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The Keeper's Six
Kate Elliott's action-packed The Keeper's Six features a world-hopping, bad-ass, spell-slinging mother who sets out to rescue her kidnapped son from a dragon lord with everything to lose.
There are terrors that dwell in the space between worlds.
It’s been a year since Esther set foot in the Beyond, the alien landscape stretching between worlds, crossing boundaries of space and time. She and her magical travelling party, her Hex, haven’t spoken since the Concilium banned them from the Beyond. But when she wakes in the middle of the night to her son’s cry for help, the members of her Hex are the only ones she can trust to help her bring him back from wherever he has been taken.
Esther will have to risk everything to find him. Undercover and hidden from the Concilium, she and her Hex will be tested by dragon lords, a darkness so dense it can suffocate, and the bones of an old crime come back to haunt her.
There are terrors that dwell in the space between worlds.
It’s been a year since Esther set foot in the Beyond, the alien landscape stretching between worlds, crossing boundaries of space and time. She and her magical travelling party, her Hex, haven’t spoken since the Concilium banned them from the Beyond. But when she wakes in the middle of the night to her son’s cry for help, the members of her Hex are the only ones she can trust to help her bring him back from wherever he has been taken.
Esther will have to risk everything to find him. Undercover and hidden from the Concilium, she and her Hex will be tested by dragon lords, a darkness so dense it can suffocate, and the bones of an old crime come back to haunt her.
197 pages, Hardcover
First published January 17, 2023
About the author
Kate Elliott
112 books2,751 followersAs a child in rural Oregon, Kate Elliott made up stories because she longed to escape to a world of lurid adventure fiction. She now writes fantasy, steampunk, and science fiction, often with a romantic edge. She currently lives in Hawaii, where she paddles outrigger canoes and spoils her schnauzer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 328 reviews
February 2, 2023
Interview with Kate Elliott: https://youtube.com/live/XTJCtbXetBE?...
I love a badass mom, and this is giving us a badass grandma!
I'm living for it. I also just love the way Kate Elliott does these novellas. They're short, but so rich in world-building, character development, and plot. I'm not sure how she manages to do so much in only 200 pages but The Keeper's Six is a delightful companion to The Servant Mage.
I will say, the beginning took me by surprise. While Servant Mage begins in a very different magical world, this book begins in Hawaii. But you pretty quickly come to realize how they are connected and this story is about a woman doing whatever it takes to save her son, and also protect his non-human husband from people who want him for their own purposes. It's action-packed, with new and interesting tidbits about an expansive world that I hope we continue to explore in future books.
Our main character is Esther- grandma to adorable hybrid babies and a force to be reckoned with. I really liked her as a character, and I loved how the story integrated her Jewish identity in specific ways through the story as well. This is a short book so I won't say too much more, but I am LOVING this micro-trend of getting older heroines in fantasy. I received a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own.
I love a badass mom, and this is giving us a badass grandma!
I'm living for it. I also just love the way Kate Elliott does these novellas. They're short, but so rich in world-building, character development, and plot. I'm not sure how she manages to do so much in only 200 pages but The Keeper's Six is a delightful companion to The Servant Mage.
I will say, the beginning took me by surprise. While Servant Mage begins in a very different magical world, this book begins in Hawaii. But you pretty quickly come to realize how they are connected and this story is about a woman doing whatever it takes to save her son, and also protect his non-human husband from people who want him for their own purposes. It's action-packed, with new and interesting tidbits about an expansive world that I hope we continue to explore in future books.
Our main character is Esther- grandma to adorable hybrid babies and a force to be reckoned with. I really liked her as a character, and I loved how the story integrated her Jewish identity in specific ways through the story as well. This is a short book so I won't say too much more, but I am LOVING this micro-trend of getting older heroines in fantasy. I received a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own.
April 13, 2023
5.14 on CAWPILE
December 24, 2022
3.0 stars
My favourite aspect of this book was easily the worldbuilding. This is a piece of sci fantasy that had mostly a fantasy aesthetic.
I have now read several books by this author and I find that she tends to write enjoyable stories. I like her work but I'm still waiting to find a favourite. Her writing and characters are good but not the complex.
I liked this one, but I question how memorable it will be later into 2023 as I read more new releases.
I would recommend this one to fans of Kate Elliott along with readers who enjoy an interesting sci fantasy narrative.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
My favourite aspect of this book was easily the worldbuilding. This is a piece of sci fantasy that had mostly a fantasy aesthetic.
I have now read several books by this author and I find that she tends to write enjoyable stories. I like her work but I'm still waiting to find a favourite. Her writing and characters are good but not the complex.
I liked this one, but I question how memorable it will be later into 2023 as I read more new releases.
I would recommend this one to fans of Kate Elliott along with readers who enjoy an interesting sci fantasy narrative.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
December 9, 2022
Oh, did I love this rollicking contemporary fantasy novella! It starts in modern-day Hawaii, but the story explodes through lots of different magical worlds as 60-year-old Esther, having been FIRMLY forbidden from doing any more multiverse-exploring after her previous exploits, gathers up her old gang anyway and swashbuckles her way through an adventure, bargaining with dragons, organizing fantasy creatures into unions, fighting gigantic centipede-like creatures and more, to rescue her adult son from a kidnapping. There's even a slight, lovely promise of a romantic subplot, just waiting for more future developments.
I can't even express just how much fun it all was! I loved Esther - her ferocious charm, her deeply embedded Jewish faith, her aching old wounds, and all - and there were so many hilarious moments as well as thrilling and frightening ones. It was all just wonderful, and I'd love to read a dozen more adventures about her and her team!
I can't even express just how much fun it all was! I loved Esther - her ferocious charm, her deeply embedded Jewish faith, her aching old wounds, and all - and there were so many hilarious moments as well as thrilling and frightening ones. It was all just wonderful, and I'd love to read a dozen more adventures about her and her team!
