Steam & Magic - Feuerspiel (Gaslight Chronicles, #1) by Cindy Spencer Pape

Jul 02, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, steampunk, hollie

Steam & Sorcery is a quick read, and with two protagonists, an aunt, five children, and a variety of side characters, you'd think it would be quickly overwhelmed by a confusing number of names, but Pape does a fantastic job in giving them all dimension and keeping them distinct. Children are especially difficult to write well, since they often veer either to acting several years younger/older than they're meant to be or simply depicted as being so annoying you grit your teeth every time they...more Steam & Sorcery is a quick read, and with two protagonists, an aunt, five children, and a variety of side characters, you'd think it would be quickly overwhelmed by a confusing number of names, but Pape does a fantastic job in giving them all dimension and keeping them distinct. Children are especially difficult to write well, since they often veer either to acting several years younger/older than they're meant to be or simply depicted as being so annoying you grit your teeth every time they're on the page (assuming, of course, the author pays much attention to them other than being used as a plot device). In this case, however, I honestly liked each of the children, and in spite of there being five of them, they had distinct personalities and abilities. (It helps that they're not very young children, ranging in age from 9-15.) I could have happily spent the entire book in the nursery, watching the kids adjust to their new surroundings and interact with Caroline and with each other. They were fun to read about and I actually wished we spent a little more time with them. We do spend a bit of extra time with the two oldest, Tommy and Wink, a potential Knight and a mechanical genius, respectively.

You may have guessed by this point that Steam & Sorcery is a very character-driven book. The plot does suffer a bit for this, becoming more of a random series of events that culminate in a big finale rather than something that builds one piece at a time to a natural conclusion. There are a number of elements that are introduced and then kind of wither off into nothing, sitting around unused and watching the character interplay. Not that I could blame them, because that's pretty much what I was watching while reading, too.

Pape is also fond of splitting her phrases. It's not at all unusual to see two or three em dashes in a page, sometimes even in one paragraph:

Caroline saw the fear that lurked behind his pale gray eyes. These children were bold but terrified. It would be good to put their minds at ease before she went on her way --and she could have another bite or two while she was about it. The sandwiches were delicious, after all --if she nibbled long enough, she wouldn't have to buy supper tonight.

I have nothing against a good em dash, but when they're used that often, it becomes noticeable.

It's not a perfect book, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it immensely anyway. Truth be told, I pretty well devoured the thing. It's a quick read, and a lot of fun, and not only am I looking forward to reading the next two volumes in the series, I did an excited happy dance when I discovered there's a fourth volume featuring Wink as the heroine coming out in October. And yes, I'm actually pleased enough about that it got marked down on my book calendar so I don't forget.(less)

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Dec 01, 2011 Aislynn (Stitch Read Cook) added it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-s-to-review, historical-romance, netgalley-read, read-in-2011, paranormal-fantasy, steampunk

Who knew that Vampires, magical children, a sexy Knight and a governess would make such a fantastic story. And would have me glued to the page right from the first sentence until the very last page? I wish I hadn't waited so long to read this book - because it was awesome!

Miss Bristol has lost her job and is just barely scrapping by on what she's managed so save. She reluctantly takes a job with the nephew of an acquaintance - to help him look after several orphans he took in. Little did she kno...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Marie-Claire rated it 5 of 5 stars

London, Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts: Bis in die finstersten Ecken der Stadt ist Sir Merrick Hadrian bekannt und gefürchtet. Mit neuartiger, dampfbetriebener Technologie und verwegenem Mut jagt er alles, was sich zwischen dem Diesseits und dem Jenseits tummelt. Doch die fünf Straßenkinder, die er bei sich aufnimmt, bringen ihn an seine Grenzen. Seine Rettung ist die bezaubernde Gouvernante Caroline Bristol, die bald nicht nur Merricks Zöglinge in Atem hält. Aber ihrem geheimnisvollen Arbeitgeber b...more London, Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts: Bis in die finstersten Ecken der Stadt ist Sir Merrick Hadrian bekannt und gefürchtet. Mit neuartiger, dampfbetriebener Technologie und verwegenem Mut jagt er alles, was sich zwischen dem Diesseits und dem Jenseits tummelt. Doch die fünf Straßenkinder, die er bei sich aufnimmt, bringen ihn an seine Grenzen. Seine Rettung ist die bezaubernde Gouvernante Caroline Bristol, die bald nicht nur Merricks Zöglinge in Atem hält. Aber ihrem geheimnisvollen Arbeitgeber bleibt wenig Zeit, Carolines Herz zu erobern, denn die Dämonen der Unterwelt rüsten sich zu einem vernichtenden Angriff. Merrick kann sie nur mit Carolines Hilfe und ihrer verborgenen magischen Gabe besiegen ...

