A GREAT FANTASY AND A BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN RIDE. YOU CAN TELL THE AUTHOR PUT HIS HEART AND SOUL INTO THIS

Simply excellent. I was hooked after the first book but I almost think this one was better somehow! Adventure, romance, monsters - you name it and it's in this book. I like to say is steampunk meets scifi meets fantasy meets Jim Butcher, which is all you could ever ask for.

The depiction of cats always makes me laugh (in the best way) and could only be written by someone who is owned by a cat themselves ;)

I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves steampunk but I honestly think any fantasy lover (or scifi lover too) would enjoy this.

Note: Some language and adult situations in this one.

My rating 5*
--
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I was excited when I saw this book pop up, as it's been a long wait for the sequel in this book! And, while there were things I did struggle with, overall, it was a satisfying read.

The struggles did start in the very beginning, as I think the primary issues I had with this book was the slow pacing of the first half of the book. It took quite a while for any action to actually start taking place, with instead a lot of focus being placed on moving certain pieces into place to eventually drive the plot forward later in the story. However, the last 20% of the book really took off, and I was glad to finish the book on a high note.

The characters were all pretty good as well. In some ways, however, I was hoping for a bit more from many of them. It felt like many of them didn't really have anywhere to go as far as their own arcs. They largely were as they were before and simply moved through the action of this book with very little internal conflict.

That said, I was satisfied with the general story direction. There were some exciting action sequences, especially towards the end of the book, and I was happy to return to this world and explore a new story alongside these characters. More could have been done, but it also could have been much worse. I think fans of the first book will likely be pleased with this one.

Jim, 8 years is TOO long. But it made me go back to read the first one, and TALKING CATS?!?!?!?!?

Slow to start, but .... I'm hanging in there. I love anything Jim.

I have loved his Dresden Files books and was so excited to see the continuation of The Cinder Spires AFTER EIGHT YEARS!?!?!? Ahhhhhhh! The Olympian Affair is such an immersive read! The world building was outstanding and is full of fun characters. What I love is that there is never a dull moment, especially as the second half was madness (in the best way possible) and had me reeling.

We've finally got the second book (third book?) in Jim Butcher's The Cinder Spires series. I wasn't particularly impressed with the first book, but this is Jim Butcher - author of one of the most popular urban fantasy series ever with The Dresden Files! Surely he can recapture some of that magic (pun intended).

The surface is a deadly place for humans and for centuries the Cinder Spires has protected people from the dangers below. The aristocrats of the spires have seen to great scientific marvels, including air ships for trading among and protection from other spires.

But the end of individualism and freedom is looming as Spire Aurora, with a massive armada, is on the move to take control of all the skies. It is reported that they have a new weapon - one which could eliminate everyone in all the spires. Only Spire Albion is willing (or foolish enough) to stand up against Aurora and its fleet. A showdown will take place at Spire Olympia and it may be the only opportunity to convince the other spires to stand up to Aurora.

I like the world that this is set in. There's a lot going on here with questions about the surface and about some of the other life forms with the humans (there's at least one talking cat) and while this provides ample opportunity for future volumes (I am REALLY curious for the next book, given what happens to at least one major character here) it also means that this story doesn't touch on a lot.

The summary of the story above is the grand overview, but the book is much more specific, following people (Captain Grimm, Lord Albion, Rafe Valesco, Gwen Lancaster, etc) who are pawns in the bigger event. This would be great if we actually got to know any of these people, but our familiarity with them, now through two books, is still mostly superficial. This book does do a better job of letting us in on who these people are than the first book, but I still don't know what drives Grimm. And this is surprising to me, given that Butcher's popular Dresden Files series is primarily character-driven.

The book starts quite slowly and picks up with action and energy and characters who are finally driven to DO something about half way through the novel. That second half is action-packed, thrill-a-minute story, the way we expect a Jim Butcher novel to be, and there are shades of the 'reluctant' hero in Grimm (I say 'reluctant' because he IS a Captain and set up to be hero material). But the surprise hero is Gwen and I really wish we'd gotten to know her better earlier in the book.

