The Drowning City (The Necromancer Chronicles, #1) by Amanda Downum

Jan 29, 2013 Tiara rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: part-of-a-series, supernatural, fantasy, the-necromancer-chronicles

2.5 stars. This was an ambitious first novel at best. Downum clearly has a beautiful way with words. Passages like the following really resonated with me:

Excitement hummed in her blood, dizzied her worse than any wine. And that was the true reason she was here, the reason she would go where she was sent, no matter how ugly the mission. Not for king and country, not even for Kiril, but because danger sang to her like a siren, and after the first giddy brush with death, the rush of knowing that s

...more 2.5 stars. This was an ambitious first novel at best. Downum clearly has a beautiful way with words. Passages like the following really resonated with me:

Excitement hummed in her blood, dizzied her worse than any wine. And that was the true reason she was here, the reason she would go where she was sent, no matter how ugly the mission. Not for king and country, not even for Kiril, but because danger sang to her like a siren, and after the first giddy brush with death, the rush of knowing that she was still alive, she’d known she could never stop.

However, while I don’t doubt this played out wonderfully in her head, she forgot about her readers. This book wasn’t really written in the way that you’d expect of a first book in a series. It felt like I was jumping into the second or third book in a series, as if everything that was being said was information that I should’ve already known. I think she was trying to craft it in a way to be mysterious, feeding readers information piece by piece until the big reveal. But it just felt confusing and like I was missing out on a whole story.

The first 70 pages or so of this book could’ve been removed. The little information that we did get from those pages could’ve been woven into the story. Most of those first pages seemed rather fumbling and didn’t offer much useful more than seeming to pad the book to take up the reader’s time. Totally unnecessary, and it nearly made me put the book down. If I hadn’t stuck with it for one more chapter, and the next chapter did prove to be interesting, I wouldn’t have ever picked up this book again.

Also, she used many words native to the characters that the reader is unfamiliar with, words that most of the time didn’t even have a hint as to what they really meant, words that needed at least a dictionary in the back. I like when a book has a language that is its own (or some amalgam of real language), but it does no good when I’m sitting here hoping that this word means something honorific and just isn’t some random word that means “girl.”

Then, there was the confusing POVs. I’m a reader that doesn’t mind “head-jumping,” but it’s not implemented well here. Sometimes, I didn’t even realize the POV had changed until I read some information that made me realize that this had to be one of the other characters, and it was more than a bit frustrating at times, considering how much I wanted to like this story.

I did enjoy the intrigue, mystery, and supernatural aspect that Downum tried to use. I think her characters have potential to be amazing and praiseworthy, but I just don’t think this was executed as well as it could’ve been. And I have to admit that I thought the ending was sublime and really showed what this story had the potential to be. I will give the second book a chance and hope that Downum found her footing a little better because this does have so much potential to be an amazing series.(less)

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Jun 29, 2012 Nikoya rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2009, fantasy-sci-fi

I would say 3 1/2 stars; and the reason I am being generous this was the writers first novel. There was definitely room for improvement. My biggest complain was the lack of a glossary so I found myself a bit twisted around by the names and words she used in her story. If you are going to create a world with as much culture, as she did, WRITE A GLOSSARY. Seriously. It was frustrating.

I like the main characters because she doesn't sit around feeling sorry for herself; however I felt, that there co...more

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May 23, 2011 Hirondelle added it

Shelves: fantasy, i-quit

I can´t read this. It sounded great, so great I spent (wasted) one of my precious 2011 book buying slots on it (don´t ask. Or do, if you want a long explanation). The setting is interesting, seems like there is a political intrigue plot, and the tone of the story overall reminded me a bit of early Flewelling. All of these are good things for me. But the writing was driving me mad till I finally decided to just quit and go read something else.

Probably it´s me, not the author, lots of people seem...more I can´t read this. It sounded great, so great I spent (wasted) one of my precious 2011 book buying slots on it (don´t ask. Or do, if you want a long explanation). The setting is interesting, seems like there is a political intrigue plot, and the tone of the story overall reminded me a bit of early Flewelling. All of these are good things for me. But the writing was driving me mad till I finally decided to just quit and go read something else.

Probably it´s me, not the author, lots of people seem to have been able to process the writing on this book. Me, I just had to reread paragraph after paragraph to make sure who a pronoun refers to, or if the strange made up word is one that already has been referred to, or is a place in the map or what on earth it means. It was almost a chore to read this, since I had to make a conscious, concerted effort to try to understand the foreign words, with little pay-off for that effort.

Examples:

- Short jerky sentence structure. Like this. But worse. Sentences without verbs.
- Erratic pronouns. Or non existent ones. Sometimes you do not know who the pronouns in sentences are, if it is the character we started the paragraph with and who is the PoV for the scene, or if it is somebody else mentioned in paragraph (I think sometimes it´s one, sometimes the other). Particles also sometimes elided. "And now Rahal al Seth sat the Lion Throne". Uh?
- Sentences which just seem clumsy to me things like Ward-posts lined the road, simple charms to keep predators away and something else, a spell to hold the stones steady if the earth shook.. Or things like "Whatever native families had lived there were long gone. I do not think the native families were indeterminate or in infinite number? Whatever anyway.
- Personal pet peeve (it might very well be just me), some repetitiveness in the first lines of chapters. Chapter 2 "Isyllt and Adam crossed...", chapter 3 "Isyllt and Adam found...", chapter 4 "Isyllt woke...", chapter 6 "Isyllt and Adam returned..." . Later it changes to consistently Zirhin something, hopefully Zirhin develops a brain in the later parts of the series (I had some problem with the plot in bits of Zirhin´s PoV I made my way through).
- And last but not least, the total overdose of made up words (and concepts) with very little contextual information to allow us to remember what is the meaning or to keep track of what Sivahara, Selafaïn, or meliket refer to.

