Pleasant but mediocre. Could be shorter or deeper, either one would help. Thin characters, a plot with surprises rather than developments, and so on.

For example, the first third of chapter 5 should have been deleted. A character walks through the town and notices things. He noticed something peculiar about streetside statues and I expected that to be a plot point, but no such luck. ( )

I don’t know whether to categorise this has fantasy or alternate-history, but aside from its fictional setting, there’s nothing actually fantastical about it.

When the ambassador from Zash does not return from a party, two men in his entourage search the city of Boukos for him. Marzana and Bedar are very likeable and intelligent, as are their respective romantic prospects. The mystery is interesting and the cross-cultural romances are very soft.

But this is a world which involves slavery: Bedar is a eunuch, and another character is a teenaged prostitute and -- Look. The characters acknowledge that this is abhorrent. The narrative isn’t interested in any explicit details of horrible experiences. I appreciate that. And I like seeing characters who have endured trauma support each other and get fluffy happy endings! But it also made me feel very uneasy.

(As it should! I’m just not sure if I want to deal with anything that viscerally uneasy in a romantic mystery.) ( )

Well.... this is just.... I don't know what to say. "Search desperately" my butt.

Not exactly a romance, not exactly an investigation, not exactly a political intrigue either. Lots of local history, local politics and each and every character wouldn't shut up about themselves personally.

I had to skim through the middle of the book; it dragged and dragged and dragged. The (very urgent, very "desperate") investigation into ambassador's disappearance was literally forgotten. Instead MCs talked their heads off with their newfound mates about local customs and how their countries would benefit from trade negotiations, completely ignoring the fact that for those negotiations to happen they need to find the damn ambassador, like yesterday.

So for all of you alternate history/universes fans, this is Dah Poison. Niagara Falls of ancient history of Earth-like world.

Since the description is somewhat misleading and I am neither an AH/AR/AU fan nor a fan of I-don't-know-how-shut-the-front-door characters, I am giving this 2 stars.

PS Not that it was badly written.

PPS So I was cranky when I wrote my review, mostly because while the book is nicely written it did not meet my expectations and it took me forever to read through the parts that stalled the investigation. Guess this one is not for me. That said, loved the episode in which the ambassador was found! :) ( )

https://tamaranth.blogspot.com/2020/01/2020011-one-night-in-boukos-j-demas.html ( )