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City of Stairs (The Divine Cities #1)

Robert Jackson Bennett (Goodreads Author)

4.12 · Rating details · 17,152 Ratings · 2,261 Reviews

The city of Bulikov once wielded the powers of the gods to conquer the world, enslaving and brutalizing millions — until its divine protectors were killed. Now, Bulikov’s history has been censored and erased, its citizens subjugated. But the surreal landscape of the city itself, forever altered by the thousands of miracles its guardians once worked upon it, stands as a hau ...more

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Paperback, 452 pages

Published September 9th 2014 by Broadway Books

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Best Picks: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Novels of 2014

261 books — 1,426 voters

Serpent Priestess of the Annunaki by Katrina Sisowath

City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

Hugo 2015 Eligible Works

101 books — 240 voters

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Jul 24, 2015 Rick Riordan rated it it was amazing

Adult fantasy.

A highly original story involving gods resurrected in a modern world – how could I not be drawn to this? Set in an early industrial world where the two major nations are Bulikov (modeled loosely on Russia) and Saypur (modeled loosely on India), this story starts as a murder mystery and develops into a high fantasy of world-changing magic. Centuries ago, Bulikov had a pantheon of active gods who led their mortal worshippers to victory and made them the dominant world power through ...more

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Dec 19, 2016 Felicia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, steampunk

My favorite books transcend genre. This one was particularly compelling in that it mixes fantasy with an alt-world of cold, Lenin-era ambiance. The premise is that gods once actually walked the earth, but then man killed them all. The story of the book follows the consequences of this action. This is a great, meaty fantasy and I highly recommend it for the world building and fantastic characters, including a kick-ass female lead. One of my faves of 2016.

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May 28, 2018 Petrik rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-ebooks, favorites

4.5/5 stars

A truly wonderful start to a trilogy and also one of the most original world-building I’ve ever had the chance to experience in a novel.

City of Stairs is the first book in the Divine Cities trilogy written by Robert Jackson Bennett and let me tell you guys something, this is one of those series that has been sitting in my TBR pile for way too long; since March 2017. Not only that, I’m ashamed to admit that it was also one of those series that I have considered removing from my TBR due ...more

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Oct 18, 2014 ✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anything with eyeballs

Shelves: kindle, fantasy, 1st-in-series, br-2016, 2016, absolute-favourites, kick-ass-chicks, mind-blown, blood-and-gore-and-violence-oh-my, feminism-is-not-dead

● Aww Yeah We Are So Doing this Again Buddy Reread (AYWASDtABR™) with some people of uncharacteristically good taste over at BB&B ●

Previous rating: 8-10 stars. I obviously read the book VERY wrong the first time around.
New rating : 20 stars. Now that's more like it.

➽ And the moralsssssss of this reread are :

This book is so Bloody Shrimping Scrumptious (BSS™) I might die. Or worse, I might cry *shudders*

Bloody shrimping hell, I feel like I've been sucker punched. Which is slightly orgasm ...more

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Nov 11, 2014 Carol. rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Recommended for fans of fantasy, Song for Arbonne, Full Fathom Five, Godstalk

Shelves: fantasy, epic-fantasy, female-lead, favorites, my-library-kindle, to-re-read, my-library, awards

Read this.

I almost didn't, wary of the disappointment an over- hyped book can bring. But once I started, it was very hard to put down (sorry, fellow jurors, for ignoring your social overtures during our breaks). Picked as a monthly read, I started right before being called for federal jury trial. At first, I was glad of the opportunity to get in some reading time--nothing better than sitting around reading as the gears of bureaucracy grind away--but imagine my dismay when I was picked. Suddenly Read this.

I almost didn't, wary of the disappointment an over- hyped book can bring. But once I started, it was very hard to put down (sorry, fellow jurors, for ignoring your social overtures during our breaks). Picked as a monthly read, I started right before being called for federal jury trial. At first, I was glad of the opportunity to get in some reading time--nothing better than sitting around reading as the gears of bureaucracy grind away--but imagine my dismay when I was picked. Suddenly my reading time dissipated like smoke. Still, a lunch hour here, a judge's meeting there, and I was able to make serious progress, until I got far enough in the book (and the trial) that I sacrificed sleep for resolution.

A very quick synopsis, but don't let it fool you. The complexity of the story is built well and is by no means a dizzying array of foreign place names and concepts:

The city of Bulikov has been conquered by the Saypur people, its powerful divinities killed or missing, and the history of its religion erased. Much like Greek and Indian gods, the Divinities of Bulikov were very present in their followers' lives. Now, however, it has become taboo to worship, to even speak of the gods or to acknowledge the daily miracles they created for their followers. Shara is a covert operative who has come to Bulikov intending to discover why scholar Efrem Pangyui, who was researching various miracles and mysteries of the gods, has been murdered. In disguise as a new ambassador, she brings her faithful protector Sigrud with her. Shara's Aunt Vinya is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and gives Shara one week to solve the murder before she needs to leave Bulikov for the next mission. As Shara investigates, not only does she have to confront the possibility that Restorationists in Bulikov are trying to overthrow the Saypur, she has to confront her own past.

