The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso

I received an unedited proof from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacts my opinion (and so on).

I heard a lot of talk about this book on the usual channels, so it was kind of a no-brainer that I went hunting for it on Netgalley. And glad I am that “office gossip” sometimes pays off. 

In the land of Vaskandar where mages rule thanks to their fabulous powers, Ryx is broken. While she has magic, it brings death to any living thing, whereas the rest of her family can create life. Despite being feared by her people, who can’t touch her, her grandmother makes Ryx the ruler of Gloamingard, the prize jewel of Vaskandar. But Gloamingard has a secret (a poorly kept secret) – there is a locked tower (said Obsidian Tower) no one may enter, and the dire warnings accompanying it become part of the castle’s lore. As guardian of Gloamingard, Ryx is also the de facto guardian of the tower, so when someone breaks in the night before important peace talks, Ryx has to not only prevent a potential war, but also deal with the secret of the Obsidian Tower that has been kept for 4000 years. Here are my thoughts on the book:

• Here’s a confession (not really) – when I was in my early twenties, I used to read a lot of mysteries. Included among them (naturally) was many of the works of Agatha Christie. As I progressed (rapidly) through The Obsidian Tower, I felt like I was reading an AC novel. Ryx peeling back the layers of the mystery, while all the guests are stuck on site, evoked images of Miss Marple (there is a murder). Following Ryx as she struggles to avoid war while while trying to deal with the contents of the Obsidian Tower is the finest part of the book
• A close second is the cast of characters. You might never meet a more delightful bunch (even the bad ones) in any book. The author has compiled an eccentric group that would not look out of place in one of Christie’s novels. The political fencing is fun, allies are lost and found, and the only bias in display appears to be magical in nature. Obviously, in this case, Ryx is bottom of the barrel. Initially, she seems unprepared for the task at hand, and she makes some bad decisions along the way, but we root for her all the way to the bitter end (figure of speech, or is it)
•  The worldbuilding is nicely done. Caruso has written other books in the same world, but noobs like me won’t feel at a loss as we progress through the story. Instead of filling pages and pages with setting the scene, she launches straight into the story, while dropping in details along the way. By the time we’re a few chapters in, we feel well-versed. The world is indeed magical, and I like how important each Witch Lord (mages) is responsible for the well-being of their country, making them more useful than feared, although they are a little. I particularly like the chimera, which are more in keeping with the translation of the word (nonsense) as opposed to the three-headed creature slain by Bellerophon
• To sum up, this book is a lot of fun, and I’ve probably sold it short with this review. The plot, while somewhat dark, is kept from plunging to the depths of despair by the lovable cast – even the real bad guys are a hoot. The story rattles along at a breakneck pace, but one never feels confused or left behind. I don’t delve into YA that often, but this is definitely a story that can appeal to us bitter older folk too.

Verdict

Agatha Christie meets fantasy – what is not to like?