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The Lords of Night
The Poison Master
Liz Williams is one of science fiction’s boldest new writers and this novel is one of her most profound speculations on freedom, love, and human destiny. On a distant world ruled by an alien race, humanity is enslaved, having forgotten its own past and condemned to have no future--until one woman is offered a choice that could restore humanity’s freedom.
The Poison Master
On the planet of Latent Emanation, humans are the lowest class, at the mercy of their mysterious alien rulers, the Lords of Night. But Alivet Dee, an alchemist, can’t help but question the Lords’ rule ever since her twin sister was taken to serve in their palace. Alivet saves every penny to pay her sister’s unbonding fee, but her plan is destroyed when one of her potions kills a wealthy client--and Alivet finds herself wanted for murder. Her only hope is the darkly attractive man who may have engineered her downfall but who still offers her a last chance of salvation.
A Poison Master from the planet Hathes, Arieth Mahedi Ghairen needs an alchemist of Alivet’s expertise to find the one drug that can take down the Lords--and free the universe from their rule. Sequestered in Ghairen’s fortress laboratory, lied to by both her new ally and his daughter’s enigmatic governess, Alivet doesn’t know whom to trust or where to turn for answers. But driven to undo her sister’s fate, Alivet races to hone her skills in time--even as time runs out.
The Poison Master
On the planet of Latent Emanation, humans are the lowest class, at the mercy of their mysterious alien rulers, the Lords of Night. But Alivet Dee, an alchemist, can’t help but question the Lords’ rule ever since her twin sister was taken to serve in their palace. Alivet saves every penny to pay her sister’s unbonding fee, but her plan is destroyed when one of her potions kills a wealthy client--and Alivet finds herself wanted for murder. Her only hope is the darkly attractive man who may have engineered her downfall but who still offers her a last chance of salvation.
A Poison Master from the planet Hathes, Arieth Mahedi Ghairen needs an alchemist of Alivet’s expertise to find the one drug that can take down the Lords--and free the universe from their rule. Sequestered in Ghairen’s fortress laboratory, lied to by both her new ally and his daughter’s enigmatic governess, Alivet doesn’t know whom to trust or where to turn for answers. But driven to undo her sister’s fate, Alivet races to hone her skills in time--even as time runs out.
370 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
About the author
Liz Williams
135 books256 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Liz Williams is a British science fiction writer. Her first novel, The Ghost Sister was published in 2001. Both this novel and her next, Empire of Bones (2002) were nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award.[1] She is also the author of the Inspector Chen series.
She is the daughter of a stage magician and a Gothic novelist. She holds a PhD in Philosophy of Science from Cambridge. She has had short stories published in Asimov's, Interzone, The Third Alternative and Visionary Tongue. From the mid-nineties until 2000, she lived and worked in Kazakhstan.[2] Her experiences there are reflected in her 2003 novel Nine Layers of Sky. Her novels have been published in the US and the UK, while her third novel The Poison Master (2003) has been translated into Dutch.
Series:
* Detective Inspector Chen
* Darkland
Liz Williams is a British science fiction writer. Her first novel, The Ghost Sister was published in 2001. Both this novel and her next, Empire of Bones (2002) were nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award.[1] She is also the author of the Inspector Chen series.
She is the daughter of a stage magician and a Gothic novelist. She holds a PhD in Philosophy of Science from Cambridge. She has had short stories published in Asimov's, Interzone, The Third Alternative and Visionary Tongue. From the mid-nineties until 2000, she lived and worked in Kazakhstan.[2] Her experiences there are reflected in her 2003 novel Nine Layers of Sky. Her novels have been published in the US and the UK, while her third novel The Poison Master (2003) has been translated into Dutch.
Series:
* Detective Inspector Chen
* Darkland
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
June 23, 2023
This pains me, because I’m an enthusiastic fan of Williams’ Inspector Chen series, but Poison Master just did not work for me. A genre-bending tale that unfortunately called to mind 19th century literature, a perception aided by the split narrative flashback to an inventor who was running afoul of church heresies. (I’m going to be honest here and admit that I try very hard to never actually read 18th century literature, so all my criticisms will have nothing to do with the genre).
As always, I love Williams’ use of language.
“The city of Levanah rose above the fens, a crust of dark buildings starred with lamps.”
The world is an interesting one, and while Alivet, the narrator, vividly describes much of what she sees to the reader, there’s a lot of structure that she doesn’t think about, so I was left feeling like there were blanks that I wanted to understand better. By midway through it started to be more clear, but it felt like prolonged confusion. Which is en pointe for Williams, to be honest; it’s just that Chen has more dialogue, action, and humor to make the building process entertaining. This is mild Williams:
“Now, she had a purpose, albeit mysterious, and a destination, albeit vague.”
Narrative is unevenly split between Alivet, a prodigy in the arts of the apothecary on the planet of Latent Emanation, and John Dee, an inventor and mathematician on Eart. For a long while, it isn’t clear what the two have to do with each other, except for the hint of a flying scarab. Due to unplanned events, she has to consider a request by an dark, handsome, stranger to help brew a poison to kills the Lords of Latent Emanation, the alien rulers of her planet that keep the humans subjugated.
If it sounds a bit wild, it certainly is, but also isn’t. Think 18th century moors with mysterious alien entities instead of the monarchy. And that, perhaps, is part of the problem for me, since I don’t really do moors, monarchies, or allowing red-eyed strangers to whisk me off-world (at one point, there were definite Heathcliff vibes). So your mileage will definitely vary. If you want to try something that approaches that in a very sideways manner, give this a try. Well written and atmospheric. I might even try it again some day.
It is, I think a watercolor of a story, with blurry edges, sharpest when it’s dark.
As always, I love Williams’ use of language.
“The city of Levanah rose above the fens, a crust of dark buildings starred with lamps.”
The world is an interesting one, and while Alivet, the narrator, vividly describes much of what she sees to the reader, there’s a lot of structure that she doesn’t think about, so I was left feeling like there were blanks that I wanted to understand better. By midway through it started to be more clear, but it felt like prolonged confusion. Which is en pointe for Williams, to be honest; it’s just that Chen has more dialogue, action, and humor to make the building process entertaining. This is mild Williams:
“Now, she had a purpose, albeit mysterious, and a destination, albeit vague.”
Narrative is unevenly split between Alivet, a prodigy in the arts of the apothecary on the planet of Latent Emanation, and John Dee, an inventor and mathematician on Eart. For a long while, it isn’t clear what the two have to do with each other, except for the hint of a flying scarab. Due to unplanned events, she has to consider a request by an dark, handsome, stranger to help brew a poison to kills the Lords of Latent Emanation, the alien rulers of her planet that keep the humans subjugated.
If it sounds a bit wild, it certainly is, but also isn’t. Think 18th century moors with mysterious alien entities instead of the monarchy. And that, perhaps, is part of the problem for me, since I don’t really do moors, monarchies, or allowing red-eyed strangers to whisk me off-world (at one point, there were definite Heathcliff vibes). So your mileage will definitely vary. If you want to try something that approaches that in a very sideways manner, give this a try. Well written and atmospheric. I might even try it again some day.
It is, I think a watercolor of a story, with blurry edges, sharpest when it’s dark.
March 22, 2021
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I finally found an author who rivals Tanith Lee and R. Lee Smith in terms of dark, original world-building; resourceful heroines; and creepy, dark heroes who don't fit in the typical alpha/beta/gamma mold. THE POISON MASTER was amazing, and I don't use that word lightly. I've read a lot of books, which makes it even more of an event when I find something that is really out of the ordinary.
THE POISON MASTER is a science-fiction novel with fantasy elements set on a faraway planet called "Latent Emanation." It is a planet of ice and swamps and darkness, ruled over by insect-like lords who reside in the Night Palace and use corrupt and brain-washed humans called Unpriests to subjugate the human populace.
Alivet, the heroine, is one of these subjugated humans. She works as an apothecary, which is considered a woman's profession due to its similarity to cooking. She provides recreational drugs to the wealthy humans on the planet, many of whom use hallucinogens in tandem with sex to while away the time. One day, one of the drugs reacts badly with a client and Alivet finds herself wanted for murder.