Characterization is wonderful. The characters are complex, conflicted, with multiple motivations and loyalties. Even a brief interrogation of an elderly female maid had nuance. Questions are gradually built about Sigrud, at first a seemingly typical silent bodyguard character until the reader is as curious about his history as Shara's. It is also delightful to find an author who uses language well enough to imbue physical description with hints of the spirit. The first time we meet Ambassador Shara Thivani, the assistant sent to meet her notes:

"Pitry finds there is something off about her eyes... The giant's gaze was incredibly, lifelessly still, but this woman's eyes are the precise opposite: huge and soft and dark, like deep wells with many fish swimming in them.

The woman smiles. The smile is neither pleasant nor unpleasant: it is a smile like fine silver plate, used for one occasion and polished and put away once finished."

The setting is primarily focused on the city of Bulikov and receives equally lavish description:

"The house of Votrov is one of the most modern homes in all of Bulikov, but you could never tell by looking at it: it is a massive, bulky, squat affair of dark gray stone and fragile buttresses... To Shara, who grew up seeing the slender, simplistic wood structures of the Saypur, it is a primitive, savage thing, not resembling a domicile as much as a malformed, aquatic polyp."

Like life, such a serious tale of conquered and conqueror is leavened with humor. Much is cynical, based on Shara's sardonic nature and a friend's irreverent one:

"'She gives him a taut, bitter grin. 'And you're still so smugly, blithely ignorant.'
'Is it ignorance if you don't care to know it?'
'Yes. That is almost the definition of ignorance, actually.'"

What builds depth for me is Shara's curiosity about the divinities and their cultural effects, as well as my growing realization that no one here has the moral high ground. The Saypuri were the slaves of the Continentals until they rose up, and a hero killed one of the Continental gods. Now, the Saypuri keep the Continentals on a tight leash, hoping to prevent the return of their oppressors:

"While no Saypuri can go a day without thinking of how their ancestors lived in abysmal slavery, neither can they go an hour without wondering why. Why were they denied a god? What was the Continent blessed with protectors, with power, with tools and privileges that were never extended to Saypur? How could such a tremendous inequality be allowed? And while Saypuris may seem to the world to be a small, curious people of education and wealth, anyone who spends any time in Saypur soon comes to understand that in their hearts lives a cold rage that lends them a cruelty one would never expect. They call us godless, Saypuris occasionally say to one another, as if we had a choice."

Something about this reminds me of Guy Gavriel Kay in its finely balanced blend between personal and political, the past and present and love and family, all woven through with the miraculous and colored with lyrical language.

I'll be adding it to my library and looking for more from Bennett. ...more

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Aug 03, 2015 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, sci-fi, reality-bending, cthulhu-goes-ph-nglui-mglw-nafh-ct, fanboy-goes-squee, urban-fantasy, top-one-hundred

As a novel of ideas, the novel is absolutely rich and fantastic.

But when it comes to the writing, I had to complain a bit about the choice of tropes. I'm wasn't certain that a mystery was the absolute best medium to propel the main tale, but when the book is said and done, I can't fault how it was wrapped up. Everything made perfect sense. I found that I was caught up in my own prejudices even as I was reading it, and the journey had changed me in the end, which is strange enough, because we're ...more

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Mar 16, 2017 Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~ rated it really liked it

Shelves: owned, 4-star, year-2017

Actual Review: 4.5 Stars

City of Stairs is, at its heart, a murder mystery, with a hull of geopolitical strife & fueled by a peculiar magic that isn't totally understood even by the story's main characters. The perfect recipe for a story that had me up past my bed time many nights in a row.

Right off the bat it plunges the reader into the thick of the roiling tensions between two major nations with a complicated history.

Once dangerously powerful & supported by miracles performed by thei ...more

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Dec 11, 2014 Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ by: ✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans)

Shelves: fantasy, 2016-reads, alternative-pov, fave-ya-and-fantasy, fave-characters, likeable-mc

► What a cruel, marvelous, surprising little thing.

STEP 1 : Be intrigued by this complex, original and fascinating world-building whose layers still hide so many gems (I'm sure of it).

STEP 2 : Let the stupefaction stun you when you discover how all the threads are carefully weaved, bringing together... Well : politics, opression, a murder mystery, religion, tolerance, identity, fanaticism, racism and the ever controversial question of the Greater Good whose relevance is never a sure thing (for ...more

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Apr 08, 2014 Brent Weeks rated it it was amazing

Shelves: blurbed

*The following is more a blog post about blurbing City of Stairs than specifically a review. But it's mostly pertinent, so I thought it would fit here.*

A few months ago, I teased about a book I’d read that I loved, but I didn’t tell you what it was. Partly because I didn’t want to scoop the author’s own marketing efforts, and partly because, hey, I believe in obnoxiously enjoying small perks to the hilt. But here’s what I was enjoying:

Robert Jackson Bennett is one of those quirky-bright writers *The following is more a blog post about blurbing City of Stairs than specifically a review. But it's mostly pertinent, so I thought it would fit here.*

A few months ago, I teased about a book I’d read that I loved, but I didn’t tell you what it was. Partly because I didn’t want to scoop the author’s own marketing efforts, and partly because, hey, I believe in obnoxiously enjoying small perks to the hilt. But here’s what I was enjoying:

Robert Jackson Bennett is one of those quirky-bright writers whose quirky-brightness will serve him in the long run, but has seemed to handicap him in the short term. There’s a gap to bridge between even a great book, and that book finding the right readers. In my opinion, Robert’s books have been hard to shelve because they straddle genres. He’s drawn comparisons to voices as diverse as Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, and Madeleine L’Engle, and has gotten good mentions from people as widely dispersed in the genre as Jim C. Hines, Jeff Vandermeer, Nisi Shawl, and…me! His debut novel, Mr. Shivers, certainly wasn’t my normal favored milieu, but I really enjoyed the book despite a setting I quite frankly usually avoid. (A quirk of mine, nothing more.) And I could tell immediately that Mr. Bennett was going to grow. That’s the thing about smart writers—they learn, they adapt, they get better.

I’m proud to say that I was right. (I love being right.) With City of Stairs, I think that RJB has done something really impressive: fans of his early work will see plenty of what they have come to love about Robert’s work, but new readers looking for an exciting, kick-ass story in a deep setting will enjoy this book too. Readers love great books, but people fall in love with great characters, and in City of Stairs, Robert Jackson Bennett introduces one in a way that is clever, graceful, and over the top all at once. Sigrud is a side character, but he’s a GREAT side character.

Robert, don’t f**k up Sigrud.

Other people have nice things to say about City of Stairs, and I’m sure many more are to come. In the interest of being pithy and hitting different points than others had, I said this:

“Robert Bennett Jackson deserves a huge audience. This is the book that will earn it for him. A story that draws you in, brilliant world building, and oh my God, Sigrud. You guys are going to love Sigrud.” -Brent Weeks

As you may know, Robert has opted for an… eccentric online persona, so in that spirit, I also sent them the following blurb, but… I don’t think it’ll make it onto a cover:

“Please don’t read this book. I am jealous of the success of others, and would not like Robert Jackson Bennett to enjoy the hordes of fans he deserves.” -Brent Weeks ...more

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Apr 09, 2015 Hannah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, loved-it

I absolutely, 100% loved this. So much.

I was starting to think that maybe I didn't love fantasy quite as much as I thought any more, but this year is turning out great. Maybe I was just looking in the wrong directions. Both Robert Jackson Bennet and N K Jemisin have written brilliant books that keep me glued to the page while at the same time challenging me to re-think some of my assumptions on what fantasy can do as a genre.

Set in a world formerly ruled by Divinities and their whims, Bulikov i I absolutely, 100% loved this. So much.

I was starting to think that maybe I didn't love fantasy quite as much as I thought any more, but this year is turning out great. Maybe I was just looking in the wrong directions. Both Robert Jackson Bennet and N K Jemisin have written brilliant books that keep me glued to the page while at the same time challenging me to re-think some of my assumptions on what fantasy can do as a genre.

Set in a world formerly ruled by Divinities and their whims, Bulikov is far from its former glory as the centre of the world and the seat of the Gods - most of it was destroyed together with its Gods. It is now ruled by the very people it used to enslave. When a famous professor researching the Divinities is killed, Shara Komayd, granddaughter of the man who won the war, arrives to solve the case, unknowing that she pretty much stepped into a hornets nest.

I adored the mythology Bennet sets up here: what happens to all the things created by gods if they die? Especially when they ignored all natural laws to create those things? I found his world very well thought out and mesmerizing in its implications.

Nearly as great as the world building are the characters. I loved Shara - in all her prickliness and her vulnerability. I like that she is most defined by her brains and how she uses her intellect to survive. I also adored Sigrud, her insanely huge and strong bodyguard of sorts. He could have been very stereotypical but somehow Bennet managed to create a wonderful character here that I hope I will get to spend more time with*.

I found myself going down rabbit holes trying to figure everything out and there was a point where I was all smug and sure about myself. In fact, I kept thinking how stupid Shara was to not realize things sooner - - I did not have everything figured out. In quite some instances I was embarrasingly wrong. I love that! I like books that keep me thinking and surprise me.

So yes, I adored this. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. I am so excited about all those great fantasy books I keep "finding" - although to be fair, this book has been on my TBR since I joined Goodreads, so maybe I only have myself to blame for not reading it sooner.

