Series: Gifted Guilds
Volume: 1/?Publisher: -
Genre/s: Fantasy, M/M, Fantasy romance
Length: -
Read in: English
Review copy format: epub
Rate:✮✮✮✮✮✮
Glass which forms the floating city starts to melt while the officials break the laws they should defend. But human greed begins to take an ever nastier form. Glass master Minel is the one who suffers from it the most. He's sick and if he wants to stay alive he must mate with another person, as it's the only way to stop the progressing disease. The thing is that the man has no intention to "sell" his body for health, and that's exactly what Wark, one of the city officials, wants. When information about Minel's health reaches his friend Falcon, a member of Warriors Guild, everything gains momentum. Falcon wants to help his friend but without forcing him, while Wark will use every possible way to have glass master for himself. Meanwhile, the city is still melting, as if it were crying for its former glory.
"Healing Glass", the first volume of the "Gifted Guilds" series by Jackie Keswick, is undoubtedly one of the most interesting and well-built M/M fantasy novels I've ever read. The first of many advantages of this book is naturally the universe of the series, which in this volume is outlined in a really good manner. We immediately see that the author has carefully thought about every aspect of her book and devoted a lot of time and energy to building this world. On the one hand, in a very interesting, detailed way that fuels our imagination, she presents its reality, starting from the description of places and physical things, then she outlines certain elements of social and political life, individual Guilds, and finally shows past and present events and their significance for the story she creates. On the other hand, she focuses on things that are more ethereal, like feelings, emotions, magic, talents, health problems and their effects. In short, the universe of "Gifted Guilds" is multidimensional and complex, fascinating, perfectly created and undeniably addictive.
Another great advantage of the novel are the characters, both the main and the side ones. There is no doubt that all of them are created on many different planes and Jackie Keswick put in their building her whole heart. Reading "Healing Glass", we immediately feel that they don't simply fulfill the tasks entrusted to them by the author, because in this novel they live for real. Certainly, it should be noted that the thing which characterizes them best are their feelings and emotions, because they fuel this whole story, they are the reason behind each decision made by the individual characters. I think it's worth adding that Jackie Keswick has managed to create the characters which we immediately fall in love with, as well as those we simply hate. I would compare their creation to apples, because the author forms them in a really great manner, so all of them are like those beautiful, round, ripe apples. At the same time, she shows us the inside of each of these fruits, and thus the soul and heart of the characters. And so, we see that by creating her beautiful "apples" she also took into account the fact that some of them hide a fat, nasty worm inside.
I've already mentioned that to a large extent the "Healing Glass" characters are created by emotions and feelings, so I would like to focus on them now. In her novel, Jackie Keswick put an emphasis on a really wide range of internal experiences, which are often linked to one another or result from one another and concern not only one character, but they also affect others. Let's give an example: desire to possess, jealousy, lust for domination of one character, reflects on the other, who's depressed, resigned, melancholic, but who is also in love and is characterized by his stubbornness, all of which affects another of the characters, who's chivalrous, loyal, confident, who feels anger, sadness, and inner pain. All this naturally, to some extent, influences the next characters and the city itself and entails new feelings and emotions. "Healing Glass" is therefore an exceptional novel, which is built in a truly original way, which quickly conquers the reader's heart.
As for the story presented in this book, it is really interesting and perfectly built, because it consists of everything that I have mentioned so far, as well as many other unique elements. A huge plus is undoubtedly also the slow burning romance between the two main characters, which is the icing on the "Healing Glass" cake. It doesn't dominate the whole novel, but it perfectly highlights many other topics discussed here, such as magic, evil hiding in human hearts, friendship. All this makes the story created by Jackie Keswick as multidimensional as everything in this novel. Thus, the reader is hypnotized by this book because it can affect all their senses.
With all this in mind, I can say with a clear conscience that "Healing Glass" is a novel really worth our attention and time we devote to reading it. It is a really well-built story with perfectly created characters, set in a fascinating universe which shows us a multitude of emotions. I recommend "Healing Glass" with all my heart!
Headcanon: Minel can't work when Falcon is not around because he misses him constantly and worries about him.
Fanfiction idea: Falcon prepares a surprise for Minel - a romantic picnic. However, the reality turns out to be unpredictable, because in the forest they are attacked by a wild animal.
AU idea: Falcon is an ex-military who left the service because of PTSD. In art he looks for a way to fight his health problem. That's how he finds out about the works of a talented sculptor, Minel. One day he finally meets him in person.