January 16, 2023
Ahoy there mateys! This was sadly a miss for an author whose work I usually love. This novella is about "a world-hopping, bad-ass, spell-slinging mother who sets out to rescue her kidnapped son from a dragon lord." Sadly it was time to abandon ship at 45%.
For such a short book, I experienced dread when trying to finish. I couldn't really connect to the characters and the world building was so light. Even the dragon didn't excite me. I think the problem here might have been the length. The ideas were interesting in concept but the pace felt so slow and the plot convoluted. So far the two novellas I have read by Elliott both were problematic for me. Maybe I need to stick to her novels. Arrrr!
For such a short book, I experienced dread when trying to finish. I couldn't really connect to the characters and the world building was so light. Even the dragon didn't excite me. I think the problem here might have been the length. The ideas were interesting in concept but the pace felt so slow and the plot convoluted. So far the two novellas I have read by Elliott both were problematic for me. Maybe I need to stick to her novels. Arrrr!
October 17, 2022
Thanks to the publisher (Tordotcom) for am ARC of this book.
I have never read anything by Kate Elliott and a short standalone novel looked like a good place to start. Unfortunately, I did not vibe with it. I really liked the concept of a mother going on a cross-dimension rescue mission to save her son (yay to more parents in SFF!), and I liked the digs at poor working conditions at the dragon's hoard and Concilium, but the execution left me wanting.
First of all, there was so much infodumping and terminology thrown at you right from the start in a very short amount of time. You're very much thrown in at the deep end as you would be with the more complex of epic fantasy, and for something almost novella-length, it left my head spinning. It may technically be a short novel but it had similar problem to most novellas to me, where it feels like too much and yet not enough squeezed into the limited pagecount. Neither the story nor the characters managed to keep my interest either - I pressed on, knowing it's short, but it failed to truly grab me. Though it might be just me.
Enjoyment: 3/5
Execution: 3/5
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
I have never read anything by Kate Elliott and a short standalone novel looked like a good place to start. Unfortunately, I did not vibe with it. I really liked the concept of a mother going on a cross-dimension rescue mission to save her son (yay to more parents in SFF!), and I liked the digs at poor working conditions at the dragon's hoard and Concilium, but the execution left me wanting.
First of all, there was so much infodumping and terminology thrown at you right from the start in a very short amount of time. You're very much thrown in at the deep end as you would be with the more complex of epic fantasy, and for something almost novella-length, it left my head spinning. It may technically be a short novel but it had similar problem to most novellas to me, where it feels like too much and yet not enough squeezed into the limited pagecount. Neither the story nor the characters managed to keep my interest either - I pressed on, knowing it's short, but it failed to truly grab me. Though it might be just me.
Enjoyment: 3/5
Execution: 3/5
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
March 31, 2023
I liked it, but it felt incomplete. Lots of world building and set up that never really pays off. If this turns into a series, then I'd read it and probably bump this book up to four stars. As it stands right now, it feels more like an appetizer to something bigger.
October 1, 2024
Excellent, the perfect length, and different in content from any of Elliott's other work. It renewed my satisfaction with this author's work after my disappointment with her other recent novella.
Stylistically it's like a phenomenal urban fantasy, but the urban is replaced with a phantasmic and barely regulated multiverse, with diverse Realms connected by the ever-threatening Beyond. Only a Hex is likely to survive the interdimensional journeys that an expanding intermingling of intelligent beings requires, for trade, recreation, and livelihood. Each Hex member has unique abilities and temperament, wholly reliant on each other for survival. All this is merely background for a brief and satisfying adventure, steeped in familial love, Judeo-Persian poetry, numerology, union organizing, and romantic attraction at any age or species.
This feels more personal than Elliott's usual work. It features a woman of a certain age, a mother and grandmother; and when not jaunting around alien Realms it's set in her long-term home of Hawai'i. There's a lot of heart in this one. And the dragons, wonderfully realized and magnificent beings. To top it off, I'm really digging these novellas for their ease of hand-wielding, slipping into bags, and providing a full story in a tidy size without compromise.
Stylistically it's like a phenomenal urban fantasy, but the urban is replaced with a phantasmic and barely regulated multiverse, with diverse Realms connected by the ever-threatening Beyond. Only a Hex is likely to survive the interdimensional journeys that an expanding intermingling of intelligent beings requires, for trade, recreation, and livelihood. Each Hex member has unique abilities and temperament, wholly reliant on each other for survival. All this is merely background for a brief and satisfying adventure, steeped in familial love, Judeo-Persian poetry, numerology, union organizing, and romantic attraction at any age or species.
This feels more personal than Elliott's usual work. It features a woman of a certain age, a mother and grandmother; and when not jaunting around alien Realms it's set in her long-term home of Hawai'i. There's a lot of heart in this one. And the dragons, wonderfully realized and magnificent beings. To top it off, I'm really digging these novellas for their ease of hand-wielding, slipping into bags, and providing a full story in a tidy size without compromise.
February 9, 2023
3.5 stars
A basically fun fantasy novella. I always like Elliott’s work, and while I’m never head-over-heels in love with it, I’ve nevertheless read a whopping 16(!!) of her books without ever getting sick of them, which for those who don’t know me, is unique in my reading experience as an adult. Her writing is always well thought through, with detailed and intriguing worldbuilding, and a longstanding progressive ethos that has depth and suits the worlds she’s writing in rather than feeling simplistic or faddish. And while her characters don’t quite reach the level of complexity I prefer, they too feel thought through and convincing, without resorting to easy stereotypes. The biggest challenge is that her beginnings can be rough, though this one being such a short work, fortunately that is not the case here.
