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Dark Renaissance #1
Up To The Throne
Giulia came to Pagalia to kill a crime lord. Will her quest for revenge destroy the whole city?Expert thief Giulia Degarno returns to the city of Pagalia with one to kill the man who scarred her face and left her for dead. But Publius Severra is no longer a mere criminal, and has risen to become a powerful politician - and perhaps the only man who can save Pagalia from anarchy. Now, as Severra stands poised to seize the throne, Giulia must choose between taking her revenge, and saving her home.If you like deadly intrigue, magical assassins, scheming nobles and clockwork monsters, you'll love T. A. Frost's Dark Renaissance fantasy series. Buy book 1, Up To The Throne, today!
- GenresFantasy
465 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 18, 2018
About the author
Toby Frost
28 books109 followersToby Frost studied law and currently works as a legal journalist. Unable to become Great Britain's foremost space explorer, he wrote the Space Captain Smith series, a set of six comedies about intrepid galactic explorer Isambard Smith and his barely-competent crew.
Toby has also written short stories and the novel Straken for Black Library, set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
He has recently started a series of fantasy novels, the first two of which - Up To The Throne and Blood Under Water - are now available. He is currently working on the third in the series.
Toby has also written short stories and the novel Straken for Black Library, set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
He has recently started a series of fantasy novels, the first two of which - Up To The Throne and Blood Under Water - are now available. He is currently working on the third in the series.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 28, 2019
*This is one of my #SPFBO titles which I read in 2019 as a judge*
I don't tend to go for political fantasy that often, and this one is certainly one I would describe as political, but this story also has a strong current of revenge throughout the tale, and those are definitely stories I gravitate to.
I picked this one to read as it was an appropriate fit for one the challenges in the NEWTs readathon, and I am glad that meant I got to it a bit sooner. I really took my time with this one, as I was reading it whilst on holiday (and I was so busy I didn't have much time to do so) but it did not feel arduous to return to each day, and I found it an enjoyable read from the start.
In the book we follow Giulia Degarno who is a young woman with a revenge-focused life. Her only desire is to train enough and develop enough to become a threat to the men who tried to kill her and left her scarred as a younger, more naive woman. She has been training herself for this mission of assassination for a long time, and when her hand is forced she knows it is time to return to the city-state of Pagalia and kill. She has few friends there left, but one or two who she can call on, and she does so in order to start her plans.
Severra is the man Guilia aspires to kill. Severra is now at a vital point in the political climate of the city-state of Pagalia and he stands to gain much and maybe save the state. However, his rise has not been an easy one and he has done bad things and come from dark places. Is he a man deserving of death, and should Guilia be the one to deliver it?
What I like about this story is it reminded me of Katherine Addison's Goblin Emperor in the political scheming and the way the characters handled themselves. I certainly see a similar attempt to weave the strings together here, but I think with the vengeance quest involved this one drew me in a little further.
I did like Guilia, and yet I also had issue with the way that she focused so narrowly on her mission. I think she does develop with time, but is it just a little too late? I wonder if she could have changed her path for the better, but her story is a dark and lonely one.
Overall, I enjoyed this one and I certainly think people who do like political fantasy would be able to enjoy it too. It's not got too many original elements, but it is told in an easy way and it's a story that will gradually pull you in more. 3.5*s overall (7/10 for #SPFBO)
I don't tend to go for political fantasy that often, and this one is certainly one I would describe as political, but this story also has a strong current of revenge throughout the tale, and those are definitely stories I gravitate to.
I picked this one to read as it was an appropriate fit for one the challenges in the NEWTs readathon, and I am glad that meant I got to it a bit sooner. I really took my time with this one, as I was reading it whilst on holiday (and I was so busy I didn't have much time to do so) but it did not feel arduous to return to each day, and I found it an enjoyable read from the start.
In the book we follow Giulia Degarno who is a young woman with a revenge-focused life. Her only desire is to train enough and develop enough to become a threat to the men who tried to kill her and left her scarred as a younger, more naive woman. She has been training herself for this mission of assassination for a long time, and when her hand is forced she knows it is time to return to the city-state of Pagalia and kill. She has few friends there left, but one or two who she can call on, and she does so in order to start her plans.
Severra is the man Guilia aspires to kill. Severra is now at a vital point in the political climate of the city-state of Pagalia and he stands to gain much and maybe save the state. However, his rise has not been an easy one and he has done bad things and come from dark places. Is he a man deserving of death, and should Guilia be the one to deliver it?
What I like about this story is it reminded me of Katherine Addison's Goblin Emperor in the political scheming and the way the characters handled themselves. I certainly see a similar attempt to weave the strings together here, but I think with the vengeance quest involved this one drew me in a little further.
I did like Guilia, and yet I also had issue with the way that she focused so narrowly on her mission. I think she does develop with time, but is it just a little too late? I wonder if she could have changed her path for the better, but her story is a dark and lonely one.
Overall, I enjoyed this one and I certainly think people who do like political fantasy would be able to enjoy it too. It's not got too many original elements, but it is told in an easy way and it's a story that will gradually pull you in more. 3.5*s overall (7/10 for #SPFBO)
October 25, 2019
Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
If you're looking for political intrigue and a badass female main protagonist, Up To The Throne might just suit your fancy.
The setting is inspired by the Italian Renaissance, albeit in a world enhanced by magic and alchemy. There was even a nod to Leonardo da Vinci in the narrative, while referencing to an inventor in this world whom the church considers as a madman. Also similar to our own history of the Catholic Church, this was also a time of the Inquisition who was determined to wipe out 'heretic' magic-users.
The story is centred around a revenge plot. Giulia Degarno, our main protagonist, was a female thief who has been severely scarred and left for dead 6 years ago on the orders of a master criminal, Publius Severra. Giulia returns to Pagalia after spending years honing her skills to bring her plans of assassinating Severra to fruition. However, during the course of those long years, Severra has also built significant political strength and is no longer a mere criminal. Strong enough to be in position as one of the three contenders to seize the throne of Pagalia, with the very ill incumbent Prince expected to die pretty soon. With his stronghold over many of the guilds in the city and living in a house that rivals a fortress, how would Giulia ever get close enough to assassinate Severra?
Even though it's first and foremost a revenge story, the political plotting and scheming play a very large role in the driving the overall narrative. Between these two major storylines, one which I tend to love and one which I don't, there lies a dichotomy which pulled me in different directions as far as my enjoyment is concerned. I usually love stories about thieves and assassins, but am not a fan of political intrigue especially when it is so dominant in the story. On top of that, the revenge plot was a bit less compelling than I would like it to be.
