No Present Like Time

Fourlands #2

by Steph Swainston

After #1 "The Year of Our War", God is still on vacation, the Emperor still leads the war against the insects, and his cadre of immortals is still quarreling among themselves. But a new land has been discovered, one that holds the secrets of centuries, and one of their own, now exiled, foments rebellion against the Circle. In the brutal battle that follows, Jant Comet will discover that even immortals can fall ...

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, New Weird, Speculative Fiction, High Fantasy, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

414 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of the qualities that made "The Year of Our War" a great read are present in the sequel. The Immortals have fantastic abilities and interesting relationships with each other and the world of mortals. The Insects, though much less emphasized, are scary and ferocious. The history of the Fourlands looms in the background, growing more distinct in places, while expanding into further foggy territory that invites delectable speculation. Swainston's prose remains elegant and yet robust, moving from introspection to slaughter without stutter.

Jant Comet again acts as narrator, and again, his voice and attitude provide a wonderful counterpoint to the grave concerns of his immortal companions. He is still addicted to drugs, and still prone to acts of self-destruction that muck up his schemes. His descriptions of flight are wonderful and wistful-inducing. He comes off flippant and selfish, yet whenever his friends and loved ones fall into trouble, he jumps to their aid without a second thought. In fact, Swainston shows some admirable sneakiness here: though Comet may be the last person to call himself courageous, his actions are exactly that.

Another immortal character who stands out is Lightning Micawater, Comet's closest friend. Lightning is old-fashioned (as, after all, anyone who is immortal should be) patient, thoughtful, and not easy to perturb. He is the second-oldest person in the Fourlands, and he constantly refers to events and people from this lengthy history with aplomb. Over the centuries, he has perfected his archery and achieved a level of talent that is almost magical–a talent that Swainston showcases very well whenever Lightning gets thrown into the fray. If immortality were in fact an option, then Lightning's life could serve as a model of how to take advantage of eternity and remain healthy.

To the world that she created in the first volume, Swainston adds new territory, which, happily, must be reached by a long sea voyage (I love sailing ships in fantastic literature). She also fleshes out more of Comet's history–and some of Lightning's as well–with small flashbacks and narrative asides that fit into the rest of the story with ease. There's also a lot more swordplay, and it is all exciting to behold. One scene, in particular, where Lightning challenges the newest immortal Swordsman on board a sailing ship, was awesome. Though "Year…" did not imply the need for a sequel, "No Present Like Time" is a vital book, and essential reading for anyone who appreciates good fantastic fiction.

I want everyone I know who appreciates fantastic literature to read these books; I am worried that most won't. On their surface, they don't sound exceptional (they are very much so). The author, Steph Swainston, appears to be little-known in this country (this is a fucking crime). The publisher, Eos, doesn't appear to push their writers' works (this is crime number two). Other behemoths in the genre will overshadow these by their girth alone (this is ridiculous). Finally–and worst of all–these books will probably go out or print in the near future (I am slain).

Do you like a great fantasy novel that is fun, exciting, and does not overstay it's welcome? Then read these books. They are wonderful and they deserve your time.

[Vít · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pokud se vám líbil Rok naší války, neváhejte a pokračujte dalším dílem. Je tam totiž všechno to, co trošku chybělo v díle prvním. Dozvíte se daleko víc o jak historii Čtyřzemí (nebo Pětizemí?), tak i o dalších světech. A taky o samotných nesmrtelných Eszajích, o jejich (zdaleka ne idylických) vzájemných vztazích a jejich pohledu na smrtelné Zaskaje. Trochu světla dopadne dokonce i na tajemného císaře Sana a jeho plány. No a pak je tu Kometa Jant, jeho závislost na drogách a putování do cizích světů Přesunu. Tam se samozřejmě podíváte taky a setkáte se s řadou zajímavých typů, vyzdvihl bych hlavně ostrou žraločí sexbombu Estragon v krev sajícím sporťáku. Nebo třeba Vermiformii, i když ta je pro změnu poněkud eklhaft.
Oproti prvnímu dílu sice méně Hmyzu, o to je tu ale více hradní politiky a vzbouřenců, takže o bitvy a šarvátky nepřijdete. Konec je možná trošku moc ukvapený, ale nezklamal. Je to pořád dobrá, originální fantasy, kterou by mělo číst daleko víc lidí.

