The Dragons of Dorcastle (The Pillars of Reality #1)

The Dragons of Dorcastle by Jack Campbell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Steampunk plus fantasy equals fantastic in this world where magic meets science. What a great book!

This is the story of Alain, young Mage prodigy on his first assignment. The Mages in this world are stoic wielders of magic, concentrating on the idea that life is an illusion and can be manipulated if you just concentrate hard enough. It is also the story of Mari, a young Master Mechanic who's risen up through the ranks of Mechanics rather quickly and unbelievably to most of her superiors. She has a bit of a chip on her shoulder because most Mechanics won't take her seriously. She's also on her first assignment in a world where Mechanics are the engineers and scientists. They build machines that make life easier.

The world building in this book is fabulous. The two Guilds (Mage and Mechanic) are established immediately. The story begins with a caravan, setting up the geography of the place and giving context to the world in general. The towns are vivid as are details even down to the type of jackets the Mechanics wear and the foods everyone eats. The society is set up in a way that doesn't just tell us about the world, it serves to further character development. Campbell hit a home run on this front.

The characters are so likable that even if the plot were weaker, they'd save it. Alain's view of life and the world is so firm that he's equally enviable and pitiable. Mari has such spunk and self-confidence that it's impossible not to love her. But the real appeal here is the way they interact. They really do come from different worlds, different languages, different concepts of reality. Even better is the fact that Campbell wrote a female lead here that really leads. She makes decisions that Alain follows even when they're in opposition to what he's been taught. They're both characters who think beyond their training and circumstance, great companions on an interesting quest.

There is a slow-developing romance here which balances the plot about 50/50. Some might find it overpowering, but for me it just served to further the character development. It was surprising near the end but also funny. Campbell just wrote these characters really, really well.

The plot is interesting as the two main characters explore themes of questioning the status quo and searching out the real villains. In some ways the world itself is the villain; certainly the political situation is. It's intricate enough to keep going at a good pace without the need for unnecessary devices.

On audio the book is narrated by MacLeod Andrews. He is simply stellar - I cannot rave enough about how incredibly he brings these characters to life. The book would have been good on its own, but Andrews really brought it over the top. His ability to distinguish each voice with its own personality was amazing.

This series is one I will be re-reading (re-listening) in the future. It is great entertainment at its finest. Campbell is a well-established sci-fi and fantasy writer and this foray into YA is spectacular. Bravo!

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