The Rook, au service surnaturel de sa majesté
Ratings238
Average rating4
Executive Summary: This was a bit of a mixed bag for me, but the last 20% was pretty enjoyable after finding earlier parts uneven and sometimes slow.
Full Review
This book has been on my radar for quite some time, and I was looking forward to finally reading it. I haven't had the best track record with Urban Fantasy, but this sounded different enough to make for a good way to end the year.
I initially found the plot device of the letters to be interesting, but quickly grew tired of them. It seemed like just as I was getting into the present day story line, we got another letter, completely derailing things for me. I wonder if I had done this in audio if it would have bothered me less.
Eventually I did find the letters to just be another part of the story, albeit a bit unbelievable at times. I thought the character development was OK, and the variety of supernatural powers to be pretty interesting/unique. It didn't feel like a lot of recycled comic book powers, and made for some interesting world building.
This is a pretty fun/light book, but I struggled a bit through the first half or so, and it wasn't until maybe the last twenty percent where I was really into it. I'm torn on if I'll pick up the second book in this series or not. Probably not, but then I am a bit interested to see where things go next.
This was a book that was the featured book for December in the Sword and Laser podcast and Goodreads group. I saw that the audio was available on Overdrive and borrowed it, not realizing what I was in for.
I found the story telling easy to follow and I often didn't want to turn it off when it was time. The reader was quite talented in reading the different characters and bringing them to life. I would describe the story as a X-Men of they were a British secret agency. Less action and much more intrigue, which is a plus in my book. There are a number of words that I would have struggled pronouncing, so the audio version was a big help in this instance.
A number of my friends would want to be warned of the use of profanity in the book. There isn't a lot of it, but it is there. I thought the use of it was similar to the usage I hear in day to day life.
One minor complaint I have is the end. It felt like it dragged on. It does tie together the story line and provide a stage for the next installment, but it felt anticlimactic and was the one part of the book I had to stick to it.
I am one who wonders how life would be different if I made different choices at times, and how my choices work to shape my personality. This book scratches that itch quite nicely. Further, it got me to thinking about how often I think more about what is expected of me or what other people think I should rather than thinking it through and doing what I've come to decide to do.
Overall this is a fun adventure that got me thinking about my own choices and motivations. I look forward to the next installment.
I enjoyed this book a hell of a lot more than the jacket cover led me to believe I would. It's hard to explain without giving away rather major plot points, but it's a very clever twist on both the secret government organization trope and the body snatcher trope. It also highlights the importance of effective administration no matter how super-powered you may be. In short, it's a book that glorifies the indoor nerd, and there really are not enough of those. I'd say if you enjoy characters like Baru Cormorant or Sithren from “The Dragon's Path,” you'll probably enjoy Myfanwy Thomas, at least one version of her.
Occasionally, the structure of the book plays heavy to the exposition, but I found I enjoyed reading the exposition dumps enough that it didn't really impact my reading experience. Also, the vastness of superpowers in this universe is occasionally just plain silly, but hey, that's the world we live in. I found there was only one plotline that really bugged me as feeling extraneious, The Bronwyn plot line. I don't really understand why Myfanwy would take so many extremely stupid risks over a person who is basically a stranger, and Bronwyn showing up right now feels forced seeing as no connection to the main plot ever really explains it.
Other than that, I found the book very enjoyable and hope to get into the sequel once I knock a few more updated series off my to-read list.
I absolutely loved this book (and have already ordered the next in the series). Will talk more about it on this week's episode of Sword and Laser!
I'm being generous giving this 5 stars, it's more of a 4, but given how quickly I readit (I only started last night) I clearly enjoyed it. This reminded me of Sookie Stackhouse novels in style, as it was quite light, and the letters mechanism doesn't stand up to too much scrutiny within the plot, but are a good storytelling device.
A fun read, and I'm planning to read the next book
★★★ out of 5 – See this review and others at: spikegelato.com/2016/08/03/review-the-rook/
Summary: Myfanwy Thomas wakes up with her memory wiped clean. The only hints into her secret agent past life are letters written by herself...to herself. These letters help her rediscover her identity, while also assisting her in solving the mystery of a saboteur in her midst.
