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wildfaeriecaps's review against another edition
4.0
The world building in this book blew my mind. So much thought must have gone into each and every aspect. I just.. wow.
queenterribletimy's review against another edition
4.0
The Thirteenth Hour is one of the SPFBO 8 Finalists, which I'm a judge of. For the team review, please visit Queen's Book Asylum. Our combined score is 8.5/10, my personal is 8/10. Below are my own thoughts only.
I’ve been following The Thirteenth Hour since its publication. Even before that as I was involved with its cover reveal, so I was aware of the hype and high praise it received since. And thus was not surprised when it made it into the finals of SPFBO 8. I put off reading it for a long time, mostly because I’m usually not good with hyped books. But I was also curious how Skies pulled off a world in which there are 12 domains with their own gods and customs and people.
As such, my favorite part about The Thirteenth Hour definitely was the worldbuilding. It’s been a while since I came across something this cool. I loved the concept of time, and how each domain represented an hour, I loved the different people that came with each domain, and their different abilities and I can only imagine how many hours of brainstorming it must have taken to figure out all the details to make it all work. I’m definitely tipping my non-existent hat before Skies. I enjoyed the aspects of societal issues, the connection with the gods – generally all the mythological aspect, you know I love that stuff a lot -, the careful and thoughtful approach to the diverse cast of characters. I’m pretty sure everyone will find one character they can identify with.
This being a vast world and all that, it takes some time for the reader to get their footing and be able to sort in their minds who is who. As others pointed out, it’s a bit info-dumpy at places, and the pacing can be a bit uneven, but once things start to fall into place, it evens out. I also liked the initial premise of the book with a murder investigation at the heart, as I’m a sucker for those. It didn’t get as much focus as I would have liked to, but it was fascinating nonetheless.
I had a feeling that The Thirteenth Hour couldn’t quite decide if it wanted to be a plot-driven or character-driven story and it ended up being a bit out of balance for me. Toward the end, the plot became a bit overcomplicated (although not very predictable which is a big accomplishment if you have visions involved), and although we get to spend a lot of time with the MCs, I never really warmed up to them. Now that’s a problem (for me), because I tend to like books the most if I can be invested in the characters. And here I just couldn’t be. Not that I hated them or anything, it’s just that I couldn’t bond with them, if you know what I mean. I could feel for both Quen and Kayl, though, and I think if I had to pick a favorite I would pick Quen. That said, Skies put both of them through the grinder. If I ever found myself in this world, I would be very afraid of her indeed.
Keeping my review short, it’s never easy to live up to the hype and expectations. The Thirteenth Hour thankfully does not disappoint. I think if it was a bit trimmed and I could connect more with the characters (which is a totally subjective thing, so you know, it can be a me thing), it could very well become one of my favorite books in the competition this year. It definitely has the coolest worldbuilding, so there is that. If you like gaslamp/steampunky novels with a twisty plot, a diverse cast of non-human characters, and a detailed, complex setting full of magic, and you don’t mind having an emotional roller-coaster ride, then you definitely will like Skies‘ first foray into the adult Fantasy world.
I’ve been following The Thirteenth Hour since its publication. Even before that as I was involved with its cover reveal, so I was aware of the hype and high praise it received since. And thus was not surprised when it made it into the finals of SPFBO 8. I put off reading it for a long time, mostly because I’m usually not good with hyped books. But I was also curious how Skies pulled off a world in which there are 12 domains with their own gods and customs and people.
As such, my favorite part about The Thirteenth Hour definitely was the worldbuilding. It’s been a while since I came across something this cool. I loved the concept of time, and how each domain represented an hour, I loved the different people that came with each domain, and their different abilities and I can only imagine how many hours of brainstorming it must have taken to figure out all the details to make it all work. I’m definitely tipping my non-existent hat before Skies. I enjoyed the aspects of societal issues, the connection with the gods – generally all the mythological aspect, you know I love that stuff a lot -, the careful and thoughtful approach to the diverse cast of characters. I’m pretty sure everyone will find one character they can identify with.
This being a vast world and all that, it takes some time for the reader to get their footing and be able to sort in their minds who is who. As others pointed out, it’s a bit info-dumpy at places, and the pacing can be a bit uneven, but once things start to fall into place, it evens out. I also liked the initial premise of the book with a murder investigation at the heart, as I’m a sucker for those. It didn’t get as much focus as I would have liked to, but it was fascinating nonetheless.
