This was my first foray into Jim Butcher's writing (although I own the whole Codex Alera series on paperback and my kindle is straining at the seams with Dresden books) and I was excited to give it a go. The beginning is an interesting mix of fast-paced flying ship battle scenes and the notion of high-born family offspring being sent to pay their dues in service to the country. We learn that the outside world is full of dangerous malformed creatures and humans all live in spires, large towers with multiple floors, with magical crystals powering technology including flying wooden ships. The technological aspects of these ships are well thought through and even the casual reader understands enough to get along with the book.
Sadly, the pace drops off the edge of a cliff quickly, with the exciting scenes dropped in favour of political intrigue and sniffing out spies, with fairly lengthy descriptions of everyone and everything and not enough things happening. And also a bit too much "school of witchcraft and wizardry" feel about it (albeit school of steampunk and crystals that shoot lasers at people), that clashes with the vibe set by the gritty sailor characters (but we don't get what should be some good worlds-collide interaction between the groups when they are joined together).
The pace did eventually pick up, but the middle 40% or so was a long dull slog with little purpose. There are also cats that some people can talk to and that run a form of protection racket. And massive spider-y things.
I can't say I am thrilled to also have the follow-up to read, but I will give it a go, hoping for more action and less jolly hockey-sticks at dawn.

An interesting read, Steampunk is not something i read huge amounts of. I loved the overall vibe, and the battles in this were incredibly well written. It definetely sets up something big to come and feels like the start to a proper epic series. The ending is explosive and punchy, but at times its a bit of a slog to get there. The characters were okay, but i didn’t know enough about any of them to really care for them, or be that invested. A good, action packed read with an interesting premise (and some of the best cats you’ll ever read about), maybe needed a tad more finesse at the start but really comes into itself throuhgout the book. Intrigued to see where it goes.

Absolutely fantastic book! Very good world building. Found it a little difficult to get into at start but only because the world was so different from anything I've read about before.
The characters were extremely well thought out and I'm very invested in some of their outcomes. Seems like part of a trilogy perhaps or new series.
I felt like I was on a steampunk swashbuckling adventure in the sky.
Absolutely superb book and highly recommended.

Unpopular Opinion

I devoured the Dresden Files, but this book just didn't work for me. Here are a few reasons why.

I didn't like a single character. They were either bland or unlikeable, or both.

I couldn't see where the story was going for the first 10-15%.

I was constantly wondering what kind of genre this was supposed to be, YA? Middle-grade (especially because of the cats)?

I wanted to like the book, but it felt like a chore to read.

It was ok! Pretty enjoyable and I'm curious to see where this goes next. Butcher does know how to write compelling characters.

Some fun world building here. Floating societies, power jewels and an entertaining dash of steam punk. Oh, and cats. Lots of cats.
A small team of young Guardsmen and an experienced Captain and his air ship are given a mission just as a sneaky attack changes everything. Up against terrible odds and foes, they will have to rely on their colleagues and their abilities. And the cats of course.
Jim Butcher’s humour drips all over this, as does some great dialogue delivered by entertaining characters.
Really enjoyed it.

Really enjoyed this book. I liked all the POVs, but especially Grimm and Bridget. And of course my dear friend Rowl, the star of the show here. In general the cats are just so good and amusing. The plot felt a bit basic until nearer the end, but I liked the political set up and the worldbuilding a lot. Not my favorite Butcher by any means, but consistently enjoyable.

Fantastic fantasy world building starts a new series. Wonderful characters you can connect with from the very first page with Cats as the heroes what’s not to love about this book.
Humans live in Spires above the dangerous monsters living on the surface.
Captain Grimm patrols with the airship Predator he could be the last saviour for many. Cannot wait for more in this series.
Thank you NetGalley and (publisher, Little Brown Book Group UK) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Quite the steampunk adventure, this is my first time reading Jim Butcher. For me, it could have been a bit tighter and moved a little faster but if you're looking to savour the details and immerse yourself in a world of airships, monsters, crystal technology, and talking cats, this may be the book for you.

The Aeronaut's Windlass is excellent. A great start to a new series by Jim Butcher. Plenty of action, set in a unique world, with fantastic characters. There's a great sense of humour running through the story as well. I have to say, my favourite character is Rowl, the cat! Cheeky, haughty, brave, and vain - typical cat! Looking forward to book 2!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

“Have you ever tried to stop a cat from doing what it wants to do?”
No, did you?!

The Cinder Spires series by Jim Butcher is quite different from The Dresden Files, this could be good news to those who didn't enjoy Harry Dresden, and still is a piece of good news for those who enjoyed WIZARD or didn't read it at all.

