God Save the Queen (The Immortal Empire, #1)

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God Save the Queen (The Immortal Empire #1)

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 1,185 ratings · 319 reviews

Queen Victoria rules with an immortal fist.

The undead matriarch of a Britain where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath), Hysteria is the popular affliction of t...more

Hardcover, 351 pages

Published July 3rd 2012 by Orbit

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Jul 10, 2012 Emily May rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-uf, steampunk, weres-shifters, vampires, 2012, annoying, boring

This book is fraught with problems which might not bother those readers who are big fans of the urban fantasy genre, but which bothered the more picky and demanding reader that I am. I also would use "urban fantasy" rather than "steampunk" here - even though the novel is marketed as the latter - because the book is far more a mish mash of your usual paranormals than it is a combination of past times + future technology. In fact, the author's note at the beginning contained almost more technology than the story itself.

I'm not going to be entirely negative, I can see why some will find this entertaining. I love the cover and I think the GR description is fantastic... an alternate Britain where Queen Victoria is immortal and still on the throne, where vampires and werewolves roam, where goblins terrorize... it's rare that you come across something that sounds so unique. Unfortunately, it just didn't live up to my expectations.

The writing felt very juvenile. I know for someone who reads mostly young adult this might seem an odd complaint, but I expected something darker, sexier and much more adult. I don't know how old Xandra was supposed to be, I'm fairly certain we weren't told, but whatever she was she read like a young teenager and this made the whole novel feel lighter and fluffier and the one night stand thing seem even weirder to me. As if the thing didn't feel unnatural enough as it was.

Also: too many creatures all at once. I understand why authors might want more than just one type of supernatural creature in their story, it's more exciting, caters to more people's interests, mixes things up a bit... and if we are to believe that vampires exist, why wouldn't werewolves also? And goblins? But Ms Locke tried to create a complex world in which all these creatures are major players all at the same time - it didn't work. She could (and should) have done something like Charlaine Harris did and allow the readers to come to terms with one species first, before introducing the others later on in the series.

Being British myself, one of the things that struck me immediately about the book is that it is so British it just wasn't. What I mean is - and I'm sorry to disappoint people who seem to love this - we really don't say shag and bloody hell and bollocks in every sentence. Or twat. Or sod off. We say it, yeah, but Locke went crazy with it. I suppose she was just trying really hard to be convincingly British but it felt fake. Or it did to me, anyway.

If you were really looking forward to this and you have a lot of good experiences with the urban fantasy genre, then you should definitely still check it out. Unfortunately, God Save the Queen just didn't work for me and I won't be returning for more.(less)

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Jul 10, 2012 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pn-vampires, pn-werewolves, steampunk, urban-fantasy, arcs-read, adult, arc-via-publisher-or-author, edelweiss-netgalley

Thank you to Orbit for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Expected publication: July 3rd 2012 by Orbit

This is one of those hodgepodge of genres that is usually a catastrophic mess in my opinion. This wasn't exactly catastrophic but it wasn't anything excellent. In 'God Save the Queen' we've got vampires, werewolves, goblins, 'halvies', with steampunk and Victorian elements (think Gail Carriger's 'Parasol Protectorate series'...also worth note is a group of individu...more Thank you to Orbit for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Expected publication: July 3rd 2012 by Orbit

This is one of those hodgepodge of genres that is usually a catastrophic mess in my opinion. This wasn't exactly catastrophic but it wasn't anything excellent. In 'God Save the Queen' we've got vampires, werewolves, goblins, 'halvies', with steampunk and Victorian elements (think Gail Carriger's 'Parasol Protectorate series'...also worth note is a group of individuals contracted as guards for the aristocrats entitled the Peerage Protectorate. Hmm.)

I've grown to dread starting a brand new series because of the probability of huge info-dumps that occur when explaining a brand new world. When not done well it can really hurt the overall story. The massive info-dumps occurred in the beginning but were clumsily mixed with the actual storyline of main character Xandra so while you're trying to figure out who she is, where she's going, and why... you're also trying to sort through the strange world and the society and the Prometheus protein aka 'the plague' and... it could have been done better in my opinion.

The writing in general left something to be desired; with the story set in Britain it was inconsistently 'British' with only the occasional British word thrown in for good measure, it wasn't a true Steampunk in my opinion as there were just simply references to some gadgets and nothing more, and it had the feel of a YA novel except for a few dirty scenes. I wasn't surprised to find out that the author 'Kate Locke' is also YA author 'Kady Cross'.

The class system was a bit distasteful how the aristocrats were the supreme beings, then next were the halvies which basically were born to be protectors, and then the humans. It reminded me a bit of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series how the dhampirs were born to protect the Moroi's but I don't remember straight disliking the class system; I don't think that it was made as blatant that they were beneath the Moroi's. The halvies treated the aristos with a sense of awe that was a bit awkward.

