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City of Iron and Dust
In this fast-paced dark fantasy debut, the Fae seek to rebel against their Goblin oppressors over one long bloody night.
The Iron City is a prison, a maze, an industrial blight. It is the result of a war that saw the Goblins grind the Fae beneath their collective boot heels. And tonight, it is also a city that churns with life. Tonight, a young fae is trying to make his fortune one drug deal at a time; a goblin princess is searching for a path between her own dreams and others' expectations; her bodyguard is deciding who to kill first; an artist is hunting for his own voice; an old soldier is starting a new revolution; a young rebel is finding fresh ways to fight; and an old woman is dreaming of reclaiming her power over them all. Tonight, all their stories are twisting together, wrapped up around a single bag of Dust--the only drug that can still fuel Fae magic--and its fate and theirs will change the Iron City forever.
The Iron City is a prison, a maze, an industrial blight. It is the result of a war that saw the Goblins grind the Fae beneath their collective boot heels. And tonight, it is also a city that churns with life. Tonight, a young fae is trying to make his fortune one drug deal at a time; a goblin princess is searching for a path between her own dreams and others' expectations; her bodyguard is deciding who to kill first; an artist is hunting for his own voice; an old soldier is starting a new revolution; a young rebel is finding fresh ways to fight; and an old woman is dreaming of reclaiming her power over them all. Tonight, all their stories are twisting together, wrapped up around a single bag of Dust--the only drug that can still fuel Fae magic--and its fate and theirs will change the Iron City forever.
400 pages, Paperback
First published July 6, 2021
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934 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
May 3, 2025
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Titan Books). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Writing style
✅ Original world-building
✅ 🆗 Pace
✅ 🆗 Plot
🆗❌ Characters
2.5 stars
Most of the reviews for this book are 4 stars reviews, and I completely understand why. I do believe that this is a very good book, but it is not a book for me.
I will start by saying that the author’s writing style is a little different from what I’m used to, but I really liked it. I am not sure if I would categorize this as a fantasy or an urban fantasy... It does happen in a fictive world, but they do have cars, microwaves, and other modern technologies, so I am not really sure...
The idea that the faes are oppressed is already a fresh and new concept since we are used to faes being almighty, and super strong. 50 years ago, the goblins won the war and now the faes are forced to live in iron cities that cut off their magic. They are poor, work in mines or lines of construction, and their lifespan is shortened now that they can't access their magic and live in poverty. Many are addicted to Dust, a drug that gives them the impression to be in communion with nature again for a brief moment, and many are also becoming restless, and wish for a change.
The world-building is well done and the ideas are good, but I would still have liked to have more details about the two sides of the rebellion: their strengths, their beliefs, their struggles, their revendications… That kind of information.
I also have to say that I didn’t enjoy this story as much as I could have because of the characters. I honestly didn’t care about a single character in this book. We follow 8 “main characters” in this book, and each one of them has its own chapters. I find that they had no depth, and were not really likable (in their defense they were not un-likable too, they were just bland). The fact that everything happens over one single night does not give us much time to get to know the characters either, and there is obviously no real character development.
The plot is complex enough to be interesting, but at the same time, there were many things going on at the same time, some of them did not seem that necessary or useful to the plot. There is a fae uprising, some powerful goblin families are scheming against each other, and a drug dealer is trying to make one huge deal so he can start a new and better life… And those are only the main plotlines, there are also many smaller events happening to each set of characters. Because of these “extras” happening, it created moments where the pace dragged on a little, and sometimes it felt a little all over the place. That being said, it is still what I would describe as a medium/quick read.
Sadly, I did not enjoy this novel that much, but I can see why it has so many great reviews, and I do think that this was mostly a case of “it’s not you, it’s me”.
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✅ Writing style
✅ Original world-building
✅ 🆗 Pace
✅ 🆗 Plot
🆗❌ Characters
2.5 stars
Most of the reviews for this book are 4 stars reviews, and I completely understand why. I do believe that this is a very good book, but it is not a book for me.
I will start by saying that the author’s writing style is a little different from what I’m used to, but I really liked it. I am not sure if I would categorize this as a fantasy or an urban fantasy... It does happen in a fictive world, but they do have cars, microwaves, and other modern technologies, so I am not really sure...
The idea that the faes are oppressed is already a fresh and new concept since we are used to faes being almighty, and super strong. 50 years ago, the goblins won the war and now the faes are forced to live in iron cities that cut off their magic. They are poor, work in mines or lines of construction, and their lifespan is shortened now that they can't access their magic and live in poverty. Many are addicted to Dust, a drug that gives them the impression to be in communion with nature again for a brief moment, and many are also becoming restless, and wish for a change.
The world-building is well done and the ideas are good, but I would still have liked to have more details about the two sides of the rebellion: their strengths, their beliefs, their struggles, their revendications… That kind of information.
I also have to say that I didn’t enjoy this story as much as I could have because of the characters. I honestly didn’t care about a single character in this book. We follow 8 “main characters” in this book, and each one of them has its own chapters. I find that they had no depth, and were not really likable (in their defense they were not un-likable too, they were just bland). The fact that everything happens over one single night does not give us much time to get to know the characters either, and there is obviously no real character development.
The plot is complex enough to be interesting, but at the same time, there were many things going on at the same time, some of them did not seem that necessary or useful to the plot. There is a fae uprising, some powerful goblin families are scheming against each other, and a drug dealer is trying to make one huge deal so he can start a new and better life… And those are only the main plotlines, there are also many smaller events happening to each set of characters. Because of these “extras” happening, it created moments where the pace dragged on a little, and sometimes it felt a little all over the place. That being said, it is still what I would describe as a medium/quick read.
Sadly, I did not enjoy this novel that much, but I can see why it has so many great reviews, and I do think that this was mostly a case of “it’s not you, it’s me”.
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July 6, 2021
City of Iron and Dust is a contemporary but dark, gritty and razor-sharp Fae-inspired fantasy debut from JP Oakes. Set against a post-apocalyptic backdrop, the age-old war between the Fae, those who are descended from fairies, and their goblin oppressors has finally come to an end and now the sprawling Iron City stands as a memorial and constant reminder of goblin victory and Fae defeat. Having lost, the Fae are essentially imprisoned within the walled city under the rule of five distinct goblin houses who have subjugated the Fae and bear down from the ivory towers that stand in the centre of the city. The entrapment of the Fae within the city heights was a deliberate move and the goblins had constructed the city atop of their forests so that the Fae are separated from nature and the earth they harness their magic and power from, but they are also surrounded by a substance that is toxic to them. It's almost like a gulag/prison camp as the Fae are forced to toil away carrying out heavy manual labour in noisy, dangerous and backbreaking industrial settings; it very much feels as though they have been enslaved. Not only that, but many work down the mines which lowers their life expectancy, can often precipitate cancer and can lead to addiction to the illegal drug known as "Dust".
Dust is a substance that allows the Fae a fleeting glimpse of what their lives used to be and has the power to restore lost magic, if only for a moment. There have been uprisings and rebellions before across the Iron City, but they have been largely stamped out before they could gather momentum, however, tonight is the night when the Fae will fight for freedom and to liberate themselves from their rulers' grip. Among those desperate to get their hands on Dust are a variety of quirky characters from around the vast city and they might just find that their actions will change the Iron City forever. This is a compelling fantasy novel with action galore and a plot that moves at a rapid pace. It's a refreshing take on the post-apocalyptic story, ripe with betrayal, sacrifice, clever twists and excellent worldbuilding. It's a tale with simmering tension and underlying unease from the very start, and there are surprising sections of witty humour throughout and periods of reflection traverse the whole narrative. The fight scenes are executed well and provide more than enough blood to keep you wondering exactly what will happen next. A fascinating and engaging cast of thoroughly distinctive characters is the icing on the cake for what turned out to be a gripping and engrossing standalone fantasy.
Dust is a substance that allows the Fae a fleeting glimpse of what their lives used to be and has the power to restore lost magic, if only for a moment. There have been uprisings and rebellions before across the Iron City, but they have been largely stamped out before they could gather momentum, however, tonight is the night when the Fae will fight for freedom and to liberate themselves from their rulers' grip. Among those desperate to get their hands on Dust are a variety of quirky characters from around the vast city and they might just find that their actions will change the Iron City forever. This is a compelling fantasy novel with action galore and a plot that moves at a rapid pace. It's a refreshing take on the post-apocalyptic story, ripe with betrayal, sacrifice, clever twists and excellent worldbuilding. It's a tale with simmering tension and underlying unease from the very start, and there are surprising sections of witty humour throughout and periods of reflection traverse the whole narrative. The fight scenes are executed well and provide more than enough blood to keep you wondering exactly what will happen next. A fascinating and engaging cast of thoroughly distinctive characters is the icing on the cake for what turned out to be a gripping and engrossing standalone fantasy.
July 5, 2021
I was asked to blurb this book several months ago, and for my review, I'd like to put the long version of that blurb here:
City of Iron and Dust snaps with quiet aggression from the first sentence to the last, giving the reader a contemporary fairytale filled with socio-political events that mirror those of our current world. Oakes doesn’t just tell a story of racism, classism, blood and war—City of Iron and Dust also contains the thread of hope, carried by the visionaries and dreamers of a better world. It’s a modern fable that must not be missed.
The short version is simply this: read it.
City of Iron and Dust snaps with quiet aggression from the first sentence to the last, giving the reader a contemporary fairytale filled with socio-political events that mirror those of our current world. Oakes doesn’t just tell a story of racism, classism, blood and war—City of Iron and Dust also contains the thread of hope, carried by the visionaries and dreamers of a better world. It’s a modern fable that must not be missed.
The short version is simply this: read it.
