FANTASY REVIEW: Blood of the Mantis - Adrian Tchaikovsky

BOOK BLURB:

Driven by the ghosts of the Darakyon, Achaeos has tracked the stolen Shadow Box to the marsh-town of Jerez, but he has only days before the magical box is lost to him forever. Meanwhile, the forces of the Empire are mustering over winter for their great offensive, gathering their soldiers and perfecting their new weapons. Stenwold and his followers have only a short time to gather what allies they can before the Wasp armies march again, conquering everything in their path. If they cannot throw back the Wasps this spring then the imperial black-and-gold flag will fly over every city in the Lowlands before the year's end. In Jerez begins a fierce struggle over the Shadow Box, as lake creatures, secret police and renegade magicians compete to take possession. If it falls into the hands of the Wasp Emperor, however, then no amount of fighting will suffice to save the world from his relentless ambition.


REVIEW:

Whilst I’ve been a big fan of Adrian’s since his work hit the scene last year I do feel bad that I really didn’t enjoy this tale as much as the previous releases. After all, how the hell can you beat the previous events in the last offering in this next book which left you reeling with each turn of a page?

What Adrian did do, and something that I think may come as a bit of relief, was to let this tale take its own time as he let it unfurl. After all, he has nothing to prove after the previous releases as we know that he can tell a tale as well as, if not better than the next man. Yet this tale felt like it was very slow, more as a second thought and the chance to play “god” in order to allow manipulation of events for the subsequent offering. Don’t get me wrong, its well written, the characters are just as engaging and the authors own indomitable style will bring this tale out into the open but compared to the previous excursions this one feels a little flat. A great shame to be honest but one that I won’t let me be put off.