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.
Difficult to add anything in this review that hasn’t already been said before, and I can confirm after reading it is certainly deserving of all the acclaim it has received. Whilst I was reading this book in the various out door place over the few days on two occasions different women walking past through out comments about how much they enjoyed/ what a great book it was.
Re imaginings of the ancient Greek stories/myths seem to be hot right now, for myself I also enjoyed the view from the other side of the Trojan War with Girl, Goddess, Queen but whereas Bea Fitzgerald rewrote the end (thank goodness) for Cassandra - in The Song of Achilles the music of Madeline Millers lyrical prose was tinged with the for-knowledge of Patroclus death. On reflection I think that was necessary to give the love between him and Achilles its poignancy. I also loved that the needed to be no elaboration/explanation as to why Achilles loved him, I think some of the best loves are like that.
Also Agamemnon F* that guy and Achilles son when it comes to it. Still I need no Cassandra like seeing skills to know that with the success of Madeline Miller's success and release Christopher Nolan film The Odyssey we will see publishers scrambling for other takes on the Trojan War.
Difficult to add anything in this review that hasn’t already been said before, and I can confirm after reading it is certainly deserving of all the acclaim it has received. Whilst I was reading this book in the various out door place over the few days on two occasions different women walking past through out comments about how much they enjoyed/ what a great book it was.
Re imaginings of the ancient Greek stories/myths seem to be hot right now, for myself I also enjoyed the view from the other side of the Trojan War with Girl, Goddess, Queen but whereas Bea Fitzgerald rewrote the end (thank goodness) for Cassandra - in The Song of Achilles the music of Madeline Millers lyrical prose was tinged with the for-knowledge of Patroclus death. On reflection I think that was necessary to give the love between him and Achilles its poignancy. I also loved that the needed to be no elaboration/explanation as to why Achilles loved him, I think some of the best loves are like that.
Also Agamemnon F* that guy and Achilles son when it comes to it. Still I need no Cassandra like seeing skills to know that with the success of Madeline Miller's success and release Christopher Nolan film The Odyssey we will see publishers scrambling for other takes on the Trojan War.
This is book 4 of what is proposed to be at least a 7 book series. Each book focuses on one of the paladins whose spirits were broken when their animating saint died.
This is the Paladin Shane story and the industrial spy Marguerite, both of whom we met in earlier books. Shane is, perhaps, the most formal and stiff of the paladins (which is saying something), and Marguerite is inclined to use all of the tools at her disposal to uncover the information she’s in search of which in this case is an invention by an artificer, who to my delight was a old very competent and experienced (and snarky) woman had spent her life using her skills to make mechanical devices that improve lives (and toys for her spoil patron), that will fundamentally change the dynamics of this culture.
And with a tidbit at the resolution from the point of view of another of the paladins - Judith and a very old and complicated demon I am eagerly looking forward to the next book in this series.
This is book 4 of what is proposed to be at least a 7 book series. Each book focuses on one of the paladins whose spirits were broken when their animating saint died.
This is the Paladin Shane story and the industrial spy Marguerite, both of whom we met in earlier books. Shane is, perhaps, the most formal and stiff of the paladins (which is saying something), and Marguerite is inclined to use all of the tools at her disposal to uncover the information she’s in search of which in this case is an invention by an artificer, who to my delight was a old very competent and experienced (and snarky) woman had spent her life using her skills to make mechanical devices that improve lives (and toys for her spoil patron), that will fundamentally change the dynamics of this culture.
And with a tidbit at the resolution from the point of view of another of the paladins - Judith and a very old and complicated demon I am eagerly looking forward to the next book in this series.
It’s a modern gothic novel full of botanical references and historical references to poison. (yay) A few reviewers said it recalls The Great Gatsby with hollow decadent parties and that is certainly there but with at its heart Lena's revenge and its consequences.
C.G. Drews author of 'Don't let the Forrest' (yes on my to be read pile shussh) puts it thus "a desperate ex-med-college student in need of a job to help her family’s financial crisis. Her life is on pause due to burn out from college and indecision on what she wants in life. When she applies for this vague medical assistant position for a very rich family named the Verdeaus…she genuinely has no idea what it entails. She just NEEDS work. And who are the rich if not to pray on the desperate. Lena gets the job and is slowly pulled into the twisted world of rich, cruel businessmen, mysterious boys with mysterious illnesses, dangerous secrets, and a world that is so far removed from reality it feels like a dream. Or a nightmare".
But in a such a gothic story I was grateful that some found happiness, always good to see the kill the gay trope replaced with the gays carve out a measure of happiness.
I think this book confirms, as all great narratives the real monster is capitalism.
It’s a modern gothic novel full of botanical references and historical references to poison. (yay) A few reviewers said it recalls The Great Gatsby with hollow decadent parties and that is certainly there but with at its heart Lena's revenge and its consequences.
