Can I just say how much I love Vex? Tall, dark and sexy aside - I love the way that he can be supportive, but not mollycoddling. I love the whole...more3.75
Can I just say how much I love Vex? Tall, dark and sexy aside - I love the way that he can be supportive, but not mollycoddling. I love the whole "I will support you whatever you decide but, woman, making a damned decision!" and "Would you like me to get you a cross you can nail yourself on, dear?" (Paraphrasing).
I'm a little less enamored with Xandra, though I do like her, overall.
That said, I still have some issues with the book. (Of course.):
* It's a little overly repetitive. Most of this is because of the whole first person format which is not, as any regular readers of my reviews will know, my favorite perspective. I grok XAndy's uncertainty about her identity and what it means, and her general insecurity even aside from that, but compounded by it, and her irritation and being felt put upon and all... I really, really get it.
But I don't need hear the circular mental narrative repeat itself every coupla pages.
And it's not just the personal stuff, it's the world stuff... like how aristos are scared of humans because even though they and halvies are much stronger than humans, the humans outnumber them by a lot, and, what with modern technology and mob-mentalities and all, they could inflict lots of damage.
While it's important to the world of the story, and an issue she deals with both personally and on a larger scale, I really don't need to be reminded of that little tidbit. I mean, it had to be repeated at least a dozen times.
It almost makes me start to feel like the author thinks her audience is really stupid, or something.
* I would love for Alexandra to, um, I dunno... investigate shit. Seriously, if people didn't, like, walk up to her and give her a clue and a kick in the pants from time to time, I don't think anything would get done. And the whole (view spoiler)[walking into a trap thing really irritated me. It wouldn't have taken her much longer to give William a heads up notice... or something. (hide spoiler)]
She's also lucky that the bad guys in the book are prone to monologuing and shit.
If I recall correctly, this was an issue in the first book, too, and I'm not sure if it was just worse in this book, or if I noticed it more, but I hate whodunit type stories where the detective-type person sort of stumbles into the answer through sheer luck or happenstance as opposed to actual, erm, detecting.
***
That's all I can think of right now, and I know it's only two things but, considering what this book is and the way it's told, it's kinda two big things.
But, for all that, I still find the books enjoyable reads - to the point I'd say they're easily my favorite discovery of the year so far. They're quick, fun and compulsive. I want to keep reading when I'm reading, and I want to get back to it when I'm not reading. I like the characters, overall, and the world, and I like how, with a lot of good sci-fi and fantasy, it touches on real world type stuff through a mix of real issues (i.e. lesbian and transgender characters) and metaphor.
I mean, a lot of this book is about xenophobia and prejudice - both of Alexandra's personally, fighting the conflicting issues of her upbringing and trying to readjust her views based on new data, and of the larger society.
The way that fear of the unknown or strange can quickly turn to anger and lashing out, and the way that we're all guilty of it, in our own ways, and the best we can do is try to get over it and deal with it the best we can.
***
Oh, and did I mention Vex is way yummy? ;)
(Speaking of which, there was a moment where I was a bit scared where the story was going... romantically. Can't go into a lot of detail without giving stuff away, so, vaguely, I'll say I was afraid it could potentially go in a direction that I find tiresome and annoying*, and it didn't, and that was awesome.)
*(view spoiler)[Xandra discovers that Rye, the man she'd loved in academy, whom she thought was dead, was actually alive and in captivity... and I was SO scared it was gonna turn into an awful love triangle, her old love vs. her new one... but it totally didn't go down that path, and I kinda wanna kiss the author! (hide spoiler)](less)
This book first came to my attention when someone in a group I'm in linked to it, and the cover instantly drew my eye. Well, hell, with that red it'd...moreThis book first came to my attention when someone in a group I'm in linked to it, and the cover instantly drew my eye. Well, hell, with that red it'd be hard not to, right? Plus Steampunk is a weakness of mine. But when I read the blurb I was kind of ambivalent, and figured I might give it a pass.
But then it was picked as a member's choice book-of-the-month and I figured - hey, why not? I needed a workout read anyway, and this was as good as any of my other options.
I'm really glad I gave it that chance. Doubly glad since, 9-times-outta-10, I'm usually disappointed in books acquired under similar circumstances.
Anyway -
In some ways the book is kind of standard. Xandy is a halvie - half-vampire, half-human - and works for a sort of protective detail in the government for aristocrats, all of which are full vampire or werewolf. Queen Vicky is still on the throne, and has been for 175 years, and there's a blending of past and present, with motorcars on the same streets as horse-drawn carriages, and tech resembling cellphones and televisions, but with a steampunky kind of vibe to it.
It has the feel of fantasy steampunk, but it's technically set in present day.
Anyway, the book opens with Xandy's sister going missing and her hunt for the truth, and that leads her into a whole deeper level of things than she was aware of going on. The protag is an outcast, even amongst her own kind, there's a super-sexy alpha-wolf that she's into, and her family loves her, but doesn't get her.
So, in some ways, it has a sort of typical set-up and character types.
But, for all that, it's written well. I've come to realize lately, as I've paid more attention to such things, how important voice is in a story. I mean, it can literally make or break a book for me - and, in this instance, it went a long way to making it.
Also, there are enough twists and turns to keep things hopping, and, even though Xandy's a bit slow on the uptake sometimes, there were some which genuinely took me aback. At one point I was pretty sure the story was going one way, and it managed to throw me a bit of a curveball. Granted, maybe I just wasn't paying attention, wrapped up in things as I was, but it was nice to have a twist which I didn't see coming.
