Yaroslav Barsukov

I was fortunate enough to get an advanced copy for the purpose of blurbing and reviewing.

Tower of Mud and Straw is a poetic tale of love, loss, and otherworldly powers. The luscious bittersweet feel of this novella will haunt readers in the best sort of way.

Minister Shea Ashcroft is a rare conscientious politician. Disgraced after refusing the Queen's order to gas protestors, he is sent to an outlying border to supervise an incredible tower constructed to defend the realm against an encroaching neighbor. Upon arriving, he is disturbed to find the innovation is being powered by dangerous, oft-misunderstood technology from a mysterious minority group—and to complicate matters more, he is soon falling for a woman from said group.

Thanks to the novella length, this is a fast read. The present tension is balanced with reveals about Shea's tragic past. He is a great character to follow, a man who cannot heal from the loss of his sister; he wants to lead and to do what is right, and is crushed by the inner conflict those desires create. There is an eloquence to the prose that made me want to read some bits aloud.… (meer)