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The Baskerville Affair #3
A Study in Ashes
As part of her devil’s bargain with the industrial steam barons, Evelina Cooper is finally enrolled in the Ladies’ College of London. However, she’s attending as the Gold King’s pet magician, in handcuffs and forbidden contact with even her closest relation, the detective Sherlock Holmes.
Not even Niccolo, the dashing pirate captain, and his sentient airship can save her. But Evelina’s problems are only part of a larger war. The Baskerville Affair is finally coming to light, and the rebels are making their move to wrest power from the barons and restore it to Queen Victoria. Missing heirs and nightmare hounds are the order of the day—or at least that’s what Dr. Watson is telling the press.
But their plans are doomed unless Evelina escapes to unite her magic with the rebels’ machines—and even then her powers aren’t what they used to be. A sorcerer has awakened a dark hunger in Evelina’s soul, and only he can keep her from endangering them all. The only problem is…he’s dead.
Not even Niccolo, the dashing pirate captain, and his sentient airship can save her. But Evelina’s problems are only part of a larger war. The Baskerville Affair is finally coming to light, and the rebels are making their move to wrest power from the barons and restore it to Queen Victoria. Missing heirs and nightmare hounds are the order of the day—or at least that’s what Dr. Watson is telling the press.
But their plans are doomed unless Evelina escapes to unite her magic with the rebels’ machines—and even then her powers aren’t what they used to be. A sorcerer has awakened a dark hunger in Evelina’s soul, and only he can keep her from endangering them all. The only problem is…he’s dead.
672 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
24 people are currently reading
1288 people want to read
About the author
Emma Jane Holloway
18 books244 followersEver since childhood, Emma Jane Holloway refused to accept that history was nothing but facts prisoned behind the closed door of time. Why waste a perfectly good playground coloring within the timelines? Accordingly, her novels are filled with whimsical impossibilities and the occasional eye-blinking impertinence—but always in the service of grand adventure.
Struggling between the practical and the artistic—a family tradition, along with ghosts and a belief in the curative powers of shortbread—Emma Jane has a degree in literature and job in finance. She lives in the Pacific Northwest in a house crammed with books, musical instruments, and half-finished sewing projects. In the meantime, she’s published articles, essays, short stories, and enough novels to build a fort for her stuffed hedgehog.
Struggling between the practical and the artistic—a family tradition, along with ghosts and a belief in the curative powers of shortbread—Emma Jane has a degree in literature and job in finance. She lives in the Pacific Northwest in a house crammed with books, musical instruments, and half-finished sewing projects. In the meantime, she’s published articles, essays, short stories, and enough novels to build a fort for her stuffed hedgehog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
December 4, 2013
A brilliant wrap up of all the things building during the first two books of The Baskerville Affair! I already mentioned last week that this series was awesome. Fast, furious, full of wonderful gadgetry, magic, treachery, danger and complex intrigues. I was glued to the books, satisfied with the ending and hopeful for more instalments in the future.
Poor Evie does not get a break after the events in A Study in Darkness, and the third book becomes even more Gothic and intense as all the plot knots start unravelling.
I'm glad that what felt like a love triangle in book #1, completely resolves itself by the end of the second book, which is only natural in the set of circumstances. Both Tobias and Evelina get on with their lives and various challenges they represent, and outgrow their feelings for each other, especially Evie who sees Tobias far more clearly than he sees her, and who typically fell in love with him like most of us - for his potential, not for his actions.
Nick stays his scrumptious self and I as usual do not have any complaints about his dashing piratical persona - he is a lovely character! *grinning maniacally*
Evie... *raises her glass* is going to the dark side, and oh boy, when she goes - she goes. This is one of the reasons why this book was so fascinating for me to read. That pull of dark magic she experiencing is only gonna get stronger in A Study of Ashes, and actually she deals with it in a spectacular way.
Much of the book is also dedicated to Imogen, Mouse and Bird's adventures. While they were not bad, they were not my favourite part of the plot even if they gave the reader more interactions with Bucky and charming Poppy.
Overall, A Study in Ashes brings all the characters together in an explosive way. Expect some dark twists, shocking deaths and epic battles. I'll say no more as I don't want to give you any spoilers. Highly recommended.
Poor Evie does not get a break after the events in A Study in Darkness, and the third book becomes even more Gothic and intense as all the plot knots start unravelling.
I'm glad that what felt like a love triangle in book #1, completely resolves itself by the end of the second book, which is only natural in the set of circumstances. Both Tobias and Evelina get on with their lives and various challenges they represent, and outgrow their feelings for each other, especially Evie who sees Tobias far more clearly than he sees her, and who typically fell in love with him like most of us - for his potential, not for his actions.
Nick stays his scrumptious self and I as usual do not have any complaints about his dashing piratical persona - he is a lovely character! *grinning maniacally*
Evie... *raises her glass* is going to the dark side, and oh boy, when she goes - she goes. This is one of the reasons why this book was so fascinating for me to read. That pull of dark magic she experiencing is only gonna get stronger in A Study of Ashes, and actually she deals with it in a spectacular way.
Much of the book is also dedicated to Imogen, Mouse and Bird's adventures. While they were not bad, they were not my favourite part of the plot even if they gave the reader more interactions with Bucky and charming Poppy.
Overall, A Study in Ashes brings all the characters together in an explosive way. Expect some dark twists, shocking deaths and epic battles. I'll say no more as I don't want to give you any spoilers. Highly recommended.
June 9, 2019
This is really 3.5 stars. I just couldn’t quite give it four. It’s a wonderful book for Sherlock fans, even though he only plays a small part. It has a wonderful twist with the world in which they live being different than real world. The book wrapped up nicely in the end. It wasn’t quite a happy ending for all, but it wasn’t horribly sad. I must say I think the book was way too long. There were too many details at times, and was super dark at times. Both of which I could have done without.
March 10, 2017
The Baskerville Affair Trilogy was one of my reading highlights in 2013. I discovered it through NetGalley, and was lucky to receive all three books as arcs. I would have gladly paid for them, and will end up buying my own copies so I can re-read at some point and support the author. But without the arcs, I would have had to wait much longer to finish the series (3 months!). I couldn't wait even that long. I love that the three books were released so close together so that I didn't forget why I cared while waiting for the sequels. A Study in Ashes will be released on December 31, 2013 and I've been saving up my full review for the release.