The inevitable relationship with the two main characters was done all sorts of wrong. Sure, you ended up loving the two together but the whole introductory period was completely missing. If you're going to have a character in a book have a one-night stand then treat it as such. It's completely unrealistic and downright ridiculous that after sleeping together that you end up a couple without even having a discussion about it and he's making you breakfast and meeting your family and... I had whiplash. And a headache from all the eye-rolling.

The one saving grace for me was that I felt a semblance of originality finally bloom before the book ended. I was left intrigued and I will say that it was an overall enjoyable story, but didn't bring enough of anything 'new' to garner a higher rating. I will be interested to see how this series continues to develop in the second installment The Queen Is Dead.(less)

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Jan 23, 2013 Cat Russell (Addicted2Heroines) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: highly-recommend

Entertaining debut with interesting worldbuilding and a page-turning mystery.

Locke has created a likable, complex protagonist who excels at kicking ass. She's dedicated to her queen, as well as her job as a member of the elite Royal Guard, and is fiercely protective of her family. She's an admirable character who also shows vulnerability when it comes to seeking acceptance and approval from her father and the mentor who has guided her.

She's also stubborn and remains in denial for a large part of...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Linzi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio

This is a review of the AUDIO version. The book gets 5*. The audio gets a well-deserved slap and 'null point' - it's worse than eurovision.
Please don't spend a penny on the audio until you've sampled it extensively.
WORST reading I've heard since 2006 (when I was unfortunate enough to listen to that chap with the Boston accent who speed-read the Dolphins of Pern. I was so disgusted I demanded my money back from Audible and I notice they've since replaced that version with a new one)

The narrator i...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Debbie marked it as i-read

Shelves: paranormal, urban-fantasy, steam-punk

I am not going to give this one a star rating.

It's the start of a new series with a new pseudonym by the author. Well written. Characters that were not one dimensional and actually had relationships besides just the love interest.

If you enjoy genres like alternative history, steam punk, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and like lots of British tv imports like Torchwood (or conspiracy theories like in X-Files) -- it's your thing.

I knew was steam punk going in but read on a friend's recommendat...more I am not going to give this one a star rating.

It's the start of a new series with a new pseudonym by the author. Well written. Characters that were not one dimensional and actually had relationships besides just the love interest.

If you enjoy genres like alternative history, steam punk, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and like lots of British tv imports like Torchwood (or conspiracy theories like in X-Files) -- it's your thing.

I knew was steam punk going in but read on a friend's recommendation who knew I liked goblin stories (okay, the Goblin King in Labyrinth, George MacDonald's Curdie/Princess tales, and Jim C. Hines' goblin books). Touted as original. And had original storyline and cast of characters. Most of the world building was Victorian "early reign" stuff and there was no way you were not aware was set in Great Britain. I do realize author was deliberately going for that setting and fondly noted the cylinders and aethernet references as homage to all the lovely cliffhanger black and white SF serials I used to watch.

It fit well with a penpal read here at goodreads (and you have to love the expression on character's face on the bookcover), so I started to read.

Personally, I have just had all the steam punk I can take (well, okay, I still like Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and all the contemporary SF writers from the era) and too many chick lit books have Britished me out. Alternative history--very rarely something I like.

That's a matter of personal taste (I also can't stand Torchwood or most of the conspiracy type of reads/shows) and is why I am not giving a star rating.

Again, writing was very good and storyline was original, characters engaging.

I waded thru 30% and yelled at friend recommending. Almost got interesting for me. After 50% still did not like (again, kept almost but not quite getting interesting for me) and did manage to finish for penpal read. Maybe last 5 to 10% of book, after investing my time, I was into the action and what was happening to conclude the story. Less because I got any more interested than that I had put in the time. For me, tried both too hard and not hard enough with the pseudo-science behind the worldbuilding; and, as an American, I don't think I am one to judge how well done the British aspect was (in my opinion, rather formulaic on the British stuff as seen thru a typical American anglophile-author's eyes versus someone who spent any amount of time in England).

I actually think it could be the start of a very good series. If it's your thing.(less)

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Feb 23, 2013 Owlcat Mountain added it

I don't use star ratings, so please read my review!

People have been fascinated with the British monarchy for a long time. When Prince William got married last year, record numbers of viewers tuned in to watch, both in England and here in the States. So you have to wonder: what would England under an immortal ruler be like? Kate Locke has created a detailed and riveting look at a country headed by a vampiric matriarch in God Save the Queen, first in the Immortal Empire series.

(Description nicked...more I don't use star ratings, so please read my review!

People have been fascinated with the British monarchy for a long time. When Prince William got married last year, record numbers of viewers tuned in to watch, both in England and here in the States. So you have to wonder: what would England under an immortal ruler be like? Kate Locke has created a detailed and riveting look at a country headed by a vampiric matriarch in God Save the Queen, first in the Immortal Empire series.

(Description nicked from B&N.com.)

“Queen Victoria rules with an immortal fist.

