Thursday, January 10, 2013

Review: The Iron Wyrm Affair

THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR
Bannon & Clare #1
Lilith Saintcrow
Adult Urban Fantasy
323 pages
Orbit
Available Now
Received from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Emma Bannon, forensic sorceress in the service of the Empire, has a mission: to protect Archibald Clare, a failed, unregistered mentath. His skills of deduction are legendary, and her own sorcery is not inconsiderable. It doesn't help much that they barely tolerate each other, or that Bannon's Shield, Mikal, might just be a traitor himself. Or that the conspiracy killing registered mentaths and sorcerers alike will just as likely kill them as seduce them into treachery toward their Queen.

In an alternate London where illogical magic has turned the Industrial Revolution on its head, Bannon and Clare now face hostility, treason, cannon fire, black sorcery, and the problem of reliably finding hansom cabs


MY THOUGHTS
The Iron Wyrm Affair pairs together unique and drastically different characters, both whom possess a special talent for investigation but operate from opposite ends of the spectrum. One sees this steampunk world logically, using equations and observations to establish intent and pattern, while the other defies logic with her sorcery, proving to her partner again and again that what is supernatural can also be rational. As can sometimes be the case with alternative worlds with a strong steampunk influence, the parameters of the world and its inhabitants are extraordinarily complex, unfamiliar mechanical creatures and technologies accompanied by an unusual vocabulary to keep the story just out of our reach, left behind at times as the tide of Ms. Saintcrow’s innovation marches forward without us.

While we occasionally stumble to fully grasp what’s being described over the course of Ms. Bannon and Mr. Clare’s investigation, Ms. Saintcrow does craft two deeply intriguing and layered characters to guide us in this adventure. Ms. Bannon is perhaps the one out of the two of them we get to know better, Mr. Clare’s sharp analytical and highly mathematical mind creating a hard shell we don’t quite yet have the tools to break through in this first installment. A touch of dry humor here and there lets us know the potential for accessibility is strong though, and will likely be developed as we continue on in our roles as fictional apprentices to both him and Ms. Bannon.

Ms. Bannon, on the other hand, shows a great deal of vulnerability in this story, snippets of a recent traumatic event causing us to feel protective of her physically though she in no way needs it, and as we learn of the stigma attached to her Discipline of sorcery, that protectiveness quickly extends to her emotionally as well. Her relationship with her Shield Mikal is a fascinating one, her distrust over the events that lead Mikal to be her Shield after his previous sorcerer’s demise coloring their every interaction and preventing an otherwise astoundingly observant woman from seeing the truth behind his every action. Those who enjoy a bit of romance in their urban fantasy stories, like myself, will likely be just a touch disappointed in the supremely subtle quality to their relationship given it exists mostly in between lines of text, forcing us to absorb the implications and make inferences with regard to a gesture or statement rather than glory in the details.

Overall, The Iron Wyrm Affair is a complicated story, a multi-tiered conspiracy combining with an already layered and intricate world to at times overwhelm us as we struggle for purchase on such foreign ground. The second installment will likely be easier to sink our teeth into given the unusualness of the world will have had time to settle in our minds, and the promise of truly brilliant characters is enough to have us looking forward to The Red Plague Affair with eager anticipation, the mismatched duo of Bannon and Clare sure to entertain yet again.

Rating: 3.5/5

36 comments:

  1. I've been meaning to read this for a long time. I'm trying to decide if your review makes me want to read it more or less. I like that they characters are so interesting and layered. But I think I'd get frustrated if the world was too confusing.

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    1. There was just a lot going on with this one - the world was complex, the mystyery was complex, the characters were complex and it was a lot to take in. I did really enjoy Ms. Bannon though:)

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  2. I actually saw this on at the bookstore, I was surprised, they have almost nothing there

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    1. Yay for your bookstore carrying this one then!

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  3. huh.. first time hearing about this one, though im not sure Im going to pick this one up.. Great review though! Its just not my cup of tea!
    - Farah @ MajiBookshelf

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    1. It won't be for everyone. I'm thinking I'll be able to settle in the second book a bit better now that the world is more familiar to me:)

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  4. Nice review! I've had this in my TBR mountain for awhile and have yet to get to it. Sounds like a typical Saintcrow world-building with the slight confusion here and there. But one I will still get around to reading one of these days!

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    1. This was my first Lilith Saintcrow book, and I definitely want to give her other series a try:)

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  5. I get so consumed by the YA world that I forget there is an adult fiction world sometimes, LOL. Love this review. Urban fantasy isn't usually my go-to type of book, but this sounds like a novel with several layers and depth to it. Thanks for putting it on my radar!

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    1. Hahaha I'm the same way. Usually I pick up a couple adult books a month just as fun reads because all the teen angst starts to get overwhelming:)

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  6. I actually just picked up a copy of this one at my local bookstore and yours is the first review I've read. It sounds like it might be difficult for me to get through this one but I'm going to give it a try. The world sounds very intriguing and that's enough to hook me. Great review!

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  7. I've been eyeing this one for sometime but wasn't sure if it's steampunk romance or UF, but regardless of the genre your review has me intrigued. I love the sound of the characters. I think I might wait until book 2 comes out to give it a whirl.

