Clandestine Lives

by Tony Duxbury

2 out of 5

Synopsis

A legendary assassin, the most feared in the land. A beautiful courtesan, famed for her beauty and skill; and a jester, servant to a Duke with a fearsome reputation.

Three lives, one story. Their fates are bound together in a way in which none of them could ever have imagined. They are unwittingly tied together by a heinous curse. Each one slowly becomes aware of their strange existence until finally, the horrible truth is revealed.

As the Empire slides into civil war, all three must confront the unpalatable truth about themselves. Unfortunately, none will be free to unravel the mystery of their past unless they first embroil themselves in the schemes of others.

Review

The Empire is slipping closer to civil war, and three unlikely heroes are brought together to set things back in the Duke's favour.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This story is split between three narrators.

Jax is the main character. He's a jester in the Duke's court - he's whip-smart - smarter than a lot of the people in court, but Jax is content with his position and the life he leads.

Torganath is the finest assassin in the empire. His reputation is secure, and he has his pick of jobs. A stable empire is good news for him - it allows the unscrupulous merchants to have their own commercial war - providing Torganath with endless work.

Reesha is the finest courtesan in the city. Even reducing her availability and increasing her prices hasn't put people off. Instead, it seems to have increased the excitement surrounding her. She is very skilled at her job, but as she gets older, her own doubts start to creep in.

The good stuff

I liked the plot. I thought it was strong, and very original. I normally guess twists well ahead of time, but I didn't guess all of yours!

I liked how you gradually revealed what was going on, and allowed the reader time to catch up. I never felt lost at any point.

I thought the world-building was also really good.

The bad stuff

I didn't like any of the narrators, and it was hard to gel and feel invested.

Fex... I'm not sure what his character is supposed to be. I found him overwhelmingly arrogant, and a complete contradiction to everything he was thinking and saying. He's supposed to be loyal,  but sells the Duke's secrets, and abandons his residence as soon as the power shifts. He's supposed to be a ladies' man, but he comes across as a dick. He's supposed to be a good guy, but he's awful to his friends.

Torganath is also arrogant, although it feels like he's earnt it. His character is easier to follow, but there were times when I really questioned his logic and actions.

Reesha - again, she feels like a complete contradiction. She's supposed to be the most expensive and most desired courtesan in the city. She's been at this for years, and knows what she's doing - but she feels like a weak and emotional wreck. I thought she'd be independent - she doesn't have a pimp, she should be in control of her own life, but she lets her house staff run her bookings with zero input from Reesha.

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