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The Dark City (Relic Master #1)

3.65 of 5 stars 3.65 · rating details · 858 ratings · 193 reviews

Welcome to Anara, a world mysteriously crumbling to devastation, where nothing is what it seems: Ancient relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are hunted by the governing Watch yet revered by the people, and the great energy that connects all seems to also be destroying all. The only hope for the world lies in Galen, a man of the old Order a...more

Hardcover, 374 pages

Published 2011 by Dial Books (first published August 6th 1998)

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Jun 14, 2011 Cinnamon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teensreadtoo, arc, series, young-adult, fantasy, magicians, reviewed, 3-fairly-intriguing, 2011

This review may also be found on A Thousand Little Pages.

Relic Master Galen Harn and his apprentice Raffi know that all is not well the moment they set foot in the settlement that had boldly requested their help a few days before. Drawn by curiosity and the possibility of discovering a relic, the pair nevertheless decides to venture into the castle-like fortress that is the settlement’s stronghold and soon come to regret the decision. After an unpleasant meeting with the leader Alberic, Galen an...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Mike rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Basic outline:

A young man and his crippled mentor in a post Apocalyptic world are part of the once great organization known as the Order, dedicated to preserving lost knowledge and keeping artifacts of the Makers safe. Several decades past, the Watch set out on a systematic destruction of the Order, leaving them broken and scattered. Lured out of their refuge by tales of a newly uncovered artifact, they embark on a classic Hero's Journey narrative.

Things I liked about this book:

- Several clever...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Jamie Rechwald added it

Have you ever thought that there was magic out in the world and that only some people can summon this power. Well this book The Dark City By Catherine Fisher brings to life a world just like that. If you are older than 13 and like Harry Potter than you will love this book.

This book is about many things but the main idea would be that the Order needs to become stronger again and defeat the Watch. The main characters, Raffi, and Galen are trying to get to Tasceron, which is the old home of the Or...more

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May 03, 2012 Jeanbooknerd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

The one thing that stands out with every Catherine Fisher books is the uniqueness of the worlds she creates. In Relic Master: The Dark City, Galen and his scholar, sixteen-year-old Raphael (Raffi), trek across the world of Anora searching for items of power called relics. Raffi is being apprenticed by Galen and has been learning sorcery. When a relic exploded, it left Galen with no power. Now they must look for a rumored relic that will cure Galen. In the process, they come across troubles and a...more

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Nov 01, 2011 Maureen E rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, scifi, young-adult

Opening: "The seven moons were all in the sky at once."

First of all--the main twist of this book? I totally called it! At one point I was suspicious and shortly after that I became convinced and then my conviction paid off. I think it's essentially a function of having read so much of a certain genre--I'm not sure I would have caught it as a younger reader. And it certainly didn't spoil the book for me, as I had to wait to nearly the end to have my suspicion confirmed.

I've read Incarceron, Sapp...more Opening: "The seven moons were all in the sky at once."

First of all--the main twist of this book? I totally called it! At one point I was suspicious and shortly after that I became convinced and then my conviction paid off. I think it's essentially a function of having read so much of a certain genre--I'm not sure I would have caught it as a younger reader. And it certainly didn't spoil the book for me, as I had to wait to nearly the end to have my suspicion confirmed.

I've read Incarceron, Sapphique, and now The Dark City. All three have this sense of a world gone wrong. With Incarceron and Sapphique, it's the Era having crystalized into something static and impossible. With The Dark City, it's the fall of the Relic Masters' Order and the city of Tasceron (I loved how the fall of the city was dealt with--somehow longing for the lost perfect place always catches me). While this kind of setting isn't unique, Fisher does it deftly and I found Galen, Raffi and Carys's world even more believable than Incarceron and the Era, which sometimes slipped perilously close to allegory.

Fisher's pace clipped right along here, making the book a fast read. In addition, there are a number of--for lack of a better term--filler pages, with each of the sections given their own title page, and with each chapter prefaced by a quote from a source in the world of the books. I liked the quotes, but did think they could have been set at the top of each chapter, rather than given their own page.

Although the plotting is brisk, I didn't necessarily feel like there was a conflict between plot and character development. Instead, characters tended to have deep thoughts while doing something. Somehow, Fisher managed to avoid the trap of the long internal monologue while all around the character everyone else is fighting. While I often prefer thoughtful over action-filled, it's nice to have a fun adventure too. I'll be reading the rest of the series, and hoping it holds up to the promise of the first book.