Until you have a fondness for a new fantasy magical world which is a combination of Star Trek set in the centuries somewhere before in England in my mind - with the flying ships, magical crystals, talking cats, BoomBang, lots of characters and narrators.

Just be aware of slowness and a little too much of ... well ... everything, I think!

“It is often very useful for others to think you less intelligent than you are,”

Off to next!

Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK via NetGalley for giving me a chance to read The Aeronaut's Windlass (The Cinder Spires, Book One) I have given my honest review.

“Politics is the purview of scoundrels, tyrants, and fools. I only observe because I prefer not to become their victim.”

Superbly entertaining fantasy. Great characters, snarky/friendly banter, action packed story line. And cats!! . I have read all of Jim Butcher’s books and enjoyed them all. Including reading this one when it first came out. Now, almost seven years I have just reread it in preparation for the soon to be published sequel - The Olympian Affair. Loved The Aeronaut’s Windlass as much now as much as I did the first time. Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Wow ! What a creative imagination ! This must be one of the best Fantasy books , with touches of Steampunk , I have read in years . The Author's worldbuilding and diversity of characters and their interactions is superb.

Humanity live on Spires , 2 miles wide and towering miles into the skies - the nearer to the ground you live the more dangerous it is , the mists hide the monsters within .
Transport and defence is only by ships , ships powered by valuable crystals and the 'ether' .

Captain Grimm , former Naval Officer dismissed for cowardice , now considers his merchant ship , 'Predator ' , his home , his crew his family . When his ship takes damage in a surprise attack his only way forward is to accept a commission from his Spire's leader . Just what is coming for them , can they identify the source , can Albion survive ?

The action is fast paced with multi-faceted POVs , help comes from unexpected sources ..........is this just the start of new enemies and battles to come ?

I loved the non-human characters in this story , especially the 'talking' cats , the Etherealists , whose magic leaves holes in their minds to be filled with madness : and the Warrior born , whose physical enhancements can mean all the difference in a fight.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I have an up and down relationship with Butcher's work but even when he most annoys me, I still come back for more so make of that what you will. This steampunky adventure was a lot of fun. I went in determined to just enjoy it for what it was and I had a good time with it. I'm not sure the plot ever comes to a complete close - it felt more like set up for the next book - but I enjoyed the worldbuilding and characters enough that it didn't matter. Fun fantasy I would recommend.

Not sure how to feel about this one. It felt like it had a lot of potential but that Butcher didn't know what to do with it. Unsure if i'll continue with it.

Wow! What a ride! Jim Butcher kicks off his new Cinder Spires series in fine style with The Aeronaut's Windlass, a steampunky tale of action and intrigue set in Spire Albion. The humans (and not quite humans) live vertically in the spires, huge monoliths two miles in diameter and monstrously tall. Whatever is on the ground is no longer friendly to their kind. Transport is by 'airships' but not as we know them. They are powered by enormously valuable crystals for lift and power, harnessing the ether.

There's a cold war brewing, about to turn hot. Captain Grimm of the privateer vessel Predator has been a thorn in the side of Spire Aurora for some time and finally the Auroran navy sends a warship after him that almost finishes Predator completely. With his crystals cracked and his ship in a bad way Grimm is offered a way of earning his repairs - a mission to the lower levels of the spire, crowded and dangerous, with an oddly assorted bunch of spies.

Gwen, from the powerful House Lancaster (Albion's crystal growers) and Bridget of House Tagwyn are new recruits to the Spirearch's guard. Together with Gwen's cousin, the warrior-born Benedict and Bridget's friend, Rowl, a cat, and two etherealists, they make up the somewhat oddly composed spy-party, but each one has a part to play after the Auroran's mount an attack on Albion. It's not simply an attack for its own sake, there's a purpose, but what is it? Grimm and his crew together with the 'spies' are despatched to find out.

Mayhem ensues.

The worldbuilding is fascinating and the characters, human and otherwise, complex and interesting. It's an ensemble piece told from various viewpoints. There's a lot of action and violence including hand to hand and pitched air battles. Butcher carries it off with ease. I liked Grimm a lot, while Bridget, Benedict and Gwen were interesting and sympathetic characters. I was less fond of Rowl, the talking cat. (All cats talk it's just that not all humans can speak cat like Bridget can.) I'm pretty sure if you're a cat person you find Rowl both amusing and characterful. I found him slightly annoying and could have done with a little less cat in the book. That apart it was a good set-up for a new series and I'll be watching out for the next one.