(And it doesn't hurt that her ever-so-sexy love-interest really is damned sexy. A lot of times I find myself boggled at the romance aspect of these stories, but Vex, who started off as pretty one-dimensional, quickly became more developed and an important part of the overall story. And while his alpha-thing was a bit eye-rolling at times, I also liked how it was handled from Alexandra's end, i.e. (view spoiler)[she recognized it for what it was, was sometimes a bit annoyed with it, but also appreciate it on some level. She never became helpless, was able to take care of herself even after the guy entered the picture which, so often in these stories, the guy sort of takes uber-charge and the previously spunky girl becomes dithering and useless.
But Xandy didn't - but she did recognize that sometimes she needed help and sometimes it was nice to be taken care of. She was always the strong one, taking care of everyone else, and she realized how it could be nice to have someone else take the role from time to time.
I gotta say - I've always considered myself more of a vamp girl, but between Macoon in Parasol Protectorate and Vex in this, I might be on the road towards conversion. *growl*
Anyway -
It was an enjoyable romp, not without a few bumps here and there, but I found myself connecting with the characters and rooting for them and thinking about the book when I wasn't reading it, which seems to be a rarity of late.
So while it was something of a 3.5 overall, I'm bumping it to 4 and looking forward to the next in the series.(less)
I do enjoy this series, but I never quite love it.
Once again, my favorite parts were the character bits - filling in some of the back stories, and wat...moreI do enjoy this series, but I never quite love it.
Once again, my favorite parts were the character bits - filling in some of the back stories, and watching some of the characters grow. I do sort of wish Frey would grow up a bit more, though. It's like we're sort of meant to believe that he is, but we're never really shown it. At least not in any kind of consistent or meaningful way.
My favorite characters continue to be Jez and Crake, though it was really cool to learn more about Silo.
That said, I find myself having a hard time really getting into the action bits - and there are a lot of them. I think it's just a writing style preference, maybe. I like action sequences that make your pulse pound - maybe not explicit in all the details, but which really make you feel like you're in the moment.
In these books, Wooding seems to go more for describing the details more. What the views look like. What actions are being taken. And I found many of them a bit too drawn out to really keep my focus.
The second chase seen between Frey and the Iron Jackal was really good, though.
Conversely, the race thing made me think of the pod-race in the Phantom Menace. Never a good thing.
And the black-spot on the hand curse thing reminded me a bit too much of Pirate's of the Carribean movies (but at least that's better thought than Phantom Menace).
I do still think these books would make really god movies - but I wish the book format was a bit tighter.(less)
I think I may have enjoyed this book if I hadn't seen the movie, because much of the book revolves around the big secrets of the two protagonists -...more2.5
I think I may have enjoyed this book if I hadn't seen the movie, because much of the book revolves around the big secrets of the two protagonists - Borden and Angier - and since I already knew what was going on, I never felt any real suspension or even much curiosity.
And I almost felt I was reading the wrong book at first, since it starts in the present day with the descendants of the two. At least that bit added something to the story not found in the movie, though, again, it revolved around the same secrets so...
I will say I found the style interesting. Basically we have two notebooks - one of Borden's and one of Angier's - which tells their story in diary format. The two were different enough to believe they were written by different people, but I would've liked a bit more personality in both of them, to be honest. (That said, I will say I preferred Angier's part, as it just seemed better written.)
There are, of course, differences between the book and the movie. Some things I preferred the way the movie had them, particularly the cause of the feud. (view spoiler)[In the movie, Borden and Angier being friends and then the accident when Borden tied the not and killed Angier's love.
In the book it's more, like, just because. Angier is faking being a spiritist and Borden attacks him on professional principle. Angier at least has cause for his hatred since Borden accidentally killed Angier's unborn child, but Borden just doesn't like him for professional reasons, at first, and doesn't even know about the child. (hide spoiler)]
Also, I liked that the movie made more of the secondary characters. Since the book is written in first person, all of the secondary characters, even the wives and lovers, are more sort of just there and not really given much of a life of their own. And Michael Caine's character is hardly there at all. I mean, the basis for the character is there, but the movie fleshed him out in ways the book doesn't even begin to do.
But I kind of preferred the ending of the book. It was darker, more morbid, and more fitting, in some ways.
In the movie I sort of got the feeling that Angier was meant to sort of be 'the winner', if there can be said to be one, but in the book everyone loses in some way - in ways particular to their lives and lies - and I appreciated the bleakness of it. It works better, as a morality tale, than the movie ending did.
Overall, just thinking of what actually happens, I think it could've been a very good book. But the writing, and perhaps, as I said, simply the knowing, both killed it for me. I was more bored than anything, which is a shame because it shouldn't have been a boring book, all things considered.(less)
I had high expectations from this book, being such a fan of 'Parasol Protectorate' as I am, but I found this one a bit lacking. I think, mostly, it wa...moreI had high expectations from this book, being such a fan of 'Parasol Protectorate' as I am, but I found this one a bit lacking. I think, mostly, it was the wry wit which seemed to just not really be around much. This book seemed much more earnest, in a sort of way. Maybe it's because of the different audience, or maybe Carriger just wanted to come at things from a slightly different angle, but, whatever it was, this felt sort of lacking.
That said, I still enjoyed the story, overall. I didn't quite click with any of the characters the way I did in PP, but there are definitely some promising avenues of exploration. Sophronia has that nice blending of brashness and insecurity, and she could develop into a very strong character.
Many of the secondary characters are interesting, and it was cool to see a young Sideagh (sp?) and 'Vieve'. Soap was excellent fun, and I loved Bumbersnoot.
I think, maybe, part of it was that there was a lot of set-up in this story. It did have a sort of exciting climax, and it was certainly fun in places, and I look forward to the next in the series... but perhaps not as much as I might wish I did.
But as the girls are only learning their roles of intrigue, I do hope it'll be more exciting when we have to do less setting up in the future.
***
One issue I had was the ubiquitous mechanicals. It seemed to have tech that was sort of advanced, or at least more omnipresent, than PP, and, since this is a prequel, I find that problematic. I always find it a bit distracting when a prequel seems to have more advanced tech than the original. (Yes, Star Wars, I'm looking at you... )(less)
First let me dispense with the disclaimer that I don't usually read erotica type books and when I first read the blurb for this book, while I realized...moreFirst let me dispense with the disclaimer that I don't usually read erotica type books and when I first read the blurb for this book, while I realized there was definitely a strong romance element I didn't realize it was listed as erotica. (Yes, I know reading the blurb now one might wonder how I could've missed it, but I swear it was different and more ambiguous before!)
So, anyway, that out of the way...
While it's not the type of book I usually read, mostly because I can't quite get past the flowery language often used in these kinds of books, not to mention I'm a giant prude, I have to say that I did feel the sex scenes, while a bit florid in places, were generally very tactfully handled and not overly belabored.
I think my biggest issues with the book are actually more plot related:
The first issue can mostly be attributed to the short length of the book, but everything just seemed a bit rushed and the characters weren't as fleshed out as I would've liked (no pun intended). As I said, though, I think this is more an issue with the length and not really with the writing. The writing was generally good and I believe the author would've definitely developed the world and characters more given more time.
The second issue, and, really, the most important one, for me, was that I felt the conceit of the story was a bit thin. The necessity of the machines were a bit of a stretch since (view spoiler)[sexual aids and devices already existed at the time, though none quite as elaborate, I imagine (hide spoiler)], and I felt it was kind of a weak plot-device manufactured to bring our protagonists together and, also, so it could have the steampunk label, since it is all the rage these days (and, quite frankly, it was my interest in steampunk which brought this novella to my attention in the first place).
Oh, and one other smaller point, (view spoiler)[I felt the spy/intrigue thing with the husband was kind of unnecessary and sort of tacked on (hide spoiler)].
I know with all that it seems like I would've like the book at all, but I still did. Since it was short it was a quick read, and it was a easy read in the sense that it flowed well and was just generally well put together. (I guess it's a bit of a bias in me that I expect romance-type novels to be painful to read, not just because of my embarrassment with certain parts but just because, well, they're just badly written, but that was definitely not the case with this one.)
Anyway -
I'm not sure whether I'll read any more books in the series since, as I said, erotica isn't quite my thing, but I wouldn't be opposed to reading books in a different genre from the author. (And, that said, I did like the characters enough in this one that if they continue on I might follow them.)(less)
I keep bouncing back and forth on whether to give this one or two stars - though I'm pretty much sticking with the 1.5 either way. My dilemma is th...more1.5
I keep bouncing back and forth on whether to give this one or two stars - though I'm pretty much sticking with the 1.5 either way. My dilemma is that while I didn't really like it, per se, I didn't actively dislike it, which is what I usually use 1-stars for, but I didn't like it, either.
I guess, for the most part, it was "ok", and I was going to give it a 2-stars for most of the book, but the ending left me feeling kinda "wtf?", which is why I was thinking of dropping it down. But it did have some things going for it... and also 'cause I feel like maybe I wasn't reading it in the right frame of mind... thus the consideration of keeping it at 2.
What I mean about being in the right frame of mind is that, for one of my status messages, I'd said that it would be better having been written as a comedy because of the absurdity of the situations the bumbling Dower kept getting himself in, and it crosses that threshold of believability after one thing after another after another after another keeps getting piled on top of the idiot.
The 'feeling bad' part comes in because, reading the afterword, is mentions the humor and the absurdity as being purposeful, as a sort of homage to the over-the-top Victorian adventure stories.
So I'm thinking that, maybe, if I'd read it in that light, maybe I would've found it more enjoyable and less annoying?
Though I can't say my expectations were skewed going in 'cause, honestly, I didn't really know what to expect, and I usually try and let the style of writing and the seeming mood of the book come across in the writing. So I'm not going to take blame, or anything, if I wasn't in the right frame of mind because I would say the writing, in the beginning, lead me to believe it was going for a more serious tone - so if it's meant to be more humorous in an absurd kind of way, then I would say the author failed to convey that intention via the tone.
So there.
Anyway -
That's a whole lot of semi-ranting without touching that much on the book, yet, aside from the fact that it seemed like it wanted to be serious, but ended up being absurd, which I found more stupid and irritating than amusing or endearing.
So a bit about the book and some of the good things:
This book first came onto my radar when I was involved in a sort of genre debate about steampunk, and I discovered that Jeter coined the term. Being a fan of the genre - or, at least, the idea of the genre - I wanted to read some of the proto- works and this seemed like an interesting place to start.
Of course, while I've often argued that steampunk is a form of sci-fi, generally, Jeter, himself, coined it in reference to "Victorian fantasies", and the science in this is very, well, fantastical. With few exceptions, there doesn't seem to be any attempt to stick within the confines of possible, or even plausible, science, what with the fishmen type things interbreeding with humans, and clockwork automaton working on principles of a metaphysical sort of resonance...
But, really, my biggest complaints were as I said before - Dower is one of those protagonists who is never pro-active, who constantly gets buffeted this way and that, and never really comes into his own at any point, and the sheer level of stuff that gets thrown at him from every angle is just beyond the pale.
I never really connected with any of the characters - though I did enjoy Creff and Abel - and the various twists and surprise reveals at the end were just... *smh*
I guess it makes a kind of sense, if it's meant to be an absurdist kind of tale, but, for me, it just came across as kind of asinine and I was thankful when it was done because I could say it was done...
Blech.
So - 1 or 2 stars? I still can't decide...
ETA: I forgot to mention all the type-setting issues. There were quite a few of them and they were pretty distracting at times.
What I mean is things like missing quotation marks, missing periods at ends of sentences, and random periods in the middle of sentences. Since things like punctuation can alter the meaning of sentences, or how you read them, I often had to go back and reread bits 'cause I was thrown by their random placement.(less)
This prequel novella was offered as a free download on amazon, so I decided to give it a go to see if it would whet my appetite for the series. It did...moreThis prequel novella was offered as a free download on amazon, so I decided to give it a go to see if it would whet my appetite for the series. It didn't.