The undead matriarch of a Britain where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath), Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day, and leeches are considered a delicacy. And a world where technology lives side by side with magic. The year is 2012 and Pax Britannia still reigns.

XandraVardan is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it is her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But when her sister goes missing, Xandra will set out on a path that undermines everything she believed in and uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire. And she is the key-the prize in a very dangerous struggle.”

I have to give props to Locke for some truly spectacular worldbuilding. She has actually taken the time to figure out how the plague could have mutated human DNA to create such creatures as vampires, werewolves, and goblins. In fact, there’s an interesting “essay” in the back of the book that details exactly how these disparate races came about from a single disease. I appreciate that she did so, because it shows a degree of thought and attention to detail that I don’t often see. It’s too easy to “handwave” an explanation for the supposedly unexplainable, so seeing someone do the legwork to make it all plausible is great.

The author sets the reader up with a lot of expectations right off the bat—goblins eat children, certain kinds of racial mixing can’t happen, etc.—and then proceeds to merrily break them down. In fact, much of the book is about the dangers of simply believing what is put before you. Before the novel begins, Xandra has accepted many facts about her life and the world she lives in without question. As these expectations and beliefs begin to crumble, she faces the daunting of choice of what to do with her newfound knowledge. These decisions drive the novel’s plot.

The other area in which the author excels is in characterization. No one character is two-dimensional—most of them have motivations that they pursue alongside the main plot elements, and they are not incompatible with the plot. This makes several of the characters appear morally ambiguous, but I don’t mean that in a bad way. It allows the author to gradually reveal what’s really going on, stripping away those layers to get to the heart of these people and what they really want. Oddly enough, my favorite character was the one who had the fewest layers to reveal: the goblin prince. Old fashioned and courtly, he does have his own agenda but is unfailingly courteous and polite throughout the book.

There are fights aplenty in this novel, and a great deal of action and subterfuge, so there’s rarely a dull moment to be found. Readers go on a tour of an alternate London, visiting Bedlam asylum, Buckingham Palace, and the Underground, to name a few. All of the elements that you’ve come to expect in a novel that takes place in this ancient city are there, grounding this alternate history in familiar landmarks and customs. Again, the author has done her research, and she paints a convincing picture of how 2012 London would look in a world with supernatural beings on the rise.

I’m very glad that there’s a sequel to this book, because Xandra and her friends aren’t people that I’m ready to say goodbye to. God Save the Queen is a stellar first novel, packed with great characters and well thought out story elements. I’ll be keeping an eye out for anything Kate Locke writes in future, because her freshman effort impressed me quite a bit.

This review originally appeared on Owlcat Mountain on July 17, 2012.(less)

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May 11, 2013 Twiggy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, vampire, werewolves

I really enjoyed this.

It is a strange mix of modern day life with victoriana mixed in along with werewolves, vampires, halfies and goblins.

Most of the aristocracy from the Victorian era are still around having been turned into vampires or in Scotland werewolves by the plague.

Sometimes they can have children with humans who have the necessary recessive gene and these off spring are known as halfies and generally act as guards/protectors of the aristocracy.

Xandra is the daughter of the duke of...more I really enjoyed this.

It is a strange mix of modern day life with victoriana mixed in along with werewolves, vampires, halfies and goblins.

Most of the aristocracy from the Victorian era are still around having been turned into vampires or in Scotland werewolves by the plague.

Sometimes they can have children with humans who have the necessary recessive gene and these off spring are known as halfies and generally act as guards/protectors of the aristocracy.

Xandra is the daughter of the duke of Vardan and a human courtesan and is a member of the elite Royal Guard. She has always been very strong and at the academy was a favourite of Churchill ( vampire). Her sister goes missing and she discovers that she has been assigned to Bedlam after accusing her aristocratic lover of stealing her baby and substituting a dead child. The next thing she is told that Dede is dead.

Xandra has doubts and starts to uncover that there is a lot more going on than she realised.

She discovers Dede, her half sister Ophelia and her mother ( previously thought dead and now a werewolf) alive and well and actually running the asylum. They allege that the vampires are by no means as benign as Xandra thinks and that in fact they have been conducting barbaric experiments on halves in order to try and improve their breeding success. They also alert Xandra to the fact that her own medical file looks pretty suspicious and that there is more going on with her and Churchill's interest in her than is normal.

Xandra ends up on a journey of discovery into the underbelly of the vampire society; she ends up with multiple visitations with the goblins who for some reason dont seem to want to eat her and she comes face to face with her own destiny.

throw in a conspiracy to kill the queen and some werewolf romance and we have a really enjoyable read.

The end of the baddie was a fairly gruesome but overall this was a good read and I thought the world building worked reall well.

Already ordered book 2. (less)

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Mar 26, 2013 Kirsten Lenius rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, vampire, victorian, shifters

Looking at some of the previous reviews for this book, it seems like people are in the love it or hate it categories. I guess I fall in the love it side.

People keep saying it is steampunk, but it is not really that. It has Victorian influences, because in the story Victoria is still Queen. It is about 200 years past her real life reign, technology has advanced, while other cultural elements have remained somewhat of the old era. That is to be expected, because the Royals don't tend to change the...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Ole Imsen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: alternate-history, steampunk

This novel stretches the usual Steampunk setting into the present day. But it is not the present day as we know it, but an Alternate History present day that is the home to the denizens we are with familiar seeing in Victorian times.
The setting itself is pretty much what you would expect from a Steampunk novel that has the werewolves and vampires from modern Urban Fantasy, but that doesn't mean that this is a formulaic novel. There are lots of great ideas here, and Locke manages to take the el...more This novel stretches the usual Steampunk setting into the present day. But it is not the present day as we know it, but an Alternate History present day that is the home to the denizens we are with familiar seeing in Victorian times.
The setting itself is pretty much what you would expect from a Steampunk novel that has the werewolves and vampires from modern Urban Fantasy, but that doesn't mean that this is a formulaic novel. There are lots of great ideas here, and Locke manages to take the elements that make up the novel and make a very entertaining story out of them.

Locke puts a very nice twist on the origin of werewolves and vampires that I found very interesting. In fact he whole worldbuilding is very nicely done, there's much history too it, and it has many very interesting elements. There's actually quite a bit to take in here, and that is something I really appreciated. It shows that Locke can create a vivid world, and has the skill to make it come alive on the page.

The characters are also done in a realistic fashion. Xandra comes especially alive, and we get a very good insight into her. That events take her to places that are unfamiliar and uncomfortable to her adds to both her depth and her strength. She's a strong female, who is both special, and for what she is, also feels realistic. Xandra is definitely a character who is worth spending some time with.
Supporting Xandra are quite a few diverse characters, along with some historic persons who add to the realistic feel of the novel. All of these are well realised, and are interesting in their own right. They never feel like they exist just to be "scenery" for the main character.

On to the story. Locke gives us a story that has action and mystery from the start. Central to it is a conspiracy that Xandra is thrown into. Along the way there are lots of twist and turns, the pace is fast and there is plenty of tension.
Locke is very good at getting the balance been a fast pace and the building of tension. There is a sense of never quite being in the know that runs through the whole novel, and as we learn more we get dragged into the events. There's a real sense of the story developing before our eyes, and being taken along for the ride. And it is a thoroughly entertaining journey to go on.

This is a very good example of the Steampunk/Urban Fantasy crossover genre done right. The setting is well developed enough to satisfy fans of Alternate History, and the werewolf/vampire elements will be great for fans of that type of Urban Fantasy.
Locke has created a great world, and some great characters well worth spending time with. And I look forward to future installments in this series.

This review originally published on my blog: http://weirdmage.blogspot.com (less)

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Mar 10, 2013 Something_personal rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: novel-terjemahan-bahasa-garing-ide

*ngerutin alis*
Sebenernya,cerita ini...tentang apa,ya?
Ak ingetnya samar2 nih. Pokonya cerita dimulai dr adegan fantasi klise yg mungkin sejuta buku cerita udh pernah mulai dengan adegan ini

Seorang gadis tidur di kolong tempat tidur dan masuk ke dunia lain
Bukan dunia macam Alice In Wonderland tp ke masa lalu, era Victoria.

Terus disana ia berteman sama seorang putri dan pengawalnya. Mereka jadi sahabat dekat.

Intinya,ak lupa sebagian besar ceritanya. Ak malah ga inget sama sekali peran si cewe ini...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Phaedra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: nook, 2013

I thought the premise sounded interesting and I will generally read anything either of my brothers recommend. Knowing which brother read it helps me know a good deal about the book... So I expected this to have a self-described kick-ass heroine, some leather, and probably a little lesbianism thrown in. I was not wrong on any account. What did surprise me is that this was an enjoyable light read. It only took a couple of hours to get through and while I don't feel invested in any of the character...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Nik rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-that-suck

This book gives dross a bad name. I got it out as a light read, but wasn't expecting it to be this horrifically bad.

Let's start off with the most obvious problem: the heroine. She's supposed to be tough and cool and sympathetic. She has cherry red hair and wears corsets and swears a lot. I'd say this would only appeal to thirteen year old girls but that would be an insult to their intelligence. She's one of those annoying maverick types who doesn't play by the rules. This is intended, again, to...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Lorelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ok Im going to base this rating on my enjoyment and desire to read. I have a bad habit of reading a book to get onto the next..Yes I enjoy it, but when I make time, generally I do so to get to the end of the book. This book, I couldnt wait to read, and I read at a nice steady pace to ensure I didnt miss anything. This is my first book that even sneaks a peak at something that even smells a little steampunk, and tbh, ill embrace my naivity, and not care about its authenticity to the genre. I , fo...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

In Kate Locke’s God Save the Queen, the Plague has infected the Aristocracy with something called the Prometheus Protein, which led to vampirism in England and lycanthropy in Scotland. Queen Victoria, a vampire, is about the celebrate 175 years on the throne. British society is now a strange blend of Victorian and modern, and the social ranks are comprised of the infected Aristocracy, Halvies (the half-blood offspring of the Aristocracy), and humans. They all coexist, but animosity between human...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's 2012 and Queen Victoria still rules England with an iron fist due to the mix of disease and genetics that creates vampires. Only aristocrats can be vampires, half-vampires, or goblins due to their genetics and experience extremely long lives, a stronger constitution, inhuman strength and sense, an abhorrence to light, the list goes on. Xandra Vardan is a halvie and a member of the prestigious Royal Guard. She has set records in her schooling using her exceptional strength and speed and beli...more It's 2012 and Queen Victoria still rules England with an iron fist due to the mix of disease and genetics that creates vampires. Only aristocrats can be vampires, half-vampires, or goblins due to their genetics and experience extremely long lives, a stronger constitution, inhuman strength and sense, an abhorrence to light, the list goes on. Xandra Vardan is a halvie and a member of the prestigious Royal Guard. She has set records in her schooling using her exceptional strength and speed and believes wholeheartedly that the aristocrats need their protection against the treacherous, vermin-like humans. Then her sister dies, but she knows that her sister has really gone missing. Her quest to find her sister plunges her into a plot that will turn her world upside down.

God Save the Queen is a unique steampunk novel in that it takes place in an alternate present day where Queen Victoria is still alive. This idea results in a world wherea version modern day technology is meshed with Victorian fashion, style, sensibility, and mentality. Both fashion and technology are permanently stunted because the country is led by one really old woman who knows what she likes. There are some changes and advances, but are much more slow moving because the aristocracy is basically immortal. Women are still wearing bustles, corsets, and the like. Hysteria is a common diagnosis for female behavior. Cell phones and computers exist, but not in the same way they do now. It just feels less developed and more clunky, like modern technology through a steampunk lens. Cylinders are used to store audio and video files and cell phones still have rotary dials. Science has also progressed and plays a large role in the novel. Historical figures from the past 175 years are still walking around and looking pretty good for their age, like Winston Churchill. The only thing I think is out of place is the acceptance of homosexual relationships. It's not even fully accepted currently, so I don't think a stunted, decidedly old world would fare any better.

Another aspect of the society I love is the disease. The plague mixed with the aristocratic genetics creates either vampires, half vampires, or goblins. (The same is true for werewolves.) The plague mixed with run of the mill commoner genes results in death. Upward mobility is now impossible for humans because of their genes. This clear distinction and huge difference between classes makes tensions run extremely high. The Great Insurrection of 1932 made matters worse when humans tried to overthrow and eradicate the aristocracy, but they failed, leaving both factions bitter and angry. Both are typically prejudiced of each other except for an underground faction where a few can work together. I love this system. It makes for great political intrigue and just a fascinating new world.

The characters are pretty awesome. Xandra is a hot head and throws herself wholeheartedly into everything she does. This fiery red head is strong and completely prejudiced against humans. She loves her family and will fight to the end for any them. Her sense of justice and familial fealty are huge parts of her character and change over time. I love seeing this world through her eyes. Throughout the novel, her prejudices and preconceptions change as she sees the truth. I honestly can't get enough of her humor and sarcasm. Vex is her lover and the leader of the werewolves. Werewolves are usually awful and obnoxiously alpha male and abusive. Vex is the opposite. He's quite sweet and the romance between him and Xandra is both steamy and tender. He manages to be protective and strong without being condescending or overbearing. He is the best male interest I have seen in a while.

I can't get enough of this vibrant world that merges the present day with the Victorian era. I like that science and technology can be an integral part of a magical fantasy world, showing that science fiction and fantasy can support each other and produce amazing results. In a growing genre, God Save the Queen manages to stand out in the crowd of steampunk. The only flaw is the beginning takes a little while to gain momentum. There is a little too much time before anything really happens. I eagerly await the next installment of the series.(less)

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Oct 13, 2012 Tacie Graves rated it 2 of 5 stars

I know some authors who would rather have an "I loathed this book with every fiber of my being" review than a "meh" review, but "meh" is unfortunately all I carried away from this one.

I loved the cover. I was really excited about the premise (it's a very reasonable way to introduce super-creatures even if it means that vamps/weres/goblins are less than 200 years old) and I felt that Locke did a decent job of world building. She has some nice steampunk bits thrown in, and I did enjoy the alternat...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Thoroughly entertaining. Really closer to three and half stars....

