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Thieves of Fate #2
The Fall
An apothecary clerk and her ex-mercenary allies travel across the world to discover a computing engine that leads to secrets she wasn't meant to know--secrets that could destroy humanity. Eight months ago, Rowena Downshire was a half-starved black market courier darting through the shadows of Corma's underside. Today, she's a (mostly) respectable clerk in the Alchemist's infamous apothecary shop, the Stone Scales, and certainly the last girl one would think qualified to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders a second time. Looks can be deceiving. When Anselm Meteron and the Alchemist receive an invitation to an old acquaintance's ball--the Greatduke who financed their final, disastrous mercenary mission fourteen years earlier--they're expecting blackmail, graft, or veiled threats related to the plot to steal the secrets of the Creator's Grand Experiment. They aren't expecting a job offer they can't refuse or a trip halfway across the world to rendezvous with the scholar whose research threw their lives into tumult: the Reverend Doctor Phillip Chalmers. Escorting Chalmers to the Grand Library of Nippon with her mismatched mercenary family is just a grand adventure to Rowena until she discovers a powerful algebraic engine called the Aggregator. The Aggregator leads Rowena to questions about the Grand Experiment she was never meant to ask and answers she cannot be allowed to possess. With her reunited friends, Rowena must find a way to use the truths hidden in the Grand Library to disarm those who would hunt down the nine subjects of the Creator's Grand Experiment, threatening to close the book on this world.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published June 11, 2019
8 people are currently reading
956 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Townsend
6 books108 followersTracy Townsend is the author of The Nine and The Fall (books 1 and 2 in the Thieves of Fate series), a monthly columnist for the feminist sf magazine Luna Station Quarterly, and an essayist for Uncanny Magazine. She holds a master's degree in writing and rhetoric from DePaul University and a bachelor's degree in creative writing from DePauw University, a source of regular consternation when proofreading her credentials. She is the former chair of the English department at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, an elite public boarding school, where she teaches creative writing and science fiction and fantasy literature. She has been a martial arts instructor, a stage combat and accent coach, and a short-order cook for houses full of tired gamers. Now she lives in Bolingbrook, Illinois with two bumptious hounds, two remarkable children, and one very patient husband.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 22, 2019
3 Stars
Review:
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review.*
This was another complex fantasy book in the series with a unique premise and some interesting characters, but I have to admit I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first one.
This series is turning out to be more epic than I generally like. I prefer to focus on one or a few characters so that I can get to know them and really connect with them. Since this was the second in a series, I was already connected to Rowena, Anselm, and The Alchemist, but their POVs only consisted of maybe half the book.
The other problem was all the description and explanation of the geography, the history of the world, settings, and machines that I just didn't understand. I have a hard time concentrating, and history and geography were always my worst subjects.
But of course these are issues of personal taste, not things that make a book bad, and I can still appreciate that the world-building was complex and thought-out and that the POVs provided a lot of unique perspectives and a well-rounded view of the story.
And as I said, I really liked the three main characters. Anselm is especially interesting to me, very rakish and charming but with deadly claws (figuratively speaking). And the Alchemist, "sweet" is not a word most people would use to describe him, but that's exactly how he is with Rowena. There's also an adorable found family element between the three of them, especially between Rowena and the Alchemist.
This book also had more lanyani (tree creatures), so it was interesting to learn more about them, how they move and communicate and live and think.
Overall, this book skewed away from my own tastes a bit, but I still enjoyed the time I got to spend with the three main characters, and I think anyone who likes detailed world-building and an epic style with POVs on all sides of the story will enjoy this even more than I did!
Recommended For:
Fans of Book 1 in Tracy Townsend's Thieves of Fate series. Anyone who likes alternate Earth fantasy worlds, scrappy underdogs, ex-mercs with soft sides, and cute character dynamics.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review.*
This was another complex fantasy book in the series with a unique premise and some interesting characters, but I have to admit I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first one.
This series is turning out to be more epic than I generally like. I prefer to focus on one or a few characters so that I can get to know them and really connect with them. Since this was the second in a series, I was already connected to Rowena, Anselm, and The Alchemist, but their POVs only consisted of maybe half the book.
The other problem was all the description and explanation of the geography, the history of the world, settings, and machines that I just didn't understand. I have a hard time concentrating, and history and geography were always my worst subjects.
But of course these are issues of personal taste, not things that make a book bad, and I can still appreciate that the world-building was complex and thought-out and that the POVs provided a lot of unique perspectives and a well-rounded view of the story.
And as I said, I really liked the three main characters. Anselm is especially interesting to me, very rakish and charming but with deadly claws (figuratively speaking). And the Alchemist, "sweet" is not a word most people would use to describe him, but that's exactly how he is with Rowena. There's also an adorable found family element between the three of them, especially between Rowena and the Alchemist.
This book also had more lanyani (tree creatures), so it was interesting to learn more about them, how they move and communicate and live and think.
Overall, this book skewed away from my own tastes a bit, but I still enjoyed the time I got to spend with the three main characters, and I think anyone who likes detailed world-building and an epic style with POVs on all sides of the story will enjoy this even more than I did!
Recommended For:
Fans of Book 1 in Tracy Townsend's Thieves of Fate series. Anyone who likes alternate Earth fantasy worlds, scrappy underdogs, ex-mercs with soft sides, and cute character dynamics.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
June 8, 2019
The Fall expands Townsend’s alternate universe where science has become a religion and people see God as a great experimenter. Rowena Downshire is one of The Nine - current test subjects of the God who assesses all creation based on their behavior. The problem? No one knows the criteria of the evaluation. Also, scholars assume all nine subjects are human, but why wouldn’t the creator inspect all creation?
In The Fall both Aigamuxa (lethal eye-heeled creatures) and Lanyani (sentient, mobile, and murderous trees) get their POV chapters. We get an insight into their cultures and aspirations. Where The Nine portrayed Aigamuxa as heartless monsters, The Fall casts a sympathetic eye on them and their society helping readers to understand them better. It turns out they differ from each other, and, as humans, have varied personalities, beliefs, and emotions. They don’t lack intelligence, but their society emphasizes strength and violence rather than careful planning and philosophy. That’s why Aigamuxa fall victim to cunning Lanyani who make them pawns in their plan to purge humanity and show the Creator that they are above judgment.
Lanyani don’t resemble the conventional high fantasy arboreal creatures like Dryads or Ents. Their bodies and ways of communicating are alien. Their outlook on the world has nothing in common with our perception of the natural order. I applaud Townsend for creating such terrifying but also relatable (in a way) creatures. They play the role of villains, but it’s not that simple. Nothing in The Fall is that simple or one-dimensional. Even Bishop Metteron’s machinations and nefarious schemes may have a valid cause.
Speaking of the creatures, magnify The Fall’s cover and look at it. A thing of beauty. Adam S. Doyle did a spectacular job in his presentation of The Fall’s characters and setting. The book takes us to new regions of the world, to Nippon where we can observe a Shogunate, logicians in actions, and clockwork constructs serving people. A well-rounded cast of secondary characters is diverse and include a non-binary character who plays an important role in tightening the plot.
