I found this book to be very intriguing and had me on the edge of my seat I loved the world building and I love Marcel and Sylvain and their struggles in Huile. I love post apocalyptic books so I knew I would love this book definitely recommend this book!

There was so much depth to this book it took me longer than I would have liked to get into it, but it was absolutely worth it. Huge appreciation for the worldbuilding that went into this one!

Rating: 4/5

Wow. This book! I'm just now dipping my toes into adult fantasy - I mostly read YA Fantasies. That being said, this book blew my mind!!! The worldbuilding is exquisite! It was done in such a way that I never felt overwhelmed and was not "info-dumping"

Again, I've not read many adult fantasies, but this world is completely unique. I loved this dystopian world with steampunk vibes. The suspense really had me on the edge of my chair and I could not put this book down! The two main characters were likable, fleshed out, and very relatable!

For a debut novel, I'm really looking forward to seeing more from this author. I can't imagine what future stories will be told!

Science fiction? Mixed with steampunk?
Sign me right up!
The book was a very enjoyable read, and luckily enough i really enjoy reading science. For nerds like me, it is like Christmas come early, though it may be a bit heavy for some others.
The world building was unique, the pacing appropriate, the characters enjoyable. I'm looking forward to the next installment in the series.
A big thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity of an early read.

The Sightless City is a post-apocalyptic steampunk dystopia, with a rich setting and a wealth of interesting characters depicted in a realistic way that brought depth and life to the story. This was well paced and engaging, altogether an enjoyable read.

This book was super hard to get into for a couple of reasons:

✨slow paced

✨It's loaded with scientific engineering which is just not for me.

✨I predicted a lot of things that happened.

✨What I did like was that the world building was great and the plot was pretty interesting, would've been more interesting if I was into scientific stuff, it took too long for things to get interesting though.

✨I only pushed through because I was curious about Sylvaine's fate. I'm not sure i can say it was worth the wait because I considered DNFing it more than once.

✨I usually don't like the first books in series so I might give the rest of it a chance.

✨Overall, if you're into dystopian, dark fantasy ( I'm not so good at naming genres 😂 ) you might like it

Thank you @netgalley & @tinyfoxpress for this arc in exchange for an honest review 💕

#thesightlesscity #noahlemelson #netgalley

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book was very hard for me to understand, it was very intricately laid out. If you like a very complex storyline, then you will enjoy this book!

This can’t be a debut novel! The Sightless City is a unique entry into the steampunk genre with stellar world building and a plot that contains numerous elements to keep the reader engaged. Noah Lemelson has included all the aspects you’d want out of an entry from the punk genre.

Marcel Talwar, an ex-soldier turned private investigator, accepts a new case involving kidnapping, enslavement, and murder. Marcel battles inner demons and relationships from his past as he begins to put the pieces together. As the puzzle starts forming, Marcel finds himself wrapped up in a conspiracy with all the clues pointing to a genocidal plot. Who is the mastermind and why are they developing this unforgiveable act?

I had to double check that this was Noah Lemelson’s first novel. What stellar world building for a debut. Lemelson has infused sci-fantasy with a dystopian steampunk atmosphere. I quickly found myself immersed in this world thanks to the vivid descriptions of this heavily tech-inspired world. This installment is focused primarily in one part of this world and it glows with distinction. There was excellent pacing throughout that really kept me interested from the first page to the very end.

As far as the characters go, Sylvaine was my absolute favorite. No spoilers here. Sylvaine is a ferral creature, studying engineering, and has to endure harassment from society due to her race. I really felt her pain and trauma; how she’s forced to second guess herself; how she reacts to the way others try to manipulate her. On the other hand, I understand Marcel’s personality and why he is the way he is, but he just wasn’t my type of character. I needed more of the personality and vigor that just make a character shine to me. I certainly enjoyed reading the flashbacks and seeing him deal with the after effects of his past. There aren’t a vast number of characters in this novel so I wasn’t too surprised at some of the reveals.

This is a focus on science and scientific terminology here. It does not detract from the main story or the characters. I say this as I’ve read some sci-fi stories where I thought that this was a bit of an issue. This is not one of those. Lemelson goes into engineering, schematics, machinery, and the like.

The ending sequence left me wanting book 2 in my hands right away! What a way to conclude a debut. I have questions that I need answered! Unfortunately, I will have to wait for the next release. But I will be eagerly doing so.

Thank you to Noah Lemelson, Tiny Fox Press, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a gritty and dystopian steampunk fantasy, and I liked the world-building. Aether-oil caused the war that Marcel, a veteran and now private investigator, lost his leg in. He’s a hero, and he’s committed to staying in the city he fought to save.

The other protagonist is Sylvaine, a ferral (part human/part beast) who is training to be an engineer, but she doesn’t have the Knack; she can do mechanical work, but she will never be a true aether engineer.