June 25, 2021
massive thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc. all thoughts in this review are my own
this book was exceptionally written; from dark humour and quick wit to emotional and moving scenes, to plot twists and charismatic characters, phenomenal fight scenes and political messages to dynamically written descriptions and imaginative story telling. like, SO good.
granny spregg is, without a doubt, my absolute favourite character in this whole book. her inner monologue, paired with the hilariously dark one liners and no-fucks-given attitude was so much fun to read.
sil is such a badass and her fight scenes literally had me on the edge of my seat - for everything that’s been done to her and then that ending??? a work of art
yes, there are a fair few protagonists that we meet, and normally i’m not a massive fan of a book told from so many different points of view, but it was super fun to read and to watch each plot line progress to this one cataclysmic point.
another thing that deserves a mention are the chapter titles, for example:
0. let me tell you a fairy story (or, it’s not epic if it doesn’t have a prologue
1. three assholes walk into a bar
13. that’s another fine mess you’ve gotten me into
16. and then it all goes to shit
that is all.
i’ll also admit that the different species (?) names confused me a tad, and i would’ve liked more background info on each of the characters and more in depth world building but overall, i had a blast reading this and was enthralled from start to finish!
——
got accepted for an arc (thank you netgalley) lets GOOOO
this book was exceptionally written; from dark humour and quick wit to emotional and moving scenes, to plot twists and charismatic characters, phenomenal fight scenes and political messages to dynamically written descriptions and imaginative story telling. like, SO good.
granny spregg is, without a doubt, my absolute favourite character in this whole book. her inner monologue, paired with the hilariously dark one liners and no-fucks-given attitude was so much fun to read.
sil is such a badass and her fight scenes literally had me on the edge of my seat - for everything that’s been done to her and then that ending??? a work of art
yes, there are a fair few protagonists that we meet, and normally i’m not a massive fan of a book told from so many different points of view, but it was super fun to read and to watch each plot line progress to this one cataclysmic point.
another thing that deserves a mention are the chapter titles, for example:
0. let me tell you a fairy story (or, it’s not epic if it doesn’t have a prologue
1. three assholes walk into a bar
13. that’s another fine mess you’ve gotten me into
16. and then it all goes to shit
that is all.
i’ll also admit that the different species (?) names confused me a tad, and i would’ve liked more background info on each of the characters and more in depth world building but overall, i had a blast reading this and was enthralled from start to finish!
——
got accepted for an arc (thank you netgalley) lets GOOOO
July 15, 2021
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
City of Iron and Dust by J.P. Oakes is a great dark and gritty fantasy debut. Although the blurb sounded cool, I didn't really have strong expectations for this either way so this was quite a pleasant surprise. It's a contemporary noir-ish fairytale with goblins and the fae in a modern urban setting with just the perfect dash of humor. This combination really worked for me as did the political intrigue, fast pace, the action, and multiple and distinct POVs. Overall, this is well worth your time, especially if you like The Carter Archives by Dan Stout. This debut deserves a lot of love and I can't wait to read more from J.P. Oakes in the future.
City of Iron and Dust by J.P. Oakes is a great dark and gritty fantasy debut. Although the blurb sounded cool, I didn't really have strong expectations for this either way so this was quite a pleasant surprise. It's a contemporary noir-ish fairytale with goblins and the fae in a modern urban setting with just the perfect dash of humor. This combination really worked for me as did the political intrigue, fast pace, the action, and multiple and distinct POVs. Overall, this is well worth your time, especially if you like The Carter Archives by Dan Stout. This debut deserves a lot of love and I can't wait to read more from J.P. Oakes in the future.
June 6, 2021
A, lot of people are going to love this book, I think. Unfortunately, I am not one of them.
I like the overall concept of the story, but I wasn't keen on the execution. I like the idea of the fae being subjugated and oppressed for once, by goblins, no less, entrapped in a city made of iron, cut off from their magic. They are made to work in mines, kept in poverty, and any rebellions dealt with brutally. The effect of the mines is cancer, short life spans (human short), and for many, an addiction to Dust, a drug that allows them to briefly touch nature again. The world itself is cool and the ideas behind it are excellent, but the deployment of the story just wasn't for me.
You get the story through several characters, some fae and some goblins. There isn't really a single character I cared about. I felt that they were very one-dimensional, cliché kinds of characters. I didn't feel that any were really that likeable, and I mostly found that they were just too flat with no depth to them.
I felt that the pacing of the book was kind of slow at times. There were times where I almost decided to give up on reading. That said, it's still a fairly quick read.
In terms of plot, there was loads going on, but I'm not sure how much of it was necessary to the overall story. I feel that at least one of the main characters was completely unnecessary and did nothing to advance the plot at all. If anything, it just seemed to be filler to add more pages to the book.
I like the overall concept of the story, but I wasn't keen on the execution. I like the idea of the fae being subjugated and oppressed for once, by goblins, no less, entrapped in a city made of iron, cut off from their magic. They are made to work in mines, kept in poverty, and any rebellions dealt with brutally. The effect of the mines is cancer, short life spans (human short), and for many, an addiction to Dust, a drug that allows them to briefly touch nature again. The world itself is cool and the ideas behind it are excellent, but the deployment of the story just wasn't for me.
You get the story through several characters, some fae and some goblins. There isn't really a single character I cared about. I felt that they were very one-dimensional, cliché kinds of characters. I didn't feel that any were really that likeable, and I mostly found that they were just too flat with no depth to them.
I felt that the pacing of the book was kind of slow at times. There were times where I almost decided to give up on reading. That said, it's still a fairly quick read.
In terms of plot, there was loads going on, but I'm not sure how much of it was necessary to the overall story. I feel that at least one of the main characters was completely unnecessary and did nothing to advance the plot at all. If anything, it just seemed to be filler to add more pages to the book.
July 19, 2021
This book was amazing from start to finish. Rtc
June 22, 2021
I went into this expecting a strong protagonist to follow and have to say that's not what I got. You see this book weaves about bringing together multiple points of view to tell a story of oppression and perhaps ultimately hope.
Having lost the war the Fae are imprisoned by the Goblins in a walled city which cuts off their connection to the Earth and magic. With poverty and shorter lives the Fae struggle on with just the slight chance of briefly remembering how it felt to wield magic if they take the illegal drug Dust. A small amount of Dust can have an immediate effect but what would happen if a whole block of it found its way into the city ?
Here we meet unlikely heroes and follow their journey. Expect to be surprised but also to feel disgust at their treatment. This story whilst slow in places was entertaining with characters that caught my imagination and also my sympathy. Not what I expected but I'm glad I read it.
This voluntary take is of an advanced copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
Having lost the war the Fae are imprisoned by the Goblins in a walled city which cuts off their connection to the Earth and magic. With poverty and shorter lives the Fae struggle on with just the slight chance of briefly remembering how it felt to wield magic if they take the illegal drug Dust. A small amount of Dust can have an immediate effect but what would happen if a whole block of it found its way into the city ?
Here we meet unlikely heroes and follow their journey. Expect to be surprised but also to feel disgust at their treatment. This story whilst slow in places was entertaining with characters that caught my imagination and also my sympathy. Not what I expected but I'm glad I read it.
This voluntary take is of an advanced copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
July 19, 2021
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
City of Iron and Dust is a standalone fantasy novel that follows around different individuals in a city on the verge of a revolution. The Goblins have been in power and entrapped many Fae in an Iron City for so long the younger generation doesn't remember or have any magic. The once nearly immortal Fae now only live, maybe, seventy years. The city is about to combust and the reader gets to follow around many of the characters that have something to do with this revolution.
I haven't ever read anything from this author before so I was not sure what to expect, but it was really a wild ride. All of the PoVs were interesting and gave different views of the revolution's beginnings. Dust, an almost narcotic drug, is the only thing that amplifies Fae enough for their magic to work and a great big block of it has just come into the city. Whoever controls the dust will have a powerful weapon that could be used to knock the Fae down forever or overthrow the Goblins and it seems like everyone is looking for where it went.
This was jam packed with intrigue and action. Because it is a revolution, there is a lot of craziness on the streets and none of the characters are safe. There were some fantastic twists along the way I really didn't see coming and the ending, well it fit the story quite a bit and I was satisfied in it. This was a crazy ride the entire way through and there were characters to love and hate throughout the night of revolution in the City of Iron.
Narration:
Dan Calley did an absolutely fantastic job. He really made the story come to life. I was drawn into all the characters and their struggles. This is one of those books I think the narration made me enjoy it even more.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
City of Iron and Dust is a standalone fantasy novel that follows around different individuals in a city on the verge of a revolution. The Goblins have been in power and entrapped many Fae in an Iron City for so long the younger generation doesn't remember or have any magic. The once nearly immortal Fae now only live, maybe, seventy years. The city is about to combust and the reader gets to follow around many of the characters that have something to do with this revolution.
I haven't ever read anything from this author before so I was not sure what to expect, but it was really a wild ride. All of the PoVs were interesting and gave different views of the revolution's beginnings. Dust, an almost narcotic drug, is the only thing that amplifies Fae enough for their magic to work and a great big block of it has just come into the city. Whoever controls the dust will have a powerful weapon that could be used to knock the Fae down forever or overthrow the Goblins and it seems like everyone is looking for where it went.
This was jam packed with intrigue and action. Because it is a revolution, there is a lot of craziness on the streets and none of the characters are safe. There were some fantastic twists along the way I really didn't see coming and the ending, well it fit the story quite a bit and I was satisfied in it. This was a crazy ride the entire way through and there were characters to love and hate throughout the night of revolution in the City of Iron.
Narration:
Dan Calley did an absolutely fantastic job. He really made the story come to life. I was drawn into all the characters and their struggles. This is one of those books I think the narration made me enjoy it even more.
