A Matter of Circumstance and Celludrones (Dark Matters, #1)

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A Matter of Circumstance and Celludrones (Dark Matters #1)

by Claire Robyns (Goodreads Author)

3.41 of 5 stars 3.41 · rating details · 44 ratings · 13 reviews

A Victorian Steampunk/Paranormal adventure with strong elements of romance...

Lady Lily d'Bulier is prim, proper, and prefers to think of herself as pragmatic rather than timid. And avoiding life-threatening situations at all costs is just plain practical. But everything changes when Lord Adair tracks her down in London; searching for answers he seems to think she has.

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ebook, 208 pages

Published September 24th 2012 by self published

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Apr 12, 2013 Nenia Campbell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: x-2012s, arc-stands-for-a-readers-xmas, x-series-bk-1, gorgeous-covers, first-reads

Yaaaaay! I won this book in a giveaway. And do you want to know something really amazing? I was the sole winner. That's never happened to me before!! I must say, beating those odds (1 in 1,500) really humbles you.

And what a great book to have associated with that honor.

A Manner of Circumstance and Celludrones is an indie steampunk/mannerpunk novel in the style of Gail Carriger. Lily is a shy, well-to-do bluestocking who believes in propriety and non-boorish lairds lords. Her friend Evelyn is her...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 02, 2012 BlackTulip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: victorian, steampunk, paranormal, murder-mystery, mf, my-reviews

Reviewed By BlackTulip for Confessions from Romaholics

I knew Claire Robyns from her two fabulous historical novels "Betrayed" and "The Devil of Jedburgh" and when she told me that her next book would be a Victorian-Paranormal-Steampunk, though I admit that it isn't my genre, I was genuinely very curious and intrigued about it ... and here I am. But who would have thought that one day I would like to read a Paranormal-Steampunk novel, well ... not me!

The author spins a world of deadly icy demons,...more

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 21, 2012 Lou rated it 3 of 5 stars

A Matter of Circumstance and Celludrones has strong romantic elements, but the romance is not the main focus of the story. I kind of wish the romance was the main focus as I thought the characters and the romance was the strongest element of the book, and the worldbuilding was the weakest.

I really liked the characters that Claire Robyns created. The heroine, Lily, has had these strange visions all her life and she’s never been able to explain them. Apart from that, Lily’s life has been utterly p...more A Matter of Circumstance and Celludrones has strong romantic elements, but the romance is not the main focus of the story. I kind of wish the romance was the main focus as I thought the characters and the romance was the strongest element of the book, and the worldbuilding was the weakest.

I really liked the characters that Claire Robyns created. The heroine, Lily, has had these strange visions all her life and she’s never been able to explain them. Apart from that, Lily’s life has been utterly proper until Lord Greyston Adair appears in her life. Lord Adair is a mysterious character at first, and I got so confused at the beginning because I couldn’t figure out where the story was going.

And that’s where my issues with the worldbuilding comes in. It had its good parts with the descriptions of the drones, especially Anna and Neco – drones that belong to Lilly and Grey. But whilst I enjoyed their characters, I didn’t understand the demon part of the worldbuilding and it seemed at crossroads with the Steampunk creations. I didn’t think that they matched well, and when Lady Ostrich comes into the picture as the baddie, I felt that she wasn’t a great evil villain. The name comes off as too cartoonish, and I couldn’t take her seriously.

So whilst I had problems with the worldbuilding, I did enjoy the characters, especially the secondary character of Evelyn. I would have liked to have seen more story between her and her husband, and this is where I felt more romance was needed. I don’t think the worldbuilding is strong enough and there were times where the writing became bogged down with it.

But the characters themselves are the strongest point, and Lilly and Greyston are two strong characters. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the mystery surrounding them and their ‘talents’ are revealed towards the end, but again I felt the worldbuilding wasn’t strong enough to hold them up.

The book is self-pubbed and I think an editor would have tightened up this novel, and cut some wordy descriptions out. But despite my issues with this novel, I got caught up in the characters, and I would read the second book to see how the romance develops and see how Claire Robyns expands this world.

