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The Company #12
Nell Gwynne's On Land and At Sea
The Ladies of Nell Gwynne's are not your run-of-the-mill demi-mondaines. They are refined and educated ladies all, engaged in the more elegant and expensive forms of carnal delight in order to make their way in a hard world. But they also serve the Queen and the Empire, as the invaluable Ladies' Auxiliary of the technocratic Gentlemen's Speculative Society.
However, even the most dedicated operatives need a holiday from time to time. Nell Gwynne's shuts down for a month at the height of every summer for recreation and relaxation. This summer the Ladies have retired to a respectable boarding house in Torquay, since Mrs. Corvey, the Proprietress, is very fond of the sea. She also needs a deal of relaxing, as the cook at Nell Gwynne's has abruptly gotten religion and departed without notice for a less exotic position…
That is Mrs. Corvey's only worry, though, when she and the Ladies arrive in Torquay, the Riviera of England. They all look forward to taking the sun, some moderate sea bathing, reading novels and indulging in a little light archaeology. As Hebertina happily observes, “Here's to blessed chastity!”
However, Torquay has recently been invaded by an eccentric and overly romantic American, who has peculiar intentions—both toward the placid coast of Tor Bay, and the unassailable privacy of Lady Beatrice. There are rumours and sightings of a sea monster. There are dead butlers and thugs and fox terriers in inconvenient places. And the Ladies cannot summon assistance from the GSS, all of whose agents are pursuing convoluted schemes abroad in Europe.
It appears their holidays will not be nearly as quiet as might be hoped…but they will certainly be interesting.
Limited: 1500 signed hardcover copies
From Publishers Weekly:
“Even a month-long seaside holiday can’t keep the spy-mistresses of the exclusive Nell Gwynne brothel away from trouble in this comic steampunk novella…the mildly naughty nautical double entendres and period-style illustrations by J.K. Potter will entertain readers who appreciate Victoriana.”
However, even the most dedicated operatives need a holiday from time to time. Nell Gwynne's shuts down for a month at the height of every summer for recreation and relaxation. This summer the Ladies have retired to a respectable boarding house in Torquay, since Mrs. Corvey, the Proprietress, is very fond of the sea. She also needs a deal of relaxing, as the cook at Nell Gwynne's has abruptly gotten religion and departed without notice for a less exotic position…
That is Mrs. Corvey's only worry, though, when she and the Ladies arrive in Torquay, the Riviera of England. They all look forward to taking the sun, some moderate sea bathing, reading novels and indulging in a little light archaeology. As Hebertina happily observes, “Here's to blessed chastity!”
However, Torquay has recently been invaded by an eccentric and overly romantic American, who has peculiar intentions—both toward the placid coast of Tor Bay, and the unassailable privacy of Lady Beatrice. There are rumours and sightings of a sea monster. There are dead butlers and thugs and fox terriers in inconvenient places. And the Ladies cannot summon assistance from the GSS, all of whose agents are pursuing convoluted schemes abroad in Europe.
It appears their holidays will not be nearly as quiet as might be hoped…but they will certainly be interesting.
Limited: 1500 signed hardcover copies
From Publishers Weekly:
“Even a month-long seaside holiday can’t keep the spy-mistresses of the exclusive Nell Gwynne brothel away from trouble in this comic steampunk novella…the mildly naughty nautical double entendres and period-style illustrations by J.K. Potter will entertain readers who appreciate Victoriana.”
Unknown Binding
First published December 31, 2012
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About the author
Kage Baker
170 books358 followersBorn June 10, 1952, in Hollywood, California, and grew up there and in Pismo Beach, present home. Spent 12 years in assorted navy blue uniforms obtaining a good parochial school education and numerous emotional scars. Rapier wit developed as defense mechanism to deflect rage of larger and more powerful children who took offense at abrasive, condescending and arrogant personality in a sickly eight-year-old. Family: 2 parents, 6 siblings, 4 nieces, 2 nephews. Husbands: 0. Children: 0.
Prior occupations: graphic artist and mural painter, several lower clerical positions which could in no way be construed as a career, and (over a period of years for the Living History Centre) playwright, bit player, director, teacher of Elizabethan English for the stage, stage manager and educational program assistant coordinator. Presently reengaged in the above-listed capacities for the LHC's triumphant reincarnation, AS YOU LIKE IT PRODUCTIONS.
