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The Ether Chronicles #3
Skies of Steel
In the world of The Ether Chronicles, the Mechanical War rages on, and appearances are almost always deceiving . . .
The Prim Professor
Daphne Carlisle may be a scholar, but she's far more comfortable out in the field than lost in a stack of books. Still, when her parents are kidnapped by a notorious warlord, she knows she'll need more than quick thinking if she is to reach them in time. Daphne's only hope for getting across enemy territory is an airship powered and navigated by Mikhail Denisov, a rogue Man O' War who is as seductive as he is untrustworthy.
The Jaded Mercenary
Mikhail will do anything for the right price, and he's certain he has this mission—and Daphne—figured out: a simple job and a beautiful but sheltered Englishwoman. But as they traverse the skies above the Mediterranean and Arabia, Mikhail learns the fight ahead is anything but simple, and his lovely passenger is not entirely what she seems. The only thing Mikhail is certain of is their shared desire—both unexpected and dangerous.
The Prim Professor
Daphne Carlisle may be a scholar, but she's far more comfortable out in the field than lost in a stack of books. Still, when her parents are kidnapped by a notorious warlord, she knows she'll need more than quick thinking if she is to reach them in time. Daphne's only hope for getting across enemy territory is an airship powered and navigated by Mikhail Denisov, a rogue Man O' War who is as seductive as he is untrustworthy.
The Jaded Mercenary
Mikhail will do anything for the right price, and he's certain he has this mission—and Daphne—figured out: a simple job and a beautiful but sheltered Englishwoman. But as they traverse the skies above the Mediterranean and Arabia, Mikhail learns the fight ahead is anything but simple, and his lovely passenger is not entirely what she seems. The only thing Mikhail is certain of is their shared desire—both unexpected and dangerous.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 9, 2012
13 people are currently reading
243 people want to read
About the author
Zoe Archer
22 books648 followersZoë Archer is a RITA award-nominated romance author whose stories are about smart, capable heroines and the heroes who love them. She is the author of the acclaimed Blades of the Rose series, as well as the Hellraiser, and Nemesis Unlimited series, among others. She also writes Regency-set romances as Eva Leigh. Visit her on the Web at http://www.zoearcherbooks.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 4, 2017
Anyone that knows anything about the history of physics may very well smile when I mention the word “ether.” Still, despite using a theory that has long since been discarded from the realm of scientific inquiry, the use of such a substance, or element, in Skies of Steel, made the work no less enjoyable. While there can be no doubt, that this work is soft science-fiction, it equally cannot be questioned as being an example of adventure science-fiction, with a heady romantic element that serves as the main driving mechanism for the plot.
From the opening sentences – the moment Professor Daphne Carlisle enters the den of pirates, scoundrels, & reprobates – the reader is provided with every expectation of a relatively fast paced narrative full of dramatic happenings. The reader is by no means disappointed. Professor Carlisle, might be a woman in distress, but she is most certainly no idle damsel waiting for someone to rescue her. No, from the earliest moments it is made quite clear that she intends to take matters into her own hands, and in doing so manages to trick a jaded mercenary not once, but twice.
For his part, Mikhail Denisov might be a rogue soldier and airship captain, but underneath that hard materialistic façade, is a man with a strong honor code, who has a well-tempered concern for others. The authors even give us an excellent reason for his interesting hair style.
While the reader must overlook a few matters related to physics and chemistry, and even though the ending feels a little rushed, despite that a few of the events are a little predictable, the work is a fine example of a steampunk style world, without steam. A tantalizing possibility of “what if” set as a backdrop for a thrilling romantic adventure.
From the opening sentences – the moment Professor Daphne Carlisle enters the den of pirates, scoundrels, & reprobates – the reader is provided with every expectation of a relatively fast paced narrative full of dramatic happenings. The reader is by no means disappointed. Professor Carlisle, might be a woman in distress, but she is most certainly no idle damsel waiting for someone to rescue her. No, from the earliest moments it is made quite clear that she intends to take matters into her own hands, and in doing so manages to trick a jaded mercenary not once, but twice.
For his part, Mikhail Denisov might be a rogue soldier and airship captain, but underneath that hard materialistic façade, is a man with a strong honor code, who has a well-tempered concern for others. The authors even give us an excellent reason for his interesting hair style.
While the reader must overlook a few matters related to physics and chemistry, and even though the ending feels a little rushed, despite that a few of the events are a little predictable, the work is a fine example of a steampunk style world, without steam. A tantalizing possibility of “what if” set as a backdrop for a thrilling romantic adventure.
October 8, 2012
I am going to be honest. I requested this book from Edelweiss simply because the guy on the cover had a mohawk, and I have a weakness for punk guys. I didn't know anything about this novel when I began reading it, but I was pleasantly surprised. This is a steam punk novel, not punk rock, but Mikhail still puts the punk in steam punk. Skies of Steel had excellent world-building, two great leading characters, and a captivating and action-packed plot. I couldn't put this book down.
Mikhail and Daphne both were terrific main characters. Mikhail had that tortured thing going on, but he wasn't angsty. He was strong and rebellious, but he had a good heart. I completely adored him. Daphne was completely kick ass. She didn't rely on a man for anything, and if it came down to doing what she felt she was supposed to do or giving up everything for a guy? She did what she felt she was supposed to do. I really admired that about her. My one complaint about this book is that the secondary characters were not developed at all. I would have loved to have gotten to know Mikhail's crew better. As it stands, all the secondary characters were simply filler characters, and I didn't like that.
One of the things that totally blew me away was the amount of research Archer put into this book. How she characterized the field of anthropology at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century was spot on. At that time, the field was basically known as salvage anthropology. Daphne stated that she enjoyed documenting cultures before they were crushed under the wheels of modernity, and that was an actual quote from that time period. Of course, we now know that these cultures can sustain the supposed modernity and that the ideas of primitive vs. modern are problematic within themselves. Daphne, being the advanced girl that she is, hints at that by stating that cultures can adapt and change and grow into something even greater. The accuracy regarding this field of study for that specific time period really made the book so much more enjoyable and realistic for me.
The plot was full of action and suspense. I really didn't know if Mikhail and Daphne would both make it out of this alive, or if they'd end up together. Because of that, I was forced to keep reading. I had to know how the story ended! There were a lot of battles and close calls that kept up the feeling of suspense for the whole 100 pages. The other complaint I have is that I wish this book had been longer. The pacing was perfect, and I didn't feel cheated out of anything, but I wanted more of Mikhail and Daphne! They were great.
The romance was kind of sweet and kind of steamy. This wasn't erotica, but there was sex in it (obviously). I liked that the characters got to know each other AND had a mutual attraction. I don't really enjoy books where the characters just screw each others' brains out with no actual feelings other than lust involved. This book had some depth, though, and I liked that.
The word-building was excellent as well. Archer didn't describe too much, so I didn't get bored and irritated with the descriptions, but she shared enough details that I could easily picture the world she created. I love the idea of a "bionic man," and the author explained the side effects of becoming a Man O' War, but she didn't go into depth about the scientific explanation, which I found refreshing. I hate when authors try to make scientific sense of things that aren't scientific, and since I'm no scientist, I don't care how things work as long as they do, haha. Obviously when reading a work of fiction, one must willingly suspend disbelief. That was easily accomplished with this novel due to Archer's excellent research.
Basically, I'd recommend this book to fans of adult romances and fans of steam punk. It's a short, quick, and enjoyable read. You don't want to miss the fantastic world that Archer has created!
