Phoenix Rising (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences #1)

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Phoenix Rising (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences #1)

by Philippa Ballantine (Goodreads Author), Tee Morris (Goodreads Author)

3.80 · rating details · 800 ratings · 234 reviews

These are dark days indeed in Victoria’s England. Londoners are vanishing, then reappearing, washing up as corpses on the banks of the river Thames, drained of blood and bone. Yet the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences- the Crown’s clandestine organisation whose baliwick is the strange and unsettling- will not allow its agents to investigate. Fearless and exceedingly lovely ...more

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Published (first published April 26th 2011)

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Oct 27, 2011

Stephen rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, mystery, science-fiction, punked, audiobook, ebooks, sherlockian

Okay, Steampunk, here's the deal...the freshness has worn off, the splash has dried up and you have become as ubiquitous as Starbucks in the world of science fiction and fantasy.

Remember when Starbucks & Steampunk were both the bright-eyed, hipster, upstart new kid on the block basking in their novelty and unique approach and nose-thumbing at the old guard of the status quo? Well, like Starbucks, Steampunk has grown fat and happy and become the status quo. Everywhere you turn, you c...more

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May 23, 2011

Catherine rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: series, steampunk, adventure, class-difference, crime-police-mystery-private-invest, england, fantasy-paranormal-sci-fi, historical, mystery, read-2011

It’s not often that I read a book with quite this dynamic. The heroine is the daring, dynamic one in the investigating duo. The hero is the adorably proper and nerdy Archivist who finds his combustible new partner a trial to him. Eliza and Wellington have both become rather set in their roles. When they find themselves partnered and forced to work together it’s a learning experience for them both.

All poor Wellington wants to do is work behind the scenes and rule his little domain i...more

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Jan 02, 2012

Elizabeth rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: ereaders-unite, fantasy-sci-fi, in-by-of-england, in-by-of-the-americas, reviewed, they-re-like-fish-man, victorians-and-wannabes, elizabethan-my-dear, books-about-books, 2012, the-knights-who-say-meh

The archivist's name is Books! Get it? Get it?

I'm always worried when an author (or authors, in this case) can't avoid a cheap pun, and this one is very cheap. It doesn't usually bode well for the imagination of said authors. They have plenty of imagination though or, well, maybe they do. I'm struggling with this one because it should have been better than it was. It really does have a lot of great steampunky elements to it: bullet-proof corsets, a successful building of Babbage's a ...more

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Mar 10, 2011

Marcus rated it

· review of another edition

After the first pages of Pip Ballantine’s and Tee Morris’ Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel I was under the impression of heading into a hilarious and almost slapsticky Steampunk adventure. Eliza Brown and Wellington Books, the central protagonists, were simply too much of a missmatch and their initial “conversations” too comical. I had several good laughs.
Gradually, the lightheartedness leaves the novel, though. Keeping pace with the developments, the comical nature ...moreAfter the first pages of Pip Ballantine’s and Tee Morris’ Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel I was under the impression of heading into a hilarious and almost slapsticky Steampunk adventure. Eliza Brown and Wellington Books, the central protagonists, were simply too much of a missmatch and their initial “conversations” too comical. I had several good laughs.
Gradually, the lightheartedness leaves the novel, though. Keeping pace with the developments, the comical nature of their relationship fades more and more into the background. The pair gets to know each other better, and while still not fully understanding the other, they develop a grudging respect for their respective partner.
The story itself very soon becomes fast-paced and action packed. There are quite a few instances, in particular the excellent, almost swashbuckling duel scene in the London Opera, when I felt like having to hold onto my armchair. Still, humor never leaves the pages. Within the very same duel there is one notable simultaneous question between the duelists:

“Who is your seamstress?”

That one had me chuckling for hours afterwards.

But Phoenix Rising is not all good humored swashbuckling action. Not by far. The moment Books and Brown manage to infiltrate the Phoenix Society, the story gets noticeably, even drastically darker. Although there are hints earlier in the novel, telling of most nefarious events involving the society, I was relatively unprepared for the abysses of human behaviour and decadence within the Phoenix Society. Quite a twist.
I have to congratulate the authors on their ability of putting a number of those twists into the story. There are several very interesting turns over the course of the novel. Some are entertaining and give surprising insights into some characters, their history and the world, others drastically alter the reader’s perception of the main dramatis personae. I dislike putting spoilers into my reviews, so I will say no more.

The cast of characters is also one of the strong points of the novel. Every single one is believable, no matter how fleeting or detailed the description. Although Eliza and Wellington have some rather stereotypical traits, both have more hidden depth than one would suspect. Their antagonists are similarly fascinating. Sophia, Eliza’s nemesis, is Eliza’s spiritual twin, as Eliza herself notes, had they met in different circumstances, they would be the best of friends. The heads of the Phoenix Society range from scientist who has gone over the edge to complete and utter filth. Again I have to express my admiration for the creativity and writing-style of Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris. “Filth” does not even scratch the surface of what Lord Devane is. Of all the villains I have thus far encountered, he is by far the worst, and his claim of “superiority due to noble lineage” makes him even more disgusting. A villain you love to hate. Next to him, everyone other villain shines.

And shining brings me to the one aspect I found rather annoying. Eliza shines too much. Wellington, although highly skilled and with more talents than one might expect, has some issues. For one, he is haunted by his upbringing, further, he is awkward around women and afraid of guns. Eliza is bold, confident, brave, liberal, resourceful, rich and a benefactor to the poor, beautiful and through her we learn how much more progressive New Zealand is compared to Britain. She even had Maori tutors for her martial skills. Her one negative trait is that she is quite a vamp. But this is something easily forgiven since she uses her womanly powers only in service of the Empire and never crosses certain boundaries. She is too good. I got the impression she is the authors’ favourite brainchild and thus got only good things.

But this is the only point of contention I have with Phoenix Rising. Other than this one point, the novel leaves nothing to be desired. Phoenix Rising is a real page-turner. The novel makes you laugh, gets your adrenalin pumping, makes you laugh again and fills you with the urge to drag the villains out from between the pages and give them a dose of their own medicine.(less)

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Oct 28, 2011

CJ - You Carry On As If I Don't Love You rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: london-england, scifi-fantasy-mystery, steampunk, victorian, urban-fiction

4.7

I believe there must be a rule that says all knew Steampunk novels must start off slow, involve automatons serving food and then trying to kill you and explosions with large scale destruction.

On that note, this story follows Eliza Braun and Wellington Brooks, both agents of the crown with opposite personalities and interests. Wellington is safe and seemingly tamping down on some wicked past psychological issues while Eliza is ignoring her past and living life with the ...more

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Oct 16, 2011

Cat Russell ~Addicted2Heroines~ rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: highly-recommend

In Ballantine and Morris' well-crafted debut, the story line's mystery and intrigue are out-shined by the brilliantly paired Books and Braun.

Agent Eliza D. Braun is a strong and admirable heroine. She is sassy, playful, and full of life. Her occasional moments of recklessness and her penchant for dynamite are all a part of this Ministry agent's charm.

Archivist Wellington Thornhill Books Esquire is Eliza's complete opposite.

He's disciplined, well-mannered, ofte...more

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Jun 03, 2011

Kindle-aholic rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: anyone who loves steampunk, gadgets and adventure

Shelves: steampunk

4.5 Stars

I grew up watching Wild Wild West, The Avengers, and Sherlock Holmes re-runs, and this book felt like coming home.

This one was so much fun to read. I really loved it. Lots of adventure, gadgets, the brassy Eliza Braun with her love of explosives and weaponry, the dapper Wellington Books with his love of order and gadgetry. They are completely mismatched, which means of course that they make absolutely perfect partners. They just don't know it yet.

As ...more

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Feb 20, 2012

Jenn rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: steampunk

I bought this book on a whim the other day and I’m so pleased that I did. After enjoying Philippa Ballantine‘s Geist (which I talked about here), I was excited to see that she’s also ventured into the world of steampunk, teaming up with Tee Morris (who I’d never heard of) to create a fun new series with its very own website.

The book is told from both Eliza and Books’ perspectives, helping the reader to get to know both protagonists. Eliza is brash and daring and saucy while Books is mo...more

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Jan 09, 2012

Nathan rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: steampunk

Phoenix Rising moves along at a rollicking pace and feels like a classic pulp adventure with twists, turns and exciting action sequences. It also has enough odd contraptions, interesting locations and class conflict to keep Steampunk fans hooked. I also really enjoyed the relationship between the main characters, which provides plenty of entertaining conflict. Everything is over the top and larger than life, which I enjoyed, and the villains are truly despicable. Some of the characters are a lit...more

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Jan 01, 2012

Cornerofmadness rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: steampunk

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

I'm still enamored of the idea of steampunk, but I've had trouble finding novels that I like. This one comes close. Wish Goodreads had a half star system since this is better than three but not as good as four.

Set in Victorian London, it opens with a grand rescue by the ministry of Peculiar Occurrences agent, Eliza Braun. We later learn that she was supposed to assassinate Agent Wellington Books, fearing he had been compromised by their enemy to the House of Usher but she...more

I'm still enamored of the idea of steampunk, but I've had trouble finding novels that I like. This one comes close. Wish Goodreads had a half star system since this is better than three but not as good as four.

Set in Victorian London, it opens with a grand rescue by the ministry of Peculiar Occurrences agent, Eliza Braun. We later learn that she was supposed to assassinate Agent Wellington Books, fearing he had been compromised by their enemy to the House of Usher but she refused to follow that order.

As punishment, Eliza is taken out of the field to learn a little restraint and respect for the chain of command and is assigned to Books as a partner. He's an archivist, but he's also an inventor and innovator (which is where the steampunk elements come in the heaviest). Their relationship is a common trope, the stuffy bookish man and the highly sexualized outgoing woman (reminded a little too much of Rupert Giles and Faith). They called her a 'colonial pepperpot' a little too often. Eliza is from New Zealand and misses it. She also misses being in the field and when Books tells her about the cold case files, she can't resist looking into what happened to her last partner who'd been driven insane by a case involving missing people who were later found missing either all their bones, their tissues or their blood.

Books gets drawn into helping her. Together they uncover a new secret society, worse than the House of Usher, filled with England's upper crust, determined to restore England to it former world power status by any means possible. Intercutting the flip flopping chapters (between Eliza and Books, povs) are interludes that set up hints of unrest in the ministry and lay the groundwork for what surely will be a series of Braun & Books stories. With no back up and doing this in secret, Books and Braun may not survive to see another day.

The book was entertaining but it did have its problems. For one, the names bothered me, silly I know. It's not totally unlikely for a librarian to be named Books but it is a little eye rolling and Eliza Braun just kept putting me in mind of Germany not New Zealand but that's my issue not the book's. I was more put out that the characters are a tad one note, especially Eliza. I'm a little tired of action heroines being too over the top and Eliza is. The female assassin was more realistic in many ways. Eliza is all let's blow things up and not enough of anything else even though that is what she's supposed to be learning. Her sexing up Books and backing away got a little tiresome after a while but then again I'm not an UST fan. Books can be a little one note, too, and his loathing of guns made me think I misread something. I hadn't. He can/will shoot but he keeps hiding it from Eliza, which ended up feeling contrived, and I just didn't see why he'd do it. Overall, it was good. I'd look for the next one but I hope the characters will get a little more depth to them then.
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Dec 16, 2011

Elizabeth rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone who reads PG-13

Recommended to Elizabeth by: Goodreads Recommendations

Shelves: alternate-history, compelling-protagonist, crime, fantastical-tale, hysterically-funny, mystery, steampunk, scifi, romance, thrilling

This is a fantastically funny steampunk book, with two very three-dimensional and well-(mis)matched protagonists. The steampunk of it is less macabre or ridiculous than most novels of the time, and the balance between light and dark was for the most part well-done. I particularly appreciated Wellington's lightness and darkness as he and his father vie for control over his feelings and morals. It was very in keeping with steampunk's oldest and most respected quality: exploring moral issues throug...more

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Dec 12, 2011

Kat rated it

· review of another edition

I can't say this book turned my head as much as I wanted it to. There are some incredible ideas, concepts, scenes, and action in here, and the whole thing feels like a rough gold nugget just waiting to be polished to a brilliant shine. And in some places it did, so brilliantly, in fact, that it made me forgive many of the issues of the novel, and even turned me on to giving any second attempt a try. But the places where it was left rough and unpolished--sometimes criminally so by the editors, an...moreI can't say this book turned my head as much as I wanted it to. There are some incredible ideas, concepts, scenes, and action in here, and the whole thing feels like a rough gold nugget just waiting to be polished to a brilliant shine. And in some places it did, so brilliantly, in fact, that it made me forgive many of the issues of the novel, and even turned me on to giving any second attempt a try. But the places where it was left rough and unpolished--sometimes criminally so by the editors, and not through any fault of the author's--detracted enough to make me want to knock my head on a wall. Repeatedly.

The Good:

The entire concept of the super secret organization the main characters work for is very cool, as is the very charming and smaller Ministry of Seven. In fact, the entire novel is littered with Moments of Cool, ranging from steampunk inventions to orgies to action sequences that will take your breath away. The characters were eminently likeable, and if the joke with the names (Books and Braun) was not subtle, I can honestly say I never stopped being amused by it. Books is actually a very complex character, and I sometimes had the impression the writers liked him more than the impulsive and much easier to understand Braun.

The Bad:

The editing will make you want to punch a publishing house in the face. The shoddy editing was NOT the fault of the writers, nor should it reflect badly on their writing skills. Someone was either asleep at the wheel, or just didn't care enough to do their danged job.

What can be placed on the writers is some inconsistent pacing, or scenes so painful they stalled out my reading. Not to mention the painfully shoehorned romance which not only felt forced, but sometimes downright blasphemous considering how REAL Braun's feelings for her dead ex-partner felt. It's not that any of this was intrinsically BAD, just done in such a way that certain bits could be a chore to read. Thankfully, they were rare--and again, a better editor would have caught such anomalies and had the writers fix them before the book ever went to publishing.

The Ugly:

WORLD ESTABLISHMENT. The authors NEVER DID THIS. Sure, they set the steampunk part of it up well--you deeply understood the Ministry, the conspiracy, the asylum, and any part of the world the two characters had to immediately interact with. But for anyone with a smidgen of knowledge of history, they left us hanging. Questions like why Braun would allow the very male Books to see her bathing, questions about their very informal manners when masquerading as a husband/wife duo of the upper classes (hint, the upper class did not generally call each other "sweetheart" in public or cling all over one another), and several dozen other historical inaccuracies left any informed reader swinging in the breeze.

We never discovered if this was normal for this alternate society, or if the authors had just been lazy about researching the facts. Even Braun's suffragist tendencies didn't sit well; she was obscenely aggressive even for a woman of our era, making her a veritable anomaly or possibly a candidate for Bedlam in any earlier time. And yet, no suitable explanation was ever given as to why Braun was being accepted as a functioning member of society. I would have appreciated a little more fleshing out of WHY and HOW their Victorian era was not like OUR Victorian era, other than "they had way cooler guns."

You'll notice, though, that even with it's issues I am giving the book a solid four stars. Why? Because it is obviously a first effort on the part of the writers, and it's pretty danged obvious the writers held up their part of the deal to the best of their abilities. There comes a point in the novel writing process--preferably BEFORE publishing--that a second pair of eyes are supposed to look over, give feedback, and lovingly correct a book. And had that been done, most of the issues seen here (including troublesome grammar, misplaced words, misspelled and even missing words--you know, the basics) would have been corrected.

As well as this was written overall in SPITE of what was an obvious lack of care by their publishers, I suspect they'll get a second crack at this series. And I will want to see it when it comes out. And the fact that I'm willing to try again tells me all I need to know. (less)

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Dec 03, 2011

Mike rated it

· review of another edition

Out of perhaps misplaced loyalty to a fellow New Zealander, I try hard to like Philippa Ballantine's stuff. Chasing the Bard I enjoyed, but up until now I've never been able to finish anything else of hers, or Tee Morris's.

I read this one all the way to the end, though, and although I nearly gave up in the middle, I'm glad I stayed for the big boom.

Major publishing houses no longer seem to give decent editing to first novels, and Phoenix Rising is no exception. It's ful...more

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Nov 25, 2011

Sunny rated it

· review of another edition

Eliza Braun is like a 19th century cross between Indiana Jones and James Bond. Her adventurous spirit, quick mind, and affinity for gadgets and incendiary devices combine to make her an exciting heroine, and I look forward to reading her further adventures in the service of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.

Wellington Books is a complicated genius whose harshly oppressive background has pressed him to all but extinguish his own sense of adventure. He has learned to take satisfact...more

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Nov 02, 2011

Kerry Allen marked it as dnf · review of another edition

Shelves: donated, great-purge-of-2011, never-again

Quit on page 22.

My last shot at steampunk. It always seems more interested in exploring the minute details of incomprehensible gadgets than the inner workings of the characters. Since engaging characters are a reading priority of mine, I declare genre incompatibility.

In the two chapters I read of this particular offering: Profuse character self-description (sometimes I feel like the only person who doesn't believe it's natural to pepper my internal dialogue with remarks ...more

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Oct 26, 2011

Lynn rated it

· review of another edition

Phoenix Rising is a novel of The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences by Pip Baalantine & Tee Morris. It is published by Harper Voyager an imprint of HarperCollins and it is 402 pages long. A brief summary is that England is under attack from a malevolent brotherhood known only as the Phoenix Society. Eliza Braun is a hot tempered agent assigned to Wellington Books to learn to cool off and to make sure he is not a double agent. Books is a gentleman in every sense of the word and is horrified to ha...more

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Aug 08, 2011

Maria rated it

· review of another edition

I reviewed this book for Night Owl Reviews with a rating of 4.5 Stars:

Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel is the fantastic first book in a new steampunk series by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris. Steampunk is becoming a subgenre which I’m really beginning to enjoy with all of its diversity; each author seems to bring something new, wonderful and enjoyable to the mix. While some steampunk novels are focused on either the science or the romance of the genre, this par...moreI reviewed this book for Night Owl Reviews with a rating of 4.5 Stars:

Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel is the fantastic first book in a new steampunk series by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris. Steampunk is becoming a subgenre which I’m really beginning to enjoy with all of its diversity; each author seems to bring something new, wonderful and enjoyable to the mix. While some steampunk novels are focused on either the science or the romance of the genre, this particular book has more of a “Wild, Wild West” feel to it – courtesy of its focus on the sexy field agent, the steam and mechanical gadgets, a political mystery and a bookish agent with lots of secrets.

The story begins by introducing us to the two main characters; Eliza D. Braun, a female operative from New Zealand, working for the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences as a field agent and Wellington Books, the Ministry’s archivist (analytical researcher and librarian). In fact Eliza is rescuing “Mr. Books”, who has been kidnapped by an enemy agency, known as “The House of Usher”. This situation introduces the characters to each other and also results in Eliza’s “punishment” for failure to follow orders (she was supposed to kill Mr. Books but realizing he had not been compromised, she choose to rescue him instead). Eliza’s punishment was to become Mr. Books new partner and assist him in the Archives.

