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timinbc's review against another edition
4.0
Three, really, but I award an extra star for the concept, which should be encouraged. But not too often.
I read it as a single unit, and I suspect if I'd been fed it in episodes I might have given up.
If this seems long and tedious, wait till you read a real John Le Carre or equivalent. I am taking this one's length and pace as a tribute to those.
Crossing a spy novel with magic is a great idea, although it can make for a tricky plot. And I'm not sure about some of the characters - Sasha and Dom are just icky, and Zerena's a bit cartoonish until the end when things get real. Winthrop and Toms were annoying, but authors get to do that if they want.
The conflicted Gabe was a good choice, well developed. The magic aspects were mostly good, although I never like to see golems -- they're too powerful and the author often ends up handcuffed. The one here was dealt with better than in many books I've read.
Recommended> Hmm. Maybe not if you've never read a spy novel. You need a base to appreciate this one.
I read it as a single unit, and I suspect if I'd been fed it in episodes I might have given up.
If this seems long and tedious, wait till you read a real John Le Carre or equivalent. I am taking this one's length and pace as a tribute to those.
Crossing a spy novel with magic is a great idea, although it can make for a tricky plot. And I'm not sure about some of the characters - Sasha and Dom are just icky, and Zerena's a bit cartoonish until the end when things get real. Winthrop and Toms were annoying, but authors get to do that if they want.
The conflicted Gabe was a good choice, well developed. The magic aspects were mostly good, although I never like to see golems -- they're too powerful and the author often ends up handcuffed. The one here was dealt with better than in many books I've read.
Recommended> Hmm. Maybe not if you've never read a spy novel. You need a base to appreciate this one.
crimsoncor's review against another edition
4.0
Started off a little rough: seemed almost cartoonish in the setup with ICE vs FLAME, but it really rounds into form as it goes. It isn't quite Le Carre, but it is a really nice fantasy homage to the genre.
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
4.0
A 2017 staff favorite recommended by Erica. Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Switch%20who%20came%20in%20from%20the%20cold%20smith__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold
sondosia's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
old_tim's review against another edition
5.0
Very fun serial. It's Spy vs Spy in Cold War Prague. They're spys but also agents for competing magical factions! Great genre mashup that refreshes two sets of tropes.
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2016/06/bad-cover-stories-and-wacky-gadgets.html
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2016/06/bad-cover-stories-and-wacky-gadgets.html
crystal6's review against another edition
3.0
A great story with realistic characters and great mix of a spy novel and magical realism. I enjoyed the setting of Prague in winter. I enjoyed the different episodes written by different authors giving variations in writing styles.
The only downside was some repetition in each episode of the storyline.
I would like to thank NetGalley for this copy.
The only downside was some repetition in each episode of the storyline.
I would like to thank NetGalley for this copy.
marneyjane's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
yeager's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
tiltingwindward's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fun alt-history spy novel that played with Cold War dynamics in a way I haven't seen other fantasies do. This was my first Serial Box read, and I enjoyed the episodic approach more than I thought I would (although of course reading it in the omnibus made it more like reading a novel with chapters).
I liked this story, but it showed me that I prefer multiple authors writing their own characters in a common world/plot over multiple authors writing the same characters in a single plotline. This might not be the case for everyone.
I liked this story, but it showed me that I prefer multiple authors writing their own characters in a common world/plot over multiple authors writing the same characters in a single plotline. This might not be the case for everyone.