Locklands (The Founders Trilogy)

Bennett’s trilogy is one of the more inventive epic fantasies of recent years, largely because its magic system feels like a collision between code, commerce, and theology. The books are packed with action and intrigue, but their real fascination lies in how they think about systems: who builds them, who controls them, and who gets exploited by them. Bennett also writes very well about cities and institutions, making the setting feel alive at every level. The characters have enough wit and emotional complexity to keep the machinery from taking over. There’s a strong anti-corporate current running through the trilogy, which gives the spectacle real bite. The pacing can be relentless, but the ideas hold up under the speed. It’s big, smart fantasy that still knows how to entertain.