Sea of Ghosts (Gravedigger Chronicles 1) [Hardcover]

This is the first novel I've read by Scottish author Alan Campbell, and it is easily one of the best I've read in years. This novel is almost indescribably good.

The Sea of Ghosts is a novel of honour, revenge, loyalty and perseverance, set in a world ravaged by unfathomable science and magic. Falsely accused of treason, the surviving members of the Gravediggers are forced to go underground, or flee the imperial capital altogether. Granger, our hero, has fled to Ethugra with his comrade Creedy. Ethugra is a twisted, darker version of Venice, if you were to replace the palazzos and fine architecture with multiple jails, constantly in need of repair and modification as the toxic and caustic seas continue to rise.

Campbell's characters are universally realistic and complex. Granger's sense of honour is frequently tested by his chosen profession (that of jailer), and his life is turned upside down after Ianthe arrives, creating an irreparable rift between him and his former comrade-in-arms. As events progress, we see just how determined Granger is to make up for past mistakes. He also reveals a MacGuyver-esque ingenuity that serves him well as we follow him on his personal journey. Ianthe is a tragic figure, someone who has only experienced a world intent on taking advantage of her gifts, never looking out for her best interests; as she deals with the multiple factions intent on harnessing her powers for their own ends, she comes to develop a very harsh world view, and some of her choices and actions are quite chilling.

Campbell introduces more perspectives as the novel progresses, and we gain a more nuanced picture of the protagonists and nominal antagonists of the novel. Granger's perspective, of course, predominates, but Ianthe's comes to feature prominently as well, as we get to know her more, and she attempts to get to grips with her unique powers. Maskelyne is another interesting character: a metaphysicist and treasure hunter with far more than just wealth on his mind, the reader will come to develop a mixed impression of him, as his possibly noble agenda is sullied by the single-minded brutality to which he resorts to achieve it. It is through Maskelyne that we learn the most about the Unmer, and especially their artefacts (he is quite the fervent collector).

The world of the novel is as important as the characters, and as complex and interesting. Life is defined by a person's ability to avoid the toxic brine, and the unlucky masses who are unable to avoid its touch and mutating effects are forgotten and, under Maskelyne's harsh rule of Ethugra, often used for brutal sport, entertainment, and experimentation. The harsh life of this world's people is brilliantly portrayed on the page. Among the dangers presented by the ever-rising sea-levels, citizens and misfits must contend with brutal dictators, the occasional escaped Unmer (a species we learn tantalizingly little about), and also ever-hungry dragons with peculiar addictions.

It's a bit difficult to locate The Sea of Ghosts in the fantasy genre as a whole. There are a plethora of elements and inspirations drawn from so many sub-genres and non-fantasy genres, and in the second half, Campbell starts bending the fantasy genre to feature some things that are usually reserved for sci-fi (metaphysics, for example). It's handled expertly, even if it was a bit of a weird addition to the novel, and certainly promises some interesting developments to come in the series. The genre mash-up reminded me of Mark Charan Newton's Red Sun series (one of my favourite fantasy series). There are also elements of the novel that reminded me of China Mieville's New Crobuzon novels, and maybe a little bit of Neil Gaiman at his darkest (but not weirdest - the atmosphere was akin to that in American Gods).

The plot is tight and quickly paced, and even though it's obvious that this is the first part of something larger, it doesn't suffer from the weaknesses that often characterise first parts of series - the world-building is expertly interwoven into the plot, and the story doesn't get bogged down into long tracts of exposition. The aforementioned themes Campbell weaves into his novel are classic (betrayal, revenge, family), but the world into which they are located is highly imaginative and original. It is a world so full of weird, wonderful, and sometimes horrifying invention, it's captivating. The Unmer artefacts in particular are an intriguing element of the world - very little is known about them, how they work and also what some of them do; only a handful of collectors understand even surface-level details about the Unmer creations, and trove-hunters have to tread very carefully when they find an artefact.

I enjoyed this novel really very much. Campbell's prose is sublime, possessing that indescribable quality that sucks you in, envelopes your imagination and pulls you happily along for the ride; insistently readable and compelling. The novel kept me up until 4am on three occasions, as "one more chapter" turned into three or four. The ending will also leave you gasping for more, as the futures of the characters and also the world are left unclear. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Campbell's knack for atmospherics is almost peerless, and his innate storytelling ability is awe-inspiring. The Sea of Ghosts is superb and essential fantasy reading.

For Fans of: Mark Charan Newton, China Mieville, Scott Lynch, Patrick Rothfuss, Brian Ruckley, Mervyn Peake, Neil Gaiman

Alan Campbell is definitely one of those authors that is not only inventive but unpredictable. Here in his latest offering, the reader is taken to a new world where the inhabitants sensing the end decided to be spiteful and poison the world to those who would come after. Definitely inventive, definitely a title that the reader will get behind and with a principle hero that the reader will just love to travel with makes this book a whole new beginning in the writing career of this author.

Add to this some great dialogue, a wonderfully colourful world to explore and a few deep dark twists that will keep you glued to the last page and its definitely one that will have you clamouring for the next instalment as soon as possible. Definitely a title to keep an eye out for as there's nothing even close to it out there. Great stuff.

This is the first book I've read by Alan Campbell and goodness me but its a cracker. Combine the baroque inventiveness of China Mieville's New Crobuzon and magic-tinged action and grit of Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen and a tinge of Dune's science-fantasy elements and you may get an idea of what this is all about. The narrative sucks you in, the protagonist is outstanding, as are the villains and the world-building wonderfully fresh in its imaginativeness and depth.

One of the other reviwers complained that the last act is weak. After the break-neck pace of the first two=thirds of the book, the pace does slacken a little towards the end as the author starts to set things up for the sequels, so the narrative is a little less taut but I wouldn't call that a weakness at all. The ending certainly does leave one chomping at the bit for the next installment. This is a great big fun read for those looking for fantasy with a little oomphf!