by Tom Miller
Simon & Schuster. 2018. 422 pg. Fantasy.
In Robert Weekes' world, magic is feminine. Almost all magic, or empirical philosophy, is only possible for woman. Men can do some of it, but usually only women have the natural aptitudes required to create the more extreme philosophical effects like smokecarving, transporting, or flying. But for Robert, whose mother is a decorated war hero philosopher and father one of the strongest male philosophers in the world, he has all the necessary aptitudes to, at the very least, be competitive in the philosophy world. He's run rescue missions with his mother, trained in philosophy since before he could walk, and can out fly most woman he's met. But when he moves from Montana to Boston to attend school under a military scholarship, he comes to face the prejudice of being different in a field ruled by one gender. His goal is to become an operative of the Search and Rescue corps, an entirely female corps of the military focused on saving injured soldiers from the war front, but standing in his way is generations of tradition, religious condemnation of philosophy, and simple prejudice that male philosophers simply aren't as good.
Miller takes flips the script one a few social issues to accurately shows that a difference in power is the true source of prejudice and oppression. But, most of all, the social commentary doesn't overpower the good and entertaining story he wanted to tell, a story one that involves personal struggles, relationships, true bravery, and simple yet fantastical magic.
For those who've enjoyed Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell and The Man in the High Castle, this will be a great book to pick up!
SMM
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