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theshaggyshepherd's review against another edition
5.0
The Sin in the Steel // by Ryan Van Loan
Heroes for hire. If you can pay.
Synopsis: Buc and Eld are the first private detectives in a world where pirates roam the seas, mages speak to each other across oceans, mechanical devices change the tide of battle, and earthly wealth is concentrated in the hands of a powerful few. It’s been weeks since ships last returned to the magnificent city of Servenza with bounty from the Shattered Coast. Disaster threatens not just the city’s trading companies but the empire itself. When Buc and Eld are hired to investigate, Buc swiftly discovers that the trade routes have become the domain of a sharp-eyed pirate queen who sinks all who defy her. Now all Buc and Eld have to do is sink the Widowmaker's ship…. Unfortunately for Buc, the gods have other plans. Unfortunately for the gods, so does Buc.
I cannot believe that this is the author's debut novel. I was hooked on this story as soon as it started and am in love with the two main characters, Buc and Eld. The setting has a Pirates of the Caribbean feel to it with a modern twist as well as magic. A big difference though is that men and women seem to be seen as equals, holding high ranking positions in companies and what are seen as male-dominated spaces usually, such as the captain of a ship. This itself is a huge reason why I enjoyed the setup. There are also several times where the men of the story have no issue looking at two of the main female characters as the smartest people in the room. Despite the focus on the strength of the characters (especially the women) though, it was also nice to see those same characters recognize their weaknesses as well. It made them seem even more realistic.The only thing I was not top sure about was Buc's age. Even with a brilliant mind, that does seem very young.
I loved the story itself just as much as the characters and the setting. Being a bookworm myself, I enjoyed the many references to the books that Buc has read and how she uses that knowledge to her advantage during their adventures. Eld, being only a little older than her, seems to have years of experience on her and uses his own military training to their advantage as well, despite the fact that he does not like to talk about it. the story moves along at a steady pace with a lot of action happening throughout the entire book. It was fun to be able to decipher the problems along with Buc, though I do have to admit that I am not nearly as smart as her and was unable to predict several things in this book, which is not something I am used to in these types of stories. I especially enjoyed the part of the story that resulted in the name of this book!
Thank you to the author, publisher, and BookishFirst for providing me with a free copy of this fantastic book. Again, I cannot believe that this is Van Ryan's debut novel! I really hope I will be able to snag an ARC for the next book in this series as well.
Heroes for hire. If you can pay.
Synopsis: Buc and Eld are the first private detectives in a world where pirates roam the seas, mages speak to each other across oceans, mechanical devices change the tide of battle, and earthly wealth is concentrated in the hands of a powerful few. It’s been weeks since ships last returned to the magnificent city of Servenza with bounty from the Shattered Coast. Disaster threatens not just the city’s trading companies but the empire itself. When Buc and Eld are hired to investigate, Buc swiftly discovers that the trade routes have become the domain of a sharp-eyed pirate queen who sinks all who defy her. Now all Buc and Eld have to do is sink the Widowmaker's ship…. Unfortunately for Buc, the gods have other plans. Unfortunately for the gods, so does Buc.
I cannot believe that this is the author's debut novel. I was hooked on this story as soon as it started and am in love with the two main characters, Buc and Eld. The setting has a Pirates of the Caribbean feel to it with a modern twist as well as magic. A big difference though is that men and women seem to be seen as equals, holding high ranking positions in companies and what are seen as male-dominated spaces usually, such as the captain of a ship. This itself is a huge reason why I enjoyed the setup. There are also several times where the men of the story have no issue looking at two of the main female characters as the smartest people in the room. Despite the focus on the strength of the characters (especially the women) though, it was also nice to see those same characters recognize their weaknesses as well. It made them seem even more realistic.The only thing I was not top sure about was Buc's age. Even with a brilliant mind, that does seem very young.
I loved the story itself just as much as the characters and the setting. Being a bookworm myself, I enjoyed the many references to the books that Buc has read and how she uses that knowledge to her advantage during their adventures. Eld, being only a little older than her, seems to have years of experience on her and uses his own military training to their advantage as well, despite the fact that he does not like to talk about it. the story moves along at a steady pace with a lot of action happening throughout the entire book. It was fun to be able to decipher the problems along with Buc, though I do have to admit that I am not nearly as smart as her and was unable to predict several things in this book, which is not something I am used to in these types of stories. I especially enjoyed the part of the story that resulted in the name of this book!
Thank you to the author, publisher, and BookishFirst for providing me with a free copy of this fantastic book. Again, I cannot believe that this is Van Ryan's debut novel! I really hope I will be able to snag an ARC for the next book in this series as well.
nightstorm's review against another edition
2.0
This book had some really great elements to it, but it just never really came together for me. I loved the idea of merging mages and pirates, and I also enjoyed the thinker + hitter duo as main characters. I can't quite put my finger on what didn't resonate with me, but it just felt like the needle never really hit the groove. Glad others are getting a kick of out it though!
kasfire's review against another edition
4.0
4/5 Stars
Two ruffians for hire. Missing shipments belonging to a very powerful group. Old and New Gods locked in a battle for millennia. What could go wrong?
This novel was a whirlwind of a story. Every time the characters think they know what they are getting into, something more happens. I very much enjoyed that there was no simple answer to the mysteries laid before Buc and Eld. The complexities were intriguing but not over the top.
Since I had received an ARC of this novel, there was a matter of their ages since there was a bit of a love story trying to brew. However, I think it was good on the author to make Buc and Eld closer in age-17 and 19 respectively, as opposed to the original 16 and 22. Had the author stuck with the original ages, I would have loved a more sibling esque relationship as opposed to romantic inclinations.
Where this story left off leaves many questions, but thankfully that just tempts me to buy the second book once its published. I love when the unanswered questions roll around in my mind so I can make inferences and hypotheses before the next novel.
I cannot wait for more.
Disclaimer: Thanks to BookishFirst I received an ARC to read
Two ruffians for hire. Missing shipments belonging to a very powerful group. Old and New Gods locked in a battle for millennia. What could go wrong?
This novel was a whirlwind of a story. Every time the characters think they know what they are getting into, something more happens. I very much enjoyed that there was no simple answer to the mysteries laid before Buc and Eld. The complexities were intriguing but not over the top.
Since I had received an ARC of this novel, there was a matter of their ages since there was a bit of a love story trying to brew. However, I think it was good on the author to make Buc and Eld closer in age-17 and 19 respectively, as opposed to the original 16 and 22. Had the author stuck with the original ages, I would have loved a more sibling esque relationship as opposed to romantic inclinations.
Where this story left off leaves many questions, but thankfully that just tempts me to buy the second book once its published. I love when the unanswered questions roll around in my mind so I can make inferences and hypotheses before the next novel.
I cannot wait for more.
Disclaimer: Thanks to BookishFirst I received an ARC to read
danyalvy's review against another edition
2.0
Thank you to BookishFirst and Tor Books for sending me an ARC of the book.
This book is about pirates, mages, dead walkers, a Sherlockian character, and her sidekick. The storyline is interesting and the world building is great, and still it just wasn’t for me. I really struggled reading the first 300 pages and had to force myself to keep going before I even began to seriously enjoy the story (with only about 100 pages left) and then it was over. I didn’t like Buc (the lead character) at any point, ever, throughout the entire story. She is nasty, manipulative, and only cares about herself (until the end of the book when it’s way too late for me to change my mind about her), and I just couldn’t relate to her in the slightest. I did really like some of the other characters like the Pirate Queen, the Ghost Walker, and Eld (Buc’s sidekick), but I think they all needed a little more character building to make them truly stand on their own. It doesn’t help that Buc is a genius, with most of the book written in first person through her eyes and in a slightly strange language, so I barely knew what she was saying half of the time. I had to reread paragraphs multiple times and still wasn’t completely sure I knew exactly what was going on. The author did add in a few chapters in other characters’ POV to make the story blend better, which I enjoyed. Those chapters were definitely easier to read and understand, and I thought the language flowed better in them. I wanted so badly to like this book, it had so much potential!
This book is about pirates, mages, dead walkers, a Sherlockian character, and her sidekick. The storyline is interesting and the world building is great, and still it just wasn’t for me. I really struggled reading the first 300 pages and had to force myself to keep going before I even began to seriously enjoy the story (with only about 100 pages left) and then it was over. I didn’t like Buc (the lead character) at any point, ever, throughout the entire story. She is nasty, manipulative, and only cares about herself (until the end of the book when it’s way too late for me to change my mind about her), and I just couldn’t relate to her in the slightest. I did really like some of the other characters like the Pirate Queen, the Ghost Walker, and Eld (Buc’s sidekick), but I think they all needed a little more character building to make them truly stand on their own. It doesn’t help that Buc is a genius, with most of the book written in first person through her eyes and in a slightly strange language, so I barely knew what she was saying half of the time. I had to reread paragraphs multiple times and still wasn’t completely sure I knew exactly what was going on. The author did add in a few chapters in other characters’ POV to make the story blend better, which I enjoyed. Those chapters were definitely easier to read and understand, and I thought the language flowed better in them. I wanted so badly to like this book, it had so much potential!
riverlasol's review against another edition
1.0
unfortunately I have a DNF review to share with you today, but I also want to share why I think this isn’t a bad book. This was more of a case of right book, wrong person. I don’t really connect with or enjoy books if they are too intense or graphic. I know this sounds strange, because I love thrillers, but if a book is too intense then I just can’t enjoy it. That was the case with this book.
I actually loved the prose and the main character; Buc was so witty, so I found myself drawn to her and rooting for her from the first page. However, the other main character, Eld, was an ex-soldier and there were some scenes where he shared about his soldier experience that I really struggled to get through. It was after this point I decided I should just stop reading. I also found the worldbuilding very unique and slightly confusing, but I have a feeling that my questions would’ve been answered had I kept reading.
If you like action-packed stories with gruff and strong-willed heroes, you might really enjoy this book! I hope you do, if you decide to read it!
I actually loved the prose and the main character; Buc was so witty, so I found myself drawn to her and rooting for her from the first page. However, the other main character, Eld, was an ex-soldier and there were some scenes where he shared about his soldier experience that I really struggled to get through. It was after this point I decided I should just stop reading. I also found the worldbuilding very unique and slightly confusing, but I have a feeling that my questions would’ve been answered had I kept reading.
If you like action-packed stories with gruff and strong-willed heroes, you might really enjoy this book! I hope you do, if you decide to read it!
seyfert's review against another edition
2.0
I tried, but this just isn't doing it for me. It hits some "men writing women" problems very early on, and then just never improves. It's not just some of the descriptions and an inability to realize breasts are not important, but also the protagonist suffering a severe case of the internalize misogyny of "not like other girls" which doesn't help it at all. Compound that with trying to write a smart character, which is always difficult and didn't quite succeed here (coincidences don't make someone smart), and it's just not going to be my thing. I'm not wasting time reading a book with flaws like this.
One description tried to compare this to Scott Lynch (a favorite). It's not even close to his writing. The ideas are there, but the characters need some major changes. Or maybe just stick with male protagonist here if you don't know how to write women, yeah?
One description tried to compare this to Scott Lynch (a favorite). It's not even close to his writing. The ideas are there, but the characters need some major changes. Or maybe just stick with male protagonist here if you don't know how to write women, yeah?
a_chickletz's review against another edition
3.0
I was super excited to read this and I made sure that I grabbed that arc on BookishFirst with my points.
Now after finishing it, I feel a bit let down.
The biggest issue ANYBODY will have with this book is the magic / background regarding the Gods/Goddesses. It's never quite clear and or explained and what you can gleam and what is explained is no much. So you're left with a story that hinders heavily on this Goddess and her magic wielding beings and you're just confused and paying attention to the main characters.