I can’t help suspecting this is the most autobiographical of Elliott’s work so far: it’s the first with a real-world, modern setting (though taking place mostly in a portal world), featuring a 60-year-old Jewish heroine, living in Hawaii, mother of two adult children and grandma of more—much like Elliott herself. (Okay, I’m not sure if she’s actually a grandma and if she is, can confidently say her grandkids aren’t half-dragon, but you get the point.) Esther, however, is the head of a team that carries out missions in other realms, and the story focuses on her quest to recover her son—a key member of the team, who has been kidnapped by a dragon.
And I basically liked it. These days I’m not too interested in adventure plots, particularly ones centered around a journey, which is likely why I didn’t enjoy it more. I’d have liked to see the characters fleshed out more, particularly Esther and her son Daniel, who both seem like great characters with a fun dynamic. (And they hand out Saul Alinsky books and try to organize workers everywhere they go, which is pretty great.) The others are forgettable. And I could have done without the teased romance, in which Esther’s reactions feel indistinguishable from those of your typical 20-year-old heroine. This does not do her badass grandma status justice. The world is cool and unusual, though, and feels like far more thought was put into it than many authors do with full-fledged novels. And it is ultimately a satisfying story. Not one I expect to stick with me, but those who love adventure plots are likely to enjoy it more.
A basically fun fantasy novella. I always like Elliott’s work, and while I’m never head-over-heels in love with it, I’ve nevertheless read a whopping 16(!!) of her books without ever getting sick of them, which for those who don’t know me, is unique in my reading experience as an adult. Her writing is always well thought through, with detailed and intriguing worldbuilding, and a longstanding progressive ethos that has depth and suits the worlds she’s writing in rather than feeling simplistic or faddish. And while her characters don’t quite reach the level of complexity I prefer, they too feel thought through and convincing, without resorting to easy stereotypes. The biggest challenge is that her beginnings can be rough, though this one being such a short work, fortunately that is not the case here.
I can’t help suspecting this is the most autobiographical of Elliott’s work so far: it’s the first with a real-world, modern setting (though taking place mostly in a portal world), featuring a 60-year-old Jewish heroine, living in Hawaii, mother of two adult children and grandma of more—much like Elliott herself. (Okay, I’m not sure if she’s actually a grandma and if she is, can confidently say her grandkids aren’t half-dragon, but you get the point.) Esther, however, is the head of a team that carries out missions in other realms, and the story focuses on her quest to recover her son—a key member of the team, who has been kidnapped by a dragon.
And I basically liked it. These days I’m not too interested in adventure plots, particularly ones centered around a journey, which is likely why I didn’t enjoy it more. I’d have liked to see the characters fleshed out more, particularly Esther and her son Daniel, who both seem like great characters with a fun dynamic. (And they hand out Saul Alinsky books and try to organize workers everywhere they go, which is pretty great.) The others are forgettable. And I could have done without the teased romance, in which Esther’s reactions feel indistinguishable from those of your typical 20-year-old heroine. This does not do her badass grandma status justice. The world is cool and unusual, though, and feels like far more thought was put into it than many authors do with full-fledged novels. And it is ultimately a satisfying story. Not one I expect to stick with me, but those who love adventure plots are likely to enjoy it more.
January 28, 2023
The nitty-gritty: Intricate world-building and sparkling dialog make The Keeper's Six a must read for fans looking for a fantasy adventure on the lighter side.
Well, this was a lot of fun! This is my first book by Kate Elliott, and I’ll definitely be reading more of her work. The Keeper’s Six is a fantasy novella with some science fiction elements added for good measure, and although it’s not listed as a series, I believe Elliott’s Servant Mage might be set in the same universe. In any case, this felt like a self contained story, so don’t worry if you haven’t read Servant Mage first (I haven’t). If you're looking for a story that isn't too "high stakes," this could be the book for you. Is "medium stakes" a thing? Because if so, this fits the bill perfectly.
Esther is part of a six-crew group of individuals called a Hex, or at least she was until she made a bad decision that got the Hex suspended. But one day she gets a strange call from her son Daniel. When she goes to his house to investigate, she finds a clue suggesting that he was kidnapped. The clue—a dragon’s scale hidden at the bottom of a pot of roux—leads her to the realm of a dragon named Zosfadal. Zosfadal has indeed kidnapped Daniel, holding him as ransom until Esther can deliver the dragon’s “spawn" Kai, who just happens to be Daniel’s spouse.
But Esther isn’t about to lose two beloved family members to a vengeful dragon, and so she devises a plan to free Daniel. In order to do so, though, she needs the rest of her crew, even if some of them are still mad at her for what happened a year ago. Making their way through the treacherous Beyond, Esther and her gang, along with the dragon’s lieutenant Shahin, must try to reverse the deal Zosfadal made in order to bring Daniel home safely.
If you think the plot sounds a bit chaotic, then you would be right. The worldbuilding in this story is simply amazing, but there is a lot to keep track of. Let’s start with the world itself. Daniel is a Keeper and his Keep is located in Oahu, Hawaii. Keeps are set partially on Earth and partially in the Beyond and act as safe havens for travelers. Each Keep has a Hex, five individuals with special powers who help protect the Keep (the sixth member of the team is the Keeper himself). Then you have realms where dragons rule, each dragon with its own hoard. In order to get to a hoard, you must travel through the Beyond, an in-between dimension that is extremely dangerous to traverse. Three stages of daylight exist in the beyond—Gloam, Pitch and Bright. Bright will fry you to death, so you must take shelter whenever Bright appears. Are you still with me?
I loved the idea of the Hex. Esther and her cohorts are akin to superheroes. Esther is called Lantern, since she can basically turn herself into a big flashlight. Marianne is Gate, and she’s in charge of ripping tears between dimensions while they travel. Gus is Ghost, and he is almost like a scout, making sure there isn’t trouble ahead. Lydia is Voice, and she can speak in many languages and help them communicate. Finally, Faye is Shotgun, the muscle of the team. One of my favorite scenes in the book takes place in the Beyond. Not only do they have to be careful of Bright, but there are hoards of huge wasps called antics to watch out for!