Lazarus, who is the man in charge of aether-mining, has a job for Marcel. But this job leads him to learn more about the city and the mutant workers, and he needs to decide how far he’s willing to go to uncover the truth.

I really enjoyed learning about the aether-based scientific, quasi magical, system. I love dystopian novels and the post-apocalyptic world leaves so much room to explore power struggles. Under the surface of the aether-driven story, there is also a cult which threatens the tenuous peace the city has now. I enjoyed how the world building happens when you’re already in the middle of the story - it was interspersed throughout the novel as Marcel and Sylvaine were introduced.

Marcel, despite losing his leg in the war and being a PI, remains optimistic about making the city a great place to live. Sylvaine is not as optimistic but she is almost painfully naive. They become unlikely allies, one intent on ridding the city of its underbelly, and the other intent on revenge.

There’s groundwork laid for a second book so I’m curious to see what happens next!

✨Thank you to Netgalley and Tiny Fox Press for a free ebook copy, in exchange for my honest review.✨

First of all, I would like to thank the author, Noah Lemelson, the publisher, Tiny Fox Press, and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read the first installment of a trilogy, and also the debut novel of the author in exchange for an honest review.

WORLD BUILDING. Being aware that the book is the first from a trilogy, I anticipated and prepared myself to be confused by the first few chapters. Also, the book falls in the category of science fiction and fantasy that introduced a ton of terms, a thing to keep in mind before reading the book. In line with this, it would be of great help for readers to have a glossary of terms at the end of the book or at the bottom of each page to help in guiding them throughout the story. As a very imaginative person, although that is not the case for everyone, I pay big attention to details in every book that I read. Sometimes the smallest of details give sense to the storyline. And with this, I commend the author for being intricate with the details of the setting, the appearance of the characters, and the emotions being felt by them. This helped me visualize each event well to the point that I can see images in front of me (no exaggeration intended). Intricacy in world building is a huge factor for a book, especially in this genre, but must also be applied well in a way that it does not overwhelm the readers.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. To simply put my thoughts, the main characters, Sylvaine and Marcel, have a dynamic development throughout the story. The character arc that most people expect from a protagonist always seems to be dynamic, and it is achieved in the book. This made me think on how these characters will develop or change for the succeeding books in the series. On the other hand, the antagonist still, is a static character which in my opinion is a good thing.

This book is already a great read that I can guarantee dystopian consumers will love as the story progresses and I am thrilled to what path the story will take.

Thank you Net Galley, Tiny Fox Press and the author for this e ARC for an honest review.
The striking cover caught my attention and I had to find out more about this floating, burning eye. The story is set in the city of Huile a few years after a revolution has overthrown the Principate. Marcel is a private investigator who realises he has been used by his friends as a pawn in kidnapping troublemakers who are enslaved to work on keeping aether flowing. He wants to take his former friends down and is helped by a Ferral engineer, Sylvaine and Kayip a monk.


The world-building is different from other dystopian stories, this isn’t another variation of the earth destroyed by some man-made calamity. I really like Sylvaine, who is a Ferral, a kind of hybrid human and animal who desperately wants to prove herself as an engineer despite the discrimination she faces and will do anything to achieve this. Her story was heartbreaking but she comes back fighting. The plot races along with a dramatic climax towards the end which sets up the next book. I was intrigued by Marcel, he wasn’t the smartest guy in the box and was a bit naïve but this was a refreshing change from the usual clever, athletic, smart men that are all too frequent and made Marcel a very human hero.

The story is a little confusing and I did have to reread a few pages to figure out what was going on. There are hints of something mystical at the start of the book and this becomes more prominent towards the end of the book but I would have liked to have known more about this a little earlier.
Perfect for anyone who loves dystopian science fiction with a touch of fantasy.

The Sightless City by Noah Lemelson was a treat to read. It was a highly imaginative story, filled with intrigue and suspense.

The story takes place in Huile, a city that runs on eather-oil, a highly coveted substance. Here Marcel Talwar lives, a war hero turned private investigator. After receiving some strange engineering diagrams, he is set on a trail to uncover some of the deepest secrets of the city. But what he finds might bring him in more danger than he realizes.

Sylvaine, a ferral living in Icaria, has the lifelong dream of becoming an engineer. The only problem: ferrals don’t have the ‘knack’—the ability to use aether to manipulate metal. Fortunately, an opportunity arises, and she’s given a drug that can help her free her gifts. It’s all she needs to make her dreams come true. But at what cost?

The story utilized many different POVs. However, this is built gradually, and the main focus remains on Marcel and Sylvaine.

The author made the choice to have the reader be knowledgeable of the plan (or parts of it) before Marcel or Sylvaine, which creates a different kind of reading experience as if we had learned along with the two protagonists.

