Book Review | Absolon Creed

Absolon Creed by R.S. Ford is a grimdark fantasy that's steeped in cosmic horror—filled with mad science, people turning into fleshy abominations, and a mysterious codex. The pages drip with atmosphere, and the decay of the city of Bastion is practically palpable.

However, it’s not without flaws. The mystery component of the story was unfortunately the biggest letdown of the book for me. I felt like information was obtained way too easily. Instead of conveniently overhearing conversations, I wish the characters could have used more of their wits to discover clues.

Also, (and I’ll try not to get into spoilers here), but a certain big plot twist toward the end left me incredibly frustrated. It didn't make logical sense to me. I feel like the character withheld the information for the sole purpose of creating a shocking reveal.

Qualms aside though, the two compelling leads held the story together for me. Plus, plenty of sword-slashing action and snark still make this an engaging read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit, for providing me with an ARC.

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