And while all this worldbuilding is fascinating and unique, it’s the characters who really make this story special. Esther just happens to be a sixty-year-old grandmother with four grandchildren. She’s smart and loves her family fiercely, and will do anything to protect them. My other favorite character in the story is Shahin, the dragon’s lieutenant. Shahin joins Esther and the others on their quest to rescue Daniel, and there was a nice, unexpected spark between him and Esther that was really sweet. Elliott’s dialog is so funny and warm, it was such a pleasure to read.
But it’s not all sunshine and roses. Marianne is furious with Esther’s past behavior and is looking to join a new Hex. She tells Esther that she’ll help get Daniel back, but it’s going to be her last job with Esther. I loved their bickering, and I love that the author doesn’t easily resolve their conflict. I did want to learn more about Kai, who is part dragon and has quite a few surprises in store for the reader.
There’s also some political commentary surrounding “flesh trafficking,” and we learn about the horrific circumstances under which Esther and Kai met. Truly, this world is so rich with possibility, that I’m hoping Kate Elliott writes a follow-up to The Keeper’s Six. My only complaint is that sometimes the world-building was confusing, and I’m not even sure I got everything right in this review, but it’s interesting enough for me to want to learn more. For me, this was just the right combination of tension, humor and engaging characters, and I can’t wait to read more of this author.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
Well, this was a lot of fun! This is my first book by Kate Elliott, and I’ll definitely be reading more of her work. The Keeper’s Six is a fantasy novella with some science fiction elements added for good measure, and although it’s not listed as a series, I believe Elliott’s Servant Mage might be set in the same universe. In any case, this felt like a self contained story, so don’t worry if you haven’t read Servant Mage first (I haven’t). If you're looking for a story that isn't too "high stakes," this could be the book for you. Is "medium stakes" a thing? Because if so, this fits the bill perfectly.
Esther is part of a six-crew group of individuals called a Hex, or at least she was until she made a bad decision that got the Hex suspended. But one day she gets a strange call from her son Daniel. When she goes to his house to investigate, she finds a clue suggesting that he was kidnapped. The clue—a dragon’s scale hidden at the bottom of a pot of roux—leads her to the realm of a dragon named Zosfadal. Zosfadal has indeed kidnapped Daniel, holding him as ransom until Esther can deliver the dragon’s “spawn" Kai, who just happens to be Daniel’s spouse.
But Esther isn’t about to lose two beloved family members to a vengeful dragon, and so she devises a plan to free Daniel. In order to do so, though, she needs the rest of her crew, even if some of them are still mad at her for what happened a year ago. Making their way through the treacherous Beyond, Esther and her gang, along with the dragon’s lieutenant Shahin, must try to reverse the deal Zosfadal made in order to bring Daniel home safely.
If you think the plot sounds a bit chaotic, then you would be right. The worldbuilding in this story is simply amazing, but there is a lot to keep track of. Let’s start with the world itself. Daniel is a Keeper and his Keep is located in Oahu, Hawaii. Keeps are set partially on Earth and partially in the Beyond and act as safe havens for travelers. Each Keep has a Hex, five individuals with special powers who help protect the Keep (the sixth member of the team is the Keeper himself). Then you have realms where dragons rule, each dragon with its own hoard. In order to get to a hoard, you must travel through the Beyond, an in-between dimension that is extremely dangerous to traverse. Three stages of daylight exist in the beyond—Gloam, Pitch and Bright. Bright will fry you to death, so you must take shelter whenever Bright appears. Are you still with me?
I loved the idea of the Hex. Esther and her cohorts are akin to superheroes. Esther is called Lantern, since she can basically turn herself into a big flashlight. Marianne is Gate, and she’s in charge of ripping tears between dimensions while they travel. Gus is Ghost, and he is almost like a scout, making sure there isn’t trouble ahead. Lydia is Voice, and she can speak in many languages and help them communicate. Finally, Faye is Shotgun, the muscle of the team. One of my favorite scenes in the book takes place in the Beyond. Not only do they have to be careful of Bright, but there are hoards of huge wasps called antics to watch out for!
And while all this worldbuilding is fascinating and unique, it’s the characters who really make this story special. Esther just happens to be a sixty-year-old grandmother with four grandchildren. She’s smart and loves her family fiercely, and will do anything to protect them. My other favorite character in the story is Shahin, the dragon’s lieutenant. Shahin joins Esther and the others on their quest to rescue Daniel, and there was a nice, unexpected spark between him and Esther that was really sweet. Elliott’s dialog is so funny and warm, it was such a pleasure to read.
But it’s not all sunshine and roses. Marianne is furious with Esther’s past behavior and is looking to join a new Hex. She tells Esther that she’ll help get Daniel back, but it’s going to be her last job with Esther. I loved their bickering, and I love that the author doesn’t easily resolve their conflict. I did want to learn more about Kai, who is part dragon and has quite a few surprises in store for the reader.
There’s also some political commentary surrounding “flesh trafficking,” and we learn about the horrific circumstances under which Esther and Kai met. Truly, this world is so rich with possibility, that I’m hoping Kate Elliott writes a follow-up to The Keeper’s Six. My only complaint is that sometimes the world-building was confusing, and I’m not even sure I got everything right in this review, but it’s interesting enough for me to want to learn more. For me, this was just the right combination of tension, humor and engaging characters, and I can’t wait to read more of this author.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
March 3, 2023
The book is extremely heavy with world building, much of which is presented as an explanation to someone who doesn't know via dialogue. We are told about things over and over, and very little feels shown. The world is cool, but the plot and the characters suffered deeply.
We needed more length for the characters and plot to get their justice.
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC.
We needed more length for the characters and plot to get their justice.
