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A review by samjpetto
Last First Snow by Max Gladstone
4.0
“Your son," she said, "needs a father." "He needs a world less broken than this. All the sons need that. And the daughters, too."
Last First Snow is fourth in the Craft Sequence but first chronologically, so that's where I started. Coming in completely new to Max Gladstone's world, I enjoyed every second and never felt too lost as Gladstone tells a dramatic story involving a community uprising in an impoverished stretch of land called the Skittersill and the powerful magic interests seeking greater ownership and control over the land.
In this world there are gods, new and fallen. And most magic users seem to be Craftsmen, people who can use a highly sophisticated and legalistic form of magic called Craft.
This fast-paced novel follows two main characters. The first, Elayne, is effectively an arcane attorney who is helping her clients navigate an agreement involving the future of the Skittersill. The second, Temoc, is a father and a priest. Without revealing too much, much of the drama focuses on Temoc being pulled between his duties as a father and his duties to the community, people he believes are under his care.
The writing is beautiful ("The conversation they were not having filled the room. Branching vines of unsaid words tangled and knotted and rotted between them.") and the story feels personal and grounded despite the sweeping power and just... delightful weirdness... of the characters and plot. For example, one of the major characters is a talking skeleton who ascended from his human form years ago.
Last First Snow caught my attention and left me hungry for more. Solid 4/5. I'd give it a 4.5/5 if Goodreads allowed it.
Last First Snow is fourth in the Craft Sequence but first chronologically, so that's where I started. Coming in completely new to Max Gladstone's world, I enjoyed every second and never felt too lost as Gladstone tells a dramatic story involving a community uprising in an impoverished stretch of land called the Skittersill and the powerful magic interests seeking greater ownership and control over the land.
In this world there are gods, new and fallen. And most magic users seem to be Craftsmen, people who can use a highly sophisticated and legalistic form of magic called Craft.
This fast-paced novel follows two main characters. The first, Elayne, is effectively an arcane attorney who is helping her clients navigate an agreement involving the future of the Skittersill. The second, Temoc, is a father and a priest. Without revealing too much, much of the drama focuses on Temoc being pulled between his duties as a father and his duties to the community, people he believes are under his care.
The writing is beautiful ("The conversation they were not having filled the room. Branching vines of unsaid words tangled and knotted and rotted between them.") and the story feels personal and grounded despite the sweeping power and just... delightful weirdness... of the characters and plot. For example, one of the major characters is a talking skeleton who ascended from his human form years ago.
Last First Snow caught my attention and left me hungry for more. Solid 4/5. I'd give it a 4.5/5 if Goodreads allowed it.