Her savior comes in the form of a red-eyed, dark-haired stranger who Heather was totally right to describe as Vincent Valentine in her review, since that's totally how I was imagining him too (hot). He offers to help her but at a cost - he wants her help destroying the Lords of Latent Emanation. Her drug-making skills are of use to him because he's looking for a substance that will kill the Lords, and capitalize on their light sensitivity that forces them into hiding in the shadows of their palace.
As I said before, I loved the world-building in this book. It was interesting how the poisons were so psychedelic, and how Alivet (and others) could communicate with the "spirits" of the hallucinogenic substances. The poison-making scenes were really well done, and it was great to see a heroine who was so competent and passionate about her work; I feel like it adds to a story when you have a heroine who exists beyond the romantic role she plays for the hero. There's a bit of romance in this book but it isn't really the focus of the story; the sexual tension is just a nice addition to the danger.
I saw another review complaining about the age difference between Alivet and the hero, Ghairen. She's an older teenage (17 or 18 I think? maybe 19?) and he's 40. But Ghairen is a different species from Alivet, and his race lives to be about 200 years old, so in his race's life span, he's not that much older than Alivet. That made the age difference a little less weird for me.
THE POISON MASTER is very dark and has some gruesome themes. I really, really enjoyed it - it reminded me a bit of Labyrinth, as Alivet is trying to save her sister from the Lords and the Unpriests, even as she seeks to destroy the Lords and figure out what Ghairen's intentions with her are. There are historical passages from Elizabethan times interposed between Alivet's narrations that are about one of her ancestors, John Dee, a man who brought the Lords upon the humans and opened up the pathways between Earth and other worlds. These passages are strange but grew on me.
If you're looking for something different and enjoy dark fantasy and science-fiction, THE POISON MASTER is a solid choice. I enjoyed the high stakes heroine's journey, the emphasis on poison, the strong female protagonist, the dark love story, and pretty much everything else. She even referenced one of her other books in here, talking about world-souls! I'd definitely read more from this author.
5 stars
February 6, 2019
Usually when I pick up a sci-fi novel that sounds interesting, there is a very good chance that I'm not actually going to enjoy it. Many of the ones I've read involve crises that are too large in scale, which generally prevents me from caring, and lack enough of a human element I need to become fully invested in a story. There have been exceptions, such as a few novels by Tanith Lee, and... that's about all I can come up with off the top of my head.
This book was another exception, and I'm so glad I decided to read it. The creative, original worlds Williams wrote here are so rich and dense and dark. I loved the characters. While this was not a romance, there were romantic elements (yaasssss), and Ghairen was a pretty good gamma hero . Alivet was resourceful and smart.
The plot tension was really great and kept me turning the pages. I'll definitely read another Williams novel.
Thanks for the buddy read, Nenia!
4.5 stars!
This book was another exception, and I'm so glad I decided to read it. The creative, original worlds Williams wrote here are so rich and dense and dark. I loved the characters. While this was not a romance, there were romantic elements (yaasssss), and Ghairen was a pretty good gamma hero . Alivet was resourceful and smart.
The plot tension was really great and kept me turning the pages. I'll definitely read another Williams novel.
Thanks for the buddy read, Nenia!
4.5 stars!
November 6, 2009
Score breakdown:
- 4 for the world building, the fascinating cultures based on alchemical elements
- 2 for plot, characterization, the abrupt romance that lacked any build-up or foundation, and the general lack of character logic
This world being full of book yet me short on minutes, my primary gauge for what constitutes a good book is if it keeps me flipping the pages. Despite the thin plot and characterization, THE POISON MASTER kept me up to the wee hours trying to reach its (telegraphed and kinda wimpy) conclusion. The worlds described therein are fascinating--parc-verticales and the various dramatic architecture, drugs that have "souls" which could be convinced to do one thing or another. Creative stuff.
On the downside, the main characters are basically cardboard. The novel ends with more questions left unanswered than not. The heroine is a strong female with a single preoccupation in life--to save her twin from the evil villains. However, despite being born in what seems like a backwater world where high tech is outlawed from the masses, she accepts seemingly-too-good offers from mysterious off-worlders with amazing calmness. Just off she goes to overthrow the masters of all the known planets, armed with a plan as insubstantial as when mice plot to overthrow supersonic jetfighters.
And what about that mysterious off-worlder? No background information for him, really. No details on his origin or background, only the barest reasons for his motivation, no interactions shown between him and his fellows. For a man with the novel named after him... he is a blank, and blandly so. Finally, what's the story behind those red eyes? I was captivated by their description--"two garnets set on a fan of bone"--lovely. ...AND?
I could go on, but won't. Regardless, I recommend this book for an interesting journey to the four worlds, but nothing more.
- 4 for the world building, the fascinating cultures based on alchemical elements
- 2 for plot, characterization, the abrupt romance that lacked any build-up or foundation, and the general lack of character logic
This world being full of book yet me short on minutes, my primary gauge for what constitutes a good book is if it keeps me flipping the pages. Despite the thin plot and characterization, THE POISON MASTER kept me up to the wee hours trying to reach its (telegraphed and kinda wimpy) conclusion. The worlds described therein are fascinating--parc-verticales and the various dramatic architecture, drugs that have "souls" which could be convinced to do one thing or another. Creative stuff.
On the downside, the main characters are basically cardboard. The novel ends with more questions left unanswered than not. The heroine is a strong female with a single preoccupation in life--to save her twin from the evil villains. However, despite being born in what seems like a backwater world where high tech is outlawed from the masses, she accepts seemingly-too-good offers from mysterious off-worlders with amazing calmness. Just off she goes to overthrow the masters of all the known planets, armed with a plan as insubstantial as when mice plot to overthrow supersonic jetfighters.
And what about that mysterious off-worlder? No background information for him, really. No details on his origin or background, only the barest reasons for his motivation, no interactions shown between him and his fellows. For a man with the novel named after him... he is a blank, and blandly so. Finally, what's the story behind those red eyes? I was captivated by their description--"two garnets set on a fan of bone"--lovely. ...AND?
I could go on, but won't. Regardless, I recommend this book for an interesting journey to the four worlds, but nothing more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2019
So, first of all, from the reviews I'm getting the sense that people think Alivet is 16 and they're grossed out by the romance with Ghairen, who is at least 43. But.......Alivet is 22: "And it had been in the Month of Dragonflies that the Unpriests had come for Inkirietta: five years ago now, her sister and herself no more than seventeen." So why in the world do people think Alivet is a teenager or that this is meant to be a YA book? What am I missing here? Anyway, I enjoy May-December relationships so I enjoyed the romance, although I will say I wish there had been more of it! Alivet and Ghairen have perhaps one steamy scene, but the rest of the book is more heavily focused on their plot to overthrow the Lords of Night. I have this tagged as "villain romance" but it's.......really not. It's more like "enigmatic man" romance.
My enjoyment of this book is mainly rooted in my love for the main character, Alivet, who is frankly one of the better heroines I've come across in a while! She's got an admirable tenacity and resourcefulness, and takes things in stride in a way that I've often wanted to see in fictional characters. She's so practical and unfazed and even downright snarky, and it's wonderful to be in the head of a character like that. I also loved that she was an apothecary, and that particular skill itself is written in a fascinating way here; apparently, in this world, drugs have spirits that you can talk to.
This is a weird mix of fantasy and science fiction, which is one of my reservations about the book. I don't mean to say it wasn't done well, but I just don't tend to prefer a mixture of a medieval-type setting and highly advanced technology. It just doesn't mesh well for me. I can see why it was done and of course it makes sense within the narrative, but it's just not my jam. I also think this book was probably a tad too slow-paced, but I think it was purposely trying to mimic a Gothic novel (weirdly enough), and hey, I was never bored and I absolutely loved reading this, so kudos.
Finally, I think the writing here is so solid; it's lush and descriptive without being too purple. It feels just right for a high fantasy. It just has that old-school fantasy vibe that some books do, and I enjoyed it very much. I don't think it's going to become one of my all-time favorites but I still think it's a five-star read because of various aspects that I enjoyed about it, including the main character.
My enjoyment of this book is mainly rooted in my love for the main character, Alivet, who is frankly one of the better heroines I've come across in a while! She's got an admirable tenacity and resourcefulness, and takes things in stride in a way that I've often wanted to see in fictional characters. She's so practical and unfazed and even downright snarky, and it's wonderful to be in the head of a character like that. I also loved that she was an apothecary, and that particular skill itself is written in a fascinating way here; apparently, in this world, drugs have spirits that you can talk to.
This is a weird mix of fantasy and science fiction, which is one of my reservations about the book. I don't mean to say it wasn't done well, but I just don't tend to prefer a mixture of a medieval-type setting and highly advanced technology. It just doesn't mesh well for me. I can see why it was done and of course it makes sense within the narrative, but it's just not my jam. I also think this book was probably a tad too slow-paced, but I think it was purposely trying to mimic a Gothic novel (weirdly enough), and hey, I was never bored and I absolutely loved reading this, so kudos.
Finally, I think the writing here is so solid; it's lush and descriptive without being too purple. It feels just right for a high fantasy. It just has that old-school fantasy vibe that some books do, and I enjoyed it very much. I don't think it's going to become one of my all-time favorites but I still think it's a five-star read because of various aspects that I enjoyed about it, including the main character.
April 13, 2012
**edited 11/28/13
The Poison Master was interesting and the world was original.
Alivet, the protagonist, is an alchemist on Latent Emenation, a dark, damp world ruled by the insectoid Lords of Night who keep humans enslaved via a brutal system enforced by "unpriests". The people themselves are docile, sodden with drugs and despair, their only rebellion the secret meetings where they search for their origin in drug-induced dreams.
...And that's all I'm going to post here.
The rest of my (rather verbose) review is posted over here at Booklikes.
Why? Because I strongly disapprove of GoodReads' new policy of censorship.
(The link brings you to a summary of The Story So Far, which has facts and links so you can make up your own mind about the GR debacle.)
The Poison Master was interesting and the world was original.
Alivet, the protagonist, is an alchemist on Latent Emenation, a dark, damp world ruled by the insectoid Lords of Night who keep humans enslaved via a brutal system enforced by "unpriests". The people themselves are docile, sodden with drugs and despair, their only rebellion the secret meetings where they search for their origin in drug-induced dreams.
...And that's all I'm going to post here.
The rest of my (rather verbose) review is posted over here at Booklikes.
Why? Because I strongly disapprove of GoodReads' new policy of censorship.
(The link brings you to a summary of The Story So Far, which has facts and links so you can make up your own mind about the GR debacle.)
November 30, 2012
Wow. Well I loved this book, and it's been the first time in a while that I haven't been able to put a book down. There's so much going on in this book! It's first and foremost a sci-fi but with poisons, alchemy and some historical fiction mixed in along with a smidgeon of old religious and cultural practices. Really very exciting and different to a lot of things I've been reading lately - this book is a keeper :P
December 6, 2015
94. THE POISON MASTER, BY LIZ WILLIAMS
Recommended by Miriam for its great world building. She warned me that there were stuff I wouldn’t like about the characters, though. She was right.
Synopsis: Alivet lives on Latent Emanation, a planet where humans are slaves to the Lords of Night. She’s an apprentice alchemist, and is planning to save up enough so she can buy her twin sister from “embonding”, but when one of her rich clients die, she’s forced to seek the help of stranger.
Overall enjoyment: Welp. There were some really nice things. There were some very bad things. Mostly, and I’m going to have to caps it, THERE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ROMANCE IN THIS BOOK. The romance with Ghairen was bizarre and grotesque, and it should never have been written. Other than that, it was fine.
Plot: I liked how she tells the story of Alivet in parallel with John Dee, showing how Latent Emanation came to be in the first place. It integrates the world building with the main plot without making it over-descriptive and boring. The intrigue and mystery part was also nicely done. The only thing that sucked was the romance. It comes out of nowhere, it’s badly developed, and has a nonsensical conclusion.
Characters: Up to a point, they were nicely done. Alivet is capable without being super-human, resourceful without being unrealistic, courageous without being stupid. Once again, the only bad part was the romance. It seemed like Alivet had a double personality: one who went through the story, and another whose sole purpose was to get horny whenever Ghairen was around. Her reactions to him were so out of character and artificial, one way this book could be fixed is if someone went through the text simply deleting all those passages. They are completely unconnected to the rest, have no part whatsoever on their character development, and would probably not be missed by anyone (much less the characters themselves).
World/setting: The main part, the one everyone who reads this book compliments. It is, indeed, quite a nice piece of world building. She mixes science-fiction with alchemy and fantasy, and a bit of religion for good measure. Some aspects could have been more explained, or better exploited (I would have liked to know more about the native races of those other worlds, for instance), but that would have been a plus, not a necessity.
Writing style: WHY DID THERE HAVE TO BE ROMANCE IN THIS?? My honest theory is that Liz had already finished writing her book, but when she tried to submit it for publication, someone (maybe the editor) told her she absolutely HAD to have romance in it, since it’s YA. So she went back and tried to see where she could shove some kind of romance. Maybe she thought about Alivet and Ghairen’s daughter, but decided against it. Finally, she decided it had to be Alivet and Ghairen, and then tried to make it happen, but she was already in love with the original story, so she didn’t want to change anything. That is the most likely explanation for how bizarre those romance passages are… On the other passages, though, the writing is pleasant and straightforward.
Representation: There isn’t much… There are aliens, though.
Political correctness: Again, WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON WITH THAT ROMANCE?? It was all kinds of crappy. He’s domineering, over-controlling, he locks her up on her room at night, and actually shackles her to him once. He doesn’t trust her, or tells her anything. Oh, yeah, also, SHE’S 16 AND HE’S OVER 40!! And don’t tell me that his species experiences time differently, HE HAS A DAUGHTER WHO’S ONLY ONE OR TWO YEARS YOUNGER THAN ALIVET HERSELF. That’s just disgusting. Speaking of disgusting, the very first time that they kind of get it on ALIVET BELIEVES HE IS RAPING HIS DAUGHTER. Really. For serious. Because, of course, there is nothing like a child molester to get a girl’s juices flowing, am I right, ladies?
Final rating: 4 stars for the story/characters/worldbuilding, 0 stars for the romance = 2 stars.
Up next: How to Be a Heroine, by Samantha Ellis
Recommended by Miriam for its great world building. She warned me that there were stuff I wouldn’t like about the characters, though. She was right.
Synopsis: Alivet lives on Latent Emanation, a planet where humans are slaves to the Lords of Night. She’s an apprentice alchemist, and is planning to save up enough so she can buy her twin sister from “embonding”, but when one of her rich clients die, she’s forced to seek the help of stranger.
Overall enjoyment: Welp. There were some really nice things. There were some very bad things. Mostly, and I’m going to have to caps it, THERE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ROMANCE IN THIS BOOK. The romance with Ghairen was bizarre and grotesque, and it should never have been written. Other than that, it was fine.
Plot: I liked how she tells the story of Alivet in parallel with John Dee, showing how Latent Emanation came to be in the first place. It integrates the world building with the main plot without making it over-descriptive and boring. The intrigue and mystery part was also nicely done. The only thing that sucked was the romance. It comes out of nowhere, it’s badly developed, and has a nonsensical conclusion.
Characters: Up to a point, they were nicely done. Alivet is capable without being super-human, resourceful without being unrealistic, courageous without being stupid. Once again, the only bad part was the romance. It seemed like Alivet had a double personality: one who went through the story, and another whose sole purpose was to get horny whenever Ghairen was around. Her reactions to him were so out of character and artificial, one way this book could be fixed is if someone went through the text simply deleting all those passages. They are completely unconnected to the rest, have no part whatsoever on their character development, and would probably not be missed by anyone (much less the characters themselves).
