Blood Engines by Tim Pratt

[lightreads]

Blood Engines by T.A. Pratt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Hrm. I’m about to say a bunch of positive-sounding things about this book that cumulatively did not actually manage to make me like it much. It’s an urban fantasy quest story set in San Francisco, a city I am quite fond of, and it has wiz-bang worldbuilding. Seriously, the richness of the uncountable magic systems is really something. The book also has a very casual approach to sexuality and kink that is almost entirely nonjudgey or exploitative. Oh, and the female lead – she’s not a heroine – is a serious BAMF, and it’s not even in the and she has a vagina! way.



Still, eh. No soul. No there. I read it a week ago and the details are already fading, because it was all flash and dazzle. Flashy and dazzley, yeah, sure, but, you know.





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Comments

[hamsterwoman]

I read all four of these, and pretty much agree with both the positives and negatives you mention. The variety of magical systems (and their practitioners) was by far my favorite part, but I definitely felt the lack of soul (most strongly in the first couple of books). I prefer the books actually set in Fellport, because Marla's connection with the city actually makes me connect with her much more than just her considerable BAMFness.

[lightreads]

Ah-ha, I wondered if the books set back home would add something. There's this bit from Pratt recorded at the beginning of the Audible production, all about how when he wrote Blood Engines he didn't know it would be a series, and he never would have made it a road trip book otherwise. Still, I think it's worth trying the next one.