The Aeronaut's Windlass

I did enjoy this, Airships that functioned just like a naval ship, with roles and jobs and a captain who understood that appearance was important for morale. The dialogue was fun, my non-fantasy enjoying husband enjoyed the bits I read out to him. There's crystals and spiders that gave me the creeps, particularly when, during a fight against them, a spider landed on my copy. And no, he didn't last.

A bunch of newbie military service kids, all of whom are upper class or from that mileu and they end up being caught up in a military problem which leads them to being associated with the disgraced Captain Grimm and between them, and several cats, particularly Rowl, they fight the army they're against, and the motivations of the opponents show more aren't always obvious.

I liked it, I liked it a lot and I want more. The characters were fun and felt both real and different from each other, they had distinct voices and interests and they were fun to be with, I'm not sure I'd like to meet them, Gwen in particular, she feels like I'd rub off her badly, but still she's be interesting. show less

Jim Butcher’s new steampunkish fantasy series, “The Cinder Spires” is fresh, complex, exciting and very very easy to get into. I was barely three chapters in to the seventy chapter long “The Aeronaut’s Windlass” when I knew I was hooked. I found myself stealing time during the day to listen to just one more chapter, or maybe two, or maybe just until I found out how they… you’re a book lover, you’ll recognise the kind of thrall I was in.

“The Aeronaut’s Windlass” is packed with ideas, action and fascinating characters. I loved the strong feeling that I got from the book that there is a HUGE back-story/world history out there for me to discover and I was impressed by the fact that Jim Butcher never once tried to show more shove that story down my throat through some huge info-dump.

The novel takes place on an earth where the surface is too dangerous to spend time on, people live in huge, centuries-old Spires, created by the now absent Builders, each of which is its own mini-state. Travel is by airship (think sailing ships that fly, not dirigibles) powered by crystals that focus etheric energy. I loved how Jim Butcher made etheric engineering seem so real that, by the end of the book, I was starting to have clear expectations of what it could and couldn’t do and yet it never became a hard-science lecture (even though the concept of etheric energy is starting to be rehabilitated in the form of Scalar Wave Fields and Zero Point Energy).

As in Jim Butcher’s “Codex Alera” series, “The Aeronaut’s Windlass” has multiple parallel story-lines and a huge list of characters, yet there is no confusion over who is doing what and no dull times where you’d rather be finding out what’s happening in another story-line rather than the one you’re in. The pace of the story-telling is perfect, with multiple cliff-hanging chapters.

Although the story is action-packed, there is still time for reflection on the realities of the conflict the characters find themselves in and the things they choose to do to survive. The battle scenes are brilliant, partly because they go beyond the cunning of military tactics and the raw energy of combat, to experience the horrific reality of large-scale death and destruction. Jim Butcher takes the time to explore the idea that the same action – winning a battle – feels different depending on whether the winner is friend or foe but that the behaviour of the men is the same. It reminded me of that World War I slogan: “A bayonet is a weapon with a worker on each end”.

What really kept my attention was the rich cast of characters. The story is dominated by strong and or scary female characters who are all quite different from one another. The “Grim Captain” of the airship “Predator” is the epitome of what a Captain should be and yet he remains human and believable. The “mad” Etheralists, who can see the energy that powers the world, are people that we come to understand as being mad only because they see things too clearly to stay sane. The Warrior-born, who are part human, part cat who are strong and graceful but sometimes trapped between their two natures. Perhaps the most memorable character in the book is the wonderfully-named Rawl, a warrior prince among cats, whose view on the world and on the humans who live in it is absolutely unique.

This is a satisfyingly long book yet it was still too quickly over, leaving me wanting much more and very soon.

If you like a great adventure, buy this book. If you’ve already bought it, do yourself a favour and bring it the top of your TBR pile.

I recommend the audiobook version of the novel, wonderfully performed by Euan Morton. show less

The Aeronaut’s Windlass - Butcher
Audio performance by Euan Morton
4.5 stars

“We’re a civilized society, are we not?”
Esterbrook blinked. “Since when, miss? We’re a democracy.”

