Foundryside: A Novel

Robert Jackson Bennett

Aug 2018 · The Founders Trilogy Book 1 · Sold by Del Rey

About this ebook

“The exciting beginning of a promising new epic fantasy series. Prepare for ancient mysteries, innovative magic, and heart-pounding heists.”—Brandon Sanderson

“Complex characters, magic that is tech and vice versa, a world bound by warring trade dynasties: Bennett will leave you in awe once you remember to breathe!”—Tamora Pierce

In a city that runs on industrialized magic, a secret war will be fought to overwrite reality itself—the first in a dazzling new series from City of Stairs author Robert Jackson Bennett.
 
Sancia Grado is a thief, and a damn good one. And her latest target, a heavily guarded warehouse on Tevanne’s docks, is nothing her unique abilities can’t handle.
 
But unbeknownst to her, Sancia’s been sent to steal an artifact of unimaginable power, an object that could revolutionize the magical technology known as scriving. The Merchant Houses who control this magic—the art of using coded commands to imbue everyday objects with sentience—have already used it to transform Tevanne into a vast, remorseless capitalist machine. But if they can unlock the artifact’s secrets, they will rewrite the world itself to suit their aims.
 
Now someone in those Houses wants Sancia dead, and the artifact for themselves. And in the city of Tevanne, there’s nobody with the power to stop them.
 
To have a chance at surviving—and at stopping the deadly transformation that’s under way—Sancia will have to marshal unlikely allies, learn to harness the artifact’s power for herself, and undergo her own transformation, one that will turn her into something she could never have imagined.

Ratings and reviews

Honestly, it's one of the best books I've read. The characters, the tone. the speed of the story telling it just gets better and better. I read 1 chapter a night before going to be, but once I got to chapter 30, man... I was getting only 4 hours of sleep because I kept staying up just to read 1 or 2 more chapters. I fell in love with the story and characters so deeply that I went and bought the trilogy midway through this book, I just had to have the physical copies AND the digital. Overall, it's an incredible book and series. My only complaint is that it's only a 3 book series instead of 10, haha. Thank you, Mr. Bennet for an incredible journey.

I bought it on a whim and dang this is an amazing book. Amazing characters, world building, and more. And the logic behind the writing is so detailed and makes great sense. I already can't wait for the next one.

Amazing story with so many twists and turns. Great characters. A beautifully built magical world that's all its own. Can't wait for the next one.

About the author

ROBERT JACKSON BENNETT is the author, most recently, of the Divine Cities trilogy, which was a 2018 Hugo Awards finalist in the ‘Best Series’ category. The first book in the series, City of Stairs, was also a finalist for the World Fantasy and Locus Awards, and the second, City of Blades, was a finalist for the World Fantasy, Locus, and British Fantasy Awards. His previous novels, which include American Elsewhere and Mr. Shivers, have received the Edgar Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the Phillip K. Dick Citation of Excellence. He lives in Austin with his family.