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Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War: Book I of The Anthem of Ash & Pistols
Marriage is now illegal.
It shall be punished as treason.
And the war to free the Punimin people from the Strelkie tyrants begins.
As a young wilderness girl, Pistol Rose knows nothing of the advanced Strelkie City or the mad king Ward Harrol who sits behind its walls. She doesn't understand why the Strelkie forbid marriage.
When the king forces the surrounding countryside to change their traditional culture to match his vision, the Punimin resist, and Rose learns everything about how to kill Strelkie and get away with it.
But throwing her own secret wedding without being caught... is another matter entirely. Rose refuses to give up her lover, Clock Dancin, for the tyrants who threaten her way of life. And most Punimin stand with her–only one is a betrayer.
In this futuristic medieval steampunk country filled with liars, killers, and wilderuckers, the strongest weapon is love. But using it comes with a heavy cost.
It shall be punished as treason.
And the war to free the Punimin people from the Strelkie tyrants begins.
As a young wilderness girl, Pistol Rose knows nothing of the advanced Strelkie City or the mad king Ward Harrol who sits behind its walls. She doesn't understand why the Strelkie forbid marriage.
When the king forces the surrounding countryside to change their traditional culture to match his vision, the Punimin resist, and Rose learns everything about how to kill Strelkie and get away with it.
But throwing her own secret wedding without being caught... is another matter entirely. Rose refuses to give up her lover, Clock Dancin, for the tyrants who threaten her way of life. And most Punimin stand with her–only one is a betrayer.
In this futuristic medieval steampunk country filled with liars, killers, and wilderuckers, the strongest weapon is love. But using it comes with a heavy cost.
208 pages, Paperback
Published July 30, 2023
2 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 15, 2023
An altogether different kind of story from a once-in-a-generation kind of writer. 'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' is a book that I found impossible to put down from the outset.
Both unexpected and brilliant, the story begins on the border between two worlds. One, a glimmering metropolis filled with wealthy and pampered people. The other, an impoverished, wild area filled with people struggling to get by.
On the border, the children are born, and it is decided by the nurses in the hospitals whether or not every child will get to stay in the city, or be brought out to the outskirts to live with the Punimin people.
The main character, Pistol Rose is a Punimin, which means that she gets to grow up with her family intact, but they are poor and have to live under the rule of the wealthy Strelkie people that live in the city.
When Pistol Rose falls in love with another boy from her town, she knows that asking the Strelkie for permission to marry will not go well for her. So, instead, she and her family devise a plan that will allow herself, and her new fiancée, to escape into the woods together, to a town called Afar. And things go along just swimmingly until the wedding, when things suddenly go to hell in a handbasket, for reasons that I won't divulge here.
Readers, you are you going to have to pick this one up for yourself to find out what happens next, and I highly encourage you to do just that! Michael Ryan Hahn's grasp of characterization and what makes a plot really tick, is something to behold.
This novel is well worth the read, even if you're not normally a fan of fantasy or steampunk—I bet Pistol Rose will make you one!
Both unexpected and brilliant, the story begins on the border between two worlds. One, a glimmering metropolis filled with wealthy and pampered people. The other, an impoverished, wild area filled with people struggling to get by.
On the border, the children are born, and it is decided by the nurses in the hospitals whether or not every child will get to stay in the city, or be brought out to the outskirts to live with the Punimin people.
The main character, Pistol Rose is a Punimin, which means that she gets to grow up with her family intact, but they are poor and have to live under the rule of the wealthy Strelkie people that live in the city.
When Pistol Rose falls in love with another boy from her town, she knows that asking the Strelkie for permission to marry will not go well for her. So, instead, she and her family devise a plan that will allow herself, and her new fiancée, to escape into the woods together, to a town called Afar. And things go along just swimmingly until the wedding, when things suddenly go to hell in a handbasket, for reasons that I won't divulge here.
Readers, you are you going to have to pick this one up for yourself to find out what happens next, and I highly encourage you to do just that! Michael Ryan Hahn's grasp of characterization and what makes a plot really tick, is something to behold.
This novel is well worth the read, even if you're not normally a fan of fantasy or steampunk—I bet Pistol Rose will make you one!
November 16, 2023
A chance meeting between two young girls will decide their fate in the future. Lilly, a 10 year old Strelkie, has been brought to accompany a woman about to give birth. There, she encounters a young Punimin, named Pistol Rose. Their lives will become intertwined in adulthood. Lilly's will be changed forever.
