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qalminator's review against another edition
5.0
The writing for this was sooo much better than for Point of Hopes. Point of Hopes was still quite good, with a few things that needed worked out. Those have all been worked out here. Unfortunately, this one was written after #2 and #3 in the series, so the writing will probably backslide a bit from my POV when I move on.
I find it a bit odd that this was billed as showing the initial formation of the romantic relationship between Rathe and Eslington, but actually that happened offscreen between Hopes and Knives. Yes, they'd called it off due to conflict of interest issues, but, still, this was not the very beginning. In the other series I've read by this Melissa Scott (Death by Silver, Death at the Dionysus Club), the protags also start off already involved, so I wonder if she's just not comfortable with writing the very beginnings of such things.
Still, it's quite enjoyable for what it is, with a fascinating world that revolves around astrological magic.
I find it a bit odd that this was billed as showing the initial formation of the romantic relationship between Rathe and Eslington, but actually that happened offscreen between Hopes and Knives. Yes, they'd called it off due to conflict of interest issues, but, still, this was not the very beginning. In the other series I've read by this Melissa Scott (Death by Silver, Death at the Dionysus Club), the protags also start off already involved, so I wonder if she's just not comfortable with writing the very beginnings of such things.
Still, it's quite enjoyable for what it is, with a fascinating world that revolves around astrological magic.
lizshayne's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It's like I looked up and accidentally finished another book in this series. I feel like this book promised rather more than it delivered in terms of "how these two got together" and also I find it fascinating that, in a world without homophobia, so much of the story is structured in order to keep the protagonists apart.
Which, romance, but also it feels like there's enough plot to keep them occupied. Still, it's fun and nice to get to read more of Scott's works.
Which, romance, but also it feels like there's enough plot to keep them occupied. Still, it's fun and nice to get to read more of Scott's works.
echo123's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
hexe_19's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Murder
Minor: Sexual content
hrjones's review
4.0
Having recently picked up the third novel in the Astreiant series (Fair’s Point) I realized that I had somehow missed the Novella Point of Knives that fits between the first two books in the series. This has now been corrected. (When I started reading, I suddenly wondered if I’d simply forgotten that I’d read it, but realized that I’d heard the opening at an author reading, probably at Darkovercon.)
I love Scott’s writing style--especially the way the world of Astreiant is unfolded for us on a need-to-know basis, as if the reader were exploring a dark warehouse with a flashlight. I have an inordinate fondness for world-building that plunges in and simply expects me to keep up. The setting is Renaissancey in feel, both in terms of tech and social politics, with the interesting twist that political and economic power is dominated by women. (This is never explained--that wouldn’t fit with the exposition style--it simply “is”.) But there are plenty of clues that we’ve stepped entirely out of the world we know, in particular the way the astrology (which has great social importance) relies on the movements of an entirely different set of heavenly bodies than ours.
But this is all by-the-by. What we have is, in essence, a bit of a mystery, a bit of police procedural, and a bit of romance. The police-equivalent Nicholas Rathe once again finds himself investigating a crime in which his one-time lover Philip Eslingen is entangled. This time involving murdered sailors and missing smuggled gold. If I had one complaint about the writing, it would be that the reader rather gets hammered over the head with the reasons why Rathe and Eslingen struggle to keep their emotional distance (if not, as the story evolves, their physical distance). Both characters seem to spend an inordinate amount of interior monologue reminding themselves of these reasons.
The crime plot itself proceeds quickly, though not predictably. This is not the sort of whodunnit where the reader can guess ahead to the outcome. Too many of the forces and factors in play are part of the alien setting and hard to evaluate. The most suspicious figure turns out, indeed, to be the culprit, though the specific motivations seem to get lost in the shuffle and several clue-threads are dropped without resolution. The personal relationship between the two men is delightfully real and engaging, and we’re left for the set-up (seen in the earlier-written but later-in-timeline Point of Dreams) where they are free to have a more open partnership.
As an aside that has nothing to do with this specific story: I confess to a wistful desire to have Scott write some Astreiant stories about women. Given the gender politics of the setting, there must be a lot of intriguing possibilities. There are plenty of minor female characters, but the series is clearly all about the men.
I love Scott’s writing style--especially the way the world of Astreiant is unfolded for us on a need-to-know basis, as if the reader were exploring a dark warehouse with a flashlight. I have an inordinate fondness for world-building that plunges in and simply expects me to keep up. The setting is Renaissancey in feel, both in terms of tech and social politics, with the interesting twist that political and economic power is dominated by women. (This is never explained--that wouldn’t fit with the exposition style--it simply “is”.) But there are plenty of clues that we’ve stepped entirely out of the world we know, in particular the way the astrology (which has great social importance) relies on the movements of an entirely different set of heavenly bodies than ours.
But this is all by-the-by. What we have is, in essence, a bit of a mystery, a bit of police procedural, and a bit of romance. The police-equivalent Nicholas Rathe once again finds himself investigating a crime in which his one-time lover Philip Eslingen is entangled. This time involving murdered sailors and missing smuggled gold. If I had one complaint about the writing, it would be that the reader rather gets hammered over the head with the reasons why Rathe and Eslingen struggle to keep their emotional distance (if not, as the story evolves, their physical distance). Both characters seem to spend an inordinate amount of interior monologue reminding themselves of these reasons.
The crime plot itself proceeds quickly, though not predictably. This is not the sort of whodunnit where the reader can guess ahead to the outcome. Too many of the forces and factors in play are part of the alien setting and hard to evaluate. The most suspicious figure turns out, indeed, to be the culprit, though the specific motivations seem to get lost in the shuffle and several clue-threads are dropped without resolution. The personal relationship between the two men is delightfully real and engaging, and we’re left for the set-up (seen in the earlier-written but later-in-timeline Point of Dreams) where they are free to have a more open partnership.
As an aside that has nothing to do with this specific story: I confess to a wistful desire to have Scott write some Astreiant stories about women. Given the gender politics of the setting, there must be a lot of intriguing possibilities. There are plenty of minor female characters, but the series is clearly all about the men.
bookcraft's review against another edition
4.0
This really isn't a genre that makes it easy for the reader to play armchair detective. The combination of alternate history, complex politics and customs in an unfamiliar historical setting, and the fantasy elements made me feel less like I was solving the mystery alongside Nico and Philip and more like I was following in their footsteps and taking their word for things like motive.
That said, I found the story and characters engaging enough that I really didn't care. I was thoroughly entertained, to the point that I couldn't resist starting right in on the next book, even though I finished this in the wee hours of the morning.
The nitpick section: Almost no head-hopping in this one, and the epithet count was way down. A few typos in the Scribd edition, but otherwise a great, clean ebook.
That said, I found the story and characters engaging enough that I really didn't care. I was thoroughly entertained, to the point that I couldn't resist starting right in on the next book, even though I finished this in the wee hours of the morning.
The nitpick section: Almost no head-hopping in this one, and the epithet count was way down. A few typos in the Scribd edition, but otherwise a great, clean ebook.
snazel's review
5.0
I don't think I can overstate how much I love the circle made by how the intricate worldbuilding informs the plot informs the worldbuilding. And how much I love everybody in this bar. Now if you'll excuse me I need to get my horoscope read.
vae's review against another edition
4.0
Fabulous world building and politics complex enough to need to think about the implications of each and every character interaction. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
catya's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
If you ever wondered how Nico got from point of hopes to point of dreams, this is your answer. A totally sweet love story wrapped in a procedural wrapped in her usual incredible world building