So, a few chapters and I do not care to keep reading. There is a story here almost surely, but the way that story is being told just put me off. Next.(less)

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Dec 22, 2011 Zoe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, print-books

This book started off so good, and all the way through, I was enjoying the complex plot split between 3 main POVs and one bit POV. But the final 50 pages are just awful, and the moment of denouement explaining one character's inconsistent behavior paints her as a pathetically weak character, despite her back story being that of a tough merc witch and a survivor of a genocide that wiped out her family's village.

What worked for me in this story at first because it was unique is revealed in the end...more This book started off so good, and all the way through, I was enjoying the complex plot split between 3 main POVs and one bit POV. But the final 50 pages are just awful, and the moment of denouement explaining one character's inconsistent behavior paints her as a pathetically weak character, despite her back story being that of a tough merc witch and a survivor of a genocide that wiped out her family's village.

What worked for me in this story at first because it was unique is revealed in the end as proof that all of the characters are bumblers. None of the characters are as skilled as the writer implies, so they all fail. I want to explain in excruciating detail why things that pleased me now infuriate me because the ending makes it clear that I was misreading the book. But I can't explain my irritation without spoiling the whole thing.

So I will just sum up that if a writer is going to present characters as tough and strong magic users, only to make them into pathetic NPC-like losers during their first encounter with a spirit, then they shouldn't give me a back story building up a tough character. There was a weak character who looked like she was learning strength from the main character, and I expected her to be possessed by a ghost because she was meek and pathetic, but slowly growing stronger. Instead it's the strong witch character who's the weakest of the three women. I find it sad that a woman who saw the world as a merc and fought for her independence comes home and abandons her partner of many years to join a racist hate group who murder people en masse for not agreeing with them. The excuse given for her acceptance wouldn't be so flimsy if she wasn't a powerful witch, if she was just a merc with no magic defenses. But she is a witch, and once I realized how weak she was being presented as, it started to rub on me in those final pages.

Also problematic was how the rest of the book divided POVs cleanly, and then in the final 50 pages, there's some instances of head hopping. A man who recently died is resurrected only seconds later and used as a body shield against rifles. But when the zombie is shot, the writer incorrectly says the blood is already congealing. Not with them only having been dead thirty seconds, I don't think so.

Then the second weakest female decides to commit the most pointless act of self-sacrifice I've ever seen, making a bargain that still kills lots of people, and doesn't prevent the other disaster from destroying the city. So this is a pointless, but "heroic" suicide, (which is supposedly what she's learned from the other women, that throwing her life away is a good thing) leading to a final chapter and epilogue so rotten, I had to fight not to throw the book even when I was down to the last pages.

I wanted this to be a book about courtesan spies thwarting a terrorist plot. Instead, it's a shit sandwich about three inept dumb-asses who show up in town in time to watch the racists blow up the city in their faces. I think what irritates me most of all is how well written the vast majority of the book is. The scenes are vividly described without being purple, and the fight scenes had been pretty intense. But in the last 50 pages, the quality of the writing plummets. NOTHING works right from that point forward. Even Isyllt, who had been a great character, turns into a walking stereotype. It's almost like a different person took over for those last pages, and they had no clue what they were doing. It makes me wonder if the writer had something else penned, and the editor or publisher forced this shit ending on them because it "made more sense" or something. Well in my not so humble opinion, the ending ruins the rest of the book.

I'm giving the book 3 stars for the quality of the writing, but my distaste with the ending is so strong that I'm severely tempted to give it 2. I would not recommend this book to anyone, because most people do not like bait and switch deceptions of this magnitude. The story promised a great adventure. It delivers the most unsatisfying high fantasy experience of this year.(less)

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Jun 27, 2012 Verity Brown rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Undemanding Fantasy Fans

I stumbled across the third book in this series on Amazon and thought it sounded really intriguing, but because I like to know what's going on in the overall story arc, it seemed like I should start with the first book. Good idea, right? Well, maybe not so much in this case.

This book has very few of the elements that usually serve to introduce a reader to a new "universe." In fact, as I was reading, I constantly felt as if I'd accidentally picked up the second or third novel in a series. A lot o...more

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May 12, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

I loved this book for the story, but I ADORED it for its characters. Strong, beleivable, well-fleshed-out female characters were included everywhere throughout the book, but never forced. The main character is a strong woman with a hard job and loyalties that are sometimes at odds with the choices she has to make. Usually, if a female character is "too skinny", it's a way to make them "unattractive" while still being super pretty. This one really IS too skinny-- she gets it from being too busy t...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Blood Rose Books rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book, in my opinion, is a mixture of fantasy and paranormal. For the fantasy part it takes place in a different world that Downum has create as well as some different types of creatures, and the paranormal part comes from the use of mages, witches, necromancers, ghost and spirits. I really enjoyed this book, I have not been the biggest fan of fantasy books in the past, but I find the more I ease myself into the genre the more I am enjoying it.