Rowena, the Alchemist and Anselm play a key role in the story, but other characters introduced in The Nine (Haadiyaa Gammon, Philip Chalmers, Beatrice Earnshaw, Clara Downshire) get strong developments as well. To simplify it, our main characters travel with Chalmers to Grand Library in Nippon (a steampunk Japan of sorts) to decipher its mysteries, while Gammon and her team try to make sense of Lanyani’s schemes. Both arcs are emotional and surprising.
Comparing sequels to original stories is unfair but also inevitable. I always expect the sequel to top the previous entry in the series and get pumped before reading it. When things don’t develop the way I wanted, they annoy me. Where The Nine grabbed my attention from the first page, I needed more time to get invested in The Fall. The book suffers from pacing issues caused by intricate, but sometimes too detailed, world-building. As impressive as this world is, I felt there was too much informations to process. My other gripe with the story concerns Rowena. I loved her in The Nine, but couldn’t relate to her in The Fall most of the time. She’s still herself, a tough street-rat with a foul mouth, but she lost some of her charm. What else? Well, we get some pieces of information that set the table for the things yet to come. Don’t expect everything will serve something immediately or to have all questions answered.
But these are just minor complaints. When things finally start to come together, and stakes grow you can’t help but admire a complex intrigue. Also, the ending. The Fall finishes with a nasty, but also exciting cliffhanger that made me crave book three. I’m desperately hoping that this book sells well enough to ensure that full series (Townsend planned Thieves of Fate as a trilogy) will be published according to plan, without a single day of delay. This story must be told. I need to know what happens next.
So, if you like deadly politics tangled up in scientific research and religion, steampunk settings with clockwork technology, and imaginative world-building, do yourself a favor and read Thieves of Fate. It’s gorgeously written, unique and clever.
In The Fall both Aigamuxa (lethal eye-heeled creatures) and Lanyani (sentient, mobile, and murderous trees) get their POV chapters. We get an insight into their cultures and aspirations. Where The Nine portrayed Aigamuxa as heartless monsters, The Fall casts a sympathetic eye on them and their society helping readers to understand them better. It turns out they differ from each other, and, as humans, have varied personalities, beliefs, and emotions. They don’t lack intelligence, but their society emphasizes strength and violence rather than careful planning and philosophy. That’s why Aigamuxa fall victim to cunning Lanyani who make them pawns in their plan to purge humanity and show the Creator that they are above judgment.
Lanyani don’t resemble the conventional high fantasy arboreal creatures like Dryads or Ents. Their bodies and ways of communicating are alien. Their outlook on the world has nothing in common with our perception of the natural order. I applaud Townsend for creating such terrifying but also relatable (in a way) creatures. They play the role of villains, but it’s not that simple. Nothing in The Fall is that simple or one-dimensional. Even Bishop Metteron’s machinations and nefarious schemes may have a valid cause.
Speaking of the creatures, magnify The Fall’s cover and look at it. A thing of beauty. Adam S. Doyle did a spectacular job in his presentation of The Fall’s characters and setting. The book takes us to new regions of the world, to Nippon where we can observe a Shogunate, logicians in actions, and clockwork constructs serving people. A well-rounded cast of secondary characters is diverse and include a non-binary character who plays an important role in tightening the plot.
Rowena, the Alchemist and Anselm play a key role in the story, but other characters introduced in The Nine (Haadiyaa Gammon, Philip Chalmers, Beatrice Earnshaw, Clara Downshire) get strong developments as well. To simplify it, our main characters travel with Chalmers to Grand Library in Nippon (a steampunk Japan of sorts) to decipher its mysteries, while Gammon and her team try to make sense of Lanyani’s schemes. Both arcs are emotional and surprising.
Comparing sequels to original stories is unfair but also inevitable. I always expect the sequel to top the previous entry in the series and get pumped before reading it. When things don’t develop the way I wanted, they annoy me. Where The Nine grabbed my attention from the first page, I needed more time to get invested in The Fall. The book suffers from pacing issues caused by intricate, but sometimes too detailed, world-building. As impressive as this world is, I felt there was too much informations to process. My other gripe with the story concerns Rowena. I loved her in The Nine, but couldn’t relate to her in The Fall most of the time. She’s still herself, a tough street-rat with a foul mouth, but she lost some of her charm. What else? Well, we get some pieces of information that set the table for the things yet to come. Don’t expect everything will serve something immediately or to have all questions answered.
But these are just minor complaints. When things finally start to come together, and stakes grow you can’t help but admire a complex intrigue. Also, the ending. The Fall finishes with a nasty, but also exciting cliffhanger that made me crave book three. I’m desperately hoping that this book sells well enough to ensure that full series (Townsend planned Thieves of Fate as a trilogy) will be published according to plan, without a single day of delay. This story must be told. I need to know what happens next.
So, if you like deadly politics tangled up in scientific research and religion, steampunk settings with clockwork technology, and imaginative world-building, do yourself a favor and read Thieves of Fate. It’s gorgeously written, unique and clever.
August 15, 2018
While I would usually like to have some clever opening statement, that would accurately sum up my feelings for a book. I must say that my first encounter with Tracy Townsend has left me rather…. Awestruck. So, in an effort to appease myself, I can sufficiently describe this entire book with one word;
Whoa.
I’m sure if the book's description was good enough to entice you into reading through reviews, then I’m certain you don’t need me to recount it’s summary just to fill space. Instead, I will focus entirely on the books readability, entertainment value, and style…. That is until the book is officially released on January 15th, 2019. Which is when I will publish my full, in-depth review covering the aspects of the story such as the beginning, guts and ending, as well as some other facets I shouldn’t talk about before the story is officially released. SO what’s the verdict?
4.5 out of 5. I know that Goodreads doesn’t let me do that, but I don’t care. This is as close to perfection as someone can get and I’ll be damned if I don’t inform everyone that this story is not just an average 4-star book! Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why a book that has quite literally held me to a single word summary only gets the 4-star nod instead of perfection. Well, it’s quite simple, it’s a slow starter and it has no mercy for new readers. If you’ve read, Tracy’s first book then this comment means nothing to you and more than likely you would probably see this book as a 5/5. Now before you break out the pitchforks and torches to accost me for being the fool who read the second before the first, hear me out.
As a blessed recipient of ARC books, I review what has been placed in front of me and the unfortunate truth is, I had never read Tracy Townsend’s previous works. While I was aware there was a first book, I reviewed and judged this one as if I were a customer who picked up a copy at Barnes & Noble and started from nothing, as most do. Now, bring on the pitchforks!
Let’s start off with the bad… which in all reality wasn’t really all that bad at all.
Readability: 7/10. Now, I’m not a big fan of the “5-star” review system, since its only options are, Bad, Not Good, Meh, Good, and Great. With a 10-point rating system, we can go deeper into why a book is better than average without being lost in the bottomless pit of the subjective percentage system. ANYWAY.
So, a 7/10. First off, right out of the gate I noticed that this particular story was a very slow starter. While the very first paragraph plants the body of an unknown creature in the readers mind (unknown to new readers) it tapers off quickly because it becomes painfully apparent that without previous knowledge of races and procedures from the first novel, this will be a tricky ride. It wasn’t until several pages in that I started to be drawn into the story when a new pre-chapter began, and the reader focuses on Bess. From here on, the story is somewhat more forgiving to newer readers, while you still lack the previous required knowledge, you can still enjoy the story because Tracy provides more than enough contextual clues to guide you along. Which is why this rating is a 7 and not a 5. The subtraction of the three points is due to the unforgiving first chapter that drops the reader into the deep end with very few contextual clues to help them remain afloat. However, for return readers…. This would be a 10/10. Again, you have to understand the point of view of a new reader.
