Book - City of Blades

Romeo Kennedy continues through The Divine Cities and reads City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett...

Firstly, dear reader, if you haven't read City of Stairs then read no further or do read further and be claimed by the PIT OF SPOILERS! And if you haven't read City of Stairs then by the Divine why don't you get that sorted first ... (read Romeo's review of City of Stairs here.)

The events of City of Blades begin many years after the massive climax of the first book (The Battle of Bulikov.) General Mulaghesh Turyin has left the service of the Saypur military and living like a recluse, and no longer under the employ of Shara Komayd. But the sweary, ass kicking General's services are needed by her former employer for one, seemingly last hurrah. With very little to go on Turyin is sent to Voortyashtan to investigate a rare material that seems to be very powerful, but is it Divine?

Dangerous paths lay ahead for our hero who has paid her share of blood split and not just her own in the service of war.

When reading the first book, I liked Turyin as a character but feel that perhaps she was somewhat overshadowed by the other characters, however, in City of Blades, she shines bright like a beacon, and then some. General Turyin is a terrifically envisioned character with all the trimmings and Bennett has crafted such an interesting character in that she is so layered. In my notes to this review, I had put down a few words to describe her. She has flaws, she has heart, and an overwhelming sense of loneliness, but beneath her struggles she is a fighter and my goodness does she fight.

With every turn of the page, and even reaching the end of the book, I knew I wanted more and to discover more about the world that Bennett has created. It’s a dangerous world, yes, but it contains elements so fantastic and characters that are so interesting that when I tried to describe some of the book’s happenings to a friend, all I ended up saying (after a few hesitations and stumbles) was “Just read it. Trust me.” I won't say who it is but a favourite character of mine makes a welcoming appearance and I really want to see more of them. If you have read City of Stairs you can probably guess who I’m talking about.

Robert Jackson Bennett has written a sequel that somehow surpasses it's predecessor. Bennett's world has depth, detail, danger and of course a touch of the divine. I’m reasonably certain that there is going to be a third book and maybe more, and I have a feeling that from this point things are certainly going to heat up.

Sometimes you can see an ending coming but, with City of Blades I saw a beginning to endless possibilities and dangerous horizons.

City of Blades is out now via Jo Fletcher Books www.jofletcherbooks.com and all good book shops. Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy. Robert Jackson Bennett @robertjbennett is on the twitters and his website can be found at www.robertjacksonbennett.com

Image - Quercus Books