The series is probably not for everyone, but for me it had the perfect blend of genres and elements that I can't resist - a Victorian historical setting, fantasy, mystery, politics, and a romance that doesn't overwhelm the plot. I didn't really have an opinion on Steampunk before reading this trilogy, but I enjoyed the mix of Steam and Magic in this world as well.
Although the middle book was actually a bit too dark for my tastes, A Study in Ashes rises out of that darkness. There's a better balance of despair and hope, and it moves a lot quicker. It doesn't all take place in one small area, and while the characters are on the move, they are also with each other much more than in the previous book.
So much happened in this book that it felt like it ended up in a completely different world, one that is detailed and complex and full of promise. It never got bogged down or slowed. I was completely satisfied with how it all wrapped up. A Study of Ashes was a wonderful read far surpassing the potential I saw at the beginning of the trilogy.
Action abounds in A Study of Ashes. It's not really in the historical mystery category anymore, even with the references to the Hound of Baskerville and cameo appearances by Sherlock Holmes. It has solidly moved into historical fantasy / steampunk adventure, with rebellion, an entire social order collapsing, and magic either clashing or combining with Steam. Yet with all this social upheaval, every character has their moment and their own personal struggle or challenge so that it never feels too big or remote. There are lots of threads, but each is given the right amount of attention.
I love a story that's complex enough for the multiple threads to combine seamlessly into a unified whole. This ranks in that category easily. I was happy with every bit of it (how often can you say that?). It looks like there's room for more to be written in this world although this is definitely an ending to the Baskerville Affair. I'll be snatching it up when that happens.
**Received free arc for review
-------------------------------------------
Oct 30, 2013:
Fresh from finishing, I can't think of anything I would change about this book. Full review to come once it's soaked in for a while.
The series is probably not for everyone, but for me it had the perfect blend of genres and elements that I can't resist - a Victorian historical setting, fantasy, mystery, politics, and a romance that doesn't overwhelm the plot. I didn't really have an opinion on Steampunk before reading this trilogy, but I enjoyed the mix of Steam and Magic in this world as well.
Although the middle book was actually a bit too dark for my tastes, A Study in Ashes rises out of that darkness. There's a better balance of despair and hope, and it moves a lot quicker. It doesn't all take place in one small area, and while the characters are on the move, they are also with each other much more than in the previous book.
So much happened in this book that it felt like it ended up in a completely different world, one that is detailed and complex and full of promise. It never got bogged down or slowed. I was completely satisfied with how it all wrapped up. A Study of Ashes was a wonderful read far surpassing the potential I saw at the beginning of the trilogy.
Action abounds in A Study of Ashes. It's not really in the historical mystery category anymore, even with the references to the Hound of Baskerville and cameo appearances by Sherlock Holmes. It has solidly moved into historical fantasy / steampunk adventure, with rebellion, an entire social order collapsing, and magic either clashing or combining with Steam. Yet with all this social upheaval, every character has their moment and their own personal struggle or challenge so that it never feels too big or remote. There are lots of threads, but each is given the right amount of attention.
I love a story that's complex enough for the multiple threads to combine seamlessly into a unified whole. This ranks in that category easily. I was happy with every bit of it (how often can you say that?). It looks like there's room for more to be written in this world although this is definitely an ending to the Baskerville Affair. I'll be snatching it up when that happens.
**Received free arc for review
-------------------------------------------
Oct 30, 2013:
Fresh from finishing, I can't think of anything I would change about this book. Full review to come once it's soaked in for a while.
January 15, 2014
2.5 stars.
It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride with Evalina Cooper and the Baskerville Rebellion, and after a much improved outing with A Study in Darkness, I had high hopes for A Study in Ashes.
Instead, I was disappointed.
We jump forward a year from where we left Evalina. Enrolled in college, leashed by the Gold King, she’s still grieving for Nick and Imogen. Tobias has mostly settled into his role as maker for Keating and is surprised to find he adores his son. The rebellion’s coming to a head. The Steam Council is falling apart.
There’s a lot of ground to cover and a lot of strings to tie up in A Study in Ashes. That’s what made this book a disappointment.
There were parts I enjoyed. I loved how the women of Ashes didn’t wait around to be rescued – Evalina and Imogen often found themselves in situations they managed to get themselves out of. Despite their separation, their friendship is as strong as ever. Poppy is treated as the maturing young lady she is, and I especially liked how Holmes took her seriously, even with his reservations about magic. I was rooting for Nick and Evie to find their happy ever after (and I may have a bit of a crush on the pirate captain).
The story’s biggest flaw, though, is its length. Because of its multiple points of view, resulting in numerous subplots, there’s far too much to tie up in one book, even though the ending leaves room
for more. The pace is quick and tight up until about halfway through, when events take an unexpected,and unnecessary, turn, dragging the second half of the book way down. I struggled to finish it, frankly,
which is why I ended up giving Ashes such a low rating. It would have been a much stronger book had it been shorter. The battle against the Steam Council ultimately takes place over a short period of time, yet drags on. Evalina doesn’t appear on the page for about half of the last half of the book, and Imogen is almost an afterthought by this point.
I like Evalina and would have been interested in reading more of her adventures. But the conclusion of the Baskerville Rebellion was such a letdown, I’ll be hard pressed to want to read anything more.
It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride with Evalina Cooper and the Baskerville Rebellion, and after a much improved outing with A Study in Darkness, I had high hopes for A Study in Ashes.
Instead, I was disappointed.
We jump forward a year from where we left Evalina. Enrolled in college, leashed by the Gold King, she’s still grieving for Nick and Imogen. Tobias has mostly settled into his role as maker for Keating and is surprised to find he adores his son. The rebellion’s coming to a head. The Steam Council is falling apart.
There’s a lot of ground to cover and a lot of strings to tie up in A Study in Ashes. That’s what made this book a disappointment.
There were parts I enjoyed. I loved how the women of Ashes didn’t wait around to be rescued – Evalina and Imogen often found themselves in situations they managed to get themselves out of. Despite their separation, their friendship is as strong as ever. Poppy is treated as the maturing young lady she is, and I especially liked how Holmes took her seriously, even with his reservations about magic. I was rooting for Nick and Evie to find their happy ever after (and I may have a bit of a crush on the pirate captain).