I can't really say what happened in the first half of the book. It's a lot of set-up and a lot of people talking about being worried about what's to come. If you've read the description on the back of the book, you can probably skip the first 250-300 pages.

But ... talking cats. For some, that alone will be a huge draw. (John Scalzi's making bank on that right now.) For others, like myself, it's a tired trope.

Looking for a good book? The Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher is the long-awaited next book in his Cinder Spires series. There's more book than we need, but not enough story. But we're getting closer.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I read The Aeronaut's Windlass not long after its release nearly a decade ago. As such I was a little hesitant about returning to this series after such a long hiatus between installments, but the accessibility of Butcher's prose and the briskly-paced action of this steampunk adventure made the return seamless.

This time the military action takes a backseat to political intrigue and duels, which dovetail nicely with the quasi-Victorian tone of the setting. The multiple POVs are balanced well; each of the protagonists feel distinct from one another, and the tantalizing hints Butcher drops about the backstory of this setting near the end of the book left me wanting to know more.

Oh, and the talking cats remain the highlight of the series. It's worth reading for them alone.

note: this review appears in several daily newspapapers and magazines Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, et al
23 for the end of ’23 (with a nip at ’24)

By Tom Mayer

By the end of 2023 there will have been about 1 million new books published this year alone, the vast majority by authors we’ve never heard of and never will. The big names — King, Grisham, Hoover, even Pilkey with “Dog Man’s” loyal legion — grab the bulk of the attention … and why not? Dependable storylines, top-notch editing and deep discounts make for predictably good-reading weekends.

But what about the others similarly worthy of recognition and, more importantly, a place in your online cart? While I can’t diligently discuss the other 999,997 books that could paper your winter evenings, I can offer 23 for ’23 … with a bit of a cheat. First, this isn’t a “best-of 2023,” and the books I’ve reviewed throughout the year won’t be found here. Second, there are a couple of headline-catching names in the list because of their late publication date. And third, since it’s the end of the year, I’m going to reveal a few titles that you’ll want to mull over now, but won’t be available until the turn of the new year. Oh, and fourth, I’m going to end with a few older titles by a couple of literary giants that one praiseworthy publishing house, Blackstone Publishing, has seen fit to resurrect.

But that’s it for the caveats. Your 23 for ’23, picked, plucked and promoted by our editors follows, and in no particular order, though that in itself does seem to be a bit of a caveat. The list …

In review (books available now)

1. “The Sandbox” (The Sandbox Series Book 1) (Blackstone Publishing) by Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson originally debuted on July 25 as a techno-thriller that “redefines the meaning of murder in the 21st century” which, of course, is code for a story delving deep into the world of artificial intelligence. Because it’s from Andrews and Wilson, we’ll throw in the Pentagon, a Green Beret, a female protagonist homicide detective with a gift for reading people and a story that’ll have you reading into the night. Watch a video from the Navy vet-authors on the publisher’s website at https://www.blackstonepublishing.com/the-sandbox-ebvs.html#541=1900683.

2. “The Caretaker” (Doubleday) by Ron Rash. Simply, North Carolina Ron Rash’s work is not only worthy of a Pulitzer Prize, it would be a miscarriage of literary justice were he not to obtain that distinction before he puts down his pen for good. Case in point, 2023’s “The Caretaker,” a deceptively simple story set in 1951 Blowing Rock about a 16-year-old outcast, among others, who people this amazingly accurate, if fictional, place in the mountains of the Old North State.

3. “The Life and Times of Hanna Crafts” (Ecco) by Gregg Hemcimvich. There’s a reason this story was named a “most anticipated title” by myriad news outlets, the Associated Press, Lost Angeles Times and Washington Post among those. Like Rash’s novel, “The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts” is set in North Carolina, but here in 1857 and about a woman who escapes from a plantation. “The Bondwoman’s Narrative” was a success when published in 2002 by an unknown author. Professor Hemcimvich unravels the secret of that author’s identity more than a decade later.

4. “American Girl” (Blackstone Publishing) by Wendy Walker. In this well-drawn thriller, an autistic 17-year-old is involved in murder and small-town secrets that lead to a complexity of suspects and a dangerous denouement.

5. “Let Us Descend” (Scirbner) by Jesmyn Ward. An Oprah’s Book Club pick for 2023, the two-time National Book Winner Ward gifts us with a reimagining tale about American slavery and a journey from the rice fields of the Carolinas to the heart of a Louisiana sugar plantation.

6. “The Last Applicant” (Lake Union Publishing) by Rebecca Hanover. Hanover has won her own share of literary prizes and this contemporary novel about an admissions director of an exclusive Manhattan private school whose every boundary is tested by a woman determined to get her son into the city’s most prestigious class of … kindergarteners. Secrets not only abound, they unravel in this tautly told story.

7, 8. “The Aeronaut’s Windlass (The Cinder Spires) (Ace) by Jim Butcher is not a new book, but available again now in paperback to complement the next chapter of this steam-powered series with “The Olympian Affair (The Cinder Spires) (Ace). Excellent and magical world building is on display from this veteran author.

9. “Resurrection Walk” (Little, Brown and Company) by Michael Connelly. The author’s seventh Mickey Haller novel begins with Haller’s half-brother, Harry Bosch — himself the central character in a separate but connected Connelly series — acting as driver for The Lincoln Lawyer. Those who know both characters will not only find this … unusual … but downright disturbing. The surprises keep coming as Haller and Bosch take on the case of a woman on death row who was convicted of killing her husband, but just might be innocent.

10. “Good Girls Don’t Die” (Berkley) by Christina Henry. While I have a rule against reviewing dystopian literature, it was bent here because, one, Henry lulled me into the story that is only part dystopia and two, I really, really wanted to know how this story of total misdirection — where nothing is as it seems — would come out. Well done, Ms. Henry.

11. “Silent Calvary” (Crown) by Howell Raines. As if the pedigree of the author — Raines is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist — wasn’t enough, the subtitle would have brought me to this compellingly told, “submerged historical” tome: “How Union Soldiers from Alabama Helped Sherman Burn Atlanta — And Then Got Written Out of History.” A riveting tale about an unsung regiment of 2,066 Alabamian yeoman farmers includes one of those men from Raines’ own lineage.

To Reveal (books to consider now with selected reviews to come in 2024)

12. “Unbound” (Blackstone Publishing) by Christy Healy. A gender-bent reimagining of Beauty and the Beast with a double dose of Irish mythology and folklore. Destined to be a new classic.

13. “The Devil’s Daughter” (Blackstone Publishing) by Gordon Greisman. The author writes with screenwriter credentials in a tale that roams from vice-riddled Manhattan to tonier climes where lies and secrets cloud every aspect of a murder.

14. “Almost Surely Dead” (Mindy’s Book Studio) by Amina Akhtar. Part stalker, part ghost story, this fresh psychological thriller comes from the author of “Kismet” in a story about an extraordinarily ordinary life that turns from everyday life to a true crime podcast.

15. “The Chaos Agent” (Berkley) by Mark Greaney. Testing the Gray Man in this 13th installment of the series is the possibility of a tech company using artificial intelligence with real-world ambitions. Start here, or quickly tear through the first 12 books, because you’ve got a few weeks. “The Chaos Agent” (Gray Man 13) publishes in late February.

16. “The Lady in Glass and Other Stories” (Ace) by Anne Bishop. If you know anything at all about this master of fantasy, you know how privileged I was to get a glimpse of this collection of Bishop’s shorter works long before its Feb. 27, 2024, debut. Including two new stories written for the volume, and one with ties to earlier work, this book spans the author’s most cherished, fantastical worlds.