Isyllt Iskaldur is a necromancer and a spy who h...more This book, in my opinion, is a mixture of fantasy and paranormal. For the fantasy part it takes place in a different world that Downum has create as well as some different types of creatures, and the paranormal part comes from the use of mages, witches, necromancers, ghost and spirits. I really enjoyed this book, I have not been the biggest fan of fantasy books in the past, but I find the more I ease myself into the genre the more I am enjoying it.

Isyllt Iskaldur is a necromancer and a spy who has been sent to Symir, the drowning city, to help finance a revolution that is brewing within the city. The city is made up of outcast, pirates, smugglers and expatriates, but the city and surround area offers something that the Emperor seeks, he therefore, is unwilling to relinquish his hold over the city. Isyllt is sent to this city and mission alone, except for two mercenaries, Adam and Xinai, but she does not if she can trust them, as they are after all mercenaries. Once Isyllt is in the city she discovers that her mission will not be a as simple as it seems, the Emperor will not relinquish the city easily, there are two different revolutionary groups each with a different reason for wanting freedom from the crown and, neither of which is receptive to outsider out and Isyllt finds herself the center of attention, which is never a good place for a spy to be. Plus there is a strange man, Asheris, who she feels drawn to as his Heat counteracts her Cold, but she know that she shouldn’t trust him, but there is something about his Power, his Heat. But in this city of exiles you can trust no one, and one never really knows which path is the best one to take, but as the events unfold Isyllt is forced to make a decision between fulfilling her mission or saving the drowning city.

My first thoughts of the book were that it was slow. It took me a bit to get through the first part of the book, but I understand that Downum needed to set the stage of the world she was creating. It also did become a bit confusing with the different, yet all similar names of a few of the main characters, but that may have just been me. That said, I did like her writing style, it was quite descriptive, and she liked to use all the senses when describing something. I also like Isyllt as a character, for all her power over death and the dead; she does get weak if she uses too much power. She also was not the hardcore badass spy; there are times when she is frivolous about wearing a dress or numbing her pain so that she is able to wear shoes for dancing. There were also some different/new powers associated with necromancer, for example the ability to see the last event before an individual died, well as long as a person still had their eyes.... Additionally, the powerful Mages and Witches are associated with one of the elements or that of death, they did hint that there were mages that had the power of life as well but none of those were mentioned in this book. They also use Diamonds as a way to focus their power, or in the case of Isyllt the ability to trap ghost within her ring.

I know when I explain part of the book there is a bit of romance hinted there, but within the book that is all there is, a hint. This book is more of a political thriller book based in a fantasy and paranormal world.

All in all a Great New Start to the series, and I am excited and will read the next adventure in this series. This book is for you if you like paranormal or fantasy genre, defiantly an author to watch out for.

Enjoy!!!! (less)

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Jan 08, 2012 Alytha rated it 4 of 5 stars

The necromancer and spy Issylt Iskaldur and her bodyguards Adam and Xinai are sent from Selafai to the city of Symir to support the underground resistance of the native Sivahri people against the Assari who invaded them some time in the past. (the reasons behind this are not all that noble though, but serve mainly to keep the Assari empire from becoming strong enough to attack Selafai. Symir is a city built on many small islands in the delta of the river Mir, and in the shadow of the powerful vo...more The necromancer and spy Issylt Iskaldur and her bodyguards Adam and Xinai are sent from Selafai to the city of Symir to support the underground resistance of the native Sivahri people against the Assari who invaded them some time in the past. (the reasons behind this are not all that noble though, but serve mainly to keep the Assari empire from becoming strong enough to attack Selafai. Symir is a city built on many small islands in the delta of the river Mir, and in the shadow of the powerful volcano Mount Haroun.

Once in the city, Issylt finds out that the resistance is split in two factions, the Jade Tigers, who try to solve things by talking first and use violence if necessary, and the Dai Thran (Hand of Freedom), who rather do it the other way round, and are supported by the ghosts of their dead members. The city is ruled by a council called the Khas Maram, composed of Assari and Sivahri members. (The latter are seen as traitors and collaborators by the resistance)

Issylt finds contacts to the Jade Tigers quickly enough, although she has to keep up appearances of being a foreign mage visiting the college of mages of Symir. There, she meets the enigmatic Asheris, who is an extremely powerful mage, ut also more than meets the eye, and to whom she feels a strange attraction, although he is technically her enemy. However, soon she is drawn into the atmosphere of violence and terrorism perpetuated in Symir by the Dai Thran, and forced to fight for her life.

Her bodyguard Xinai is overwhelmed by her past, as she is originally from Symir, and had to flee after her entire clan was brutally murdered by the Assari, because they were one of the main forces of the Dai Thran. When she meets some old friends, she decides to join them again and abandon Issylt. When Sivahri prisoners disappear without a trace, and more and more shipments of diamonds, used to bind ghosts and spirits, appear in the city, she is despatched up the mountain to find out where the stones come from, and finds a mine, worked by Sivahri slaves.

In order to destroy it, the Dai Thran come up with a plan so terrible that political alliances have to be reconsidered...

I quite liked this book. I found a sample chapter in the back of the latest of Kate Griffin's Matthew Swift novels, and it looked quite interesting. The world-building is well done and interesting, depicting a world where magic, ghosts and spirits are everyday, and mages both respected and feared (or, for necromancers, mostly feared). The city itself feels alive and vibrant with the different peoples intermingling, and the political complications. The protagonist Issylt is quite well done too, although she suffers from the usual mage-protagonist syndrom, and like Harry Dresden and Matthew Swift, she is wrecked mentally and physically in the course of the story, goes without sleep and food for days, and looses most of her stuff in unfortunate circumstances. But they're mages, so I guess they can take it.

