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Galvanic Century #8
March of the Cogsmen
Galvanic Century is set in an alternate steampunk world where the reign of Queen Victoria has extended well into the early 20th century. As the world edges inexorably towards a World War that few can even begin to anticipate, brave men and women must contend with airship pirates, clockwork assassins, galvanic monsters, and anarchist madmen.
It’s been a rough year for gentlewoman Aldora Fiske — airship battles above London, doomed expeditions in the jungles of Mexico, and even a kidnapping in Istanbul — and now her bridegroom Alton Bartleby has shown up drunk to their wedding. Yes, it’s a marriage of convenience and not one of love, and everyone knows it, but when an old foe decides to strike, things go from bad to worse.
Can the gentlewoman and the consulting detective put aside their differences long enough to defeat their enemy and save the wedding party, or will the massacre turn their nuptials into the social disaster of the season?
It’s been a rough year for gentlewoman Aldora Fiske — airship battles above London, doomed expeditions in the jungles of Mexico, and even a kidnapping in Istanbul — and now her bridegroom Alton Bartleby has shown up drunk to their wedding. Yes, it’s a marriage of convenience and not one of love, and everyone knows it, but when an old foe decides to strike, things go from bad to worse.
Can the gentlewoman and the consulting detective put aside their differences long enough to defeat their enemy and save the wedding party, or will the massacre turn their nuptials into the social disaster of the season?
- GenresSteampunk
190 pages, Paperback
First published April 4, 2013
2 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Michael Coorlim
27 books55 followersMichael Coorlim is a teller of strange stories for stranger people. He collects them, the oddballs. The mystics and fire-spinners, the sages and tricksters. He curates their tales, combines their elements and lets them rattle around inside his rock-tumbler skull until they gleam, then spills them loose onto the page for like-minded readers to enjoy.
He writes fast-paced stories about real people in fantastic situations, plots with just a twist of the surreal, set in worlds just a shadow’s breadth from our own.
Some whisper that he may, in fact, be a wizard. Others maintain that he’s naught but bluster and blarney. The truly wise know that there’s nary a difference.
Questionable activities
Michael Coorlim’s fiction can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, and Smashwords.
He also writes the indie-focused book blog Book Nouveau.
Pry a little deeper
If you want early notifications of upcoming titles, discounts, giveaways, and other fun you can subscribe to his new release mailing list. You can also find him on facebook and twitter as @mcoorlim. Email him at Coorlim@gmail.com – he’d love to hear from you.
He writes fast-paced stories about real people in fantastic situations, plots with just a twist of the surreal, set in worlds just a shadow’s breadth from our own.
Some whisper that he may, in fact, be a wizard. Others maintain that he’s naught but bluster and blarney. The truly wise know that there’s nary a difference.
Questionable activities
Michael Coorlim’s fiction can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, and Smashwords.
He also writes the indie-focused book blog Book Nouveau.
Pry a little deeper
If you want early notifications of upcoming titles, discounts, giveaways, and other fun you can subscribe to his new release mailing list. You can also find him on facebook and twitter as @mcoorlim. Email him at Coorlim@gmail.com – he’d love to hear from you.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 14, 2013
I've just finished reading March of the Cogsmen, the eighth installment in Michael Coorlim's Galvanic Century series. This is a short novel, compared to the previous episodes, which were nevelettes. Still it makes for fast reading, and I've found myself enjoying it as much as I did the shorter ones.
I'd rather start my review with those aspects I didn't like. Fortunately, for me these are very minor, and are a number of typos and formatting defects in my electronic copy of the book. While not very important, I think that more care should be taken, since these flaws can be off-putting to some readers.
Aside from that, the book is quite enjoyable, just like Coorlim's previous efforts. Again, since it's quite short, the action is fast and the plot develops quickly. Of course, that could be seen as a lacking depth, as I commented in my review of the previous stories, but form my point of view that is not so. In fact, one of the strengths of March of the Cogsmen is in the department of character development, more of which later.