Vintage books with a fresh look

17-23. You might have noticed that several of the reviews in 1-16 skew heavily in favor of Blackstone Publishing. That’s for a good reason. Not only is Blackstone extremely selective in its literary repertoire, it produces extremely well-crafted hardcover books. Indeed, though I prefer e-books for reading, it is with this and a few other publishing houses (Lividian Publications is another example) that I suggest purchasing only the hard cover. To wit: the selected back works of two authors that Blackstone has given the royal treatment. All of the following books are beautifully bound with textured and foiled hard covers, homage jacket art and superior sewing. True treasures. Oh, and then there are the stories. …

… Including Don Winslow’s Neal Carey Mysteries. Blackstone began rolling out in August, books 1-5 of Winslow’s early works portraying a private eye filled with contradictions. Neal Carey hones his street smarts and owes his education to the Bank, an institution with a reputation for keeping its wealthy clients out of the messes they manage to work themselves into. A glimpse into this master writer’s early work is a perfect setup for what he has loudly hinted may be his last novel, and one set to publish in April. But more on that later in another review. All five of the Neal Carey books are available: “A Cool Breeze on the Underground,” “The Trail to Buddha’s Mirror,” “Way Down on the High Lonely,” “A Long Walk Up the Waterslide” and “While Drowning in the Desert.”

… Also including several stories from the late Michael Crichton (2008) writing as John Lange. Similarly and superiorly produced, Blackstone can claim the credit for reissuing these classic tales from the creator of “Jurassic Park” and “ER.” Beginning in July and running through early December, the publishing house released “Zero Cool,” “Easy Go,” “The Venom Business,” “Drug of Choice,” “Odds On” and “Scratch One” in a timely tribute to the author. A new introduction by Sherri Crichton enhances the offerings.

And for those of you keeping score, yes, with Crichton’s listings, my tally actually reaches 27, not 23. But since I was only able to get my hands on the five Winslow, but only two of the Crichton-Lange novels by press time, I’m sticking with 23. I told you I was going to cheat.

It takes a bit to really get into this story, but if you give it time... it does get more entertaining. The writing is great, with a few lulls that could be trimmed down to keep from having to skim some parts. Overall, a decent story, but could definitely benefit with a little bit less. I will be reading book two, however.

Thank you #NetGalley for #The OlympainAffiar

Jim Butcher's THE OLYMPIAN AFFAIR, the long-awaited second book in his Cinder Spires series, delivers more of the fantastic action, worldbuilding, and humor that keeps his devoted readers coming back for more.

Jim Butcher finally returns to his world of giant spires rising from a ground filled with monsters. The Olympian Affair (hard from Ace) takes Captain Grimm, Commodore Alex Bayard, duelist and Matt’s best friend, Sir Benedict Lancaster, Sergeant Bridget Tagwynn who knows how to talk to cats, and masterspy and Duchess Abigail Hinton to a trading summit at Spire Olympia. Spire Aurora has a new weapon that is wiping out small colonies. At the same time there are plans to use a duel to lower Spire Albion’s prestige, There is nasty magic afoot and only our heroes and a few flying ships have a chance of stopping them. With talking cats, monsters of the deep, and, of course, love the melodrama glows with excitement. Lots of fun.

The saga of Captain Grimm continues...after a loooong delay from Book 1, but I for on am happy to for this to drop.

Grimm & Co gets dispatched to Spire Olympia as Spire Albion seeks allies in their cold (and soon to become hot) war against Spire Aurora. Lots of intrigue and action follow as this set's up a brilliant sequel to Aeronaut's Windlass. And Cat's! The Cat Army is so much fun to read that I'll stan for them!

One of the best steampunk series of all time!

All in all, an enjoyable second instalment. There's plenty of new world building, a new clan of cats , and battles and duels galore! I think a re-read of The Cinder Spires is useful but not compulsory before diving in. I've had some issues with the pacing and with a certain "male gaze" quality of the writing which I was not used to from the author's previous works.

This was a fun read, full of action, intrigue and cat humor (yes, cat humor). I loved The Aeronaut’s Windlass when it came out in 2015, so I was very happy to finally see a sequel, and it didn’t disappoint. I did think it started out slowly, with a lot of different characters to follow and political intrigue to make sense of. Also since it had been years between books, I definitely would have benefitted from a summary of the first book and an explanation of the world. But that’s also on me for not taking the time to refresh my memory.

In the book, the various Spires are all meeting at Olympia to negotiate alliances. It looks like two of the stronger Spires might be teaming up and that means war against the weaker Spires, so Spire Albion is anxious to enter into alliances that will prevent a war. But the warring entities have a lot of weapons, including the world’s strongest dueler who is just itching to insult the other Spires’ warriors. And the only witness to the complete destruction of another Spire is a band of kittens, who won’t talk until a new home can be found for them.

