I recently finished The Masque of Vyle by Andy Chambers.
For only having 9 chapters it really does drag you in and doesn't want to let go. I don't want to leak anything at all so I will say that the saying quality over quantity is definitely in effect here.
Within the book you get a glimpse into the mystery, wrapped in an enigma that is the harlequins. I enjoyed how the harlequin's interact with each other, they each had their own role within the troupe, which they never brake wither they where in their own company or doing the 'Masque' itself. I found out that 'Death Jester's' have a morbid sense of humour, especially when it comes to being kept in suspense about something.
The solitude 'Motley' is beyond bizarre, sometimes he tries to be serious but it never works, and as soon as you think you know what's going on with him, there's a twist that makes you question what you thought you knew about him or what he had planed.
Some of the words and wording are hard to follow especially if you don't know the army or lore that well. I know the lore and the army quite well but even I had problems with it from time to time on pronunciation of cities, names and the likes. This being said the book does drag you in wanting to know what happens next, at times you can get drawn into the story you can easily envision how the characters feel, their hopes, even feeling sorry for them when things happen and what scenes/backgrounds depict and the emotions they are trying to draw out.
I'll stop there saying that it is well worth the money and leave you all with one of my favourite passages of the book. When I first read it, it made me giggle and it's from the solitude himself:-
Quote:
Motley bowed deeply, appearing greatly chagrined.
"forgive your errant servant, my noble king, I intended only to lighten a dark moment with a warm moment of laughter. I call upon the Masque by my right of sacrifice, as one forsworn to the doom of our people and perched upon the razor's edge between apotheosis and destruction. Would you like to see my credentials?"
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