Mikhail and Daphne both were terrific main characters. Mikhail had that tortured thing going on, but he wasn't angsty. He was strong and rebellious, but he had a good heart. I completely adored him. Daphne was completely kick ass. She didn't rely on a man for anything, and if it came down to doing what she felt she was supposed to do or giving up everything for a guy? She did what she felt she was supposed to do. I really admired that about her. My one complaint about this book is that the secondary characters were not developed at all. I would have loved to have gotten to know Mikhail's crew better. As it stands, all the secondary characters were simply filler characters, and I didn't like that.
One of the things that totally blew me away was the amount of research Archer put into this book. How she characterized the field of anthropology at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century was spot on. At that time, the field was basically known as salvage anthropology. Daphne stated that she enjoyed documenting cultures before they were crushed under the wheels of modernity, and that was an actual quote from that time period. Of course, we now know that these cultures can sustain the supposed modernity and that the ideas of primitive vs. modern are problematic within themselves. Daphne, being the advanced girl that she is, hints at that by stating that cultures can adapt and change and grow into something even greater. The accuracy regarding this field of study for that specific time period really made the book so much more enjoyable and realistic for me.
The plot was full of action and suspense. I really didn't know if Mikhail and Daphne would both make it out of this alive, or if they'd end up together. Because of that, I was forced to keep reading. I had to know how the story ended! There were a lot of battles and close calls that kept up the feeling of suspense for the whole 100 pages. The other complaint I have is that I wish this book had been longer. The pacing was perfect, and I didn't feel cheated out of anything, but I wanted more of Mikhail and Daphne! They were great.
The romance was kind of sweet and kind of steamy. This wasn't erotica, but there was sex in it (obviously). I liked that the characters got to know each other AND had a mutual attraction. I don't really enjoy books where the characters just screw each others' brains out with no actual feelings other than lust involved. This book had some depth, though, and I liked that.
The word-building was excellent as well. Archer didn't describe too much, so I didn't get bored and irritated with the descriptions, but she shared enough details that I could easily picture the world she created. I love the idea of a "bionic man," and the author explained the side effects of becoming a Man O' War, but she didn't go into depth about the scientific explanation, which I found refreshing. I hate when authors try to make scientific sense of things that aren't scientific, and since I'm no scientist, I don't care how things work as long as they do, haha. Obviously when reading a work of fiction, one must willingly suspend disbelief. That was easily accomplished with this novel due to Archer's excellent research.
Basically, I'd recommend this book to fans of adult romances and fans of steam punk. It's a short, quick, and enjoyable read. You don't want to miss the fantastic world that Archer has created!
November 4, 2012
Originally Reviewed for The Book Vixen
Great steampunk world with two great leads and a strong adventure plot.
The world building is stellar here. This is book three in the Ether Chronicles but I hadn’t read the previous two and didn’t need to as the world was well explained. Anyone who reads steampunk will find the world of airships and mechanized humans to be familiar but it’s all described in such detail that I enjoyed it more than the typical steampunk I read.
The adventure plot is a steampunk Indiana Jones movie mixed with the Tomb Raider video game. Daphne and Mikhail have to complete certain tasks to guide them along their quest to free Daphne’s parents. Along the way they meet warlords riding mechanical camels, warring airships and hostile locals. I particularly love a sequence where Daphne and Mikhail have to break into a guarded room to steal an astrolabe and do so by swinging on priceless tapestries and solving a lunar puzzle. This is an action packed plot that flowed perfectly.
Daphne and Mikhail’s romance isn’t super sexual but it’s nicely emotional intimate. On the surface the erudite Daphne and the Man’o’War Mikhail appear opposite but at heart they’re both lonely people looking for someone to love them unconditionally. Mikhail’s emotional speech at novel’s end was sigh-worthy and fit his character beautifully.
I have to also remark on the delicious description of Mikahil. The cover does a decent job of showing him but the book describes him as a mix between a tattooed MMA fighter and biker boy with his Mohawk and ear piercings. He’s a hero romance readers will gobble up and beg for more as I did.
This is a truly satisfying read and though not quite as erotic as I like my romance, it was a great read. Any steampunk fan will enjoy this book as I did. I’m not sure how I missed this series but I’m going to go back and read books one and two in the series to see if they live up to this one.
Great steampunk world with two great leads and a strong adventure plot.
The world building is stellar here. This is book three in the Ether Chronicles but I hadn’t read the previous two and didn’t need to as the world was well explained. Anyone who reads steampunk will find the world of airships and mechanized humans to be familiar but it’s all described in such detail that I enjoyed it more than the typical steampunk I read.
The adventure plot is a steampunk Indiana Jones movie mixed with the Tomb Raider video game. Daphne and Mikhail have to complete certain tasks to guide them along their quest to free Daphne’s parents. Along the way they meet warlords riding mechanical camels, warring airships and hostile locals. I particularly love a sequence where Daphne and Mikhail have to break into a guarded room to steal an astrolabe and do so by swinging on priceless tapestries and solving a lunar puzzle. This is an action packed plot that flowed perfectly.
Daphne and Mikhail’s romance isn’t super sexual but it’s nicely emotional intimate. On the surface the erudite Daphne and the Man’o’War Mikhail appear opposite but at heart they’re both lonely people looking for someone to love them unconditionally. Mikhail’s emotional speech at novel’s end was sigh-worthy and fit his character beautifully.
I have to also remark on the delicious description of Mikahil. The cover does a decent job of showing him but the book describes him as a mix between a tattooed MMA fighter and biker boy with his Mohawk and ear piercings. He’s a hero romance readers will gobble up and beg for more as I did.
This is a truly satisfying read and though not quite as erotic as I like my romance, it was a great read. Any steampunk fan will enjoy this book as I did. I’m not sure how I missed this series but I’m going to go back and read books one and two in the series to see if they live up to this one.
February 14, 2017
Joint review with Joy originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/10/15/...
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: Out now
How we got this book: ARC from the publisher via Edelweiss
In the world of The Ether Chronicles, the Mechanical War rages on, and appearances are almost always deceiving . . .
The prim professor
Daphne Carlisle may be a scholar, but she’s far more comfortable out in the field than lost in a stack of books. Still, when her parents are kidnapped by a notorious warlord, she knows she’ll need more than quick thinking if she is to reach them in time. Daphne’s only hope for getting across enemy territory is an airship powered and navigated by Mikhail Denisov, a rogue Man O’ War who is as seductive as he is untrustworthy.
The jaded mercenary
Mikhail will do anything for the right price, and he’s certain he has this mission—and Daphne—figured out: a simple job and a beautiful but sheltered Englishwoman. But as they traverse the skies above the Mediterranean and Arabia, Mikhail learns the fight ahead is anything but simple, and his lovely passenger is not entirely what she seems. The only thing Mikhail is certain of is their shared desire—both unexpected and dangerous.
This blurb came from the author’s website here.
E: I would like to welcome Joy, one of our guest reviewers back as we talk about our impressions of Archer’s latest book. Thanks for joining me Joy.
Skies of Steel is the third in the Ether Chronicles series written by Zoe Archer and Nico Rosso. They have taken the approach of writing alternate books set in different parts of the same world. Rosso’s are set more in what would be the American West while Archer’s are set in Europe/Asia. The really neat part about their approach is that the world-building and rules are the same but if you are just starting this series the only previous story you really need to read first is Archer’s Skies of Fire because that will give you familiarity with the world, the primary equipment, and how a Man O’ War is very different then any other ship’s Captain. I really enjoyed the first two installments so when we were offered a chance to review Skies of Steel I leaped on the chance. I was expecting voyages, steampunk, intrigue, a feisty heroine, and a larger than life hero. I certainly got that and much more.
