A review by ryuutchi
The Liar of Red Valley by Walter Goodwater

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.25

This is a solid book. Given the size of my to-read pile, I almost never immediately read advanced review copies the moment I download them but Liar hooked me from the first paragraph. Sadie is a compelling protagonist, the villains are interesting, if not particularly complex, and the side characters all deserve their own spin-off novels. While the climax fell a little flat compared to the tightly-controlled tension of the rest of the book, upon finishing I still found myself hungering for a sequel. 

Liar of the Red Valley reminded me of the way I felt upon reading Jim Butcher's first Harry Dresden novel, or Seanan McGuire's October Daye series (or Diane Duane's So You Want To Be A Wizard-- the easter egg of naming the ambiguously gay couple Thomas and Charles was cute). Goodwater has built a strong world with a fun and effective protagonist.
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