May 252015
I came to this first-in-a-trilogy after reading its sequel Cataveiro – there isn’t much in the way of spoilers and it’s perfectly comprehensible. Osiris is a city at sea, cut off from a world presumed dead. It’s overcrowded but Osiris’ hereditary families live lives of unimaginable luxury whilst the western poor struggle, staying awake at night to avoid dying of the cold. A westerner and an easterner meet and fall into an uneasy alliance. This is a political story of people using and being used, of betrayal, corruption, and power. It’s a very strong opener, though less polished than its sequel.