Review: Fantastic Flintlock Fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 11, 2013
Fantasy is such a trope laden genre that finding something unique and original is always a cause for celebration. Sure, the twists aren't that huge - flintlocks! People who aren't all white! Strong female characters! - but they add a fun, new dimension to your typical sword and sorcery quest epic.Imagine a world that is, technologically and politically, analogous to our world at around 1650. Now move the center of trade west, all the way to Hawaii. Throw in some fantasy races (dwarves, frog-like bullywugs, hobgoblins, lamia) and some very modern looking devils and demons, as well an epic quest to a lost city, and you have The Sable City.The writing is sharp and propulsive, with our adventurers trekking across continents to reach this lost city in time. The characters are interesting and well characterized, with their own motivations and ideals. The various narrative threads tie together in a satisfying and (for a fantasy novel) plausible, if convenient kind of way. The author also shows a willingness to put his characters in real danger, raising the stakes of the novel and giving some of the action scenes a nice sense of tension. He answers a lot of questions, but raises a lot more, which makes me eager for the sequel.I do have a couple of caveats, however. There's a sense of narrative convenience that can be slightly grating at times - seemingly limitless healing abilities that only run out after they're no longer needed anyway, the wizard getting a deus ex machina power boost that basically levels him up at just the right time, and a few other niggling scenes that smack of authorial interference. I was also slightly annoyed by his tendency to want to pair everyone up into cute little hetero couples. Your bad ass women don't all need boyfriends, yo.Overall, though, this is an excellent first adventure. I'm really looking forward to continuing on with this series.