20 years of total immersion research in Elizabethan as well as other historical periods has paid off handsomely in a working knowledge of period speech and details.
In spare time (ha) reads: any old sea stories by Marryat, the Aubrey-Maturin novels by Patrick O'Brien, the Hornblower books, ANYTHING by Robert Louis Stevenson, Raymond Chandler, Thorne Smith, Herman Melville (except Pierre, or the Ambiguities, which stinks) Somerset Maugham, George MacDonald Frasier.
Now happily settled in beautiful Pismo Beach, Clam Capital of the World, in charming seaside flat which is unfortunately not haunted by ghost of dashing sea captain. Avid gardener, birdwatcher, spinster aunt and Jethro Tull fan.
http://www.sfwa.org/2010/01/rip-kage-...
Prior occupations: graphic artist and mural painter, several lower clerical positions which could in no way be construed as a career, and (over a period of years for the Living History Centre) playwright, bit player, director, teacher of Elizabethan English for the stage, stage manager and educational program assistant coordinator. Presently reengaged in the above-listed capacities for the LHC's triumphant reincarnation, AS YOU LIKE IT PRODUCTIONS.
20 years of total immersion research in Elizabethan as well as other historical periods has paid off handsomely in a working knowledge of period speech and details.
In spare time (ha) reads: any old sea stories by Marryat, the Aubrey-Maturin novels by Patrick O'Brien, the Hornblower books, ANYTHING by Robert Louis Stevenson, Raymond Chandler, Thorne Smith, Herman Melville (except Pierre, or the Ambiguities, which stinks) Somerset Maugham, George MacDonald Frasier.
Now happily settled in beautiful Pismo Beach, Clam Capital of the World, in charming seaside flat which is unfortunately not haunted by ghost of dashing sea captain. Avid gardener, birdwatcher, spinster aunt and Jethro Tull fan.
http://www.sfwa.org/2010/01/rip-kage-...
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 30, 2015
Originally posted at FanLit. http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
The “ladies” of Nell Gwynne’s work hard for their money, providing elite custom “services” to the important men who run England. These men think Nell Gwynne’s girls are very good at what they do, but they have no idea what’s really going on inside those pretty little heads. In actuality, all of Nell Gwynne’s ladies are thoroughly educated and quite accomplished because their “real” job is to spy for the Gentlemen’s Speculative Society (the predecessor of Kage Baker’s The Company).
Their work is exhausting, so each year Nell Gwynne’s takes a holiday — without men, of course! This year they’ve gone to Torquay where they plan to spend a month resting, sunbathing, swimming, shopping, reading, and pursuing some of their personal hobbies (such as archaeological excavation). But when they get to the seaside town, they run into a loud and boisterous American man who may be planning a crime that will threaten England’s security. When the ladies alert the Gentlemen’s Speculative Society about the suspected plot, the Society has no agents to send to Torquay, so the ladies must investigate and, if necessary, stop the madman’s plans. There are other delicate associated issues; the crazy American has fallen in love with one of the ladies and Mrs. Corvey, the proprietor of Nell Gwynne’s, must find and hire a new cook before they get back to London. Can the girls accomplish their goals without blowing their cover? And will they get to enjoy their vacation?
Kage Baker is one of my favorite writers and she doesn’t disappoint with Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea, her final work. This is a quick-moving short novel with likable characters and plenty of action, but two things set it apart from other fun stories. One is Kage Baker’s excellent storytelling skills and her succinct style. Similar to Ursula Le Guin, Baker makes every word count and she can tell a better story with 25,000 words than most authors can with twice that many. Therefore, characters and setting feel fully developed but the plot’s pace never suffers with detailed backstories and description.
The other is Baker’s delightful sense of humor which, similar to Jack Vance’s, is best described as droll. You wouldn’t call Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea a comedy, at least not on the surface, but it’s very funny nonetheless. The subplot with the cook, for example, is hilarious but subtle, relying on the absurdity of the situation and its deadpan delivery rather than the sarcastic snark which counts for humor in so many fantasy novels these days. In fact, the entire premise of a spying whorehouse is pretty comical and Baker has fun with it. In an early scene she shows the “ladies” at work, gamely fulfilling their clients’ silly fantasies and, in an incongruous contrast, we later see them donning bullet-proof corset stays before heading out to stop the bad guys.
Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea was unfinished when Kage Baker died two years ago. She left notes which helped her sister, Kathleen Bartholomew, finish the novella. I wouldn’t have known that Baker hadn’t written the whole thing if I hadn’t seen Bartholomew’s name on the cover. The book is illustrated by J.K. Potter.
Fans will definitely want to read Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea, but this is also a fine place to start if you’re new to Baker’s work. You don’t need to have read the previous novels about Nell Gwynne’s, The Company, or The Gentlemen’s Speculative Society, but after you’ve read Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea, I think you’ll want to.
The “ladies” of Nell Gwynne’s work hard for their money, providing elite custom “services” to the important men who run England. These men think Nell Gwynne’s girls are very good at what they do, but they have no idea what’s really going on inside those pretty little heads. In actuality, all of Nell Gwynne’s ladies are thoroughly educated and quite accomplished because their “real” job is to spy for the Gentlemen’s Speculative Society (the predecessor of Kage Baker’s The Company).
Their work is exhausting, so each year Nell Gwynne’s takes a holiday — without men, of course! This year they’ve gone to Torquay where they plan to spend a month resting, sunbathing, swimming, shopping, reading, and pursuing some of their personal hobbies (such as archaeological excavation). But when they get to the seaside town, they run into a loud and boisterous American man who may be planning a crime that will threaten England’s security. When the ladies alert the Gentlemen’s Speculative Society about the suspected plot, the Society has no agents to send to Torquay, so the ladies must investigate and, if necessary, stop the madman’s plans. There are other delicate associated issues; the crazy American has fallen in love with one of the ladies and Mrs. Corvey, the proprietor of Nell Gwynne’s, must find and hire a new cook before they get back to London. Can the girls accomplish their goals without blowing their cover? And will they get to enjoy their vacation?
Kage Baker is one of my favorite writers and she doesn’t disappoint with Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea, her final work. This is a quick-moving short novel with likable characters and plenty of action, but two things set it apart from other fun stories. One is Kage Baker’s excellent storytelling skills and her succinct style. Similar to Ursula Le Guin, Baker makes every word count and she can tell a better story with 25,000 words than most authors can with twice that many. Therefore, characters and setting feel fully developed but the plot’s pace never suffers with detailed backstories and description.
The other is Baker’s delightful sense of humor which, similar to Jack Vance’s, is best described as droll. You wouldn’t call Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea a comedy, at least not on the surface, but it’s very funny nonetheless. The subplot with the cook, for example, is hilarious but subtle, relying on the absurdity of the situation and its deadpan delivery rather than the sarcastic snark which counts for humor in so many fantasy novels these days. In fact, the entire premise of a spying whorehouse is pretty comical and Baker has fun with it. In an early scene she shows the “ladies” at work, gamely fulfilling their clients’ silly fantasies and, in an incongruous contrast, we later see them donning bullet-proof corset stays before heading out to stop the bad guys.
Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea was unfinished when Kage Baker died two years ago. She left notes which helped her sister, Kathleen Bartholomew, finish the novella. I wouldn’t have known that Baker hadn’t written the whole thing if I hadn’t seen Bartholomew’s name on the cover. The book is illustrated by J.K. Potter.
Fans will definitely want to read Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea, but this is also a fine place to start if you’re new to Baker’s work. You don’t need to have read the previous novels about Nell Gwynne’s, The Company, or The Gentlemen’s Speculative Society, but after you’ve read Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea, I think you’ll want to.
March 13, 2019
I have not yet read The Women of Nell Gwynne's, but it's even higher on my list than before. This was delightful. The ladies, a group of courtesans-slash-spies, go for what should be a relaxing seaside vacation, and have adventures instead. There are several excellent characters - Herbertina, the cross-dressing woman who plays the role of a young man to perfection, is a particular favorite, and Mrs. Corvey, with her steampunk eyes and unflappable confidence, directs the action perfectly.
