Foundryside

downgraded from 4 to 3. Had really good worldbuilding and interesting heist plot. Magic was kinda handwavey but thats chill. Also characters were aight. Pretty solid 3/5 but the worldbuilding put it at a four for me.

But then i started thinking about the message of the book and how it took on freedom and slavery and shit and i was like its alright i suppose. It like got the job done but its just like inadequate in a sense :/ So back to 3

The initial complaints I had here got better (at least for me). Some good moments, nothing really noteworthy overall.

i was nervous getting into this because i had heard that it wasn't as good as RJB's previous trilogy, the Divine Cities trilogy (which i adored). while i agree with that, i still enjoyed my time in his new world. i do really wish that RJB would add maps to his books, or some kind of dramatis personae, so that we could more easily remember who belongs to which house, but oh well. i'll probably pick up the next one, but likely won't be in any sort of rush to.

a book that i was supposed to love... concept and magic system had me hooked but wasn't enough to compensate for my utter lack of investment in the characters, the stakes, and the world-building :/

Very enjoyable, I think.

I like the “magic system” and the world building, even though it wasn't very vast.
I like the characters. I like the love story. Starting slowly, very cute, very promising.
I like the villains.
I like the mysteries and questions.
I love Clef. :-)

If you want to read a book qith an extraordinary and intruiging magic system then red 👏 this 👏 book👏.

Seriously, I love the reality altering magic system and the characters and their backstories are so interesting as well.

I also loved how the stark contrast between poor and "rich" was depicted, experiencing it through Sancia and Gregor's different PoVs was really well done.

Also, speaking of PoVs, all of them were so interesting. I can't wait to see where this journey is going to take us in books 2 and 3!

Definitely a highlight of this year

Not quite 4 stars but closer to 4 than a 3 - the main character felt a bit cliche (sad backstory but they're an emotionally hardened badass now) and I didn't really enjoy the writing style, especially at the start.

What an outstanding book. If you like Six of Crows you most surely will like this.

Foundryside is a very unique and fresh story. It's fast paced, action packed, funny, and loads of magic. The authors word play is so witty sometimes. It really shines a light on his intelligence. I never thought I'd be that into magic packed stories other than Harry Potter because I'm more into medieval fantasy but boy this book might flip me.

The story follows Sancia who is an expert thief who has magical abilities that nobody else has. She gets hired to steal an artifact of serious magical power. People in power want this device for their own personal gain. Sancia's life is on the line and she must have the help of the most unlikeliest of friends to help keep her alive, the object safe, and to take down the people after her.

One of the most interesting magic systems I've read in a long time ! I went into this almost blind (I had only read the very beginning of the description, about how it's about industrialized magic and I was in) and I had a blast.
I loved the “heist” flavour, I liked all the characters, they were all intriguing, well-written and flawed and I loved that ! I really liked the pacing too.
I liked the end a little bit less, it was all becoming too big for my liking.  

What an excellent read. It took me about 30 pages to get into it and then I was hooked. This has made it into my top fantasy reads of all time. Highly recommend!

Sancia is a thief in a city run by four powerful merchant fiefdoms. There's a form of industrialized magic being used to varying degree called scriving. This is the art of using coded sigils to imbue objects with commands that can override reality. Things get a bit nutty when Sancia steals an artifact of huge power – an artifact that speaks to her! This story was full of cool ideas, great action scenes, and fun characters. Just really well done. I'll be looking forward to the rest of this trilogy.

This review is based on an ARC given to me for free by the publisher, Crown Publishing, via Netgalley. This does not in any way affect my review.

... Throughout the novel the characters come face-to-face with all the ways their world is wrong, how it is just broken, until one particular moment when one of the characters declares that the only proper reaction to a broken world is not to roll over and give up, but to fight back. It is this idea ??? resistance instead of acceptance, revolution instead of complacency ??? that forms the novel???s thematic backbone, that gives it its power and impact. And it is something that we, as readers, need to think about, something we need to remember when we are confronted by the seemingly endless ways that the world can and has done us and those we love wrong. This book tells us that the time for complacency is over. It is time to fight back.

Foundryside plunges us straight into the heart of an exhilarating heist, showcasing Sancia Grado's prowess as an expert thief. Bennett masterfully crafts these opening scenes with a blend of engaging dialogue, a vibrant setting in Tevanne, and a magical system that is both original and captivating. This initial surge is thrilling, filled with the kind of energy and promise that makes you lean in, eager for more.

Bennett's creation of the scriving magic system is initially a gem, intricately detailed and fascinating. However, as the narrative unfolds, this complexity begins to weigh down the story. The pacing suffers, turning what started as a sprint into more of a stagger. It's as if the book itself is a scrived object that's been overcoded — initially impressive but increasingly cumbersome as more layers are added.

The characters, especially in the latter half, struggle to shine as brightly as the initial setup promised. The plot, which initially seemed focused and sharp, meanders, losing the clarity and pace that made the opening chapters so compelling. This inconsistency in storytelling is reflected in the overall experience of the book — a journey that begins with potential but gets lost in its own labyrinth of details.

In the concluding chapters, “Foundryside” makes a valiant attempt to recapture the initial allure of its opening scenes with a new heist. However, this late effort struggles to match the early excitement, primarily due to the pacing issues and complex expositions that have unfolded in between. The narrative, though rich with potential and innovative ideas, doesn't quite manage to maintain a steady grip on the reader's engagement throughout. This leads to a finale that, while aiming to echo the thrill of the beginning, doesn't fully deliver on the promise shown at the start. Foundryside is a book of contrasts, where the brilliance of its concept and the initial chapters shines brightly, but the journey through its pages reveals the challenges of sustaining that brilliance to the end.

“Pride...it's so often an excuse for people to be weak.”

A wonderful beginning to this trilogy. Foundryside drops you into an interesting society with an even more interesting magic system as it's backbone. You navigate that society, Tevanne, with a delightfuly fucked up cast of characters who are all affected by its issues. Loved it!

Omg yes