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.

Jim Butcher never misses! The Olympian Affair, 2nd installment of the Cinder Spires series, is jam-packed with action, adventure, and heroes in unlikely places. Butcher delivers everything you could ask for with nuanced, witty characters, serpentine politics, and of course, talking cats. Few steampunk fantasies come close to the Cinder Spires series, I'm already anticipating the next book!

Familiar faces return in The Olympian Affair, this time to save a different spire! It's been two years since their last adventure, but Captain Grimm, Colonel Espira, Bridget, Gwen, Benedict, and Rowl are no less compelling with their distinct voices and motivations. The colorful characters and action-packed chapters will keep readers going long past their bedtimes (but trust me, sleep can wait)! Butcher excels at worldbuilding, and readers will be in for a treat as he expands on the various spires' cultures and peoples. Our villainous Madame Cavendish is once again sowing chaos, and it will be up to our heroes to thwart her murderous plans! Duels will be fought, airships destroyed, and gauntlets fired in this wonderful addition to the Cinder Spires series. The combination of steampunk, fantasy, court intrigue, and hint of dystopia will please a wide range of readers. Jim Butcher knows what readers want, and he delivers! Pro tip: start with The Aeronaut's Windlass since it sets up much of what transpires in The Olympian Affair.

Thanks again to Berkeley Publishing Group and Ace for providing me an advance reading copy of The Olympian Affair. My review is, as always, truthful and unbiased, and I hope it helps introduce readers to new books they will love!

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4,5 hearts

The Olympian Affair is the second book in the Cinder Spires series. It is eight years since we got The Aeronaut's Windlass so I reread it in September to prepare for this release. I did the reread on audio, where my initial read was in paperback. Based on the reread, I decided to read the ebook rather than the audio here to help me capture more details. The setting is two years after the previous book.

I love a complex and layered story with a well developed world and characters. There are many aspects here to draw my emotions. I felt angry that the Aurora military was killing people and destroying homes for power. I felt the romance in some developing relationships. There was suspense in learning how the battles and attacks would happen and their results.

The military and battle strategies and missions were exciting and fun to read. The capabilities of the different soldiers and warriorborn, along with the complex magic was more to learn. The etherealists and their talents and oddities are something I expect we will never completely understand.

The politics of the duels and the frightening life or death realities added another layer of suspense. I felt Lady Hinton's worry and angst and desire to protect. She was so talented in her own battle; it was thrilling. The rift in her relationship was heartbreaking. The characters here are easy to love, and hate. They are divided up more into at least two groups, tackling different missions; previously they were together as a team. Gwen in on the Predator with Captain Grimm. Benedict and Bridget are sent on different missions.

I admit I was bored by the cats. I guess they added some humor and they do have capabilities which are often helpful but their arrogance was tiring. For me, there was more humor in the first book; here things felt more dire.

What will happen now? War is definitely still coming. It was fascinating to see the players on different sides, some respecting and even working with the others, whereas others were intensely hateful without regard for anything but their goals. The ending happened at a reasonable point, not really a cliffhanger, but there are many loose ends and possibilities for the next story.

Fast paced and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where Butcher and fantasy in general is popular.

It's been a long haul waiting for book two, and one that I didn't think was going to end. In 2016, I described book one as an "air-ship filled rollicking adventure that brings to mind a mash-up of Shakespeare and The Princess Bride. We have heroics, tempers, swashbuckling, dastardly villains, battles of wits, revenge, and maybe a little true love on the side. This tome drops you into the story from page one and seems much shorter than its 750 pages."

So where are we in 2023?

Before reading this, I strongly advise you reread book one. The cast is large, the book thick, and the two main warring governments are Spire Albion and Spire Aurora, so if you're like me and names blend together, remind yourself of who everyone is and the stage that has been set.

The Olympian Affair is a story of the maneuvering and politics after the war has started but before it has become an Official Political Fact, there's still a chance of heading things off or of making such a strong show that it stops in it's tracks, but the wheels are spinning. The stakes are high and the outlook grim.

Many of things The Aeronaut's Windlass did well, The Olympian Affair continued. The world building in particular stands out. Details are revealed and expanded through the journey, shown through the experiences of the characters be it the familiar or the unusual. Additionally, the world building directly supports and influences the narrative to good end.

The story solidly delivers intrigue, ship battles, and drama.

