So there are plenty of bookworms here on the Escapist. And you know, there have been lots of threads just asking for lists of book recommendations. I don't doubt a lot of us have all had the feeling of currently being swept away by whatever book has taken our fancy and wanting a flimsy pretext to go on about.
So without further adieu, I'd like people to explain the premise, characters and personal beloved elements of whatever they are currently reading, and finish off by saying whether they'd recommend it or not. That said, try to keep it spoiler free, because like any other book thread, this is a prime opportunity for browsers to learn about something cool they otherwise might not have read.
So without further adieu, I'd like people to explain the premise, characters and personal beloved elements of whatever they are currently reading, and finish off by saying whether they'd recommend it or not. That said, try to keep it spoiler free, because like any other book thread, this is a prime opportunity for browsers to learn about something cool they otherwise might not have read.
The series I'm currently reading is The Tales of the Ketty Jay by Chris Wooding.
It's described as Steampunk, but honestly given the presence of electricity, and the rather more Western feel (albeit centered around pirates rather than cowboys or the like) I'd describe it more as retro-future. My girlfriend recommended the series to me, and I'm very, very glad that she did.
The geography focuses on a number of ethnicities, primarily the Vardic (essentially white people, with English accents) their wartime enemies the Samarlans (middle Eastern caste cultured people with literally black skin, with their noble caste families having golden eyes) and the two Samarlan slave races, the Murthians (olive skinned warrior cultured types enslaved as labourers, with a culture that reminds me of the Mandalorians in the Star Wars EU) and the Dakkadians (a more docile slave race with fair hair, who have adopted servility, and emulate their Samarlan masters in more or less everything.)
The novels take place some years after the second of two wars known as the Aerium Wars. Aerium is essentially a gas that when electrified becomes lighter than air, enabling the use of airships that are a prominent aspect of the series. The series does a great job of educating the reader about the fictional world's recent history, and culture. The only remaining religion in Vardia is a vast, far reaching group known as the Awakeners, who stifled every other religion very violently. It's widely believed that their religion is a sham, as it profits from its believers massively by the use of fortune telling, which only trained Awakeners can perform, via literally no uniform means. One Awakener might tell prophecy by the falling of bones, whereas another might use the pattern made by a drop of blood in milk.
The Awakeners essentially conduct witch hunt style prosecution of Daemonists. Daemonism is essentially the closest thing to magic in this world. Daemonists use sound frequencies to tap into ethereal realms and pull incorporeal daemons out of them, trapping and binding them for various means, such as enchanting weapons, making useful tools, and creating golems. Although it's very magical in nature, it is presented as an incredibly complex science.
On top of this are the Manes, terrifying, formerly human creatures raiding the northernmost settlements, massacring cities, and converting people into more Manes.
The central cast are a crew of 'freeboaters' aboard the ship, the Ketty Jay. The captain is Darian Frey, who is essentially a slightly more darkly written Malcolm Reynolds.
After that, there's his Murthian ship's mechanic, Silo. He's an ex-slave, and nobody quite knows where he learned to be the engineer that he is, or for that matter where he learned to be such a competent fighter.
The ship's doctor is Malvery, a fat middle aged man with a walrus moustache, who was once an accomplished surgeon before losing his practicioner's license and descending into alcoholism.
Then there are the two fighter pilots, Harkins and Pinn. Harkins is a scrawny, jittery man who served in the coalition navy through both Aerium Wars, before being discharged with PTSD. He was pretty miserable until he learned someone named Darian Frey had won a Firecrow (the ship Harkins used to fly) in a game of cards, and was looking for someone to fly it.
Pinn is a young, pudgy man, unafraid of death simply because he's too stupid to comprehend that it could ever happen to him. Despite being a total moron, he's an amazing pilot.
Then there's the Daemonist, Crake, and his golem, Bess. Crake was born to the upper echelons of society and learned of Daemonism secretly in university. He is initially a guest on the Ketty Jay, paying for one year's passage by giving Captain Frey a daemonic cutlass.