[Mikko Saari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first part of the series (The Year of Our War) in English back in 2008, but for some reason never got the second part (probably because I couldn't get it from BookMooch, and wasn't interested enough to buy it, and when the Finnish translation came out, I wasn't really interested anymore). Now, since the third part (Dangerous Offspring) won the Tähtifantasia award, I decided to read the missing parts.

This was interesting. The world is still curious, and the plot developed nicely. The story whizzes past, and left me somewhat hungry for the next part. I'll read the next one a bit faster, won't take another five years this time...

[Alexander Popov · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Originally published on my blog: http://mybiochemicalsky.wordpress.com...)

I’ve already reviewed one book by Steph Swainston – the first part of her Castle series, consisting of four published titles (and another one to come): The Year of Our War, No Present Like Time, The Modern World and Above the Snowline. Here is a link to the text, which is in Bulgarian. If you are already familiar with the setting of the series, you can skip the following two paragraphs. If not, I will try to outline briefly the world of the Fourlands, because worldbuilding is certainly one of Swainston’s greatest fortes. The story takes place on a small continent (or a big island, depending on the point of view, I guess), partitioned territorially by the four nations living on it. In this case we can even speak about distinct human species, as the Awians in the north are winged (although flightless) people with hollow bones and the Rhydanne inhabiting the Darkling mountains are also strinkingly different with their thinner, longer limbs and superhuman speed and agility, not to mention their ferocity and seemingly pathological individualism. The Plainslanders and Morenzians in the south are pretty much your normal humans, but they have industrialization, drugs and football, so they aren’t really the stereotypical fantasy foil either. What keeps these disparate political entities glued together is the external threat of the Insects, coming from the northernmost parts of the Fourlands. The Insects have appeared from god (the lack of capital letter is actually the convention in this fantasy world) knows where, effectively cutting a big part of the north away for themselves. Most of the time they are kept behind a giant wall built for this specific purpose, but their incursions beyond it are a constant threat to civilization. The Insects are big and, in most of the cases, lethal war machines, protected by thick armored shells and equipped with limbs that make for quick and perfect incisions. They also churn out large amounts of paper-like substance over the lands they inhabit, turning them into curious, barren papier-mache-like terrains. The political entity that binds the Fourlands into an Empire and erects a coordinated defense against the monstrous invaders is the Castle and its resident Emperor, right in the heart of the continent. The Emperor is the immortal deputy of the god which left. He has lived for at least a millennium and a half and commands a Circle of other immortal beings, each one of whom are the best in what they do. Thus, there are the titles of Swordsman, Archer, Sailor, Doctor, Architect, Messenger, Strongman, etc., and any mortal can challenge the current bearer of the title, victory being the ticket to immortality granted by Emperor San.

The protagonist of the Castle books is exactly one of these immortals. Meet Comet Jant Shira. Half-Awian, half-Rhydanne, the only person able to fly in the whole Empire. Two-hundred-year-old, with the looks of a 23-year-old youth. A vain but nice, humorous guy, with a deep flaw in his character, which is also the underlying reason for his addiction. Jant is addicted to a peculiar drug called scolopendium – or cat, as it is more popular. Cat is a substance which is normally lethal when taken in extreme amounts. A curious side effect is that all who die of cat overdose have their beings projected in another world called the Shift. The Shift is probably one of the most original fantasy worlds I have read of. It is a meta-world, a virtual plane or sorts, where beings from different corners of the multiverse gather and forge their own crazy conceptions of reality. The physical laws of the Shift are peculiar, to say the least. One is left with the impression that it has been initially designed by a mad dyslexic demiurge, as the presence of whorses and fibre-tooth tigers suggests. Jant, being part of the Circle of immortals, is the only man from the Fourlands who can exit and reenter the Shift, until the next overdose, that is. This existence of two separate worlds brings in an interesting dynamics to the narrative, one whose focal point is inevitably the winged Messenger, always flitting from one geographical location to another, between realities, between sobriety and drug-induced states of mind, and between the memories of his eventful life of more than two hundred years.

