Gutter Mage

by J.S. Kelley

J.S. Kelley weaves epic fantasy and hardboiled noir in this fast-paced, twisting tale of magic, mystery, and a whole lot of unruly behavior.

In a kingdom where magic fuels everything from street lamps to horseless carriages, the mage guilds of Penador wield power equal to the king himself. So when Lord Edmund’s infant son is kidnapped by the ruthless Alath Guild, he turns to the one person who’s feared by even the most magically adept: Rosalind Featherstone, a.k.a. the Gutter Mage.

But as Roz delves into the circumstances behind the child’s disappearance, she uncovers an old enemy from her traumatic past and a long-brewing plot that could lead to the death of countless innocents, as well as the complete collapse of Penadorian society itself!

• ISBN10: 1982134003
• ISBN13: 9781982134006
• Publish Date: 21 September 2021
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Gallery / Saga Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Gutter Mage is an engaging debut noir mystery/fantasy mashup by J.S. Kelley. Released 21 Sept 2021 by Simon & Schuster on their Gallery/Saga imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is one of my better speculative fiction genre picks so far this year. There's so much to like here. The protagonist is a smart but flawed outsider who happens to also be a fire-wielding mage, intelligent, (mostly) loyal, operating within her own moral code. It's got shades of a buddy-cop adventure with her best friend, a brawny fighter with a big sword and bigger muscles who's always there to back her up. They're trying to stave off a local mage guild and prevent them from unleashing the apocalypse in the company of her ex, an uptight sort-of-cleric who's on the inter-guild council. The world building is superlative, immersive and plausible. There are lots of philosophical questions to ponder and the writing is really really good. The dialogue is rapid fire and sarcastic (but not annoyingly so). There were several places during the read which actually surprised a laugh out of me.

There is some graphic violence (she's a *fire* mage and can't always control her flames and random people just keep attacking her), as well as some light sexual content. Main character Roz is bisexual and I liked that it wasn't a big deal in the text. Sensitive readers should be aware there are some content concerns: non-consensual imprisonment, body horror, discussions of infant loss and maternal mutilation, possession, smoking, alcohol abuse, and mental health issues. All those aside (and they're all in context), this is a genuinely funny book and extremely well written.

Five stars. I really really want to know what's next for Roz and co.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Quirky Cat]

Gutter Mage is the debut novel of J.S. Kelly, and guys: consider me hooked. I loved this novel, and I loved the writing. I'm adding J.S Kelly to my list of auto-buy authors.

Rosalind Featherstone is a woman of many names. Her friends call her Roz, and anybody looking to get punched calls her the Gutter Mage. She's worked hard to make peace with her lot in life and has cut a career for herself.

While she's never taking on a case involving a kidnapped infant, there's a first time for everything, right? Only nothing is what it seems, and Roz quickly finds herself up to her neck in danger and magical politics. What fun.

“There were people at various points in my life who had told me that I shouldn't fight dirty. That there was a right way and a wrong way to right, and punching a guy in the eggs fell squarely on the wrong side.”

If you love your magic books laced with a hefty dose of noir and sarcasm, then you're going to love Gutter Mage. I know I did. I want so much more – more information about the world, the characters, and especially the magic.

Roz is arguably the crassest magical being I have ever had the joy of reading about – and that's saying something. I can see why she got the nickname Gutter Mage – and it isn't just because of her magic or the type of clients she prefers.

I love how dark and gritty this novel was. Even the magical system had a darker tone, which fit nicely with the overall noir aesthetic. It also suited Roz's personality for obvious reasons. Personally, I think it did a fantastic job of making this world and story stand out from the rest.

Gutter Mage was a fun read because it had a lot of elements blended into one story. It's a magical noir world, where the main character has taken up a new case (mystery) to solve. Throw in personal conflicts, political scheming, and some surprises twists – and a lot is going on in this book.

I'll confess that it took me a little while to get into the narrative – Roz is abrasive, which makes it harder to appreciate what's going on. Still, it wasn't long before I was fully invested, and by the time the book ended, I wasn't ready to let go.

To sum it up: I adored Gutter Mage. It was a unique and fun read, and I'm already crossing all of my fingers and toes that there will be a sequel. Pretty please?

Thanks to Gallery/Saga Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks