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The Mask of Mirrors (Rook & Rose Book 1) by [M. A. Carrick]

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M. A. Carrick

The Mask of Mirrors (Rook & Rose Book 1) Kindle Edition

by M. A. Carrick (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Book 1 of 3: Rook & Rose

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"Lush, engrossing, and full of mystery and dark magic," The Mask of Mirrors is the unmissable start to the Rook & Rose trilogy, a dazzling fantasy adventure by Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms, writing together as M. A. Carrick. (BookPage)

FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD. MAGIC FAVORS THE LIARS.

Ren is a liar and a thief, a pattern-reader and a daughter of no clan. Raised in the slums of Nadežra, she fled that world to save her sister. Now, she has returned with one goal: to trick her way into a noble house, securing her fortune and her sister’s future.

But in the city of dreams, her masquerade is just one of many. Enigmatic crime lord Derossi Vargo, stony captain of the guard Grey Serrado, dashing heir Leato Traementis, and the legendary vigilante known as the Rook all have secrets that could unravel her own.

And as corrupt nightmare magic begins to weave its way through the city of dreams, the poisonous feuds of its aristocrats and the shadowy dangers of its impoverished underbelly become tangled—with Ren at their heart.

Praise for the Rook & Rose trilogy:

"Immersive…a feast to savor slowly." —BuzzFeed

"For those who like their revenge plots served with the intrigue of The Goblin Emperor, the colonial conflict of The City of Brass, the panache of Swordspoint, and the richly detailed settings of Guy Gavriel Kay."—Booklist (starred review)

"Utterly captivating." —Shannon Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

"This novel will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping." —Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars

"Wonderfully immersive—I was unable to put it down." —Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

"Exactly the fantasy adventure novel you're craving." —Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

Book 1 of 3

Rook & Rose
Print length

746 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publisher

Orbit
Publication date

Jan. 19 2021
File size

5704 KB
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All 2 available for you in this series See full series

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Total Price: CDN$19.98

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Books In This Series (3 Books)

Complete Series

Rook & Rose

Kindle Edition

Page 1 of 1Start OverPage 1 of 1

1
The Mask of Mirrors (Rook & Rose Book 1)
M. A. Carrick

(763)

Kindle Edition

CDN$6.99
2
The Liar's Knot (Rook & Rose Book 2)
M. A. Carrick

(443)

Kindle Edition

CDN$12.99
3
Labyrinth's Heart
M. A. Carrick

Kindle Edition

CDN$12.99

From the Publisher

Product description

Review

“From the first page, I was utterly entranced by this glittering world filled with masked vigilantes, cunning conwomen, and dark magic. A sheer delight!”―Katy Rose Pool, author of There Will Come A Darkness

“The richly layered city of Nadezra, combined with the deeply intertwined politics and rivalries of its residents, creates a perfect backdrop for the enchantment of Carrick's plot and characters. A fantastically twisty read.”―Fran Wilde, author of The Bone Universe trilogy

"Utterly captivating. Carrick spins an exciting web of mystery, magic, and political treachery in a richly drawn and innovative world."―S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

"The Mask of Mirrors kept me up reading way past my bedtime. A web of intrigue, magic, and the art of the con this novel will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping."―Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars

“The Mask of Mirrors is exactly the fantasy adventure novel you're craving: an escape into a vast, enchanting world of danger, secret identities, and glittering prose.”―Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand

“The Mask of Mirrors ushers you into the fascinating city of Nadezra, replete with complex politics, intricate magic, and mysteries that readers will be racing to unravel. Wonderfully immersive—I was unable to put it down.”―Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

“An intricate, compelling dream of a book that kept me turning pages, with a world and characters that felt deeply real and plenty of riveting twists and turns. I loved it!”―Melissa Caruso, author of The Obsidian Tower

“The Mask of Mirrors is an absolute delight. A compelling tale richly layered with depth and complexity.”―Marshall Ryan Maresca, author of the Maradaine Saga

"The Mask of Mirrors has it all: complex, believable characters; a fast-moving, intricate plot; rich details of attire, cuisine, religion, and so much more, all of which lead the reader to believe that Nadezra exists in more than dreams. This novel starts off strong and only gets better."―Jane Lindskold, author of The Firekeeper Saga

“A terrific heroine, intricate worldbuilding, and a bewitching combination of comedy-of-manners and action hooked me from the start and never let me go!”―Sherwood Smith, author of Inda --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author

