Lampoon the Moon. LOTM is an incredibly well-constructed blend of fantasy-horror-steampunk-mystery genre fiction, with a compelling cast, a fascinating world, and one of the most engaging magic systems I've come across. The specific mix of Victorian steampunk setting and fin-de-siècle themes is an uncommon choice - requiring that much more development to bring to life, but this slight unfamiliarity makes it all the more compelling. The world feels as though it is just out of reach; realistic and relatable, but with a vague and ethereal otherness that drives the reader forward. While it may seem dense or plodding at first, LOTM's beginning is a slow-burn that is worth savouring. The sense of delayed gratification from the initial act's denouement is a core part of the magic. The leisurely introduction allows for a deeper and more sincere investment in the setting and protagonist, and provides the fuel to justify the frenetic pace as the mystery deepens and the story progresses. And to be clear, once the pace picks up, it does not stop (regardless of how badly you need to stop reading and go to sleep). At the end of the day, a mystery is only ever as good as its resolution, and the most welcome surprise of all is that LOTM manages to consistently deliver on this promise. As each layer of fog is uncovered, a perfectly satisfying balance of explanation and complication of the fool's journey is revealed - deftly building tension until releasing it through explosive action as the narrative wends its way unrelentingly forward to the next layer. There is such a gratifying degree of depth and attention to detail in LOTM that the author's passion for their creation, and the staggering amount of work it must have taken to realise it, is never in doubt. This story is a phenomenal achievement, and one I will think about often and fondly for many, many years - a true mind-worm, as it were. 🧐
Fantasy · Cuttlefish That Loves Diving
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Webnovel
Lampoon the Moon. LOTM is an incredibly well-constructed blend of fantasy-horror-steampunk-mystery genre fiction, with a compelling cast, a fascinating world, and one of the most engaging magic systems I've come across. The specific mix of Victorian steampunk setting and fin-de-siècle themes is an uncommon choice - requiring that much more development to bring to life, but this slight unfamiliarity makes it all the more compelling. The world feels as though it is just out of reach; realistic and relatable, but with a vague and ethereal otherness that drives the reader forward. While it may seem dense or plodding at first, LOTM's beginning is a slow-burn that is worth savouring. The sense of delayed gratification from the initial act's denouement is a core part of the magic. The leisurely introduction allows for a deeper and more sincere investment in the setting and protagonist, and provides the fuel to justify the frenetic pace as the mystery deepens and the story progresses. And to be clear, once the pace picks up, it does not stop (regardless of how badly you need to stop reading and go to sleep). At the end of the day, a mystery is only ever as good as its resolution, and the most welcome surprise of all is that LOTM manages to consistently deliver on this promise. As each layer of fog is uncovered, a perfectly satisfying balance of explanation and complication of the fool's journey is revealed - deftly building tension until releasing it through explosive action as the narrative wends its way unrelentingly forward to the next layer. There is such a gratifying degree of depth and attention to detail in LOTM that the author's passion for their creation, and the staggering amount of work it must have taken to realise it, is never in doubt. This story is a phenomenal achievement, and one I will think about often and fondly for many, many years - a true mind-worm, as it were. 🧐
Lord of Mysteries
Fantasy · Cuttlefish That Loves Diving