Nonetheless, there is one major factor that can override any plotlines which I'm not particularly fond of, and that is characterisation. Once I'm invested in and cared for the characters, I can read practically anything about them. So far, I did not feel sufficient connection to the characters to get to that point in this book. This is not to say that the characters are not likeable; there are two supporting characters whom I would like to get to know better. Giulia is also quite a well-written character who is consistent with her motivations. Even though I didn't like her overwhelming single-mindedness on revenge over all else, the fact that she recognises that it might leave her with nothing else after she has succeeded made her into a more sympathetic character.
All that said, I do think Up To The Throne is a good book that should appeal to fans of political intrigue in fantasy. I also believe that sometimes you need the right book at the right time for that spark to happen - it could be that I picked this up at the wrong time. The writing was able to draw me into the story easily and there's enough action to inject momentum into an otherwise intrigue-heavy plot. Do note, however, that while there is magic in this world, it does not feature in the narrative all that much, save until the last part of the book. The second book of the series is already available and appears to have less politics and more magic involved. And I'm sufficiently intrigued by the occurrence of dark magic at the end of this book to read it one day.
You can buy a copy of this book from Amazon
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
If you're looking for political intrigue and a badass female main protagonist, Up To The Throne might just suit your fancy.
The setting is inspired by the Italian Renaissance, albeit in a world enhanced by magic and alchemy. There was even a nod to Leonardo da Vinci in the narrative, while referencing to an inventor in this world whom the church considers as a madman. Also similar to our own history of the Catholic Church, this was also a time of the Inquisition who was determined to wipe out 'heretic' magic-users.
The story is centred around a revenge plot. Giulia Degarno, our main protagonist, was a female thief who has been severely scarred and left for dead 6 years ago on the orders of a master criminal, Publius Severra. Giulia returns to Pagalia after spending years honing her skills to bring her plans of assassinating Severra to fruition. However, during the course of those long years, Severra has also built significant political strength and is no longer a mere criminal. Strong enough to be in position as one of the three contenders to seize the throne of Pagalia, with the very ill incumbent Prince expected to die pretty soon. With his stronghold over many of the guilds in the city and living in a house that rivals a fortress, how would Giulia ever get close enough to assassinate Severra?
Even though it's first and foremost a revenge story, the political plotting and scheming play a very large role in the driving the overall narrative. Between these two major storylines, one which I tend to love and one which I don't, there lies a dichotomy which pulled me in different directions as far as my enjoyment is concerned. I usually love stories about thieves and assassins, but am not a fan of political intrigue especially when it is so dominant in the story. On top of that, the revenge plot was a bit less compelling than I would like it to be.
Nonetheless, there is one major factor that can override any plotlines which I'm not particularly fond of, and that is characterisation. Once I'm invested in and cared for the characters, I can read practically anything about them. So far, I did not feel sufficient connection to the characters to get to that point in this book. This is not to say that the characters are not likeable; there are two supporting characters whom I would like to get to know better. Giulia is also quite a well-written character who is consistent with her motivations. Even though I didn't like her overwhelming single-mindedness on revenge over all else, the fact that she recognises that it might leave her with nothing else after she has succeeded made her into a more sympathetic character.
All that said, I do think Up To The Throne is a good book that should appeal to fans of political intrigue in fantasy. I also believe that sometimes you need the right book at the right time for that spark to happen - it could be that I picked this up at the wrong time. The writing was able to draw me into the story easily and there's enough action to inject momentum into an otherwise intrigue-heavy plot. Do note, however, that while there is magic in this world, it does not feature in the narrative all that much, save until the last part of the book. The second book of the series is already available and appears to have less politics and more magic involved. And I'm sufficiently intrigued by the occurrence of dark magic at the end of this book to read it one day.
You can buy a copy of this book from Amazon
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
January 6, 2019
This is a well-written and mostly gripping revenge tale set in a fantasy version of "our" renaissance Italy, with the names changed and some magic added. For me, the strong point is the characters, both good and bad. Giulia makes an engaging and credible main character, one I strongly rooted for once I got to know her. The various villains are interesting and distinct from each other, and their Machiavellian plotting some of the best I've read.
The world, in the end, I liked, though I wasn't sure at first about having a fantasy world that's basically ours with the names changed, even down to some Shakespeare plays. Sometimes it felt as if Frost might be doing some Space Captain Smith style satire with this. However, in the end I felt this gave the world a lot of depth without needing a lot of exposition, which is never a bad thing. I don't think I'll ever "get" clockwork, though.
My only real complaint is an unexpected plot-swerve that for me temporarily deflated the story, though it did pick up again after and ended well. Apart from that, the plotting is good (and appropriately twisty where the actions of the bad guys are concerned), the action scenes effective (the abandoned monastery was very tense!) and there are some lovely humorous lines. I'll certainly be reading the sequel.
The world, in the end, I liked, though I wasn't sure at first about having a fantasy world that's basically ours with the names changed, even down to some Shakespeare plays. Sometimes it felt as if Frost might be doing some Space Captain Smith style satire with this. However, in the end I felt this gave the world a lot of depth without needing a lot of exposition, which is never a bad thing. I don't think I'll ever "get" clockwork, though.
My only real complaint is an unexpected plot-swerve that for me temporarily deflated the story, though it did pick up again after and ended well. Apart from that, the plotting is good (and appropriately twisty where the actions of the bad guys are concerned), the action scenes effective (the abandoned monastery was very tense!) and there are some lovely humorous lines. I'll certainly be reading the sequel.
January 20, 2019
Overall, an admirable character in a riveting world of intrigue and a plot that has enough twists to keep the pages turning. This is first book in this setting and I anticipate good things for Frost’s next installments.
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2019/01/17/up...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog/
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2019/01/17/up...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog/
April 3, 2020
It’s been a long time since I can say that I absolutely loved a book. But this was one of them! I really enjoy the author’s Space Captain Smith books (I have not finished the series because I’m savouring it). As much as I delight in those, they are very different from this novel. Up to the Throne is a serious, fantasy revenge story with a 14th century/Italian-Renaissance feel. While it takes place in a setting where magic and mythological creatures exist, the story keeps those aspects mainly to the periphery. It’s a very fun and detailed world he’s created that has hints of real history (the Inquisition, monasteries, political manoeuvring, etc). I loved the steampunk aspects; sometimes it felt like fantasy fused with an alternate reality where da Vinci’s engineering plans came to fruition.
I was also invested in the characters. Guilia, the main character, is tough, resourceful, and driven, who is rather blinded by her devotion to her mission – to kill the man who sliced up her face and tried to murder her – which prevents her from allowing herself to indulge in a love life or even form deep friendships. I really liked her, and Frost is great at giving her a taste of normalcy and then having her reject it out of principle to keep to her revenge plans – it was frustrating to see her make those choices but elicited sympathy. I also found the supporting characters, Marcellus especially, varied and interesting. .
There were a couple minor things I didn’t find as compelling as the setting and main character. One was the antagonists. While the motives of the councillors made sense, they were a little bland in terms of personality and Severra and the other councillor felt like the same person. The other bad guys made up for it though (Nuntio and some minor villains). The second aspect was around the “Fae” characters – I didn’t find they or their situation were fully described. I understood why a religious faction would target them as scapegoats, and that the city was divided in terms of demographics, but I wasn’t entirely drawn into their situation as it took a backburner to Guilia’s story and seemed to only have relevance at the end.
I did love how Guilia is fueled by revenge but not necessarily rage. She often wards off what she calls “Melancholia”, which I took to be PTSD, which was a wonderful inclusion. Usually, in revenge stories (especially fantasy ones), it’s all about hatred, but in this story, it often felt like Guilia was going after Severra because she felt it would cure her of her mental illness. This made sense, given the time period’s lack of psychology, and broadened her motivations.
I’m giving this a 4.5/5 in truth, but he can have the extra half star, as it was a book that kept me up way past my bedtime, the action sequences are fun, the story often goes in directions you don’t expect, it’s violent but not disgustingly-so, and it is very easy to read but not simplistic. I loved the world he created and will read the next one.
I was also invested in the characters. Guilia, the main character, is tough, resourceful, and driven, who is rather blinded by her devotion to her mission – to kill the man who sliced up her face and tried to murder her – which prevents her from allowing herself to indulge in a love life or even form deep friendships. I really liked her, and Frost is great at giving her a taste of normalcy and then having her reject it out of principle to keep to her revenge plans – it was frustrating to see her make those choices but elicited sympathy. I also found the supporting characters, Marcellus especially, varied and interesting. .
There were a couple minor things I didn’t find as compelling as the setting and main character. One was the antagonists. While the motives of the councillors made sense, they were a little bland in terms of personality and Severra and the other councillor felt like the same person. The other bad guys made up for it though (Nuntio and some minor villains). The second aspect was around the “Fae” characters – I didn’t find they or their situation were fully described. I understood why a religious faction would target them as scapegoats, and that the city was divided in terms of demographics, but I wasn’t entirely drawn into their situation as it took a backburner to Guilia’s story and seemed to only have relevance at the end.
I did love how Guilia is fueled by revenge but not necessarily rage. She often wards off what she calls “Melancholia”, which I took to be PTSD, which was a wonderful inclusion. Usually, in revenge stories (especially fantasy ones), it’s all about hatred, but in this story, it often felt like Guilia was going after Severra because she felt it would cure her of her mental illness. This made sense, given the time period’s lack of psychology, and broadened her motivations.
I’m giving this a 4.5/5 in truth, but he can have the extra half star, as it was a book that kept me up way past my bedtime, the action sequences are fun, the story often goes in directions you don’t expect, it’s violent but not disgustingly-so, and it is very easy to read but not simplistic. I loved the world he created and will read the next one.
October 2, 2019
Big gobs of Revenge and political intrigue are what's on the menu in T.A. Frost's Up To The Throne. Frost sets his story in a dark late Renaissance/Reformation era setting with steampunk elements. While many of his tropes are rehashes of the usual fare, there are some noteworthy elements and the main character is compelling and engaging.
Up To The Throne is first and foremost a revenge story. The protagonist Giulia Degarno has been away from Pagalia for years following an attack that scarred her face and left her for dead. Now she's returned with one goal...kill the man who was ultimately responsible and anyone else who gets in her way.
While attempting to carry out her vengeance Giulia is caught up in the political upheaval that's burst upon in the city. The city's ruler is old and seemingly on death's door and multiple contenders scheme for his seat. Among these potential rivals is Publius Severra, the man who gave the order to kill Giulia's lover and partner in crime years ago, and who was ultimately responsible for the attack on her as well; an attack that left her scarred physically and mentally, and forced her to flee for her life.
Giulia is pretty well written. What I particularly enjoyed was she is skilled at what she does — she's a thief now turned assassin — but she's got limitations. She doesn't always succeed and at times it makes for some nerve wracking suspense whether she'll get away and survive. Giulia is set on either getting her revenge on Severra or dying in the process. She knows it isn't the most healthy of outlooks on life and wonders at times whether she will be able to say her life was worth anything. And if she does succeed what then? She knows success may just leave her empty inside with nothing to motivate her. But she's going to keep trying anyway. With all this hanging over her Giulia also suffers from the Melancholia, an ailment that comes on like bouts of depression stemming it seems from the attack which left her on the run and for which she takes magically enhanced medication.
For all that I like about Giulia though I can't say I loved her character. I found throughout the book that I wasn't as fully attached to her as I hoped I'd be. I don't really know why this was, and can't point to anything in particular, it's just that even though I liked her and felt she was compelling, something was missing for me. It's weird that I can't place it though. Maybe it's because I didn't feel like Frost dug as deep with Giulia as I'd normally expect for a main character.
Other important POV characters included Severra and his rival the Chancellor (I didn't write his name down and all of a sudden can't remember it...not sure if that's bad or not). Severra is a crime lord who has risen to status as a lord in the city. He uses his control over the various guilds for influence and power with his ultimate goal taking out his rivals and eventually securing the throne. The Chancellor is the right hand of the city's ruler and is scheming to see an end to the duke so he can rise in his place. Like Severra, he uses his position of authority to take control, but in this case over the city watch and eventually bring additional forces to bear in a bid to take control. Both characters are typical villains out for their own gain. Both will stop at almost nothing to get it, including the deaths of innocents.
The world building in Up To The Throne is limited mostly to the city state of Pagalia. However other locals are visited and the wider world is hinted at in the origins of the various races and groups who dwell in the city.
