I have read and enjoyed the first two books in this entertaining series, see my reviews of Under Ordshaw and Blue Angel. So when I learnt the third book in the series was being released, I was looking forward to continuing the adventure.
BLURB: They hid among us, until she exposed them. They’ll destroy everything to be hidden again. Pax is discovering that the smallest mistakes can have the deadliest impact. To protect her city, she’s uncovered monstrous truths and involved terrible people. The consequences are coming for her. The Sunken City is unstable. The Fae are armed for war. Can Pax stop the coming disaster?
Firstly, if you haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading at least one of the previous books, then my firm advice is to put this one back on the shelf and go and track down Under Ordshaw. This one hits the ground running and we are in the middle of a complicated situation within an urban fantasy landscape that is both layered and nuanced. You certainly won’t get an appreciation of the stakes involved if you try crashing midway into this series.
That said, it’s hard to overstate the hurdles facing both Pax and the fairy Letty. It looks as though those running the human and Fae factions are determined to lock horns over what is going on in the Sunken City and neither seem in the mood to listen to anyone else.
Due to the complicated scenario, this book does take a bit of time to get going. However, when it picks up the pace and we are back in the swing of the story, I was once again swept along with this cast of quirky and original characters. I enjoyed the fact that both Pax and Letty took centre stage in this slice of the adventure, along with Sam Ward and the man I loved to hate in the first book, Cano…
While there is a lot of action in this original urban fantasy series, I also like the fact that Management is clearly at a loss to know what to do in the face of all the paranormal events and once they are aware of how badly they have misread the situation, send in a colourful character as a fixer. I enjoyed that dynamic as it had a real ring of authenticity about it. I also like the fact that one of the characters who I loathed in the first book has had his come-uppance – to the extent that I genuinely felt quite sorry for him. Williams ably negotiates these nuances so that while his cast of characters ping off the page with their vivid eccentricity, they are also capable of change and growth.
Inevitably, I am not going to be able to say much about the plot, as this is the third book in the series, but what I will say is that the overall narrative arc is satisfactorily tied up and I felt happy with the way all the characters completed this particular journey. However, I am very much hoping that this series will continue as it is peopled by too many fascinating characters with intriguing relationships. I definitely want to know what happens to them next.
Highly recommended for fans of urban fantasy with a difference.
9/10
Brainfluff 
With each review in this series, you’re making it more tempting. Maybe next year I can start it😁
I need to catch up – your review has made me even more keen to get back to Ordshaw.
Lynn 😀
It is such a quirky read – I love what happens to the supporting cast as much as the unfolding main plot…
You’re right, that oh-so-hateful character changed so much along the way, and especially here, that I somewhat stopped disliking him and – like you – felt something approaching pity at his… downsizing.
I’m happy you enjoyed it, and let’s hope we get more Ordshaw stories along the way 🙂
Exactly! If you’d told me when reading Under Ordshaw how my feelings would change towards him, I’d have thought you’d been smoking something illegal. And yes – I’m glad I’m not the only one who is keen to have more of Ordshaw and its cast of characters. (hint, hint, Phil…)
I believe the author is already hard at work to meet our demands… 😉
Yippee!!!