This review does not include a rating because, frankly, there are long gaps in my experience of the book due to the fact that I could not engage wholeheartedly with the audiobook for some reason. I don't think this is a problem with the book itself, but I think there are certain stories I don't process well via audio book. I had a similar problem with Neal Stephenson's Quicksilver, and I'm starting to think detailed histories narrated by actors with British accents are an issue for me. Perhaps I'm watching too many British mysteries so that my mind lulls into complacency or something. At any rate, I do have some thoughts.

First, David Thorpe is a fantastic narrator, and my inability to stay focused on the story is no fault of Mr. Thorpe. The variety of characterizations, accents, and affects he was able to produce was astounding. The book is absolutely epic, and even with my occasional lapses of attention, several characters stood out. The city of Ilmar is under the control of the Palleseen and there's enough there to keep anyone interested and entertained, but the narration often reflects multiple points of view, bouncing back and forth between characters to provide a multi-dimensional view of events. I can say that the "God" character was a favorite, as were Blackmane, Maestro Ivarn Ostravar, Langrice, and even Yasnic (more toward the end of the book). I don't think I've ever read a fantasy book that had traces of Umberto Eco, Italo Calvino, and I don't know what---some sort of noir, I guess.

Anyway, suffice it to say, I enjoyed enough of it that I'll be buying it in print so that I reread it with full attention. The witticisms and Tchaikovsky's gifts of world-making are exceptional.

I did it! Take that currently untreated server ADHD!

I bloody loved this wild, wry, heartfelt, ridiculous, funny, thoughtful, irreverent epic!

Will do a proper review when I have the capacity to give it the review it deserves. ( )

Let me begin by saying that I have had mixed results in my experience with the author of this work. I found Children of Time to be outstanding, but was terribly disappointed by the sequel, Children of Ruin. I picked up this title, as well as the author’s Final Architecture trilogy based upon the promise shown by Children of Time.

First off, City of Last Chances is by no means science fiction. It would be more accurately labeled as medieval fantasy. Think Game of Thrones without dragons. The action takes place in a mythical city that has been conquered by an outside force. The inhabitants struggle under the yoke of oppression and ultimately rebel.

I had a very hard time becoming comfortable with the landscape in this book. Any time you encounter new fantasy or science fiction, you can expect a period of time is required to become familiar with the background on which the author has set his tale. I’ve read A LOT of science fiction and fantasy, and very rarely struggled to the degree I did here. It was well into the second half of the book before I felt that I had a handle on the different characters and threads.

For that reason, I cannot rate this work as highly as others might. ( )

Felt very similar to Cage of Souls, but I never engaged with this to the same degree. Not sure why - high quality writing, and excellent Audiobook performance.
Throughout, I was less enthralled by the protagonists. But still really impressively inventive book. ( )

Weird fantasy from AC just as you might expect. Good fun though.

A diverse cast of characters on both side of an invaded city. The rulers are keen to enforce their own brand of law and order, nominally following their precepts, but allowances have to be made until the empire is fully established, which enables corruption and venality to prosper. The remaining inhabitants persevere as best they can trying to maintain what aspects of their original culture they can maintain under the eyes of the new rulers. Nobody was particularly fond of the old Duke, but Tradition is always worth maintaining. And one the least understood, and oldest traditions of the City of Last Chances is that of the Wood. A small grove that in the right conditions with suitable wards against the monsters (there are always monsters somewhere) leads to other places. No-one knows where or how, but sometimes anywhere is better than here.

And so a chance pickpocket at the time the guards didn't look away leads to the invaders expedition into the Wood failing, and a high-ranking Leader disappearing. The reprisals spark unrest and suddenly all the old certainties are up for grabs.

I really enjoyed this (as always with AC). It's never clear what's going to happen next and there are too many characters, but all of them are human and trying their best to lead their own lives. The magic is clever and well thought through, with sensible limits, the world incredibly inventive and the pacing pretty much spot on. ( )