Book source: public library
Book information: Dial (Penguin), 2011 [US date--1998 in the UK]; YA(less)

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Oct 25, 2011 Stacey O'Neale rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review was completed by Amanda Harbin, staff reviewer with the YA Fantasy Guide.

Relic Master is a fun and easy to read adventure story. The main characters are reminiscent of the Harry Potter series in the sense that the story follows a boy and his older mentor. Like the Harry Potter series this book is accessible to both boys and girls! Don’t be misled the similarities to the Harry Potter series do not go much further. The story is simple and easy to follow, but also very engaging. The cha...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-literature

This story has some small echoes of Incarceron in it, but it is still an original story with an interesting plot. Relic Masters are being hunted down by the Watch and the world is in turmoil. Relic Masters seem to have magic and can help control the devices that are found that belong to the Masters, the creators of the world. These devices are using technology driven but that art has been lost so only relics remain. The Watch is determined to destroy anything that has do with the Masters. Raffi...more

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Sep 04, 2011 Aaron rated it 3 of 5 stars

Fantasy meets dystopia in this first volume of the new Relic Master series by Catherine Fisher. She has has been getting the attention of upper-elementary and middle school aged kids with her writings for some time. And this story is not going to disappoint them.

Galen Harn is one of the few Relic Masters still around. The masters are an order that has specialized in hunting down the ancient technologies that used to help society rung before some major event forced culture back to a medieval stat...more Fantasy meets dystopia in this first volume of the new Relic Master series by Catherine Fisher. She has has been getting the attention of upper-elementary and middle school aged kids with her writings for some time. And this story is not going to disappoint them.

Galen Harn is one of the few Relic Masters still around. The masters are an order that has specialized in hunting down the ancient technologies that used to help society rung before some major event forced culture back to a medieval state. On the other side is the Watch, which has the goal of destroying all of the relics and the Relic Masters as well. Besides trying to preserve the powers of the past, the masters seem to have magical/psychic powers that the Watch explains as just being illusions.

Galen has taken on an apprentice in the form of Raffi, a teenager troubled by the state of the order and the world. They are captured by a local warlord who sends them on a journey to recover one of the old relics. Along the way, Galen, who has lost his powers, and Raffi start to hear rumors about the Crow. The Crow has taken on mythical proportions in people's beliefs. He was one of the founding fathers of the post-apocalyptic culture.

The two masters also have no idea that they have someone accompanying them on their trek. Carys, a Watch agent, is one of the mysterious Sekoi, a race of cat-like beings. She starts off following Galen, who she recognizes as a Relic Master, with the hopes of capturing him and his apprentice only to find that things are not as simple as she was raised to believe.

This is an interesting dystopian tale that stands out as unique in a time where dystopian novels are flush and popular. Some of this is because of the fantasy elements. In a way, it brings about a feeling of the old Mad Max novels, Conan, or even some of the scenes on Mars in Total Recall. I really liked the plotline itself, and the characters are definitely intriguing.

With that said, I found the book to be overly long. I really do think that this is one of those cases where the whole series could have been told in one volume. I did want to keep reading to see where the story was going to go, but I felt that it seemed to go nowhere fast. I have not decided whether I will try and trudge my way through the next book, The Lost Heiress. I would like to see how things are going to play out, but a part of me would prefer a Cliffs Notes version.(less)

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Jul 22, 2011 Dorine White rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love magic and mayhem. YA fantasy novel, Relic Master- The Dark City by Catherine Fisher has both. This 376 page book, published by Dial, is the first in a four part series. And the really cool thing, all 4 books come out this summer. #1 The Dark City- May 17, 2011. #2 The Lost Heiress - June 14, 2011. #3 The Hidden Coronet - July 12, 2011 and #4 The Margrave- Aug. 9, 2011.