The most interesting thing (to me, at least) about steampunk is the way that different authors derive to keep the world in Victorian social mores while updating the technology. There are myriad ways to approach the issue -- including just ignoring it altogether. I'd never seen this particular way before. A genetic plague that turns aristocrats into near-immortal werewolves and vamps. Keep the Victorian era alive by keeping Victori...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Book Angel Emma rated it 2 of 5 stars

Review by Beth

Urban Fantasy or Steampunk-wannabe, this novel isn’t one which worked for me I’m afraid. The author’s imagination is clearly filled with fantastic ideas and the concept itself is really intriguing, an undead Queen Victoria who rules for eternity.
The number of supernatural, paranormal creatures living in Locke’s fantasy London is massive from werewolves to vampires and goblins to what she calls ‘halvies’ it’s hard to keep up sometimes with all the different ‘breeds’ and their idio...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Felicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, vaginal-fantasy, urban-paranormal, vaginal-urban-fantasy

I would LOVE to give this 3 1/2 stars but I can't here, so I'm giving it 3. As a first book I liked it, and will definitely try out the next one. This is steampunk alt-reality mixed with vampires, and I randomly picked it up not knowing what was going on at all, which was kind of fun.

I liked the world-building, but it was WAY too repetitive for the first third of the book especially. I think the author needed to trust her world was being set up well without having to remind the audience all the...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Sue Heraper rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction, alternate-history, fantasy, romance

Queen Victoria is celebrating her 175th year of reign in an alternate Britain where vampires and werewolves are the elite class, and where goblins terrorize underground. I was intrigued by the premise of the novel when I heard the author speak at the ALA conference, and I thought it would be fun to read of an alternate London while the Olympics are taking place. This fun book is full of action, violence, mystery, and romance.

Negatives:

The worldbuilding is done mid-narrative – it is intrusive and...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Caressa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Meh. I snagged this book from the library because the urban fantasy meets steampunk world intrigued me. The world building was great, the explanation of supernatural origins was clever & original. But I found myself getting bored with our protagonist, Xandra. I think Locke intended her to be sassy & resourceful, ready with a quick comeback or a fist to the face. However, Xandra come across to me as hot tempered & foul mouthed, trying a little to hard to prove that she's as badass as...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Chelsey rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book has been one of the most enjoyable books that I have read in awhile. I say this because I love the mixture of the supernatural and mythical world that Kate creates in this book. I mean we are dealing with Vampires, Werewolves, Goblins, and humans that can be half breeds too. The fictional world that Xandra Vardan is living among is so dark and unnerving, so much so that she never knows what is waiting for her around every corner.

Xandra, as a character, is a phenomenal one. She is such...more This book has been one of the most enjoyable books that I have read in awhile. I say this because I love the mixture of the supernatural and mythical world that Kate creates in this book. I mean we are dealing with Vampires, Werewolves, Goblins, and humans that can be half breeds too. The fictional world that Xandra Vardan is living among is so dark and unnerving, so much so that she never knows what is waiting for her around every corner.

Xandra, as a character, is a phenomenal one. She is such a kickin’ chick! She works for the Royal Guard and her job is basically that of law enforcement. She has to be highly skilled and trained to fight any kind of supernatural evil that she might face. She is in great shape, has great hair, a snarky attitude, and she is packing heat to top it all off! She is not the type of chick that you want to mess with, and when she finds out that her baby sister is missing her defensive side goes into hyper drive. She stops at nothing to find the truth. She is determined and very innovative, and let’s just say that no one tells her “no” and lives to tell the tale! This book is worth reading just to follow Xandra and admire her spunk.

The supernatural world that Kate has created is out of this world and as I have not really started trying to write a book yet I cannot imagine how authors create such vast and remarkable worlds. There is even a different lingo/slang that Xandra as well as all of the other characters use. A glossary is provided explaining certain words and what they mean such as “halvie” which means half-blood. This story is taking place in Britain so actually trying to say the words with the British accent only makes the story seem more real. I just feel like inventing a lingo is the work of a dedicated author and one who knows exactly what she wants from the world and the characters that she or he has envisioned!

I can really appreciate the family bonds that Xandra and her siblings possess in this book. She goes above and beyond when she finds out that her sister is missing and in my opinion more books should be build on stories like this one. The determination of Xandra and her sister, Dede, is very honorable. They are both fighting for two different causes and are able to reason with one another as not only sisters, but rather best friends. This book details so many things and I highly suggest picking up a copy for yourself. I can’t promise that Xandra’s world is not dark and dangerous, but I can promise that she is strong and more than capable of protecting you along the way!
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Jul 09, 2012 Viridian rated it 2 of 5 stars

"God Save the Queen" has all the right elements for a novel I would really enjoy: alternative history set in a supernatural London and a strong female main character, an interesting premise, and Queen Victoria. Unfortunately, an interesting idea fails in solid execution and I couldn't even push through the last five chapters of the book.

In this novel by Kate Locke, a virus commonly called "the Promethean Plague" or just "the plague" afflicted a large portion of the human race. Aristocrats and ro...more "God Save the Queen" has all the right elements for a novel I would really enjoy: alternative history set in a supernatural London and a strong female main character, an interesting premise, and Queen Victoria. Unfortunately, an interesting idea fails in solid execution and I couldn't even push through the last five chapters of the book.

In this novel by Kate Locke, a virus commonly called "the Promethean Plague" or just "the plague" afflicted a large portion of the human race. Aristocrats and royalty in particular started displaying mutations, transforming them into vampires or werewolves, with the most extreme and bestial gene expressions throwing goblins. The British Empire flies strong under a vampiric Victoria in her 175th year of rule, while the Americas have broken away and technology and society function along disturbing parallels.

The book badly needed an editor armed with a red pen to stop Stephenie Meyer-esque asides surrounded by hyphens. I found the constant asiding intrusive and detracting from the flow of what was going on. Much of the setting information is dumped scattershot through the first several chapters without rhyme or reason, often mid-narrative. World building's a bit like decorating a cake; sometimes you let the flavours come through on their own, and others you add more elaborate pieces on their own. Locke doesn't have a light hand or a good sense of timing for doling out theme details in the way that two masters of the genre, Kim Harrison (in particular) and Gail Carriger (for steampunk/paranormal or urban fantasy), achieve. Patricia Briggs and the Ilona Andrews duo also excel in developing their urban fantastic worlds, and none of these authors break a thought stream or a conversation for two paragraphs of random information. That's really my largest beef with the book and the reason I had such trouble reading it: I didn't like wresting the storyline from its foundation, chipping away at all the constant interruptions, interjections, and asides to keep track of what was going on.

Clearly Locke's setting has a lot going for it. Many elements of London remain and others are gone, like the history of the Nazis and the Blitz. Racial segregation and the results of a failed uprising 70 years prior to the story leave lasting effects which the main character is forced to deal with and grapple with if she's to find her sister and solve other issues along the way. But it can't sparkle the way it should, which is a damned shame. Critical details about this steampunkish, supernatural modern version of London are plunked down as we try to follow the protagonist, the daughter of a duke and a half-vampire with the expected suite of unexpected powers and strengths, through her various adventures in the divided capital.

Some sloppy writing habits had me grinding my teeth--the use of hyphens--as I tried to keep track of everything--hard to do, I tell you, when the damned book kept hopping around--when there were multiple interjections. I don't have a problem with the use of hyphens as asides, but overliberal use becomes more than a distraction. Subplots shouldn't happen between a stream of hyphens. Too often setting bits were thrown out this way, and the worst part is how higgledy-piggledy the approach was. If the author set out some key information in a few paragraphs at the beginning, great. Instead, the reader is led on a tedious scavenger hunt to piece together an idea of the setting without a general framework or key details, and that isn't fun. I want to focus on the story as much as the world it takes place in, and trying to perform both simultaneously isn't easy when they keep tripping over one another.

I finally gave up over the Mary Sue qualities of the main character. Of course, she's appealing but too many stereotypical boxes are ticked off: a screaming redhead, highly attractive and charismatic, butt kicking, independent, soft spot for family, well-regarded by most everyone, racy and capable in a corset or leather boots, motorbike riding, hard drinking high aristocrat's daughter. Where are the flaws? Where's the character growth? By the time I stopped, I felt that we really hadn't seen a great deal of growth from someone with a silver spoon in her mouth and all the advantages laid out. "Half" supernatural or not, she really didn't grow. Contrast her to Rachel from the "Hollows" series by Kim Harrison or October Daye from Seanan McGuire's superlative "October Daye" series, and Xandra rings pretty flat and false. I like an independent, sassy female but what I don't like is someone who never grows and whose challenges are met with a deadly arsenal from the get go. That's not quite so fun.

Locke has an excellent imagination and her diversions into explaining various forms of technology showcase a great grip on her world. I found the intersections between modern gadgets we have, like a cellular phone, and her interpretations (a cylinder version, complete with message box) to be intelligent and a bit tongue in cheek. She uses a strong dose of wit and humour to pull the story along. I just wish she'd cleaned up how she wrote to stop the constant asides and to explain critical events/details in a few lines.

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Jul 03, 2012 Paul Harmon rated it 2 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book. I thought the concept would be great, the Hardcover "paperback" reminiscent of Doctor Who and Torchwood BBC books was brilliant But I found my self, forcing myself to read it. It's very immaturely and weakly written.
I was getting taken out of the story constantly by the authors various little quirks.
In one chapter Xandra says she forgot to taken her supplements ...Yet again, then the very next day she forgets to take her supplements and says that its something...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Jessica Andersen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: steampunk, shifters, urban-fantasy, vampires

I have read some other reviews of this book, and there were a lot of people who didn't like it. Or, they at least let the problems interfere with their enjoyment of the story. There were some problems. A couple of reviews mentioned the author's tendency to use hyphens to insert extra information into sentences. That was distracting in the first part of the book for me too. A lot of the story was fairly predictable. That being said, I still enjoyed the ride.

