The Olympian Affair is the second novel in the Cinder Spires series. While it is the follow-up novel to the first novel, The Aeronaut’s Windlass, there is enough information in this novel where you could read this as a standalone; however, it does read better as a series in order. The story continues to follow adventures concerning the Cinder Spires, who stand far above the surface of the world and safeguard humanity. Spire Aurora’s Armada’s threat is looming over the other Spires. A trading summit on Spire Olympia provides an opportunity for Spire Albion to gather alliances.

The first half of the novel is a little slow while the second half picks up. I think the writing could have been tightened up a little to be a little shorter. There are some places where it drags, for me, however, I can see others enjoy the drawn-out elements. Despite this being the second novel in the series, there is still a lot to learn about the world. To me, it reads like a strategy/exploration game where you explore one area and then another and slowly the world is clear, and everything makes sense. The characters from the first novel are still present in this story while new characters are introduced. They are interesting, but there is still a long way to go to fully know all of them. It seems this series is slow to progress as it has been years since the first novel was originally published, so it will be interesting to see how long it takes until a sequel is ready. Overall, this series has a lot of potential and I look forward to reading the sequel in the future.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Ace, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Loved it! But this series is definitely a slow burn. Butcher does some fantastic worldbuilding and character development; however, it takes readers a bit to get to that 'omg I can't put this down' moment. It is worth it though. Excellent second book to the series that is 10 years in the making. Here's hoping that #3 doesn't take so long.

Excellent book by JIm Butcher, the author of the Dresden Files. This follows The Aeronaut's Windlass and continues the fantasy series seamlessly. I love the complex and finely drawn characters and look forward to a further installment!

This second book in the Cinder Spires series was a thrilling fantasy full of swashbuckling action, lovable characters, evil villains you can despise, and just a hint of steampunk. I so enjoyed spending more time with the characters I loved from the first book, plus a few new ones.

I think there were a few less points of view this time around, but all of the characters from the first book are still here, even if only in the background. The story is mostly shared between Captain Grimm, Bridget, and Abigail Hinton, who are all voices for Spire Albion, and are the heroes of this tale. We are also given insight into what is going on from the villain’s side through Colonel Espira. I loved all of these characters, including Espira, as they fight for what they think is right and to defend their homes. I really enjoyed learning more about Grimm’s background, the romance between Bridget and Benedict, and all of the moral dilemmas that Espira goes through as he tries to reconcile his conscience with the actions of his Spire. Abigail is a new character, that we only met briefly in book one, but I enjoyed her point of view. Through her we get a better understanding of the society and the politics that rule this world.

The story’s plot is intricate and despite a few spots that were slow, was well paced with action sequences mixed with political intrigue and the moral dilemmas caused by war. There is also some interesting backstory about how the spires came about towards the end of the book that I really hope gets expanded upon in the next one. The duels and other action sequences are well done and will keep you rooting for you favorite characters. There is a lot of politics in this one, which is complex and hard to follow, but thrilling nonetheless. I loved that we also got to see a glimpse of what it is like on the surface of the world and some of the terrifying creatures that live there.

The only thing I missed in this book was the point of view of the cats. We still have Rawl giving commentary on human behavior and helping Bridget survive, but no chapters from his point of view. We also get a new cat joining the group, Fenli, who I just adored and hope to see more of in the next book.

If you enjoy high fantasy full of great characters, a little bit of romance, duels, great world building and action scenes that will leave you breathless, this is a series you might consider reading. I look forward to reading the next installment of this thrilling fantasy.

The Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher is the thrilling continuation of the Cinder Spires series, offering fans a mix of swashbuckling fantasy adventure and steampunk intrigue. Set in a world where humanity clings to massive spires above a deadly surface, the story follows a diverse cast of characters, both old and new, as they navigate political intrigue and looming war. While the novel boasts exceptional pacing, well-crafted characters, and gripping action sequences, it faces occasional pacing issues and a subplot involving talking cats that may divide readers. Furthermore, the book provides only tantalizing glimpses into the world's history and mythology, leaving many questions unanswered. Despite these flaws, The Olympian Affair leaves readers eagerly anticipating the next installment, promising an epic series in the making.

I feel very differently about the first and second halves of this book.

