Because the title suggests, it’s a heist story, however twistier than the standard heist journey as a result of when coping with the fey, nothing is because it appears.
The ebook opens with Saeldian as a baby and explains how and why they made a pact with a Fey Lord. Not surprisingly, it appeared like a simple vow, perhaps even a helpful one, when Saeldian was a baby. As an grownup? Saeldian tells themselves it’s needed or perhaps a matter of security, however over the course of the novel, it turns into a burden and impediment.
As an grownup, Saeldian the warlock has change into a grifter, pulling cons with Jubilee, and the story correct begins with one such con job. However simply as Saedldian and Jubilee have their aim in attain, a lady rushes in and breaks up scheme. Away from the prior mark, Briona guarantees that she has a greater, way more profitable job for them.
The plan appears simple—don’t they at all times—retrieve a stolen merchandise, a spell gem referred to as “The Kiss of Enduring Love” and return it to its authentic proprietor within the Feywild with out them realizing it. Briona says she has no expectations that they’ll have to kill anybody or do something that will disturb their consciences. The promise of the very hefty cost leads Saeldian and Jubilee to agree.
However—there’s at all times a “however” in heist tales—the toast making an settlement triggers a geas (magical vow) so neither one can again out. That rapidly turns into vital when Saeldian discovers that they’re anticipated to work with two different individuals. One is Lorzak, a really chill orc druid. The opposite is Kell Redsong, an elven bard and Saeldian’s former associate. To say that issues ended badly once they have been final collectively 10 years in the past in Baldur’s Gate is an understatement.
Not eager to cope with the ex that broke his coronary heart, Kell needs to depart, however he owes the Zhentarim his life. Briona makes it plain that it’s time to pay up, and this job is the strategy. Coping with his ex can’t be averted irrespective of how a lot Kell fumes about it.
On high of that, the stone have to be stolen throughout a ball taking place tomorrow, giving them little time to plan. The present proprietor of the spell gem has no thought it was stolen, and Woman Elezia wouldn’t give it up even when that was revealed so theft, err, “Merchandise retrieval” is critical.
Evidently, issues don’t go as planner. They by no means do in a heist story.
And when the foursome lastly attain the top of their caper, they study there’s way more to the spell gem’s restoration than they ever realized. As per fey schemes, there are plans inside plans, twisting like gnarled branches.
I actually appreciated the small print within the ebook. Saeldian’s relationship with their patron and demonstrations of how their bond, together with its boons and banes, have been attention-grabbing.
At one other time, Kell makes some attention-grabbing factors about how the very first thing a thief steals tells rather a lot about them. Saeldian’s concentrate on look isn’t nearly altering identities for con jobs, but in addition an perception into their persona and the character of their pact. It additionally supplies some inspiration for companies and outlets in Waterdeep that many overlook.
The exes that should work collectively facet was of much less curiosity to me for pacing causes. Kell’s anger is comprehensible however lengthy after he’s seen ample proof that Saeldian isn’t the identical individual they have been in Baldur’s Gate, Kell retains insisting that Saeldian is. At a sure level it crossed the road for me from “comprehensible anger” to overly repetitive. Kell didn’t have to forgive Saeldian, but it surely turned a bit tiresome. The pacing for that subplot does enhance, but it surely felt prefer it took awhile.
In any other case, I actually appreciated the twists and turns, and the sensation you get of on a regular basis life in Waterdeep and the Feywild. There’s a kind of cameo look on the finish I loved. I additionally cherished the bits with Jubilee’s household. We don’t at all times get a have a look at retired adventurers and their households in order that was enjoyable.
Actually, Lorzak and Jubilee have been in all probability my favourite characters despite the fact that Saeldian and Kell are the primary characters. A part of that’s the writing and a part of it’s the audiobook performances.
The Particulars
The Feywild Job is on the market in hardcover, book, and audiobook codecs. It’s 352 pages lengthy or 14 hours and 36 minutes.
Audiobook narrator Vico Ortiz truly has a variety of voices as evidenced by the alternatives made for Lorzak, Jubilee, and numerous Feywild characters to call a number of. That’s why it pissed off me that the voice Ortiz makes use of for Saeldian and Kell have been slightly too just like my ear. Worse, it sounds to me like Saeldian’s voice has a faint, occasional lisp, which made me nuts. I discovered it an odd alternative since Saeldian is so targeted on how they seem to others, although perhaps that imperfection was the purpose. Both approach, it aggravated me.
What didn’t trouble me was a barely breathy supply at instances. It’s strategic, emphasizing when Saeldian is in a rush or harassed. It bothered somebody I advisable the ebook to once they listened to a pattern. Your mileage could fluctuate.
I cherished the voice used for Jubilee. The dry, sarcastic, typically world-weary tone vaguely reminded of Selena Gomez in Solely Murders within the Constructing when Steve Martin and Martin Quick’s characters exasperate her.
In Abstract
I like heist adventures so it’s not shocking that I loved The Feywild Job. I had some quibbles, as famous above, but it surely was a enjoyable change of tempo from the standard D&D novel.
I hope we get extra Feywild-set D&D novels. I additionally at all times like tales set in Waterdeep so The Feywild Job made me completely satisfied on each counts since these have been the places apart from flashbacks to Baldur’s Gate to clarify why Kell owes the Zhents, and what occurred between him and Saeldian.
My score: The Feywild Job is B+. Whereas the heist and character battle/improvement are middle stage within the story, in case you just like the romance between bitter exes than it could be an A for you.
