Oh, the drama. At long last, I had a window to just read "what I wanted" and went for Tamora Pierce (who wouldn't?). Her Lioness Quartet is one of my favorite series of all time. But things did not go well. First, there was an issue with my eBook portal, and I couldn't access the book for a few weeks, then, I got busy at work and didn't have time to read much. Finally, I got a hard copy at the public library. So, it took me two and a half months (I think) to read this book. Which was probably not the best way to read any book, much less this dense fantasy tale with a gazillion pages. I'm not sure how much all the issues impacted my perceptions, but as much as I love Tammy Pierce's work, this wasn't a favorite. That's not to say it's bad. Tamora Pierce doesn't write bad. It just wasn't my cup of tea. Set in the same world as the Alanna books, this series takes place hundreds of years later, in a kind of medieval period, when magic is more of a little thing and there is an emergent society with guilds, societal classes, and law. Beka Cooper, our lead, is a young girl who has just joined law enforcement as a trainee. The officers are called dogs and the newbies are called puppies. Society is still a little off-kilter, with Rogues, or criminals, running most of the lower class areas, and law enforcement accepting codified bribes. On the plus side, there is no one like Tamora Pierce in terms of world-building. Her city (or, in the case of this tale, section of a city) is so palpable that you can see every detail of it, hear it, and even smell it, as you are reading. Her characters are also extremely three dimensional -- complex and specific and real. Like most human beings, the characters here are conflicted and nothing is black and white. Beka, although not perfect, is also very likeable, as are her wide assortment of colleagues and friends. The language reflects the tale, with a different kind of vocabulary and syntax. This, however, is where I first had problems. Given that I wasn't able to sit down and "fall into" the story, I had to remind myself, each time I returned to the book, what certain terms and phrases meant (when I got the print copy of the book, I discovered a glossary at the back). The setting of the novel is also fairly dark. Sometimes dark is okay, but I just wasn't in the mood. I also didn't adore the minor love interest. Too many bad boy crushes these days. Time for the decent guys to come out on top. That, however, would not work here, where there is a slight "anti-hero" vibe going on. My biggest complaint is that the plotlines didn't seem to have the weight or importance of your standard fantasy novel. This wasn't a "kill the dragon/monster/whatever and save the world" as much as it was a "girl detective solves murder mysteries." The stakes just weren't high enough for me to want to push through the chapters. It also wasn't what I expected, and sometimes, even when something is good, you don't like it because of your expectations. Live and learn. Next time I read something "for myself" it will be in print form, and I will make sure I really have the time to relish in it.
