The City | Stella Gemmell

The City by Stella Gemmell is a big huge chunk of a fantasy book.

The City is ancient and vast, built up over the millennia, layer upon layer. Once a thriving metropolis, it has sprawled beyond its walls, inciting and waging constant wars with neighbouring tribes and kingdoms – creating a barren wasteland of what was once green and productive.

At the heart of the City lives the emperor. Few have ever seen him, but those who have recall a man in his prime, though he should be very old. Some speculate that he is no longer human, others wonder if indeed he truly ever was. And a small number have come to the desperate conclusion that the only way to stop the City’s incessant war and the constant bloodshed is to end the emperor’s unnaturally long life.

From the maze-like sewers and catacombs below the City, where the poor struggle to stay alive in the dark, to the blood-soaked fields of battle where few heroes manage to survive the never-ending siege, these rebels pin their hopes on one man: Shuskara. Once the emperor’s foremost general, he was betrayed long ago and is believed to be dead. But, under different aliases, he has survived, forsaking his City and hiding from the man to whom he once vowed his allegiance. Now, the time has come for Shuskara to emerge from the shadows and lead a final bid to free the City from those who have brought it and its people to their knees for so long…

Inspired world-building, complex and wholly believable characters, thrilling battle scenes and glorious storytelling come together in this epic novel. Exciting, dark and affecting,The City is a stunning achievement that places its author at the very front rank of fantasy fiction.

Look at that description. Look at it. I should have loved this book.

I really should have. I should ahve adored it. I should be singing its praises right now, finding a way to force you to read it. I should be telling you this is the best new fantasy to be out on the market.

But I can’t.

I don’t know what it is. I am unable to tell you, which is strange. I can normally at least give you an idea of what stopped me from finishing. Terrible writing, or super-offensive (to me) ideas, or, or or .. The City didn’t have those. Or at least it didn’t by page 104, which is where I stopped.

Perhaps books this long and dense aren’t best read on ereaders. Perhaps it wasn’t the book for me. All I know is I found it confusing and I couldn’t keep up with it. I abanonded it at page 104 when I became aware I had no idea who these characters were or what was going on.

It’s a shame, because the writing is good, if slightly bland. The world is intriguing. But I just couldn’t finish it. I’m not angry (except at myself.) I’m sad. I should have loved this book.

DNF, with regrets.

Provided through Netgalley by the publisher.

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