"Feuerspiel" ist der erste Band der "Steam & Magic"- Reihe von Cindy Spencer Pape und ein Roman aus dem Steampunk- Genre, das zu meinen persönlichen Lieblingen gehört.
Das Steampunk- Thema wurde seitens der Autorin gut umgesetzt, wobei sie noch etliche weitere Elemente mit in ihre Handlung hat einfließen lassen; so findet sich viel Paranormales, viel Magie und auch eine Portion Liebe in diesem Buch wieder; all diese Elemente wurden toll miteinander verbunden und haben einen spannenden Roman geschaffen, der durch seine vielen Facetten überzeugen kann. Das viktorianische Flair kommt gut herüber und auch der Charakter dieses Genres ist wiederzufinden und schafft eine tolle Atmosphäre, die das Steampunk- Genre so einzigartig werden lässt.
Die Handlung ist durchweg spannend und der Einstieg sehr leicht, denn sofort ist man im Geschehen; Erläuterungen erfolgen an den jeweiligen Stellen. Überraschende Wendungen schaffen noch zusätzlich einen spannungsgeladenen Kick, der auf einer interessanten Grundidee aufbaut.
Mit viel Charme und neuen und alten Ideen, entsteht ein wirklich gelungener Mix, der eine Wohlfühlatmosphäre aufbaut, aber dabei niemals auf Spannung oder Action verzichtet.
Durch die unterschiedlichen Facetten entsteht eine dichte Handlung, die zu jeder Zeit viel Spaß bereitet und den Leser in das viktorianische Zeitalter eintauchen lässt.
In sich ist dieser Roman abgeschlossen, da sich die Folgebände mit anderen bereits bekannten und unbekannten Protagonisten befassen werden, wobei ich hoffe, dass es in ihnen ein Wiedersehen mit Merrick und Caroline geben wird.

Die Charaktere sind allesamt sehr unterschiedlich skizziert, dabei aber stets dem viktorianischen Zeitalter angemessen, auch wenn sie größtenteils Freidenker sind, die sich nicht von Konventionen unterdrücken lassen.
Der größte Teil dieser Protagonisten ist einfach nur sympathisch und liebenswert; es bereitet viel Freude bei ihren Abenteuern Mäuschen zu spielen und Teil daran zu haben.
Die romantische Beziehung zwischen Caroline und Merrick entwickelt sich in einem angemessenen Tempo, aber dafür umso leidenschaftlicher. Romantik ist immer wieder gegeben und auch kleinere erotische Szenen finden sich in der Handlung wieder.

Sprachlich erzählt Cindy Spencer Pape ihre Geschichte dem damaligen Sprachgebrauch mehr als angemessen, sodass die Atmosphäre dadurch noch zusätzlich unterstützt wird. Der flüssige und auch oftmals witzige Schreibstil der Autorin trägt seinen Teil zu einer tollen Unterhaltung bei, sodass man gerne mehr aus dieser Reihe lesen möchte, die hoffentlich genauso spannend und einzigartig weitergehen mag.
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Nov 08, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sir Merrick Hadrian is A Knight of the Order of the Round Table. His job is to use magic and steam technology to hunt down evil, whether it be human or supernatural. One night on the trail of a vampire he is actually saved by a group of street urchins. He is moved to take them on as wards, when the oldest boy shows signs that he has the skills to become a trained knight. Suddenly Merrick moves from being a confirmed bachelor to a man with a house full of children he can scarcely control.

His aun...more

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Jun 15, 2012 PointyEars42 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hero-isnt-an-alpha-dickhead, use-of-the-word-quim, will-read-the-sequels, make-a-movie-of-it

Bonus points for the use of the word QUIM. Yay! Erm, right, the book?

Set in an era when gas power and clever machines were indeed all the rage, one dirigible does not a steampunk novel make. As a paranormal Victorian romance - and using one of my favourite tropes: the irresistible governess - I really liked it. I would have liked to see a greater role for the children and their abilities, but I suppose there's no space for it in a romance novel this length. I look forward to reading their stori...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: keepers, ebook

Cindy Spencer Pape-Gaslight Chronicles #1-Steam & Sorcery
ebook, 305 pages
Published March 7th 2011 by Carina Press
ISBN1426891288 (ISBN13: 9781426891281)

Good read-relationship driven plot, with some action elements. Historical setting [1851] with a touch of magic and a steampunk twist - complete with a lord, a governess, and assorted delightful [and oddly talented] children. No mad wife in the attic but it does have a mechanical dog and vampyres...

A group of street children help Sir Merric...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Lillie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-galley, carina, ebook, for-review, i-own, nook-books, received-for-promotion, received-from-net-galley, received-from-publisher, review-copy, series, reviewed-for-blog

This is A Flash Of Fiction (capsule or brief) review. See the full content at: Read My Mind

I Liked -- Plot: Steampunk is growing into a popular sub-genre, and I have wholeheartedly embraced it. While I like the machinery and the airships and the danger that can go along with steampunk stories, Pape's novel had more of the historical aspect included in the plot, and I always enjoy reading about Regency/Victorian England, so it was just the right thing to capture my attention. There was a great b...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Mystique Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cindy Spencer Pape has crafted delightful cross genre romance that grabs the reader and pulls them into a beautifully layered world. While the story is tagged as Gaslight Fantasy it really is so much more. You have vampires and mechanical dogs in a world being protected by the descendents of The Knights of the Round Table. It is fabulous!

For this reviewer while I was captivated by the world I feel in love with the characters. The heroine, Caroline, is smart and independent. This girl is not a da...more

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May 23, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, suspense-mystery, science-fiction-fantasy, paranormal

A LASR 'BEST BOOK'!

If Steam and Sorcery is an example of Steampunk Romance I’m going to put this genre on my favorites list.

The time is 1851. Queen Victoria is on the throne of England. On the surface the era appears unchanged from the one we know from history. All is not as it seems.

Sir Merrick Hadrian is a Knight of the Round Table. He is descended from Arthur’s original knights - who were were completely different from the knights portrayed in legend. Merrick is gifted with magic. His secre...more A LASR 'BEST BOOK'!