The ostensible villain, a lunatic expatriate American, works very well when he could have been unbearable. His monomania makes him a perfect target for businesslike, professional seduction, and he hits the balance between unsympathetic but not so sleazy as to make the lighthearted story unpleasant to read. There are quite a few hilarious small bits - Herbert's discovery of the dog springs to mind - and it's exactly the right length for the story.
I should note that, as the attribution above notes, this was released posthumously and written largely by Baker's sister Kathleen Bartholomew. This is an interview that covers, among other things, the story of how this book came to be. (I always prefer to know at least a little of that sort of making-of story, although I can't say I detected any particular change in voice in this one.)
The ostensible villain, a lunatic expatriate American, works very well when he could have been unbearable. His monomania makes him a perfect target for businesslike, professional seduction, and he hits the balance between unsympathetic but not so sleazy as to make the lighthearted story unpleasant to read. There are quite a few hilarious small bits - Herbert's discovery of the dog springs to mind - and it's exactly the right length for the story.
I should note that, as the attribution above notes, this was released posthumously and written largely by Baker's sister Kathleen Bartholomew. This is an interview that covers, among other things, the story of how this book came to be. (I always prefer to know at least a little of that sort of making-of story, although I can't say I detected any particular change in voice in this one.)
January 7, 2013
It’s hard to believe that it’s already almost been three years since Kage Baker’s untimely death. She was an immensely talented storyteller and one of my favorite authors of the last few decades. In the short time between her first published story (1997’s “Noble Mold”) and her death in 2010, Kage produced a truly impressive amount of fiction: over a dozen novels across several genres (including the Company series, still my favorite time travel epic in the history of SF) and an amazing number of short stories, novelettes and novellas.
Most of Kage’s wonderful and wonderfully prolific output has by now been published in one form or another, but it turns out that some of her works-in-progress were left unfinished. Kage’s sister Kathleen Bartholomew has completed one of these, and thanks to Subterranean Press it’s now available: Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea.
Read the entire review on my site Far Beyond Reality!
Most of Kage’s wonderful and wonderfully prolific output has by now been published in one form or another, but it turns out that some of her works-in-progress were left unfinished. Kage’s sister Kathleen Bartholomew has completed one of these, and thanks to Subterranean Press it’s now available: Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea.
Read the entire review on my site Far Beyond Reality!
March 8, 2018
A fun short book with some delightful, very unusual women set in Victorian times; with a steampunk touch.
December 31, 2021
All's Well that Ends Swell
In which Our Heroine is badly used indeed, but soon finds an outlet for her Great Courage and Resourcefulness.
More delightful madcap steampunk hijinks from the inimitable KB Sisters. Nicely done indeed.
Great beach reading, for most any value of "beach".
In which Our Heroine is badly used indeed, but soon finds an outlet for her Great Courage and Resourcefulness.
More delightful madcap steampunk hijinks from the inimitable KB Sisters. Nicely done indeed.
Great beach reading, for most any value of "beach".
October 3, 2020
The Nell Gwynne ladies go on holiday and get involved in a spy adventure. I think this was finished posthumously by Baker's sister and it's really the least interesting of the stories. Even at a novella length it goes on too long. Disappointed.
August 3, 2016
The professional ladies of Nell Gwynne's go on holiday and have a smashing adventure on the Channel. They meet an eccentric American (is there any other kind?) who wants to be a war hero but is currently lacking the requisite war so he intends to start one. He's also a genius engineer in the very best of 1845 steampunk engineering, and he's invented a device that will move his fiendish plot along nicely. The ladies stumble across the man and his plan and are forced to take matters into their own highly skilled hands for the sake of Queen and Country.
It's entertaining to watch a group of Victorian Ladies overcome a dangerous and deadly enemy using skills such as knitting, dancing, and bicycling. All while maintaining the utmost propriety and unsullied reputations. The mystery is revealed almost immediately, and then it is just a matter of the ladies gathering intelligence, waiting for orders from the Gentlemen's Speculative Society, and having tea. It's a bit thin on plot but the writing is superb.
