I’d read Incarceron, the much-lauded science fiction novel by Catherine Fisher, a year or so ago and was underwhelmed.  I found it interesting and unique, but also a bit densely-written and slow.  Despite the massive twist at the end of the novel, I never did pick up the sequel and didn’t feel compelled to finish the story.

Nonetheless, when I saw her newest novel, The Dark City, at TLA in April, I thought I would give it a shot.  This book, the first in a quartet called Relic Master, was pitched to me as much faster-paced than Incarceron, which was one of the main faults of that story for me.  There’s also no question that Fisher is a wonderful world-builder, which I did appreciate in Incarceron, and I hoped to find that same skill in evidence in her Relic Master series.

In The Dark City, we are introduced to our teenaged protagonist Raffi, an apprentice to relic master Galen.  (I don’t believe he is any relation to this Raffi.  This is an unfortunate name choice for American readers born in the 80s.)  Galen is a member of the Order, a sect of people who hunt down old relics with mystical, sometimes dangerous, technologically advanced power.  The Order has been outlawed by the Watch, a tyrannical group that rules their world of Anara, so Galen and Raffi are constantly on the run.  That doesn’t stop them from hunting down these relics and ensuring they are kept safe.

One day, they’re approached by a man who tells them he’s found a relic, and he needs their help.  Warily,  they go to where he indicates, and they fall right into a trap.  Rather than securing Galen and Raffi’s assistance with a relic, their captor steals one of their own relics and tells them it will be returned to them as long as they do what he asks.

Having no choice, the two venture out on a quest for the trickster and are soon joined by a girl named Carys, a member of the Watch who pretends to be on their side while secretly gathering intelligence.  Though Galen and Raffi are intent on recovering their stolen relic, they also have another goal in mind: find the Crow, a mythical relic (possibly a man) from long ago who may be able to save Anara.  The book trailer below gives a little teaser.

The Dark City is both similar to and different from Incarceron.  The excellent world-building is there, and Fisher again reveals a major twist about the world to the reader at the end.  A sharp reader will have picked up the clues long before the reveal, so it doesn’t come out of nowhere and there’s no feeling of trickery.  Instead, the twist helps illuminate the events of the story.  It also makes the book much more science fiction than fantasy – Fisher is in good company in this respect (think Anne McCaffrey).

In contrast to Incarceron, The Dark City moves along at a much faster clip.  There’s less character development, less time dwelling on the intricacies of the plot, and the world-building is accomplished with as few words as possible.  This is a leaner story, at times a bit too lean, but it kept me engaged and interested.  Although it’s the first in a quartet, it has a solid beginning, middle, and end. 

The Dark City isn’t anything earth-shattering, and I think it’s a bit less technically polished than Incarceron.  I would say it’s also a bit more accessible than her other books and can be enjoyed by a younger audience, as well.  It reminds me a lot of the stories I enjoyed as a tween, when I was still a little intimidated by hard science fiction.  The Dark City is science fiction in disguise, and I enjoyed this first installment enough to pick up the second when it’s published in June.  (Installments three and four follow in July and August, so if you really enjoy the series, you don’t have long to wait.)

If I’ve piqued your interest, we have two finished copies to giveaway thanks to Penguin and Big Honcho Media!  All you need to do is enter the information below.  I need at least your first name and email address so I can contact you if you’re a winner.

Review copy obtained at TLA.