It was an ok steampunkish/mad-scientist kind of story, but the characters weren't interesting or unique enough to really catch my attention, and the story was pretty straight-forward and obvious, and it was definitely a "d'oh" moment when the heroine didn't cop onto the mystery right away.
I realize that this is just a novella so there's not a lot of time for world-building and back-story and whatnot. There's enough, I suppose, but I felt a lack of any real depth to the story - to all aspects of the story, really.
I wasn't really that keen on the series when I first saw it, and this novella has done nothing to change my mind.(less)
The first chapter starts with a bang (see, I can do puns, too), and we're thrust into the world of Books and Braun.
Yes - Books (the Archivist/librarian/stuffy one) and Braun (the muscle/spunky/fighter). (There is also a character named Bruce Campbell, which may or may not be a nod to the man with the chin, and a couple named Barnabas and Angelique Collins - though they are of little consequence to the story.)
Anyway...
One thing I often expect from books set in Victorian England, and which I often don't feel like I get, is a certain expression of language and attitude. Often the writing is a bit too modern to really feel period, and I like my period-y books, even ones with a decidedly modern bend, to feel period. This one didn't quite manage. (And I don't think pepperpot was a word around at the time and, even if it was, you really need more adjectives for Braun.)
Speaking of Braun - I like a good anachronistically spunky woman in these adventure stories as much as the next gal, but Braun was just a little bit much. Too modern, I suppose.
But back to the first chapter, from Books's perspective. For a minute there there were hints of The Parasol Protectorate, and it seemed like it would follow the sort of tongue-in-cheek humor of that wonderful series, but that tone barely lasts the chapter.
Then the tone seems sort of Adventure style story - sort of like Larklight, though that's a younger series - but there's that whole over-the-top excitement and silliness about it that makes things like using Books and Braun as names perfectly acceptable.
But that didn't last, either - except via the chapter titles.
In other words, it didn't seem to know what it wanted to be. I don't know if this was because of the two authors or what, but it didn't seem to want to settle.
Of course, I guess in a way that fits since the characters didn't always seem to know who they were or how they wanted to be, either. (And while I sympathize with Books and his daddy-issues, the Jekyll-Hydeness was a bit odd.)
Personally, I think if the tone had kept to the more light-hearted Grand Old Adventure story it could've worked better. But, really, just picking one and sticking with it would've been better.
As for the Steampunky elements - I thought these were mostly handled pretty well, and were parts of the story as opposed to the story being about the tech. (Which I, personally, prefer as I'm not much of a hard sci-fi reader.) That said, I would've liked a little more originality with the tech (as well as some constraints, since the Analytical Engine worked more like a modern day PC/butler and less like an advanced calculator).
But, really, it's not all bad. I did enjoy it well enough, and while the characters were sort of charicatures more often than not - and while this mystery sort of felt more like an introduction to the characters as opposed to a thing in its own right (as evidenced by the various hints to a larger plot afoot and various background goings on) - I did enjoy it enough to give it another shot.
I may pick the next book up at the library instead of buying it, but I do think I'll see how it fares. (One thing I will hope is some better editing. The first time I came across "treamours" for tremors I thought it would be a one-off typo, but then it kept happening. And "shear ridiculousness" instead of "sheer ridiculousness"? Really? I expect better copy-editing from a professionally published work.)(less)
This is yet another book that I wasn't going to pick up, but then was talked into it by multiple recommendations and all the positive buzz about...more2 1/2
This is yet another book that I wasn't going to pick up, but then was talked into it by multiple recommendations and all the positive buzz about it, only to end up being tepid about the whole thing.
This is something which should, theoretically, be right up my alley - a YA steampunk adventure book pitting machines vs. bio-engineered beasts.
Well, for one, I had some trouble swallowing the beasties. There's a lot of suspension of disbelief in this book, because not a lot is really explained, including the real workings of the beasties. You're given general ideas, but it's a bit thin on the details.
But, mostly, I just went with it.
I think the biggest problem is that the characters are only marginally likable, though I did like Deryn more than Alek (even if the girl posing as a boy thing is wearing a bit thin), but even where they are likable they're not really developed very well. They're just sort of there and they are who they are the whole time.
Also, the adventuring was a bit, well, underwhelming and the pacing kind of haphazard.
All-in-all it's not a bad book. It's certainly not the worst I've ever read or anything, but I wasn't excited to be reading it, and I'm not remotely compelled to continue with the series.
Speaking of continuing with the series, another big issue with the book is that it feels mostly like set-up. Once things finally started to get interesting the book ended in a giant cliffhanger-esque "you must read the next book to find out wtf the first book set you up for" thing. Not impressed.(less)
This book isn't what I expected. Based on the cover and the blurb I was expecting some sort of mad-cap mystery adventure dealing with time travel -...more3.5
This book isn't what I expected. Based on the cover and the blurb I was expecting some sort of mad-cap mystery adventure dealing with time travel - but it's much more subtle than that.
What it is is three stories, loosely interwoven, about this group of people and moments - coincidences and accidents - which change the courses of their lives. It's about the way that time and lives and interconnected in ways we barely imagine and almost are never entirely aware of. And, at its heart, it's also a sort of love story.
It is a bit wordy, but once I got used to the style I hardly even noticed anymore, to be honest. I think part of the reason it bothered me in the beginning is because I was waiting for things to happen - for that madcap adventure to begin - but once I realized that the seeming tangents and divergences were the story, or parts of the story, then I started enjoying it much better.
Which isn't to say it wasn't without fault. The biggest issue was that there are times when information is given in large expositionary info-dumps - monologuing, even - and these slowed things down and were kind of annoying. The greatest culprit for these was Gilliam Murray, and I generally liked the parts with him the least. (Though H.G. Wells is guilty of it, too, in the third part.)
