This is an amazing piece of fiction (especially considering it was originally written for NaNoWriMo) that draws the reader in immediately from the first page and keeps you hooked to the last. The characters are all fully formed, with motivations and histories of their own. There's the Chief, a stern ruler who will not bend the rules for anyone, even his own son, and expects everyone to adhere completely to the law, however unjust those laws may be. There's the heir, who may not like some of the laws but is determined to follow in his father's footsteps and keep their polis the best in all the lands. There's the wizard, a cold and calculating man hiding his intentions behind a mask of loyalty. There's the slave, removed from his time through a process called Statis, doing his best to adjust to a new world he can only catch of glimpse of through his window. And there's of course Ennek, the protagonist, the younger son of the chief, who is expected to only be pretty and is known for his drunkenness and gambling. This is about his awakening from a sheltered boy into a man with his own convictions, ambitions and desires. His journey is engaging and at times appears to be hopeless as he's still struggling to think of himself as someone who matters.There is a lot of attention to detail and if I have one nitpick, it's that the book could have used a little more. I'm assuming this world is supposed to be modeled after the mid- to late-1800s. They have indoor plumbing with apparently instant hot water and flushing toilets (probably only the upper classes enjoy this technology), electricity and rubber balloons, but not cars and Ennek's treadmill is described as an "ingenious contraption". The clothes are more modern than I had first assumed, as is much of the language, but most of that can fit into the 1800-era model also, along with their slave society and prudish morals. The problem though is that I'm assuming this. I would assume one thing and a couple of pages later the author would drop in a detail that made me readjust that assumption. I'm not expecting Tolkien-level of detail, but even a couple more pages at the start devoted to describing this world would have given the reader a firmer grasp of what this world looked like as the story unfolded.Hopefully, we'll get more of those details in the next book which I most certainly am looking forward to. I love Kim Fielding's writing and I've enjoyed her world building in other books, so I added Stasis to my must-read list. I wasn't disappointed. This is a first-rate fantasy! Ennek is the younger son of the ruling Chief of his nation, one of several city-states ringing the Bay. There's a post-medieval feel, possibly the Age of Sail, and a sense that this world is on the brink of an Industrial Age. Magic is also alive and well, and Wizards wield considerable power. One of these powers is the ability to place people, most notably enemies of the state, in Stasis, a sort of suspended life. When Ennek discovers one of the suspended prisoners is not, in fact, completely inert, the event rocks him in ways that shape his young life. The world building is stellar. I really felt I could walk this world and talk with its people. The dynamic of being a secondary heir in a powerful, ruling family propels much of Ennek's story. Miner's story was less engrossing for me and I thought there was a lot more potential there. But he's genuinely sweet and gentle, and Ennek's torment over how to interact with him once Miner is released from Stasis rings true. The wizard Thelius creeped me out, and was a villain in the grand style. The climactic battle played out logically. And can I compliment Ms. Fielding on a rocking good magic system? Yes, I can. This book has one of the more complex and lovely magic systems I've had the pleasure to read. I'm diving right into the next book in this series.
What do You think about Stasis (2009)?
kindle edition. Promising start to a series.
—iuhoosierslove
