The Talio's Codex is a good read full of simpathetic morally gray characters and interesting world building.
The characters over power the plot a bit as the author tries to give the reader insight into the characher development. This does not bother me I still liked the plot well enough. The story gives insight into relevant social issues, religion, gender, sexual identity, gender eqality and many other things that we face every day in our own lifes.
The only thing that I would have liked more of was world building, but I expect that will be solved in later books.

I requested this book because I was drawn by the premise of fantasy legal thriller, and in that respect I wasn't disappointed. I enjoyed the courtoom scenes, and although the world building wasn't developed all that much, I thought it was enough. I enjoyed the different relationships Talio has with the other characters and his own character growth. I liked how all the mysteries were wrapped up, the last plot twist genuinely surprised me.

What I found most fascinating was the development of this society and its laws, and the discussion about their influence in said society. The themes of oppression, religion, queerness, and gender were handled with nuance. I'm not sure how I feel about the romance plot line, but I did like the conflict it posed for the main character. All in all, this was an enjoyable read!

Thank you to J. Alexander Cohen, Space Wizard Science Fantasy and NetGalley for this ARC. I was given this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A book that probably would have been more intriguing if the mystery was a little more coherent. A legal fantasy thriller shouldn't have worked, but it kind of did?

I did like that Pazli wouldn't compromise for his religion. I just wish we learned more about the details of their religion. All we know is that they wear robes and don't partner up with someone who isn't a part of them.

I might go back to this one in the future.

"You can tell what a society values by what it encourages. And what it discourages."

This was beautifully written. The characters were all perfectly imperfect and I found myself caring more for them because of it. Talio's growth as he begins to see the world of law from a different perspective was gradual and frustrating (in a good way) at times as a reader, even when his heart was in the right place. I believe that this helps open the doors to important conversations that are happening and need to continue to happen in our own society today.

A story of love, right vs. wrong, and opposing beliefs vs. oppression, Cohen was able to create a world and a legal system that was it's own but not so far from reality that it confused the reader. The twist and turns as the cast of characters work to enact changes in their world kept me wondering where the story was going to go next. I wish that there had been more exploration of the groups that are at play here. I also wish to have seen certain relationships expanded on, as well as felt certain losses a bit deeper. However, I ultimately really enjoyed the story.

I would love to see the changes that Talio and his friends could bring to Merin in future stories, but perhaps thats the tragic beauty of it all. They may work to enact changes that won't come until after their time. All we can do is appreciate their push for progress and continue the work.


Thank you to J. Alexander Cohen, Space Wizard Science Fantasy and NetGalley for this ARC. I was given this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a beautiful book. Despite some of the darker themes (oppression, homophobia, etc.) there were some lovely moments of hope.

Talio is a complex character, returning from disgrace to try to become an advocate, taking on cases of a religious minority who are oppressed by the majority. By doing this, he discovers a conspiracy, which includes his own disgrace from ten years earlier.

What follows is a confrontation of Talio's own beliefs about justice, the law, homosexuality, gender, and rights. This is a really good book, and one I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to J. Alexander Cohen, Space Wizard Science Fantasy and NetGalley for this ARC.

Talio's codex had many excellent aspects, but unfortunately those were pretty much neglected.

The first third of the book is near perfection. It shows character, sets the stakes and does some intriguing worldbuilding. (A lot of telling instead of showing throughout the book, but I could look past that). The first third had me completely hooked, but unfortunately, the middle muddle failed to meet those promises.

First of all, I was disappointed by the fact that this book is essentially not fantasy. The only fantasy element was that the story takes place in a fictional location. Also, I think there was some magical mineral. And some flying transportation system, but that's it. The worldbuilding focuses completely on the legal system and social aspects such as religion whereas every other aspect of worldbuilding is completely forgotten.

The main problem, however, was that the book focused on all the aspects that I did not care about. The legal system is extremely fleshed out and accurate and talking and pining about law takes up almost all of this novel. (bring your thesaurus). And that would be fine had the book not been marketed as primarily fantasy.

Then to the romance. It had a great premise, I got what the author was going for, but the delivery failed. The characters seemed to hate each other all through the book and the ending seemed really forced because character- and relationship growth were very much neglected underfleshed, and made Talio appear downright unlikable.

There was some interesting court room drama. And the social commentary (on institutional racism, flawed legal systems, homophobia, etc.) was killer. And the last 20% of the book were, like the beginning, near perfection. It solved mysteries I didn't even know needed solving and wrapped up every open thread very satisfyingly. Only it would've been a lot more satisfying if the middle part of the book had gotten me invested in any of that instead of the constant law talk. With this book, the beginning and ending absolutely salvaged the novel from 'bad' to 'decent'.

