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Age of Aether

by Mark Jeffrey (Goodreads Author)

4.38 of 5 stars 4.38 · rating details · 13 ratings · 9 reviews

Age of Aether -- A Steampunk Adventure-Romance Novella.

When Capt. Ben Bantam is tapped to go back in time in order to retrieve a cure for the vicious Shadow plague, he is shocked to arrive in an alternate 1944 where electricity doesn't exist. Instead, a parallel past has mysteriously arisen -- complete with parasols, stunningly luxurious Aerotels, hydrologic computing, Hel...more

Paperback, 1, 120 pages

Published July 22nd 2012 by Mark Jeffrey Publishing

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Apr 04, 2013 Robert Slaven rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, fantasy

For the third time today I write the simple words that I received this book as a free giveaway from Goodreads, part of the First Reads program. Despite that I shall endeavor to write yet another candid review.

The Age of Aether is brief and entertaining. It is often underestimated just how often these two attributes travel together. One can plow through this novella in a couple of hours and remain reasonably amused throughout the trip.

Time travel stories are notoriously difficult and this one d...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

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Sep 18, 2012 Charles rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, science-fiction, first-reads, reviewed, self-published

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First Reads - Age of Aether Review

I like the idea of steampunk, like the allure and the strangeness, the twisting of the familiar into something more fantastic and special. And in that way, I like the glimpses of steampunk that I see in Age of Aether, at least as far as the actual descriptions go, the imaginings of different steam technologies and the like. The book is imaginative in its use of an alternate past where steam has replaced electricity. At the same time, though, this imagination doe...more First Reads - Age of Aether Review

I like the idea of steampunk, like the allure and the strangeness, the twisting of the familiar into something more fantastic and special. And in that way, I like the glimpses of steampunk that I see in Age of Aether, at least as far as the actual descriptions go, the imaginings of different steam technologies and the like. The book is imaginative in its use of an alternate past where steam has replaced electricity. At the same time, though, this imagination does not extend to the characters, or to the plot, and I find that I was more frustrated than entertained while reading this book. Not that there are not glimpses of something better, but that it got lost in territory that too many others have traveled, so that its path was obscured and confusing in the mess.

It was the story that threw me off of this novel, because while the look was right, the general feel of the steampunk was right, the actual plot here was just too contrived, too expected. A man from the present goes back in time but finds that instead of the past there is this Age of Aether, where electricity is a myth, despite it being around only fifty years before the "past" section of the story takes place. It was just too much to believe that people could understand enough to create space elevators and design flying hotels but be unable to figure out what happened to their own world as the result of a catastrophe that makes no sense.

It just made no sense, in the end, because positing steampunk as real is troubling because it doesn't really work, and in work fictional worlds it comes down to basically magic. Only here it's supposed to be scientific, but it makes no sense. These are people who can't figure out that electricity existed...and it's 1944 in the story. According to this electricity ceased to be in the late 1800s. That isn't enough time for it to be a myth. There was science in the 1800s. People understood how things worked. It wasn't all witchcraft then. So I just don't buy any of it, don't buy that somehow there are new elements and possibilities (because no electricity means strange new elements?). If the story needs magic, then just admit what it is, but don't put me in a place where I'm supposed to believe that these things happened in an otherwise "real" world.

And perhaps I got caught up in that because the characterization throughout the story is lacking. The main character, an army specialist (in what, I don't know), is full of action but no thought. There are a few italicized thoughts, but no feeling that I am experiencing the setting from his perspective. It's all just description, with no subtlety or depth. When the story says he's in love, that's exactly and only what's going on. When someone is evil because, then don't question. No one surprises, no one changes. Everyone is the same throughout. It doesn't help that the book climaxes towards the middle, with the main villain dying and then spends the rest of the book summarizing things until the end.

And Hitler. What is people and Hitler? And Nazis? It's like the writer didn't want to bother to make a real antagonist so he threw a dart at a board and decided on Nazis. Because no one questions their evilness. Hitler is worse than the devil. Of course. He transcends realities and times and...it's just tired, done, over. Where did the imagination go? So no, I can't really recommend this. If you collected all the descriptions of the scenery, you'd at least have something, but with everything else around it, pulling it down, this just can't escape its own gravity. And for that, I give it a two out of five.(less)

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Sep 22, 2012 Hellen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I received "Age of Aether" from the goodreads giveaway. When I read the preview of this book it sounded really good. When I read this it felt like it had a slow beginning, but soon after the first chapter it really began to flow. The story begins with Captin Benjamin Bantam explaning the story to why he was went back to the past. Bantam is sent back into the past, 1944, to retrive a cure for the Shadow plague. When he is in the capsule to jump back in time he ends up going into to parallel unive...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was fantastic! It has all of the wonderful things that makes a Mark Jeffrey book a Mark Jeffery book. But again I hate novellas. It just seems like as soon as you are in the midst of the good stuff it's over!!! I hate that!!! But seriously, this is a fun read. It's fast paced but not whiplash inducing. I'm not a steampunk expert. In fact this is really the first book I've read devoted to the subject. I have read other books where steampunk has made brief appearances. I didn't always complet...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Patricia Eddy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this novella. It is short, and while I'm a fast reader I finished it on two bus rides during rush hour. The central mystery was intriguing, and the characters were decently developed for a novella. There were a few logic leaps that needed to be made, but they were not too extreme. I found the ending a bit lacking though. It wrapped up very quickly and I wanted a bit more resolution or explanation. I think another 10 pages would have been quite worth it. Still, well worth the few dollar...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Nimday rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was one of the few books that i would read over and over again non-stop. The only thing that could have made it better was if he had mentioned what the letter had said. I nearly died of curiosity! Anyway, you're one of the best authors whose books i have been fortunate enough to read.

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Sep 16, 2012 Ted Guglielmo rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Ted by: Goodreads

Received as a win from goodreads. This is one awesome read. Steampunk at it's best. Nozzlers, volstrang waves, Blue Bottles, Aerotels...i could hear the calliope playing. The story is great, dont know if it is just me but I found a bit of a 9/11 reference when the Germans brought the huge building down. The romanance is so well built to the tragic end and the well done conclusion.

Marvelous writing I felt I was right there. made me want to grow and curl a mustashe.

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Oct 07, 2012 R. A. Danger rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: time-travel-fiction, science-fiction, romance, ebook

A wonder full story. I like the way the author created a whole new world, a “what if world”, that is. With it's own culture and new words that give it a unique flavour. The book felt more of a chronicle then a stand alone.
I also like how the other explain things. So we didn't have to ask in the end anything except wonder why it was just one book.

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Feb 05, 2013 Andrew rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk

Jan 11, 2013 Janine rated it 4 of 5 stars

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Shelves: ya-paranormal, wattpad

Sep 28, 2012 Coburn Hawk rated it 5 of 5 stars

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About Mark Jeffrey

Mark Jeffrey is the author of the young adult Max Quick Series (maxquickseries.com). He is also the author of the ARMAND PTOLEMY thriller series and AGE OF AETHER, a steampunk adventure-romance.

His first podiobook, MAX QUICK: THE POCKET AND THE PENDANT, has received over 2.4 million downloads to date. He has co-founded four internet companies and written four novels.

Mark has been named as one of H...more

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Max Quick: The Pocket and the Pendant (Max Quick, #1)

Max Quick: The Two Travelers (Max Quick, #2)

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