The Story- Anara is a strange world where members of the "Order" are being hunted to the death by the "Watch". Once a grou...more

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Jul 05, 2011 drey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, fantasy, ya

The Dark City is the first book in Catherine Fisher's new Relic Master series. It introduces you to Galen Harn (a Relic Master) and his scholar Raffael Morel--called Raffi; and follows their adventure as they search for missing relics in a kingdom where magic is suspicious and their Order is out of favor. This introduction happens pretty quickly, and the action flows almost immediately from that point. What else would you call it but action when they're trapped, stolen from, and then set to hunt...more

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May 22, 2011 Stephanie D. rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Dark City by Catherine Fisher is the first in a fast-paced epic fantasy series, Relic Master. There are plenty of satisfying action, suspense, and adventure in this first, but there promises to be much more in the coming installments, the rest of which are thankfully going to be released one month after another this summer: The Lost Heiress, The Hidden Coronet, The Margrave.

Fireseed storms, invisible islands, drowned forests in the middle of the ocean, and a beast-like tribe who lives above...more The Dark City by Catherine Fisher is the first in a fast-paced epic fantasy series, Relic Master. There are plenty of satisfying action, suspense, and adventure in this first, but there promises to be much more in the coming installments, the rest of which are thankfully going to be released one month after another this summer: The Lost Heiress, The Hidden Coronet, The Margrave.

Fireseed storms, invisible islands, drowned forests in the middle of the ocean, and a beast-like tribe who lives above the dark city’s rooftops. The world that Fisher has created is elaborate and convincing. However, there are little hints here and there that as different as Anara is, its cultural origins may not be so different from our own – The various mysterious relics described sound suspiciously like modern technological items of our time. I am very interested to see how this similarity is explored in the coming books, as Anara’s origin and history play an integral part in its troubled present and uncertain future.

"Galen stared at the bridge, his eyes deep and dark. 'There were men in the Order with great skills, boy. They knew the mightiest relics--handled them every day. The power of the Makers lingered in them. They knew strange things--things that have never been written, maybe even the secrets of the Makers themselves. An old man once told me that when the Makers departed the world, they left behind a certain book of their deeds wrapped in black cloth. Only one man knew the script it was written in. The knowledge was taught, from one Archleeper to the next, till Mardoc was betrayed. Maybe someone still knows it.'"

Additionally, Fisher starts each chapter with quotes and excerpts from Anara’s mythology and belief systems which give enticing hints of how this world came to be and the catastrophic events which led to its present state. What the relics truly mean are shrouded in mystery and superstition. By the end, even with a startling resolution to the narrative, I had more questions than I started out with, but I still cannot wait to get my hands on the subsequent chapters of the Relic Master.

The Dark City is the kind of book I loved as a kid, set in a rich world worth exploring and getting lost in and peopled with characters who I could see myself having adventures with. Galen, the gruff master beset by secret demons, and Raffi, the brave but uncertain apprentice make a likeable duo, but I loved the character of Carys – the tough girl of the streets with a torn conscience. I hope that Fisher follows her story in one of the subsequent books, as it by the end of the Dark City, trio part ways. Galen, Raffi, and Carys’s quest to enter the dark city of Tasceron to find answers is an exciting one, beset with perils and wonders.(less)

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May 22, 2011 Gail rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed Incarceron written by Catherine Fisher. When I saw this new book of hers, I couldn't wait to read it. The book was about a time when The Watch is trying to destroy people who used to be in control of the world and who were good. They had powers. A war broke out and many of the order were killed or died. The book starts with one of these men who used to have power in search of someone who can restore his powers since he lost his by touching an evil relic. His young apprentice has...more

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May 17, 2011 Freida rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the first of four books about the journeys of a Master of the outlawed Order, Galen, and his scholar, Raffi. This book is to be released in May of 2011, and unlike most series readers will not have to wait long for the others since they will be released, one in each of the following months, June, July, and August. I received an advance reader copy from the publisher, but I have to say that I will pre-order each of the next books so that I don’t miss one.

Galen has lost his abilities as...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Lily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Relic Master by Catherine Fisher
Reviewed by Moirae the Fates book reviews

Welcome to Anara, a world mysteriously crumbling to devastation, where nothing is what it seems: Ancient relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are hunted by the governing Watch yet revered by the people, and the great energy that connects all seems to also be destroying all. The only hope for the world lies in Galen, a man of the old Order and a Keeper of relics, and his sixteen-year-old appr...more

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Apr 01, 2011 Roxanne Hsu Feldman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, sci-fi, 6-8grade, 4-6grade

