some trouble to get my bearings in this new world that started in the middle of a complex plot to frame a not-so-innocent count. However, these troubles might also have arisen because in the beginning I could read only short fragments due to a busy week. Also, the author plunges us into a new scene with every new chapter revealing only later where and why the protagonists did what they did. This was often coupled with some complex descriptions that somewhat interrupted my reading flow.
Having said that, I quite enjoyed the story, it was well written, humorous, but with a slight touch of horror and had a fascinating, authentic world. I’m no historian and unsure about the actual time-span, but it clearly reflected some old European cities (Vienna, London) and I quite liked the stinky underground action in the sewers. The group of protagonists were typically for “heists”: shrewd head, faithful henchmen, but they were also diverse (gay soldier, skilled and smart actress, drug-addicted sorcerer) and well developed. I also quite liked the twist of
Overall, I’d say: yes, this book stands well on its own, though it made me curious about the world. (But I will resist for now and keep faith with the above recommendations).
July 28, 2017
" I think you'll do anything for curiosity's sake.!
"I'm trying to establish foundation for a hypothesis."
"You're curious."
"That's what I said."
About two thirds into the book Nicholas, the main character, gets in a situation that looks really bad. My immediate reaction to that was Ugh. No.. I wasn't particularly worried about Nicholas or any of his friends. They had, so far, gotten into a lot of trouble and out again without any losses. Besides, I didn't care enough about him or any of the others to worry about them. I was only annoyed because it meant that now the next few chapters would be spent on getting Nicholas out of trouble and not on advancing the main plot. That's not good.
And that's the issue with this book. The magical murder mystery our characters are investigating was really intriguing. But I never cared about Nicholas or Madeleine or their relationship with each other (their dialogues seemed to come out of 'Bickering couples with UST 101'). The side-characters had potential (especially not!Holmes, not!Watson and the Queen) and when any of them talked with Nicholas or Madeleine I even found myself grinning at the banter because that was genuinely funny, but we never saw much of them.
Add to that, that while the plot was interesting there was just too much magical plot-convenience going on. There was a sorcerer who is incredibly powerful but also had his mind destroyed by opium addiction. So when you ask him for something he might answer or not. Or do it later when the plot needs it. And we also got a magical device that conveniently destroyed most of the monsters that stood in the way of our heroes. No need for them to know what exactly they have to do. Hold the thing up and BOOM! It's also a machine so it doesn't tire...(which is really a shame because the author can write action scenes. I just didn't care about any of the people in them or ever seriously thought they were in real danger).
June 18, 2012
On an intellectual level, this novel is engaging and unusual for a fantasy. The plot unravels not in a somewhat-medieval world, as is almost a staple of the genre, but in a place and time that resonate heavily with Victorian London of Sherlock Holmes, although the geographic names are all imaginary. In that quasi-19th century, telegrams and steam trains coincide with sorcery (legal) and necromancy (illegal), and magically animated stone gargoyles kill people under the gas light.
The protagonist Nicholas fits into this milieu. Driven by his need to avenge his foster father, wrongfully accused of necromancy and executed a few years ago, Nicholas is plotting against the man responsible – Count Montesq. To bring his enemy down, Nicholas gathered a gang of criminals around him. Many of his associates have a grudge against Montesq, and almost everyone owes Nicholas his life or freedom.
Here lies my first, feeble objection to the story: all those thieves are so very noble and ready to die for their boss that the sweetness level becomes almost sugary. Fortunately, it’s counteracted by Nicholas’s relationship with his lover, actress Madeline. The relationship is supposed to be love, but it’s almost invisible. Madeline is charming and talented but she acts not as Nicholas’s sweetheart but as any of his henchmen. She is capable and insists on being involved in all his schemes, risking her life on a regular schedule, but why? Why does she do it for the man who never said he loves her and always treats her like one of the guys? My second objection arises here. I like Madeline more than any other character in the story and I feel sorry for her. Her love for Nicholas is at least tangible.
