Katherine Harbour's Blog - Posts Tagged "steampunk"

Thunderer
A steampunk fantasy set in an ever changing city, this is the story of a naive young man named Arjun who arrives to search for his lost god in a city full of gods. While a secretive war is waged against its citizens with an air ship called the Thunderer, and a Peter Pan-like boy named Jack leads a rebel band of lost girls and boys, Arjun becomes involved in a secret society of cartographers, intellectuals, and artists who want to create an atlas of the city of Ararat. This is illegal, and soon the wrath of the city's ruler, the Duchess, is turned on them. Then Arjun accidentally catches the attention of one of the lost gods, and soon people are falling victim to its drowning malice. Terrifying and surreal, with echoes of Dickens and Poe, this quest fantasy seemed different from others I've read, in a good way. Like Arjun I, too, became lost in the bizarre city of Ararat.

The Falconer

Steampunk and faeries and a red-haired girl seeking vengeance was a book I couldn't resist. In an alternative Scotland, 1844, Aileana hunts malignant faeries with diy weapons. She's capable of taking care of herself, but her partner in crime is Kiaran, a faery boy trained in martial arts. Her father is distant and blames her for her mother's murder by the evil faery woman Aileana hunts. Aileana's other allies are a childhood friend, Gavin, who can see faeries, and a male version of Tinkerbell named Derrick.

When Aileana learns a seal is breaking and the bad faeries will be entering the world, she and Kiaran try to stop this disaster in a fierce battle.

I loved Aileana. And Kiaran is darkly fascinating. Gavin isn't a distant second either, with his gentlemanly concern and flask of alcohol. And, despite Aileana's mission, it is the aggravating traditions and prejudices of her time that she struggles with as much as her fights against the faeries.

The Clockwork Dagger

A healer with amazing powers, Octavia is on an airship to her next destination when someone brutally stabs her female roommate, who turns out to be much more than she seems. The mysterious and handsome steward, Alonzo, might also be an enemy, and Octavia is soon fighting for life and limb in a foreign place. She's a resourceful and fascinating heroine. The alliance between her and the steward Alonzo is romantic, and the two are a dashing pair. The worldbuilding is detailed and imaginative, and all of the characters, even the extras, play an important role. It's steampunk with a touch of Agatha Christie mystery and the Western. I also loved the way Octavia heals people, the fashion in which her particular magic system has been created. If you're looking for an original and quick-paced steampunk novel with a clever heroine, this is it.

Everland
A steampunk Peter Pan set in an alternative London besieged by a plague that has killed the adult population and is working on the children. Gwen and her little brother and sister are surviving when they encounter a young girl named Bella who has a winged jetpack. This encounter leads to a mysterious rebel named Peter who brings Gwen to an underground city run by the Lost Boys, a charming group of eccentric characters. Peter, reckless and brave, may be harboring secrets. Hook is a young baron and the leader of the marauders sent by a tyrannical queen (his mother) who wants world domination. Hook has a great back story, (His own mother injured one of his eyes), but he's still an evil bastard.
Filed with steampunk details and creatively re-imagined characters, its background reminiscent of World War II, Everland is a book I was thrilled to learn had a sequel.

Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories
There are fourteen YA stories in this volume, set in the future, the past, and contemporary times. There is a time-traveling romance, and strange weaponry wielded by an outlaw girl gang in the the Old West. There's a Dickensian tale of orphans and their gruesome marionette Fagin. A ghost mechanical story and mini graphic novels.

My three favorites:
Gethesmane by Elizabeth Knox is set in an alternate reality, in the South Pacific, where dirigibles roam the skies, a girl is believed to be a witch. Five characters are involved in a catastrophic tragedy that lingers.

The Summer People by Kelly Link is a contemporary story about a girl in the south who longs to leave her tiny town,but is obligated to remain due to an agreement with the 'summer people', who are never seen and live in a strange house down the road. With exquisite details like a miniature war room and hints of Faerie, it's a charming and bittersweet tale of being careful what you wish for.

Steam Girl by Dylan Horroocks is also a contemporary story, set in high school. A boy who considers himself a loser becomes fascinated by a geeky girl who dresses like a steampunk heroine and tells fantastical stories. It's a poignant tale of outcasts who find strength in the imagination.

This is definitely one I'm keeping on my shelves!