World/setting: The main part, the one everyone who reads this book compliments. It is, indeed, quite a nice piece of world building. She mixes science-fiction with alchemy and fantasy, and a bit of religion for good measure. Some aspects could have been more explained, or better exploited (I would have liked to know more about the native races of those other worlds, for instance), but that would have been a plus, not a necessity.
Writing style: WHY DID THERE HAVE TO BE ROMANCE IN THIS?? My honest theory is that Liz had already finished writing her book, but when she tried to submit it for publication, someone (maybe the editor) told her she absolutely HAD to have romance in it, since it’s YA. So she went back and tried to see where she could shove some kind of romance. Maybe she thought about Alivet and Ghairen’s daughter, but decided against it. Finally, she decided it had to be Alivet and Ghairen, and then tried to make it happen, but she was already in love with the original story, so she didn’t want to change anything. That is the most likely explanation for how bizarre those romance passages are… On the other passages, though, the writing is pleasant and straightforward.
Representation: There isn’t much… There are aliens, though.
Political correctness: Again, WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON WITH THAT ROMANCE?? It was all kinds of crappy. He’s domineering, over-controlling, he locks her up on her room at night, and actually shackles her to him once. He doesn’t trust her, or tells her anything. Oh, yeah, also, SHE’S 16 AND HE’S OVER 40!! And don’t tell me that his species experiences time differently, HE HAS A DAUGHTER WHO’S ONLY ONE OR TWO YEARS YOUNGER THAN ALIVET HERSELF. That’s just disgusting. Speaking of disgusting, the very first time that they kind of get it on ALIVET BELIEVES HE IS RAPING HIS DAUGHTER. Really. For serious. Because, of course, there is nothing like a child molester to get a girl’s juices flowing, am I right, ladies?
Final rating: 4 stars for the story/characters/worldbuilding, 0 stars for the romance = 2 stars.
Up next: How to Be a Heroine, by Samantha Ellis
October 30, 2013
I can tell when I have been too long away from a certain genre or author – as I found out with this title. I really enjoyed the Detective Inspector Chen series (Snake Agent) and I have had this title for a while promising myself many times that I would read it.
Well after my recently spate of artwork books I thought it was time to go back to a more text orientated book, and this one came most immediately to hand.
The book was incredibly accessible and fun to read – the characters though alien and difficult to read at times were still easy to connect with and suitably realistic. Enough in fact that you could actually associate with them such that when plot twists happened (as if you didn’t expect them to) you felt suitably relieved or outraged. Once you became accustomed to the flora and fauna names the storyline flowed along a very rapid rate. My only criticism is that it would be great to see where the characters from this book would go next (the idea of a poison master and alchemist working together open up all sorts of possibilities)
Well after my recently spate of artwork books I thought it was time to go back to a more text orientated book, and this one came most immediately to hand.
The book was incredibly accessible and fun to read – the characters though alien and difficult to read at times were still easy to connect with and suitably realistic. Enough in fact that you could actually associate with them such that when plot twists happened (as if you didn’t expect them to) you felt suitably relieved or outraged. Once you became accustomed to the flora and fauna names the storyline flowed along a very rapid rate. My only criticism is that it would be great to see where the characters from this book would go next (the idea of a poison master and alchemist working together open up all sorts of possibilities)
September 25, 2020
3.5-4 stars.
I'm not sure what to make of this book. The prose was good. I would go so far as to say that the prose was excellent. The plot was OK but not spectacular. The world-building was intriguing. And as for the romance... I am currently going though a phase of disliking romance (for no particular reason) but I have to admit that the romance wasn't cheesy. In fact, some of the descriptions of the uneasiness and mutual attraction between the characters were actually compelling. So... I'd say that this is a pretty easy and rewarding read if you like low fantasy and don't mind a background romance. The ending is slightly abrupt.
I'm not sure what to make of this book. The prose was good. I would go so far as to say that the prose was excellent. The plot was OK but not spectacular. The world-building was intriguing. And as for the romance... I am currently going though a phase of disliking romance (for no particular reason) but I have to admit that the romance wasn't cheesy. In fact, some of the descriptions of the uneasiness and mutual attraction between the characters were actually compelling. So... I'd say that this is a pretty easy and rewarding read if you like low fantasy and don't mind a background romance. The ending is slightly abrupt.
July 29, 2024
I have read many a fantasy book so when I come across something that feels original and exciting I can’t help but devour it.
This was recommended by my friend Nenia and she was so bang on about how good this is.
The world building is immaculate. So well described as to feel like you’re actually walking through these places. I also loved the sort of dual timeline of John Dee in the 1500s and how it all lead to where we were with Alivet and the people of Latent Emanation. The idea of worlds outside our own and “spirits” opening us up to them with aid of mathematics and alchemy.
The idea of the drugs and the alchemical process being somewhat more 3D as it were. Not just what substances are combined but adding in the idea of a mental component, being able to instruct a drug to do your biding. This book was such a fun read.
And Alivet herself, strong and self assured in some measures but still young and unsure of herself and the world around her. I liked the interplay of her and Ghairen. The lack of trust but the intense pull of a mysterious man.
There was also such great dry wit and humor. Alivet’s inner dialogue at times had me chuckling.
Ghairen was also peak shadow daddy vibes. My only complaint is that there wasn’t more between them, though I appreciated the open ended feel of what could be.
Liz Williams wrote a great and enthralling story.
5⭐️
This was recommended by my friend Nenia and she was so bang on about how good this is.
The world building is immaculate. So well described as to feel like you’re actually walking through these places. I also loved the sort of dual timeline of John Dee in the 1500s and how it all lead to where we were with Alivet and the people of Latent Emanation. The idea of worlds outside our own and “spirits” opening us up to them with aid of mathematics and alchemy.
The idea of the drugs and the alchemical process being somewhat more 3D as it were. Not just what substances are combined but adding in the idea of a mental component, being able to instruct a drug to do your biding. This book was such a fun read.
And Alivet herself, strong and self assured in some measures but still young and unsure of herself and the world around her. I liked the interplay of her and Ghairen. The lack of trust but the intense pull of a mysterious man.
There was also such great dry wit and humor. Alivet’s inner dialogue at times had me chuckling.
Ghairen was also peak shadow daddy vibes. My only complaint is that there wasn’t more between them, though I appreciated the open ended feel of what could be.
Liz Williams wrote a great and enthralling story.
5⭐️
July 12, 2017
Dave Kennedy has described tPM as "Dr Dee In Space, as told by Vance." I finished it, but didn't much care for it (sigh). I found the Elizabethan framing story to be (mostly) an annoying distraction. Alchemical apothecary Alivet Dee's interplanetary adventures are pretty entertaining, and certainly colorfully written. Comes to an abrupt and unsatisfying ending, perhaps to leave room for a sequel. Eh.
[from an rasfw Usenet post, 2004]
[from an rasfw Usenet post, 2004]
July 3, 2020
Review originally posted at Eve's Alexandria, July 2007.
--
Liz Williams tends to be classed as a science fiction writer. But on the evidence of her third novel, The Poison Master, I'm inclined to think that she's only doing SF in the sense that Sheri S Tepper is; which is to say, largely incidentally. (The comparison isn't accidental; Williams' second novel, Empire of Bones, reads like Tepper with the polemic toned down and a better ear for dialogue.) The Poison Master is a fantasy in a vaguely SFnal environment. Or, looked at another way, the science it extrapolates from is firmly sixteenth century: alchemy, humours, and herbalism are the order of the day, and the ways they are used owe more to fantastical and historical fiction than they do to SF.
This is intentional. Structured in eleven parts, each named after a part of the alchemical process, the book is divided into two strands. One, set in the latter half of the sixteenth century, dips in and out of the life of John Dee, as his various researches - a typically early-modern blend of what we would divide into 'occult' and 'scientific', but which presented no contradiction in his day - both make his name and land him in trouble on a regular basis:
"I should hardly call trigonometry a peculiar practice," Dee said mildly. "It reflects God's work, nothing more."
