The Janus Affair (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences #2) by Philippa Ballantine

Jun 07, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-pnr-sci-fi-romance

Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are thrown into the middle of a mystery when a woman that Eliza has briefly met, disappears in a ball of lightning before their very eyes.

This is the second novel in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series with Books and Braun. Wellington (Welly) Books, university graduate, former army officer, inventor and brilliant mind pairs wonderfully with the intrepid feminist and (former) field agent Eliza Braun. Welly, Archivist and Eliza, now an archivist-in-training...more

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Jun 02, 2012 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-favorites, amazing-writing, arc-2012, favorites, edelweiss, just-another-book-crush, multiple-povs, role-models, steampunk, reviewed-in-2012

It’s been a year since Agent Eliza Braun was pulled from the field due to insubordination (temper, temper, Miss Braun!) and sentenced to work in the archives with Mr. Wellington Thornhill Books, the archivist. Nothing remotely exciting has happened since their very first case together, the one involving a secret society, and Miss Braun is starting to become restless. She needn’t worry, though, since trouble is attracted to her just as Eliza is attracted to trouble, and before you know it, our da...more It’s been a year since Agent Eliza Braun was pulled from the field due to insubordination (temper, temper, Miss Braun!) and sentenced to work in the archives with Mr. Wellington Thornhill Books, the archivist. Nothing remotely exciting has happened since their very first case together, the one involving a secret society, and Miss Braun is starting to become restless. She needn’t worry, though, since trouble is attracted to her just as Eliza is attracted to trouble, and before you know it, our dashing archivist and our colonial pepperpot find themselves entangled in a complicated case involving missing suffragists, teleportation, ghosts from the past and quite a few explosions. Of course, Eliza and Welly aren’t supposed to be working outside the archives at all, but the field agent assigned to the case has been neglecting his duties in the worst possible way and meanwhile, women from the movement are still disappearing.

Unlike the first installment, The Janus Affair was harder to get into. The beginning was pretty slow compared to the explosive opening scene of Phoenix Rising. I struggled with the first 80 pages for five days straight, giving up and then forcing myself to restart, only to give up again after 10 pages or so. But when things finally started moving, when Eliza and Welly reminded me just how extraordinarily witty (and dysfunctional) they are, I wanted to kick myself for waiting so long to push through the beginning.

I should have remembered how wonderful these two characters are when they interact, how amusing when they snap at each other and, despite all their bickering, how protective they become when a third party goes after one of them.
”Your faith in my abilities does inspire me as would Helen’s visage,” snipped Wellington.
“Helen had a thousand ships covering her backside, mate.” Eliza shrugged, motioning to him. “I have an Archivist who’s afraid of guns. You figure out who has the better deal.”

There is more of everything in The Janus Affair: more action, more humor, more inventions, more peculiar occurrences, more witty banter and (ahem!) more unresolved sexual tension. My poor Books is too nerdy and shy to admit to himself, let alone to Eliza, how he really feels, but the arrival of Eliza’s old flame from New Zealand might just push him over the edge. Everyone has secrets, right? Even our gentle archivist has a surprise or two in store.

This, my darlings, is steampunk at its best! I’m not exactly an expert on the genre, but I do recognize quality when I see it, and spouses Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris delivered quality work not once, but two times. From the language (especially language!) and society to the intriguing inventions, even the smallest detail is in its place. If you intend to read one steampunk in your life, this is what you should choose. Ballantine and Morris know what they’re doing.

Also posted at The Nocturnal Library
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May 08, 2012 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: series-ongoing, steampunk, arc, edelweiss-arc, 2012-reviews, 2012-reads, best-of-2012, excessive-fangirl-alert, lol-worthy, mystery, reviewed, owned-copy, five-stars-for-you-glen-coco

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I loved this. Absolutely. Frikkin. Loved it. I tried to draw out the experience and couldn't make myself stop reading the second day. Without a doubt, this impressive second novel in the newer Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series is going into my "best of 2012" shelf as well as my much less used "all-time favorites." I think I may even have loved this book like I love my hallmark series of steampunk, Gail Carriger's formidably funny and inventive...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Veronica G. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dual-leads, steampunk, mystery

The Janus Affair, the second installment in what I hope will be a long running series, proves to be a worthy follow up to the inaugural adventure of Books and Braun. Roughly a year has passed since the events of the first book and Welly and Eliza are still hard at work in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences’ Archives, while apparently having solved some cold cases in that intervening year, much to Books’ dismay. They have settled into a comfortable routine as partners and friends but that is so...more The Janus Affair, the second installment in what I hope will be a long running series, proves to be a worthy follow up to the inaugural adventure of Books and Braun. Roughly a year has passed since the events of the first book and Welly and Eliza are still hard at work in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences’ Archives, while apparently having solved some cold cases in that intervening year, much to Books’ dismay. They have settled into a comfortable routine as partners and friends but that is soon shattered when bits of Eliza’s New Zealand past come a’knocking. It seems that some very influential players in the ongoing Women’s Suffrage movement are being abducted in very…peculiar manners. Eliza has ties to the movement, both as a staunch supporter as well as ties of a very personal nature.

The confrontation with her past, while giving insight into Eliza herself, also provides some emotional backdrop to the ongoing matter of solving the abductions as both Eliza and Wellington are forced to consider what they may or may not mean to each other. There are consequences to lost possibilities and the resulting epiphanies seem to take both agents by surprise. We also learn a great deal about Wellington's past and something tells me that nothing will ever be the same again.

But while this book had a bit more romance than the first one, which I am not complaining about at all, it is still very much secondary to the larger case at hand and I loved how the authors made use of one of New Zealand’s most prominent members of the suffrage movement – a true iron jawed angel, to be sure. Along the way towards solving the string of highly strange abductions our fearless agents get help from both expected and unexpected sources and, once again, it is a great deal of fun. It’s like a wonderful, Saturday afternoon matinee adventure extravaganza.

The adventures of Books and Braun are all about humor, loyalty, science, acts of daring, and heart. Oh, and totally amusing and entertaining chapter titles, such as “Wherein Our Intrepid Heroes return Home, Our Dashing Archivist Settles Into His Routine, and – Sadly – So Does Our Beloved Colonial Pepperpot” and “In Which Miss Braun Protests Her Innocence and No One Is Fooled.” But while full of action and feats of daring do, not to mention a full array of fabulous gadgets and contraptions, this book still manages to be very much a character piece. And that is it’s true strength.

Eliza and Welly’s next big adventure?! Strap yourselves in kiddies, it’s going to be a bumpy ride! And I, for one, can’t wait.
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Jul 14, 2012 Mike rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: needs-editing

At first, as I was reading this, I found myself in the position of the parents at the school play in Down With Skool!. "At least," I said, "it's better than last year's."