MOODBOARD IN PROGRESS
Here's some more about:
Book Title: Healing Glass
Author: Jackie Keswick
Cover Artist: Pavelle Art
Release Date: May 13, 2019
Trope/s: friends to lovers, two against evil
Themes: fighting oppression, personal responsibility, love is stronger than tyranny, never piss off a man who has something to protect 😉
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Blurb
A dying city.
An ancient, forgotten accord.
And two gifted men caught in a web of greed and dark magic.
Despite belonging to different guilds, glass master Minel and warrior captain Falcon are friends. Their duties keep them apart, but when Minel falls ill and chooses death rather than the only known cure, nothing can keep Falcon from his side.
As their friendship grows into more, old wrongs and one man’s machinations threaten the floating city and leave both Minel and Falcon fighting for their lives. Can they learn to combine their gifts to save the city and its magic, or will everything they know and love perish before their eyes?
Healing Glass is an LGBT fantasy adventure with its head in the clouds. If you like medieval backdrops, impressive world-building, three-dimensional characters and a touch of magic, then you'll love Jackie Keswick's socially-conscious adventure.
Buy Healing Glass to visit the floating city today!
An ancient, forgotten accord.
And two gifted men caught in a web of greed and dark magic.
Despite belonging to different guilds, glass master Minel and warrior captain Falcon are friends. Their duties keep them apart, but when Minel falls ill and chooses death rather than the only known cure, nothing can keep Falcon from his side.
As their friendship grows into more, old wrongs and one man’s machinations threaten the floating city and leave both Minel and Falcon fighting for their lives. Can they learn to combine their gifts to save the city and its magic, or will everything they know and love perish before their eyes?
Healing Glass is an LGBT fantasy adventure with its head in the clouds. If you like medieval backdrops, impressive world-building, three-dimensional characters and a touch of magic, then you'll love Jackie Keswick's socially-conscious adventure.
Buy Healing Glass to visit the floating city today!
Excerpt
Half a mile above the surface, a deep, rumbling groan rattled through Favin’s bones and turned his guts to water. The elevator jerked and shuddered—long enough for Favin to wonder whether he’d left his errand too late—before it resumed its stately progress up towards the floating city.
The groans and jerks came more often these days, on almost every journey. Despite the trickle of ice-cold fear, Favin welcomed the noise and stuttering ascent. He’d raised the alarm weeks earlier, but no one had believed the word of a servant. No one but Councillor Teak, who now clung to the transparent wall on the far side of the elevator, face grey and eyes wide.
The City Council would believe Teak.
“Is... this... why you wanted me to accompany you?” Teak spoke louder than necessary in the tight confines of the chamber bearing them aloft.
“Yes, Councillor. I reported it several times, but—” Favin stopped, loath to criticise the council. “I felt you had to know what’s happening.”
Teak, resplendent in a well-cut black coat and lace cuffs under his scarlet robe of office, didn’t belong in an elevator filled with rows of stacked crates, bins of cloth, and rolls of parchment, even when Favin hadn’t packed the space as full as he usually did. The councillor didn’t need the experience of a full cargo run, of squeezing into a gap just large enough to get in and out of. Never mind that he wouldn’t have fit. The servants joked that were the councillor hollow, one of them could fit inside his frame with space to spare.
Teak enjoyed his food as much as he enjoyed his status and privileges, but he hadn’t lost all sense of his responsibilities. When Favin had asked for his help, he’d only grumbled a little before agreeing to investigate the matter. Now here he stood, pressed against the transparent wall, gaze riveted to the crate in front of him, not daring to look down.
Favin watched the sea and the sky over Teak’s shoulder, wishing—as always— that he could see the city as they made their way towards it. The freight elevators didn’t allow for such a view, and Favin’s work rarely left him the leisure to sit on the beach.
Four levels of squat glass tiers and elegant spires connected by sweeping stairs and graceful bridges, suspended high above the waves by a raft of near-invisible columns... the floating city had stood waiting at the edge of the ocean when the Craft Guild arrived in need of shelter. Nobody knew its builders. Nobody quite understood how it worked. The city kept its occupants warm and dry, the glass walls closing or receding depending on the weather. Fountains supplied water in every square, and in all the buildings. The middle tier of the city—a wide, level space between the double-story, flat-roofed dwellings of the lower level and the skyward-reaching spires of the top tier—had been given over to growing food. All other goods the inhabitants needed came via the trade guilds and the Merchant Guild. The craft masters could have anything that fit into one of the eight large elevators, whether it came by land or sea, while men like Favin ensured the goods arrived where they were needed.