* As of writing this I have not even read the blurbs on the sequels. ...more

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Jun 04, 2017 Anne rated it liked it

Shelves: kindle, adventure-like-stuff, fantasy, magic-stuff, mythology, read-in-2017

Very thorough world building and extremely thought-provoking story, but when it was over...?

description

I just wasn't moved enough to grab the next book.
I'm pretty sure it's just me because this sucker has really high ratings and the vast majority of my friends LOVED it. I just couldn't connect with the main characters enough to truly care what happened to them by the end. At first, I thought I would love it, but by the last bit, I was just wanting it to be over so I could tick this one off my list...

description

The bo ...more

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May 28, 2017 Mayim de Vries rated it it was amazing

"Any miracle, no matter how subtle, always feels tremendously unsettling." And what is a good book if not a miracle of a prime quality? City of Stairs proves this theory. It is one of those books you need to digest before writing a review that will not consist of banalities. And one of those that have you inwardly screaming for more the moment you finish the last sentence.

The world is less about tsarist Russia meeting the opulence of an Indian continent (although it undeniably is quite a clash) ...more

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Mar 27, 2017 Eon ♒Windrunner♒ rated it really liked it

Recommended to Eon ♒Windrunner♒ by: ✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans)

There are two things I mostly avoid in my fantasy where possible. Religion & politics. I can usually stomach them in small quantities but when they play major parts of the story I lose interest. Some people may enjoy fantasy-lite, but I am not one of them. I have read and enjoyed some fantasy books of the light version, but these were few and far in between. Give me LOADS of fantasy and small pinches of religion and politics and I am a happy guy.

That said, I must have added and removed Rober There are two things I mostly avoid in my fantasy where possible. Religion & politics. I can usually stomach them in small quantities but when they play major parts of the story I lose interest. Some people may enjoy fantasy-lite, but I am not one of them. I have read and enjoyed some fantasy books of the light version, but these were few and far in between. Give me LOADS of fantasy and small pinches of religion and politics and I am a happy guy.

That said, I must have added and removed Robert Jackson Bennet's City of Stairs half a dozen times from my TBR list due to either great reviews or reviews highlighting the politics/religion. That changed when the most flagitious of carcinologists, her pernicious nefariousness, Sarah-of-the-dark-vitriolic-depths-of-doom ( SotDVDoD™ ), promptly asserted that this book was in fact worthy of my time and with her iniquitous and benevolent hand gifted it to me and ~~coerced~~ invited me to the Buddy Read.

Well friends… It started of politicky. And then it veered into full blown religion. And then it hinted at fantasy. I’m talking barely a whiff of the fantastical, with a HEAVY dose of IT-THAT-SHALL-NOT-BE-READ-BY-EON. EEK! Would I dare to DNF this book?

And then I remembered Sarah’s DNF graveyard that, like water, covers 70% of the earth’s surface and the tension melted away and I was able to keep on going for a few more chapters. And then the unthinkable happened. The whiff of the good stuff became a zephyr which was in turn punctuated by sudden gales of pure, magical fantasy and of course RJB did not rely only on his scintillating worldbuilding but also provided us with wonderfully detailed characters that grew on me so much that I am thoroughly looking forward to the next instalment in this series. *pauses for air

The story itself was very well written and will have you changing loyalties continually throughout the progress of journey. At first you think the one side is bad and then you jump ship to the other side and then you realize everyone is bad or just that everyone is human. (Even though everyone is not human) RJB dished up a murder mystery embroiled in those dreaded things called politics and religion. I know. Yawn. Then some BADASS characters stole the limelight in their fight to uncover the truth. And then weird magical things happened. And then there was a hint that gods long thought dead might be less dead than previously thought. And this was some bloody great writing.

That’s right. I loved it. Slow start, politics and all. This author has some serious talent!

This nonsensical review was brought to you by he-who-must-not-be-allowed-to-write-reviews-a-full-week-after-finishing-the-book-and-failing-to-make-any-notes. ...more

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Jun 06, 2014 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs-and-galleys, books-won, review-copy, fantasy

4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2014/08/19/b...

I’ve never actually read Robert Jackson Bennett before City of Stairs, despite owning several books by him (and I can see there’s my copies of The Troupe and American Elsewhere on my shelf right now, glaring down at me balefully as if to ask, “Why haven’t you read me yet?”) So though the name of the author is familiar to me, I really had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that this book’s description was tantalizing 4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2014/08/19/b...

I’ve never actually read Robert Jackson Bennett before City of Stairs, despite owning several books by him (and I can see there’s my copies of The Troupe and American Elsewhere on my shelf right now, glaring down at me balefully as if to ask, “Why haven’t you read me yet?”) So though the name of the author is familiar to me, I really had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that this book’s description was tantalizing in its promise of an atmospheric, immersive fantasy world, with a touch of the otherworldly and bizarre. As it turns out, City of Stairs is all that and more, being a sophisticated and cerebral cocktail of a multitude of different genre elements, including magic, mystery, and philosophy.

