Review – Shorefall (The Founders Trilogy, Book 2) by Robert Jackson Bennett (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 512 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: April 21, 2020
ISBN-13: 978-1524760380
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in Founders Trilogy
Source: eGalley from NetGalley.com
Rating: 5/5 stars
“A few years ago, Sancia Grado would’ve happily watched Tevanne burn. Now, she’s hoping to transform her city into something new. Something better. Together with allies Orso, Gregor, and Berenice, she’s about to strike a deadly blow against Tevanne’s cruel robber-baron rulers and wrest power from their hands for the first time in decades.
But then comes a terrifying warning: Crasedes Magnus himself, the first of the legendary hierophants, is about to be reborn. And if he returns, Tevanne will be just the first place to feel his wrath.
Thousands of years ago, Crasedes was an ordinary man who did the impossible: Using the magic of scriving—the art of imbuing objects with sentience—he convinced reality that he was something more than human. Wielding powers beyond comprehension, he strode the world like a god for centuries, meting out justice and razing empires single-handedly, cleansing the world through fire and destruction—and even defeating death itself.
Like it or not, it’s up to Sancia to stop him. But to have a chance in the battle to come, she’ll have to call upon a god of her own—and unlock the door to a scriving technology that could change what it means to be human. And no matter who wins, nothing will ever be the same.”
Series Info/Source: I got an eGalley of this book to review through NetGalley. This is the second book in the Founders Trilogy.
Story (5/5): The book starts out with Sancia and the other Foundryside crew working on a heist to steal important magic from one of the main Houses. This was fun and very much fit with the Ocean’s 11 like feel of the first book. Then things quickly get more dire as Sancia finds out that Crasedes Magus (an evil hierophant) is about to be reborn. Sancia is in the unique position to help stop his rebirth and rushes to do so.
The story was very well done and ended at a good spot. There was never a dull moment here, despite the long length of the book. I really loved it and it was incredibly engaging.
Characters (5/5): All of the characters in this book have a lot of depth and are very well thought out. They are all quirky and have somewhat of an anti-hero feel to them. I continue to be impressed with how much I love these characters and how complex they are.
Setting (5/5): I love the city of Tevanne and love the scriving magic that makes this city thrive. This is such a rich and well built world and I enjoy every second reading about.
Writing Style (5/5): The book is very well written, well paced, and just very well balanced. There is some neat magic, lots of action, intriguing politics, and wonderful characters. The whole thing makes for a very well packaged story that is unique and highly engaging. I am a huge fan of Bennett’s writing.
My Summary (5/5): Overall I really don’t have anything bad to say about this book. It’s a well done total package with a great story, great characters, a unique world and wonderful writing. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for an entertaining epic fantasy that is approachable and just pure fun to read.
