Waters of Versailles

Whenever humans encounter the uncanny, the unexplainable, the magical, their first thought is "how can I use this?" The best among us finish that thought with "to make things better"; the worst, "for my own benefit"; and most of us, "to make a buck."

Author Robson's 2015 novella isn't her first publication (her books are listed here); it's a very assured work, told well, thought through thoroughly, and of a length sufficient to set her scene, convey her tale, then leave us wishing for a bit more to enjoy. It feels *right* that Sylvain, her PoV character here, should be an arriviste at the Court. He, like Author Robson with her reader, has left even his own social cronies without the miracle of his plumbing and flush toilets! Saying "no" show more is dangerous, and denying someone who has your secrets what they ask for is even more foolish.

But logic dictates that even a magical creature have limits, and the nixie Sylvain has forced into his service isn't able to do everything. The more pressing question for him now is why does the nixie appear to be doing the *opposite* of what needs doing?

Never, in the history of human endeavor, has a system based on scarcity and uniqueness failed to fail. And here is Sylvain re-learning that lesson for the many-bazillionth time albeit his first. And, in the end, the world's delights are as ephemeral as we should all have learned that they are never not by now. What begins badly ends sadly. Again and again and again and again and again. show less

She laughed and dove. The water bubbled like a soup pot, forcing the slush to congeal into wads the size of lily pads. As the turbulence increased the leaved tilted and stacked, climbing into columns of gleaming ice that stretched and branched overhead.

Sylvain is a soldier and minor noble who spends his summers on military campaigns and the rest of the year at Louis XV's court at Versailles. His wealth and status come from engineering a system of cisterns and pipework to run water through the palace and setting up porcelain 'thrones' in the private quarters of king's mistress and other well-connected residents of the palace, although it takes magic to prevent leaks and keep the water flowing.

I listened to this fantasy novella on the show more Podcastle podcast and really enjoyed it. According to his latest mistress Sylvain is a 'striver' which is very much not the done thing at court, and I found him quite arrogant, but I warmed to him as the story progressed and he showed his home-sickness for the Alps, and I liked the ending. show less

It's really amazing how many chicks you can pick up if you invent a magical toilet system in the 1740's. I mean, they fall ALL OVER YOU if you happen to be smart, Striving, and industrious about manipulating and enslaving poor water creatures. :)

I think this is a perfectly delightful French escapade full of wit, liaisons, and fresh toiletries. (Champagne showers not included.)

Honestly, though, I wanted to be more in the mood for this kind of tale.

I had to want to like highly coiffed and highly sexed misters and matrons, in other words.

Of course, if you ARE in the mood for it, however, then bon appetite! The rest of the story is rather good, too. :)

New author Kelly Robson has been getting quite a bit of buzz for this novella, as well as the short stories which she recently had published, and I think it's very well deserved. This is going to be an author to watch - she's got a way with words!

Sylvain is an ingenious man with an eye for the main chance. He's willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead - whether that's a carefully planned seduction or sucking up to a well-placed aristocrat. In this alternate-18th century Versailles, his efforts have so far had good results. Sylvain has introduced the flush toilet - and the associated plumbing - to the court, and his facilities have become the hottest new thing.

However, his water lines have a disturbing tendency to spring leaks, and show more his efforts to keep everything running become more and more frantic. It turns out that Sylvain isn't an engineer or plumber at all. Rather, his entrepreneurial vision depends on magic - and a captive. show less

Waters of Versailles by Kelly Robson is a novella about an ex-soldier (well, officer, I think) currently residing in Versailles and fitting the palace with plumbing. As in new-fangled toilets, and also fountains. He has some supernatural help.

I was kind of expecting this novella to be funnier than it was. The concept struck me as lending itself to a comedic tale, but this wasn't one. That's not to say it wasn't lighthearted and, at times, amusing, but going in, I had been hoping to laugh more.

That said, it was a fun and entertaining read. I certainly wasn't bored at any point. Sylvain, the protagonist, paints himself into a corner with his plumbing venture and a lot of things go wrong for him. The main story was his progress in fixing show more problems and pushing new limits with the plumbing.

Although it wasn't as laugh-out-loud funny as I had hoped, I enjoyed this novella and will happily read any more of Robson's work that crosses my path. I recommend Waters of Versailles to fans of period fantasy and court shenanigans. Also, you can read it free on Tor.com.

4 / 5 stars

You can read more of my reviews on my blog. show less

Plumbing, humor, nixies, greed.

This is a novella but the space is enough to flesh the protagonist, to give sense of his past - and present unease with his life at court. Versailles in the 18th century isn't my first pick choice but the author managed to make me interested in that soldier-courtier-engineer.