The Rising (The Alchemy Wars, #2) by Ian Tregillis

The Rising (The Alchemy Wars, #2) Reviews

• 
  Bradley

  You know, I just can't tell whether this novel just happens to have solved any of the issues of the one directly prior to it, whether I preferred it because it was filled with a lot less outright torture, whether this just happened to tickle all my funnybones at exactly the right time, or whether I've just gotten used to the writing style and it just doesn't bother me anymore.
  
  Any way I look at it, though, I loved this second novel. I had no issues with any of the main characters, even if mr. robot suddenly changed his name to Daniel. Wtf? Anyway. It doesn't matter. He's still awesome.
  
  Longchamp turns out to be one hell of a military leader and the blood and guts sections are mercifully spread out and don't overwhelm the flow of the text. That being said, it injected quite a bit of life in the tale.
  
  Berenice, as untrustworthy as she is, made a truly interesting and wonderful addition to this novel. I liked her much better here than in the first, but that may be mostly because she redeemed herself by the end of the first, at least as a cool character. :)
  
  More than anything, the denouement of this novel was truly fantastic. It's one thing to have disparate characters doing their own things for wildly different reasons, but it's essential that the whole package gets giftwrapped and handed to us, the eager readers. What can I say? The payoff was DELICIOUS.
  
  There were a TON of great reversals and high-tension moments throughout the novel. It is a gem of pacing.
  
  But most of all, the end of this novel was what I expected to happen at the end of the first novel, so now, all my faith has been restored. Hell, I wouldn't have minded at all if
  The Mechanical and
  The Rising get re-released as a single novel. Or who knows, include the third in as well, once it gets released. And then we'll all sigh a grand sigh of relief. :)
• 
  Mogsy (MMOGC)

  4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum
  http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/01/04/a...
  
  I loved Ian Tregillis’ The Mechanical, and I’m pleased to report the sequel does not disappoint. Although I still have to give edge to the first book—mainly because the impact it had on me was so profound and unexpected—The Rising takes up the baton and carries on running at full throttle, ramping up the action while still keeping the themes of historical fantasy and existential philosophy at the forefront.
  
  The Alchemy Wars series is part fantasy, part alternate history and part steampunk, bringing together magic and mechanical men before a backdrop set in the early 1900s. France and the Netherlands are at war, with the Dutch having the upper hand thanks to the might of their clockwork automaton army. The Rising picks up where The Mechanical left off, with former spymaster Berenice exiled in disgrace and Jax the rogue Clakker on the run from his mechanical brethren who are still enslaved to their Dutch masters. Meanwhile, Captain Hugo Longchamp has taken over the defenses of Marseilles-in-the-West, France’s stronghold in the new world.
  
  Most of the story in this second volume is told through the perspectives of these three characters, following the development of the conflict on multiple fronts. The war takes center stage, with the Dutch army of mechanicals preparing a full on assault. Berenice is an escaped prisoner fleeing from enemy lands while attempting to uncover the secrets of the alchemical sigils that power the Clakker geasa. Longchamp’s chapters throw readers in the thick of things, following his efforts to protect the French king and to recruit more men and women to the cause. However, it is Jax with the most bizarre quest of all, as he makes his way deeper into the northern wilderness and stumbles upon Neverland, the fabled community of rogue mechanicals ruled by their leader Queen Mab.
  
  The Rising distinguishes itself from its predecessor by being more fast-paced and action-oriented. The intrigue and violence comes at you nonstop, and in fact, almost all of Longchamp’s sections are characterized by heavy, protracted battle sequences. I’m all for action, don’t get me wrong—but ironically I can’t help but feel that this was what made this sequel comparatively less compelling than The Mechanical, which was more subdued but also deeper and more cerebral. Still, I loved The Rising because of its strengths in different areas; I for one greatly enjoyed how this novel takes us on a detour down a wilder and more explosive path.
  
  But that doesn’t mean we don’t get any of the heartfelt philosophical questions and existential discourse, because we do—and that’s most apparent when you look at the transformation in Jax’s character as he examines his own identity and purpose. The more I read, the more I’m starting to think of The Alchemy Wars as being Jax’s series, even though he is only one of many key players. From the moment he achieved release from his geas, his journey has been an exploration into the meaning of free will and its significance for moral responsibility. Discovering Neverland in this book is another turning point for his character, and this eye-opening experience subsequently leads to many far-reaching consequences.
  
