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booksthatburn's reviews
1463 reviews
World Running Down by Al Hess
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
*I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review of this book.
It is wonderful and refreshing to read a story centering on autonomy and personhood which is deeply interested in erring on the side of expanding those definitions. WORLD RUNNING DOWN is about a trans man with body dysphoria, and an AI with android dysphoria. Valentine is a salvager, working with a partner (Ace) to try and do enough jobs to have the money for citizenship in Salt Lake City, where he can medically transition at last. Osric is an AI who was placed in an android body against his will, sent by his new employer to give Valentine and Ace a job: track down some stolen merchandise. The problems begin in earnest when it turns out the "merchandise" are android sex workers. Just as Osric is starting to get used to having a body, and maybe not mind so much that people assume he's non-sentient like the rest of the androids... it starts to look like maybe that's not an accurate way to describe them either. It's becoming increasingly obvious that the some (or perhaps all) of the androids are sentient, and they don't want to go back to being used and abused.
I appreciate how it's acknowledge specifically that the humans are fine with non-corporeal AI, and corporeal non-sentient androids, but they've tried to dodge the issue of "is a sentient android worthy of basic rights of personhood" by trying very hard to insist that there's no way the programming would let them have independent thought. They've basically avoided the issue rather than dealing with what it would mean if that ever happened. It turns out that the time is now, with Ace and Valentine having to decide whether it makes a difference that the objects they were sent to retrieve have their own ideas about what happens next.
The romance between Osric and Valentine is great, it's intimate without getting explicit. I especially appreciate this dynamic as both characters have complicated feelings about their own bodies, and avoiding specifics about parts seems to be a good storytelling decision here.
Things I love, in no particular order: Valentine in his new clothes; Osric figuring out his body; how Ace's transphobia is handled; the AI Stewards; the pirates.
It is wonderful and refreshing to read a story centering on autonomy and personhood which is deeply interested in erring on the side of expanding those definitions. WORLD RUNNING DOWN is about a trans man with body dysphoria, and an AI with android dysphoria. Valentine is a salvager, working with a partner (Ace) to try and do enough jobs to have the money for citizenship in Salt Lake City, where he can medically transition at last. Osric is an AI who was placed in an android body against his will, sent by his new employer to give Valentine and Ace a job: track down some stolen merchandise. The problems begin in earnest when it turns out the "merchandise" are android sex workers. Just as Osric is starting to get used to having a body, and maybe not mind so much that people assume he's non-sentient like the rest of the androids... it starts to look like maybe that's not an accurate way to describe them either. It's becoming increasingly obvious that the some (or perhaps all) of the androids are sentient, and they don't want to go back to being used and abused.
I appreciate how it's acknowledge specifically that the humans are fine with non-corporeal AI, and corporeal non-sentient androids, but they've tried to dodge the issue of "is a sentient android worthy of basic rights of personhood" by trying very hard to insist that there's no way the programming would let them have independent thought. They've basically avoided the issue rather than dealing with what it would mean if that ever happened. It turns out that the time is now, with Ace and Valentine having to decide whether it makes a difference that the objects they were sent to retrieve have their own ideas about what happens next.
The romance between Osric and Valentine is great, it's intimate without getting explicit. I especially appreciate this dynamic as both characters have complicated feelings about their own bodies, and avoiding specifics about parts seems to be a good storytelling decision here.
Things I love, in no particular order: Valentine in his new clothes; Osric figuring out his body; how Ace's transphobia is handled; the AI Stewards; the pirates.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Deadnaming, Physical abuse, and Cannibalism
Slipping by Seanan McGuire
dark
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy
Three Kings by Freydís Moon
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
*I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review of this book.
**My recommendation has been pulled based on issues with the author. The original text of the review remains below.
-----
Poignant and sensual by turns, THREE KINGS is the story of a fishing captain and a male witch who open their marriage to a selkie.
Ethan and Peter have been trying for a baby, but Ethan is worried he might be infertile as a result of the desperate magic he used to bring Peter back from the dead three years ago. When Peter brings home a dead seal, Ethan is convinced it’s actually a selkie and brings it back to life as well. It turns out Ethan was right, and as Nico recovers in their care, the three of them start bonding.
