Michael Barnes
I am fan of T. Kingfisher and have read her four published Paladin of Steel novels (and by the gods I hope there are more coming) so I was enamored to read these tales set in the same world but in an earlier time (but not so early that I encounter a younger version of a character who shows up in the Paladin's Faith novel - shout out to our world changing artificer Ashes Magnus.
Its a fantasy suicide squad of a paladin, an assassin, a forger, and a scholar who must discover how a rival city state is creating giant automatons to conquer surround lands by the expedient of almost unstoppable walking siege engines stomping stuff until you agree to their demands. Our protagonist expects they will die on this job (a pardon is dangled) but she fills the first half with the refrain of probably going to die' in her head. But its the snark, snappy banter and having the ultimate straight man to play off with the 'paladinest of paladins' in the party.
This first book int he duology focuses on getting the city making these 'Clockwork Boys' and includes encountering a mysterious 'Wonder Engine, a tree/woodlan cult lead by a possessed deer/human and the welcome addition of a gnole any book of T Kingfisher's is automatically improved by the addition of a gnole character.
A fast paced, welcome addition to the world building of the Saint of Steel on to The Wonder Engine.
I am fan of T. Kingfisher and have read her four published Paladin of Steel novels (and by the gods I hope there are more coming) so I was enamored to read these tales set in the same world but in an earlier time (but not so early that I encounter a younger version of a character who shows up in the Paladin's Faith novel - shout out to our world changing artificer Ashes Magnus.
Its a fantasy suicide squad of a paladin, an assassin, a forger, and a scholar who must discover how a rival city state is creating giant automatons to conquer surround lands by the expedient of almost unstoppable walking siege engines stomping stuff until you agree to their demands. Our protagonist expects they will die on this job (a pardon is dangled) but she fills the first half with the refrain of probably going to die' in her head. But its the snark, snappy banter and having the ultimate straight man to play off with the 'paladinest of paladins' in the party.
This first book int he duology focuses on getting the city making these 'Clockwork Boys' and includes encountering a mysterious 'Wonder Engine, a tree/woodlan cult lead by a possessed deer/human and the welcome addition of a gnole any book of T Kingfisher's is automatically improved by the addition of a gnole character.
A fast paced, welcome addition to the world building of the Saint of Steel on to The Wonder Engine.