City of Blades

Written by Robert Jackson Bennett

Narrated by Alma Cuervo

The city of Voortyashtan was once the home of the goddess of death, war and destruction, but now it's little more than a ruin. General Turyin Mulaghesh is called out of retirement and sent to this hellish place to find a Saypuri secret agent who's gone AWOL in the middle of a mission. But the ghosts of past wars have followed her there, and soon she begins to wonder what happened to the souls in the afterlife when the gods were defeated by her people, the Polis. Do the dead sleep soundly in the land of death? Or do they have plans of their own?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781490657820

Robert Jackson Bennett

Robert Jackson Bennett is the author of Foundryside and the Divine Cities trilogy, which was a 2018 Hugo Awards finalist in the Best Series category. The first book in the series, City of Stairs, was also a finalist for the World Fantasy and Locus Awards, and the second, City of Blades, was a finalist for the World Fantasy, Locus, and British Fantasy Awards. His previous novels, which include American Elsewhere and Mr. Shivers, have received the Edgar Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the Philip K. Dick Citation of Excellence. He lives in Austin with his family.

Reviews for City of Blades

[Joe Matazzoni · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

There is an awful lot of exposition and world building that needs to get done for this original mythology. It's kind of interesting but also pretty strained honestly.

[macha_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

the god of War is the god of Death, and she is bound by an unfortunate bargain with her soldiers, the fulfillment of which may destroy the world. the characters, some of whom have carried over from the first in the trilogy, City of Stairs, are all wonderfully wrought. i shed some tears before it was done, and that sure doesn't happen often.

[mariananhi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

City Of Blades was totally outside of my expectation. I was in love with City of Stairs, and immediately worked my way to the 2nd book of the series (thanks to the ARC that Netgalley provided for me). And guess what? It blew my mind.Yes, we are no long at Bulikov anymore. And yes, no more Shara for me.This story focus on Mulaghesh and her mission to Voortyashtan. Thanks to Shara Komayd—who is now Prime Minister of Saypuri, Mulaghesh was dragged to the place where it once the home of a death goddess and her dangerous warriors. However, few know, a miraculous type of metal has been discovered in Voortyashtan that may affect the fate of the world. The more Mulaghesh digs into the history of the city, the more mystery secrets that have been buried for ages now revealed.I love every single character in this book. Bennett did an amazing job to demonstrate the characters and each of their own stories. The astonishing effect that was mixed between the aspect of ancient gods and urban time of Book 1 didn’t disappear. In fact, it becomes much more prominent. The world building is wonderfully made, and Mulaghesh’s mind is so details and complex, I can’t stop myself to turn the page and learn more about her.You don’t even need to ask me if I would recommend it or not, because there is NO possible way that I would say no. The urban fantasy touch-up is beautifully mixed with the mysterious atmosphere. The solid, more-than-amazing writing and the vivid but surreal imagery give this book the power to take any reader’s breathe away. I absolutely love it!*I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. In no way this can affect my opinion on the book.

[tikimoof · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'll probably update the score when I stop feeling so disappointed.

[narilka · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Second verse same as the first? In many ways City of Blades, the second book in Robert Jackson Bennet's Divine Cities trilogy, feels a lot like City of Stairs. Stylistically both books are ultra slow burns where the author takes his time setting the stage while introducing us to an all new set of characters and fleshing out Mulaghesh who was only part of the supporting cast in the first book. We are given enough information that theoretically you could read this book before City of Stairs, though you'd miss out on some nods to the first book. Where the stories differ is in theme. City of Blades is a soldiers tale about war, promises both broken and kept and, oddly enough, love.Welcome to Voortyashtan! Once home to the god of war and the birthplace of fearsome supernatural sentinels, the city is mostly in ruins and a place where rebels hide, plotting and enacting frequent uprisings. Its only redeeming feature is a harbor that, if it can be restored, will unlock trade for the whole continent and bring wealth back to the city. General Turyin Mulaghesh has been drinking her way to an early grave in her retirement. Before she can fully self destruct, Mulaghesh is called to serve the Empire one last time and take a "tour" of Voortyashtan if she wishes to keep her pension. It's just one last undercover mission to investigate some worryingly miraculous... things... happening near the city.I admit I was a tad disappointed when I first started the book and found out it had both a 5 year time jump from the previous story and a new main character. That disappointment didn't last long. Mulaghesh was an interesting supporting character in the first book and she's a fantastic lead in this one. I'm impressed at the depth of character building Bennett is able to do in his stories. Mulaghesh is bitter and cynical and tired of war, yet she seems to be constantly forced to revisit that part of her past and solve problems others don't want to. The supporting cast is just as interesting, especially Signe Harkvaldsson. I think I would read a short story about Signe's college days and how she got to be in her role in charge of the harbor project.Same goes for Bennett's world building. The history and depth Bennett is able to give to Voortyashtan makes me feel like I'm there in the streets with Mulaghesh. The city feels just as alive as Bulikov did.RJB sure knows how to write exciting endings. The final third of the book is one heck of a roller coaster ride. All the slow and steady story telling builds up to one surprising conclusion. The story is all wrapped up by the end, though one supporting character has an unknown fate that I think is the hook for the final book.As much as I enjoyed Mulaghesh's story, I found myself missing Shara. I hope some day the author writes a short story or two of what Shara was up to between books.