The Punimins live in the forest outside the great city of the Strelkies and are controlled by a tyrannical king, Ward Harrol. Pistol Rose always looked up to her elder cousin Pistol Ann and tried to emulate her. When Pistol Ann decides to marry, she goes to ask permission to wed as per the edicts of Ward Harrol, much to the dismay of Pistol Rose, who always admired her cousin's free spirit. When they are refused permission to wed, Pistol Ann's fiancé is taken away forever to improve the genes of the weakling Strelkie offspring. In her despair, Pistol Ann commits suicide. Pistol Rose vows never to submit as her cousin did. When her childhood soulmate, Clock Dancin, proposes to her, Pistol Rose decides they will marry quietly in secret. However, plans go awry when their parents invite many of their Punimin friends and relatives. Then, Clock Dancin's jealous brother, Jeffer, decides to get revenge when Pistol Rose rejects him. Jeffer has huge ambitions, to make a name for himself, to be forever in history books, even as a king and take Pistol Rose prisoner. Jeffer has been dressing as a spy and going over to the Strelkie side to advance his plans. Just as Pistol Rose and Clock Dancin finish exchanging vows in the forest all hell breaks loose and the battle for survival begins.
This book is my introduction to the steampunk genre and what an introduction it is! If you love kick ass heroines (and heroes too!), non stop, exciting action, fantastical beasts, like wilderuckers and flying cubs, steampunk style, you will absolutely love this book. Who can forget the bravery of tiny little Teacup, the flying cub! One of my favourite scenes has to be an enraged Pistol Rose in her torn, bloody wedding dress, breaking into the top of the prison wagon to free her husband, screaming "My husband", while Clock Dancin, equally enraged is breaking out of the cage, screaming "My wife".
I see this novel as an allegory of our times where a handful of elites plan to control the lives of everyone in this world and decide the fate of our planet. Don't be like the Strelkies, indoctrinated with propaganda, afraid to leave their 15 minute sterile cities, glued to that little glass square forever in their hands. Be like the Punimin, warriors fighting to preserve their freedom, to live wherever and however they want, to be the authors of their own destiny, not to be enslaved by evil dictators, to fight together as a family and keep God's teachings in their lives.
To win a copy for yourself, follow the link at: https://theteddyrosebookreviewsplusmo...
The Punimins live in the forest outside the great city of the Strelkies and are controlled by a tyrannical king, Ward Harrol. Pistol Rose always looked up to her elder cousin Pistol Ann and tried to emulate her. When Pistol Ann decides to marry, she goes to ask permission to wed as per the edicts of Ward Harrol, much to the dismay of Pistol Rose, who always admired her cousin's free spirit. When they are refused permission to wed, Pistol Ann's fiancé is taken away forever to improve the genes of the weakling Strelkie offspring. In her despair, Pistol Ann commits suicide. Pistol Rose vows never to submit as her cousin did. When her childhood soulmate, Clock Dancin, proposes to her, Pistol Rose decides they will marry quietly in secret. However, plans go awry when their parents invite many of their Punimin friends and relatives. Then, Clock Dancin's jealous brother, Jeffer, decides to get revenge when Pistol Rose rejects him. Jeffer has huge ambitions, to make a name for himself, to be forever in history books, even as a king and take Pistol Rose prisoner. Jeffer has been dressing as a spy and going over to the Strelkie side to advance his plans. Just as Pistol Rose and Clock Dancin finish exchanging vows in the forest all hell breaks loose and the battle for survival begins.
This book is my introduction to the steampunk genre and what an introduction it is! If you love kick ass heroines (and heroes too!), non stop, exciting action, fantastical beasts, like wilderuckers and flying cubs, steampunk style, you will absolutely love this book. Who can forget the bravery of tiny little Teacup, the flying cub! One of my favourite scenes has to be an enraged Pistol Rose in her torn, bloody wedding dress, breaking into the top of the prison wagon to free her husband, screaming "My husband", while Clock Dancin, equally enraged is breaking out of the cage, screaming "My wife".
I see this novel as an allegory of our times where a handful of elites plan to control the lives of everyone in this world and decide the fate of our planet. Don't be like the Strelkies, indoctrinated with propaganda, afraid to leave their 15 minute sterile cities, glued to that little glass square forever in their hands. Be like the Punimin, warriors fighting to preserve their freedom, to live wherever and however they want, to be the authors of their own destiny, not to be enslaved by evil dictators, to fight together as a family and keep God's teachings in their lives.
To win a copy for yourself, follow the link at: https://theteddyrosebookreviewsplusmo...
October 14, 2023
“Truly, war is ripe on the tree and the gentlest gust could bring a fall no one is quite ready for. It would be an avalanche in both directions, and they all know it. Enough of them want it that the wiser folks hold their breath. Or maybe they aren't the wiser folks.”
The first in a series that is sure to pull in any reader, 'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' by Michael Ryan Hahn is a tale of two worlds, and two directions.
The first, is the world of the Strelkie, a posh city filled with delights for the lucky people that live there. The Strelkie are specifically told to move from family to family and household to household throughout their lives as a method of creating loyalty to their people and not to individual families.
In complete opposition are the Punimin, a group with strong family bonds, who take to carving their family stories in any and all wood surfaces they can find.
Pistol Rose is a Punimin, destined to live a life of hardship outside of the city, and to eventually go into her family business of gun making. Rose loves her family dearly, and she is a skilled gun maker, but when she falls in love with a boy from her village, she realizes that she has only two options. Either she can ask the local Strelkie emissary for permission to marry her fiancé and risk being turned down and possibly losing her love forever, or she and her love can escape to the forest to find a place beyond Strelkie rule.
Neither option is easy, as even escape will come with uncertainty and struggle. But Rose and Dancin', her fiancé, decide to escape, not realizing that this decision will light the spark that ignites a war and that soon they will have no way out.
This was an excellent story for me, personally. I love great characters and great world building and this book had it all! I would recommend this for anyone that loves steampunk or fantasy, because those elements were really present here.
Hahn is a very talented writer, and I can't wait to read more from this series!
The first in a series that is sure to pull in any reader, 'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' by Michael Ryan Hahn is a tale of two worlds, and two directions.
The first, is the world of the Strelkie, a posh city filled with delights for the lucky people that live there. The Strelkie are specifically told to move from family to family and household to household throughout their lives as a method of creating loyalty to their people and not to individual families.
In complete opposition are the Punimin, a group with strong family bonds, who take to carving their family stories in any and all wood surfaces they can find.
Pistol Rose is a Punimin, destined to live a life of hardship outside of the city, and to eventually go into her family business of gun making. Rose loves her family dearly, and she is a skilled gun maker, but when she falls in love with a boy from her village, she realizes that she has only two options. Either she can ask the local Strelkie emissary for permission to marry her fiancé and risk being turned down and possibly losing her love forever, or she and her love can escape to the forest to find a place beyond Strelkie rule.
Neither option is easy, as even escape will come with uncertainty and struggle. But Rose and Dancin', her fiancé, decide to escape, not realizing that this decision will light the spark that ignites a war and that soon they will have no way out.
This was an excellent story for me, personally. I love great characters and great world building and this book had it all! I would recommend this for anyone that loves steampunk or fantasy, because those elements were really present here.
Hahn is a very talented writer, and I can't wait to read more from this series!
October 15, 2023
Blood runs very hot in this thrilling fantasy/steampunk novel from new author Michael Ryan Hahn. 'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' is a book for fans of the genre, new and old alike! You can take my word for it that I loved this one, but, if you need further compelling, here is a synopsis:
More than a century ago, a war between the Punimin and the Strelkie people ended in the latter's favor. The Strelkie have always lived in a beautiful, technologically advanced city, but the Punimin were outcast to the hard scrabble wilds.
Left to take care of themselves, as they are, for the most part, ignored by their king, the Punimin have still managed to carve out a life (carve being the operative word here). The Punimin live in very tight family units, each family taking on a trade that passes down through the generations, and give them their name.
For instance, Pistol Rose comes from a family of gun makers, all with the name 'Pistol.' Rose's boyfriend, Clock Dancin' comes from a family of clock makers.
It's a simple system, and it has provided order from chaos for the Punimin for a long time. But the Punimin are still ruled over by the Strelkie.
Each Puninim outcropping has a Strelkie overseer, or emissary, that is responsible for ruling the small settlement. However, most Strelkie emissaries end up being nothing but dictators. As is the case with Pistol Rose's Strelkie emissary, whom she knows will never allow for permission for her to marry Dancin'.
Taking things into her own hands, Rose decides to run away with Dancin', with the help of her family. The couple plan to leave for a place called Afar, but whether or not they will make it there is the question.
I'm giving this excellent book five pistols out of five! It earned for the amazing world building alone! However, it also has great characters and plot! I highly recommend it!
More than a century ago, a war between the Punimin and the Strelkie people ended in the latter's favor. The Strelkie have always lived in a beautiful, technologically advanced city, but the Punimin were outcast to the hard scrabble wilds.
Left to take care of themselves, as they are, for the most part, ignored by their king, the Punimin have still managed to carve out a life (carve being the operative word here). The Punimin live in very tight family units, each family taking on a trade that passes down through the generations, and give them their name.
For instance, Pistol Rose comes from a family of gun makers, all with the name 'Pistol.' Rose's boyfriend, Clock Dancin' comes from a family of clock makers.
It's a simple system, and it has provided order from chaos for the Punimin for a long time. But the Punimin are still ruled over by the Strelkie.
Each Puninim outcropping has a Strelkie overseer, or emissary, that is responsible for ruling the small settlement. However, most Strelkie emissaries end up being nothing but dictators. As is the case with Pistol Rose's Strelkie emissary, whom she knows will never allow for permission for her to marry Dancin'.
Taking things into her own hands, Rose decides to run away with Dancin', with the help of her family. The couple plan to leave for a place called Afar, but whether or not they will make it there is the question.
I'm giving this excellent book five pistols out of five! It earned for the amazing world building alone! However, it also has great characters and plot! I highly recommend it!
October 14, 2023
An unputdownable read! I promise you will not regret picking up 'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War.'
This is an explosive, thrilling novel that will have even the most jaded reader unable to guess what is going to happen next—I know I couldn't!
Pistol Rose and Clock Dancin' are in love. In fact, they have been since they were children, although Rose may not have realized it when she found Dancin' so annoying as a child. But now that they are both grown up, Rose and Dancin' decide that they want to marry.
Normally, this would be a very sweet and blessed time for a young couple. But not so for these two. See, Rose and Dancin' are Punimin. A race of people that live in the dirt-poor outskirts of a beautiful city populated by the wealthy Strelkie.
Rose and Dancin' have been bossed around by Strelkie their whole lives, but now that they are getting married, they decide to finally do something about it.
Of course, this is easier said than done, and before the wedding is finalized, this young couple may just have started an uprising of their own making and put upon their people.
I was not expecting any part of this book to be so incredible, from the fascinating setting, to the beautifully fleshed out characters. I found myself rooting for Pistol Rose within the first page of meeting her, when she takes down two Strelkie soldiers by herself at ten years old. A character like that just has to make a name for herself, and with a name like Pistol Rose, that's pretty much a given.
Author Michael Ryan Hahn played with fantasy/steampunk tropes in this book in a way that is sure to leave any reader unable to get enough. Such excellent world building!
I think there is also a really strong message here about the importance of family and of being yourself even when all of the odds are against you.
This is an explosive, thrilling novel that will have even the most jaded reader unable to guess what is going to happen next—I know I couldn't!
Pistol Rose and Clock Dancin' are in love. In fact, they have been since they were children, although Rose may not have realized it when she found Dancin' so annoying as a child. But now that they are both grown up, Rose and Dancin' decide that they want to marry.
Normally, this would be a very sweet and blessed time for a young couple. But not so for these two. See, Rose and Dancin' are Punimin. A race of people that live in the dirt-poor outskirts of a beautiful city populated by the wealthy Strelkie.
Rose and Dancin' have been bossed around by Strelkie their whole lives, but now that they are getting married, they decide to finally do something about it.
Of course, this is easier said than done, and before the wedding is finalized, this young couple may just have started an uprising of their own making and put upon their people.
I was not expecting any part of this book to be so incredible, from the fascinating setting, to the beautifully fleshed out characters. I found myself rooting for Pistol Rose within the first page of meeting her, when she takes down two Strelkie soldiers by herself at ten years old. A character like that just has to make a name for herself, and with a name like Pistol Rose, that's pretty much a given.
Author Michael Ryan Hahn played with fantasy/steampunk tropes in this book in a way that is sure to leave any reader unable to get enough. Such excellent world building!
I think there is also a really strong message here about the importance of family and of being yourself even when all of the odds are against you.
October 14, 2023
“My story is my memory, and a swift arrow. I light it now. The flames dance like a racing thought out of time. I nock it and pull the string; the limbs bow back and groan; I loose the shaft and it's tip of fire soars as a falcon. We must sprint to follow, or miss it's tale!”
A great read from a brand new author, 'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' by Michael Ryan Hahn is the tale of two worlds split apart and a young woman who is ready to fight for what is right.
I greatly enjoyed this lovely book, and I know that anyone reading this would enjoy it, too. But let me talk about the plot a little, to really pull you in!
The story takes place in a small village on the edge of a huge city. The village belongs to the Punimin, an impoverished people who live their entire lives ruled over by the people of the city, the Strelkie. The Strelkie are not benevolent leaders, nor is their king, Ward Harrol a very warm and friendly guy.
Oh, Ward Harrol is very benign to the Strelkie themselves, giving them a city that has all of the benefits of high technology. But to the Punimin, he is not just a bad king, but an absentee one. He barely even seems to realize they exist, letting them live in filth and poverty, since the war that happened between their people over a century ago.
The Punimin people hold lots of different professions, but all Punimin, down to the smallest children, are wood carvers. By carving their family stories in trees, bed posts, clocks and walls, they preserve them in a way that the Strelkie will never understand.
This division between the two people seems permanent, that is, until the wedding of Pistol Rose and Clock Dancin'. The day that starts a revolution.
A wonderful book with outstanding characters and plot! I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
A great read from a brand new author, 'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' by Michael Ryan Hahn is the tale of two worlds split apart and a young woman who is ready to fight for what is right.