As I have written in the ShadowDance review, The Year of Our War is a magnificent novel. It has so many strong points that even enumerating them requires quite a lot of text. Not to mention its wild inventiveness and unabashed experimentalism when it comes to testing the envelope of genre conventions. Sadly, No Present Like Time is not exactly on par with its predecessor. Yes, the book is very engaging and full of wonderful conceits. It too benefits from Swainston’s great characterization skills and her literary flair and erudition. It just lacks a certain focus and thrust that made The Year of Our War such a fast-paced and captivating read. Part of the blame, I guess, should be attributed to Swainston’s plot choices. No Present Like Time deals mostly with a naval expedition to the newly-found island of Tris situated far from the Fourlands’ shore. Led by the immortals Mist Ata, Lightning, Comet and the newly-ascended Swordsman Serein Wrenn, the mission’s goal is to convince the inhabitants of Tris to join the Empire and to become its fifth land. The differences between the two societies, however, turn out to be insurmountable and the prospect of infinite time that comes with immortality fails to bring the Trisians to the fold of the Empire. Meanwhile, a rebellion blooms in the heart of the Fourlands. These two story lines are eventually tied together, while for most of the time our first-person narrator is tormented by seasickness, relapse into drug use and searing jealousy for his beautiful and estranged immortal wife Tern.

I already mentioned above that the chief flaw of the novel is its lack of focus. The sea expedition essentially disrupts the fine pattern of Comet’s being everywhere that was so brilliantly used in the previous installment. Instead, Jant is mostly lamenting his misfortune and reminiscing about the past. Again, we have some brilliant scenes recovered from his immortal memory, but at least half of these recollections failed to keep my interest the way those from the first book did. Moreover, the conflict at the heart of the present novel lacks the urgency and potential for elaboration of the massive Insect invasion that we saw in The Year of Our War. Sure, there are quite a lot of interesting observations about culture clashes and about the nature of immortality. In fact, the second novel is mostly concerned with the concept of always having to be on the top, to maintain the number one position in order to enjoy unlimited life. Or fame, riches, acclaim, etc. A lot of what Swainston writes is a well-masked metaphor for everyday reality in our own world. A metaphor, mind you, and a very intricate one at that, not a didactically-dull allegory. The fact that she so deftly breaks and reconstructs genre tropes in the process speaks tons of Swainston’s talent as a writer. No Present Like Time just fails in achieving the level of density and intensity that goes along so well with this fresh approach to fantasy literature. The quality is uneven on practically all levels of the narrative structure. The only character that feels really deep this time is Jant, while in The Year of Our War there were such incredible performances by Lightning, Swallow and King Rachiswater, for instance. The Shift too is glaringly neglected. It appears three times in total, quite briefly at that. And while some pretty breathtaking things happen during Jant’s stay there, its utilization feels somewhat unfulfilling. Instead we have a painfully prolonged description of a battle between humans in the end of the book. Swainston is obviously not good at that. Her minimalist and shockingly brief and bloody descriptions of Insect encounters work perfectly, but, alas, these too are missing from this volume. There are two duels in the book that are given spectacular quality through Jant’s bird’s-eye point of view, and a sex scene that works fantastically in quite a lot of ways, but, at least for me, those fail to compensate for all the other drawbacks mentioned.

Despite all the complaints, No Present Like Time is a quality novel set in one of the most original worlds of fantasy, seen through the eyes of a wonderfully complicated protagonist and written by a master writer with a fresh voice and perspective. It’s just that it doesn’t fare too well in comparison with the first part of the series. Let us hope that the tendency is reversed in the following books.

7/10

[Larry Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

The threat of death defines humanity; nothing is as unnatural as an immortal

—Danio, Bibliophylax of the Trisian library

— (Gollancz UK, ISBN 0575070064, c.2005, p.118)



Opening the novel, two of its main drifts are revealed immediately: one, the Castle is shrouded in mist, just as the machinations of the elusive Sailor Mist Ata will become its paramount but hidden mystery, and two, just as it takes 3 pages for Comet to approach and perch, this book will seem longer than its 317 pages. The author has chosen to flesh out this world and its characters with detailed exposition and more backstory. Fortunately, most of it is interesting reading during a long voyage, but it's still a haul to the pivotal flashpoints. Some of it is Court chatter, as with Wrenn's “impetuous and idealistic” (p.256) posturing and Tern's infidelity. But, thank God, the forays into the cartoon world of The Shift are rare.

