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.
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.