The Masked City
(Invisible Library
#
2)by Genevieve Cogman
fantasy
fantasy
copyright 2015
read in January 2017
rated 9/10: really, really good
Book one was edging into chick lit. This book still has some chick lit aspects -- handsome heroes, unrequited lust, good clothes and a heroine who doesn't realise how attractive she is
.
(Attractive
in a somewhat non-traditional way, of course.
) City, however, is very much fantasy *adventure*.And what a great adventure it is :-)
First up, the reasons are all good. Rescue a friend. Prevent a war. With a subplot of freeing a slave. While making potential friends -- and actual enemies -- across the fantasy universe. Wotta gal !
The universe is incredibly complex -- and easy to understand. A scale from chaos to order, with dragons preferring one end and fae the other. Humans are at every point on the scale, adapting to chaos or order. The Library supports stability for humans with (I think) a preference for order.
I particularly like the Sherlock Holmes character. When I met him in book one, I was inspired to (re)read a few Sherlock Holmes stories. So, having recently re-read The Hound of the Baskervilles, I was totally unsurprised by one of this City character's key actions.
I particularly like the Sherlock Holmes character. When I met him in book one, I was inspired to (re)read a few Sherlock Holmes stories. So, having recently re-read The Hound of the Baskervilles, I was totally unsurprised by one of this City character's key actions.
Better yet, Holmes is only a support character. Sure, you could rewrite Hound, with Holmes gallivanting across a fantasy world. Cogman has done so much better: used Holmes' skills to ably support the heroics of the heroine.
The heroine is... likeable, admirable, moral, loyal... strong. She is physically strong and, more importantly, mentally strong. She does not give up fighting for what is right. And she has quips and observations which make me smile. I like her :-)
The story starts with a prologue which is -- thankfully -- clearly related to the rest of this book. There is action and adventure from the start. Which ramps up, about half way through. Then continues -- through several "are we there yet?" climaxes -- right to the end. It is very difficult to stop reading.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Okay, I am still recovering from Wuthering Heights, I wanted a lighter book.
City is lighter -- but not light. The universe is fantasy. The battles involve magic. The challenges and responses are real... The characters involve us in their problems and successes.
A really, really good book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
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08mar21: And I thoroughly enjoyed reading it... again :-)
... and again... 09mar24
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Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
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"Before your dreams can come true, you have to have those dreams" … Dr Joyce Brothers
Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
====
"Before your dreams can come true, you have to have those dreams" … Dr Joyce Brothers
1 comment:
January 2018:
After some very disappointing books I wanted to read something that I knew that I would enjoy. I read (re-read!) book one (The Invisible Library) and enjoyed it -- again. So then I re-read this book two.
And I did enjoy this book. Again :-) Just as much as the first time. It's an excellent book.
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