It is five years later and the Swordsman, who was never seen in the first volume, is defeated by a young upstart in Challenge. While the naïve Wrenn Culmish is taken into the tutelage of his now-fellow Eszai—Comet, Lightning, and Mist—and shown the ways and decorum of living forever, the now-aging, un-Swordsman— Gio Ami —grudgingly plans rebellion against San and his immortal Circle. Within this arc falls the discovery of an island named Tris with a peaceful population and democratic government which is ripe for commercial plunder and exploitation. The maiden expedition ends disastrously for both sides, as while Tris trades away gold and precious spices for steel swords and trinkets, the Fourlands diplomats unwittingly unleash an Insect onto the island's population. The Trisians ban any further contact between the two cultures and the Eszai and their crew sulk back to a Fourlands smoking with rebellion and slaughter. But this first contact proves to be merely a stubbed toe in Hooterville compared to the second encounter which climaxes the novel.

The elaboration and history of this parallel Earth is welcome and interesting but there's also unsure footing down bland and weary trails. Comet is back on drugs, which engenders two plot thrusts: Tern's supposed reaction to have an affair with the muscle-bound, hard-drinking, hung-like-a-unicorn Strongman Tornado, and Comet's re-trenching into the Shift, where he meets Tarragon, a former Circle member now a sentient shark, who assists him via a Time Fly to enter another parallel world called Vista and convince a giant sea snake to help him. Both are forays better suited for a more “pulpy” approach, as they are plot-moving devices without expansion or intellectual consideration. And, once again Mighty Mousing* it with a drug addict's hallucination, however real and viable, is repetitive and surprisingly unimaginative.

There are other missteps as well. Technically, it seems haphazard to break Comet's narrative flow with insertions from Wrenn's diary, especially since it happens for only two, short passages. And what about starting Chapter Eight in third-person for no apparent reason? But more importantly, alternative History veers a little close to actual History in certain incidents, such as Tris' Grecian-style democracy swept over by conquistador -like**, New World invasion that later morphs into familiar R.L. Stevenson pirate antics, and the library destruction which burns with the same regrettable consequences as its illustrious, Alexandrian counterpart. Both feel like jumbled borrowings carrying unneeded, past connections.

But these are relatively minor criticisms in lieu of the problems in most transitional novels. Second acts are typically lulled by adding more facing onto the body, and, in this case, sacrificing those riveting action sequences finely displayed in the first novel. More depth to the characterizations means accumulated intrigue, mystery, fascination, symbolic import, and ongoing themantic growth. For instance, Emperor San is painted in much colder light shed from the ancient manuscripts of Trisian history. And Lightning, that proverbial troubadour, quite pathetically shows one of the least desirous aspects of immortality in repetitively “writing his three-hundredth romantic novel . . . [like] a lover who has sought the same character in different women over fifteen hundred years” (p.164).

Now, the newest personality introduced to the Circle—the Swordsman Wrenn—would seem the logical choice for detailed development, but, after the initial sketch is flushed with color, he is dropped into the caricature position of the talented but naïve adolescent. No, the character sweating under the interrogation light here is Mist Ata. First presented in The Year of Our War as the seafaring wife who murders her husband to become the Circle's Sailor, she is trusted with the crucial inaugural meeting with Tris' leaders. Her dubious diplomatic strategy involves selling them the eternal life yoke, and acquaintance with that “legendary maneater” (p.136), a live grizzly bear-sized Insect. Comet considers her a “callous human” (p.73), indicating he is not slurping up her bubble-bath water like Wrenn, and, to some extent, even Lightning. But his perception of her actions is suspiciously nondescript through the Archer 's near-death stabbing and her final, fateful voyage back to Tris. She is the beautiful and mysterious woman: competent, cunning, and shadowed by a deluded narrator's mistrusted judgments as either femme-fatal or heroine of some unseen, ubiquitous cause. If Gio is Emperor San's “cat's paw” (p.232), then Mist may well be the fangs.