[crtsjffrsn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The city of Voortyashtan was the home of Voortya, the goddess of war, death, and destruction. It was her followers who, after unleashing as much death as possible, were transformed into the sentinels who terrorized the Saypuri slaves. And they were the first people who were promised an afterlife by a Divinity. Thankfully, with the death of all of the gods and goddesses and the Blink, the Divinities and their miracles are a thing of the past. But the recent discovery of a mysterious ore near Voortyashtan, while not Divine in nature, has some people concerned.

Among those concerned is Prime Minister Shara Komayd. But her political position leaves her with few options to investigate. So she enlists Turyin Mulaghesh, retired general still trying to live off the grid after her victory at the Battle of Bulikov five years earlier, to go into the city and investigate. It's not something that Mulaghesh would willingly sign up for, but Komayd is persuasive. And before she knows it, Mulaghesh is thrust into the investigation of a mystery that brings up just as many ghosts from her own past as it does ghost of Voortyashtan. And in the process, she learns that sometimes we can be held to promises and oaths we take long after we expect--and what it truly means to be a soldier.

I have been looking forward to this book since I finished City of Stairs back when it was released. The world that Robert Jackson Bennett has created is one where I am willing to spend as much time as he can make possible. The rich history, the dynamic characters, and the political intrigue add so many layers to these epic fantasy stories. And the unexpected twists along the way make them that much more interesting and entertaining.

The character development in this story is also something that I hadn't really expected. The arc that we see Turyin take from start to finish is something to behold. And it's rare to see a writer take a character on a journey like this in a way that feels organic and not forced at all. And as someone who puts character development and character-driven stories high up on my list of what's important in a book, it takes this great story to the next level in my eyes.

Very highly recommended!!

[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.]

[andorion-259107 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An absolutely brilliant book.

I was a bit sceptical about the idea of a sequel to City of Stairs, but then again the world built up in the previous book definitely had a lot of potential.

This book is very different. Whether its because of the ubiquity of modern tech, or the grimmer issues it chooses to grapple with, this book is darker, and more complex. While it may seem quite similar to the previous book in theme, that is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact I am wondering whether this series will have a thematic continuity which will mature and climax in a big reveal

The characters, dialogue and action in this book are all excellent. I especially loved the ending. It fitted in very well with the ideas explored and the development of the main character

[zoes_human · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Five years after the events of City of Stairs, Shara Komayd pulls General Turyin Mulaghesh out of retirement to investigate the disappearance of a Ministry agent sent to assess the discovery of an amazing new metal. This time we are taken to Voortyashtan, the former Continental stronghold of the divinity Voortya—Empress of Graves, Maiden of Steel, Queen of Grief, She Who Clove the Earth in Twain, and war goddess of the terrifying Voortyashtani warriors.A brilliant blend of high fantasy and espionage thriller. Fast-paced and thought-provoking. An excellent second novel in the world of The Divine Cities.

[quondame · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The author states that a whole novel was removed from the center of this. It should have been a novel and ½ at least. There is some great stuff here and another ghastly entanglement with the divine, or at least the ghost of the devine, a high rather merciless body count, as the survivors would have preferred their own deaths to those that occurred. The pacing could have been more sprightly, the characters were pretty good and interesting where they weren't horrific, and the setting is well invoked.

