Sequel to Foundryside, set in the same city in which inanimate objects can be "scrived” to somewhat change their structure or state (make a wooden door behave more like stone, or a sword behave like it’s moving much faster than it is). In the prior book we learned that this ability was learned from recovered fragments from a long gone civilization of "hierophants” who were masters of it. Here, Sancha and most of the main characters from the prior book have settled into a new life, but learn that someone is attempting to resurrect the original and greatest hierophant, who is likely to destroy their world. As with the first, I enjoyed this book. The world is interesting, the characters relatable, and the action kept the pages turning.
Agreed. I like it when an author defines the rules for their world and then sticks to them and explores the boundaries (whether it’s SF or fantasy). Some fantasy can be in the “it’s magic, so anything is possible” category, which is much less interesting.
Palimpsest by Stross. Takes time travel to it’s inevitable conclusion.
I’ve read a lot of Stross, but I don’t think I’ve read that one. I only started keeping brief notes on what I read a handful of years ago, and it was significantly motivated by having the experience of starting in on a book and realizing I had read it years earlier, or not remembering if I read or if I liked a particular book. Palimpsest came out in 2009, well before my notes.