Play Book Tag discussion
January 2019: Action-Adventure
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The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher
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That sounds like fun! And the audiobook is read by Euan Morton. It doesn't get better than that. Thanks for this review!
By Jim Butcher
3 stars
Hardcover 630 pages
My game list is books which lingered on my TBR but never made it to the top. I culled a lot this year and the list are the ones which will either be read or discarded.
The Aeronaut’s Windlass is a steam-punk fantasy written by Jim Butcher whom I love from the Dresden Files. The tone and sense of humor and adventure of that series is in this novel (supposedly the start of another series) as well.
The narration switches between the thoughts and viewpoints of quite a few characters. Captain Grimm is an ex-Fleet (military) officer now an airship privateer. Gwendolyn Lancaster is the only daughter of a very rich noble family which produces the crystals that allow airships to fly and maneuver. She is about to enter Guard service for the Spirearch (vaguely royal head of the Spire) as is custom for the eldest child of the noble families, particularly of the ruling council. Bridget Tagwynn is also about to enter Guard service, more reluctantly though. She is the last daughter of a once militarily renowned family, now poorer and running a meat vattery. She also “belongs” to Rowl, “of the Silent Paws tribe, kit to Maul, chief of the Silent Paws.” Also known as a cat. Yes, the cat is a major narrator and source of much humor to any cat owner out there. These are the major characters who are more developed with histories and personalities. There are several minor characters involved with magic and espionage who take over narration as needed.
Add in duels, battles, kidnappings and swashbuckling and this is why the book is 630 pages. I think the sheer size is why I kept not picking it up, my arms began to hurt by the end of my commute. It was super-engaging though. I really like Butcher’s storytelling. I would recommend waiting to read this novel until the second book is confirmed written and waiting for publishing (it looks under development as of now) since events were completed but the novel is basically the prelude to a larger story.
Unless you have a cat, then read it anyway