This isn’t anything high level, nor does it break any new ground in steampunk fantasy. But it has it all: duels, flying ships, swordplay, strange worlds and creatures, magic, sex, poison, and a pirate queen. You name it. It’s simply a fun world to immerse yourself in for a while, and I really enjoyed the characters and their relationships. And the cats. If you don’t love cats, I think I’d skip this book. But for the rest of it, the cats are fantastic and Butcher’s descriptions of cat interactions had me laughing out loud.

“Chief Saza, I am Vincent, the Spirearch’s valet. If you and your people would accompany me, I will see to it that food is made available.” Saza chirped to the other small cats, and they promptly gathered around Vincent. He departed from the room haltingly. Cats being cats, there were at least two or three in the immediate path of Vincent’s feet at any given time. He managed to leave after a long-suffering glance at the Spirearch.

Jim Butcher, The Olympian Affair

The pacing of this book needed some work; the first half felt bogged down in details and the second half was action-packed. I do wish there had been fewer characters and storylines, but I enjoyed the way it all came together. There are also some really painful-sounding fights in this book, but that just goes to Butcher’s ability to write so descriptively.

For readers who are fans of Butcher – and cats – I certainly recommend this book, but if it’s been a while since you read Aeronaut’s Windlass, I’d familiarize yourself with that book first (and if you haven’t read it, I’d start there). And if all the politicking and strategizing in the first half feels slow, hang on.

I will also add that I find the cover incredibly ugly, and I don’t usually care much if I don’t like a cover, but there’s something about the cover that I’m afraid will repel readers rather than attract them. It certainly has nothing to do with the actual story.

Note: I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley and publisher Berkley Publishing Group/Ace. The book was published November 7, 2023.

The Olympian Affair is the second offering in Butcher’s fabulous Cinder Spires series and picks up two years after the conclusion of the battle between the Albions and Aurorans depicted in The Aeronaut's Windlass. This series is complex and must be read in order, and with there being eight years since the first book, I also recommend a re-read of The Aeronaut's Windlass (which I did).

The series is set on a world where the surface of the planet is inhospitable and has been all but abandoned. Most humans and cats live in large towers called spires that are miles tall and endlessly large. We aren’t given many details on how they were built or why the planet has deteriorated. The protagonists live on Spire Albion, and their primary enemy is Spire Aurora, which continues to aggressively plan war using never-seen-before weapons of mass destruction.

This time around, our original gang of youthful soldiers, unbalanced etherealists, and experienced privateers is augmented with high ranking Albions and a new cat clan. I like that the book is primarily set away from Albion and readers get to see additional cultures from this world. There is a summit of the most powerful spires taking place at the commerce hub of Spire Olympia, and Albion hopes to sway them away from its neutral stance in the conflict with Aurora. We also meet the sly Atlanteans and additional Aurorans. Finally, there is a side story involving the cats that takes two of the primary characters to the surface, where readers witness some of the deadly creatures lurking.

Similar to the first book, The Olympian Affair is shared via the POVs of a number of key characters, primarily the protagonists, but some from the antagonists. We heard from nearly all of the narrating characters in the first book, making this one a bit easier to follow. With that said, I kept a running list of the key players in order to retain their names and key attributes. And while the primary plot is based on political machinations and conflict, it’s the characters that drive the series. The various relationships are ever shifting and engrossing to follow. My heart and mind are heavily invested.

The Olympian Affair is large and fantastic. It’s long but never boring. The character-building is elaborate: some utterly evil, others gloriously good, but many fall within shades of gray. I love the uniqueness and complexity of each, and we witness several struggle with conflicts between duty and personal code. Seeing some characters go against the grain to do what’s right-witness them change and grow-is delightful. Even cat prince Rowl and newcomer Finley mature as the book goes on. The story is rich in detail and fulfilling emotions. They are gruesome moments, bright moments, frightful moments, quiet moments, and heroically triumphant moments. I cried tears of sadness and joy.