M. A. Carrick is the joint pen name of Marie Brennan (author of the Memoirs of Lady Trent) and Alyc Helms (author of the Adventures of Mr. Mystic). The two met in 2000 on an archaeological dig in Wales and Ireland -- including a stint in the town of Carrickmacross -- and have built their friendship through two decades of anthropology, writing, and gaming. They live in the San Francisco Bay Area. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B085C741PZ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orbit (Jan. 19 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 5704 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 746 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #82,059 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #160 in Stories of Sisters
- #780 in Magical Fantasy
- #1,620 in Dark Fantasy Horror Fiction

Customer Reviews:
763 ratings

About the author

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M. A. Carrick

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M.A. Carrick is the joint pen name of Marie Brennan (author of the Memoirs of Lady Trent) and Alyc Helms (author of the Adventures of Mr. Mystic). The two met in 2000 on an archaeological dig in Wales and Ireland — including a stint in the town of Carrickmacross — and have built their friendship through two decades of anthropology, writing, and gaming. They live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

(And if you were wondering: Marie’s name is accented on the second syllable, mah-REE, and Alyc’s name is uh-LISS, “like a list of items without the T.” Marie is she/her, and Alyc is they/them.)

Andrea Stewart
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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5

763 global ratings

5 star		59%
4 star		28%
3 star		9%
2 star		2%
1 star		2%

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Top reviews from Canada

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Sarah Gregory

I Recommend This to Fantasy Lovers Everywhere

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on October 2, 2022

I bought this on a whim at the store and I’m so glad I did. It’s an amazing, immersive fantasy. I couldn’t put it down while I was reading it. It has a fantastic world, an endearing cast of characters, and a twisty, intricate plot that keeps you guessing and gasping. It honestly has everything I love in a fantasy. I recommend it to everyone now lol.

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on May 20, 2021

Right off the bat this book reminded me of Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo mixed with House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas. This is one of those books where you will either LOVE it or HATE it. My rating is somewhere in between. This is a MONSTER book. It took me two days to read with dedicated reading. If you are looking for a non-complicated light fantasy read, this is not it. I cannot stress this enough. This novel is complicated and the threads weave everywhere.

See my full review at shereedsbythesea.com

ARC provided by NetGalley and Orbit Books

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on January 19, 2021

NA Fantasy

“Fortune favors the bold. Magic favors the liars.”

The Good: Give me any book that features a con and I’m already suckered in. “The Mask of Mirrors” is an extremely smartly written book and, likewise, Ren is a wicked smart character willing to risk it all. The entire story is well and intricately plotted out and I loved the depth of the schemings and mysteries. The world, which is both Slavic inspired and reminiscent of Venice, is lush and vibrant. It is bustling and moving all around the main characters — it really is alive. I also adored the relationship between Ren and Tess, who are so loyal and protective of each other.

The Meh: This is a very long, complex book, and at times it feels very overwhelming. There’s so many names, places, new words, and side plots to keep track of that it dragged down the pace at points, and left me a bit confused. I also didn’t notice until about midway that there is a glossary in the back of the book! This would have been so helpful in the beginning, as there are way too many new/made-up terms to keep track of, so I definitely recommend checking that out first.

Pick up this book if you like gangs, politics, feuds, morally grey characters, magic, and a richly woven world that feels real and lived in.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

High Fantasy at it's best

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on February 3, 2021

This darkly magical high fantasy will transport you to another world, wrap you up in it's many layers of political intrigue and deep deceptions, and then spit you out the other side craving more. It's got a fantastic blend of deep world building, strong character development, and nail-biting action. Oh, and to top it off, it also has some incredible on-page diversity rep!

The thing that I loved the most about this book is that even though it's a high fantasy and the world is big, the story itself takes place within in a single, many-layer setting. I would much rather read a book where you get to know one place painfully well - taking in everything from the canals to the plazas, to the societal fabric and petty undercurrent of curses and grudges - than to read a book with many places that you get to know only superficially. I was so sad to leave Nadežra when the book was over because I'm in love with the slums and the magic and the fashion. It's steeped in history, and subtly discusses some big topics like the long tail of imperialism, class stratified society, and poverty. And because everything is so nuanced, this book comes with the warning to take it slow and savour every detail - you'll get so much more out of it than if you rush through looking for action.