C.G. Drews author of 'Don't let the Forrest' (yes on my to be read pile shussh) puts it thus "a desperate ex-med-college student in need of a job to help her family’s financial crisis. Her life is on pause due to burn out from college and indecision on what she wants in life. When she applies for this vague medical assistant position for a very rich family named the Verdeaus…she genuinely has no idea what it entails. She just NEEDS work. And who are the rich if not to pray on the desperate. Lena gets the job and is slowly pulled into the twisted world of rich, cruel businessmen, mysterious boys with mysterious illnesses, dangerous secrets, and a world that is so far removed from reality it feels like a dream. Or a nightmare".
But in a such a gothic story I was grateful that some found happiness, always good to see the kill the gay trope replaced with the gays carve out a measure of happiness.
I think this book confirms, as all great narratives the real monster is capitalism.
Updated a reading goal:
Read 52 books by December 30, 2025
Progress so far: 100 / 52 192%
Book 3 of the Saint of Steel series if you have enjoyed the previous two this one has all the same wonderful romance and fantasy, (no don't say it) This time the romance is between Piper a lich-doctor, a physician who works among the dead, determining causes of death for the city guard’s investigations (slim, well-groomed and exceedingly pale with nice hands) and Galen is a paladin of a dead god, lost to holiness and no longer entirely sane who is almost beautiful enough to have been a paladin of the Dreaming God (demon hunters). So a welcome change up from the hetero-normative romances so far. Not that there haven't been queer characters in the earlier series and I appreciated how it is treated as just part of the world.
The rest of the story is exploring a clockwork death maze harkening back to the earlier Clocktaur mentioned in passing in the earlier novels and by all accounts horrendous war, but aren't they all.
Another welcome aspect is exploring more about the species gnoles, who we have met in the earlier books with Brindle, who has opinions about mules who we have a return appearance in this story. one of our protagonists is Earstripe, a gnole constable, is the one who found the body that the book opens with and he drives most of the plot. He's also the source of the best banter in the book, which is full of pointed and amused gnole observations about humans and their various stupidities.
His 'humanity' summed thus "A gnole's compassion does not require fur."
The epilogue is a teaser for the next book Paladin's Faith and the death of a god.
Book 3 of the Saint of Steel series if you have enjoyed the previous two this one has all the same wonderful romance and fantasy, (no don't say it) This time the romance is between Piper a lich-doctor, a physician who works among the dead, determining causes of death for the city guard’s investigations (slim, well-groomed and exceedingly pale with nice hands) and Galen is a paladin of a dead god, lost to holiness and no longer entirely sane who is almost beautiful enough to have been a paladin of the Dreaming God (demon hunters). So a welcome change up from the hetero-normative romances so far. Not that there haven't been queer characters in the earlier series and I appreciated how it is treated as just part of the world.
The rest of the story is exploring a clockwork death maze harkening back to the earlier Clocktaur mentioned in passing in the earlier novels and by all accounts horrendous war, but aren't they all.
Another welcome aspect is exploring more about the species gnoles, who we have met in the earlier books with Brindle, who has opinions about mules who we have a return appearance in this story. one of our protagonists is Earstripe, a gnole constable, is the one who found the body that the book opens with and he drives most of the plot. He's also the source of the best banter in the book, which is full of pointed and amused gnole observations about humans and their various stupidities.
His 'humanity' summed thus "A gnole's compassion does not require fur."
The epilogue is a teaser for the next book Paladin's Faith and the death of a god.
I thought this a wonderful debut from Australian author Molly O'Neills characterisations/personalisation of Jenny Greenteeth, one of the low fae of old myths and legends brings a fresh take. Her stand out characters continued with Temperance the witch and Brackus the hobgoblin. At it heart its a road/quest tale with the three squaring off against a fearsome terror that has recently appeared to threaten the green and pleasant land (with a twist to explain just why this sleeply little village is so important) ands it the chosen family and revelations (poor Jenny) revealed over the three challanges set by the king of Fae to forge the weapon to defeat the dread horror.
Also there is a dog, did I mention there's a dog.
I thought this a wonderful debut from Australian author Molly O'Neills characterisations/personalisation of Jenny Greenteeth, one of the low fae of old myths and legends brings a fresh take. Her stand out characters continued with Temperance the witch and Brackus the hobgoblin. At it heart its a road/quest tale with the three squaring off against a fearsome terror that has recently appeared to threaten the green and pleasant land (with a twist to explain just why this sleeply little village is so important) ands it the chosen family and revelations (poor Jenny) revealed over the three challanges set by the king of Fae to forge the weapon to defeat the dread horror.
Also there is a dog, did I mention there's a dog.
