Two Serpents Rise

Starred review from June 17, 2013
Gladstone outdoes himself in this exciting and imaginative return to the brilliantly realized world of Three Parts Dead. In the city of Dresediel Lex, the civic water supply is managed by the magical Concern of Red King Consolidated (RKC). When one of their reservoirs is contaminated with demonic Tzimet, RKC risk assessor Caleb Altemoc is assigned to determine the cause and manage relations with Heartstone, an RKC acquisition with intimate links to the old Quechal gods. With the help of an enigmatic woman named Mal, who’s considered crazy even by other death-defying cliff runners, Caleb discovers that the wars in which the old gods fell still cast a long shadow over the present day, posing a threat to the city and beyond. The alternate Los Angeles that is Dresediel Lex is charged with its own versions of ethnic tensions and environmental strain, and Caleb is an engaging protagonist for this taut and unique blend of legal drama, fantasy, and noir. Agent: Weronika Janczuk, Lynn Franklin Associates, in association with D4EO Literary.

August 1, 2013
Another highly unusual fantasy (Three Parts Dead, 2012) set in the same carefully constructed, Aztec-inspired world of gods, magic and sacrifice. Eighty years have passed since Kopil, the King in Red, defeated the gods and established Red King Consolidated to run the city of Dresediel Lex. Now, demons infest the Bright Mirror reservoir, so Kopil sends in Caleb Altemoc, a professional risk manager and sometime gambler, to cleanse the water for the city's 16 million inhabitants. At Bright Mirror, Caleb comes across the stunning and elusive Mal, a cliff runner (imagine a sort of superparcours). Meanwhile, Caleb's father, Temoc, the last priest of the old gods, may be involved in the contamination of the water supply. Temoc makes no secret of the fact that he despises Kopil's magic and methods and yearns to bring back sacrifices to the gods. Since the city continues to grow, its demand for water and power and materials is insatiable, so Kopil is close to a deal merging RKC with Heartstone, a company that supplies power by torturing the Twin Serpents, slumbering fire gods too fearsome ever to be permitted to wake. But when Caleb discovers that Mal is really Heartstone's most powerful Craftsman, or wizard, he really begins to wonder what's going on. He fears the Serpents, but neither can he permit Temoc to resurrect his monstrous, murderous dream. Against this dense, highly textured backdrop, the characters evince emotional depth and convincing motives. Yet questions persist: about how the magic works, the source of Kopil's god-killing powers and how Temoc manages to elude him. In showing us this vast, teeming, contract-bound city buckling under pressure, Gladstone perhaps is offering a metaphor for end-stage capitalism. Worth a try, even if it's often more impressive than alluring.

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September 15, 2013

Caleb Altenoc, son of one of the last priests of the now dead Quechal gods, works as a risk manager for Red King Consolidated, a powerful business run by the Red King, a skeletal immortal who has taken the place of the ousted gods. When someone poisons the city reservoir, the Red King suspects Quechal terrorists--and assigns Caleb to find the criminals and resolve the problems. Caleb only has one lead--a daring female cliffrunner whose presence he detected at the reservoir on the night of the poisoning. He also has one clear suspect--his father. VERDICT Gladstone follows his acclaimed debut, Three Parts Dead, with another fast-paced fantasy thriller set in the same world. This time, he focuses on the sprawling city of Dresediel Lex, rich in a history and culture reminiscent of the Aztecs, which serves as a dramatic backdrop for the novel's action. This worthy sequel should receive attention from fans of China Mieville and Steven Erikson.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2013
Caleb Altemoc, risk manager for Red King Consolidated and part-time gambler, is sent to deal with an infestation of tzimetshadow demonsat Bright Mirror reservoir. In the process, he encounters the maddening, magnificent Mal, a cliff runner who is far beyond his skill. She is his only lead to those responsible for the infestation and vanishes when he pursues her. Bright Mirror is not the only place attacked. Caleb's father, Temoc, priest of the old gods and wanted terrorist, claims to be innocent of responsibility. The uncertainty about these attacks threatens a merger between Red King Consolidated and Heartstone. A contract is negotiated based on the continued slumber of the twin serpents Achal and Aquel. The serpents are made restless by a conspiracy that threatens the very fabric of the city. Caleb, to protect not only the city of Dresediel Lex but the people he loves, must make a series of quite unexpected decisions and come to terms with his difficult past. Two Serpents Rise is an epic, solidly city-based fantasy with strong characters and a wonderfully built world. It's also a fast-paced thriller, thoroughly entertaining.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)