The story’s biggest flaw, though, is its length. Because of its multiple points of view, resulting in numerous subplots, there’s far too much to tie up in one book, even though the ending leaves room
for more. The pace is quick and tight up until about halfway through, when events take an unexpected,and unnecessary, turn, dragging the second half of the book way down. I struggled to finish it, frankly,
which is why I ended up giving Ashes such a low rating. It would have been a much stronger book had it been shorter. The battle against the Steam Council ultimately takes place over a short period of time, yet drags on. Evalina doesn’t appear on the page for about half of the last half of the book, and Imogen is almost an afterthought by this point.
I like Evalina and would have been interested in reading more of her adventures. But the conclusion of the Baskerville Rebellion was such a letdown, I’ll be hard pressed to want to read anything more.
January 20, 2015
A copy of this novel was provided for review via Net Galley.
This book was just too much. There were too many POVs, too many backstories that led absolutely nowhere and did nothing for plot development. There were too many words. There were too many scene settings. There was just too much of this entire novel. I wanted to DNF terribly, but I had already invested so much time in this series that I wanted to know how everything turned out.
And then I'm hit with a semi-ending that just invites more books that I definitely will not be reading. I just feel that the potential of this story was seriously not met. There were just too many turns and not enough mystery, and just too much excess crap that I had absolutely zero interest in reading about. Everything just dragged on and on and on, and I found myself cringing when I had to pick this book up again.
Even Niccolo, my darling saving grace from the first two novels couldn't save A Study in Ashes. I'm afraid it was doomed from the start.
© 2015, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity . All rights reserved.
This book was just too much. There were too many POVs, too many backstories that led absolutely nowhere and did nothing for plot development. There were too many words. There were too many scene settings. There was just too much of this entire novel. I wanted to DNF terribly, but I had already invested so much time in this series that I wanted to know how everything turned out.
And then I'm hit with a semi-ending that just invites more books that I definitely will not be reading. I just feel that the potential of this story was seriously not met. There were just too many turns and not enough mystery, and just too much excess crap that I had absolutely zero interest in reading about. Everything just dragged on and on and on, and I found myself cringing when I had to pick this book up again.
Even Niccolo, my darling saving grace from the first two novels couldn't save A Study in Ashes. I'm afraid it was doomed from the start.
© 2015, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity . All rights reserved.
April 30, 2017
There’s something satisfying and sad when you’ve come to the end of a great series. You’ve invested a lot of your time and attention, getting to know characters and going through all their various adventures and while it’s nice to see how it all came together and ended, there’s a certain sense of loss like you’re saying goodbye to a friend. I suppose the only consolation is that you wouldn’t be feeling like this if the series itself wasn’t as enjoyable as it was.
This third book, A Study In Ashes, rounded out a really great series. The book was able to tie up all that was established in A Study in Silks (book #1) and further developed in A Study in Darkness (book #2), which is actually a lot when you take into consideration all the various characters, their storylines and subplots. Each character, from Evelina to Nick to Tobias to Imogen and even Alice and Poppy, they all had their moment in the spotlight to step up and be a hero in their own rights. Considering this was the third and final installment, it’s expected that this book would have a little more action than the previous books to serve as the payoff to all the built up occurring in the prior installments.
All around the whole series was a joy to read. It was different from what I’ve read before. With Emma Jane Holloway’s great writing and creative take on steampunk and inclusion of a famous detective, her books immersed you into an alternative world of the Victorian era. What made the series and books work was that Holloway was able to play the long game in terms of her story plots. While in some aspects the first book revolved around a standalone storyline, various references were made to a bigger plot that wouldn’t be explained in that one book. And when you read the second book, you see that those points mentioned in the first book is being addressed and expanded, continuing on towards a culmination in the third book. It’s effectiveness comes from Holloway making references to past events that have occurred in the previous installments, which not only keeps you as the reader from forgetting significant events but illustrates continuity within the story and the consequences of previous actions. And considering all the subplots included within the overall bigger plot, I was impressed how Holloway managed to keep them all in line without becoming too convoluted and difficult to follow.
When you combine the creativity, storywise, with the writing and including the drama, action, angst, romance and magic element, The Baskerville Affair series was a unique and engrossing read. Yes, the pacing and tone may seem a bit slow at times (after all it is set in Victorian Era England so I suppose it’s proper?), but somehow it all still works. You know there’s a bigger overall plot web that the characters are all involved in and in one way or another it’s all coming to a head. And actually, with the way this book ended, Holloway left room for her to continue the story for Evelina, Nick, Tobias and the rest. If she does decide to continue it in the future, I would look forward to immersing myself in her version of Victorian England. But in the meantime, I am happy to having just finished this wonderful series of hers.
This third book, A Study In Ashes, rounded out a really great series. The book was able to tie up all that was established in A Study in Silks (book #1) and further developed in A Study in Darkness (book #2), which is actually a lot when you take into consideration all the various characters, their storylines and subplots. Each character, from Evelina to Nick to Tobias to Imogen and even Alice and Poppy, they all had their moment in the spotlight to step up and be a hero in their own rights. Considering this was the third and final installment, it’s expected that this book would have a little more action than the previous books to serve as the payoff to all the built up occurring in the prior installments.
All around the whole series was a joy to read. It was different from what I’ve read before. With Emma Jane Holloway’s great writing and creative take on steampunk and inclusion of a famous detective, her books immersed you into an alternative world of the Victorian era. What made the series and books work was that Holloway was able to play the long game in terms of her story plots. While in some aspects the first book revolved around a standalone storyline, various references were made to a bigger plot that wouldn’t be explained in that one book. And when you read the second book, you see that those points mentioned in the first book is being addressed and expanded, continuing on towards a culmination in the third book. It’s effectiveness comes from Holloway making references to past events that have occurred in the previous installments, which not only keeps you as the reader from forgetting significant events but illustrates continuity within the story and the consequences of previous actions. And considering all the subplots included within the overall bigger plot, I was impressed how Holloway managed to keep them all in line without becoming too convoluted and difficult to follow.
