Historically, Urban Fantasy hasn’t been a genre that I’ve found particularly compelling. As a kid, I was looking for more grand adventures; and as an adult, werewolves and vampires just didn’t call my name unless they were doing something interesting and creative with them. The Last Sun was a book I gave a shot while looking for queer leads in fantasy, and while it wasn’t a perfect book, it’s certainly one that I’ll be reading more of in the future.
Read If Looking For: punchy mysteries, fun action sequences, underdog stories
Avoid if Looking For: books without graphic sexual assault, books that resolve every mystery in one book
Elevator Pitch:
Rune is the last member of a fallen house of Atlantis, which has relocated to Nantucket in the modern era. Once raised in opulence, he now finds himself working contract jobs for those with the same kind of power and influence his father used to have. He’s been hired to hunt down a missing son of Judgement, but it quickly devolves into something altogether more complicated, both for Rune on a personal level, and the island as a whole.
What Worked for Me
The highlight of this book was definitely how Edwards pulled off the modern noir vibes of the story. The setting is seedy, with bars offering magic alcohol that will do a lot worse than get you drunk and corrupt lords that use tarot cards as an inspiratin point. Our lead is simultaneously broody and dark and mysterious, while simultaneously rapid-fire arguing with his magically-bonded platonic companion (not the romantic interest, which once it gets going, is delightfully low drama). The world is brutal and unforgiving, and Rune is working to claw his way back to his former position. It is definitely not a place I would like to live in, but it is absolutely a city I like reading about.
When action happens, it feels like the stakes are high, the prose fast paced and dynamic, and the outcomes meaningful. I didn’t feel like I was seeing action scene after action scene without much purpose behind it, which is something that has been grating on me more and more.
I think the book also does a phenomenal job of balancing the needs of making an engaging book in isolation, while also preparing the reader for bigger plots that are going to span the entire series. Lots is going to be thrown out in the mystery column. A few will resolve in this book, but it left me very excited to see where the books went in sequels.
What Didn’t Work for Me
This book is very much one to avoid if depictions of sexual assault are something you’re averse to in any manner. While it personally isn’t a litmus test for me, this book definitely pushed my boundaries on what I was willing to engage with. Rune’s past involved an extremely brutal rape. While representation of rape and sexual assault can be done very well, in this case it felt more that the book was using it as a way to substitute trauma for characterization, which is unfortunate because I don’t think Rune really needed the extra help. It wasn’t engaged with in a meaningful way for how much screen time got devoted to it, which was a big downside for me.
In Conclusion: an urban fantasy noir that has a lot of high points if violently brutal rape isn’t a deal breaker for you
- Characters – 4
- Worldbuilding – 5
- Craft – 3
- Themes – 3
- Enjoyment – 4
Marked for Plot 