The Whitefire Crossing

DNF - PG 44

Why?

Evil mages are evil. Yeah, I get it. Look, I am just so over the whole mages are evil as a group (with, sometimes, that one protagonist exception) in fantasy.

Also, it sounds like the sequels really amp up torturing (sometimes literally) the characters (same reason I quit reading the Nightrunner series) and, I was somewhat misled as to what this book was.

The last two are kind of on me because I do like going into stories without reading a bunch of reviews and/or about the sequels. Just over all, not my kind of read.

Shattered Sigil Trilogy by Courtney Schafer for you Gentleman Bastards fix. You want likeable characters? You get them and then some. You want cons and clever lies? Just you wait. The cast is focussed (two protagonists and and a small assortment of sidecharacters/villains), the story is very engaging and moves at a brisk pace. As a bonus, the trilogy is finished and not only do the stakes get higher, Courtney's skills get better with each book like she's some kind of crazy writer Pokemon. And yes, the characters grow with each book.

Recommendation via someone on Twitter I don't really know personally. Had it for a few years now, but only just got around to reading it. Pretty good read!

Two neighboring countries have differing policies on magic: Ninaveh, where mages operate more or less freely, and Alathia, where magic is regulated and most major magic is forbidden. Dev is a smuggler, who's just taken on a job to smuggle a person into Alathia rather than normal contraband, but doesn't get the full story from the person contracting him.

Story is basically good, although the author's own predilection for rock climbing is shoehorned in for no particular reason. (I also climb. I sympathize. But it doesn't add much to the story.) Lots of turns, and the author manages the complexity well. Occasionally it seems like the rules of the world are made and tweaked according to the author's need, but overall the systems are handled well.

Abrupt ending, but I was happy enough with this that I'll probably continue on with book 2.

I was surprised to find that The Whitefire Crossing is Courtney Schafer's first book as it seems very polished for a first work.
Dev is an caravan outrider, a mountaineer, and a smuggler. When he takes the job of smuggling a man, Kiran, to a neighboring country, he finds that he has plunged himself squarely in the middle of a conflict between mages.
The Whitefire Crossing starts off as an adventure novel involving a lot of mountain climbing and then turns into a fantasy with powerful magic and lots of action. Recommended.