When you combine the creativity, storywise, with the writing and including the drama, action, angst, romance and magic element, The Baskerville Affair series was a unique and engrossing read. Yes, the pacing and tone may seem a bit slow at times (after all it is set in Victorian Era England so I suppose it’s proper?), but somehow it all still works. You know there’s a bigger overall plot web that the characters are all involved in and in one way or another it’s all coming to a head. And actually, with the way this book ended, Holloway left room for her to continue the story for Evelina, Nick, Tobias and the rest. If she does decide to continue it in the future, I would look forward to immersing myself in her version of Victorian England. But in the meantime, I am happy to having just finished this wonderful series of hers.
May 22, 2019
This book struggles a bit to wrap up a lot of characters and plot points, laboring and lengthy in the second half. But I do enjoy many of the characters, and it was good to see them finding a bit of happiness among the turmoil. Plenty of treachery, politics, self-rescuing maidens, and magic. A fun read despite its flaws.
April 19, 2017
*Full Review to Come*
July 13, 2014
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: An addicting conclusion to the Baskerville Affair trilogy, full of action and all the characters I have grown to love.
Opening Sentence: “You are not welcome here,” said the man in the quietly understated brown suit.
The Review:
I was very interested to see how everything was going to get wrapped up in this final installment of The Baskerville Affair. For the most part, I was very satisfied with how everything turned out. While there were some slow moments, this book moved much quicker than book 2, and there was a lot more action, which led to a much more fulfilling reading experience.
Tensions are rising in England. There’s a war brewing among the leaders of the Steam Council, and no one knows who they can trust. Public unrest is also brewing, as the common people grow tired of being ruled by the steam barons. The Schoolmaster and his rebellion are almost ready to make their move. Who will come out on top in the end?
Evelina Cooper has finally reached her dream of going to college, albeit at the expense of remaining under Jasper Keating’s thumb. He’s fitted her with bracelets that hamper her magic. Any attempt to leave the school grounds is met with unimaginable pain emanating from the cuffs. On the bright side, Evelina has made the acquaintance of one professor who actually supports her desire to learn more about science, one Professor Moriarty. But even being able to conduct her own scientific experiments can not ease the restlessness in her heart. She needs to be able to use her magic, but how will she free herself from the bracelets? Will she ever be free of Jasper Keating?
Imogen Roth is in a bit of a pickle, trapped in an unknown dimension, haunted by the spirit of her dead twin, who will do anything to make it back to the land of the living. With the help of Mouse and Bird, Imogen must figure out how to defeat Anna and make it back to the real world and the man she loves.
My favorite parts in the book would probably have to go to those narrated by Poppy, as she tries to figure out what’s happened to Imogen. I had to admire this 15 year old who is forced to confront forces she doesn’t understand in order to save the sister she loves. She knows that people underestimate her, but she doesn’t let that get her down. I really wish we had seen more of her in books one and two. There are a lot of other narrators as well, making it hard to name an official main character. While the title should conceivably go to Evelina, she really isn’t in the book regularly until after the halfway point. I didn’t necessarily think this was a bad thing, but it did feel a little odd.
There is a ton going on here, which is both good and bad. On the good side, it made the book hard to put down and had me wishing there was more time in my lunch hour for me to keep reading. On the down side, when you’re in your third trimester of pregnancy and fighting the urge to sleep all the time, a dense book is not always the easiest thing to read, so it took me a lot longer to read this than normal. Readers should be prepared for a long book that does require concentration.
All in all, this was a very satisfying end to the trilogy. All the unanswered questions I had at the end of book 2 were answered. Some new plot threads are introduced, leaving things open for a potential new series, one that I would be very interested in reading. Those who enjoyed the first two books in this series should find themselves very satisfied with its conclusion!
Notable Scene:
Tobias’ hand was turning cold. A pang of concern caught at her, thinking it was too bad he was worrying over nothing. But then again, the entire room was starting to get chilly–no, downright frozen. Evelina snapped to attention, her own magic suddenly on alert. Wood had stopped talking, but she could still see a faint mist where his breath warmed the air. Who would have thought? Something is here after all. Evelina reached out with her senses, tentatively touching the energy in the room. There were eight normal, healthy presences there, a few burning more brightly than others. So, some of the society members, including Wood and Miss Barnes, probably had a drop of the Blood. Nothing about that was worrisome.
But they were not alone. The darkness in her magic stirred. It wasn’t just hunger; it was the part of her that sensed danger soonest, and it knew instinctively how to fight.
“There is someone here looking for you, Miss Cooper,” Wood said softly. His voice was rounded with a slight lilt, as if he’d come from Cornwall. “The entity says you were looking for her.”
Evelina sucked in her breath, a quick, desperate inhalation. There was only one female she’d been looking for. “Imogen?”
FTC Advisory: Del Rey/Random House provided me with a copy of A Study in Ashes. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: An addicting conclusion to the Baskerville Affair trilogy, full of action and all the characters I have grown to love.
Opening Sentence: “You are not welcome here,” said the man in the quietly understated brown suit.
The Review:
I was very interested to see how everything was going to get wrapped up in this final installment of The Baskerville Affair. For the most part, I was very satisfied with how everything turned out. While there were some slow moments, this book moved much quicker than book 2, and there was a lot more action, which led to a much more fulfilling reading experience.
Tensions are rising in England. There’s a war brewing among the leaders of the Steam Council, and no one knows who they can trust. Public unrest is also brewing, as the common people grow tired of being ruled by the steam barons. The Schoolmaster and his rebellion are almost ready to make their move. Who will come out on top in the end?
Evelina Cooper has finally reached her dream of going to college, albeit at the expense of remaining under Jasper Keating’s thumb. He’s fitted her with bracelets that hamper her magic. Any attempt to leave the school grounds is met with unimaginable pain emanating from the cuffs. On the bright side, Evelina has made the acquaintance of one professor who actually supports her desire to learn more about science, one Professor Moriarty. But even being able to conduct her own scientific experiments can not ease the restlessness in her heart. She needs to be able to use her magic, but how will she free herself from the bracelets? Will she ever be free of Jasper Keating?
Imogen Roth is in a bit of a pickle, trapped in an unknown dimension, haunted by the spirit of her dead twin, who will do anything to make it back to the land of the living. With the help of Mouse and Bird, Imogen must figure out how to defeat Anna and make it back to the real world and the man she loves.
My favorite parts in the book would probably have to go to those narrated by Poppy, as she tries to figure out what’s happened to Imogen. I had to admire this 15 year old who is forced to confront forces she doesn’t understand in order to save the sister she loves. She knows that people underestimate her, but she doesn’t let that get her down. I really wish we had seen more of her in books one and two. There are a lot of other narrators as well, making it hard to name an official main character. While the title should conceivably go to Evelina, she really isn’t in the book regularly until after the halfway point. I didn’t necessarily think this was a bad thing, but it did feel a little odd.
There is a ton going on here, which is both good and bad. On the good side, it made the book hard to put down and had me wishing there was more time in my lunch hour for me to keep reading. On the down side, when you’re in your third trimester of pregnancy and fighting the urge to sleep all the time, a dense book is not always the easiest thing to read, so it took me a lot longer to read this than normal. Readers should be prepared for a long book that does require concentration.
All in all, this was a very satisfying end to the trilogy. All the unanswered questions I had at the end of book 2 were answered. Some new plot threads are introduced, leaving things open for a potential new series, one that I would be very interested in reading. Those who enjoyed the first two books in this series should find themselves very satisfied with its conclusion!
Notable Scene:
Tobias’ hand was turning cold. A pang of concern caught at her, thinking it was too bad he was worrying over nothing. But then again, the entire room was starting to get chilly–no, downright frozen. Evelina snapped to attention, her own magic suddenly on alert. Wood had stopped talking, but she could still see a faint mist where his breath warmed the air. Who would have thought? Something is here after all. Evelina reached out with her senses, tentatively touching the energy in the room. There were eight normal, healthy presences there, a few burning more brightly than others. So, some of the society members, including Wood and Miss Barnes, probably had a drop of the Blood. Nothing about that was worrisome.
But they were not alone. The darkness in her magic stirred. It wasn’t just hunger; it was the part of her that sensed danger soonest, and it knew instinctively how to fight.
“There is someone here looking for you, Miss Cooper,” Wood said softly. His voice was rounded with a slight lilt, as if he’d come from Cornwall. “The entity says you were looking for her.”
Evelina sucked in her breath, a quick, desperate inhalation. There was only one female she’d been looking for. “Imogen?”
FTC Advisory: Del Rey/Random House provided me with a copy of A Study in Ashes. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
January 2, 2014
I got a copy of this book to review through NetGalley. I have absolutely loved this series so far and this book was no exception. It was the best book of the series and just absolutely wonderful.
Evie is at University studying like she’s always wanted, but she’s not getting to study what she wants and she is still the pawn of the Gold King and trapped at the University by the magical bracelets she is forced to wear. Nick is missing and presumed dead. Tobias is also ensnared in the Gold King’s trap and is stuck working as his Maker. Imogen remains in a coma and undergoes a frightful journey of her own to escape the imprisonment of her soul. The Baskerville affair is finally starting to reveal itself and leads to an awesome final showdown between the leaders of the Baskerville affair and the Steam Barons.
Wow...this was a wonderful series. It’s full of gadgets, magic, intrigue, mystery, action, adventure, and a bit of romance. I loved it. This is a long book, but it never lags...it was impossible to put down and was just a wonderful read. There are so many mysteries revealed. We finally learn what the Baskerville Affair is and who the Schoolmaster is.
Evie goes through a lot of changes in this book and some of them are pretty dark. She ends up having to use the dark side of her magic in a big way to survive. And man when Evie goes dark she does it all the way. I was amazed at how much she changes and how she ends up balancing everything in the end. I also loved that there isn’t a love triangle anymore, all of that is resolved in the second book. Evie loves Nick and Nick loves her and that is that.
Tobias features a lot in the story. He has moved on with his life as well and is trying to make a life with Alice. I do wish Alice had featured in the book a bit more, I love her character as well. Anyway, Tobias is the Gold King’s maker and torn between protecting his family by doing what the Gold King wants and helping the rebellion. Tobias walks a fine line and does it fairly well.
Imogen also features a lot in the story but it a totally different way. She is in a coma for most of the book and is fighting in a different place to free her soul. I won’t say too much about this except to say that Imogen ends up having a tough streak that I never knew about before and faces some truly scary scenarios.
We also learn a lot more about the different Steam Barons in this book. The Blue Baron, Violet Baron, and Scarlet Barons are all in the story a lot. However, the best part of the whole book is when we get to meet the Black Kingdom leader. The Black Kingdom has long remained a mystery, but finally that mystery is unveiled and it is more awesome that I could have imagined….I loved it!
Of course there is the epic final battle between the Steam Barons and the rebellion. This was full of delightful gadgets and truly awful inventions, it was fantastic.
My only complaint is that there are some things that aren’t wrapped up all that well. For example Tobias and Imogen both have a lot of loose ends. Then the way things end with Evie and Nick is just begging for more adventurous stories about the two. There are so many side characters that I want to read more about!
Overall an absolutely wonderful read, I adored this whole steampunk series. It was epic in proportions, had some humor, was complex, had wonderful world-building, excellent characterization and was just wonderfully done. I really can’t recommend it highly enough, as a series it was one of the most fantastic reads of the year for me. It was just beautifully written and finely crafted and just perfect.
Evie is at University studying like she’s always wanted, but she’s not getting to study what she wants and she is still the pawn of the Gold King and trapped at the University by the magical bracelets she is forced to wear. Nick is missing and presumed dead. Tobias is also ensnared in the Gold King’s trap and is stuck working as his Maker. Imogen remains in a coma and undergoes a frightful journey of her own to escape the imprisonment of her soul. The Baskerville affair is finally starting to reveal itself and leads to an awesome final showdown between the leaders of the Baskerville affair and the Steam Barons.
Wow...this was a wonderful series. It’s full of gadgets, magic, intrigue, mystery, action, adventure, and a bit of romance. I loved it. This is a long book, but it never lags...it was impossible to put down and was just a wonderful read. There are so many mysteries revealed. We finally learn what the Baskerville Affair is and who the Schoolmaster is.
Evie goes through a lot of changes in this book and some of them are pretty dark. She ends up having to use the dark side of her magic in a big way to survive. And man when Evie goes dark she does it all the way. I was amazed at how much she changes and how she ends up balancing everything in the end. I also loved that there isn’t a love triangle anymore, all of that is resolved in the second book. Evie loves Nick and Nick loves her and that is that.