It's entertaining to watch a group of Victorian Ladies overcome a dangerous and deadly enemy using skills such as knitting, dancing, and bicycling. All while maintaining the utmost propriety and unsullied reputations. The mystery is revealed almost immediately, and then it is just a matter of the ladies gathering intelligence, waiting for orders from the Gentlemen's Speculative Society, and having tea. It's a bit thin on plot but the writing is superb.
June 9, 2013
The “ladies” of Nell Gwynne’s work hard for their money, providing elite custom “services” to the important men who run England. These men think Nell Gwynne’s girls are very good at what they do, but they have no idea what’s really going on inside those pretty little heads. In actuality, all of Nell Gwynne’s ladies are thoroughly educated and quite accomplished because their “real” job is to spy for the Gentlemen’s Speculative Society (the predecessor of Kage Baker’s The Company).
Their work is exhausting, so each year Nell Gwynne’s takes a holiday — without men, of course! This year they’ve gone to Torquay where they plan to spend a month resting, sunbathing, swimming, shopping, reading, and pursuing some of their personal hobbies (such as archaeological excavation). But when they get to the seaside town, they run into a loud and boisterous American man who may be... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Their work is exhausting, so each year Nell Gwynne’s takes a holiday — without men, of course! This year they’ve gone to Torquay where they plan to spend a month resting, sunbathing, swimming, shopping, reading, and pursuing some of their personal hobbies (such as archaeological excavation). But when they get to the seaside town, they run into a loud and boisterous American man who may be... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
August 9, 2013
I hadn't read any of Kage Baker's books before so this was a pleasant little surprise. It's about the "ladies" of Nell Gwynne's, prostitutes who also deal in information gathering for the Gentlemen's Speculative Society. Each year they go on holiday and this year they discover a sinister plot by a weird American of English decent. He wants to prove just how dedicated he is to England so he comes up with a dastardly plan to destroy a French naval vessel with a steam-powered super submarine! The ladies discover this and aided by a cook, a pup, a dandy horse, some amazing corsets and their own intelligence, they set about putting a stop to it all. I really enjoyed this novella. It had fun characters and a great plot. It was amusing without being over the top and thrilling without being too involved. A light, summer read.
March 9, 2013
The ladies-of-the-night auxiliary of The Gentlemen's Speculative Society (what will become Dr. Zeus) are off on holiday to the Devon shore, their yearly respite from prostitution and espionage. Alas, the best laid plans of whores and spies gang aft agley. Something's not right, and when they report it to the appropriate authorities, they're asked to hold the fort until some Real Men can be made available. Poor bad guys; they don't stand a chance.
February 28, 2013
A nice steampunk novella. A group of aristocratic women have been recruited to run a high class brothel where they act as an adjunct to the British government as spies.
In this book the ladies are on their yearly vacation at the seaside where they meet up with an American dandy who has plans of starting war between the British and French.
In this book the ladies are on their yearly vacation at the seaside where they meet up with an American dandy who has plans of starting war between the British and French.
April 3, 2013
Another in Baker's Nell Gwynne's (a steampunk Victorian brothel that's actually full of female spies) series. Amusing diversion, taking place during the ladies' "vacation" at the Torquay seaside. I find this whole series amusing, and Baker's writing is, as always, engaging and natural.
June 18, 2013
A steam -punk high-adventure...lots of fun. Kage Baker's last book left me smiling. But her books always make me happy. I will be rereading them all for years to come. Goodness, I miss you, Ms. Baker! You're probably telling wonderful stories in heaven.
December 22, 2014
Sequel to The Women of Nell Gwynne's and heartily recommended. Read the other first.
Steampunk with submersible! Swimming costumes! Crossdressing! Jack Russell terrier! Women of ill repute! Yacht! Knitting! Etc.
Steampunk with submersible! Swimming costumes! Crossdressing! Jack Russell terrier! Women of ill repute! Yacht! Knitting! Etc.
December 24, 2013
Cute little steampunk story tangential to the Company series.
March 19, 2013
Thanks for everything, Kage Baker.
October 4, 2015
Nice steampunk novel it was alright not as good as the one before but alright
October 15, 2013
I loved the Company series a lot better... gonna miss her books. RIP Kage!
September 11, 2016
Lots of fun!
March 20, 2013
Not quite as good as the first, but still a delightful diversion.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews