Caffeinated Reviewer

Seanan McGuire is an autobuy for me, both in audio and hardcover. I was so excited to continue the Alchemical Journeys series with book three Tidal Creatures. It was worth the wait! McGuire gave us an unputdownable story as we head to the Impossible City.

Every night, a Moon shines down on the Impossible City…

New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire takes us back to the world of the award-winning Alchemical Journeys series in this action-packed follow-up to Middlegame and Seasonal Fears.

All across the world, people look up at the moon and dream of gods. Gods of knowledge and wisdom, gods of tides and longevity. Over time, some of these moon gods incarnated into the human world alongside the other manifest natural concepts. Their job is to cross the sky above the Impossible City—the heart of all creation—to keep it connected to reality.

And someone is killing them.

There are so many of them that it's easy for a few disappearances to slip through the cracks. But they aren't limitless.

In the name of the moon, the lunar divinities must uncover the roots of the plot and thwart the true goal of those behind these attacks—control of the Impossible City itself.

After the events of Middlegame and Seasonal Fears, I was eager to dive into Tidal Creatures. We find ourselves at Berkley College where we meet incarnates of the Moon Gods who dwell within a human host and take turns navigating the skies at night over the Impossible City. When one of them ends up dead, it will be up to Moon goddesses, Change’e and Artemis to find answers, but along the way they will find help & friendship.

We also meet Kelpie, who after escaping the lab learns she is not human but a personification of Artemis’s Hind. She stumbles across the son of Isabella, a hechicera who aids here and takes her to one of the coven’s meetings to introduce her to someone else who isn’t quite human. All of this takes them to the home of Rodger and Dodger, the living embodiments of the Doctrine of Ethos.

I loved how McGuire weaved in the gods, the Impossible City, and the alchemist who want to control it all. At its core, we have a murder-mystery. We learn from Diana, yes that Diana, that other moon gods have been murdered. Along the way, we will work to stop the alchemists, battle constructs and enter the city itself.

I found myself swept up in the tale and the stories of moon goddesses, Aske, Change’e, Artemis, and Diana, as well as the moon god Mani. I loved entering the home of Rodger and Dodger, whose home and its ability to adapt impressed me. We witness death, battle, and form friendships, all while McGuire has us pondering the universe.

If you love mythology, you will want to delve into the Alchemical Journeys series. Rich characters and a world filled with danger and possibilities. I encourage you to read the message at the beginning of the book from the author. Yes, dear author, the journey was worth it.

Amazon | Audible

About Seanan McGuire

Seanan McGuire is a native Californian, which has resulted in her being exceedingly laid-back about venomous wildlife, and terrified of weather. When not writing urban fantasy (as herself) and science fiction thrillers (as Mira Grant), she likes to watch way too many horror movies, wander around in swamps, record albums of original music, and harass her cats. Seanan is the author of the October Daye, InCryptid, and Indexing series of urban fantasies; the Newsflesh trilogy; the Parasitology duology; and the "Velveteen vs." superhero shorts. Her cats, Lilly, Alice, and Thomas, are plotting world domination even as we speak, but are easily distracted by feathers on sticks, so mankind is probably safe. For now.

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About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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