While trying to exhibit how important the archives are to the Ministry, Books introduces Eliza to the “cold files”, cases which the Ministry has temporarily given up on. She immediately recognizes a file which had been worked by her previous partner, William Harrison, who is now a resident of Bedlam – the mental hospital. Determined to discover what drove “Harry” crazy and solve this peculiar case, which will result in field work, Eliza begins an investigation without clearance from the Ministry. She’s caught “red handed” by none other than Mr. Books, who joins in her investigation. They are determined to solve the mysterious disappearance and reappearance of Londoners who are washing up as either boneless or bloodless corpses on the banks of the Thames.

The scenes between Eliza and Books are full of lively conversation and a bit of tongue in cheek humor. They are not romantic but there is a hint of a mutual attraction which I hope Ms. Ballantine and Ms. Morris develop further in future books. Eliza and Books are almost complete opposites; she’s emotional, very physical and prone to making rash decisions, while Books is generally even tempered, scholarly and slow to act. They both share a love of the gadgets, which we are introduced to throughout the book, and a mutual desire to protect their country and serve their Queen.

The secondary characters are well developed and important to the plot. From Doctor Sound, the mysterious director of the Ministry who seems to have his own secrets, to Doctor Havelock who is both an inventor and a madman. I especially liked Sophia del Morte, the assassin working for hire, who first kidnaps Books for one rogue agency and then goes to work for a different agency, which is behind the current mystery Eliza and Books are trying to solve. A secret agency whose existence dates back to Roman times and whose goal is the destruction of the British government.

When their adventure takes Eliza and Books into the British countryside, where they must masquerade as husband and wife, the plot really picks up speed. We are finally introduced to the evil mastermind behind the gruesome deaths and the invention of some frightening new gadgets with tremendous military application. Will Eliza be able to pose as a meek wife while Books poses as her rich industrialist husband? Will Books be able to overlook his aversion to weapons when the chips are down and he must save himself and Eliza? And will Doctor Sound discover their secrets and banish them from the Ministry? You’ll have to read Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel to find out. I highly recommend it and can’t wait to read the next book in this intriguing series.

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Aug 03, 2011

AnEyeSpy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fun, action

***** <fan> "Phoenix Rising" is power returning. Bodies stripped of blood, muscles, or bone, found in Victorian London, are evidence from Frankenstein (steampunk's Adam?) like experiments, of an advance by a centuries-old secret organization bent on world domination. Two authors, Pip Ballantine (F. born NZ Philippa, sometime librarian) and Tee Morris (M. acted as inventor, privateer) may explain a schizophrenic synchronous smashing smile provoking style. Paternal haunt comments d...more

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Jul 06, 2011

Nightfall rated it

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Shelves: read-and-own

This book was fun, and built to a surprisingly intense ending. With characters named 'Books' and 'Braun' you can tell that the authors meant to keep a sense of humor about the story - and, indeed, lots of it was quite fun, with the two main characters sniping at each other. Despite playing with stereotypes for their character framework (gun-crazy, violent field agent; bookish and slightly stuffy researcher) the authors avoided making their characters one-dimensional. For instance, I liked the fa...more

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Jun 30, 2011

Odin rated it

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Shelves: favorites

When this book hit the shelves, I was eager to have it in my hands, so I hurriedly went to my nearest retailer (sorry Amazon, immediate gratification needed here) and purchased two copies. (My wife loves fantasy as well, and I don’t always share nicely).

While as a child, I had been a huge fan of Jules Verne, I had never been a huge fan of steampunk before. To be truthful, it was because all of my previous encounters with steampunk had been mashups with other genres. Here at last was a ...moreWhen this book hit the shelves, I was eager to have it in my hands, so I hurriedly went to my nearest retailer (sorry Amazon, immediate gratification needed here) and purchased two copies. (My wife loves fantasy as well, and I don’t always share nicely).

While as a child, I had been a huge fan of Jules Verne, I had never been a huge fan of steampunk before. To be truthful, it was because all of my previous encounters with steampunk had been mashups with other genres. Here at last was a true steampunk novel. Something Verne or Wells might have imagined. Well, if those luminaries were a little less stuffy that is.

You see, Phoenix Rising, is a madcap romp through Victorian England that is a perfect blend of laughs and gasps. Wellington and Eliza have been compared to The Avengers Emma Peal and John Steed. I can definitely see the resemblance. The intrepid duo spar with each other and with the villains in a perfect blend of humour and action and the books finale comes much too quickly.

The characters, beyond a shadow of a doubt, make this story need to be the first in a series. The story in itself is quite delightful and self contained. But you can simply feel the characters pushing at the bindings waiting to jump into the next novel in the set.

