As book two in Lilith Saintcrow's Bannon and Clare
series opens Archibold Clare, mentath in service to Queen
and Empire has settled into a somewhat complacent state,
pursuing his arch nemesis and fellow mentath, the thief
Francis Vance, sometimes at the expense of his duty to the
crown. Emma Bannon is still a loyal servant to eternal
Britannia and her mortal shell Victrix but she soon finds
her loyalties shaken by events beyond the scope of her
magic.
Bannon and Clare are called upon to seek out a missing
scientist. Before the search is over it becomes clear that
Londoninium and indeed the world is at risk from a danger
whose seeds lie deeply buried in the past. It will be a race
against time and the vagaries of chance if any hope of
survival is to remain.
I have been eagerly anticipating THE RED PLAGUE AFFAIR. I
thoroughly enjoyed the first Bannon and Clare novel,
The Iron Wyrm Affair and in fact enjoyed it just as much,
and perhaps more when re-reading it a month ago. The
support characters introduced during book one are covered
well, while new information is revealed about the heroes and
those closest to them.
Saintcrow has a gift for crafting well-paced and exciting
plots and peopling them with characters you come to care
about, even those who might otherwise be considered anti-
heroes. She strikes a delicate balance between showing the
raw truth of what Emma Bannon is required to do for Queen
and Empire and revealing vulnerabilities that make her,
regardless of her actions, a sympathetic character. Clare's
mentath characteristics might be perceived as cold and
distancing in the hands of another author, but again Lilith
Saintcrow gives us a wonderful balance between the
hyperfocus of a man who lives mostly in his mind and the
unknowing connections and loyalties he garners from those
around him. I particularly relished the devotion shown to
Clare by Italian assassin Valentinelli.
I think the very best part of the series is the setting
Saintcrow has established in the alternate universe of
Londoninium, rife with clockworks, steam and magic it is
among the best of the books in the Steampunk genre.
In the end, what matters is THE RED PLAGUE AFFAIR was worth
the wait. With danger as imminent and catastrophe as dire as
we experienced in book one, Saintcrow leads us on another
thrilling ride through Londoninium with my two favorite
investigators.
The service of Britannia is not for the faint of heart—or
conscience...
Emma Bannon, Sorceress Prime in service to Queen Victrix,
has a mission: to find the doctor who has created a powerful
new weapon. Her friend, the mentath Archibald Clare, is only
too happy to help. It will distract him from pursuing his
nemesis, and besides, Clare is not as young as he used to
be. A spot of Miss Bannon's excellent hospitality and her
diverting company may be just what he needs.
Unfortunately, their quarry is a fanatic, and his poisonous
discovery is just as dangerous to Britannia as to Her
enemies. Now a single man has set Londinium ablaze, and
Clare finds himself in the middle of distressing excitement,
racing against time and theory to find a cure. Miss Bannon,
of course, has troubles of her own, for the Queen's Consort
Alberich is ill, and Her Majesty unhappy with Bannon's loyal
service. And there is still no reliable way to find a hansom
when one needs it most...
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