As a huge fan of Tchaikovsky's sci fi novels Children of Time & Children of Ruin, I have been disappointed with my inability to get absorbed in his fantasy. I read four books in the Shadows of the Apt series, but didn't feel the urge to continue with it. A new world, another chance, I thought with this one, but it just didn't grip me, even though I did enjoy some of the details. I tried many times to get into this book but I'm having to DNF unfortunately. Something about his fantasy just doesn't grip me the way his sci fi does. I'm chalking it up to personal reasons though, rather than the quality of the work; the world seemed intricate and interesting, and I did really like the concept of saints being kept alive by peoples belief in them, and the diverse and odd cast of characters.

My first Adrian Tchaikovsky and maybe my last. Just a little too dense for me to enjoy, and too many shifting perspectives.

The story and concept were interesting, but it was hard to follow with the constant switch in characters.

I really, really tried liking this book, because I could see the development of a great story. But the start was so intricate, and the characters were not appealing, that after many tries I just gave up on continuing this book.

I believe there are many people that will love this, it just wasn't for me.

I've been dying to try Adrian Tchaikovsky, so I was absolutely thrilled when my request for City of Last Chances was approved. Plus, that cover. *chef's kiss*

I don't know that I would recommend this book to readers who are just starting to get into adult high fantasy. The worldbuilding isn't spoon fed to you, and it does take a bit to really become immersed in the story, but once you do, it's totally worth it. I found the first few chapters particularly intriguing, which really threw me into the story. There are a lot of characters, but they were all a lot of fun to read from and learn more about. Also, mysterious, dangerous forests are a trope I will read again and again, so that certainly contributed to my enjoyment of the book.

I would definitely recommend City of Last Chances to readers of adult fantasy who are looking for a story that feels fresh and a world that feels unique.

Thank you to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow. No lightweight fantasy this. You have to work a bit at this one, but you will be rewarded by innovative world building and the fleshed out inhabitants of Ilmer. I say innovative world building, but you kind of find yourself unpicking it through character perspectives and interaction rather than it being served on a plate.
When a powerful and important item goes missing, a city on the edge is pushed further and the cracks are pushed wider by the actions of the parties involved. And we see this through the eyes and perspective of a number of citizens and those with distinct agendas.
A book that will stay with you for a long time.

Will say right off the bat that while this is worth the read, you need a certain measure of fortitude to get through this book. 😅 Dense in every way, complex and verbose, this is a gritty, grimy urban-ish fantasy with a hefty cast of characters and both an occupational force’s and ancient and ousted royalty’s hierarchies and histories to learn.
The story itself is impressively crafted, with distinct character voices and storylines which are expertly woven together. There were quite a few repetitive words in the first third of the book which is a big pet peeve of mine. Other than that the writing was sharp and intelligent, with a level of detail that seemingly intentionally slows you down to take it all in. At times this got a bit tedious, that and a few repetitive action scenarios were my biggest obstacle with the book.
Stand out character for me were Yasnic & Ruslav (and God 🤪✌🏼) who were endearing to begin with and kept surprising me. I enjoyed the tonal and cultural differences of the locals, immigrants / expats, and occupiers, though I didn’t vibe with the Bitter Sisters / Vultures much. This type of story naturally comes with it’s fair share of undesirables from all camps, so there are definitely a big chunk of unlikeable characters.
And the magic! Understated, both eerily beautiful as well as sinister, and mostly subtle but knit throughout the fabric of this world and others we hear about - the curses in particular were one of my favorite things in the book.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an eARC of this book!</i>

An interesting world but the plot didn't wow me as much as I wanted it to. It was also my first Tchaikovsky novel, so maybe my expectations were too high. I'm still excited to explore more of his works.

I know Tchaikovsky a much respected writer of epic Sci fi so I wasceager to read him for first time. It's serious and almost dry .. tracking all the fully developed and numerous characters is hard work, and then also locations, and differingvagendas .. hard to sustain attentions for duration( at least for me) .. so I remain an admirer but not a devoted fan .. perhaps I come too late in!

This was a decidedly odd read that I weirdly really enjoyed.

It’s been a really long time since I read anything about a criminal underworld and this one really hit the spot. From the writing to the world building Adrian Tchaikovsky has as usual delivered.

The book covered some heavy social themes, poverty being key amongst them and it made for a heavy read. I spent the weekend after I finished reading the most lighthearted books just to balance it out.

I do think I’ll be buying a physical copy of this one.

Thank you to HOZ for providing me with a digital arc.

A veritable heap of characters - but each memorable, distinct, and even when flawed and unlikeable added to the story. And an impressive world build, with layers and history without feeling like a textbook!
This was a deep dive into the tensions, emotions, history and present of a city made of so many parts.

Rating 2.5 stars

City of Last Chances was too slow a pace, too many threads and characters which made it confusing at times, unnecessary romance thrown in to a couple of lines and an ending that was disappointing.

I enjoyed the idea of the occupiers wanting everything perfect and the mysterious Anchorwood forest which leads to other realms.

Whilst I wanted to reach the end and i did a month and a half after starting it, overall didn't do it for me. Though I do like the cover.

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

This is my fourth book by Adrian Tchaikovsky, and my first of his fantasy books. I thoroughly enjoyed it! City of Last Chances has a lot I love in fantasy: multiple POVs, compelling world-building with complex political dynamics, characters who are ethically ambiguous at best, and and a significant element of strangeness. Tchaikovsky has created a great ensemble case of characters, perhaps none of whom are straightforwardly likeable but many of whom I was really interested in. This is absolutely a fantasy book, with elements of magic, fantastical technologies, and mysterious portals between worlds, but the institutions and factions moving against each other were what interested me most. The dynamics between the regime established by the colonizing Palleseen in Illmar — including, to name a few, the School of Correct Erudition, School of Correct Appreciation, and School of Correct Speech — as well as the resistance groups (Shrikes, Vultures, Herons) and workers’ organizations (the Siblingries) were the most compelling aspect of the story for me. Illmar itself also comes alive on the page, and the plot contained enough twists to keep my interest while unfolding gradually. Tchaikovsky has helpfully provided a list of characters and factions at the beginning of the book — this is the kind of fantasy that warrants this inclusion, with many characters and factions to keep track of. Definitely recommend.

Content warnings: murder, violence, death, gore (though not especially graphic), execution by hanging, colonization, police brutality, war, injury detail

*Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus / AdAstra for providing an ARC in exchange for this review*.

2.5 stars. The worldbuilding was intense, and I thought at times it was a bit chaotic to follow. It's ambitious to be sure, but I do not think it worked for me. It's also quite long, coming in at around 500 pages. I have to be honest and say that I was a bit bored.

A complex read set in a intriguing, very detailed world. Each chapter is from the pov from a different character. Halfway through the book it all starts coming together, but as a reader you really struggle to get there. Because the large cast of characters makes it in the beginning difficult to follow the plot. Overall an epic fantasy but not the easiest one to read.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was incredibly hard to read and retain information for me. I was disappointed in my reading experience because of it. It’s all my own personal taste though, the storyline and characters were fabulous, i just felt like I was reading a college course book where I needed to write essays afterwards

Picture a city under occupation and on the verge of revolution. Imagine the streets teeming with discontent and bubbling with anger. Delve into each shadowed alcove and underground lair to discern who will light the first match and set fire to the masses, urging them to overrule the Palleseen regime.

This book was one I had ridiculously high hopes for and may have had my expectations too highly placed. I remained impressed by the rich world that was developed and intrigued by the criminal workings, elite rule, and struggling masses within it. I did, however, feel a little distanced from many of the principal characters, for some reason, bonding more with their many plights than with their individual personalities. This did not ruin my overall enjoyment but I merely found it to be unlike the book I had predicted I would read.

No-one can doubt the sheer brilliance of this creation, however. It is a dark and lush tale, bubbling over with emotion and where each page is marked by some tragedy or is home to anger and resentment. I loved seeing how the individuals, from all walks of life, made this city their home and sought to transform it into something other than what is currently is.

I was disappointed in City of Last Chances as it seemed to be a re-hashing of some of Mr. Tchaikovsky 's other works.

Many Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the digital review copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Tchaikovsky’s writing is so immersive, you feel like you step into another world and are swept away by a hundred different stories, each vying for attention, and while this is exhilarating it can also be incredibly confusing. There are so many complex characters, each with different backstories, different views, and different religions that it can be hard to keep up. This really took away from the main plot of the book for me, that by 75% I had no idea what was happening, and this is a long book. I’m not going to say I enjoyed this book very much because honestly, it felt like pulling teeth at one point, but I’m glad that I finished it.

The city of Ilmar is alive. The occupying forces of the Palleseen have bolstered the number of inhabitants, adding another weight to strain the people within. The list of forces exerting pressure on the people of Ilmar is ever growing. The suffocating grip of the criminal underground, the lurking madness of the lost district, the local natives of the forests nearby, the rebellion pushing back from within, all just waiting for a single spark.

Politics, magic, criminals, rebellions, creatures, this book has it all. In “City of Last Chances” we get to see many points of view, with a seemingly endless cast of characters from a multitude of backgrounds. And all in a world rich with history, traditions, culture clashes with the occupiers, and magical lore.

But in all this it becomes less and less clear where it is all headed. I never quite found my flow with this book, to the point I felt it was more of a grind than a journey. The writing is incredible but it’s such a deep and complex world that it took every ounce of concentration to get through a single page.
Any other book and I would have quit, but Tchaikovsky writes in such detail that I felt I was cheating myself if I didn’t at least try to absorb it all. Because of these conflicting feelings I am torn with how to rate it. The writing was astounding and the world with its detailed characters gives it 5/5. But my personal enjoyment was low and I felt it was a trial to get through which lowers it to a 3/5 if I am being generous.