Review: Hull and Fire by James W. Cutter

Hull and Fire by James W. Cutter is a fantasy novel and the first in the Wards of Minera series. It follows Levy Tren-Ulitese, and his sister Stancia after their father's ship, the Eastern Skylark, shows up empty after going missing years before. Their father’s business has been faltering and debtors are knocking at their door, and the Skylark could be either a blessing or a curse. 

The story is filled with suspense and intrigue. The tension that is present throughout makes this book a real page turner. The world building is great and I found myself pulled into the politics of the story. But by far the best part is the magic system, or perhaps it's a science system. Daenistheurgy, or the manipulation of lines called Liminals, is presented in-universe as a science. They can be used to pull ships or people and send messages across great distances. It's a unique and interesting magic system that I would love to see more of.

There are a few things that stop it from getting five stars. Oftentimes the dialogue steers into infodump territory with characters lecturing about history in situations that seem forced, and some plot lines would have been better if they'd been introduced earlier. But they're minor gripes in an otherwise excellent story, and a fine beginning to a new fantasy series. 

Rating:

Book Details

Author: James W. CutterLength: 213 PagesSeries: Ward of Minera Book 1Genre: Flintlock FantasyHull and Fire will release February 1st visit jameswcutter.com for details