Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 3.75 stars.

What can I say, T Kingfisher is an auto buy/read author and always will be. This book is short and engaging, the characters are fun and witty with many different intentions. The only page the characters seem to all be on is that they want to live, this a weird and wonderful book and I look forward to reading more.

Clockwork Boys by T. Kingfisher is a darkly comic and thrilling fantasy adventure that combines espionage, steampunk elements, and a cast of morally complex characters. With its sharp wit, high-stakes plot, and unexpected moments of heart, this novel is perfect for fans of unconventional heroes and stories that blend humour with danger.

The story follows a ragtag group of criminals and a scholar who are thrown together on a suicide mission to uncover the secrets of the Clockwork Boys—mechanical soldiers from a neighbouring kingdom that threaten to bring ruin to their city. The team includes a paladin with a haunted past, an assassin with a sharp tongue, a forger with a knack for survival, and a scholar whose knowledge may be their only hope. If they succeed, they’ll earn rewards and pardons, but the journey through enemy territory is fraught with peril, and the biggest challenge may be surviving each other.

One of the standout features of Clockwork Boys is its richly drawn characters. Each member of the team is flawed, complex, and utterly compelling. The paladin, Slate, is a reluctant leader with a tragic history, while the assassin, Brenner, is as deadly as he is sarcastic. The forger, Caliban, brings a sense of practicality and resilience, and the scholar, Learned Edmund, provides both comic relief and crucial insights. The dynamic between the characters is electric, filled with tension, banter, and moments of unexpected camaraderie.

The world-building is equally impressive, with Kingfisher creating a vivid and immersive setting that blends fantasy and steampunk elements. The Clockwork Boys themselves are a fascinating and terrifying creation, adding a sense of urgency and danger to the mission. The journey through enemy territory is filled with action, intrigue, and unexpected twists, keeping readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

The tone of the novel is a perfect balance of dark humour and heartfelt moments. Kingfisher’s writing is sharp and witty, with a knack for turning even the most dire situations into opportunities for humour. At the same time, the story doesn’t shy away from the emotional weight of the characters’ pasts and the stakes of their mission, creating a narrative that is as touching as it is thrilling.

Thematically, Clockwork Boys explores issues of redemption, trust, and the power of unlikely alliances. The novel also delves into the idea of making the most of the time we have, even when the odds are stacked against us. These themes are woven seamlessly into the narrative, adding depth and resonance to the story.

If there is a minor critique, it is that some readers may find the pacing a bit uneven at times, with the focus on character development occasionally slowing the action. However, this is a small quibble in an otherwise masterfully crafted novel.

Clockwork Boys is a must-read for fans of fantasy and steampunk adventures. T. Kingfisher has created a story that is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking, offering readers a chance to lose themselves in a world of danger, humour, and heart.

A darkly comic and thrilling fantasy, Clockwork Boys is a standout novel that will appeal to fans of unconventional heroes and high-stakes adventures.

Ah, T. Kingfisher has yet to disappoint.

I mean, seriously, how does one come up with characters like this? A ninja accountant? A possessed, Arthurian-level paladin? A misogynist scholar who thinks any contact with a woman will turn his bowels to water, and yet still stitches up wounds despite this belief? The sex-obsessed assassin was the most normal character in this book, and even he was hilarious.

If you go into this expecting world-changing literature and purple prose, you're mistaken. Clockwork Boys is the tale of a disaster crew, moving towards a suicide mission, flailing about the countryside to their destination, trying not to get killed (or kill each other). The dialogue is exceptional, and the characters ... well, I already sang their praises above. This is banter, in the way that romance authors yearn to write and never manage, because these characters are so unique and so well rounded that I have a hard time coming up with anything similar. Building characters this rich in a book that's just barely over 200 pages ... Incredible.

The one thing I had to criticize is that Clockwork Boys felt like the prologue to a much larger book. It's basically just a travelogue, but fantasy. They don't really reach their goal in this book, and therefore, we're not really sure what the goal actually IS.
But there is a sequel. So, that's that.

I literally inhaled this, would have finished it in a day but sleep won out.

One of my favourite authors, T Kingfisher just has that secret ingredient that takes a good book to a whole different level. The warmth and humour is key, and there’s something so compelling about her writing.

This may sound like your typical quest, with some very atypical characters; there’s the Paladin who was once possessed, the holier than thou scholar, the assassin who isn’t a total ass and our leader Slate, who is a forger with hidden depths and some serious allergies. But nothing about this is quite what you’d typically expect. I’m so excited for the second half of this duology.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. Kingfisher is one of my favourite authors and this did not disappoint. A combination of great characters and a classic fantasy quest. For such a short book it amazing how much worldbuilding can be crammed in. Only minor point is the somewhat abrupt ending.

I will read absolutely anything T. kingfisher writes. I was so happy to get an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and publisher.