NOW for the good… because oh boy, is there a ton of it.
Style: 10/10. Yeah, it is that good. Any aspiring writer can really learn something from Tracy Townsend, her mastery of descriptive detail builds her world magnificently and those of us, myself included, who are better with narrative detail than description should definitely take a page from her book to see how it’s done. She was able to paint a vivid picture of her world, while simultaneously leaving out irrelevant details that so many of us focus on… kind of like saying “an ant aimlessly marched along the cobblestones, frantically searching for the safety of his lost colony” When really, we wanted to focus on the rough cobblestones. *sigh* Anyway.
OH, and if you’re wondering if her skills fall solely on the description of the world, I will be the first to tell you… it doesn’t She’s also a boss at character description. Right from the very beginning, Tracy describes her characters with such painstaking detail that there is no question as to what they look like, what their personalities are like, and even how they speak. I can promise you, that you the reader, will have no issues distinguishing between speaking characters. Well done Tracy.
Entertainment value: 9/10. Well… I can’t really get into the nitty-gritty at the moment, just know that once you’ve gotten started, you won’t want to stop. I normally finish these ARC books within 2-3 days, but with The Fall I finished it overnight. My notebook is filled with notes and high praise. In fact… I feel slightly awkward about not having more gripes about the book. Maybe, I should read it again… or… maybe I should read the first book…. *scrambles to Barnes & Noble*
*Returns an hour later*
So, should you pick this book up? Absolutely. Just don’t forget to also get the first novel “The Nine” if you do. I recommend this book to anyone who has a soft spot for Dark Fantasy or is looking for a change from your normal medieval fantasy tales of dragons and glory. You know what… just get it. I’ll see you all in January!
Whoa.
I’m sure if the book's description was good enough to entice you into reading through reviews, then I’m certain you don’t need me to recount it’s summary just to fill space. Instead, I will focus entirely on the books readability, entertainment value, and style…. That is until the book is officially released on January 15th, 2019. Which is when I will publish my full, in-depth review covering the aspects of the story such as the beginning, guts and ending, as well as some other facets I shouldn’t talk about before the story is officially released. SO what’s the verdict?
4.5 out of 5. I know that Goodreads doesn’t let me do that, but I don’t care. This is as close to perfection as someone can get and I’ll be damned if I don’t inform everyone that this story is not just an average 4-star book! Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why a book that has quite literally held me to a single word summary only gets the 4-star nod instead of perfection. Well, it’s quite simple, it’s a slow starter and it has no mercy for new readers. If you’ve read, Tracy’s first book then this comment means nothing to you and more than likely you would probably see this book as a 5/5. Now before you break out the pitchforks and torches to accost me for being the fool who read the second before the first, hear me out.
As a blessed recipient of ARC books, I review what has been placed in front of me and the unfortunate truth is, I had never read Tracy Townsend’s previous works. While I was aware there was a first book, I reviewed and judged this one as if I were a customer who picked up a copy at Barnes & Noble and started from nothing, as most do. Now, bring on the pitchforks!
Let’s start off with the bad… which in all reality wasn’t really all that bad at all.
Readability: 7/10. Now, I’m not a big fan of the “5-star” review system, since its only options are, Bad, Not Good, Meh, Good, and Great. With a 10-point rating system, we can go deeper into why a book is better than average without being lost in the bottomless pit of the subjective percentage system. ANYWAY.
So, a 7/10. First off, right out of the gate I noticed that this particular story was a very slow starter. While the very first paragraph plants the body of an unknown creature in the readers mind (unknown to new readers) it tapers off quickly because it becomes painfully apparent that without previous knowledge of races and procedures from the first novel, this will be a tricky ride. It wasn’t until several pages in that I started to be drawn into the story when a new pre-chapter began, and the reader focuses on Bess. From here on, the story is somewhat more forgiving to newer readers, while you still lack the previous required knowledge, you can still enjoy the story because Tracy provides more than enough contextual clues to guide you along. Which is why this rating is a 7 and not a 5. The subtraction of the three points is due to the unforgiving first chapter that drops the reader into the deep end with very few contextual clues to help them remain afloat. However, for return readers…. This would be a 10/10. Again, you have to understand the point of view of a new reader.
NOW for the good… because oh boy, is there a ton of it.
Style: 10/10. Yeah, it is that good. Any aspiring writer can really learn something from Tracy Townsend, her mastery of descriptive detail builds her world magnificently and those of us, myself included, who are better with narrative detail than description should definitely take a page from her book to see how it’s done. She was able to paint a vivid picture of her world, while simultaneously leaving out irrelevant details that so many of us focus on… kind of like saying “an ant aimlessly marched along the cobblestones, frantically searching for the safety of his lost colony” When really, we wanted to focus on the rough cobblestones. *sigh* Anyway.
OH, and if you’re wondering if her skills fall solely on the description of the world, I will be the first to tell you… it doesn’t She’s also a boss at character description. Right from the very beginning, Tracy describes her characters with such painstaking detail that there is no question as to what they look like, what their personalities are like, and even how they speak. I can promise you, that you the reader, will have no issues distinguishing between speaking characters. Well done Tracy.
Entertainment value: 9/10. Well… I can’t really get into the nitty-gritty at the moment, just know that once you’ve gotten started, you won’t want to stop. I normally finish these ARC books within 2-3 days, but with The Fall I finished it overnight. My notebook is filled with notes and high praise. In fact… I feel slightly awkward about not having more gripes about the book. Maybe, I should read it again… or… maybe I should read the first book…. *scrambles to Barnes & Noble*
*Returns an hour later*
So, should you pick this book up? Absolutely. Just don’t forget to also get the first novel “The Nine” if you do. I recommend this book to anyone who has a soft spot for Dark Fantasy or is looking for a change from your normal medieval fantasy tales of dragons and glory. You know what… just get it. I’ll see you all in January!
February 1, 2019
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Dark Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
The Fall is the second installment in author Tracy Townsend's Thieves of Fate series. The Fall starts a few months after the conclusion of events in The Nine. This is a world where three sentient beings (Humans, Aigamuxa, and Layani share the world). Aigamuxa are ape like creatures who have eyes on their feet, while Layani are sentient trees who seem to believe they are at the top of the food chain. The story features several key characters: Haadiyaa Gammon, Rowena Downshire, Beatrice Earnshaw, Anselm Meteron, and Erasmus Pardon aka the Alchemist.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Dark Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
The Fall is the second installment in author Tracy Townsend's Thieves of Fate series. The Fall starts a few months after the conclusion of events in The Nine. This is a world where three sentient beings (Humans, Aigamuxa, and Layani share the world). Aigamuxa are ape like creatures who have eyes on their feet, while Layani are sentient trees who seem to believe they are at the top of the food chain. The story features several key characters: Haadiyaa Gammon, Rowena Downshire, Beatrice Earnshaw, Anselm Meteron, and Erasmus Pardon aka the Alchemist.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
October 14, 2018
Full disclosure – I received a free copy of the uncorrected advanced reader version of this book. Also full disclosure – I hounded the author for a copy after reading her first book. I’ve pre-ordered a copy of the finished version for myself because the uncorrected book was that good. I’ll try to keep this a spoiler-free review for book 2, though there might be some spoilers for book one of the Thieves of Fate (The Nine).