The book ties together the two collections of Galvanic Century books, the Adventures of Bartleby and James and Chronicles of a Gentlewoman, with the wedding of Alton Bartleby and Aldora Fiske. Suffice to say that the wedding will not proceed exactly as expected, since an old enemy will make an appearance; saying anything else would need spoilers, and I like a spoiler-free review as much as the next person.
During the first part of the book, Bartleby comes across like an insensitive, selfish ass. That got me worried, since nothing like it had been glimpsed in the novelettes. In contrast, Aldora quickly changes before our eyes, becoming more human. And even James is given some treatment regarding his feelings, which I liked to see; it seems to me James is quite downplayed in the stories, and this was a welcome change.
Nevertheless, the change in Bartleby does arrive, and indeed when it does we're halfway into the action. He's seen to be his usual, intelligent self, plus having quite a gift for treating people, even though in a most peculiar way. And he's also revealed as a talented tactician. For her part, Aldora is developed even further, a trend that I hope will continue in the following novels; and I don't mean that she must become weaker, but instead less strict, specially with herself.
If I liked the way the main characters were handled, the supporting cast and the larger background plans did not let me down, either. I expected the book to expand on the universe of the Galvanic Century that Coorlim has created, and it delivers, albeit in subtle ways. The plot connects directly to previous stories by means of the villain; there are some not so unexpected revelations, and glimpses of things to come, including larger threats both from outside and, shall we say, inside.
Just like I said in my earlier review, I especially like Coorlim's books because I can see how deeply he loves his work, and how he improves with each effort. He still seems to have the impulse of the new writer, and I appreciate that. However, the fact remains of the small formatting details that have to be accounted for in the next books. I for one cannot wait to read them. A great job, and an enjoyable one.
I'd rather start my review with those aspects I didn't like. Fortunately, for me these are very minor, and are a number of typos and formatting defects in my electronic copy of the book. While not very important, I think that more care should be taken, since these flaws can be off-putting to some readers.
Aside from that, the book is quite enjoyable, just like Coorlim's previous efforts. Again, since it's quite short, the action is fast and the plot develops quickly. Of course, that could be seen as a lacking depth, as I commented in my review of the previous stories, but form my point of view that is not so. In fact, one of the strengths of March of the Cogsmen is in the department of character development, more of which later.
The book ties together the two collections of Galvanic Century books, the Adventures of Bartleby and James and Chronicles of a Gentlewoman, with the wedding of Alton Bartleby and Aldora Fiske. Suffice to say that the wedding will not proceed exactly as expected, since an old enemy will make an appearance; saying anything else would need spoilers, and I like a spoiler-free review as much as the next person.
During the first part of the book, Bartleby comes across like an insensitive, selfish ass. That got me worried, since nothing like it had been glimpsed in the novelettes. In contrast, Aldora quickly changes before our eyes, becoming more human. And even James is given some treatment regarding his feelings, which I liked to see; it seems to me James is quite downplayed in the stories, and this was a welcome change.
Nevertheless, the change in Bartleby does arrive, and indeed when it does we're halfway into the action. He's seen to be his usual, intelligent self, plus having quite a gift for treating people, even though in a most peculiar way. And he's also revealed as a talented tactician. For her part, Aldora is developed even further, a trend that I hope will continue in the following novels; and I don't mean that she must become weaker, but instead less strict, specially with herself.
If I liked the way the main characters were handled, the supporting cast and the larger background plans did not let me down, either. I expected the book to expand on the universe of the Galvanic Century that Coorlim has created, and it delivers, albeit in subtle ways. The plot connects directly to previous stories by means of the villain; there are some not so unexpected revelations, and glimpses of things to come, including larger threats both from outside and, shall we say, inside.
Just like I said in my earlier review, I especially like Coorlim's books because I can see how deeply he loves his work, and how he improves with each effort. He still seems to have the impulse of the new writer, and I appreciate that. However, the fact remains of the small formatting details that have to be accounted for in the next books. I for one cannot wait to read them. A great job, and an enjoyable one.