To make the story more interesting, Nicholas’s plans for revenge are interrupted, when a mad necromancer appears on the scene and starts a killing spree, terrorizing the city. That necromancer also marked Nicholas as one of his primary targets, and Nicholas doesn’t know why. To resume his vengeance against Montesq, Nicholas first must find and destroy the necromancer. But of course, the necromancer always stays one step ahead, and Nicholas always reacts instead of acting. My third objection: why is the bad guy so much smarter than the good guy? Although I’m not sure Nicholas falls under the description of a good guy? He is a criminal boss after all.
Much of the action takes place in filthy and smelly places like the sewers under the city. And Nicholas stumbles into one disaster after another, as if his luck had disappeared. If he ever had it, that is. I know it’s a literary rule to put obstacles into the hero’s way, but when everything that could go wrong does, again and again without respite, I start to wonder why Nicholas was made the hero of this story. It’s becoming frustrating after a while, when the bad guys invariably win every round.
I liked the book, really I did, don’t get me wrong. I finished it, which is praise in itself: I don’t finish books I dislike. Furthermore, the things that I like about this book – its complex plot, its descriptive scenery, its intricate interweaving of magic and science – heavily outweigh what I dislike, but I’m not going to seek another book of this author again, because what I disliked most touched me on a gut level. It’s the lack of emotional involvement: the heroes’, the author’s, and consequently, mine. When the hero is angry, the author just says it. It doesn’t reflect in his actions or words. When the heroine is afraid, the same story. I don’t feel her fear; my connection to her plight is purely cerebral: in a described situation, only a mad woman wouldn’t be afraid.
But despite everything I said above, this novel is definitely worth reading.
The protagonist Nicholas fits into this milieu. Driven by his need to avenge his foster father, wrongfully accused of necromancy and executed a few years ago, Nicholas is plotting against the man responsible – Count Montesq. To bring his enemy down, Nicholas gathered a gang of criminals around him. Many of his associates have a grudge against Montesq, and almost everyone owes Nicholas his life or freedom.
Here lies my first, feeble objection to the story: all those thieves are so very noble and ready to die for their boss that the sweetness level becomes almost sugary. Fortunately, it’s counteracted by Nicholas’s relationship with his lover, actress Madeline. The relationship is supposed to be love, but it’s almost invisible. Madeline is charming and talented but she acts not as Nicholas’s sweetheart but as any of his henchmen. She is capable and insists on being involved in all his schemes, risking her life on a regular schedule, but why? Why does she do it for the man who never said he loves her and always treats her like one of the guys? My second objection arises here. I like Madeline more than any other character in the story and I feel sorry for her. Her love for Nicholas is at least tangible.
To make the story more interesting, Nicholas’s plans for revenge are interrupted, when a mad necromancer appears on the scene and starts a killing spree, terrorizing the city. That necromancer also marked Nicholas as one of his primary targets, and Nicholas doesn’t know why. To resume his vengeance against Montesq, Nicholas first must find and destroy the necromancer. But of course, the necromancer always stays one step ahead, and Nicholas always reacts instead of acting. My third objection: why is the bad guy so much smarter than the good guy? Although I’m not sure Nicholas falls under the description of a good guy? He is a criminal boss after all.
Much of the action takes place in filthy and smelly places like the sewers under the city. And Nicholas stumbles into one disaster after another, as if his luck had disappeared. If he ever had it, that is. I know it’s a literary rule to put obstacles into the hero’s way, but when everything that could go wrong does, again and again without respite, I start to wonder why Nicholas was made the hero of this story. It’s becoming frustrating after a while, when the bad guys invariably win every round.
I liked the book, really I did, don’t get me wrong. I finished it, which is praise in itself: I don’t finish books I dislike. Furthermore, the things that I like about this book – its complex plot, its descriptive scenery, its intricate interweaving of magic and science – heavily outweigh what I dislike, but I’m not going to seek another book of this author again, because what I disliked most touched me on a gut level. It’s the lack of emotional involvement: the heroes’, the author’s, and consequently, mine. When the hero is angry, the author just says it. It doesn’t reflect in his actions or words. When the heroine is afraid, the same story. I don’t feel her fear; my connection to her plight is purely cerebral: in a described situation, only a mad woman wouldn’t be afraid.