Joy: I hadn’t read the prior books but decided to take a chance that I wouldn’t get too lost by starting with Skies of Steel. I think the author did a great job of providing enough detail on the world-building aspects (Man O’ Wars, ether, tetrol and the like) including references to the political unrest over control of resources and the resulting over-arching Mechanized War that embroiled much of the globe. Skies of Steel didn’t focus so much on the Mechanized War per se as it mainly provided a backdrop for the story developing between Daphne and Mikhail. I appreciated the characterization of Daphne as a woman who didn’t let fear stop her from making the decisions that had to be made, even if she had to be ruthless about it. Definitely not a Mary Sue. I was fascinated by the Man O’ War concept and enjoyed reading about the air ship’s design and Mikhail’s connection to it. The story was non-stop action to be sure. But at times, I felt disconnected from it. I suppose that could have been a result of not having read Skies of Fire first. Although, I’m still not sure as to the why of it.
E: I think reading the first book would have given you more of the technology and a bit more about the war. Like you I loved how Daphne was characterized. I think the blurb when it talks about Mikhail’s perception of her initially really set both Mikhail and the reader up for a lot of fun. Seeing the different aspects of her personality unfold and her sheer inability to give up on achieving her goal was delightful. I also liked how Archer portrayed Daphne’s mental struggle between the ends justifying the means and her growing relationship with Mikhail. On the flip side I think that Mikhail’s years as a rogue Man O’ War gave him enough mental flexibility to accept that business and pleasure are separate even though the timing could appear to be slightly suspicious to the casual observer. I think the part that won me over by Mikhail is how he didn’t dismiss Daphne’s intelligence and worked with her ideas to overcome some pretty impressive odds.
Joy: Mikhail was a nice compliment to Daphne. Of course, he had his own baggage to deal with, but I so agree – he never really dismissed Daphne or the choices she had to make even as he struggled to come to terms with his own history. Despite being defined by his rogue status, he continued to operate within a code of honor. He was Alpha without being an AlphaHole and I appreciated the respect and consideration he gave to Daphne. I like that Archer placed Daphne in a position of having to make difficult decisions that comprised her usual sense of ethics as it brought to light some gender biases that exist in society: is it ok for a man to make questionable choices when the ends justify the means, but not so much for a woman to do the same? This scenario forced Mikhail to decide what betrayal really means and is it a betrayal when someone is operating under exigent circumstances?
E: Ooh I like the gender bias thought. Speaking of that I really liked how Daphne and Mikhail joined forces with Khalida and secured her parents’ freedom. They certainly proved that when one side doesn’t play by the rules the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Before that however, I enjoyed the dichotomy between Daphne’s intelligence and her dig experience with her innocence regarding how much danger information intended for scholars could be in the wrong hands. She was so into information for information’s sake and believing in the sanctity of that information that I think she really needed someone who was a bit jaded around the edges to keep her out of trouble. Mikhail certainly met the description of jaded and than some. I also found Archer’s vivid description of the spare landscape combined with the lushness of the different dwellings; the control required to pilot a Man ‘O War combined with the sheer elemental hatred between Mikhail and Olevski painted a fascinating picture.
Joy: Oh, I hadn’t thought about the disparity between the natural setting and the human dwellings. Great observation! And yes, Daphne’s naiveté really did show in that scene regarding her instinctive need to gather information. Information is power. I think the whole experience woke Daphne up. She’d been living a life as an academic, even if that involved trips in the field, but still always from the fringe of the observer’s perspective. With the abduction of her parents, she found herself now in the thick of it having to get involved and make decisions that directly impacted those around her. It forced her to see firsthand the affects of war on the people. In the end, I think she found a sense of purpose and realized that going back to the relative quiet life of academia would no longer satisfy her.
Can we just talk about Mikhail’s physique for a minute? He was described as being so massive one could hold motorized bicycle races on his shoulders. Another passage indicated that he had to turn sideways to walk down an alleyway. For some reason, I kept picturing the Hulk without all the green but with all the sexy;-) Mmm. Fascinating.
So, I am left wondering why I felt so disconnected at times and caught myself daydreaming and having to go back and re-read passages.
E: *daydreams* Right Mikhail’s physique *clears throat* anyways. I’m sorry you found yourself disconnected at times. I have to admit that as much as I enjoyed the majority of Skies of Steel I did have a few niggles. While I liked knowing that Daphne and Mikhail were together at the end of the book it seemed more of a HFN (Happy for Now), since I didn’t quite buy his decision. As you mentioned above I could see why Daphne made the choice that she did because she now had a way to use all of the information she had accumulated over the years as well as direct proof that she could make a difference. I didn’t see that same sort of reasoning for Mikhail. His choice seemed more spur of the moment based on his attraction to Daphne without any thought of the future. That hurt my romance loving heart and I found myself wondering what Mikhail was going to do to stay occupied, pay his crewmen and women, and handle the daily routine of surviving as a rogue Man ‘O War. I do continue to enjoy this world and I look forward to what Archer is going to come up with next.
I give Skies of Steel a B.
Joy: Yes, I could totally see this as being an HFN vs. an HEA. As much as I enjoyed the individual characters, I felt the actual development of relationships between those characters was at times lacking. When we first meet Mikhail, we are presented with an eight paragraph description of him yet no actual character interaction took place. As yummy as it may be to imagine Mikhail, I’m still more interested in how the characters interact with each other. The basis for the romantic relationship between Daphne and Mikhail begins with the insta-attraction trope whereby we are treated to many internal dialogues from each character’s point of view about said insta-attraction…which again, isn’t really actual character interaction. Some internal angsting is understandable, but it was a bit too frequent for me. Even though I do believe a real relationship developed between them, I didn’t enjoy the foundation from which it sprang. I think that if the relationship had developed organically without the insta-attraction element, it would have helped to ground me in the story a bit more.
There were elements to the world-building that also left me a bit flat. Sometimes I felt that the reference to mechanized camels, donkeys, automatons and fountains were added to scenery descriptions just to render a scene more steampunk-y. As if just using the word “mechanized” was enough to provide rich detail that didn’t require any further description. I also found some logistical problems with some key plot elements. But overall, it was a fun, quick read.
I give Skies of Steel a C
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: Out now
How we got this book: ARC from the publisher via Edelweiss
In the world of The Ether Chronicles, the Mechanical War rages on, and appearances are almost always deceiving . . .
The prim professor
Daphne Carlisle may be a scholar, but she’s far more comfortable out in the field than lost in a stack of books. Still, when her parents are kidnapped by a notorious warlord, she knows she’ll need more than quick thinking if she is to reach them in time. Daphne’s only hope for getting across enemy territory is an airship powered and navigated by Mikhail Denisov, a rogue Man O’ War who is as seductive as he is untrustworthy.
The jaded mercenary
Mikhail will do anything for the right price, and he’s certain he has this mission—and Daphne—figured out: a simple job and a beautiful but sheltered Englishwoman. But as they traverse the skies above the Mediterranean and Arabia, Mikhail learns the fight ahead is anything but simple, and his lovely passenger is not entirely what she seems. The only thing Mikhail is certain of is their shared desire—both unexpected and dangerous.
This blurb came from the author’s website here.
E: I would like to welcome Joy, one of our guest reviewers back as we talk about our impressions of Archer’s latest book. Thanks for joining me Joy.
Skies of Steel is the third in the Ether Chronicles series written by Zoe Archer and Nico Rosso. They have taken the approach of writing alternate books set in different parts of the same world. Rosso’s are set more in what would be the American West while Archer’s are set in Europe/Asia. The really neat part about their approach is that the world-building and rules are the same but if you are just starting this series the only previous story you really need to read first is Archer’s Skies of Fire because that will give you familiarity with the world, the primary equipment, and how a Man O’ War is very different then any other ship’s Captain. I really enjoyed the first two installments so when we were offered a chance to review Skies of Steel I leaped on the chance. I was expecting voyages, steampunk, intrigue, a feisty heroine, and a larger than life hero. I certainly got that and much more.
Joy: I hadn’t read the prior books but decided to take a chance that I wouldn’t get too lost by starting with Skies of Steel. I think the author did a great job of providing enough detail on the world-building aspects (Man O’ Wars, ether, tetrol and the like) including references to the political unrest over control of resources and the resulting over-arching Mechanized War that embroiled much of the globe. Skies of Steel didn’t focus so much on the Mechanized War per se as it mainly provided a backdrop for the story developing between Daphne and Mikhail. I appreciated the characterization of Daphne as a woman who didn’t let fear stop her from making the decisions that had to be made, even if she had to be ruthless about it. Definitely not a Mary Sue. I was fascinated by the Man O’ War concept and enjoyed reading about the air ship’s design and Mikhail’s connection to it. The story was non-stop action to be sure. But at times, I felt disconnected from it. I suppose that could have been a result of not having read Skies of Fire first. Although, I’m still not sure as to the why of it.
E: I think reading the first book would have given you more of the technology and a bit more about the war. Like you I loved how Daphne was characterized. I think the blurb when it talks about Mikhail’s perception of her initially really set both Mikhail and the reader up for a lot of fun. Seeing the different aspects of her personality unfold and her sheer inability to give up on achieving her goal was delightful. I also liked how Archer portrayed Daphne’s mental struggle between the ends justifying the means and her growing relationship with Mikhail. On the flip side I think that Mikhail’s years as a rogue Man O’ War gave him enough mental flexibility to accept that business and pleasure are separate even though the timing could appear to be slightly suspicious to the casual observer. I think the part that won me over by Mikhail is how he didn’t dismiss Daphne’s intelligence and worked with her ideas to overcome some pretty impressive odds.
Joy: Mikhail was a nice compliment to Daphne. Of course, he had his own baggage to deal with, but I so agree – he never really dismissed Daphne or the choices she had to make even as he struggled to come to terms with his own history. Despite being defined by his rogue status, he continued to operate within a code of honor. He was Alpha without being an AlphaHole and I appreciated the respect and consideration he gave to Daphne. I like that Archer placed Daphne in a position of having to make difficult decisions that comprised her usual sense of ethics as it brought to light some gender biases that exist in society: is it ok for a man to make questionable choices when the ends justify the means, but not so much for a woman to do the same? This scenario forced Mikhail to decide what betrayal really means and is it a betrayal when someone is operating under exigent circumstances?
E: Ooh I like the gender bias thought. Speaking of that I really liked how Daphne and Mikhail joined forces with Khalida and secured her parents’ freedom. They certainly proved that when one side doesn’t play by the rules the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Before that however, I enjoyed the dichotomy between Daphne’s intelligence and her dig experience with her innocence regarding how much danger information intended for scholars could be in the wrong hands. She was so into information for information’s sake and believing in the sanctity of that information that I think she really needed someone who was a bit jaded around the edges to keep her out of trouble. Mikhail certainly met the description of jaded and than some. I also found Archer’s vivid description of the spare landscape combined with the lushness of the different dwellings; the control required to pilot a Man ‘O War combined with the sheer elemental hatred between Mikhail and Olevski painted a fascinating picture.
Joy: Oh, I hadn’t thought about the disparity between the natural setting and the human dwellings. Great observation! And yes, Daphne’s naiveté really did show in that scene regarding her instinctive need to gather information. Information is power. I think the whole experience woke Daphne up. She’d been living a life as an academic, even if that involved trips in the field, but still always from the fringe of the observer’s perspective. With the abduction of her parents, she found herself now in the thick of it having to get involved and make decisions that directly impacted those around her. It forced her to see firsthand the affects of war on the people. In the end, I think she found a sense of purpose and realized that going back to the relative quiet life of academia would no longer satisfy her.
Can we just talk about Mikhail’s physique for a minute? He was described as being so massive one could hold motorized bicycle races on his shoulders. Another passage indicated that he had to turn sideways to walk down an alleyway. For some reason, I kept picturing the Hulk without all the green but with all the sexy;-) Mmm. Fascinating.
So, I am left wondering why I felt so disconnected at times and caught myself daydreaming and having to go back and re-read passages.
E: *daydreams* Right Mikhail’s physique *clears throat* anyways. I’m sorry you found yourself disconnected at times. I have to admit that as much as I enjoyed the majority of Skies of Steel I did have a few niggles. While I liked knowing that Daphne and Mikhail were together at the end of the book it seemed more of a HFN (Happy for Now), since I didn’t quite buy his decision. As you mentioned above I could see why Daphne made the choice that she did because she now had a way to use all of the information she had accumulated over the years as well as direct proof that she could make a difference. I didn’t see that same sort of reasoning for Mikhail. His choice seemed more spur of the moment based on his attraction to Daphne without any thought of the future. That hurt my romance loving heart and I found myself wondering what Mikhail was going to do to stay occupied, pay his crewmen and women, and handle the daily routine of surviving as a rogue Man ‘O War. I do continue to enjoy this world and I look forward to what Archer is going to come up with next.
I give Skies of Steel a B.
Joy: Yes, I could totally see this as being an HFN vs. an HEA. As much as I enjoyed the individual characters, I felt the actual development of relationships between those characters was at times lacking. When we first meet Mikhail, we are presented with an eight paragraph description of him yet no actual character interaction took place. As yummy as it may be to imagine Mikhail, I’m still more interested in how the characters interact with each other. The basis for the romantic relationship between Daphne and Mikhail begins with the insta-attraction trope whereby we are treated to many internal dialogues from each character’s point of view about said insta-attraction…which again, isn’t really actual character interaction. Some internal angsting is understandable, but it was a bit too frequent for me. Even though I do believe a real relationship developed between them, I didn’t enjoy the foundation from which it sprang. I think that if the relationship had developed organically without the insta-attraction element, it would have helped to ground me in the story a bit more.
There were elements to the world-building that also left me a bit flat. Sometimes I felt that the reference to mechanized camels, donkeys, automatons and fountains were added to scenery descriptions just to render a scene more steampunk-y. As if just using the word “mechanized” was enough to provide rich detail that didn’t require any further description. I also found some logistical problems with some key plot elements. But overall, it was a fun, quick read.
I give Skies of Steel a C
October 10, 2012
Originally published at Reading Reality
The Mechanical War is a damn big war. If the first "world war" were fought, just a bit earlier, and with "ether" instead of guns and tanks (and still a few horses), would you get something like the war that Archer and Rosso have envisioned in their Ether Chronicles?
In this third glimpse into their fascinating construct of man/machines, airships and ether-powered horses (after Skies of Fire (review) and Night of Fire (review)) we see a totally different place and perspective. Skies of Fire showed the good guys (the Brits) and the perspective of those who serve her. Night of Fire switched to the Western U.S., but again, showed us folks wearing uniforms and/or badges fighting the good fight.
Skies of Steel gives us rebels. Han Solo as a bionic rebel and completely mercenary Man O'War helping a female Indiana Jones to ransom her parents from the desert warlord who kidnapped them.
Let me explain...in this steampunk universe, the process that makes a man into a Man O'War, a man/machine, infuses his body with the metal telumium, and permanently bonds him to his airship. And absolutely vice-versa. So when Mikhail Mikhailovich Denisov goes rogue from the Russian fleet, his airship goes with him. He's not the only rogue Man O'War, but governments don't like to talk about their rogues. (Mikhail is also the man with the mohawk on the cover of the book. He likes the style. Really.)
Daphne Carlisle is an anthropologist who prefers studying cultures in the field to the academy. She may look like a simple academic, but she's anything but. She's equally deadly with a gun, or a deception.
