Book Review
Feb. 19th, 2018 10:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariFull Fathom Five
by Max Gladstone
Full Fathom Five, the third novel of the Craft Sequence, takes us to Kavekana, an island nation clearly modeled on Hawai'i, where a powerful order of priests create idols that serve as the mechanism for what is basically a spiritual Swiss banking business. It is this business that has allowed Kavekana to maintain its independence and power instead of becoming a tourism-based client-state. The plot follows two characters: Kai, a priestess recovering from a disastrous attempt to save a dying idol, and Izza, a 15 year old street kid who is struggling with assuming leadership of her band of fellow street kids, a role that also requires priest-like duties of telling stories about and performing small rituals for their god. As Kai convalesces, she investigates the idol's death and uncovers a conspiracy which affects not only her order but Izza and her band of street kids.
Full Fathom Five's narrative has a very slow build, but rather than being dull, it allows space for amazing world building. Gladstone achieves this not through large information dumps or relentless description, but by following the characters as they move through Kavekana, revealing the world through their observations and reflections, all while weaving in details that are of great importance to the plot. It completely sucked me in.
by Max Gladstone
Full Fathom Five, the third novel of the Craft Sequence, takes us to Kavekana, an island nation clearly modeled on Hawai'i, where a powerful order of priests create idols that serve as the mechanism for what is basically a spiritual Swiss banking business. It is this business that has allowed Kavekana to maintain its independence and power instead of becoming a tourism-based client-state. The plot follows two characters: Kai, a priestess recovering from a disastrous attempt to save a dying idol, and Izza, a 15 year old street kid who is struggling with assuming leadership of her band of fellow street kids, a role that also requires priest-like duties of telling stories about and performing small rituals for their god. As Kai convalesces, she investigates the idol's death and uncovers a conspiracy which affects not only her order but Izza and her band of street kids.
Full Fathom Five's narrative has a very slow build, but rather than being dull, it allows space for amazing world building. Gladstone achieves this not through large information dumps or relentless description, but by following the characters as they move through Kavekana, revealing the world through their observations and reflections, all while weaving in details that are of great importance to the plot. It completely sucked me in.