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC.
March 24, 2023
DNF @ 70 %
I just couldn’t, the books only 198 pages and I couldn’t even do that. It was exhausting and hard to follow.
I just couldn’t, the books only 198 pages and I couldn’t even do that. It was exhausting and hard to follow.
January 3, 2023
I have always been a huge Kate Elliott fan, and in The Keeper's Six she didn't disappoint. Esther, a grandmother, discovers that her adult son has been kidnapped by a dragon. She pulls together her Hex, six mages of different stripes who were suspended for a past transgression, and not supposed to be working together. They embark on the journey to recover Daniel from the dragon. But this dragon isn't just a fire-breathing gold hoarder, but also a powerful space lord of a sort, the kind you definitely don't want to cross. Elliot is a master world-builder and how she manages to create such a rich environment and complex characters in a novella is astounding. It's an incredible mix of unusual magic, dragons, aliens, and familiar Earth traditions. A good quick read that you'll be sad is over too soon.
April 6, 2023
I can't explain why but I just didn't really like this. The characters were kind of boring and unlikeable and there were too many people for the length; there was too much worldbuilding jammed in that I didn't care that much about; the dialogue felt weird and unbelievable, etc. Lots of infodumping and neither the plot nor the characters are able to carry. Just did not work for me at all.
January 18, 2023
I picked up this book because the idea of space dragons really drew me in. I mean, come on. SPACE. DRAGONS. I've never read anything by Kate Elliott, but I know that she has a plethora of work from science fiction to fantasy. I thought this might be a good jumping off point and I think that I'm a new fan.
The story follows Esther, a middle-aged woman who freelances with a group of people to travel to other universes. Yes, in this book, they don't travel through space, but they travel to multiverses and between the multiverses is a darkness that's called the Beyond.
This story felt very much like Star Wars meets Doctor Who. You have a group of people who travel across the mulitverse. You have a dragon who reminds me a lot of Jabba the Hutt, and you have a mother who is on a mission to free her adult son from the dragon and reunite him to his family. Along the way, you learn a lot about this world and it is...complex to say the least.
Traveling through the multiverses is something that requires a team of people to do successfully. Esther is part of a hex, a group of five or six people with different jobs and magical powers, that all work together to successfully cross the Beyond (the place between universes). If done right, then they avoid the nasty monsters and live. If done wrong, well, the Beyond has you now. And for a very long time, Esther and her crew have successfully accomplished missions for the universe's government body until recently when they were all suspended.
Going against their suspension, Esther and her hex travel through the Beyond to uncover more secrets behind her son's kidnapping and leads to some big truths behind the world that they exist in.
Much of the world building is info-dumped on you. The story jumps off right from the beginning, but as the reader continues to follow along, more information is shared in large swaths of info-dumping. While I'm not a huge fan of this, I actually appreciated the time to sit down and explain what's going on. I mean, this is also a novella and I feel like Kate Elliott did what she could with the restraints she put herself under. If anything, I think it would have benefited from the explanation before the events rather than after to avoid confusion over what happened.
This is one of those stories where I absolutely loved it and found myself completely confused. The world is huge and using both context clues as well as the info-dumps that she provides, you get a sense that there's way more happening than what you see on the page.
What really drew me in was the way the story unfolds like a flower. It seemed pretty straightforward in the beginning; Esther's on a mission to free her son from a dragon who has kidnapped him. But as the story unfolds, you find out that there's more happening here than what you expected. With themes of human (or in this case, species) trafficking, corrupt governments, dirty dealings, and enslavement, this is not just a book about a mother trying to free her son. It was the best part of the story and what really kept me intrigued. I wanted to find out more and there was so much more to uncover.
Overall, this was a great story wrapped in an enigma of storytelling. It intrigued me and had me reading, but it wasn't perfect. I will definitely check out more from Kate Elliott and this is just the beginning of my adoration for her writing abilities.
The story follows Esther, a middle-aged woman who freelances with a group of people to travel to other universes. Yes, in this book, they don't travel through space, but they travel to multiverses and between the multiverses is a darkness that's called the Beyond.
This story felt very much like Star Wars meets Doctor Who. You have a group of people who travel across the mulitverse. You have a dragon who reminds me a lot of Jabba the Hutt, and you have a mother who is on a mission to free her adult son from the dragon and reunite him to his family. Along the way, you learn a lot about this world and it is...complex to say the least.
Traveling through the multiverses is something that requires a team of people to do successfully. Esther is part of a hex, a group of five or six people with different jobs and magical powers, that all work together to successfully cross the Beyond (the place between universes). If done right, then they avoid the nasty monsters and live. If done wrong, well, the Beyond has you now. And for a very long time, Esther and her crew have successfully accomplished missions for the universe's government body until recently when they were all suspended.
Going against their suspension, Esther and her hex travel through the Beyond to uncover more secrets behind her son's kidnapping and leads to some big truths behind the world that they exist in.
Much of the world building is info-dumped on you. The story jumps off right from the beginning, but as the reader continues to follow along, more information is shared in large swaths of info-dumping. While I'm not a huge fan of this, I actually appreciated the time to sit down and explain what's going on. I mean, this is also a novella and I feel like Kate Elliott did what she could with the restraints she put herself under. If anything, I think it would have benefited from the explanation before the events rather than after to avoid confusion over what happened.
This is one of those stories where I absolutely loved it and found myself completely confused. The world is huge and using both context clues as well as the info-dumps that she provides, you get a sense that there's way more happening than what you see on the page.
What really drew me in was the way the story unfolds like a flower. It seemed pretty straightforward in the beginning; Esther's on a mission to free her son from a dragon who has kidnapped him. But as the story unfolds, you find out that there's more happening here than what you expected. With themes of human (or in this case, species) trafficking, corrupt governments, dirty dealings, and enslavement, this is not just a book about a mother trying to free her son. It was the best part of the story and what really kept me intrigued. I wanted to find out more and there was so much more to uncover.
Overall, this was a great story wrapped in an enigma of storytelling. It intrigued me and had me reading, but it wasn't perfect. I will definitely check out more from Kate Elliott and this is just the beginning of my adoration for her writing abilities.
April 5, 2024
Something about Kate Elliott's writing style seems to not quite grab me. The story plot is great! She does come up with very unique stories. I just wish I knew what Marc loves so much about her books.
I just watched a video interview of Kate Elliott. I see her personality very strongly reflected in the MC of this story, Esther. I see her explaining something and looking up and visualizing what she wants us to know. Just like her writing, she's very on point detail. "This and that, and then this, and there's a line here." She tries to explain what she sees in her mind that she loses the gab for storytelling, in my opinion.
*Snaps finger*
I got it! She lacks feeling!
I just watched a video interview of Kate Elliott. I see her personality very strongly reflected in the MC of this story, Esther. I see her explaining something and looking up and visualizing what she wants us to know. Just like her writing, she's very on point detail. "This and that, and then this, and there's a line here." She tries to explain what she sees in her mind that she loses the gab for storytelling, in my opinion.
*Snaps finger*
I got it! She lacks feeling!
June 27, 2023
Proceed cautiously with people who can no longer be bowled over by wonder.
Almost four stars. Excellent concept and storytelling. Reads like a young adult novel, yet the protagonist is a Jewish grandmother (in several senses). Nice world building. Good inclusion of backstory only as necessary.
“People are not objects to be possessed or valuables to be traded or hoarded. None of us should belong to another, regardless of what those in power think is acceptable.” “You say that because you are not in power.”
As much science fiction as fantasy, though no technology is involved. Virtue signaling is subtle. In ten years we’ll have pronouns sorted—or we won’t care—and books will be easier to read.
“If anyone would be a collector, I suppose a dragon would. By why Earth literature?” “That question is only germane if you are assuming he hoards only Earth literature.”
Gratuitous profanity. Marianne is obnoxious and disliked, we know that; giving her a toilet mouth is lazy storytelling.
“We aren’t monsters. Whatever you humanoids may think.”
Almost four stars. Excellent concept and storytelling. Reads like a young adult novel, yet the protagonist is a Jewish grandmother (in several senses). Nice world building. Good inclusion of backstory only as necessary.
“People are not objects to be possessed or valuables to be traded or hoarded. None of us should belong to another, regardless of what those in power think is acceptable.” “You say that because you are not in power.”
As much science fiction as fantasy, though no technology is involved. Virtue signaling is subtle. In ten years we’ll have pronouns sorted—or we won’t care—and books will be easier to read.
“If anyone would be a collector, I suppose a dragon would. By why Earth literature?” “That question is only germane if you are assuming he hoards only Earth literature.”
Gratuitous profanity. Marianne is obnoxious and disliked, we know that; giving her a toilet mouth is lazy storytelling.
“We aren’t monsters. Whatever you humanoids may think.”
October 17, 2023
While I felt like there was a lot of deep thought and world building that the author had done, the glimpse here was incomplete and therefore sort of silly. The shifts in tone in the characters' speech made the dialogue veer between hotshot modern tongue-in-cheek quips and overdramatic Victorian proclamations, which ultimately made everyone seem very unreal. This novella tried to do a lot, but I think, sadly, it failed at most of it. Maybe if this had been fully fleshed out into a novel it would have worked.
March 26, 2023
Kate Elliott has a very inventive, sort of brilliant mind, and I admire it a LOT. This didn't quite hit the mark for me in all ways, but I loved the idea of the story and the world that she came up with here.
January 10, 2023
This novella was a pure, action-packed adventure about a pissed off Jewish mom setting out to rescue her son.
Esther is a member of a Hex, a collection of six individuals, each with their own magic abilities, collectively able to navigate the dangerous Beyond between different worlds. Except Esther’s Hex recently lost their license to operate (granted by the Dragons who oversee interworld travel) when Esther engaged in some illegal shenanigan to shut down some slave traders. But then she gets a message from her son (another member of the Hex) telling her that he’s been kidnapped, so Esther gets the gang back together to rescue him.
This novella is purely and simply fun. You’ve got cool magical abilities, an original and highly hazardous environment, dragons guarding their hoards and scheming to increase them, workers engaging in slowdowns to force management to the negotiating table: everything a great fantasy adventure needs. Strongly recommended if you’re looking for an entertaining way to pass a few hours.
My blog
Esther is a member of a Hex, a collection of six individuals, each with their own magic abilities, collectively able to navigate the dangerous Beyond between different worlds. Except Esther’s Hex recently lost their license to operate (granted by the Dragons who oversee interworld travel) when Esther engaged in some illegal shenanigan to shut down some slave traders. But then she gets a message from her son (another member of the Hex) telling her that he’s been kidnapped, so Esther gets the gang back together to rescue him.
This novella is purely and simply fun. You’ve got cool magical abilities, an original and highly hazardous environment, dragons guarding their hoards and scheming to increase them, workers engaging in slowdowns to force management to the negotiating table: everything a great fantasy adventure needs. Strongly recommended if you’re looking for an entertaining way to pass a few hours.
My blog
June 21, 2023
This was great fun, an absolutely fascinating premise with a dragon, a kidnapping, a blink and you'll miss it romance, and plenty of great world building! I do think that it could be a bit longer and it was a little confusing here and there but overall I really enjoyed this one. 4.5 ⭐
December 19, 2023
4.5
I greatly enjoyed this story of Esther, an older woman, her unusual family and its unusual responsibilities, and the quest to find her kidnapped son who is somewhere in the multiverse. This is one of the rare cases in which I'd have liked the novel to be a little longer to further explore the characters, especially Esther, and the ways these worlds and beings work. I hope there's more to come!
I greatly enjoyed this story of Esther, an older woman, her unusual family and its unusual responsibilities, and the quest to find her kidnapped son who is somewhere in the multiverse. This is one of the rare cases in which I'd have liked the novel to be a little longer to further explore the characters, especially Esther, and the ways these worlds and beings work. I hope there's more to come!
July 12, 2023
A reasonably short stand alone novel, with the dependably brilliant world building that Kate is know for. As usual, I'd happily read more about these characters and their adventures!
July 15, 2023
2.5
Worldbuilding ist top gewesen, wenn auch etwas trocken rüber gebracht. Die Storyline an sich war eher meh.
Worldbuilding ist top gewesen, wenn auch etwas trocken rüber gebracht. Die Storyline an sich war eher meh.
February 15, 2023
3+ I have not read a Kate Elliot book that I didn't like, but I think I've only loved one (Jaran, which was also my first and I'm planning to reread). This one is solid, grown-up SF fantasy with a mature female lead, which are all good things in my book. I am not entirely sure what was missing for me, perhaps I'm simply becoming overly demanding in old age. Some elements (the dragons, mixing SF and fantasy) remined me of Aliette de Bodard, but I can have similar issues with her - liking rather than loving that is.
Anyway, this is definitely worth reading and I may have enjoyed it more if I had realised that Servant Mage comes before this one. But without being fully able to judge (as I haven't read Servant Mage), I thought The Keeper's Six worked well enough on its own.
Anyway, this is definitely worth reading and I may have enjoyed it more if I had realised that Servant Mage comes before this one. But without being fully able to judge (as I haven't read Servant Mage), I thought The Keeper's Six worked well enough on its own.
November 5, 2022
On my blog
Rep: Jewish mc & side characters, nonbinary side characters, Persian Jewish side character, Turkish side character, Japanese side character, Chinese side characters
Galley provided by publisher
In all honesty, I think The Keeper’s Six is just a case of right book, wrong time for me. This isn’t to say I disliked it, but it’s an outlier when it comes to Kate Elliott books I’ve read, most of which I’ve rated 4 or 5 stars.
It’s hard to say what exactly about it didn’t match my mood. It was, for a novella, quite a complex world to get your head around (mostly in terminology, although in some other aspects too), and a lot of it was, for lack of a more charitable term, info-dumped. In context, that made sense! It was an info-dumping that was integrated into the plot smoothly and in a way that worked. However. It was still info-dumping and it was still something I did sort of start skimming at one point.
The rest of it was good, though, so I think my real (minor) sticking point was just that. The plot followed a group of, let’s say sort of mercenaries, who are forced back together to rescue the son of one of the number after he is kidnapped by a dragon. But, having split up acrimoniously 11 months previously, not everyone is particularly eager to help. (Although, it has to be said, everyone else was pretty quick to forgive.)
It’s a fun premise! And, as I said, I did like it. I always enjoy Kate Elliott’s writing, and I always enjoy her characters. So both of these aspects were good to me. However, I mentioned the info-dumping above and I think that interacted with the plot to make it drag just a bit. Since it’s a novella, it didn’t impact too much, but just enough that my rating ended up at 3 stars. I had, somewhere around a third in, when things appeared to be picking up after a slowish beginning, debated 3.5 stars rounded up, or maybe even a full 4 stars, but then came the info-dumps. But, let me just add once again, 3 stars is still a good review. And I did still like this one!
I just didn’t like it perhaps as much as I had hoped.
Rep: Jewish mc & side characters, nonbinary side characters, Persian Jewish side character, Turkish side character, Japanese side character, Chinese side characters
Galley provided by publisher
In all honesty, I think The Keeper’s Six is just a case of right book, wrong time for me. This isn’t to say I disliked it, but it’s an outlier when it comes to Kate Elliott books I’ve read, most of which I’ve rated 4 or 5 stars.
It’s hard to say what exactly about it didn’t match my mood. It was, for a novella, quite a complex world to get your head around (mostly in terminology, although in some other aspects too), and a lot of it was, for lack of a more charitable term, info-dumped. In context, that made sense! It was an info-dumping that was integrated into the plot smoothly and in a way that worked. However. It was still info-dumping and it was still something I did sort of start skimming at one point.
The rest of it was good, though, so I think my real (minor) sticking point was just that. The plot followed a group of, let’s say sort of mercenaries, who are forced back together to rescue the son of one of the number after he is kidnapped by a dragon. But, having split up acrimoniously 11 months previously, not everyone is particularly eager to help. (Although, it has to be said, everyone else was pretty quick to forgive.)
It’s a fun premise! And, as I said, I did like it. I always enjoy Kate Elliott’s writing, and I always enjoy her characters. So both of these aspects were good to me. However, I mentioned the info-dumping above and I think that interacted with the plot to make it drag just a bit. Since it’s a novella, it didn’t impact too much, but just enough that my rating ended up at 3 stars. I had, somewhere around a third in, when things appeared to be picking up after a slowish beginning, debated 3.5 stars rounded up, or maybe even a full 4 stars, but then came the info-dumps. But, let me just add once again, 3 stars is still a good review. And I did still like this one!
I just didn’t like it perhaps as much as I had hoped.
July 4, 2023
1 star
I could not connect with the book. Everything is very vague and hazy.
Short book but failed to grab my attention.
Happy Reading!!
I could not connect with the book. Everything is very vague and hazy.
Short book but failed to grab my attention.
Happy Reading!!