Listen to a clip: HERE
September 15, 2021
This book has a lot of things going for it. It's got a cool setting and an interesting premise. It’s got a very diverse set of characters, none of whom are really “good” or “evil” in the traditional sense (though certainly some are better people than others). It’s set over a short period of time - literally a single night - which is a thing I’ve come to realize I really love. I didn’t end up enjoying it quite as much as I expected I would, but it’s still a good, fun read.
The premise here is that, a generation prior to the book, the goblins conquered the fae after centuries of being subjugated by them. The fae are not *quite* slaves, but they only just miss the mark. Their lives are absolutely dominated by the goblins. The fae population all live in the Iron City, which the goblins built after their conquest. The entire city is surrounded by a thick wall of iron, keeping the fae trapped and cutting them off from the natural world and, by extension, their magic.
The book is about an uprising. It’s not the first by any stretch, though all the ones so far have been swiftly and brutally crushed by the goblins. There are a lot of elements at play here, though.
The center of the book is a narcotic known as Dust. When on Dust, the fae regain access to their magic. They can make flowers grow, healers can use their powers to fix injuries, and (of particular interest to the rebels) they can use their magic for war. Dust is, however, a narcotic; taking enough to do anything of significance has serious consequences, and the tenements of the Iron City are filled with junkies in search of that next magical high.
The rebellion hopes this uprising will be different, thanks to the massive amount of Dust they’ve smuggled into the city. Enough that, if a fae were willing to sacrifice themself, could be used to annihilate the goblins. This block of Dust is the center of the story: most of the action is driven by the efforts of all sides in the conflict to gain control of it.
The cast of POV characters include: a low-level Dust dealer who has seen his parents destroyed by their addiction; his artist brother, who hopes to inspire change in the Iron City through his work; assorted young revolutionaries, who reluctantly interrupt their arguments about theory to fight goblins; the organizers of the rebellion; a goblin princess, who sincerely wants to make things better for everyone; her half-goblin-half-fae bodyguard, who both sides see as alien; and the elderly dowager of one of the goblin houses, determined to return to the center of power.
This entire book has the feel of both a noir film and *Les Miserables*. The parallels of Dust to heroin (or other drug of choice) are obvious; several of the characters want it simply because that much pure Dust is worth a whole, whole lot of money. Oakes does a good job of telling out the story, gradually spinning out the layers and layers of the tale and gradually letting the reader find out all the intricacies of the assorted plots as they unfold. There’s violence, people die, and the ending is ultimately a satisfying one. It’s standalone, though the world has room for a sequel if Oakes wants to make one. Overall, though, I hope he resists that temptation; I’d rather leave things wrapped up where they are.
This is Oakes’ debut, and I’m interested to see what comes out next.
The premise here is that, a generation prior to the book, the goblins conquered the fae after centuries of being subjugated by them. The fae are not *quite* slaves, but they only just miss the mark. Their lives are absolutely dominated by the goblins. The fae population all live in the Iron City, which the goblins built after their conquest. The entire city is surrounded by a thick wall of iron, keeping the fae trapped and cutting them off from the natural world and, by extension, their magic.
The book is about an uprising. It’s not the first by any stretch, though all the ones so far have been swiftly and brutally crushed by the goblins. There are a lot of elements at play here, though.
The center of the book is a narcotic known as Dust. When on Dust, the fae regain access to their magic. They can make flowers grow, healers can use their powers to fix injuries, and (of particular interest to the rebels) they can use their magic for war. Dust is, however, a narcotic; taking enough to do anything of significance has serious consequences, and the tenements of the Iron City are filled with junkies in search of that next magical high.
The rebellion hopes this uprising will be different, thanks to the massive amount of Dust they’ve smuggled into the city. Enough that, if a fae were willing to sacrifice themself, could be used to annihilate the goblins. This block of Dust is the center of the story: most of the action is driven by the efforts of all sides in the conflict to gain control of it.
The cast of POV characters include: a low-level Dust dealer who has seen his parents destroyed by their addiction; his artist brother, who hopes to inspire change in the Iron City through his work; assorted young revolutionaries, who reluctantly interrupt their arguments about theory to fight goblins; the organizers of the rebellion; a goblin princess, who sincerely wants to make things better for everyone; her half-goblin-half-fae bodyguard, who both sides see as alien; and the elderly dowager of one of the goblin houses, determined to return to the center of power.
This entire book has the feel of both a noir film and *Les Miserables*. The parallels of Dust to heroin (or other drug of choice) are obvious; several of the characters want it simply because that much pure Dust is worth a whole, whole lot of money. Oakes does a good job of telling out the story, gradually spinning out the layers and layers of the tale and gradually letting the reader find out all the intricacies of the assorted plots as they unfold. There’s violence, people die, and the ending is ultimately a satisfying one. It’s standalone, though the world has room for a sequel if Oakes wants to make one. Overall, though, I hope he resists that temptation; I’d rather leave things wrapped up where they are.
This is Oakes’ debut, and I’m interested to see what comes out next.
August 21, 2021
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2021/08/16/...
In City of Iron and Dust, an oppressed society of Fae seek to rise up against their Goblin overlords in order to win their freedom. Writing in a contemporary urban fantasy style with dark undertones, debut author J.P. Oakes incorporates faerie folklore and magical themes along with dystopian elements to create a harsh world on the brink of violent change. This novel has a fascinating premise to be sure, but the pacing is extremely uneven which made reading it rather slow going.
In the Iron City, all that stands is a symbol of the Goblin victory against the Fae in their age-old war. Now the Fae are imprisoned within its walls, subservient to the five major houses of their Goblin rulers who reside in the towering spires at the center of the city. The only hopes the prisoners have left are fueled by Dust, a drug capable of restoring magic—if only briefly—to the desperate Fae eager to capture even a few moments of what they lost and what their lives used to be. Not only is this substance highly illegal, it is also extremely addictive, giving rise to vicious black market.
In the midst of this grim scenario, we have a varied cast including Knull, a drug dealer; Jag, a sheltered goblin princess; Sil, her badass bodyguard half-sister; Edwynn, an artist and idealist; Skart, an old kobold war veteran and freedom fighter; Granny Spregg, a depose noblewoman with designs to claw her way back into power, and a couple others I might be missing. Cut off from nature which is the source of their magic, the poverty-stricken Fae are barely surviving in these hopeless conditions, which is why the mere idea of a drug like Dust can hold so much power. And now a bag of it has found its way into the city, and whoever controls it will hold the city’s fate in their hands.
I liked this book but didn’t love it. While imaginative and action-packed, it’s also feels bloated and overloaded with way too many ideas and too much stuff going on. As I alluded to before, there are a number of POVs to follow, too many to even remember all of them after I finished the book. Not only that, I also feel the author treats character development far too casually, never giving readers a chance to connect with any of them on a deeper, more meaningful level. We flit back and forth between their perspectives like it’s going out of style, often shifting the focus just as things were getting good. There also wasn’t enough to distinguish between some of the voices, with the dialogue, tone and snark being somewhat interchangeable. Truth be told, none of them really made an impression on me in the end.
There’s also a breathless quality when it comes to many debuts, and I can feel that here. Oakes’ enthusiasm is practically palpable, which isn’t necessarily bad, but things do get a little dicey when you try to put in too much. The saying “less is more” comes to mind here, as a jumble of different styles seem to struggle against each other for dominance. Here and there you get a hint of crime noir, while at other times a touch of military thriller kicks in, all to a dizzying backdrop of fantasy and paranormal elements. And with how quickly the story moves, it rather tough to get a bead on things. Certain literary devices, like the humor, feel forced or ill-timed, coming in at the most awkward moments. The result is this chaotic and often confusing energy that sometimes makes the book hard to follow, which can be very exhausting, and it’s a shame because what should have been the story’s powerful message of resistance against oppression ends up getting lost in all the noise.
With a bit more polish, this book could have been great, and with more experience, the author’s future looks bright. J.P. Oakes clearly has the talent, the imagination, and the potential, but City of Iron and Dust could have done with some streamlining and character development to help it be more memorable. Despite its flaws though, I loved the world-building and the fact that all the characters in the story are non-human. It’s definitely a treat for fantasy fans looking for that sort of thing, as long as you don’t mind the prose and storytelling that’s a bit raw and rough around the edges.
In City of Iron and Dust, an oppressed society of Fae seek to rise up against their Goblin overlords in order to win their freedom. Writing in a contemporary urban fantasy style with dark undertones, debut author J.P. Oakes incorporates faerie folklore and magical themes along with dystopian elements to create a harsh world on the brink of violent change. This novel has a fascinating premise to be sure, but the pacing is extremely uneven which made reading it rather slow going.
In the Iron City, all that stands is a symbol of the Goblin victory against the Fae in their age-old war. Now the Fae are imprisoned within its walls, subservient to the five major houses of their Goblin rulers who reside in the towering spires at the center of the city. The only hopes the prisoners have left are fueled by Dust, a drug capable of restoring magic—if only briefly—to the desperate Fae eager to capture even a few moments of what they lost and what their lives used to be. Not only is this substance highly illegal, it is also extremely addictive, giving rise to vicious black market.
In the midst of this grim scenario, we have a varied cast including Knull, a drug dealer; Jag, a sheltered goblin princess; Sil, her badass bodyguard half-sister; Edwynn, an artist and idealist; Skart, an old kobold war veteran and freedom fighter; Granny Spregg, a depose noblewoman with designs to claw her way back into power, and a couple others I might be missing. Cut off from nature which is the source of their magic, the poverty-stricken Fae are barely surviving in these hopeless conditions, which is why the mere idea of a drug like Dust can hold so much power. And now a bag of it has found its way into the city, and whoever controls it will hold the city’s fate in their hands.
I liked this book but didn’t love it. While imaginative and action-packed, it’s also feels bloated and overloaded with way too many ideas and too much stuff going on. As I alluded to before, there are a number of POVs to follow, too many to even remember all of them after I finished the book. Not only that, I also feel the author treats character development far too casually, never giving readers a chance to connect with any of them on a deeper, more meaningful level. We flit back and forth between their perspectives like it’s going out of style, often shifting the focus just as things were getting good. There also wasn’t enough to distinguish between some of the voices, with the dialogue, tone and snark being somewhat interchangeable. Truth be told, none of them really made an impression on me in the end.
There’s also a breathless quality when it comes to many debuts, and I can feel that here. Oakes’ enthusiasm is practically palpable, which isn’t necessarily bad, but things do get a little dicey when you try to put in too much. The saying “less is more” comes to mind here, as a jumble of different styles seem to struggle against each other for dominance. Here and there you get a hint of crime noir, while at other times a touch of military thriller kicks in, all to a dizzying backdrop of fantasy and paranormal elements. And with how quickly the story moves, it rather tough to get a bead on things. Certain literary devices, like the humor, feel forced or ill-timed, coming in at the most awkward moments. The result is this chaotic and often confusing energy that sometimes makes the book hard to follow, which can be very exhausting, and it’s a shame because what should have been the story’s powerful message of resistance against oppression ends up getting lost in all the noise.
With a bit more polish, this book could have been great, and with more experience, the author’s future looks bright. J.P. Oakes clearly has the talent, the imagination, and the potential, but City of Iron and Dust could have done with some streamlining and character development to help it be more memorable. Despite its flaws though, I loved the world-building and the fact that all the characters in the story are non-human. It’s definitely a treat for fantasy fans looking for that sort of thing, as long as you don’t mind the prose and storytelling that’s a bit raw and rough around the edges.
June 8, 2021
This was an interesting read. The fae lost, badly, to the goblins and other evil fae species. The survivors are in a city walled with iron and there is mention of great bombs falling from the sky and destroying everything else in mushroom clouds. So, it’s a dark story, don’t go reading this expecting rainbows and puppies. But it’s interesting and different. I enjoyed it! I’d be interested to see what the author does nexts.
June 16, 2021
This book was all over the place for me.
It takes place over just one night and there's simply not enough time to explore the characters and get properly involved. They're not badly written, they all have their own agenda and distinguished thoughts, but we got minimal info outside of their current situation. The character development has no base, because we don't get to see how they were before this all started. We're just thrown into a rebellion and I had no idea what the opposing positions offered and where I, as a reader, was supposed to stand. There wasn't enough world building for my taste and I couldn't grasp how the world looked; we had cars, guns and security cameras, but no cell phones and one character was fighting with a sword? The different kinds of fae were also lost to me, no idea what the difference between dryad and sidhe or even the goblins is!
I loved the witty tone and the writing itself. That and the fast pace kept me reading, though it almost read like a military thriller at times. This novel is more like a high paced action movie set in a fantasy world, which is not my style. I expected an intricate high fantasy, full of scheming and political intrigue, which doesn't focus on the action.
It takes place over just one night and there's simply not enough time to explore the characters and get properly involved. They're not badly written, they all have their own agenda and distinguished thoughts, but we got minimal info outside of their current situation. The character development has no base, because we don't get to see how they were before this all started. We're just thrown into a rebellion and I had no idea what the opposing positions offered and where I, as a reader, was supposed to stand. There wasn't enough world building for my taste and I couldn't grasp how the world looked; we had cars, guns and security cameras, but no cell phones and one character was fighting with a sword? The different kinds of fae were also lost to me, no idea what the difference between dryad and sidhe or even the goblins is!
I loved the witty tone and the writing itself. That and the fast pace kept me reading, though it almost read like a military thriller at times. This novel is more like a high paced action movie set in a fantasy world, which is not my style. I expected an intricate high fantasy, full of scheming and political intrigue, which doesn't focus on the action.
July 20, 2021
Strong leading characters moving in an environment that the reader can embrace. A tale that is dark, violent and achieves satisfaction.
July 15, 2021
Allegories are fiddly things, to be useful the reader has to be able to decipher them, but to be narratively interesting they can't be too obvious. Equally an allegory can get so broad to be meaningless - I understand that the X-Men may be a substitute for all discriminated people but if you are - say - Jean Grey and can pass and have awesome superpowers too I am not sure how much that really resonates with the black communities of the American South. The City Of Iron And Dust presses its allegory accelerator to the floor in Chapter One and keeps it there happily through the book, but gets away with it mainly because of its breathless snapshot of a night. Oh, and this is a fantasy with no humans in it.
So we are in the City Of Iron (the Dust in question is a drug), which is ruled by Goblins. The city is full of other fae (a word that usually makes me run for the hills), Dryads, and Dyads, and Pixies and various mixes of them, and indeed Goblins, but any non-gob is is exploited and very much an underclass. There isn't really any magic any more, and the technological level is cars and fixed telephones - it felt quite sixties or seventies or even noir to me. And it rolls like a slice of life underworld crime novel, there is a power struggle between the ruling Houses, the rebellious heir of House Red is targeted for assassination and lost in the streets of the city with only her half pixie half sister bodyguard. At the same time a political demonstration turns into a riot and into a potential revolution and a big bag of the drug Dust (which can stimulate latent magic in fae) is bouncing around like a big old McGuffin. There were a few too many strands for my liking to start off with, and Oakes is not shy about picking up and dropping (and/or killing) viewpoint characters at will. But it does all come together and the combination of crime, politics, art and coming of age did end up working for me.
Its not perfect, the jokey chapter headings felt unnecessary, and I am not sure if the last plot reveal really worked for me. But i think the book plays a relatively straight bat with its allegory, the coming of age character Jag moves from idealistic and naive to idealistic and aware of her position in the systemic discrimination. Equally the revolutionary's own naivety and propensity to split felt well observed. It does use its fantasy but not really setting to dodge and elide real world questions which would complicate it, and whilst I don't think it quite reached the levels of The Goblin Emperor in worldbuilding political savvy, it does replace it with the chaos of a roots up revolution which I hadn't seen done before. So a little rough and ready in places, but it worked where it mattered and I would be interested to see more from this author (and whilst this felt appropriately self contained, maybe this world).
So we are in the City Of Iron (the Dust in question is a drug), which is ruled by Goblins. The city is full of other fae (a word that usually makes me run for the hills), Dryads, and Dyads, and Pixies and various mixes of them, and indeed Goblins, but any non-gob is is exploited and very much an underclass. There isn't really any magic any more, and the technological level is cars and fixed telephones - it felt quite sixties or seventies or even noir to me. And it rolls like a slice of life underworld crime novel, there is a power struggle between the ruling Houses, the rebellious heir of House Red is targeted for assassination and lost in the streets of the city with only her half pixie half sister bodyguard. At the same time a political demonstration turns into a riot and into a potential revolution and a big bag of the drug Dust (which can stimulate latent magic in fae) is bouncing around like a big old McGuffin. There were a few too many strands for my liking to start off with, and Oakes is not shy about picking up and dropping (and/or killing) viewpoint characters at will. But it does all come together and the combination of crime, politics, art and coming of age did end up working for me.
Its not perfect, the jokey chapter headings felt unnecessary, and I am not sure if the last plot reveal really worked for me. But i think the book plays a relatively straight bat with its allegory, the coming of age character Jag moves from idealistic and naive to idealistic and aware of her position in the systemic discrimination. Equally the revolutionary's own naivety and propensity to split felt well observed. It does use its fantasy but not really setting to dodge and elide real world questions which would complicate it, and whilst I don't think it quite reached the levels of The Goblin Emperor in worldbuilding political savvy, it does replace it with the chaos of a roots up revolution which I hadn't seen done before. So a little rough and ready in places, but it worked where it mattered and I would be interested to see more from this author (and whilst this felt appropriately self contained, maybe this world).
July 4, 2024
I am utterly shook. This book was so good. 4.5 stars (I will explain later) but I rounded up because it was truly a beautiful journey. Honestly, it’s rare to find a nice, gritty, stand alone fantasy book with good plot and funny jokes, actual chapter titles and superior writing style, so this was a gem. There was very little for me to complain about so I'll summarise my opinions on each POV below.
Jag
It was nice to see her grow a spine throughout the book. I think it was really interesting that although she thought she understood the lives of the Fae she didn’t really get it until she was fully in the slums - she was always well intentioned but in a way, although she was not the ideal heir for Osmondo, she was not the opposite of this because she was still sheltered and spoiled. Her relationship with Sil was very nuanced, and I found it interesting that they grow apart through the book, but also I understand it because Jag’s dad was always going to be the person that hurt Sil.
Sil
WHAT A QUEEN. One of my favs for sure. She slowly became less and less one dimensional through the book, for which I’m glad because otherwise she would have just been some badass killer weapon which would have been cool but less cool than how she actually is. I loved how her fight scenes were written, and the constant reference to her training, and how her will was broken out of her. One point I really liked was that when she was under the Mnemosyne thingy the thing that broke her out was not Jag needing her but her realising she didn’t need to do what Jag needed her to. Also that final fight scene with Osmondo was soooo good. I would have really liked to see more of her and Bee together (why do I kind of ship but it’s just because they’re both my favs) because Bee was the first one to unlock her sense of herself.
Knull
Underrated king. At first I was like who is this rat and I was kind of disengaged with his POV but then I realised. Wow. What a king. Yes, this realisation dawned around the same time as I read the chapter title ‘Knull and Void’ and chuckled to myself about the pun. That actually links to how I really like the names in this book and how they fit so nicely, but anyway, back to Knull. I liked the tension he held between his hate for Dust and his dealing of it, and how he’s just a guy fighting to survive until BAM he’s slapped into the thick of it and now he has to make big decisions. Also I just love how his narrative ended; it was so sad and bittersweet but he made up with his brother and wow I might cry. I think the way he turns from scorning the rebels and thinking their efforts are futile to becoming as desperate as one of them as he tries to reach the Dust is just so chefs kiss. He’s a character development extraordinaire.
