Blood Of The Mantis [Paperback]

 

 

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Khaldun's Disclaimer: Reviews will mainly concentrate on novels that I enjoyed, and in writing them I will attempt to be succinct and to avoid all manner of spoilery comments. A grading guide follows my reviews. Also, please note that while I have read widely in the genre, my tastes are quite distinct and thus readers should absorb my wisdom with, at the very least, a few pinches of salt. Cheers.
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Blood of the Mantis by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Characterization: 7/10
All of our favourite characters are here once again. We only get a few snippets of the characters who are not part of the main plot threads, so mainly you'll be dealing with Stenwold, Che/Nero, Achaeos/Tynissa/Tisamon, and Thalric. Do I still have issues with the believability of some characters and their motivations? Yes. Do I still generally enjoy reading about them though? Yes. At this point, however, three novels in, I feel like I should have a better sense of the characters, their pasts, and their motivations. The characters are working in different settings, under different circumstances, but have they really changed? I'm not sure.

Plotting and Pacing: Plotting 3/5 and Pacing 4/5
The pacing starts off with a bang for Tchaikovsky's third installment. It's a little bit annoying to use an action scene just to hook readers and then go back in time, but by this point most readers are probably already hooked. Blood of the Mantis is shorter than previous works, with fewer jumps between threads, and this makes the reading experience feel smoother and faster. There are less plots, but it moves at a faster pace and, since parts of it feel like setup, an explosive sequel is pretty much guaranteed. I'll note that some other reviewers did have issues with the length of this novel and the fact that parts of it feel plagued with 'middle book syndrome.'

Setting: 8/10
The setting remains an intriguing mix of medieval, steampunk technology and kinden 'superpowers.' I like that Tchaikovsky is trying to add bits and pieces to the edge of the map made for the original book to give us a better sense of the world around the Lowlands. We get to see some of the technology from Solarno and its environs, and I'm all for learning more about this world's tech. I almost cut this to a seven, but he adds just enough new, shiny toys that I kept it where it was.

Style and Themes: Style 2/5 and Themes 2/5
Tchaikovsky's style seems to be improving by this point, as there are less issues with POV shifts and random scenes injected to reveal some key bit of information. Perhaps that's just his editors at work. Theme-wise, it's pretty much the same stuff, if you've read this far, I doubt you have any issues with that.

Total: 26/40
Well, again the novel made it to the highly recommended category, so yay for that! The series continues to lead us down its road, twisting and turning, and I look forward to seeing where it goes. I have issues with the magic side of things where sometimes the conflict feels a bit flat, but overall this is a series to watch and a fun way to pass the time. On another note, I have no idea how he's writing these so quickly. So Mr. Tchaikovsky, if you're out there, please let me know where you found the twenty-fifth to twenty-eighth hours of each day.

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Grading: Note that '5' is an average grade for each category, unexciting but still decent. Therefore, any novel that scores above twenty is above average and thus better than most of the other stuff floating around in bookshelves (at least in my opinion).

Rating Scale
01-09: Nigh unreadable
10-19: Get it from the library
20-24: A modest endorsement
25-29: Well-rounded and enjoyable
30-34: Highly recommended
35-40: A must-read!

The third book in the 'Shadows of the Apt' series (with more to come) by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

This book continues with the tale of the Wasp Empire's quest for expansion through continental domination, while their various and diversified (and often divided) 'enemies', try their absolute best to fend them off.

There is magic, battles, clandestine plotting, deceit and betrayals. Add to this a host of interesting and diversified characters and you've got fantasy/adventure with all the basic ingredients for a great tale.

However, all the above would mean little without great writing, and the writing in this book (as with the 2nd book) is stellar. The author has found that magic niche that make for an interesting tale presented with near perfect timing and pace.

In addition, there is:
1.) a good map, that encompasses an eastern extension of the maps found in books one and two.
2.) there is a helpful list of names, places and organizations (with brief descriptions of each) that explain the relationship of some of the unusual characters and places you'll encounter in this work.

Conclusion:
Simply one of the finest series I've read in ages, and more to follow (I initially thought that this was a trilogy, but apparently this in not the end). A great story, told with superb writing and an author with a uncanny sense of timing for suspense and the unexpected. Fantasy/adventure lovers rejoice. 5 Stars...more if I could.

Ray Nicholson

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