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  8. You liked this one a touch more than I did. I did enjoy the mystery and the characters. However, as with all steampunk I kept getting lost :( That is on me not the writer or the book!

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  9. Building the world and acclimating us to it, often swallows the reader in the first book, so i am glad you felt it was good despite it. I love steampunk and the more gadgets the better. Awesome review!

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  10. Great review! I haven't heard of this before. It sounds like this could be an interesting series. Thanks for introducing me to it.

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  11. Hmm. I am not sure about this one, Jenny, but it certainly does sound unique and interesting. (Also, boo for very subtle romance. I like my romance hot and thick.)

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  12. Yeah, sometimes some books can be a little difficult to get into, like it was for me with The Iron Fey Series. There were so many things going on + a new world and this one with its complex storylines seems a tough book to get into as well. It kind of reminds me or Sherlock and Watson and the characters seem similar as well - one with outrageous ideas and the other with bright mind, but rational behaviour. It definitly intrigues me, but I have to do some thinking first before I add it to my evergroing TBR pile. Lovely review though, Jenny:)

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  13. This is new to me and I'm surprised that it's an adult book! I haven't really read any adult urban fantasy, but I have been meaning to. I've heard good things about her Strange Angels series, so I'll have to keep my eye out for this one. Great review, Jenny!

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  14. I love Lili St. Crow's YA books so I need to check out her adult books ASAP. :D Sad that the romance is subtle in this one, but Mr. Clare sounds scrumptious! Maybe book 2 with offer more for them? :)

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  15. I really like the whole idea of Steampunk, I just never get around to reading any. I have seen this book though and it caught my interest. Thank you for your thoughts.

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  16. This sounds a bit like Mulder and Scully in the X files....two opposites one into paranormal the other science and then that hint of attraction that never quite steps into a romance... I like the idea....but again I would be so eager for the romance to blossom. I was curious about this when I had it on FF awhile back so I am happy to hear it is worth the read!

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  17. Sounds like it is more fantasy oriented that some of the steampunk I've read. I don't mind but might wait for the next book to be out so once the world is established it can fly for me in the next one. Putting these on my wishlist!

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  18. Wow, I haven't heard of this one before, but it sounds very interesting! I love that the characters are so deep and well-fleshed out, but it's a shame that there's no romance - I like my romance in adult novels. Still, this seems like something I'll have to check out, so thanks for putting it on my radar, Jenny!(:

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  19. Love, love the cover. But not too sure about a complicated story. It's does sounds good...Thanks for sharing your great review Jenny!

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  20. I'm not usually one to pick steampunk novels, but I remember this book grabbed my eye as soon as I first heard about it. I love my urban fantasy stories to have a bit more romance too, so it's disappointing to know this is slightly lacking! Here's to hoping that we'll get tons more of it in the next installment! :)

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  21. Aw, only a 3.5? You're right, though. It was a complex, well, everything. I'll bet the second one will really pick up the pace, now that we're "in" the world. Bannon rocked!

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  22. I've seen this one about and although the general premise is appealing (and I have yet to really delve into the steampunk/urban fantasy world) I don't know that this is for me...sounds overly complicated.

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  23. I haven't read what I think is hardcore Steampunk yet, but I think this probably comes the closest from what I'm reading. I've only taken baby steps into Steampunk. This one seems complicated just from the synopsis, like the Empire Emma works for would like to see them both dead. Not sure I'm up for all that complexity. OMG, one I'm not immediately putting on the to buy list! Thank you!!!! Of course you'll review the next book and I'll buy them. But that's next year! :))) I actually don't think I'm a fan of hardcore steampunk. Maybe that's it.

    Heather

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  24. This one is DNF for me so far... I kept forcing myself to read. It's interesting at time but boring at other times. I'm halfway though and while I keep saying I'm going to finish it I'm just not sure...
    It's a shame cause this was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I just feel no connection to it at all. I find the world interesting but that's about it. Knowing that you ended up enjoying it might motivate me to give it another shot. It might just be that I have no patience right now...

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  25. I need romance in my UF, like the amazing Jerricho and Curran! That is like the icing on the cake for me, so I would be disappointed, but maybe because this is the first in the series, more will be coming. Wonderful review Jenny. :)

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  26. I've never read any of Saintcrow's books and don't normally read adult fiction but I may give this one a try if it's not too full of romance and involves steampunk, a genre I love. I also like that the story is complicated if a little confusing. Thanks for the review, Jenny!

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  27. I like that they form a mismatched pair, though too bad on the minimal romance. I've been looking to start a new fantasy series, and it sounds like this one's got a very complex world for me to bury myself in. I've also heard great things about her YA books, so maybe it's time for something new! Thanks for the review :).

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  28. I must have started this one and dropped it at least a dozen times by now, but it's good to know that the characterization makes it worth my time. I like feeling protective towards characters, I've learned that it's one feeling I never forget, though it rarely happens to me. Characters I can think of: Froi of the Exiles, Sean Kendrick from The Scorpio Races. That's about it.
    Anyway, rant over, hah. Sorry.
    Wonderful review as always.

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  29. I really like the sound of the main characters, but the world sounds a bit hard to dive into...I might still check this one out. I'll have to see if my library has it.

    Nice review, Jenny! :)

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