There is a bit of a love-story, but it's not too bad and doesn't have much influence on the plot, which is strictly political with magic thrown in. The characters are in general well-drawn and have an reason to do what they do, which is especially nice in order to be able to understand the Dai Thran. Although they are of course zealots and not entirely innocent in relation to what the Khas throws at them, they do have certain points in their favour. On the other hand, the Assari don't appear as that horrible in terms of conquerors. At least, they allow joint rule of the city, and don't seem to treat the Sivahri all that badly in general. Which is not an excuse for everything, of course.

One small nitpick: the book could have used one of ye olde fantasy info-dumps. It feels as if the first 100 pages were just cut away, and you are dumped straight into a city where you don't know the language, history culture or politics. You figure most of it out in the course of the novel, but the beginning is a bit frustrating. The complex political setting would have benefittef from some explanations at the beginning to have more impact on the reader. A lot of foreign vocabulary is shown without any kind of explanation, and in some cases it takes a while until you find out what it means from the context.

All in all, 7.5/10. I have an enormous unread books pile at the moment, but I think I'll get back to this series at some point.(less)

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Nov 04, 2011 E.C. Ambrose rated it 3 of 5 stars

A promising work, that fell sadly flat.

I'm always excited to see fantasy works with unusual settings and characters, so this is the first from my World Fantasy Conference bag that I jumped into. Indeed, the setting is lush: a delta city reminiscent of Venice, but thick with magic, strange gods and creatures. I enjoyed the magical enclave, the rituals and superstitions surrounding ghosts, and a lot of the magical action. Hence the three-star rating.

However, the book did not work for me for two re...more A promising work, that fell sadly flat.

I'm always excited to see fantasy works with unusual settings and characters, so this is the first from my World Fantasy Conference bag that I jumped into. Indeed, the setting is lush: a delta city reminiscent of Venice, but thick with magic, strange gods and creatures. I enjoyed the magical enclave, the rituals and superstitions surrounding ghosts, and a lot of the magical action. Hence the three-star rating.

However, the book did not work for me for two reasons, one significant, and one which, on the face of it, will seem that I am picking nits.

First, the significant issue: I was never invested in these characters or their world. I think fantasy writers, especially given the enduring popularity of the genre, underestimate how much it takes to get the reader to care about the future of a nation that doesn't exist. Generally, it's accomplished in two ways, by creating a beautiful and multi-faceted environment the reader gets immersed in, and creating characters the reader believes in to travel through that place.

Downum is mostly successful at imagining her world, but less so at realizing it. The level of technology shifts as the book goes forward. As you know,I'm keen on the appropriate use of tech in fantasy, and I have no problem with a period use of guns and running water. However, these innovations are introduced rather late in Downum's narrative, and never in a way consistent with the society she's made. So I am immediately kicked out of the story by mention of guns and faucets. One easy solution would have been to place a gun instead of a sword on the belt of her bodyguard in the first scene.

I think this is a failure of imagination on the author's part. The work suffers greatly from a contemporary mindset. She uses modern itmes when they became convenient, without considering their reality in the fabric of the world she wants to create. Case in point would be the police station scene: a waiting room full of weary people, drinking stale tea and complaining to the desk sargent--I mean, the guard on duty. . .This is a cliche in the modern police novel. Why introduce it into a fantasy world? Unless for ironic purpose. But the bottom line is, I don't think the author did it on purpose. It just didn't occur to her to imagine a more interesting and culture-appropriate place.

As a result, I didn't really buy into the city that the characters are trying to save. Which places more weight upon the characters themselves to carry my sympathy forward in the book. And that didn't happen. Again, while I am told that Isyllt is a necromancer, that power does not pervade her being or her presence in the story. It takes a long time before anyone reacts to her because of her talent. She comes across as a bit blank. Lovely, and somewhat naive. Her "spying" is obvious, straightforward and easily accomplished. I found Xinai and Zhirin to be more interesting characters, but the unique perspectives they might have offered are blunted.

Which leads me to the nit. One of the panels at World Fantasy was about Ursula LeGuin's famous essay "From Elfland to Poughkipsee," about the use of language in the fantasy novel. I would be the last to argue that a fantasy should take place in some high-falutin' tone. However, neither should it be rife with contemporary metaphors, slang and usage that is not consistent with the characters and setting the author wishes to portray. This work is packed with such inconsistent language. However, a single example underscores countless others. On p. 347, Isyllt, whom I am expected to believe is a necromancer and spy in a south-Asian feeling secondary fantasy world actually says: "Close enough for government work." 'nuff said.
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Oct 31, 2011 Elsiekate rated it 4 of 5 stars

as with my little contretemps with the berg books, reading the second book first does give me a few hints about some things that will happen in this book, but it doesn't ruin the book at all. the first book is very different in several ways from the second. oddly, i think i liked the first book better than the second, except for the absence of the interesting gender stuff that caused the second book to get shortlisted for the tiptree. why? no vampires. the vampires weren't dreadful, as i indicat...more

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May 23, 2011 Jay rated it 4 of 5 stars

I started this book with incredibly low expectations and only a little bit of curiosity spurring me on; I finished with that incredible feeling of stepping off a roller coaster. Downum's writing style appealed instantly to me: her sensory imagery is fantastic, particularly the care with which she describes tastes and scents. The setting was lush and vivid, and the strong female characters appealing and engaging. The only thing I can mark it slightly down for is the constant POV-changes between c...more

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May 03, 2011 Besha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

I don’t often have a sense of loss after finishing fiction—I shelve the world and move on to another. After reading this and its sequel I wandered around with the unsettling feeling that some large and well-written component of my life had disappeared.