April 12, 2013
In March of the Cogmen, Michael Coorlim pulls together elements from his previous steampunk novelettes into one novel. At first I was not sure how the author was going to transition from a Victorian wedding scenario to one of steampunk and mystery. I need not have worried, as Coorlim did a great job of turning society wedding into disaster. I truly was not expecting some of the twists that the novel took and read it in one sitting. Aspects of his main characters were revealed in greater depth to good effect. It is clear there is more ahead for Bartleby and James and Fiske. I highly recommend this to lovers of steampunk fiction.
July 3, 2013
I received my copy for an honest review. I was excited about this particular book because I know nothing about steampunk fiction and I had no idea where I should start.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Fast-paced, full of action, a few twists here and there... that makes for good reading. I appreciated the gradual character development throughout the story. My opinions of certain characters changed as I read, as more character details were revealed.
I look forward to reading other works by this author.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Fast-paced, full of action, a few twists here and there... that makes for good reading. I appreciated the gradual character development throughout the story. My opinions of certain characters changed as I read, as more character details were revealed.
I look forward to reading other works by this author.
June 24, 2013
Once again, the author has given us a great steampunk fiction. In this book, he ties in Bartleby and his partner James and his fiancé Aldora Fiske. Bartleby and Fiske are both very strong people, so I was not surprised to find that their marriage will be one of convenience (so they both say now, though who knows what will happen?). The reader can see just how strong they both are by watching how each is treating their marriage day. Bartleby arrives drunk and, after meeting Aldora’s parents, goes off after some mystery though he promised Aldora to meet and greet their guests. Aldora, after discovering his leave, and watching strange happenings, barges right into the pre-wedding garden party though no one is supposed to see the bride before the ceremony and though she manages to totally ruin her dress and make up. How do they both solve the problem of their mysterious, uninvited guest provides the reader with an action packed tale. The author has provided an exciting tale involving appearances from the past and providing a way for the reader to see the main characters in action. No, this is not a normal Victorian couple involved in normal lives. In this series, there never are any normal couples or events. One thing the author has done is provide a setting where all the capabilities of all the main characters come into play solving the current crisis du jour. The writing is sharp and concise, providing the reader with a fast paced, exciting tale, while still staying true to the true steampunk standards and norms. I have read all the other parts of this series and am eagerly awaiting the next installment. I particularly enjoyed that this one was longer, allowing better development of the plot and introduction of additional characters without rushing. I received this from Library Thing to read and review.
June 8, 2013
I enjoyed this longer-length offering in the Galvanic Century series from Michael Coorlim. Bartleby and James, along with Bartleby's fiance, Aldora, have to face the iconic steampunk enemy--an army of half man/half machine creatures. There's also more character development here than in the other, shorter installments in this series. For example, there's more interaction between Aldora and her parents, which lends some insight into her own choices. There are also developments in the relationship between Aldora and Bartleby, whose wedding is interrupted by the cogsmen. There marriage is one strictly of convenience, or is it?
January 8, 2015
excellent steampunk adventure! I thoroughly enjoy Coorlim's Bartleby & James stories, and this being a full-length story was a nice treat. The story has a nice pace, some good character development, and I really liked the letters and news articles sprinkled between chapters to help move the story along. The letters created suspense, the last one leaving quite the chilling cliff-hanger...
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May 15, 2013"Verdict: Outstanding - I loved almost everything about it.
A steampunk adventure story that doesn't waste words."
Full review on my blog:
http://knrbooks.blogspot.com/2013/05/...
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for a review.
A steampunk adventure story that doesn't waste words."
Full review on my blog:
http://knrbooks.blogspot.com/2013/05/...
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for a review.
July 7, 2013
I love this series of books and this one definitely did not disappoint me. Can't wait till Mr. Coorlim gets the next installment out.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews