Title: By A Silver Thread
Author: Rachel Aaron
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Fantasy / Urban / Paranormal
Format: Paperback / Ebook / Audio
Release Date: May 2, 2023
Star Rating: 7/10
*Disclaimer*
Everyone is different and likes and dislikes different things. Reading is no exception. One person’s all-time favorite might seem too bland or too high stakes for another. That being said, the opinions of our judges in this contest are just that, opinions. Just because we let a book go, doesn’t mean it isn’t good. It could be your next favorite, who knows?
If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you can learn more about the contest here.
Today we are reviewing By A Silver Thread, which was Lynn’s Books & Critiquing Chemist’s pick for this year’s Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off.
You can see the finalist spreadsheet here.
In the world’s most magical metropolis where spirits run noodle shops and cash-strapped dragons stage photo-ops for tourists, people still think fairies are nothing but stories, and that’s exactly how the fairies like it. It’s a lot easier to feast on humanity’s dreams when no one believes you exist. But while this arrangement works splendidly for most fair folk, Lola isn’t one of the lucky ones.
She’s a changeling, a fairy monster made just human enough to dupe unsuspecting parents while fairies steal their real child. The magic that sustains her was never meant to last past the initial theft, leaving Lola without a future. But thanks to Victor Conrath, a very powerful–and very illegal–blood mage, she was given the means to cheat death.
For a price.
Now the only changeling ever to make it to adulthood, Lola has served the blood mage faithfully, if reluctantly, for twenty years. Her unique ability to slip through wards and change her shape to look like anyone has helped make Victor a legend in the DFZ’s illegal-magic underground. It’s not a great life, but at least the work is stable… until her master vanishes without a trace.
With only a handful left of the pills that keep her human, Lola must find Victor before she turns back into the fairy monster she was always meant to be. But with a whole SWAT team of federal paladins hunting her as a blood-mage accomplice, an Urban Legend on a silent black motorcycle who won’t leave her alone, and a mysterious fairy king with the power to make the entire city dream, Lola’s chances of getting out of this alive are as slender as a silver thread.
Our Thoughts:
Julia: This is a fun and unique urban fantasy, and I already can’t wait to read the sequels.
The main character is a changeling, but due to blood magic he has long outstayed the typical time they usually are in the human world. I loved the magic and the strengths and weaknesses that come along with it! It felt fresh and different, which is always a treat.
Her wanting to be a normal human, and not a monster is her main agency and goal, and made for a very interesting and engaging character. I simply love the nonhuman characters, who make you wonder what exactly being human means.
There are dark bits, especially as the MC and her best friend are deeply bound by above mentioned blood mage, who is not a good person. Overall however it was more of a fast paced and fun read to me. There’s banter and action a plenty, and some of the scenes had me all out snort and giggle.
Some nice twists and turns surprised me, while still feeling like an organic part of the story. Other bits went exactly as expected, which made for a very satisfactory read.
There’s a tiny bit of romance in here, but it’s definitely more along the lines of Dresden or Verus than it is paranormal romance. This made me really happy, as it’s so hard to find female led UF that’s not actually PR in a trenchcoat.
I was perfectly entertained, and would highly recommend!
Patrick: By a Silver Thread is an urban fantasy set in a future world where magic has returned. Rachel Aaron is clearly an excellent writer. Her prose is smooth and fast-paced, making this a quick and easy read.
Lola is a changeling, a creation of fae magic, still linked by the titular silver thread to the girl she was exchanged for. She only survives by the forbidden blood magic of a manipulative and abusive mage, who has now gone missing, leaving Lola with very little time to locate him before she loses her appearance of humanity and becomes a beast.
I am told that there are other series set in this same world, and this is the start of a new series, but in SPFBO we have to judge a book as a standalone, and that’s how I read this.
Although this was an easy read, I found it unfortunately very surface-level. It had the appearance of a book written very quickly and designed to be read very quickly, too, without thinking too deeply about anything. There was very little depth to any of it, and the story contradicted itself several times, sometimes within paragraphs. I struggled to visualise the world, and I didn’t really care much about any of the characters.
From my point of view, it was a shame, because with more time spent on it, I think I would have enjoyed it more. That said, Aaron is an enormously successful author with fans who love her books, so this is clearly working for many people. Unfortunately, I wasn’t one of them. Despite being smooth and despite Aaron’s talent, I look for more in a SPFBO finalist. All-in-all, I won’t be continuing this series.
If you’re looking for a light, unchallenging, entertaining read, this might be the book for you. Aaron has plenty of other series to sink yourself into, too.
Kerry: I certainly can’t fault Aaron for her writing, I have read and thoroughly enjoyed her ‘classic fantasy’ series The Legend of Eli Monpress as well as absolutely loving the first two books in her recent UF series Tear Down Heaven. I have also read a couple of earlier books set in the DFZ zone – the same UF world this year’s finalist is set but one doesn’t need to have read those to enjoy By A Silver Thread.
I’m a big UF fan and this book certainly ticks a number of boxes of what I love about that sub-genre of SFF, but even with its unique setting/world building and easily read, well written prose, this book just didn’t quite hit the mark. Like Patrick said, there really wasn’t enough depth, especially as a vital arc of the plot was an older man holding a young girl captive, all the while mistreating her. I also felt the Blood Mage read more like a caricature villain than an actual character. I didn’t dislike this book but I also didn’t love it; I enjoyed it but it’s doubtful I’ll continue this series.
Adawia: This is my first Aaron novel and I had no idea what to expect – except that it’s a fun, funny, fairly light read. Well, I got almost none of that, it’s definitely easy to read, but I wouldn’t call it light. I think I can see what some people might deem fun or funny, but for me this story is too dark to truly be either of those things. That said, I really enjoyed it. There are a few bits that I think were stretched a little too far, straining my suspended belief, but for the most part I really enjoyed the story and the world.
By a Silver Thread is a fast-paced Fae/changeling urban fantasy that feels a little unique. There isn’t copious amounts of world or character building which is kind of ideal for my plot-whorish self. But there is enough of both to easily follow the story and draw me in to the fascinating world. Yes, I would have appreciated a little more depth when it came to ‘the bad guys’, but I didn’t find it a major lack while reading the story. Rather, it feels like the type of story where the world and characters are built-up a little more gradually over the series.
The writing is solid and there are many interesting concepts in this story – I’ll definitely be seeking out other books by this author.
