Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
Reviewed By: Katie Smith, Reference Specialist
Genre: Fantasy
Suggested Age: Adults
What is This Book About? Sancia Grado is a masterful thief, tasked with a high-stake mission – one that’ll push her magical abilities to their limit, in order to bust open an uncrackable safe – all to get her hands on a small box with undisclosed contents. Her patron also wishes to remain anonymous, but the reward seems worth it. At least, until Sancia opens the box and finds herself politically entangled with the powerful Merchant Houses …
In the world of Tevanne, the Merchant Houses jealously guard the knowledge of how to inscribe objects with “scrivings” – a magical language that can bend the laws of nature – which allows them to solely amass political influence and economic supremacy. Inside that small, unassuming box that Sancia carries is a well-guarded secret that will redefine the rules of magic, which is why the Merchant Houses will do anything to possess it. Once their lackies are unleashed – equipped with powerful magical weapons of their own – Sancia must go into hiding. But along the way, she’ll have to team up with some unconventional allies in order to survive!
My Review: This series is fantastic! Fans of Brandon Sanderson and Scott Lynch will appreciate the climatic worldbuilding that Robert J. Bennett skillfully employs. Plus, Foundryside is cleverly constructed, filled with quirky, memorable characters and plenty of cinematic flare. The stakes get incredibly high – and even at the end, there’s so much yet to be revealed! I would suggest this to anyone who enjoys reading epic fantasy in an urban setting, high-stake heists, and well-timed levity to balance out a dark, gritty story.
(Note: The beginning is a little slow – since it’s one long heist scene – but once I got past that section, I couldn’t put the book down!)
Three Words That Describe This Book: Heists, Teamwork, Suspense
Give This a Try if You Like … Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, and Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.