Wellington Books is an Archivist (please, don’t call him a librarian) for the clandestine Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. If Moulder had lived and worked in Victorian England, he would have been an agent of the Ministry. Books finds himself in a scrape at the beginning of the novel. A scrape best handled with the liberal administration of black powder and explosives. These items are willingly and ably applied by Eliza Braun. Eliza is as bombastic as Wellington is demure. Perfect foils and imminent partners.

Pheonix Rising tells the story of their teaming (although unwillingly) and their triumphant conclusion to a threat that would have ended in failure if either had attempted on their own.

For just a moment, lets return to steampunk. The reason this story made steampunk so enjoyable, was that it isn’t about steampunk. It’s about two wonderful characters that inhabit a steampunk world. The story is not about the devices, but the devices are inherent to the story. Authors, if you want to write steampunk well, here’s your primer.

Mr. Morris and Ms. Ballantine have cowritten a story here that is unlike anything I’ve ever heard or read by either of them. It is seamless in a way that few cowritten stories I’ve ever read are able to achieve. The story simply flows and you’re never aware that two cooks have been playing in the sauce.

Simply stated, Phoenix Rising really should be on your “must read” list. (less)

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Jun 12, 2011

Trak rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, fantasy-sci-fi, humour

I had listened to the podcasts and have really enjoyed them before coming across the novel. The book is not a companion in any way it is a stand alone but it does help to make more sense of the wonderful world Ballantine and Morris have created. If you have not listened to the podcasts you must.

The first book has the hallmark of becoming a great series, engaging characters (with plenty of baggage), a world that really works and interesting story line that promises a lot more.
...more

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Jun 03, 2011

Barbara Tom rated it

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Oh, what fun! Steampunk, great characters, a rousing adventure! That's this book in a nutshell.

Eliza Braun and Wellington Books are agents of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, Britain's hidden asset in the war against the unseemly in Victorian London. The fact that Eliza and "Welly," as Eliza not-so-fondly calls Books, are both agents of the Ministry is the only thing they have in common. Eliza is a "colonist" from New Zealand and therefore subject to the slings...moreOh, what fun! Steampunk, great characters, a rousing adventure! That's this book in a nutshell.

Eliza Braun and Wellington Books are agents of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, Britain's hidden asset in the war against the unseemly in Victorian London. The fact that Eliza and "Welly," as Eliza not-so-fondly calls Books, are both agents of the Ministry is the only thing they have in common. Eliza is a "colonist" from New Zealand and therefore subject to the slings and arrows of the purist upper-classes of England. Welly is one of those upper-class toffs. Eliza makes spectacular appearances, loaded with dynamite, guns, knives, and moxie. Welly is the quiet and methodical head of the Ministry Archives in the leaky basement of the secret Ministry building. You can see already where this is going, can't you?

They meet when Eliza is sent to rescue Welly from a prison in Antarctica where the nefarious House of Usher has taken him. With guns blazing, dynamite blasting (Eliza) and puzzle-solving (Welly), they work as a team to escape the dungeon. And that's only chapter one. And it has little to do with the current story, except to introduce the characters to each other.

Back at the ranch: For past and present sins, Eliza is demoted to be Welly's assistant in the Archives. Their boss, Doctor Sound, probably has an ulterior motive, of course, but it's not apparent, nor does it have a logical basis; it just gets the story going. And here is the story. Eliza's former partner, Harrison Thorne, has been committed to Bedlam. He went bonkers after handling a case on his own. While cleaning up the Archives, Eliza stumbles across Harry's notes from that case. After a poignant visit to Harry and more investigation, Eliza and Welly learn of the secret Phoenix Society. With much prodding from Eliza and trepidation from Welly, they surreptitiously begin reconnaissance on their own. They eventually land in the belly of the beast, so to speak, and more blasting and shooting and puzzle-solving ensue. What's there not to like?

There are side mysteries which are introduced but not solved in this first book in a projected series. Why was Welly kidnapped? What is the House of Usher? Why are two characters named Barnabus and Angelique Collins, also character names in the cult series, "Dark Shadows"? Why is one of the other agents named Bruce Campbell, the name of a cult movie actor? Methinks there are a lot of in-jokes in this book. Where does Doctor Sound go when he slips through the hidden door in the basement? What will become of the Ministry Seven, street urchins whom Eliza and Harry used in much the same fashion as Sherlock used the Baker Street Irregulars.

Before everyone runs out and gets a copy for their preadolescent steampunks, know that adult sexual talk and games are a part of the action.(less)

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May 27, 2011

Felicia rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: vaginal-urban-fantasy, steampunk

Soo I am a fan of Philippa's other series, Geist, but I didn't actually see that she wrote THIS book until after, haha.

I enjoyed this book a lot. The main character's voice, like in Geist, was definitely one of the biggest strengths, and the other characters were well-drawn. This is a cool steampunk world that actually worked for me, I enjoyed the idea of a secret bureau, and the tech and description of the world and items in it was enjoyable.