Edwyll
I found him a bit wishy washy to begin with but let’s admit it this lil guy has GritTM. He’s so passionate about his art and let’s be real the betrayal at the art house was just the worse (shout out to Talluck you were a real one, unlike sOmEoNe else). Only sweet, sweet Edwyll would have it in him to save a gobbo running from a gang of youths and you’ve got to hand it to him for that one. Idk if there was something between him and Jag at the end but yeah whatever type of duo they end up forming, I’d support it because they’re just two dreamers highkey making their dreams come true.
Bee
BEE IS THE GOAT. Argue with the wall. Intellectual king who likes democracy and fighting for a better future, oh yeAHHH. Jokes aside though I just loved his personality, like he’s some dude who works with ore or whatever and he looks sort of brutish but he understands the power of friendship so nothing else matters. Honestly I loved all his interactions with all the characters, especially Tharn.
Side ramble about Tharn: at first I thought he was just his irritating dude but then he’s actually Bee’s bestie and their relationship is like BROTHERS and then they’re fighting side by side and strategising together and bleeding together and then suddenly Tharn is dying and suddenly Tharn is telling Bee to keep fighting and suddenly Tharn is DEAD and suddenly I’m not crying YOU’RE crying -
Ahem anyways. Bee was very cool and my favourite character. I wish he had gotten a happier ending and a bit more clarity on who Sil was and why she ‘betrayed’ him and I wish we got to see what he did next because I will not be accepting that he just goes and dies somewhere fighting. This man deserves an early retirement and a hug.
Skart
What an evil, evil, nefarious, malevolent, Machiavellian, lying, scum of the earth man. Get out. Actually tho his character was well written in a way where at the start we were rooting for him *shudders*. Then the creeping suspicion when he murders that pixie but we think ‘oh maybe he’s just doing it for the rebellion’ and then BOOM he twists Sil against the gang and suddenly he’s literally the scum of the earth and we hate him. He was so well written that now I want to punch a fictitious old man, thanks for that. I would have liked more info about him and how he got employed by Osmondo but then again if I had gotten more info I may thrown up because I hate the guy so much.
Granny Spregg
Rip granny I know your children won’t miss you but I will. Highkey she’s driven by spite but at least she’s got the tiniest shred of affection for Thacker, and let’s be honest, whoever is on the opposite side of Osmondo is good. I think she was the least developed in terms of personality and character development (I wasn’t joking when she was driven by spite, and spite alone) but her POVs were always filled with action. Props to her for being able to take out a literal Fae assassin as someone who can barely walk without a stick. She’s wily for sure.
In conclusion, I would have liked more closure in this book - what happens to Jag and Edwyll after they leave? What does Sil do, and does her Fae side change anything about how she governs? What do the other Goblin Houses think of Sil? What actually happens to the Iron City? The open ending was the reason I had to deduct my 0.5 stars but tbh this book is criminally underrated anyways so I rounded up.
On the flip side, this book had some great twists. I loved how the details all came together about how the bag of Dust came to be and how all the story lines fit together. Would hundo p reread, if not just to see happy Bee at the beginning (justice for my man). It was a wild ride of a read.
Jag
It was nice to see her grow a spine throughout the book. I think it was really interesting that although she thought she understood the lives of the Fae she didn’t really get it until she was fully in the slums - she was always well intentioned but in a way, although she was not the ideal heir for Osmondo, she was not the opposite of this because she was still sheltered and spoiled. Her relationship with Sil was very nuanced, and I found it interesting that they grow apart through the book, but also I understand it because Jag’s dad was always going to be the person that hurt Sil.
Sil
WHAT A QUEEN. One of my favs for sure. She slowly became less and less one dimensional through the book, for which I’m glad because otherwise she would have just been some badass killer weapon which would have been cool but less cool than how she actually is. I loved how her fight scenes were written, and the constant reference to her training, and how her will was broken out of her. One point I really liked was that when she was under the Mnemosyne thingy the thing that broke her out was not Jag needing her but her realising she didn’t need to do what Jag needed her to. Also that final fight scene with Osmondo was soooo good. I would have really liked to see more of her and Bee together (why do I kind of ship but it’s just because they’re both my favs) because Bee was the first one to unlock her sense of herself.
Knull
Underrated king. At first I was like who is this rat and I was kind of disengaged with his POV but then I realised. Wow. What a king. Yes, this realisation dawned around the same time as I read the chapter title ‘Knull and Void’ and chuckled to myself about the pun. That actually links to how I really like the names in this book and how they fit so nicely, but anyway, back to Knull. I liked the tension he held between his hate for Dust and his dealing of it, and how he’s just a guy fighting to survive until BAM he’s slapped into the thick of it and now he has to make big decisions. Also I just love how his narrative ended; it was so sad and bittersweet but he made up with his brother and wow I might cry. I think the way he turns from scorning the rebels and thinking their efforts are futile to becoming as desperate as one of them as he tries to reach the Dust is just so chefs kiss. He’s a character development extraordinaire.
Edwyll
I found him a bit wishy washy to begin with but let’s admit it this lil guy has GritTM. He’s so passionate about his art and let’s be real the betrayal at the art house was just the worse (shout out to Talluck you were a real one, unlike sOmEoNe else). Only sweet, sweet Edwyll would have it in him to save a gobbo running from a gang of youths and you’ve got to hand it to him for that one. Idk if there was something between him and Jag at the end but yeah whatever type of duo they end up forming, I’d support it because they’re just two dreamers highkey making their dreams come true.
Bee
BEE IS THE GOAT. Argue with the wall. Intellectual king who likes democracy and fighting for a better future, oh yeAHHH. Jokes aside though I just loved his personality, like he’s some dude who works with ore or whatever and he looks sort of brutish but he understands the power of friendship so nothing else matters. Honestly I loved all his interactions with all the characters, especially Tharn.
Side ramble about Tharn: at first I thought he was just his irritating dude but then he’s actually Bee’s bestie and their relationship is like BROTHERS and then they’re fighting side by side and strategising together and bleeding together and then suddenly Tharn is dying and suddenly Tharn is telling Bee to keep fighting and suddenly Tharn is DEAD and suddenly I’m not crying YOU’RE crying -
Ahem anyways. Bee was very cool and my favourite character. I wish he had gotten a happier ending and a bit more clarity on who Sil was and why she ‘betrayed’ him and I wish we got to see what he did next because I will not be accepting that he just goes and dies somewhere fighting. This man deserves an early retirement and a hug.
Skart
What an evil, evil, nefarious, malevolent, Machiavellian, lying, scum of the earth man. Get out. Actually tho his character was well written in a way where at the start we were rooting for him *shudders*. Then the creeping suspicion when he murders that pixie but we think ‘oh maybe he’s just doing it for the rebellion’ and then BOOM he twists Sil against the gang and suddenly he’s literally the scum of the earth and we hate him. He was so well written that now I want to punch a fictitious old man, thanks for that. I would have liked more info about him and how he got employed by Osmondo but then again if I had gotten more info I may thrown up because I hate the guy so much.
Granny Spregg
Rip granny I know your children won’t miss you but I will. Highkey she’s driven by spite but at least she’s got the tiniest shred of affection for Thacker, and let’s be honest, whoever is on the opposite side of Osmondo is good. I think she was the least developed in terms of personality and character development (I wasn’t joking when she was driven by spite, and spite alone) but her POVs were always filled with action. Props to her for being able to take out a literal Fae assassin as someone who can barely walk without a stick. She’s wily for sure.
In conclusion, I would have liked more closure in this book - what happens to Jag and Edwyll after they leave? What does Sil do, and does her Fae side change anything about how she governs? What do the other Goblin Houses think of Sil? What actually happens to the Iron City? The open ending was the reason I had to deduct my 0.5 stars but tbh this book is criminally underrated anyways so I rounded up.
On the flip side, this book had some great twists. I loved how the details all came together about how the bag of Dust came to be and how all the story lines fit together. Would hundo p reread, if not just to see happy Bee at the beginning (justice for my man). It was a wild ride of a read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2021
Happy Pub day to City of Iron and Dust!
This was an intriguing read for several reason!
1. It’s Fae set in the modern world.
2. It’s a world where Fae do not triumph over everyone else; but goblin does.
3. Incredibly interesting to imaging goblins and Fae living like a normal human in the world that is similar like the one we live in!
4. Incredible badassery from some of the women characters (que Granny Spregg fighting the dude sent to assassinate her!)
I thought that the book had a brilliant start. The first few pages blew me away. As the book carries on, we were taken into the world of a myriad of characters. Initially, the sheer number of characters can be confusing but after a while, you tend to see each angle of each different characters in a different way and when you finally reach the climax where all characters come together, it simply is quite a thing.
There are also sensitive topics at play in this book: namely the consumption of Dust (that sounded similar to the effects of drugs) as well as hatred amongst races.
.
.
“Sometimes, though, she knows, you don’t win a fight because you’re stronger, or faster, or because you’re more skilled. Sometimes you just win because you’re willing to do things that your opponent isn’t. Sometimes you win because your will to live is stronger.”
.
.
I would give this a 3.8/5.
Thanks to @netgalley, @titanbooks and @jp_oakes for the advanced copy of the e-book. All thoughts and musings, as always, are my own.
This was an intriguing read for several reason!
1. It’s Fae set in the modern world.
2. It’s a world where Fae do not triumph over everyone else; but goblin does.
3. Incredibly interesting to imaging goblins and Fae living like a normal human in the world that is similar like the one we live in!