This is a 19th century, tall ship, naval adventure story … well, no. The ‘ships’ are airborne vessels that sail above and below the mist, occasionally powered by sails, but mostly powered and held aloft by powerful crystals. The social structure is very much like 19th century England in its mannerisms and social divisions … except for the badass young women who point strange weapons at enemies, rescue hunky male warriors from burning buildings, and captain flying pirate ships. Also, it’s not England. Humanity exists in Spires high above a show more much feared surface, mostly safe from deadly surface creatures. I would say that this book had the same atmosphere of military gallantry, conflict and adventure, as Novak’s His Majesty’s Dragon. But, there are no dragons.

There are talking cats.

This was so much fun. The world building is elaborate, but it takes place amid almost constant action. There wasn’t any time for the book to bog down in details. I’ve read two of Butcher’s Dresden File books. They were clever, but I don’t think I’m really the intended audience. This book has an entirely different atmosphere. I enjoyed all of the characters, especially the crazy etherealists. I am so ready to read the currently nonexistent next book in the planned Cinder Spires series.

I will have to develop the eternal patience of a cat. show less

Wow.

Just wow.

It is not often that a book leaves me speechless. As I sat down to write this review, I realized I was faced with doing something I don't do often.

I'm giving full stars to this book. 5/5

Outstanding start to the Cinder Spires series! This novel caught me by surprise. I expected a Harry Dresden reprise re-tooled into steampunk. No, this is something new from Jim Butcher - a real action/adventure! I loved it!

Before I go much further, let me say this: I am a die-hard Dresden fan. My husband is too. We read the books and then discuss everything our favorite wizard does. We are both eagerly awaiting Peace Talks. And we have on occasion made George R.R. Martin jokes regarding the wait for the new book.

Now, having said that, I am show more shoving Dresden aside to write this review. This new series is totally unlike Dresden and deserves a better chance than some have given it because they are butt-hurt about Peace Talks taking longer for Butcher to finish. These things take time. It will be finished when Butcher is ready for it to be finished. He had some upheaval in his personal life. Give the man a break. There will be no Harry until it's time. Relax. Be Zen. Preorder Shadowed Souls for a Dresden short story fix...and stop whining.

Things I loved about this book:

1. This is real action/adventure! It doesn't get bogged down in overly descriptive world-building at the cost of the action. I want less talk and more action -- more butt-kicking!! This book is definitely not short on well-paced, exciting action sequences. The entire last third of the book is an exciting, action-packed battle. I sat up most of the night finishing this book.

2. The world is described and revealed to readers as part of the action. The book jumps into the fray from the start and never stops building. There are no chapters of pure description to bog down the storyline. The world building and character development happens right along with the action. For me, this made the story flow so much better! It doesn't get bogged down in long, detailed paragraphs of background, but instead Butcher weaves the world and the characters in and around his story. As far as I'm concerned, this is by far the best book Butcher has ever written. The writing is tight and his descriptions are concise and well-suited to the action style. Butcher doesn't fall into the pit of spoon-feeding details or characterization to readers. He doesn't "over tell'' but instead lets the story tell the tale.

3. The characters evolve and change. It's not just action for the sake of story, but characterization as well. All of the main characters learn, change, and grow as a result of what they are going through in this first book.

4. The storyline doesn't get sidetracked into thinly veiled political rants, romance or any of the other distractions that kill most action books. Not once did I channel my inner-Elvis to sing "A little less talk a little more action'' inside my head as I read. The story stayed on-point from beginning to end without meandering down useless, distracting side paths. No gratuitous sex scenes or unnecessary romantic interludes. No rants about politics, society or mishmash like that. Don't get me wrong -- the characters do have emotions and there is some reference to sex (how could you have soldiers and a ship's crew without sex?), love, anger, revenge, etc....but it comes as necessary parts of the plot not distraction from it.