The first half of this book is incredibly boring, dragging, and pointless. The plot does not progress. The characters are given no sources of conflict. The scenes are repetitive and unnecessary. It's unsatisfying and disappointing, especially from and author that I love the work of so dearly. This book is over 600 pages, and over half of them do absolutely nothing to justify their existence. Out of 4 POV characters that we get, I cared about none of them, despite being obsessed with them all in book 1 (which I just reread last month and gave 5 stars!).

In the second half of the book, things start to begin to actually happen. The plot kicks into gear, and some of our leads belatedly get motivations and character arcs assigned to them. There are actual stakes, and I was invested and enjoying myself. The book most definitely sticks the landing, with bombastic action sequences supported by emotional payoffs. There was a portion of this novel, 75%-95%, where I was loving it.

So, though there were many instances where I contemplated giving up on this one, I'm glad that I stuck with it to the end. I'm left feeling satisfied and hungry for the next installment. But this book should have been half as long, as it only had enough plot in store to support that much.

The cats in this book are as great, proud, and spunky as ever.
I enjoy how this book explores our antagonists, and is shaping the series into something quite epic.

The new cover style is ugly and does not represent the book well. I hate it, especially in comparison to the beautiful and fitting cover of book 1.

A review of this book will be posted on my Youtube channel in the coming weeks, after the publication date, @ChloeFrizzle

Thanks to Netgalley and Ace for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

I've enjoyed the Dresden Files but am not as enamored by this book. The cats are the best part but I couldn't finish because I had trouble following the plot. So many names and Spires. It was a lot of jargon and a challenge to follow the story.

"The fate of the Cinder Spires may be decided by crossed swords in the next exhilarating fantasy adventure from the author of the Dresden Files, in this New York Times bestselling series of noble families, swordplay, and airships.

For centuries the Cinder Spires have safeguarded humanity, rising far above the deadly surface world. Within their halls, aristocratic houses rule, developing scientific marvels and building fleets of airships for defense and trade.

Now, the Spires hover on the brink of open war. Everyone knows it's coming. The guns of the great airship fleets that control the skies between the last bastions of humanity will soon speak in anger, and Spire Albion stands alone against the overwhelming might of Spire Aurora's Armada and its new secret weapon - one capable of destroying the populations of entire Spires.

A trading summit at Spire Olympia provides an opportunity for the Spirearch, Lord Albion, to secure alliances that will shape the outcomes of the war, and to that end he dispatches privateer Captain Francis Madison Grimm and the crew of the AMS Predator to bolster the Spirearch's diplomatic agents.

It will take daring, skill, and no small amount of showmanship to convince the world to stand with Spire Albion - assuming that it is not already too late."

I will read whatever Jim Butcher writes.

This eARC was provided by Netgalley.com and I am giving an unbiased review.

This is the second book in 'The Cinder Spires' series by Jim Butcher. It has been awhile since I read the first one, so the it took a bit at the start to pick up on what had transpired. A bit of time has passed since the first story, and this one finds us with many of the same characters. The war between spire-states is starting to escalate, and this book is more centered around what is going on around the Olympian Spire.

I have always enjoyed Butcher's books (Dresden Files and Codex Alera series) and this series has been enjoyable to read as well. I do like the world-building and character development employed, as well as his easy-to-read writing style. I am looking forward to reading more in this series, as I am sure there will be at least one more book (I hope).

I was beginning to think we would never see this second entry in The Cinder Spires series! The Spires were built a millennium ago to rescue humanity from the savage surface. Through the use of floating ships powered by etheric strands, humans traverse the skies. But, war is brewing. A terrible power has arisen than can control the terrifying beasts of the ether. A giant mistmaw has consumed one spire and is moving toward Spire Olympia. All the Spire rulers are meeting at Spire Olympia to negotiate treaties that will protect them in the coming war. Spire Albion and Spire Aurora are searching for allies. Who will prevail. This is such an imaginative world, peopled with fascinating characters, including cat tribes who ally themselves with various Spires. I highly recommend it and look forward to a new book (sooner than five years, I hope).

Patiently (?) waiting for this next title in the series, I am thankful to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group/ ACE for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Without a re-read of the first book beforehand, Jim Butcher does an excellent job of reacquainting the reader with the cast of characters; human, warriorborn, feline, and other. Would I recommend a re-read of The Aeronaut's Windlass before starting? Probably yes. The naming convention of the Spires alone caused me to pause and refresh my mind on who was with which Spire.

