The Archive Undying

4.25 stars This review definitely does not contain spoilers...

This reading experience reminded me of Witch King (Martha Wells) in that you are dropped into a deep and complicated world without a great deal of exposition or other hand holding. I listened to this one, and, although the narrator is fantastic, I plan to read the physical book, as I think I'll get more out of it. The prose, vivid descriptions of the world, and the main POV character's voice all pulled me in. The plot was somewhat secondary for me, possibly because it was harder to parse than the more clearly drawn character conflicts and relationships. I think this book would benefit from tighter execution, especially in the final act. The ultimate conflict was repetitive, and it was the primary point where my vague understanding of the world really hampered my enjoyment. There were also a lot of POV switches in the back half of the book, and it was sometimes unclear who was speaking (for plot reasons?), which was not ultimately enjoyable.

This is not the right book for anyone who can't abide a soft magic system. The tech here is definitely soft, and I don't think there is a point where all is revealed or clarified, though certainly some major things become clear as you go along. Reading this was a similar experience to the first two-thirds of Harrow the Ninth; I didn't really get what was happening, but I was still totally there for it. The major difference is that the big reveal in Harrow doesn't happen here. I think Witch King is the better comp, as in both cases I loved the world and characters but felt like the plot, especially the denouement, was weak. I also saw a lot of common threads in the reviews of Witch King and The Archive Undying. If you are OK being thrown into the deep end and want to experience a unique setting and gorgeous prose, then give this a try. This is supposed to be a duology, and I will definitely be picking up the sequel.