Relic Master: The Dark City by Catherine Fisher

Publisher:  Dial
Publish Date:  May 17, 2011
ISBN:  978-0803736733  
Pages:  384

I received this book as an ARC from www.goodreads.com.  My friend Robin offered to give guest blogging a shot and since she likes this type of book, I handed it over.  I hope you enjoy the review.  The Dark City comes out this month (next week), The Lost Heiress in June, The Hidden Coronet in July and the final book The Margrave in August.  That's a quick series!!!

 
Here's a brief bio so y'all can get to know Robin: 
Robin Foreman: somewhere over 25 years of age; parent of two - mother to all who will allow me to fuss over them and tell them what to do. Lover of mud between the toes, growing things, rain, sunshine and the written word.

Relic Master is a 4 part series - I’ve recently finished #1; The Dark City. This issue is an advanced reading copy and it begins with a warning that if I quote from the book, I must state that it is from an uncorrected copy – done. 

Welcome to the world of Anara, a world that is dark and foreboding - abandoned by the Makers and left to the Order to watch over. Now, though, the Order itself has dwindled to only a few; and those few are sought after by the Watch. Both groups look for powerful relics left behind by the Makers.  The Order wants to use the relics to restore the world to what it once was - beautiful and nurturing. The Watch wants the great power that the relics bestow upon their possessor so they can keep the world under their control.

Book one introduces us to Raffi, a student/scholar, and a Relic Master, Galen. Galen was injured by a dubious relic causing him to lose his powers and so, grudgingly, he depends upon his student to perform even the most trivial of tasks. Galen is so distraught by his loss of power that he often puts himself, and a reluctant Raffi, into dangerous situations. They suffer hunger, exhaustion, and desperation in their search. As they hunt for the relics that will bring their people hope they team up with some exotic characters and some with just questionable loyalties while they, in turn, are hunted throughout Anara. 

I liked this easy read; however, I think that it could have been a shorter. The characters are well developed, which is a must in any story. The snap shots are capable of forming a good picture in your mind of their surroundings but a little lengthy – perhaps the corrected version will not be so fluffy. I will read the second book in the series, The Lost Heiress, because I really do want to know what happens next to these guys. I want to see Raffi’s powers grow, if the good guys can bring the light into the dark and perhaps see a player switch teams.