I guess the only things I c...more

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May 18, 2011

Wolfy rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Those who like M.K. Hobson's books - Native Star

A very good and lively Steampunk story, if you can get past a rather rough start. It is not exactly the smoothest read throughout, but I'm glad I was able to stick it out until it grabbed me fully.

The first chapter opens up with a bit of a bang, as Field Agent - Eliza Braun breaks-out the Ministry's Archivist - Wellington Books, from his Antarctica prison. And from there, you can't help but think this is a start of a clever and fast paced book. But as Chapter 2 opens, all energy and...moreA very good and lively Steampunk story, if you can get past a rather rough start. It is not exactly the smoothest read throughout, but I'm glad I was able to stick it out until it grabbed me fully.

The first chapter opens up with a bit of a bang, as Field Agent - Eliza Braun breaks-out the Ministry's Archivist - Wellington Books, from his Antarctica prison. And from there, you can't help but think this is a start of a clever and fast paced book. But as Chapter 2 opens, all energy and pace seems to bleed out, as the two become reluctant partners down in the dens of the Ministry's Archives. Again, around the 6th chapter another marked shift in voice & writing style becomes blaringly apparent, as this briefly action filled, then a meticulously slow book, becomes a mystery-adventure story, as the two begin to unravel one of the Archive's cold cases.

The story itself is a rather fun read, between the two new partners needling each other and the cleverly crafted story & world building that starts to unfold. Word of warning, this is not a YA book (nor is it a romance). What starts off as a mild description of events, becomes a bit more descriptive, but never quite reaches the level of raunchy. There is a fair amount of shocking violence that would not at all be suitable for children.

The relationship between Eliza & Books, is a rather interesting one, which may have played the biggest role in what kept me focused on reading further. Quite reminiscent of the 80s hit show-Remington Steele, although Books is more like Laura than Steele. They are also quite comparable to the couple dynamic in M.K. Hobson's Witchpunk duology, but possibly due to the fact that I just finished that series.

The book is marred by a litany of inconsistent writing & pace throughout (& quite a few typos), from two freshman authors obviously still trying to find their stride. Frankly, I don't see how two people can successfully write a book of fiction with one voice & writing style. Other than IIona Andrews, I know of no other fiction writers that have successfully met that challenge. And for whatever reason, this book was written in (what I identified as) British English at the the beginning, but later seemed to have loosened up a bit.

What starts off as bumpy, due to inconsistent writing/editing, becomes a truly engaging story, that is full of promise for a continuing series. A good book, if you can hold your judgment and keep reading past the 5th Chapter. If you can stick it out, then you will be richly rewarded.

It ends with a few unanswered questions for the next book. Although, these open-ended mysteries didn't nag at me, since they aren't a big part of the first book's main plot. The same couple returns for Book #2, Cogs & Corsets, which is set to be released in May of 2012.

Warning: Strong Violence and Some Sexual Content. 18+

If you like this book, be sure to check out M.K. Hobson’s Witchpunk Duology.(less)

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May 10, 2011

Catrina rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, net-galley, read-in-2011, steam-punk

The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences is a secret agency that works for the Crown and solves cases involving, well, peculiar occurrences. When bodies are being found without blood and bones, slightly disgraced field agent Eliza Braun decides to solve a case she is not assigned to. Dragging along her partner/unwilling victim archivist Wellington Books, the two get themselves into trouble involving hansom chases, opera fiascos and explosions, lots of explosions. Can the two solve the case without...more

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May 09, 2011

Emelano rated it

· review of another edition

I took part in the National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo) last November with a "cyberpunk" story but having read a couple of "steampunk" novels as well I think it's a genre I am warming up to in a big way and I am very eager to try my hand at writing steampunk fiction myself. So the timing came just right for "Phoenix Rising"! I had been listening to Ballantine & Morris's podcasts and following them on Twitter for a couple of weeks before their novel came out. As ...more

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May 02, 2011

Alison rated it

· review of another edition

Phoenix Rising is the type of book I could happily spend an entire book review quoting from, it's just full of punchy one liners and witty dialogue. If you really want to work out what the story is all about, just look at the cover, it really does manage to sum up the story nicely.

...more

Our heroine, secret agent Eliza D Braun, with her obsession with dynamite and her New Zealand 'can-do' attitude, combines with stiff-upper-lip British Archivist Wellington Books (yes, Books and Brawn), to create mayhem and chaos for Queen and country while working for the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.

"The Ministry remains rather underfunded by the Crown, Books, and I was given the choice of either backup or more dynamite." She held up the stick. "I went with what I could trust."

Phoenix Rising is a delightful read with characters I really enjoyed. It is a little predictable and perhaps a touch clichéd in places, but that adds to the enjoyment. There's a touch of mystery and although there are some very interesting twists, it's not a 'crime' story.

"I always think better when I am being shot at."

There is a surprising amount of blood, gore and sex flying under the radar. Jokes about exploding heads fit right into the storyline, but do require a double take as the brain catches up to just what it is you've read. There's some very erotic scenes that drop the jaw as you turn the pages, but they also fit in to the storyline perfectly (all be it, in a somewhat disturbing manner).

My only issue with the story (and bear in mind I'm reading an advanced copy, so this may have been fixed for print), is the timeline gets a little confusing. We seem to leap days in mid paragraph and the days seem to blend together without a nice chapter break to signify time changes.

Otherwise the story itself just flows from beginning to end as one constant page-turning read and he characters are great fun. The whole book is also a wonderful set up for an ongoing series, which promises to have several books that are all just as enjoyable. I can't wait.

"You know what would be just ducky right now?" she replied, snapping the reins and pulling ahead of the Concord. "A crack shot. You know, someone who would shoot while I drove the bloody hansom? That would just be lovely! I know you expect me to do everything, being a woman and all…"

(less)

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Apr 20, 2011

Renn Shearin rated it

· review of another edition

The Ministry of Peculiar Occurences: Phoenix Rising by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris is an intense novel filled with steampunk goodness and swashbuckling adventures. The book is slam packed with action, excitement, and mystery. The dialogue between main characters Wellington Books and Eliza Braun is steamy and brisk, and it really enlivened the story for me. The novel ended with a bang, however at the same time it was sweet. I was hoping for a little more between Braun and Books in the last chap...more

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Apr 16, 2011

cecilia rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: green-covers

The Ministry Of Peculiar Occurrences is not happy with field agent Eliza Braun, especially after getting a little too dynamite-happy in Antarctica while rescuing archivist Wellington Books. As a proper British organization, they prefer a little more discreteness and lot less kaboom. Hence, they re-assign Agent Braun to the Archives with Agent Books to learn how to stay out of trouble. Will Books be successful in keeping a tight leash on Agent Braun - or will he find himself getting dragged along...more

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Mar 10, 2011

Jessica rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: advanced-review-copy, steampunk

This one is really hard to rate. I loved how it started, just like I loved a lot of the individual chapters. Unfortunately, sometimes the chapters seemed a little too individual, in the sense that it was sometimes hard to transition from one chapter to the next. I think if you were reading each chapter as a separate installment of the story (instead of reading it in one sitting) it would be less noticeable.

The publisher compared this to Carriger's Soulless series, which in some ways ...moreThis one is really hard to rate. I loved how it started, just like I loved a lot of the individual chapters. Unfortunately, sometimes the chapters seemed a little too individual, in the sense that it was sometimes hard to transition from one chapter to the next. I think if you were reading each chapter as a separate installment of the story (instead of reading it in one sitting) it would be less noticeable.

The publisher compared this to Carriger's Soulless series, which in some ways makes sense to me, but in other ways it's almost more like a combination of Read or Die, Pratchett's The Truth and Lara Croft with maybe some James Bond and Avengers thrown in. Yes, I just dumped a lot of pop culture references on you, but if you find that really annoying, you're probably not going to like this book -- granted, in the book it's mostly 19th century pop culture, but still.

I liked the hero and heroine, both separately and together. I liked how their work relationship kind of flirts with potential romantic aspects, but doesn't push it. I also liked how intricate some of the individual elements of the story were.

I didn't like how sometimes those elements moved from intricate to precious. I also didn't like the sexual-predator aspect of the villain(s). It was, in my opinion, unnecessary to the story and distasteful. Looking back, I'm wondering if it was a deliberate reference to Victorian sexual mores, but while I was reading it I was caught off guard and found it an unwelcome addition to the story. So unwelcome, that from shortly after Welly and Eliza arrive at the house party, I pretty much skimmed until a little before the end.

Despite my complaints, there's enough potential in this story that I'm interested in reading the next. I think that some of the transition problems will be solved with a little more joint-writing experience and the story itself is interesting enough that I do want to see what happens to Wellington and Eliza, Sound, Sophia and the other characters.

This review is based on a digital ARC received via NetGalley.(less)

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About Philippa Ballantine

Born and raised in Wellington, New Zealand, Philippa is a writer and podcaster of fantasy fiction.
Immersed in books from an early age, she moved onto to become a librarian. She'd been dreaming of being a writer since a teenager, but in the last ten years she's devoted herself to it.
She's the author of the Books of the Order series from Ace Books. Geist, Spectyr, Wrayth (2012) and Harb...more

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“She groaned as her face turned to press against the rosewood floor. "Welly, remind me to order a better mattress for my bed. This one is far too firm."

"Oh, Eliza," Wellington gasped, now remembering why he was in these lush surroundings. "No broken nose, I hope."

"S'all right," Braun slurred. Her voiced dropped to a whisper. "My ample bosom broke my fall.” — 4 people liked it

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