What would be like if the Great Library of Alexandria had never burned down? Would all the amazing knowledge that was stored there and now is gone have enriched the world? Just imagine what a different world we could live in today. That is what Rachel Caine has done with The Great Library series. She created a world where the library never burned down and is now a presence in every major city in the world, controlling knowledge. Through alchemy, the library can deliver any of the content in the library directly to anyone. However, it's forbidden to own books. Anyone threatening the power of the Great Library is put down.

In SMOKE AND IRON Jess Brightwell has exchanged place with his twin brother Brendan in a dangerous game against the Archivist Magister of the Great Library. He's not only risking his life but his friends, many of them that don't know what Jess is doing. All Jess knows he must bring the Archivist down, to stop the corruption in the Great Library.

SMOKE AND IRON is the latest installment in The Great Library series, and I'm very late to the party since I read this book without having read the previous three books. Looking back can I honestly say that you should really read the books from the start. However, despite this I can also say that the book is so great I found myself engrossed in the story. Yes, there is much to take in as a new reader, but the world Rachel Caine has created, and all the wonderful characters make it worth starting the series right now. If you love reading 'what if' stories than you definitely must read this series. I was in awe of the world Rachel Caine created, and I want to know more. There are obvious changes to the world. One of the greatest is that printed books are strictly forbidden. I'm eager to read the previous books to find out more changes. And of course, I can't wait to read the next one.

Book Summary

To save the Great Library, the unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone, Paper and Fire, and Ash and Quill put themselves in danger in the next thrilling adventure in the New York Times bestselling series.

The opening moves of a deadly game have begun. Jess Brightwell has put himself in direct peril, with only his wits and skill to aid him in a game of cat and mouse with the Archivist Magister of the Great Library. With the world catching fire, and words printed on paper the spark that lights rebellion, it falls to smugglers, thieves, and scholars to save a library thousands of years in the making...if they can stay alive long enough to outwit their enemies.