The Tangled Lands by Paolo Bacigalupi and Tobias S. Buckell

**We’d like to thank NetGalley and Saga Press for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for an honest review**

What I drank prior: at least a bottle of wine and 3 beers….

Spoiler-free Overview: so in this world magic has consequences and that consequence is this vine that makes people sleep. A story told in four parts talks about what’s gonna happen when we know the fuggin consequences of our actions. This is the story.

Editor’s note… I realize my drunk ass didn’t actually say what the book was about… so here’s the Goodreads blurb

From award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors Paolo Bacigalupi and Tobias Buckell comes a fantasy novel told in four parts about a land crippled by the use of magic, and a tyrant who is trying to rebuild an empire—unless the people find a way to resist.

Khaim, The Blue City, is the last remaining city in a crumbled empire that overly relied upon magic until it became toxic. It is run by a tyrant known as The Jolly Mayor and his devious right hand, the last archmage in the world. Together they try to collect all the magic for themselves so they can control the citizens of the city. But when their decadence reaches new heights and begins to destroy the environment, the people stage an uprising to stop them.

In four interrelated parts, The Tangled Lands is an evocative and epic story of resistance and heroic sacrifice in the twisted remains surrounding the last great city of Khaim. Paolo Bacigalupi and Tobias Buckell have created a fantasy for our times about a decadent and rotting empire facing environmental collapse from within—and yet hope emerges from unlikely places with women warriors and alchemical solutions.

Spoiler-free Thoughts: READ IT. What a cool fuggin concept. I really love the way the story was written sort of like chronological short stories?? Awesome.

Characters: AGAIN. Four perspectives. I love them all. Somehow I got attached to each character even though I saw them each for only 1/4th of the book…

Plot: Pretty slow actually but each part is shrt enough to push you through. I loved it so much.

Writing Style: actually brilliant. Wonderfully and beautifully brilliant.

World Building: I want to know so much more but at the same time I feel like I know as much as I should know… ya know??? It was brilliant.

What to pair it with: a fine white wine. Brilliant and cold and beautiful at the same time.

Rating: 3.75/5 shots

This book comes out on Feb 27th and you can get it here!!!

COMMENT DOWN BELOW: Who’s excited???

Until next time, we remain forever drunkenly yours,
Sam