The author's core theme develops further as San's benefaction shows the bilge of ambition, greed, pride, jealousy, and the rest of the Deadly Sins sloshing down every character's draft. Those of the Circle who are introduced as benign and gifted saviors and protectors of the less-fortunate masses acidify between Trisian Senator Vandace's condemnations (p.135-7) and rebel Gio's incendiary rhetoric (p.210-15). Eternal servitude to Emperor San appears more and more like a life sentence without parole. Vast indiscretions, shocking injustices, and selfish prejudices come to the surface like sea kraits scuttling caravels, opening lethal cracks in a culture threatened into both complaisance and accomplishment solely by this eternal, dangling carrot. It is not quite the “present” (p.210) of the novel's title so enthusiastically hawked earlier.

I have faith in Ms. Swainston's vision and ability. She juggles ingredients both experimental and canonical, sometimes decorative, sometimes poignant. Her world is a lush horizon of significance and intriguing possibilities, and, with each volume, she adds more weighted mass than weightless air. I am regarding No Present Like Time as an interim novel, further refining the palate for a forthcoming sumptuous dessert. As with any worthwhile imbibing, plenary judgment should only descend when the napkin is finally abandoned.



*This used to link to Andy Kaufman's lip-synching of the Mighty Mouse theme song, but copyright infringement removed it. Now, it's just a generic link to YouTube. (7/28/07)

**Think like an Inca or Aztec for a moment. Wouldn't the Spaniards appear like giant beetles in their armor and weaponry? Maybe the bug on Mist's boat should be nicknamed Pizarro, after a real human insect.

[Hmpf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely, sensual writing, and the world of the Fourlands with its weird mix of what feels like modern popular (sub)culture, and a more Renaissance-level type of general culture, continues to be intriguing. The mystery of the Shift - the surreal, and much more modern-seeming otherworld where narrator Jant ends up whenever he overdoses on the heroin-like drug scolopendium - is becoming more entwined with the Fourlands proper. Also, emperor San is revealed as a scheming bastard. It will be interesting to see where Swainston goes next with all this.

Jant makes for an interesting narrator - immortal but eternally immature, sometimes sympathetic, sometimes just exasperating, he is cast very much in the mould of the angsty, morally ambiguous fan favourite (with wings! This is canon wingfic! :D) -- but he is written with an awareness of the problems inherent in the type. The only one here who romanticises Jant is Jant himself, and various people take him to task for it throughout the book.

(Between the wings --> feathers! - and the drug that takes you to other worlds, I wonder how much of an inspiration Jeff Noon's Vurt was for Swainston...)

Still could do without the moments of splatter and extreme body horror, though.

[Benj · Rating 4 out of 5]

It must be difficult writing a sequel to a successful first book - you need to keep most, if not all, of the favourite characters, perhaps introduce one or two new ones, and then put them in a completely different situation (otherwise it's just more of the same). Swainston succeeds admirably with all these objectives, and gives us a cracker of a second book.

The narrator, Jant, is not so much an "unreliable narrator" as loved by various lit crit circles, more of an "untrustworthy narrator" that you wouldn't leave alone with anything (or anyone) you valued. But at the same time he oozes charm and a certain (very deep down) decency.

[Sam Makowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than the first; the author learned from several of her mistakes. The conflict was centred more on people vs people, which is my favourite form it takes.

Still too much time spent in the Shift (which feels a level more bizarre than even the world most of the story takes place in) and the ending feels more like a hurriedly sketched outline than a properly plotted climax.

Enough threads were laid down in this book and I'm curious to see how they're pulled on in the final installment, or if it's just wishful thinking on my part for this series to be deeper than it is.

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wit it's twitchy, flying, immortal, drug addicted narrator, its voyage of discovery to uncharted lands, its Empire threatened by dissent and rebellion and the occasional sideways jump to the nightmarish dream-logic world of the Shift, the second volume in the Fourlands series has a LOT going on, but the pacing is calm and the plotting assured. Opening with a duel, ending with a bloody mess of a battle or a riot or both, it's also action-packed. What a weird and brilliant mix.