The Fall starts a few months after the conclusion of events in The Nine. Rather than focusing on the narrower viewpoints of mostly humans in the Nine located in a single city, The Fall gives us a much broader view of the world and beings Townsend has created. We finally get motivations and viewpoints from the Lanyani (the sentient plant creatures) and the Aigamuxa (the sentient stuff of nightmares from Book one.) I report that with great joy, as I longed for their points of view in book one, to understand their societies and social structure. It was clear to me in The Nine that Townsend had those constructs clearly thought out, but there was no room for them in the first book. The Fall allows ample time to explore their otherness and their clearly alien thought processes from humans and each other. My only regret is that due to this exploration, Anselm Meteron appears less in The Fall than he does in The Nine, a loss I felt keenly, as his flippant attitude often lightened the darker moments. There wasn’t room in the book for more of him though, and the trade off of more scenes with him for scenes with the Aigamuxa and Lanyani are well worth it. I am also incredibly grateful for scenes from the increasingly important Haadiyaa Gammon, and her many unexpected relationships.
We also get to see the wider world beyond the city of Corma, as our heroes travel around the planet to Kyo-tokai, the steampunk version of Japan. I felt a special joy reading these sections, as the steampunk Japan imagined by Townsend fits very well with my knowledge of that country and culture, having lived there for 5 years. It’s to the author’s credit she makes this version of Japan so realistic and so well-conceived. The addition of so many Fabricated (clockwork animals and people) to do the everyday menial labor is a natural extension of the karakuri dolls found in the Edo period of Japan. For a good video of the Japanese fascination with clockwork dolls, see this link and watch from minute 3-4 for a doll that shoots arrows perfectly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5zYK... It’s clear Townsend did her research on Japan’s history and culture to get the details so nicely envisioned.
As in the previous book, the writing is crisp and intelligent, and the pacing was well done, lagging only a bit in the exploration of the Library. Our newly gained knowledge about Clara Downshire and Bishop Meteron bring about unexpected character twists, and made me go back to read many passages of the Nine again, with new understanding and a few “aha!” moments. The dangers faced by our group are much darker and more broad ranging than in The Nine, but to avoid spoilers, I’ll refrain from mentioning various alliances and villains much more terrifying than Smallduke Regenzi.
As for that wonderful Book that drives the plot of The Nine – it’s still out there, wreaking havoc. All I will say about it is this: There is a line in Ender’s Shadow in which Dimak (talking about a young child) says to Graff “If he can write THIS with what he knows, imagine what would happen if we told him everything?” and later “he has a theory and it’s wonderfully wrong.” I felt the same way about Rowena. Imagine the deals she would make, the acts she would dare, if she knew the truth. The mind reels. Book 3 can’t come fast enough.
The Fall starts a few months after the conclusion of events in The Nine. Rather than focusing on the narrower viewpoints of mostly humans in the Nine located in a single city, The Fall gives us a much broader view of the world and beings Townsend has created. We finally get motivations and viewpoints from the Lanyani (the sentient plant creatures) and the Aigamuxa (the sentient stuff of nightmares from Book one.) I report that with great joy, as I longed for their points of view in book one, to understand their societies and social structure. It was clear to me in The Nine that Townsend had those constructs clearly thought out, but there was no room for them in the first book. The Fall allows ample time to explore their otherness and their clearly alien thought processes from humans and each other. My only regret is that due to this exploration, Anselm Meteron appears less in The Fall than he does in The Nine, a loss I felt keenly, as his flippant attitude often lightened the darker moments. There wasn’t room in the book for more of him though, and the trade off of more scenes with him for scenes with the Aigamuxa and Lanyani are well worth it. I am also incredibly grateful for scenes from the increasingly important Haadiyaa Gammon, and her many unexpected relationships.
We also get to see the wider world beyond the city of Corma, as our heroes travel around the planet to Kyo-tokai, the steampunk version of Japan. I felt a special joy reading these sections, as the steampunk Japan imagined by Townsend fits very well with my knowledge of that country and culture, having lived there for 5 years. It’s to the author’s credit she makes this version of Japan so realistic and so well-conceived. The addition of so many Fabricated (clockwork animals and people) to do the everyday menial labor is a natural extension of the karakuri dolls found in the Edo period of Japan. For a good video of the Japanese fascination with clockwork dolls, see this link and watch from minute 3-4 for a doll that shoots arrows perfectly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5zYK... It’s clear Townsend did her research on Japan’s history and culture to get the details so nicely envisioned.
As in the previous book, the writing is crisp and intelligent, and the pacing was well done, lagging only a bit in the exploration of the Library. Our newly gained knowledge about Clara Downshire and Bishop Meteron bring about unexpected character twists, and made me go back to read many passages of the Nine again, with new understanding and a few “aha!” moments. The dangers faced by our group are much darker and more broad ranging than in The Nine, but to avoid spoilers, I’ll refrain from mentioning various alliances and villains much more terrifying than Smallduke Regenzi.
As for that wonderful Book that drives the plot of The Nine – it’s still out there, wreaking havoc. All I will say about it is this: There is a line in Ender’s Shadow in which Dimak (talking about a young child) says to Graff “If he can write THIS with what he knows, imagine what would happen if we told him everything?” and later “he has a theory and it’s wonderfully wrong.” I felt the same way about Rowena. Imagine the deals she would make, the acts she would dare, if she knew the truth. The mind reels. Book 3 can’t come fast enough.
August 16, 2019
Quit 20% in. I am not making any progress with this book and it kills me. Something is lost, the events just move so slowly and the ridiculous, blabber-y prose makes it feel even worse. There are brilliant ideas about the wold building and NONE of that is going anywhere here.
On the other hand we get new, fucking frustratingly UWU SPESHÜL characters, like Jane Arai, who is super magical amazing healing genius and just acts like a Tumblr girl. And of course we have to pretend that women who never met each other instantly love each other because that's how women work. Jane's instant appreciation for Bess and her supposed amazing skills is such typical YA bullshit it make me roll my eyes.
20% in and no Chalmers. Okay then.
On the other hand we get new, fucking frustratingly UWU SPESHÜL characters, like Jane Arai, who is super magical amazing healing genius and just acts like a Tumblr girl. And of course we have to pretend that women who never met each other instantly love each other because that's how women work. Jane's instant appreciation for Bess and her supposed amazing skills is such typical YA bullshit it make me roll my eyes.
20% in and no Chalmers. Okay then.
August 16, 2018
While I would usually like to have some clever opening statement, that would accurately sum up my feelings for a book. I must say that my first encounter with Tracy Townsend has left me rather…. Awestruck. So, in an effort to appease myself, I can sufficiently describe this entire book with one word;
Whoa.
I’m sure if the book's description was good enough to entice you into reading through reviews, then I’m certain you don’t need me to recount it’s summary just to fill space. Instead, I will focus entirely on the books readability, entertainment value, and style…. That is until the book is officially released on January 15th, 2019. Which is when I will publish my full, in-depth review covering the aspects of the story such as the beginning, guts and ending, as well as some other facets I shouldn’t talk about before the story is officially released. SO what’s the verdict?