It's a world with allusions to the later Renaissance and Reformation eras of our own. Scholars teach and do research in universities while seeking patrons for their work. Black powder weapons exist alongside sword and halberd. The church is in a struggle against heretics, pagans (the fae), and believers in a new protestant like faith, and doesn't hesitate to use force and the inquisition to keep people in line. The allusions to our world are so evident even some of the names of other countries sound like ones that exist in our world.
There are also some steampunk elements. These are primarily evident in the use of airships and the various mechanical scholarly inventions such as automated metal machinery. While I first thought these might detract from the story in the end I felt they enhanced it and made it a little more riveting. There are a few scenes where the use of the machinery will keep you on the edge of your seat.
One area of the world building that was both hit and miss for me was that of the fae. In Up To The Throne the various non-human races are all collectively called the fae. They are relegated to specific sections of the city much like a Jewish ghetto and indeed are treated much like medieval or renaissance era Jews or Roma; outcasts who are tolerated until a scapegoat is needed for a purge. The people's racism and bigotry is heaped upon them and the fae tolerate it as best they can...until they are pushed too far that is. Using the fae as the focus of the people's hatred makes sense in this story but it also felt a little too easy...or maybe not complicated enough.
Frost's writing is engaging and keeps the reader interested. The pacing is on point for the most part however there were a couple of places where I felt the plot was rushed and things resolved a little too quickly and easily. There were a few anachronisms here and there (like using the word cash) and the handful of names that sounded like countries in our world which detracted a little from the story but all in all I felt it was written well.
In terms of themes and tropes the one that stands out the most is revenge. In this story it's the sole motivator for Giulia. Revenge is a pretty common trope in fiction (fantasy or otherwise) but it never seems to get old. We keep coming back to it again and again I suppose because we all want to right the wrong and see justice served. In Up To The Throne vengeance is multifaceted. It drives all of Giulia's actions no matter what may come and she will go after anyone who had a part in her attack, not just Severra. She'll also not let anyone get in the way of her getting her revenge. But vengeance also motivates other events in the book and isn't limited to Giulia. It serves as a spark in the powder keg of the social and political cauldron of Pagalia. It has the potential to spread from one seemingly solitary event to engulf the entire city. It is this deeper element of the revenge story which kept me curious about where things were going next.
Something else I appreciated in this book was the reference to mental illness. Frost terms it the Melancholia in Up To The Throne as a way to make it work in his world but it is really depression and perhaps other issues such as PTSD which threaten to overtake Giulia at times. We don't see enough about mental illness in fantasy and the fact that people deal with it day in and day out all the time. In most fantasy worlds we read about you'd think mental illness would be much more widespread so it's refreshing to see a character wrestling with the ways it may potentially grab hold of them.
All in all I enjoyed Up To The Throne. It kept me interested all the way to the final page. Yes there were some minor pacing issues, and yes some of the characters were a little two dimensional, but the story made up for it with the plot and themes. I'll definitely be on the lookout for book two when it comes out to see where else Frost takes us.
3.5 of 5 Stars
Up To The Throne is first and foremost a revenge story. The protagonist Giulia Degarno has been away from Pagalia for years following an attack that scarred her face and left her for dead. Now she's returned with one goal...kill the man who was ultimately responsible and anyone else who gets in her way.
While attempting to carry out her vengeance Giulia is caught up in the political upheaval that's burst upon in the city. The city's ruler is old and seemingly on death's door and multiple contenders scheme for his seat. Among these potential rivals is Publius Severra, the man who gave the order to kill Giulia's lover and partner in crime years ago, and who was ultimately responsible for the attack on her as well; an attack that left her scarred physically and mentally, and forced her to flee for her life.
Giulia is pretty well written. What I particularly enjoyed was she is skilled at what she does — she's a thief now turned assassin — but she's got limitations. She doesn't always succeed and at times it makes for some nerve wracking suspense whether she'll get away and survive. Giulia is set on either getting her revenge on Severra or dying in the process. She knows it isn't the most healthy of outlooks on life and wonders at times whether she will be able to say her life was worth anything. And if she does succeed what then? She knows success may just leave her empty inside with nothing to motivate her. But she's going to keep trying anyway. With all this hanging over her Giulia also suffers from the Melancholia, an ailment that comes on like bouts of depression stemming it seems from the attack which left her on the run and for which she takes magically enhanced medication.
For all that I like about Giulia though I can't say I loved her character. I found throughout the book that I wasn't as fully attached to her as I hoped I'd be. I don't really know why this was, and can't point to anything in particular, it's just that even though I liked her and felt she was compelling, something was missing for me. It's weird that I can't place it though. Maybe it's because I didn't feel like Frost dug as deep with Giulia as I'd normally expect for a main character.
Other important POV characters included Severra and his rival the Chancellor (I didn't write his name down and all of a sudden can't remember it...not sure if that's bad or not). Severra is a crime lord who has risen to status as a lord in the city. He uses his control over the various guilds for influence and power with his ultimate goal taking out his rivals and eventually securing the throne. The Chancellor is the right hand of the city's ruler and is scheming to see an end to the duke so he can rise in his place. Like Severra, he uses his position of authority to take control, but in this case over the city watch and eventually bring additional forces to bear in a bid to take control. Both characters are typical villains out for their own gain. Both will stop at almost nothing to get it, including the deaths of innocents.
The world building in Up To The Throne is limited mostly to the city state of Pagalia. However other locals are visited and the wider world is hinted at in the origins of the various races and groups who dwell in the city.
It's a world with allusions to the later Renaissance and Reformation eras of our own. Scholars teach and do research in universities while seeking patrons for their work. Black powder weapons exist alongside sword and halberd. The church is in a struggle against heretics, pagans (the fae), and believers in a new protestant like faith, and doesn't hesitate to use force and the inquisition to keep people in line. The allusions to our world are so evident even some of the names of other countries sound like ones that exist in our world.
There are also some steampunk elements. These are primarily evident in the use of airships and the various mechanical scholarly inventions such as automated metal machinery. While I first thought these might detract from the story in the end I felt they enhanced it and made it a little more riveting. There are a few scenes where the use of the machinery will keep you on the edge of your seat.
One area of the world building that was both hit and miss for me was that of the fae. In Up To The Throne the various non-human races are all collectively called the fae. They are relegated to specific sections of the city much like a Jewish ghetto and indeed are treated much like medieval or renaissance era Jews or Roma; outcasts who are tolerated until a scapegoat is needed for a purge. The people's racism and bigotry is heaped upon them and the fae tolerate it as best they can...until they are pushed too far that is. Using the fae as the focus of the people's hatred makes sense in this story but it also felt a little too easy...or maybe not complicated enough.
