From the Bookshelf of Grimdark Fantasy…

The Builders

Daniel Polansky

Start date: July 1, 2016

Finish date: August 31, 2016

Discussion: Group Reads Discussions

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* May/June '18 - Blackwing - **BEWARE OF SPOILERS**
By Tracey the Li… , First In, Last Out · 11 posts · 81 views

last updated Sep 27, 2018 05:21AM

* May/June '18 - Blackwing by Ed Mcdonald - **NO SPOILERS**
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last updated May 28, 2018 08:41PM

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What Members Thought

Jun 14, 2015 Mogsy rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs-and-galleys, review-copy, novella, fantasy, animals

3.5 of 5 stars, originally reviewed at The Speculative Herald http://www.speculativeherald.com/2015...

Funny how I’m generally not big on anthropomorphism but at the same time I do seem to love a lot of books featuring fluffy, furry adorable sentient animals (Redwall, Watership Down, Mouse Guard, etc.) Thus the draw of Daniel Polansky’s The Builders won out, and it was also perfect because I’ve been meaning to check out his work for a long time.

The animals in this book are far from soft and cuddl 3.5 of 5 stars, originally reviewed at The Speculative Herald http://www.speculativeherald.com/2015...

Funny how I’m generally not big on anthropomorphism but at the same time I do seem to love a lot of books featuring fluffy, furry adorable sentient animals (Redwall, Watership Down, Mouse Guard, etc.) Thus the draw of Daniel Polansky’s The Builders won out, and it was also perfect because I’ve been meaning to check out his work for a long time.

The animals in this book are far from soft and cuddly, though. A mouse, a stoat, an opossum, a badger, a salamander, a mole, and an owl all walk into a bar. This however is not the beginning of a joke but a start of a Kill Bill-style tale of vengeance and bloody destruction. One upon a time, all of them stood united against a common enemy, until treachery destroyed the group from within. The last job they were all on together didn’t end so well, so now the battle-hardened mouse known as the Captain is rounding up his old pals again for one last hurrah.

But alas, you know what they say about the best laid schemes of mice and men. Before long, both bullets and fur will fly in abundance, as the Captain and his ragtag crew fight their way deep into the heart of enemy territory, facing up against a dastardly skunk, his trio of wicked henchmen, and the legions of his rat army.

Clearly, there’s lots to love here, and not just for the novelty of a gritty and darkly comedic shoot-‘em-up starring two groups of warring woodland critters. Polansky approaches the violence masterfully, portraying the anger of the Captain as something born out of more than simple desire for revenge. In fact, most of the characters were pretty well written, each given their own quirks and vices. I’m sure too that loads of great discourse could be had on the topic of animal instinct and its inevitable effects on the choices of these characters; it’s just a pity that the story does not explore this theme further.

While I had a good time on the whole, I did have a couple of minor concerns. Longtime readers of my reviews know I’ve never made secret the mixed feelings I have for the shorter, more restrictive length of the novella. Sometimes it works for me and sometimes it doesn’t, but when it comes to The Builders, once again my malaise with the format reared its ugly head.

First, I had myself a love-hate relationship with the short chapters and non-linear structure of the storyline. As a stylistic choice, it was very unique and made this book a fast read. Still, my admiration gradually waned towards the end when it proved more disruptive than beneficial to the overall flow of the plot. Polansky certainly has a strong sense for timing, but even then it’s easy to miss a few beats when working with a lower page count.

Second, there were so many characters introduced in such a short amount of time, I was given really no opportunity to connect with them, save only a few. The Captain, Bonsoir the stoat, Barley the badger and Cinnabar the salamander were among the well written ones, but a couple of the other members of the crew were lost in the chaos of gunfire and piles of corpses. It hasn’t been long since I finished reading, and already I’m having a hard time dredging my memory for their names and even their species. Admittedly, most of my enjoyment came from the story, the surface-level entertainment from following its many twists and turns, and not really out of any deep concern for the main players. The book was fun, so I was genuinely interested in learning how it ends, but I remained overall ambivalent about most of the characters’ fates.

Me, not care about whether fuzzy little animal characters lived or died? That…that just doesn’t feel right. At the same time, I’m not surprised at this distancing since it’s such a common reaction for me to have towards novellas with large casts. That said, the compelling story overwhelmingly makes up for a lot of areas which I felt were weaker. If this was a full-length novel, I’m sure I would eat it up. Polansky’s writing intrigued me, so picking up one of his other books like Low Town or Those Above is most definitely in my future. As for The Builders? All in all, I enjoyed myself. And as long as you’re not looking too deeply into the whys or the hows, I think you’ll have a good time too. ...more

29 likes · Like · see review

Jun 11, 2015 Greg (adds 2 TBR list daily) Hersom rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I'm a huge fan of Daniel Polansky's Low Town series, so I might have claimed that I wouldn't have bought this book if he hadn't wrote it, but that's not completely honest. Because there is something appealing about a story that features personified animals that I've never outgrown and I'm sure I'm not alone in that.

As it turned out this is one the wildest books I've read. I can't explain it any better than what other authors and reviewers have already said; "The Wild Bunch meets Watership Down. ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Oct 21, 2015 Chompa rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015, fantasy, grimdark, western

Do you like cute, little talking animals? How about a group of them led by a mouse? Sounds sweet doesn't it?

The Builders is a western with talking animals. It isn't cute. It is like Unforgiven, but darker and with more bodies.

After reading Polansky's Low Town series, which was Crime Noir in a fantasy setting I wasn't sure what to expect from this. I love Low Town and it is probably the best series I've read this year.

Where Polansky nailed it on the Crime Noir feel, he double-nailed it (no, th ...more

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Jan 23, 2017 Bogdan rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, novella

What`s not to like in a novella that unfolds before us the revenge of a mice captain and his crew of old army buddys?

A fearsome badger, an opossum sniper, a stoat assassin and a sinister salamander are only some of the peculiar animal characters of this story.

It has some dark truths and secrets, traitors, a nice and cosy mystery and a lot of (RAT!!) killing.

Not a bad one. Good for a Sunday read.

...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 07, 2016 Dipa Raditya rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Tidak bisa diselesaikan dalam satu malam karena plotnya tidak biasa. Dan terlalu seru. Sebuah cerita setengah binatang yang keren dan sampai sekarang masih bingung apa itu binatang stoat.

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 10, 2015 Mili rated it it was amazing

Captivating short read, awesome characters!

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 23, 2015 Levi rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, epic-grit, grimdark

The time is right, and the Captain gathers his old company together to take revenge and reclaim their glory. That the Captain is a mouse makes him no less intimidating and persuasive. That the company is comprised of a mish-mash of other animals brings them a great mix of skills… and personality disorders.

This excellent novella turns Grimm into Grimmdark. It's Inglourious Basterds meets The Wind in the Willows. They fit together like chocolate and peanut butter. I loved it!

View the complete revi ...more

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Nov 09, 2018 Wilfred Berkhof rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

4,5 stars. I loved the characters, all with distinct voices, a nice camaraderie among them. It just felt like a really fun novella.
(view spoiler)

Definitely makes me want to read Daniel Polansky's other series! ...more

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