I enjoyed this! It’s fully able to stand alone, though I would be interested in more stories in this setting or with these characters. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I like it even though it deals with a topic (fertility) that I normally have zero interest in.
**My recommendation has been pulled based on issues with the author. The original text of the review remains below.
-----
Poignant and sensual by turns, THREE KINGS is the story of a fishing captain and a male witch who open their marriage to a selkie.
Ethan and Peter have been trying for a baby, but Ethan is worried he might be infertile as a result of the desperate magic he used to bring Peter back from the dead three years ago. When Peter brings home a dead seal, Ethan is convinced it’s actually a selkie and brings it back to life as well. It turns out Ethan was right, and as Nico recovers in their care, the three of them start bonding.
I enjoyed this! It’s fully able to stand alone, though I would be interested in more stories in this setting or with these characters. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I like it even though it deals with a topic (fertility) that I normally have zero interest in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Drug use, Infertility, Violence, Medical content, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Self harm, Blood, and Pregnancy
Wolf, Willow, Witch by Freydís Moon
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
*I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review of this book.
**My recommendation has been pulled based on issues with the author. The original text of the review remains below.
-----
WOLF, WILLOW, WITCH is a strangely direct follow-up to HAUNT, HEART, HAVOC, while having different main characters, a pretty cool trick to manage. The "wolf" is Lincoln, the deceased ex-husband of Bishop from the first book. Tehlor is the Norse witch who helped them clear some of the other bothersome spirits out of the house. While Colin and Bishop are off on a cross-country exorcism trip, Tehlor seizes the opportunity to steal Lincoln's corpse and turn him into a magical sentry (not a familiar, she already has her rat for that).
I love how WOLF, WILLOW, WITCH tells a full story which give a much better sense of Lincoln in addition to showing Tehlor through her narration, provides answers to some of the unaddressed questions from HAUNT, HEART, HAVOC, and briefly introduces the protagonist for the next book. It seems like they don't completely deal with Haven, but they manage to change the course of the group's plans in ways that are likely to play out in the final book of the trilogy.
I rarely read books with an unabashed villain as one of the love interests without some effort to soften them. Lincoln is as close to that as I'm comfortable reading, and I'm fascinated by his and Tehlor's relationship. She's not "fixing" him, he's not really corrupting her, they're two people with intermittently compatible goals and a whole lot of enlightened self interest.
The scenes in Haven, the Catholic-ish cult, were deeply creepy. I used to be Christian and am familiar with the non-magical versions of many parts of those scenes, especially all the misogyny disguised as politeness.
This was great and I'm very excited to read how the series winds up!
**My recommendation has been pulled based on issues with the author. The original text of the review remains below.
-----
WOLF, WILLOW, WITCH is a strangely direct follow-up to HAUNT, HEART, HAVOC, while having different main characters, a pretty cool trick to manage. The "wolf" is Lincoln, the deceased ex-husband of Bishop from the first book. Tehlor is the Norse witch who helped them clear some of the other bothersome spirits out of the house. While Colin and Bishop are off on a cross-country exorcism trip, Tehlor seizes the opportunity to steal Lincoln's corpse and turn him into a magical sentry (not a familiar, she already has her rat for that).
I love how WOLF, WILLOW, WITCH tells a full story which give a much better sense of Lincoln in addition to showing Tehlor through her narration, provides answers to some of the unaddressed questions from HAUNT, HEART, HAVOC, and briefly introduces the protagonist for the next book. It seems like they don't completely deal with Haven, but they manage to change the course of the group's plans in ways that are likely to play out in the final book of the trilogy.
I rarely read books with an unabashed villain as one of the love interests without some effort to soften them. Lincoln is as close to that as I'm comfortable reading, and I'm fascinated by his and Tehlor's relationship. She's not "fixing" him, he's not really corrupting her, they're two people with intermittently compatible goals and a whole lot of enlightened self interest.
The scenes in Haven, the Catholic-ish cult, were deeply creepy. I used to be Christian and am familiar with the non-magical versions of many parts of those scenes, especially all the misogyny disguised as politeness.