I greatly enjoyed this lovely book, and I know that anyone reading this would enjoy it, too. But let me talk about the plot a little, to really pull you in!
The story takes place in a small village on the edge of a huge city. The village belongs to the Punimin, an impoverished people who live their entire lives ruled over by the people of the city, the Strelkie. The Strelkie are not benevolent leaders, nor is their king, Ward Harrol a very warm and friendly guy.
Oh, Ward Harrol is very benign to the Strelkie themselves, giving them a city that has all of the benefits of high technology. But to the Punimin, he is not just a bad king, but an absentee one. He barely even seems to realize they exist, letting them live in filth and poverty, since the war that happened between their people over a century ago.
The Punimin people hold lots of different professions, but all Punimin, down to the smallest children, are wood carvers. By carving their family stories in trees, bed posts, clocks and walls, they preserve them in a way that the Strelkie will never understand.
This division between the two people seems permanent, that is, until the wedding of Pistol Rose and Clock Dancin'. The day that starts a revolution.
A wonderful book with outstanding characters and plot! I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
October 13, 2023
A story of family, love, and revolution set in a fantasy world-- 'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' is one hell of an adventure right from the very first page!
I had never read this author, Michael Ryan Hahn but I have to say he is one of my new favorite fantasy/steampunk authors! I was shocked at how much I loved this book right from the beginning, when our main character, Pistol Rose, is just a ten-year-old girl who must kill two men to get out of a rough situation.
But, lets back track, because I need to explain exactly who Pistol Rose is first. Pistol Rose is a member of a clan of people called the Punimin, a disadvantaged group that live in the shadow of a great city where the upper class, called Strelkie live.
The king of their people, Ward Harrol, is seen as a god to the Strelkie people as he essentially has them hand-selected to live in his city and reap the benefits of his attention. But the Strelkie live an almost nomadic life, each citizen constantly shifting from household to household, from family to family, and from marriage to marriage in order to maintain a loyalty to their people as a whole instead of a family allegiance.
In contrast, the Punimin maintain strong family bonds, even naming their children after the family profession that they are all born into. Pistol Rose is named Pistol, because her family are all gun makers. Her fiancé, Clock Dancin', comes from a family of clock makers.
The book is about these two young people who realize that in order to marry, they are going to have to start a revolution between their people and the Strelkie soldiers and the intense love of their respective families that support them.
I whole-heartedly recommend this book to any and all readers! I had a great time reading it!
I had never read this author, Michael Ryan Hahn but I have to say he is one of my new favorite fantasy/steampunk authors! I was shocked at how much I loved this book right from the beginning, when our main character, Pistol Rose, is just a ten-year-old girl who must kill two men to get out of a rough situation.
But, lets back track, because I need to explain exactly who Pistol Rose is first. Pistol Rose is a member of a clan of people called the Punimin, a disadvantaged group that live in the shadow of a great city where the upper class, called Strelkie live.
The king of their people, Ward Harrol, is seen as a god to the Strelkie people as he essentially has them hand-selected to live in his city and reap the benefits of his attention. But the Strelkie live an almost nomadic life, each citizen constantly shifting from household to household, from family to family, and from marriage to marriage in order to maintain a loyalty to their people as a whole instead of a family allegiance.
In contrast, the Punimin maintain strong family bonds, even naming their children after the family profession that they are all born into. Pistol Rose is named Pistol, because her family are all gun makers. Her fiancé, Clock Dancin', comes from a family of clock makers.
The book is about these two young people who realize that in order to marry, they are going to have to start a revolution between their people and the Strelkie soldiers and the intense love of their respective families that support them.
I whole-heartedly recommend this book to any and all readers! I had a great time reading it!
October 13, 2023
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
That must be what the titular character of this novel, Pistol Rose thinks when she decides to ask her town's emissary for permission to marry the love of her life.
Rose has seen this go badly before, when her cousin, Ann asked for permission for her own marriage ten years earlier. Ann was denied and ultimately ended up committing suicide later that night.
Understandably, this experience has always haunted Rose, so when it comes time to ask for her own marriage, she expects to be denied. And when she receives this denial, she expects to ignore it.
See, Rose does what Rose wants. It's the way of her people, the Punimin, who have lived for a century under the rule of a dictator king who treats them like scum (when he's not ignoring them entirely).
In contrast, the upper-class people, the Strelkie, are given everything that they could ever want or desire as well as all of the technological advancements that their world has to offer. Of course, because of this, the Strelkie love and respect the king, and the Punimin hate him. But it's possible that no one hates him more than Pistol Rose's family, a hard-fighting bunch of gun makers who have been simmering for a revolution for many years.
