Mortedant's Peril - R.J. Barker

Full disclosure, I've been a fan of R.J. Barker for years, so I went into Mortedant's Peril predisposed to like it. Fortunately (at least for me!), it proved to be an entertaining read, with the smart, quiet depth to the worldbuilding that I've come to expect from Barker. And the characters, who can, from time to time, straddle the border between "in their redemption era" and "actually really quite annoying". The story, too wends its way around, with enough twists and turns that I always felt I was almost, but not quite able to predict. It's probably worth saying, if you've worked your way through Barkers other books, that this one is, well, less grim. And funnier. There's still a hard iron edge to it, we're still dealing in blood and poison and knives in the dark, but tonally it's definitely less grim than, say, his excellent Wyrdwood series, and all the more readable for it. 

The focus of the story is on the titular Mortedant, Irody Hasp. Irody Hasp is...abrasive. Obnoxiously selfish. Struggles to think about the impact of his actions on others. And really very classist. He's...not a bad person, but one living in the fog of his own assumptions, some of which will be...rather strongly challenged, shall we say, over the course of the story. And, of course, Irody Hasp can speak to dead people. Not all the time of course, that would be silly. But the recently deceased, yes, he can delve into their final moments. Very helpful if one wants to settle an inheritance dispute, or solve a murder. Unfortunately for Irody Hasp, he's mired in some age-old scandal, and also sufficiently unlikable that nobody really wants to get him on their team - so he ekes out a living reading the dead he can scrounge up, along with his assistant. 

They live in, well, calling it a city probably doe sit no justice. An enormous, tiered urban conurbation, topped by a castle guarded by invincible magical soldiery. Ones position on the tiers directly equates to ones quality of life. And Irody Hasp's position on the tiers is, well, slipping. But the city, well the city itself sings its own song, it feels like the sort of place one could live. Not enjoy living, of course, no, not that at all. But it has the blood and history and tang of change about it that makes the space feel alive. It's populated by religious cults, some of whom are desperate to see the end of the world, the rise of the god they worship, or ideally both, and some of whom just want to help people get through their day with a modicum if spiritual comfort. There's  alchemical wizards, building mechanical marvels powered by spirits. There's the Ringfire, a sweeping conflagration that regularly sterilises the boundary of the tiered city (and anything unfortunate enough to be in its path). There's the Mortedant's, of course, and the inhabitants of the lower tiers, who're just trying to get by with a bit of light thievery and the oiccasional housebreaking.They roll into each other, blend together in a way that feels very real. Hasp's home has a sense of texture, a grounded sense of place that is rare on the page.

Speaking of Hasp...well, I rather enjoyed sitting on his shoulder. Hasp is a smart person, struggling with a past that has left him professionally a persona non grata. But he's so wrapped up in himself, in his own desire to be left alone, to not have to deal with people, that he misses things, he hurts others, he struggles where perhaps he doesn't have to. Part of his journey is learning to, well, unclench a little bit, and see the world outside of his own preconceptions and his own decision to close it out. He makes up for being somewhat abrasive by seeming to care about his friends and associates, by having a sense of reaching out, even when he doesn't realise it. And Hasp has a ready wit, and a strong investigative bent. As he digs around in various dark corners and old sins, I couldn't say I knew what was going to happen next any more than he did - and as time went on, he grew on me. In this he's helped by Barker's usual ability to craft a compelling supporting cast, all of whom seem to have their own personalities, their own wants and needs - they're not just foils, but people. 

In the end though, you need the story to make the characters and setting work. And this, well, ha, it's a thoroughly entertaining mystery, one that gets weirder and more deadly as time goes on, so that each turn of the page feels like it raises the stakes a little bit. But it's not just a plot, it's a story of people, their weakness, their courage, their needs, their compassion. It's fun above all, and it'll make you feel. What better recommendation is there? This one's a winner, and I look forward to any (many) more.