*Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Books for an ARC in exchange for a review*
Published July 10, 2018
Publisher's Summary:
The opening moves of a deadly game have begun. Jess Brightwell has put himself in direct peril, with only his wits and skill to aid him in a game of cat and mouse with the Archivist Magister of the Great Library. With the world catching fire, and words printed on paper the spark that lights rebellion, it falls to smugglers, thieves, and scholars to save a library thousands of years in the making...if they can stay alive long enough to outwit their enemies.
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Smoke and Iron marks the 4th installment to this series. Jess and his friends/allies are still determined to end the reign of corruption of the Great Library and Archivist. Readers know that book 3 ended in surprises and betrayals. With the group divided, half believe that Jess has betrayed them all. Likewise, Jess, Wolfe and Morgan are imprisoned, an although there are some secrets, many are clever enough to realize the need for such actions and use the imprisonment to aide their cause.
Readers will enjoy this book's same approach to action and adventure through strong writing full of detail and world building. Caine creates a fantastic alternate history with diverse characters as well as compelling and thought provoking themes of power, knowledge, and the access to information and what happens when access is limited by those who control aspects of education, government, religion, and the economy.
One downside was that this series has yet again failed to find its finish. I found the need to continue to add another 5th book in the future rather unnecessary. Simple pacing and some editing could have allowed this to be the final book.
Final Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
