MARCH 2021 - AudioFile
Narrator Nikki Massoud captures this epic fantasy-adventure with her smooth, clear diction. Massoud’s blend of tones and timbres differentiates the characters in an engrossing way. The political intrigue begins when Ren arrives in Nadezra determined to use whatever con it takes to form an alliance with a noble house. But she soon discovers she’s not the only con artist who is intent on bettering her future. Massoud’s narration style enables listeners to stay on track through the world-building and complex plot. As the world comes to life, Massoud ensures that listeners connect with the story’s many characters. M.L.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
09/14/2020
Marie Brennan (Driftwood) and Alyc Helms (the Missy Masters series), writing as Carrick, join forces to launch the Rook and Rose series with this intricately detailed doorstopper. Renata Viraudax leaves her backwater hometown determined to con her way into a noble house in the City of Dreams—but Ren’s plans bring her face to face with a dangerous crime lord and pit her against a vigilante called the Rook, her childhood idol. Navigating the glittering society of the City of Dreams, Ren soon discovers she is not the only one pretending to be something she’s not: her landlord, Derossi Vargo, controls the city’s underworld, while Capt. Grey Serrado of the city Vigil is seen as a class traitor for serving the nobility. Meanwhile, old religious beliefs prove to be more than just superstition, and a new drug floods the city’s streets offering hallucinations that turn all too real. The authors devote much of this volume to detailing the names, places, and belief systems of this sometimes tediously complex world, causing the pace to drag. But readers who persevere will be rewarded with a tightly laced plot dripping with political intrigue. Carrick has built a strong foundation for things to come. Agent: for Brennan, Eddie Schneider, Jabberwocky; for Helms, Paul Stevens, DMLA. (Jan.)
From the Publisher
From the first page, I was utterly entranced by this glittering world filled with masked vigilantes, cunning conwomen, and dark magic. A sheer delight!”—Katy Rose Pool, author of There Will Come A Darkness
"A tightly laced plot dripping with political intrigue. Carrick has built a strong foundation for things to come."—Publishers Weekly
“The richly layered city of Nadezra, combined with the deeply intertwined politics and rivalries of its residents, creates a perfect backdrop for the enchantment of Carrick's plot and characters. A fantastically twisty read.”—Fran Wilde, author of The Bone Universe trilogy
"For those who like their revenge plots served with the intrigue of The Goblin Emperor, the colonial conflict of The City of Brass, the panache of Swordspoint, and the richly detailed settings of Guy Gavriel Kay."—Booklist (starred review)
"Utterly captivating. Carrick spins an exciting web of mystery, magic, and political treachery in a richly drawn and innovative world."—S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass
"The Mask of Mirrors kept me up reading way past my bedtime. A web of intrigue, magic, and the art of the con this novel will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping."—Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars
“The Mask of Mirrors is exactly the fantasy adventure novel you're craving: an escape into a vast, enchanting world of danger, secret identities, and glittering prose.”—Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand
“The Mask of Mirrors ushers you into the fascinating city of Nadezra, replete with complex politics, intricate magic, and mysteries that readers will be racing to unravel. Wonderfully immersive—I was unable to put it down.”—Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter
“An intricate, compelling dream of a book that kept me turning pages, with a world and characters that felt deeply real and plenty of riveting twists and turns. I loved it!”—Melissa Caruso, author of The Obsidian Tower
"This book was like nibbling my way through a box of gourmet chocolates curated just for Reader Me. A large box of gourmet chocolates."—Fantasy Literature
MARCH 2021 - AudioFile
Narrator Nikki Massoud captures this epic fantasy-adventure with her smooth, clear diction. Massoud’s blend of tones and timbres differentiates the characters in an engrossing way. The political intrigue begins when Ren arrives in Nadezra determined to use whatever con it takes to form an alliance with a noble house. But she soon discovers she’s not the only con artist who is intent on bettering her future. Massoud’s narration style enables listeners to stay on track through the world-building and complex plot. As the world comes to life, Massoud ensures that listeners connect with the story’s many characters. M.L.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
