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I’ve been reading Robert Jackson Bennett’s novels for a number of years now and he never ceases to disappoint. Foundryside, the opening novel in his latest trilogy was one of my standout novels of 2018, introducing us to a host of wonderful characters and an innovative magic system.
He’s now back with Shorefall, a novel as good, if not better, than the first. If you haven’t read Foundryside yet, I wholeheartedly recommend you do. The rest of this review keeps things general for those who haven’t read the first, book, but really, you should click on the link above, read that review, and order Foundryside forthwith.
Foundryside was always going to be a hard act to follow. It’s a brilliant blend of magic, heist, and social commentary, and, at its heart a genesis novel. First novels and genesis stories are often the kernels of good ideas and it can be hard for novelists (and particularly filmmakers) to elevate follow up stories to similar heights.
Shorefall does use the standard sequel methodology of bigger baddies and more impressive explosions, but it also has a few other special tricks up its sleeve. One of the standout features of Foundryside is the empathy its characters have for one another. The relationships formed in that book are strengthened further in Shorefall in ways you can’t begin to imagine.