In order to marry the man that she loves, Rose knows that she will have to let her family fight for her against the Strelkie and face the consequences of their possible loss. But nothing is more important to Rose than the love of family.
This was a five-star book for me, and one that totally caught me off guard. Not many authors can create such an immersive and colorful world from scratch the way Hahn has done here.
I would put this book up there with some of my favorite fantasy novels of all time!
Fool me twice, shame on me.
That must be what the titular character of this novel, Pistol Rose thinks when she decides to ask her town's emissary for permission to marry the love of her life.
Rose has seen this go badly before, when her cousin, Ann asked for permission for her own marriage ten years earlier. Ann was denied and ultimately ended up committing suicide later that night.
Understandably, this experience has always haunted Rose, so when it comes time to ask for her own marriage, she expects to be denied. And when she receives this denial, she expects to ignore it.
See, Rose does what Rose wants. It's the way of her people, the Punimin, who have lived for a century under the rule of a dictator king who treats them like scum (when he's not ignoring them entirely).
In contrast, the upper-class people, the Strelkie, are given everything that they could ever want or desire as well as all of the technological advancements that their world has to offer. Of course, because of this, the Strelkie love and respect the king, and the Punimin hate him. But it's possible that no one hates him more than Pistol Rose's family, a hard-fighting bunch of gun makers who have been simmering for a revolution for many years.
In order to marry the man that she loves, Rose knows that she will have to let her family fight for her against the Strelkie and face the consequences of their possible loss. But nothing is more important to Rose than the love of family.
This was a five-star book for me, and one that totally caught me off guard. Not many authors can create such an immersive and colorful world from scratch the way Hahn has done here.
I would put this book up there with some of my favorite fantasy novels of all time!
October 14, 2023
They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned-- and for Pistol Rose, that scorn is long-running and deeply held. Pistol Rose has spent her whole life being spit on and shoved around by the Strelkie, the people of a neighboring city who view her people, the Punimin, as less than them. This is the way of things in the Four Continents of the Known World, and the way it has been for over a hundred years, when these two groups went to war together.
Every time a child is born in the Strelkie city, they are brought to the border between the city and the outskirts, where the Punimin are forced to live and the destiny of the child is decided based off of the random whims of the nurses that deliver them. This is supposed to create harmony within the city, to unite the Strelkie so that they view their people as one big family. But whether it does or not, it certainly makes the Punimin treasure their family bonds even more.
Pistol Rose has a large family, and a loud one who all care about each other very much.
When Rose is only ten years old, she finds the body of her cousin after the girl has hanged herself because she was denied the right to marry her beloved by the Strelkie emissary. That day, Rose vows never to ask for permission to marry and, when she falls in love ten years later, she keeps to this promise by asking her family to help herself and her fiancé run away together.
This is the beginning of Rose's story, and the end involves a battle for the ages.
A dynamite blast of a novel, and one that I know I will be thinking about for a long time to come, 'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' by Michael Ryan Hahn is not to be missed if you are looking for an action-packed book with quality writing.
Every time a child is born in the Strelkie city, they are brought to the border between the city and the outskirts, where the Punimin are forced to live and the destiny of the child is decided based off of the random whims of the nurses that deliver them. This is supposed to create harmony within the city, to unite the Strelkie so that they view their people as one big family. But whether it does or not, it certainly makes the Punimin treasure their family bonds even more.
Pistol Rose has a large family, and a loud one who all care about each other very much.
When Rose is only ten years old, she finds the body of her cousin after the girl has hanged herself because she was denied the right to marry her beloved by the Strelkie emissary. That day, Rose vows never to ask for permission to marry and, when she falls in love ten years later, she keeps to this promise by asking her family to help herself and her fiancé run away together.
This is the beginning of Rose's story, and the end involves a battle for the ages.
A dynamite blast of a novel, and one that I know I will be thinking about for a long time to come, 'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' by Michael Ryan Hahn is not to be missed if you are looking for an action-packed book with quality writing.
October 14, 2023
Quite the opener to what should be a very interesting series!
I had no trouble getting into this book after the first few pages, when a ten-year-old Pistol Rose must fight and kill two grown men to survive. And, of course, she does win.
Ten years later, Pistol Rose is in love with a young man from her village and they must go to their local town leader in order to ask for permission to marry. But there's a problem. See, Rose is a Punimin, a disadvantaged race of people that live in the scrubby wastelands outside of a beautiful city where their superiors, the Strelkie live. The Strelkie have always looked down (somewhat literally) on the Punimin, and treat them terribly.
Every Punimin village is run by a Strelkie emissary who rules by his or her own whims. Rose has been to see the emissary before, when her older cousin Ann was asking for permission to marry her own fiance. Things did not go well for Ann, and with that terrible memory fresh in her mind, Rose knows to expect the worst this time.