Where things fell short for me was the characters themselves. I found most of them nearly interchangeable, the main characters are nearly all tall, well muscled, and exceptionally competent or noticeably short, well muscled, and exceptionally competent. If female, prodigious curves are often mentioned. If you want to read a story for strongly muscular women specifically, you should find this of interest. Except for the Etherealists who dramatically stand out due to their various quirks, I had an easier time tracking secondary characters for their more distinctive details.

Here's where I also have to walk back part of my love for book one. I delighted in Rowl in The Aeronaut's Windlass. Unfortunately, and this might be too much of a good thing, we get a lot of Rowl... and a lot of Rowl bouncing off a younger version of himself in the form of a kitten who joins the party. One cat that is being politely humored lends itself to some fun comedy, two cats with the same level of ego actively trying to undercut/show up the other while also needing to be politely humored is a lot.

Frustrations with characters aside, the story delivers on adventure and peril, and I cannot stress my appreciation for the world building in service of the story itself. There is clearly another book coming, and there are far deeper mysteries to be uncovered in the lead up to the conclusion.

Advance Reader Copy courtesy of Ace (Penguin RandomHouse) in exchange for an honest review; changes may exist between galley and the final edition.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for gifting me an advanced copy. Below you'll find my honest review.

I'm really torn on this one. The parts I loved were definitely worthy of 5 stars - mostly Abigail's storyline, the interactions with Folly, and everything involving Bridget/Benedict/Rowl/Fenli. I also liked the redemption ARC of a certain character, and the masterful development of some of the characters.

But there were a lot of places that felt like they needed more editing. There were sections that felt very repetitive, storylines that built and then were dismissed with no payoff, and lots of scenes that just weren't necessary to really push the story forward. This book could have lost probably 50-100 pages and been better off for it. So for those sections, which I still enjoyed for the most part, I'd have to give t3 stars.

That averages out to 4 stars. I really like the world, and absolutely adore some of the characters - the cats especially.

Recommended for those who enjoyed the first one and can deal with a little rambling.

In the second book of “The Cinder Spires” series by Jim Butcher, he has continued the story of Albion and the Spires in a complex and amazing fashion. “The Olympian Affair” has intriguing heroes, added characters, and complex political maneuvering that will be all for nothing if Grimm and his crew aren’t too late. I love those additional voices and the complexity of war that Butcher depicts in this second novel. 

One of the elements that I love about Jim Butcher is that he is able to capture multiple voices and weave together a nuanced and complex plot in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat as you’re reading. I found the cats simply a delight and a wonderful infusion of humor in an otherwise tension infused novel. He also manages to weave together the dynamics of war, both emotional and powerful as survival and war crashes on Olympia. He especially does a great job of giving both sides of the war in the characters that he depicts. The ending of the book will leave you wanting more, however. There are several questions left unanswered and in this, it felt very much like the second book in a series. I truly hope we get the next book soon.

If you love Jim Butcher’s writing and haven’t read the first book in the Cinder Spires, I truly recommend you read it soon. You do need to read the first book to truly enjoy the second novel but there is enough detail to allow you to understand the world without it. The emotional ending and the powerful relationships will keep you engaged. This is a complex and amazing story. I can’t wait for more.

I've been waiting for years for this book to come out since I first read 'The Aeronaunt's Windlass'. I was worried my expectations would be too high and that if I read this book I would be so disappointed. Spoiler alert, I was not. I welcomed the book's protagonist Captain Grimm with open arms as I dived head-first into 'The Olympian Affair'.

There is plenty of action to be had and I love the plot with Rowl, Bridget, and Benedict. The first half was more humorous than I would have thought and I did miss the politics and intrigue the first book had, but then we got to the second half of the book and I was hooked. Butcher has always done an amazing job with his worldbuilding and action scenes so he didn't disappoint in that aspect. I was most surprised at how attached to the characters I am after only two books. I do have my favorites that I will absolutely need to be okay! I cannot wait for the next book, especially after we were left with a bit of a cliffhanger on a certain individual.

Just a side note, I am not a big fan of the cover for this second book. I think they should have stayed with the same theme as the first book.

Overall, a great sequel and I can't wait for more.

A little slow to start. This is a doorstop of a book. I’d just reread book 1 this summer when I heard that book two was coming out so I was caught up on the story but there’s a lot of story to catch up on in the first part of this book! I love a character driven story and the characters are fun. The cats of course are the best characters and they will tell you this themselves. Also, I was pretty sure in book one that it might be a fallen colony world but now I wonder if it might also be a fallen far future as well,

Jim Butcher is one of my favorite authors. I first met Harry Dresden 20+ years ago and we've been close friends ever since. The Cinder Spires remind me of Dresden, with a few twists. As the Spires come together for a trading summit, the bargaining will begin in earnest to form an alliance with as many Spires as possible in hopes this will draw conflict to an end. The characters and the world they live in are changing and war will not help anyone. This is the 2nd book in the Cinder Spires series and it's a big book. You'll need to get comfortable and tune out the rest of the world as you join Lord Albion as he works alliances to stop Spire Aurora before life as we know it is damaged further.

Swashbuckling fantasy with politics, battles, cats, and a monster that may destroy everything. The second book in the Spire series is set, I think, two years after the terrifying adventures in book one with those large silk weavers. We have some sweet romance in this second book, and the proposal as death is looming is quite poetic. My favorite part, of course, is the cats and the political maneuvering they are involved in while they secure a new place to live. Bridget has some serious strength to be so beaten up, and still, she goes and tries to warn people of the monster on their doorstep. I’m eager for the next one. Hopefully, we won’t be waiting as long.

Swashbuckling fantasy with politics, battles and more.
Hold on to your seat this slow build gets moving rapidly in the second half and the ending will leave you panting for the next book. Slow, yes the first half was a slow build, and long, but if you know Jim Butcher you know there is something coming. It does come after 50% the world speeds up, at 75% it catches on fire.
The characters were so well developed. The villains were so easy to despise, and yet they had moments were they weren't. I love that, evil is not completely evil or is it ? Same with the good guys, not perfect. The cats, they are as complicated as they are in real life, difficult beasties and I loved them. The brilliant play with the politics was fantastic !
This was the first time reading and Butcher book that I struggled to stay with it in the beginning. Was it because I have waiting 8 years for this book and was desperate for my Jim Butcher fix ? Maybe. I also can't wait to get it on audio, this will be such a great read/listen on audio, like all his other books ! He always has the best narrators that make his books come alive ! I recommend rereading book 1 if you can.

4.5 stars
Spectacular follow-up to The Aeronaut's Windlass and Warriorborn! The battles were fantastic, the duels were thrilling, and the cats were without flaw (as they would tell you themselves). It was wonderful to spend time with the beloved characters from the first book, as well as getting to know a few of the side characters--like Espira, Ciriaco, and Abigail --a bit more. I love Abigail so much--such a great combo of class act and bad-ass.
My only complaint is with Madame Cavendish and how powerful she is and how many steps ahead of everyone she constantly is. It's so infuriatingly unbalanced. I have a feeling that tide is going to turn in the next book, and I truly hope so, as I'm getting tired of her villainous speeches. After reading Butcher's acknowledgments, I also feel hopeful the wait for the next book won't be as long as this one was.
I recommend reading the novella Warriorborn before you read this one, but it won't hurt anything if you don't. The same time period is covered in the novel, just from different characters' points of view.
Great stuff and well worth the wait!

The Olympian Affair is the second novel in the Cinder Spires series. While it is the follow-up novel to the first novel, The Aeronaut’s Windlass, there is enough information in this novel where you could read this as a standalone; however, it does read better as a series in order. The story continues to follow adventures concerning the Cinder Spires, who stand far above the surface of the world and safeguard humanity. Spire Aurora’s Armada’s threat is looming over the other Spires. A trading summit on Spire Olympia provides an opportunity for Spire Albion to gather alliances.

The first half of the novel is a little slow while the second half picks up. I think the writing could have been tightened up a little to be a little shorter. There are some places where it drags, for me, however, I can see others enjoy the drawn-out elements. Despite this being the second novel in the series, there is still a lot to learn about the world. To me, it reads like a strategy/exploration game where you explore one area and then another and slowly the world is clear, and everything makes sense. The characters from the first novel are still present in this story while new characters are introduced. They are interesting, but there is still a long way to go to fully know all of them. It seems this series is slow to progress as it has been years since the first novel was originally published, so it will be interesting to see how long it takes until a sequel is ready. Overall, this series has a lot of potential and I look forward to reading the sequel in the future.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Ace, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Loved it! But this series is definitely a slow burn. Butcher does some fantastic worldbuilding and character development; however, it takes readers a bit to get to that 'omg I can't put this down' moment. It is worth it though. Excellent second book to the series that is 10 years in the making. Here's hoping that #3 doesn't take so long.

Excellent book by JIm Butcher, the author of the Dresden Files. This follows The Aeronaut's Windlass and continues the fantasy series seamlessly. I love the complex and finely drawn characters and look forward to a further installment!

This second book in the Cinder Spires series was a thrilling fantasy full of swashbuckling action, lovable characters, evil villains you can despise, and just a hint of steampunk. I so enjoyed spending more time with the characters I loved from the first book, plus a few new ones.

I think there were a few less points of view this time around, but all of the characters from the first book are still here, even if only in the background. The story is mostly shared between Captain Grimm, Bridget, and Abigail Hinton, who are all voices for Spire Albion, and are the heroes of this tale. We are also given insight into what is going on from the villain’s side through Colonel Espira. I loved all of these characters, including Espira, as they fight for what they think is right and to defend their homes. I really enjoyed learning more about Grimm’s background, the romance between Bridget and Benedict, and all of the moral dilemmas that Espira goes through as he tries to reconcile his conscience with the actions of his Spire. Abigail is a new character, that we only met briefly in book one, but I enjoyed her point of view. Through her we get a better understanding of the society and the politics that rule this world.

The story’s plot is intricate and despite a few spots that were slow, was well paced with action sequences mixed with political intrigue and the moral dilemmas caused by war. There is also some interesting backstory about how the spires came about towards the end of the book that I really hope gets expanded upon in the next one. The duels and other action sequences are well done and will keep you rooting for you favorite characters. There is a lot of politics in this one, which is complex and hard to follow, but thrilling nonetheless. I loved that we also got to see a glimpse of what it is like on the surface of the world and some of the terrifying creatures that live there.

The only thing I missed in this book was the point of view of the cats. We still have Rawl giving commentary on human behavior and helping Bridget survive, but no chapters from his point of view. We also get a new cat joining the group, Fenli, who I just adored and hope to see more of in the next book.

If you enjoy high fantasy full of great characters, a little bit of romance, duels, great world building and action scenes that will leave you breathless, this is a series you might consider reading. I look forward to reading the next installment of this thrilling fantasy.

The Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher is the thrilling continuation of the Cinder Spires series, offering fans a mix of swashbuckling fantasy adventure and steampunk intrigue. Set in a world where humanity clings to massive spires above a deadly surface, the story follows a diverse cast of characters, both old and new, as they navigate political intrigue and looming war. While the novel boasts exceptional pacing, well-crafted characters, and gripping action sequences, it faces occasional pacing issues and a subplot involving talking cats that may divide readers. Furthermore, the book provides only tantalizing glimpses into the world's history and mythology, leaving many questions unanswered. Despite these flaws, The Olympian Affair leaves readers eagerly anticipating the next installment, promising an epic series in the making.

I feel very differently about the first and second halves of this book.

The first half of this book is incredibly boring, dragging, and pointless. The plot does not progress. The characters are given no sources of conflict. The scenes are repetitive and unnecessary. It's unsatisfying and disappointing, especially from and author that I love the work of so dearly. This book is over 600 pages, and over half of them do absolutely nothing to justify their existence. Out of 4 POV characters that we get, I cared about none of them, despite being obsessed with them all in book 1 (which I just reread last month and gave 5 stars!).

In the second half of the book, things start to begin to actually happen. The plot kicks into gear, and some of our leads belatedly get motivations and character arcs assigned to them. There are actual stakes, and I was invested and enjoying myself. The book most definitely sticks the landing, with bombastic action sequences supported by emotional payoffs. There was a portion of this novel, 75%-95%, where I was loving it.

So, though there were many instances where I contemplated giving up on this one, I'm glad that I stuck with it to the end. I'm left feeling satisfied and hungry for the next installment. But this book should have been half as long, as it only had enough plot in store to support that much.

The cats in this book are as great, proud, and spunky as ever.
I enjoy how this book explores our antagonists, and is shaping the series into something quite epic.

The new cover style is ugly and does not represent the book well. I hate it, especially in comparison to the beautiful and fitting cover of book 1.

A review of this book will be posted on my Youtube channel in the coming weeks, after the publication date, @ChloeFrizzle

Thanks to Netgalley and Ace for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.