The Reverse Tower is a beautiful, stifling novel both in prose and packaging. I highly recommend it to fans of Brandon Sanderson, The Dark Tower serieThe Reverse Tower is a beautiful, stifling novel both in prose and packaging. I highly recommend it to fans of Brandon Sanderson, The Dark Tower series, and epic magical fantasies.
Fay Lanark has developed a story that holds its own in a world of fantasy giants like Raymond E. Feist, Mercedes Lackey, and Stephen King. The lyrical prose starts on page one, beautifully juxtaposed with the gritty, desperate circumstances our main point-of-view character faces. I was hooked, and I enjoyed the plot devices and writing mechanics – both classic and unexpected – that Lanark employs. The highlight of The Reverse Tower is certainly the worldbuilding, and Lanark’s visceral descriptions and attention to detail allow for the world of Asp to feel fully realized in ways that keep the reader engaged.
The Reverse Tower is a lengthy read – the paperback (which I was lucky enough to receive) comes in at 631 pages, which can be the standard for sweeping epics, but for a debut it can be risky. Although sometimes dragging, its relatively short chapters do aid in keeping the pace up and I felt it was an overall engaging story that I never felt I needed to put down.
Another highlight of The Reverse Tower is in its magic systems. This is a story about mages, almost feeling like a true tale of sword and sorcery. I found the character Vost’s foray into bone magic incredibly compelling and unique, and the ways Lanark wove her various magicks into the story was well done. I adored the character interactions both inside the Tower, as well as with the oppressive, cultish presence of the Tower itself. All in all, the combined atmosphere of the magic systems and worldbuilding are very in-line with classic fantasy, which left me feeling nostalgic and satisfied.
I think that Lanark does a decent job handling a massive story and world such as this. With a myriad of complex character arcs and classes of magic wrapped in mystery and intrigue, there are of course some writing hiccups and unclear moments, but Lanark manages to build a fantastically dark, epic tale, and I am highly anticipating any further installments she has planned for this series....more
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