Daphne deceives Mikhail over and over. Only one thing remains true. She will say, or do, absolutely anything, even the seemingly impossible, to save her parents. After the first lie is revealed, he should abandon her, take his ship, and leave. There is no profit in this fool's venture for a mercenary.
But he stays and helps her anyway. With all her deceits, with all her tricks, Daphne has done one true thing. She has kept him from being bored and lonely. Her true quest to rescue her parents challenges him to find his own true heart, if it still exists.
After all, what mercenary would keep going on a job with no profit? Unless he's pursuing something completely different?
Escape Rating B+: The terrific part of all the books in this series so far have been the two leads, and Mikhail and Daphne are no exceptions. They are fantastic. Mikhail's increasing ennui, his boredom, his heartbreak at the loss of his family and purpose in life, while still feeling oh so responsible for his ship and crew is intense. He can't let anyone down, but he's already let himself down, and he's not sure what he's living for.
Daphne is desperate and courageous in her desperation. She doesn't fit into the academic life, she belongs in the field. She's so capable! She never needs to be rescued, what she needs is a partner.
The rescue of Daphne's parents, all the different tasks Daphne and Mikhail had to perform, that was fantastic. (It also would have made an awesome video game!) You could feel them knitting together as a team.
But what did bother me a bit was the insta-connection in the beginning of the story. We never do find out why. They fall into instant rapport with each other. The other stories in this series were "second-chance at love" scenarios, where this one seemed to take the insta-connection as a short cut. (Maybe it's the Han and Indy thing. He fell in love with himself after all!)
But I still raced through the book and can't wait for the next one in the series, Nights of Steel. Next month.
The Mechanical War is a damn big war. If the first "world war" were fought, just a bit earlier, and with "ether" instead of guns and tanks (and still a few horses), would you get something like the war that Archer and Rosso have envisioned in their Ether Chronicles?
In this third glimpse into their fascinating construct of man/machines, airships and ether-powered horses (after Skies of Fire (review) and Night of Fire (review)) we see a totally different place and perspective. Skies of Fire showed the good guys (the Brits) and the perspective of those who serve her. Night of Fire switched to the Western U.S., but again, showed us folks wearing uniforms and/or badges fighting the good fight.
Skies of Steel gives us rebels. Han Solo as a bionic rebel and completely mercenary Man O'War helping a female Indiana Jones to ransom her parents from the desert warlord who kidnapped them.
Let me explain...in this steampunk universe, the process that makes a man into a Man O'War, a man/machine, infuses his body with the metal telumium, and permanently bonds him to his airship. And absolutely vice-versa. So when Mikhail Mikhailovich Denisov goes rogue from the Russian fleet, his airship goes with him. He's not the only rogue Man O'War, but governments don't like to talk about their rogues. (Mikhail is also the man with the mohawk on the cover of the book. He likes the style. Really.)
Daphne Carlisle is an anthropologist who prefers studying cultures in the field to the academy. She may look like a simple academic, but she's anything but. She's equally deadly with a gun, or a deception.
Daphne deceives Mikhail over and over. Only one thing remains true. She will say, or do, absolutely anything, even the seemingly impossible, to save her parents. After the first lie is revealed, he should abandon her, take his ship, and leave. There is no profit in this fool's venture for a mercenary.
But he stays and helps her anyway. With all her deceits, with all her tricks, Daphne has done one true thing. She has kept him from being bored and lonely. Her true quest to rescue her parents challenges him to find his own true heart, if it still exists.
After all, what mercenary would keep going on a job with no profit? Unless he's pursuing something completely different?
Escape Rating B+: The terrific part of all the books in this series so far have been the two leads, and Mikhail and Daphne are no exceptions. They are fantastic. Mikhail's increasing ennui, his boredom, his heartbreak at the loss of his family and purpose in life, while still feeling oh so responsible for his ship and crew is intense. He can't let anyone down, but he's already let himself down, and he's not sure what he's living for.
Daphne is desperate and courageous in her desperation. She doesn't fit into the academic life, she belongs in the field. She's so capable! She never needs to be rescued, what she needs is a partner.
The rescue of Daphne's parents, all the different tasks Daphne and Mikhail had to perform, that was fantastic. (It also would have made an awesome video game!) You could feel them knitting together as a team.
But what did bother me a bit was the insta-connection in the beginning of the story. We never do find out why. They fall into instant rapport with each other. The other stories in this series were "second-chance at love" scenarios, where this one seemed to take the insta-connection as a short cut. (Maybe it's the Han and Indy thing. He fell in love with himself after all!)
But I still raced through the book and can't wait for the next one in the series, Nights of Steel. Next month.
October 15, 2012
Daphne Carlisle is in desperate need of help; her parents have been kidnapped and their captor is demanding a ransom. Captain Mikhail Denisov is her one chance to deliver the ransom and rescue them. A rogue Man O' War and mercenary, Mikhail has no loyalty save to his crew and the next fortune. Helping Daphne will net him quite a profit; then he can leave and move on to the next treasure. However, when these two are forced together on a journey across countries and seas, sparks start to fly.
I will admit; I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I have read Archer in the past and enjoyed the titles. I expected this book to be the same pleasant experience. (Of course, I have to admit the guy on the cover did have some influence on my choice of choosing this. I mean, come on! Dude is sporting a red tipped mohawk! How awesome is that!)
May I just say: Wow! I was just amazed. I've read several steampunk romances but they all seemed to be a different story set in the same scene with the same stories. I know that steampunk has a few set requirements to be called "steampunk" but these other stories just blurred together. There was nothing thrilling about them.
Not like in Skies of Steel. This story had an refreshing and original feel to it that I really enjoyed. The idea of a bionic solider is not new, I'm old enough to remember the Bionic Woman and Six-Million Dollar man, but I didn't think of either of those characters when reading this story. We got the impression mechanical attributes were an everyday occurrence in society but also a sense of wonderment at the marvels of human creativity. Archer also gave the other side of the story, too, demonstrating the cost of such of marvels. This story could have gone the way of social commentary like Tolstoy or Swift, but there wasn't a sense preaching or ranting. Instead Skies of Steel educated and entertained.
I also liked the widespread representation of cultures. I don't see enough mulit-cultural stories in print as I would like, but this one gave a sense of the different ethnicities and their traditions and histories not seen much in romances today. And they were handled very well too. There was no hint of condescension or use of stereotypes to differentiate one culture from another. There was a sense of respect and appreciation with each different group.
If I had to have a problem with this story, it would have been with the pace and length of the story. Not quite novella length, more like category sized, this story was fast paced and moved well until the end. At the end, the pace seemed to move double time and I felt rushed and left behind. Until this point, I had been right alongside of Daphne and her actions and reactions. (If you want me to be honest, I wanted more story. I wasn't ready for it to end yet!)
This issue with pace wasn't bad enough, however, to impact my feelings to adversely. I was surprised at Daphne's and Mikhail's choice in the end and would have liked more story to demonstrate their decisions better. Overall, it was still a fantastic and engaging read; even now, having finished it some time ago, I want to go back and start reading it again.
I will admit; I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I have read Archer in the past and enjoyed the titles. I expected this book to be the same pleasant experience. (Of course, I have to admit the guy on the cover did have some influence on my choice of choosing this. I mean, come on! Dude is sporting a red tipped mohawk! How awesome is that!)
May I just say: Wow! I was just amazed. I've read several steampunk romances but they all seemed to be a different story set in the same scene with the same stories. I know that steampunk has a few set requirements to be called "steampunk" but these other stories just blurred together. There was nothing thrilling about them.