5. Cats.

The basic premise: For centuries, humanity has lived in Spires towering for miles above the mist-covered, dangerous surface of the planet. In the air, people are safe from dangerous surface-dwellers. Within the Spires, aristocratic houses rule, developing technology, trading with other Spires, and building airships. The ships, used for trading and warfare, are held aloft by the power of ethric crystals. Ethrealists can manipulate the power of the crystals, but the effects of the energies warp their minds. Captain Grimm and his crew man the AMS Predator, a private, trading vessel. When Predator is damaged in an altercation with much larger airships, Grimm is approached by the Spireach of Albion. If Grimm will agree to complete a dangerous mission for Spire Albion, the Spireach will repair Grimm's ship. Grimm and his crew are soon swept into the war between Spire Albion and Spire Aurora. The war re-awakens dark monsters from the planet's surface, threatening all of humanity.

For Dresden fans, this is a departure from Butcher's usual writing style. There are no pop culture references, no wizard's magic, and no modern cop drama. Push Dresden aside and read this book for what it is. Don't lament that it isn't the Butcher you are used to reading. This is new, steampunk-y, swashbuckling, airship-riding Butcher. We will all get our Harry Dresden fix soon. In the meantime, enjoy Captain Grimm and his rag-tag crew. I know I did!!

This book is not 600 pages of plodding description and narrative. It's an action-packed romp through a steampunk world of airships, monsters and war. I can't wait for the next book! (But I will very happily read Peace Talks while waiting......) show less

Advance copy provided by NetGalley

He's done high fantasy. He's done urban fantasy. Now, Jim Butcher tries his hand at steampunk and pulls it off beautifully. I absolutely loved it.
It has elements of the old swashbuckling adventures of C.S. Forester and Patrick O'Brien. Captain Grimm is neither Hornblower nor Aubrey, but the interplay with the crew of his airship and the battles they fight are reminiscent of the stories of both literary captains.
It's a coming of age story with the hint of romance for the younger characters, and it has some spiffy magic (do they call it "magic" in steampunk?) involving crystals and the requisite ether.
While there's plenty of darkness from the big bads in the mix, there's a good deal of whimsy too. We have show more people who can talk to cats and cats that can talk back, for example. A cat is one of the main characters and we even get his point of view sometimes.
And even with the ether, the Victorian manners, the airships and goggles (I didn't catch any visible corsets), this was different than other steampunk I've read, which has felt to me more like a hybrid of historical fantasy and alternate history. This story hinted at being set far beyond an apocalyptic future of some kind, and I'm eager for more of that backstory to unfold.
I have to admit, I had my doubts at about the 7% mark. There had already been an exciting battle in the air with Captain Grimm, which I had enjoyed. But I wasn't so sure about young Gwen, Benedict or Bridget. I read some cranky reviews on Goodreads and wondered if I would stick with the book. But I'm glad I did, because I quickly came to root for these characters and the ones that came later.
The "grim captain" and his crew, the airships and spires, the young soldiers, the Warriorborn and the scary monsters,the "etherealist" and his apprentice, and the talking cat-I loved it all and can't wait for more. show less

This is a great story! I'd call it science fiction rather than fantasy, somewhat steampunkish with the technology. The world-building is really good, and shown rather than told--there's still a lot we don't know about this world by the end of the book. Oh, and the book does tell a complete story, so you aren't left on a cliff-hanger even though you know there is more of the story coming--that's one of my pet peeves. And the characters and story-line drew me in immediately. I wanted to keep reading into the night even when I was only 100 pages into this 630 page tome. Although I didn't, I did finish this in two days because I kept coming back to it every spare minute. There are strong female as well as male viewpoint characters, a show more talking cat who is a person as opposed to a cute accessory (and he only talks Cat, which most humans can't master), flying ships and battles (it's scary how Butcher channels David Weber in Chapter 68!), and much, much more! So glad I got this library copy so quickly, and recommend that you look for it immediately. show less

The Aeronaut's Windlass is a marvelous book in every way. It is a story of a brilliantly conceived and described world, filled with fantastic but consistent and plausible technologies, populated by engaging characters who speak in the most delightful pseudo-Regency fashion. I am not one who generally enjoys series of novels, but I eagerly await the next book in this cycle.

[Audiobook note: The reader, Euan Morton, artfully crafts the many voices of the characters. I will be seeking out more books he narrates.]