On the surface, The Olympian Affair is a story of political maneuvering. However, this time around we learn more about the powerful player who is manipulating and using the Aurorans to achieve an unknown endgame. I look forward to finding out more about everything this world has in store. It is so good!

My Rating: A

As someone who eagerly devours Jim Butcher's work, getting my hands on an ARC of "Olympian Affair" via Netgalley was a delightful experience.

Butcher's knack for world-building shines through, drawing me into a captivating realm. However, I found myself at times grappling with characters that seemed a bit interchangeable. Despite this, the richness of the setting kept me thoroughly engaged.

My primary critique revolves around the pacing of the narrative. Despite my anticipation, the book felt somewhat rushed. Discovering uncharacteristic editing mistakes was unexpected, and a handful of characters felt somewhat shoehorned into the storyline.

Nevertheless, the narrative is exceptionally well-written, and the story itself is genuinely intriguing. For me, this warrants a solid 4 stars. If you were a fan of the first in the series, I'm confident you'll enjoyment enjoyment from this installment as well.

The Olympian Affaire by Jim Butcher is the 2nd book in his The Cinder Spires series. Refresher: This series has a steam punk background in a different fantasy world, with aristocrats, magic, technology, ships and people who have some powers. For centuries the Cinder Spires have safeguarded humanity, rising far above the deadly surface world, with a war on the horizon.

The first half of the book was a slow burn, especially being 650 pages, with the story dragging early on. The story starts off with a villain from the previous book (Cavendish), who has become very powerful, ready to destroy humanity. Tuscarora, Spire Aurora is using Cavendish’s secret weapon to destroy the populations of the entire Spires.

With the possibility of war, Lord Abion (Spirearch) calls Captain Grimm and his crew to bring the AMS Predator to help stop the expected attacks from Aurora. It was great to get to see all of our heroes from the first book; Grimm, Gwen, Bridget, Benedict, Rowl (prince cat), Master Ferus, Miss Folly, as well as Bayard and Abigail and our adorable Fenli (kitten).

In the second half of the story, things change drastically. What follows is a wild adventure that will put each of our heroes in dangerous death-defying situations, with the evil Cavendish able to control a creature (mistmaw) to destroy humans & ships. There was so much action throughout, holding our breaths if they will survive. Captain Grim, Gwen and crew were willing to put their lives on the line to find a way to stop Cavendish in her evil destructions. Grimm also had to step up to save Bayard (his boss and friend) in a duel.

Once again, I really enjoyed seeing the Predator ship, always coming through, and loved how all the crew members were always on the side of their captain. Most of all, I loved both Rowl and Fenli who added so much humor and fun: with them always being spunky and sure of themselves. I did love Rowl’s arrogance, though he loved Bridget and swore to always protect her: and Fenli, though a kitten, was equally wonderful, with him eventually bonding with Benedict. Both are marvelous additions to this series.

The Olympian Affaire was another very good fantasy steampunk adventure. After the slow start, the last half of the book was wild and very exciting, with most of our heroes in danger till the end. Though Captain Grimm is the lead character, the major secondary characters were all great; and the villains were evil. With the war still on the horizon, there is a slight cliff-hanger at the end. The Olympian Affaire was very well written by Jim Butcher, and I look forward to the next book in this series.

TL;DR

The Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher is a wonderful second book in the Cinder Spires series. It has epic sword fights, intrigue, and cats. It’s full of politics, airships, and cats. Did I mention cats? Highly recommended.

First Book Spoiler Warning: This is the second book in the Cinder Spire series. As such, spoilers for the first book may be present in the review. If you haven’t read the first book, you should. Then come read this review.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.

Review: The Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher

When I read the opening to The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher, I was intrigued. I kept reading, and I found it to be a perfectly serviceable swashbuckling adventure story. Then I met Rowl, and I was hooked. So, of course, I was going to read The Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher, which is the second book in the Cinder Spires series. This book continues with the wonderful world and story from the first book, and it gives readers plenty more Rowl.

Madison Grimm, captain of the AMS Predator, waits aboard his ship above a colony spire. A group of warriorborn have been sent to gather information. The crew is getting antsy and wants to leave. When only one of the warriorborn team returns, Grimm and the Predator must evade a warship from Spire Aurora to return to Spire Albion with vital information. At the same time, outright war with Spire Aurora looms on the horizon, and Spire Atlantea looks to be siding with Spire Aurora. Grimm and Albion are under threat. Grimm returns with intelligence and with a cat clan holding information on Spire Aurora’s secret weapon. Bridget Tagwynn of the Spirearch’s Guard, better known as Rowl’s human, is tasked with securing a place within this spire for the newest cat clan. To do this, she travels to the surface and the dangers that exist there. Abigail Meredith Heloise Hinton, Duchess of Hinton, has been tasked with going to a trading summit at Spire Olympia to secure allies and protect Spire Albion’s interests. She has a more personal mission as well; she wants to protect her love, Alexander Bayard, Spire Albion’s best duelist. Rumors abound that Spire Aurora’s best and potentially the world’s best duelist will be present at the trading summit, looking for a fight, and looking to humiliate Spire Albion. Circumstances are shaping up and not in Spire Albion’s favor.

The Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher is a third person maritime fantasy, though with airships instead. It’s the second in a series that very much echoes the novels of Patrick O’Brian. The novel has a slow build up until about the halfway point, and then things pick up. There are four main viewpoint characters, and each is distinct and wonderful in their own way. The various storylines didn’t hold my interest equally, but the overall plot was entertaining. There’s dueling and political intrigue. There’s cats, and there’s more world-building to flesh out an already interesting setting. This book secures the Cinder Spires as a must read series for me.

Not the Dresden Files

I am a huge fan of the Dresden Files. Each book in that series since number six has been an instant purchase on release day for me. I’ve read all the books, sought out the short stories, and listened to all the audiobooks. So, I’m a fan. The Cinder Spires is not the Dresden Files, and that’s a great thing. The Aeronaut’s Windlass and The Olympian Affair are great books in their own right. They’re different; they’re wonderful. If you’re coming to this series looking for another Dresden Files, I think you’ll be disappointed, and you’ll miss something that’s wonderful all its own.
Pacing

The Cinder Spires pacing is slower than Butcher’s other books. At the same time, the pacing fits this style of story. This book approximates a story that could be in the Aubrey–Maturin series; though, The Olympian Affair’s pacing aligns with fantasy type action. The details, the dialogue, and the writing itself is more inline with swashbuckling stories. There is a lot of setup at the beginning of the story that pays off as the action builds. The political intrigue, character work, and setting drag the beginning a bit, and the formalized nature of their society makes it feel slower than it really is. Butcher really knows how to write uptight characters in this book. But I read chapter after chapter, thinking just one more. Just one more.

Neurodiversity

Part of being a magic user in this series is that the brain is altered in ways that result in characters that aren’t neurotypical. Folly is my favorite of the etherealists, and she could be considered on the autistic spectrum. She is vital to the story in some places, and the other characters accept that she’s different . Other etherealists are neurodivergent in unique ways. Not all are like Folly, and I enjoyed this aspect of the world. Butcher writes neurodivergent characters as simply characters, and they fit into his world as humans, not as spectacle.

I could be wrong, of course, but I wonder if the magic use makes the character neurodivergent. Or are neurodivergent characters simply better able to use the magic?

As much as I like Folly, I dislike that the characters refer to her communication style as quirks. Quirky is a word that just doesn’t sit right when I read it. She’s not quirky, just different. I’m not the best judge for these things; so, once again, I could be wrong.

Cats! Cat Politics! But Mainly Cats!

All the cat portions of this series are my favorite. I love that the cats are so integral to the plots and the world itself. Rowl is a great character, and Butcher writes the cat’s behaviors accurately. The mixing of human and cat politics is wonderful. It feels natural, and though Butcher earns laughs out of it, their political interactions are not solely comedic. Their contributions are just as vital to the story as the other characters. And they do feel like characters, not animal props. They’re not part of the scenery; they’re part of the story. I love it.

