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aquaphase's review
5.0
** This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review **
It may be a very simple stance, but, in my humblest of opinion, any book that prefaces with a map is bound to be interesting. Provide me multiple maps, and I’m liable to put on a helmet before tackling chapter one.
This is how I knew that The Knave of Secrets was going to be an absolute page-turner.
After a quick little study of the two map (yes, TWO!), we drop right into an excerpt from a fictional reference book. That’s just next-level world-building, and now I’m really excited about this tale.
The Knave of Secrets is about Valen Quinol, his wife Margo, and his two-person crew — Teneriève and Jacquemin, respectably — and the cardsharping shenanigans Valen drags the rest into on a constant basis.
This is a story about power, the perception of power, and the gaps where all the in-between slides around to bolster, or destroy this power. Mr. Livingston does a marvelous job of setting up a myriad of class and political systems to reinforce the gap between the haves and the have-nots, along with the larger undercurrent of the shadow powers as well as how “common” street gangs fit into the mix.
The politics in The Knave of Secrets are vitally important. Much as it is in many modern societies, the established gentry are quite loathe to welcome newcomers to the table, and many complex steps are taken to keep the “new” away.
Tying absolutely everything together at all levels of society are the games. In fact, Mr. Livingston was kind enough to offer a very in-depth “Catalogue of Games” in the appendices to help the reader appreciate just how ingrained in the culture these games are.
Here’s the gist. Valen, naturally, gets into a bit of a mess because of his insatiable need to be on top of any game of chance that might be going on around him. As it is, he is staked to take part in a prestigious tournament where secrets are the currency of choice. What Valen, Ten and Jac get pulled into could shake the foundations of society, and have much larger ramifications in regards to the larger political climate.
It’s a total mess, but it’s up to Valen to hold all the pieces together: quite literally.
As I mentioned previously, Mr. Livingston goes above and beyond in the world-building department. The attention to detail, and the meticulous building of history and lore is just astounding.
Then there is the banter. The repartee between our merry miscreants is so incredibly natural and indicative of a very well-established, and well-tested, relationship. It was such a joy to barrel through the ribbons of sharp and flowing interactions the characters have. The familiar interactions intertwine and test with witty jabs and history-tested considerations while the exchanges between oft suspicious strangers is wildly calculated and sharp. This flowing consideration of vocabulary and inflection is just a treat for the readers.
I dare not spill any of the beans on how this wonderful tale builds or resolves, but I can say that I really hope that Mr. Livingston is not done with this world. My appetite has been whetted, and I absolutely desire more.
It may be a very simple stance, but, in my humblest of opinion, any book that prefaces with a map is bound to be interesting. Provide me multiple maps, and I’m liable to put on a helmet before tackling chapter one.
This is how I knew that The Knave of Secrets was going to be an absolute page-turner.
After a quick little study of the two map (yes, TWO!), we drop right into an excerpt from a fictional reference book. That’s just next-level world-building, and now I’m really excited about this tale.
The Knave of Secrets is about Valen Quinol, his wife Margo, and his two-person crew — Teneriève and Jacquemin, respectably — and the cardsharping shenanigans Valen drags the rest into on a constant basis.
This is a story about power, the perception of power, and the gaps where all the in-between slides around to bolster, or destroy this power. Mr. Livingston does a marvelous job of setting up a myriad of class and political systems to reinforce the gap between the haves and the have-nots, along with the larger undercurrent of the shadow powers as well as how “common” street gangs fit into the mix.
The politics in The Knave of Secrets are vitally important. Much as it is in many modern societies, the established gentry are quite loathe to welcome newcomers to the table, and many complex steps are taken to keep the “new” away.
Tying absolutely everything together at all levels of society are the games. In fact, Mr. Livingston was kind enough to offer a very in-depth “Catalogue of Games” in the appendices to help the reader appreciate just how ingrained in the culture these games are.
Here’s the gist. Valen, naturally, gets into a bit of a mess because of his insatiable need to be on top of any game of chance that might be going on around him. As it is, he is staked to take part in a prestigious tournament where secrets are the currency of choice. What Valen, Ten and Jac get pulled into could shake the foundations of society, and have much larger ramifications in regards to the larger political climate.