  Finally, we have Berenice, who is a classic Tregillis protagonist. By that, I mean she is fascinating, complicated, and wonderfully flawed. And like a lot of Tregillis characters, she has also been put through the wringer. Berenice’s motivations have been shaped by an extremely painful and traumatic experience from the first book, and the guilt from that event drives her still. So when the dark side of her personality emerges, it’s hard not to sympathize even if you disagree with her methods. Though her investigations into horologist secrets may ultimately help Clakkers gain their freedom, never doubt for a moment that this is a lady with violence on her mind and vengeance in her heart. Complex characters like her are what makes Ian Tregillis’ books such fun to read.
  
  Additional thoughts on the audiobook: I opted to try the audio edition of The Rising because of the positive reviews I saw for The Mechanical audiobook. This is the first time I’ve ever listened to an audiobook read by narrator Chris Kayser, and for the most part I think he delivered a good performance, other than a few words he kept mispronouncing (I’ve never heard someone say “chimera” like that). I also found it jarring that he would say almost all the French names and other French words in the correct accent and pronunciation, with one major exception—Longchamp (I’m from Canada, I can’t help but notice these things). It’s probably an intentional choice, and in truth it was more amusing than annoying; overall it didn’t impact my enjoyment of the book, but it was distracting enough that I’m torn as to whether or not I want to continue with the audio for the next installment. I’m just being picky though, and I’m sure it’ll be fine for others.
  
  In short, I can’t find too many faults with this book. Tregillis bides his time in this second act, bringing things slowly to a boil, yet action scenes are heavier and more frequent, and if that’s what you prefer then you might find you’ll enjoy The Rising even more than The Mechanical! The ending’s cliffhanger was expected, but no less powerful and effective in making me yearn for the next in the series. The Alchemy Wars is not to be missed.
• 
  Phil

  Tregillis continues the Alchemy Wars saga here right where the previous volume left off, but introduce some new POVs now that Visser is 'compromised' with a crystal in his brain and lacking free will. Hugo Longchamp, captain of the guard in the rump New France capitol keeps us abreast with the goings on there. Berenice, the former Talleyrand, has been exiled, but her curiosity about the mechanicals and the clockmakers leads her to all kinds of intrigue. Jax, now a 'rogue' (e.g., no longer under his master's geas) due to the alchemical glass he found in the journey to New Amsterdam is quickly on the run...
  
  So, the adventure continues here and I will say no more about the plot to avoid spoilers. The Rising has better pacing than the first installment and Tregillis basically gives each successive chapter to one of the POVs mentioned above. Berenice is determined to find out who the traitor was that leaked the chemical secrets that New France depends upon to keep the Dutch empire at bay, Jax is determined to stay free, and Longchamp is determined to defend the capitol from the Dutch. Lets just say each has their own trials and travails.
  
  I did enjoy the worldbuilding here and more mysteries concerning the mechanicals gradually became unveiled. Once again, some rather sophomoric speculations on free well emerged, especially as Jax now has it and poor Visser does not. An interesting read that flows nicely, and if you liked the first installment, you should enjoy this. 3 mechanical stars!
• 
  P42

  
  
  Zegarmistrzowie NADAL kłamią!
  + ta książka jest tak filmowa, że naprawdę nie wiem, na co oni czekają w tym hollywood
  + nadal zachwyca mnie ta wizja podzielonego ideologicznie pod tym względem świata oraz to, że są tylko dwa państwa
  + zaskoczyła mnie, tytułowe "Powstanie" nie było takie oczywiste
  + autor otworzył sobie drogę do następnego tomu na ostatniej stronie
  - ratujcie mnie przed perspektywą Longchampa... jest TAK NUDNA w porównaniu do przygód Berenice i Jax'a, że aż nie pasuje do książki
  
• 
  Dawn

  ++SPOILERS++
  
  4.5 stars (revised from 3.5 after further reflection 2-14-2017)
  
  Good but a bit slower than the first book.
  
  I'm glad that bitch Bernice's plans got foiled in the end, and I was happy to see Lillith back. I hope she returns in the next book too.
  
  What put me off was the long winded battle scenes, I skimmed alot of them. I had no love of the Captain, and was exasperated about hearing about him so much.
  
  Was it really necessary to have so much cursing all the time? I'mno prude, but it just seemed overdone. It also seemed like everything smelled of sour milk, and people lost bladder control all the time in the face of fear.
  
  I was amazed at how Bernice went from having a crushed windpipe to talking so soon after.
  
  Bernice. I hate that character, she is such a c-nt. I think she is what I hear so many people call an anti-hero(heroine). Or is she an antagonist? I'm not sure.
  
  Anyrate, the book was good, I plan to read the next.
  
  Safety: violence detailed and gorey, cursing.
• 
  Antonio Diaz

  Genial continuación de la parte anterior. Trata de romper con un cierto éxito la convención de que el libro intermedio en una trilogía suele estar un tanto estirado. Más dinámico que el primero aunque se pierde la frescura de la novedad.
• 
  Lisa

  Full review at Tenacious Reader:
  http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2016/0...
  
  The Rising by Ian Tregillis continues to explore the rights of the mechanicals and the war between France and Netherlands continues. In fact, the war dominates. This book is much faster and I feel like it featured more action than the first book. While action is good, I have to confess that is not what made me love The Mechanical. I love the exploration of freedom and free will and how that relates to the Mechanicals, I also loved the concept of deciphering at what point a machine may have enough independent thought of its own to be declared a sentient being deserving of its own rights and privileges. I did miss that a bit in this book, but not too much as the groundwork was laid in book one, and it continues to a driving force in book 2. I guess its the difference between the introduction of new ideas which takes longer and the continuing pursuit of them, which relies on your knowledge from the previous book. So while my overall experience with this book was a bit different from the first, it was still very good.
  
  As much as I enjoyed the entire book, I have to say I found the ending of this book to be phenomonal. I’m definitely looking forward to the third novel in this trilogy.
• 
  Gosia

  Genialne, wciągające i niesamowite. Kocham te dylematy moralne, nieoczywistych bohaterów i akcje. Nie często wciągam się w trylogię, ale w tym przypadku już czekam na finał!
• 
  Ints

  Alķīmiķu karu pirmo grāmatu The Mechanical es aprakstīju jau pērnā gada martā. Šo grāmatu dabūju laicīgi, bet uz lasīšanu nu nekādi nespēju saņemties. Vienmēr atradās kāda grāmata, kas aizlīda rindai priekšā. Bet nekas, janvārī pienāca arī šīs kārta.
  
  Kā jau tas bija sagaidāms, stāsts ir veltīts atbrīvošanās karam. Holandieši zem sava Orandža troņa ir savākuši visu pasauli. Viņi ir dominējošā nācija visa pasaulē. Holandiešu hegemonija neaptver vien pāris teritorijas. Tās, kuras nav piemērotas dzīvošanai un tās, kurās valda Jaunā Francija.
  
  Jax ir aizbēdzis no saviem vajātājiem, tas nebija viegli, taču brīvība ir tā vērta. Viena lieta ir, ja tavu gribu apspiež Pulksteņmeistaru ierobežojumi, kas dedzina prātu, otra, ja vari doties, kur acis rāda. Šādam dumpīgam klakerim jau nemaz nav daudz tādu vietu, viņa mērķis ir karalienes Mabas zemes. Tajās mītot brīvie klakeri, kuriem nav saimnieku un pavēļu. Arī šajā grāmatā Jax ir centrālais personāžs diskusijā par brīvo gribu un par to, kas ir brīvība vispār. Jax sākumā domā, ka atbrīvojoties no saimnieka, viņš kļūst pilnīgi brīvs, un nekas viņu vairs nespēs pakļaut. Taču brīvība uzliek arī pienākumus, viņš varētu atriebties visiem cilvēkiem, varētu censties atbrīvot citus savas nelaimes brāļus, varētu gāzt Pulksteņmeistarus. Taču katra šāda rīcība radītu noteiktas sekas, un tikai vienīgi viņš var izvēlēties savu ceļu. Varētu teikt šajā jomā Jax ir revolūcijas iespējamais vadonis, taču viņu šī loma absolūti nesaista. Taču ir lietas, kuras izdarīt var tikai viņš.
  
