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Cover of Foundryside

Foundryside

by Robert Jackson Bennett

🌶️🌶️mild·The Founders Trilogy #1·✓ Series Complete
4.2 on Goodreads (55,753)

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Ending

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Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

A wildly inventive magic system where reality literally runs on coded commands, wrapped in a heist plot with sapphic romance and sharp social commentary about corporate exploitation. Think Oceans Eleven meets cyberpunk fantasy.

Synopsis

Sancia Grado is a thief, and a damn good one. And her latest target, a heavily guarded warehouse on Tevanne’s docks, is nothing her unique abilities can’t handle. But unbeknownst to her, Sancia’s been sent to steal an artifact of unimaginable power, an object that could revolutionize the magical technology known as scriving. The Merchant Houses who control this magic--the art of using coded commands to imbue everyday objects with sentience--have already used it to transform Tevanne into a vast, remorseless capitalist machine. But if they can unlock the artifact’s secrets, they will rewrite the world itself to suit their aims. Now someone in those Houses wants Sancia dead, and the artifact for themselves. And in the city of Tevanne, there’s nobody with the power to stop them. To have a chance at surviving—and at stopping the deadly transformation that’s under way—Sancia will have to marshal unlikely allies, learn to harness the artifact’s power for herself, and undergo her own transformation, one that will turn her into something she could never have imagined.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

FLAG: Not romantasy — this is secondary-world fantasy with a minor sapphic subplot (Sancia and Berenice). Romance is present but firmly secondary to the heist plot, magic system, and corporate intrigue. The Founders Trilogy is complete at 3 books (Foundryside, Shorefall, Locklands). Incredible magic system (scriving = programming reality). Heavy CWs including referenced SA, slavery, child trafficking. 501 pages, pub 2018. Keep for sapphic fantasy readers but do not surface as romantasy. Tara Sands narrates.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.16 ★ (55.8k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

501 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2018

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Fantasy

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

F/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Multi-POV

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Single Narrator (female)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Tara Sands

Narrator Count

Single

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
forbidden loveheist romanceforced alliancehidden identitysecret power
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

thrillingadventurousdarkmysteriousintensegrittyepic

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

cinematicimmersivesharpwittypunchy

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

fast

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

moderate

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

high

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

heist energyreality runs on codecorporate dystopiascriving magic system

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

spy/thiefsurvivoroutcast/lonergeneral badass

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

slow burnpartners in crimeintellectual connectionreluctant allies to lovers

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
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🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
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Spice Level 2

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

tension / anticipation focusslow burn with late spice

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

tensionlonging glancesplayful banter

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

None
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (13)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
sexual assault (referenced)child traffickingviolencegraphic violencetortureslaveryPTSDmurderdeathabandonmentmedical experimentationfatphobiablood
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

high fantasysteampunk / gaslamp

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

big city / metropolis

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

golems / animated constructs

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

sapphicqueerBIPOC MC

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

addictive readintellectual satisfactionadrenaline rushvicarious thrill

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

vacationrainy weekendcozy eveninglazy Sunday

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Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️mild
PagesHow long the commitment is.501
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2018
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.16 ★ (55.8k)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

The Founders Trilogy #1
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