Now, there are a lot of characters to keep track of, so don't be afraid to use the index at the back! But, once you start to get a feel for everyone and all of their idiosyncrasies, all of the subplots begin to take on a vibrant life of their own. And while I fond Ren to be fascinating, the true beauty of this book lies in how no supporting character is wasted. Everyone has a purpose, everyone has a story, and all of the threads come together magnificently. I adored Tess, especially how she was strong and resourceful without compromising her femininity. I was immediately invested in Grey's quest to discover who's stealing the children's sleep. And I love how morally grey every single character is - there's a broad spectrum of heroes with compelling and defined backstories, and it's up to the reader to decide for themselves where they stand.

All together this is a magical gem of a book. It's twists and turns, competing magic systems, and intricate plot were exactly what I needed to start the reading year off right. I can't wait for the second book to come out so that I can dive back into Nadežra and spend more time with Ren, Grey, Tess, and the crew. Epic and High Fantasy lovers, I can't recommend The Mask of Mirrors highly enough.

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on January 21, 2021

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for giving me an ARC of Mask of Mirrors in return for an honest review.

This book is wildly fascinating!

It felt a little like A Darker Shade of Magic and Six of Crows but I absolutely loved those books so I immediately loved this one. It is a fantasy novel but the magic comes in about halfway through and I promise it’s worth the wait. The first half of the novel is very much invested in setting the plot and character development. You get a lot of depth of Ren and Tess and who they are behind the masks they use to con House Traementis, and honestly I love Renata, Arenza and Renyi all equally.

I read this book so slowly, there are a lot of households to learn and a lot of knowledge you require to understand how the magic in this world works. Think of this book as a fine wine, you definitely can’t sit down and chug this, it needs to be savoured to be properly enjoyed. And if you read it this way you will not be disappointed, this story carries you to another world that is just so good. I wish the Mask of Mirrors was 2000 more pages, I looked forward to reading this every day. I’m definitely sad it’s over, especially with so much happening at the end. I promise no spoilers but come on Vargo!?! You’re killing me! Ugh, I just really loved everything about this story and I can’t wait for the sequel!

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Top reviews from other countries

Hal

A truly enthralling read!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 22, 2021

Verified Purchase

Going into the story, I wasn’t completely sure what to expect - just that it was the book picked for my bookclub read-along and it was a fantasy read with a gorgeous cover.
Once I started it, I realised it was a fascinating story about Con artists, masked vigilantes, political intrigue, dynamic sword fights, seductive and witty dialogue, and a unique magic system - everything that rendered it a mesmerising read!

Our protagonist, Ren comes to the city of Nadežra with one goal in mind: to con her way into House Traementis, one of the city’s noble and prestigious houses, and to secure her and her sister’s futures. However, as Ren gets to know the family, she finds herself rather attached. She also realises that she’s not the only one hiding her true identity. Soon, Ren’s life becomes entangled within the politics and feuds of the city’s aristocrats. There’s also her landlord, Vargo and Captain Grey Serrado - both with their own deep secrets and complications. Not to mention the super mysterious Rook!
Then there’s the problem of a new, corrupt drug that has emerged in the underworld - bringing alive all the nightmare creatures from children’s fairytales and threatening the city with dark magic turmoil - which Ren also has to navigate through.

A truly stunning story! The authors have done a remarkable job at creating this extremely detailed, complex world and although it did take me a while to understand it all, I was left completely by awe by the end.

The City of Nadežra is dazzling. The vivid descriptions, the dynamic characters, the dialogue and even the fashion was enthralling!
The plot is complicated and some aspects completely caught me off guard. I was glad that I did the read along, as the TWW bookclub commentary really kept me on track and helped me process all the complex pieces of the narrative. It took me a while to get through the book but I’m so glad I did - It’s truly a brilliant read!

I look forward to reading the second book in the series. If you are a fan of complex fantasy fiction, The Mask of Mirrors (the Rook & Rose trilogy) is definitely one to check out.

NB: I started this book on audiobook but really struggled with the lacklustre narration and awful accents. Once I stated reading the physical book, I felt it all made more sense. However, this is my personal preference. I usually love audiobooks but very fussy with narrators.

4 people found this helpful

D. Beecher

DNF

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 26, 2021

Verified Purchase

I'm a DNF on this one, but I can see how others might enjoy it. I don't have issues with the writing or world-building.

