Wow! What an interesting way to tell a story. Leave it to Will Wight to come up with this unique tale… I just finished careening from the end of Of Shadow and Sea, and rushed head-long into this story. So first there was Shera’s perspective as an assassin of the Consultant’s Guild, and this time we get Calder Marten’s point of view. He’s Captain of the ship Testament, and an infamous member of the Nautical Guild.
I think I see why Will Wight would choose to make 2 books out of all this, instead of just one. It seems like it’s too big of a story to actually fit in one book. With each of the two storylines recieving the same deference to the present day, and to their own personal backstories, it just wouldn’t fit properly. Seriously, the two storylines only cross each other a few times, so there’s hardly any scene duplication, but Holy Gods, when they do cross, expect Fireworks!
Also, I felt that Of Sea and Shadow had more world building, and gave me a better idea of what the different Guilds were all about, so I didn’t feel as if I’d been set adrift in an ocean of unknowns…I felt firmly on the deck of the Testament! The story gives us more about the Elder Gods, and just how steampunk this world really is. Don’t get me wrong, there aren’t any slow spots in this action packed story, you simply get well placed and well timed world building amidst all the action!
Grab this book! And if you haven’t already grabbed of Shadow and Sea, get that too… and let Travis Baldree and in turn Emily Woo Zeller tell you two Amazing stories!