I found myself thoroughly engrossed in this tale of fantasy/scifi blend. Usually, I get annoyed by authors who mix magical elements in otherwise supposedly a science fiction world. It always seems to be a cop-out: when something cannot be sufficiently explained with scientific theories or technical knowledge, we just throw in some magical powers and voila, the story can move on. Fisher did something different here: she created a world of magical elements with a few technological gadgets thrown i...more

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Jul 12, 2011 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: alternating-pov, amazing-antagonist, female-pov, male-pov, fantasy, dystopian, witches

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I have always loved Catherine Fisher's writing. Every single one of her novels has the same amazing story telling. She has the story and begins each chapter with a quote from a text important to the world of the series, in this case Anara. Though it may seem a little irrelevant to the story, in the end, the quotes tell you more than enough to understand the dystopian worlds better.

The book starts off with Galen and his apprentice Raffi who are part of the now dead Order, an organization of those...more

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May 20, 2011 Jules rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, reviewed, sent-4-review

My review was initially posted on my blog: http://onebookshy.blogspot.com/2011/0...

I have to admit that the cover fascinated me and is initially what drew my attention to this book. I am really, really glad that it did. This is one of those books that will be read once and then read again and again. I can't wait to get my hands on the next three books in the series. I'm hooked!

This is the first book in the Relicmaster series. The most exciting part is that there will only be a four month wait to...more My review was initially posted on my blog: http://onebookshy.blogspot.com/2011/0...

I have to admit that the cover fascinated me and is initially what drew my attention to this book. I am really, really glad that it did. This is one of those books that will be read once and then read again and again. I can't wait to get my hands on the next three books in the series. I'm hooked!

This is the first book in the Relicmaster series. The most exciting part is that there will only be a four month wait to have all four books in your possession. In a smart and unusual marketing campaign, Dial Books is issuing a book each month - May through August. I love reading series but as I've said before, I HATE the wait between books. I can handle a nice orderly progression like this! I will be marking the release dates on the calendar.

Catherine Fisher's writing style is very much her own. Just like she did in Sapphique and Incarceron, she adds prose in the beginnings of the chapters that tie into the story in an obscure manner that becomes clear as you read further. Her words flow and create vivid pictures in the mind of the reader. She creates an atmosphere of mystery and wonder without being overly wordy. You can feel the weight of the darkness in Tasceron as well as taste the meat that was making Raffi's mouth water. Using Carys's diary as another technique to share descriptions and important information was also a great idea. It gave a completely different perspective on what was happening around all of them.

Middle grade and older readers will love this book and I highly recommend it to adults as well. There is no sex, unnecessary violence or profanity in the book to distract from the fabulous storyline. It is full of adventure with numerous twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. While I did figure out a few things about the Makers, there are a lot of threads to follow in the upcoming books. I'm hoping that they are considering a movie of this series as I think it would be outstanding on the big screen.

Learn more about the author and all of the books at http://www.relicmasterseries.com/

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Apr 10, 2011 Sandra Stiles rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, middle-grades, young-adult

Galen Harn is a Relic Master. He travels from place to place removing powerful relics left behind. His student Raffael Morel has been with him for four years. He is Galen's eyes into the world around them. An accident has taken away Galen's powers and he must rely on the lessons he has taught his student. They press deeper into dangerous territory trying to find the one thing that will set the world right again. The Watch is determined to destroy the order and will therefore destroy the world wi...more

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Mar 31, 2011 Linda Cat rated it 4 of 5 stars

(I originally posted this to review blog http://books4hearts.blogspot.com/ and on LibraryThing)

I had very high expectations for "Relic Master: The Dark City" and I can honestly say that they were met! I held these expectations because after reading the amazing "Incarceron" and "Sapphique" by Catherine Fisher, I realized that she had this really whimsical, kind of poetic writing style that I absolutely adore. When I picked up this book, I realized it could be very different, I've read books by au...more (I originally posted this to review blog http://books4hearts.blogspot.com/ and on LibraryThing)

I had very high expectations for "Relic Master: The Dark City" and I can honestly say that they were met! I held these expectations because after reading the amazing "Incarceron" and "Sapphique" by Catherine Fisher, I realized that she had this really whimsical, kind of poetic writing style that I absolutely adore. When I picked up this book, I realized it could be very different, I've read books by authors when they have separate books and you can't even tell they're by the same author, the writing is so different.

No, no. If part of the reason you loved "Incarceron" was the writing, then that's one reason you'll like this book. It's very similar! One of my other favorite parts of those books was the poems/excerpts before each chapter, and those are here too!