But despite everything I said above, this novel is definitely worth reading.
Read
March 9, 2017DNF. Nothing to do with the book. Just wasn't in the mood for it. Might return to later.
July 19, 2020
Short review: Moriarty, Irene Alder, Sherlock and Watson (and co) team up to stop a necromancer.
Moving one of the final pieces of careful revenge scheme of many years into place (we start with a heist at a ball, nbd), our main characters find themselves caught in a bigger and more terrible scheme. This will take all their skills, some enemies they'd rather not work with, and some skeletons they'd rather stay buried.
I just had a great time. I love Martha Wells. What a good time. Could use more female characters (we only had two, and one was minor), but we did have several major queer characters, which is not nothing for the 90s. And I just had a great time. What a fun book.
Moving one of the final pieces of careful revenge scheme of many years into place (we start with a heist at a ball, nbd), our main characters find themselves caught in a bigger and more terrible scheme. This will take all their skills, some enemies they'd rather not work with, and some skeletons they'd rather stay buried.
I just had a great time. I love Martha Wells. What a good time. Could use more female characters (we only had two, and one was minor), but we did have several major queer characters, which is not nothing for the 90s. And I just had a great time. What a fun book.
April 19, 2010
Excellent characters and dialogue, devious plot. It's a heck of an adventure fantasy of manners of a particular city.
January 23, 2022
4.5 stars. I wish I’d read this as a physical book and not on my Kindle as I kept wanting to skip back and check things. I really enjoyed the Holmesian background and the brilliant mix of powerful magics, a little steampunk, a dark hero, (and a selection of other fabulously engaging characters [I could have read a book about the queen!]) and humour in among the darkness.
April 29, 2022
3.5 stars -- This book is a bit messy, but in a good way. The plot feels like it is meandering the whole time, with Wells never providing hints to which scenes are more important than others. I appreciate this approach: for one it is more realistic, as the big events in life rarely announce themselves, and we only realize their true import sometime afterwards. Additionally, it shows that Wells trusts her readers to figure out what is going on.
I realize that this is the second book in the Ile-Rien series, but was led to understand by Wiki and other reviews that reading the first book (The Element of Fire) was not necessary to understand the plot of TDOTN; so I read this one first. And I still think this is true -- the events in TDOTN seem far removed from what I know about The Element of Fire. However, Wells, never one for exposition, leaves a ton of background and previous events for the reader to infer from character chat and plot logistics. Once again, I like this, but it makes this book less than a light fantasy read.
As for as the magic and fantasy aspects of this book go, I think they are just right -- plenty of unexplained magic, but no big deus ex machinas or ridiculous Harry-Potter-I'll-just-believe-and/or-try-harder-and-then-I'll-win action sequences. All in all, a good book. Recommended for both existing Wells fans and new readers wanting to give her a try.
I realize that this is the second book in the Ile-Rien series, but was led to understand by Wiki and other reviews that reading the first book (The Element of Fire) was not necessary to understand the plot of TDOTN; so I read this one first. And I still think this is true -- the events in TDOTN seem far removed from what I know about The Element of Fire. However, Wells, never one for exposition, leaves a ton of background and previous events for the reader to infer from character chat and plot logistics. Once again, I like this, but it makes this book less than a light fantasy read.
As for as the magic and fantasy aspects of this book go, I think they are just right -- plenty of unexplained magic, but no big deus ex machinas or ridiculous Harry-Potter-I'll-just-believe-and/or-try-harder-and-then-I'll-win action sequences. All in all, a good book. Recommended for both existing Wells fans and new readers wanting to give her a try.
March 24, 2021
Hmmm it was ok but not as good as the first. I kept getting distracted losing the storyline.
August 8, 2024
In some ways this is masterful - a mystery adventure within a mystery, with lots of heists and action in the vividly-drawn gaslamp city of Vienne. Wells has always excelled at action sequences, and there are lots of them. This is a very visual novel and it would make a great movie.