The first Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel has been widely praised, and has even won an award, but personally I was profoundly unimpressed with it (my Goodreads review is here). At the end of that review, I said that despite its many flaws it looked like it had promise, and that the sequel could well be better. It is, alth...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Claudia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: keeper, steampunk

I absolutely adored this one! The story is fast, twisted and nearly perfect ... and there are quite some interesting surprises

Glad that there will be more books. The next will be out in fall ... can't wait

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Mar 03, 2013 Hinken rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Darum geht es:
Während einer Zugfahrt von Edinburgh nach London werden Eliza D. Braun und Wellington Thornhill Books, Esquire Augenzeuge, wie eine junge Frau plötzlich in einem grellen Blitz verschwindet.

Eliza möchte sich natürlich sofort in die Ermittlungen stürzen, doch Wellington ist zunächst strikt dagegen. Als die beiden dann jedoch Zeuge eines weiteren Vorfalls dieser Art werden und sich herausstellt, dass die bekannte neuseeländische Frauenrechtlerin Kate Shappard das nächste Opfer sein kö...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Feder rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lieblingsbücher

Kaum hat sich der Trubel um Wellington Books und seine hitzköpfige Kollegin Eliza Braun gelegt, warten schon die nächsten übernatürlichen Geschehnisse auf die beiden Agenten. Während einer Zugfahrt verschwindet vor den Augen von Wellington und Eliza eine Frau aus dem fahrenden Zug, geraubt von einem gleißenden Lichtblitz. Und wie die beiden sehr schnell herausfinden sollen, ist
dies nicht der einzige Vorfall dieser Art gewesen. Im vergangenen Jahr sind bereits mehrere Frauen unter denselben myste...more Kaum hat sich der Trubel um Wellington Books und seine hitzköpfige Kollegin Eliza Braun gelegt, warten schon die nächsten übernatürlichen Geschehnisse auf die beiden Agenten. Während einer Zugfahrt verschwindet vor den Augen von Wellington und Eliza eine Frau aus dem fahrenden Zug, geraubt von einem gleißenden Lichtblitz. Und wie die beiden sehr schnell herausfinden sollen, ist
dies nicht der einzige Vorfall dieser Art gewesen. Im vergangenen Jahr sind bereits mehrere Frauen unter denselben mysteriösen Umständen verschwunden. Ihnen allen ist gemein, dass sie sich für die Rechte der Frauen in England und den Kolonien stark gemacht haben. Ganz genau wie Eliza, die natürlich sofort wieder Feuer und Flamme für diesen sträflich vernachlässigten Fall ist. Und so
ermitteln die beiden wieder einmal auf eigene Faust und stoßen schon bald auf eine Verschwörung, die sich bis in die obersten Gesellschaftsschichten zieht. Aber als wäre die Situation noch nicht schwierig genug, werden beide Agenten von Geistern ihrer Vergangenheit heimgesucht. Wird es ihnen gelingen diese Geister rechtzeitig abzuschütteln, um dem verschwörerischen Treiben ein Ende zu setzen?

Fulminant, spannungsgeladen und unterhaltsam von der ersten bis zur letzen Seite, genauso habe ich den ersten Band „Das Zeichen des Phönix“ in Erinnerung behalten und dementsprechend gespannt war ich natürlich, ob Pip Ballentine und Tee Morris die hohen Erwartungen, die dieser überaus gelungene Auftakt geweckt hat, auch gerecht werden können. Und es ist den beiden wirklich gelungen, denn die „Janus-Affäre“ steht ihrem Vorgänger in nichts nach, im Gegenteil: Die Geschichte der beiden Agenten wird fast nahtlos aufgegriffen und an bereits bestehende Handlungsstränge angeknüpft, auf deren Fortschreiten ich nach Lektüre des ersten Teils sehnlichst gewartet habe. Aber diese Stränge drängen sich dabei keineswegs in den Vordergrund. Sie sind verflochten mit einem ganz neuen Hauptstrang, der den knochenleeren Leichen aus dem ersten Band in nichts nachsteht. Wieder verschwinden Leute, wieder scheint die Ursache übernatürlich zu sein, und trotzdem kommt während der Lektüre keinen Moment lang das Gefühl auf, bereits bekannte Muster vorgesetzt zu bekommen. Die Geschichte hält ihr angenehm hohes Spannungslevel bis zur allerletzten Seite, ohne dass die Handlung eintönig erscheint.

Geschuldet ist dies zu einem nicht geringen Teil den beiden wirklich herausragend konzipierten Protagonisten, Wellington Books und Eliza Braun. Den Autoren ist es gelungen, ihre schon in Band eins wirklich wunderbar herausgearbeitete charakterliche Tiefe mit noch mehr Leben zu füllen. Beide haben noch einige Facetten – sowohl positive als auch negative – dazu gewonnen. Es wurden bereits angedeutete Geheimnisse ihrer Vergangenheit gelüftet und dafür viele neue Fragen aufgeworfen.
Ihre Zankereien und Interaktionen sind wie immer detailreich ausgestaltet, schlagfertig und es bereitet einfach nur eine wahre Freude sie mitzuerleben. Auch ihre nicht unbedingt einfache zwischenmenschliche Beziehung hat nach vielen spannungsgeladenen Höhen und Tiefen eine neue Ebene erreicht, die im Folgeband noch für einiges an Zündstoff sorgen wird. Aber auch die Nebencharaktere sind wunderbar vielschichtig ausgestaltet und fügen sich nahtlos ins Geschehen. Sie ergänzen die beiden doch überaus starken Protagonisten ganz ausgezeichnet und verhelfen der Geschichte zu einer harmonischen Mischung aus Spannung und gelegentlichem Herzklopfen.

Dadurch entsteht eine ausgewogene Mischung aus spannungsgeladener Verbrecherjagd, herzerwärmenden zwischenmenschlichen Konflikten und politischen Intrigen, in deren Mitte wie immer unser ungleiches Agentenduo für einigen Wirbel sorgt.

Aber nicht nur die Figuren, auch die Geschichte ist wirklich gut durchdacht. Alles Wichtige wird erwähnt, ohne dass man sich als Leser von Informationen erschlagen fühlt. Die Welt, welche die beiden Autoren erschaffen haben, ist tiefgründig und detailreich dargestellt, so dass es einem als Leser ganz leicht fällt, in die Tiefen der Geschichte einzutauchen und sich vom Geschehen voll und ganz mitreißen zu lassen. Ein durch und durch herausragendes Buch, dem hoffentlich schon sehr bald ein würdiger dritter Band folgen wird.