Frost's writing is engaging and keeps the reader interested. The pacing is on point for the most part however there were a couple of places where I felt the plot was rushed and things resolved a little too quickly and easily. There were a few anachronisms here and there (like using the word cash) and the handful of names that sounded like countries in our world which detracted a little from the story but all in all I felt it was written well.
In terms of themes and tropes the one that stands out the most is revenge. In this story it's the sole motivator for Giulia. Revenge is a pretty common trope in fiction (fantasy or otherwise) but it never seems to get old. We keep coming back to it again and again I suppose because we all want to right the wrong and see justice served. In Up To The Throne vengeance is multifaceted. It drives all of Giulia's actions no matter what may come and she will go after anyone who had a part in her attack, not just Severra. She'll also not let anyone get in the way of her getting her revenge. But vengeance also motivates other events in the book and isn't limited to Giulia. It serves as a spark in the powder keg of the social and political cauldron of Pagalia. It has the potential to spread from one seemingly solitary event to engulf the entire city. It is this deeper element of the revenge story which kept me curious about where things were going next.
Something else I appreciated in this book was the reference to mental illness. Frost terms it the Melancholia in Up To The Throne as a way to make it work in his world but it is really depression and perhaps other issues such as PTSD which threaten to overtake Giulia at times. We don't see enough about mental illness in fantasy and the fact that people deal with it day in and day out all the time. In most fantasy worlds we read about you'd think mental illness would be much more widespread so it's refreshing to see a character wrestling with the ways it may potentially grab hold of them.
All in all I enjoyed Up To The Throne. It kept me interested all the way to the final page. Yes there were some minor pacing issues, and yes some of the characters were a little two dimensional, but the story made up for it with the plot and themes. I'll definitely be on the lookout for book two when it comes out to see where else Frost takes us.
3.5 of 5 Stars
October 21, 2023
Giulia Degarno is out for revenge. But that’s only half the story.
Up To The Throne is the first in Toby Frost’s ‘Dark Renaissance’ fantasy series, which takes place in, well, a dark fantasy version of the Renaissance. Published in 2018, it’s set in what could easily be an alternate sixteenth-century Italian city-state, where crossbows and muskets pair with airships, clockwork weapons and magical enchantments. If Guy Gavriel Kay’s work is our world with a ‘quarter-turn toward the fantastic,’ here is almost a full turn, but with all the Machiavellian machinations you’d expect from the Borgias or Medicis.
The lead character Giulia is a thief...or a thief catcher, or a bodyguard or whatever any particular job requires. Six years after a powerful gangster left her lover dead and her scarred inside and out, she’s ready to return to the city where it all went down to exact vengeance. The first chapter lays it all out in vivid exposition-through-action that reminds me of a Thief or Dishonored game.
But what seems at first a simple revenge plot expands almost from the start. Pagalia is a thriving city ostensibly ruled by a scheming chancellor and an aging Prince everyone thinks feeble, but who just might have one more trick up his bloody sleeve. It’s populated by humans of all stripes, as well as various species of ‘fey folk’ who play the part of an oppressed underclass, confined to certain quarters and subject to harassment from the church authorities. Exactly the types Giulia has befriended in her quest, especially the hammer-wielding, honor-obsessed dwarrow priest Grodrin. The hunt for her targets is set amid the backdrop of a power struggle between nobles, assassins, zealots ready to bring the axe down on any convenient ‘heretics,’ and gang bosses (or guild bosses, depending on who you ask). And it just so happens that her main target, Publius Severra, is one of those bosses, having risen from the streets to something approximating respectability. The question is not just can Giulia get to him, but who will get to him first?
This is an excellently written tale that starts off seeming to fall into the expected grimdark fantasy tropes, but turns them around in delightful ways. Giulia is a tough bitch, but she’s not a one-note edgelord. She is often quite kind and polite if she’s not aiming to kill you, and her non-relationship with adorably naive student Marcellus is touching, though sad in its impossibility. As she works her way through targets, starting from easy to harder to the final boss almost in a LitRPG kind of way, the traumatic effects of her past and present become more and more pronounced. Dark fantasy characters that actually have to deal with trauma and depression are a refreshing change of pace. Don’t worry, though—it never gets sappy or has characters make unrealistic changes of heart to push a message. The question of what happens after revenge is brought up more than once. I actually don’t think Giulia would be very good friends with Monza Murcatto, though I’m sure others would disagree.
Speaking of pace, it starts off as a bit of a slow burn, then picks up and accelerates toward an explosive finale where multiple plot lines intertwine, in a Dune-like sort of way. Some may find this a challenge to tackle, but I enjoy this type of construction as long as it’s done well, and I think it is here. I will say that it could do with a few less named evil henchmen, as they can sometimes meld together. There were a couple characters at the beginning that I got confused, but they eventually grew distinct enough I had no trouble. One thing I always love reading is the seemingly minor side character who turns out to be much more significant, either as pro or antagonist, than you ever guessed even though the signs were there the whole time!
I won’t spoil the ending but I hope it’s not too much to say that although this is the first in a series, the story here stands pretty much on its own, with the next volume, Blood Under Water, being a wholly new tale. I would recommend Up To The Throne to readers who would like a break from the absolute darkest of grimdark and who don’t mind obvious real history stand-ins in their fantasy.
Up To The Throne is the first in Toby Frost’s ‘Dark Renaissance’ fantasy series, which takes place in, well, a dark fantasy version of the Renaissance. Published in 2018, it’s set in what could easily be an alternate sixteenth-century Italian city-state, where crossbows and muskets pair with airships, clockwork weapons and magical enchantments. If Guy Gavriel Kay’s work is our world with a ‘quarter-turn toward the fantastic,’ here is almost a full turn, but with all the Machiavellian machinations you’d expect from the Borgias or Medicis.
The lead character Giulia is a thief...or a thief catcher, or a bodyguard or whatever any particular job requires. Six years after a powerful gangster left her lover dead and her scarred inside and out, she’s ready to return to the city where it all went down to exact vengeance. The first chapter lays it all out in vivid exposition-through-action that reminds me of a Thief or Dishonored game.
