I made it through the first quarter of this book before I realized that not much had really happened. Well, lots of things had “happened,” just not much of a plot. But I was intrigued by the world-building, so I decided to sit back and enjoy the story as more of a travelogue than an action-filled adventure.

Baxter has a distinctive writing style that I recognized from his other works. The difference here is the inclusion of a few more humorous moments, which I imagine are Pratchett’s brief touch. Baxter continues to not be able to write women, though the issues in this story are more cringey and less out-right offensive.

Readers interested in a very different take on the parallel worlds story will find this interesting. I especially liked the “explanations” for familiar creatures of folk-lore. I’m interested in continuing the series, but don’t have a strong urge to rush right into the next one, probably because of the lack of emotional connection with any of the characters.

Rating: 3.5 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.