The groan came again, more of a pained shriek now, like the death cry of a material used too long and too well, as an abrupt slip downward hurled both Teak and Favin to their knees.
Then the sounds stopped.
The downward movement stopped.
And the elevator resumed its unhurried climb.
Sweat pearled on Teak’s brow and upper lip by the time the transparent cabin reached its goal. “Can we... not use this elevator?” He stepped off the floating disk before he turned to ask.
“It will delay deliveries, Councillor.”
“How many journeys do you make in a day?”
“Some days as many as fifty.”
“And the noise and the... jerking... have been getting more frequent?”
“Yes. I’m told the other elevators show the same signs of trouble. And in the upper city, the glass is said to be weeping.”
“Weeping?”
“That’s what I’ve heard, Councillor. I’ve not seen it.”
“No, of course not.” Servants of Favin’s class had no access to the upper levels. “Thank you, Favin, for bringing this to my attention.”
Favin bowed to the councillor before he set about unloading the cargo into the hands of the waiting servants. The council would decide whether to shut down the elevator or keep it running. He’d done as much as he could do, given his station. He’d said his piece and had had a councillor listen.
He continued with his work, until words drifting through a half-open door stopped him on his way to deliver rolls of parchment and ink to the council chamber.
“Weeping is the only way to describe it, Wark. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“And you think it’s going to be a problem?” The clipped tones were the regent’s and Favin froze where he stood, listening.
“Of course, it’s a problem,” Teak argued. “Go and see for yourself if you don’t believe me. There’s liquid glass welling up out of the column and trickling down its length. What do you think will happen if the glass wears away doing that? Or if the whole column turns to liquid? Will it continue to support the upper level in that state, or will it run into the sea and disappear?”“Calm yourself, Teak. I’m sure there’s no need for panic.”“You would know, of course.” Teak said snidely. “But I say you should listen. There’s more than one of those weeping spots in the upper city. The freight elevators jerk and groan, and servants are buying out their contracts, happier to make a life elsewhere than work here.”Then it is serious, Favin thought, glued to his spot. More serious than I knew.Positions with one of the three gifted guilds were hotly sought. Only the king’s court paid better wages, and with the high prices in the royal city and port of Allengi, those wages didn’t go nearly as far.“We must deal with this, Wark. Before it is too late.”“Repairs to the city’s fabric are the task of the glass master. I will make sure he attends to the problem.”“Minel is an outstanding craft master.” Teak bristled as if he had heard something in Wark’s comment that Favin had not. Something he disagreed with. “Most sought after, despite his youth. His list of commissions is near endless and he earns—”“There are no other glass masters in the guild. Minel is our only choice if we want to fix the problem you’ve brought to my attention.” Regent Wark sounded oddly gleeful.“No. You can’t— What if—?”“You can’t have it both ways, Teak. You can’t bring me a problem and then object when I solve it. Minel’s work and his designs pay a large part of the city’s debts. I’m not so stupid I’d interfere with that. But if the fabric of the city fails, all the money and favours we’re owed will be no use to us. It’s fortunate that Minel cares about nothing but making glass. He doesn’t have the stomach for confrontation. I think... I think this will work out very well. Minel will accept that we direct his work and we can add another treasure to our collection. I have waited long enough.”
About the Author
Jackie Keswick was born behind the Iron Curtain with itchy feet, a bent for rocks and a recurring dream of stepping off a bus in the middle of nowhere to go home. She's worked in a hospital and as the only girl with 52 men on an oil rig, spent a winter in Moscow and a summer in Iceland and finally settled in the country of her dreams with her dream team: a husband, a cat, a tandem, a hammer and a laptop.
Jackie loves unexpected reunions and second chances, and men who don't follow the rules when those rules are stupid. She blogs about English history and food, has a thing for green eyes, and is a great believer in making up soundtracks for everything, including her characters and the cat.
And she still hasn't found the place where the bus stops.
For questions and comments, not restricted to green eyes, bus stops or recipes for traditional English food, you can find Jackie Keswick in all the usual places.
Jackie loves unexpected reunions and second chances, and men who don't follow the rules when those rules are stupid. She blogs about English history and food, has a thing for green eyes, and is a great believer in making up soundtracks for everything, including her characters and the cat.
And she still hasn't found the place where the bus stops.
For questions and comments, not restricted to green eyes, bus stops or recipes for traditional English food, you can find Jackie Keswick in all the usual places.
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