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Description
The Government Lake: Last PoemsThe stunning, startling collection that is also the last work from a major poet A woman named Mildred starts laying eggs after feathers from wild poultry begin coming down the chimney. A man becomes friends with a bank robber who abducts him and eventually rues his captor's death. A baby is born transparent. James Tate's work, filled with unexpected turns and deadpan exaggeration, "fanciful and grave, mundane and transcendent," (New York Times) has
The stunning, startling collection that is also the last work from a major poet
A woman named Mildred starts laying eggs after feathers from wild poultry begin coming down the chimney. A man becomes friends with a bank robber who abducts him and eventually rues his captor's death. A baby is born transparent.
James Tate's work, filled with unexpected turns and deadpan exaggeration, "fanciful and grave, mundane and transcendent," (New York Times) has been among the most defining and significant of our time. In his last collection before his death in 2015, Tate's dark yet whimsical humor, his emotional acuity, and his keen ear for the absurd are on full display in prose poems that finely constructed and lyrical, surrealistic and provocative.
With The Government Lake, James Tate reminds us why he is one of the great poets of our age and one of the true masters of the form.
--John AshberyBinding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Ecco Press
Published: 04/28/2020
ISBN: 9780062914729
Pages: 96
Weight: 0.25lbs
Size: 8.70h x 5.80w x 0.30d
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4.7 ★★★★★
Based on 403 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 4
4 Stars for Now!
Format: Kindle
I DEVOURED this book. I was in a huge slump after reading a horrible series right before this but after 3 pages of this book, I was hooked. I read the whole book in 2 days. I think the author did an amazing job at writing an engaging story with an amazing twist at the end. I know many readers feel betrayed by the twist and find the narrator to be unreliable but I feel that the twist was done in a great unsuspecting way. Though I do feel betrayed, I think there is so much room for redemption in the second book!
The author also did an amazing job at world/character building. She was able to do so without interrupting the story which is one of my huge pet peeves. A lot of authors build by taking breaks in the plot or dialogue which I find choppy and disengaging but this author was able to build in an engaging way. There was some lack of world/character building but I think that was due to keeping reader in the dark. The world, politics, and characters were all very easy to understand.
I found the romance a little lackluster and a bit off-kilter. Some of it was really pushy and rushed which left a bad taste in my mouth. I do hope the author delves deeper into the romance in coming books.
The FMC was a breath of fresh air. She was not whiny or stuck-up like most books. She was never afraid to accept help from others but she was still able to shine with her intelligence. Not once did I think she made a poor decision just for the sake of a plot point. She was really easy to like. The MMC could use some work but I think that will happen more in coming books.
This is a MUST read, my only advice would be to wait until it is a finished series!
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Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2025
★★★★★ 5
Need book 2 please :-)
Format: Kindle
From the very first chapter, Metal Slinger hooked me and refused to let go.
Set in a brutal, metal-bound world where power is carved from steel and survival depends on strength, strategy, and sheer will, this story follows a young woman forced into a dangerous system where control over metal isn’t just magic — it’s dominance, protection, and rebellion. When she’s pulled into escalating conflict and shifting alliances, she quickly learns that power always comes with a cost.
The magic system is sharp and immersive without being overwhelming. The way metal manipulation is woven into combat and politics makes every confrontation feel cinematic and high-stakes. It’s gritty, tense, and beautifully layered.
The Brynn, our FMC absolutely shines. She’s fierce but not untouchable, resilient without feeling unrealistic. Watching her navigate betrayal, survival, and the slow awakening of her own strength felt earned every step of the way. There’s grit in her fight scenes and vulnerability in her quieter moments that make her deeply human.
And the tension? Immaculate. The chemistry simmers under the surface before sparking into something electric. Every reluctant alliance, every charged interaction, every moment of “are they about to destroy each other or kiss?” had me flying through pages.
The pacing is relentless — no filler, no wasted scenes. Twists land hard. Stakes keep climbing. And that ending? Absolutely feral. The kind that leaves you staring at the wall for a minute before immediately checking when book two releases.
✨ Gritty metal-based magic
⚔️ High-stakes survival
🔥 Slow-burn tension
🖤 Fierce, layered heroine
💥 A finale that HITS (but cliffhanger!)
This is one of those fantasies that reminds you why you fell in love with the genre in the first place. If this is just Book One, I am more than ready to be emotionally wrecked again in the sequel.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Read this book! Then join our support group for the ending😜
While I’ve read some amazing books this year, it’s been awhile since I have completely devoured a book in less than 24 hours. This book was one I truly could not put down. I couldn’t fall asleep because I didn’t want to stop reading what happened next.
The way this book starts is one of my absolute favorite ways to fall into a story - with no preamble and immediate conspiring amongst characters.
Brynn has quickly become one of my new favorite FMCs. She is just so REAL. No whining or blaming her situation on everyone and everything else. She accepts her role in the world, but also holds a fierce determination to know the truth of that world. She is brave, yet terrified. Strong, yet self-conscious. She is cunning and intelligent and she doesn’t shy away from what is hard or allow emotion to overcome logic. I feel like she’s such a relatable character in everything that happens to her.
Then we have Kai…our commander and son of the leader. He’s got secrets. Big ones. And the amount of times my feelings for him flipped in this book is insane. I’m still honestly reeling…
Acker, my man…he’s mysterious, yet he doesn’t pull his punches. He’s loyal to a fault. He feels things deeply and he is fervent in his beliefs and desires. I adore him and yet want to shake him for the way he goes about making decisions and only sharing half truths. And right now my heart is aching for him and also terrified of him. When I say I need book 2 like I need water, that’s an understatement.
I don’t have space to discuss every side character, but just know that I love them deeply and they each have big personalities of their own.