[Pavlo Tverdokhlib · Rating 3 out of 5]

We return to the world of the FourLands, where humans and the winged Awians are now rebuilding after surviving yet another onslaught of the Insect horde. The winged Immortal Jant, the only one among the Circle able to fly is experiencing a domestic crisis, and now he's being ordered to join a naval expedition as ambassador to a newly discovered island nation. And Jant hates ships.

So begins "No Present Like Time". Right off the bat I can say that I'm having a hard time making up my mind about the book. The world is still interesting, and Swainston's creativity is up there with the best New Weird writers. However, the plotting is uneven. The story of contact between the war-ravaged Fourlands and the idyllic "land of prosperity" plays with a whole bunch of cool themes, but the eventual resolution and the plot device Swainston uses to wrap everything up feels weak- since a plot point is pretty much recycled from Book 1, and the impact is a lot weaker this time around.

I'm still curious to see where this goes next, because at the end of the day, the world is interesting to read about. But my interest in the series was overall diminished with this book.

[Gina W Fischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful writing, and unmatched, fascinating world building. I did find the plot lagging a bit in a couple of spots, which is not uncommon in a sequel/series, but I think everyone should read the first book in the series, The Year of Our War, and decide for themselves whether or not to read the entire series (I believe there are 5).

[Merzbau · Rating 4 out of 5]

i don't like Tern

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steph Swainston’s second book was a sequel to “The Year Of Our War”. Although “No Present Like Time” isn’t a direct continuation of the first book’s plot it does feature the same setting and characters.
The War with the insects is under control (for the moment, at least) and it should be a time to relax for Comet and the other Immortals responsible for the newfound peace. However, some drastic changes are about to occur to Comet’s comfortable existence.

The catalysts for the change are two near-simultaneous events. First Gio Serein, the castle’s Swordsman, who has held his position for centuries, is defeated in a challenge and displaced by a young man inexperienced in life, but with a great talent for duelling. Gio is incensed by his humiliating defeat and, faced with the prospect of losing his immortality and dying in a mere few decades, insists he should be returned to his rightful place as the best Swordsman. When the Emperor is unsympathetic, he leaves to try and raise a revolt against the Emperor and his former immortal colleagues in the Circle.
Meanwhile, the world is reacting to the news that a new inhabited island has been found, called Tris. This is shocking to the people of the Fourlands who believed they were alone in the world, and the Emperor quickly despatches a couple of ships to make contact with the people of Tris to try and bring them into the Empire.

Comet, the main character in this novel, as in “The Year Of Our War”, is none too pleased to be tasked with accompanying the ships on their long ocean voyage to Tris. For one thing, he is terrified of the ocean and of drowning, he is fighting a resurgent addiction to the drug which allows him to shift out of reality to the bizarre world of Epsilon and he is also suspicious that his wife is having an affair with the world’s Strongest Man.

It is meant to be a simple voyage of exploration, but when they reach Tris things quickly go wrong. The people of Tris with their unusual method of government (something called ‘Democracy’ which Comet finds inexplicable) aren’t keen on joining the Empire and some of Comet’s fellow immortals turn out to have their own agenda. As a series of diplomatic blunders turn the people of Tris against them, Comet also begins to suspect that there may have been more to the sudden discovery of Tris than was previously suspected.

After the excellence of “The Year Of Our War”, I was really looking forward to Swainston’s next book and this doesn’t disappoint. It isn’t quite as good as its predecessor – the prose isn’t quite as polished, the plot isn’t quite as compelling and the thrill of discovering a highly original new world is largely missing. It is easy to get the impression that Swainston may have spent a bit more time on her debut novel than the sequel, but that doesn’t mean “No Present Like Time” is a poor book, it is still very good.

Comet is still a likeable, if extremely flawed, character and the surrounding characters, both old and new, are both interesting and well-portrayed by the author. The Fourlands (and Epsilon) are still highly-original pieces of world-building and we get to see a bit more depth this time, with less of a focus on the destructive Insect War.
In summary, this is a good book. Not as stunningly brilliant as Swainston’s debut novel but still a highly entertaining read.

