Book Review
Feb. 28th, 2018 10:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariLast First Snow
by Max Gladstone
Last First Snow is the fourth book in the Craft Sequence, but its events take place before those of all the other books. On the one hand, I really enjoyed seeing how some of the characters conditions in the other books got to be the way they are. On the other hand, it made some of the book tough going because I knew that certain things were ultimately not going to work out well, despite the protagonists' best efforts.
Last First Snow is set in Dresedial Lex, a city formerly ruled over by Aztec-inspired gods. It is now governed by the King in Red, a powerful sorcerer who is basically a somewhat benevolent lich. The King in Red finds himself and his organization in deep conflict with the people of the Skittersill, a poor district that is facing the prospect of a gentrifying redevelopment project of both a physical and a magical nature. Fearful of losing their homes and affordable housing in general, the Skittersill residents form an Occupy Wall Street style protest, reluctantly led by Temoc, a priest and paladin of the old religion. Elayne Kevarian, The King in Red's Craftswoman, takes charge of the attempt to negotiate with the Skittersill residents and hammer out a deal that will serve both sides. It's not much of a spoiler to say that things go south.
Despite the occasional tough going due to awareness of the impending tragedies, I still really enjoyed this book. Gladstone examines the entanglements of professional ethics and duties, faith, love, loyalty, money, and sacrifice. These themes and narrative threads that carry them are very complex, but never bog down the action or the character development. I especially loved Elayne and the way she navigates her choices, ethics, and duties. I also really liked the interesting relationship between her and Temoc - they were on opposite side but were not enemies, and in fact shared some goals despite their very different views of how to pursue them.
by Max Gladstone
Last First Snow is the fourth book in the Craft Sequence, but its events take place before those of all the other books. On the one hand, I really enjoyed seeing how some of the characters conditions in the other books got to be the way they are. On the other hand, it made some of the book tough going because I knew that certain things were ultimately not going to work out well, despite the protagonists' best efforts.
Last First Snow is set in Dresedial Lex, a city formerly ruled over by Aztec-inspired gods. It is now governed by the King in Red, a powerful sorcerer who is basically a somewhat benevolent lich. The King in Red finds himself and his organization in deep conflict with the people of the Skittersill, a poor district that is facing the prospect of a gentrifying redevelopment project of both a physical and a magical nature. Fearful of losing their homes and affordable housing in general, the Skittersill residents form an Occupy Wall Street style protest, reluctantly led by Temoc, a priest and paladin of the old religion. Elayne Kevarian, The King in Red's Craftswoman, takes charge of the attempt to negotiate with the Skittersill residents and hammer out a deal that will serve both sides. It's not much of a spoiler to say that things go south.
Despite the occasional tough going due to awareness of the impending tragedies, I still really enjoyed this book. Gladstone examines the entanglements of professional ethics and duties, faith, love, loyalty, money, and sacrifice. These themes and narrative threads that carry them are very complex, but never bog down the action or the character development. I especially loved Elayne and the way she navigates her choices, ethics, and duties. I also really liked the interesting relationship between her and Temoc - they were on opposite side but were not enemies, and in fact shared some goals despite their very different views of how to pursue them.