  Berenise – iepriekš galvenā Jaunās Francijas spiedze. Taču nu viņai pienākuši grūti laiki. No savas valsts viņa ir patriekta, nonākusi Pulksteņmeistaru gūstā. Taču gūsts un padzīšana nenozīmē, ka viņa var aizmirst savu valsti. Valsts tevi var nodot, bet tu valsti – nekad! Pat bezizejas situācijā viņa vāc informāciju, kas, ja paveiksies, var noderēt. Viņai šī lieta padodas ļoti labi, un šķiet, ka viņas rokās nonāk noslēpums, ar kura palīdzību būtu iespējams izmainīt spēku līdzsvaru pasaulē. Pulksteņmeistari savus noslēpumus nevienam neizpauž, taču tas tā nebija pirmsākumos. Tad Pulksteņmeistari nebija apvienoti ģildēs, un dažs labs bija nopietns eksperimentētājs, kas nepakļāvās industrijas standartam, tādēļ pasaulē joprojām ir atrodi artefakti, kuri ļauj izprast klakeru būtību un pat izmainīt tos. Kā varone Berenise ir ciniska ideāliste, viņas intereses tiek pakārtotas valsts interesēm, un viņa par karali ir gatava atdot dzīvību. Protams, ja vien tas kaut kā palīdzētu karalim.
  
  Kapteinis Hugo Longčamps ir Rietum-Marseļas aizstāvības organizētājs. Jaunās Francijas galvaspilsēta jau daudzas reizes ir atsituši Oranžā troņa uzbrukumus, taču šoreiz holandieši ir ķērušies lietai klāt pa īstam. Neglābs pat slavenā franču ķīmija, visa Jaunā Francija ir iespiesta pēdējā citadele, un skaidrs, ka ienaidnieks gūstā nevienu neņems. Hugo ir īstens karavīrs, viņš nepadodas pat, ja kauja ir zaudēta, jo vienmēr var nedaudz atkāpties un pārgrupēties. Visa viņa dzīve sastāv no šādas atkāpšanās un pārgrupēšanās, jauniesauktie ir totāli muļķi. Lai gan ko tur, pat veterāni neko nespēj padarīt klakerim, kas ticis uz mūra. Cīņas iznākums ir izlemts jau brīdī, kad Francijas valdības atliekas nodibināja Jauno Franciju Amerikā. Taču tas nenozīmē, ka Hugo piedurknēs nebūtu paslēpti pāris trumpji.
  
  Grāmata ir aizraujoša, ko gan citu varētu sagaidīt no atbrīvošanas kara apraksta? Nevar gan zināt, kurš kuru vēl īsti atbrīvos, bet tas jāizlasa pašiem. Pasaule ir perfekta ar detalizāciju un izstrādātiem pamatkonceptiem. Autors joprojām pieturas pie reālisma, jo šī ir tikai alternatīvā vēsture. Tādēļ lasot šķiet, jā, ja kāds būtu izdomājis klakerus, tad, iespējams, viss tā arī notiktu. Tagad visi runātu holandiski no pola līdz polam. Man joprojām patīk autora izgudrotā alternatīvā vēsture un tās pagrieziena punkts, kura notikumi tiek izstāstīti šajā triloģijā.
  
  Grāmatai lieku 10 no 10 ballēm. Domājoši mehānismi ar apspiestu brīvo gribu, ētisko robežu izsmērēšana mehanizējot bioloģiskus cilvēkus un vēl pāris Pulksteņmeistaru noslēpumi, tas viss padara šo grāmatu par izcilu pirmās turpinājumu. Noteikti izlasiet, patiešām laba. Pats nepacietīgi gaidīšu nākamo daļu, šīs grāmatas beigās bija nodrukāta pirmā nodaļa, un tā patiešām bija iespaidīga. Beidzot uzzināsim par Pulksteņmeistariem no pašiem Pulksteņmeistariem.
• 
  Oleksandr Zholud

  This is a second volume of the Alchemical Wars trilogy. This review contains spoilers of the first volume,
  The Mechanical.
  
  So, the forge making mechanicals in the New World is destroyed, former French spy-master is captured and a rogue clakker Jax is again alone. Of course, the destruction is assumed a French plot and Dutch decide to end with those pesky frog-eaters once and for all. Therefore, the grand setting of this volume is the siege of Marseilles.
  
  Like in the first volume, there are three main protagonists-narrators (in third person): already known to us Jax and Berenice, as well as playing a minor but important role sergeant (now captain) Hugo Longchamp, the one who stopped a clakker when Berenice’s experiment went wrong. As a hero, who survived such a fight, now he commands Marseilles defenses and we see the newest French designs against the unstoppable foe.
  
  There are also great new adventures of both Jax and Berenice, new info about the fabulous Queen Mab and the way the mechanical’s system of geasa is formed, as well as re-appearance of the Father.
  
  I enjoyed the second volume even more than the first and I’m eager to finish the series.
  
• 
  Lancer

  Wow, this took everything that was great about the first book and made even greater.
  
  The three way battle over free will continues ad the Dutch, French, and mechanicals (clakkers) go for broke. This book really ups the tension and action which continues to the final words in the book.
  
  This is absolutely one of my favourite new "universes" or settings. With strong male and female (and mechanical) characters on all sides of this conflict, all fighting for control of the mechanicals (including the mechanicals fighting for control of themselves) this entry really sets up the third book. I don't want to add any spoilers but I will say this: read these books, you won't be disappointed!
• 
  Bob

  An intense, action-filled, powerful second volume in the Alchemy Wars trilogy. A great read! REALLY looking forward to the October release of The Liberation!
• 
  Cathy

  I haven't been a tremendous fan of historical fiction or alternate histories in recent years, but this series has me captivated. The alternate history that Tregillis has created with the Dutch ruling much of the world through the power they've commanded through controlling their mechanical servants has so much depth and breadth, it's fascinating. This book was quite different from the first. The first set everything up, it established who the characters were and what they wanted and brought things to a crisis point. In this book things went wild.
  
  It had so much energy, so much desperation and motion and emotion. Seldom have I felt such a sense of jeopardy in a battle situation as with the New French besieged by the Dutch and the Clackers. Really just the Clackers, the Dutch people didn't do any of the fighting. Those military Clackers are truly intimidating. They're ridiculously hard to stop, incredibly strong and capable of killing with tremendous speed and violence, they don't need to sleep or rest, weather doesn't effect them, they can jump over or climb over almost any obstacle. They were pretty darn terrifying at any technology level, much less with the limited resources available at the time of this book. It was interesting to see all of the ways in which the French fought back, Tregillis certainly thought it through. Normally I get bored during battles in books and end up skimming through them, whether it's hand-to-hand or big armies. But I read all of the scenes in this book, they were compelling.
  
  I missed the historical and scientific elements that were in the first book, the way the author wove real historical events and peoples' work into the story. Those elements became much of the foundation for the series. But that was already established, and this was the next step. I'm glad he didn't try to force references to historical figures or events to try and sound like an intellectual. Some authors might have thought that was they're calling card, so to speak, and felt obligated to stick with that style. But if it didn't serve the story then it didn't need to be in there, he made the right choices. Even the philosophical musings and debates that the first book generated weren't explored as much in this book. Questions about free will versus determinism, and freedom versus slavery, and power corrupting, were only briefly touched upon. It was like a snowball effect, or maybe an avalanche. Jax/Daniel and Berenice got the ball rolling so strongly by the end of the first book that now there was no stopping it, everyone just had to try to manage the crisis, and that superseded all else. As Hugo said, "Make it quick. I've got dying to do."
  
  This is definitely not a stand-alone book, I'd highly recommend readingThe Mechanical first. There wasn't a lot of recap and understanding the characters and the storylines in this book was strongly dependent on having read the first book and having the depth of knowledge that provided. But it was an exciting story. When I think back on it, I can't really think of what all went on that too 450 pages to tell it, other than the siege and battles, but like I said, I was never bored. And it was a fast read, it didn't bog me down at all. And it had a decent sized font, that was a nice thing. And the end, whew, that's another game changer. I'm very interested to see what goes on in the next book, very interested.
• 
  Jason Pettus

  (Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)
  
