Fallen Night, and the last one, are part of Shannon's Roots of Chaos Series. Based on the number of books in the Bone Season Series, I'm guessing that there will be more. Shannon has built a whole world here, and this prequel tells me that she has dug pretty deep into this world's history, mythos and culture.
The science and physics of this world differs from ours in that magic is woven into the energy that powers it and the universe it which it sits. Magic and science intertwine, as natural as the tides and the seasons. Shannon told us in the first book's foreword (or somewhere) that the cultures and myths that form the foundation upon which her world building grows, come from a variety of our own world cultures and traditions. Those histories bring some of their own weight to Shannon's world building, helping to cement them in the reader's mind. J.K Rowling was good at that, as is Lev Grossman, in an interesting derivative way, building on the worlds other authors built--including Rowling's--based on our own world.
Does that mean Shannon is standing on the shoulders of those who came before? Yes, as are all successful authors, to a greater or lesser extent.
I think it may be tricky to create a prequel that has almost no characters in common with the cast of characters from the first book in a series. Its the characters we come to know, as well as their trials, so I think Shannon may have made herself a harder task than she could have, but ultimately did a good job. Like the last book, the climax was a soft one, and the Bone Season's was as well. That seems to be her MO. If you're looking for a dynamic, earth-shattering climax to wrap up some larger sized tomes, these book may not be for you.
There are a few less pages in this volume that the first one, but not by many. This book is a little thinner, and part of that thinness, unfortunately, is the thinness of the paper stock used to print it. The pages are a little too transparent for my taste. The text bleeds through. Its a small complaint, but given the size and length of this books, its was distracting too often for me. Maybe that's on the publisher, what do I know.
This was a fun read, and I will look for the next one when it comes out. This world Shannon has created has some staying power and I think the stories she can pull from it will also be fun.