If Steam and Sorcery is an example of Steampunk Romance I’m going to put this genre on my favorites list.

The time is 1851. Queen Victoria is on the throne of England. On the surface the era appears unchanged from the one we know from history. All is not as it seems.

Sir Merrick Hadrian is a Knight of the Round Table. He is descended from Arthur’s original knights - who were were completely different from the knights portrayed in legend. Merrick is gifted with magic. His secret duties include disposing of vampires, rogue werewolfs and other supernatural beings who endanger the mechanical Victorian England.

Life becomes extremely complicated when five gifted children help him defeat several vampires. He suspects one of them is descended from a Knight. He takes all five children into his home to protect them from the revenge of the vampires. Chaos erupts in his orderly household so he hires a governess and then promptly falls in love with her.

Caroline Bristol is not the frumpy governess she tries to appear. An instant rapport grows between her and the children, but she also has a hidden talent - or fault as she thinks of it. Her other problem is the instant attraction she develops for her employer.

The two adults and five children must solve the riddle of the vampires. Merrick and Caroline also have the difficulty of fighting their growing desire for each other.

I thought Steampunk Romance differed from ordinary romances by having machines appearing in unlikely times of history, particularly Victorian times. Ms. Spencer Pape has certainly placed her story in the correct era. The wonderful machines in her book also make it steampunk. George the mechanical dog is a particular favorite of mine. Her inclusion of the paranormal and magic is so natural it gives the story a well deserved richness in tone. Humor lightens the world of the paranormal which can often be dark and scary.

The characters are people you could imagine in your everyday life. Caroline is a feisty young lady who refuses to allow any male employer to take advantage. Merrick is determined not to marry. What wife would allow him to chase vampires and werewolves? Five children ranging in age from nine to sixteen add a contrast between being funny, and at times distressing.

Definitely a book I would recommend. Truth be told, I couldn’t put this one down.

originally posted at http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...(less)

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May 21, 2011 Grace rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Author: Cindy Spencer Pape
Title: Steam and Sorcery
Description (source): Sir Merrick Hadrian hunts monsters, both human and supernatural. A Knight of the Order of the Round Table, his use of magick and the technologies of steam power have made him both respected and feared. But his considerable skills are useless in the face of his greatest challenge, guardianship of five unusual children. At a loss, Merrick enlists the aid of a governess.

Miss Caroline Bristol is reluctant to work for a bachelor...more Author: Cindy Spencer Pape
Title: Steam and Sorcery
Description (source): Sir Merrick Hadrian hunts monsters, both human and supernatural. A Knight of the Order of the Round Table, his use of magick and the technologies of steam power have made him both respected and feared. But his considerable skills are useless in the face of his greatest challenge, guardianship of five unusual children. At a loss, Merrick enlists the aid of a governess.

Miss Caroline Bristol is reluctant to work for a bachelor but she needs a position, and these former street children touch her heart. While she tends to break any mechanical device she touches, it never occurs to her that she might be something more than human. All she knows is that Merrick is the most dangerously attractive man she's ever met-and out of reach for a mere governess.

When conspiracy threatens to blur the distinction between humans and monsters, Caroline and Merrick must join forces, and the fate of humanity hinges upon their combined skills of steam and sorcery... (netgalley description)

Review copy source: Netgalley

Plot: The plot had three main strands: the romance, the relationship of the two protagonists with the children, and the mystery of why vampires were suddenly working together (and working with humans). Of the three, the children’s subplot was the most enjoyable; each of the children had a special gift and a unique personality. I would have liked to see this take up even more of the book. The romance was ok, and I would have preferred to be without the mystery; it didn’t seem to matter except to take up time in between romance and kids. The heroine discovered something revelatory about herself, but it did not matter to the plot at all.

Characters: As I mentioned, the childrens’ characters were very well written, and the secondary characters (the aunt and the tutor) were entertaining as well. The two main protagonists, though, were pretty generic.

Writing style: This was my first steampunk romance (is that even a genre?) The author used some steampunk details in the story, but it probably could have been set during any historical time period. The one steampunk element that was important to the story was one of the children’s gift for mechanics.

Audience: Romance readers, especially of the steampunk subgenre. Paranormal fans would probably also like it, as well as folks who like governess stories.

Wrap-up: A pleasant read; I’m not the main audience for this book (as I don’t read paranormal or steampunk romance), but I would probably not seek out other books in the series or by this author. 3/5*(less)

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Mar 29, 2011 Jo (Mixed Book Bag) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Steam and Sorcery combines steampunk, magic, and paranormal in a satisfying read. Sir Merrick Hadrian is a Knight of the ancient Order of the Round Table. On a mission in the London slums Sir Marrick is saved by a band of five children from an attack of vampyres. When the children offer to help him complete his mission he accepts their help. Recognizing the unique talent in each of the children and the fact that one of them is a Knight he moves them to his home creating chaos. What he needs is a...more

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Mar 15, 2011 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Steam and Sorcery

The Gaslight Chronicles

Cindy Spencer Pape
Carina Press 3/7/2011

Kindle Edition

File Size: 447 kb

Excerpt

Audible Audio Edition

Listening Length: 7 hour(s) and 50 min.

Program Type: Audiobook

Version: Unabridged

Publisher: Carina Press (March 1, 2011)

will appear on Saturday 3/21/2011 at Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust.

E-Galley provided by Publisher through NetGalley.com

No remuneration was exchanged

No Ick, Cliche factor high.