4.5 out of 5. I know that Goodreads doesn’t let me do that, but I don’t care. This is as close to perfection as someone can get and I’ll be damned if I don’t inform everyone that this story is not just an average 4-star book! Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why a book that has quite literally held me to a single word summary only gets the 4-star nod instead of perfection. Well, it’s quite simple, it’s a slow starter and it has no mercy for new readers. If you’ve read, Tracy’s first book then this comment means nothing to you and more than likely you would probably see this book as a 5/5. Now before you break out the pitchforks and torches to accost me for being the fool who read the second before the first, hear me out.
As a blessed recipient of ARC books, I review what has been placed in front of me and the unfortunate truth is, I had never read Tracy Townsend’s previous works. While I was aware there was a first book, I reviewed and judged this one as if I were a customer who picked up a copy at Barnes & Noble and started from nothing, as most do. Now, bring on the pitchforks!
Let’s start off with the bad… which in all reality wasn’t really all that bad at all.
Readability: 7/10. Now, I’m not a big fan of the “5-star” review system, since its only options are, Bad, Not Good, Meh, Good, and Great. With a 10-point rating system, we can go deeper into why a book is better than average without being lost in the bottomless pit of the subjective percentage system. ANYWAY.
So, a 7/10. First off, right out of the gate I noticed that this particular story was a very slow starter. While the very first paragraph plants the body of an unknown creature in the readers mind (unknown to new readers) it tapers off quickly because it becomes painfully apparent that without previous knowledge of races and procedures from the first novel, this will be a tricky ride. It wasn’t until several pages in that I started to be drawn into the story when a new pre-chapter began, and the reader focuses on Bess. From here on, the story is somewhat more forgiving to newer readers, while you still lack the previous required knowledge, you can still enjoy the story because Tracy provides more than enough contextual clues to guide you along. Which is why this rating is a 7 and not a 5. The subtraction of the three points is due to the unforgiving first chapter that drops the reader into the deep end with very few contextual clues to help them remain afloat. However, for return readers…. This would be a 10/10. Again, you have to understand the point of view of a new reader.
NOW for the good… because oh boy, is there a ton of it.
Style: 10/10. Yeah, it is that good. Any aspiring writer can really learn something from Tracy Townsend, her mastery of descriptive detail builds her world magnificently and those of us, myself included, who are better with narrative detail than description should definitely take a page from her book to see how it’s done. She was able to paint a vivid picture of her world, while simultaneously leaving out irrelevant details that so many of us focus on… kind of like saying “an ant aimlessly marched along the cobblestones, frantically searching for the safety of his lost colony” When really, we wanted to focus on the rough cobblestones. *sigh* Anyway.
OH, and if you’re wondering if her skills fall solely on the description of the world, I will be the first to tell you… it doesn’t She’s also a boss at character description. Right from the very beginning, Tracy describes her characters with such painstaking detail that there is no question as to what they look like, what their personalities are like, and even how they speak. I can promise you, that you the reader, will have no issues distinguishing between speaking characters. Well done Tracy.
Entertainment value: 9/10. Well… I can’t really get into the nitty-gritty at the moment, just know that once you’ve gotten started, you won’t want to stop. I normally finish these ARC books within 2-3 days, but with The Fall I finished it overnight. My notebook is filled with notes and high praise. In fact… I feel slightly awkward about not having more gripes about the book. Maybe, I should read it again… or… maybe I should read the first book…. *scrambles to Barnes & Noble*
*Returns an hour later*
So, should you pick this book up? Absolutely. Just don’t forget to also get the first novel “The Nine” if you do. I recommend this book to anyone who has a soft spot for Dark Fantasy or is looking for a change from your normal medieval fantasy tales of dragons and glory. You know what… just get it. I’ll see you all in January!
Whoa.
I’m sure if the book's description was good enough to entice you into reading through reviews, then I’m certain you don’t need me to recount it’s summary just to fill space. Instead, I will focus entirely on the books readability, entertainment value, and style…. That is until the book is officially released on January 15th, 2019. Which is when I will publish my full, in-depth review covering the aspects of the story such as the beginning, guts and ending, as well as some other facets I shouldn’t talk about before the story is officially released. SO what’s the verdict?
4.5 out of 5. I know that Goodreads doesn’t let me do that, but I don’t care. This is as close to perfection as someone can get and I’ll be damned if I don’t inform everyone that this story is not just an average 4-star book! Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why a book that has quite literally held me to a single word summary only gets the 4-star nod instead of perfection. Well, it’s quite simple, it’s a slow starter and it has no mercy for new readers. If you’ve read, Tracy’s first book then this comment means nothing to you and more than likely you would probably see this book as a 5/5. Now before you break out the pitchforks and torches to accost me for being the fool who read the second before the first, hear me out.
As a blessed recipient of ARC books, I review what has been placed in front of me and the unfortunate truth is, I had never read Tracy Townsend’s previous works. While I was aware there was a first book, I reviewed and judged this one as if I were a customer who picked up a copy at Barnes & Noble and started from nothing, as most do. Now, bring on the pitchforks!
Let’s start off with the bad… which in all reality wasn’t really all that bad at all.
Readability: 7/10. Now, I’m not a big fan of the “5-star” review system, since its only options are, Bad, Not Good, Meh, Good, and Great. With a 10-point rating system, we can go deeper into why a book is better than average without being lost in the bottomless pit of the subjective percentage system. ANYWAY.
So, a 7/10. First off, right out of the gate I noticed that this particular story was a very slow starter. While the very first paragraph plants the body of an unknown creature in the readers mind (unknown to new readers) it tapers off quickly because it becomes painfully apparent that without previous knowledge of races and procedures from the first novel, this will be a tricky ride. It wasn’t until several pages in that I started to be drawn into the story when a new pre-chapter began, and the reader focuses on Bess. From here on, the story is somewhat more forgiving to newer readers, while you still lack the previous required knowledge, you can still enjoy the story because Tracy provides more than enough contextual clues to guide you along. Which is why this rating is a 7 and not a 5. The subtraction of the three points is due to the unforgiving first chapter that drops the reader into the deep end with very few contextual clues to help them remain afloat. However, for return readers…. This would be a 10/10. Again, you have to understand the point of view of a new reader.
NOW for the good… because oh boy, is there a ton of it.
Style: 10/10. Yeah, it is that good. Any aspiring writer can really learn something from Tracy Townsend, her mastery of descriptive detail builds her world magnificently and those of us, myself included, who are better with narrative detail than description should definitely take a page from her book to see how it’s done. She was able to paint a vivid picture of her world, while simultaneously leaving out irrelevant details that so many of us focus on… kind of like saying “an ant aimlessly marched along the cobblestones, frantically searching for the safety of his lost colony” When really, we wanted to focus on the rough cobblestones. *sigh* Anyway.
OH, and if you’re wondering if her skills fall solely on the description of the world, I will be the first to tell you… it doesn’t She’s also a boss at character description. Right from the very beginning, Tracy describes her characters with such painstaking detail that there is no question as to what they look like, what their personalities are like, and even how they speak. I can promise you, that you the reader, will have no issues distinguishing between speaking characters. Well done Tracy.