January 18, 2023
The Beyond is ever-shifting, a fluctuating space of deadly light and impassible dark, filled with dangerous creatures. An adventuring party must consist of six members in order to venture across the Beyond. One Gate (to open the way and find the paths in the shifting wilderness), one Ghost (who becomes a silent, intangible scout once in the Beyond), one Shotgun (the party's primary combatant), one Voice (the polyglot communications specialist), one Lantern (to light the way), and one Keeper (who remains behind at the group's Keep, maintaining a stable entry platform that bridges the Beyond and the solid reality of the Realms. These six members make a Hex. Why six? Something about the magic that the dragons use to travel through the Beyond on their own can only be replicated by a group of six. Too many more than that, and the Beyond can destabilize even further. Too few, and you can't be protected from the various monsters that call that nightmare place home.
Esther is a Lantern, but she's semi-retired. Her Hex was suspended from operating a year ago, leaving the rest of her closest friends out of work. One night, a mysterious phone call wakes Esther, a single word from David, her son and the Keeper of the Hex. Immediately, she springs into action to gather the other members of the Hex and rally at the Keep to gather information. David, it seems, has been kidnapped, leaving his spouse Kai and their children behind in the unguarded Keep. Someone has captured him, and Esther must journey across the Beyond to find the party responsible. While Marianne, Gus, Lydia, and Faye all answer Esther's summons, not all of the Hex is happy to see her again, especially since their suspension means that they're not technically supposed to be operating in the Beyond at all.
So begins a covert mission to find David and bring him safely home. After all, what wouldn't a parent do to protect their child?
Kate Elliott has crafted a phenomenal sci-fi novella with group mechanics reminiscent of a Dungeons and Dragons party. I'm fascinated by both the Beyond and the many Realms that it links, and I'm honestly sorry that this is my first time tackling one of her stories. I hope that she revisits this world again soon.
The Keeper's Six is out today. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
My utmost thanks to Tordotcom for providing an eARC of this novella in exchange for a fair review.
This review originally appeared here: https://swordsoftheancients.com/2023/...
Esther is a Lantern, but she's semi-retired. Her Hex was suspended from operating a year ago, leaving the rest of her closest friends out of work. One night, a mysterious phone call wakes Esther, a single word from David, her son and the Keeper of the Hex. Immediately, she springs into action to gather the other members of the Hex and rally at the Keep to gather information. David, it seems, has been kidnapped, leaving his spouse Kai and their children behind in the unguarded Keep. Someone has captured him, and Esther must journey across the Beyond to find the party responsible. While Marianne, Gus, Lydia, and Faye all answer Esther's summons, not all of the Hex is happy to see her again, especially since their suspension means that they're not technically supposed to be operating in the Beyond at all.
So begins a covert mission to find David and bring him safely home. After all, what wouldn't a parent do to protect their child?
Kate Elliott has crafted a phenomenal sci-fi novella with group mechanics reminiscent of a Dungeons and Dragons party. I'm fascinated by both the Beyond and the many Realms that it links, and I'm honestly sorry that this is my first time tackling one of her stories. I hope that she revisits this world again soon.
The Keeper's Six is out today. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
My utmost thanks to Tordotcom for providing an eARC of this novella in exchange for a fair review.
This review originally appeared here: https://swordsoftheancients.com/2023/...
March 25, 2024
I feel like if you enjoyed watching _Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves_, you will probably enjoy this book--that's praise, not criticism, just to be clear. The "getting the adventuring party back together" vibe is strong here, and it's fun to see someone good at it riff on a classic portal fantasy tropes. (I've _missed_ portal fantasy tbh; I got burned out on it for awhile but deep down I still really love it).
In this multiverse, there is a land between all worlds, where reality constantly shifts, and it takes teams of 6 to be able to successfully navigate it and move between worlds. Esther, team leader and certified middle-aged badass, had her team fall apart at least partly because of tactical and philosophical disagreements, but when her kid's spouse is kidnapped, she knows who she's calling...
While being firmly of its genre, it also feels very Jewish and very Hawaiian, which I can't really evaluate well (not being especially knowledgeable about either identity) except to say that I enjoyed both those aspects a lot. I hope this at least _approaches_ the success of, say, _All Systems Red_, so that Tordotcom will pay Kate Elliott to write 4 more if she wants. (I want Kate Elliott to be more recognized for her decades of contributions to the genre in general, but that's a different post)
In this multiverse, there is a land between all worlds, where reality constantly shifts, and it takes teams of 6 to be able to successfully navigate it and move between worlds. Esther, team leader and certified middle-aged badass, had her team fall apart at least partly because of tactical and philosophical disagreements, but when her kid's spouse is kidnapped, she knows who she's calling...
While being firmly of its genre, it also feels very Jewish and very Hawaiian, which I can't really evaluate well (not being especially knowledgeable about either identity) except to say that I enjoyed both those aspects a lot. I hope this at least _approaches_ the success of, say, _All Systems Red_, so that Tordotcom will pay Kate Elliott to write 4 more if she wants. (I want Kate Elliott to be more recognized for her decades of contributions to the genre in general, but that's a different post)
December 5, 2022
Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!
I really loved this! It was a short read but still included all the depth of a full fantasy novel.
The inclusion in this story was great and made my heart so happy seeing this diverse cast of characters that I came to love. The idea for this is equally amazing, and I'd love to read more.
Esther is a Lantern. Part of a small team that travels the multiverse. Each person in the Hex has a specific talent, giving them their own important role. When Esther's son, the Keeper, goes missing, she breaks suspension to find him. Along with the rest of the Hex, this results in a grand adventure.
Out January 17, 2023!
I really loved this! It was a short read but still included all the depth of a full fantasy novel.
The inclusion in this story was great and made my heart so happy seeing this diverse cast of characters that I came to love. The idea for this is equally amazing, and I'd love to read more.
Esther is a Lantern. Part of a small team that travels the multiverse. Each person in the Hex has a specific talent, giving them their own important role. When Esther's son, the Keeper, goes missing, she breaks suspension to find him. Along with the rest of the Hex, this results in a grand adventure.
Out January 17, 2023!
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