"As do your own mathematical arts? Making dung-beetles fly through the heavens?" Bonner leaned forward and the mask fell away. "For what purpose other than to mock God?"
"I did not--"
"And the making of waxen effigies? The lewd and vain practices of calculating and conjuring?"
This exchange, with a disapproving bishop seeking evidence to arraign Dee, beautifully captures (I particularly like the last line) contemporary attitudes towards - and suspicions of - both science and the occult, and show the conflation of the two. Williams has, in general, a secure if unshowy feel for the period; she creates the necessary feel with understated descriptions and slightly mannered dialogue, relying on touchstone references rather than trying too hard to approximate the flowery language of the time. It lacks the richness of really good historical fiction, but is clearly there to provide a backdrop for Dee's ideas rather than as an end in itself:
Dee went back into his rooms and sat down at the desk. Spring rain streaked the leaded windows, turning the bleached stones of Trinity as grey as bone. An east wind, cold as the forests of Muscovy from which it had come, roared across the fens and rattled the doors. Somewhere in the building Dee could hear the drift of a lute.
Of course, this being a fantasy novel, it becomes apparent that Dee is into something more than long division or pentagrams. Which is where the second (much bigger) strand of the story comes in, although how the two link up is not revealed until much later in the novel: the story of Alivet, a druggist and alchemist on the (brilliantly-named) Latent Emanation, a dark and foetid world where human beings live on the sufferance of shadowy figures known as the Lords of Night - in return for a mandatory corvée, whose participants are drawn from among their children. We are told this rather directly (in what is, unfortunately, neither the first nor the last instance of Williams' tendency to info-dump material that really ought to be - and is - clear enough from the wider plot):
"Whatever the Lords might be, look at all they've done for us. Helped us build our city, make sure law and order is maintained - and they protect us, too, from the beings of the worlds beyond. Without the Lords, what would happen to us? My father always used to say that taking a few hundred youngsters to be Enbonded was a small price to pay, really."
Those who are taken to labour never return. Alivet's sister is one of them, and naturally our heroine vows to rescue her. She follows one of the few careers open to a woman of her low birth - society on Latent Emanation not being far removed from that of Tudor England - becoming an assistant to a purveyor of recreational drugs for the rich, bored, and thrill-seeking. It is in the context of Alivet's skills that Williams gives us probably my favourite aspects of the novel: the heady descriptions of how Alivet works, psychically, with her various drugs:
Alivet pulled her hood over her face and curled up on the floor, staring into warm, sparkling darkness as the drug coursed through her. Dreaming menifew: green, chthonic, familiar. It was one of the companion plants, not an enemy that needed placation and the small sacrifices of vomiting or mania. She focused, conjuring up an image of the plant: a thick, sap-filled stem, fleshy leaves with a black-jade gloss, small crimson flowers like drops of blood. She sent the image within, calling up the spirit of the psychopomp.
All drugs had spirits attached to them: it was simply a matter of whether those allied spirits were friendly or not.
(Sounds more fantasy than SF? Precisely.)
Almost as soon as we are introduced to her, Alivet finds herself on the run, hunted by the Unpriests (the Lords' creepy servants) when a highborn client unexpectedly dies as an apparent result of her ministrations. She falls in with a chap named Ghairen, the titular poison master, in whose dubious company Alivet learns many things about her world - most especially, that Latent Emanation is not the only inhabited planet in the vicinity, or at any rate accessible via (mostly unexplained) technology that is alien to oppressed and backward Latent Emanation. Soon planet-hopping with abandon - if not entirely with volition, as she spends much of her time as a prisoner of various other players in the plot, or running away from same only to find herself in another trap - she discovers that the ways of life, too, are quite different on the others:
The Nethenassi, stuck in the honey of their own complacency; the people of Hathes, with their rigidly paranoid society and murderous antics; and her own community on Latent Emanation, who had invented little that was new for a hundred years.
The characteristics of the various planets reflect the Elizabethan conception of the humours (something we are introduced to, again in slightly info-dumpy terms, in Dee's strand of the narrative): swampy, shadowy Latent Emanation is hot and moist, Hathes is so cold and dry that its people live in lofty, climate-controlled towers, Nethes is hot and dry. Williams evokes these varying landscapes well; a shame, really, that the exigencies of the plot mean that we so often pull away from the interestingly exotic surroundings to examine Alivet's precarious situation, and her distrustful relationships with the various ambiguous people she encounters. Alivet and Ghairen are likeable enough characters, but neither they nor their inevitable sexual tension feel quite remarkable enough to hold the reader's focus unwaveringly, against such a backdrop.
The use of alchemical and humoural science to order her fantastical worlds - as both conceptual framework and source of imagery - is a wonderful and fascinating idea, and the big reveal of the connection between Dee and Alivet is nicely done, even if it doesn't really come as a surprise. On this level, the novel works well. Where it is less successful is in terms of the plot, which gets repetitive and never really lives up to the canvas prepared for it, and at times the execution. The writing gets bogged down in clumsy phrasings like this:
The Unpriests were like their masters: capricious and cruel. Alchemical metaphors dominated her imagination: in the hands of the Unpriests, they would undergo dissolution, personalities and spirits rendered down.
...When, it seems to me, it should have more arch delights like this:
Alivet got on with her own tasks, still under the direction of Inki's friend. She prepared fondants of gloom, sorbets of shadows, and sherbets of dusk, each one gathered from the unseen corners of Latent Emanation.
--
Liz Williams tends to be classed as a science fiction writer. But on the evidence of her third novel, The Poison Master, I'm inclined to think that she's only doing SF in the sense that Sheri S Tepper is; which is to say, largely incidentally. (The comparison isn't accidental; Williams' second novel, Empire of Bones, reads like Tepper with the polemic toned down and a better ear for dialogue.) The Poison Master is a fantasy in a vaguely SFnal environment. Or, looked at another way, the science it extrapolates from is firmly sixteenth century: alchemy, humours, and herbalism are the order of the day, and the ways they are used owe more to fantastical and historical fiction than they do to SF.
This is intentional. Structured in eleven parts, each named after a part of the alchemical process, the book is divided into two strands. One, set in the latter half of the sixteenth century, dips in and out of the life of John Dee, as his various researches - a typically early-modern blend of what we would divide into 'occult' and 'scientific', but which presented no contradiction in his day - both make his name and land him in trouble on a regular basis:
"I should hardly call trigonometry a peculiar practice," Dee said mildly. "It reflects God's work, nothing more."
"As do your own mathematical arts? Making dung-beetles fly through the heavens?" Bonner leaned forward and the mask fell away. "For what purpose other than to mock God?"
"I did not--"
"And the making of waxen effigies? The lewd and vain practices of calculating and conjuring?"
This exchange, with a disapproving bishop seeking evidence to arraign Dee, beautifully captures (I particularly like the last line) contemporary attitudes towards - and suspicions of - both science and the occult, and show the conflation of the two. Williams has, in general, a secure if unshowy feel for the period; she creates the necessary feel with understated descriptions and slightly mannered dialogue, relying on touchstone references rather than trying too hard to approximate the flowery language of the time. It lacks the richness of really good historical fiction, but is clearly there to provide a backdrop for Dee's ideas rather than as an end in itself:
Dee went back into his rooms and sat down at the desk. Spring rain streaked the leaded windows, turning the bleached stones of Trinity as grey as bone. An east wind, cold as the forests of Muscovy from which it had come, roared across the fens and rattled the doors. Somewhere in the building Dee could hear the drift of a lute.
Of course, this being a fantasy novel, it becomes apparent that Dee is into something more than long division or pentagrams. Which is where the second (much bigger) strand of the story comes in, although how the two link up is not revealed until much later in the novel: the story of Alivet, a druggist and alchemist on the (brilliantly-named) Latent Emanation, a dark and foetid world where human beings live on the sufferance of shadowy figures known as the Lords of Night - in return for a mandatory corvée, whose participants are drawn from among their children. We are told this rather directly (in what is, unfortunately, neither the first nor the last instance of Williams' tendency to info-dump material that really ought to be - and is - clear enough from the wider plot):
"Whatever the Lords might be, look at all they've done for us. Helped us build our city, make sure law and order is maintained - and they protect us, too, from the beings of the worlds beyond. Without the Lords, what would happen to us? My father always used to say that taking a few hundred youngsters to be Enbonded was a small price to pay, really."