All in all, I liked A Matter of Circumstance and its characters, but I wasn’t a fan of the worldbuilding. I give it a C.(less)

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Sep 28, 2012 Samantha (Book Lover's Cozy Cafe) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-star-books, favorites, own, read-2012, steampunk

This book left me wanting more, wanting more of Lily and Grey, more of Kendall, and also Neco and Ana. I started out reading this and at first it had me a little confused, because I didn't quite exactly know what was going on with Lily, and her visions, but it did start out like you'd see in something like Jane Austen's- Pride and Prejudice. Where the height of society is at a ball, and all the elegible women, are seeking their future husbands, and some have already found them. Well Lily she bas...more This book left me wanting more, wanting more of Lily and Grey, more of Kendall, and also Neco and Ana. I started out reading this and at first it had me a little confused, because I didn't quite exactly know what was going on with Lily, and her visions, but it did start out like you'd see in something like Jane Austen's- Pride and Prejudice. Where the height of society is at a ball, and all the elegible women, are seeking their future husbands, and some have already found them. Well Lily she basically is an 'uptight' lady, who is the most extreme at being proper. She's a no frills kind of girl. Then she meets Lord Adair (Greyston), and she was turned off from him from the very beginning because he had eyes for her friend Evelyn, who was already married to a Duke. Evelyn is the live life to the fullest, need for the thrill, and very flirtatious woman. She loves her husband to death, but is a definite thrill seeker.

Next day or a few days after the ball, Lord Adair calls upon Lily. She doesn't have any clue onto why, until she brings in Ana, and Celludrone (basically a clockwork person, an android for the early era). Lord Adair asks Lily all sorts of questions about her mother, and what she knew about her death, but Lily doesn't really know much. Then he does something drastic and Ana comes to Lily's aid, protects her. Lily is furious and tries to through him, out but doesn't succeed because as she's trying to throw him out, and unexpected guests walks in, she is known by "Lady Ostrich"who later on in the book they find out is a demon. Lady Ostrich then gets into a fight with both Ana and Neco who by the way is a Celludrone himself. They both get defeated, and Lady Ostrich ends up killing Lily. Horrible right? right.

Next thing Lily knows is that she's back with Lord Adair, and he basically kidnaps her. This is where the adventure starts. Lily goes along with Greyston, on this epic journey to find out why they are being chased after by Lady Ostrich, and why their pasts are connected, and why their pasts lead them to one place. The place where her mother was killed "Cragloden Castle".

I loved this book, because one I love a good adventure book, two I love the paranormal aspects, Demons! gotta love Demons, and three because there is passion between Lily and Grey, and that passion is quite intense. It basically fits with today's women and how they think men look at them. The whole i'm not enough this, I'm too much of this and he won't or doesn't like etc. etc. etc. And...AND.... it leaves you hanging wanting more. I recommend this book, especially if you love a series that continues the story from each book to the other, you love steampunk style books.... oh and don't forget the Demons hehe. Plus if a book is so interesting that it keeps you up most of the night because you can't seem to put it down, then you know it's a good book.(less)

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Sep 27, 2012 Judy Croome rated it 4 of 5 stars

From mechanical puppies to paddling in the aether, from mad scientists to amazing inventions, A MATTER OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND CELLUDRONES is set in a remarkably Victorian England where spunky women are constrained by circumstances and robotic celludrones and the world is changing as fast as the newly invented dirigibles can carry their passengers.

The story zips along at a fast pace, twisting and turning as the lively characters struggle with demons, both internal and external.

Lady Lily d'Bulier a...more From mechanical puppies to paddling in the aether, from mad scientists to amazing inventions, A MATTER OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND CELLUDRONES is set in a remarkably Victorian England where spunky women are constrained by circumstances and robotic celludrones and the world is changing as fast as the newly invented dirigibles can carry their passengers.