Description:

Sir Merrick Hadrian hunts monsters, both human and s...more

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Mar 15, 2011 Simcha Lazarus rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Meljean Brook and Gail Carriger have proven that mixing together alternate history, technology, fantasy and romance can bring about the most delightful results. I loved Carriger’s Soulless and Brook’s Iron Duke, and so when I came across Steam & Sorcery, which sounded like it had some similar themes, I was eager to give it a try.

Steam & Sorcery starts off strong and seems to be heading on the path to some interesting destinations, but unfortunately it never quite makes it. The story open...more Meljean Brook and Gail Carriger have proven that mixing together alternate history, technology, fantasy and romance can bring about the most delightful results. I loved Carriger’s Soulless and Brook’s Iron Duke, and so when I came across Steam & Sorcery, which sounded like it had some similar themes, I was eager to give it a try.

Steam & Sorcery starts off strong and seems to be heading on the path to some interesting destinations, but unfortunately it never quite makes it. The story opens as Sir Merrick is working on cracking a case involving the kidnapping of several women in London. Suddenly, two vampires materialize from the darkness, and attack. Just as Merrick is certain that he is about to die, a group of street urchins intervene and skillfully put an end to the vampires. Merrick is startled to discover how young his saviors are, and that they each appear to possess some magical abilities. Disinclined to leave them to the streets, Merrick invites the children to his home, to become his wards.

This was a great beginning to the story, and I couldn’t wait to find out more about these children and their magic, as well as how they came to be such skilled vampire hunters.

Strangely though, after their initial fight with the vampires, the children become rather unremarkable. Yes, they do each have some kind of magical talent; one sees ghosts, one has prophetic dreams and one can create any kind of mechanical device, but these abilities don’t actually play any substantial part in the story. The story also doesn't explore how the kids were able to defeat the vampires, and- to my disappointment- they don't do anything similarly interesting again.

When a governess is hired to take the unruly children in-hand, the plot begins to follow a familiar pattern. Caroline and Merrick are inexplicably drawn to each other, though they do their best to maintain a professional relationship, for a while, at least. Their relationship follows the predictable path, as does the rest of the story. And when Merrick realizes that there may be a traitor among the Knights, working with the vampires, a couple of none-too-subtle clues make it pretty obvious who the culprit is.

The only real surprise for me about the book was that Pape did not make use of all the interesting elements that she had introduced into the story. I really thought she was going to dress up the traditional Jane Eyre plot with the magical children, supernatural creatures and steampunk technology, and I was really looking forward to see how it would all play out. But neither the magical or paranormal aspects were developed and while there was some steampunk technology, these items were just mentioned but not explained in any way.

While Steam & Sorcery did not turn out to be another Soulless or Iron Duke, it was entertaining enough that I easily read through it in just a few hours. The writing wasn't bad and both Caroline and Merrick are likable characters whom I enjoyed reading about. Readers of romance would probably enjoy this story, though anyone looking for a paranormal or steampunk novel will likely be disappointed.

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Mar 14, 2011 Mikaela rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Book: Steam and Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape

The Particulars: Steampunk, Carina Press, available as e-book

Why was it in my TBR? I got this one from Netgalley. The cover caught my attention

The Review:

The blurb:
Sir Merrick Hadrian hunts monsters, both human and supernatural. A Knight of the Order of the Round Table, his use of magick and the technologies of steam power have made him both respected and feared. But his considerable skills are useless in the face of his greatest challenge, guardi...more The Book: Steam and Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape

The Particulars: Steampunk, Carina Press, available as e-book

Why was it in my TBR? I got this one from Netgalley. The cover caught my attention

The Review:

The blurb:
Sir Merrick Hadrian hunts monsters, both human and supernatural. A Knight of the Order of the Round Table, his use of magick and the technologies of steam power have made him both respected and feared. But his considerable skills are useless in the face of his greatest challenge, guardianship of five unusual children. At a loss, Merrick enlists the aid of a governess. Miss Caroline Bristol is reluctant to work for a bachelor but she needs a position, and these former street children touch her heart. While she tends to break any mechanical device she touches, it never occurs to her that she might be something more than human. All she knows is that Merrick is the most dangerously attractive man she’s ever met—and out of reach for a mere governess. When conspiracy threatens to blur the distinction between humans and monsters, Caroline and Merrick must join forces, and the fate of humanity hinges upon their combined skills of steam and sorcery…

My impressions:
I must admit, I am weak for romance novels were a strong woman meets a man with orphaned children. Toss in steampunk and magic, and I has too read it. This was one of the first ARCs I requested from NetGalley. And I am glad I did. Cindy Spencer Pape have created a fascinating world, that houses magic, tech and monsters. I liked that the world was nuanced, and that she didn’t hesitate to show the uglier sides. The uglier sides have affected the characters, and that also affect the plot. The steampunk elements were light, but important to the plot.
I fell in love with the characters. All of them, even Edwin Berry. The children were depicted as children and not mini adults. I liked the way Caroline handled them. But I especially liked the growing romance between Merrick and Caroline. Both of them are aware of their attraction, but determined to fight it.
The plot was fast paced, and sucked me in. The combination of plot, world and characters was good enough to make me ignore some of the less than subtle hints. But, it is a well written story, in a fascinating world. I am looking forward to the next book in the Series.(less)

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Mar 13, 2011 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Impromptu Review: Steam & Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape

I am not gonna lie, I squealed when I got the galley from Carina Press. I discovered Cindy Spencer Pape’s Motor City Series, and found her writing delightful. Her worldbuilding is immersive, her characters’ chemistry sizzles and her love scenes are hot.