And the author had a self-aware way of breaking the fourth wall and talking to the audience which sort of annoyed me. I got used to it, by the end, but I could've lived without it all the same.
Anyway - I liked parts one and two better than part three, which is a bit disappointing since it's never good to go out on a meh ending. That said, I did like the sort of epilogue bits reflecting and the aforementioned connections which were forged throughout the book.
In the end I liked it, but I'm not sure I would recommend it without reservation. It's not for everyone. People who are more plot and/or action focused, who have no taste or patience for lush, sometimes wandering prose, will certainly have a problem with it.
I will look into the next in the series. I don't have an "I must read it now!" sort of reaction, but I'm certainly not opposed to it, either. I suppose we'll see what happens in the course of time... (less)
I enjoyed this one a bit more than the first - there was more humor, in general, and Myrtle was less annoying. And I quite liked the addition of Mrs. Mumby.
The story is good, the illustrations are nice additions, and I generally enjoyed it. I can't quite put my finger on what it is that holds this back from being a solid 4 stars, but, whatever it is, it's there. Not very helpful, I know, but ah well...
Still, if you're in the mood for a fun little adventure story, without any actual scientific fact or anything getting in the way, then you could do far worse than this series.(less)
There are a lot of good ideas in this book, but, in a way, I think that's part of its problem. There are too many ideas, and it felt like the author j...moreThere are a lot of good ideas in this book, but, in a way, I think that's part of its problem. There are too many ideas, and it felt like the author just had to include them all.
Set in an alt-reality Victorian England, where Victoria, and all the royalty, are Lizards from another planet (yes, boys and girls - meet the Reptilian Overlords), we enter this Steampunkish world which has, in a way, simply too much tech. Babbage Engines and Edison recorders and Tesla wires (radios) and submarines and rocket ships automatons with extremely advanced AI - the tech was so advanced that the little touches that reminded us we were "in the past", such as gas lights and landaus, seemed more anachronistic than not - and how strange for the period touches to seem to be the things that are out of place?
In other words, it didn't have a very strong period feel, which is one of the things I like about Steampunk type books. So there's that.
There was also the plethora - and I do mean plethora - of references to fictional and historical characters and books, many of which are mentioned in passing, and some of which are actual parts of the story. And while the Holmes fan in me enjoyed seeing that particular coterie of characters (and, no, that's not really a spoiler), they didn't add much to the story except passing pleasure in recognizing names and faces, so to speak. (It was almost like reading A Night in the Lonesome October by Zelazny, playing this game of "spot the reference". Unfortunately for me, I seemed to not get most of them.)
Anyway - the real failing of the story, in my opinion, is that while Orphan is likable enough, he's not nearly proactive enough. Sometimes I don't mind a character thrown into situations above his head, and watching as he flounders to get his feet on the ground, but this time I did. Orphan was little more than a piece of driftwood tossed on the sea, sent this way and that, and even told that he's a pawn more than a few times, only to later get all indignant about "being used". Well, dear boy, they did, essentially, tell you you were being used and you went along with it anyway. Can you really get mad about it now?
Not to mention that he gets knocked unconscious an awful lot. (At least five times that I remember.)
He's sent this way and that, saved here and there, gets told bits of pieces of the mystery as he goes along, not really discovering anything for himself as all the plot-points are giving to us via exposition... and that "big reveal" was not only not surprising, it was eye-roll worthy in its clicheness.
But, for all that, I didn't hate the story. The damndest thing, though, is that I can't really tell you why I didn't. I think it might be that particular joy I mentioned earlier, of recognizing certain names and faces, and seeing them in a different context, and playing the game, as it were. But the story itself didn't do much for me.
A not terrible book, but a far from great one. I will not be reading the sequel.(less)
I'm a bit torn on how to rate this one, to be honest.
On one hand, it was a decent story and concept, overall, filled with lots of action and, even...more2.75
I'm a bit torn on how to rate this one, to be honest.
On one hand, it was a decent story and concept, overall, filled with lots of action and, even better, a lot of fun, steampunky gadgets. The main characters were pretty cool - though they don't really have much in the way of depth to them... but since I've decided to read this as, predominantly, an action story, well, action characters aren't known to have much depth, so I'm being forgiving on that account.
(That said, there was one point where it seemed like some depth would be added to the characters and/or explored within the world, specifically when (view spoiler)[Thomas and Cynthia, who have created many weapons of war, are first confronted with the outcomes of their creations - specifically Thomas being horrified at the damage his acid bullets do to people. But this is quickly glossed over and never really mentioned again. Granted, they are fighting for their lives but, still, it would've been nice to explore that angle... and for our heroes to have more than a brief moment of horror at the many, many people who are killed in the process of the story. (hide spoiler)]
On the other hand - the villains had zero depth and were rather annoyingly stereotypical in their cartoonish behavior. Maier, especially, was just kinda crap.
And the action - well, as I said, there was a lot of it. Some of it was handled well, other parts were hard to follow but, overall, while fun it seemed a bit too-much at times. One thing after another after another, and even Thomas and Cynthia were routinely commenting on how lucky they've been being as how they're scientists and never been in combat before and now they're surviving crashes and fights and all sorts of things left, right and center. Not to mention the numerous miraculously lucky saves. (I will say, though, that between the action and the visuals offered by the various flying machines, weaponry, and gadgetry in general, this is a story that would work well as a movie or even in manga or GN format. Also, I think the book would've been much better if it had more humor and didn't seem to take itself so seriously considering how OTT much of it was.)
And the climax seemed a bit, well, anti. Rushed, I suppose, and there were some ideas and things which were introduced and seemed promising and never fully came into fruition. (On the other side of that, I liked that not every gadget worked out the way it was planned.)
