SFF

The Builders

by Daniel Polansky
Tor.com. Nov. 2015. 224p. ISBN 9780765385307. pap. $12.99; ebk. ISBN 9780765384003. FANTASY
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Getting the gang back together for one more job is classic caper plotting, but in this case the gang leader is a mouse named Captain, and his crew includes a badger, stoat, possum, mole, and salamander. They were all part of a failed political battle years ago, and Captain and his allies intend to overthrow the current leader of the kingdom and get revenge on those who betrayed them.
VERDICT Given this title's slim length and the many enjoyable pages devoted to introducing each gang member, there is not a lot of time for the attack itself. Still, Polansky ("Low Town" trilogy) makes the most of his page count and keeps the pacing at the end quick and the violence quotient high. If you ever wondered about a grim version of Brian Jacques's Redwall, check out this novella, one in a superb new lineup from Tor.com.
Reviewed by Megan M. McArdle , Nov 15, 2015
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