Tobias features a lot in the story. He has moved on with his life as well and is trying to make a life with Alice. I do wish Alice had featured in the book a bit more, I love her character as well. Anyway, Tobias is the Gold King’s maker and torn between protecting his family by doing what the Gold King wants and helping the rebellion. Tobias walks a fine line and does it fairly well.
Imogen also features a lot in the story but it a totally different way. She is in a coma for most of the book and is fighting in a different place to free her soul. I won’t say too much about this except to say that Imogen ends up having a tough streak that I never knew about before and faces some truly scary scenarios.
We also learn a lot more about the different Steam Barons in this book. The Blue Baron, Violet Baron, and Scarlet Barons are all in the story a lot. However, the best part of the whole book is when we get to meet the Black Kingdom leader. The Black Kingdom has long remained a mystery, but finally that mystery is unveiled and it is more awesome that I could have imagined….I loved it!
Of course there is the epic final battle between the Steam Barons and the rebellion. This was full of delightful gadgets and truly awful inventions, it was fantastic.
My only complaint is that there are some things that aren’t wrapped up all that well. For example Tobias and Imogen both have a lot of loose ends. Then the way things end with Evie and Nick is just begging for more adventurous stories about the two. There are so many side characters that I want to read more about!
Overall an absolutely wonderful read, I adored this whole steampunk series. It was epic in proportions, had some humor, was complex, had wonderful world-building, excellent characterization and was just wonderfully done. I really can’t recommend it highly enough, as a series it was one of the most fantastic reads of the year for me. It was just beautifully written and finely crafted and just perfect.
December 19, 2013
*Genre* Steampunk, Alternative Historical Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*My thoughts*
A Study in Ashes is the third installment in The Baskerville Affair. Like any good high fantasy novel, Ashes is filled with characters who you can't just ignore because there are too many points of view. Although the book is centered around Sherlock Holmes niece Evelina Cooper, it is characters like Nick, Tobias Roth, Prince Edmond, Poppy, Imogen, Alice and yes, even Sherlock and Dr. Holmes that you need to pay attention to or you end up missing out on important hints of what is too happen next.
A Study in Ashes finds Evelina at the university where she has become intertwined, (basically a slave) to the Gold King Jasper Keating after making a fateful decision at the end of A Study in Darkness and forcing her to wear silver bracelets that restrict her movements. Having made her bed, it is time for Evelina to focus not only on her studies, but also a way to understand her magical gifts she's been born with. Evelina finds herself the object of a character that readers of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries have come to know if Professor Moriarty. The one concern for Evie this entire series has been her inner darkness that has been cultivated by Magnus to the point where she doesn't know if she can hold onto her true self or not.
Yet, the story isnt' fully centered on the shoulders of Evelina. Imogen Roth along with Evelina's creation mouse and bird, has her own terrifying adventure. I think the one character that I really enjoyed reading about was 15 year old Poppy Roth. Poppy is headstrong, determined, unwilling to give up on Imogen, and understands more about life that anyone gives her credit for. Her adventures with Alice Keating-Roth really made for an interesting an enjoyable story. I think Poppy is the future of the Roth family and it would have been interesting to peek in on her in a few years to see what other adventures she gets involved in.
Ashes cumulates with a knock down battle between the Steam Council and Prince Edmonds rebellion to take back England. I think readers will find the battle agreeable and abrupt. With Silk being 672 pages in length, I was worried that the final installment would trim down some of the storylines. I am kind of sad at the ending of Ashes with how Evelina and Sherlock leave things. While I agree it is time for Evie to get on with her own life, it would have been nice to have one final adventure that she could have shared with Sherlock and Dr. Watson.
A Study in Ashes leaves more than a few questions especially about the fate of Professor Moriarty, and Tobias Roth. What will happen to Evie and Nick now that they have a new job? What will happen with Sherlock and his concerns about the Dark Kingdom? I would hope that Holloway would have another story put away for another time so that we can wrap up this series in a tight little bow instead of leaving unanswered questions.
09/13/2013 Recvd via NetGalley - Expected publication: December 31st 2013 by Del Rey
*Rating* 3.5-4
*My thoughts*
A Study in Ashes is the third installment in The Baskerville Affair. Like any good high fantasy novel, Ashes is filled with characters who you can't just ignore because there are too many points of view. Although the book is centered around Sherlock Holmes niece Evelina Cooper, it is characters like Nick, Tobias Roth, Prince Edmond, Poppy, Imogen, Alice and yes, even Sherlock and Dr. Holmes that you need to pay attention to or you end up missing out on important hints of what is too happen next.
A Study in Ashes finds Evelina at the university where she has become intertwined, (basically a slave) to the Gold King Jasper Keating after making a fateful decision at the end of A Study in Darkness and forcing her to wear silver bracelets that restrict her movements. Having made her bed, it is time for Evelina to focus not only on her studies, but also a way to understand her magical gifts she's been born with. Evelina finds herself the object of a character that readers of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries have come to know if Professor Moriarty. The one concern for Evie this entire series has been her inner darkness that has been cultivated by Magnus to the point where she doesn't know if she can hold onto her true self or not.
Yet, the story isnt' fully centered on the shoulders of Evelina. Imogen Roth along with Evelina's creation mouse and bird, has her own terrifying adventure. I think the one character that I really enjoyed reading about was 15 year old Poppy Roth. Poppy is headstrong, determined, unwilling to give up on Imogen, and understands more about life that anyone gives her credit for. Her adventures with Alice Keating-Roth really made for an interesting an enjoyable story. I think Poppy is the future of the Roth family and it would have been interesting to peek in on her in a few years to see what other adventures she gets involved in.
Ashes cumulates with a knock down battle between the Steam Council and Prince Edmonds rebellion to take back England. I think readers will find the battle agreeable and abrupt. With Silk being 672 pages in length, I was worried that the final installment would trim down some of the storylines. I am kind of sad at the ending of Ashes with how Evelina and Sherlock leave things. While I agree it is time for Evie to get on with her own life, it would have been nice to have one final adventure that she could have shared with Sherlock and Dr. Watson.
A Study in Ashes leaves more than a few questions especially about the fate of Professor Moriarty, and Tobias Roth. What will happen to Evie and Nick now that they have a new job? What will happen with Sherlock and his concerns about the Dark Kingdom? I would hope that Holloway would have another story put away for another time so that we can wrap up this series in a tight little bow instead of leaving unanswered questions.