Not like in Skies of Steel. This story had an refreshing and original feel to it that I really enjoyed. The idea of a bionic solider is not new, I'm old enough to remember the Bionic Woman and Six-Million Dollar man, but I didn't think of either of those characters when reading this story. We got the impression mechanical attributes were an everyday occurrence in society but also a sense of wonderment at the marvels of human creativity. Archer also gave the other side of the story, too, demonstrating the cost of such of marvels. This story could have gone the way of social commentary like Tolstoy or Swift, but there wasn't a sense preaching or ranting. Instead Skies of Steel educated and entertained.
I also liked the widespread representation of cultures. I don't see enough mulit-cultural stories in print as I would like, but this one gave a sense of the different ethnicities and their traditions and histories not seen much in romances today. And they were handled very well too. There was no hint of condescension or use of stereotypes to differentiate one culture from another. There was a sense of respect and appreciation with each different group.
If I had to have a problem with this story, it would have been with the pace and length of the story. Not quite novella length, more like category sized, this story was fast paced and moved well until the end. At the end, the pace seemed to move double time and I felt rushed and left behind. Until this point, I had been right alongside of Daphne and her actions and reactions. (If you want me to be honest, I wanted more story. I wasn't ready for it to end yet!)
This issue with pace wasn't bad enough, however, to impact my feelings to adversely. I was surprised at Daphne's and Mikhail's choice in the end and would have liked more story to demonstrate their decisions better. Overall, it was still a fantastic and engaging read; even now, having finished it some time ago, I want to go back and start reading it again.
November 17, 2012
It’s a shame I read this after Meljean Brook’s Iron Duke, or I might have given it more stars. As it is, it’s formulaic, but entertaining. I can’t quite get a bead on time period, other than quasi Victorian (It’s somewhat shocking when the heroine wears trousers). I’m afraid my lack of excitement for this book began at the beginning. It features a hero who has been transformed, through science, into a kind of cyborg battery. Attaching the metal telumium (some sort of aluminum analog, by the sound of it) to his left shoulder (surgically, over several hours, without anesthesia!), allows it to run filaments into his heart, which in turn turns him into a bigger, stronger guy. In fact, he sounds like a body builder, which had me turning back to the punk on the cover and going hmmmm. I do try to avoid making any determination about a book based on the cover, but I do notice, and this one was off. He should be post treatment Captain America, not pre-treatment Steve. In the book, he sounds like a very sexy creature, though more Russian bear than wolf. The heroine was your usual sassy chick who gets into all kinds of trouble and knows how to use a gun (though an ether rifle knocks her ass over teakettle). unfortunately, she’s one of those recently popular heroines who lie(tm). I suppose, rather than using her body, using her brain to cheat people is… more honorable? Different? Getting boring, frankly.
Interesting parts of the book: The plot’s not bad, with plenty of convoluted stuff going on, bad guys galore, danger, and a bit of fancy (just go with it) brain work. Ether, the side effect of this telumium battery treatment, becomes the gas that floats the dirigible. In fact, the captain becomes necessary to the ship and vice versa. If he leaves the ship too long, he goes hulk smash and the ship crashes, which sounds kind of cool, and improves the book’s plot a bit. It’s fun enough, if you can’t find something you love more. I didn't realize this was 3rd in a series until I read it, but it works fine as a standalone.
Interesting parts of the book: The plot’s not bad, with plenty of convoluted stuff going on, bad guys galore, danger, and a bit of fancy (just go with it) brain work. Ether, the side effect of this telumium battery treatment, becomes the gas that floats the dirigible. In fact, the captain becomes necessary to the ship and vice versa. If he leaves the ship too long, he goes hulk smash and the ship crashes, which sounds kind of cool, and improves the book’s plot a bit. It’s fun enough, if you can’t find something you love more. I didn't realize this was 3rd in a series until I read it, but it works fine as a standalone.
May 18, 2016
3.5 stars.
The guy on the cover is a lot closer to my idea of sexy than the actual hero in the book. Physically, anyway. Mikhail is a Man 'O War, a super-soldier engineered to captain and power an airship. He's the standard paranormal romance MoUS--Man of Unusual Size. As in enormous. I'm not a fan of the body-by-too-many-protein shakes physique.
Guy on the cover is ripped, but not an over-muscled brute.
For what it's worth, though, I totally digged Mikhail. And Daphne, the heroine, was pretty cool too. I'm thinkin' Zoe Archer's romances, set in the alt-history world of the Ether Chronicles, are my crack.
The basic premise. Daphne is a scholar (for some reason I see her as Evie from the movie The Mummy) who will do anything to rescue her parents, archeologists who have been kidnapped by a desert warlord. Anything, including tricking a rogue Man 'O War, Mikhail, into helping her.
Action, adventure and bulging biceps doth ensue.
With Skies of Steel, I enjoyed the same thing that I did with Skies of Gold , the chemistry between the hero/heroine. Sexy, full of sexual tension, but not as...uh, melodramatic? contrived? Lifetime TV? as that in many other romances. The story does a good job handling the difficult nuances of a plot that revolves around betrayal. Building a romance plot (its complications) around betrayal and lies is tricky, because there's the risk of taking it too far, and setting up a situation where forgiveness seems impossible. It works in this case because Mikhail and Daphne read as very compatible, and not just a couple of attractive people in the throes of hormonal "humpies."
Minus a half star because of that one scene where the laws of gravity and physics, and my suspension of disbelief, are put under excessive strain.
Great romantic adventure!
The guy on the cover is a lot closer to my idea of sexy than the actual hero in the book. Physically, anyway. Mikhail is a Man 'O War, a super-soldier engineered to captain and power an airship. He's the standard paranormal romance MoUS--Man of Unusual Size. As in enormous. I'm not a fan of the body-by-too-many-protein shakes physique.
Guy on the cover is ripped, but not an over-muscled brute.
For what it's worth, though, I totally digged Mikhail. And Daphne, the heroine, was pretty cool too. I'm thinkin' Zoe Archer's romances, set in the alt-history world of the Ether Chronicles, are my crack.
The basic premise. Daphne is a scholar (for some reason I see her as Evie from the movie The Mummy) who will do anything to rescue her parents, archeologists who have been kidnapped by a desert warlord. Anything, including tricking a rogue Man 'O War, Mikhail, into helping her.
Action, adventure and bulging biceps doth ensue.
With Skies of Steel, I enjoyed the same thing that I did with Skies of Gold , the chemistry between the hero/heroine. Sexy, full of sexual tension, but not as...uh, melodramatic? contrived? Lifetime TV? as that in many other romances. The story does a good job handling the difficult nuances of a plot that revolves around betrayal. Building a romance plot (its complications) around betrayal and lies is tricky, because there's the risk of taking it too far, and setting up a situation where forgiveness seems impossible. It works in this case because Mikhail and Daphne read as very compatible, and not just a couple of attractive people in the throes of hormonal "humpies."
Minus a half star because of that one scene where the laws of gravity and physics, and my suspension of disbelief, are put under excessive strain.
Great romantic adventure!
December 19, 2012
My Rating: 4 stars: Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Full Review: http://www.twimom227.com/2012/12/revi...
Professor of Anthropology Daphne Carlisle finds herself in a desperate situation when her parents are kidnapped by a warlord on the Arabian Peninsula. The British government refuses to get involved, which leaves Daphne to seek out the help of rogue Man O' War Airship Captain Mikhail Mikhailovish Denisov. Once a decorated Captain in the Russian navy, Mikhail is now a mercenary for hire. Daphne convinces a wary Mikhail to take her to her parents with ransom in tow.
Once underway, Daphne and Mikhail discover that each has secrets to hide, yet their attraction to one another is strong. Both fascinated with the other, but unwilling to share personal stories. They play a fragile game, revealing only the barest amount of information and only when forced into a situation which calls for the truth.
Overall I really enjoyed this story. It was exciting, action-filled and very entertaining. I love Mikhail... his description is awe-inspiringly hunky! I adore that he is flawed and he doesn't make apologies. He went down the wrong path - he isn't a "good guy." But he does have a heart, and he tries to make good choices.
