Stella Gemmell
Random House
Otago Daily Times, 2013
After many years as her late husband’s editor (and occasional co-writer), The City marks Stella Gemmell’s debut as a stand-alone author and worthy successor to the family name. A sword and sorcery epic with a strong emphasis on the sword, it introduces us to a complex and vividly described world centred around the eponymous City.
Once a hub of culture and learning, the City is now consumed by corruption both physically and spiritually; crumbling from within as its sewers fail and slowly flood its oldest levels, and without as it wages incessant war on its neighbours. The plot involves a disparate group of individuals from both sides who are attempting to overthrow the Emperor and end the war, but an equal amount of time is given to describing the city and its inhabitants, from the poorest sewer dweller to the palace elite. And then there are the battles, in profusion and graphic detail. It is an enthralling read, but at over 600 pages long, stamina, a strong stomach, and the ability to remain emotionally detached from any particular character (the attrition rate is astonishing high) are a must.
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