I had a feeling that The Thirteenth Hour couldn’t quite decide if it wanted to be a plot-driven or character-driven story and it ended up being a bit out of balance for me. Toward the end, the plot became a bit overcomplicated (although not very predictable which is a big accomplishment if you have visions involved), and although we get to spend a lot of time with the MCs, I never really warmed up to them. Now that’s a problem (for me), because I tend to like books the most if I can be invested in the characters. And here I just couldn’t be. Not that I hated them or anything, it’s just that I couldn’t bond with them, if you know what I mean. I could feel for both Quen and Kayl, though, and I think if I had to pick a favorite I would pick Quen. That said, Skies put both of them through the grinder. If I ever found myself in this world, I would be very afraid of her indeed.
Keeping my review short, it’s never easy to live up to the hype and expectations. The Thirteenth Hour thankfully does not disappoint. I think if it was a bit trimmed and I could connect more with the characters (which is a totally subjective thing, so you know, it can be a me thing), it could very well become one of my favorite books in the competition this year. It definitely has the coolest worldbuilding, so there is that. If you like gaslamp/steampunky novels with a twisty plot, a diverse cast of non-human characters, and a detailed, complex setting full of magic, and you don’t mind having an emotional roller-coaster ride, then you definitely will like Skies‘ first foray into the adult Fantasy world.
chloefrizzle's review against another edition
2.0
This book convinced me that my least favorite trope is:
A member of the team totally knows what is going on. However, they coyly keep it a secret while the rest of the team try to figure out the mystery for the whole book.
(Bonus points if they then get angry and turn into a villain because the rest of the team doesn't go along with their grand plan. You know, the plan that they kept a secret. For reasons)
A member of the team totally knows what is going on. However, they coyly keep it a secret while the rest of the team try to figure out the mystery for the whole book.
(Bonus points if they then get angry and turn into a villain because the rest of the team doesn't go along with their grand plan. You know, the plan that they kept a secret. For reasons)
analogn's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
zachswain's review against another edition
3.0
BLUF: Lots of potential, good for 80%, relationships and ending felt rushed, seemed like it tried a little too hard to be grim.
The book has interesting worldbuilding, something I haven't seen/read before. I would totally play D&D in this world, as it's rife for conflict; several gods, each tied to a race that has powers specific to its god, are cruel and care very little for their people. A central hub, Chime, was setup as part of a covenant that would act as a neutral ground between each gods' realm, complete with a gate that rotates between the 12 realms hourly. Being central and neutral, the gods have no power in Chime. Apostasy (in this world, disassociating with your god) is considered a high crime.
The first half of the book revolves around a cadre of folks from different races that live in Chime and have chosen to disassociate with their god...the "Godless". They're a ragtag bunch of apostates that are trying to rid the world of the gods' influence. How...is questionable.
The book revolves around several relationships, but the primary focus is the relationship that forms between a Warden (Chime's police force) and one of the godless, Kayl. This relationship suffers from some jumpy progression and could have been better written.
Without spoiling it, the book has a host of characters and most are well developed (specifically Kayl and Jinx).
The book started to fall apart for me in the last 20% as the action ramped up. It felt rushed, as though the author was trying to get through plot points and wrap things up. The book clocks in at an impressive page count, and I think a good bit of the middle could have been condensed to make way for some better detail towards the end. Too much time is given to individual plot elements throughout the book, and things get a tad repetitious (you will have no issue remembering the names of the various races, as they are repeated a LOT).
Overall, I enjoyed the book and may read the sequel. The ending wasn't a cliffhanger, but plenty of issues were left unresolved and likely will be addressed in book 2 given its name.
Edit: Last thing...this is not a happy book. The gods hate their mortals, the mortals either love their god in a self-flaggelating manner, hate them for their cruelty, or both. However, at times the grimness felt forced, like the author was telling us that the world was dark and life is cruel rather than showing us.
The book has interesting worldbuilding, something I haven't seen/read before. I would totally play D&D in this world, as it's rife for conflict; several gods, each tied to a race that has powers specific to its god, are cruel and care very little for their people. A central hub, Chime, was setup as part of a covenant that would act as a neutral ground between each gods' realm, complete with a gate that rotates between the 12 realms hourly. Being central and neutral, the gods have no power in Chime. Apostasy (in this world, disassociating with your god) is considered a high crime.