Now, I read lots of paranormal, historical, urban fantasy and spec fic. I have only dabbled in steampunk, and it’s been mixed – some of it I loved, some left me meh. The thing that makes m...more Impromptu Review: Steam & Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape

I am not gonna lie, I squealed when I got the galley from Carina Press. I discovered Cindy Spencer Pape’s Motor City Series, and found her writing delightful. Her worldbuilding is immersive, her characters’ chemistry sizzles and her love scenes are hot.

Now, I read lots of paranormal, historical, urban fantasy and spec fic. I have only dabbled in steampunk, and it’s been mixed – some of it I loved, some left me meh. The thing that makes me meh on steampunk is when stories rely on it instead of building characters that you care about. I do not need or want to read text that fawns over the mechanics and how wonderful and marvelous they are. Your characters are living with them. C’mon, do you fawn over your smartphone? Pape does not fall into this trap. The characters treat them as part of their world, and it was a much more natural experience as a reader.

Steam & Sorcery never forgets that ultimately, it’s about the characters. Merrick, who opens the novel, is investigating for the Order. He is attacked by a large group of vampyres (scary ones, yay!) and a group of street children come to his rescue. Initially he reminded me of Mr. Darcy – he strives to remain aloof, but the plight of the children draws him in and they end up his wards. And then he is indeed of a governess.

Carolyn has a genteel background, but she has fallen on hard times, and she has had difficulties with other employers getting a little to handsy and trying to take liberties with her. For this reason, she’s inclined to refuse Merrick’s offer of employment, but again, the children win her over. Over the course of the book, you get to see Merrick soften, Carolyn open up despite her past, and they become a family. I don’t want to get too spoilery on the plot beyond that, because the book is such a pleasure to read.

In keeping with our new ratings system, I give Steam & Sorcery an 8 – I’d fight 8 rabid wolverines to keep the book. In fact, since the galley goes back, I’ve got it preordered as a keeper on my Nook. I look forward to picking up the novella Photographs & Phantoms in April.

—Heather(less)

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Mar 08, 2011 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: galleys

I wasn't really sure what to expect, when I first started reading this. I'm vaguely familiar with Harlequin, but not their Carina Press imprint. However, since I'm taking part in a steampunk reading challenge, I opted to try out Steam & Sorcery, and I don't regret it.

Supernaturals exist, though polite society does not speak of them. Secret organizations work for the crown and protect the populace from vampyres, rogue weres, and other supernatural beings whenever possible. Street urchins must...more

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Mar 07, 2011 Norma rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a way to cut my teeth on an author! Wow! I was utterly blown away by this book. I think the only thing that had me upset about this book was having to put it down to do other things!

The characters really popped off the pages. I could picture each one in my mind. The descriptions were fantastic. I felt like I was transported another time and place.

At first, I was worried whether she could marry steampunk with magick, but she definitely succeeded beyond my expectations.

I do wished that she...more

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Mar 06, 2011 Cecelia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I started blogging about books, my general goal was simply to write about the ones I was reading. What I didn’t realize at the time was that the recommendations of other bloggers would inform my reading choices and introduce me to new genres altogether. With very few exceptions, I don’t read a book these days unless I’ve seen it mentioned by a book blogger I trust. Steampunk is one of those new discoveries (haven’t heard of steampunk? check this out).

I’ve found a lot of stellar reads in th...more When I started blogging about books, my general goal was simply to write about the ones I was reading. What I didn’t realize at the time was that the recommendations of other bloggers would inform my reading choices and introduce me to new genres altogether. With very few exceptions, I don’t read a book these days unless I’ve seen it mentioned by a book blogger I trust. Steampunk is one of those new discoveries (haven’t heard of steampunk? check this out).

I’ve found a lot of stellar reads in this ‘genre’ over the past two years. I have also found a few that I couldn’t stand. That’s the way a reading life goes. On the whole, though, steampunk has been good to me, and that’s why I’ve kept searching it out. Thus I was inordinately pleased to find a lovely new steampunk novel through NetGalley (also, in case you didn’t know, NetGalley is THE BEST).

When conspiracy threatens to blur the distinction between humans and monsters, Caroline and Merrick must join forces, for the fate of London hinges upon their combined skills of steam and sorcery.
There are three main things I want to say about this novel (novella? it’s short-ish for a novel). Don’t be put off by them. I truly enjoyed this read, and I found myself thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it. Not in the ‘it’s so haunting!’ sort of way, but in the ‘I’m really enjoying that book and I’d rather be reading it right now than whatever else I’m doing’ sense. Understood? Awesome.

Numero uno: the steampunk elements are fairly light. Cindy Spencer Pape’s universe is very much along the lines of Gail Carriger’s steampunk creation from Soulless, and that puts it squarely in fantasy territory rather than science fiction. Also: I thought a couple bits of the plot didn’t make a whole lot of sense, but I was really having too much fun with the characters to mind.

Secondly: this is (adult) romance. I know I just turned a bunch of you off with that, but WAIT, please. I said this book was enjoyable, and I meant that. It was quite entertaining aside from the romance, though I thought that bit was well done. Also: if you’re not into ess-eee-exx, you can skip or skim those parts. Really. It’s a part of the novel, but it doesn’t overpower it, and there’s plenty of warning before any such scene. Also? Did I mention that the love story was sweet? I. LOVED. IT.

