THE SHADOW REVOLUTION (Crown and Key #1)
Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
Del Rey Books
June 2, 2015
The Shadow Revolution is the first of a new urban fantasy trilogy from the talented pens and imaginative minds of Clay and Susan Griffith. Set in a steampunkish fog-bound Victorian England, it introduces us to a world of spell-casting magicians; the only ones with the power to battle a new supernatural threat. Simon Archer is a talented scribe, a magician whose spells are written on his body in the form of tattoos. He is also somewhat of a charming playboy who cuts quite a swath through London Society. He and his mentor, Nick Barker, are feeling new powers stirring. When they witness the brutal death of a former mistress of Simon and almost lose the ensuing battle with the monstrous werewolf who killed her, they know that their playboy days are over. At least Simon does but Nick seems to want to stay out of it.
The other players in this battle against darkness are Malcolm MacFarlane, a deadly Scottish monster hunter, and Kate Anstruther, an alchemist whose sister is being targeted by lycanthropes. What follows is a rocket ride of battles with lycanthropes, mad scientists, and creepy homunculus; all centered around the legendary Bethlehem Hospital, "Bedlam". The three unite to stop London from being taken over by a werewolf hoard and to rescue Kate's sister.
Parts two and three of Crown and Key are being released in rapid succession this summer and I am looking forward to both The Undying Legion and The Conquering Dark, thanks to net.galley and Del Rey. While I didn't find The Shadow Revolution quite up to the standard of Vampire Empire, I still quite enjoyed it. The worldbuilding and characterization of Vampire Empire are so extraordinarily fresh. The Shadow Revolution covers much more familiar territory at least to a steampunk fan like me and sometimes tips into the horror genre. It is, all in all, a very good read.
RATING- 3.75 Stars
No comments:
Post a Comment