I think it was a good choice, as it gave more insight into that part of the intricate world Lemelson has built. In addition, I thought reading the antagonistic POV was interesting and entertaining as well.

Speaking of the characters, they were developed really well.

I loved how Lemelson addressed Marcel’s PTSD—it’s clearly there, but it doesn’t make him stronger or weaker. It’s just part of who he is. On the other hand we have Sylvaine, who is deeply insecure. All she wants is to be accepted and prove she is good enough. It’s truly heartbreaking to read how she’s treated in some of the scenes or how she views herself.

However, what makes this story truly stand out is the unique and thorough “magic” system. It’s an interesting blend of magic and science, where aether can be explained through mathematical equations, simply affecting the molecules, while at the same time some of the people seem to be using it in a dark magic kind-of-way.

Moreover, the city of Huile and Icaria had great detail to them, giving the story a true steampunk vibe.

Besides being entertaining, the story also has a deeper meaning. The economic and political situation of Huile rings very true, where business and politics merge together all to gain more power, and a city is only saved because of the aether-oil in the ground. It’s all about power.

In addition, as is a common theme in SFF stories, it is about acceptance of those who look different. In The Sightless City, mutants live among humans. However, many of them are treated poorly compared to humans (Sylvaine is a prime example of this, even held in lower regard than mutants).

Finally, it also addresses slavery and exploitation.

As you can see, a lot of good stuff which would give any reader a lot to consider, all wrapped up in a great story.

If you love great characters, a compelling world with intricate details, and a good crime story with a great deal of danger: I would highly recommend The Sightless City.

Did not finish. It was a little over my head. The intricate world building was confusing… but this could be a great thing for someone who is into the intricately built alternate dystopian world books.

*Thank you Netgalley, Tiny Fox Press, and Noah Lemelson for sending me an e-ARC of The Sightless City in exchange for an honest review.*

The Sightless City was a really enjoyable read. It's different than any other book I've read, so it's really interesting.
The world building was pretty well done. You're not overwhelmed with too much information while I like.
The characters were all well developed, and I loved them! It was really easy to connect to Sylvie, and I loved the approach to Marcel's PTSD.
Lemelson did a great job writing too. The writing was solid, not too difficult, but not too simple to read. Everything was explained vividly so you get a good idea of how everything looks.
The book left a lot of unanswered questions, so I'm hoping for a sequel.
Overall, The Sightless City is a unique read that you will devour in a couple of days and definitely worth your time.

Thank you netgalley for the arc!
I did have a little bit of trouble getting into this one. It was very different from what I usually read. It wasn't really what I usually like to read, but it was a good story.
The world building was interesting and done well. It was not an overload of information all at once which I enjoy when reading. I thought it was pretty unique. It is a steampunk dystopian type of world.
The characters were incredible in this story. I connected immediately with Sylvaine, the down-on-her-luck-but-not-giving-up engineer. Additionally, I loved Lemelson's approach to the main character's PTSD. The trauma Marcel has faced does not define him, it doesn't make him stronger and it doesn't make him weaker.

I choose this ARC because of the cover (isn't it gorgeous?) and I'm so glad I did! I enjoyed this book soooo much even thought it took me a while to read it (busy month).

What I liked:
- The world: is very interesting, the action is mostly in the city of Huile, but we get glimpses or other cities (IKaria) and other places and it's just so cool to see a fantasy story with this kind of setting, because is so unique. It's kind of a dieselpunk world that reminds me a little of Studio Ghibli mixed with WW2 or post-WW2 era, and those elements are really well-used. The political aspects were really well-developed: the corruption, double standards, the social norms and everything. Just really, really cool.

- The characters: it took me a while to connect with them, but they're really well flesh out and developed I loved Marcel and the mention and exploration of his trauma. Sylvaine was wonderful and I really connected with her on her emotions, the craving to be someone and prove to everyone that she's no define for her birth, that fear of failure, the naive aspects in the first half of the story and then her strong sense of revenge. Definitely one of the best characters of the book.

The antagonist is also wonderful. Lazarus Roache is an awful person, but also so charming and manipulative that you can't help but love to hate him. His manipulation of Sylvaine was... kind of obvious, but also so perfectly made that it had me almost clapping for him while also wanting to slap him in the face and huge Sylvaine.

The other characters were also well flesh out and distinct, and I enjoyed every one of them.

What I didn't like:
- The flashbacks: there's not a lot of them, but they were introduced and writing in a way that kind of confused me. Like... in a moment I thought I was reading in the present and just when Marcel mentioned another characters that was previously said it was dead I realized that we were on a flashback. Also, this scenes gave cool backstory, but I think there weren't very necessary.

