Rats!

So, Eve Forward has found a place in my heart as one of my favoritest authors ever- not because she writes good books, but because she writes entertaining ones, and that's really all I care about.

Animist is much darker than Villains in many respects, which may seem a bit odd; the ending was very bittersweet, and certain characters died that I felt didn't really need to. Animist is also much more focused on a single character; Sam was the main character of Villains, but the book also switched to the perspectives of the others on occasion. It gave you a better look at the other main characters, which was nice, but also took away some of the emphasis on Sam's development. I should probably note that Animist is much shorter than Villains, most likely because of the smaller cast of main characers.

Forward still has some problems with "show, don't tell" in her narrative; I've had the concept beaten into my head so many times that it stands out whenever she breaks that rule. She's still trying to make a huge, sweeping moral statement, but she keeps the preaching to a minimum, which is a relief.

The snarkery and the little absurdities are still there, and even though there's only one main character, the supporting characters are all delightful in their own...special way. (Big Hat with Feathers!) It helps that it takes place in a city full of drugged or otherwise insane people.

Alex is endearing as a main character, even if he is full of teenaged angst; his pet rat more than makes up for it. All of Alex's various friends are amusing- Temith the academic prodigy, Luken the poetic pikeman (*heart*), Serra the stuffing cook...and Animist boasts one of the best utterly evil undead nasty mean and cool villains ever. He's like, the original Cancer Mage. He's like Valerie, only less prone to cannibalism and more likely to set shit on fire.

Mmm, evil zombie cancer mages.

Right, basic premise- Alex is an Animist, graduated from the College of Animism, which is run by Lemyrs, who are sort of anthro-lemur things. She's moved on from the Six Lands to the Archipelago, where there are all sorts of vaguely anthropomorphic races: Lemyri, Delphini, Humani, Rodeni, Theropi...an Animist is someone who can "see" magic with the help of an animal familiar. Thing is, the College doesn't want its graduates bonding with useless familiars, because that's bad for their image. And, Alex being a slave, it's especially important that he bond with something cool so they don't force him to kill it and find another so he can pay off his debt to the College.

Naturally, while out on his quest to find a familiar, he ends up bonding to a rat. D'oi. Somewhere along the way he ends up saving a few countries, defeating an evil (mmm, sexay) thaumaturgist, protecting a species from genocide, and getting literally and metaphorically bitch slapped by all the women his own age that he meets. Also, the rat gets jealous when he's around other women. ;)

I do hope Forward continues the series, because it's adorable and snarky much like Villains was. She's growing into her own voice, which is pleasing to see. She's does very detailed descriptions, which makes my steadily growing visual brain very happy and also gives me the urge to draw stylized sketchy pictures of Chernan trying to kill Mote, and of Alex in the Big Hat with Feathers, receiving his Extra Cake Bi-Monthly. (Gwaaa! *lovelove*) Or of Temith, trying to decide which robe to wear.

And the various races are pretty cool; Forward doesn't have the world building skills of, say, China Mieville, but she's a solid writer with good ideas and wonderful snark. She earns a happy thumb dance; I just wish I hadn't let the awful cover deter me from buying the book before. (Though admittedly, getting it for fifty cents was kind of nice.)

Still a bit confused about the missing "i" though...

Need to read it again so I can remember all the bizarre absurdities, beyond just Extra Cake Bi-Monthly. *trundles off to change titles*