This follow-up to author Paige Orwin's The Interminables, features the same tremendous characters with a wild, inventive plot and takes us on another tremendous journey.
Edmund Templeton is a sorcerer. One of the best. He is also known as "The Time Thief" because of his magic ability to take time from one person and use it for himself. Edmund, along with a ghost from World War I, Istvan Czernin, are trying to find a 'normal' way to live after settling the events from the previous book. But they are asked to help uncover (and stop) a living storm in central United States. They discover a teen who appears to be a conduit for energy that he maybe doesn't quite know how to use or manage. But how do you try to help control a teen how can harness the power of a violent storm? Of course there's a whole lot more going on than a teen with powers, and in the process of the discovery we meet more mages - these from the central part of the country.
Paige Orwin does a really nice job at giving us a fantasy world that feels real. She finds a nice balance between explaining the magic while not getting caught up in it. She isn't trying to impress the reader with 'how cool' the magic is or how clever she is, but instead makes it a simple, natural part of her world. This is surprisingly refreshing. 'Surprisingly' because more books of this nature should be like this, but unfortunately aren't.
Orwin also gives us really great characters. Reluctant heroes are pretty common in literature but Edmund is understated as a reluctant hero. He plays his role, even if he isn't too terribly excited about it, but his character still has charisma and energy (very necessary to keep the reader engaged).
I did find this book to be just a little bit slow, but I would still recommend it and am definitely interested in more stories from the Interminables series.
Looking for a good book? Immortal Architects by Paige Orwin is a very original fantasy with strong characters and a tremendous world-building.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this quirky, original tale. You have to be patient with it as the world unfolds, the characters reveal themselves and the interactions develop. Very imaginative, and a nice touch with the nod to Canada.

Orwin has written a novel with dark magic, ancient evil, and wicked characters. I enjoyed reading Immortal Architects and, as the title suggests, there are elements as potent as time itself. With creatures as eerie as they are tainted, this story has a lot going for it which I'm sure will be an instant hit for fans of Jim Butcher and Cassandra Clare.

The first book in this series, the Interminables, was on the top of my best of 2016 list. The deeply flawed, nuanced, and grounded characters interacted in a very complex world. Orwin struck a good balance between explaining the magic so it is believable but not overexplaining until it felt pedestrian. The plot was unpredictable and moving but the heart of the book was in the pathos - these were characters who lived, breathed, and felt emotions; they were equally strong while making terrible mistakes or in the highs of triumph. This second novel contains the same beating heart but greatly expands on the world and worlduilding. I'm not sure if this series is a duology or if there is more planned but we have a complete story arc with a very satisfying ending.

Story: In a modern East Coast US disrupted by magical events, Edmund the time thief and his companion Istvan, the ghostly embodiment of world war I, are trying to find normalcy after the Barrio Libertad debacle. When asked to help allies of the 12th hour determine the cause of a sentient storm in the prairie states, what Edmund and Istvan find at the eye of the storm is a teen who exhibits all the same characteristics as Grace Wu - a conduit for natural energy. But he is also one of the shattered and therefore dangerous. Unsure what to do with the boy or even how to safely maintain him, matters will be further complicated when the boy reveals that the destroyer of cities Anoushak may be able to be revived - and Edmund is not sure if he is terrified or excited at the prospect.

The world was greatly expanded with this new novel. We're introduced to the mages of the middle states - Oklahoma area. We're also given far more about the Triskelion - Lucy's people from a very martial soldier society who come from a different dimension. A dimension that has more like Istvan and who are treated in a very different fashion - a fashion that elevates them to godhood.

Also becoming a main character is Kyra - the teen rescued by Istvan and Edmund. How Kyra is treated will become a contention between Edmund and Istvan as well as The 12th Hour and Barrio Libertad. Because Kyra is a conduit, we'll see much more of Grace Wu and her interferences will cause further problems for our main characters.

I've mentioned how good the character writing is here and I can't state strongly enough that this is superb writing. Each of the characters doubt themselves, make stupid mistakes, live on regrets and desires, and act according to their own needs. There are no overidealized good or bad guys here - there is no good and evil. Each tries to do what they think is best and often there are heavy repercussions or unforeseeable bonuses in doing so. The Interminables world does have a heavy atmosphere and themes of regret and reflection are often repeated. As well, each of the characters is very much a product of their environment - and since several are from a very different time (or even world), their perspectives clash interestingly. Grace Wu is driven and direct, Mercedes is calculating and sarcastic, Edmund is self doubting and mired in regret, Istvan is trying to find his place in the world and still holding on to 1915 values, Lucy is hyperfocused and idealistic, and Kyra is trying desperately to look strong and hide his fragility.

Immortal Architects was not a perfect novel for me. I did not understand the focus on racism here at all, especially considering there were creatures operating just fine like William Blake, the Tyger. The gender fluidity of Kyra was also curious in a story that already had a male ghost in an unrequited attraction to a clearly hetero male wizard (ah Edmund and his Grace Wu obsession). Both those topics were brought up enough to feel almost like an author's agenda rather than a natural and organic part of the world building. Neither of those topics were evident in the first novel, either, so they stood out more. One of the most appealing parts of the first book for me was Istvan and Edmund's complicated relationship; I didn't feel adding racism or gender fluidity added to the story, though the gender fluidity made much more sense considering that character's history.

But I greatly enjoyed Immortal Architects. The story never goes where I think it will and the characters never act predictably. The nuances are sharp enough to be cutting but each of the characters are very likable in all their faults and foibles. Because the story ended so solidly, I am unsure if there will be more in the series. But if there is, I'll be first in line to get a copy. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by a publisher.