The main characters remind me of a fantasy Sherlock and Watson, if Sherlock was a female with a mouth and Watson was a guy who had a distaste towards magic. There is also some sort of hidden/kindled romance that may be one sided by the Watson character?
I just really didn't care for it, but for an author's first book it wasn't bad and by the end of it something was added to the story that SOUNDED and read as interesting but I just felt that I was all in all bored with it that I don't think I'd continue.
Others may find something to enjoy from the book I just felt that it wasn't for me and I'm fine with that.
Now after finishing it, I feel a bit let down.
The biggest issue ANYBODY will have with this book is the magic / background regarding the Gods/Goddesses. It's never quite clear and or explained and what you can gleam and what is explained is no much. So you're left with a story that hinders heavily on this Goddess and her magic wielding beings and you're just confused and paying attention to the main characters.
The main characters remind me of a fantasy Sherlock and Watson, if Sherlock was a female with a mouth and Watson was a guy who had a distaste towards magic. There is also some sort of hidden/kindled romance that may be one sided by the Watson character?
I just really didn't care for it, but for an author's first book it wasn't bad and by the end of it something was added to the story that SOUNDED and read as interesting but I just felt that I was all in all bored with it that I don't think I'd continue.
Others may find something to enjoy from the book I just felt that it wasn't for me and I'm fine with that.
e_flah's review
The Sin in the Steel started out really promising. The dynamic between brilliant, detached Buc and the strong, kind Eld grabbed my attention from the beginning. It isn't quite a Sherlock and Watson vibe as thankfully Buc is more aware of how the world works than Sherlock typically is. The balance between Buc and Eld is great, though, and kept me invested in the story for at least the first hundred pages.
The two main things I struggled with in The Sin in the Steel were the world-building and the character development. I'm pretty open to different world-building methods, particularly in debuts, as long as it's done in a way where I have a sufficient sense of how the world works. I was baffled about the various religious groups and their politics, which initially seemed insignificant but was getting increasingly more important as the book went on. If I don't understand some of the key players in a world, it's hard to feel invested in the stakes of the story.
The number one reason I set this book aside was the character development. The archetypes Buc and Eld fit into appeal to me enough that I didn't need a ton of additional character development at the beginning to have a fun time. As the book went on, though, I started to care less and less about these characters. With Buc in particular it seemed like there just wasn't more to her than the genius who doesn't communicate plans and pretends not to care about people but does. As most of the book is narrated from Buc's perspective, this ended up making for a frustrating reading experience. Her tragic backstory kept being teased as the reason for Buc's behavior. I don't like when trauma is set up to be a plot device and/or character development reveal, which is where it felt like this was headed. We still hadn't gotten the reason for Buc's behavior when I set the book down at 73%.
I liked the concept of a dynamic duo solving mysteries on pirate ships but sadly the execution just did not work for me.
The two main things I struggled with in The Sin in the Steel were the world-building and the character development. I'm pretty open to different world-building methods, particularly in debuts, as long as it's done in a way where I have a sufficient sense of how the world works. I was baffled about the various religious groups and their politics, which initially seemed insignificant but was getting increasingly more important as the book went on. If I don't understand some of the key players in a world, it's hard to feel invested in the stakes of the story.
The number one reason I set this book aside was the character development. The archetypes Buc and Eld fit into appeal to me enough that I didn't need a ton of additional character development at the beginning to have a fun time. As the book went on, though, I started to care less and less about these characters. With Buc in particular it seemed like there just wasn't more to her than the genius who doesn't communicate plans and pretends not to care about people but does. As most of the book is narrated from Buc's perspective, this ended up making for a frustrating reading experience. Her tragic backstory kept being teased as the reason for Buc's behavior. I don't like when trauma is set up to be a plot device and/or character development reveal, which is where it felt like this was headed. We still hadn't gotten the reason for Buc's behavior when I set the book down at 73%.
I liked the concept of a dynamic duo solving mysteries on pirate ships but sadly the execution just did not work for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, War, and Gun violence