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

The continuing adventures of Jant and his fellow misfits, the Circle of 50 immortals tasked with protecting their world from the onslaught of the alien Insects. The latter take a back seat in this entry in favor of a newly-discovered utopian island. Said island is an Athenian democracy (convincingly alien to our protagonists), as opposed to the imperial Fourlands, but the two nations share a struggle with balancing stasis and progress, one of the key thematic touchpoints of the series.

Ironically, given this examination of time and development, pacing and plot were the biggest flaws of _Year of Our War_, which careened from subplot to subplot before a rather abrupt ending, but Swainston has improved on that aspect a thousandfold here, ably weaving Jant's personal crises together with events on the socio-historical stage. Jant's flight is what makes him unique in this world, and Swainston is particularly adept at conveying the physical, mechanical issues of his flying. Same with his addiction to the drug "cat," actually, and it's probably no coincidence that these are both sources of deep physical and mental pain for our POV character. It was a little frustrating to see the drug use pop up again after he shed it in the first book, but that's addiction, I guess. It was not frustrating to revisit the Shift, a kind of gonzo multidimensional parallel world that Jant's spirit visits when he ODs.

[Tim Hicks · Rating 3 out of 5]

The interesting premise continues to develop with more good plot twists. If you insist on 100% plausibility even in fantasy, maybe go elsewhere. In fact, I'm developing a bit of a feeling that there had better be a good explanation at the end for the Shift and some other highly-unlikely things Swainston is presenting. I've been disappointed before by other authors in the same way. I fear the answer will be, "Hey, it's New Weird, just go with it, man."

The Time Bug is one of them. An author can't just pull something like that out of her, er, um, bag of tricks without an explanation - even if it comes later - of why such a thing makes perfect sense and is in fact inevitable. Otherwise we're back to the days of pulp fiction and "with a mighty leap he cleared the pit."

UPDATE - the author's website contains an interview in which she says that some things will indeed be explained, and some won't. Sounds promising.

[Silvio Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike the first book, this starts slow and takes a while for the plot to get going. The Empire of the Fourlands has just made first contact with an island nobody knew existed. Comet, as the Empire's Messenger and it turns out something of a linguist, is along on the followup expedition whether he wants to or not. The parallel that suggested itself to me at first was Columbus, and some parallels do seem to be taken up, but it gradually becomes clear that the situation of the Fourlands and Capharnaum is something totally different from Europe and the New World. The new light it throws on the Fourlands increases my suspicion that readers aren't supposed to be as happy with their militaristic hierarchy as the characters are. At the same time the Empire's internal conflicts are breaking out worse than ever. The book ends up being partly a character study of Comet, though it's Emperor San I'm left wanting to know more about.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Present Like Time is an extraordinary blend of fantasy and science fiction that stands out for its inventive world-building, unique narrative voice, and deeply human characters. Steph Swainston crafts a story that’s both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant, with a style that’s fresh and compelling from start to finish. It’s one of those rare books that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

What I Liked:
- The world of the Fourlands is richly imagined and feels truly original, equal parts brutal and beautiful.
- Swainston’s protagonist, Jant, is flawed, witty, and complex, making for an unforgettable lead.
- The prose is sharp and poetic, balancing action, introspection, and dark humour seamlessly.
- Themes of friendship, loyalty, and the passage of time are woven subtly but powerfully throughout the narrative.

What I Didn’t:
- The nonlinear storytelling can be challenging at times but ultimately rewards close reading.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend suggested I read Steph Swainston and, not realising this was the second in a trilogy, I picked this one because I liked the title (the first appeared to be about war, which did not appeal).

It is an interesting twist on the basic high fantasy novel. God is on holiday and the Emperor and his picked elite of immortals are in charge. The world is being overrun by giant insects. A sub-group of the 'human' people have vestigial wings. The book's hero is the only flying 'human' in the world and also the immortal messenger to the Emperor.

The plot has sea voyages, philosophical stuff about what happens when old civilisations meet new ones with different beliefs and vulnerabilities, a discussion of the value of knowledge and an investigation of the proximity of altered state universes.