But what seems at first a simple revenge plot expands almost from the start. Pagalia is a thriving city ostensibly ruled by a scheming chancellor and an aging Prince everyone thinks feeble, but who just might have one more trick up his bloody sleeve. It’s populated by humans of all stripes, as well as various species of ‘fey folk’ who play the part of an oppressed underclass, confined to certain quarters and subject to harassment from the church authorities. Exactly the types Giulia has befriended in her quest, especially the hammer-wielding, honor-obsessed dwarrow priest Grodrin. The hunt for her targets is set amid the backdrop of a power struggle between nobles, assassins, zealots ready to bring the axe down on any convenient ‘heretics,’ and gang bosses (or guild bosses, depending on who you ask). And it just so happens that her main target, Publius Severra, is one of those bosses, having risen from the streets to something approximating respectability. The question is not just can Giulia get to him, but who will get to him first?
This is an excellently written tale that starts off seeming to fall into the expected grimdark fantasy tropes, but turns them around in delightful ways. Giulia is a tough bitch, but she’s not a one-note edgelord. She is often quite kind and polite if she’s not aiming to kill you, and her non-relationship with adorably naive student Marcellus is touching, though sad in its impossibility. As she works her way through targets, starting from easy to harder to the final boss almost in a LitRPG kind of way, the traumatic effects of her past and present become more and more pronounced. Dark fantasy characters that actually have to deal with trauma and depression are a refreshing change of pace. Don’t worry, though—it never gets sappy or has characters make unrealistic changes of heart to push a message. The question of what happens after revenge is brought up more than once. I actually don’t think Giulia would be very good friends with Monza Murcatto, though I’m sure others would disagree.
Speaking of pace, it starts off as a bit of a slow burn, then picks up and accelerates toward an explosive finale where multiple plot lines intertwine, in a Dune-like sort of way. Some may find this a challenge to tackle, but I enjoy this type of construction as long as it’s done well, and I think it is here. I will say that it could do with a few less named evil henchmen, as they can sometimes meld together. There were a couple characters at the beginning that I got confused, but they eventually grew distinct enough I had no trouble. One thing I always love reading is the seemingly minor side character who turns out to be much more significant, either as pro or antagonist, than you ever guessed even though the signs were there the whole time!
I won’t spoil the ending but I hope it’s not too much to say that although this is the first in a series, the story here stands pretty much on its own, with the next volume, Blood Under Water, being a wholly new tale. I would recommend Up To The Throne to readers who would like a break from the absolute darkest of grimdark and who don’t mind obvious real history stand-ins in their fantasy.
January 5, 2019
For context I should say that I love Toby's Space Captain Smith books although the vast majority of the novels I read are like this one, 'straight' or 'serious' fantasy or SF. So, I had dangerously high expectations for Up To The Throne. Did it live up to them? Nearly.
The setting is intriguing. It's a recognisable Renaissance Europe where fey creatures are real and indeed relatively common. The fact that sorcery and especially alchemy are effective means that all manner of incredible contraptions can be built and operated. This leads to some brilliant images and creates a world that feels quite different to the standard elves, dwarves, etc. in a medieval setting.
The protagonist, Giulia, provides the viewpoint for most of the scenes. She is a well-developed character with convincing motivations and a plausible set of strengths and flaws. The other characters are still interesting and distinct despite being given less screen time. I think most readers will assume the main character isn't going to be killed off, at least not until the end, but there are enough supporting actors to invest in that there's still a palpable sense of peril.
As the book mainly follows a single character the plot is inevitability fairly linear. But while aspects of it may be predictable (there are some unavoidable components to any story of revenge) there are plenty of unexpected turns as well. I think I would have enjoyed a few more detours in the plot, something to stretch out the anticipation and delay the resolution of each looming crisis.
There's a lot of action, well described and tightly written. It's never slowed by exposition and I was never snapped out if it by anatomical impossibilities. Too many times badly written fight scenes have had me wondering if someone had an extra arm or trying to work out how you can simultaneously kick someone in the face and stab them in the kidney.
The keen word choices that make Toby's Space Captain Smith books so funny, here provide economical but evocative descriptions that bring the characters and world to life. It is a shame that it is only in the rare internal monologues of the villains that we get the occasional hint of Toby's humour. Several of their lines made me chuckle and I'd have happily spent more time in their heads.
So, good characters, great setting, decent plot and lots of well-written action that kept me from putting it down. Because I could only get it on Kindle I ended up with it on my phone, which unfortunately resulted in me reading it when I should have been working. I do hope a paper copy is published as I'm one of those people who likes to keep good books and get them out and stroke them occasionally. I'll certainly be buying the next installment, ideally in paperback so I can pet that one too.
The setting is intriguing. It's a recognisable Renaissance Europe where fey creatures are real and indeed relatively common. The fact that sorcery and especially alchemy are effective means that all manner of incredible contraptions can be built and operated. This leads to some brilliant images and creates a world that feels quite different to the standard elves, dwarves, etc. in a medieval setting.
The protagonist, Giulia, provides the viewpoint for most of the scenes. She is a well-developed character with convincing motivations and a plausible set of strengths and flaws. The other characters are still interesting and distinct despite being given less screen time. I think most readers will assume the main character isn't going to be killed off, at least not until the end, but there are enough supporting actors to invest in that there's still a palpable sense of peril.
As the book mainly follows a single character the plot is inevitability fairly linear. But while aspects of it may be predictable (there are some unavoidable components to any story of revenge) there are plenty of unexpected turns as well. I think I would have enjoyed a few more detours in the plot, something to stretch out the anticipation and delay the resolution of each looming crisis.
There's a lot of action, well described and tightly written. It's never slowed by exposition and I was never snapped out if it by anatomical impossibilities. Too many times badly written fight scenes have had me wondering if someone had an extra arm or trying to work out how you can simultaneously kick someone in the face and stab them in the kidney.
The keen word choices that make Toby's Space Captain Smith books so funny, here provide economical but evocative descriptions that bring the characters and world to life. It is a shame that it is only in the rare internal monologues of the villains that we get the occasional hint of Toby's humour. Several of their lines made me chuckle and I'd have happily spent more time in their heads.
So, good characters, great setting, decent plot and lots of well-written action that kept me from putting it down. Because I could only get it on Kindle I ended up with it on my phone, which unfortunately resulted in me reading it when I should have been working. I do hope a paper copy is published as I'm one of those people who likes to keep good books and get them out and stroke them occasionally. I'll certainly be buying the next installment, ideally in paperback so I can pet that one too.
