God Stalk

Jame, pursued by haunts, has come to the city of Tai-Tastigon from the Haunted Lands seeking to heal her wounds and looking for her twin brother, Tori. Two weeks previously, she had returned to her home to find everyone dead and her brother missing. She has no memory of where she has been from the time she was driven from her home as an outcast child until her return. Entering Tai-Tastigon at night, she finds the guard gate open, and no lights nor sign of life in the town. As she walks through the maze of streets, she realizes that the townspeople are hidden behind closed doors from the chaos that reigns in the streets - the dead gods. Jame rescues an old man, who recognizes her as a Kencyr and offers her a job. Chased by the unknown and the past, she stumbles and wakes up days later at the House of Luck-Bringers, the inn which she stumbled into. She must wait to continue her quest, as the mountain pass that will take her out of the city is closed most of the year. The Innkeeper and his household adopt her, and as she joins the Thieves' Guild as an apprentice, she becomes enmeshed in the city's politics.

I enjoyed this book a great deal. It was easy to read, and I enjoyed the author's style. Hodgell did a fantastic job of world-building, especially in the first chapter, which was very fast-paced and frenetic, slowing in the second chapter to introduce us to the characters that would be important throughout the book. There are several underlying plot points which come together during the story. I felt that the author gave just enough away with each new chapter to keep one reading and interested, leaving the story open for a sequel. There was a lot of background information given about Jame, the Kencyrath, and her past, but I sense there is still a lot to learn, and I intend to read the sequels to find out more.

I recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy with a strong female lead and interesting world-building.