The miscommunication honestly feels more like a necessity and less of a trope. The MCs don’t truly know one another, so of course there’s hesitancy to share everything with a stranger who has been somewhat forced upon you due to the situation you’ve both found yourself in. But it also is refreshing to watch them both learn to trust and communicate more and more as they go.
The world building was exciting and unique - unlike anything I’ve read before. The kingdoms and their systems and the unique magics all create this setting that is utterly perfect. I never felt confused, but could easily envision everything as it was explained in detail.
The slow burn and spice was paced so perfectly and realistically that it never felt weird or forced or annoying. It unfolds the way most normal relationships would (minus the magic and fantasy aspects). I truly cheered for our MCs and loved the way they finally came together.
This story takes all the tropes we know and love and twists them into something unique and entirely different than all the other stories we’ve grown used to. And when I tell you that you will NEVER see the plot twists coming, HOLY SMOKES BATMAN!
And the last 2 chapters took me ALL THE WAY OUT. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to be okay after that. I almost want to go back to chapter 55 and pretend the rest didn’t happen…but of course I can’t do that and now I’ll just be dying a little inside every day until I get my hands on book two!
If you enjoy fantasy or romantasy, this has to be your next read. All the rest can wait. Grab your copy YESTERDAY.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2025
★★★★★ 5
Outstanding book - A MUST READ
This is fantasy romance at its finest, and I couldn’t put it down from the moment I started. Packed with classic romantasy tropes that are done so well, especially my favorite: fated mates!
The world-building is both easy to digest and detailed enough to feel immersive. It strikes the perfect balance—not too vague but never overwhelming. The world is divided between several groups of people, and the story revolves around the Alaha, who live on the water, and the Kenta, who reside on land. For centuries, these two factions have maintained a fragile peace, but things take a sharp turn when our FMC, Brynn, threatens that peace right at the beginning of the book. What follows is a thrilling dive into a world of magic, rebellion, and secrets. I will say no more, because you should go into this book relatively blind to get the full experience.
Brynn, our FMC, is everything you could want in a lead. She’s smart, confident, and refuses to bow to threats. Then there’s the MMC, Acker. Scrumptious doesn’t even begin to cover it. The chemistry between him and Brynn is electric, and their dynamic had me grinning (and swooning) throughout.
This book has all the best romantasy tropes: forced proximity, slowest of slow burns, elemental magic, fated mates (done right), political intrigue, and plot twists you will not see coming! Each trope is executed masterfully, blending seamlessly into the story without feeling overdone. If these are your jam, you’ll absolutely love this book. Even if they are not usually your cup of tea, this book may change your mind.
While the pacing is fast and gripping overall, it does have a bit of a lull in the middle. That said, the ending more than made up for it—it left me gasping and desperate for the next book.
I think I said aloud, “What the hell just happened?” when I finished the last page. This book grabbed me by the neck and didn’t let go. It’s full of banter, twisty turns, and a delicious tension. Probably one of my favorite fantasy reads this year. I am going to be thinking about this book non-stop until book 2 is released!
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Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2024
★★★★★ 4
Cool world building and great side characters
Format: Kindle
I adored the side characters and found them a lot more compelling than Jovie and Acker, if I’m being honest. I really wanted to like her but I found myself getting frustrated by her lack of, I don’t know, real rage for any of the crap people pull on her. Like ok I get this is romantasy but I have a hard time really believing you’re actually as upset at this guy as you claim to be when two minutes later you’re letting this dude shove his tongue down your throat. Additionally, an early running theme is that Jovie is frustrated that there are a bunch of people deciding things for her but the existence of the whole “matched/bond” thing makes much of her autonomy a moot point. Like at one point I think Acker even points out that them getting into bed together is a “foregone conclusion” and someone else mentions that the other matched pairs that don’t end up together ended up literally destroying each other. No pressure. I was a lot more interested in the characterization of Messer, Beau, and Hallis.
I knew I was going to be exasperated consistently by this girl when she let Mr. Murder Hottie treat Messer like a war criminal after he almost got himself spatchcocked for them by a mighty-morphing radical with an attitude problem. If my homie went through the battle blender like that for me after I found out he had been secretly protecting me and keeping me company for weeks/months, I would be doing A LOT MORE than standing around trying to figure out if I actually thought he was my friend while Captain Boy Toy did some light torture on him. Also Acker, my dude, if you can still find it in your heart and your loins to get riled up while your sister is having a breakdown in the room over…I don’t know, seek help I guess. I liked the juxtaposition of Beau’s bravado and her militaristic delivery of information to her brother showing she can turn on a dime when needed. Adding the mental toll her gift takes on her throughout time and how she has self destructive coping mechanisms really gave her some cool depth, and I appreciated the vulnerability it lent her. Hallis was a weird character for me at first but I ended up looking forward to his dialogue a lot. Initially, I didn’t care for the way he seemed to immediately just be a real jerk to Jovie and it didn’t often read as playful to me when I think it sometimes meant to. Regardless, his genuine care for Beau and Acker and how he dropped the act immediately when they really needed him made him pretty endearing and I always appreciate a grump who cares.
Honestly everything about this book was an A+ for me aside from the two main characters’ dynamic. When Jovie gets pissed at those bats and obliterates a forest? A+ When she tells Acker that she saw the signs that Messer was getting abused and acknowledged she felt shame and that she couldn’t fault him for being complicit in her mistreatment since she had done the same? A+ When she’s sitting there and coming to terms with the fact that everything she knows has been built on lies as she’s flipping through her sketchbook? A++ The writing and setting is great and the book is good, but someone needs to give Jovie a big stick and tell her it’s okay to be mad and smack people with it even if they’re hot.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2025
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