Those who are taken to labour never return. Alivet's sister is one of them, and naturally our heroine vows to rescue her. She follows one of the few careers open to a woman of her low birth - society on Latent Emanation not being far removed from that of Tudor England - becoming an assistant to a purveyor of recreational drugs for the rich, bored, and thrill-seeking. It is in the context of Alivet's skills that Williams gives us probably my favourite aspects of the novel: the heady descriptions of how Alivet works, psychically, with her various drugs:
Alivet pulled her hood over her face and curled up on the floor, staring into warm, sparkling darkness as the drug coursed through her. Dreaming menifew: green, chthonic, familiar. It was one of the companion plants, not an enemy that needed placation and the small sacrifices of vomiting or mania. She focused, conjuring up an image of the plant: a thick, sap-filled stem, fleshy leaves with a black-jade gloss, small crimson flowers like drops of blood. She sent the image within, calling up the spirit of the psychopomp.
All drugs had spirits attached to them: it was simply a matter of whether those allied spirits were friendly or not.
(Sounds more fantasy than SF? Precisely.)
Almost as soon as we are introduced to her, Alivet finds herself on the run, hunted by the Unpriests (the Lords' creepy servants) when a highborn client unexpectedly dies as an apparent result of her ministrations. She falls in with a chap named Ghairen, the titular poison master, in whose dubious company Alivet learns many things about her world - most especially, that Latent Emanation is not the only inhabited planet in the vicinity, or at any rate accessible via (mostly unexplained) technology that is alien to oppressed and backward Latent Emanation. Soon planet-hopping with abandon - if not entirely with volition, as she spends much of her time as a prisoner of various other players in the plot, or running away from same only to find herself in another trap - she discovers that the ways of life, too, are quite different on the others:
The Nethenassi, stuck in the honey of their own complacency; the people of Hathes, with their rigidly paranoid society and murderous antics; and her own community on Latent Emanation, who had invented little that was new for a hundred years.
The characteristics of the various planets reflect the Elizabethan conception of the humours (something we are introduced to, again in slightly info-dumpy terms, in Dee's strand of the narrative): swampy, shadowy Latent Emanation is hot and moist, Hathes is so cold and dry that its people live in lofty, climate-controlled towers, Nethes is hot and dry. Williams evokes these varying landscapes well; a shame, really, that the exigencies of the plot mean that we so often pull away from the interestingly exotic surroundings to examine Alivet's precarious situation, and her distrustful relationships with the various ambiguous people she encounters. Alivet and Ghairen are likeable enough characters, but neither they nor their inevitable sexual tension feel quite remarkable enough to hold the reader's focus unwaveringly, against such a backdrop.
The use of alchemical and humoural science to order her fantastical worlds - as both conceptual framework and source of imagery - is a wonderful and fascinating idea, and the big reveal of the connection between Dee and Alivet is nicely done, even if it doesn't really come as a surprise. On this level, the novel works well. Where it is less successful is in terms of the plot, which gets repetitive and never really lives up to the canvas prepared for it, and at times the execution. The writing gets bogged down in clumsy phrasings like this:
The Unpriests were like their masters: capricious and cruel. Alchemical metaphors dominated her imagination: in the hands of the Unpriests, they would undergo dissolution, personalities and spirits rendered down.
...When, it seems to me, it should have more arch delights like this:
Alivet got on with her own tasks, still under the direction of Inki's friend. She prepared fondants of gloom, sorbets of shadows, and sherbets of dusk, each one gathered from the unseen corners of Latent Emanation.
June 3, 2015
The first time I read this book, in the form of a borrowed ARC shamefully never returned, it totally blew my mind. I'd never come across something so compellingly atmospheric and unique, and I must have read it four or five times. Coming back to it now, certain elements look more familiar, in particular the titular Poison Master has the moody flavor of vampire princes the world round. I'm also still not convinced that John Dee's narrative adds all that much to the work.
Nonetheless, this book is easily the most seamless blending of SF and fantasy tropes I know of, violating traditional assumptions left and right until the reader doesn't know up from down and tosses all categories out the window in favor of the work as it stands. At least, I like to think so; the overall rating indicates others found it less than compelling.
I'm now taking a crack at Williams' other works. So far, her first and second books could not hold a candle to this one, and it's neat to watch her confidence grow until she's finally ready to totally own her work.
Nonetheless, this book is easily the most seamless blending of SF and fantasy tropes I know of, violating traditional assumptions left and right until the reader doesn't know up from down and tosses all categories out the window in favor of the work as it stands. At least, I like to think so; the overall rating indicates others found it less than compelling.
I'm now taking a crack at Williams' other works. So far, her first and second books could not hold a candle to this one, and it's neat to watch her confidence grow until she's finally ready to totally own her work.
April 11, 2018
A novel in which the world building is good and we meet some strange and interesting characters and societies, plus there is an overall attempt to link this to Cabbalistic beliefs from the middle ages. The story is divided between a timeline in the 16th century and one in the far future. In the 16th century, the historical character, Dr John Dee, initially an artificier, alchemist and mathematician with big ideas, constrained by the need to avoid reprisals from the Catholic Church, eventually becomes the leader of an expedition to a 'new world', one which is extraterrestrial but which he, contacted by an 'angel', begins to suspect may not be quite what it seems.
In the far future, the main character is his distant descendant, Alivet Dee, a talented alchemist and apothecary, engaged in one of the few trades which poor women such as herself are allowed to work in. She is attempting to save enough money to release her twin sister from enbonding: slavery to the alien overlords which do not fully exist in the physical dimension. The humans on her planet are descendants from those brought there by those overlords. Disaster strikes when Alivet is framed for the murder of one of her clients and has to go on the run. She is helped by a strange man with red eyes, who turns out to be Ghairen and the title character. He is from another planet where he is part of a guild of poisoners, and he needs Alivet's help to distill a substance which he hopes will kill the alien rulers.
The ideas in this book are based on alchemy and the Cabbalistic belief system, which calls Earth and various other planets by different names. Some of this was vaguely familiar as I'd read a book on the subject many years before. There is also the strange notion that the various drugs used in the story have their own 'spirit' which the alchemist can communicate with while in a trance state. I found it interesting although not entirely convincing. There is also the crime/adventure element of Alivet having to learn to survive, eventually on two other worlds, and to deal with various people who may or may not be lying and using her for their own ends.
I would have enjoyed the story more if the rather forced romance between Alivet and the poison master, Ghairen, had been dropped. It doesn't come across as convincing and is, in fact, distasteful, given that at one point she thinks he might be sexually abusing his daughter and still finds him a turn on. That element could have been expunged without harming the story in any way. For that reason, what would probably have been a 4-star rating reduced by the end to a 3.
In the far future, the main character is his distant descendant, Alivet Dee, a talented alchemist and apothecary, engaged in one of the few trades which poor women such as herself are allowed to work in. She is attempting to save enough money to release her twin sister from enbonding: slavery to the alien overlords which do not fully exist in the physical dimension. The humans on her planet are descendants from those brought there by those overlords. Disaster strikes when Alivet is framed for the murder of one of her clients and has to go on the run. She is helped by a strange man with red eyes, who turns out to be Ghairen and the title character. He is from another planet where he is part of a guild of poisoners, and he needs Alivet's help to distill a substance which he hopes will kill the alien rulers.
The ideas in this book are based on alchemy and the Cabbalistic belief system, which calls Earth and various other planets by different names. Some of this was vaguely familiar as I'd read a book on the subject many years before. There is also the strange notion that the various drugs used in the story have their own 'spirit' which the alchemist can communicate with while in a trance state. I found it interesting although not entirely convincing. There is also the crime/adventure element of Alivet having to learn to survive, eventually on two other worlds, and to deal with various people who may or may not be lying and using her for their own ends.