This was great and I'm very excited to read how the series winds up!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Self harm, Vomit, and Pregnancy
A Fate Inked In Blood by Danielle L. Jensen
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I liked the beginning, got frustrated in the middle, and didn't like the ending.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
The Forgotten Lyric by Carolina Cruz
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
*I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review of this book.
THE FORGOTTEN LYRIC follows a bard and a former assassin who work together to try and solve the poisoning of a little girl.
Kennet is a former assassin who is using his extensive knowledge of murder to try and uncover the cause of a girl's coma and likely poisoning. This involves a lot of traveling, with only a few specific events occurring as he searches for answers. The focus is instead on his thoughts about and conversations with his traveling companion, Asa, as well as Kennet's memories of his murderous past. He was very good at being a killer for hire, until something happened that made him walk away from it all. By emphasizing who Kennet is now, the early focus is on him and Asa, and their acceptance of his complexity. Killing was his job, and now it (mostly) isn't. They end up with a third companion for a while, someone from Kennet's past whom he hurt deeply. Killing was something that this group of assassins did to other people, until it wasn't. That betrayal left the survivors devastated, and scattered the remains of the group. In that wake of that disaster, Kennet has tried to be a different person, staying away from the people he hurt so completely.
One of the things about forgiveness and redemption is that even if someone changes after doing harm, the people they hurt are under no obligation to accept them back. Trying to not hurt new people doesn't undo the previous pain. The various people involved have very different reactions to Kennet, as they were hurt in different ways. Asa, arriving long after the betrayal, has to choose how to relate to Kennet and how much to treat him on the basis of the person he clearly used to be (and makes no attempts to conceal).
At first, THE FORGOTTEN LYRIC seems like a stand-alone book which is only technically a sequel to THE UNWANTED PROPHET. This was borne out for the first two-thirds of the story, where the first part is focused on trying to save a poisoned child, and the second part is about the motivations, the aftermath, and the tangled past which got Kennet into this position. However, this changes in the final section when Kennet and Asa, at last, turn their attention to figuring out some mysteries related to the bard. Asa has the ability to influence people's emotions with a touch, and they are delighted when Kennet wants to help them figure out the source of this ability.
THE FORGOTTEN LYRIC introduces the possibility of a solution to something left ambiguous from THE UNWANTED PROPHET, but it seems as though the forthcoming conclusion to the trilogy will be the one to hold those answers. It could make sense to someone who started here and missed the first book, but the ending would make very little sense to someone in that position. The good news is that if someone made it all the way to the end before figuring out this was the middle volume of three, the references mostly avoid spoiling the events of THE UNWANTED PROPHET and it would still be satisfying to go back and catch up on those events.
Things I love, in no particular order: Asa's power, the ritual towards the end, the former priest of Gethin, how the backstory is revealed.
I was absorbed in the story and am excited to keep reading about these characters, as it seems clear from the ending that this isn't their final appearance.
THE FORGOTTEN LYRIC follows a bard and a former assassin who work together to try and solve the poisoning of a little girl.
Kennet is a former assassin who is using his extensive knowledge of murder to try and uncover the cause of a girl's coma and likely poisoning. This involves a lot of traveling, with only a few specific events occurring as he searches for answers. The focus is instead on his thoughts about and conversations with his traveling companion, Asa, as well as Kennet's memories of his murderous past. He was very good at being a killer for hire, until something happened that made him walk away from it all. By emphasizing who Kennet is now, the early focus is on him and Asa, and their acceptance of his complexity. Killing was his job, and now it (mostly) isn't. They end up with a third companion for a while, someone from Kennet's past whom he hurt deeply. Killing was something that this group of assassins did to other people, until it wasn't. That betrayal left the survivors devastated, and scattered the remains of the group. In that wake of that disaster, Kennet has tried to be a different person, staying away from the people he hurt so completely.
One of the things about forgiveness and redemption is that even if someone changes after doing harm, the people they hurt are under no obligation to accept them back. Trying to not hurt new people doesn't undo the previous pain. The various people involved have very different reactions to Kennet, as they were hurt in different ways. Asa, arriving long after the betrayal, has to choose how to relate to Kennet and how much to treat him on the basis of the person he clearly used to be (and makes no attempts to conceal).