The first half of the book revolves around a cadre of folks from different races that live in Chime and have chosen to disassociate with their god...the "Godless". They're a ragtag bunch of apostates that are trying to rid the world of the gods' influence. How...is questionable.
The book revolves around several relationships, but the primary focus is the relationship that forms between a Warden (Chime's police force) and one of the godless, Kayl. This relationship suffers from some jumpy progression and could have been better written.
Without spoiling it, the book has a host of characters and most are well developed (specifically Kayl and Jinx).
The book started to fall apart for me in the last 20% as the action ramped up. It felt rushed, as though the author was trying to get through plot points and wrap things up. The book clocks in at an impressive page count, and I think a good bit of the middle could have been condensed to make way for some better detail towards the end. Too much time is given to individual plot elements throughout the book, and things get a tad repetitious (you will have no issue remembering the names of the various races, as they are repeated a LOT).
Overall, I enjoyed the book and may read the sequel. The ending wasn't a cliffhanger, but plenty of issues were left unresolved and likely will be addressed in book 2 given its name.
Edit: Last thing...this is not a happy book. The gods hate their mortals, the mortals either love their god in a self-flaggelating manner, hate them for their cruelty, or both. However, at times the grimness felt forced, like the author was telling us that the world was dark and life is cruel rather than showing us.
spiritedstardust's review
4.5
this was WILD son!
the world building is really unique with an interesting array of species, gods & characters.
definitely an adult novel - didn't particularly like that the FMC was already in a relationship - its giving love triangle but there's really only one MMC you want her with.
I stayed up late to finish it as I have honestly not read a story like this and had no idea where it was going. There is a LOT going on. It's kinda hectic. But I dug it this time around.
Read the trigger warnings.
the world building is really unique with an interesting array of species, gods & characters.
definitely an adult novel - didn't particularly like that the FMC was already in a relationship - its giving love triangle but there's really only one MMC you want her with.
I stayed up late to finish it as I have honestly not read a story like this and had no idea where it was going. There is a LOT going on. It's kinda hectic. But I dug it this time around.
Read the trigger warnings.
bookish_satty's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend to others if you want to read something unique in the fantasy genre. This is my first foray into the sub genre of Steampunk Fantasy and I was really nervous at the beginning that I won't understand the world building properly but let me assure you that the author did a phenomenal job in explaining the world in easily digestible prose without any info dumps. We learn about the mechanics of this world along with our characters so I felt very connected to the story throughout my reading experience.
The characters were well fleshed out in my opinion and I loved the descriptions about the powers and appearance of various species that resides in various domains and their respective Gods. Quen and Jinx are my favorite characters and I hope we get to see more of them in the next installment. I loved all the members of the Godless team and am excited to read more about their upcoming adventures.
The pacing was okay but I think if the book was 50 to 100 pages shorter especially the middle part then it would have enhanced the overall reading experience for me.
The characters were well fleshed out in my opinion and I loved the descriptions about the powers and appearance of various species that resides in various domains and their respective Gods. Quen and Jinx are my favorite characters and I hope we get to see more of them in the next installment. I loved all the members of the Godless team and am excited to read more about their upcoming adventures.
The pacing was okay but I think if the book was 50 to 100 pages shorter especially the middle part then it would have enhanced the overall reading experience for me.
allyens's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
llmacrae's review
5.0
I apologise for how long it’s taken me to read this. This is purely a failing on my part and is in no way a reflection of this book’s quality or enjoyment - which are excellent.
Thirteenth Hour is listed as Gaslamp fantasy, which was something new for me. Think urban fantasy but with a strong flavour of victorian steampunk. There are tea shops, there are brass pipes, there are machines, and there is plenty of magic.
Set in Chime, a city where the 12 (somewhat ruthless and mostly cruel) gods cannot tread, it’s a melting pot of people from all 12 domains where their various gods rule. You know it’s a good book when you can recognise each race of people without having to think “wait, who/what is that again?”
Each of the 12 races have a distinct appearance and set of powers - Diviners can stop time (or slow it down/speed it up), Vesper control shadows, Glimmer control light, Fauna can transform into various animals etc. It’s wildly different, and while a few races are more typical fantasy fare, there are a lot of new spins on them. I was excited to discover each and every race, and learn more of them and their powers.