I would have enjoyed the story more if the rather forced romance between Alivet and the poison master, Ghairen, had been dropped. It doesn't come across as convincing and is, in fact, distasteful, given that at one point she thinks he might be sexually abusing his daughter and still finds him a turn on. That element could have been expunged without harming the story in any way. For that reason, what would probably have been a 4-star rating reduced by the end to a 3.
December 12, 2022
This was a very interesting read. Alivet Dee, the main character is living in a world where humans are oppressed by interdimensional aliens. She is given the opportunity to defeat them with the help of a person from a different world, Ari Ghairen. There is a lot of intrigue, and she isn't sure if she can trust him, but she is thrust into perilous circumstances that force her into close proximity with him. We soon learn that her distrust of Ghairen is unearned, and the result of living in a harsh world. She also discovers that the interdimensional aliens, masquerading as angels, have taken people from earth through portal to other worlds that are based on the four humors. The magic system is very interesting and seems to be based on Jewish mysticism and Catholicism without being overtly religious. This is story of good and evil is very well thought out and the worldbuilding and atmosphere are phenomenal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2019
Very enjoyable fantasy book with an interesting dual narrative - each new chapter begins with a story from the past that led to current events, revealing a little more each time. This somewhat mirrors the journey of the protagonist and the reader as they also learn more about the world of the book.
The plot is interesting, although the main character doesn't really drive it too much - they generally decide which other characters to trust or go along with suggestions, and they don't get too many options. Fortunately there's more than enough world building and description to make it a good read even if the plot does sometimes seem a bit of an excuse to run around and show off the people and places.
The plot is interesting, although the main character doesn't really drive it too much - they generally decide which other characters to trust or go along with suggestions, and they don't get too many options. Fortunately there's more than enough world building and description to make it a good read even if the plot does sometimes seem a bit of an excuse to run around and show off the people and places.
November 17, 2020
Weird but good
The worldbuilding was convoluted in how it was unveiled and I spent a fair amount of the story trying to grok it.
The lead character was pretty neat with a sort of bene gesserit vibe without the wealth or power as an alchemist neuropharmacologist. Not enough women lead characters in sf so a bit more representation matters.
I sort of get a bit of a Creatures of Light and Darkness vibe with a bit of broken pattern from Amber. The occultist Dee connection and history was a good touch.
I liked it though it was a bit of a slog before getting to the more interesting bits of Qabbala and a sort of gordie dickson/dune style spaceship travel.
The worldbuilding was convoluted in how it was unveiled and I spent a fair amount of the story trying to grok it.
The lead character was pretty neat with a sort of bene gesserit vibe without the wealth or power as an alchemist neuropharmacologist. Not enough women lead characters in sf so a bit more representation matters.
I sort of get a bit of a Creatures of Light and Darkness vibe with a bit of broken pattern from Amber. The occultist Dee connection and history was a good touch.
I liked it though it was a bit of a slog before getting to the more interesting bits of Qabbala and a sort of gordie dickson/dune style spaceship travel.
July 10, 2019
Reminded me of Morrowind for some reason, the red eyed description of the poisoner plus the dry architecture and world of his just seemed to conjure up Dummer and dust storms while I was reading.
There was also some very interesting plots within plots and the suspense between the poison master and alchemist was well done throughout the book.
The 'earth' plot line was probably the weakest element of the book but overall it's an enjoyable story with suitably sinister rulers and weirdness in spades.
There was also some very interesting plots within plots and the suspense between the poison master and alchemist was well done throughout the book.
The 'earth' plot line was probably the weakest element of the book but overall it's an enjoyable story with suitably sinister rulers and weirdness in spades.
November 11, 2023
Another Weird Yet Intriguing Read
I first discovered the author, Liz Williams, in Snake Agent, a Detective Chen novel. Her worlds are a combination of the familiar juxtaposed with the fantastical and often, with religious beliefs mixed in. Makes for some strange and compelling imagery and story.
This book also juggles time lines between Elizabeth I and many centuries into the future on another world(s). It mainly discusses intent, belief, faith, trust, and knowledge. Or the crux at which those meet and subsequent actions. Quite pertinent for today's world.
Highly recommend.
I first discovered the author, Liz Williams, in Snake Agent, a Detective Chen novel. Her worlds are a combination of the familiar juxtaposed with the fantastical and often, with religious beliefs mixed in. Makes for some strange and compelling imagery and story.
This book also juggles time lines between Elizabeth I and many centuries into the future on another world(s). It mainly discusses intent, belief, faith, trust, and knowledge. Or the crux at which those meet and subsequent actions. Quite pertinent for today's world.
Highly recommend.
January 7, 2019
The ideas are good but the writing and narrative leave something to be desired. The story treads water for much too long, and I feel the main character is mostly just along for the ride. The side storyline takes much too long to bear fruit and doesn't complement the ongoing narrative.
August 30, 2018
Really 3.5 stars. Slow story yet parts intriguing and engrossing. Kept me guessing who was good or evil. Liked the ending
January 30, 2019
It's nod bad, just insipid...
December 3, 2020
Not my cup of tea. Bailed out after the second chapter
July 18, 2021
Teveel flauwekul blabla.
Schrijfster heeft duidelijk en andere wereld willen schapen dan de onze, maar heeft zoveel tijd nodig om dat te beschrijven dat het boek erdoor is verdord.
Schrijfster heeft duidelijk en andere wereld willen schapen dan de onze, maar heeft zoveel tijd nodig om dat te beschrijven dat het boek erdoor is verdord.
June 30, 2012
A stand-alone SF book.
The Poison Master begins in 1547 when Doctor John Dee is trying to convince Sir John Cheke that Dee's large mechanical bee can be made to fly – with ropes and pulleys. Dee is a mathematician and dreams of calculating astronomical journeys. We follow his experiments throughout the years. The book has twelve parts with two to five short chapters, and each part begins with a chapter about John Dee.
But the main character of the book is Alchemical Apothecary Alivet Dee whose twin sister has been Enbonded to the Lords of Night. Alivet is trying to make enough money that she can buy her sister free. She's even moved to the fringes of the city of Levanah because the rent is lower and she can save more money that way. As an apothecary, Alivet makes drugs and perfumes, and her biggest employer is Genever Thant who arranges for new experiences for the jaded rich. On her free time, Alivet takes part in the Search where the humans are put under a trance and search their subconscious for information about their origin. The Unpriests, who serve the Lords of Night, have made the Search illegal so it's done is secret.
But then everything goes wrong. During an experience orchestrated by Thant, one of Thant's clients dies. Thant flees and so does Alivet who suspects that Thant will blame her. To Alivet's surprise, a man from another planet contacts Alivet and wants her help in overthrowing the Lords. In exchange, the man will help Alivet free her twin. Alivet agrees.
The red-eyed man from the planet Hathes is Arieth Ghairen, the Poison Master. Alivet can't trust him and yet she's attracted to him. Ghairen takes Alivet through a portal and into a starship and then to his world, where she can start to work on an alchemical poison which could defeat the Lords of Night.
I really enjoyed the world building. The book has two distinct worlds. Alivet's home is Latent Emanations, where a large group of humans live, essentially enslaved by the Lords of Night and to their Unpriests. The Unpriests use high technology which is forbidden from the rest of the population. The world has also a native species, the anubes, whose passion seems to be traveling and brining other people to their destination. They seem quite independent from the humans. Ghairen's world Hathes has high technology which seems to be available to all. Hathes has also a native population which seems to be enslaved by the humans. They work as servants and live is squalor.
The people who live in Latent Emanation know that the Lords of Night have brought them there, but they don't know from where they have come and they don't seem to remember much of their previous culture. For example, Alivet has a locket her grandmother gave her. It has a carving of a crucified man but Alivet doesn't know who he is or why he's depicted that way. The Lords take men and women to their palaces from time to time, and they aren't seen after that. The Unpriests are feared and they seem to sort of keep up law, but in an unpredictable way which make the population scared of them. Both men and woman are Unpriests.