What I need more of:
- The magic: I feel like we were just starting to see the magic and this weird cult, and then the book ended and I want more! Please!

Anyway, is a good book, with unique world, good characters and cool story. Really recommended.

And also... I want the next book, please and thank you XD

Gosh....this book had so much potential but it was just.....so much. There was a lot of obvious care put into the worldbuilding but it was so haphazardly done, and missing so many pieces/explanations that I wasn't even sure who the "bad guys" were until the final third of the book. There are just so, so many moving pieces to this book, and it was never cohesively brought together, or at the very least explained, except the engineering pieces. There's so much over-explanation of how aether works, that it reads like a manual in some places. I kept forging, because the characters are really quirky, gritty, and likeable, but they all seem to be starring in their own stories, and then are mashed together in a really confusing finale? Like, what are these religions? What are the people's motivations? What's the history of these different armies, what even world is this? No answers, just lots of schematics and aether explanations.

I enjoyed this steampunk, dystopian fantasy wrapped in a detective story. The world-building was exquisite, and the magic system was fascinating and unique. The two main characters, Marcel and Sylvaine, were interesting, complex, and realistic, as were many of the side characters. The depiction of Marcel's PTSD was especially well-done and realistically portrayed the jarring nature of flashbacks. Sylvaine's struggle with self-worth due to being different resulting in the need to prove herself almost to the point of ruin was compelling to read, as well. Truly horrifying things happen in this novel, and the author did a fantastic job of providing vivid descriptions to bring it all to life in a thrilling way. Many deep topics were explored with this narrative, including political corruption, slavery, genocide, the horrors of war, and religious zealotry, among others. The plot was interesting, and important details were unveiled at a good pace. However, it did get a bit convoluted at times and many questions were left unanswered, which, I guess, sets up quite a bit for the next books to explore. I have mixed feelings about the writing. I never wanted to put the book down because I wanted to know what happened next, but I also had trouble staying focused for more than a few chapters at at time due to the writing style. I honestly can't even put my finger on what I didn't like about the style. I guess it just wasn't for me. Overall, I greatly enjoyed the story, world, and characters, but the writing style made it difficult for me to stay engaged with the story. Therefore, I rate the book 3 out of 5 stars. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys dystopian fantasy because the world, characters, and story are truly fascinating, and if the writing style clicks with you, I have no doubt you'll love the book.

I did have a little bit of trouble getting into this one. It was very different from what I usually read. It wasn't really what I usually like to read, but it was a good story.

The world building was interesting and done well. It was not an overload of information all at once which I enjoy when reading. I thought it was pretty unique. It is a steampunk dystopian type of world. I did like the characters. I thought that they were interesting to read about. I also think that the pacing in this one was really good. That is always something that can throw off a book for me, but the pacing here was well done. It was an interesting plot, and it is well written. It was good overall, it just was not what I am used to reading.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley for this arc! All opinions in this review are my own*

Big fat 5 stars for this book and a massive congratulations to Noah Lemelson for writing an exquisite debut novel.

The Sightless City is a delicious science-fiction martini - dieselpunk and mystery are the gin and vermouth, and Lovecraftian horror is the olive. You can shake it, you can stir it, sip it like a gentleman or chug it from a shaker pint if you want, because it doesn't matter - the final product is still one of the most in-depth, exciting and entertaining SF novels of the year that leaves you happily smacking your lips out of pure sensory satisfaction and reaching for more.

Marcel Talwar is a human war veteran working as a private investigator, and Sylvaine Pelletier is a ferral engineering student struggling with society's perception of her and her lack of The Knack - the ability for aethermantic manipulation. They live in a world where sangleum oil and the aether derived from it are sources of both good and evil - they make the world function the way it does and support life in various ways, but they can also be used as a weapon, as explosives, a poison or a drug. The main question is what exactly are they being used for and how?

I could go on and on about all the intricacies or science, history, religion and political intrigue woven through the story but the world Lemelson has created is so rich and precise it just has to be experienced in its entirety. There are so many fascinating, well-rounded side characters (special shoutout to Kayip and Namter) they could all have their own novels written about them. There is just the right amount of plot twists, and not too many complicated battle scenes. There are multiple storylines that perfectly intertwine and drive the story forward, and I want to give Lemelson extra points for writing a solid female character. The writing is a little highbrow but not difficult to read and I promise you, you will devour this book in a couple of days.

As a final thought, my highly profound metaphor referred to the Lovecraftian parts of the story as the olive in the martini. The thing is I want a whole jar of olives. A shaker pint of them! And hopefully, Lemelson will focus on that aspect of the story much more in the next book in the series.

The Sightless City comes out on July 20th. Huge thank you to NetGalley, Noah Lemelson and Tiny Fox Press for the advanced reader copy.