Fantasy books can be intimidating. There are whole new worlds to learn, people’s names, magic systems, the setting of the story. This is masterfully written. There are no infodumps, no exposition to drag things down. Need to know information is fed through in a natural way that never became overwhelming. There is a lot to get through in this book - it’s quite a chunk! - but at no point did I feel hit over the head with an onslaught of “and so this is how the world works” which was refreshing and greatly appreciated.
The book holds some familiar tropes - an upper city vs an undercity; found family; amnesia (sort of); and things being far more than they appear. There’s a thread of a murder mystery running through it, which is the driving force for much of the book, before it shifts gears into something altogether more sinister. The last quarter or so of the book charges forward at breakneck speed, making me desperate to read one more page - one more chapter! There are some dark things that happen, so be prepared for some parts that are difficult or uncomfortable to read.
Characters are one of Skies’ biggest strengths. Told from two first-person perspectives (a tricky ask at the best of times), Kayl and Quen lead the story. They are flanked by a colourful plethora of side characters, some major and some minor, and they all have vibrant personalities and are clearly distinct from one another (Sinder and Vincent were probably my favourites outside the leads). The story leads our cast down dark paths and into unexpected situations, and several times I was baffled as to how they’d get themselves out of trouble!
Also my advice is to have a snack with you while you read this (or eat a large meal before), because all the descriptions of tea and biscuits, scones and pastries, and other delicacies made me ragingly hungry for the most part!
So much of the world building and character behaviours - especially Quen - is quintessentially British. If you’ve spent any time in the UK, you’ll know what I mean, and that brought a flavour of comfort to the read in a way I didn’t realise I needed, but came to enjoy very much.
If you want something that truly feels different, unique, and original, I highly recommend The Thirteenth Hour. There are fresh ideas, brilliant worldbulding (Chime feels so lived in), exceptional characters, and an absolutely brilliant, beautiful writing style!
Thirteenth Hour is listed as Gaslamp fantasy, which was something new for me. Think urban fantasy but with a strong flavour of victorian steampunk. There are tea shops, there are brass pipes, there are machines, and there is plenty of magic.
Set in Chime, a city where the 12 (somewhat ruthless and mostly cruel) gods cannot tread, it’s a melting pot of people from all 12 domains where their various gods rule. You know it’s a good book when you can recognise each race of people without having to think “wait, who/what is that again?”
Each of the 12 races have a distinct appearance and set of powers - Diviners can stop time (or slow it down/speed it up), Vesper control shadows, Glimmer control light, Fauna can transform into various animals etc. It’s wildly different, and while a few races are more typical fantasy fare, there are a lot of new spins on them. I was excited to discover each and every race, and learn more of them and their powers.
Fantasy books can be intimidating. There are whole new worlds to learn, people’s names, magic systems, the setting of the story. This is masterfully written. There are no infodumps, no exposition to drag things down. Need to know information is fed through in a natural way that never became overwhelming. There is a lot to get through in this book - it’s quite a chunk! - but at no point did I feel hit over the head with an onslaught of “and so this is how the world works” which was refreshing and greatly appreciated.
The book holds some familiar tropes - an upper city vs an undercity; found family; amnesia (sort of); and things being far more than they appear. There’s a thread of a murder mystery running through it, which is the driving force for much of the book, before it shifts gears into something altogether more sinister. The last quarter or so of the book charges forward at breakneck speed, making me desperate to read one more page - one more chapter! There are some dark things that happen, so be prepared for some parts that are difficult or uncomfortable to read.
Characters are one of Skies’ biggest strengths. Told from two first-person perspectives (a tricky ask at the best of times), Kayl and Quen lead the story. They are flanked by a colourful plethora of side characters, some major and some minor, and they all have vibrant personalities and are clearly distinct from one another (Sinder and Vincent were probably my favourites outside the leads). The story leads our cast down dark paths and into unexpected situations, and several times I was baffled as to how they’d get themselves out of trouble!
Also my advice is to have a snack with you while you read this (or eat a large meal before), because all the descriptions of tea and biscuits, scones and pastries, and other delicacies made me ragingly hungry for the most part!
So much of the world building and character behaviours - especially Quen - is quintessentially British. If you’ve spent any time in the UK, you’ll know what I mean, and that brought a flavour of comfort to the read in a way I didn’t realise I needed, but came to enjoy very much.
If you want something that truly feels different, unique, and original, I highly recommend The Thirteenth Hour. There are fresh ideas, brilliant worldbulding (Chime feels so lived in), exceptional characters, and an absolutely brilliant, beautiful writing style!