I love Daphne's tenacity! She is a strong character and woman; one without apologies. She is driven and I love that she never apologizes for lying to Mikhail for doing what she believed she had to.
The story line was intense, having a bit of an "Indiana Jones" feel. The adventure was exciting. The final battle was a bit chaotic, and I would have liked a bit more with the warlord and his advisor. I would LOVE to read more about Mikhail and Daphne - they make a great pair, and I foresee wonderful adventures ahead. But I will be satisfied to read another one of Ms. Archer's wonderful tales.
Full Review: http://www.twimom227.com/2012/12/revi...
Professor of Anthropology Daphne Carlisle finds herself in a desperate situation when her parents are kidnapped by a warlord on the Arabian Peninsula. The British government refuses to get involved, which leaves Daphne to seek out the help of rogue Man O' War Airship Captain Mikhail Mikhailovish Denisov. Once a decorated Captain in the Russian navy, Mikhail is now a mercenary for hire. Daphne convinces a wary Mikhail to take her to her parents with ransom in tow.
Once underway, Daphne and Mikhail discover that each has secrets to hide, yet their attraction to one another is strong. Both fascinated with the other, but unwilling to share personal stories. They play a fragile game, revealing only the barest amount of information and only when forced into a situation which calls for the truth.
Overall I really enjoyed this story. It was exciting, action-filled and very entertaining. I love Mikhail... his description is awe-inspiringly hunky! I adore that he is flawed and he doesn't make apologies. He went down the wrong path - he isn't a "good guy." But he does have a heart, and he tries to make good choices.
I love Daphne's tenacity! She is a strong character and woman; one without apologies. She is driven and I love that she never apologizes for lying to Mikhail for doing what she believed she had to.
The story line was intense, having a bit of an "Indiana Jones" feel. The adventure was exciting. The final battle was a bit chaotic, and I would have liked a bit more with the warlord and his advisor. I would LOVE to read more about Mikhail and Daphne - they make a great pair, and I foresee wonderful adventures ahead. But I will be satisfied to read another one of Ms. Archer's wonderful tales.
December 28, 2012
What a great palate cleanser! This was just the perfect book I needed when I wanted to immerse myself in a fantastical world of airships, battles, taut abs, bulging biceps, adventure, and romance.
I had put off reading this for a while because of the awful cover and awful hair. Unfortunately, the awful hair was true to the story. However, I'm glad I overlooked that and still went on with reading. One of my apprehensions was that this book would be too similar to the previous one, Skies of Fire, which thankfully it wasn't. Well...the world is still the same and features the Man O' Wars with their *ahem* advantages and limitations, but the characters are different. The plot was kind of similar in the "let's head straight into an impossible battle and come out alive by the skin of our teeth" way, but aren't all action movies like that?
The only thing that bothered me was something that I noticed in a lot of these types of books I read. The author loves writing "He BLANKED the hell out of her." Now if you replace that with a naughty word, ok, that works in a romance novel in an "oh my" kind of way. But what the author actually wrote instead of "blanked" is usually a word like "respected" or "regarded" which uh...doesn't really work in context. It just comes off as cheesy.
Oh, and my usual complaint about the word "arse."
I had put off reading this for a while because of the awful cover and awful hair. Unfortunately, the awful hair was true to the story. However, I'm glad I overlooked that and still went on with reading. One of my apprehensions was that this book would be too similar to the previous one, Skies of Fire, which thankfully it wasn't. Well...the world is still the same and features the Man O' Wars with their *ahem* advantages and limitations, but the characters are different. The plot was kind of similar in the "let's head straight into an impossible battle and come out alive by the skin of our teeth" way, but aren't all action movies like that?
The only thing that bothered me was something that I noticed in a lot of these types of books I read. The author loves writing "He BLANKED the hell out of her." Now if you replace that with a naughty word, ok, that works in a romance novel in an "oh my" kind of way. But what the author actually wrote instead of "blanked" is usually a word like "respected" or "regarded" which uh...doesn't really work in context. It just comes off as cheesy.
Oh, and my usual complaint about the word "arse."
July 28, 2013
I do hate writing a review 24 hours later, by then I am all meh, I felt what?
But it was a cool world. Where men could become Men O'War. Tied to their flying ship. A steampunk world that was at war. I liked this world and wanted to read more set here. Sometimes I complain that steampunk books do not have any steam. Many puts in one mechanical clock and is all steampunk! While this blended romance and steampunk well. A steampunk should be filled with steampunk and this one was. But not too much that it got confusing. That is no fun either. So + on steampunk.
Romance then. Mikhail (did I mention that it's one of my fav Russian names?), and Daphne are very very different. But they worked together and brought in some drama that I will not spoil for you all.
All in all making it a good novel. There is romance, steampunk, an interesting world and a bit of action.
But it was a cool world. Where men could become Men O'War. Tied to their flying ship. A steampunk world that was at war. I liked this world and wanted to read more set here. Sometimes I complain that steampunk books do not have any steam. Many puts in one mechanical clock and is all steampunk! While this blended romance and steampunk well. A steampunk should be filled with steampunk and this one was. But not too much that it got confusing. That is no fun either. So + on steampunk.
Romance then. Mikhail (did I mention that it's one of my fav Russian names?), and Daphne are very very different. But they worked together and brought in some drama that I will not spoil for you all.
All in all making it a good novel. There is romance, steampunk, an interesting world and a bit of action.
August 31, 2016
Sadly did not love. 2.5 stars. The best part of this book was that the Denisov had a mohawk. It as too quick and the romance felt over-justified. The characters were constantly mentally assuring themselves that they really liked each other. In other news, I liked reading about steampunk. That was really why I bought the book in the first place.
November 2, 2012
Solid steam punk romance entry. The Zoe Archer that I liked so much in her Rogue series is back.
January 18, 2019
Skies of Steel (Ether Chronicles #3) returns us to the world of Skies of Fire, and we continue to explore the Man O’ War technology with a Russian rogue and his crew of mercenaries. Because he is a rogue, we get to see the world of the Arabias, rather than get embroiled in the ongoing conflict between England and the Hapsburg/Russian alliance.
It is fun to explore how technology is practiced by a region organized by tribal affiliations and conflicts. Daphne Carlisle has one goal, to ransom her archeologist parents who have been taken hostage by a warlord. She enlists the aid of Captain Mikail Denisov by promising a cask of gold for passage to the city of the warlord. He sees and handles the gold before agreeing. What follows is a dance of curiosity and insight that lets us see the world both inside and around them. Fun read.
It is fun to explore how technology is practiced by a region organized by tribal affiliations and conflicts. Daphne Carlisle has one goal, to ransom her archeologist parents who have been taken hostage by a warlord. She enlists the aid of Captain Mikail Denisov by promising a cask of gold for passage to the city of the warlord. He sees and handles the gold before agreeing. What follows is a dance of curiosity and insight that lets us see the world both inside and around them. Fun read.
March 10, 2017
Daphne Carlisle needs help to rescue her kidnapped parents after the British government refuses due to political concerns. She tracks down rogue Man O'War Captain Mikhail Mikhailovich Denisov, formerly of the Russian Imperial Navy, for his assistance.
While Denisov first turns her down, a satchel filled with gold bars convinces him to change his mind. An encounter with a skirmish between British and Russian airships gives Daphne a chance to see Mikhail and his crew in action. After they manage to escape, while having a drink in Mikhail's cabin, she learns more about the man himself.