I cannot wait to read the second book! I was so invested in the quest our characters go on. This book blends T.Kingfisher’s signature humour, horror and fantasy. This one is more fantasy leaning but with some monstrous magic elements. I love T,Kingfisher’s imagination for the absurd macabre.

I love how down to earth and relatable our main character is. There are no superhuman, chosen one, 18 year olds who are going to save the world here. We have an intelligent, short, thirty year old forger who has sneezing fits when sensing danger. Amazing. I loved the main character and their will they/won’t they romantic tension with the disgraced paladin they took from a prison for this mission. All of the characters are flawed, interesting, recognisable. They take on the typical character classes from video game and role play fantasy but they are so charming and real! We have a forger, a paladin, an assassin and a religious scholar. They have clashing personalities, values and beliefs but they are on a shared quest. Their differences make for such humorous friction throughout their journey.

Huge fan of this and I immediately want more! I’ve read at least ten T.Kingfisher books now and they’ve all been phenomenal!

At this point you could put anything written by Kingfisher in front of me and I would devour it with the gusto of a person starved. Yes, this may follow a similar formula to some of her other past self-published work, but that doesn't mean I don't crave a quirky story, eccentric characters or danger filled fun quests any less... if anything it makes me crave them more.

I don't know what kind of drug Kingfisher weaves into her stories, but they never fail to get me hooked, and Clockwork Boys was no different. The story is written from two different viewpoints: Slate, our convicted forger with a nose for magic and Caliban an ex Paladin who was locked up after he found himself possessed by a demon and murdered an entire convent... not the most auspicious duo, but in true Kingfisher fashion they quickly worm their way into your hearts, Slate thanks to her sarcasm, wit and ability to lead even when she has absolutely no idea where she is or what she's doing, and Caliban in that way only a Paladin can be... pure on the outside but filthy underneath it all. The pair are joined by Brenner, Slate's ex and assassin and Learned Edmund, a scholar with slightly backward takes on the fairer sex. I'm not sure rag-tag crew really cuts it for this one, but somehow they all work together and allow Kingfisher to take the story down some absolutely hilarious routes.

I've always loved Kingfishers ability to write her main characters as older, Slate is in her 30's and Caliban almost 40, not only because it's such a rarity in fantasy, but because it adds an extra depth and humour to the story. They're weary, of the world, of other people's bullshit, and it also makes the budding romance that blooms between the two of them feel that much more realistic.

Clockwork Boys is set in the same world as Swordheart, which was my first Kingfisher novel, and I did enjoy the little nods to the other book thrown throughout... especially the gnole that cropped up towards the end of the story. Her worlds are as quirky as her characters and plots, with magic and magical creatures aplenty, but Kingfisher also manages to add a little menace and horror without it getting too scary for us scardy cats. The plot of this one is largely quest/journey based, I say this because they don't actually reach the true end of their quest in the book, rather it ends with them finding themselves at Anuket City. Most of the time, this would annoy me a little, especially with how the story just ends, but Kingfisher has this ability to just make everything feel magical and entertaining, so no moment feels wasted.

Even the romance, and boy do I apparently enjoy a disgraced Paladin who swears his loyalty to a convicted felon, took a hot minute to get going. Slate absolutely thirsted over Caliban the first time she saw him clean shaven, but it took a while for any feelings other than her wanting to climb him like a tree to develop. Allowing us time in both of their heads showed the slow and steady pace these feelings took, they don't even kiss in the first book! But it was hilarious watching them thirsting/longing for one another but not acting on it out of embarrassment or misguided chivalry. Their interactions, whether romance based or not, really stole this book for me and I just loved seeing their relationship develop.

I'm absolutely going to be picking up the second book, mainly cause I'm desperate to know what happens now they've made it to Anuket City, and why exactly Slate never wanted to return. Kingfisher has yet to let me down, and if you like your stories on the slower, but no less entertaining side, quirky characters and an even quirkier fantasy world, I would absolutely give this a read.

Clockwork Boys is a fun, witty fantasy. We follow a group of misfits, thrown together on what is likely be, an impossible suicide mission to find out the mystery behind the deadly Clockwork Boys. The characters have great banter, and it's a very easy to read book. The time slipped by quickly.

There is a lot going on as the characters encounter a lot more peculiarity than they expected, coming across many strange things and creatures. It all sets up for what could be a satisfying resoltion - I just wish we got some answers in this book! It feels like half a book, where we haven't even reached the climax yet so it felt a bit strange that it ended where it did. The author did say in the acknowledgments it was a story they split in two, which makes a lot of sense.

Recommended for fans of comic fantasy, with eccentric characters.

Clockwork Boys by T. Kingfisher is such a good book. I couldn't stop reading this book for a second. I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic.

This is my second Kingfisher book, and it had the same ironic humour and jumble of characters which I really enjoyed. Some of the novel felt quite repetitive but overall I enjoyed Slate's POV and I'm excited after reading that cliffhanger!