Also, the drugs Alivet use are somehow alive. They have souls and Alivet can communicate with them when she's in a trance.
Alivet is a very active protagonist. She's determined to get her sister back and willing to do whatever it takes. If that means having to work with a Poison Master, so be it. Even though Alivet is attracted to Ghairen, she doesn't trust him, and he's very close mouthed about his past and motives. Alivet is also curious and wants to solve mysteries. While she's attracted to Ghairen, she's determined to get business done with before she even thinks about him more, so this isn't a romance.
John Dee is greatly interested in mathematics. He's a religious man and he thinks that he's just using the brain that his God gave him, even though religious authorities call his work heresy. We follow his life through decades and as far as I can tell, most of it is accurate, except that in this book he sees angels and communicates with them.
An interesting parallel between the two Dees is that in John's chapters, all the people are male, except for the brief appearances of Dee's wife and Queen Elizabeth, while in Alivet's chapters most of the characters are women. In John's time it's because the people who had the leisure and power to engage in alchemy and mathematics, were male. With Alivet, the people closest to her are her sister and aunt. Later, the people she meets are mostly women. I don't know if this is a conscious parallel.
The plot advances at a good pace but the ending is somewhat abrupt.
The Poison Master begins in 1547 when Doctor John Dee is trying to convince Sir John Cheke that Dee's large mechanical bee can be made to fly – with ropes and pulleys. Dee is a mathematician and dreams of calculating astronomical journeys. We follow his experiments throughout the years. The book has twelve parts with two to five short chapters, and each part begins with a chapter about John Dee.
But the main character of the book is Alchemical Apothecary Alivet Dee whose twin sister has been Enbonded to the Lords of Night. Alivet is trying to make enough money that she can buy her sister free. She's even moved to the fringes of the city of Levanah because the rent is lower and she can save more money that way. As an apothecary, Alivet makes drugs and perfumes, and her biggest employer is Genever Thant who arranges for new experiences for the jaded rich. On her free time, Alivet takes part in the Search where the humans are put under a trance and search their subconscious for information about their origin. The Unpriests, who serve the Lords of Night, have made the Search illegal so it's done is secret.
But then everything goes wrong. During an experience orchestrated by Thant, one of Thant's clients dies. Thant flees and so does Alivet who suspects that Thant will blame her. To Alivet's surprise, a man from another planet contacts Alivet and wants her help in overthrowing the Lords. In exchange, the man will help Alivet free her twin. Alivet agrees.
The red-eyed man from the planet Hathes is Arieth Ghairen, the Poison Master. Alivet can't trust him and yet she's attracted to him. Ghairen takes Alivet through a portal and into a starship and then to his world, where she can start to work on an alchemical poison which could defeat the Lords of Night.
I really enjoyed the world building. The book has two distinct worlds. Alivet's home is Latent Emanations, where a large group of humans live, essentially enslaved by the Lords of Night and to their Unpriests. The Unpriests use high technology which is forbidden from the rest of the population. The world has also a native species, the anubes, whose passion seems to be traveling and brining other people to their destination. They seem quite independent from the humans. Ghairen's world Hathes has high technology which seems to be available to all. Hathes has also a native population which seems to be enslaved by the humans. They work as servants and live is squalor.
The people who live in Latent Emanation know that the Lords of Night have brought them there, but they don't know from where they have come and they don't seem to remember much of their previous culture. For example, Alivet has a locket her grandmother gave her. It has a carving of a crucified man but Alivet doesn't know who he is or why he's depicted that way. The Lords take men and women to their palaces from time to time, and they aren't seen after that. The Unpriests are feared and they seem to sort of keep up law, but in an unpredictable way which make the population scared of them. Both men and woman are Unpriests.
Also, the drugs Alivet use are somehow alive. They have souls and Alivet can communicate with them when she's in a trance.
Alivet is a very active protagonist. She's determined to get her sister back and willing to do whatever it takes. If that means having to work with a Poison Master, so be it. Even though Alivet is attracted to Ghairen, she doesn't trust him, and he's very close mouthed about his past and motives. Alivet is also curious and wants to solve mysteries. While she's attracted to Ghairen, she's determined to get business done with before she even thinks about him more, so this isn't a romance.
John Dee is greatly interested in mathematics. He's a religious man and he thinks that he's just using the brain that his God gave him, even though religious authorities call his work heresy. We follow his life through decades and as far as I can tell, most of it is accurate, except that in this book he sees angels and communicates with them.
An interesting parallel between the two Dees is that in John's chapters, all the people are male, except for the brief appearances of Dee's wife and Queen Elizabeth, while in Alivet's chapters most of the characters are women. In John's time it's because the people who had the leisure and power to engage in alchemy and mathematics, were male. With Alivet, the people closest to her are her sister and aunt. Later, the people she meets are mostly women. I don't know if this is a conscious parallel.
The plot advances at a good pace but the ending is somewhat abrupt.
July 24, 2008
Alivet works as an apothecarist/alchemist to pay off her twin sister's enbondment to the Lords of the Night, the mysterious rulers of the planet. She is framed for poisoning a noblewoman, and agrees to work with Ghairen, an offworlder poison master assassin who needs her help in poisoning the Lords.
I was drawn into the worldbuilding, where the societies on the planets seem to be based on some sort of alchemical classification or model. The Lords of Night were a mixture of angel, demon, unknowable advanced alien to the point of being magical, and Cthulian. I liked the mysticism, the atmosphere of the world, and the wacky drug trips towards enlightenment. The plot meandered in places and didn't quite gel together. I couldn't get into the romantic subplot, even though I'd originally picked up this book because I'd heard it was a Gothic novel in space. The Gothic genre parts were actually the low points for me, and I ended up being more interested in the alchemy mysticism.
I was drawn into the worldbuilding, where the societies on the planets seem to be based on some sort of alchemical classification or model. The Lords of Night were a mixture of angel, demon, unknowable advanced alien to the point of being magical, and Cthulian. I liked the mysticism, the atmosphere of the world, and the wacky drug trips towards enlightenment. The plot meandered in places and didn't quite gel together. I couldn't get into the romantic subplot, even though I'd originally picked up this book because I'd heard it was a Gothic novel in space. The Gothic genre parts were actually the low points for me, and I ended up being more interested in the alchemy mysticism.
July 23, 2011
This was a really unusual book--I can't think of anything to compare to it in terms of plot or originality. Although it has science fiction elements (interplanetary travel), there is also a strong sense of the fantastical (mysterious creatures, mystical transport). We have a swoon-worthy, enigmatic poison master who seeks out the heroine, an alchemist, for assistance in destroying the evil beings who rule her world.
The story is told from the heroine perspective, and much of the tension comes from her inability to trust the poison master (for which she has good reason). Williams pays a lot of attention to character and setting. There's good pacing, mystery, and even a bit of romance. If you're in the mood for something out of the ordinary, The Poison Master is a good bet.
The story is told from the heroine perspective, and much of the tension comes from her inability to trust the poison master (for which she has good reason). Williams pays a lot of attention to character and setting. There's good pacing, mystery, and even a bit of romance. If you're in the mood for something out of the ordinary, The Poison Master is a good bet.
January 17, 2008
I liked Williams' characters in this book. The Poisonmaster had some unique abilities, and I had fun trying to imagine what it would be like to command an intimate knowledge of chemistry and to secret dozens of lethal substances on my person. The society of the Poisonmasters had promise, and I wish Williams had take the story further in this direction. The romance that she develops is typical, and its connection to greater events has a fairy-tale quality that was lost on me. Since Williams is a talented writer, I enjoyed the book.
September 19, 2012
This book had to much going on to be a stand-alone novel. If this was the first of a series I'd have no complaints. The author made multiple worlds, two different time periods, and several races, giving history and culture to each that was often at odds with other apects we were having to grasp at the same time. While I love the devotion to detail and the creation of so many elements, there was simply to much to learn to redeem what was enjoyable.
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