Mit „Die Janus-Affäre“ ist den Autoren ein wirklich würdiger Nachfolger der „Books & Braun“-Reihe gelungen, der meine hohen Erwartungen sogar noch übertroffen hat. Mit viel Witz, Charme und einer gehörigen Portion Spannung entführen die Autoren den Leser in die Welt des Steampunks, aus der man gar nicht mehr zurückkommen will. Nicht nur für Fans des Genres ein durchaus lesenswertes Buch!(less)

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Jan 02, 2013 T.S. rated it 5 of 5 stars

In five short days those clamoring for the sequel to Morris and Ballantine’s first Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel, Phoenix Rising, will have their year long wait finally abated. The Janus Affair continues where its predecessor left off, with agents Wellington Books and Eliza Braun in the thick of yet another mystery–a mystery they don’t exactly have permission to unravel.

The pair serve Queen and country through the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences and in Phoenix Rising, when we met Braun...more In five short days those clamoring for the sequel to Morris and Ballantine’s first Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel, Phoenix Rising, will have their year long wait finally abated. The Janus Affair continues where its predecessor left off, with agents Wellington Books and Eliza Braun in the thick of yet another mystery–a mystery they don’t exactly have permission to unravel.

The pair serve Queen and country through the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences and in Phoenix Rising, when we met Braun, she was demoted for her refusal to “do in” Books as she was ordered. She was sent to the archives, becoming a junior archivist drone and, sadly, under the direction of the passive and perpetually proper Books. Not satisfied with being taken off of active duty, Braun teams up with Books to solve cold cases under the radar of their supervisor, Dr. Sound, or other Ministry agents.

Following Phoenix Rising, Morris and Ballantine cunningly released short stories in the Peculiar Occurrences universe in the form of Tales from the Archives: the Official Anthology of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences podcast that helped to fill in the gaps via missing years and further details on both background and main characters.

The Janus Affair opens with Books and Braun witnessing the remarkable and beautifully steampunk abduction of one of Bruan’s suffragette friends. She is then unceremoniously told by Sound that due to her demotion and her relationship to the victim, she is in no way allowed to investigate the crime. Well, okay then, go right ahead and raise that red flag at the ginger bull, sir. Of course, the pair continue on under the nose of Ministry officials, avoiding would-be assassins and encountering Braun’s former, (and criminally attractive), fiance, Douglas Sheppard.

Braun and Books’ relationship is complicated, perhaps, heightened when Sheppard resurfaces and certainly when they are forced to rely on one another when more suffragettes are taken and doubt and cooperation in the movement isn’t so forthcoming.

It’s a difficult undertaking for the pair, having to sort out the big (and well disguised) whodunit and the many and varied obstacles in their way, but Morris and Ballantine manage to give their readers a satisfying read wrapped up in a quintessential, elegant steampunk bow. The visuals are not cliched, not overdone yet maintain the heart and spirit of Phoenix Rising and the essence of a vivid steampunk Victorian universe.

But what I found to be the most dynamic aspect of the novel (aside from a few literal laugh out loud moments…”humor” should include a detailed tintype of the writers’ faces in the dictionary), is the effortless manner in which these two writers wove together such a seamless story. There are little, if any, differentiations between their two individual voices and I felt The Janus Affair was tailored expertly and tightly woven, not unlike an elegant leather corset with a strong foundation and bright bits and bobs of clockwork brilliance that leaves the reader wrapped securely and held delighted beneath each thread.

Highly, highly recommended.(less)

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Dec 31, 2012 C.m. Simpson rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you like your steampunk without vampires and werewolves and with more Victoriana, gaslight, London and steam, then I recommend The Janus Affair. While this novel has a local (London) focus and uses the development of the suffragette movement in steampunk England, it also has a ‘Great Game’ feel. I enjoyed the contrast of ‘colonial’ and ‘homeland’ personas and attitudes as well as the contrast of classes. I liked the clever way steampunk ‘gadgets’ and inventions were woven through the story, a...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Bissfan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Bissfan by: Feder

Fulminant, spannungsgeladen und unterhaltsam von der ersten bis zur letzen Seite, genauso habe ich den ersten Band „Das Zeichen des Phönix“ in Erinnerung behalten und dementsprechend gespannt war ich natürlich, ob Pip Ballentine und Tee Morris die hohen Erwartungen, die dieser überaus gelungene Auftakt geweckt hat, auch gerecht werden können. Und es ist den beiden wirklich gelungen, denn die „Janus-Affäre“ steht ihrem Vorgänger in nichts nach, im Gegenteil: Die Geschichte der beiden Agenten wird...more Fulminant, spannungsgeladen und unterhaltsam von der ersten bis zur letzen Seite, genauso habe ich den ersten Band „Das Zeichen des Phönix“ in Erinnerung behalten und dementsprechend gespannt war ich natürlich, ob Pip Ballentine und Tee Morris die hohen Erwartungen, die dieser überaus gelungene Auftakt geweckt hat, auch gerecht werden können. Und es ist den beiden wirklich gelungen, denn die „Janus-Affäre“ steht ihrem Vorgänger in nichts nach, im Gegenteil: Die Geschichte der beiden Agenten wird fast nahtlos aufgegriffen und an bereits bestehende Handlungsstränge angeknüpft, auf deren Fortschreiten ich nach Lektüre des ersten Teils sehnlichst gewartet habe. Aber diese Stränge drängen sich dabei keineswegs in den Vordergrund. Sie sind verflochten mit einem ganz neuen Hauptstrang, der den knochenleeren Leichen aus dem ersten Band in nichts nachsteht. Wieder verschwinden Leute, wieder scheint die Ursache übernatürlich zu sein, und trotzdem kommt während der Lektüre keinen Moment lang das Gefühl auf, bereits bekannte Muster vorgesetzt zu bekommen. Die Geschichte hält ihr angenehm hohes Spannungslevel bis zur allerletzten Seite, ohne dass die Handlung eintönig erscheint.

Geschuldet ist dies zu einem nicht geringen Teil den beiden wirklich herausragend konzipierten Protagonisten, Wellington Books und Eliza Braun. Den Autoren ist es gelungen, ihre schon in Band eins wirklich wunderbar herausgearbeitete charakterliche Tiefe mit noch mehr Leben zu füllen. Beide haben noch einige Facetten – sowohl positive als auch negative – dazu gewonnen. Es wurden bereits angedeutete Geheimnisse ihrer Vergangenheit gelüftet und dafür viele neue Fragen aufgeworfen.
Ihre Zankereien und Interaktionen sind wie immer detailreich ausgestaltet, schlagfertig und es bereitet einfach nur eine wahre Freude sie mitzuerleben. Auch ihre nicht unbedingt einfache zwischenmenschliche Beziehung hat nach vielen spannungsgeladenen Höhen und Tiefen eine neue Ebene erreicht, die im Folgeband noch für einiges an Zündstoff sorgen wird. Aber auch die Nebencharaktere sind wunderbar vielschichtig ausgestaltet und fügen sich nahtlos ins Geschehen. Sie ergänzen die beiden doch überaus starken Protagonisten ganz ausgezeichnet und verhelfen der Geschichte zu einer harmonischen Mischung aus Spannung und gelegentlichem Herzklopfen.