February 27, 2019
Ever since Eddard lost his head fantasy has been trying to re-invent its identity. Most of us, since we were kids, have loved the world building, to get lost in the realms of elves and dwarves and magic and adventure. Unfortunately, this has usually come hand in hand with paper-thin characterisation, predictable plots and villains chewing furniture so hard they've been banned from Ikea.
Up to the Throne is grown up fantasy. I'll explain what I mean and why you'll like it.
For a long time "grown up" in fantasy meant grimdark - the not very grown up at all layering of blood and guts and gore which still somehow had all the lead character come through in time to slay the villain. Up to the Throne is not grimdark. This is a violent story - revenge, assassination, street fights and murder can all be found here - but it doesn't glorify gore or diminish the emotional impact of violence.
It also isn't a dark story. It looks like one, to begin with. But this isn't Gormenghast (much as I'm sure we'd all love to write a Gormenghast). There is a fundamental hopefulness and faith in people that survives some pretty damned tough moments. This doesn't belong in that corner of fantasy that strives for the literary and leaves us sad for days after you (I'm looking at you, "The Buried Giant".)
What makes this part of the new wave is that it is good, exciting commercial fiction that is absolutely focused on real characters making real decisions. There are several points throughout the protagonists quest for revenge where you are not certain she is the "good" guy, or if there is a good guy. There are many times when you find yourself empathising and even liking the books assortment of politicians, mafiosi and assassins that get in her way - and sometimes you wonder whether it might just be better if they succeed.
Best of all, some of them do. This story isn't afraid to go its own way. You will be surprised. Things will not turn out the way you expected. This sort of fantasy is the next step from Eddard's head rolling in Game of Thrones, surpassing Martin's own rather heavy writing to keep us right and the heart of the action and deep in the emotional integrity of all the characters. Nobody is chewing furniture here. They're too busy fighting for their lives.
Read this book. It has all the world building and sense of wonder we love from fantasy. But it also has one hell of a story, and characters that you will grow to love (in some case right before they get killed!) Can't praise this highly enough - a page turner that you won't forget.
Up to the Throne is grown up fantasy. I'll explain what I mean and why you'll like it.
For a long time "grown up" in fantasy meant grimdark - the not very grown up at all layering of blood and guts and gore which still somehow had all the lead character come through in time to slay the villain. Up to the Throne is not grimdark. This is a violent story - revenge, assassination, street fights and murder can all be found here - but it doesn't glorify gore or diminish the emotional impact of violence.
It also isn't a dark story. It looks like one, to begin with. But this isn't Gormenghast (much as I'm sure we'd all love to write a Gormenghast). There is a fundamental hopefulness and faith in people that survives some pretty damned tough moments. This doesn't belong in that corner of fantasy that strives for the literary and leaves us sad for days after you (I'm looking at you, "The Buried Giant".)
What makes this part of the new wave is that it is good, exciting commercial fiction that is absolutely focused on real characters making real decisions. There are several points throughout the protagonists quest for revenge where you are not certain she is the "good" guy, or if there is a good guy. There are many times when you find yourself empathising and even liking the books assortment of politicians, mafiosi and assassins that get in her way - and sometimes you wonder whether it might just be better if they succeed.
Best of all, some of them do. This story isn't afraid to go its own way. You will be surprised. Things will not turn out the way you expected. This sort of fantasy is the next step from Eddard's head rolling in Game of Thrones, surpassing Martin's own rather heavy writing to keep us right and the heart of the action and deep in the emotional integrity of all the characters. Nobody is chewing furniture here. They're too busy fighting for their lives.
Read this book. It has all the world building and sense of wonder we love from fantasy. But it also has one hell of a story, and characters that you will grow to love (in some case right before they get killed!) Can't praise this highly enough - a page turner that you won't forget.
November 22, 2019
This is my review of Up to the Throne by Toby Frost. Upfront I can reveal he supplied me with a free copy for a honest appraisal and review.
This story is a somewhat dark fantasy concerning a young woman’s quest for vengeance, she was badly scarred and left for dead and now, having spent the intervening years training up as a fighter, she is hunting down the man who caused her scarring.
However he has now gained a position of some authority and has his eye on the throne, she is drawn into his political schemes and slowly comes to realise there is another party who is the real seeker of power.
This all takes place in a city going through a Renaissance steampunk period, with clockwork cars and flying machines powered by boilers.
The engineering is done by the fey folk and magic is commonly used, however there is an Inquisition (unexpected!) who see it as their Holy Duty to find and burn magic users, heretics and those of the New Church.
There are throwaway lines scattered throughout the book, for instance “the War of the Undead 300 years ago” that have the potential to become stories in their own right, however the author wisely avoids going into too much back story, instead the plot and action move nicely forward.
One minor quibble, the story could have been wrapped up a few pages earlier, instead there was a slightly 'Return to the Shire' addendum, this felt a bit pointless until I realised it was the set-up for the sequel.
All in all a good story, as a rule of late I read a lot more sci fi than fantasy, this story has reignited my interest in the genre and I’ll no doubt be reading more fantasy soon. And of course the Toby Frost sequel to this story 'Blood Under Water'.
This story is a somewhat dark fantasy concerning a young woman’s quest for vengeance, she was badly scarred and left for dead and now, having spent the intervening years training up as a fighter, she is hunting down the man who caused her scarring.
However he has now gained a position of some authority and has his eye on the throne, she is drawn into his political schemes and slowly comes to realise there is another party who is the real seeker of power.
This all takes place in a city going through a Renaissance steampunk period, with clockwork cars and flying machines powered by boilers.
The engineering is done by the fey folk and magic is commonly used, however there is an Inquisition (unexpected!) who see it as their Holy Duty to find and burn magic users, heretics and those of the New Church.
There are throwaway lines scattered throughout the book, for instance “the War of the Undead 300 years ago” that have the potential to become stories in their own right, however the author wisely avoids going into too much back story, instead the plot and action move nicely forward.
One minor quibble, the story could have been wrapped up a few pages earlier, instead there was a slightly 'Return to the Shire' addendum, this felt a bit pointless until I realised it was the set-up for the sequel.
All in all a good story, as a rule of late I read a lot more sci fi than fantasy, this story has reignited my interest in the genre and I’ll no doubt be reading more fantasy soon. And of course the Toby Frost sequel to this story 'Blood Under Water'.
April 27, 2019
What It Is: A revenge story that takes place in a secondary world setting very similar to the Italian renaissance.
