Josiah Bancroft
Orbit, 28 September 2023
Available as: PB, 349pp PB, audio, e
Source: Advance copy
ISBN(PB): 9780356519067
I'm grateful to Orbit for sending me a copy of The Hexologists to consider for review.
The Hexologists is a story of Iz and Warren Wilby, a married couple, living in the fantasy city of Berbiton, whose business is to solve magical mysteries. There's a bit of the famous Edwardian consulting detective both in the way that the popular press follow their exploits, and in the wider context. Berbiton is the capital of a powerful empire, with resident royalty whose peccadilloes, and political shenanigans, create many opportunities for mischief (magical or not). It is also at the forefront of (magic assisted) technological development - the equivalents of the telephone and wireless are novelties, and that of motor cars is beginning to be a nuisance, with pollution blanketing the city.
I liked this setting. I also enjoyed the politics. The Wilbys' fierce anti-Monarchism means that when, at the start of this story, they're visited by a Royal flunky asking them to carry out an assignment for the Palace they take a lot of convincing. There are hints of revolution in the book, and also of scandal in the Wilbys' past, and of past dabbling in Forbidden Magicks - always fun. (The theoretical side to the magic here was a little hard to follow. I grasped that Hexology is a particular discipline of magic among several, some of which have fallen out of use while others are suppressed, but the relationship between all of them, despite being the subject of detailed exposition, was still a bit obscure).
Anyway, once the Wilbys' scruples are satisfied and their investigation of the Royal Family's current difficulties begins, the story fairly rattles along with plenty of jeopardy - both moral and physical - numerous red herrings, double crosses, and no-holds-barred fights. Berbiton certainly has its seamy side, with slums, sweatshops and the magical equivalent of dark Satanic mills in evidence, so there's plenty of grimness here but I'd say nevertheless the story remains in the cosy subset of fantasy with the Wilbys' banter and sheet middleclassness playing a large part in keeping it there. That makes the book fun to read, though at times, it seemed to me that it did seem to lower the stakes rather, however desperately perilous things things are supposed to be.
Another aspect of the story that didn't really work for me was the alleged lustiness of Iz's and Warren's relationship. While the fact of this is stated a number of times, and indeed, given any opportunity, they're at it like there's no tomorrow, the atmosphere between them seems in contrast quite passionless. It's as though this strand has been written in to add spice to the story but doesn't quite touch the characters as they're drawn.
In contrast, the hints of past misbehaviour, especially by Iz who has some dangerous friends, were intriguing and I appreciated this fantasy focussing on a middle-aged couple rather than a young upstart or other chosen one. All in all, an entertaining and engaging story but one which felt like it could have done a bit more.
For more information about The Hexologists, see the publisher's website here.
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