At first, THE FORGOTTEN LYRIC seems like a stand-alone book which is only technically a sequel to THE UNWANTED PROPHET. This was borne out for the first two-thirds of the story, where the first part is focused on trying to save a poisoned child, and the second part is about the motivations, the aftermath, and the tangled past which got Kennet into this position. However, this changes in the final section when Kennet and Asa, at last, turn their attention to figuring out some mysteries related to the bard. Asa has the ability to influence people's emotions with a touch, and they are delighted when Kennet wants to help them figure out the source of this ability.
THE FORGOTTEN LYRIC introduces the possibility of a solution to something left ambiguous from THE UNWANTED PROPHET, but it seems as though the forthcoming conclusion to the trilogy will be the one to hold those answers. It could make sense to someone who started here and missed the first book, but the ending would make very little sense to someone in that position. The good news is that if someone made it all the way to the end before figuring out this was the middle volume of three, the references mostly avoid spoiling the events of THE UNWANTED PROPHET and it would still be satisfying to go back and catch up on those events.
Things I love, in no particular order: Asa's power, the ritual towards the end, the former priest of Gethin, how the backstory is revealed.
I was absorbed in the story and am excited to keep reading about these characters, as it seems clear from the ending that this isn't their final appearance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death and Sexual content
The Unwanted Prophet by Carolina Cruz
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
*I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review of this book.
THE UNWANTED PROPHET boldly asks the question: is it wrong to confine and torture a young woman who is the prophet of your god? The priests generally say yes, the prophet in question says no, who's to say? Regardless of who ends up proven right, they're on a long journey together to stop the group who is definitely (probably?) wrong... the cult killing in that same god's name.
This is more than robust enough to be a stand-alone story, but I'm quite pleased that it already has a sequel (which I will be reading as soon as I can). There's a distinct narrative arc, with some elements returning towards the end to wrap up some things set up early on which are meaningful for the characters, reinforcing the importance of the early chapters as more than just a way to get into the main story.
Quincy is a self-sacrificing and pretty decent person whose reaction to being tortured and abused is to try and escape, but not to kill her captors. She is thoughtful and clever. While she has her flaws, none of them are treated by the narration as reasonable justifications for the priests' reactions to her elevation to prophet when they thought they would be her executioners. Her rapport with Gethin is wonderful to read, suffused with a combination of wit and seriousness which speaks of two beings trying to figure out a situation that has them each trapped in different ways.
Quincy's interactions with the priests holding her captive range from tempestuous allyship to cool hostility, with peaks of terror and pain. Marlowe, in particular, is deeply fascinated with her situation and the theological implications, but this scholarly fascination isn't enough to keep him from hurting her for the order's goals. He's deeply invested in the idea of her, but doesn't seem to understand that she's a real person being hurt by him and the others. This means that there are long stretches where he and Quincy have meaningful conversations, but he still participates in her confinement and torture. The priests are traveling with Quincy to try and stamp out a Gethin cult whose leader keeps murdering people. They don't seem to notice any dissonance with their plans to murder Quincy when they arrive at their destination.
The worldbuilding uses various real-world touchstones, seemingly from a smattering of Europe and East Asia, allowing for the setting to feel cohesive in each new location but also to convey cultural differences as the group travels a great distance. This is by no means unique in second-world fantasy, but it's done very well here. The references are generally confined to food and features of buildings, as the main religion in play is the Gethin faith and its various permutations. Many of the changes in language and behavior stem from what people think of Gethin, with various phrases as waypoints in conversation. I like the style, focusing on Gethin for the important things, but not trying to make the reader imagine fantastical versions of what is, ultimately, a generally unremarkable inn, village, or other mostly insignificant stop on their journey. It's also an efficient way to convey that they are traveling long distances, especially by using details from regions which are very far apart in reality.
I'd been starting to think maybe I didn't like very long books anymore, but I read this in under two days, fitting in long stretches between things I absolutely had to get done. It's languid, slow without being boring, and I'm very pleased with the ending.
THE UNWANTED PROPHET boldly asks the question: is it wrong to confine and torture a young woman who is the prophet of your god? The priests generally say yes, the prophet in question says no, who's to say? Regardless of who ends up proven right, they're on a long journey together to stop the group who is definitely (probably?) wrong... the cult killing in that same god's name.
