ARC Review: A Taste of Gold and Iron

A Taste of Gold and Iron is a book we imagine you’ve been anticipating ever since it was announced, because we know we were! We’re a mere 3 weeks out from release now, so, without waffling on any further, let us give you a little taste of what you can expect in this review. (And, as ever, there’s a mix at the end too.)

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Kadou, the shy prince of Arasht, finds himself at odds with one of the most powerful ambassadors at court—the body-father of the queen’s new child—in an altercation which results in his humiliation.

To prove his loyalty to the queen, his sister, Kadou takes responsibility for the investigation of a break-in at one of their guilds, with the help of his newly appointed bodyguard, the coldly handsome Evemer, who seems to tolerate him at best. In Arasht, where princes can touch-taste precious metals with their fingers and myth runs side by side with history, counterfeiting is heresy, and the conspiracy they discover could cripple the kingdom’s financial standing and bring about its ruin.

A Taste of Gold and Iron

Alexandra Rowland

Goodreads

Rep: Turkish coded cast & setting, gay mc with depression and anxiety, bi mc, achillean side character, nonbinary side characters
CWs: violence, panic attacks
Release: 30th August 2022

Five Reasons to Read This Book

One. If you’re looking for more non-Western-inspired fantasies to read, this should be next on your list. It takes its inspiration from the Ottoman Empire, which makes it a refreshing departure from northern European-inspired fantasies. And that worldbuilding is beautifully in depth here, so that you can imagine you’re right there alongside the characters.

Two. This is a fantasy novel full of court intrigues—it’s compared to The Goblin Emperor after all, which is a high bar to live up to. You’ll be drawn in as Kadou and Evemer investigate a growing conspiracy, all while trying to deal with some pesky emotions.

Three. If you know anything about the Ottoman Empire, you’re probably at least the slightest bit aware of how they dealt with royal siblings. While that isn’t the case in this one, it lends a tension to the sibling relationship in this book, particularly as people start to point the finger at Kadou. And equally, Kadou isn’t as certain of his sister’s love as he might be, so you end up with something gloriously angst ridden, with an undercurrent of oh god what if it all goes wrong.

Four. Fantasy is all well and good. Fantasy with a mystery subplot is all well and good. But fantasy romance with a mystery subplot? That’s something you cannot top. Especially when you start off with the characters disliking one another and being forced, against their wills, to work together. The forced proximity! The slow thawing towards one another! All of it, *chef’s kiss*.

Five. It has characters you can root for. Not only are Kadou and Evemer both very sympathetic characters, who you only want the best for, but so is the cast around them. These are the kinds of characters that you wish you could just get a little insight into their thoughts too, although you know that would make the story meander even more.