Years ago, magic was lost in the central city of Bulikov, then known as the Seat of the World, when its Divinities were killed by a Saypuri hero known as the Kaj. Throwing off the yoke of the Continentals, the Kaj led the rebellion to victory, conquering their conquerors and passing the Worldly Regulations which outlawed the possession and use of divine objects and miracles, even the worshipping of the old gods. With the passing generations, Bulikov went from being a shining capital to just another colonial outpost of world’s new authority

The story begins with the murder of Dr. Efrem Pangyui, the visiting Saypuri scholar who stationed himself in Bulikov to study and document the city’s history to the outrage of the locals who are prohibited from doing so themselves. Enter Shara Komayd, officially there as a lowly ambassador to smooth over matters, but she is not without her own secrets. A direct descendent of the great Kaj, Shara is really one of Saypur’s most accomplished spies, and she is determined to discover the truth behind the murder of the historian, who was also a very close personal friend.

First, let’s talk about the world-building, which is in a word: phenomenal. Admittedly, I wasn’t really convinced I was going to like this book from its first 50 pages or so. The story was slow to take off, but in truth, this had a lot to do with the author’s meticulous efforts to plunge the reader into the intricacies of his setting. Bennett has created many layers of context for this world and has left no stone unturned when it comes to achieving the effect of a living, breathing, working society with the kind of history that Bulikov’s people have endured. Everything from politics to religion has been touched upon, giving us a clear idea of the mood of the city.

The plot didn’t gain momentum until around after the first third of the book, but I can’t say I ever lost interest in reading, being completely captivated by the complexity of the world. Before the Kaj, the six Divinities of the Continentals each had their own worshippers, living by the rules and ideologies of the god they followed. After the Divinities were killed, Bulikov was also devastated by an event known as the Blink, causing chunks of the city to disappear or warp and resulting in a section filled with giant staircases that went nowhere, but which gave the book its title. There’s a lot of history here, not to mention the magic and the miracles described in this novel, which are just so creative and unique.

I also adored the characters. I have a feeling Shara’s companion, the unforgettable and indomitable Sigrud will be a clear fan favorite for many after reading this novel. However, I have to say the soft spot in my heart must go to Turyin Mulaghesh, the soldier turned governor who after years of dealing with the problems and instabilities and Bulikov just wants to be transferred to a quiet little coastal outpost where she can settle down and spend her days lying on the beach – ambitions be damned. But don’t let that fool you, for she is a force to be reckoned with. I love how this novel features two strong, spirited and over 30 women at the forefront, and they are just two of the many great characters in this refreshingly diverse cast.

It was hard to stop, once the story got going. The initial murder mystery deepens into shady political dealings and conspiracy, which ultimately leads to an incredible climax and final showdown that unfortunately was over far too quickly and neatly. But what an experience it was. And yet, City of Stairs is also about so much more than just the thrills and suspense. Bennett dives into some heavy topics here, exploring the significance of religion, attitudes regarding sexuality, and the ramifications of persecution and oppression.

Like I said, this was my first taste of Robert Jackson Bennett’s writing, and I am impressed. This really is an excellent novel, and it deserves to be a hit this year. I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised to hear there will be a sequel, since this book is the sort that would open doors to many great and interesting possibilities, and its world simply begs to be further explored. Highly recommended. This is an enjoyable fantasy that also makes you think. ...more

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May 09, 2014 Alex Ristea rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, library, trade-paperback

Robert Jackson Bennett is constantly hailed as one of the genre's hottest young authors. I had always assumed they were just referring to his dastardly good looks, but damn, this guy can write.

City of Stairs is such a glorious mix of genre that I won't even try to explain it that way. Go read this post from the author.

Seriously. I'll wait. And I'll know if you don't go and read it. *stares*

You're back? Good. That post is making me re-think genre, and rather than being scared, it's made me excite ...more

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Aug 30, 2014 Phrynne rated it it was amazing

What a beautiful book! The world building was so impressive and the characters are brilliant. I am missing Shara and Sigrud already and I only just finished the book. Sigrud made me think very much of Logen Ninefingers in the Abercrombie books, and Shara was like any of the strong female leads in a Brandon Sanderson book. Put the two together and we had a little bit of magic.
This was a new author to me but he came very highly recommended by many Goodreads readers. The sequel is supposed to be go ...more

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Apr 01, 2017 Robin (Bridge Four) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017-reads, 4-5-stars, bb-b-2017, buddy-read, fantastic-fantasy

I should have hated this story. It shouldn’t have worked for me at all for a few reasons.

- There is no love story. Well that isn’t specifically true. There is a story that involves two people who were a couple in the past but really that is it. In the present tense of the story there isn’t any romantic hopefuls. I love having someone in by books to ship even if nothing comes from it for books and books.

- It isn’t my typical fantasy set up. There are no dragons to be slain or lands to explore. ...more

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Oct 18, 2014 Liz rated it did not like it

Shelves: fantasy, i-prefer-rum, headdesk-not-sorry, abandoned-series

This is a rant about what I didn't like, it is entirely personal and I hope I don't sound too hateful. In case I do, I am sorry.

This book has such a high rating, a pity that I wasn't charmed by it. In this case I think I am the lonely soul that ends up hating what is highly praised by the majority.

