The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher, Book Review

Jim Butcher kicks off a new series, The Cinder Spires, with The Aeronaut's Windlass. This genre masher is a wonderful read that presents Butcher's fantasy storytelling in a new light. He steps beyond what he has done before to create new experiences in a new world with different elements.

I was given a copy of The Aeronaut's Windlass because a friend knew I had been reading the Dresden series. I had talked about the presentation of the characters and the setting along with a storyline that kept you looking forward to what could happen next. Here we see the same strength in writing and storytelling.

We are presented a new world that touches on the possibility of steampunk mashed in with futuristic elements and topped off with the right touch of fantasy. The entire city state lives in a spire. The levels that are brought out in this book are not just neighborhoods, but are separate communities within the larger one. Each brings out its own intrigue, prejudices, and specialties. Having to leave their own levels on a mission for the Spirearch are a young group guards.

The characters have distinct personalities that I was able to connect with ease. Each is presented so that when you are following the story through their point of view you know who it is and it is fitting to what they see and experience. There is Gwendolyn, who grew up in a rich house, her cousin Benedict, a warrior born, Bridget, who comes from a lesser house, and Rowl of the Silent Paws tribe. These guardsmen meet up and team up with Ferus and his apprentice Folly who are etherealists, and Captain Grimm and his crew of the Predator.

War is breaking out and this small group is thrust into the midst of a covert operation against the spire. The story moves quickly and I was easily moving through the 600+ pages of this book. Which, came to an end that was both satisfying for the story it gave me and left me with the desire to keep watch for the next book in The Cinder Spires.

Tabletop Gaming Impact

This is another great book for looking for characters, settings, and events you could bring into your own tabletop game. There are a number of great characters a person could play, or a game master (GM) could use as a non-player character. I will admit I have already done the latter.

The setting inspires ideas that can be easily used with minor adaptation from the book. The spire could easily be viewed as a space station or something developed underground. I'm not say that what is created here is generic enough that you can just dump it anywhere. What I am letting you know there is enough information here that a GM could take some of what Butcher presents to drive forward with their own ideas, which is really the goal of reading new works when you are a creative type yourself.

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