Well written but takes some time to become engaging.
I tried several times to read this book and it finally stuck when I was in a pretty deep fantasy mood. Starting with the good- Buc is a tough but emotionally resonant character who is well developed with a vivid perspective. The writing in general is full of ideas and details that shape the world and make it feel lived in and brimming with potential. The story centers around action and adventure that can get descriptive. Now for the not-so-good, I had trouble becoming interested in the goings-on of the characters. Only two of them involve themselves with the reader through meaningful character development and conversations, all the other characters seem thin and one-note by comparison. Some of the descriptions or terminology can get tiresome and confusing. This is book one of a series but it feels more like a second or third book, as I definitely felt that many of the references warranted more fleshed out explanations. Overall, The Sin in the Steel finds its stride and builds momentum but it didn’t have the pageturner quality I was hoping for.
Thanks BookishFirst and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this title for review.
Thanks BookishFirst and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this title for review.