It was an incredibly exhausting read.
I felt like I was reading 900 pages instead of 400-something.
I don't recommend it, no matter whether you are a sci-fi or fantasy fan. This was more of a mystery no ...more

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Feb 04, 2016 Kells Next Read rated it it was amazing

The Divine may have created many hells, but I think they are pale beside what men created for themselves

Where do I begin with this read...hmmm, I honestly don't know. It was...*no no* I feel *that's not it* Oh boy, I am speechless people. This book was flawlessly penned and beautifully told. My emotions literally ran from one extremity to the next. This book I can say is (so far ) my best read of 2016.

Guys it has Everything!!! Mr Bennet ( my first read from this author )has ripped open my chest ...more

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Nov 24, 2014 Jokoloyo rated it really liked it

For my individual taste, this novel is mystery first, fantasy second. As a mystery novel, I am not so satisfied with the plot and conclusion. As a fantasy novel, it is a damn good one!

When I read the beginning, I rated it 3 star. Then at the middle, I like the fantasy portion more and more, rated it 4 star. I have to admit, there are fresh ideas about the magic (in the book, the magic is mentioned as miracles). After reading half of the book, I wanted to know more about the world. This book gave For my individual taste, this novel is mystery first, fantasy second. As a mystery novel, I am not so satisfied with the plot and conclusion. As a fantasy novel, it is a damn good one!

When I read the beginning, I rated it 3 star. Then at the middle, I like the fantasy portion more and more, rated it 4 star. I have to admit, there are fresh ideas about the magic (in the book, the magic is mentioned as miracles). After reading half of the book, I wanted to know more about the world. This book gave me more and more revelation with about the world, and I like it more and more. The climax and conclusion are satisfactory. Solid 5 star for the world building. One of the interesting world building is the city itself. The stairs are not exotic views, but there is some meaning.

cityofstairs4

(I get it from soipondered.files.wordpress.com)

I usually don't give too much thinking in fantasy, but with mystery as the main plot, I read every fantasy factor as a clue. I blame the plot that made me thought so much and eventually detected some foreshadowing. I was not too surprised for some aspect of the novel. (OK, I am exaggerating my intelligence. Some foreshadows are so obvious, I believe every reader could detect them easily).

The characters are pretty solid. At least, this novel passed Bechdel Test, with so many good conversations between female characters (Majority of the important characters in this novel are female).

Using a mystery plot for a fantasy novel is a brave choice for the author. The main reason I read this novel is the curiosity how this novel could blend mystery and fantasy. After reading the end this novel, I think it is not a true mystery story. I wish this novel could use more mystery routines to make it a good true mystery story, it has so much potential.

If I read this novel mainly as a fantasy novel, it is an easy 5-star. But I read it as a mystery, I demand more clues/foreshadows that on par with mystery novels. With that kind of reading attitude, I believe readers could detect the foreshadowing parts, and guess the plot twists at later parts of the novel. ...more

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Nov 20, 2016 Scott Hitchcock rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library-ebook, urban-fantasy

A blend of urban fantasy, intelligence services, espionage with various gods thrown into the action. The book was definitely a slow burn getting better and better as it went along. The last 75 pages were great. This is setup well for the next two books in the series which I shall be reading.

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Apr 04, 2014 Mpauli rated it it was amazing

Shelves: orga_read-in-2014, rating_5-stars, topic_religion, orga_favourites

In the end, we're all tea drinkers.

Let's leave that standing there for a moment, as I will come back to it later.

Robert Jackson Bennet's "City of Stairs" takes place in the fictional city of Bulikov. Bulikov is the center of the continent, a western civilazation with slavic naming conventions, and the continent ruled the world in the past with the help of their gods.
The gods, called the divinities, were an active part of the society, interacted with their followers, allowed the use of many mysti ...more

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Aug 19, 2015 ⚔ Sh3lly ⚔ rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Recommended to ⚔ Sh3lly ⚔ by: ✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans)

Shelves: buddy-read, everyone-loved-it-but-me, fantasy, i-read-it-wrong, im-so-bored, maybe-its-just-me, nothing-happens, omg-this-book-is-so-long, read-2016

Welp, here's another one I guess I am the oddball out on. I liked the idea, there were some interesting premises with the world-building, but I got to 43% and it just seemed like NOTHING had happened. There were hints of exciting things that might be coming, but that's all they were, little glimpses. The politics of the society just bored me. The writing was good and it's definitely an "it's me, not you" thing. I just may be too dumb to "get" this (IJMBTDTGT™). Took that trademark idea from my f ...more

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Jan 25, 2016 Gavin rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

And Olvos said to them: “Why have you done this, my children? Why is the sky wreathed with smoke? Why have you made war in far places, and shed blood in strange lands?”
And they said to Her: “You blessed us as Your people, and we rejoiced, and were happy. But we found those who were not Your people, and they would not become Your people, and they were willful and ignorant of You. They would not open their ears to Your songs, or lay Your words upon their tongues. So we dashed them upon the rocks a And Olvos said to them: “Why have you done this, my children? Why is the sky wreathed with smoke? Why have you made war in far places, and shed blood in strange lands?”
And they said to Her: “You blessed us as Your people, and we rejoiced, and were happy. But we found those who were not Your people, and they would not become Your people, and they were willful and ignorant of You. They would not open their ears to Your songs, or lay Your words upon their tongues. So we dashed them upon the rocks and threw down their houses and shed their blood and scattered them to the winds, and we were right to do so. For we are Your people. We carry Your blessings. We are Yours, and so we are right. Is this not what You said?”
And Olvos was silent.