I liked Kate Locke's take on the origi...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Tina rated it 3 of 5 stars

This isn't a book that is easy to review.

I half-way knew what to expect, and wasn't sure if this was the kind of book I would enjoy, but I gave it a shot anyway.

It is a bit of a caricature of a world, and possibly of a genre with the main character, the urban fantasy/steampunk tough heroine with a soft heart taken somewhat to the extreme, and then tossed over the edge of extreme with a handful of suspicious pills and a bottle of something primarily suitable for stripping paint.

The 16 year old m...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Chris Bauer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kate Locke does an impressive job with "God Save the Queen", the first in a planned trilogy.

The setting for this series is absolutely novel - Victorian England + contemporary urban fantasy + heavy elements of steampunk & "gaslight" gothic. I know it sounds odd, but Locke makes it work across the board.

Most of the characters in "God Save the Queen" are vibrant, engaging and (unlike too many books I've recently read) actually make decisions and MOVE the narrative FORWARD instead of being pull...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Jage rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is a book with a lot of potential that got bogged down by the main character, if that makes sense. I will say that I love UF novels and Gail Carrigan was my first intro to the steam punk genre and I adore that series so the genre isn't my issue.

If we have a feisty, mouthy main character I am in. I love Kate Daniels and was a fan of the early Hollows and Anita Blake books. Kresley Cole stays on auto buy though she's more romance and Toby McGuire is one of my favourite heroines.

So why do thos...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Emily rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: steampunk, fantasy

I had a lot of problems with this book.

Everything was told to us and not shown. Leaving little room for interpretation of the plot or the characters. It also prevented me from really caring about any of the characters or their problems.

The characters themselves are pretty cookie cutter. What little description of them that was given was enough to clearly label them: 'Heroine', 'Love Interest', 'Rival in Love'.

And an angry, tough red headed woman? How stereotypical. It's a personal pet peeve of...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Carmel Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Alexandra or rather Xandra lives in a world where the plague did not wipe out much of the population but rather transformed them into vampires, werewolves and goblins. Queen Victoria is ruling the empire after 175 years, as a vampire. Xandra is halvie with a vampire father and a human mother. She works for the Royal Guard protecting the aristocracy of Britain. Her life is turned upside down when her sister goes missing and she learns that everything is not and everyone are not what they seem, ev...more Alexandra or rather Xandra lives in a world where the plague did not wipe out much of the population but rather transformed them into vampires, werewolves and goblins. Queen Victoria is ruling the empire after 175 years, as a vampire. Xandra is halvie with a vampire father and a human mother. She works for the Royal Guard protecting the aristocracy of Britain. Her life is turned upside down when her sister goes missing and she learns that everything is not and everyone are not what they seem, even Xandra herself.

Xandra is a great female lead character. She is feisty and full of wit. She is brave and strong but is not made of stone. She has realistic reactions to events that occur which often does not happen in books. The book is also full of other interesting and unique characters such as Church, who is Xandra's mentor, her siblings, the goblin prince as well as the handsome werewolf Vex who seems to have Xandra in his sights.

At the beginning of the book, two characters are introduced a girl and a guy. For some reason I thought the guy might play a bigger part but he just disappears and I was disappointed because he seemed like he could have been interesting. I do not know, I just wanted to get that off my chest.

The only real problem I had with the book is how fast Xandra's relationship escalated. You know me and insta-love. Thankfully, this was not actually insta-love, no-one was declaring anything but I felt that the trust between Xandra and her partner was built far too quick.

Locke has created a wonderful world that is well structured and detailed in her debut novel. It is not quite steam-punk yet it has elements of it along with urban fantasy. Locke's back stories for Britain and the monarch as well as the creatures and causes was interesting as well as believable. Locke has a knack for little details that help build a solid foundation for a series. The book did not lag, and moves at the right pace to keep you reading page after page.

Final Thought.
God Save The Queen is full of mystery and intrigue. The book takes twist and turns and will have devouring the pages.(less)

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About Kate Locke

Kate Locke has always enjoyed making things up — a trait that often got her into trouble as a child, but by which she enjoys making a living. Before writing fiction full time she worked as cook, a journalist and in a photo finishing lab where she saw enough pictures of naked people to rival Hugh Hefner. A guy once asked her out after giving her a role of film that he expressly requested she develo...more

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Books by Kate Locke

The Queen Is Dead (The Immortal Empire, #2)

Long Live the Queen (The Immortal Empire, #3)

God Save the Queen - Free Preview (The First 4 Chapters)

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Quotes from God Save the Queen

“For a moment I hoped I was in heaven--or wherever it is my kind go when death calls...Instead I opened my eyes and discovered that I was in hospital. The flimsy little gown they'd put me in had tiny pink piggies on it. My first thought was that I had to have been in bad shape to be admitted. My second, I'm ashamed to admit, was whether or not they'd let me take the nightie home with me.” — 7 people liked it

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God Save the Queen (The Immortal Empire #1)

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