Part C: fighting street orphans (!), Victorian-era London, mayhem, clockwork pets, paranormal creatures and mystery. If that doesn’t sound like a good time, this might not be the book for you. I found it endearing and just the sort of thing that I like. It wasn’t perfect, and there were some bits I glossed over, but I’m actually planning to go re-read it after I post this review. Commendation, hey?

Recommended for: fans of the lighter side of steampunk, Regency romance readers looking to try out a new genre, and anyone looking to while away a couple of hours with a comfortable and lovable story.
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Aug 03, 2011 Justine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: steampunk, regency-romance

After having read Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series, I was looking for other books of the same genre (paranormal steampunk romance, which is not so common after all). Therefore, I dove into this book eagerly.

It started off very well and I was easily immersed into the world which the author created. The children and their individual quirks I absolutely adored. The development between the heroine and the children was well-paced. However, the same cannot be said for the development betwee...more

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Mar 15, 2011 Kat Kennedy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kat-s-book-reviews, romance-romance-romance

This ARC was provided to me by Carina Press and no money was exchanged for this review

It wouldn't be entirely true to say that Steam & Sorcery is Jane Eyre with a mechanical Kraken.

Much like a Mechanized, gun-toting Abraham Lincoln: It would blow your mind!

Because, firstly, there are no mechanical Kraken in this novel and because it's more like a SteamPunk The Sound of Music only a little less awesome than even that would be.

Still, it's quite fun and fresh. Not quite the Gothic romance it ai...more

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Jun 23, 2011 Sobia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So...altogether, I'd say S & S rates a little less than 4 stars. It's a well put together para/ steampunk story though it did seem like steam punk light... All the gadgets and things were there, but it also felt like an after thought.

The romance aspect of the book, was sorta ignored for the first 3rd of the book, then out of nowhere, it kinda just pops up...it was like they'd met, had little to do with each other for quite a few chapters, then reached 3rd base, and it was a bit of a huh? mom...more

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Feb 26, 2011 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, paranormal-romance, steampunk, 2011-favorites, read-in-2011

This book was a load of fun. A LOAD. The blending of steampunk, knights, magick, vampyres and other supernatural critters just flat out worked. The mystery of what the vampyres were working toward, the flashes of magick, the rigid social lines that both Caroline and Merrick were trying not to cross and the five gifted children that tied it all together made for a sassy, spunky, well-crafted world with surprises hiding around every corner.

First off, I loved the children. They each had their own s...more

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Mar 18, 2011 Kristen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: magical, vamps

Steam and Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape
GENRE: Adult, Paranormal Romance
BOOK THEME: Vampires, Magic
SERIES – Gaslight Chronicles
RECEIVED: Arc copy from CarinaPress
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
DATE POSTED ON BLOG: March 18th

QUICK THOUGHTS:
The year 1851 in London, Knights exist secretly around the people in England, known as the Order of the Round Table. Magick exists but so do the creatures known as Vampyres. Young girls are going missing and Sir Merrick is tracking down who’s involved. Bu...more Steam and Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape
GENRE: Adult, Paranormal Romance
BOOK THEME: Vampires, Magic
SERIES – Gaslight Chronicles
RECEIVED: Arc copy from CarinaPress
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
DATE POSTED ON BLOG: March 18th

QUICK THOUGHTS:
The year 1851 in London, Knights exist secretly around the people in England, known as the Order of the Round Table. Magick exists but so do the creatures known as Vampyres. Young girls are going missing and Sir Merrick is tracking down who’s involved. But after a Vampyre attack leaved Merrick with five children who each have a special gift. He decides to take them in, but with the help of a very unusual and alluring Governess.

REVIEW:
Caroline Bristol is a young governess who has always been able to take care of herself. Living a life taking care of children and having to deal with their rude, lying and uncaring parents. After leaving a prior job she is asked by her friend Dorothy to help with five special gifted children that are staying with her nephew. The instant spark with Sir Merrick and the immediate soft spot she has for the children, Caroline aka Caro cant refuse.
Through out the book Caroline and Merrick try and figure out where that spark leads them. They also try and solve the case on the missing girls and avoid being constantly attacked by Vampyres. Luckily the children have always been dependent and fought on their own, they help fight with Merrick and Caroline, which makes for good scene with everyone.

The beginning was a little slow for me, I don’t know what it was but I wasn’t drawn in for a while. My favorite parts were the interactions Caroline had with the five children, each such great personalities and gifts that made me really like them all. Another favorite was Caroline and a fellow older knight named Edwin, scenes, he is the tutor of the oldest boy and is very rude and doesn’t like Caroline. They despise each other and its fun to read their scenes together.

The romance in this book was definitely steaming, but was a bit of a surprise on the intensity level of it because the first half of the book wasn’t really focused on them much and more the children. Just a bit of attraction and comments, but they are great together once they do figure everything out.
The setting a descriptions of London in the 1800s was fantastic, I really felt as if I was there by the authors detail of attire, buildings, how people spoke, and the way people treated those who are not noble. It really brought the book into a nice flow. I’m hoping in the second book Pape gets more into the gifts of the children and more about Caroline, on why she has certain effect on things. Also the knights, I want to meet and read more about them and what they do that makes them so secretive. It’s a great start and I can’t wait to read what happens next.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel that carries a lot of adult elements such as, sexual content, violence and mature settings. I would say from ages 18 and up. Recommended for fans of Gail Carriger and Meljean Brook.
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Mar 29, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: earcs, fantasy

Steam & Sorcery is a nice blend of steampunk and romance. The characters are well developed while allowing for some twists and growth. It's nice how we find out Caroline's original problems as a governess come from a specific source, and I hope this is explored in future books. The children were written very believably, which is a nice change from some adult novels. I liked the touches of science the steampunk added, though I would have liked to see more examples of the uses of steam power....more

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Mar 16, 2011 Crystal ♥ RBtWBC rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Steam & Sorcery had the potential of being a really great novel; there is a capable, smart and handsome hero, a headstrong heroine that can take care of herself, five orphaned children with supernatural abilities, vampires, werewolves and interesting gadgets one of the children creates. But when it came to the actual plot, it fell a bit flat.

The story starts out at a good pace with action right off the bat; Sir Merrick is a Knight in a secret order that protects the rest of the world agains...more

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Sep 29, 2011 LitAddictedBrit rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2011, ebooks

I'm going through a steampunk phase at the moment and am still very much enjoying indulging the phase by snapping up all things Victorian and mechanical. Prior to this, I'd read the first four of the Parasol Proctectorate series by Gail Carriger and since finishing this I've read Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. Both big hitters on the steampunk scene that appears to be all the rage at the moment. I enjoyed this as much as I did those so although it isn't "pure" steampunk, it is certainly no black...more I'm going through a steampunk phase at the moment and am still very much enjoying indulging the phase by snapping up all things Victorian and mechanical. Prior to this, I'd read the first four of the Parasol Proctectorate series by Gail Carriger and since finishing this I've read Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. Both big hitters on the steampunk scene that appears to be all the rage at the moment. I enjoyed this as much as I did those so although it isn't "pure" steampunk, it is certainly no black sheep of the genre!

Sir Merrick Hadrian is a (rather delightful sounding) knight whose job is to use his natural magickal abilities to stalk the shadows, hunt vampires and generally be the kind of tall and dark hero that any Victorian lady (heck, any lady!) would be happy to have protecting her. On one of his investigative jaunts around the slums of London, Merrick is helped out by five feisty little street urchins. When the children are spied by some nasty night-time horrors, Merrick gets all paternal and decides to bring that really he shouldn't just leave them to be picked off and eaten but should bring them home with him. As a character in a steampunk/fantasy/romance, he's perfect! Brooding and dashing, with the type of protective streak that might include sword-fighting for your honour - could you ask for anything more from a Victorian knight? No...

Caroline was a more difficult character for me to like because she can be a little prim at times and a bit too much with the damaged-and-won't-trust-anyone persona. On the whole though I did grow to like her - she's feisty and independent and the kind of Victorian woman that actually might garner the respect of a "modern" woman (i.e. she doesn't faint all the time and allow a man to save her!).
The book is also made by the five children who capture Merrick's heart. Honestly, I'm not always the most maternal woman that ever lived but these kids made me do a very girly "Awww...". In true steampunk/urban fantasy spirit, every one of them is endowed with a special talent, including a girl that can talk to the dead and a boy who dreams the future. They're such a motley little street gang and so charming (you know, for kids...) and a perfect supporting cast that I hope are carried into the remainder of the series (that I only recently learnt existed through GoodReads...)!

So the characters are good, what about the story? A few chapters in, I realised that I wasn't reading because I had been lured in by the characters but because I wanted to read about what was going on in their London - the plot is intriguing enough to keep all of the strong personalities occupied and there's a good dose of fisticuffs every now and then just to keep you on your toes! Plus, the vampires and bad guys are properly bad, which is always more fun!

It has been a very long time since I read a book in one day; as in years, not months. I know that's shocking for a professed book-lover but because I often find that either I don't have the time/concentration (because I tend to read longer books). Because this book balances so many aspects, however, I was completely caught up and, every time I tore myself away to do some boring housework, I found myself right back with my eReader in my lap as soon as physically possible. As good an accolade as any, I'd say!

A minor health warning: The romance is on the more...adult side, shall we say. No simpering heroines or chaste heroes here! I personally don't mind the odd raunchy episode (because I'm scandalous like that) but I know that some people don't like it, so here's my way of politely saying that if you like your romance books to stop at the bedroom door, you might want to give this a miss...

Overall: A great example of both steampunk and urban fantasy with a healthy dose of romance for good measure. The vampires and other nasties are those from nightmares, the engineering and machinery are well-integrated into the Victorian aspects and the romance also manages to fit into the dark story without ruining the tone - definitely worth a couple of hours!(less)

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Mar 11, 2011 Jess the Romanceaholic rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, netgalley, march-2011, steampunk, paranormal-romance, magick, servant, werewolves-or-other-shape-shifters, historical, 2011-read

This is a quickie review. Full review available at The Romanceaholic

Finally! A Steampunk novel that includes both airships and welding goggles (albeit in very small doses)! One thing that bugs me with the explosion of so called “Steampunk romances” these days are the stories where the steampunk elements are practically nonexistent, or play such a minor part that they merely act as set dressing. Steam & Sorcery, while not as “Steampunk” as, say, The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook, does rely heavi...more

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Apr 11, 2011 Melindeeloo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

(3 stars means I liked it:) There were lot of little bits of good thing going on Steam & Sorcery. A bit of steampunk, a bit of magic, some very special children, a bit of steamy romance and a very likable leading lady. And while I enjoyed the book, most of these good bits were under-utilized. I just wanted to see more of everything Pape set up, more of the Knights of the round table (hereditary mage-ish gentlemen who secretly protect England from predation by evil vampires) and more of the r...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Mira Sun rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, books-2012, booksiown, fantasy, vampires, steampunk, wanderbuch

Harte Fakten:
Autor: Cindy Spencer Pape
Titel: Steam & Magic : Feuerspiel
Übersetzer: Corinna Vierkant
Verlag: Heyne : München
Jahr: 2012
Seiten: 350
Einheitssacht.: Steam and Sorcery : Gaslight Chronicles
ISBN: 978-3-453-52990-8

Klappentext:
London, Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts: Bis in die finstersten Ecken der Stadt ist Sir Merrick Hadrian bekannt und gefürchtet. Mit neuartiger, dampfbetriebener Technologie und verwegenem Mut jagt er alles, was sich zwischen dem Diesseits und dem Jenseits tummelt. Doc...more Harte Fakten:
Autor: Cindy Spencer Pape
Titel: Steam & Magic : Feuerspiel
Übersetzer: Corinna Vierkant
Verlag: Heyne : München
Jahr: 2012
Seiten: 350
Einheitssacht.: Steam and Sorcery : Gaslight Chronicles
ISBN: 978-3-453-52990-8

Klappentext:
London, Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts: Bis in die finstersten Ecken der Stadt ist Sir Merrick Hadrian bekannt und gefürchtet. Mit neuartiger, dampfbetriebener Technologie und verwegenem Mut jagt er alles, was sich zwischen dem Diesseits und dem Jenseits tummelt. Doch die fünf Straßenkinder, die er bei sich aufnimmt, bringen ihn an seine Grenzen. Seine Rettung ist die bezaubernde Gouvernante Caroline Bristol, die bald nicht nur Merricks Zöglinge in Atem hält. Aber ihrem geheimnisvollen Arbeitgeber bleibt wenig Zeit, Carolines Herz zu erobern, denn die Dämonen der Unterwelt rüsten sich zu einem vernichtenden Angriff. Merrick kann sie nur mit Carolines Hilfe und ihrer verborgenen magischen Gabe besiegen …

Über die Autorin:
Cindy Spencer Pape hat nach diversen Stationen in Wirtschaft, Bildungswesen und Politik ihre wahre Berufung gefunden: das Schreiben spannender, gefühlvoller Mystery-Romane, mit denen sie die Herzen ihrer Leserinnen erobert. Für Romantik und Aufregung in ihrem eigenen Leben sorgen gleich drei Männer, ihr Mann und ihre beiden Söhne, mit denen sie in Michigan lebt.

Meinung:
Ich habe das Buch vom Heyne Verlag als Rezensionsexemplar erhalten und danke dem Verlag auf diese Weise! Ich finde das Cover sehr ansprechend, doch als ich das Buch anfing zu lesen war ich auf den ersten Seiten irgendwie extrem verwirrt. So verwirrt, das ich nochmal den Klappentext nachlesen musste! Da fiel dann der Groschen, meine Verwirrung kam zum Größtenteil daher das es schwer war für mich das Buch einzuordnen. Es ist ein Steampunk Fantasy Roman, zumindest ordne ich das Buch für mich in diese Kategorie ein!
Der Schreibstil von Frau Pape gefiel mir sehr gut. Es war ein lockerer lebhafter Stil der gut diese Steampunkatmosphäre einfängt. Anders als andere Autoren weist sie auch gut auf “Probleme” der damaligen Zeit hin beispielsweise die fehlende Empanzipierung der Frau und Ständeunterschiede.
Dieses Schubladendenken haben die Protagonisten jedoch nicht und das macht sie sympathisch. Sie wehren sich gegen die Welt und ihre Ärgernisse und das sind nicht nur ein paar blutrünstige Vampire, sondern auch andere Geschichten. Ich mochte wirklich jede Hauptfigur die auch so angelegt wurden, das man sie lieben musste, selbst der widerspenstige Hauslehrer registriert man bald mit einem lieben Lächeln.
Aber genug gelobhudelt! Es hab mich auch etwas gestört und zwar dieses Herumgeeiere von den Hauptfiguren. Ich werde wohl kein großes Geheimnis verraten, aber wenn ihr es nicht wissen wollt lest schnell das Fazit! Sir Merrick und Miss Caro kommen natürlich zusammen und boah, wie das geschieht ist irgendwie blöd! Mir war es von anfang an klar, aber ich hatte auf etwas Verführung und eine Liebeserklärung der besonderen Art gehofft und bekommen habe ich zwei Menschen die sich von einander fernhalten bis sie HUI und dann irgendwie blöd weiter! Naja, trotzdem zieh ich nicht viele Sterne ab.

Fazit:
Interessantes Buch, in einem tollen Genre mit sympathischen Protagonisten! Wegen der für mich unglücklich behandelten Lovestory gibt es jetzt doch nur die Note B! Trotzdem werde ich die Serie weiter lesen wollen!(less)

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Mar 22, 2011 Cheryl rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow! Did I love this book. It was what I needed while I struggled for the last 2 weeks to find something to read. I hazard to put it in a sub-genre, but, if forced I would call it Steampunk given the era and subject matter. But, it is just a good story. There is a good amount of action. Though there is a bit of the Victorian politics as well as some of the Mr. Darcy feel to it, the book steps out on its own by drawing in a different set of players. I really enjoyed the supernatural element along...more

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Steam & Magic - Feuerspiel (Gaslight Chronicles #1)

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