And the writing itself - well, it's not horrible, and it does carry you along easily enough (though, as I said, hard to follow in places), but it also needs some tighter editing - not to mention someone looking out for continuity.
There were several instances of just sloppy grammar, additional words (like "Thomas was hadn't been... "), and weird slips. For instance, it seems like this is an entirely fictional universe, but then someone is described as having a British accent. In one paragraph Cynthia is said to be putting on a pair of pants, and in the next it says "Thomas' pants were black, like her skirt". Things like that. Very shoddy and unprofessional with all the typos and things - so that's definitely something that needs to be kept a closer eye on in the future.
And there is suggestion of a future. The story is left open for further installments, and the write-up on Amazon does say "Thomas Riley (Echelon Press/Quake), is the first in a series of alternative history books..." so it's quite possible that the dangling threads will be picked up in those. I may very well come along for the ride - but only time will tell.
3.5 for overall story and concept 2.25 for execution
***
Additional thoughts (that I'm too lazy to try to work into my earlier review):
This is being marketed as a YA book*, but it doesn't really seem like one to me on the surface. Firstly there's the fact that Thomas Riley is 29 and Cynthia is 25, whereas most YA books are written with young protagonists.
Moreso, though, it just didn't have the overall tone I've come to associate with YA lit. I can't really put my finger on it - it's an undefined quality, one of those 'you know it when you see it' sort of things - but this seemed different.
Also, while I have seen a lot of action and violence and death in some YA stories, both the abundance of it, the description of it, and the sort of blase nature of it in this story would sort of make me not want to recommend this to younger readers - and since a lot of people seem to think 10 and 11 year olds fall under the YA category (even though they don't) - I want to add the caveat that I would not necessarily recommend this for younger YA readers. Of course, it depends on the individual in question, so this is just a general note of caution.
* I read on one blog that this was written as an adult book but then marketed for 13+. I could definitely see a PG-13 movie being adapted from it, minus a few descriptions, so I think that is probably a good marker for age level. (less)
This is a really fun book, in a fun series, and I almost want to give it 5 stars, but I can't help but feeling just a small sense of dissatisfactio...more4.5
This is a really fun book, in a fun series, and I almost want to give it 5 stars, but I can't help but feeling just a small sense of dissatisfaction which is keeping me from jumping it with a full 5.
The book starts off very strong. It picks up about 2 years after the end of the last book, and Prudence as a child had me laughing out loud on the train more than once, and Ivy, who's a big part of this story, left me chuckling and shaking my head and just the first several chapters are hysterical.
It takes awhile to get to the real meat of the story and, honestly, I didn't mind all that much because everything else was such a pleasure.
But when we did get to the heart of the plot it felt, I don't know, a bit discombobulated, I suppose. It retained some, though not all, of the humor and wryness as things started turning more serious, but it was more that things were happening almost too quickly and I just couldn't shake this niggling feeling like I was missing something.
Part of it, perhaps, is the usual mystery sort of atmosphere where you only know so much as the main character, so you are actually missing pieces, but even after everything was 'resolved' I felt like some things were just too glossed over and not really explained to my satisfaction (for instance (view spoiler)[I still don't have a feel for what angles Madame Lefeoux is playing, and I was dissatisfied with the explanation of Floote's part in Alessandro's plans. I just wanted more... more motive, or backstory, or understanding. Something.) (hide spoiler)] I could live with this if this wasn't the last book in the series*.
Conversely, there were some parts that were, perhaps, a bit too pat. (Such as (view spoiler)[Conall's survival of being shot, twice, and falling from the balloon while he was mortal. And Ivy's turning into a vampire queen. Not that I wanted either of them to die. When Connal fell I was aghast and, like Alexia, couldn't believe he would die, so I was happy when he didn't but, at the same time, it just felt too forced. (hide spoiler)])
And while I really enjoyed the scenes with Lyall and Biffy and their (view spoiler)[budding romance (hide spoiler)], I would've liked to have seen more of the 'Lyall to the rescue' that we saw in past books and, also, I'm not sure how I feel about Biffy (view spoiler)[being an Alpha. And poor Lyall having to go to Woolsley. (hide spoiler)]
So, while, overall I enjoyed the series, once again the real joy lies in the characters and the humor and the interaction and not so much in the actual plot line.
Ah well. At least there was quite a lot of the good stuff to get me through. ;)
* While this is the last book of the series starring Alexia, there is a follow-up series with Prudence so I console myself that we haven't heard the last of some of those loose ends.(less)
Still not as good as the fabled first, but not as belabored as the bits with the Templars in the last one. Still full of wit and humor, but maybe...more3 1/2
Still not as good as the fabled first, but not as belabored as the bits with the Templars in the last one. Still full of wit and humor, but maybe not as much as before. But, then, I think some things which are meant to be funny came across as more absurd this time around.
That said, there were quite a few interesting happenings and shocking revelations. But I couldn't help but feel this was more a set-up for what's coming and less a book which stood solidly on it's own swollen feet.
Still, I can't say it wasn't enjoyable, and I did titter and snort quite a few times - so unladylike, I know - and I continue to look forward to the next installment.(less)
An alt-history, steampunk mystery with various contraptions, Eugenicists and Technologists and a secret history style look into the origins and S...more2 1/2
An alt-history, steampunk mystery with various contraptions, Eugenicists and Technologists and a secret history style look into the origins and Spring Heeled Jack, investigated by a rough and tumble explorer and a quasi-Libertine poet. What could go wrong?
Well, mostly, the writing.
There's a lot of interesting ideas and potential, and I think the book could've been a lot better than it actually was. But there's a lot of telling instead of showing - from the ambiance and atmosphere of the world and society, to the characters and descriptions of the devices, to the huge chunks of (repetitive) expository text and the ever-popular pontificating of the villain in which he, knowingly or otherwise, reveals his plots and plans.