Dadurch entsteht eine ausgewogene Mischung aus spannungsgeladener Verbrecherjagd, herzerwärmenden zwischenmenschlichen Konflikten und politischen Intrigen, in deren Mitte wie immer unser ungleiches Agentenduo für einigen Wirbel sorgt.

Aber nicht nur die Figuren, auch die Geschichte ist wirklich gut durchdacht. Alles Wichtige wird erwähnt, ohne dass man sich als Leser von Informationen erschlagen fühlt. Die Welt, welche die beiden Autoren erschaffen haben, ist tiefgründig und detailreich dargestellt, so dass es einem als Leser ganz leicht fällt, in die Tiefen der Geschichte einzutauchen und sich vom Geschehen voll und ganz mitreißen zu lassen. Ein durch und durch herausragendes Buch, dem hoffentlich schon sehr bald ein würdiger dritter Band folgen wird.

Mit „Die Janus-Affäre“ ist den Autoren ein wirklich würdiger Nachfolger der „Books & Braun“-Reihe gelungen, der meine hohen Erwartungen sogar noch übertroffen hat. Mit viel Witz, Charme und einer gehörigen Portion Spannung entführen die Autoren den Leser in die Welt des Steampunks, aus der man gar nicht mehr zurückkommen will. Nicht nur für Fans des Genres ein durchaus lesenswertes Buch!(less)

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Nov 17, 2012 Trak rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, fantasy-sci-fi, historical, romance

Well this is the second book in the adventures of Eliza Braun and Wellington Books who are puportedly srchivists for Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. Somehow the two heroes find themselves in a series of adventures and trying to keep out of trouble.
The second book in the series is much better than the first, the characters have certainly developed and the action is plenty and pushes the story along. There is a lot to like in this series and it would be good to see this being touted as a TV ser...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Justin Diehl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: recent

With more and more unsolved cases coming in involved the friends and colleagues of the Ministry’s new assistant archivist, Agent Books and Braun return in The Janus Affair, the sophomore novel in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. Victoria London is brought to life in the latest installment of Tee Morris’s and Philippa (Pip) Ballantine’s The Avengers meets Steampunk series. Romance, violence, impossible tech and tons of espionage make the novel a wonderful follow up to the opening inst...more With more and more unsolved cases coming in involved the friends and colleagues of the Ministry’s new assistant archivist, Agent Books and Braun return in The Janus Affair, the sophomore novel in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. Victoria London is brought to life in the latest installment of Tee Morris’s and Philippa (Pip) Ballantine’s The Avengers meets Steampunk series. Romance, violence, impossible tech and tons of espionage make the novel a wonderful follow up to the opening installment, Phoenix Rising.
Tee and Pip know how to start a story right by bringing in action and mystery. Twisting against the rescue of Phoenix, Janus starts us off with a bizarre kidnapping and a dangerous unknown technology in the very face of our agents. When a reunion between Eliza’s old friends, mentor, and a former love from New Zealand brings up old memories, it also brings the ghosts of past unsolved cases screaming from the archives. It’s not long before the Eliza and Wellington are knee deep and sinking into another case bringing revealing returning rivals, new villains, and deeper cracks into the meta-plot.
Through the novel the growth in the relationship between our protagonists is reflected in the growth these characters experience in themselves. Not just our heroes’ experience growth as the lives of other agents change and close allies risk social status and their lives through the events of Janus. By the time the conclusion hits a perfect mark, you’re left with a bigger and bigger picture of the world at large of the Ministry and its twisting world.
One of the refreshing items about the new novel involves my original review of Phoenix Rising. Both novels contain a number of interludes dealing with the larger meta-plot of the series. In Phoenix, I found these heavily distracting and dangling that it impacted my view of the novel at large in a negative way. In The Janus Affair, Tee and Pip manage to perfectly weave these into the current plot while maintaining the strength of the meta-plot secreted away from the protagonist. These not only made me eager to finish up this story, but hunger for more clues of the plot in oncoming books.
I recommend this to fans of Steampunk and spy dramas who like a little tongue in cheek humor mixed with high flying action. The series is fun and the new installment continues this thread. While being a sophomore book a series, The Janus Affair is a strong enough story that new readers can dive into the series from here although that would mean missing the fantastic original story and Eliza and Wellington’s introductions. The story in Janus ties up a number of loose ends and provides enough hooks for the upcoming third book in hopefully the first trilogy set in the universe of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.
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Sep 26, 2012 Miki rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review was first published on my blog Lecture Toute une Aventure

I devoured this book and my! It was even better than the first one, this series goes on my “to buy” list without hesitation and I can’t wait for the next one (one year at least that’s too long!!) This is a great book under all aspect and I loved it so much (thank you Amanda for this discovery, thank you!)

Now I will try to refrain from my super enthusiastic mood to try to explain why I’m so passionate about The Janus Affair....more This review was first published on my blog Lecture Toute une Aventure

I devoured this book and my! It was even better than the first one, this series goes on my “to buy” list without hesitation and I can’t wait for the next one (one year at least that’s too long!!) This is a great book under all aspect and I loved it so much (thank you Amanda for this discovery, thank you!)

Now I will try to refrain from my super enthusiastic mood to try to explain why I’m so passionate about The Janus Affair. To start: the plot. I was fascinated, completely immersed in the story and I couldn’t guess what was going to happen at all. We still have the big plot that started in the first book with the mole, the attempt to destroy the ministry etc, that’s the red line of the series in a way but each book is developed around a specific case that Miss Brauwn and Mister Brooks decided to resolve (or to be more precise Eliza decided and Wellington must tag along^^;;).For once, it’s not Eliza who finds the case but the cases that find her because it’s closely related to her past. When she learnt that she can’t be in charge of the investigation, start the secret part of her secret job after all with secret agents it’s not that surprising.

What I particularly enjoyed was the development in the relation between Eliza and Wellington, it’s doesn’t go too quickly at all but this case being in relation to Eliza’s past Wellington is discovering a part of her he didn’t know existed. He also starts to realize what he is feeling when some competition arises.
From Eliza’s point of view, this unexpected meeting with important figures from her past gives her the opportunity to find a closure with her memories and to understand what she really wants. She is discovering that she likes the liberty a secret job is giving her but even more she loves and trusts her partner. She isn’t the same girl that came in London in exile; she is stronger and more determined.

