3.25 stars...first off thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC of this book. I've never read an Indian inspired fantasy book before and I enjoyed the story. For me I thought it was a little too long and some of the names were hard to pronounce but other than that the story concept was great, the characters were well developed and the world building was great. I liked the concept of being able to travel to different worlds through the spice gates if you had the mark to do so to be able to trade and whatnot. I would recommend this if you enjoy magic, politics/slight religious influence, a good adventure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

2.5, rounded up

The Spice Gate has a really punchy premise that combines high fantasy worldbuilding with political critique. Amir is a “Carrier”; someone born with a mark identifying him as an individual who is capable of travelling through the Spice Gates, portals to other realms. Each realm cultivates a unique spice native to them, and trades it for a high price. Yet, the Carriers in The Spice Gate who make this lucrative trade possible are fated for a life of slavery and poverty. Amir is enraged by the injustice of his world and longs to escape it, with his mom and brother in tow. Basing a universe on the spice trade is very clever, and got me really excited about this book.

Unfortunately, for me this novel did not meet the big expectations it set for itself. The opening of this book is in a rush to get started, making it not as engaging as it could be. It contains a lot of info-dumping without a lot of explanation; it feels like it’s trying to get the worldbuilding out of the way so it can tell its story. For example, take this sentence from roughly page two: “Of course, Amir was not certain if Ilangovan was even in Vanasi — no one could ever really know where he’d be when he was not in the Black Coves; the renegade Carrier was as much a spirit as a pirate. But there was one thing Amir was certain was in Vanasi: the Jewelmaker’s Poison” (citation below). This is so much lore about the world to absorb so early in the novel. It does all get explained later, but as you’re beginning a book you need something (often characters) to ground you in the world.

This brings me to the other issue I had with this novel: I didn’t really care about the characters. I did find that as I kept reading I started to like Amir a bit more, but I still feel like he’s not super engaging. His initial argument with Hasmin felt really stilted. His dialogue in general felt stilted. The use of “ho” as an expletive (in the linguistic/grammatical sense) would have felt more natural had Amir’s style of speech been more fantasy-esque. As it is, Amir talks like a modern person, which made the interjections of “ho” feel really awkward. It took me out of the world instead of further immersing me.

This book did have some very good moments of tension. Amir being chased by Fylan and then not making it back to the Gate in time to return to Raluha with the Carriers was so well written. I really enjoyed that part. I think several more rounds of editing and/or beta reading could have made this a pretty good book.

Prashanth Srivatsa. The Spice Gate (Kindle Locations 99-101). Kindle Edition.

The Spice Gate’s premise of what sounds like a fantasy take on the Silk Road is what initially interested me in this story. It did not disappoint! The world building was immaculate and I love that there was a cost to the ‘magic’ and the people with the ability to travel through these gates weren’t idolized, but looked down upon. Each world was unique in not only what it could offer other worlds, but had a unique culture as well. The world building and character development were well done. I especially loved how much Amir grew as a character. The pacing of the story was exceptional with just enough revealed at a time to keep the plot moving forward and for me to want to continue reading. My one minor complaint was that some of the chapters felt overly long and I would have liked to see those broken down a bit more. Overall, I rated this 4.5 stars. It’s definitely something I will recommend to others and I will include a link to my TikTok review once I post it closer to its release date. Thank you for the e-arc!

I had first seen this book pop up on my social media feed, and it had caught my attention enough that I thought I'd see about getting a copy from Netgalley and give it a try. But, as I was reading it, I found that I just couldn't get into the story. Whether it was my attention span being weird or the story itself, I couldn't say. So, unfortunately, I've decided to put this book on my 'did not finish' pile for the moment and perhaps some time in the future I may come back around to it and give it another try.

Thank you for the opportunity to read The Spice Gate early. It was on my most looking forward to new releases for this year. The cover is stunning and is what intrigued me in the first place. The world building is just as intriguing, if not a bit info dumpy at times. It's a read that proves reading is political and it's important to be a reader with an inquisitive mindset.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyage for the e-ARC**

"The spice gate" is a original, well built fantasy novel, with an interesting exploration of power dynamics, addiction and freedom, novel worldbuilding and everything you might want in such a fantasy book. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get invested despite these qualities. I felt a bit too far away from the characters or what was happening, even though the narration should have done the trick. I can't pinpoint why I was not so interested, on paper it was a perfect novel for me. I hope it will work out better for other readers !

The intrigue of this book is insane. I was totally enthralled by all the magic and mystery of this book. The beautifully written characters and storyline were so incredible and I couldn’t believe the marvels I was reading about. The adventure of that these strong characters are embarking on is truly amazing, and I enjoyed learning about the mythical land they were apart of. Thank you Avon and Harper Voyage for sending me an ARC of this book.

I won't be finishing this book. I reached p57 of 421.

I loved the idea; the concept was intriguing. However, the actual worldbuilding was vague, and there was often insufficient context to follow what was happening. Even with the dramatis personae and table (which displayed incorrectly) at the back, I had trouble being sure who was who and what was happening. Why is each particular spice so important?

I found much of the action non-credible, and little attempt to provide foundation for it - how Amir and Karim (apparently members of the lowest caste) would respectively a) meet and befriend a member of the ruling family, and b) act as a spy for a top minister, but with little compensation and apparently well know. I'd have liked much more support for these items.

What made me throw in the towel, though, was the sheer number of typos and semantic errors (e.g., hurling for hurtling) - far too many for a book near release. This and the other factors above led me to give up, which is exceedingly rare for me. Usually, once I start a book, I'm committed until the end, good or bad. This one, I suppose, disappointed me more as having such a rich premise so poorly executed.

I read the first couple of chapters and did not understand anything that was going on. This is a DNF for me. I will not leave reviews elsewhere.

Get ready to be swept away by a mesmerizing tale of adventure, intrigue, and self-discovery! In a world where spice is power and freedom comes at a steep cost, Amir's journey will captivate and inspire you. With a richly woven narrative, this book masterfully explores the complexities of power dynamics, addiction, and the human spirit. I was particularly struck by the way the author wove themes of social justice and resistance into the story, making it a thought-provoking and timely read. You'll be drawn to the vivid characters, heart-pumping action, and mythical world-building that will leave you breathless. This story has it all: gods, assassins, throne-keepers, and slaves, all vying for control in a world where the spice trade holds the keys to power. Amir's transformation from a downtrodden Spice Carrier to a hero who must choose what kind of world he wants to live in will leave you cheering. I loved how the book kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next. Do yourself a favor and dive into this epic tale – your imagination will thank you!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the advance copy ♥️