I also felt a good deal of the "second part" wherein we learn the truth of Spring Heeled Jack was mostly redundant and unnecessary. I wish that Hodder would've trusted his readers a bit more to put the pieces together once the major reveal was revealed 'cause, honestly, I didn't feel like we needed to revisit the whole damn book a second time from a second perspective.
All that said, it wasn't terrible. The characters were relatable and interesting enough, and the story was intriguing (even if I'm not the biggest fan of (view spoiler)[time travel and its various inherent paradoxes (hide spoiler)]. I liked the dirtier and grittier vibe that it has - a change of pace from the more romanticized notions of Victorian England which a lot of these stories have. (Not that I mind the romanticized past - this was just an interesting change of pace.) That said, there wasn't a lot about the story or writing that "felt" period. I mean, there were the passing nods in descriptions and things, but it didn't have that ring of periodness which I so love in alt-history type books.
But I do plan on reading the second book in the series at some point to see if maybe the writing gets tightened up. But I'll be getting it from the library - just in case it doesn't.(less)
Mystery and mayhem in Victorian England. Protagonist tortured by his disfigurement and sheltered upbringing - to put it nicely. Another protagonist fi...moreMystery and mayhem in Victorian England. Protagonist tortured by his disfigurement and sheltered upbringing - to put it nicely. Another protagonist fitting the anachronistic, spunky girl role. Clockwork andsteampunky type goodness - well, badness, really.
What's not to like?
Thing is - I don't really know, but something about this bookjust didn't quite work for me. I never felt hooked or fully invested.
Another reviewer said it lacked depth, and maybe that's it. It never felt fully developed. Things happened, one after the next, but I felt no real sense of urgency. The character's seemed odd somehow - not quite realistic and maybe even inconsistent at times.
Not to mention actions which lacked credulity sometimes. And I don't even mean the fantastical science. I mean like when Modo (yes, the hunchback is named Modo) drags himself home one night, exhausted and injured, barely making it home, and then decides to go out again, the same night, to confront the person who sent him there. He couldn't wait one night?
(Another naming thing: the scientist who creates a tincture that brings out people's darker impukses is named Hyde. But not that Hyde. I might find such things funny or clever in certain instances, but in this book it just made me roll my eyes a bit.)
Anyway - this seems like a book I should love, and it wasn't terrible or anything, but it just didn't quite work for me for some ineffable reason. *shrugs*(less)
Another fun and witty entry, though perhaps not quite as good as the others. Still, couldn't bring myself to give it anything less than 4 stars. I...more3.5
Another fun and witty entry, though perhaps not quite as good as the others. Still, couldn't bring myself to give it anything less than 4 stars. I did still quite enjoy it - enough to finish it in two days.
I especially liked seeing so much of Professor Lyall and Floote.
Conall was forgiven too easily, but at least he realized how much of an ass he was and went to some lengths to make amends.
And, best of all, this one did not end in a dreadful cliffhanger, though there are quite enough thread to carry into the next book: what will become of Biffy, how will the Fangs react to the goings on, and what is the nature of the infant-inconvenience?
July seems so far away. I can hardly wait! I suppose I must have some tea to calm my nerves. It seems the thing to do. :)
***
On the re-read, the bits with the Templars seems a bit slow and draggy. The parts with Lyall & Co. where much more interesting. And I do still hope that Alexia gives Conall more grief in the next bok, because he really did get off quite too easily.(less)
A steampunkish space adventure based on the old Victorian adventure stories, complete with huzzahs! to the glorious Empire - but also those against...more3.5
A steampunkish space adventure based on the old Victorian adventure stories, complete with huzzahs! to the glorious Empire - but also those against the Empire and characters pointing out how not so glorious it is to come about and muck with people quite happy on their own, thanks much.
It's hard to really say whether this is sci-fi or fantasy. One would expect sci-fi since there are aliens and space adventures; however, there's nothing remotely realistic about the science, what with people running around and breathing quite happily on the moon, in space, on Mars, etc. It's also not entirely steampunk, even though it's set in Victoriana, since, while some tech, like automatons, are steam power, the ships themselves are alchemically engineered.
But, whatever - pish tosh and all that.
The story was pretty predictable, but the narration, mostly via the perspective of young Art, but sometimes through the endearingly annoying Myrtle, who does get better as the story progresses.
But, really, space pirates and aliens and alchemy and giant spiders and rip-roaring adventures - what's not to like? Very much a plot driven book, it falters a bit with characterization, though there are funny quirks, like Myrtle worrying about propriety and her dress while trying to stop a rampant machine or after being resuced from a giant Moth.
Steampunk and zombies and mini-apocalypse, oh my. How could you go wrong?
For starters, you could have lead characters that I never really connect...more(1.5)
Steampunk and zombies and mini-apocalypse, oh my. How could you go wrong?
For starters, you could have lead characters that I never really connected with or cared that much about. Protagonists whose most active role was to get themselves into the city, and then who became fortunes of fate, as things happened to them.
I did like some of the secondary characters better, especially Swakhammer. (Though it seemed weird to me that Briar called calling him Mr. Swakhammer. It was probably meant to be an affectation to remind us of the time period, when men and women were more formal, but since these characters are so informal, it was just kind of weird. Just another layer of distance in a book which keeps you at yours...
I think, really, that's what it is. The characters are never really developed - it's more an actiony-adventure type story, which could be fine, except it seemed like it almost wanted to be a deeper, more thoughtful story at times, it just never quite managed to be so.
Oh, and the brown font on the off-white paper killed me at first, but I did mostly get used to it.
Anyway, I never felt truly frightened or saddened for these characters and their exploits, though I did sometimes feel annoyed that they seemed so ingrateful for the help people were giving them (Briar), and that they kept running off and getting themselves in trouble without finding out what was going on first (Zeke). And I never really connected with them, so didn't much care.