09/13/2013 Recvd via NetGalley - Expected publication: December 31st 2013 by Del Rey
July 22, 2016
Review from Backchatting Books
"A Study in Ashes" is a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Evelina Cooper, Sherlock Holmes’ niece is grappling with the steam barons while Niccolo the pirate captain is getting involved with rebels and Imogen grapples with a doppelgänger. As you can see an awful lot happens within these covers and Holloway has to work hard to pull these disparate threads together.
Evie gets to study like she always wanted but she wasn’t expecting to have to do it while wearing handcuffs courtesy of the Gold King. Naturally she manages to escape but she ends up in even more trouble then she was before. She goes undercover and while she intended to study dark magic in order to reach her potential, it threatens to engulf her. It also has her working alongside an old foe and a very creepy creature. She is isolated from those she cares about for much of the novel making it harder therefore to resist the dark side.
Niccolo is suitably dashing and good in a fight. He acted as a foil for Evie in the first book so I’m glad that he really came into his own and played such a large role in the final showdown. Niccolo never had the same internal struggles that Tobias had so in some ways his journey was easier. Tobias has to juggle his loyalties to his family, wife Alice and the Gold King and to be honest, he makes rather a hash of it. Lots of pages are dedicated to the steam barons which was fascinating in itself but the identity of the Black Baron was a real shock. I rather enjoyed reading how these morally bankrupt individuals met their fate.
I think the plot could have been improved if Imogen’s journey was reduced (even though it was interesting) as there were simply too many elements that fought for my attention. The pace slows down while Evie is in training mode but it picks up again for a rollicking climax. The ending is well executed with the door left open in case Holloway wants to write another novel.
Please don’t attempt to read this book without having read the first two as you will be incredibly confused. All three were highly enjoyable with the second and third being much darker in tone than the first.
*I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
"A Study in Ashes" is a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Evelina Cooper, Sherlock Holmes’ niece is grappling with the steam barons while Niccolo the pirate captain is getting involved with rebels and Imogen grapples with a doppelgänger. As you can see an awful lot happens within these covers and Holloway has to work hard to pull these disparate threads together.
Evie gets to study like she always wanted but she wasn’t expecting to have to do it while wearing handcuffs courtesy of the Gold King. Naturally she manages to escape but she ends up in even more trouble then she was before. She goes undercover and while she intended to study dark magic in order to reach her potential, it threatens to engulf her. It also has her working alongside an old foe and a very creepy creature. She is isolated from those she cares about for much of the novel making it harder therefore to resist the dark side.
Niccolo is suitably dashing and good in a fight. He acted as a foil for Evie in the first book so I’m glad that he really came into his own and played such a large role in the final showdown. Niccolo never had the same internal struggles that Tobias had so in some ways his journey was easier. Tobias has to juggle his loyalties to his family, wife Alice and the Gold King and to be honest, he makes rather a hash of it. Lots of pages are dedicated to the steam barons which was fascinating in itself but the identity of the Black Baron was a real shock. I rather enjoyed reading how these morally bankrupt individuals met their fate.
I think the plot could have been improved if Imogen’s journey was reduced (even though it was interesting) as there were simply too many elements that fought for my attention. The pace slows down while Evie is in training mode but it picks up again for a rollicking climax. The ending is well executed with the door left open in case Holloway wants to write another novel.
Please don’t attempt to read this book without having read the first two as you will be incredibly confused. All three were highly enjoyable with the second and third being much darker in tone than the first.
*I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
December 17, 2014
I really liked this series, and I think this book was the crowning glory! I'm not sure how I feel about the steampunk/fantasy/mystery genre (is that a thing?) but I'm willing to try about anything and this was well done.
The thing I realized about this book while I was reading it is that along with being steampunk/fantasy/mystery, it was also a bit dystopian. It was set in a parallel universe where the government was ruled by corrupt steam barons and the whole series had been leading toward revolution. This book finally saw it happen. Unlike most typical dystopian books I've read, this one was actually good and had a satisfying ending! So many dystopian novels (or series, I should say) feel disjointed to me. Like the author has a good idea but doesn't know how to solve the problems she or he creates for the interesting setting. But I felt like this book actually resolved things very well and answered all of the important questions about the future! It tied up loose ends well but also left the possibility for a sequel or offshoot series. There were parts at the end where I felt like we were going down rabbit trails but I think that was the author's way of tying everything together that she had introduced. I really appreciated the sense I got that this author actually planned out her whole series before she started writing it. (Yes, Hunger Games and Divergent, that's a dig at you.) And it worked.
The one thing I would have liked was a bit more about what Holmes and Watson were doing during the revolution and less about the sister, Poppy, and her quest. I liked the introduction of Poppy as a character but her quest to find the boy was kind of pointless. I felt like the first half of this book had more about Holmes than the first two in the series and then, suddenly, he was gone as a character until the end. So a bit more balance there would have been nice. But all in all, I really liked it! Great job introducing plots and being able to see them through, Ms. Holloway.
I got the first two books in this series from the library and I was on the waiting list for this one. I decided I couldn't wait and I actually bought it on my Kindle. I love the library and I'm super cheap so I'm not sure if there is higher praise--this book is worth buying!
The thing I realized about this book while I was reading it is that along with being steampunk/fantasy/mystery, it was also a bit dystopian. It was set in a parallel universe where the government was ruled by corrupt steam barons and the whole series had been leading toward revolution. This book finally saw it happen. Unlike most typical dystopian books I've read, this one was actually good and had a satisfying ending! So many dystopian novels (or series, I should say) feel disjointed to me. Like the author has a good idea but doesn't know how to solve the problems she or he creates for the interesting setting. But I felt like this book actually resolved things very well and answered all of the important questions about the future! It tied up loose ends well but also left the possibility for a sequel or offshoot series. There were parts at the end where I felt like we were going down rabbit trails but I think that was the author's way of tying everything together that she had introduced. I really appreciated the sense I got that this author actually planned out her whole series before she started writing it. (Yes, Hunger Games and Divergent, that's a dig at you.) And it worked.
