March 7, 2011
In this postapocalyptic tale, the scattered remnants of the Order struggle to keep ancient technologies alive, despite the efforts of the thuggish Watch to destroy them. Relic Master Galen Harn has lost his powerful extrasensory abilities in an accident, but he struggles on with the help of his half-trained teenage apprentice, Raffi. Galen hears rumors that the Crow, one of the founders of their civilization, may still survive in Tasceron, "the burning city, the city of the Makers.... a web of a million streets, alleys, bridges, ruins." He and Raffi set out to find the city, accompanied by Carys (who, unbeknownst to them, is a Watch agent) and one of the catlike Sekoi. This first volume in the Relic Master Quartet is a gritty and enjoyable tale of adventure, poised on the dividing line between science fiction and fantasy; Dial will release the three subsequent installments (originally published in the U.K., beginning in 1998) in June, July, and August. While perhaps not as captivating as Incarceron and Sapphique, this should easily please Fisher's fans, as well as those hungry for dystopian reading material. Ages 12–up.
April 15, 2011
A gripping fantasy adventure, the first of a tetralogy, satisfies but does not surprise.
Raffi, the novice "scholar" sworn to the surly Relic Master Galen, finds little joy in their now-outlawed Order's sacred task of seeking out the ancient technology of the vanished Makers. After one such exploding "relic" stripped Galen of his mystical powers, a vicious thief lord bullies the pair into pursuing a member of the catlike Sekoi race into the post-apocalyptic city of Tasceron, which just might harbor a magic powerful enough to heal Galen. Meanwhile, the Watch, fanatical enemies of the Order, has set one of their murderous agents on their trail... Fisher takes a hoary science-fiction trope—the Lost Colony revering the ancestral "Starmen" as gods and their forgotten gadgets as holy objects—and melds it with the standard quest fantasy, complete with the archetypal naive-yet-powerful apprentice, the wise-but-bitter mentor, the roguish spy-with-a-heart-of-gold and the vaguely elfin alien. Yet her mastery of detailed and exotic worldbuilding, every scene hinting at intriguing secrets and untold back story, blends these speculative staples into a tale redolent with humor, wonder and suspense. Genre-savvy readers will undoubtedly predict every plot twist pages in advance; nonetheless, they will also demand the sequels.
Well-crafted storytelling provides more than the sum of its parts. (Fantasy. 11-16)
(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)
July 1, 2011
Gr 5 Up-In this quartet opener, Galen is a relic master who has recently lost his powers, and he must rely on his apprentice Raffi, whose mystical abilities are still developing. They are sent on a quest by a bandit lord who wants them to find a nonhuman Sekoi thief in exchange for the return of a precious relic. The Sekoi seems to be traveling to the city of Tasceron, which has been plunged into perpetual gloom. Galen hopes to find a cure for his condition in this city that was once home to the relic masters and is now a stronghold of the Watch. Along the way they meet Carys, a young woman who claims to be journeying to Tasceron to rescue her father from the Watch but who is in fact a spy. Fisher's flawed characters are more accessible than fantasy heroes with incredible powers. In this moody book full of mist, swamps, and darkness, the threat of the Watch hangs over the secret relic masters and innocent villagers alike. Besides the Watch, the characters face challenges ranging from mystical riddles to fearsome creatures. The author's earlier successes and the general popularity of dystopic fiction should guarantee an audience for this one. On top of all that, it's a great read.-Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
May 15, 2011
Grades 8-11 Relic Master Galen injured both his body and his mind when he dismantled an ancient technological artifact. While his physical injuries have healed, the loss of his psychic gifts has left him reluctantly dependent on his talented young apprentice, Raffi. Together they travel the dangerous road to the ruined Antaran city of Tasceron, where Galen hopes to reclaim his abilities from a shadowy figure known only as the Crow. Along the way, they encounter Carys, an undercover spy whose mission is to bring Galen to the authoritiesdead or alive. As she did in Incarceron and its sequel, Sapphique (both 2010), Fisher builds a believable dystopian world skillfully populated with creatures both familiar and bizarre. She also teases readers with hints connecting the world of Antara to Earth as we know it and delivers a gasp-out-loud plot twist to whet appetites for the next three installmentsto be published in consecutive months through August 2011of the immediately engaging Relic Master series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)
July 1, 2011
This series, published in Britain over a dozen years ago, makes its American debut. Relic Master Galen, with his apprentice, Raffi, investigates reports of a newfound relic. The pair is drawn into a series of quests, each more perilous than the last. Solid plotting, interesting characters, and provocative themes should provide a pleasant diversion for ardent Fisher fans.
(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
April 15, 2011
A gripping fantasy adventure, the first of a tetralogy, satisfies but does not surprise.
Raffi, the novice "scholar" sworn to the surly Relic Master Galen, finds little joy in their now-outlawed Order's sacred task of seeking out the ancient technology of the vanished Makers. After one such exploding "relic" stripped Galen of his mystical powers, a vicious thief lord bullies the pair into pursuing a member of the catlike Sekoi race into the post-apocalyptic city of Tasceron, which just might harbor a magic powerful enough to heal Galen. Meanwhile, the Watch, fanatical enemies of the Order, has set one of their murderous agents on their trail... Fisher takes a hoary science-fiction trope--the Lost Colony revering the ancestral "Starmen" as gods and their forgotten gadgets as holy objects--and melds it with the standard quest fantasy, complete with the archetypal naive-yet-powerful apprentice, the wise-but-bitter mentor, the roguish spy-with-a-heart-of-gold and the vaguely elfin alien. Yet her mastery of detailed and exotic worldbuilding, every scene hinting at intriguing secrets and untold back story, blends these speculative staples into a tale redolent with humor, wonder and suspense. Genre-savvy readers will undoubtedly predict every plot twist pages in advance; nonetheless, they will also demand the sequels.
Well-crafted storytelling provides more than the sum of its parts. (Fantasy. 11-16)
(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)