Those Above

I came to Polansky via his highly enjoyable Low Town books, essentially crime novels given a fantasy spin. Those Above is a much more traditional kind of epic fantasy, set in a world where humanity is subject to the titular creatures, a sort of avian race that have effortlessly mastered us. The book follows four characters at various levels of society, from the highest to the lowest. And that is really my main problem, because that is all it does. There is very little plot, a bit of enjoyable politicking in one strand, but mostly a slow observation of characters and their interactions with others. The world building and character drawing is strong, and I enjoyed reading it a lot, but the end of the book has barely advanced from the beginning. I understand it is part of a two book series, and this has done a good job of putting pieces in the right places, but the second volume needs to deliver on story. I wonder if this would have been better served by being published as one big standalone novel - it works for Guy Gavriel Kay, after all.

Originally posted on bluchickenninja.com.

I felt that this was very similar to The Broken Kingdoms series by N. K. Jemisin. In both the gods are physical beings who walk the earth. Though in this the gods didn't really feel like gods. In this the gods made a city then spent 3000 years living in that city ruling over the humans and expecting to be waited on hand and foot. Apparently they rule over this world though they don't do much ruling. In fact they spend most of their time dressing in fancy clothes and going to parties. They do so little it makes you wonder if they are really gods.

This is also the first part of a duology so we might find out more in the next book. Though I don't think I will be reading it. This was a reasonably good high fantasy novel but it didn't have anything that made it stand out. It was just one of many reasonably good high fantasy novels.

*I received a copy of this book from Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review.

** I should also say that I much prefer The Broken Kingdoms to this and if you had to choose between the two you should read The Broken Kingdoms :)