Our favorite characters are here, and the underlying mysteries of this world are brought back without preamble. The technology of the world is a blend of fantastical/magical and chemical most often explored in the mechanics of the flying ships. Think seafaring battles in the sky and life lines that keep you not from drowning, but from falling thousands of feet.

There are new friends and foes, new species and more investigation into the what this world is made of beyond the great Spires that house known humanity. While adventure is what I'd call primary mood, there is romance, political intrigue, and a hint of environmental history.

The wait was worth it for a great adventure, so I suppose I will have to practice more patience for the next in the series.

I wish I had re-read the first book before diving into this one because it became clear pretty quickly that it had been too long since I had read that one and I remembered nothing, but even though it took me a bit to remember who all the characters were, this was super fun. And I still love the cat characters. They are the best. I look forward to more and hopefully we don’t have to wait quite as long for the next book.

I didn't realize what this was a sequel to because the cover art is so different, hah. I vaguely remember reading book one, but I do remember liking it. I found myself really struggling to get into this story, mostly because of the super slow start to the story. I also found the characters not really working for me. They seem like characters that can only exist together, so when they're apart it just makes the story a bit weird and unbelievable. While I like steam punky sci-fi, this just didn't do it for me. I also really think this needs to be better marketed as a sequel.

I admit, I was not a fan of the first book from this series… at first. It did take me a couple of reads to get into the groove of it. This is not the case for The Olympian Affair, I found it to be an enjoyable read, and I can say with all honesty I am looking forward to more of this series. I have recommended it to friends to purchase this when it’s released, but of course it is best to begin with the first book.

I was so excited to get an early copy of this book! It's been a long time coming, and I dove right into this, even though I probably should have done a reread of The Aeronaut's Windlass first. There were quite a few things, and even characters that I had forgotten, but they all came back to me as I read. I loved the world building in this but what I love most are the characters. I especially love Miss Folly and Master Ferus, Captain Grimm, and Bridget and Rowl. Yet again the cats were there to provide a lot of the humor, which I loved. The airship battles and the duels were quite fun. There was a part that I found very sad near the end, and it ends with one character in quite the predicament, so obviously there will be more. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next! Thank you Mr. Butcher for continuing this series!

On a side note- I'm not super crazy about the cover redesign. I don't think it's a bad cover but I have the hardcover on pre-order and it won't match my hardcover copy of The Aeronaut's Windlass.

Thank to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with and ARC of this book.

We have a LOT of Jim Butcher that passes through our libraries. However, we try not to purchase books that read like a sequel, and this one definitely reads like a sequel. I'm not as familiar with the author's work, but I do think fans will enjoy this. I stopped at the end of chapter 1 (6%).

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

I was SUPER excited to read this. I mean...talking cats, come on! I loved this second installment and it was well worth the wait. Highly recommend it.

I loved book one, but I found myself struggling to get in to book 2. Any series that has talking cats has my attention, but book two is slow to start. I believe that when the characters are together they play off each other better then when they are apart. About chapter 12 is where I set the book aside for other reading material, before returning. It didn't keep my attention as well as the first. I got back to it, but this alone hinders my love for book two. In truth I think Jim Butcher is better at Fantasy then Steampunk/Sci-Fi. I think I would have prefered this as an audio.

The Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher, I highly recommend a reread of the first book to familiarize yourself with the characters again, but this book blows itself out of the water!

A thrilling second installment to the Cinder Spires series. The spires are each a kingdom thriving on trade and commerce and trying to avoid squabbles and war, But war is coming and representatives are meeting at Olympic Spire to work out a truce. Magic is in the air and one spire has developed a new secret weapon which can wipe out whole spires at one time. A group of tiny cats are rescued from the destruction of such spire and trade their knowledge of what caused the destruction to secure them a new home. The cat's intelligence (Yes the cats can talk to certain humans.) may save them all. However unrest is in the air - duels must be fought and fighting begins as the heroes take to the air to stop the destruction.
This is a wonderful thriller with lovable characters, that will move the reader to laugh and cry along with them.
Fantasy aeronautics at its best !!!!!!