The magic is complex and well-thought-out, the politics are dense and entertaining, and the cultures are analogous to the real world but dissimilar enough that it doesn’t feel lazy. Some surprising subcultures and customs make appearances, most not...more

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Jan 01, 2011 Yolanda Sfetsos rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This is the first book of The Necromancer Chronicles. When this cover first caught my eye, I decided to read a little more about the story. And once I found out the main character was a necromancer, I just had to read it.

The story is set in the city of Symir and features Isyllt Iskaldur, a necromancer and spy sent on a secret mission to find and finance the revolutionaries. But as soon as she gets to Symir things start to happen. Bad things. So much that the book is told in three different point...more This is the first book of The Necromancer Chronicles. When this cover first caught my eye, I decided to read a little more about the story. And once I found out the main character was a necromancer, I just had to read it.

The story is set in the city of Symir and features Isyllt Iskaldur, a necromancer and spy sent on a secret mission to find and finance the revolutionaries. But as soon as she gets to Symir things start to happen. Bad things. So much that the book is told in three different points of view -- Isyllt, Zhirin and Xinai -- to get the full scope of what's going on. Zhirin is a young apprentice caught up in the revolution. Xinai is a mercenary sent to help Isyllt, but she gets caught up on the wrong side because she's a native.

I really enjoyed the exotic and often dark locale and could literally see, taste, and feel every detail because of Amanda Downum's wonderful narrative. Her voice is crisp, different for each of the women, and so vivid that I felt like I was temporarily transported to this beautiful, yet dangerous and unstable location. It sounded so lovely, yet volatile, with a live river, angry but contained volcano, and sticky jungle. The attention to detail was amazing, and the separate stories weaved in and around each other so well that when I got to the end, everything fit in and was tied together perfectly.

Of course, the destiny of Isyllt, Zhirin, and Xinai take them to different and even sad places. The three of them suffer immense heartache, physical pain, and betrayal along the way, and aren't all on the same side either. But each woman's journey was honest, raw and true. I loved this book!

There are so many things that could've gone wrong in this book -- competing narrators, confusing loyalties, intricate politics, huge idea without substance, strange names jarring the story, too much mythology involving ghosts, spirits, and water creatures... but you know what? That didn't happen. Everything made sense. Everything clicked together to form a terrific, complex story that I enjoyed so much I know I'll be thinking about it for weeks to come. It's a fantasy that breaks into a new barrier.

The Drowning City is an amazing, interesting and very well written story that blends a variety of weird and wonderful creatures. It's what a fantasy book should be: riveting, ambitious, and succesful in it's delivery and execution. The main characters are deep, and so is the supporting cast. I can't wait to read the next one.

I've been seduced by this world, and I'm looking forward to visiting again. Only this time, it'll be in a different city.
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Dec 21, 2010 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fantasy-high

This is quite possibly the best piece of original high fantasy I've read in...just about forever. Rich, detailed worldbuilding, an intricate plot, characters with complex motivations, and, rarest of all in fantasy literature, more strong, capable women than you can shake a stick at. The only downside I could really see is that there are so many characters that it was hard to keep track of them at first. I think I'll want to reread the book so I have a better grasp of who's doing what at the begi...more

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Dec 03, 2010 Jacqie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a curious book, in that the setting was both well-fleshed out and hard to picture at the same time. We're in a fantasy version of Asia (east or west Asia is hard to tell) and the setting seems exotic, yet it never really sank into my head. The way the characters looked never really sunk in either and neither did the characters themselves. More introspection and less scattered POV might have helped this problem. Also, I don't think there was a need to throw out foreign words for "mother"...more

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Apr 09, 2010 notyourmonkey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-read, fantasy, kindle

Two things make this book for me: 1) interesting worldbuilding and 2) oh my god the female characters. They're everywhere! Doing everything! With, like, complexity! And depth! And differing motivations!

In fact, I think this book fails the reverse Bechdel test (I don't think there are two male characters who have conversations about anything other than the women in this book), and I find the change so unexpected and delightful, I'm beside myself.

Extra bonus of all the women but one (who is the m...more

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Dec 06, 2009 Orrin Grey rated it 4 of 5 stars

I don't read much secondary-world fantasy anymore, even though it's what I cut my teeth on pretty much. There are a lot of reasons, but suffice it to say that most of it isn't for me.

This proved an exception to that maxim. Usually, when people say of a novel that they "loved the world-building," that usually turns me off, but in this case the setting was so well-realized and brought to life so subtly that it really was one of the best parts of the book. I had a few problems keeping names straigh...more

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Dec 06, 2009 Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The Drowning City is a book with a terrific premise and marvelous world-building, and a promising start to a new fantasy series. I was particularly pleased to encounter a fantasy with an Asian flavor rather than the tired old pseudo-European feel; Downum lived in Southeast Asia for many years, and this experience no doubt brings an authenticity to the setting. Isyllt Iskaldur is a necromancer and a spy, who was sent to the city of Symir to stir up political unrest. Symir is in the land of Sivahr...more The Drowning City is a book with a terrific premise and marvelous world-building, and a promising start to a new fantasy series. I was particularly pleased to encounter a fantasy with an Asian flavor rather than the tired old pseudo-European feel; Downum lived in Southeast Asia for many years, and this experience no doubt brings an authenticity to the setting. Isyllt Iskaldur is a necromancer and a spy, who was sent to the city of Symir to stir up political unrest. Symir is in the land of Sivahra, which is under the control of the Assari Empire; the empire is also rumored to be turning its attentions towards Selafai, Isyllt's home. But Symir is full of revolutionaries, and it shouldn't take much for Isyllt to fan the flames. Yet nothing is ever that simple, when the dead themselves get involved, and the waters begin to rise. . .