What's Good About It: Most of it, when you come down to it. I particularly enjoyed Giulia's battle to keep her mental state upright as she started butchering her way to payback and the plotting of the various factions was good too. Strong action scenes and a whirlwind ending.
What's Bad About It: It went a little slow for me as there were so many introductions that it took me a while to care about some of the characters. I think a few of the real world references could have been dialled down, particularly the ones to England, but really my only big criticism is that investment took a long time.
How Many Times Did I Emotionally React: A few. The sardonic humour made me smile a fair amount.
If I Throw Coffee At The Author, Will It Be In Jealousy Or Rage: Neither, Frost is fairly coffee-free for the time being, but I might go back and re-read some of the break in scenes for pointers.
What Does It Compare To: A less grandiose version of Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards would be my closest one, but a more thiefy version of Best Served Cold works too.
What's Good About It: Most of it, when you come down to it. I particularly enjoyed Giulia's battle to keep her mental state upright as she started butchering her way to payback and the plotting of the various factions was good too. Strong action scenes and a whirlwind ending.
What's Bad About It: It went a little slow for me as there were so many introductions that it took me a while to care about some of the characters. I think a few of the real world references could have been dialled down, particularly the ones to England, but really my only big criticism is that investment took a long time.
How Many Times Did I Emotionally React: A few. The sardonic humour made me smile a fair amount.
If I Throw Coffee At The Author, Will It Be In Jealousy Or Rage: Neither, Frost is fairly coffee-free for the time being, but I might go back and re-read some of the break in scenes for pointers.
What Does It Compare To: A less grandiose version of Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards would be my closest one, but a more thiefy version of Best Served Cold works too.
March 19, 2024
This book grew on me. It had a strong start, instantly hooking me but then I lost my way a little. I think I wasn't connecting to the main character enough for whatever reason. But then I began to sink deeper into the world (which is fascinating!), got closer to Giulia, and the second half flew by.
Giulia is the main protagonist but there is a lot more going on than just her quest for revenge. And it isn't always what it seems. The climactic action scene and a reveal were excellent.
Interesting takes on the traditional fantasy races, collectively known here as the fey. A nice mix of clockwork technology and magic. An inquisition! And lots of taverns and alleys where people drink and die.
I think there is a sequel so will seek that out.
Giulia is the main protagonist but there is a lot more going on than just her quest for revenge. And it isn't always what it seems. The climactic action scene and a reveal were excellent.
Interesting takes on the traditional fantasy races, collectively known here as the fey. A nice mix of clockwork technology and magic. An inquisition! And lots of taverns and alleys where people drink and die.
I think there is a sequel so will seek that out.
October 2, 2022
Pleasantly surprised
Pleasantly surprised by this. I've read the Space Captain Smith novels ,and thoroughly enjoyed them, but was unsure what these would be like; no comedy,not in space?! Ok. What l found was Frost's storytelling skills easily transfer across to a fantasy world reminiscent of the more real, less fantastical, Dungeons and Dragons campaigns I recall. There's a sniff of magic, but not wizardry, magical folk that put runes into stone and steel, intrigue and conspiracy, and plot twists.
I shouldn't have worried about whether Frost could work his magic. Onto book two!
Pleasantly surprised by this. I've read the Space Captain Smith novels ,and thoroughly enjoyed them, but was unsure what these would be like; no comedy,not in space?! Ok. What l found was Frost's storytelling skills easily transfer across to a fantasy world reminiscent of the more real, less fantastical, Dungeons and Dragons campaigns I recall. There's a sniff of magic, but not wizardry, magical folk that put runes into stone and steel, intrigue and conspiracy, and plot twists.
I shouldn't have worried about whether Frost could work his magic. Onto book two!
January 13, 2019
I really enjoyed this one! Set during a (not THE) renaissance in a world with some strong similarities to our world (albeit one with magic, flying machines and other races) the plot concerns the protagonist returning to a city to get revenge on the men who slashed her face open and left her for dead. Giulia, our fierce, spiky and single-minded 'hero' sets out to on a path of vengeance but finds herself being pulled into the Machiavellian machinations of those who would rule the city.
May 6, 2022
The Renaissance setting of this fantasy novel made for a fresh and interesting backdrop, and there's a rich and detailed sense of culture which made the world and story really come alive. Sometimes I would have liked to have seen the pace slowed a little to spend more time on the deeper complexities of the characters. Overall, though, an enjoyable read, and I'd be happy to read the rest of the series.
October 10, 2022
I love Toby Frost's Space Captain Smith books and this is very different... but equally good. I like the squabbling Italian City States Renaissance-style setting and the way the fairly simple revenge story unravels into something deeper and more complex. It's gritty but not as remorselessly grimdark as similar stories are wont to be which is pleasantly refreshing somehow. All in all it's a great book, good enough to get me to immediately hit the "Buy" button on the sequel.
May 4, 2024
Could not hold my interest.
DNF at 17%
For me this book was a weaker version of Abercrombie´s legendary book "Sharp Ends". I didn´t really care about the protagonist and never got truly immersed. Maybe i just read way to many similar books before..
DNF at 17%
For me this book was a weaker version of Abercrombie´s legendary book "Sharp Ends". I didn´t really care about the protagonist and never got truly immersed. Maybe i just read way to many similar books before..
June 21, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. The central character was believable and the plot had me always wanting to read just one page more. I will be buying the next book.
June 11, 2020
Giulia has blood on her mind. The thought of revenge and the death of certain individuals the only thing that has kept her going the last six years.
She returns to Pagalia, the city where her almost murder happened, to find her sights are set higher than she first anticipated.
All of her old acquaintances are dead or against her; she must call in an old debt to help see her plan through... But her straightforward thought of corner and kill becomes muddled and muddied by political games being played in Pagalia.
A very strong first novel in the series with a good mix of magic, fairy-lore, alchemy, and machinery. Giulia is a tough protagonist with a set goal in mind; she knows her flaws and weaknesses, but also how to play situations to her strengths. I look forward to reading the next book!
She returns to Pagalia, the city where her almost murder happened, to find her sights are set higher than she first anticipated.
All of her old acquaintances are dead or against her; she must call in an old debt to help see her plan through... But her straightforward thought of corner and kill becomes muddled and muddied by political games being played in Pagalia.
A very strong first novel in the series with a good mix of magic, fairy-lore, alchemy, and machinery. Giulia is a tough protagonist with a set goal in mind; she knows her flaws and weaknesses, but also how to play situations to her strengths. I look forward to reading the next book!
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