I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the sequel to The Year of Our War. In this book, Jant and his fellow immortals rediscover the idyllic and democratic island nation of Tris, which had split off from the Empire at its inception centuries ago. Unfortunately, the Empire as represented by the immortals make several missteps that lead to disaster. Yet this disaster ultimately brings Tris back into the Empire.
Even though this novel was, like its predecessor, slightly lacking in direction, I enjoyed reading it. I was glad to revisit the characters (especially Jant) and the world. I was particularly happy about the way Swainston worked in some more backstory on the characters. I think the slightly chaotic nature of the narrative might be deliberate, to give the story more verisimilitude. It works better in this book than in the first one, though.

[Nicholas Whyte]

http://nhw.livejournal.com/876968.html[return][return]Having enjoyed The Year of Our War, I was looking forward to Swainston's second book; and indeed it was a good read. Here she has put more effort into world-building: the island empire of the previous book is only one of three locales, the other two being Tris, a newly discovered island off to the east, and Epsilon, a parallel dream-city into which Jant, the narrator, escapes when he has taken sufficient drugs. There is less office politics, and more high politics; the humour is a bit more sophisticated (especially the confrontation between the imperial instincts of Jant and his friends and the democrats of Tris). Good stuff.

[Dearbhla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first in this ‘verse, The Year of Our War, and while I didn’t like this one quite as much is still makes for a great read. Our hero, once again, is Jant. A member of the immortal Circle, dedicated to serving the Emperor San and the Fourlands, protecting them. Five years have passed without attack from the Insects, and Jant is clean. Although still a drug addict. And with his wife’s affairs, and San’s orders that he, phobic about the sea as he is, is to be sent on a mission across the ocean, well, lets just say that the call of escape and drugs is getting harder to ignore.

Full review: http://www.susanhatedliterature.net/2...

[Joe Santoro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very different from the first book in the series... instead of focusing on their external enemy.. the fourlands discover a lost country, and struggle with internal politics.

The characters remain extremely changable and unlikable, but the world building is so unique and fascinating it draws you in. If you looking for good personal interactions and believable characters, this is not the series for you.

It continues to be a very innovation fantasy world, though, and leaves you wondering what will happen next, which is what one wants in a book.

[Monkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

"New Weird"; it's not all that weird.
It's fantasy that's a little more fantastical, but I hadn't thought anything of it until I read that term in a review.
Liked it!
Read it fast!
If you liked the first one, The Year of Our War, you'll like the second.
If you like China Mieville, you'll find the writing less gross/gritty

[Eija · Rating 4 out of 5]

Koin kirjan vähän paremmaksi kuin Kuolemattomien kaartin. Syynä voisi olla se, että maailma ja suuri osa henkilöistä olivat valmiiksi tuttuja ja pystyi lukiessa keskittymään kokonaan juoneen. Juoni oli muutenkin yhtenäisempi, mm. Siirroksessa vierailtiin vain kolme kertaa lyhyesti. Lisäksi takaumajaksojen avulla sai hyvän käsityksen Jantin persoonan kehityksestä (lapsuuden ja nuoruuden vaikutuksesta nykyisyyteen).
Tekstin laatueroa en huomannut suomentajan vaihtuessa luvun 7 kohdalla.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the second read, the things that frustrated me here also frustrated me when I went back to The Year of Our War. Lovely worldbuilding spiked with some jarring, goofy details. Jant constantly shooting up. Like every other chapter. Jant being a fool. God help me I hope I have the momentum to finish Above the Snowline...

[Iain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent sequel. Comet remains a fascinating protagonist. The plot seems set for a simple Gullivers-Travels style allegorical journey of exploration, but takes a twist or two along the way. Some entertaining stylistic flourishes, too. Not quite as great as the first book, but wonderful just the same.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinda odd. Typical vaguely medieval with dragon fantasy, except that lead person is a drug addict. Also some odd current-times details like some character wear jeans, plus in an alternate world, there is steam ships and electric power.

[Mike H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay book. Not as good as the first one, Year of our War

[Liv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good stuff. Looking forward to the next volume in the series.

[Tra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 2nd book didnt disappoint. Here's my review

http://croftfantasyreads.blogspot.com...