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A review by a_reader_obsessed
The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark
4.0
4 Stars!
What an entertaining story!!
Bridging fantasy with a touch of steampunk, this is a world where magic and sorcery are abundant, class division is sharply noted, and guilds of hired killers are a dime a dozen ready to carry out a job if the price is right.
Our heroine Eveen is one of those hired killers, having agreed to be resurrected and undead but with many side benefits. She is beholden to the goddess Aeril who demands a strict code of conduct that’s in place for civilized reasons, mainly to minimize collateral damage but always in the goddess’s favor. Aeril obviously has the power to bestow existence after death, but she can easily take one’s life force if they don’t play by her rules.
When Eveen is given what seems like a standard contract, what she uncovers about her target tilts the axis and all bets are off where unbreakable vows just might need to be broken.
To say the least, I loved how this was set in the fictional port city of Tal Abisi, evoking a Middle Eastern historic vibe with hints of New Orleans and India as well. This is a place with opulent trade filled to the brim with luxuries and exotic items but also with dangerous depravity, violence, and horror. Magic is everywhere, forbidden thaumaturgy lurks in dark corners, and the atmosphere is rich with strange occurrences and offbeat creatures.
Clark caught my attention with [b:A Master of Djinn|52504334|A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe, #1)|P. Djèlí Clark|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600715136l/52504334._SY75_.jpg|78021845], and this has solidly put this author on my radar! Adventurous, filled to the brim with action, Eveen is a scrappy skilled assassin who knows her way around varied fighting techniques and weaponry, all with plenty of tricks up her sleeve and the talent to take advantage of her surroundings as her back up plans have back up plans. She must race against time to find a way out of her binding contract as well as save herself from its fatal repercussions. Will she succeed???
Overall, this was a lot of fun despite the grim tones and themes, and I can only hope Clark brings more to this fascinating world he’s created. The last sentence was perfect, making me cackle with a well placed nod to the reader!
Thank you to the author and Tordotcom via NegGalley for an ecopy in exchange for a honest review
What an entertaining story!!
Bridging fantasy with a touch of steampunk, this is a world where magic and sorcery are abundant, class division is sharply noted, and guilds of hired killers are a dime a dozen ready to carry out a job if the price is right.
Our heroine Eveen is one of those hired killers, having agreed to be resurrected and undead but with many side benefits. She is beholden to the goddess Aeril who demands a strict code of conduct that’s in place for civilized reasons, mainly to minimize collateral damage but always in the goddess’s favor. Aeril obviously has the power to bestow existence after death, but she can easily take one’s life force if they don’t play by her rules.
When Eveen is given what seems like a standard contract, what she uncovers about her target tilts the axis and all bets are off where unbreakable vows just might need to be broken.
To say the least, I loved how this was set in the fictional port city of Tal Abisi, evoking a Middle Eastern historic vibe with hints of New Orleans and India as well. This is a place with opulent trade filled to the brim with luxuries and exotic items but also with dangerous depravity, violence, and horror. Magic is everywhere, forbidden thaumaturgy lurks in dark corners, and the atmosphere is rich with strange occurrences and offbeat creatures.
Clark caught my attention with [b:A Master of Djinn|52504334|A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe, #1)|P. Djèlí Clark|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600715136l/52504334._SY75_.jpg|78021845], and this has solidly put this author on my radar! Adventurous, filled to the brim with action, Eveen is a scrappy skilled assassin who knows her way around varied fighting techniques and weaponry, all with plenty of tricks up her sleeve and the talent to take advantage of her surroundings as her back up plans have back up plans. She must race against time to find a way out of her binding contract as well as save herself from its fatal repercussions. Will she succeed???
Overall, this was a lot of fun despite the grim tones and themes, and I can only hope Clark brings more to this fascinating world he’s created. The last sentence was perfect, making me cackle with a well placed nod to the reader!
Thank you to the author and Tordotcom via NegGalley for an ecopy in exchange for a honest review