The story zips along at a fast pace, twisting and turning as the lively characters struggle with demons, both internal and external.

Lady Lily d'Bulier and Greyston Adair, both products of a scientific experiment by the rich, brilliant and powerful McAllister clan, are brought together in a fight for survival against the demonic Lady Ostrich. Lily's best friend Evelyn, wildly independent and fiesty with it, joins them on their journey of discovery as an act of outright defiance against her autocratic husband, Devon, Duke of Harchings.

Not only do Lily and Greyston discover dark secrets that threaten their lives and the very world they live in, they also need to discover the hidden aspects of themselves. When her search for a husband turns into a search for demons, prim and proper Lily must learn to overcome her social training and her fears, while the dashing Lord Greyston Adair must learn that loving people doesn't always mean their death and that he's not responsible for every bad thing that happens.

There's sufficient world-building to create a vivid and vibrant setting, and the action is fast and furious, but it's the relationship between the complex characters which drives this well-written story. While Evelyn and Devon's heated romance adds an interesting layer, the mysterious connection between Grey and Lily builds into something more.

In addition to high-quality formatting and presentation, the writing is superb – a well-balanced mix of light-hearted banter, emotional intensity and imaginative adventure. However, I prefer less ambivalence in the romantic intentions of a hero. I also prefer stories that end within one book, as I find it frustrating having to wait to find out what happens next.

Although this novel is a stand-alone story, there's scope for a whole series of exciting adventures to come for Lily and Greyston. Is the Duke of Harchings all that he seems? Just who is Kelan McAllister? How will the war between demons and humans end? And where will Lily and Greyston's relationship go in the future? I, for one, can't wait to find out.
(less)

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Mar 24, 2013 Mike rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: needs-editing, kindle, partly-read

One would assume that people would have had a suffiency of foolish romances. But, looking around one, one perceives that this is not, in fact, the case.

If only this book had been written like the above sentences, I might have forgiven the silly romance and the way in which it got in the way of the adventure. Sadly, the writing was less than competent. I only got 42% of the way through, and noted the following: "she slipped passed" (instead of past), "I'll never get my full" (instead of fill), "B...more One would assume that people would have had a suffiency of foolish romances. But, looking around one, one perceives that this is not, in fact, the case.

If only this book had been written like the above sentences, I might have forgiven the silly romance and the way in which it got in the way of the adventure. Sadly, the writing was less than competent. I only got 42% of the way through, and noted the following: "she slipped passed" (instead of past), "I'll never get my full" (instead of fill), "Browning's" as the plural, "peddling" (repeatedly) when it should be "pedaling", the names of types of tree and types of carriage unnecessarily capitalized, "the room her and McAllister were ensconced in" (should be "she and McAllister"), "a la Lily style", "diffuse" for "defuse" and "the inter-leading door". There are multiple references to "risque sports", which appears to mean "extreme sports", but "risque" usually has a sexual implication that is apparently not intended here.

The setting is 19th-century Britain, but the language is modern American. "How come?" "Are you okay?" "Get the hell away" "It will come find you" "Who all knows?" Oddly, given that Americans don't use the metric system any more than the 19th-century British did, the measure of an area of land is given in hectares.

The very prim and proper mid-Victorian heroine not only says "get the hell away" but "damn and blast". And even when the language isn't actually wrong (either for the time or the character, or for anyone at any time), it's bland and clumsy. "Lily would've had to admit defeat before her new philosophy on embracing life-defying acts had taken its first step forward." Three cliches (one of them garbled) and a mixed metaphor in a single sentence.

It's hard to find good steampunk, and I'm afraid that if you care much about language, know much about history, or don't like your adventure plot obscured by romancebabble of the "oh, his muscles are so hard. But I mustn't think that! I'm really not attracted to him!" kind, you won't find it here. At least, I didn't. (less)

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Dec 07, 2012 Renee Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, series, owned-freebie, historical

This is one of those books where I hovered my mouse over the stars, and decided to go back to that after I'm done writing about it. YOU know those books!