And the whole thing with the big bad was meh. And I don't just mean the anti-climactic end, I mean everything about it. The build-up, the reveal, everything. There's something which happens at the end which Briar is said not to care about because her focus is on something else. Well, I didn't care, either.
Wow - do you think I could say "I didn't care" any more?
The only thing I did sort of care about is the fate of Swahkhammer, which we're left not knowing. I read somewhere that this is the first of a planned trilogy, but I doubt I'll continue unless I hear really good things about the follow-up.
All that said, I do agree with one reviewer who said that this story could make a good movie, though. Visually it would be pretty awesome, and you can get away with less develoepd characters and more haphazard happenings in movies.(less)
This wasn't a bad little story. It moved along at a fair pace, it had some interesting characterizations - and I love anachronistic female characters...moreThis wasn't a bad little story. It moved along at a fair pace, it had some interesting characterizations - and I love anachronistic female characters - and the mystery wasn't entirely obvious, though it was hardly surprising, either.
I figured it out the first time Veronica visited her sister, and I was kind of annoyed that she didn't.
I was going to bump this up to a 3 1/2 stars, but then came the part with the impossibly unstoppable man.
Ok - here be some spoilers
**
So, our hero gets himself injured, then stitched up and mended, but still, ya know, injured. Then he ends up doing much derring-do, with constant references to occassional stitches popping - and I was distracted by the whole heroics by the fact that I kept thinking this was a bit beyond the realm of believability.
Then the moment happens where his stitches finally do pop entirely, he as blood streaming down his body - again - and, yet, he still manages to help land the zepplin, half drag an unconscious body to the banks, and only then passes out...
I just couldn't get into the action of it because I kept thinking how absurd it was.
***
I might continue the series. It did have some nice steampunk elements, and the characters were interesting enough - and I'm curious about Amelia and also the little 'twist' at the end. So I guess we'll see.(less)
Oh dear gods, what just happened? I finished this book last night, up to the wee hours, and that ending... I was so upset! I was practically teari...more3.75
Oh dear gods, what just happened? I finished this book last night, up to the wee hours, and that ending... I was so upset! I was practically tearing up. No, it just can't be...
And angry. Oh so angry at stupid Conall. Argh!
Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot, though perhaps a little less than the first. Perhaps it's merely because the first was so novel/ I was glad, however, that Alexia Italian-ness and dark complexion were only mentioned a handful of times, and not constantly.
I liked the additional of Madame Lefoux, the interplay between the newly married couple, the ever charming Lord Akeldama and his interesting involvement in the turn of events.
Ivy and Felicity were annoying, which, granted, they are meant to be, but their comments were just too repetitive. And the bit at the end with Ivy and Tunstell was just a mite predictable.
My main complaints, I suppose, was that I never really felt any sense of urgency in solving the case. And, for the most part, Alexia again seemed to sort of stumble onto answers, until the end, anyway. The mystery part, once again, was the weaker element of the story. But the personal touches were, once again, quite enough to make up for it.
And then the ending where the floor dropped out and everything lovely fell apart. All last night I was tossing and turning, waking up with reprimands and incriminations in my mind. Oh dear, oh dear - when is the next book out?
(Btw, everyone should read Michelle's review because it captures all my thoughts and does a much better job of it.
***
Finished my reread. Still mad at the ending, even though I knew it was coming.
I still generally liked it. I thought the part on the dirigible seemed a bit slow going, but I thought it picked up once they landed and the stuff between Conall and Alexia picked up again, but then it got a bit draggy figuring out the mystery again.
My biggest impression from the second read was how over-the-top annoying Ivy is in this one. Getting in the way, being entirely dense, and insisting Alexia didn't marry for love, when she was there for the first book. It just seemed out-of-character and was more vexing than amusing.
Weakrer than the first, but still enjoyable.(less)
I was expecting more of a mystery and a bit less of a PNR, but, even with that said, I quite enjoyed the story and the characters. I quite like strong...moreI was expecting more of a mystery and a bit less of a PNR, but, even with that said, I quite enjoyed the story and the characters. I quite like strong, intelligent, "modern" women but in old time periods when women were under-rated and devalued. The mix of brashness and feminity, of both flouting and adhering to conventions, was quite fun.
The romance was to my taste - titillating without being overly graphic or, worse, uncomfortably voyeuristic, even if there were a few times and places where it was inappropriate. Of course, bonus points for their a) being a logical reason within the story as to why and how it happened that way and b) recognition from the characters that it was bad timing.
A few cons:
Firstly, it grew tiresome to be reminded that Alexia is Italian, tan and had a big nose on every other page. Yes, she did not fit in to the pale, botton nose English society. I get it and do not need to be reminded constantly.
Secondly, I thought the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly and too neatly. I had guessed the perpetrators before our detectives did (though, luckily, not too much sooner where it became ridiculous), but the way it all came together in the end seemed just a bit too pat.
Other than that, though, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to the next in the series.
(As a side note, the first book that comes to mind as a comparison is 'Dead Until Dark', the first and, thus far, only Sookie Stackhouse book I've read. I know many people on my list enjoyed the Sookie book more than I did, because I found Sookie vapid and annoying and Bill one-dimensional. I recommend this highly to those who liked the Sookie books because, imo, it has the same elements that makes Sookie fun, but with far fewer of that book's pitfalls.)
***
On second read, I still find the story delightful. A bit slower in some places than I remembered, but I was actually less annoyed by some of the things that annoyed me the first time, instead of more annoyed.(less)
I'm sure I'll get back to this at some point, but I'm about half way through and none of the stories have really grabbed me, so I can't be bothered to...moreI'm sure I'll get back to this at some point, but I'm about half way through and none of the stories have really grabbed me, so I can't be bothered to finish right now.
edited 2/24/10: I've decided that I have no desire to ever really finish this, so I'm just gonna call it quits.(less)
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