However I found it impossible to believe in Ren the main protagonist. She is operating a long-con, but I found the premise a little fuzzy. I couldn't understand how it was going to secure her future long-term. Once I started doubting her I found little bumps which I might normally have ignored started to grate with me.

The characters were 50/50 for me, I engaged and was interested in the stories of about half and I found the other half paper thin. I do think that there were too many of them.

But there are a lot of positives to the book and I could see how someone who was able to suspend disbelief and buy into Ren's character could really enjoy it.

4 people found this helpful

Rachel Bridgeman

A beguiling series opener that holds a great deal of promise to become a fantasy staple

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 7, 2021

Verified Purchase

This debut from authors Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms seamlessly interweaves their own, individual voices to become a third, combined voice that beckons you into the shared universe both women have created.

A chunky doorstepper of a book, weighing in at 672 pages, don't be put off by the length of it as firstly, the characters are so engaging from page 1, and secondly, it really doesn't feel like a tortuous, overwritten tale.

It gave me big Game Of Thrones vibes right from the start-the introduction of the society of Nedezra and its conventions and structure needs a little time to bed in, and through the eyes of characters Ren and her sister Tess, we see just how scheming and sly a person has to be to get where they need to be without compromising their morals.

Determined to reclaim her birth right, and set Tess up for the rest of her life-Ren accepts her life and calling as street urchin turned con woman but hopes her deceits have a noble end in store for her sibling.

Seamlessly interweaving family quarrels, hidden secrets, political manoeuvring and outwitting those in higher social echelons, Ren ingratiates herself into one of the houses of Nedezra, the House of Traementis. From this vantage point, she gets a toehold into a society that shunned her family and left her at the mercy of beggar gangs known as the Fingers, who were held in thrall to their leader , a female Fagin who uses violence and intimidation to keep the young ones in line.

A dance begins, a dance on the edge of a knife as all Ren's careful preparations are scuppered by the most random of events, and human fallibility, setting the scene for, hopefully , a long running suspense filled fantasy epic. The world building is skilful and well maintained, there aren't so many details thrown at the reader that they struggle to remember who is who and what is what.

With strong female leads and a supremely engaging story of righting wrongs in the most trying of environments, you cannot help but root for Ren, as flawed and complex as she is, she is definitely the one you want to come out on top.

'The Mask Of Mirrors' as Ren and Tess wear a reflective mask to try and keep their own true selves safe, reflecting the flaws and inequalities of society back at those with the power to change it, all the while planning a coup behind their plain site disguises. Absolutely thrilling and readable, even if you don't enjoy fantasy, this is well worth investing in and throwing caution to the wind...you just might find yourself a new genre to grow on you in 2021!

3 people found this helpful

Seriesbooklover

great fantasy

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 17, 2022

Verified Purchase

The story is told from a number of points in the third person but the main characters are Ren, the woman trying to con her way into high society, Donaia, the matriarch of the Traementis family that Ren is trying to con, Grey, a captain in the Virgil trying to find out the truth about Ren and Vargo, a crime lord trying to buy his way into the nobility.
All the characters, both main and secondary, have ulterior motives hidden behind their metaphorical masks as well as a long term con which makes the book so much fun to read. The characters are deliciously grey yet I found myself somehow rooting for them all except for the obvious villain of the piece.
Rook, a masked and hooded crusader is a welcome addition and the mystery of his identity is well played out in the book (although it did turn out to be the person I hoped it would be). I loved the hint of attraction between him and Ren. Ren’s growth from the cynical conwoman to someone willing to fight for the people she has begun to care about is well written and I cant wait to see how her story plays out in the next book.
There are plenty of sword fights, magic, peril and intrigue to satisfy most fantasy fans and I loved the fact that there was no gore, sexual violence or torture.

My only gripe is the length of the book ( I felt it could have been a bit shorter), but I imagine most people will love the fact that it is a tomb of a book.

One person found this helpful

Carrick

Clever, deep, detailed and elegant

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 23, 2021

Verified Purchase

This is way above the average fantasy tale. It is a deeply character driven plot with rich descriptions, detailed world building, clever twists, elegant structure and an engagingly building pace. Intelligent in all the right places to be thoroughly credible. I was delighted to discover this and will avoid plot spoilers. The last few pages leave a nice lead into teh next book, which you can take or leave; the book is complete. But if the sequel comes close to this one's quality, it will be a discovery to treasure in turn.

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The Mask of Mirrors (Rook & Rose Book 1) Kindle Edition

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M. A. Carrick

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