[tldegray-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

[I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.]

[ashleytylerjohn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A worthy successor to the very gripping City of Stairs. Its strength (like its predecessor) is extremely likeable protagonists, not because they're so sweet, but because the writer does such a good job of bringing them to life, warts and all, that one can't help but empathize. That said, I wasn't as moved by supposedly moving events in the book, so it's staying at 4 stars for me, which is still high praise.

(Note: 5 stars = rare and amazing, 4 = quite good book, 3 = a decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. There are a lot of 4s and 3s in the world!)

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

So this is an older female hero who has retired from the army to find that she still has some service owing, so she's sent to a small outpost where their god is dead. like most of the gods in this world, but godish stuff seems to be happening. There's also a substance that appears to conduct electricity and amplify it while conducting it and a previous investigator has disappeared, apparently the investigation caused her to lose her mind.Our hero thought she was done and that she was going to be able to pickle her liver in peace, but no, a last mission, dealing with old friends and enemies and everything in between, including her PTSD. Everyone, including her, have their own motive and it's quite messy.It took a while to get really going but then I just couldn't put it down, I'm also curious what's going to happen next.

[shrike58 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In this return to world Robert Jackson Bennett introduced in “City of Stairs” there has been some water under the bridge when we are reacquainted with “retired”, i.e. quit kicking and screaming, Gen. Turyin Mulaghesh who is dragged back into service to ostensibly complete the several months service she owes the government to retain her pension. Or, if she so “chooses,” she can look into the mysterious disappearance of a government agent who was engaged in the never ending task of rooting out manifestations of the old great gods. Of course there is no good afoot but the guts of this story are that of Mulaghesh coming to grips with her own story of origin and the nature of the war that was waged on the reign of the gods; a war the implications of which continue to unspool.Without giving too much away if “City of Stairs” ultimately felt melancholy, but still holding promise, this book is full-fledged tragedy and the climax is as raw and cathartic and gut-wrenching as good tragedy aspires to be.Besides that one thought that comes to mind is the genre of fantasy one has here. With continued reading I wonder if this sort of fiction should really be considered “weird,” what with the nature of the gods, the shamanistic nature of magic, the sheer horror of events and the apocalyptic flavor of the tale.As for my main gripe with the series, which involves characters and technology that seem anachronistic to a world with a level of technology and culture that is generally Victorian, or at best Edwardian, on the whole I just try not to let it bug me too much.

[veeshee-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I found this novel to be just as fascinating as the previous one in the series. I was a bit disappointed to learn that the author had replaced the protagonist, but I quickly grew to love General Mulaghesh; her no-nonsense attitude combined with her intelligence and sharp mannerisms made her one of my favorite characters of all time. As usual, the detailing in the story was magnificent and every character that was introduced was complex and interesting to read about. I liked that the author shifted POVs throughout the novel, as it kept me sharp on my toes. Reading this novel is like getting a glimpse of history (albeit a false one); I could easily believe that the events happening were real. The plot was intricate and flowed at a good pace; there was enough time to enjoy the scene being presented while not getting bogged down by all of the little details. I am curious to see how the story will continue in the next book, so I am definitely going to keep my eyes peeled for news of the release of the next novel in this series! If you like science fiction and fantasy, then this is the novel for you! I guarantee that those who like Game of Thrones would definitely enjoy this series and should give it a shot!

[dlmorrese · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Divinity was a goddess of war, death, and destruction. She's dead, but her soldiers still expect the afterlife she promised them. It's an interesting premise for a story, and a worthy sequel to City of Stairs, although it has they same flaws. The main characters lack appeal and the prose still needs work. I can't honestly say I 'liked' it a full 3-stars worth, but I was motivated to finish it.

[jamespurcell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Complex, but satisfyingly compelling needs to be read in small doses. Like bomber command in WW2, almost everyone dies. Jackson Bennet will need almost a totally new cast for the sequel.

[gretchening · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I found this an enjoyable follow-up to City of Stairs. I didn't feel as ~gripped~ by as I did its predecessor, nor did I feel as disappointed in it (see my CoS review for spoilers on that). The protagonist of this book, Mulaghesh, is a stubborn, practical, no-nonsense old bird, and I looooooove her as much as, if differently from, Shara. I like Bennett's focus on women and people of color, and the ways he explores the interweavings of national and personal histories. This book felt a bit more of a mystery/soldier's story than the previous one, though still stayed in the same vein and it had similarly strong pacing and characters. Some new faces, some familiar from the first book also gave a sense of continuity, though this book would be fine read on its own. I liked it, and I think if you liked the first book you will like this one, too!