This look in her past is really interesting and instructing; it helped me to understand her even more. For the first time too Wellington really confide in her and it’s the main step he had to makes to start their relationship on a non platonic level. Still we get information more detailed about his past but we still want more (is his father still alive? Where he is? Etc.)

We also are learning more about the ministry of seven, those children are so cute, funny and more intelligent and realistic that they should at their age. For the first time too they express their opinion on Wellington and about the potential relation between him and Eliza. It would be hard to imagine them in a normal house but at least we learn a bit more about their live past and present in this book. ( I want more of them!!!!!)

The villain start his moves but are we really sure of his reasons and identity? We will see in the next book because the ending is perfect for this book, we get all the information about the special case, we got our favourite characters in a more heated relation and we get a promise of more adventures. Too good.

Really I love this book and series and I want more. I recommend it wholeheartedly to all readers who loves steampunk book with a lot of adventures, a romance blossoming and great investigations and suspense.
If you get the opportunity, don’t forget that there are short stories you can read while waiting for book 3, available in all formats on smashword (there is a complete anthology book 1 divided in 4parts or all stories separated depending on your preference), for the native English speaker, you can also listen to the free podcast ( the others too but in my case I need the written text too ( i want those 4 files ç_ç!!!!))(less)

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Sep 09, 2012 Melissa Hayden rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk

Lena disappears before Eliza on the train in a flash of lightning, but just before doing so asks Eliza for help. Eliza wants and requests the case, but being a Junior Archivist (not on field work) and compromised with knowing the victim, is not given the case. Agent Bruce Campbell is given the case. While at a suffragist meeting another lady, one well known to Eliza, is attacked. Eliza now starts to investigate the case with Wellington's help, and finds it leads to the suffragist women going mis...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Though Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are still ensconced in the ministry's archives, they both continue to investigate cases. A nefarious plot still carries on to bring down Director Sound and with him, their beloved Ministry. By continuing their investigations, Books and Eliza continue to disobey direct orders and are unknowingly placing the future of the ministry in jeopardy. They manage to continue clandestinely, until the kidnappings of suffragette's begin to occur.

Elisa is deeply commit...more Though Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are still ensconced in the ministry's archives, they both continue to investigate cases. A nefarious plot still carries on to bring down Director Sound and with him, their beloved Ministry. By continuing their investigations, Books and Eliza continue to disobey direct orders and are unknowingly placing the future of the ministry in jeopardy. They manage to continue clandestinely, until the kidnappings of suffragette's begin to occur.

Elisa is deeply committed to the cause quite naturally and when she notices that the kidnappings are being filed in the archives without so much as a cursory investigation, she dives in with both feet, once again dragging Wellington with her. When Eliza's first love Douglas Sheppard arrives in London with his mother, Mrs. Kate Sheppard, Eliza must protect the much needed leader of the suffragists and confront her feelings for Douglas. Wellington quite naturally becomes jealous and attempts to draw Eliza's attentions back to him at all costs. Eliza now must not only solve the case of the mysterious kidnappings, she has to decide where her heart truly belongs.

It is impossible to read this novel and not root for Wellington and Eliza. In The Janus Affair, we learn more about the apparently retiring archivist and it's fascinating. Clearly, he has unresolved issues regarding how he was raised and the fact that he hears his father's voice in his head continuously throughout the book, suggests that Wellington is not neurotypical. This is a rare thing in any genre, let alone steampunk.

Unlike Phoenix Rising, The Janus Affair is not an all White world. Agent Ihita Pujari is a good friend of Eliza's who also works at the ministry. When Ihita is first introduced, we are practically beat over the head with the fact that she is Indian, as though we could forget. There is a continual reference to her dark brown skin. Ballentine and Morris also use food as a way to add an authentic culture to her character, which was nice, as far too often characters of colour are divorced from their culture. I do however think that Ballentine and Morris took it a step too far to have her join Eliza and Douglas on a double date wearing a Sari in the middle of a cold England winter. In the end, Ihita is killed and does not really add much to the story itself. Her death serves more as inspiration for action than her character did while she was alive. The other characters of colour are twins - Chandi and Chandankika Culpepper, once again from India. Their motivation for action is "an antiquated religious belief." [pg329] We know that the Queen does not support the quest for the vote, but it is the Culpepper sisters who are backward. It sends the message that those who conform, as Ihita largely did are the acceptable people of colour.

The POV in this novel constantly shifts, which at times makes it a little difficult to follow. The writing also feels muddled and convoluted at times and leaves the reader wondering if everything is going to eventually going to make sense. I expected to zoom through this book as I had with Phoenix Rising, but that was not the case; there was simply far too much going on at any given time.

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Jul 08, 2012 Nightfall rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-and-own

The second book in the ministry of peculiar occurances/the further adventures of books and braun: more than just a description of what the book is, I think that's basically its mission statement too. If you liked reading about Books, Braun, and the Ministry in the first book, well here's more. And it succeeds brilliantly in providing that. I quite like Books and Braun and I fully enjoyed following them around some more. They are well-drawn characters and they are fun characters as well. They dra...more The second book in the ministry of peculiar occurances/the further adventures of books and braun: more than just a description of what the book is, I think that's basically its mission statement too. If you liked reading about Books, Braun, and the Ministry in the first book, well here's more. And it succeeds brilliantly in providing that. I quite like Books and Braun and I fully enjoyed following them around some more. They are well-drawn characters and they are fun characters as well. They draw a bit on established character types for sure, but that's not an accident and it's definitely part of the fun. In this book we learn more about Eliza's past when her ex-fiancee shows up and we hear all about why she got kicked out of New Zealand. Wellington Braun discovers he might be... jealous? (It's more of a shock to him than us) We learn more about his dad and actually get to visit his house. As a bonus (for me anyway) we also learn more about Eliza's maid, who I rather like as a character. There's some other newly introduced characters as well, as well as the "kids" from the first book. However, this is not just a book about following Eliza and Welly around as they get in touch with their feelings and have introspective moments - this is an Adventure. And it's on that level that the book was not quite as successful as the first one for me. There's some great action sequences, but the motivations of the villains seemed a bit 'hm... really?' to me, which dimmed my enjoyment just a bit. Someone is targeting key members of the suffrage movement and although Books and Braun are forbidden to take on the case, Eliza can't help but defy orders when an old friend asks for her help. And where Eliza goes, so does Welly. We actually get two sets of villains here, the ones that are involved in the case, and the ones that are part of the conspiracy introduced in the first book. Unfortunately I just didn't like the revealed motivation of the Villain Du Jour for various reasons (that I won't go into to avoid being spoilery) and the conspiracy... wasn't working for me either. But insufficient Evil Cred is not enough to make this a bad book in any way, it's just enough to say it's not quite as good as the first one. So if you liked the first book, read this one too. It's a fun ride, and I look forward to a Book #3.(less)

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Jul 07, 2012 Felicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, vaginal-fantasy

I really liked the first in this series and I really enjoyed the second as well. There are some jokey things with the naming I could have done without, but overall I got caught up in the characters a LOT, even moreso than the last installment. I really like how romance cliches aren't followed in this book, and it's really more of an adventure novel with some romance thrown in. I love the female lead is tough without TRYING too hard, I loved her old flame coming in, not cackling like a bad guy, b...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Jenna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Finally, the long-awaited sequel to Phoenix Rising. Eliza Braun and Wellington Books are at it again as they charge head-on into the fray, in this case, the mysterious disappearances of members of the women's suffragist movement in England. Because of her actions in the last book, Eliza was demoted to the roll of junior archivist under her partner, Wellington Books. Although she has been banned from field work, Eliza cannot help but investigate the trouble that seems to be haunting her fellow si...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Cornerofmadness rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, mystery

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is the second book in the A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. As of last book agent Eliza Braun, the ‘colonial pepperpot’ has been demoted from active duty to working in the archives with agent Wellington Thornhill Books. Naturally they are as unalike as possible, the well bookish Books and the woman of action Braun. This book overall worked better than the first. While the first book, Phoenix Rising, was good it had a tendency to go in too many directions at once and the characters...more This is the second book in the A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. As of last book agent Eliza Braun, the ‘colonial pepperpot’ has been demoted from active duty to working in the archives with agent Wellington Thornhill Books. Naturally they are as unalike as possible, the well bookish Books and the woman of action Braun. This book overall worked better than the first. While the first book, Phoenix Rising, was good it had a tendency to go in too many directions at once and the characters were painted in broad strokes. In this one, the storyline is much more focused and the characters have settled in a bit.

It opens in media res with a suffragette leader disappearing in a blue flash from a moving train right in front of Books and Braun. As much as Eliza might want on the case, Dr Sound, their leader, isn’t about to let her do it. The case goes to Agent Bruce Campbell, an Australian womanizer who doesn’t much like Eliza and actively dislikes a ‘toff’ like Wellington.

Eliza isn’t about to let it go for two reasons: one she notices that this is not the first woman in the suffragist movement to disappear and that Campbell who is in charge of those cases too, has buried the files in the archive and two, she knows the suffragist leader Kate Sheppard. We get hints of a tragic past shared between the two of them which is why Eliza can never return to her much-missed homeland of New Zealand. Also with Kate is her son, the adventurer, Douglas, Eliza’s first love.

Wellington finds himself at loose ends. He knows he shouldn’t help Eliza but he’s in agreement with her, not to mention falling hopelessly for her. He is also sympathetic to the suffragist movement. The duo quickly come under attack in Eliza’s home and her maid, Alice with the prosthetic limbs containing weaponry, learns one of Wellington’s secrets: Eliza thinks he can’t shoot a gun but in reality he is sniper-quality. I can’t remember why he’s keeping it secret from her (we do get an explanation at the end of this book).

One by one more suffragists disappear. While Wellington, the happy tinker, figures out what device could do this, Eliza works with the women even if it might take her into the hands of a lady queen of thieves that Eliza’s own ‘ministry seven’ street kids have often had troubles with. Added into this hot mix is, of course, Douglas who wants Eliza back and Wellington fears will win out over him, seeing as he has never bothered to tell Eliza what he feels.

I was afraid I wasn’t going to like this one as much mostly because women’s rights is one of those hot buttons that make me nuts (especially right now after the last six months of crap in the States) but it was handled very well. Some of the political undercurrents from last book are still in here, including the Maestro who seems to lead the opponents to the Ministry and his pet Italian assassin, Sophia. The steampunk elements are handled with a light touch (thankfully, too many steampunk books I’ve read have to remind you every three seconds there is steam and clockwork) and this time the only place we see the words ‘colonial pepperpot’ is in the chapter titles (first book that euphemism was so over done, I started keeping count).

I was a bit surprised at how fast some things went in terms of relationships, inter personal and job. I’m really curious how the next book will go because I don’t see them carrying over those running themes if the book is going to be set where I think it is. This series is becoming quickly the most enjoyable steampunk I’ve read.
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Jun 12, 2012 Donald L rated it 5 of 5 stars

from my Casa de Pitsiladis blog:

The Janus Affair, the second book of the MOPO novel series, follows the exploits of archivists Eliza Braun and Wellington Book as they investigate a series of strange disappearances involving high-ranking members of the Women’s Suffragist movement. What makes the case peculiar is that, in every case, the women disappear in a blinding flash of light and electricity. Add to the mix the return of Eliza’s first love, a secret organization whose goal it is to disband t...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Tanya rated it 4 of 5 stars

There is something about this series that is so addicting. Even when I'm nitpicking as I'm reading, I still can't put it down. There were a few times where I felt lost in the conversation and found myself actually flipping back to see if I missed something. Spotty editing or just a side effect of having two authors, I couldn't say. (view spoiler)...more

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May 19, 2012 Renn Shearin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Certainly no strangers to peculiar occurrences, ministry agents Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are nonetheless stunned to observe a fellow passenger aboard Britain's latest hypersteam train suddenly vanish in a bolt of lightning. They soon discover this is not the only such disappearance ....and each case is being ignored by a fellow agent and the Ministry.

The fate of England and the suffragist movement is again in the hands of the ingenious archivist and the beautiful, fearless lady of advent...more Certainly no strangers to peculiar occurrences, ministry agents Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are nonetheless stunned to observe a fellow passenger aboard Britain's latest hypersteam train suddenly vanish in a bolt of lightning. They soon discover this is not the only such disappearance ....and each case is being ignored by a fellow agent and the Ministry.

The fate of England and the suffragist movement is again in the hands of the ingenious archivist and the beautiful, fearless lady of adventure. And though their foe may be fiendishly clever, so then is Mr. Books . . . and Miss Braun still has a number of useful and unusual devices hidden beneath her petticoats.

The Janus Affair by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris was an absolutely rollicking read, chock full of danger, disaster, and of course the devilish duo of Wellington Books and Eliza Braun. The mystery that these two agents are solving this time is, if possible, even more sinister and heart-troubling than the one found in the first Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel. This mystery is personal, potentially leading to the harm of someone well loved by Eliza, someone that was mentioned in the first podcast of the Tales of the Archives, The Evil that Befell Sampson by Philippa Ballantine.
Link to the Tales of the Archives: http://www.ministryofpeculiaroccurren...

The plotline of the Janus Affair is excellent, clearly showing the perspectives of both agents, and simply brimming with unexpected twists, characters, and events. There are several humorous exchanges between the characters which are probably one of my favorite things about the novel. There are also sad moments, but they are necessary to add to the urgency of the mission.

