Layered intelligent fantasy

I really enjoyed this - interesting characters, a fascinating world and a complex and credible clash of cultures. A spy thriller with a hint of detective story set in a city transformed by destruction of the gods who once lived there. Basically every aspect of this is pretty great. Also it is well read. All in all one of the best audio books I have listened to.

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9 people found this helpful

Could not stand the narrator. Stopped listening.

Could not stand the narrator. Stopped listening in the end, just couldn't cope with the tone of her voice at all

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6 people found this helpful

Fantastic narration of a fantastic story

A little overlong, and it slightly drags in places, but this is a brilliantly original fantasy.
The world building is good, as is the twisty turny plot. It's peripherally simiar to Richard Morgan's series of fantasty, but with a lighter tone and a great deal of heart.
Highly recommended.

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6 people found this helpful

Takes time to get into it but ok in the end

There is a very slow start here hindered by the narrator who uses such screechy tones at times it was close to being returned. I persisted however and it was nice to be rewarded with an original fantasy/steampunk. There are niggles here and there but I'll probably check out the next in the series. Worth a go if you fancy something a little different.

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4 people found this helpful

An average read

The books features some pretty interesting plot lines and has a lot of potential. However, I found it hard to cate about the characters any more than superficially, and the first half meanders a lot. Overall I thought it was okay but not as good as some of the reviews make out. The narration again was fine but in places it felt hammy and some of the characters grated on me.

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3 people found this helpful

Great deconstruction of the consequences of God's

Fantastic book very clever idea played out with imagination and verve. Well worth a read for any fan of contemporary fantasy

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3 people found this helpful

(Great book) Terrible terrible reading

I love this book so much. I read it a while ago and decided to buy it as an audio book so I can listen to it on my walks. But the reading is absolutely terrible. So bad. Ashara Komayd, the main character, an amazing strong woman, has been given the most stupid squeaky voice I’ve heard. I know the book describes her voice as like a ‘young girl’, that is meant to highlight her deceptive soft outside with her iron core. It does not mean make her sound like minny mouse. And Sigrud is clearly meant to be Scandinavian. I imagine him with with an Icelandic or Norwegian accent. Instead the reader makes him sound like a New York mob boss. The pacing of the book is all wrong too. Just terrible terrible reading. Maybe Buffy David didn’t get paid very much and she didn’t want to invest the time to actually read the book properly before reading it out loud. Or maybe she’s not a very good choice for this book. Let her stick to bad romance novels instead. Instead of listening to the book, if you have the option, I recommend you read the book. The book is brilliant.

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2 people found this helpful

Engaging Story

Would you listen to City of Stairs again? Why?

No, I much more interested in reading the Sequel. Good book, I just don't listen to books twice as prefer something new.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Sigrud, the tough man of little words but much action.
I don't like to say there are favourites. I found all characters well written and engaging.
It is the interplay that makes a character to me.

What about Buffy Davis’s performance did you like?

Performance was good.
I am sometime irritated by the voice. Not so here. Allowed to focus on the story rather the reader.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I enjoyed how the book developed continually. I related it to a post war world with a spy drama unfolding in a world of state vs religion. The overall look at religion vs ordered state was an enjoyable on for me.

Any additional comments?

Great book, well written. A change from my usual fantasy type read but really enjoyed and delighted to see squeal is available in couple of weeks.

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2 people found this helpful

Awful Narrator

Awful narrator, was enjoying the story but could not stand the grating voices the narrator chose to use so unfortunately had to stop listening

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1 person found this helpful

dry but good story, poor performance

the story was good and original. loved the world created. interesting characters.

the story teller was really poor. inaudible at some points and sloppily read key exciting passages. she didn't get me excited about the book and didn't sound like she enjoyed it at all. real shame.

author did well weaving threads of references back into the book to provide a well thought out complex story.

the political side I was far less interested in than the exciting divinity side. not sure why it felt like steam punk. felt like a better fit for fantasy, especially with Sigrid.

wouldn't read another if similar reviews, but will follow authors next books. amazing imagination.

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1 person found this helpful