Way back in May when I saw that the second book in the Monster Blood Tattoo series by D.M. Cornish, the sequel to Foundling, was being released I was excited.
But I will admit that I was a little nervous when I saw that Lamplighter was such a large tome (over 700 pages when you include appendices and maps). I was afraid that, like the Harry Potter series, it might become bloated and unnecessarily long (even as it retained much of its attraction).
I am happy to report that my worries were unfounded. Lamplighter turned out to be as captivating and entertaining as Foundling and has put the series on my favorites list. This epic fantasy series is truly one of those that you can get lost in; whose complexity and sense of wonder and mystery is so rare in the age of cookie cutter fantasy.
For an introduction to the series, here is a short video from Barnes and Noble:
The basic story takes up where the first book left off. Â Rossamund is now a lamplighter and is training for this chosen profession. Â But immediately danger strikes and his world is again turned upside down. Â Not only is a female apprentice brought on but the attacks represent the unraveling of the world at Winstermill from one of tradition and athority to one of choas and maybe even treason.
For more of my take on the book, see below.
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