When she and her fiance are ultimately denied, Rose realizes that she is going to have to take things to the next level, and escape the village entirely. With mounting pressure raining down from the king, Ward Harrol, Rose and her fiancé know that they will have to move quickly if they are ever going to be free of Strelkie rule.
But will they make it out of their village alive? You'll have to read the book to discover that answer for yourself. And, in my opinion, you definitely should!
'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' is a book that is an excellent steampunk, fantasy, and adventure! I highly recommend to anyone who love well written characters that pop off the page, a exciting plot and A+ worldbuilding!
I had no trouble getting into this book after the first few pages, when a ten-year-old Pistol Rose must fight and kill two grown men to survive. And, of course, she does win.
Ten years later, Pistol Rose is in love with a young man from her village and they must go to their local town leader in order to ask for permission to marry. But there's a problem. See, Rose is a Punimin, a disadvantaged race of people that live in the scrubby wastelands outside of a beautiful city where their superiors, the Strelkie live. The Strelkie have always looked down (somewhat literally) on the Punimin, and treat them terribly.
Every Punimin village is run by a Strelkie emissary who rules by his or her own whims. Rose has been to see the emissary before, when her older cousin Ann was asking for permission to marry her own fiance. Things did not go well for Ann, and with that terrible memory fresh in her mind, Rose knows to expect the worst this time.
When she and her fiance are ultimately denied, Rose realizes that she is going to have to take things to the next level, and escape the village entirely. With mounting pressure raining down from the king, Ward Harrol, Rose and her fiancé know that they will have to move quickly if they are ever going to be free of Strelkie rule.
But will they make it out of their village alive? You'll have to read the book to discover that answer for yourself. And, in my opinion, you definitely should!
'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' is a book that is an excellent steampunk, fantasy, and adventure! I highly recommend to anyone who love well written characters that pop off the page, a exciting plot and A+ worldbuilding!
October 15, 2023
A fast-paced novel set in an exciting world where blood feuds last for centuries and love overcomes all, 'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' by author Michael Ryan Hahn is destined to be a fan favorite in no time!
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book, but very quickly, I was brought in by the amazing worldbuilding and by the fascinating characters.
This book is about the Punimin, a race of people who live at the foot of a great city. The city is inaccessible to them, however, because that is where the Strelkie live. The Strelkie look down on the Punimin, although the two peoples are alike in many ways. However, the war between them over a century ago created a fracture so wide, that the two races have hated each other ever since.
Pistol Rose was raised to hate the Strelkie just like she was raised to make guns. Rose's people are gun makers, and they nurse a hatred for their overlords that would rival the greatest feuds in history. The reasons for this hatred are many, but one particular reason is the fact that the Strelkie were responsible for Rose's cousin, Ann's death when Rose, herself was just ten years old.
Now an adult, Rose falls in love with a local boy and knows that in order to marry in her village, she must apply to the Strelkie for permission. Unfortunately, the Strelkie have all but outlawed marriage within the Punimin communities, but, of course, Rose has a backup plan.
To find out what that is, you'll have to read this one yourself!
I think I would've given this one five stars even without that wild and exceptional ending. The worldbuilding was enough to make me a fan of Pistol Rose immediately, and everything else just sealed the deal.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book, but very quickly, I was brought in by the amazing worldbuilding and by the fascinating characters.
This book is about the Punimin, a race of people who live at the foot of a great city. The city is inaccessible to them, however, because that is where the Strelkie live. The Strelkie look down on the Punimin, although the two peoples are alike in many ways. However, the war between them over a century ago created a fracture so wide, that the two races have hated each other ever since.
Pistol Rose was raised to hate the Strelkie just like she was raised to make guns. Rose's people are gun makers, and they nurse a hatred for their overlords that would rival the greatest feuds in history. The reasons for this hatred are many, but one particular reason is the fact that the Strelkie were responsible for Rose's cousin, Ann's death when Rose, herself was just ten years old.
Now an adult, Rose falls in love with a local boy and knows that in order to marry in her village, she must apply to the Strelkie for permission. Unfortunately, the Strelkie have all but outlawed marriage within the Punimin communities, but, of course, Rose has a backup plan.
To find out what that is, you'll have to read this one yourself!
I think I would've given this one five stars even without that wild and exceptional ending. The worldbuilding was enough to make me a fan of Pistol Rose immediately, and everything else just sealed the deal.
October 13, 2023
If there is anything I learned from this book, it is that you do not mess with a girl with Pistol as a first name!
Pistol Rose was raised to respect two things, family and gun crafting.
She was raised as a fighter and instilled at a young age with a deep and abiding hatred for the Strelkie, an over class of people that live in a shining, technologically advanced city that rules over Rose's people, the Punimin.
