Bitroux: The Metalsmith

by Jordan Harcourt-Hughes, Edwina Harvey (Editor)

What if the walls of the world were really open? When did it happen? When exactly did Ahm’s shield dissipate and how is it that Merouac’s sister was the first one to walk through? ‘Malaena came down to visit me about a shade before she passed,’ Merouac told Wemitte. He took a puff of his cigarette and pulled some tobacco from his lips. ‘She told me that she had found a way to walk between the worlds.’ ‘Oh,’ sighed Wemitte. ‘That poor woman.’ ‘She had started getting sick, by that time. I told her she needed to see a doctor. But she was so stubborn, so insistent. And then I asked her why she would even want to do it. What was beyond that was so wonderful she wanted to leave?’ Merouac is full of regret about the way he neglected his twin sister Malaena. Now she’s gone and he’s got his hands full taking care of her wilful and curious young daughter. Faced with the ever increasing pressures of his job as head metalsmith on the Transcontinental Railroad, Merouac struggles to keep up with his niece and doesn’t always manage to keep her out of harm’s way. But when Evra is lured into danger by the ephemeral visages he thought only he could see, Merouac is forced to consider the idea that the stories his sister told him as a child were true. As the ramifications of a world opened up beyond the shield break through the population, the mystery surrounding Malaena’s death deepens. Has she really walked between the worlds like she said she would, and if she has, what does that mean for the rest of them?

Genres: Science Fiction

230 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 17, 2014

About the author

Jordan is an abstract painter, writer and communications professional. She’s passionate about all aspects of creativity, life-long learning and personal wellbeing. Over the last fifteen years she’s led, coached and developed creative professionals across the Asia-Pacific region.
Jordan’s books, studio workshops, courses, coaching and resources are an invitation to explore the rich landscape of creative experiences open to all.
High Country is Jordan’s second novel set in the world of Bitroux.

Reviews

[Veronica ⭐️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Jordan Harcourt- Hughes is well known as a talented artist and now, after the release of her debut novel, she can add successful author to her long list of accomplishments.

Bitroux is a fantasy set on the fictional planet Ahm. The protagonist, Merouac, is a metallurgist building the transcontinental railway line. Merouac has a real feel for the metal he works with and he spends his spare time at the forge working with metal in a new way, more for looks than practicality, making artisan pieces.
Heyla, a gypsy, becomes interested in Merouac and his trinkets after she holds one of the pieces and feels they have a special power. A power that, unbeknown to him, Merouac has imbued in them. Heyla thinks this power may be able to open portals to other worlds.

The one problem I had with this book was that I had no idea where the story was going. The plot seemed to be all over the place which made the story drag. As soon as the plot became clearer the story held my interest. The second half was engaging with wonderfully fleshed out characters. The scenes were vividly described which gave the reader a good sense of place.

Bitroux is an excellent debut novel and I’d be happy to read more from this author.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? That was definitely a great read. There were some parts where you had to "tune in" to get the full series of events but for the most part the story was what a Science Fiction story should have...action, adventure, futuristic or foreign elements and alien creatures destroying things and last but not least a character whose abilities awaken in the wake of tragedy to protect those in his care. Well done.

[Anika Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted at Tea in the Treetops blog in April 2015:

Merouac is overseeing the construction of one of the railway lines being built across the continent, and building metal trinkets in his time off. He has just started looking after his young niece, Evra, after her mother died. Merouac thinks he might be losing it when he begins to see a strange object in the sky, plus odd hazy blue apparitions around his workshop, but it seems his niece can also see them. Then Heyla, one of the Ayuherica gypsies, turns up, insisting that Merouac has the ability to tune metal – to allow it to pick up frequencies from other realms across the Broadsphere.

I was delighted to win an illustrated digital edition of this book in the Australia Day giveaway back in January. The cover and several of the pages are covered in beautiful, colourful illustrations, along with sketches for each chapter heading. As part of the prize I also won a framed print of one of the coloured pieces!

The story itself is one of the most unique and imaginative stories I’ve read in a while. The presence of railroads on an obviously alien planet with two moons is quite fascinating, as is the network of hahma power lines below the world’s surface. The idea of being able to tune metal and put together a portal to another realm or across the stars is a little bit Stargate and I loved it!

This is a really very well written and presented book, especially since it’s self-published. Jordan Harcourt-Hughes is actually a designer and content marketer herself and the polish really shows in Bitroux. I’m not sure whether she had someone to help with editing – the story is a little slow in places but it flows very well, the characters are personable and believable and over all, the book presentation is beautiful.

The only downside of this story is that it’s so short. At only 232 pages, there’s barely time for any world-building, and I was left with plenty of questions. What was the planetary shield for? Where did Evra’s mum go? What does the railroad actually carry? Where does the electrical hahma power come from? I feel like I’ve barely dipped a toe in a much wider story, and I really hope that some of my questions can be answered in future books in this series.

4.5 Stars – A fantastic debut and a unique story, just a little too short to fully explore the ideas and flesh out the world building. I loved it though! More please!

[Anirudh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book with an excellent design with a charming and compelling story. Recommended for fans of fantasy, although the book is short enough that even those not usually fans of the genre can give it a try.

See my complete book review at: Complete Review