Unfortunately Daphne's plans go up in smoke as they arrive at the Arabian desert, putting everyone in danger as well as alienating her tentative relationship with Mikhail. When Daphne claims that she will be exchanging the location of a hidden diamond mine for her parents' safety, Mikhail declares he will simply take the diamonds from warlord Haroun ibn Jalal al-Rahim after. Daphne, as Mikhail quickly learns, is no helpless desk-bound academic. But she is still hiding another secret from him, one that could destroy their tentative trust.
The female warlord, Khalida bint Afra al-Nazari, is one of my favorite secondary characters. Partnering with her to get back at al-Rahim was an inspired idea from Daphne. Archer has provided a glorious set of characters, a highly emotional love story, and a fascinating universe. Each installment in this series is better than the one before, although I'm not certain how that can be. And yet it is true.
Daphne is worthy and capable of being Mikhail's woman. She brings him peace as well as love. She also unlocks the Russian poet soul he tries to hide. They are wonderful together! 5 out of 5.
While Denisov first turns her down, a satchel filled with gold bars convinces him to change his mind. An encounter with a skirmish between British and Russian airships gives Daphne a chance to see Mikhail and his crew in action. After they manage to escape, while having a drink in Mikhail's cabin, she learns more about the man himself.
Unfortunately Daphne's plans go up in smoke as they arrive at the Arabian desert, putting everyone in danger as well as alienating her tentative relationship with Mikhail. When Daphne claims that she will be exchanging the location of a hidden diamond mine for her parents' safety, Mikhail declares he will simply take the diamonds from warlord Haroun ibn Jalal al-Rahim after. Daphne, as Mikhail quickly learns, is no helpless desk-bound academic. But she is still hiding another secret from him, one that could destroy their tentative trust.
The female warlord, Khalida bint Afra al-Nazari, is one of my favorite secondary characters. Partnering with her to get back at al-Rahim was an inspired idea from Daphne. Archer has provided a glorious set of characters, a highly emotional love story, and a fascinating universe. Each installment in this series is better than the one before, although I'm not certain how that can be. And yet it is true.
Daphne is worthy and capable of being Mikhail's woman. She brings him peace as well as love. She also unlocks the Russian poet soul he tries to hide. They are wonderful together! 5 out of 5.
August 19, 2017
Better than the first book but not as good as the fifth book.
Timeline was annoyingly compressed - they fell in love too quickly.
It irritated me that Daphne was an anthropologist yet seemingly had skills in alchemy.
Timeline was annoyingly compressed - they fell in love too quickly.
It irritated me that Daphne was an anthropologist yet seemingly had skills in alchemy.
April 13, 2018
read this outa series, as the 1st book, but its really good, she needs the help of a man who flies the skies, to get to her parents
March 2, 2015
Another good one from Archer! Much more fast-paced and action based than Skies of Gold, which was my first read in this series (out of order, I know!). I missed a little bit of the quiet, nuanced interactions between the leads, but of course these are different characters at heart and I shouldn't be expecting them to act the same way.
Daphne was intelligent, brave and didn't wilt or simper when things got tough. Mikail may have put on the guise of a devil-may-care mercenary, but still had a core of honor and goodness that Daphne was able to reach. There were no false misunderstandings to cause strife between the two, only some very deliberate deception from one of them that took some time to get over.
I love seeing different parts of the world the author has created, and the realistic consequences to the inventions and conflicts within that world. I had been hesitant to read any other steampunk romance after so enjoying Meljean Brook. Archer has proved to be just as good, and more importantly, different enough, to prove equally enjoyable. Her characters act like grown-ups who have experienced life, and not just the good parts. There is rarely useless drama just for the sake of conflict and the settings and secondary characters are interesting and well-described.
In short, I am still on my Archer kick!
Daphne was intelligent, brave and didn't wilt or simper when things got tough. Mikail may have put on the guise of a devil-may-care mercenary, but still had a core of honor and goodness that Daphne was able to reach. There were no false misunderstandings to cause strife between the two, only some very deliberate deception from one of them that took some time to get over.
I love seeing different parts of the world the author has created, and the realistic consequences to the inventions and conflicts within that world. I had been hesitant to read any other steampunk romance after so enjoying Meljean Brook. Archer has proved to be just as good, and more importantly, different enough, to prove equally enjoyable. Her characters act like grown-ups who have experienced life, and not just the good parts. There is rarely useless drama just for the sake of conflict and the settings and secondary characters are interesting and well-described.
In short, I am still on my Archer kick!
March 27, 2014
This story had a lot of potential but it was just OK. I wanted to start this series but wasn't sure where to start as none of the synopsis particularly grabbed my attention. But then, the male MC in this one has a wicked mohawk so enough said.
The characters were very very serious, too serious for a steampunk novel to be honest. The romance was very instantaneous, which is fair enough, but then it crashed a bit with their very serious feelings towards each other, like respect and appreciate rather than attraction and desire. As a result the dialogue between the two main characters was just too cheesy for my taste specially since they mainly interact with each other and no one else.
It needed a bit more fun and any sort of secondary character would have helped I think. Not that there aren't any other characters in this, there is the "evil warlord" and the "not-so-evil warlady" the "former-friend-now-mortal-enemy" and the "parents" but they all felt like silhouettes and cliches of what could have been characters but were only extras and placeholders.
The characters were very very serious, too serious for a steampunk novel to be honest. The romance was very instantaneous, which is fair enough, but then it crashed a bit with their very serious feelings towards each other, like respect and appreciate rather than attraction and desire. As a result the dialogue between the two main characters was just too cheesy for my taste specially since they mainly interact with each other and no one else.
It needed a bit more fun and any sort of secondary character would have helped I think. Not that there aren't any other characters in this, there is the "evil warlord" and the "not-so-evil warlady" the "former-friend-now-mortal-enemy" and the "parents" but they all felt like silhouettes and cliches of what could have been characters but were only extras and placeholders.
November 15, 2014
Mikhail, oh Mikhail. I love you. Unf. I mean, I was sold the minute I knew this hero had a Mohawk, but everything else about him was amazing as well.
And if you haven't been paying attention, Zoe Archer's heroines have all of my heart. Each one is fiercer than the last, and they make me so damn proud of my fellow women. Daphne is no exception, intelligent and strong in every way. What's even better? Mikhail doesn't do the usual whiny-hero-temper-tantrum at his woman holding her own.
Archer's books inspire and empower me. Every damn one of them.
Now, where is MY rogue Man O' War?!
And if you haven't been paying attention, Zoe Archer's heroines have all of my heart. Each one is fiercer than the last, and they make me so damn proud of my fellow women. Daphne is no exception, intelligent and strong in every way. What's even better? Mikhail doesn't do the usual whiny-hero-temper-tantrum at his woman holding her own.
Archer's books inspire and empower me. Every damn one of them.
Now, where is MY rogue Man O' War?!
March 10, 2019
It felt like reading, not watching, 'Romancing the Stone' and 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and yes, I enjoyed it. There were parents kidnapped in need of rescue, ransom to be paid, plotting against warlords, stealing treasure and a little bit of sexy times and romance. For some reason I don't need to know much about why is half the world at war with the other half. It is the particular story and its characters that attracts me. Again, strong female characters, alpha heroes not a-holes and a happy ending. What else do we need?
October 17, 2012
Joint review with E_bookpusher posted on October 15, 2012 on The Book Pushers blog: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/10/15/...
May 8, 2013
Awesome absolutely fantastic. I immediately went out and bought book 2
September 2, 2013
3.5 stars
July 14, 2017
Fun read. Loved the setting.
October 7, 2013
This book wasn't really bad, per say, I just couldn't get fully in to it. The story felt slow.
July 13, 2014
I can't put my finger on what was missing from this book that made me only want to give it three stars.
October 29, 2016
2.5 stars
June 4, 2014
It was fine. I was kinda bored for awhile and it was a tad predictable, but overall, it was fine.
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