Entertainment value: 9/10. Well… I can’t really get into the nitty-gritty at the moment, just know that once you’ve gotten started, you won’t want to stop. I normally finish these ARC books within 2-3 days, but with The Fall I finished it overnight. My notebook is filled with notes and high praise. In fact… I feel slightly awkward about not having more gripes about the book. Maybe, I should read it again… or… maybe I should read the first book…. *scrambles to Barnes & Noble*
*Returns an hour later*
So, should you pick this book up? Absolutely. Just don’t forget to also get the first novel “The Nine” if you do. I recommend this book to anyone who has a soft spot for Dark Fantasy or is looking for a change from your normal medieval fantasy tales of dragons and glory. You know what… just get it. I’ll see you all in January!
July 3, 2021
New tangles appear in the story of God's experiment. All the races are hunting the ones chosen for His great experiments, and our protagonists go to the other end of the world in search for answers.
I enjoyed coming back to the world, and our characters. I also enjoyed this alternate world's Japan, as well as some new worldbuilding. Alas, this book also has one of the worst cases of 'second book syndrome'- it introduced a load of new characters, lore, and started a bunch of plot lines. All the action was in the last 100 pages, which were great, but too little too late. I sure do hope the trilogy will be finisued because I think it's one of the most fresh I've read in years. It's bursting with ideas and I would like to see them explored.
I enjoyed coming back to the world, and our characters. I also enjoyed this alternate world's Japan, as well as some new worldbuilding. Alas, this book also has one of the worst cases of 'second book syndrome'- it introduced a load of new characters, lore, and started a bunch of plot lines. All the action was in the last 100 pages, which were great, but too little too late. I sure do hope the trilogy will be finisued because I think it's one of the most fresh I've read in years. It's bursting with ideas and I would like to see them explored.
March 15, 2019
Originally posted on https://midnightbluebookreview.com/20...
The first book in the Thieves of Fate series, The Nine, was one of my favourite reads in 2018. The concept intrigued me and the writing and world building were beautiful and captivating. No surprise then that The Fall got bumped up to the top of my to-be-read pile as soon as I received it. The Fall has a lot of the elements that I thoroughly enjoyed in the first book, but it does have a mild version of middle-book-syndrome.
I’d like to elaborate on that first. Some of the plot points don’t have a clear end goal yet and it feels like a lot of things have been set in motion without anything actually moving along at an appropriate pace. Rowena, Old Bear, Anselm and Chalmers get hired by a rich couple to go and investigate the Amenuensis Library in the Grand Library in Nippon. The Amenuensis Library holds all the previous versions of the book that changed our protagonists’ lives in The Nine. Meanwhile the Lanyani and the Aigamuxa are planning to eradicate all humans to reclaim the world for themselves.
Aside from some spots of action now and then, there is a lot of filling that only gives us morsels of information. I’m sure these morsels will be important towards the end of this series, but it is just not quite enough to make this book flow as well as The Nine did. The Lanyani’s plot shifts some allegiances, but again it seems like just a set-up for what is yet to come. The one storyline that did excite me was Clara Downshire’s, Rowena’s mum. I’m fascinated by her abilities and what this will mean for the rest of the story.
But, that being said, I feel that the writing style and the world- and character building makes up for all of it. I absolutely love this world and I’m now definitely emotionally invested in all of the character’s lives.
This book also gave me a better understanding of the world in these books and what the history is behind the religion/science cross-over. It has now become very clear to me that this is either a distant future or an alternate version of our world. Every little bit of history that is familiar gave me a little “aha!” moment. I wasn’t entirely sure after the first book, though it is hinted at. It was quite exciting to have some confirmation of that in The Fall.
The relationship between Rowena and the Old Bear has grown significantly since the start of the first book. They make a very heart-warming pair. I even grew to like Chalmers a bit more in this book!
I also was very happy to see a gender neutral character with “they/them” pronouns appear. It doesn’t happen very often in books and I thought it was brilliant. I’m looking forward to learn a bit more about this character and what they can offer to lift the veil of mystery over the Nine.
The Fall doesn’t quite top the first book for me, but it is so well written and has such intriguing world building that I gladly kept reading on. It has enough going for it to overcome the slower pace and keep me interested in the continuation of the story.
The first book in the Thieves of Fate series, The Nine, was one of my favourite reads in 2018. The concept intrigued me and the writing and world building were beautiful and captivating. No surprise then that The Fall got bumped up to the top of my to-be-read pile as soon as I received it. The Fall has a lot of the elements that I thoroughly enjoyed in the first book, but it does have a mild version of middle-book-syndrome.
I’d like to elaborate on that first. Some of the plot points don’t have a clear end goal yet and it feels like a lot of things have been set in motion without anything actually moving along at an appropriate pace. Rowena, Old Bear, Anselm and Chalmers get hired by a rich couple to go and investigate the Amenuensis Library in the Grand Library in Nippon. The Amenuensis Library holds all the previous versions of the book that changed our protagonists’ lives in The Nine. Meanwhile the Lanyani and the Aigamuxa are planning to eradicate all humans to reclaim the world for themselves.
Aside from some spots of action now and then, there is a lot of filling that only gives us morsels of information. I’m sure these morsels will be important towards the end of this series, but it is just not quite enough to make this book flow as well as The Nine did. The Lanyani’s plot shifts some allegiances, but again it seems like just a set-up for what is yet to come. The one storyline that did excite me was Clara Downshire’s, Rowena’s mum. I’m fascinated by her abilities and what this will mean for the rest of the story.
But, that being said, I feel that the writing style and the world- and character building makes up for all of it. I absolutely love this world and I’m now definitely emotionally invested in all of the character’s lives.
This book also gave me a better understanding of the world in these books and what the history is behind the religion/science cross-over. It has now become very clear to me that this is either a distant future or an alternate version of our world. Every little bit of history that is familiar gave me a little “aha!” moment. I wasn’t entirely sure after the first book, though it is hinted at. It was quite exciting to have some confirmation of that in The Fall.
The relationship between Rowena and the Old Bear has grown significantly since the start of the first book. They make a very heart-warming pair. I even grew to like Chalmers a bit more in this book!
I also was very happy to see a gender neutral character with “they/them” pronouns appear. It doesn’t happen very often in books and I thought it was brilliant. I’m looking forward to learn a bit more about this character and what they can offer to lift the veil of mystery over the Nine.
The Fall doesn’t quite top the first book for me, but it is so well written and has such intriguing world building that I gladly kept reading on. It has enough going for it to overcome the slower pace and keep me interested in the continuation of the story.
May 8, 2019
Disclaimer: I got an ARC at Windycon by attending Townsend's reading (and if you ever find yourself with free time at a con when she is reading, I strongly recommend it. You might get an ARC, you might get custom tea blends designed for each of her characters' personalities. Strong reccomend).
Townsend sold me on the concept of her series with the pitch for "The Nine" and carried that concept off in fine fashion in the first volume of the Thieves of Fate series. She created a rich, believable, and engaging world in "The Nine," and only provided a small window into what she'd crafted. "The Fall" carries the weight of a sequel admirably. It expands on the world and the promise implicit in that world, and does so in wondrous ways.
As for the story, without providing any spoilery details, we follow characters established in the first book, watch them evolve and deepen, engage in hijinks and run into the implications of the world in fascinating ways. The conflicts on the table become increasingly dire and the stakes are grave throughout.
If you enjoyed "The Nine," then you will no doubt want to see how "The Fall" carries the story, world, and characters forward.
Townsend sold me on the concept of her series with the pitch for "The Nine" and carried that concept off in fine fashion in the first volume of the Thieves of Fate series. She created a rich, believable, and engaging world in "The Nine," and only provided a small window into what she'd crafted. "The Fall" carries the weight of a sequel admirably. It expands on the world and the promise implicit in that world, and does so in wondrous ways.
As for the story, without providing any spoilery details, we follow characters established in the first book, watch them evolve and deepen, engage in hijinks and run into the implications of the world in fascinating ways. The conflicts on the table become increasingly dire and the stakes are grave throughout.
If you enjoyed "The Nine," then you will no doubt want to see how "The Fall" carries the story, world, and characters forward.
January 3, 2019
A fantastic follow up to The Nine! Steampunk fantasy and adventure that takes the readers on an incredible journey across continents, through the skies, and in the dark underbelly of the city. The book of secrets, the book that holds the fate of humanity, has been lost and now it's in the wrong hands. It's up to the unlikeliest bunch of people to recover the book and decipher its secrets before their universe is forever altered. Rowena Downshire has no idea how central she is to the book's secrets, all she knows is that she has to help the alchemist and some other mercenary allies track down the book. Their chase leads them far across the skies to the Grand Library where there is more than meets the eye. Full of adventure and tight plot lines, this book will take readers on a breathless race against time to find the book. I will note that this is not a standalone book and it is crucial to read the first in the series before attempting this, it had been nearly a year since I read the first one and even I needed to reference back to it!
February 20, 2019
Tracy Townsend continues her tale about a world whose creator watches the world through the activities of The Nine (paper). With humans, Lanyana (mobile trees), and Aigamuxa (giant apes with eyes in their feet) sharing the world, the discovery of a book magically noting the activities of the nine, mean that the Creator might be induced to favor one of the three species. The Lanyana decide that wiping out the other species is a good idea. Meanwhile Rowena Downshire, who has been working for the Alchemist in the eight months since the previous tale, are sent with Anselm Meteron and the translator of the hidden language of the book, Reverend Doctor Phillip Chalmers, by Airship to the Grand Library of Nippon to examine previously filled books and make some sense. Beset by Lanyana on the way, and caught up the various schemes the make their work almost impossible, they still discover something. The Fall (trade from Pyr) is filled with lush writing, interesting characters, and fun action scenes. I can’t wait for the final volume. Review printed by Philadelphia Free Press
January 16, 2019
The second book in The Thieves of Fate continues the adventures of a familiar on-the-edge-of-the-law trio -- the brilliant mastermind, the misunderstood warrior and the young apprentice -- in a steampunk setting.
Townsend, to her credit, alters some of the usual tropes, giving the mastermind a fighting background and a heart problem, and casting a young woman as the apprentrice, but the arm of coincidence and blind luck is very long indeed (the apprentice gets knocked off an airship but is miraculously saved by a deus ex machina).
The narrative focuses around The Nine, nine key individuals that hold destiny in their hands, and the attempt to control them. And as in most volume twos, the book ends with the wheels still in spin and the bad guys on the ascendant. There is room here, however, for a leap in volume three that would salvage the series, but all in all, "The Fall" was a letdown (so to speak) from the first book in the series, "The Nine."
Townsend, to her credit, alters some of the usual tropes, giving the mastermind a fighting background and a heart problem, and casting a young woman as the apprentrice, but the arm of coincidence and blind luck is very long indeed (the apprentice gets knocked off an airship but is miraculously saved by a deus ex machina).
The narrative focuses around The Nine, nine key individuals that hold destiny in their hands, and the attempt to control them. And as in most volume twos, the book ends with the wheels still in spin and the bad guys on the ascendant. There is room here, however, for a leap in volume three that would salvage the series, but all in all, "The Fall" was a letdown (so to speak) from the first book in the series, "The Nine."
October 28, 2020
The Fall by Tracy Townsend is the second book in her Thieves of Fate trilogy, following up on The Nine, which was one of my favorite reads of 2018. Thieves of Fate is a unique fantasy series about a found family of criminals and misfits set in a world where science and religion are inextricably tied. There’s a ton packed into these books: numerous POV characters, complex worldbuilding, strange magic, and three sentient races cohabiting and conflicting. In The Fall I loved learning more about Townsend’s take on the lanyani (mobile tree people) and aigamuxa (like ogres but with the eyes on the bottoms of their feet, see the image on the cover), and their history, culture, and ambitions. The Fall feels extra sprawling, even compared to The Nine, but I’m liable to blame my lacking memory of The Nine’s finer details on the two and a half years since reading it rather than them being insufficiently foreshadowed. The complex worldbuilding in the series has some fantastic payoffs in The Fall’s climax and I absolutely loved how all the details came together. I recommend this series to fans of think-y fantasy, adventure and intrigue, and a cast of characters ready to steal your heart.
June 30, 2019
Although I still did love this one I do have to say that this one was not as good as book one. This one had some major issues for me with the pacing due to the fact that a lot of it was way too detailed. Otherwise this book was still very good, totally worth it, and I can not wait for another one. If you think things will be all tied up at the end of this one be ready for disappointment. This one ends on a killer cliffhanger and I am dying for the next book. Overall, this one is full of religion, science fiction, fantasy, and some of the best characters I've read in a while. It has a great blend of topics and characters and one killer story.
May 2, 2025
So, I finished book 2 and all I could think was, where's book 3?? I need to know what's gonna happen to our heroes!
Having seen only 2 books listed on GoodReads, I had assumed this was a duology. But as I approached the end of Book 2, I realized there was no way this could end here. The setup for the third book is too juicy. And I'm deeply invested in our trio of heroes--as well as the expanding number of characters in their orbit. Tracy Townsend, if you're out there, know that there is at least one reader out there eagerly awaiting the conclusion to this trilogy <3
Having seen only 2 books listed on GoodReads, I had assumed this was a duology. But as I approached the end of Book 2, I realized there was no way this could end here. The setup for the third book is too juicy. And I'm deeply invested in our trio of heroes--as well as the expanding number of characters in their orbit. Tracy Townsend, if you're out there, know that there is at least one reader out there eagerly awaiting the conclusion to this trilogy <3
August 28, 2019
I loved the gleeful pace, snappy prose, and worldbuilding of The Nine, and The Fall kept the show going while expanding in a way that never failed to delight. Townsend's flawed, well-drawn characters only become more and more solid as we learn more about their sordid pasts, and meanwhile the intrigues, plots, and maneuvers by the growing cast continue to shock, thrill, and even horrify in turn. Just like last time, I'll be waiting with baited breath for the finale of the Thieves of Fate.
September 9, 2021
Just finished it this morning. I hardly got lost during the reading, but sometimes...well, that's my old age. I wish the print was a little larger, but that sounds like a personal problem. Switch to a reader! Well, I prefer a physical book. Except for the small print. Ever try to swat a bug with a Kindle? Ha ha!
I'm looking forward to the next volume, but I guess that's a few years down the line.
I'm looking forward to the next volume, but I guess that's a few years down the line.
July 21, 2020
Spectacular!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Townsend’s first book “The Nine,” which spurred me to read this novel. Boy am I glad I did! I can’t wait for the next installment in this science/religion/steampunk-ish universe—if you’re reading this Mrs Townsend, please, please continue this story.