This is more than robust enough to be a stand-alone story, but I'm quite pleased that it already has a sequel (which I will be reading as soon as I can). There's a distinct narrative arc, with some elements returning towards the end to wrap up some things set up early on which are meaningful for the characters, reinforcing the importance of the early chapters as more than just a way to get into the main story.
Quincy is a self-sacrificing and pretty decent person whose reaction to being tortured and abused is to try and escape, but not to kill her captors. She is thoughtful and clever. While she has her flaws, none of them are treated by the narration as reasonable justifications for the priests' reactions to her elevation to prophet when they thought they would be her executioners. Her rapport with Gethin is wonderful to read, suffused with a combination of wit and seriousness which speaks of two beings trying to figure out a situation that has them each trapped in different ways.
Quincy's interactions with the priests holding her captive range from tempestuous allyship to cool hostility, with peaks of terror and pain. Marlowe, in particular, is deeply fascinated with her situation and the theological implications, but this scholarly fascination isn't enough to keep him from hurting her for the order's goals. He's deeply invested in the idea of her, but doesn't seem to understand that she's a real person being hurt by him and the others. This means that there are long stretches where he and Quincy have meaningful conversations, but he still participates in her confinement and torture. The priests are traveling with Quincy to try and stamp out a Gethin cult whose leader keeps murdering people. They don't seem to notice any dissonance with their plans to murder Quincy when they arrive at their destination.
The worldbuilding uses various real-world touchstones, seemingly from a smattering of Europe and East Asia, allowing for the setting to feel cohesive in each new location but also to convey cultural differences as the group travels a great distance. This is by no means unique in second-world fantasy, but it's done very well here. The references are generally confined to food and features of buildings, as the main religion in play is the Gethin faith and its various permutations. Many of the changes in language and behavior stem from what people think of Gethin, with various phrases as waypoints in conversation. I like the style, focusing on Gethin for the important things, but not trying to make the reader imagine fantastical versions of what is, ultimately, a generally unremarkable inn, village, or other mostly insignificant stop on their journey. It's also an efficient way to convey that they are traveling long distances, especially by using details from regions which are very far apart in reality.
I'd been starting to think maybe I didn't like very long books anymore, but I read this in under two days, fitting in long stretches between things I absolutely had to get done. It's languid, slow without being boring, and I'm very pleased with the ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Cursing, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
imPerfect Magic by C.N. Rowan, C.N. Rowan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 1%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 1%.
Dislike the main character's narration.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Torture, and Violence
Kiss Me Deadly by Jessie Thomas
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Murder
Swordcrossed by Freya Marske
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
*I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review of this book.
Mattinesh Jay is the oldest son of Jay House, which, due to a string of bad luck, is long on respectability and short on funds. Matti is getting married to an acquaintance from a House whose finances are solid but whose reputation in the city is less firmly established. He’ll marry her for duty, and hopefully find companionship (maybe even love?), but Matti puts his family first without complaint. The trouble is, his intended has a paramour, who is very good with a sword and will almost definitely challenge at the wedding, so Matti has scraped together the funds to hire a Best Man to defend any challenge with steel (as is tradition). The night before he is set to contract a professional for this position, an accident in a bar leaves him short of funds, forced to hire an excellent but unknown and untested swordsman rather than the best of the best... but who turns out to be the one who swindled him out of his money. As recompense for his silence, Jay insists that the swordsman, Luca, teach him in the mornings for the weeks leading up to the wedding. The more they clash with steel each day, the more Jay and Luca are desperate for different swords to cross...
SWORDCROSSED advertises itself with the tagline “Low Stakes. High Heat. Sharp Steel.” Early on, I thought the first part might not be true, because I was instantly very invested in the future of Jay House and their financial trajectory and Matti's happiness felt like high stakes. But, while the stakes matter a great deal to those involved (and to me, goddammit), this is a very cozy and ultimately low stakes story that delivers with erotic scenes and steel. Swords are crossed, literally in morning practices, and metaphorically in physical passion between two cis men. I was delighted by this story which combines two of my hobbies, sewing and swordplay, as the title had only guaranteed one of those at first glance.