This is the fantastic intro to the unique and thought provoking fantasy story that is City of Stairs. On the surface Robert Jackson Bennett's tale is a murder mystery set in a very original fantasy setting, but just below the surface the book deals with all sorts of issues such as slavery, oppression, censorship, fanaticism (both religious and patriotic), social unrest, and moral dilemmas questioning just what is acceptable in the name of the "greater good". It all made for an interesting read and Bennett's engaging writing style and down to earth characters made sure the story was every bit as engaging as it was interesting.

The world building was excellent. The late 19th Century setting is underutilized in secondary world fantasy books and gave this story a fresh feel. The mythology of the Divinities was cool and the histories and cultures of the various nations and people were well drawn. The only flaw I had with the world building was the fact that descriptions of Bulikov itself was pretty sparse. Luckily I found this fantastic page on the authors website that had some great art of the city of Bulikov!

All in all I found this to be an original and enjoyable read.

Rating: 4.5 stars.

Audio Note: Alma Cuervo did a good job with the audio. ...more

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Oct 02, 2017 Liam Degnan rated it it was ok

“The Divine may have created many hells", he says, "but I think they pale beside what men create for themselves.”

2.5 Stars: ✰✰

I had to take just a little bit of a hiatus from Goodreads due to some personal and family emergencies, combined with a busy two weeks at work, and finals week for school. But I'm back now =].

This was one of the most frustratingly inconsistent books I have read in a very long time. I very literally hated half of it, and yet simultaneously really loved the other ha ...more

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Feb 18, 2014 Althea Ann rated it it was amazing

Bennett's not an author who's been on my radar - and that's going to have to change.

'City of Stairs' is a top-notch fantasy spy thriller.

It begins with a murder mystery... noted scholar Ephrem Pangyui has been killed in the city of Bulikov. Soon, Shara arrives on the scene to investigate.

Her job is complicated, however, by the fact that just about everyone in Bulikov is a suspect.

For hundreds of years, the Continental empire, of which Bulikov was the capital, ruled the Saypuri with a strong ha ...more

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May 26, 2015 David Sven rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Good world building with an intriguing secondary world that resembled a cross between late 19th century Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Bennett's city of Bulikov reminded me a bit of Ul Qoma in China Mieville's The City & the City. The narrative plodded along in the first half but I didn't mind so much because I just liked imagining a city with stairs that go nowhere and buildings that look like they were once more than they were. And what about the city walls that defy science being tran Good world building with an intriguing secondary world that resembled a cross between late 19th century Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Bennett's city of Bulikov reminded me a bit of Ul Qoma in China Mieville's The City & the City. The narrative plodded along in the first half but I didn't mind so much because I just liked imagining a city with stairs that go nowhere and buildings that look like they were once more than they were. And what about the city walls that defy science being transparent and yet not really. Bulikov is pretty cool. A city that exists on the skeletal remains of divine beings long dead.

Bennett packs a lot of ideas into a relatively lowish page count. There's the idea of mortal killing the immortal, with a whole pantheon of Divinities that were wiped out. Then there's the suppression of beliefs, suppression of history and cultural memory, the oppression of cultures imposing values and world views (including secular world views) on other cultures.

But at the end of the day I was a little disappointed in the finish. Firstly,
somewhere along the way the world building seemed to get relegated to long epigraphs and long narratives that were essentially history lessons. *Yawn.*

And secondly, I think Bennett tried to pack too many ideas into too small a page count. I would rather see one idea expounded and ridden to it's ultimate logical conclusion. Take Guy Gavriel Kay's Tigana for example. He built a whole story on "what if a whole country forgot they ever were a country." Or Mievile's The City & the City -"what if you lived in a city where you were brainwashed into "unseeing" half of the city."

The obvious central idea in this book if I were to pick one that Bennett could have really made something of was the suppression of any mention of the Divine. This idea falls a little flat, however, when the people who are most invested in enforcing this law are constantly breaking it - and doing so without consequence.

Having said all that I still enjoyed the book start to finish. But I'm not hanging out to read the second book.

3.5 stars
...more

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Jul 16, 2014 Rob rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, not-a-bookclub-club, read-2014, stand-alone, author-male

Executive Summary: Looks like I'll be adding to all the hype. This is definitely one of the better books I've read this year. Only a few minor issues. 4.5 stars.

