Gogmagog opens with Cady Mead, an old salt who used to ply the waters of the river Nysis through to the city of Ludwich. A war and a deterioration of the river has seen water traffic dwindle and those days are long gone. But Cady has a calling and when a strange girl and her robot protector come and ask for passage on the river to Ludwich, despite the dangers of the journey, she agrees to accompany them in her old ferry, captained by her former crewman. And so begins an epic journey up a river haunted by the spirit of a dead dragon and full of dangers and wonders.
For those who enjoy this style of fantasy there is plenty to sink their teeth into in Gogmagog. From its steampunk styling to its earthy humour, to its mindbending ideas, creatures and species to its deep mysteries. And all with very little exposition – Noon and Beard drop readers into this world and expect them to just work things out for themselves. And they do this through the action and the interactions of a central found family of flawed characters, misfits and runaways.
Gogmagog, the first of a projected series, spends its whole time navigating the river to Ludwich. And yet it never feels like it is spinning its wheels. Every stretch of that river holds new challenges, discoveries and secrets. So that the whole enterprise becomes an intriguing table-setting for the action and answers to come in future volumes.
Robert Goodman
For more of Robert’s reviews, visit his blog Pile By the Bed
Other reviews you might enjoy:
- The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands (Sarah Brooks) – book review
- A Stranger in the Citadel (Tobias S Buckell) – book review
- House of Earth & Blood (Sarah J Maas) – book review
Robert Goodman is a book reviewer, former Ned Kelly Awards judge and institutionalised public servant based in Sydney. This and over 450 more book reviews can be found on his website Pile By the Bed.