City of Blades

4.5 out of 5 stars at Spike's Shelf Space

There is something about the flow of Robert Bennett Jackson's writing that makes it so enjoyable to read. He writes compelling dialogue and creates vivid worlds that are a joy to delve into. While expertly weaving plot elements, Jackson simultaneously gives each character a clear agency that gives purpose to their actions and goals.

In most ways, City of Blades is an excellent sequel. It's not just a retread of the first book. It builds and expands on themes we saw before, changes the setting, spotlights different characters, dials down the melodrama, and turns up the mystery. It did not really feel like the middle book of a trilogy, however. Each book is largely self-contained, with few hints towards a larger, trilogy-spanning story at play. In a sense, each book has been a character-study of strong female heroines who do battle against separate world-dooming forces. It's a structure that works and I am very much looking forward to the conclusion of the trilogy coming next year.

★★★★½ out of 5