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City of Blades (The Divine Cities, #2)

Robert Jackson Bennett

Start date: January 26, 2016

Finish date: February 29, 2016

Discussion: Fantasy

Why we're reading this: Featured Buddy Read, February 1 - 7, 2016
[close] Featured Buddy Read, February 1 - 7, 2016

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What Members Thought

Feb 23, 2024 Nataliya rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2024-reads

Violence begets violence. War begets war. And pain and trauma is what remains. And there must be a way out, or at least the way to minimize the casualties and the fallout.

“What wild promises we make in order to justify the worst of decisions.”

This is a very dark book, relentlessly somber and serious. But not dark in the almost-gleeful violence way that so many fantasy books adopt to seem “dark” and “gritty” but real dark, the kind that comes from somber resigned contemplation of the worst in ...more

166 likes · Like · see review

Aug 08, 2015 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-fi, fantasy, 2016-shelf, worldbuilding-sf, fanboy-goes-squee

Thanks goes to Netgalley for the advance copy!

We're not in Saypuri anymore, Toto.

Oh, Shara, Shara, what have you done?

I'll do my very best to not reveal any spoilers, but a few things might be helpful. Shara is no longer the main character, and while Sigurd does play a pretty major role, it is General Mulaghesh that gets all the glories, glories, and ten-times the glories. I loved her nearly as much as Sigurd in City of Stairs, but she outshines even Sigurd in this book.

I had some reservations ...more

76 likes · Like · see review

Jan 09, 2017 Philip rated it really liked it

Shelves: author-man, fantasy, mystery

4 stars.

A completely unexpected sort-of-sequel to a great book that I didn't think should have a sequel. City of Stairs displayed some incredible world-building and an interesting plot that came to a very logical end. I had serious doubts about the necessity of this book but, upon reading, have decided that it is quite necessary.

The book takes place five years later in a different setting with a different main character and only weaves a few plot points into a story that could more or less coin 4 stars.

A completely unexpected sort-of-sequel to a great book that I didn't think should have a sequel. City of Stairs displayed some incredible world-building and an interesting plot that came to a very logical end. I had serious doubts about the necessity of this book but, upon reading, have decided that it is quite necessary.

The book takes place five years later in a different setting with a different main character and only weaves a few plot points into a story that could more or less coincidentally take place in the same world. Consensus seemed to be that this is superior to the first book and for the first half or so I couldn't see why. It's much more straightforward in the beginning and, despite being a "mystery," there isn't a ton of suspense. I even found myself getting a little (gasp!) bored. But after the stage was set, BOOM. The second half came out of nowhere and sucker punched me.

As with the previous book, this is quite a blend of genres- mystery, military fiction, fantasy- but first and foremost I think it's a character study. Bennett plucked out a relatively minor character who I felt very little connection with and turned her into an incredibly fascinating human. I remember not being particularly impressed with the characterization in general in City of Stairs. On the cusp of being three-dimensional but never quite reaching that bar. Here, not only is Mulaghesh transformed, even the tiny bits of Shara we glimpse gave me a lot more insight into her. We're also introduced to some other wonderful characters, not least of whom is Sigrud's daughter, Signe. Bennett has a lot to say on the nature of war and heroism and, as in the previous book, I found this to have some (interesting? Uncomfortable? Coincidental?) parallels to actual world history.

With a last act that floored me (view spoiler) and a solemn, heartbreaking but somehow hopeful ending I'm again inclined to say, why not end things here? This is a perfectly sensible place to end. Why write a third novel? But if this book is any indication, I'm sure City of Miracles will justify its existence completely. ...more

70 likes · Like · see review

Mar 17, 2015 Justine rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-read

This is a very well written and intense tale, and in my opinion, it surpasses the first book, City of Stairs.

Turyin Mulaghesh, pulled out of retirement after the Battle of Bulikov returns to the Continent, this time to the city of Voortyashtan to investigate the disappearance of a Ministry official and of course, other strange occurrences. But being in Voortyashtan brings back a host of combat related memories for Mulaghesh in addition to being a veritable powder keg of its own.

Within this fanta ...more

35 likes · Like · see review

Aug 14, 2015 Lindsay rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2016-favorites

The action moves to a different city of the Continent and a different main character.

Mulaghesh has retired from the army as a General but the now Prime Minister Shara calls her back for an important mission to the Continental city of Voortyashtan. A Ministry agent has gone missing there which is troubling, because the Ministry specializes in investigating the Divine and the dead goddess of this city, Voortya, was probably the most terrifying of them. Mulaghesh arrives to find a politically charg ...more

19 likes · Like · see review

Feb 02, 2015 Robyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016

I thought it would be very difficult to follow up City of Stairs, but boy, was I not disappointed. Bennett has an amazing talent for creating heroic and fantastical characters that still feel utterly real. (I mean, just how incredible is Mulaghesh?) And per usual, the world-building is top-notch, as we learn more about the Continent and the pact between gods and believers.

What surprised me was how much of this book is a meditation on war and soldiering - and yet it didn't feel heavy-handed or d ...more

11 likes · Like · see review

Sep 16, 2015 Suzanne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio, fantasy

This was a great way to start out my 2016-new-release books. I liked City of Stairs, but I liked this book even more. First of all, General Turyin Mulaghesh is a fantastic main character. She didn't make a huge impact on me in City of Stairs - but I LOVED the focus on her, and I especially liked her view of soldiering = serving, especially because her soldiering experience was pretty horrific.

Anyway, this was a great blend of mystery and fantasy, and I really enjoyed it!
...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Feb 17, 2015 Scott rated it it was amazing

I continue to be enthralled with Bennett's writing. I loved this book as much as, maybe even more than, City of Stairs.

While I did miss Shara as the main character, Mulaghesh was a perfect replacement in that role. Her story was so completely engaging. This was a great journey to take.

Plenty of mystery to keep me guessing, tons of action, and characters that jump off the page. What more can you ask for?! ...more

8 likes · Like · see review