Dust and Light by Carol Berg Series: The Sanctuary Duet #1
Published by Roc on August 5, 2014
Genres: Adult SFF, Fantasy
Pages: 447
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
*This book was provided by the Publisher for review. No compensation was provided and all opinions are strictly my own.
National bestselling author Carol Berg returns to the world of her award-winning Flesh and Spirit and Breath and Bone with an all-new tale of magic, mystery, and corruption....
How much must one pay for an hour of youthful folly? The Pureblood Registry accused Lucian de Remeni-Masson of “unseemly involvement with ordinaries,” which meant only that he spoke with a young woman not of his own kind, allowed her to see his face unmasked, worked a bit of magic for her....After that one mistake, Lucian’s grandsire excised half his magic and savage Harrowers massacred his family. Now the Registry has contracted his art to a common coroner. His extraordinary gift for portraiture is restricted to dead ordinaries—beggars or starvelings hauled from the streets.
But sketching the truth of dead men’s souls brings unforeseen consequences. Sensations not his own. Truths he cannot possibly know and dares not believe. The coroner calls him a cheat and says he is trying to weasel out of a humiliating contract. The Registry will call him mad—and mad sorcerers are very dangerous....
Dust and Light was fantastic! I selected this book mostly because I have read Carol Berg and liked some of her other work. When I went on Goodreads to look up the books I had read by her, I realized that I hadn’t actually read any of her other works. WHAT A SHAME! I am looking forward to delving into some of her other series. Particularly the Lighthouse series which is set in the same world as Dust and Light.
In Dust and Light our main character is Lucian de Remeni-Masson, a pureblood sorcerer in a society that separates and elevates that distinguished lineage. Lucian’s magical talent, or bent, is as a portraitist. He can touch somebody and utilizing his skill as an artist create a perfect image of the person on canvas. In a society where pictures of purebloods are required yearly for identification purposes, he should be set for life working for the registry of pure bloods (the Registry).
One day in the middle of his current contract making portraits for the registry, he is unexpectedly called before the curates (head honchos) and informed that his contract has been terminated early and his new contract would commence immediately. This contract, an insult to a pureblood, is with the city’s coroner and has Lucian painting the deceased for identification purposes. Working with Bastien, the coroner and lead murder investigator, they realize that Lucian’s power is more involved than they had originally believed and they open a pandoras box that may change the very fabric of their society.
Carol Berg did an excellent job making all of the characters feel real, and they are an organic balance of virtues and flaws. There are at least 3 storylines I crave to hear more about and the ending… wow. It leaves me panting for the second book. I fully plan on diving into Carol Berg’s other series set in the same world to fuel my need for more!
Maggie
Latest posts by Maggie (see all)
- Review: Chasing the Star Garden by Melanie Karsak - January 13, 2015
- Review: The Time Roads by Beth Bernobich - December 7, 2014
- Review: Rain by Melissa Niska - November 16, 2014
Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum
Glad you enjoyed this one so much. I probably liked it just a tad less than you, but I felt it was a great start nonetheless. I wish the many different plot lines had worked as well for me, but I just thought it made the story feel slightly scattered.
Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum recently posted…Book Review: Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet Marillier
Maggie
I get it! =)
Maggie recently posted…Guest Review: Ghost House by Alexandra Adornetto
Melliane
It’s nice to see it was such a wonderful fantasy book! I haven’t tried a book by the author but maybe I should try as well. I’m intrigued.
Melliane recently posted…By Virtue Fall by Mark Wooden
Maggie
I thought I had, and when I realized it was my first I was pretty excited. Carol Berg is thorough and descriptive. I loved her character building. It certainly bodes well for her other work!
Maggie recently posted…Guest Review: Ghost House by Alexandra Adornetto
blodeuedd
I always did want to try a book by her
blodeuedd recently posted…Carole Reviews: Pandemia – Jonathan Rand
Maggie
Yes! I can’t believe I hadn’t prior to this! I have missed out.
Maggie recently posted…Guest Review: Ghost House by Alexandra Adornetto
Dragana
Carol Berg is on a list of authors I plan to try out. Hopefully next year. This book sounds great. I just might start with it. 🙂
Dragana recently posted…How to Copy Highlights and Notes from Kindle to a Document on Your Computer
Maggie
Yes! I love the world building in this novel, and there is the small tidbit of the other series in this world! It is so interesting and the war torn feel is amazing real. Go for it!
Maggie recently posted…Guest Review: Ghost House by Alexandra Adornetto
Molly Mortensen
Your description sounded so much better than the one from Goodreads! They made it sound like he lost his magic and was really downtrodden.
Molly Mortensen recently posted…Cipher By Aileen Erin
Maggie
I didn’t really feel like the description did it justice at all, I was only vaguely excited to read this one. I thought it would be about an angsty teen who was angry for getting in trouble (for breaking a rule that made sense to me as an adult), but that is really a side note… and turns out to be a key event in his life that he was looking at in the wrong light. Figuring out the mystery of his continued problems with the small indiscretion turned the novel into more of an adult, interesting mystery. It’s good stuff!
Maggie recently posted…Guest Review: Ghost House by Alexandra Adornetto