Status
Call number
Genres
Publication
Description
"On the island of Kavekana, Kai builds gods to order, then hands them to others to maintain. Her creations aren't conscious and lack their own wills and voices, but they accept sacrifices, and protect their worshippers from other gods--perfect vehicles for Craftsmen and Craftswomen operating in the divinely controlled Old World. When Kai sees one of her creations dying and tries to save her, she's grievously injured--then sidelined from the business entirely, her near-suicidal rescue attempt offered up as proof of her instability. But when Kai gets tired of hearing her boss, her coworkers, and her ex-boyfriend call her crazy, and starts digging into the reasons her creations die, she uncovers a conspiracy of silence and fear--which will crush her, if Kai can't stop it first"--… (more)
User reviews
The ladies on the cover are the two main protagonists of Full Fathom Five. Kai’s a priestess in her firm, which creates idols to store clients belief. When Kai takes a dangerous risk to save a dying idol, she’s removed from her position and sent to work in sales. But something doesn’t add up – when she was rescuing the idol, she could swear she heard it speak, which is impossible. Also noteworthy about Kai is that she’s a trans woman - she was born into a body that didn’t fit. When she was initiated into the priesthood, she was able to change her body to match her soul.
Izza is a refugee living as a street child, but she’s getting older. Soon, she’ll be old enough that if she’s caught stealing, she’ll be forced into a Penitent – a stone body that acts as an enforcer for the police. Izza is desperate to leave before this happens, but she’s reluctant to leave behind the younger children, whom view her as a high priestess of sorts to their Blue Lady.
One of the things I really loved about Full Fathom Five was the presence of multiple awesome female characters. There’s four different women in this book who are portrayed as strong and capable, and they work together to save the day!
Besides the amazing female protagonists, my favorite thing about the book would have to be the world building. The entire story takes place upon the island of Kavekana, a setting reminiscent of Hawaii. Kavekana is an independent country that relies upon the Order, the firm to which Kai belongs, and their tourism sector to support their economy and keep their island independent. Times are changing around Kavekana. Fifty years ago, their gods rowed off to fight in the God Wars, and since then, nothing has been the same.
Full Fathom Five is a fun, rollicking ride that I’d recommend to anyone accustomed to the fantasy genre – the intense world building might be a bit hard on beginners, but is perfect for anyone looking for something outside of the usual medieval European fare. With an awesome group of female leads, a diverse cast, an intriguing plot line, and some really beautiful writing, Full Fathom Five is a must read.
Cons:
Kavekana is an island with no gods of its own, where offshore interests can purchase an idol to store soulstuff. When the priestess Kai jumps into the sacred pool to try to save her co-worker’s created idol, Seven Alpha, her
Izza is a thief. When the Blue Lady she worships dies, she realizes it’s time to leave the island before her age makes her eligible for her crimes’ punishment: being placed inside one of the stone Penitents that guard the island. But she’s soon pulled into the mystery surrounding a poet who’s lost his inspiration, and Kai’s investigation.
This is the third book published in Gladstone’s Craft Sequence series. While it stands alone, like the others, this one uses characters from the first two books and shows some aftermath from what’s come before. It’s storytelling that doesn’t alienate newcomers while giving more depth to those who’ve read the other books.
The world-building, as with the previous books - is top notch. Gladstone’s created a world of interconnected everything: trade, tourism, religion, law, war, history, etc. There’s always the sense that there’s more to know, that each book is only scratching the surface, and with each book more of the world and its past and people are uncovered. Because the protagonists are from very different social strata, we get to see a lot of the island - security, police, tourism, slums, offices, etc.
The characters are interesting. Kai and Izza are both challenged by what’s going on, attempting to solve several mysteries, if from different sides. The Penitents are a chilling - if effective - punishment, that evolves into a police force that’s 100% loyal. Even the poet has his moments.
The plot weaves around and eventually comes to a satisfying conclusion, though one that takes place in a world that continues on after the book ends.
These are fantastic books that take place in a fantasy realm with all the complexity of the real world. If you like well written fantasy with some mystery thrown in, and diverse characters, these are for you.
Sometimes the weirdness makes it hard to follow, but it's so much fun that I keep on reading. The two principal POVs were quite engaging: Kai, a transgender priestess and creator of idols for mass investment, and Izza, a street-wise girl whose goddess has died. The setting is inspired by Hawaii and felt brilliant and fresh with a secondary-world fantasy take.
When Kai, a high priest in this organization, jumps into a pool to save Seven Alpha, it sets a string of events that
The writing is tight, with the plot always moving forward. The characters are interesting, acting in ways that make sense. Even the conflict at the end includes human motivation, no grand schemes here, well maybe a little.
Last, this book is a stand alone story, although there are a few characters that make an appearance from the previous book.
This a great world, that combines the best of the modern world and the best of a traditional fantasy world, to make something that is completely new, but entirely familiar.
allthingsuf.com
From the titles to the page, the first three books in the Craft Sequence marry numbers with magic. The stories themselves explore different parts of society, but always on the bedrock of a spiritual economy where soul stuff is traded and
As with THREE PARTS DEAD, this story starts in the clinical mechanics of a spiritual economy, and builds to aspirations of a more balanced world, if no better or “perfect” than the good intentions that preceded it. Having familiar faces from prior books working in the background added particular weight to the job of unraveling motives and mysteries in this book, as Cat and Teo and Ms. Kevarian effortlessly add tension to the background every time they appear. The Craft Sequence series works best when grounded in the more accessible elements of this exotic world, and the flowing character perspectives of FULL FATHOM FIVE give a gorgeous human weight to events as they unfold. With Kai, a priestess of the idols once born in the body of a man, and Izza, an orphaned refugee living in the cracks and shadows of society, the story presents both the center and fringes of this island in alternating chapters.
All of the characters in this book slowly ratchet up the tension as you wait for them to intersect. Often times there is both the potential to join forces or collide, with no assurance of how the dominoes will fall. Gladstone is a master at building contagious emotions, and FULL FATHOM FIVE takes readers from wonder to despair to the most delicate of hopes. As deeply as I loved Alt Coulumb, now I find myself so hopeful and starry eyed for the island of Kevekana. Max Gladstone has done it again.
Sexual Content: Non-explicit sex scenes.
I generally don't like taking breaks in the middle of a series, but in this case, I think I have to. Maybe I'll give it another shot somewhere down the line.
A Priestess gets into trouble for trying to save an Idol...which is LIKE a God, but Less. It's a construct. But a Construct that is built upon Belief-- and Belief can be measured in Souls-- which can filled ledger sheets and be Loaned out to
...Or a bad debt that can be call in...
Who really loses when cold corporate interests are willing to snuff out a Gods and Idols to balance the Ledgers...or pay off unsavory interests?
Complicated... and a joy to read.
I like how these books are standalone stories, but they also have characters who link them together. It makes the world a little more cohesive. This book has appearances of characters from other books, but they don't steal the spotlight from new characters. The way Max Gladstone constructs his stories is superb, every detail is just so. I savor these books when I read them.
This time around, once I got to the merge of all the story lines, I loved it. Glad I gave it another go.
The world of the Craft Sequence is so well thought out, and it seems as if Gladstone keeps expanding it, or at least expanding the tiny parts of it we as readers had not yet noticed.
This book was especially cool because it brought in two minor characters, one from each of the previous books, and made them important to this story.
Loved it. Cannot wait for the next one.