Ultimately, I think my problem with this book was that I, as a person reading it for the fantasy and the lgbt+ romance, was absolutely not the target audience. This book is for those with immense interest and understanding of law. And who also like very low fantasy and sudden bursts of smut.

This book was a solid 4 to 4.5 stars for me. It's not necessarily something I want to read again, which mostly keeps it out of 5-star status, but it's well worth reading. The worldbuilding was creative and was presented without huge info dumps; the characters were engaging and kept me guessing; the dialogue was fluid; the plot was complex but held my interest... really, as I said, a solid win.

For me, the one thing that didn't work—and it was a major plot point—was the emphasis on religion. I think religion is kinda stupid, in general, and the world would be far better off without it—and nothing in this story convinced me that that wasn't true in the story world as well.

That said, if you like queer fantasy, this book will probably make you very happy. Oh, and—unlike in so many m/m romances I read lately—it did NOT end with the MCs wanting baybees, so definite bonus points for that!

My thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

Talio's Codex is a gripping political fantasy with unique, intricate worldbuilding and focus on themes of social (in)justice.

The protagonist, titular Talio, is an outcast in many ways. He's a disgraced ex-husband who was caught cheating on his wife with a man, in a homophobic society. He's a disgraced ex-lawyer who had his codex stolen and in this word, losing a codex is a similar stain on honor as if a holy knight lost his sacred sword. He's a war victim with prominent facial scar which makes people prejudiced against him. He's a very pragmatic and down to earth man who realizes the rules of the world are stacked against him and he often can't win unless he cheats, bends the rules or... can't win no matter what.

The first few chapters introduce the intricate worldbuilding which takes some time to absorb. This isn't an average fantasy where everything follows modern morality and customs with cosmetic decorations like fantasy clothes, food, architecture and swear words. This is a world where laws, customs, religions, superstitions and prejudices shape people and what's possible and what's futile. Without understanding the peculiar beliefs of this fantastical society it would be impossible to understand protagonist's dilemmas and struggles, because as the story progresses it's more and more apparent the deck is stacked against him.

We meet Talio when he's a poverty-stricken scavenger, outcast on the faraway border of the kingdom. His ex-wife suddenly decides to visit 10 years after their divorce and asks him to help her with a case of a man found murdered in her mother's and hers house. All that with a promise of a brighter future for Talio - regaining his career as a lawyer instead of being stuck as a poor scavenger.

Then he finds out the prime suspect belongs to a religious minority who's discriminated against in the kingdom, and even becoming a temporary advocate for him is obstructed by piles of bureaucracy, exorbitant fees and unclear laws kept secret from the laymen.

As the story progresses, the picture of the society becomes more and more dystopian and Kafka-esque. It's clear Talio is trying to fight a good fight, but a lot of people wish for him to fail. The culmination of the story is a trial of a person wanting to be recognized as non-binary in a society which very much doesn't want to. The oppression of religious, gender and sexual minorities is an underlying theme, and very relevant to our modern day.

One sub-plot about the religious minority not being "openly" mistreated but instead constantly hindered and obstructed by bureaucracy reminded me a story from the days my country was annexed by a foreign state and a common way of mistreating our people was putting bureaucratic obstacles for every simple minor thing like a license to build a house or obtain a job. Nobody broke a law, but it was clear some people would have a smooth sail while others would be delayed endlessly or denied.

I could relate to Talio who felt he had to use "tricks" to even the field and who often had to choose between personal peace or relationship vs endangering those just to fight for justice. He's a jaded 37 year old man and does not look at romance with rose tinted glasses. It feels like he's pursuing relationships due to overwhelming loneliness and the hardships of everyday struggle in an unfair society are so much harder to bear solo. He's torn between 2 men, one of whom betrayed him in the past, while the other openly admits he will not get romantically involved with someone outside of his religious minority. Interestingly, he excuses both men and understands they both follow what's best for them - this was a refreshing attitude after reading so many romantic sub-plots where the protagonist thinks the world revolves around them therefore everyone should do what benefits the protagonist, otherwise they get outraged. Yes, other people who are currently not in a committed relationship with you, have no obligation to prioritize your wellbeing and benefit over their own.

There was a colorful side cast of characters, many of them queer, including one character who is later revealed to be trans, and I liked how seamlessly it was introduced, especially in a world where queer people have to hide and conceal themselves.

The ending reveal was explosive and tied all the loose ends together. The book started with a slower pace but then sped up to one hell of a ride. Recommended for fans of political fantasy with a focus on justice system, like The Justice of Kings, and readers who enjoy underdog heroes trying to fight against dystopian systems in a gritty, realistic manner with their wits rather than brute force.

Overall it was a very suspenseful read I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you NetGalley, J. Alexander Cohen, Space Wizard Science Fantasy, and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America for the ARC!