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wunder's review against another edition
4.0
This has a measured pace and it pauses to describe things, something that could be really annoying, but it somehow matches the main character. Nico Rathe is a pointsman (policeman) who is observant and thinks before he acts. The other characters are nicely drawn, too. The mystery is intriguing and actually mysterious. And ... they get to call in the cavalry at the end.
I'm reading the next one immediately.
I'm reading the next one immediately.
bookcraft's review
3.0
The characters and story were enough to keep me reading through the occasional patches of head-hopping/sloppy POV and despite the overabundance of epithets. Fascinating world, interesting characters, and just enough spark between Nico and Philip that I really want to see what happens in the next installment.
I read the Scribd version (subscription plan), which had some minor formatting issues and a couple of typos, but was mostly clean and readable.
I read the Scribd version (subscription plan), which had some minor formatting issues and a couple of typos, but was mostly clean and readable.
snazel's review against another edition
5.0
I am a sucker for intricately wrought world building that is intrinsic to the plot of a fantasy murder mystery, let me TELL YOU.
bec_ourcolourfulpages's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
losthitsu's review against another edition
5.0
One of those patently 'me' books that I know will be very difficult to recommend to anyone else - a low-stakes, low-action fantasy that seemingly does little more than to follow the protagonists through their day to day lives, but that manages to create a lush and complex world in between those mundane details. It also features the rarest of character types - reasonable, decent people who are particularly skilled at not letting anger lead their action and are able to diffuse difficult situations with minimum violence. I fully understand why many people find this boring - it's quite possibly the most gloriously slow-paced police procedural I've ever encountered - but that's precisely what I loved about it.
aishoka's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
kentcryptid's review against another edition
3.0
A nicely imagined (and nicely queer) world, but very slow-paced and with a strange lack of dramatic tension. There are definite indications that the two main characters are going to get together further into the series, but it's so slow burn it's not really clear by the end of the novel that they're even attracted to each other.
kaa's review against another edition
4.0
Melissa Scott's mystery/investigation books are becoming definite comfort reads for me. [b:Death by Silver|17453991|Death by Silver (Julian Lynes and Ned Mathey, #1)|Melissa Scott|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1362185426s/17453991.jpg|24343410] and its sequel were already on that list, and now I'm adding the Astreiant books as well. This one doesn't actually have any romance in it, but the development of Philip and Nico's working relationship is just lovely, and it was established to my satisfaction that both of them are queer. It's slow-paced, but that worked for me here, as that time goes into creating a host of interesting characters and a complex world of politics and magic. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for fans of real mysteries or lots of action, but it was just the type of soothing fantasy novel I was looking for.