I read and blurbed Carrie Patel's debut novel The Buried Life earlier this year, so I was excited when she sent me a copy of the next book, Cities and Thrones. The setting for the series is the east coast of America, long after a devastating apocalypse. Society has rebuilt to 19th century levels, with cities like Recoletta (the location of the first book) completely underground. The Buried Life resulted in a revolution where the corrupt heads of power were tossed out. A lot of books would end there, happily ever after, etc. What Patel does is fantastic--she shows how the usurper is completely inept and how that paves the way for yet another revolution.

There is a lot going on in the series, but fundamentally they are mystery novels. They read fast through a combination of the suspense of mystery and the action of urban fantasy. The publisher, Angry Robot, really excels at finding and promoting unique books that straddle genres like this.

Patel's two leads remain strong. Malone is now the chief of police, forced to work closely with new leader Sato even though she does not support him at all. She genuinely loves and wants to save her city. Meanwhile, Jane has fled into the countryside where sparse towns on the surface grow the food desperately needed by Recoletta. I like how Patel shows the distinct cities and cultures that developed in these settlements during their time of isolation. Jane is dragged into the conspiracies of the outside world as news trickles in the civilization in Recoletta is disintegrating.

I think my biggest complaint is that the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. The stakes are set up quite high for book three. ( )

Review copy

Cities and Thrones is the sequel to Carrie Patel's enjoyable debut novel, The Buried Life. Both volumes are set in a time where many have chosen to live below the Earth's surface. The fictional city of Recoletta, like all modern cities, had been constructed around the two values that society prizes most, security and privacy.

It's been a number of weeks since a coup occurred in Recoletta, Jane Lin and Fredrick Anders find themselves as refugees in the communes. Meanwhile, back in the city, those who have stayed behind are doing their best to restore order under the leadership of Sato who lead the takeover.

I have to say, I liked book 1 better. In The Buried Life all of this was fresh and new. In Cities and Thrones there was a lot of espionage and intrigue, but for me, there seemed to be something lacking. I found myself not caring about any of the characters or the story, for that matter.

In the end, there were enough unanswered questions that there could be a third book, but if that happens, I don't think I'll be taking the time to read it.

Cities and Thrones is available now in paperback and ebook versions from Angry Robot Books. As always in these situations, your mileage may vary. ( )

I really like novels that cross genres, like Carrie Patel’s Recoletta series. It’s dystopian, it’s got a futuristic steampunk yet also almost Luddite feel to it, it involves mystery and suspense, and it’s filled with political intrigue…and all of that works together seamlessly to produce a wonderfully unique experience.

Cities and Thrones, Book #2 in this series, takes us even further into this post catastrophic world that has devolved in many ways back to Victorian life – yet not. A link to my review of Book #1, The Buried Life, appears at the end of this review. Several things drew me to the series initially including the importance that restricted access to books and information seemed to have on this world, that Ms. Patel is a computer game narrative designer, and then there’s the mystery that’s like a blend of Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes – that mystery intrigued me. Oh yes, and at least one kick-butt heroine. What’s kept me reading is Ms. Patel’s writing and this fascinating world. I’m hooked. Will you feel the same way? Let’s see…read the rest of my review at http://popcornreads.com/?p=8521. ( )