It’s a total mess, but it’s up to Valen to hold all the pieces together: quite literally.
As I mentioned previously, Mr. Livingston goes above and beyond in the world-building department. The attention to detail, and the meticulous building of history and lore is just astounding.
Then there is the banter. The repartee between our merry miscreants is so incredibly natural and indicative of a very well-established, and well-tested, relationship. It was such a joy to barrel through the ribbons of sharp and flowing interactions the characters have. The familiar interactions intertwine and test with witty jabs and history-tested considerations while the exchanges between oft suspicious strangers is wildly calculated and sharp. This flowing consideration of vocabulary and inflection is just a treat for the readers.
I dare not spill any of the beans on how this wonderful tale builds or resolves, but I can say that I really hope that Mr. Livingston is not done with this world. My appetite has been whetted, and I absolutely desire more.
f33lthesun's review
4.0
“A twisty tale of magicians, con artists and card games, where secrets are traded and gambled like coin, for fans of The Lies of Locke Lamora and The Mask of Mirrors.
Never stake more than you can afford to lose.
When failed magician turned cardsharp Valen Quinol is given the chance to play in the Forbearance Game—the invitation-only tournament where players gamble with secrets—he can’t resist. Or refuse, for that matter, according to the petty gangster sponsoring his seat at the table. Valen beats the man he was sent to play, and wins the most valuable secret ever staked in the history of the tournament.” (Book Blurb)
Quinol’s hand is forced, he wins the secret and, despite passing it on as agreed, the lives of his family and friends are put in danger. Not only that, but the secret could cause war to break out. This was definitely not on the cards (sorry!) when he accepted the task.
He has to use all his cardsharp tricks, his unfinished, unrefined magic training and rely on the skills of his con artist wife and friends (the only family he has) to work out a way to stop the keepers of the secret killing anyone who learns the truth and prevent what looks like inevitable war breaking out. Not easy when he only has fragments of information and, unlike in the card games he is used to playing/fixing, cannot predict the other players’ next moves.
Livingston’s world building is creative and strong, based on a range of political goings on and that of unseen magic.
The world of gambling and card playing cons was an eye opener to me…so many tricks and tells. That Quinol is so good is evident in his reading of his friends when away from the casino tables.
The story is a slow burner to start with, as the scene is set with a lot of information about the characters and the backstory. However, once the secret is won, the action hots up. Telling the story via the point of view of several of the key characters works well and gives a rounded perspective.
I particularly enjoyed the fact that the “hero” was flawed and questioned his own motives and morals, whilst trying to protect the ones he loves.
One grumble…the blurb gives away too much of the storyline before you even start.
Thanks to Rebellion Publishing for the eARC as part of #TheWriteReads blog tour.
Never stake more than you can afford to lose.
When failed magician turned cardsharp Valen Quinol is given the chance to play in the Forbearance Game—the invitation-only tournament where players gamble with secrets—he can’t resist. Or refuse, for that matter, according to the petty gangster sponsoring his seat at the table. Valen beats the man he was sent to play, and wins the most valuable secret ever staked in the history of the tournament.” (Book Blurb)
Quinol’s hand is forced, he wins the secret and, despite passing it on as agreed, the lives of his family and friends are put in danger. Not only that, but the secret could cause war to break out. This was definitely not on the cards (sorry!) when he accepted the task.
He has to use all his cardsharp tricks, his unfinished, unrefined magic training and rely on the skills of his con artist wife and friends (the only family he has) to work out a way to stop the keepers of the secret killing anyone who learns the truth and prevent what looks like inevitable war breaking out. Not easy when he only has fragments of information and, unlike in the card games he is used to playing/fixing, cannot predict the other players’ next moves.
Livingston’s world building is creative and strong, based on a range of political goings on and that of unseen magic.
The world of gambling and card playing cons was an eye opener to me…so many tricks and tells. That Quinol is so good is evident in his reading of his friends when away from the casino tables.
The story is a slow burner to start with, as the scene is set with a lot of information about the characters and the backstory. However, once the secret is won, the action hots up. Telling the story via the point of view of several of the key characters works well and gives a rounded perspective.