And yet - the whole thing just left me cold for big chunks. There was a long stretch where I was forcing myself through, a few pages at a time. Part of this was that the whole backstory to Nicholas' revenge plot was told in flashbacks or infodumps, and it was complicated. The information was conveyed as unobtrusively as possible, but I felt as if I were being asked to take a lot on credit, to care about his foster-father Edouarde and his magical spheres and his betrayal and death. I never met the man, but I needed to accept that what happened to him set all the events of the book into motion and be into it.
Character information in general was doled out with a parsimonious hand. Again, I felt like I was just taking it all on credit. Why did Madeline stay with Nicholas? She doesn't even know, and says so a few times. Hey, did you know she fought in a duel with another actress? That was about the only thing I ever learned about her, besides her devotion to Nicholas, except that she is smart and brave - she shows this a lot, at least. A few of the side characters/ henchmen are pretty interchangeable, but not completely.
The connections to the first book, The Element of Fire, didn't come in until about halfway through. We learn that Nicholas is the descendant of somebody in that book- and honestly if I had known sooner it would have really heightened my enjoyment. Also we go down underground where all those fay were buried in the last book, which was a good callback.
I think that the reason that Murderbot succeeds for me where these novels didn't, quite, is that all Murderbot wants to do is solve problems. Other people are held at a distance and characterization is expected to be muted. Except for Murderbot, who basically just cracks wise to the reader. Murderbot is made for action, to solve action problems, and Wells writes this kind of thing very well.
But when it's a novel like this one, I never got much of a sense of who these people are or buy into their motivations (for many of these people their motivation is utter loyalty to the charismatic Nicholas), and it bored me. Nicholas turned out to be walking the line between becoming a hard-eyed, merciless schemer in pursuit of his (righteous, unlike his ancestor's) plans, and a person who retains his basic humanity, but we really only got the barest hint of that. I just wanted to know more of what was going on in these people's heads. Because even as they got irritated with each other for always having a flip response and not showing real fear or emotion - they still did it. They were very clever and brave people figuring out some difficult problems, but I only ever got the surface of it.
It was all very, very precisely plotted and went like clockwork. But unlike, say, the Swordspoint novels (were they also set in a Riverside District?) that's all it was. If you want really, really good clockwork, this is your book! If you want any heart, though, this is not the book for you. (Unless you are really into sewer design. I could tell Wells did her research on the Paris sewers!)
I read a later Ile-Rien book a few years ago and after an amazing first chapter was let down by what I recall as a lot of dungeon-crawling and some time travel from a WWII analogue. I feel like I've done my bit? after bouncing off this AND the Raksura. But never say never, I might try again with Ile-Rien. (Though I just read a review saying it's not worth it aside from this one.) Or I could just re-read the Swordspoint books.
p.s. - I read this as part of the new two-book edition, The Book of Ile-Rien, that is Wells' preferred text. I am reviewing it here because I damn well want credit for reading two books if I'm going to read 736 pages.
And yet - the whole thing just left me cold for big chunks. There was a long stretch where I was forcing myself through, a few pages at a time. Part of this was that the whole backstory to Nicholas' revenge plot was told in flashbacks or infodumps, and it was complicated. The information was conveyed as unobtrusively as possible, but I felt as if I were being asked to take a lot on credit, to care about his foster-father Edouarde and his magical spheres and his betrayal and death. I never met the man, but I needed to accept that what happened to him set all the events of the book into motion and be into it.
Character information in general was doled out with a parsimonious hand. Again, I felt like I was just taking it all on credit. Why did Madeline stay with Nicholas? She doesn't even know, and says so a few times. Hey, did you know she fought in a duel with another actress? That was about the only thing I ever learned about her, besides her devotion to Nicholas, except that she is smart and brave - she shows this a lot, at least. A few of the side characters/ henchmen are pretty interchangeable, but not completely.
The connections to the first book, The Element of Fire, didn't come in until about halfway through. We learn that Nicholas is the descendant of somebody in that book- and honestly if I had known sooner it would have really heightened my enjoyment. Also we go down underground where all those fay were buried in the last book, which was a good callback.
I think that the reason that Murderbot succeeds for me where these novels didn't, quite, is that all Murderbot wants to do is solve problems. Other people are held at a distance and characterization is expected to be muted. Except for Murderbot, who basically just cracks wise to the reader. Murderbot is made for action, to solve action problems, and Wells writes this kind of thing very well.