Review: Daniel O'Malley presents a witty voice and engaging book structure in The Rook. All characterization of Myfanwy Thomas, the protagonist and narrator, is told through letters interspersed throughout the narrative. This serves as a real-time glossary for both the reader and the amnesiac main character. It provides amusing and detailed backstory without the traditional interwoven exposition. It is within these letters that O'Malley's storytelling really shines–filling in details splendidly. In a strange way, I ended up losing my investment in what was happening in the main narrative because the letters were more compelling.
My biggest criticism of this novel was the length. It would've benefited greatly from being about 150 pages shorter. This sort of book deserves to be consumed quickly, and the length made quick consumption prohibitive. The recently released sequel, Stiletto, is 100 pages longer than this one, so that presents a challenging barrier to entry. I hate to judge a book based on it's length (I'm always happy to do it based on it's cover), but it factored into my level of enjoyment so it's certainly hard to ignore.
This book would be the perfect argument to prove that elite education is useless. Just listen to me. We have a lady, who comes to her senses in a ring of dead bodies, with no memories and letters in her pocket from her pre-amnesia self. They explain to her that she was part of some super secret paranormal spy agency that handles all the spooky stuff in the UK. But someone attacked her, someone with a conspiracy in the organization that's called Checquy, by the way. Our heroine, Myfanwy (pronounced like Tiffany) simply goes to work the on Monday and... handles shit perfectly. Can we be honest for a second? This is BULLSHIT. The original Myfanwy got educated in a super secret, extremely thorough luxury Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, then became a person in a pretty damn high position. There is no way some random amnesiac could handle that. NONE. I mean why do they get kids from their parents as babies and educate the shit out of them if you can just drop them in as adults and everything is even better than before? Another book with AWESOME ideas and super fun side characters, but with an author who feels like he just had these cool little bits that he mashed together into a story that has some fundamental bullshit holes. We have quintuplets with the same mind, super cool vampires, evil Belgian alchemists. And we're stuck with a ridiculous hero. Ehh... Reading the background of the others through the secret letters left by pre-amnesia Myfanwy was sweet, though, we learnt some about many of them and it broke up the main story in a way that I found nice and pushing me to read more. The action sequences were good, I enjoyed them a lot. Hey, I found even the flashback letters explaining everything, which could have gone dead boring really easily. The thoughts and dialogue of Myfanwy, though... So much annoying sass thrown around. I'm sure Mr. O'Malley is a nice guy who is interesting to talk to, with wits galore, but I could like characters without them saying something snappy all the time, I promise! I had really high hopes for this, kind of like a less annoyingly verbose version of Kate Griffin's [b:A Madness of Angels 6186355 A Madness of Angels (Matthew Swift, #1) Kate Griffin https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1305861910s/6186355.jpg 6366640]. Sure, it was less verbose, but in exchange, we got some other issues that stop me from giving it a better rating. Supposedly the second book will come out this year, which I will read. If not for anything else, then just for the side characters. The book ends with a last bit that gives potential to produce a pretty interesting sequel, so that looks nice.
From the hype I expected more of this book. I did like it, but found it rather pulpy and unmemorable. I mean who would write letters as long and chatty as Rook Thomas wrote to herself? That was the most grating thing about it. The story itself was fun, but not earth-shattering in the ‘this is the best book of 2013' that I got from the panelists on the Incomparable podcast.
I really liked this book. I enjoyed the secret organization trope used, O'Malley did a good job with it. The amnesia angle took a bit to get into because I was afraid it was going to get too old or too trite, but the focus wasn't really on that. I had thought I had figured the book out a few times only to be surprised with twists and turns. I recommend this to anyone who likes a good supernatural novel and wants to shake things up with a secret government agency with strange titles. My only problem is that I could never get in the habit of saying/thinking to pronounce the main character's name the way she pronounces it. I couldn't make Myfanwy rhyme with Tiffany.
I didn't love this as much as I wanted to because it goes off the rails in some parts on tangents that have nothing to do with the main story. It's not a bad read, it's just long for no reason. The storytelling really excelled when O'Malley described action scenes and slugged to a stop when it came to personal relationships. I may or may not read the sequel. I recommend this to fans of Jasper Fforde. Also, I think this book deserved a more unique cover, this one is too subtle and does not reflect the wild story hidden on the inside.
Let me just get this off my chest. The cover is awful. Not that it assaults any design sensibilities. It's just scans as a YA novel, intimating the houses at Hogwarts or the Districts of Panem. The Rook is more a pulpy, supernatural action thriller laced throughout with a dry wit. This deserves to be a BBC mini along the lines of Sherlock. As to the book, it warrants something a bit more oblique, like a Justin Cronin cover.
