Author: Alexandra

The Last Smile in Sunder City is a dark urban fantasy and the first book in a planned series, the Fetch Phillips Archives, which promises a great deal more in depth world building and character development. And, even for a debut, Arnold packs it in—for a world that once ran on magic nothing will ever be the same. Every conceivable magical creature, and there are some that even defy imagination, the loss of magic has been devastating. Some died instantly, age catching up with them, while others linger, clinging to the vestiges of their past lives, caught in something of a twilight world.

Enter Fetch Phillips, a man for hire, and a habitual drunk, with a mysterious past that haunts him.

At the beginning, Fetch is hired to find a missing professor, an ageing vampire, who has suddenly vanished. And, as he begins to investigate this seemingly benign case of a missing person, we’re treated to a great deal of delicious world building, intriguing back story, and the current lay of the land. Including introductions to some of what, I assume, will be supporting characters in subsequent instalments to come.

Arnold unravels the story through two timelines, the first of which focuses in on Fetch locating the missing professor. And, the more he stumbles around Sunder City hoping to come across clues, the more we get to know Fetch, the city, and those who are left clinging to life. Told in the first person POV—in an almost noir detective style—Fetch Phillips is imbued with a great deal of disparaging observational wit.

What’s also obvious from the get go is, Fetch Phillips is a broken man.

Just how he got there is explained in the second thread, set in the past—in flashback—giving us glimpses of what led up to his participation in the loss of magic—and the tragic events that brought about the downfall of magical creatures and, of course, Fetch Phillips himself.

Full of intriguing world building, and a number of interesting characters, The Last Smile in Sunder City is a thoroughly engrossing read. And while there is little to no action, that in and of itself is not a bad thing. I only noticed near the end when we did have a flurry of activity, that little had gone on beforehand. But, going out in a blaze of glory or is that, gore? Fetch learns the hard way what happens when hope rears its ugly head and offers a chance at redemption.

Not to spoil things, Fetch finds his man, or is that, vampire, and the truth about the young woman the professor was tutoring. And thus, we know from events set in motion, that there is a lot more yet to come, both from the past and in the future.

My only complaint is that I would have liked to have seen a little more depth to the supporting characters. But, as it is, I’m sure we’re going to get more as the series progresses. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Fetch Phillips, Sunder City, and the denizens of this lost world.

The world building in Race the Sands treads familiar ground and gives us an Egyptian style setting and culture, living along a great river—the Aur—surrounded by desert. A fabulous dressed fantasy city, the Heart of Becar, and the usual slew of towns and villages with people focused with making a living off the land.

Where Race The Sands differs from the standard tropes, is two-fold. The spiritual needs of the population are administered to by Augurs, and not priest. Only the purest of the pure can become augurs. Gifted with the ability to read people’s auras and determine their future fate, after death. Individuals with flawed auras are not reborn as birds, or as higher animals, but bugs, rats, and insects. Or worse, those with the darkest of souls are reborn as chimeric monsters known as, Kehoks.

It’s these monsters, or kehoks, that are central to the story. The Becarians love to race and, what do they race? Why, of course, kehoks. Impossible to tame, and nearly as impossible to train, nonetheless, monsters are corralled and trainers are engaged by the wealthy to teach riders how to—at the bare minimum—control these monsters, long enough to race them. Race them and become champions and never want for anything else in life. Making this a dream for some as a way to escape poverty and misfortune.

Which brings us to our two main characters: Tamra, a trainer with a storied past. Once upon a time champion rider who, after injury, becomes a trainer. But, after a disaster on the race track the previous year, where both her kehok and rider died. She’s fallen from grace and favour and desperate to find a championship winning combo of kehok and rider.

As chance would have it, Tamra finds Raia, a runaway, who likewise down on her luck is desperate to earn enough money to buy off her parents and win her freedom. Raia’s backstory sets her up perfectly. Used and abused by those who should have given her love. Raia is willing to do what ever it takes to be free.

The story has a number of interesting layer that, personally, I just wished had been given as much depth and background as both Tamra and Raia’s backstories. As it is, there are a number of other intriguing threads woven into the plot, which is, in general, narrated from Tamra and Raia’s POV.
Joining Tamra and Raia is Dar, a prince who is thrust into the position of Emperor in waiting when his brother Zarin, the Emperor, dies. Leaving the realm open to invasion and war due to a weird set of politics and law. Laws that say Dar cannot be crowned the next Emperor till the vessel for his brother’s soul is found. Giving us a another series of plot threads involving palace intrigue, backstabbing, a lot of gossip, and espionage.

Then we have Augur Yorbel, a kindly scholar with a gentle nature who has—in a way—befriended the young Prince Dar, and goes on his own quest to help discover Zarin’s vessel when the Augurs who have been set the task, fail. And what he discovers is the surprise twist for the entire story.

The last character in this mix I want to talk about is Tamra’s patron, the very eccentric Lady Evara, who, it can be said, adds some comic relief while also being something of a surprise. Her backstory was as intriguing and as complex as Tamra’s and the reasoning behind her motivation. I found her to be a fun addition to the disparate troupe thrown together by circumstances.

What Durst has done is bring together a number of intriguing elements through these characters giving us plenty of action and adventure, drama, and plot twists. The story is—in part—a coming of age story. A story about family, bonding, and what makes family well, family, whether you’re a high-born prince, a lowly kehok rider, or a monster. And with Tamra, there is no distinction. She is the glue that holds them, and the story, all together.

I will say, apart from a few annoying dips and being a little long-winded, this is a rollicking good fantasy romp out in the desert. Climb on board your chosen kehok and just enjoy the ride, and let the wind whip through your hair!