Full Review
The two most hyped books this fall (at least among my circle of friends) was this book and The Mirror Empire. After being a bit let down by Mirror Empire, I was wary of this one. I almost didn't read it. I'm glad that I did.

Rob gets on the bandwagon

I don't know where to start. This book is well written. Part mystery, part fa Executive Summary: Looks like I'll be adding to all the hype. This is definitely one of the better books I've read this year. Only a few minor issues. 4.5 stars.

Full Review
The two most hyped books this fall (at least among my circle of friends) was this book and The Mirror Empire. After being a bit let down by Mirror Empire, I was wary of this one. I almost didn't read it. I'm glad that I did.

Rob gets on the bandwagon

I don't know where to start. This book is well written. Part mystery, part fantasy, with some pretty good humor. More "urban" fantasy than traditional fantasy, or maybe this could be considered "flintlock". The subgenre doesn't really matter too much though. It's more important to get across that this book feels very fresh and pretty light on fantasy tropes.

Mr. Bennett paints a rich and deep world, especially for a stand alone book of only 450 pages. The little bits of text from various fictional books really helped to flush things out in a short amount of text. And unlike Malazan these were cryptic entries that really only make sense to a rereader, but were at worst something to file away for later in the book, but usually for later in that chapter.

And if world building doesn't do much for you, then there are the characters. The main character, Shara, is a 30 something intelligent women who uses his brains rather than a weapon to do most of her fighting. However when violence is called for her "secretary", Sigrud is there to handle it. In many ways Sigrud almost steals the show, but that's really just because he like a few of the other supporting characters are so strong.

And if characters and cool world building aren't enough, there is a pretty interesting "magic" system, that's tied in well with the aforementioned world building.

The last thing I want these days is another series to read. This book is definitely stand alone, but I would totally read another book set in this world, and it sounds like I may get that. I had never heard of Mr. Bennett before this book, but I'll definitely be looking into some of his work.

Highly recommended. ...more

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Mar 29, 2014 Kaora rated it it was amazing

Shelves: good-fantasy

This book just passed The Girl With All The Gifts for my favorite read of 2014.

This is my first encounter with Robert Jackson Bennett, although I have seen a number of his books being highly praised. And now I can see why.

When the Divinities are killed, everything begins to collapse. Anything the Divinities created is gone, and their people, the Continentals, now live in ruin, overthrown the the people they attempted to conquer with their Gods, The Saypuri. Rules outlaw speaking of the Gods, or ...more

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Feb 09, 2015 Penny rated it it was amazing

Shelves: bookclub, fantasy, highly-recommended, magic, scifi-and-fantasy-club-bookshelf, scifi-fantasy-club-2015challenge

Re-read:
Enjoyed it even more the second time! Helps that I have the memory of a dead goldfish so I forget a lot of the details between reads. Really excited to move on to book 2, hoping it's as gripping as the first.

I loved this! It was fun and interesting and kept me guessing. The characters were great and the author changed POV only when necessary for the storyline and didn't keep to a schedule of any kind which really worked well. The world building was great and I found myself wishing for a ...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Fantasy Buddy Reads: City of Stairs [April 2018]	8	29	Apr 10, 2018 10:14PM
The Not a Book Cl...: CoS: Part 3: "Survivors" – "You Will Know Pain"	21	34	Jan 02, 2018 10:16PM
The Not a Book Cl...: CoS: Part 2: "A Memory Engraved" – "What History Tells Us"	27	39	Dec 27, 2017 10:50PM
The Not a Book Cl...: CoS: General Discussion (No Spoilers!)	67	66	Dec 17, 2017 08:28AM
The Not a Book Cl...: CoS: Part 1: "Someone Even Worse" – "To Do What He Does Best"	57	57	Dec 17, 2017 07:21AM

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About Robert Jackson Bennett

Robert Jackson Bennett

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Robert Jackson Bennett is a two-time award winner of the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel, an Edgar Award winner for Best Paperback Original, and is also the 2010 recipient of the Sydney J Bounds Award for Best Newcomer, and a Philip K Dick Award Citation of Excellence. His fifth novel, City of Stairs, is in stores now.

He lives in Austin with his wife and son. He can be found on Twitter at @ro ...more

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“And Olvos said to them: “Why have you done this, my children? Why is the sky wreathed with smoke? Why have you made war in far places, and shed blood in strange lands?

And they said to Her: “You blessed us as Your people, and we rejoiced, and were happy. But we found those who were not Your people, and they would not become Your people, and they were willful and ignorant of You. They would not open their ears to Your songs, or lay Your words upon their tongues. So we dashed them upon the rocks and threw down their houses and shed their blood and scattered them to the winds, and we were right to do so. For we are Your people. We carry Your blessings. We are Yours, and so we are right. Is this not what You said?”

And Olvos was silent.” — 57 likes

“Forgetting... is a beautiful thing. When you forget, you remake yourself... For a caterpillar to become a butterfly, it must forget it was a caterpillar at all. Then it will be as if the caterpillar never was & there was only ever a butterfly.” — 43 likes

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