Though the Punimin are raised to honor fidelity, the Strelkie are non-monogamous, even in their families. It is for this reason, as well as many others, that Rose hesitates to ask for permission from her local Strelkie emissary when she and her beau, Clock Dancin' decide to get married.
Rose knows that the emissary will deny them. She has seen it happen before, when her cousin Ann asked to marry her own beau and was not only denied, but lost her man to be conscripted into the city for breeding purposes.
Rose does not wish to lose Dancin' in this way, and she realizes that she and her fiancé must flee their village and find refuge in a place called Afar if they are ever to be free together. Of course, this is easier said than done, and by the time everything shakes out, Rose has a lot more blood on her hands than she started out with.
Author Michael Ryan Hahn secures his place as one of the best modern steampunk authors of our time with this electric novel of love, strength and family. I simply couldn't put this down and I'm sure that other readers will agree.
'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' is a once in a lifetime reading experience that will leave you wanting more!
Pistol Rose was raised to respect two things, family and gun crafting.
She was raised as a fighter and instilled at a young age with a deep and abiding hatred for the Strelkie, an over class of people that live in a shining, technologically advanced city that rules over Rose's people, the Punimin.
Though the Punimin are raised to honor fidelity, the Strelkie are non-monogamous, even in their families. It is for this reason, as well as many others, that Rose hesitates to ask for permission from her local Strelkie emissary when she and her beau, Clock Dancin' decide to get married.
Rose knows that the emissary will deny them. She has seen it happen before, when her cousin Ann asked to marry her own beau and was not only denied, but lost her man to be conscripted into the city for breeding purposes.
Rose does not wish to lose Dancin' in this way, and she realizes that she and her fiancé must flee their village and find refuge in a place called Afar if they are ever to be free together. Of course, this is easier said than done, and by the time everything shakes out, Rose has a lot more blood on her hands than she started out with.
Author Michael Ryan Hahn secures his place as one of the best modern steampunk authors of our time with this electric novel of love, strength and family. I simply couldn't put this down and I'm sure that other readers will agree.
'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War' is a once in a lifetime reading experience that will leave you wanting more!
October 11, 2023
When was the last time you kicked back to a wedding fiction novel full of mysteries, where the author scratches that itch for that craving of a suspenseful matrimonial novel complete with twists and turns? Michael Ryan just does that in his debut novel 'Pistol Rose and the Wedding that Sparked a War'.
The book revolves around a young lady Pistol Rose a young wilderness woman looking forward to marrying her lover, Clock Dancing. However, with the new strelkie tyrant King Ward, weddings have now been banned and any attempts could lead to treason charges. However, the Punimin community is against this intrusion into the cukture and have vowed to resist, it is while in this quest that Rose learns how to kill a Strelkie and get away with the same.
Now the question now is whether she will be able to carry out that secret wedding and get away with it especially in a city where she is surrounded by liars, crooks, and murderers.
Also, she must be on the lookout for traitors who seem to be lurking behind her very step.
Generally I found the book to be dense with themes and also have some unique and satisfying simplicity of settings with the author taking some time to fully develop the characters. This helps keep the reader pegged while wondering how (and if) the wedding will play out.
Surely an engrossing, suspenseful and fun read to escape with and worth my five stars!!
The book revolves around a young lady Pistol Rose a young wilderness woman looking forward to marrying her lover, Clock Dancing. However, with the new strelkie tyrant King Ward, weddings have now been banned and any attempts could lead to treason charges. However, the Punimin community is against this intrusion into the cukture and have vowed to resist, it is while in this quest that Rose learns how to kill a Strelkie and get away with the same.
Now the question now is whether she will be able to carry out that secret wedding and get away with it especially in a city where she is surrounded by liars, crooks, and murderers.
Also, she must be on the lookout for traitors who seem to be lurking behind her very step.
Generally I found the book to be dense with themes and also have some unique and satisfying simplicity of settings with the author taking some time to fully develop the characters. This helps keep the reader pegged while wondering how (and if) the wedding will play out.
Surely an engrossing, suspenseful and fun read to escape with and worth my five stars!!
October 24, 2023
I was immediately taken with this unique and adventurous novel set in a steampunk world. It captured my imagination from the start and only got better and better with each page I turned. I really enjoyed the character of Pistol Rose, who actually was quite the character. In fact, the entire book is peopled with characters quite unlike any others - charming, outrageous and downright fun. The world building is superb and done in a way that just pulls you in effortlessly and completely. And the narrator aspect was a totally genius way of putting the whole story together. Truly an awesome and amazing accomplishment. I'm looking forward to more adventures set in this captivating universe.
***I received a copy of this book from the author. My review is strictly voluntary.***
***I received a copy of this book from the author. My review is strictly voluntary.***
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