Servant of the Underworld by Aliette de Bodard
Servant of the underworld is a mystery set in the capital city of the Aztecs, where the magic of the Aztecs is real and the gods play an active role in the lives of mortals. A high ranking priestess has gone missing, and Acatl, the High Priest of the Dead, is responsible for uncovering the mystery. Bodard studied the Aztec culture and through her research created a story rooted in fact, and in many ways Servant of the Underworld is a historical fantasy novel. Despite the emphasis on the setting, Servant of the Underworld is much better described as a mystery novel set is a historical-fantasy world.
In this episode we discuss
- Acatl’s character arc, and its similarities to many young adult stories. How Acatl grows from a character filled with regret and nervousness associated with his position to someone who is comfortable leading and being a high priest in the civilization.
- The accuracy of the Aztec setting. Though neither of us are experts, Bodard is known for her study of the Aztec world which resulted in a historical fantasy novel. Also portrayed and explored is the (blood) magic used in the sacrificial system to summon the power of the gods.
- The structure of a mystery novel, and the pros and cons of genre. We discuss how Servant of the Underworld is more accurately described as a mystery novel set in a fantastical world more than a fantasy novel with mystery elements. How information revealed is how the plot progresses. And the slow burn beats of a mystery novel’s progression.
- The size of the world presented. Due to the story being written in first person, we the readers are limited to Acatl’s perspective; which does portray great characterization, but for the first half of the book limits the size of the world we are presented.
Other works mentioned
- The Three Body Problem by Liu Cixin, with respect to how information is revealed in a mystery setting. Link to our discussion of The Three Body Problem.
- Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb, with respect to size of the world and how information and questions as brought up and explored. Link to our discussion of Assassin’s Apprentice.
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