TL;DR Review: Murder on the Orient Express meets Train to Busan by way of Arcane, with a hint of Titanic to really ratchet up the tension!
Synopsis:
Sergeant Nix Marr is a damn good soldier, but she’s desperate to leave her haunted past in the bioluminescent ocean, buried alongside old friends…and old flames. Unfortunately, even the icy ocean can’t extinguish some fires. When Kessandra, everyone’s favorite princess—and Nix’s loathed ex—requests Nix’s help investigating a massacre in the abyssal city of Fall, Nix refuses. Vehemently.
But Kessandra always gets what she wants.
Consigned as Kessandra’s bodyguard, Nix grudgingly boards a luxurious submersible that offers the only transportation to Fall. It’s frustrating, irritating, how quickly Nix and Kess fall back in sync—much as she tries to fight, Nix can’t deny their spark. But Kessandra wasn’t truthful—surprise, surprise—and Nix quickly realizes their “investigation” isn’t about the massacre, but rather what caused it: an illness that incites its victims into a violent craze.
When another royal is brutally murdered, it becomes apparent the disease has spread—and no one on the submersible is safe. Suddenly, survival hinges on trusting each other, which would be a hell of a lot easier if Kessandra didn’t keep lying. Injured, fighting for their lives, Nix has to decide if she can trust Kessandra again…and what she’ll lose this time.
Full Review:
It’s not often that a romantasy hooks me from Page One, but This Gilded Abyss absolutely did. From the moment I was introduced to Nix—Sergeant Nix Marr of the Valkesh Army, to be precise—I was instantly in love with her strength of will, her drive to succeed, and her protectiveness over her soldiers.
And then, when we meet Subarch Kessandra in Chapter Two, I was instantly put in mind of Arcane. Where Nix has Caitlyn’s military background and Vi’s resilience, Kessandra has Caitlyn’s intelligence and Mel Medarda’s elegance. With the gaudy towers and steampunky vibes, I felt immediately at home and ready for the adventure ahead.
Or so I thought…
Not in a long time have I been so utterly shocked by a book. What I thought I was getting was nothing compared to what I actually got.
Nix and Kessandra are old flames that ended badly, so of course Kess picks Nix to accompany her on the most dangerous expedition possible. That involves them boarding the spectacular underwater submarine—think the Titanic built as Captain Nemo’s Nautilis—that takes them to the city at the bottom of the ocean where magic and secrets and danger resides.
No sooner have they left land behind then, you guessed it, murders behind to happen. People start not only dying, but also trying to kill Nix and Kess. Naturally, Nix gets blamed, but this is where we see Kess’ strength and determination matching her intelligence as she puts Nix’s accusers in their places so effectively I was left speechless and reeling.
But as the story wends onward, it becomes quickly apparent that things are going to get a LOT darker than I expected. I won’t spoil anything, but if you’ve watched Train to Busan, you know exactly what kind of dark, twisty madness will unfold. And, as if that’s not bad enough, there’s the very real possibility that the submarine could, you know, sink.
The descent into the ocean’s depths is the perfect parallel for the story’s descent from your classic romantasy into a much darker, more action-packed and horror-flavored adventure. The action hits hard, the character work is spectacular, and I was fully on board shipping Nix and Kess (if they could just work past all the expected relationship obstacles).
Imagine my surprise when I get to the end and discover it’s not a standalone like I thought, but a series! Yes, I get more of this amazing story—which I absolutely need, given where and how it ended.
Let me tell you, this does everything I want in a fantasy story and so much more. The magic/tech is fascinating, the vibes go darker than I ever anticipated, the worldbuilding is colorful and enthralling, and I just adored Nix and Kess with all their flaws and foibles and imperfections and badasseries.
I cannot wait for Book 2 to see where this story goes!
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