  Last month I gave a favorable review to Ian Tregillis'
  The Mechanical, part 1 of a coming alt-history trilogy that imagines what the world would be like if the Dutch Empire had managed to invent robots in the 1600s; so that's why I don't have much to say about volume 2 of the series, The Rising, that I didn't already say in that original review. Exactly more of the same, it's perhaps best not to think of these as three different books in the first place, but rather one super-long three-part saga that is well worth any alt-history fan's time, one of those perfect genre exercises that combines thought-provoking philosophical issues with fast-moving action set-pieces, all within a deeply well-thought-out alternative universe that will make minds race with the possibilities. A strong recommendation for sci-fi fans; although as always with genre novels like these, it can be easily skipped by those who aren't already aficionados.
  
  Out of 10: 8.9, or 9.4 for fans of alt-history novels
• 
  Peter

  A solid sequel in one of the more memorable series I've started recently. It might have been cursed with the usual story issues that tend to come with middle books of trilogies, but even though the conclusion here was on the predictable side, getting there was still a fun ride. Knowing what to expect from the writing also helped with my enjoyment this time around and the sharp drop off in the number of info dumps also helped.
  
  We obviously learned a bit more about the world and it's clockwork inhabitants, but unfortunately, those new details were rather uninspired and mundane compared to the creativity shown in coming up with the world initially. That's obviously quite a biased opinion on the matter, but I can't deny that I was hoping for a bit more from the finer details. The couple of new locations and characters introduced to the story were well handled and added some entertaining new aspects which worked in keeping the story relatively well-paced, even though the first half was noticeably slower than the second.
  
  We once again got three distinct perspectives, with two returning and one new one. I wasn't the biggest fan of the new pov character, although he was quite entertaining at times. His part of the story was quite dull and repetitive though, especially in comparison to the other two pov characters. Speaking of which, I enjoyed the development of those two with each getting a good chunk of time to flesh out their personalities and their gradual transformations. I still think a pov from the Dutch side would have added a lot more depth and nuance to the conflict though since their side is portrayed like a bunch of evil bastards who are easy to dislike. I suspect that might have been the goal, but I tend to prefer antagonists to have better motivations than to be the bad guys in a story.
  
  The writing was very similar to the first book (unsurprisingly), although it was a bit easier to follow now that I actually knew what most of the foreign and made up words actually meant. The action scenes did end up getting quite repetitive and you kind of got the sense that certain characters were living off extraordinary luck considering their inferiority in battles. The few twists were relatively minor and not too surprising, but I did enjoy the unpredictability of the journey's some of the characters took.
  
  This probably wasn't as good as the first book, but I'm quite happy to round this 3.5 upwards. It took a while to get going, but by the third act, I was quite enjoying it, despite pretty much knowing what the outcome would ultimately be. If you enjoyed the first one, you're more than likely to enjoy this one too. It still has its issues, but they're relatively minor in the context of the entertaining story, interesting world, solid characters and unique writing. I'm looking forward to finishing the series.
• 
  Wiedźma

  W pewnym sensie autor niczym nie zaskoczył czytelników. Wydarzenia rozgrywają się w dobrze już znanym uniwersum, większość postaci pojawiła się w poprzednim tomie, a ogólna tematyka pozostaje bez zmian. Niemniej jednak rozwiązania fabularne, na jakie zdecydował się Tregillis nieraz zaskakują czytelnika, i to w pozytywnym sensie. W "Powstaniu" pełno jest zwrotów akcji i ogólnej dynamiki, co przekłada się na to, że książkę trudno jest odłożyć na bok. Cięty język Longchampa i pełen wulgaryzmów sposób wyrażania się Berenice mogą niektórych czytelników razić, ale prawda jest taka, że bardzo pasuje to ogólnego klimatu powieści i opisanych tam wydarzeń.
  
  Całość na:
  http://wiedzma-czyta.blogspot.com/201...
• 
  Brandt

  Considering that The Mechanical was one of my favorite novels of 2015, I was surprised at
  the short shrift I gave the novel in my review. This was entirely due to the fact that I was afraid that by discussing the philosophical elements of The Mechanical I would inadvertently blow certain plot points that may damage enjoyment of the first volume of the Alchemy Wars. Now that you are reading The Rising, I feel a little more comfortable being less obtuse about the book. But that's not even where I am going to start.
  
