Genre: Fantasy, Legal Thriller, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay, Bi
Reviewer: Jay
Get It At Amazon | Publisher | Universal Buy Link
About The Book
Is love worth destroying his reputation?
Ten years ago, the theft of his codex destroyed Talio Rossa’s career as a magistrate in the four cities. But when his ex-wife—finally willing to forgive finding him in bed with a man—presents him a long-shot legal case, he has the chance to get his career back on track.
While fighting to rejoin the legal community, Talio uncovers a conspiracy so big it threatens the origins of the four cities themselves. Their prosperity is only thanks to their connection by magical floating waterways and the brilliance of their legal system, now regarded as near scripture.
To save his career, Talio must work with both the one who doomed his marriage and the hooded, heretical man who sets his heart aflame but is determined to plead guilty to a murder he didn’t commit. To stand a chance of winning the case, saving his career and the man of his dreams, Talio will have to uncover an explosive secret destined to blow the legal system apart.
Trigger Warnings: Angst (intense emotional scenes) • Discrimination (religious and sexual orientation/gender) • Dubious consent • Explicit sex scenes • Infidelity • Murder (not onscreen, but there’s a homicide trial) • Cultural/Religious conflict • Social stigma (facial scarring) • Suicide (mention) • Substance use (alcohol, alcoholism) • Violence (two brief attempts on one character’s life) • That said, there’s a happy ending – promise!
The Review
Talio’s Codex is promoted as a legal thriller. The plot involves a very slow burn romance between two lawyers, set against a background of a fantasy world’s legal system, and a culture clash between two religions.
The world building is excellent, as is all the detail about the world’s justice system, and the attempt to subvert it. The characters are also well developed and sympathetically presented.
I love the way the reader is thrown into a totally different world, but then guided effortlessly through its idiosyncrasies. There are plenty of comparisons to be drawn with our own legal systems and prejudices, something which always makes sci-fi and fantasy more interesting for me.
The story eventually turns into a nail-biting thriller. I was convinced at one point that it would end in tragedy, but the book does have a happy ending – at least for now.
If you like exciting, high-stakes legal cases and appreciate fantasy worlds, this is the book for you. Highly recommended.
The Reviewer
I’ve been doing book reviews on my website, crossposted or linked to various social media, for a few years. I read a number of genres but I really enjoy all kinds of speculative fiction so thought I’d like to share my views with you. I love sci fi and other speculative fiction because of the way it can, at its best, make us see ourselves in a new light. Quite apart from the exciting stories, of course! I used to be an English teacher, and I’m a writer (fantasy) so I can be quite critical about style etc. but I hope I can also appreciate properly some books that don’t appeal to me personally but might be simply perfect for others. I have, obviously, read widely, and continue to do so.