The book opens with our protagonist in the rain, surrounded by a ring of unconscious, latex glove wearing assailants, inhabiting a body that used to belong to a Myfawny Thomas. With that we're off and running.
Through a series of letters written to/by herself Myfawny finds out she is a Rook for her “Majesty's Supernatural Secret Service” or the Checquy. In order to secure their shores from any extraordinary threat they employ a menagerie of powered individuals; from a single consciousness spread across 4 bodies to an operative that can exude tear gas through his pores or another that can wander through your dreams. When the Wetenschappeljik Broederschap van Natuurkundigen rears its head, Myfawny must work to quell a horrifying global threat while uncovering the traitor in their midst and unraveling the mystery of who wiped her mind clean and why.
So while I take umbrage with it's YA cover I have to admit it reads like a comic (or graphic novel if you prefer) in novel format. It's Bourne meets the X-Men meets Hellboy's BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense) with a bit of the Umbrella Academy thrown in - and it is breathtakingly fun in it's scope. It, as one reviewer notes, “reminds us of those feelings we would get as a child hiding under our blankets trying to read just one more chapter.” A perfect holiday book - be prepared to stay up late.
Pros: amazing world-building, fast-paced, tightly plotted, interesting protagonist, subtle underlying humour
Cons: some situations are hard to believe given the circumstances
“Dear You,
The body you are wearing used to be mine.”
When Myfanwy Thomas wakes up in the rain, surrounded by bodies wearing latex gloves, she has no idea what her name is or how to pronounce it (it rhymes with Tiffany). The two letters in her coat pocket reveal both her identity and a choice: run or stay. A second attack convinces her that running away isn't an option so she decides to impersonate Thomas, a high ranking official in a secret British government organization (the Checquy) that deals with supernatural threats. Despite copious letters left by her ‘predecessor' this is no easy task, made harder by the knowledge that one of her high ranking compatriots was behind the attacks on her and a traitor to the realm.
This is not The Bourne Identity for sf/urban fantasy fans. As a Rook, Myfanwy is in charge of the workings of the Checquy officers in Britain. She has meetings with various people and makes sure the realm is secure by covering things up and reporting them to the appropriate people. Her counterpart, Rook Gestalt, usually handles the field work side of things while she does the desk work. And she's very good at desk work. As the book progresses, the action picks up as Myfanwy is forced to attend to some of the field work, something her predecessor was ill suited for, but which the new Myfanwy is surprisingly adept at.
As a character Myfanwy is fascinating. She's learning about her former self while no longer being that person. She's more direct, more assertive and less willing to leave certain things to underlings. She's also more willing to use her own special abilities. You realize after a while that she's quite different from who she used to be, making it bizarre how few people comment on the change. It also makes for several ridiculous conversations where she's fishing for information she should already know. Sometimes this is commented on in the novel, a few times it is not.
The world-building is excellent. The author gives a lot of information via letters from Thomas, but they're written with dialogue and description, so the book never feels stilted. And while many of the letters are interspersed when specific information is needed, at times the letters are used to enhance the tension, by explaining a necessary side story while the main story builds up to an action sequence. The world of the Checquy is complex, with a school for children with special abilities, a complex hierarchy of the court and pawns, ‘normals' who act as servants and compatriots but who can't rise to levels of power, an American office, etc. Learning about the world is almost as much fun as trying to figure out who the traitor is.
The author is aware of how ludicrous some of the powers and emergency situations are and often makes subtle jokes. When talking about Bath we learn,
“According to Thomas the city had once been a veritable hotbed of manifestations, with every sorcerer, bunyip, golem, goblin, pict, pixie, demon, thylacine, gorgon, moron, cult, scum, mummy, rummy, groke, sphinx, minx, muse, flagellant, diva, reaver, weaver, reaper, scabbarder, scabmettler,... [the list continues for several lines] ogre, cat in shoes, dog in a hat, psychic and psychotic seemingly having decided that this was the hot spot to visit.”
The book is surprisingly fast paced given the partial narrative writing style. There's a fair amount of tension and enough action to keep things interesting.
If you like mysteries and intricate world-building, pick this up.
I'm in love with this book. It's everything so many other books have tried to be yet failed, and so much more on top of that. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for me, it was absolute perfection. Read it. Read it now.