  One of the problems with trilogies is that the second act can be tricky. Sometimes, when it works, it really works (think The Empire Strikes Back) and other times it can be a pointless waste of time (is there anything more boring than the Entmoot from The Two Towers It prides itself on being a boring, drawn-out waste of time!) Mostly though it exists as some sort of filler to get you from point A to point C, which is where the good stuff tends to happen. The Rising, the second novel of the Alchemy Wars falls more into The Empire Strikes Back category.
  
  When Ian Tregillis wrote The Mechanical we are introduced to Jax, who is a clockwork man that is bound by the geasa instilled in him by the Alchemists who created him. Through his travels the geasa are broken and Jax enjoys unfettered freedom. Unfortunately he is terrible at hiding his condition and reveals himself to others of his kind, who have a built in alarm from their makers for revealing the "rogue" mechanical. In addition, the Clockmakers Guild has figured out a way to impose the geasa on a human subject, which they do. Compelled as he is by the geasa (or suffer great pain), he goes on a killing spree that takes out those who may be a threat to the guild. Ultimately, however, the core of the Alchemy Wars is whether free will is an illusion. The mechanicals are subject to the geasa as a condition of their existence, when one receives free will as Jax does, is free will an illusion to them? Conversely, as a Catholic priest, Visser believes in free will, but the Clockmakers impose the geasa on him, the pain of which compels him to go against his nature. Is free will an illusion or is it as Visser thinks--that he is simply too weak to fight the pain?
  
  These questions are explored more deeply in The Rising. But don't take this to mean that this book is a boring by any stretch of the imagination. Not only do we follow the adventures of Jax, the French Captain Longchamp and the former spymaster Berenice, but we are introduced to the fact that in any conflict, there are often more than two power blocks involved in the overall conflict. Also, even though the concept of "metageasa"is introduced in this volume, discussion of it is far from boring, and helps move along the narrative.
  
  Like The Empire Strikes Back, The Rising leaves most of its characters in the shit when it is done. I don't think this will come as a surprise to any readers who have made it through The Mechanical. But it's the kind of shit--the finely textured shit that great trilogies are made of that make this worth the read. I was shocked to see The Rising published in calendar 2015. Here's to hoping the final volume drops sometime in 2016, because the cliffhanger Tregillis leaves you feeling the geasa caused pain of a story unfinished.
• 
  Melissa

  See my other reviews at
  Never Enough Books
  
  Jax, a rogue Clakker, wreaked havoc upon the Clockmakers' Guild by destroying the Grand Forge. Reborn in the flames, he must begin his life as a free Clakker, but freedom proves to be its own burden.
  
  Berenice, formerly the legendary spymaster of New France, mastermind behind her nation's attempts to undermine the Dutch Hegemony -- has been banished from her homeland and captured by the Clockmakers Guild's draconian secret police force.
  
  Meanwhile, Captain Hugo Longchamp is faced with rallying the beleaguered and untested defenders of Marseilles-in-the-West for the inevitable onslaught from the Brasswork Throne and its army of mechanical soldiers.
  
  The Rising picks up almost immediately where The Mechanical leaves off. Only a few weeks have passed since the ending of book one and the beginning of book two, meaning the characters have had some time to adjust to past events but not much. Like the first book, the pace is fast and furious, moving from one story line to the next. Again, each story runs separate of the others only intertwining at the end for a dramatic finish.
  
  One thing The Rising is missing is the gore factor. In The Mechanical, there were several scenes that were a little dark; there were numerous character deaths and none were pleasant. There weren't nearly the same amount nor was their description as lurid in The Rising, which personally made it a more pleasant read.
  
  Like The Mechanical, I enjoyed The Rising a great deal. Tregellis has once again done an amazing job of creating a world of characters, some to hate and some to love. He makes us question our own humanity and what it truly means to be human. Those who loved the first book definitely need to read the second. It was an excellent read.
• 
  Aildiin

  Very strong second novel in a trilogy.
  The story has us follow 3 characters :
  - Jax the freed Clacker who is trying to reach others freed Clackers.
  - Berenice, the former spy mistress for the king of France in exile.
  - Hugo, the captain of the defense of Marseilles in the West. His is the best role by far, he is full of snarky and desperate humor and makes for a wonderful character.
  The book is jam packed with action as Marseilles in the West becomes under siege one third of the way in and part of the story focuses on the desperate defense of the city. At the same time we learn more things on how Clackers are controlled and a new hidden power is introduced.
  