The story itself was really cool, a classic sort of YA/mid-grade fantasy, that fans of "Inkheart" and "Eragon" will probably enjoy. I liked the characters, my favorite was probably Carys, because I liked how she started out thinking one thing as she was taught to but throughout the story her mind opened to the new ideas, those ideas that the Keepers weren't as the Watch told her. I also liked Galen because the way it turned out how in the know he was the whole time even though you never expected it.

The idea of the 'relics' was interesting, and so was the rest of the world, with the Watch and the Order, it was an interesting book! I liked the occasional journal entries from Carys because that's how we saw how she was changing throughout the story.

Also: In a note that isn't entirely related to the books themselves; the cover. The cover is very cool as it's an element from the book AND IT'S SHINY!!! The next three are supposed to be that way to. Shiny books are just nice, they catch your eye, it's good marketing, it's nice on the shelf, they're fun to look at. The plan with the map pieces on the inside of each book is really great too.

Anyway, to end, I really liked this book and very much look forward to the other three. (and their shiny covers, of course..)

(Thank you LibraryThing Early Review Contest Program/Penguin)(less)

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May 31, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

As a big fan of Incarceron (and to a lesser extent, Sapphique), I was eager to get my hands on anything else from author Catherine Fisher. After giving readers such an excellent series, I didn't see how she could do any wrong. Though the summary of The Dark City, the first in 2011 series Relic Master, didn't seem as unique or interesting, I was willing to try it -how could I go wrong. I was surprised (and a little disappointed) when I found out that the Relic Master series is just a repackaged U...more As a big fan of Incarceron (and to a lesser extent, Sapphique), I was eager to get my hands on anything else from author Catherine Fisher. After giving readers such an excellent series, I didn't see how she could do any wrong. Though the summary of The Dark City, the first in 2011 series Relic Master, didn't seem as unique or interesting, I was willing to try it -how could I go wrong. I was surprised (and a little disappointed) when I found out that the Relic Master series is just a repackaged U.S. release of a series that was previously released in the U.K. So, basically not new material -just re-hashed old material.

The Dark City begins the adventures of Rafael (aka Raffi), apprentice to Galen, a Keeper of the relics and a member of the old Order. Though it has been the job of the Keepers to handle the relics, a groups known as the Watch has been spreading lies about them, painting them as evil that must be eradicated. As Raffi and Galen set out to search for a mysterious and powerful relic, not only must they fight monsters, but members of the Watch and others.

It was obvious from the beginning that this was an earlier work from Fisher. The world wasn't as detailed, the characters not as compelling. In fact, the characters felt fairly flat and seemed to pop out of nowhere. What really bugged me was that there was virtually no exposition in the novel, and I was left trying to figure out what the characters were doing, who they were, what the world was like and really, why this mattered. It just seemed like I jumped into the middle of something, rather than starting at the beginning.

I will note, also, that Dark City read more like an MG book than a YA novel. Despite the flatness of the novel, the action and adventure was exciting and fun and, thankfully, once Carys appears on the scene, things do get a little more interesting. But most importantly -this was still a fun, quick and easy read that keep me interested. Sure, it's not in depth, but it's still fun and worth the ride -a good series for summer.

I'd recommend Dark City (and the subsequent Relic Master books, which are due out each month through August) to anyone who enjoyed MG/YA-ish adventure -and to take this book on vacation, it's great for a summer escape.(less)

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Aug 13, 2011 Angie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-fiction, fantasy, science-fiction

This was a quick, light read. It was entertaining but it wasn't anything earth-shattering. The one thing that really saved the story was the fact that I kept trying to figure out what the relics were. Of course they are old technologies and sometimes they are completely obvious like the elevator shaft but at other times it isn't as clear what they are. It is really interesting to try and figure out what they once were. I like the concept of this book; I like the mix of fantasy and scifi. Right n...more

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Aug 02, 2011 April (CSI:Librarian) rated it 5 of 5 stars

(Originally posted @ CSI:Librarian.)

From start to finish, I was enthralled by this book. It is just sort of thing I really wish I could have stumbled upon as a kid, but am still completely delighted to have discovered now.

I loved everything, especially the plotting, the pacing, and the world-building. The dilemmas that characters faced were intense, powerful, and believable. In terms of Galen, Raffi, and Carys, there was no way to keep from feeling for them as they struggled to overcome great ha...more

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May 09, 2011 melydia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Galen is a Relicmaster and young Raffi is his apprentice, though here they are known as keeper and scholar, respectively. These two are members of The Order, an outlawed group of magic-users and collectors of Maker relics. It's clear early on that these relics are scraps of human technology - a telescope, a wristwatch - but unlike many stories of this sort, the magic they possess is real. Galen has lost his powers and Raffi is still a novice, reminding me a bit of Aahz and Skeeve from Robert Asp...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

ADVANCED READER COPY

I find that with some fantasy genre books I have a hard time getting settled. The introduction of new words and new worlds along with new characters can be very overwhelming; I struggle with trying to force connections to "my world" when I should just sit-back and let it be. I had this difficulty with Fisher's Incarceron - I repeated the difficulty here with Relic Master. But I plugged on and I was rewarded. Now that I've reached the end of Book #1, I can whole-heartedly agre...more

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Apr 01, 2011 Laura Madsen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, 2011

I was excited to get an ARC (Advance Reading Copy) of this novel. While I’ll read nearly any genre, fantasy is my first love. THE DARK CITY is the first in a series of four books to be released this summer; it will be followed by THE LOST HEIRESS in June, THE HIDDEN CORONET in July, and THE MARGRAVE in August. Wow, impressive marketing campaign!

The novel is categorized as young adult fantasy, although I’m actually not sure why it was designated YA. It could just as easily be shelved with adult f...more I was excited to get an ARC (Advance Reading Copy) of this novel. While I’ll read nearly any genre, fantasy is my first love. THE DARK CITY is the first in a series of four books to be released this summer; it will be followed by THE LOST HEIRESS in June, THE HIDDEN CORONET in July, and THE MARGRAVE in August. Wow, impressive marketing campaign!

The novel is categorized as young adult fantasy, although I’m actually not sure why it was designated YA. It could just as easily be shelved with adult fantasy. The main character’s age is never stated, but from context could be anywhere from fifteen to twenty.

The novel provides an excellent example for aspiring novelists learning the lesson of How To Write A First Chapter. We learn within the first few pages that this is a fantasy set somewhere other than our world (“The seven moons were all in the sky at once”); that the main character has magical abilities (“He let his third eye open and made tiny purple filaments of light spray from the central moon…”); that the main character has a personal conflict with his mentor (“It was no use talking to Galen”); that the characters belong to the Order of keepers and are being pursued by the Watch; and that the Order is concerned with technological relics (“They found a relic, as they were plowing. A tube. When you touch it, it hums. Small green lights move inside it”).

Raffael (Raffi) Morel is a young man apprenticed to Galen Harn, a cynical old man with wounded leg and damaged mind. They are keepers, member of a magical order dedicated to protecting the relics of a previous civilization. The Makers left behind cities, buildings, and technological equipment. The Order of keepers has been outlawed, with many keepers murdered and much knowledge lost.

Raffi and Galen travel to Tasceron, the abandoned city of the Makers. They are joined by a girl, Carys Arrin. Carys tells Raffi and Galen that she is tracking her abducted father, but the reader knows she is a member of the Watch, the governmental agency which hunts the keepers. Carys joins the others on their journey, and comes to question the beliefs of the Watch.

Tasceron is like the evil twin of Oz City: creepy, decrepit, and lawless. The city is cloaked in smoke from fires that have been burning deep underneath for decades. In the gloom hide Watch patrols—and worse monsters.

Looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
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Mar 24, 2011 Idris rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review is based on an ARC copy.

I have heard so many good comments about Incarceron and Sapphique by the same author, so I was really interested in reading this book. I thought I would really like it, but I didn’t.

Welcome to Anara, a world mysteriously crumbling to devastation, where nothing is what it seems: Ancient relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are hunted by the governing Watch yet revered by the people, and the great energy that connects all seems t...more This review is based on an ARC copy.

I have heard so many good comments about Incarceron and Sapphique by the same author, so I was really interested in reading this book. I thought I would really like it, but I didn’t.

Welcome to Anara, a world mysteriously crumbling to devastation, where nothing is what it seems: Ancient relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are hunted by the governing Watch yet revered by the people, and the great energy that connects all seems to also be destroying all. The only hope for the world lies in Galen, a man of the old Order and a Keeper of relics, and his sixteen-year-old apprentice, Raffi.They know of a secret relic with great power that has been hidden for centuries...