It's really difficult to explain why this book didn't score higher for me than it does. It's a high three, possibly even a three and a half, if they existed, but I just can't go higher than that with a book that kept me interested but not emotionally engaged. I liked the characters, and I wanted to know what would happen to them, but I wasn't compulsively turning the pages. Part of that was the fact I spent the first 75-100 pages or so just trying to figure out what was going on. There is a map in the front of the book, but it's really the wrong one, if you ask me; the action takes place in only a tiny portion of it! I'd have liked a smaller one focused on Symir and its neighbors. Another source of confusion was the multiplicity of nationalities, tribal identities, and political affiliations the different characters had, though that was also partly what made the setting so rich. If there were any way for the author to include a non-spoilery glossary at the back of the book, that might have helped me to keep them straight.

Another factor that might have kept me from being fully engaged in this book from the beginning was the focus on Isyllt and her objective of stirring up unrest. I liked Isyllt; her magic was fascinating and her demeanor elegant, and I really enjoyed the chemistry she had with the mysterious Asheris. However, I found it difficult to care whether she succeeded in causing the necessary political unrest (and for the longest time, it really seemed more like she witnessed it than contributed to it), because she did not live in Symir or under Assari control. This might have worked better if we had actually seen Isyllt in Selafai and known what she was hoping to protect. Instead, she seemed a bit distant from what was going on, able to watch the various factions in Symir slugging it out with no more than the usual human concern that there not be too much bloodshed.

On the other hand, there are two viewpoint characters besides Isyllt who have a vested interest in the factionalism of Symir: Zhirin, an apprentice with the mages at the Kurun Tam, and Xinai, one of Isyllt's bodyguards, who has been away from Sivahra for many years but was born there. Zhirin is quite young and has become involved with a leader of one of the more peaceful revolutionary groups; Xinai is returning to her tribe after many years away, and wants freedom at any cost. The contrasts between Zhirin and Xinai, and between the two of them and Isyllt respectively, are quite interesting to read; of the three women, I think I found Zhirin the most compelling (hint: she turns out to have a magic that's really cool).

The Drowning City has a lot going for it, despite its problems. The system of magic is very interesting, as are many of the Sivahri tribal customs and beliefs. I like political intrigue, and The Drowning City has plenty of it, even if it does feel a bit tangly in spots. It's nice not only to have strong female protagonists, but a variety of them, with diverse backstories and abilities. I am definitely interested in the next book of the series, and looking forward to learning more about Isyllt and her world.(less)

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Jun 01, 2011 Eh?Eh! rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: rbrs, babble-added

Pre-RBRS #12

This is a serviceable fantasy. There was nothing I can point to that was awful or wrong, but it was just...plain. If I'd read it a few years back, I probably would've liked it quite a bit. I'm just not wild about multi-volume epics just because they're multi-volume epics anymore.

The author renames cultures for her world, mostly Filipinos and Egyptians, but there were also Romans and I think Russians (maybe that one popped up in the 2nd book?). I can't remember the new names so I'll u...more Pre-RBRS #12

This is a serviceable fantasy. There was nothing I can point to that was awful or wrong, but it was just...plain. If I'd read it a few years back, I probably would've liked it quite a bit. I'm just not wild about multi-volume epics just because they're multi-volume epics anymore.

The author renames cultures for her world, mostly Filipinos and Egyptians, but there were also Romans and I think Russians (maybe that one popped up in the 2nd book?). I can't remember the new names so I'll use the old ones. A Roman necromancer comes to the Egyptian-conquered Filipino empire in order to stir up rebellion. See, the Romans feared indications of the Egyptians' continuing empire-building turning towards them, and thought to pre-emtively halt these expansionist plans before they're acted upon. The necromancer, her name is Isyllt, is accompanied by a pair of bodyguards, a native American tank of a man and his Filipino co-warrior. They meet a half-breed magic student who has what becomes an important connection to the river and another mage who is more than he seems. The Filipino warrior abandons her charge to join the rebellion. There is a nearby volcano.

Downum does explore patriotism with her rival rebel groups, one pursuing economic disruption and the other using violence against foreigners and collaborators. Is the connection to the land more important than family? Is it a betrayal to make the best of the situation, instead of fighting and dying? Also just about all her strong characters (strong in will, strong in power, not too strongly described) are women. There were quite a few different combinations of mother-daughter conflict.

I thought many, most, of the revelations were too convenient, someone coming in with an overheard remark or vital piece of info just in time. It took quite a while for things to unfold, which could've been compressed with writing (as in, not chewing over every movement but using transitions such as "and then" or "a few hours later"). Isyllt was injured more and more for most of the last half of the book, and it was wearying to read of another burn on her already slashed arm with the stabbed hand.

Ah, I forgot about the necromancy. There are a bunch of rules of what can and can't be done with that power. It just didn't glow. I don't know that it was because of the author's style, but it felt as mundane as pulling out a hammer to nail something down instead of awe-inspiring, despite everyone turning white with fear when they realized what Isyllt could do. I think it's me.