I particularly enjoyed the fact that the “hero” was flawed and questioned his own motives and morals, whilst trying to protect the ones he loves.
One grumble…the blurb gives away too much of the storyline before you even start.
Thanks to Rebellion Publishing for the eARC as part of #TheWriteReads blog tour.
shelvesofstarlight's review
4.0
Valen, Ten and Jaq formed a formidable trio of card sharps who each had their own lives and stories. They were all very complex and I think that their backgrounds not only informed who they were but helped feed into the plot. Specifically Ten and Valen's with their magic abilities. Some of the other POV characters were also very interesting but I just didn't feel as connected to them as I did the main trio, which I think came from a lack of background information on them. Simply because we were sort of thrown into their POV with no extra knowledge. However, they did all help to inform the plot which was interesting.
The plot was full of so many layers to it that were slowly revealed as everything got more and more intense. This is what the additional POV characters added to the book as they allowed the reader a greater insight into what was happening in the wider world. Showing us things that Valen, Ten and Jaq would have no idea was going on. It was a twisty book filled with high stakes and games with more than just money, or in fact secrets, on the table. With a plot that developed to take over a larger and larger scope the more that our three cardsharps discovered!
The writing was well-paced and detailed and I was thoroughly engaged for the entire book. The world itself was slowly explained but I never felt confused by the world that Alex Livingstone has created. In addition, I really enjoyed the whole magic system and I thought that it was really well developed and fitted seamlessly into the world and was used in ways that made sense to the plot.
Thank you to the publishers for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour.
The plot was full of so many layers to it that were slowly revealed as everything got more and more intense. This is what the additional POV characters added to the book as they allowed the reader a greater insight into what was happening in the wider world. Showing us things that Valen, Ten and Jaq would have no idea was going on. It was a twisty book filled with high stakes and games with more than just money, or in fact secrets, on the table. With a plot that developed to take over a larger and larger scope the more that our three cardsharps discovered!
The writing was well-paced and detailed and I was thoroughly engaged for the entire book. The world itself was slowly explained but I never felt confused by the world that Alex Livingstone has created. In addition, I really enjoyed the whole magic system and I thought that it was really well developed and fitted seamlessly into the world and was used in ways that made sense to the plot.
Thank you to the publishers for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour.
justgeekingby's review
1.0
Originally posted on Just Geeking by.
Content warnings:
This was one of those books that I just couldn’t get into from the start. The author’s writing style rubbed me the wrong way, however, I always give a book a fair try to see if it’s just a weak start. I struggled to get to 31%, and eventually had to admit defeat. The Knave of Secrets starts out with an excellent scene which suggests a book of adventure, con artists and Robin Hood style escapades. It then quickly devolves into badly explained politics.
The maps at the front of the book make it clear that the reader can expect there to be several factions vying for control, with locations marked as being under the control of this or that faction. Normally I would be able to tell you the names of the factions, and that there is a sign of one of the issues with this book. Nothing stuck with me. The names, places, factions – the little that the author deigned to actually give to the reader. Other than the four main characters' names and some details about their backstories, and the basic plot (which is in the synopsis), I could not tell you much about The Knave of Secrets.
By the point in the book that I had got to there were four narratives taking place, however, a review on GoodReads suggests that there may have been more to come. The first is the most logical, the main character Varen as named in the synopsis. The second is one of his crew, Teneriéve (Ten), a woman who belongs to the pale blue skinned humanoid race called Mistigris. At this point, the narratives then jump to two completely different people, one being Ria a Gamesmaster of one of the factions (she’s introduced as “Gamesmaster to the Corte” and the reader is supposed to just know exactly who or what “Corte” is). What is evident is that Ria is influential, she has a high place in her society. She is also the person responsible for creating the Forbearance Game, the tournament that Valen enters.
The final narrative feels completely random, Omer-Guy, an ambassador for another faction. In the only chapter I read with his narration, he has a conversation with a Lady who belongs to yet another faction. While it is how it all ties to the tournament, the who and what, by this point, are a complete mess. The names of the factions are thrown around with no background, no explanation as to who they are or why they are even against each other in the first place. There doesn’t need to be huge information dumps, just a bit of background.