But when it's a novel like this one, I never got much of a sense of who these people are or buy into their motivations (for many of these people their motivation is utter loyalty to the charismatic Nicholas), and it bored me. Nicholas turned out to be walking the line between becoming a hard-eyed, merciless schemer in pursuit of his (righteous, unlike his ancestor's) plans, and a person who retains his basic humanity, but we really only got the barest hint of that. I just wanted to know more of what was going on in these people's heads. Because even as they got irritated with each other for always having a flip response and not showing real fear or emotion - they still did it. They were very clever and brave people figuring out some difficult problems, but I only ever got the surface of it.
It was all very, very precisely plotted and went like clockwork. But unlike, say, the Swordspoint novels (were they also set in a Riverside District?) that's all it was. If you want really, really good clockwork, this is your book! If you want any heart, though, this is not the book for you. (Unless you are really into sewer design. I could tell Wells did her research on the Paris sewers!)
I read a later Ile-Rien book a few years ago and after an amazing first chapter was let down by what I recall as a lot of dungeon-crawling and some time travel from a WWII analogue. I feel like I've done my bit? after bouncing off this AND the Raksura. But never say never, I might try again with Ile-Rien. (Though I just read a review saying it's not worth it aside from this one.) Or I could just re-read the Swordspoint books.
p.s. - I read this as part of the new two-book edition, The Book of Ile-Rien, that is Wells' preferred text. I am reviewing it here because I damn well want credit for reading two books if I'm going to read 736 pages.
August 15, 2014
Wake the living dead! Vivisection, resurrection, and insurrection. Political intrigue via golems and hedge witches, science and sorcerers, magical trees (a lá Hogwarts), and steampunk-ish spheres melding magic and technology. There's Unsealie Court Dark Fey and cute garden fairies, too (but not a dragon in sight).
It's captivating, somewhat heartwarming, fast-paced and coherent. The plot is set mostly in a fantastical rendition of old world London and Vienna. The good guys are a band of thieves, a likable cast of ne'er-do-wells reminiscent of Robin Hood, plus a few newcomers. It's "Ocean's Eleven" meets Sherlock Holmes. And there's a queen -- fabulous character. In fact, nearly every female in this story is strong: Madeline, her grandmother Madele, the queen, the queen's kitchen hedge witch.
My only quibbles are minor: a little too pat at the ending, and I'd be willing to sacrifice some high-octane action scenes and skullduggery for bonding time around the fire. Phew! These guys never get to rest! (Except for poor opium-soaked sorceror, Arisilde -- another fabulous character).
I like how this author writes, slowly revealing character traits and pertinent life stories, weaving these tidbits into the story over time. Also, she avoids long info dumps, doesn't try so hard to convince me that her magical theories hold water, and goes easy on the internal dialogue, so the pace isn't mired in needless and redundant thoughts. She lets me draw my own conclusions about what the characters might be feeling and thinking. I appreciate this so much.
This is straight fantasy suspense. Sometimes gory, gruesome, scary. No real romance, since Madeline and Nicholas are already openly in love and cohabiting on page one. Yet their devotion is cool!
There is a touch of bromance, however, as his cast-out team adores Nicholas (Donatien). Crack especially. And an intriguing relationship sprouts between Nicholas (channeling a kinder gentler Moriarty) and Inspector Ranswald (a socially adept Sherlock, with his sidekick Dr. Halle).
Some good plot twists. Some parts are predictable. See status updates for more feedback.
Excellent narration by Derek Perkins, who also performed The Dog Who Could Fly: The Incredible True Story of a WWII Airman and the Four-Legged Hero Who Flew At His Side (good book!).
It's captivating, somewhat heartwarming, fast-paced and coherent. The plot is set mostly in a fantastical rendition of old world London and Vienna. The good guys are a band of thieves, a likable cast of ne'er-do-wells reminiscent of Robin Hood, plus a few newcomers. It's "Ocean's Eleven" meets Sherlock Holmes. And there's a queen -- fabulous character. In fact, nearly every female in this story is strong: Madeline, her grandmother Madele, the queen, the queen's kitchen hedge witch.