The characters of the novel are also extremely well developed. I enjoyed learning more about Eliza and Wellington as they worked together on this case.....and.....the expected and much awaited building in chemistry between them. There is an old love of Eliza's in this story, and he adds to the tension between Eliza and Welly in the most fascinating of ways.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the Janus Affair, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a rambunctious tale of mystery, comedy, romance, and, of course, steampunk! (less)

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May 15, 2012 Scott Roche rated it 5 of 5 stars

I had the pleasure of reading The Janus Affair: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel by Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine over the last week. Before I get into the whys and wherefores of that pleasantness, allow me to get a few things out of the way, in case these names or this book series is new to you.

Tee Morris is an actor, author, and podcaster from the Virginia area. He’s written fiction and non-fiction and I’m absolutely a fan of his style. Pip Ballantine is also an author and a podcaster...more I had the pleasure of reading The Janus Affair: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel by Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine over the last week. Before I get into the whys and wherefores of that pleasantness, allow me to get a few things out of the way, in case these names or this book series is new to you.

Tee Morris is an actor, author, and podcaster from the Virginia area. He’s written fiction and non-fiction and I’m absolutely a fan of his style. Pip Ballantine is also an author and a podcaster and has come from New Zealand to live in the states and write full time. I’ve enjoyed many of the things she’s written as well. Together they’ve begun a journey into the world of steampunk (more on what that is here). It started with Phoenix Rising and a series of podcast short stories written by authors from around the world. This book is the sequel to those efforts.

It concerns two agents, Wellington Books and Eliza Braun, who work in a rather passive way as archivists for Great Britain’s Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. Think X-files filtered through the sepia lens of Victorian England and you’re on the right track. Notable suffragists have been disappearing under mysterious circumstances and the two agents take it upon themselves, due to some personal relationships, to investigate. Doing so requires secrecy, danger, and no small amount of political maneuvering. They dodge mysterious assassins and their own supervisor’s scrutiny to get to the bottom of the mystery.

So, how was it? I’m an author myself and I can tell you from experience that writing with a partner is hard. I’ve read and reviewed a number of collaborations over the years. Done well, it takes the talents of both authors and creates something greater than the sum of its parts. Done poorly it’s a complete and utter train wreck. This book fails squarely in the former category.

Tee’s ability to create cracking good dialog and action is one of the things I love about his work. Pip’s talent in writing romance and creating lush worlds full of detail is something I appreciate as well. Together they have created quite an enjoyable tale. The thing that impresses me most is, there are no seams that I can see. They have taken their different abilities and points of view and fused them. I’m sure that no small amount of credit for that goes to an editor or two somewhere along the line, but even the best editor can’t create gems from dross, and this is a gem.

If you like high adventure with a mix of humor, romance, and a dash of social commentary, then this is indeed a book for you. If you’re not a fan of steampunk or don’t even know what that is I’d still give this world a shot. Fair warning, it can lead to addiction.(less)

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Apr 29, 2012 W. Monisa Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

I had just finished reading the first book in the series and enjoyed it a great deal. So when I got the opportunity to read an advanced release copy of the Janus Affair, I jumped at the chance. All I can say is OMG. This book totally blew the first one out of the water. I loved it. I literally couldn't not put the book down and finished it in about 36 hours. And once I finished the book, I had to turn back and reread the last chapter again, just for the fun of it.

Without giving away any spoilers...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Odin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Read the full review at http://www.viewfromvalhalla.com

Buy it. Read it. You'll love it.

Setting: Victorian London. However, this is the Victorian London not seen by your ancestors. This is the Victorian London Verne and Wells would have chosen to live in if the choice had been available. The wonderfully infernal devices evidenced throughout The Janus Affair are much more blended into the story than almost any other steampunk story I've encountered. I've heard complaints about steampunk from two a...more Read the full review at http://www.viewfromvalhalla.com

Buy it. Read it. You'll love it.

Setting: Victorian London. However, this is the Victorian London not seen by your ancestors. This is the Victorian London Verne and Wells would have chosen to live in if the choice had been available. The wonderfully infernal devices evidenced throughout The Janus Affair are much more blended into the story than almost any other steampunk story I've encountered. I've heard complaints about steampunk from two almost antithetical camps. The one seems to hate anything that is overly analyzed as most contraptions would be taken for granted. The other camp has sever issues whenever there are not enough steam powered devices in evidence. I am unsure whether Mr. Morris and Ms. Ballantine have heard these same complaints or if they just happen to walk the perfect middle: The Janus Affair is peppered on every page with plenty of gadgets and the only device that I remember being explained is a Victorian glowstick.

Plot: Ms. Braun has much cause for rejoicing as London's suffrage movement, which is beginning to gain steam, is visited by her old mentor Kate Sheppard, the first lady of the New Zealand Suffrage Movement. However, suffragists from around London are disappearing and Books and Braun endeavor to make sure Kate isn't next.

Characters: Besides Wellington and Eliza, many of the cast from Pheonix Rising return and are fleshed out. Of particular note, the Ministry Seven have a much larger role in The Janus Affair, a fact that you'll be quite happy about. All of the characters gel a bit more in the current story and each plays their part well.

Odin’s recommendation: I make no bones here; I'm going to gush. I truly and simply loved Pheonix Rising at the time I read it and stated that it was the best example of steampunk I'd read. I continued to feel that way until I read The Janus Affair. Simply stated, The Janus Affair is a substantially better story than Pheonix Rising. I'd have given Pheonix Rising an unreserved A rating. The Janus Affair one upped it and got a perfect score; then did the extra credit. In all honesty, I can't think of a single scene I'd change.

If you're a fan of good writing, you need to go ahead and pre-order The Janus Affair now. (Feel free to click the image on the carousel to the right.) If you've never read steampunk before, this would be a great introduction. If you've felt steampunk wasn't for you, The Janus Affair will change your mind. If you're tired of books that take themselves too seriously and forget to let the reader enjoy the story and characters, Ms. Ballantine and Mr. Morris had you in mind.

I truly believe with The Janus Affair: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel, this series will become a fan favorite and readers will demand to find out what happens when next Eliza and Welly suit up for their next adventure.(less)

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Jan 14, 2013 Jason Bucky Roberts rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Yes

Shelves: favorites

I really enjoyed Phoenix Rising but I have to say that this book blows the first out of the water! It was an amazing read, filled with wonderful characters, detailed world building, and an intriguing plot. This is my favorite steampunk series and I cannot wait for the next installment.

Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are once again caught up in an investigation for the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. This time, the mystery hits even closer to home for Eliza as it involves her mentor Kate Shepp...more I really enjoyed Phoenix Rising but I have to say that this book blows the first out of the water! It was an amazing read, filled with wonderful characters, detailed world building, and an intriguing plot. This is my favorite steampunk series and I cannot wait for the next installment.

Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are once again caught up in an investigation for the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. This time, the mystery hits even closer to home for Eliza as it involves her mentor Kate Sheppard and her son and Eliza's former lover, Douglas Sheppard. Activists in the Women's Suffrage Movement are being targeted. They aren't being shot though... oh no, this is a Peculiar Occurrence! The criminals are using a gun engineered to move matter from one place to another. Basically, the activists are being kidnapped by weapon and Kate Sheppard is at the top of the list.

I found the mystery to be very interesting and I loved the technology behind the weapon. The eventual reveal of the big bad was well done and had quite a clever twist. There were interesting pieces of steam-powered technology, lots of action, a well-played con, and of course a few explosions.

The addition of Eliza's former paramour was nicely done. His involvement didn't feel forced, but it did force our two main characters to analyze their relationship and feelings for one another. I have to say, I loved the way the book ended!

One of my favorite parts of the book was the con game including the Ministry Seven. I love the way the children are written, especially little Serena. She and Wellington are impersonating the daughter and husband of Eliza, respectively. Serena, completely in character of course, tells Wellington not to worry about "Mum" because she's special and that she loves her. Wellington replies that he loves her too and Serena yells, "I knew it!" It was a very funny exchange and, even when the con went bad, the actions between Serena and Wellington were very touching.

I can't recommend this book more highly for fans of steampunk. Everything about it was wonderful and left me eagerly anticipating the third novel!(less)

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Jul 26, 2012 Hannah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk

3.5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed Welly and Eliza's second adventure by the end, but I had a few issues throughout the early part of the book that marred the experience for me just slightly. As much as I liked The Janus Affair, I think I might have preferred Phoenix Rising by a small margin. Your mileage may vary, however.

Let's start off with the good! I STILL LOVE WELLY. He's so darn endearing, and not only do we get to know him better, Eliza does too! While we saw things from his POV more often...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Linda Baker rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

The second novel in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series (after last year's Airship Award winner, PHOENIX RISING) does not disappoint. Our intrepid Archivists, Eliza D. Braun and Wellington Thornhill Books are returning to London from Edinburgh on the train when a young woman disappears in a flash of lightning and an overwhelming electrical odor before their eyes. Eliza even knows the woman, a colleague in the women's suffrage movement. Even though Eliza is on probation of a sort after th...more The second novel in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series (after last year's Airship Award winner, PHOENIX RISING) does not disappoint. Our intrepid Archivists, Eliza D. Braun and Wellington Thornhill Books are returning to London from Edinburgh on the train when a young woman disappears in a flash of lightning and an overwhelming electrical odor before their eyes. Eliza even knows the woman, a colleague in the women's suffrage movement. Even though Eliza is on probation of a sort after the events of PHOENIX RISING, she can't let it go. Neither can Wellington when he discovers identical cases that have been shoved into unsolved cases at the Ministry.

The leading light of the New Zealand suffrage movement, Kate Sheppard, is visiting England in order to rally the troops and asks Eliza to aid in her protection. Along with Kate is her son, Douglas, world explorer and Eliza's first love. It's clear that Douglas would like to restart the relationship but Eliza is not at all sure. Wellington is quite sure that he doesn't want that to happen however! The disappearances continue, the movement is falling apart and it is becoming clear that something is rotten at the very heart of the suffragists. The sinister Maestro, assassin Sophia del Morte, part mechanical housemaid Alice and the Ministry Seven (a band of street urchins much like the Baker Street Irregulars) from PHOENIX RISING all play a large part in the story. Horrifying events abound; non-stop action and a slowly simmering romance make THE JANUS AFFAIR a book you can't put down. Plus great gadgetry and airships of course.

I particularly liked the homage to a real historical figure, Katherine Sheppard, who was the leader of the New Zealand suffrage movement. New Zealand was the first nation to grant the vote to women in 1894 and Katherine Sheppard was largely responsible. The fictional Kate Sheppard does not resemble her physically but embodies her spirit and dedication.

Much is revealed about Eliza's life in New Zealand and just why Welly has been hiding his many talents in the depths of the archives. The novel ends with Eliza and Welly off on assignment in the former American Colonies. One wonders how oh-so-proper Welly will cope with the Americans and whether the Maestro and Sophia will follow.
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Jun 08, 2012 Cat rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have quickly become a huge fan of The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris. I first heard about the series through SpecFicNZ.org – I followed a link to the first story in the Tales from the Archives podcast series that supplements the books, loved it, and pre-ordered book 1, Phoenix Rising.

Oh, how I enjoyed Phoenix Rising. The LOLing, and the squeeing, and the re-reading of favourite scenes. I’ve spent the last year dying to get my hands on book 2, The Janus

...more I have quickly become a huge fan of The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris. I first heard about the series through SpecFicNZ.org – I followed a link to the first story in the Tales from the Archives podcast series that supplements the books, loved it, and pre-ordered book 1, Phoenix Rising.

Oh, how I enjoyed Phoenix Rising. The LOLing, and the squeeing, and the re-reading of favourite scenes. I’ve spent the last year dying to get my hands on book 2, The Janus Affair. When I finally had a chance to read it the other day, I read it all in one gulp, staying up until 3.30am on a work night to finish it – 3.30!

The Janus Affair is somewhat different in tone to Phoenix Rising – now that we are familiar with the world, the scope opens out and more characters are drawn in. We get a better sense of the day-to-day life at the Ministry, and for agents Books and Braun. Stakes are raised, secrets are revealed faster than I was expecting, and Ballantine and Morris demonstrate that they are brave enough to put their characters through the metaphorical meat grinder.

There are a few little plot niggles that caught my attention – dropped plot threads (the children!), improbable leaps of logic, and mis-matches between spoken words and thoughts (unless certain characters were lying about certain things). But these problems did not hinder my enjoyment of the book. It is so much fun to read, I was able (despite being a pedant) to overlook those problems for the sake of the story.

What I most enjoyed about the book is that the authors have proven that they are not going to make the same mistake that TV police procedural writers often do – you know, that mistake where they seem to think that the “will they, won’t they?” question is the only possible tension that could be added to a budding romance storyline. Instead, Ballantine and Morris have gathered a whole collection of other tensions not directly related to that question and thrown them into the mix. I can see the complexity these myriad tensions create paying off well in the long run, and coming together to form a most satisfying and iconic relationship arc.

If you are a fan of steampunk, historical fiction, X-Files, spy stories, romance, explosions or, most particularly, all of the above, then I’ll wager that you will love this series as much as I do.

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The Janus Affair (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences #2)

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Trivia About The Janus Affair

Quotes from The Janus Affair