Not that Livingston is against information dumps. Teneriéve’s first narration is in fact just a huge information dump rather than an actual narration. It isn’t even told from her perspective, it is just the author telling us her entire backstory in one go rather than sprinkling it throughout the novel. Perhaps this is just Livingston’s style? That was my first thought, and I prepared myself for the same thing to happen with the third member of the crew, Jacquemin. Instead, the former pirate’s background remains shrouded in mystery without any information at all.
I felt that too much emphasis was being placed on Teneriéve as the outsider, as the non-human of the group. This became even more obvious when Ten attempted to talk to Valen’s wife Margo about her concerns about the job. By this point in the book it has been emphasised multiple times that Margo and Ten are good friends, that they are close. Rather than listening to Ten, Margo dismisses her concerns and states that the rewards outweigh the risk. When Ten explains that she worries about Valen’s safety as she cannot enter the tournament with him, Margo is quick to point out that Ten and Jaq will be outside the tournament to watch his back,
Ten changes tactic and explains that as a Mistigris she is more at risk walking the streets at night than Valen will be. Margo completely dismisses her again. While it is not unbelievable that Margo cannot truly comprehend the racism that Ten experiences, the entire conversation felt poorly written and a clumsy attempt to include a conversation about race. It wasn’t the first time that the character writing felt thin, and while Teneriéve and Ria felt like interesting characters, none of them had particularly caught my interest. No one was particularly likeable in The Knave of Secrets.
What I also did not realise until writing this review and re-reading the synopsis was that the 31% and however much after it before the tournament actually happens is pure filler. The synopsis already tells you what happens; “Valen beats the man he was sent to play, and wins the most valuable secret ever staked in the history of the tournament”. I think that is part of the problem. I picked up this book expecting a tournament, and instead I got a bunch of characters arguing over whether they were even going to do a tournament that I already know they’re going to do. Understandably there should be some set up to introduce the reader to what is happening, but get to the actual action, especially if you’ve already told readers what to expect!
Overall, The Knave of Secrets just fell completely flat for me. Maybe it gets better further in, however, I just could not force myself to keep reading to find out.
For more of my reviews please visit my blog!
Content warnings:
Spoiler
I only read 31% of the book, which means this is an incomplete list of content warnings. From what I did read; there are themes of racism, classism and some scenes of violence.This was one of those books that I just couldn’t get into from the start. The author’s writing style rubbed me the wrong way, however, I always give a book a fair try to see if it’s just a weak start. I struggled to get to 31%, and eventually had to admit defeat. The Knave of Secrets starts out with an excellent scene which suggests a book of adventure, con artists and Robin Hood style escapades. It then quickly devolves into badly explained politics.
The maps at the front of the book make it clear that the reader can expect there to be several factions vying for control, with locations marked as being under the control of this or that faction. Normally I would be able to tell you the names of the factions, and that there is a sign of one of the issues with this book. Nothing stuck with me. The names, places, factions – the little that the author deigned to actually give to the reader. Other than the four main characters' names and some details about their backstories, and the basic plot (which is in the synopsis), I could not tell you much about The Knave of Secrets.
By the point in the book that I had got to there were four narratives taking place, however, a review on GoodReads suggests that there may have been more to come. The first is the most logical, the main character Varen as named in the synopsis. The second is one of his crew, Teneriéve (Ten), a woman who belongs to the pale blue skinned humanoid race called Mistigris. At this point, the narratives then jump to two completely different people, one being Ria a Gamesmaster of one of the factions (she’s introduced as “Gamesmaster to the Corte” and the reader is supposed to just know exactly who or what “Corte” is). What is evident is that Ria is influential, she has a high place in her society. She is also the person responsible for creating the Forbearance Game, the tournament that Valen enters.
The final narrative feels completely random, Omer-Guy, an ambassador for another faction. In the only chapter I read with his narration, he has a conversation with a Lady who belongs to yet another faction. While it is how it all ties to the tournament, the who and what, by this point, are a complete mess. The names of the factions are thrown around with no background, no explanation as to who they are or why they are even against each other in the first place. There doesn’t need to be huge information dumps, just a bit of background.
