Foundryside

Foundryside takes place in Tevanne, a city where magic has been industrialized through "scriving" - the mass production of sigils that can bend reality's fundamental laws. A thief named Sancia Grado possesses unique abilities that make her exceptional at her work. The story centers on a heist gone awry when Sancia steals an artifact of unexpected power. This sets off a chain of events that pulls her into conflict with Tevanne's merchant houses, who control the city's magical technology and maintain their power through economic dominance. The world combines elements of fantasy and technology, featuring magical innovations that parallel computer programming and industrial systems. The magic system operates on precise rules and logic, with practitioners who encode reality-altering commands into objects. The novel explores themes of power, autonomy, and the impact of technological advancement on society. Through its blend of heist narrative and fantasy worldbuilding, it raises questions about the relationship between innovation and exploitation in industrialized societies.

Readers describe Foundryside as a fast-paced heist story with detailed magic mechanics. Many compare it to Brandon Sanderson's work due to its structured magic system and technological elements. Readers praised: - The complex "scriving" magic system and its rules - Character Sancia's development - The blend of technology and magic - LGBTQ+ representation - Fresh take on heist tropes Common criticisms: - Pacing slows in middle sections - Magic system explanations can be dense - Some found the ending rushed - Character relationships develop too quickly Ratings: Goodreads: 4.17/5 (32,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (1,400+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "Like if Ocean's Eleven met programming code in a fantasy setting" - Goodreads reviewer "The magic system is fascinating but occasionally bogs down the story" - Amazon reviewer "Starts strong, meanders in the middle, finishes with a bang" - Reddit r/Fantasy user

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch A fantasy heist story set in a merchant-ruled city where a gifted thief leads elaborate cons against the wealthy elite.

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson A metal-based magic system drives a heist plot in an industrial fantasy world where an oppressed underclass plans to overthrow the ruling class.

The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi A science fiction heist narrative set in a future society where technology functions like magic and memory serves as currency.

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins A contemporary fantasy featuring intricate systems of power and reality-bending abilities that examine the costs of technological advancement.

Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone A fantasy legal thriller in a world where magic functions as corporate law and practitioners manipulate reality through contracts and negotiations.

🔮 Bennett developed the idea for "scriving" while learning about coding and computer programming, directly influencing the book's unique magic system. 🏛️ The city of Tevanne draws inspiration from Renaissance-era merchant republics like Venice and Florence, particularly their powerful banking families and trade monopolies. ⚙️ The book's magical system is heavily influenced by object-oriented programming concepts, where "scriving" involves writing commands to alter an object's fundamental properties. 📚 Before writing Foundryside, Bennett was already an acclaimed author, winning the Edgar Award for his novel "Mr. Shivers" and the Shirley Jackson Award for "American Elsewhere." 🌍 The world-building in Foundryside explores themes of technological disruption and wealth inequality that parallel real-world discussions about Silicon Valley and tech monopolies.