The principal idea of this book is great. Is about a completely different world that makes me remember a lot of famous books like The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and that kind of books. But I felt this story a little bit weak. There was something missing. And even I tried really hard to know what was missing, I couldn’t.

I didn’t see the characters well defined. They were like second characters all the time. I didn’t see any story about them, or how they get to that point of the story. The author only showed the important parts to the plot. I would have liked to know more about the main characters, about Galen, about Carys, and I would have liked to see Raffi with more participation on the story.

I also didn’t see too much progress or development. The story finished almost in the same way that it started. Maybe is because there are another three books in the series.

Even though I enjoyed some parts of the book like Carys journal, and when (view spoiler), The Dark City is not the best book I ever read.

I would like to know how the story ends but I not see myself reading the next three books.

I give it 2 stars: It was OK.

I received this ARC copy of The Dark City by Catherine Fisher through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. Thank you.
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May 09, 2011 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The Dark City, the first book in Catherine Fisher's new rapid-release series Relic Master, hints at greatness, but it's not quite there yet. There's a lot of world-building happening and groundwork being laid. The story in The Dark City itself is good, but the possible revelations to come could be epic.

Galen and Raffi's quest to find the The Crow takes us on a wonderful journey through Anara, learning how this world works. While I tried to enjoy the adventure, I found myself fixated on the relic...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Jibran rated it 4 of 5 stars

Introduction: I'm a big fan of Catherine Fisher's previous and more well known works: Incarceron and Saphiqque, which I hold as two extremely impressive pieces of literature. While I had heard that she had decided to speed release her newest serious: RELIC MASTER, I didn't think it'd coincide so closely with the release of Saphiqque, so towards the final month of my summer I found myself picking up a copy of the first book.

REVIEW

Plot: (3.5/5) Alright, we are speedily introduced into a slightly...more Introduction: I'm a big fan of Catherine Fisher's previous and more well known works: Incarceron and Saphiqque, which I hold as two extremely impressive pieces of literature. While I had heard that she had decided to speed release her newest serious: RELIC MASTER, I didn't think it'd coincide so closely with the release of Saphiqque, so towards the final month of my summer I found myself picking up a copy of the first book.

REVIEW

Plot: (3.5/5) Alright, we are speedily introduced into a slightly odd plot originally fueled by two mechanisms, one, an angry Dwarf who we'll probably never see again and two a mystery that is the character of The Relic Master Galen and his protege Raffi, whose real name is Raphael but is hardly ever used. Eventually the mystery of Galen is explained, him becoming the main reason for the majority of what happens in the plot is explained and all of a sudden there is some plot! Alright, granted that aspect isn't as great as I thought it'd be, but hey it was slightly original. What shined, however was the introduction of the character known as Carys. Then things get slightly more interesting. She is what gave this book the extra .5

Prose:(3/5) The prose is very easy to understand for the most part, however I often find myself not as enchanted as I was when comparing the prose to that of Incarceron. Some things didn't seem as concise and painted as they were in Fisher's previous work. I felt as if it detracted a little from the meanings and beauty of the world.

Characters: (5/5) This is one of the shining points of the book. The characters are amazing. Well, the main character's anyway, but they do take up about 99% of the book so I guess they are what really counts. Galen is ruthless and obsessive. Raffi is slightly vehement and protective as well as talented. Carys is jaded and torn. And then there's the Sekoi, whose mysterious nature and curiosity simply knows no bounds. I love the cast of the main characters, they are extremely believable and fun.

Pacing: (4/5) My only problem with this was that at one point, I realized that I had finished the majority of the book but didn't feel like a lot happened in it, when compared to Incarceron and Saphiqque. Trying as best as I could to stop comparing Fisher's previous works with what she has shown now, I couldn't help but take off a star because of a sense of emptiness in me. I guess the rapid release of it's two sequels and the final book in the series set to come out in four days are meant to fill that void.

World: (5/5) Fisher is a world builder. A talent not many people have. She does this not only through hints of the world she shows before the reader through her stories but also through little epitaphs present before every chapter. These are usually presented in small hints and pieces of dialogue or poetry which reveal the dualistic nature of the world adding a dimension of depth to it. She does this fantastically.