Not that Livingston is against information dumps. Teneriéve’s first narration is in fact just a huge information dump rather than an actual narration. It isn’t even told from her perspective, it is just the author telling us her entire backstory in one go rather than sprinkling it throughout the novel. Perhaps this is just Livingston’s style? That was my first thought, and I prepared myself for the same thing to happen with the third member of the crew, Jacquemin. Instead, the former pirate’s background remains shrouded in mystery without any information at all.
I felt that too much emphasis was being placed on Teneriéve as the outsider, as the non-human of the group. This became even more obvious when Ten attempted to talk to Valen’s wife Margo about her concerns about the job. By this point in the book it has been emphasised multiple times that Margo and Ten are good friends, that they are close. Rather than listening to Ten, Margo dismisses her concerns and states that the rewards outweigh the risk. When Ten explains that she worries about Valen’s safety as she cannot enter the tournament with him, Margo is quick to point out that Ten and Jaq will be outside the tournament to watch his back,
Ten changes tactic and explains that as a Mistigris she is more at risk walking the streets at night than Valen will be. Margo completely dismisses her again. While it is not unbelievable that Margo cannot truly comprehend the racism that Ten experiences, the entire conversation felt poorly written and a clumsy attempt to include a conversation about race. It wasn’t the first time that the character writing felt thin, and while Teneriéve and Ria felt like interesting characters, none of them had particularly caught my interest. No one was particularly likeable in The Knave of Secrets.
What I also did not realise until writing this review and re-reading the synopsis was that the 31% and however much after it before the tournament actually happens is pure filler. The synopsis already tells you what happens; “Valen beats the man he was sent to play, and wins the most valuable secret ever staked in the history of the tournament”. I think that is part of the problem. I picked up this book expecting a tournament, and instead I got a bunch of characters arguing over whether they were even going to do a tournament that I already know they’re going to do. Understandably there should be some set up to introduce the reader to what is happening, but get to the actual action, especially if you’ve already told readers what to expect!
Overall, The Knave of Secrets just fell completely flat for me. Maybe it gets better further in, however, I just could not force myself to keep reading to find out.
For more of my reviews please visit my blog!
annarella's review
4.0
3,5 upped to 4*
I'm a bit on the fence as I liked the world building and the storytelling but i wasn't a fan of the characters.
It's enjoyable and compelling but some more character development would help.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I'm a bit on the fence as I liked the world building and the storytelling but i wasn't a fan of the characters.
It's enjoyable and compelling but some more character development would help.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
crystalcollectsbooks's review
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The author successfully created a unique world of magic, gambling, cons and found family.
Valen left his family behind in order to keep them safe and in his ventures found a new family in Jaquemin, Teneriève, and Marguerite. The dynamic between the characters is well developed, with a solid sense of camaraderie and loyalty; even in the face of what could be a deemed a betrayal, actions taken are in the best interest of all parties involved. We learn a great deal about Valen and Ten’s backgrounds, but I would have liked to learn and see more of Jaq. His character had the potential for more, so I was a little disappointed by that. The main driving force of the plot is the politics involved. There were a few side characters that played a role driving this forward, such as Omer-Guy, Ria, Michel, and Lady de Loncryn. While the Lady’s and Ria’s motivations are clear, I found the motivations of Omer-Guy and Michel underdeveloped; even by the end, I found that Omer-Guy’s role was not entirely clear.
The magic system was interesting - magic that can be built into something to be activated at later time and portal magic - which turns out to be the main conflict of the story.
The story was more intriguing in it’s second half when things really pick up.
The author successfully created a unique world of magic, gambling, cons and found family.
