The Tempered Steel of Antiquity Grey
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3.9 • 7 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
"It's a perfect post-apocalyptic mech-filled SF adventure―like Pierce Brown's Red Rising meets Robotech.“ ―Aidan Moher
Forever shamed for family actions a century earlier, Antiquity Grey is a young woman living in a far-future city of Erth. It is a life of danger and hardship, dragons and advanced technology.
But when she discovers an outlawed and operational mech buried in the sands of her planet, she realizes its secrets hold the power to reverse her family’s dishonor while challenging the Imperium’s off-world oppressive might. The Imperium is not so willing to loosen its grip, needing Erth’s valuable titanium resources at a time when war spreads among the stars. In response, the Governor of Erth sends Star Sentinel―his mightiest mech, which nothing can stand against―after Antiquity.
As she flees into the wilderness in a desperate attempt to uncover the secrets of her past and free an entire planet, Antiquity learns friendship can mean more than family, even the hardest heart of an enemy can soften, and adventure is not what she thought it would be.
REVIEWS:
"The rich world packed with fascinating history and cool technology, combined with thrilling action... leads to an astounding close." —Publishers Weekly
"An engaging set of protagonists, hidden knowledge, and lost technology regained, in a story that unreels like a SF TV series you would binge in one night!" ―Robin Hobb
"Thrilling, unputdownable, bursting with sense of wonder... The Tempered Steel of Antiquity Grey is a marvel. Teenaged-me would have went absolutely apeshit for this book, and actually adult-me kind of did too." ―John Joseph Adams
"Speakman is a writer on the rise and Antiquity Grey is his best creation yet. Do yourself a favor. Read this book. It is terrific." ―Terry Brooks
"The Tempered Steel of Antiquity Grey kicks off a fierce fight for freedom on an Erth ground under the heel of its star-faring oppressors, action packed as Star Wars, wielding tech as muscular as Iron Man, but centering on a young girl and her diverse circle of friends. What's not to love?" ―Janny Wurts
"A wild ride on a horse that's part Star Wars, part Avatar." ―Mark Lawrence
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Heroine Antiquity Grey discovers an operational, illegal mech—or giant robot—buried in the sands outside her hometown, offering an opportunity to restore her family's lost honor in this fast-paced sci-fi adventure from Speakman (The Dark Thorn). Tantalizing worldbuilding hints suggest the setting, Erth, is a far-future version of Earth, its citizens cowed under the oppressive rule of their spacefaring cousins in the Imperium. Antiquity's rash decision to transport the mech, Saph Fyre, into town puts them all in danger. The Imperium arrives to confiscate Saph Fyre, setting off a chain of violence that forces Antiquity to flee her home with her friends and her lifelong enemy, Manson Dreadth, in tow. Though Antiquity's thoughts and motivations aren't explored deeply enough to form a solid bond with the character, the rich history of Speakman's world and well-paced action keep the pages turning as Antiquity uncovers family secrets that lead her and her allies to the hazardous city of Bayt al-Hikma. There, a startling discovery might prove key to freeing Erth from the Imperium. The rich world packed with fascinating history and cool technology, combined with thrilling action that leads to an astounding close, makes up for the thin character exploration.
Customer Reviews
A good fun read!
I’ve been reading Shawn Speakman’s collections of short stories - his and other people’s - Unfettered and Unbound for a while now and decided to give this novel a go. Really enjoyed it and its prequel, The Broken Life of Jak Dreadth. I have read a lot of Terry Brooks and Mark Lawrence (who are both on his acknowledgments page as friends and readers), and while this is more sci-fi than fantasy, it is a good blend of the two. Speakman’s world building is excellent, the characters are unique and grow through the course of the narrative, which is engaging. Looking forward to reading more about this world and discovering how these characters continue to evolve!