4. Incredible badassery from some of the women characters (que Granny Spregg fighting the dude sent to assassinate her!)
I thought that the book had a brilliant start. The first few pages blew me away. As the book carries on, we were taken into the world of a myriad of characters. Initially, the sheer number of characters can be confusing but after a while, you tend to see each angle of each different characters in a different way and when you finally reach the climax where all characters come together, it simply is quite a thing.
There are also sensitive topics at play in this book: namely the consumption of Dust (that sounded similar to the effects of drugs) as well as hatred amongst races.
.
.
“Sometimes, though, she knows, you don’t win a fight because you’re stronger, or faster, or because you’re more skilled. Sometimes you just win because you’re willing to do things that your opponent isn’t. Sometimes you win because your will to live is stronger.”
.
.
I would give this a 3.8/5.
Thanks to @netgalley, @titanbooks and @jp_oakes for the advanced copy of the e-book. All thoughts and musings, as always, are my own.
July 23, 2021
** I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Somehow Oakes was able to create a diverse band of characters that made me laugh, cry, and wonder at the necessity and futility of revolution. I usually complain whenever authors include multiple POV's, but Oakes does a fantastic job using a wide variety of characters to show readers the different aspects of revolution and status quo, oppressor and oppressed. There is no definite good versus evil, but rather we are thrown into a complex web of schemes and war that reveal just how difficult and morally gray taking down an oppressive rule can be. There are naive, hopeful, and excited characters alongside corrupt, disillusioned, and desperate ones. Some stress the importance of unity in the fight to undermine the upper class, while throughout the novel we see the inevitable fracturing of the fragile common goal. Yet somehow, among all this, Oakes was able to maintain an air of hope for the future. This was an incredible fast read (I could not put it down once I started) which presented a multi-faceted view of class struggle and racial oppression in a fantasy setting.
Characters:
Knull - a drug dealer trying to buy his way out of the fae districts
Jag - a goblin noblewoman with a naive view of the lower classes her father oppresses
Sil - Jag's half-sister and bodyguard, turned into a machine by her father
Edwynn - a hopeful artist who insists on a brighter future for the fae of the Iron City
Skart - a veteran of the war organizing the fae for a new revolution
Bee - a young revolutionary driven by hope for the future
Granny Spregg - a deposed ruler of one of the goblin houses trying to wrest back her power
"It's all a lie. It wants us to believe it's a city of iron, but it's a city of dust. It's lies and illusion, and paper-thin magic."
Somehow Oakes was able to create a diverse band of characters that made me laugh, cry, and wonder at the necessity and futility of revolution. I usually complain whenever authors include multiple POV's, but Oakes does a fantastic job using a wide variety of characters to show readers the different aspects of revolution and status quo, oppressor and oppressed. There is no definite good versus evil, but rather we are thrown into a complex web of schemes and war that reveal just how difficult and morally gray taking down an oppressive rule can be. There are naive, hopeful, and excited characters alongside corrupt, disillusioned, and desperate ones. Some stress the importance of unity in the fight to undermine the upper class, while throughout the novel we see the inevitable fracturing of the fragile common goal. Yet somehow, among all this, Oakes was able to maintain an air of hope for the future. This was an incredible fast read (I could not put it down once I started) which presented a multi-faceted view of class struggle and racial oppression in a fantasy setting.
Characters:
Knull - a drug dealer trying to buy his way out of the fae districts
Jag - a goblin noblewoman with a naive view of the lower classes her father oppresses
Sil - Jag's half-sister and bodyguard, turned into a machine by her father
Edwynn - a hopeful artist who insists on a brighter future for the fae of the Iron City
Skart - a veteran of the war organizing the fae for a new revolution
Bee - a young revolutionary driven by hope for the future
Granny Spregg - a deposed ruler of one of the goblin houses trying to wrest back her power
October 5, 2021
I really liked it, even if I needed some time to get fully invested.
A lot of characters, short chapters... it took me a while to connect with some of them as we didn't spend a lot of time with each in one go. But in the end, I truly think this is a glorious book.
The writing is excellent, and the whole plot perfectly wrapped. Some charaters are amazing, and props to the W-O-M-E-N who are mostly huge badasses!
A true great surprise in the world of the (too rare) standalones!
A lot of characters, short chapters... it took me a while to connect with some of them as we didn't spend a lot of time with each in one go. But in the end, I truly think this is a glorious book.
The writing is excellent, and the whole plot perfectly wrapped. Some charaters are amazing, and props to the W-O-M-E-N who are mostly huge badasses!
A true great surprise in the world of the (too rare) standalones!
October 8, 2024
Way too relevant for me to fully enjoy.
If you like fae and goblins and LOADS OF VIOLENCE you’ll have fun with this one. Get ready for some feels though.
If you like fae and goblins and LOADS OF VIOLENCE you’ll have fun with this one. Get ready for some feels though.
July 17, 2021
I knew I'm gonna enjoy 𝑪𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒓𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑫𝒖𝒔𝒕 by J.P Oakes upon reading the first chapter's title: "Three A******s Walk Into a Bar"
𝑪𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒓𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑫𝒖𝒔𝒕 is like a high fueled car, the action and fighting never stops! The writing was engaging and witty. The world was intriguing. It has technology and magic at the same time!
Fast-paced, action-packed, and a plot that will unfold in one night?! Sign me up! Will definitely watch out for more books that J.P. Oakes will publish 🤩
𝑪𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒓𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑫𝒖𝒔𝒕 is like a high fueled car, the action and fighting never stops! The writing was engaging and witty. The world was intriguing. It has technology and magic at the same time!
Fast-paced, action-packed, and a plot that will unfold in one night?! Sign me up! Will definitely watch out for more books that J.P. Oakes will publish 🤩
June 22, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.
A dark city fantasy. As a reader you go through the story following multiple lead characters.
The overall story I found was well written and I enjoyed it though I found the plot to become a bit slow sometimes.
The Iron City is a prison as a result of a fae-goblin war. A drug that fuels magic remains in the city and connects the people to what once was nature, dust. There is much to unpack and follow as the characters go about their quests and adventures, and I found that the author was able to keep me on my toes as I wasn't able to predict everything that was about to happen next.
All in all, this wouldn't be at the top of my reads list but I liked it and would probably recommend it to a friend.
A dark city fantasy. As a reader you go through the story following multiple lead characters.
The overall story I found was well written and I enjoyed it though I found the plot to become a bit slow sometimes.
The Iron City is a prison as a result of a fae-goblin war. A drug that fuels magic remains in the city and connects the people to what once was nature, dust. There is much to unpack and follow as the characters go about their quests and adventures, and I found that the author was able to keep me on my toes as I wasn't able to predict everything that was about to happen next.
All in all, this wouldn't be at the top of my reads list but I liked it and would probably recommend it to a friend.
January 29, 2022
You there— bump this up your TBR list because this book was one heck of a wild ride. Whew! It was hard to put this book down. I was on the edge of my seat the whole way!
Yes, yes the fae trope has been overused BUT this is not your typical fae story (i guess every fae story tries to prove that point). This one focused on faes as a group rising up against their oppressors, the goblins. It’s set in a modern world (not gonna lie I got Crescent City vibes) but it was nicely built out by the author. I typically prefer medieval, Victorian, or ancient settings but I like how J.P Oakes ushered me into this desolate gray metropolitan city. Just like in today’s world, this book was packed with dreamers, fighters, rebels, people who yearn for the olden days, and people who just want to do their own damn thing. I enjoyed the multiple POV’s. It wasn’t hard to follow at all.
I won’t say much anymore so I won’t spoil the book, but please do yourself a favor and pick this up. You’ll have a great time!
Yes, yes the fae trope has been overused BUT this is not your typical fae story (i guess every fae story tries to prove that point). This one focused on faes as a group rising up against their oppressors, the goblins. It’s set in a modern world (not gonna lie I got Crescent City vibes) but it was nicely built out by the author. I typically prefer medieval, Victorian, or ancient settings but I like how J.P Oakes ushered me into this desolate gray metropolitan city. Just like in today’s world, this book was packed with dreamers, fighters, rebels, people who yearn for the olden days, and people who just want to do their own damn thing. I enjoyed the multiple POV’s. It wasn’t hard to follow at all.
I won’t say much anymore so I won’t spoil the book, but please do yourself a favor and pick this up. You’ll have a great time!
July 9, 2021
** This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review **
There is something about approaching a debut novel by an author that is very awe-inspiring to me. It may sound incredibly hokey, but I feel like it is akin to unwrapping a writer for the very first time, and seeing what their wonder and peculiarities are, and, by the time I make it partially through the book, see how this fledgling will fare.
To follow further into this horrible metaphor, when I approached Mr. Oakes’ “nest” of City of Iron and Dust , he shot out of the nest, circled me a few times and then promptly took a few dive-bombs at me in the first handful of pages.
Our intrepid journey begins with a prologue explaining how the world was all magic, happiness, and light amongst the fae folk until the goblins came streaming down from the North headed up by the terrible Mab. Using her horrible magic, Mab destroyed the fae forest cities, and, in their place, the goblins created great cities of iron, steel, and glass: subjugating the fae until they withered under the oppression.
For the years after, the goblins ruled, and the fae became the downtrodden grist for the mill. Five great Goblin Houses arose, and with each, a tower. The current-day portion of the story, however, kicks off with a mysterious penthouse/charnel house and an even more mysterious package of white powder.
From the prologue we begin to see how this story is going to unfold. Like all good adventures, this story kicks off in a bar. A working-class fae dive, to be exact. Three goblins enter the picture. These goblins should not be in this bar, let alone the entire neighborhood, but the ringleader, Jag, heir to House Red Cap, is trying to make a point to her half-goblin/half-sister, Sil, who also happens to be Jag’s bodyguard. Also accompanying is Bazzack, but he is hardly important.
