Book Review :: Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider

Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider
ISBN: 1399633988
Series: Fire & Metal #1
Published by Gollancz
on 24 June 2025
Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy
Pages: 464
Goodreads

Brynn has spent the better part of her life waiting for the chance to attend the annual market hosted by the Kenta, the very same people who exiled the Alaha to live a life over the sea. A rite of passage for all young guards, she’s not sure what to expect from it, but breaking a century- long peace treaty certainly isn’t on her map.

Neither is the encounter with an enemy soldier.

Returning home to Alaha, she’s confronted with the aftermath of the day’s events. The future is uncertain as the threat of hunger looms over the people. With rumors of a growing rebellion, Brynn and her closest friends promise to stick together.

When an unexpected visitor arrives, Brynn’s loyalty will be tested as she learns of a world of magic and treachery. Once her enemy, always her enemy, right? But the dark, knowing eyes of a stranger make her question everything…including her heart.

Last updated on 30 September 2025

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What is Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider about?

Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider is about Brynn, who has been counting down to the annual Kenta market her whole life. It’s supposed to be a rite of passage for every young guard. What it’s not supposed to involve? Accidentally throwing a century-old peace treaty out the window.

Or, you know, bumping into an enemy soldier.

Back home in Alaha, things spiral fast. Food is running short, whispers of rebellion are getting louder, and Brynn and her friends are just trying to hold it all together. Then comes a visitor she never expected, one who knows more about magic, secrets, and betrayal than she’s ready for.

“Everyone’s always muttering about the good gods, but the bad ones are way more interesting.”

Suddenly, Brynn finds herself running from Alaha, running away with Acker, the strange visitor who knows so much more about her than she does. There are so many things that she needs to catch up on, so many aspects of her life that she needs to grasp. Her loyalty is on the line. Her future’s on the line. And that soldier with the dark, unreadable eyes? He might just ruin everything… including her heart.

My thoughts on Metal Slinger

I enjoyed this one a lot. It took me a little while to read it (unlike most people on Goodreads who seem to have devoured this in just a few days), but mostly because it was the book I took away on holiday with me, and the holiday was in Australia and was more an active holiday, rather than a ‘lounge all day and read’ kind of holiday. I also managed to spill half a litre of water on it on day one, so then it was damp for a few days, and then twice the size thereafter. Oops.

So while it took over a week to finally get it done, I really enjoyed it.

The world-building was well done, I thought. Alaha, where Brynn is from, is on the water. The people of Alaha live on the water, while the people on Kenta live on the land, and the world is divided between the two. They’ve been living in peace like that for centuries. This was an interesting dynamic, with the water and the land, and it was quite fun to read a story that involved both.

The characters of the book were okaaaaaaay? I really liked Messer, who is Brynn’s friend; I thought he was great. Definitely was my favourite character from the story. Brynn and Acker are okay. Didn’t hate them, didn’t love them.

“I looked for you. In every market and podunk town, in every corner of every land, I searched each face for yours.”

The pacing of the book is a little off, I will say. A lot happens at the beginning, and a lot happens at the end, but the middle section is slow. Brynn and Acker are on a boat for a long time, and not a lot happens. I think it could have been cut down a bit more in the middle section, or rewritten in a way that moved things along a bit more, and a bit faster.

While I knew that there was a major twist at the end (it’s on the cover of the book, too!), I didn’t call it, and nor did I find myself trying to figure out what it was. It did come to mind a few times while I was reading it, but for the most part, it was a surprise.

Was it a good twist? Absolutely. Was it an outstanding twist? Hmm, hard to say.

I think it was a goodie, but it also wasn’t mind-shattering. Perhaps if I didn’t know a twist was coming, then the impact would have been a bit more intense.

If you’re looking to dip your toes into romantasy, then this might be a good one to start with. There’s enough world-building, as I mentioned, and plot that sits alongside the romance side of things. It’s a good balance.

While romantasy books usually involve more of a higher-stakes romance, where the romance is impacting the world around the characters … this is less so. Still good, for sure, but less ‘if this doesn’t work out for them, the whole world will end’ type of way.

Looking forward to reading the next one, Light Wielder!

Have you read Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider? What did you think?