The most stressful parts of this story for me was the tension over betrayal and secrets between Matti and Luca, and the question of whether there was something more going on with Jay House's string of bad luck. Normally, I get very stressed out by books that have lying in relationships, but the way this was handled kept me engaged instead of getting too stressed to continue. There are so many subtle narrative layers, expertly woven, so that by the end an intricate story can be revealed, with dastardly deeds and hidden motivations, while the exact shape of it was obscured until the end. It has the appeal of a mystery story, the heart of a romance, and the swordplay of an adventure novel. All that while delivering on its promise of keeping the stakes low, the passions high, and the steel sharp.
Things I love, in no particular order: Maya (Matti's sister), how the swordplay is discussed, the wedding, Matti's parents, Luca's brother. The characters are vibrant and wonderful. Keeping the important cast of characters small gave room for several people to shine without becoming too many to track in detail. The intricacies of wool and swordplay are described in a manner that threads the needle between infodumping and vagueness, explaining the important relationships between concepts without getting stuck on specifics that would slow down the story. Part of this is achieved by giving information in scenes where one person is new to the information but isn't ready to handle a mountain of details. One of my favorite moments is when Matti innocently asks whether there is more than one style of fencing, and Luca oscillates between stunned silence the impulse to convey the complexity of fencing and its history in a dizzying spiel.
Mattinesh Jay is the oldest son of Jay House, which, due to a string of bad luck, is long on respectability and short on funds. Matti is getting married to an acquaintance from a House whose finances are solid but whose reputation in the city is less firmly established. He’ll marry her for duty, and hopefully find companionship (maybe even love?), but Matti puts his family first without complaint. The trouble is, his intended has a paramour, who is very good with a sword and will almost definitely challenge at the wedding, so Matti has scraped together the funds to hire a Best Man to defend any challenge with steel (as is tradition). The night before he is set to contract a professional for this position, an accident in a bar leaves him short of funds, forced to hire an excellent but unknown and untested swordsman rather than the best of the best... but who turns out to be the one who swindled him out of his money. As recompense for his silence, Jay insists that the swordsman, Luca, teach him in the mornings for the weeks leading up to the wedding. The more they clash with steel each day, the more Jay and Luca are desperate for different swords to cross...
SWORDCROSSED advertises itself with the tagline “Low Stakes. High Heat. Sharp Steel.” Early on, I thought the first part might not be true, because I was instantly very invested in the future of Jay House and their financial trajectory and Matti's happiness felt like high stakes. But, while the stakes matter a great deal to those involved (and to me, goddammit), this is a very cozy and ultimately low stakes story that delivers with erotic scenes and steel. Swords are crossed, literally in morning practices, and metaphorically in physical passion between two cis men. I was delighted by this story which combines two of my hobbies, sewing and swordplay, as the title had only guaranteed one of those at first glance.
The most stressful parts of this story for me was the tension over betrayal and secrets between Matti and Luca, and the question of whether there was something more going on with Jay House's string of bad luck. Normally, I get very stressed out by books that have lying in relationships, but the way this was handled kept me engaged instead of getting too stressed to continue. There are so many subtle narrative layers, expertly woven, so that by the end an intricate story can be revealed, with dastardly deeds and hidden motivations, while the exact shape of it was obscured until the end. It has the appeal of a mystery story, the heart of a romance, and the swordplay of an adventure novel. All that while delivering on its promise of keeping the stakes low, the passions high, and the steel sharp.
Things I love, in no particular order: Maya (Matti's sister), how the swordplay is discussed, the wedding, Matti's parents, Luca's brother. The characters are vibrant and wonderful. Keeping the important cast of characters small gave room for several people to shine without becoming too many to track in detail. The intricacies of wool and swordplay are described in a manner that threads the needle between infodumping and vagueness, explaining the important relationships between concepts without getting stuck on specifics that would slow down the story. Part of this is achieved by giving information in scenes where one person is new to the information but isn't ready to handle a mountain of details. One of my favorite moments is when Matti innocently asks whether there is more than one style of fencing, and Luca oscillates between stunned silence the impulse to convey the complexity of fencing and its history in a dizzying spiel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Stalking and Sexual harassment