NEW RELEASE REVIEW by EN Blake: Smoke and Summons by Charlie N Holmberg

A captivating world of monsters and magic from the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician Series.

As a human vessel for an ancient spirit, Sandis lives no ordinary life. At the command of her master, she can be transformed against her will into his weapon—a raging monster summoned to do his bidding. Unlike other vessels, Sandis can host extremely powerful spirits, but hosting such creatures can be fatal. To stay alive, she must run. And in a city fueled by smoke and corruption, she finds a surprising ally.

A cunning thief for hire, Rone owns a rare device that grants him immortality for one minute every day—a unique advantage that will come in handy in Sandis’s fight for freedom. But Sandis’s master knows how powerful she is. He’s determined to get her back, and he has the manpower to find her, wherever she runs.

Now, to outwit her pursuers, Sandis must put all her trust in Rone and his immortal device. For her master has summoned more than mere men to hunt her down…

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About the Book

Smoke & Summons
by Charlie N. Holmberg

Series
Numina Book One

Genre
Young Adult
Epic Fantasy

Publisher
47North

Publication Date
February 1, 2019

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EN’s Review

Everything about this book is amazing—the plot, the tension, the characterisation, the worldbuilding, the magic system, the relationships, the foreshadowing… You get the picture.

Sandis is an amazing, unconventional heroine that it’s impossible not to sympathise with. She’s no helpless damsel, despite the attempts from the antagonist to bend her in that direction. She grows and learns constantly, and stays firm in her convictions despite the many challenges thrown in her path. With a wholesome, nurturing character it is occasionally difficult for naivety to be read as anything other than weakness, but Sandis’s constant efforts to improve, reach her goals and carry her own weight in whatever way possible neatly sidestepped that issue. Anyone who reads Smoke and Summons and still believes that kindness and weakness are the same thing has missed the point.

Rone is an amazing example of a charming rogue, his is reminiscent of my favourite character from too many series to count. Most noticeably, he is similar to Eugenides from Megan Whalen Turner’s Queen’s Thief series. His backstory is compelling, his characterisation is entertaining, and his voice is distinct.

The world built in Smoke and Summons is also amazingly rich. The environment often mirrors the tone of the book, without ever seeming heavy handed or obvious. The city of Kolingrad is fully realised, with a historical depth that intrigues rather than becoming boring. The religious and political systems are only laid out in broad strokes, but will no doubt be explored in greater depth in future novels. Everything in Smoke and Summons is deliberate—several times what seemed like chance comments or casual world or relationship building ended up being foreshadowing skilfully woven into the novel in a natural, incredibly satisfying way.

There were several points in the book that subtly provides commentary on real world issues—most noticeably the discrimination Sandis faces for being something she never chose to be. The corruption of Kolingrad’s prison, political and immigration system was likewise never shied away from, and can stand as an eloquent parallel to issues faced by many people today.

The tone never gets too heavy, however, with comedic situations and lines of dialogue strewn throughout Smoke and Summons. The banter between characters and the sprawling details of the city is akin to Terry Pratchett’s Ankh-Morpork, or Raymond E Feist’s Krondor—from the Discworld series and Midkemia cycle, respectively.

Smoke and Summons was amazing because the whole book felt fresh and intense, plot points were introduced with a rapidity that never seemed rushed or forced, and problems were solved the same way. The only ‘predictable’ part of the novel occurred towards the end, but the twist the novel ends on nicely offsets any potential anti-climactic feelings.

A warning for those with self-control enough not to immediately read this masterpiece—it ends on one hell of a cliffhanger, but you should still read it. Everyone should. Smoke and Summons is a gripping, incredible novel that begins what is sure to be an amazing trilogy.

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Disclaimer

The review copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All titles reviewed on this blog are a fair and honest assessment of the book. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this review. For more information regarding our review process, please visit our Review Policy & Review Request Submission page.