Also in this bar are two other very important characters to this story, Knull and Edwyll, though neither knows the other is there (this becomes important later).
This all sets the scene, and when that scene blows up (and it blows up spectacularly), this wave of destruction fans out throughout the Iron City and fae society. Some of it is related, some of it pure coincidence. Either way, the story gets very spicy very quickly. Let’s just say that fae insurrection, a whole lot of magical drug, and even more Goblin House posturing and politicking makes for an incredibly interesting read.
What I love most about City of Iron and Dust is all of the big things it hits on that are so familiar in my years of consuming popular culture, literature and film. The entire setup — as well as most of the story — just reeks of a massive Shadowrun campaign (someone should seriously write one). I was also often reminded of Ralph Bakshi’s Wizards , certain aspects of Terry Gilliam’s Brazil , a dash of Manchurian Candidate , and you just can’t avoid the giant Akira’s Tetsuo moment near the end.
What held me in the story was the structure of how it was written, and the visceral meat of the political and class intrigue. The reader really does get to see all facets of this highly oppressive society, and where there is a lot of unexplained “mixing” and counter-ideologies that seem to sprout from no logical place. There is compassion where the nature of that character would not dictate it, and there is cruelty that seems to sprout from all the wrong reasons.
One thing I really loved about this novel, which, oddly, has annoyed me with others, is Mr. Oakes’ style of heading up each section with the name of the character from whom the point of view is presented. In many scenes, this allowed me to consider the change in perspective when several of the characters might be experiencing the same scene, and maybe even be in the same room.
The other thing I rather enjoyed is the pacing. City of Iron and Dust is very fast-paced, but it does not feel rushed. Mr. Oakes takes the time to fully develop each interaction, and, as such, the reader is able to develop a very well-defined view of what might be going on in the many scenes of total chaos. The incredibly puzzle-piece fit of the dialogue also helps immensely with this.
Don’t even get me started on the conflict choreography and styling. It’s an utter masterpiece.
City of Iron and Dust has so many themes that would appeal to a hugely wide variety of potential readers. If you like high magic/fantasy, that box is checked. If you like political intrigue, that box is also checked. If you like crime, drug, or class war stories, all of those boxes are checked. Finally, if you like stories of perseverance and truly believing in what you fight for (good or bad), that box has a big ol’ check.
Kudos to Mr. Oakes for putting this one out there. I really hope this is a world that we get to revisit in the future. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
There is something about approaching a debut novel by an author that is very awe-inspiring to me. It may sound incredibly hokey, but I feel like it is akin to unwrapping a writer for the very first time, and seeing what their wonder and peculiarities are, and, by the time I make it partially through the book, see how this fledgling will fare.
To follow further into this horrible metaphor, when I approached Mr. Oakes’ “nest” of City of Iron and Dust , he shot out of the nest, circled me a few times and then promptly took a few dive-bombs at me in the first handful of pages.
Our intrepid journey begins with a prologue explaining how the world was all magic, happiness, and light amongst the fae folk until the goblins came streaming down from the North headed up by the terrible Mab. Using her horrible magic, Mab destroyed the fae forest cities, and, in their place, the goblins created great cities of iron, steel, and glass: subjugating the fae until they withered under the oppression.
For the years after, the goblins ruled, and the fae became the downtrodden grist for the mill. Five great Goblin Houses arose, and with each, a tower. The current-day portion of the story, however, kicks off with a mysterious penthouse/charnel house and an even more mysterious package of white powder.
From the prologue we begin to see how this story is going to unfold. Like all good adventures, this story kicks off in a bar. A working-class fae dive, to be exact. Three goblins enter the picture. These goblins should not be in this bar, let alone the entire neighborhood, but the ringleader, Jag, heir to House Red Cap, is trying to make a point to her half-goblin/half-sister, Sil, who also happens to be Jag’s bodyguard. Also accompanying is Bazzack, but he is hardly important.
Also in this bar are two other very important characters to this story, Knull and Edwyll, though neither knows the other is there (this becomes important later).
This all sets the scene, and when that scene blows up (and it blows up spectacularly), this wave of destruction fans out throughout the Iron City and fae society. Some of it is related, some of it pure coincidence. Either way, the story gets very spicy very quickly. Let’s just say that fae insurrection, a whole lot of magical drug, and even more Goblin House posturing and politicking makes for an incredibly interesting read.
What I love most about City of Iron and Dust is all of the big things it hits on that are so familiar in my years of consuming popular culture, literature and film. The entire setup — as well as most of the story — just reeks of a massive Shadowrun campaign (someone should seriously write one). I was also often reminded of Ralph Bakshi’s Wizards , certain aspects of Terry Gilliam’s Brazil , a dash of Manchurian Candidate , and you just can’t avoid the giant Akira’s Tetsuo moment near the end.
What held me in the story was the structure of how it was written, and the visceral meat of the political and class intrigue. The reader really does get to see all facets of this highly oppressive society, and where there is a lot of unexplained “mixing” and counter-ideologies that seem to sprout from no logical place. There is compassion where the nature of that character would not dictate it, and there is cruelty that seems to sprout from all the wrong reasons.
One thing I really loved about this novel, which, oddly, has annoyed me with others, is Mr. Oakes’ style of heading up each section with the name of the character from whom the point of view is presented. In many scenes, this allowed me to consider the change in perspective when several of the characters might be experiencing the same scene, and maybe even be in the same room.
The other thing I rather enjoyed is the pacing. City of Iron and Dust is very fast-paced, but it does not feel rushed. Mr. Oakes takes the time to fully develop each interaction, and, as such, the reader is able to develop a very well-defined view of what might be going on in the many scenes of total chaos. The incredibly puzzle-piece fit of the dialogue also helps immensely with this.
Don’t even get me started on the conflict choreography and styling. It’s an utter masterpiece.
City of Iron and Dust has so many themes that would appeal to a hugely wide variety of potential readers. If you like high magic/fantasy, that box is checked. If you like political intrigue, that box is also checked. If you like crime, drug, or class war stories, all of those boxes are checked. Finally, if you like stories of perseverance and truly believing in what you fight for (good or bad), that box has a big ol’ check.
Kudos to Mr. Oakes for putting this one out there. I really hope this is a world that we get to revisit in the future. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
July 7, 2021
7/6/2021 Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
7/7/2021 I don't know how to properly express the depth of my love for this extraordinary, brilliant book. It's a book of revolutions and subversions, of challenging the status quo and thinking, really thinking about who gets to be a hero, and who deserves our sympathy and, most of all, who we should strive to be. Which last, in the hands of any other writer, would veer on the edge of moralizing claptrap. But J. P. Oakes gets to the heart of it here, telling us to try our hardest even if we can be
God, this book made me cry and laugh and upended all my expectations of what fantasy fiction can do. Because, in addition to being a really terrific industrial fantasy novel, set on a single night of upheaval and rebellion, it's also a clever as hell tale of a drug heist gone awry and how that winds up signifying politically, as various factions chase down what the author slyly implies in the beginning is a mere McGuffin (mild spoiler: it's not.)
But let's begin with the setting. Decades past, the goblin tribes united under the banner of Mab and swept south from their ancestral lands, subjugating the various fae in their path. Triumphant, they built the Iron City, a vast metropolis ruled by the five Goblin Houses and encircled entirely by an iron wall that not only cuts their subject fae off from magic but also infects the fae with sickness. The underclass has tried to rebel but each uprising has been quashed. Many fae turn to Dust, a drug that evokes just a little bit of their gone-away magic, in order to escape their increasingly nightmarish reality. But hope is not an ember easily extinguished, and on this one night, various goblins and fae from all strata of society will be drawn together in a web of magic and mayhem to fight, for the city or for themselves and sometimes for both at once.
Our point-of-view characters include Jag, a young goblin heiress fascinated with the fae and their artistry; her half-sister and bodyguard Sil; Edwyll, an idealistic fae artist searching for a patron; Knull, his cynical drug-dealing older brother; Bee, the thoughtful young member of the Fae Liberation Front; Skart, the de facto leader of the revolution, and Granny Spregg, the scheming former head of the goblin House Spreggan. As alliances form and shift, as betrayals and reversals rend and kill, these seven show us the full picture of a night that will change them all and the Iron City forever.
While the genre-blending and split-person POV over the course of one night showcased here are unusual but hardly unique forms of modern narrative, the first real innovation of this terrific book is the complete upending of the colonial power dynamic. Most fantasy settings portray the ruling class as being beautiful and intelligent -- an often unconscious buy-in to the colonial mentality of privilege -- but in this city, the ones in charge are seen to be merely (and realistically) the most ruthless and powerful, with any physical and mental advantages less innate than the natural result of the good nutrition, healthcare and time for education they hoard for themselves and routinely deny their subjects. The collective is presented as the truest form of democracy, with the aim being union and understanding, not othering and ostracization. And the end result of any moral revolution, this book stresses, is to try to keep making things better for everyone, one small step at a time, to not buy into the idea that despair is the only choice. Each person who keeps trying is a hero. It's a beautiful lesson amidst all the chaos and blood and rubble of a city at war, one that's easy to take into our everyday, hopefully far less violent lives.
Even if you're not into the thoughtful political and ethical themes, there's no denying that City Of Iron And Dust is a wildly entertaining story with a surprising range and depth to its characters, main or supporting. I loved this book. You should read it.
City Of Iron And Dust by J.P. Oakes was published yesterday July 6 2021 by Titan Books and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
7/7/2021 I don't know how to properly express the depth of my love for this extraordinary, brilliant book. It's a book of revolutions and subversions, of challenging the status quo and thinking, really thinking about who gets to be a hero, and who deserves our sympathy and, most of all, who we should strive to be. Which last, in the hands of any other writer, would veer on the edge of moralizing claptrap. But J. P. Oakes gets to the heart of it here, telling us to try our hardest even if we can be
not satisfied, but at peace with the little [we have] done, with the knowledge that others will still be able to carry on the fight.
God, this book made me cry and laugh and upended all my expectations of what fantasy fiction can do. Because, in addition to being a really terrific industrial fantasy novel, set on a single night of upheaval and rebellion, it's also a clever as hell tale of a drug heist gone awry and how that winds up signifying politically, as various factions chase down what the author slyly implies in the beginning is a mere McGuffin (mild spoiler: it's not.)
But let's begin with the setting. Decades past, the goblin tribes united under the banner of Mab and swept south from their ancestral lands, subjugating the various fae in their path. Triumphant, they built the Iron City, a vast metropolis ruled by the five Goblin Houses and encircled entirely by an iron wall that not only cuts their subject fae off from magic but also infects the fae with sickness. The underclass has tried to rebel but each uprising has been quashed. Many fae turn to Dust, a drug that evokes just a little bit of their gone-away magic, in order to escape their increasingly nightmarish reality. But hope is not an ember easily extinguished, and on this one night, various goblins and fae from all strata of society will be drawn together in a web of magic and mayhem to fight, for the city or for themselves and sometimes for both at once.
Our point-of-view characters include Jag, a young goblin heiress fascinated with the fae and their artistry; her half-sister and bodyguard Sil; Edwyll, an idealistic fae artist searching for a patron; Knull, his cynical drug-dealing older brother; Bee, the thoughtful young member of the Fae Liberation Front; Skart, the de facto leader of the revolution, and Granny Spregg, the scheming former head of the goblin House Spreggan. As alliances form and shift, as betrayals and reversals rend and kill, these seven show us the full picture of a night that will change them all and the Iron City forever.
While the genre-blending and split-person POV over the course of one night showcased here are unusual but hardly unique forms of modern narrative, the first real innovation of this terrific book is the complete upending of the colonial power dynamic. Most fantasy settings portray the ruling class as being beautiful and intelligent -- an often unconscious buy-in to the colonial mentality of privilege -- but in this city, the ones in charge are seen to be merely (and realistically) the most ruthless and powerful, with any physical and mental advantages less innate than the natural result of the good nutrition, healthcare and time for education they hoard for themselves and routinely deny their subjects. The collective is presented as the truest form of democracy, with the aim being union and understanding, not othering and ostracization. And the end result of any moral revolution, this book stresses, is to try to keep making things better for everyone, one small step at a time, to not buy into the idea that despair is the only choice. Each person who keeps trying is a hero. It's a beautiful lesson amidst all the chaos and blood and rubble of a city at war, one that's easy to take into our everyday, hopefully far less violent lives.
Even if you're not into the thoughtful political and ethical themes, there's no denying that City Of Iron And Dust is a wildly entertaining story with a surprising range and depth to its characters, main or supporting. I loved this book. You should read it.
City Of Iron And Dust by J.P. Oakes was published yesterday July 6 2021 by Titan Books and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
June 29, 2021
I received a copy through Netgalley for review.
So this was a very interesting book.
Many POV's all coming together at the end or one moment.
All are important, all reaching, striving, fighting seemingly for an end goal. Who will get there first?
The writing is dense, descriptive and heavy. But the feeling it puts through, it's really hard to describe. Not everyone is going to like the way this is presented. But the world created is very different. It really sets this apart.
The City of Iron and Dust is a dark bleak place, fae at the bottom, surrounded by iron, working in it, living in it, suffering from the effects constantly. Cut off from their magic. Caged by iron.
Goblins, who own and run the city are immune. They suffer no ill effects. Living at the top.
Most fae cannot remember their magic, or were born well after the wall was erected. They know no contact to the earth.
Only Dust, a synthetic drug can give them a taste, a moment of what that magic was.
A block of undiluted Dust will change this city.
Who will win? Who will lose this battle? Who will escape the wall? Who will break their bonds?
You get all sides of this story, every major player has a role to play here. Even the ones who never thought they would have a role in anything. The world is about to change.
So this was a very interesting book.
Many POV's all coming together at the end or one moment.
All are important, all reaching, striving, fighting seemingly for an end goal. Who will get there first?
The writing is dense, descriptive and heavy. But the feeling it puts through, it's really hard to describe. Not everyone is going to like the way this is presented. But the world created is very different. It really sets this apart.
The City of Iron and Dust is a dark bleak place, fae at the bottom, surrounded by iron, working in it, living in it, suffering from the effects constantly. Cut off from their magic. Caged by iron.
Goblins, who own and run the city are immune. They suffer no ill effects. Living at the top.
Most fae cannot remember their magic, or were born well after the wall was erected. They know no contact to the earth.
Only Dust, a synthetic drug can give them a taste, a moment of what that magic was.
A block of undiluted Dust will change this city.
Who will win? Who will lose this battle? Who will escape the wall? Who will break their bonds?
You get all sides of this story, every major player has a role to play here. Even the ones who never thought they would have a role in anything. The world is about to change.
June 22, 2021
You're going to want to read this!
This was artful, smart, engrossing, moving, funny, and satisfying in every way. It's definitely one of the highlights of my year in reading. I kind of wish I could read it all over again. It really checked every box for me.
In building this alternate world (that somehow works to almost mirror the sociopolitical world we live in), Oakes takes on inclusion, race, corporate culture, slavery, art, politics, economics, gender and philosophy, BUT that's all by the way. It's the underpinning for a really great story, told through interesting characters that you end up really rooting for (I mean, sure, we've got the brawny Bee and the spoiled, idealistic princess etc but then we've also got Granny Spregg and her risible inner monologue).
There's fabulous tension with a story arc that really leaves you wondering who exactly is zooming whom, superb action that keeps the momentum going, and tremendous writing! I haven't seen a book written completely in present tense pulled off like this in quite a while.
I won't summarize the plot, but I will tell you that the book delivers on its premise and promise and to me, that's all the stars.
Cannot wait for more from this author.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I didn't mean to gush, but that's how it goes!
This was artful, smart, engrossing, moving, funny, and satisfying in every way. It's definitely one of the highlights of my year in reading. I kind of wish I could read it all over again. It really checked every box for me.
In building this alternate world (that somehow works to almost mirror the sociopolitical world we live in), Oakes takes on inclusion, race, corporate culture, slavery, art, politics, economics, gender and philosophy, BUT that's all by the way. It's the underpinning for a really great story, told through interesting characters that you end up really rooting for (I mean, sure, we've got the brawny Bee and the spoiled, idealistic princess etc but then we've also got Granny Spregg and her risible inner monologue).
There's fabulous tension with a story arc that really leaves you wondering who exactly is zooming whom, superb action that keeps the momentum going, and tremendous writing! I haven't seen a book written completely in present tense pulled off like this in quite a while.
I won't summarize the plot, but I will tell you that the book delivers on its premise and promise and to me, that's all the stars.
Cannot wait for more from this author.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I didn't mean to gush, but that's how it goes!
July 9, 2021
I don't know if there's a genre called "fantasy noir" but this is the definition that comes to my mind.
We are used to book that features Fae as powerful and dangerous being. This book is different as the Fae were defeated by the Goblins and live in a world where they have no power in both magical and social way.
There's plenty going on and the story is told by different POVs of different social status. They can be poor fae or powerful goblins. Each of them wants to change something or a better life.
The world building is very original and well developed, it's a bleak world that somehow reminds of our own world.
The characters are well developed and my favorite are Sil and Granny Spregg, an outcast and an aged goblin with a sharp sense of humour.
This is a gritty, fast paced and enthralling novel, I hope there will be more in this world as I loved this one.
The author is a talented storyteller and the choral plot is never confusing and keeps you turning pages.
An excellent debut that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
We are used to book that features Fae as powerful and dangerous being. This book is different as the Fae were defeated by the Goblins and live in a world where they have no power in both magical and social way.
There's plenty going on and the story is told by different POVs of different social status. They can be poor fae or powerful goblins. Each of them wants to change something or a better life.
The world building is very original and well developed, it's a bleak world that somehow reminds of our own world.
The characters are well developed and my favorite are Sil and Granny Spregg, an outcast and an aged goblin with a sharp sense of humour.
This is a gritty, fast paced and enthralling novel, I hope there will be more in this world as I loved this one.
The author is a talented storyteller and the choral plot is never confusing and keeps you turning pages.
An excellent debut that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
August 25, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley, Titan Books and the author for providing this ARC!
Ooh I was not sure what to expect with this book but I really loved it. City of Iron and Dust is a gritty, fast-paced story taking place over one dramatic night, this book was thick with tension and the stakes were sky high. The different POVs from both sides of the war being fought between fae and goblins were so cleverly done and the writing was smart and witty and the chapter titles were a bit of a highlight. The world-building was excellent, and the backstory of the Iron City was woven seamlessly into the story. It did take me a little while to keep up with all the characters and how they related to each other, but once I got them all straight in my mind this was a great read!
Ooh I was not sure what to expect with this book but I really loved it. City of Iron and Dust is a gritty, fast-paced story taking place over one dramatic night, this book was thick with tension and the stakes were sky high. The different POVs from both sides of the war being fought between fae and goblins were so cleverly done and the writing was smart and witty and the chapter titles were a bit of a highlight. The world-building was excellent, and the backstory of the Iron City was woven seamlessly into the story. It did take me a little while to keep up with all the characters and how they related to each other, but once I got them all straight in my mind this was a great read!
July 21, 2021
I really liked this book. It has a fast-paced gritty tone, black humor and dark characters, but also an overall sense of hope. I hope Oakes revisits this world soon.
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