Totals: 3.5+5+5+4+3 = 20.5! /5 = 4.1, which rounds to 4.

Verdict. I'm reading the sequel. Fisher still has me.
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Jun 16, 2011 Crowinator rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, childrens-middle-grade, librarything-early-reviewers, fantasy, science-fiction, 2011-reads

This book surprised me in a lot of ways, not all bad but not all good either. For one thing, it's not really a new series: Relic Master was published in the UK starting in 1998, and I can only assume it's being repackaged here because of the success of Incarceron and Sapphique. It's some of Fisher's earlier work and it shows; it lacks the depth and more sophisticated writing of her later books. However, the marketing behind its release is quite good -- four books published in four consecutive mo...more This book surprised me in a lot of ways, not all bad but not all good either. For one thing, it's not really a new series: Relic Master was published in the UK starting in 1998, and I can only assume it's being repackaged here because of the success of Incarceron and Sapphique. It's some of Fisher's earlier work and it shows; it lacks the depth and more sophisticated writing of her later books. However, the marketing behind its release is quite good -- four books published in four consecutive months, with very distinctive (and shiny!) covers that call to mind the mix of fantasy and science fiction. It's not gimmicky, so much, but it is designed to increase attention to the series (though I do think the whole "buy all four books and get a new piece of the map of Anara" is a little cheesy, I think some kids do eat that stuff up).

Another surprising thing, it's definitely more of a middle grade read than young adult. Even though two of the main characters -- Raffi and Carys -- are supposed to be older (sixteen years old, I think), they read more like 12 or 13 year old, Raffi more so. It's not just because there's no romance, or even acknowledgement of interest in relationships; it's also because they exist to move the plot forward without a lot of depth to their characters. It's all action-reaction. They are both apprentices trying to prove themselves to their Masters (Raffi trying to be worthy of Galen; Carys trying to impress the Watch) but the way they talk and think seem younger than they should. The episodic nature of the plot (probably because of its serial format) is something also seen more in middle grade novels, which usually have less of a complicated plot structure.

Still, despite being younger and more serialized that I expected, there are still some great, trademark Fisher things going on. It starts out reading like a straight fantasy, with a strange new form of magic, but the Relics that the Order is protecting are clearly technological gadgets from, perhaps, our modern world or sometime in our future. At first I thought this would go the same route as Joni Sensel's The Farwalker's Quest, where the world is incredibly similar to ours, but after a devastating series of wars/disasters everyone created new ways of life, shunning technology for so long they've been forgotten. And actually, this book was a lot like that, and I think they would be interesting to read together, although in Fisher's case it turns out to be a (fairly well-used) science fiction plot (view spoiler) Even though I've seen this before, Fisher led into it really well and surprised me with the ending scene, and I think for kids who haven't read this sort of story before, it will blow their mind a bit. Fisher is good at doing that in her later books, and it was fun to read this one where she's already bending genres and having unexpected mind-blowing twists.

The story is very fast-paced and action-heavy, but the world of Anara is still intriguing, and there's a lot of its history still to learn in later books. The characters and world still have a large amount of back story that is only hinted at, and I'm interested to see how the science fiction twist at the end plays out well in the next three books.

I received an ARC of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.(less)

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May 31, 2011 melissa1lbr rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, collection, review-copy, young-adult, middle-grade

Things I Liked:
As you know, I adored Catherine Fisher's other books, Incarceron and Sapphique, so I was super excited to get an ARC of the first in this "new" series. In some ways, it felt similar to her other books, but in many ways it was different. It has the same unique and interesting world that has many secrets to be unraveled. Initially, it seems Anara is just another fantasy world with no relation to us. As the story unravels, bit by bit, hints are dropped here and there that give us a g...more

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About Catherine Fisher

Catherine Fisher was born in Newport, Wales. She graduated from the University of Wales with a degree in English and a fascination for myth and history. She has worked in education and archaeology and as a lecturer in creative writing at the University of Glamorgan. She is a Fellow of the Welsh Academy.

Catherine is an acclaimed poet and novelist, regularly lecturing and giving readings to groups o...more

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Books by Catherine Fisher

The Oracle Betrayed (The Oracle Prophecies, #1)

The Sphere of Secrets (The Oracle Prophecies, #2)

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The Dark City (Relic Master #1)

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