  Highly recommended book. I was very close to give it 5 stars.
• 
  Fantasy Literature

  I thoroughly enjoyed Ian Tregillis’ The Mechanical, the first book in his THE ALCHEMY WARS series, and I’m happy to say that book two, The Rising, continues the story in strong fashion, showing not a whit of sophomore slump.
  
  The series is set in an alternative history world where Christiaan Huygens’ discoveries led to the Netherlands dominating the world via a mechanical army of “Clakkers.” The sole resistance is led by the French in North America’s “New France,” (old France has already been conquered) whose capital, Marseilles-in-the-West (Montreal) is under siege.
  
  As with The Mechanical, Tregillis splits the story of... Read More:
  http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
• 
  Patremagne

  Pretty goddamn good.
  
  Superbly compelling plot, characters, and world. If you're hesitating on this series because it's steampunk, don't. It's not like most/any other steampunk, and it's very well executed in its historical roots.
  
  Chris Kayser is another apparently hidden gem in narrators. His French accent was immersive, and he had distinct, believable voices for each character, down to the robotic speech of the mechanicals.
• 
  Mikhail

  I could live without the war sequences, but interesting book all the same. Surprisingly quick read, given its size -- Tregillis is an excellent author, the words just flow right off the page.
• 
  Joel

  Review forthcoming
• 
  Kamila

  A little better than the first one, but still... not that interesting. To be honest, if I didn't have to read it, I wouldn't even start.
• 
  Luci

  RTC
• 
  Mike

  This book needs six stars.
• 
  Philip Shade

  A bloody good followup to Tregillis's "The Mechanical." And I don't mean bloody in the British sense, but in the "wow a lot of people die" sense.
  
  The middle book in the Alchemy Wars trilogy "The Rising" lacks some of philosophical underpinnings that made the first book so interesting, but it makes up for that by being a page-turner of an action adventure that you won't want to put down. (No really, I was reading by candle light in the back of a bar at one point.) If you enjoyed "The Mechanical" grab "The Rising" as soon as you can.
• 
  Kate

  Even though there were some things I didn't love about this book, I STILL REALLY LOVED THIS BOOK. I can't help but love Berenice so much, she's so arrogant and resourceful and clever and really fucking lucky. It was nice to get to see Longchamp's perspective as well. I wish there'd been some more about Queen Mab and the Lost Boys - I can only hope Tregillis will get into that in the 3rd book, because there's so much there that could be explored!
  
  This book included a lot of battling...there were a lot of descriptions of fighting and shooting which either I just can't follow very well or Tregillis doesn't write too clearly. I had the same issue in the first book, when Jax is on the airship, where the descriptions weren't enough for me to actually picture what was happening. Also, Tregillis likes to repeat certain descriptions - explosions tend to rattle people's teeth, the word "limned" was used at least 4 times with regard to people's eyes (as in, "panic-limned"). Overall, I think this was a weaker book than the first, but I really love the universe it's set in, and I love the characters we're following, so pretty much anything they did was great to me. Plus I know this is 2nd in a trilogy so I'm saving my real expectations for the 3rd! Though I'll still probably love it even if it doesn't get into all the stuff I want it to.
• 
  Samantha

  the first book had a lot of world building; this one was more non-stop action. *interesting* action. battle scenes, but with secret strategies and mechanical soldiers. queen mab's neverland of free mechanicals in the far north. near escapes, unsteady alliances, unlikely reunions.
  
  and there were shades of the american civil war, immoral free mechanicals, and the exciting end I'd hoped for - but still really interested to see how it plays out in the next book. great series. really original, fascinating characters. it takes place in an alternate past grappling with the same issues of war, slavery and freedom we experienced in our actual past. well, and our present. but that affords a chance to do away with the sexism in our past and have women playing high level roles, or even serving as soldiers. it manages to be original and very different from our world while still staying locked into relevant moral issues, but with different players at the helm of the world. great series.