Valen left his family behind in order to keep them safe and in his ventures found a new family in Jaquemin, Teneriève, and Marguerite. The dynamic between the characters is well developed, with a solid sense of camaraderie and loyalty; even in the face of what could be a deemed a betrayal, actions taken are in the best interest of all parties involved. We learn a great deal about Valen and Ten’s backgrounds, but I would have liked to learn and see more of Jaq. His character had the potential for more, so I was a little disappointed by that. The main driving force of the plot is the politics involved. There were a few side characters that played a role driving this forward, such as Omer-Guy, Ria, Michel, and Lady de Loncryn. While the Lady’s and Ria’s motivations are clear, I found the motivations of Omer-Guy and Michel underdeveloped; even by the end, I found that Omer-Guy’s role was not entirely clear.
The magic system was interesting - magic that can be built into something to be activated at later time and portal magic - which turns out to be the main conflict of the story.
The story was more intriguing in it’s second half when things really pick up.
janettedv's review
3.0
I was really excited to read this as the publicity sounded as though it was the perfect book for me. However, sadly it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.
It was a really well thought out plot and I enjoyed the multi points of view. I liked the magic system and especially the way that Valen was trying to develop his own area of magic within that. The world building was good and I liked how the political situation became more clear as the story went on. I also loved the emphasis on the different card games and the factual references between each chapter.
I felt that the book really fell down with the characters. I was expecting a closely knit group with the familiarity of being together a long time. However, I never really got the impression that they were that close and didn’t feel that I ever got to know any of them properly. The conversations between them felt stilted and lacked the humour and banter that I expected. We were told that they were close rather than seeing that closeness for ourselves.
There were a lot of good things about this novel but the lack of characterisation was a major drawback for me.
It was a really well thought out plot and I enjoyed the multi points of view. I liked the magic system and especially the way that Valen was trying to develop his own area of magic within that. The world building was good and I liked how the political situation became more clear as the story went on. I also loved the emphasis on the different card games and the factual references between each chapter.
I felt that the book really fell down with the characters. I was expecting a closely knit group with the familiarity of being together a long time. However, I never really got the impression that they were that close and didn’t feel that I ever got to know any of them properly. The conversations between them felt stilted and lacked the humour and banter that I expected. We were told that they were close rather than seeing that closeness for ourselves.
There were a lot of good things about this novel but the lack of characterisation was a major drawback for me.
piplodocus's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Just a real damp squib of a book, which lacked well defined stakes or goals that left a lot of the book feeling listless
avoraciousreader68's review against another edition
Book source ~ Tour
DNF @31%
Valen Quinol is a cardsharp with a motley crew trying to win enough money to realize a dream. A local gangster is coming to call and Valen has no idea what he wants, but he knows it can't be good.
Ok, so this is a rare one for me. I'm not DNFing because I don't like the book or think it's bad. It's just too intricate for my brain right now. (It's been a bad year.) I'm absolutely enjoying the world building and characters in this story so far. It’s a multi-layered, multi-POV suspense filled with danger showcasing a tricky card system and magic added to the mix. It's rich and complex and I really hope I can revisit this at some point in the future because what I have read is quite good.
jessca's review
3.0
This book drew me in for its interesting world and characters.
The schemes of some of the characters were intriguing and clever, which I enjoyed. All of the characters were well-written, and there was a great deal of thought put into crafting the large-scale political plotting in the book.
It's a good story overall, but falls a bit flat in the telling, in my opinion. The inserts of excerpts from fictional writings in the world were distracting and not helpful; they break the immersion without any benefit to the story. The arc of the story becomes more complex and unexpected as it goes on, which made it interesting but also a bit cumbersome to follow, and the climax sort of fizzles out rather than wowing.
Since I'd read an advanced copy of the book, some of the kinks may have been improved by the time this goes to public printing. It could be a really good book with some adjustments.
The schemes of some of the characters were intriguing and clever, which I enjoyed. All of the characters were well-written, and there was a great deal of thought put into crafting the large-scale political plotting in the book.
It's a good story overall, but falls a bit flat in the telling, in my opinion. The inserts of excerpts from fictional writings in the world were distracting and not helpful; they break the immersion without any benefit to the story. The arc of the story becomes more complex and unexpected as it goes on, which made it interesting but also a bit cumbersome to follow, and the climax sort of fizzles out rather than wowing.
Since I'd read an advanced copy of the book, some of the kinks may have been improved by the time this goes to public printing. It could be a really good book with some adjustments.