My only quibbles are minor: a little too pat at the ending, and I'd be willing to sacrifice some high-octane action scenes and skullduggery for bonding time around the fire. Phew! These guys never get to rest! (Except for poor opium-soaked sorceror, Arisilde -- another fabulous character).
I like how this author writes, slowly revealing character traits and pertinent life stories, weaving these tidbits into the story over time. Also, she avoids long info dumps, doesn't try so hard to convince me that her magical theories hold water, and goes easy on the internal dialogue, so the pace isn't mired in needless and redundant thoughts. She lets me draw my own conclusions about what the characters might be feeling and thinking. I appreciate this so much.
This is straight fantasy suspense. Sometimes gory, gruesome, scary. No real romance, since Madeline and Nicholas are already openly in love and cohabiting on page one. Yet their devotion is cool!
There is a touch of bromance, however, as his cast-out team adores Nicholas (Donatien). Crack especially. And an intriguing relationship sprouts between Nicholas (channeling a kinder gentler Moriarty) and Inspector Ranswald (a socially adept Sherlock, with his sidekick Dr. Halle).
Some good plot twists. Some parts are predictable. See status updates for more feedback.
Excellent narration by Derek Perkins, who also performed The Dog Who Could Fly: The Incredible True Story of a WWII Airman and the Four-Legged Hero Who Flew At His Side (good book!).
November 17, 2012
I read this book at the behest of my wife, who was looking for a less biased eye to ensure that her own view of the book wasn't tainted by external circumstance. This type of historical mystery/horror story isn't my usual faire - I tend to avoid mystery in general, but this book is rather light on the procedural mystery aspect (which works to its favor more than it detracts, in my view).
I found the characters to be the best part of it, save those secondary characters whose connection to the main story are more sketched than detailed. Particularly the main character and his small coterie of fellow criminals turned impromptu investigators; all of them well fleshed-out and believable, each one given a careful history and balanced flaws.
Reading this so far, you might be a little curious as to the rating I assigned it... I've lauded the characters and the described the basic mix of horror and mystery in a favorable light. Unfortunately, that's where the positive ends and the negative begins to set in. The lightness of mystery is facilitated by a breakdown of the plot, in that during the harrowing events of the story things seem to happen in a way that is extremely convenient for the protagonist and his band.
From the very beginning to the end of the book, you follow a sequence of events so fortuitous as to be simply unbelievable, which struck me as waste of both well-defined characters and an interesting (if occasionally overwrought) setting. Even the parts of the plot where things seem grim for our heroes suffer from a return of astounding and unbelievable luck, whether it's blundering their way through and out of an underground maze or lucking onto the trail of the antagonist while out for a bite to eat. In the end, it leaves you with a sense of frustration when everything is resolved with a neat and tidy bow, a sense that you were somehow cheated or lied to in some way you can't quite communicate.
I found the characters to be the best part of it, save those secondary characters whose connection to the main story are more sketched than detailed. Particularly the main character and his small coterie of fellow criminals turned impromptu investigators; all of them well fleshed-out and believable, each one given a careful history and balanced flaws.
Reading this so far, you might be a little curious as to the rating I assigned it... I've lauded the characters and the described the basic mix of horror and mystery in a favorable light. Unfortunately, that's where the positive ends and the negative begins to set in. The lightness of mystery is facilitated by a breakdown of the plot, in that during the harrowing events of the story things seem to happen in a way that is extremely convenient for the protagonist and his band.
From the very beginning to the end of the book, you follow a sequence of events so fortuitous as to be simply unbelievable, which struck me as waste of both well-defined characters and an interesting (if occasionally overwrought) setting. Even the parts of the plot where things seem grim for our heroes suffer from a return of astounding and unbelievable luck, whether it's blundering their way through and out of an underground maze or lucking onto the trail of the antagonist while out for a bite to eat. In the end, it leaves you with a sense of frustration when everything is resolved with a neat and tidy bow, a sense that you were somehow cheated or lied to in some way you can't quite communicate.
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