WWI rewritten as a steampunk fantasy. The Germans (Clankers) have created mechanical transport weapons along the lines of the AT-AT Walkers of Starwar...moreWWI rewritten as a steampunk fantasy. The Germans (Clankers) have created mechanical transport weapons along the lines of the AT-AT Walkers of Starwars fame. The Allies (Darwinists) have taken Darwins work and through manipulation of DNA have created self-sustaining living airships out of whales merged with other organisms. Flying is achieved with hydrogen flowing under their skin. The story follows two characters who eventually meet. The first story follows the Austrian prince, whose parents are killed at the beginning of the story is forced to flee his homeland. The second story follows a teenage girl who longs to belong to the airborn navy like her older brother and father, but that is not a job that girls/women are allowed to hold in Britain. She with the help of her brother, practices walking and talking like a boy and gets the opportunity to cross dress her way into a job with the navy. This is a GREAT steampunk story.(less)
This is a great new book written by the author of award winning Bud, Not Buddy. It is his first attempt at writing with a female protagonist. It takes...moreThis is a great new book written by the author of award winning Bud, Not Buddy. It is his first attempt at writing with a female protagonist. It takes place during the great depression. I gave the book 5 stars in spite of a few minor questions in my mind. I would be interested in hearing/reading what others are thinking about this book.(less)
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers is an interesting Historical Fiction (14th century kingdom of Brittany before it was won by France) Fantasy deals with t...moreGrave Mercy by Robin LaFevers is an interesting Historical Fiction (14th century kingdom of Brittany before it was won by France) Fantasy deals with the clash between christianity and the "old gods" "The Abbey" is not made up of followers of the Christian God, but on the followers of the god of Death "Mortain". The women housed there are called "handmaidens" not nuns and are trained assassins /Political War/Royalty/Poverty/Woman rising above subjugation/eventual love story but NOT a romance story in any way. This book is well written enough to be found in Adult Fiction. I liked it better than Eon. It deals with violence and death, but is not as graphic as either the Hunger Games series or Divergent/Insurgent. The main character, Ismae, comes from a very difficult background. Her encounters with men until she is 17 years old are such that she is convinced that she is better off living as far away from them as possible. During her assassin training at the Abbey, she avoids the classes which train her to "behave like a lady or like a mistress" so she can use all the weapons at her disposal. The lack of training in this area as well as her intense dislike of men in general, causes her problems during her final assignment prior to becoming a full fledged member of the abbey. The way she evaluates her situation, the abbey, her beliefs, and her intuition about the god she serves, shows intelligence and thoughtfulness. I REALLY enjoyed reading this book.(less)
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a quiet read, but very interesting. The author captures personality in her characters and I was surprised to...moreI really enjoyed reading this book. It is a quiet read, but very interesting. The author captures personality in her characters and I was surprised to see how much of the story within the story was based on fact.(less)