City of Miracles (2017) Robert Jackson Bennett

City of Miracles (2017)   Robert Jackson Bennett

Sigrud je Harkvaldsson

The “Man”

I have to say that Sigrud has been my favorite character in the Divine Cities Trilogy.   He just gets Stuff done.  You have a divine sea monster in your river send Sigrud.  When the monster swallows him whole (sending him to a personal Hell)  he will carve his way out killing the monstor in the process.  That is classic Sigrud. 

In this story we see Sigrud working as a logger as one of the odd jobs that he has been doing anonymously since the end of City of Blades – 13 years.  The apparent assassination of Shara Komayd brings him back to action.  He is driven to find out who did this to his former employer and friend.  He eventually runs into a near divinity – Nokov – a child of the original divinities   -  Jokov and Ovos. Nokov is the embodiment of the first night.  He grows more powerful by swallowing other children of divinities. His goal is to turn the world into a black night.   Shara’s adopted daughter Taty is taken under Sigrud’s wing and protected but we know there is more to her then we see.

The real story though is the transformation of Sigrud from a noble man of action to a happy old philosopher.  Sad.  I really liked the old Sigrud and hoped he would good down fighting rather than as a whimper.  However, I would guess that most people will like Bennett’s conclusion to this trilogy better than I do.  Conclusion?  I don’t know.  There seems to be a lot of open plot lines and interesting characters in this world that Bennett could tap for another volume or even another series.    

City of Blades (2015) Robert Jackson Bennett

City of Blades (2015) Robert Jackson Bennett

This story begins five years after the action in City of Stairs.  Shara Komayd plays only a small, distant role in the book.  Sigruid plays a significant, if somewhat unsatisfying role.  We are introduced to his daughter.  The lead character in City of Blades is General Turyin Mulaghesh. The action takes place in the continental city of Voortyashthan.  While a harbor is being built in the city to increase trade a new ore is found with remarkable – if not miraculous – properties.  Here we go again…   Bennett does much more than concoct a tale about long gone Gods who still have an effect on the present.  He brings a complex character like Mulaghesh alive through her back story and the choices she makes throughout the plot.  She is truly a much more interesting character then one would have thought from City of Stairs.

I found it interesting that the figure of the giant monstrous “mother” again echoes so similar to that seen in American Elsewhere.  Bennett must have some sort of mother concept.  Sigruid is apparently  featured in the City of Miracles climax which I am looking forward to.  This book leaves him on the run. 

City of Stairs (2014) Robert Jackson Bennett

City of Stairs (2014)  Robert Jackson Bennett

It is worth reading the first book of Bennett’s Divine Cities Trilogy,  City of Stairs,  for the character Sigrud.  He is the “assistant” for our heroine,  Shara Komayd,  a Saypuri diplomat / spy who uncovers a political and supernatural plot in the continental capital of Bulikov.  The former home to a ragtag group of divinities who ruled most of this world in a capricious and ruthless manner.  Some unhinged people want to bring these godlike creatures back and Shara with the help of “Norse-like” Sigrud work to uncover and stifle this plot.  Shara and Sigrud have personal histories that we begin to see throughout the book that are as fascinating as the main plot.  Sigrud’s fight with the supernatural river-monster is epic.  Like Mona Bright in American Elsewhere Bennett draws terrific characters that are consistent in their actions in ways that are at first unexpected but upon reflection make perfect sense. 

American Elsewhere (2013) Robert Jackson Bennett

American Elsewhere (2013)  Robert Jackson Bennett

Is it Science Fiction?  Yes

Is it Fantasy?  Yes

Is it Horror?  Probably

Is it religious allegory?  I think so.

Is it a love story? Maybe….

What a wonderfully weird book.   Our heroine, Mona Bright,  is terrific.  She is a kick-ass, take no prisoners ex cop who lands in a surreal little New Mexico town where a great night for a couple is for the husband to hook up toasters to the engine of a lime-green Cadillac while his wife stands by holding warm lemonade in high heels until her feet bleeds. 

Mona inherits a house in Wink New Mexico from her late mother after her drunken father dies.  Her first task is to find the town of Wink which is not on any map.  When she finally finds it the mystery deepens.  On the day that her mother killed her self the town of Wink was devastated by a lightening storm and the girl bathing in her old mother’s house was electrocuted. 

While Mona is getting her bearings in this weird place the inhabitants are at war.  Someone is killing off the leading (eldest) interlopers by pairing them up with a rabbit skull that somehow leads them to a supernatural killer – the Wilding.  

The love story comes in between Mr. First and his little friend, Gracie.  How is First going to try and save Gracie from the coming abomination -  MOTHER.  Oh Mother dear.  The question is whose mother is it.  Can this monster somehow be related to Laura Alvarez -  Mona’s mother?  Mona finds that her mother was once a brilliant scientist working in Coburn labs studying dimensional bruising.   Could an entity from beyond have taken over the body of Laura and led to her apparent schizo break and suicide?   Does this malevolent beast want to use Mona’s lost baby to transverse back to Wink and beyond?  Who will help Mona fend this threat off – Mrs. Benjamin?, Mr. Parson?,  Ganymede?,  Gracie?  First?,  the Wilding?  Or will Mona give Mother her pan-dimensional baby as a tribute?  Not a chance!

This book reminds me of Neil Gaiman, Steven King, HP Lovecraft, C.S. Lewis  but mostly the strange and lovely mind of Madeline L’Engle.  In any event enjoy! And when you are done try Bennett’s City of Stairs for something much different