Jonathan and William are scholars in different fields: magic and language, respectively. Their relationship is also on the rocks. Both of them believe that a trip to Dressa Moore, a land so full of magic that it floats, could both further their research and fix their relationship. They’re not alone in hoping this journey will set a few things right. A cursed pirate captain hopes to cast a certain spell that will turn her life around, and religious zealots and scholars alike have their eyes on this particular mission. Even the gods get involved—because in this world, worship isn’t about belief so much as fear.
George Allen Miller’s THE FLOATING LAKE OF DRESSA MOORE will be a fun read for fans of Discworld, but this is not a book that sets out to be “another Discworld.” Blending magic, religion, and academia, this is very much its own thing. There are traces of other popular stories, especially as the reader learns more about the cursed pirate crew at the story’s core and the ship chasing them.
There are many moving pieces in this book, but Miller does an excellent job balancing them. The book does occasionally feel a bit “full,” as though there are a few too many scenes to swap between. For example, the scenes with the gods feel a bit late on arrival, as if the novel doesn’t have enough space to flesh them out more. However, this doesn’t depreciate the book much as a whole. The core cast, especially the relationship between William and Jonathan, holds everything nicely aloft. The stories that really matter get a nice bow put on them by the end, although the epilogue does hint that there could be more if the author so wished.
The conceit at the center of the story (regarding volatile magic that can be as terrible as it is exciting) is a strong one. The framing narrative is also well done, to the point that the reader might well forget that there is one until the very end—at which point the payoff comes around. Miller definitely has his own strong voice in humorous fantasy, and this is an excellent first novel.
With its combination of familiar fantasy tropes, inventive twists on those tropes, and broad worldbuilding, George Allen Miller’s THE FLOATING LAKE OF DRESSA MOORE is a riveting read.
~ Kara Dennison for IndieReader