So, I grabbed this one from Amazon when it was free because I'm toying with the idea of enjoying steampunk novels. I like the sci-fi and fantasy aspect, but not-so-much the historical part. I don't know, y'all. I just can't LURV a historical romance!

Anyway, big deal with this book, because there wasn't much of a romance in this story. Lily is a...more This is one of those books where I hovered my mouse over the stars, and decided to go back to that after I'm done writing about it. YOU know those books!

So, I grabbed this one from Amazon when it was free because I'm toying with the idea of enjoying steampunk novels. I like the sci-fi and fantasy aspect, but not-so-much the historical part. I don't know, y'all. I just can't LURV a historical romance!

Anyway, big deal with this book, because there wasn't much of a romance in this story. Lily is a society girl who crossed paths with Greyston right before she dies. However, she's not dead, and he has something to do with it. They run from the constant threat of death, trying to figure out exactly who they are and what it will take to stop running and start fighting back.

I have to give props to the author, because this book definitely held my attention. Lily was an interesting character to read about and watch grow a backbone. She had a great relationship with her best friend Evelyn, who I also liked. Evelyn turned out to be a big character, as well. But their dynamic was fun, and I think I enjoyed their scenes the most.

My problem was with the character of Greyston. I got a little confused about halfway through this book, because I wasn't sure what the author was trying to do with him. The story seems set up for a romance between him and Lily, but he kept thinking about and going after Evelyn... who is married, by the way. So then I have it in my mind that he's gonna be a typical douche and probably end up being the villain. Then he's interested in Lily. Then he's macking on Evelyn. Then he hates everyone. Then he's suddenly in love with Lily. It's all confusing and brow-cocking. Was I supposed to like him? I'm not sure, but I don't think I did.

So, I either needed more or less romance. What was there just confused me. Also, I didn't know that this was going to be a series. That being said, I wasn't too happy with the ending. One of THOSE books, you know? The ones where you get to 90%, know for a fact that the story can't be wrapped up that soon, and THEN realize it's not complete.

Bottom line - good, not great. Don't read this one expecting a great romance, because it's not there. However, interesting characters and a quirky steam-fueled world kept me going. Soooo... three stars.(less)

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Dec 10, 2012 Kaitlyn Francis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: x, arr, ax, reviewed

This review is posted here http://silenttbookblog.blogspot.com/2...

Ever wonder what life was like for people living in the age that flight was being experimented on and to travel places you needed a carriage, no traffic at all. Lady Lily d'Bulier lives as such and waiting to be asked to marry. Of course life can be a bit strange when you own a Celludrone, a type of robot made to protect those they are given too. Greyston Adair comes along and needs to protect her as well because being attacked b...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, kindle, steampunk

The plot and characters are really intriguing, the writing is a little bit confusing at times. It felt in some instances like there was TOO much going on. The end was rather abrupt. Kind of like this review.

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Nov 05, 2012 Cassie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this novel. This is the first book I have read of Claire Robyns, and I can honestly say I am looking forward to reading her previous books, and any that she will write in the future.

1 like · like · see review

May 21, 2013 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, kindle, read-in-2013, ya

2.5 stars. I was thinking this was steam punk, but it turned into gas lamp fantasy. Something about it just didn't work for me.

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Oct 10, 2012 Lindsay marked it as to-read

Amazon Freebie 10/10/2012

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May 21, 2013 Kerry D rated it 4 of 5 stars

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May 13, 2013 Tammy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, demons

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Shelves: bought-to-read

May 12, 2013 Jan rated it 4 of 5 stars

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May 17, 2013 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, kindle, ya

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About Claire Robyns

Claire Robyns lives in Berkshire, England, with her husband and twin boys. When Claire isn't thigh-deep in laundry, shopping, cooking and general crowd control, you'll find her head-and-heart-deep in the tangled lives of her characters.
Visit Claire at her website www.clairerobyns.com or on twitter @clairerobyns

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A Matter of Circumstance and Celludrones (Dark Matters #1)

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