“Five” very shiny stars!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Townsend’s first book “The Nine,” which spurred me to read this novel. Boy am I glad I did! I can’t wait for the next installment in this science/religion/steampunk-ish universe—if you’re reading this Mrs Townsend, please, please continue this story.
“Five” very shiny stars!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 12, 2019
Townsend is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors of epic fantasy. I love her complex and diverse world. Her compelling characters have me tied up in knots with worry for their fate. The next book can't come fast enough for me.
February 1, 2023
A very good read
An excellent follow-up to the first book. The story takes us in a new direction providing depth to the world Ms. Townsend has created. I'm eagerly awaiting the third.
An excellent follow-up to the first book. The story takes us in a new direction providing depth to the world Ms. Townsend has created. I'm eagerly awaiting the third.
October 4, 2019
I love them, it can't be helped.
I'm glad I saved this.
I'm glad I saved this.
June 3, 2020
A solid sequel to the first, with huge cliffhangers to torture the reader until the next book is ready.
January 4, 2020
Uh oh. Stuff just got real.
Okay, I'm being cryptic and I guess jumping ahead a little bit. THE FALL is the sequel to THE NINE, the first book in the Thieves of Fate series and the debut novel from Tracy Townsend, which I reviewed back in May of 2018. If the THE NINE is the appetizer, then THE FALL is the main course, and it is indeed sumptuous. In my opinion it certainly doesn't suffer from "second book in the trilogy" syndrome. Indeed, it takes what was presented in THE NINE an builds upon it, expands upon it, and then turns things upside down. It answers a great deal of questions from the the first book, but raises a whole bunch more.
Rowena Downshire is no longer a black market courier. Now she's a clerk in the Alchemist's apothecary shop, the Stone Scales. The Alchemist, Anselm Meteron (also from the NINE), and Rowena are once again together in an adventure, but this one much more interesting and dangerous. The Alchemist and Anselm are presented with an offer to go to the Grand Library in Nippon and meet with Philip Chalmers, one of the characters that started the whole thing to begin with back in THE NINE. Rowena goes along, of course, as a member of the team assigned to the task. But the task turns into so much more as Rowena discovers a computing machine called the Aggregator, which is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the reveals that THE FALL gives us.
There are a *lot* of things going on here as Townsend delves more deeply into the world of these books. We find out more about Rowena's mother, who has the ability to see into the future (which is probably the easiest way to describe it). We get what amounts to an infodump, but a welcome one, that tells the reader the background and genesis of how religion and science were melded into one. We learn a whole lot more about the aigamuxa, and discover that they're not all bad, and in fact once we see the world through their eyes, we might just become a little sympathetic to them.
Oh yeah, we learn a whole lot more about the Grand Experiment, in which God the Scientist will be deciding the fate of the human race based on what he (or she, I suppose) learns about the Nine creatures being written about in the book that was causing so much trouble in THE NINE. Well, one of the books anyway. And once we find out that not all the Nine are humans, well, that takes the story in a whole different direction. Who doesn't like a little war now and again, a war in which all of humanity will be destroyed, and not by that God Scientist fellow? And oh yes, what does Anselm's father have to do with the entire thing? It certainly doesn't seem to be anything very good.
Townsend really fills out the world in THE FALL. The novel takes on a very steampunk feel as Nippon, as well as the Grand Library, are populated by mechanical creatures, and there are all sorts of flying contraptions that makes the reader feel as if they've landed somewhere in the middle of a Girl Genius storyline. The characters seem fuller and richer at the end of this book. Rowena has become someone who is a force to be reckoned with, and I cared what was happening to her at the end.
Townsend left all her main characters in a very deep pickle. There was a lot going on in THE FALL, but there looks to be a whole lot more going on in the third and (I presume) the last book of the series. There aren't many books these days that keep me in the dark or leave me with the feeling that I don't know where the story is going. This is one of them, and I look forward to the next book.
As I write this, I have the book in front of me. My goodness is the cover art gorgeous. Adam S. Doyle's cover is outstanding, and something that in the old days would make me pick up the book and look at it if I ran across it in a book store. Really, THE FALL is the entire package. Let's hope the final book lives up to the first two. I think it will.
Okay, I'm being cryptic and I guess jumping ahead a little bit. THE FALL is the sequel to THE NINE, the first book in the Thieves of Fate series and the debut novel from Tracy Townsend, which I reviewed back in May of 2018. If the THE NINE is the appetizer, then THE FALL is the main course, and it is indeed sumptuous. In my opinion it certainly doesn't suffer from "second book in the trilogy" syndrome. Indeed, it takes what was presented in THE NINE an builds upon it, expands upon it, and then turns things upside down. It answers a great deal of questions from the the first book, but raises a whole bunch more.
Rowena Downshire is no longer a black market courier. Now she's a clerk in the Alchemist's apothecary shop, the Stone Scales. The Alchemist, Anselm Meteron (also from the NINE), and Rowena are once again together in an adventure, but this one much more interesting and dangerous. The Alchemist and Anselm are presented with an offer to go to the Grand Library in Nippon and meet with Philip Chalmers, one of the characters that started the whole thing to begin with back in THE NINE. Rowena goes along, of course, as a member of the team assigned to the task. But the task turns into so much more as Rowena discovers a computing machine called the Aggregator, which is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the reveals that THE FALL gives us.
There are a *lot* of things going on here as Townsend delves more deeply into the world of these books. We find out more about Rowena's mother, who has the ability to see into the future (which is probably the easiest way to describe it). We get what amounts to an infodump, but a welcome one, that tells the reader the background and genesis of how religion and science were melded into one. We learn a whole lot more about the aigamuxa, and discover that they're not all bad, and in fact once we see the world through their eyes, we might just become a little sympathetic to them.
Oh yeah, we learn a whole lot more about the Grand Experiment, in which God the Scientist will be deciding the fate of the human race based on what he (or she, I suppose) learns about the Nine creatures being written about in the book that was causing so much trouble in THE NINE. Well, one of the books anyway. And once we find out that not all the Nine are humans, well, that takes the story in a whole different direction. Who doesn't like a little war now and again, a war in which all of humanity will be destroyed, and not by that God Scientist fellow? And oh yes, what does Anselm's father have to do with the entire thing? It certainly doesn't seem to be anything very good.
Townsend really fills out the world in THE FALL. The novel takes on a very steampunk feel as Nippon, as well as the Grand Library, are populated by mechanical creatures, and there are all sorts of flying contraptions that makes the reader feel as if they've landed somewhere in the middle of a Girl Genius storyline. The characters seem fuller and richer at the end of this book. Rowena has become someone who is a force to be reckoned with, and I cared what was happening to her at the end.
Townsend left all her main characters in a very deep pickle. There was a lot going on in THE FALL, but there looks to be a whole lot more going on in the third and (I presume) the last book of the series. There aren't many books these days that keep me in the dark or leave me with the feeling that I don't know where the story is going. This is one of them, and I look forward to the next book.
As I write this, I have the book in front of me. My goodness is the cover art gorgeous. Adam S. Doyle's cover is outstanding, and something that in the old days would make me pick up the book and look at it if I ran across it in a book store. Really, THE FALL is the entire package. Let's hope the final book lives up to the first two. I think it will.
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