Conclusion

Jim Butcher’s The Olympian Affair is a wonderful second book in the Cinder Spires series. It showcases Butcher’s talent as an author while stepping up the tension in the war among the Spires. The Olympian Affair cements the Cinder Spires as a must read series for me.

Highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, this is my honest review.

I haven't been reading many straight books lately but Jim Butcher will always be an exception. The way he develops worlds, the characters, and storylines always feel very epic. (Even if he often has the "I'm a guy and have to do everything alone" trope.) The cinder spires series have been pretty good so far. It still feels very Cis white dude but the fantasy is very good.

The cats are a tremendous plus. How can you not want cats in a fantasy book series?

I still like his dresden files series better but I will keep reading this one because I like his writing style.

6.75 / 10 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2023/11/11/the-olympian-affair-by-jim-butcher-review/

<b>Out with the old, in with the new.</b>

After returning from his hiatus, this seems to be the direction Jim Butcher is taking. All in all, it’s a bit of a mix, this book. And I get it, man. He went through a nasty divorce. Depression. A midlife crisis, second marriage, and a point where he considered ditching the Cinder Spires once and for all. After all, the Dresden Files is a well-established series at over fifteen volumes. The Spires however, boasts just the one. But he’s back to it, and changing things up.

Enter a new love interest. Captain Ransom returns, but there’s another, more salacious aeronaut to cope with now. In addition, two years have passed, making the first adventure essentially a precursor to the main event. I reread Book #1 to avoid being left behind, but now I’m wondering whether I should’ve even bothered at all. Yes, the Aeronaut’s Windlass is a good read, regardless of present events, but it’s little more than ancient history to the Olympian Affair. History which is occasionally referenced, but otherwise forgotten. The invasion didn’t start a war, somehow. Other than additional set-dressing, it really doesn’t matter to the events of Affair.

Now, for the main event itself, boy, oh boy was it a slog. The first half, at least. The second half, on the other hand—taking off just before the 50% mark—was its polar opposite. It’s like we spent the first half walking circles around a powder keg only to go outside and find the world engulfed in fire, while subsequently being invaded by demons to the tune of a power-metal ballad. So, to recap: first half is basically Bleak House, and second, the reboot of Doom. Quite a contrast.

I was forewarned about this, so it didn’t completely put me off. Came close, though. I skimmed through a lot of it, in the end—even completely skipping some cat sections (which I found contributed nothing to the story at all)—before settling down for part two with some high expectations. And even still, even after all the disappointment that was the first half, the second still blew them out of the water. Hear me: once the dueling starts, the story kicks off in earnest. Yes, they spend the entire book <i>talking</i> about dueling, not dueling, blah blah blah. But when we actually get serious about it—oh man.

But, as incredible as the second half was, I found that it could NOT make up for the ridiculous slog of the first. It’s a 600+ page book, after all. 300 pages of slog gets you to the action, but 300 pages is nothing to laugh at. I was reading a 1000 page, slow-build space opera at the same time, and more and more I found myself favoring that over Affair. Also, even after the 50% mark passed, I still found myself skipping the cat sections. I just found them annoying, rather than the cute, funny bits featured in the first book.

I’m legitimately torn on the rating, something that it waaay more frustrating than it has any right to be. I loved the second half; I mean, it wasn’t perfect, bu night-and-day when compared to the first. That said, the first was a SLOG. I cannot even tell you. And as amazing as the second half was, it wasn’t perfect. And it CANNOT completely make up for the first. It just can’t. Hence the kinda odd rating.

TL;DR

All in all, the Olympian Affair is a decent read, but becomes something so much more upon reaching the halfway-point. Yet that fails to make up for the painful slog that is the first 300+ pages. But if you can navigate those, just kick back and let the plot take over. Returning to the series after a eight-year absence, this followup to Aeronaut’s Windlass basically relegates its predecessor to an optional prequel. Two years have passed, but it might as well have been ten. I’m still not sure how I feel about it on the whole. It scratches an itch, but also was disappointing in the worst way. (Hence the less than stellar rating.) Part of me would still like to know where the story goes from here, but another, not insignificant part of me wouldn’t mind if he binned it to start on something new. It’s a bit of a mix, is the Olympian Affair.