Made Things

LoveReading Says

Brilliantly composed and full of magic yet beautifully down to earth and balanced, this is just gorgeous! In a world of crime and corruption where magic and fortune rule, tiny puppet-like beings exist out of sight until they meet and form a pact with Coppelia, a thief and small-time mage. Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky appears to write as other people breathe, across a year a number of unputdownable books are published either as a standalone or from different series, and all feel wonderfully and fantastically unique.

He has the ability to write both big and small, whether flinging the reader across space or within the intricacies a person’s mind. He also shows us the absurd nature of humanity, looks forward into the future, explores planets, and delves into richly atmospheric and incredibly dark fantasy. He is one of my favourite author’s and when his books arrive, I pounce on them, hiding myself away while `I immerse myself in their world.

I absolutely adored this novel, and while I wanted to squeal with delight at the puppet-like beings in this world, I would advise treating them with a healthy amount of respect. The magic on offer here can be dark and occasionally twisted as it is welded by those desperate for power or survival. Yet, light humour and wit, empathy and compassion, camaraderie and community, keep you company as you read.

Chosen as both a LoveReading Star Book and Liz Pick of the Month, Made Things is a relatively short novel, yet it is richly imaginative and filling, and contains a companion short story which is also set in this fascinating world.

Reviewed by Liz Robinson
Liz has been an Editorial Expert writing reviews for LoveReading since 2014.
More reviews by Liz Robinson

About Made Things

Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky's Made Things is a dark yet whimsical fantasy tale full of magic, half-mages and puppet companions. Includes the bonus short story 'Precious Little Things'!In a city built on secrets, the smallest thieves cast the longest shadows.Welcome to Fountains Parish - a cesspit of trade and crime, where hope rots like week-old bread. Coppelia is a street thief and trickster with a small talent for magic. She also has a hidden advantage: a crew of tiny, living puppet companions, some made of wood and some of metal. They don't entirely trust her, but together they survive the cobbled slums.But survival is no longer enough when a local crime lord coerces Coppelia into a high-stakes heist - breaking into a mage's palace. It could make her fortune, or ruin her entirely. But as their plans progress, a secret emerges which changes everything. Suddenly, Coppelia and her companions aren't just fighting for a payday. They're the only thing standing between the great city and its destruction.* * *'One of the best storytellers in the business'- John Scalzi, author of Old Man's War 'Made Things is a thrilling parable about the abuse of power'- The Guardian'The dashingly roguish cast, clever prose and well-placed moments of heartfelt emotion are sure to delight'- Publishers Weekly'Intriguing, evocative imagery and quirky characters'- SFX Magazine

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