It was an okay book. I hear the next one is much better.(less)

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Mar 01, 2013 Niki Hawkes rated it 2 of 5 stars

Via www.nikihawkes.com/2013/03/01/your-pi...

I tried… I really did.

I made it 3/4 of the way through, but just couldn’t bring myself to finish this one. It probably didn’t help matters that every other book I picked up this month was truly fantastic. Authors like Richelle Mead, R.A. Salvatore, Veronica Roth, and Kim Harrison to name a few. So a book would really have to shine to keep my attention with so many other heavy hitters on my reading list.

It wasn’t a horrible read, by any means, and under...more

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Mar 04, 2011 Margot rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, fantasy, paranormal

In the coastal city of Symir, overshadowed by a volcano kept at bay by magery, the necromancer and spy Isyllt Iskaldur arrives to stir up open rebellion against the Empire of Assar within the already growing murmurs of political unrest.

Despite demons, necromancers, and a wonderfully actualized setting, I had to give The Drowning City a lot of leeway before the plot picked up. I think the first exciting scene didn't take place until almost halfway through the book. The weak characterization also...more

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Dec 26, 2011 Chani rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-worth-finishing

This book felt all over the place. First off, there were just too many characters, too many main ones, and too many side/random ones. The names were really confusing and felt too similar. The other issue with names for me was the discontinuity; sometimes they were referred to by their last name, and other times, by their first. With so many foreign and also clan-based names using the same base, I could not keep up with who was who. Same with the plot/action. I don't know if I just missed some im...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Jackie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: didn-t-finish

I'm not unintelligent. I have a BSc and an MSc but I found this book just too much for me. The many characters with similar names , the frequent changes of POV, and the way in which the the author seems to assume a level of knowledge about the world all combined to make me give up half way through.
It's a shame because the writer has a way with words and the world she has constructed is a fascinating one, but there was just nothing in the description of the main protagonists that made them stand...more

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Dec 07, 2010 Susan rated it 2 of 5 stars

The reason why I gave it two stars was because I found Amanda Downum's style of writing to be a bit confusing. It's been a long time since I've had to do so much re-reading. Even with the provided map, I found it hard to place characters and places. At one point, I was positive the "Khas" was a country.. but then later thought it was an ethnic group.. but then got the impression that it was a city or fortress? I definitely think Downum could have better described characters and places better. Al...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Nathan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-female, high-fantasy, rated-3-star, read-2013, wwe-2013-challenge

Fantasy Review Barn

Three people aboard a trade ship enter the city of Symir. The purpose of their journey is not benign; finding and funding the terrorist organizations that could take down the city. Isyllt is a necromancer from the north looking to slow Symir’s expansionist ways. She is joined by two body guards, Adam and Xinai, the latter being a native with very bad memories of the city. Even early on she realizes the horror of what she is working for, for success will mean death of innocents...more Fantasy Review Barn

Three people aboard a trade ship enter the city of Symir. The purpose of their journey is not benign; finding and funding the terrorist organizations that could take down the city. Isyllt is a necromancer from the north looking to slow Symir’s expansionist ways. She is joined by two body guards, Adam and Xinai, the latter being a native with very bad memories of the city. Even early on she realizes the horror of what she is working for, for success will mean death of innocents and even friends.

The author admits the plight of New Orleans after Katrina to be a heavy influence for Symir; the city is under constant threat of flooding, as well as under the shadow of an active volcano. Both are kept in check through judicious magic warding. Isyllt arrives for the start of monsoon season as well, upping the danger. It adds an interesting dynamic to the city, and the constant threat of natural disaster isn’t something I have experienced in my own fantasy reading all that often.

They city itself provides the backbone of the book, and the entire story stays focused within or around Symir. I loved the city’s life; despite the constant threats it was obvious that for most people life did not revolve around the main characters but rather had a life of its own. It sounds strange, but so often it seems the main characters of stories create a black hole the rest of the world falls into, and I really enjoy that the author avoided this. By focusing on the one city we are left not knowing much about the rest of the world, but who cares? The city is what matters, and by sticking with Symir the book avoids the trap of bloat.

There are a few other things I felt were done well. The dueling rebel groups had different means to their ends, but neither were obviously the good guys. While Isyllt is revolted by the extreme measures one group takes (including a suicide bombing), she knows that here ultimate goal could lead to just as much death. Because of the ambiguity of just who is in the right there were great dynamics. Were the occupiers evil? Sure they did some horrible things (secretly forcing political prisoners to do hard labor), but also allowed the natives a voice in government. However working with the occupiers leaves people labeled as collaborators, and possibly a target for the groups working to free the city. Even Isyllt is caught in a strange place, at one point helping the person who could bring down her entire plan in the investigation of an attack like she is supposed to be supporting.

The magic was yet another strength; mostly because it was also subtly done. Not in lack of visibility, but rather in how it is explained. Just enough context is given to show the capabilities of various mages, but it is never over-explained to the point where it stops feeling like magic. It is diverse and fairly common, but with some very real limitations. Much of it is based around death, and ghosts are very real and often involved in all the plotting. There was one major character whose power ended up feeling a bit strong for the set up, but other than that instance it left me satisfied.

Not a perfect book, despite its many strengths. The ease with which Isyllt finds the groups she is looking for is a bit hard to believe. Some minor romance angles fell flat in my eyes, I just never bought into them. I also never really felt much life in the characters outside of Isyllt. In many ways the city they were living in out shined everyone else, a few times I had to back track to remember why this characters or that was even important.