[carolesrandomlife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was one impressive read! I read the first book in this series, City of Stairs, a few months ago and really enjoyed it so I was really excited to finally get around to reading the second book in the series, City of Blades. A lot of times the second book in a series doesn't quite live up to the first so I was a bit worried going into the book. There was no need for any worry because as good as the first book was, this one was even better. I had such a hard time putting this book down and when I was away from it, I couldn't get it out of my mind. I had really expected this book to focus on the same group of characters and I was somewhat wrong. The main character in this book is Mulaghesh who did play an important role in the first book but was not the lead character. I liked Mulaghesh in the first book but I absolutely loved her in this installment. Getting to learn some of her back story really opened up her character. She is tough, smart, and somewhat haunted by her past. I love the an older woman who has seen and done a lot of things is the person at the center of this story. This book takes place in Voortyashtan which was very different than the setting of the first book. This meant that while some of the world building did build on the what was established in the previous book, a lot of this world was entirely new. The City of Blades ended up being something I would have never imagined but as it was described it I almost felt as if I were there. I really feel like there is almost no boundaries with what this series can explore.The story in this book was very exciting. I did think that some of the earlier parts of the book were a bit tedious as I tried to figure out what was really going on. When the story took off, it really didn't let up. There are so many different things to solve that are all interconnected. The story took quite a few twists that I didn't see coming. I was a bit nervous as I read because I had no idea how things would work out for Mulaghesh and everyone. I would highly recommend this book to others. This is the second book in the series and I do think that this series really needs to be read in order. The stories are not a continuation but the events of the first book really impacted the characters and the world they live in. I can't wait to see what is going to happen in City of Miracles!I received a review copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Broadway Books via Blogging for Books and NetGalley.

[kgodey_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Retired war hero General Turyin Mulaghesh is sent to the city of Voortyashtan on a sort of tour to count down the days until she earns her pension. That’s the official story, anyway – actually, she’s there to covertly investigate a new metal that just might be related to the supposedly dead gods of the Continent, and figure out why the last person sent to investigate the issue ended up missing. Voortyashtan is complicated, though, and there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye.I enjoyed City of Stairs when I read it last year, but not as much as a lot of other people. Mulaghesh was one of my favourite characters in the book, though, so I was pretty thrilled that she was going to be the protagonist of City of Blades. She does not disappoint – she’s a curmudgeonly one-armed war hero that’s unabashedly competent and won’t take any nonsense from anybody. She starts off the book pretty tired and lost, but once she enters problem solving mode, there’s no one I’d rather have on the case. She’s got a unique perspective and it never gets tiring to look through it. I would read a whole series of books about Mulaghesh.City of Blades starts off with a pretty similar premise to the first book – a Saypuri is sent to a hostile Continental city to investigate possible Divine intervention – but it quickly evolves into its own thing. It helps that it doesn’t have to do all the worldbuilding that City of Stairs had to; the world of these books is complicated, and it was good to be familiar with how it all worked. The world does get extended, but in a very natural way. The martial Voortya is a pretty interesting god to explore, and Mulaghesh is the perfect person to understand her.The new characters introduced in this book are pretty cool, especially Sigrud’s engineer daughter Signe. Sigrud is back as well, and he seems much more like a real person, which was great. I was a little bit frustrated with the character arcs of the villains – I can’t say more without spoilers, but I wished that they were less stereotypical. It’s a minor flaw in an otherwise terrific book, though.I’m looking forward to the third book, City of Miracles – I think that’s going to be the last book. Sigrud is going to be the protagonist, which I’m more excited about thanks to his development in City of Blades.

[renbedell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Military fantasy that further explores religion and culture, but also what it means to be a soldier. The book is set up almost exactly like City of Stairs, like a murder mystery. This time the setting is in a new place on the Continent and following a new protagonist. Many familiar characters from the previous book that allow a deeper perspective to each of them. The story itself is great. A lot darker due to the struggle of dealing with atrocities that a soldier may do. It is also self-contained, like the first book, with a clear ending that sums up everything. Though to understand some characters, the first book should be read. The prose is about the same as City of Stairs. I am enjoying the series and looking forward to reading the next chapter.

[meandmybooks-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It took until halfway through before the book really gripped me, but that may have been a function of real life distractions. On the other hand, it is at about the halfway mark that Sigrud comes on the scene and his daughter's character becomes interesting and our main character, Mulagdhesh, can finally have real conversations and humanizing interactions. I think the author just has a lot of background to get in and scenarios to develop before he starts things moving. Once they finally do though, the story zips along very satisfactorily. As with City of Stairs, Bennett does an amazing job of building a complex, believable world staffed by deeply flawed but sympathetic characters. The depictions of sadistic violence and cruelty are both appalling and appropriate. Four stars.

[jjbooklvr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Catching up on a book I missed from earlier this year. This is set several years after the events in City of Stairs and is set in a different part of Mr. Bennett's fantasy world. This time General Turyin Mulaghesh takes center stage when she is sent to Voortyashtan to discover what happened to a Ministry operative. I loved the slow build up until the story take a radical turn and then quickly spirals out of control in the last quarter of the book. Mulaghesh is a great character as she tries to balance doing what is right with what the situation demands of her. She does have help as Sigurd from the first book makes an appearance. What a force of nature he is too! (Side note I can't wait for book three which looks as if Sigurd will take center stage.) There is so much going on in this story as we explore warfare, military life, the Divine and the Afterlife, but the author deftly handles everything and keeps the story focused despite the rising body count. I am not sure how he does it but it just works oh so well. May 2, 2017 can't get here fast enough to continue this series!

[psutto_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

City of Blades by Robert Jackson BennettWhat does it mean to be a soldier? This question lies at the heart of the second book from Robert Jackson Bennet in the series. A glittering, multi-faceted gem of a book it is too. I seldom invest in series, the author has to be just damn good to get me to buy more than one book in the same world and few make the mark. Bennett is one of them (Dave Hutchinson is another - see below). City of Stairs was bold, it felt fresh, it ticked all the epic fantasy boxes that I wanted to be ticked (caveat - I'm not a massive epic fantasy fan, you have to do something special in the genre to make me want to read it) and it was just a rollicking good read.So I approached City of Blades with some nerves - I knew Bennett hadn't planned to write a sequel, I knew it wasn't going to be about exactly the same characters (although Mulaghesh is the main protagonist - and a fabulous kick-ass character too) and, although set in the same world, wasn't going to be in enchanting Bulikov.Once I'd read a few pages any reservations I had were blown away. Bennett has the knack of grounding you in the story, you are immediately with the characters, absorbing the sights, sounds and smells of the world he's transmitting into your brain via the written word. It's a skill I am totally envious of.General Turyin Mulaghesh has quit but is persuaded to come back for one last mission on behalf of now PM Ashara. The mission? To find a missing member of the government, someone who was investigating a new type of ore found beneath Voortyashtan, the home city of the former god of war and death. And so Bennett pulls out of the hat a second, brilliantly imagined, city in the same world as City of Stairs with an engaging plot, a new cast, with some cameos by old favourites, and a book that builds up to a page-turning second half.I highly recommend this series to all, but especially to fantasy fans

[bragan_8 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the sequel to the excellent City of Stairs. It's set several years later, with a different main POV character (albeit one who is familiar from the first book), but it still features everything I liked so much about City of Stairs, and then some: good characters, great fantasy world-building, and a compelling story featuring twists and turns, mystery and action. There's also some real depth to it, featuring themes of war, guilt, and what it means to be a soldier. This has rapidly become one of my new favorite series, and although this volume, like the first one, is nicely self-contained, I already find myself wanting more.

[adamwolf_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this. I think I liked the first one a little better.

[sherribelcher-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

City of Blades takes up five years after the Battle of Bulikov which took place in City of Stairs. General Turyin Mulaghesh is being forced out of early retirement. In order to collect her full pension, Prime Minister Shara Komayd will require Mulaghesh to finish out her tenure. She is dispatched to the city of Voortyashtan to seek a missing Saypuri agent. She will be aided by General Lalith Biswal whom she served under in the Great War. Along with the rest of the Continent at the time of the Great War, Voortyashtan was conquered by the city of Saypur. Voortyashtan was once the home of the Divinity, Voortya who was a goddess of war, death and destruction. Now the city is in shambles, but the Saypuri government has plans to rebuild it into another great port city. Construction of the harbor has been assigned to the Dreyling Company with Signe Harkvaldsson in charge. Signe is the daughter of Sigrud Harkvaldsson, one of the main characters from the first book. Signe is a brilliant, strong and independent woman not to be trifled with. Her plans are ambitious and she will let nothing stop her. When Mulaghesh arrives she finds a lot to look into. There is the discovery of a mysterious ore that generates electricity, unrest between the native river people and hill people, hidden archaeological finds and several gruesome unsolved murders. The future of Voortya becomes extremely perilous and Mulaghesh is more and more haunted by the ghosts of her past. The horrors she faces beg many questions deep within. Where do soldiers draw the line when fighting an enemy and what does it mean to be a great soldier? Is it a soldier's job to overcome, conquer and kill? Is it a soldier's job to protect, teach and defend? The story line starts out as a bit of a rehash of City of Blades. Mulaghesh goes in undercover to find out what happened to a fellow Saypuri citizen and uncovers more than meets the eye, leading her to believe that the Divinity, Voortya may be alive after all. I was a bit disappointed in this similarity at first. However, the new characters were all very strong and intriguing. I liked Mulaghesh in the first book, and we get to learn so much more about her personal history in this book. And again, there is so much complexity to these books. We get action, adventure, mystery, espionage, fantasy and even a little romance this time. I think this was an awesome follow-up book and it also stands very well on its own. The idea that a book can still be read as a standalone without needing to know about the rest of the series is quietly disappearing. I love this world and I will be back to visit again! I want to thank the publisher (Crown Publishing) for providing me with the ARC through Blogging for Books and Netgalley for an honest review.

[altheaann · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The sequel to 'City of Stairs' open with what's likely the most entertaining 'calling-a-character-out-of-retirement' scene I've ever read. General Mulaghesh has tried to leave war behind and purchased a cottage on a remote beach. However, we quickly begin to suspect that her retreat isn't quite the haven she imagined. And now, an envoy has been sent from Saypur with a message for her - and a mission.

After the initial scene, the POV switches - it initially feels like a disappointment, because the opener was so strong. I also missed the brilliantly realized city of Bulikov that 'City of Stairs' introduced us to, even though it's clear from the titles that each book in this series is intended to focus on a different locale. But soon enough I was won over by the new perspective and the new setting.

The 'City of Blades' is Voortyashtan. At times (and I'm not concretely sure why) it reminded me of an evil Gondor. Voortyashtan was largely destroyed by the 'Blink' - the cataclysmic battle in which all the gods and all their associated miracles were destroyed. The bulk of the city, once suspended by Divine power, has sunk below the waves. The surviving inhabitants are in conflict over the remaining bits of arable, livable land. Meanwhile, Saypuri politicians from overseas seek to maintain political control, and a force of Dreylings, also from overseas, are working on an engineering project to clear the harbor, which has the potential to become a key spot in international commerce.

Among both Dreylings and Saypuri, Voortyashtan has a reputation as being the ass end of nowhere - and dangerous, to boot. It's the sort of place where half-discredited military officials are shoved out of the public eye. But now, a bizarre discovery has been made - one that's either an amazing discovery that could revolutionize new technologies, or a disconcerting sign that the gods might not be as dead as everyone assumed. (And, considering that Voortya was a goddess of death and war, she's maybe not a deity you really want to have around. Especially after you killed her.) In conjunction with this, an agent has disappeared. Rumor has it that before vanishing, she went insane. General Mulaghesh is asked to investigate...

It's a great setup for a murder mystery in an eerie, fascinating world. And indeed, the story unfolds with plenty of twists and action. However, as it progresses, somehow the book also becomes a truly insightful meditation on war, the multitudes of costs it inflicts on all parties, the place that violence holds in human society, and what it means to be a soldier. All this without in any way sacrificing the flow and tension of the plot. An impressive achievement.

Many thanks to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to read this excellent book. As always, my opinions are solely my own.

[strider66_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Pros: brilliant world-building, fascinating characters, intricate plot, thought provoking Cons: Prime Minister Shara Komayd calls General Mulaghesh out of retirement to ostensibly do a ‘vacation tour’ in order to keep her pension. In reality, she’s being sent to check out a mysterious metal discovered in Voortyashtan that has potentially Divine qualities, and the disappearance of the last operative who was sent to investigate it. Voortayshtan’s harbour is currently being cleared out by a company from the United Dreyling States, who need this contract to keep their struggling economy afloat. Meanwhile, the commander of the military base there, a man Mulaghesh served under during the Summer of Black Rivers, has to navigate through local tribal politics. Then a grisly murder takes place. This novel is set several years after The City of Stairs, but while some characters overlap, you don’t have to have read the first book to understand and enjoy this one (though the first book was absolutely brilliant, so you really should read it). You’re told in broad strokes what Shara’s been up to in the intervening years, but this is really Mulaghesh’s story. Sigrud becomes a big player later in the book, but again, nothing from the first book is required to understand this story or the characters.A LOT happens in this book. There are numerous plots interwoven, and they’re all fascinating. The world itself is wonderfully real. The politics are complex - in every nation - the characters are products of their lands, cultures, families, and pasts - especially their regrets. Mulaghesh is a wonderful protagonist, and not one seen very often. She’s an older woman, one who’s had a hard life and who understand the difficult choices made in war. She curses, she drinks, she smokes cigarillos and she’s forthright and honest. She’s also quite clever, figuring out several difficult mysteries. And she has nightmares about the time she served and the things she did during her years of service.Signe, in command of the harbour reconstruction, is also a great character, dedicated to her job and helping her nation rise above its recent past of piracy. She’s another hard and clever woman, but very different from Mulaghesh. She’s also had a difficult life, but has chosen to use her time to make a better future for everyone.It’s great seeing non-European based fantasy. This book is engrossing and will make you think about war, soldiers, politics and more.

[pwaites_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

City of Blades is the sequel to the phenomenal City of Stairs. While City of Blades references events from the first book and expands upon its world building, the plot of City of Blades is separate. Theoretically, you could read it without having read the first book.After centuries of rule by the Continent and it’s gods, the nation of Saypur was able to kill the Divinities and gain freedom. Now, eighty years after Saypur killed Voortya, goddess of death and war, the retired General Turyin Mulaghesh is being sent to the city once under Voortya’s domain, Voortyashtan. She is to look for a Saypuri agent who went missing while investigating a mysterious ore with possibly miraculous properties. She soon begins to wonder what happened to the afterlife created by Voortya and the dead warriors supposedly inhabiting it…While there are many things about City of Blades that may seem familiar from City of Stairs, it is the thematic differences that really distinguish this book from its predecessor. City of Blades is a book about war, death, and what it means to be a solider. As you might expect from the thematic material, it can be a dark read at times. These ideas echo across not only the plot and setting, but the life of the protagonist, General Turyin Mulaghesh.“Out of the service and adrift in the civilized world, she couldn’t tolerate what she’d done. She tried to bait the world to kill her, to do the thing she had no courage for. But it wouldn’t. Life went on; it just kept happening.”When she was sixteen years old, Mulaghesh lied about her age and joined the army to fight against an ongoing rebellion in the Continent. The things she saw and did during the Summer of Black Rivers changed her forever.“She couldn’t erase the past, but maybe she could keep it from happening again.”Mulaghesh is bitter and cynical and quite likely suffering from PTSD. She’s over sixty years old and has lost a hand during the Battle of Bulikov five years ago. She is tired of death and war, yet she will do what she has to to protect those who serve under her.Characterization in City of Blades is phenomenal, particularly when it comes to Mulaghesh. She’s a protagonist I will remember for years to come. Not only is she superbly written, how often do sixty year old female general as a protagonist in a fantasy novel? Actually, City of Blades does a roundabout fantastic job when it comes to including interesting and prominent female characters.The world Bennett has created is so vivid and imaginative. These two books have had some of the best world building I have ever seen. The city of Voortyashtan with its eerie remnants of the divine was wonderful.The novel starts out somewhat slow, with Mulaghesh finding different pieces of the puzzle. The action ramps up at the half way mark, but even then the book never really reached the “I can’t put it down” quality for me. There was also a plot twist that I saw coming.I would highly recommend City of Blades for anyone who’s read and loved City of Stairs or is looking for an inventive and well written fantasy novel.Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.I received a free ARC copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. City of Blades comes out January 26th 2016.