The most recent addition to the crew is Jez, its only female member, who serves as their navigator. There's not much to be said about her that isn't a massive spoiler.
This crew basically goes around engaging in a lot of smuggling, occasionally piracy, and not a small amount of general theft.
I really can't bloody recommend this series enough, because it deserves far more recognition than it's gotten, thus far. I'd never even have heard about it if my girlfriend hadn't been a massive fan.
It's described as Steampunk, but honestly given the presence of electricity, and the rather more Western feel (albeit centered around pirates rather than cowboys or the like) I'd describe it more as retro-future. My girlfriend recommended the series to me, and I'm very, very glad that she did.
The geography focuses on a number of ethnicities, primarily the Vardic (essentially white people, with English accents) their wartime enemies the Samarlans (middle Eastern caste cultured people with literally black skin, with their noble caste families having golden eyes) and the two Samarlan slave races, the Murthians (olive skinned warrior cultured types enslaved as labourers, with a culture that reminds me of the Mandalorians in the Star Wars EU) and the Dakkadians (a more docile slave race with fair hair, who have adopted servility, and emulate their Samarlan masters in more or less everything.)
The novels take place some years after the second of two wars known as the Aerium Wars. Aerium is essentially a gas that when electrified becomes lighter than air, enabling the use of airships that are a prominent aspect of the series. The series does a great job of educating the reader about the fictional world's recent history, and culture. The only remaining religion in Vardia is a vast, far reaching group known as the Awakeners, who stifled every other religion very violently. It's widely believed that their religion is a sham, as it profits from its believers massively by the use of fortune telling, which only trained Awakeners can perform, via literally no uniform means. One Awakener might tell prophecy by the falling of bones, whereas another might use the pattern made by a drop of blood in milk.
The Awakeners essentially conduct witch hunt style prosecution of Daemonists. Daemonism is essentially the closest thing to magic in this world. Daemonists use sound frequencies to tap into ethereal realms and pull incorporeal daemons out of them, trapping and binding them for various means, such as enchanting weapons, making useful tools, and creating golems. Although it's very magical in nature, it is presented as an incredibly complex science.
On top of this are the Manes, terrifying, formerly human creatures raiding the northernmost settlements, massacring cities, and converting people into more Manes.
The central cast are a crew of 'freeboaters' aboard the ship, the Ketty Jay. The captain is Darian Frey, who is essentially a slightly more darkly written Malcolm Reynolds.
After that, there's his Murthian ship's mechanic, Silo. He's an ex-slave, and nobody quite knows where he learned to be the engineer that he is, or for that matter where he learned to be such a competent fighter.
The ship's doctor is Malvery, a fat middle aged man with a walrus moustache, who was once an accomplished surgeon before losing his practicioner's license and descending into alcoholism.
Then there are the two fighter pilots, Harkins and Pinn. Harkins is a scrawny, jittery man who served in the coalition navy through both Aerium Wars, before being discharged with PTSD. He was pretty miserable until he learned someone named Darian Frey had won a Firecrow (the ship Harkins used to fly) in a game of cards, and was looking for someone to fly it.
Pinn is a young, pudgy man, unafraid of death simply because he's too stupid to comprehend that it could ever happen to him. Despite being a total moron, he's an amazing pilot.
Then there's the Daemonist, Crake, and his golem, Bess. Crake was born to the upper echelons of society and learned of Daemonism secretly in university. He is initially a guest on the Ketty Jay, paying for one year's passage by giving Captain Frey a daemonic cutlass.
The most recent addition to the crew is Jez, its only female member, who serves as their navigator. There's not much to be said about her that isn't a massive spoiler.
This crew basically goes around engaging in a lot of smuggling, occasionally piracy, and not a small amount of general theft.
I really can't bloody recommend this series enough, because it deserves far more recognition than it's gotten, thus far. I'd never even have heard about it if my girlfriend hadn't been a massive fan.