3 ½ stars. I enjoyed it, but I can’t see it leaving a lasting impression on me.
(less)

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Sep 28, 2009 Stephen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I forgot exactly how I first came across _The Drowning City_ by Amanda Downum, but I’m sure it was from browsing online rather than in a brick & mortar bookstore. I might have been checking out Orbit’s (the publisher) website. Either way, the cover art was attractive, and what immediately grabbed me was that it promised an Eastern setting. No offense to the 90% of fantasy that isn’t of the urban subgenre, but I tire of stories taking place in medieval Europe (no offense to Europe either). Th...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Faby rated it 2 of 5 stars

ok , i kind liked bud not that much is kind of slow, and has to many things bud she let go so many more, there was a point in the books that i sad..OK WHAT WAS HER MISSION AGAIN?? and then she is like is over we are going back and i was like ..QUE? QUE? WHAT??? , then all the magic , and all the differences things they have no explanation , at least not one complete, like why she is what she and stuff like that, where did adam an xinai relationship star, or kind like were they meet , i dont know...more

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Jun 17, 2011 Kaia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: heroines-with-spines, heroines-without-spines

I've seen some authors complain when reviewers use the phrase "I really wanted to love this". Surely, they insist, you want to love every book you read. ~~They obviously don't know my Goodreads friends.~~ I think they're missing the point.

There's a difference between picking up a book, reading the blurb, and figuring you should enjoy it, and encountering a book that has elements that make you really wish you could love it. For me, The Drowning City was the latter. I wanted to love it with all my hea...more I've seen some authors complain when reviewers use the phrase "I really wanted to love this". Surely, they insist, you want to love every book you read. ~~They obviously don't know my Goodreads friends.~~ I think they're missing the point.

There's a difference between picking up a book, reading the blurb, and figuring you should enjoy it, and encountering a book that has elements that make you really wish you could love it. For me, The Drowning City was the latter. I wanted to love it with all my heart, because it's not a white, straight male-centric, gutless pseudo-Europe crapsack book.

I wanted to love it because the world building is lovely. Symir blends shades of Asia and Egypt, with much of its own unique flavor. When the characters first arrived in Symir, I was reminded of the first time I reached Kurast (a jungle city) while playing Diablo 2. Of course, Symir is not a ruin like Kurast, but it evoked the same sense of the eerie and exotic. It's a world inhabited by spirits and dark, ancient magic, and it really feels that way. Yet it manages this without being as dark and heavy as so many books are today.

I also wanted to love it because the prose is strong. I'm sure a lot of readers will find it plain, but that's because one of Downum's strengths is her subtlety. She doesn't throw lots of poetry or lyricism in your face, doesn't flower up her metaphors, yet her work is still deliciously evocative in very subtle ways. Many writers stick to visual feedback only, whereas Downum used all five senses to advantage. I could taste and smell the brininess and dampness of Symir. Also, her prose is quick and easy to read, and unlike so much high fantasy these days, the book is not 300-500 pages longer than it needs to be.

Unfortunately, when it comes to story and characters, The Drowning City lacks strength. It's told from three third person points of view, none of which begin with any sort of distinction to them. Zhirin develops the most and is far and away my favorite character. Xinai's storyline is painfully predictable. And Isyllt is uninteresting and bland. The blurb talks about the intrigues she uncovers, but mainly Isyllt hangs around being a very unscary necromancer and being freaked about being assassinated, while everyone else uncovers what's going on. Considering how many strong women there are in the book, it's baffling that Isllyt is at best a reactive character, but largely a passive (and occasionally a bit stupid) one. Downum admits in an interview that Isyllt is an old favorite revived from another project, and that's a dangerous proposition. You risk having a character that is a much better concept in your head and your affections than on paper.

Strangely, there were a couple of secondary male characters that I would have loved to read the points of view of, because they managed to be intriguing and well-developed despite their smaller rolls.

The story is problematic too. I wouldn't mind the simplicity of it, but it could often be hard to follow what was going on. Sometimes it was because details would get lost in the dullness of Isyllt's voice, and I'd forget them. Downum doesn't keep hammering you over the head with details, which wasn't always an advantage. As well, scenes would jump from one to the next so quickly at times that I couldn't process what had happened in one scene before moving on to the next. It was nice not to be bogged down in the traditional high fantasy 100+ page final battle, but in other places it just left me confused.

I have the second book, The Bone Palace, already. Despite some weaknesses, The Drowning City filled me with hope for the kind of writer Amanda Downum could become.(less)

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Jan 02, 2012 WillowBe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-heroines-journey

It was a bit of a rough start, but I liked it quite a bit by the end. I preferred this world to Selefai, with it's dreariness and cold. I found Zhirin's journey the most interesting- in the end, she was the most powerful mge of all of them. Her particular magic was very intriguing, andI wish there could have been more talk about using a comb as a catalyst for magic. Really different, though I have hear of such before. I was glad that I found this book misfiled at my local library, as I think thi...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Mischa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Reading the blurb, it sounded like it had much going for it - it sounded like "The Book" I have been waiting for, with so many aspects of adventure and fantasy that I love but have eagerly awaited to be used in one story and to their full potential.
Ultimately, it fell flat. It wasn't as dynamic as I had anticipated. Characters merged together or weren't properly defined.
The world was an interesting one, but I was constantly having to check references to the world to see if they had already be ex...more

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