Foundryside

A Novel

By: Robert Jackson Bennett

Narrated by: Tara Sands

“The exciting beginning of a promising new epic fantasy series. Prepare for ancient mysteries, innovative magic, and heart-pounding heists.”—Brandon Sanderson

“Complex characters, magic that is tech and vice versa, a world bound by warring trade dynasties: Bennett will leave you in awe once you remember to breathe!”—Tamora Pierce

In a city that runs on industrialized magic, a secret war will be fought to overwrite reality itself—the first in a dazzling new series from City of Stairs author Robert Jackson Bennett.

Sancia Grado is a thief, and a damn good one. And her latest target, a heavily guarded warehouse on Tevanne’s docks, is nothing her unique abilities can’t handle.

But unbeknownst to her, Sancia’s been sent to steal an artifact of unimaginable power, an object that could revolutionize the magical technology known as scriving. The Merchant Houses who control this magic—the art of using coded commands to imbue everyday objects with sentience—have already used it to transform Tevanne into a vast, remorseless capitalist machine. But if they can unlock the artifact’s secrets, they will rewrite the world itself to suit their aims.

Now someone in those Houses wants Sancia dead, and the artifact for themselves. And in the city of Tevanne, there’s nobody with the power to stop them.

To have a chance at surviving—and at stopping the deadly transformation that’s under way—Sancia will have to marshal unlikely allies, learn to harness the artifact’s power for herself, and undergo her own transformation, one that will turn her into something she could never have imagined.

The narrator ruined it for me

This is such a great story, but the narrator, OMG, fingernails on a blackboard, chewing on tinfoil, Jaja Binks. The nasally, whiny thing was just too much- I thought her portrayal of Sancia was bad until I heard her Klef voice. Totally ruined it for me.

great new fantasy. but a lot of deus machina

great new fantasy. but a lot of deus machina, quite literally the whole story is about deus ex machina I suppose

It's just ok

Struggled to finish and gave up with 6 hours left. Pacing is interrupted with needless details of the magic system while the world building is half done. Not what I'm looking for, unfortunately.

Solid 10 audible experience

Just finished this book and thought the audible book reader/performer was a solid 10. Great book, fascinating world, and lots of character development that gets deep fast. I think I love every main and supporting character in this book. Exciting cliff hanger end, can’t wait to read the next entry in this series. Loved the Sancia & Baroniece burgeoning romance they are soooo cute. Giving me Korrasami feels. Gregor is a teddy bear, Otho is hilarious. This book was so much fun to read. A real pandemic escape. The only thing I’d suggest to potential readers is buying the hardcopy or kindle version to read along with the narration because sometimes when the author discusses the idea of bending realities it gets heady and hard to imagine. I think I’m going to buy a hardcover of foundryside down the line just so I can go back and take in the mechanics of the magic system at a slower pace. But overall, great book.

Fantastic in all facets.

Fantastic writing, complex yet elegant magic system with deep broken characters. Not to mention an absolutely stellar performance by Tara Sands. Robert J Bennett crushes it out of the park with this one, I often felt like I was reading a Sanderson novel. A great man once said:
"If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day."
In each of the two days it took me to get through this book Robert J Bennett brought me to laugh, think and cry. This is a heck of a book and I strongly recommend that everybody read it.