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A review by rwatkins
Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett
3.0
I liked it. Overall: 2.5/5 (13/25)
A slight step down from Foundryside, the first book in The Founders trilogy. It is set 3 years after the events of Foundryside. Expect a lot of exposition explaining the complexities of the magic system, a lot of time spent building stuff, and some Godlike upgrades, especially for the baddies. You might like this book if you enjoy the magic system in Babel, overpowered villains, or light lesbian romance.
Minor Spoilers Below.
Plot: 3/5
After planting some new magitech into the pipes of one of the merchant houses, Sancia and the crew try to survive the threat of a revived Godlike being, Crasedes. Part of this involves protecting another Godlike being, Valeria, who seems to be just as untrustworthy as Crasedes, but needed to bring him down. Fairly predictable but done well. I liked the plot.
Setting: 3/5
The new worldbuilding outside Tevanne is done through dialogue from Crasedes when he describes kingdoms forgotten to history and is irrelevant to this world. The story does not leave the city except for a quick jaunt on the sea and back. The Commons has been upgraded to the Lamplands, from slums to public scriving workshops, so a little development there.
An advancement to the magic system goes in depth with "twinning" in a similar way to how Brando Sando adds a little more complication to the magic with each of his novels in a series.
The coolest element added was the celebrations, being very similar to the Chinese Lantern Festival, with some inspiration from Mardi Gras.
The worldbuilding within Tevanne included a lookin into the Moretti district. The buildings were of a different style and the scrivings being developed had a different focus, but that's the extent of what we get. The world-building we get I liked but I wanted more.
Characters: 2.5/5
Sancia is still snarky but now with a softer side being shown to Berenice. Gregor is now trying to be a martyr. It is hard to do a solid character arc with this novel, as several characters eventually get combined into a hive mind of sorts. Don't expect the characters to get more complex or develop too far from Foundryside. The characters were okay, but only because I liked them already from the first novel.
Style: 2/5
There is a LOT of extended dialogue and thoughts shared telepathically (kinda?). The head-hopping can be confusing.
The constant explanation of twinning slowed the pace down considerably at times.
Queer/ly is used to describe ALOT in this book. No joke. Because the word has certain connotations today, this pulled me out of the story every time it was used, especially in such strange contexts. Not only this, but after a procedure is performed, a she becomes a they for some time. I don't know if this was intended as a nod at trans-persons or not. Another character morphs into an it.
Writing style was just okay and a big drop from Foundryside for me.
Themes: 2.5/5
Power and Control over others is the main theme developed in Shorefall. There are some interesting pro-assimilation aspects to this novel that might inspire some thoughts. Otherwise, action is pursued over themes, so they are okay.
Queer Queerly Sightings all quoted from Shorefall:
"queerly abandoned" "queerly nauseous" "queer pressure" "queer sort of elation"
"queerly meditative position" "queerly placid" "ache queerly" "queerest feeling"
"queerly peaceful" "queerly stiff" "queerly numb" "queer starlight" "queerly calm"
"fluttering queerly" "queerly dull" "queerly emotionless"
A slight step down from Foundryside, the first book in The Founders trilogy. It is set 3 years after the events of Foundryside. Expect a lot of exposition explaining the complexities of the magic system, a lot of time spent building stuff, and some Godlike upgrades, especially for the baddies. You might like this book if you enjoy the magic system in Babel, overpowered villains, or light lesbian romance.
Minor Spoilers Below.
Plot: 3/5
After planting some new magitech into the pipes of one of the merchant houses, Sancia and the crew try to survive the threat of a revived Godlike being, Crasedes. Part of this involves protecting another Godlike being, Valeria, who seems to be just as untrustworthy as Crasedes, but needed to bring him down. Fairly predictable but done well. I liked the plot.
Setting: 3/5
The new worldbuilding outside Tevanne is done through dialogue from Crasedes when he describes kingdoms forgotten to history and is irrelevant to this world. The story does not leave the city except for a quick jaunt on the sea and back. The Commons has been upgraded to the Lamplands, from slums to public scriving workshops, so a little development there.
An advancement to the magic system goes in depth with "twinning" in a similar way to how Brando Sando adds a little more complication to the magic with each of his novels in a series.
The coolest element added was the celebrations, being very similar to the Chinese Lantern Festival, with some inspiration from Mardi Gras.
The worldbuilding within Tevanne included a lookin into the Moretti district. The buildings were of a different style and the scrivings being developed had a different focus, but that's the extent of what we get. The world-building we get I liked but I wanted more.
Characters: 2.5/5
Sancia is still snarky but now with a softer side being shown to Berenice. Gregor is now trying to be a martyr. It is hard to do a solid character arc with this novel, as several characters eventually get combined into a hive mind of sorts. Don't expect the characters to get more complex or develop too far from Foundryside. The characters were okay, but only because I liked them already from the first novel.
Style: 2/5
There is a LOT of extended dialogue and thoughts shared telepathically (kinda?). The head-hopping can be confusing.
The constant explanation of twinning slowed the pace down considerably at times.
Queer/ly is used to describe ALOT in this book. No joke. Because the word has certain connotations today, this pulled me out of the story every time it was used, especially in such strange contexts. Not only this, but after a procedure is performed, a she becomes a they for some time. I don't know if this was intended as a nod at trans-persons or not. Another character morphs into an it.
Writing style was just okay and a big drop from Foundryside for me.
Themes: 2.5/5
Power and Control over others is the main theme developed in Shorefall. There are some interesting pro-assimilation aspects to this novel that might inspire some thoughts. Otherwise, action is pursued over themes, so they are okay.
Queer Queerly Sightings all quoted from Shorefall:
"queerly abandoned" "queerly nauseous" "queer pressure" "queer sort of elation"
"queerly meditative position" "queerly placid" "ache queerly" "queerest feeling"
"queerly peaceful" "queerly stiff" "queerly numb" "queer starlight" "queerly calm"
"fluttering queerly" "queerly dull" "queerly emotionless"