The one thing I would have liked was a bit more about what Holmes and Watson were doing during the revolution and less about the sister, Poppy, and her quest. I liked the introduction of Poppy as a character but her quest to find the boy was kind of pointless. I felt like the first half of this book had more about Holmes than the first two in the series and then, suddenly, he was gone as a character until the end. So a bit more balance there would have been nice. But all in all, I really liked it! Great job introducing plots and being able to see them through, Ms. Holloway.
I got the first two books in this series from the library and I was on the waiting list for this one. I decided I couldn't wait and I actually bought it on my Kindle. I love the library and I'm super cheap so I'm not sure if there is higher praise--this book is worth buying!
September 25, 2013
I thought this was going to be a trilogy, but A Study in Ashes leaves the door open for more. I suspect the focus will be different, perhaps on the repercussions concerning Tobias Roth and Alice.
A Study in Silk introduced Evelina Cooper, niece of Sherlock Holmes and practitioner of magic. Reviewed here.
A Study in Darkness is certainly a darker book and continues the adventures of Evelina, Nick, Imogen, and Tobias. Reviewed here.
A Study in Ashes finally resolves The Baskerville Affair.
What I liked: the interesting take on Holmes' The Hound of the Baskervilles; the school teacher's character development; the introduction of the sinister Moriarty.
On the other hand, I had some serious reservations with this last book.
As this series continued, it did get darker and more sinister, but the darkness was not necessarily an improvement as it was too unremitting--too much about the evil characters and not enough about the good ones. The light touch in A Study in Silk was a pleasure that worked with the good vs evil theme and shouldn't have been abandoned so completely.
--The Magnus arc was unnecessary and so rushed that it served more as distraction than resolution within the major story line.
--The steampunk elements overcame the narrative in the very lengthy section about the war.
--In my opinion, the Imogen plot shouldn't have happened. She deserved a larger role based on the first novel, but not this role.
The end was followed by another section that felt like the end...and so on.
I really enjoyed the first book, but felt let down by this one.
NetGalley/Random House/Del Rey Spectra
Steampunk/Paranormal. Dec. 31, 2013. Print version: 352 pages.
A Study in Silk introduced Evelina Cooper, niece of Sherlock Holmes and practitioner of magic. Reviewed here.
A Study in Darkness is certainly a darker book and continues the adventures of Evelina, Nick, Imogen, and Tobias. Reviewed here.
A Study in Ashes finally resolves The Baskerville Affair.
What I liked: the interesting take on Holmes' The Hound of the Baskervilles; the school teacher's character development; the introduction of the sinister Moriarty.
On the other hand, I had some serious reservations with this last book.
As this series continued, it did get darker and more sinister, but the darkness was not necessarily an improvement as it was too unremitting--too much about the evil characters and not enough about the good ones. The light touch in A Study in Silk was a pleasure that worked with the good vs evil theme and shouldn't have been abandoned so completely.
--The Magnus arc was unnecessary and so rushed that it served more as distraction than resolution within the major story line.
--The steampunk elements overcame the narrative in the very lengthy section about the war.
--In my opinion, the Imogen plot shouldn't have happened. She deserved a larger role based on the first novel, but not this role.
The end was followed by another section that felt like the end...and so on.
I really enjoyed the first book, but felt let down by this one.
NetGalley/Random House/Del Rey Spectra
Steampunk/Paranormal. Dec. 31, 2013. Print version: 352 pages.
October 15, 2013
For love of the heart, love of friends, family and country, this novel uses the full spectrum of emotions from a dark opening through to a new dawn of hope and triumph, with shades of loss permeating.
Nicks's ship went down in ashes as Evelina asked him to help rescue her best friend, Imogen. Her bargain to serve the Gold king is he would spare Nick's life was sealed even though Nick was lost. We open this book bleak, Evelina is still mourning the loss of her love. She is also staggered by her friend Imogen's nearly lifeless state. At the time of her twin's death, Imogen became unresponsive -- she is alive but her soul is elsewhere.
Evelina is enrolled in college, but trapped in its confines. She is magically handcuffed by the Gold King, her "patron" Steam Baron. Her uncle, Sherlock Holmes, is working on getting her off campus as part of a larger scheme to free her. Holmes is working with the rebels and a war is imminent. The Baskerville Affair will put a new government in place, backed by Queen Victoria and the mysterious Professor.
Evelina helps destroy the labs that experiment on witches and do many other terrible things. Only, in the aftermath, she is abducted by Magnus -- who, once again, has escaped death. He leads her into more dark magic. But Magnus may not be the only one who has cheated death!
As for Imogen, before all is done, an epic struggle for her survival will take place.
Tobias, the Gold King's Maker at last recognizes not only his love for his son, but also for his (until-now, avoided) wife, the Gold King's daughter. He begins to see the love they can share.
And in the aftermath of war, the underground's King awakens. The world may never be the same for any of our friends and heroes.
Nicks's ship went down in ashes as Evelina asked him to help rescue her best friend, Imogen. Her bargain to serve the Gold king is he would spare Nick's life was sealed even though Nick was lost. We open this book bleak, Evelina is still mourning the loss of her love. She is also staggered by her friend Imogen's nearly lifeless state. At the time of her twin's death, Imogen became unresponsive -- she is alive but her soul is elsewhere.
Evelina is enrolled in college, but trapped in its confines. She is magically handcuffed by the Gold King, her "patron" Steam Baron. Her uncle, Sherlock Holmes, is working on getting her off campus as part of a larger scheme to free her. Holmes is working with the rebels and a war is imminent. The Baskerville Affair will put a new government in place, backed by Queen Victoria and the mysterious Professor.
Evelina helps destroy the labs that experiment on witches and do many other terrible things. Only, in the aftermath, she is abducted by Magnus -- who, once again, has escaped death. He leads her into more dark magic. But Magnus may not be the only one who has cheated death!
As for Imogen, before all is done, an epic struggle for her survival will take place.
Tobias, the Gold King's Maker at last recognizes not only his love for his son, but also for his (until-now, avoided) wife, the Gold King's daughter. He begins to see the love they can share.
And in the aftermath of war, the underground's King awakens. The world may never be the same for any of our friends and heroes.
November 26, 2025
The war is coming, and nothing can stop it. It is a struggle for control, and the steam barons are grabbing for power. Magic, explosions, love, and heartbreak crash around our Baskerville Affair friend,s and Emma Jane Holloway once again takes us for a brilliant adventure.
I love this series and have been hooked from book one.
In A Study in Ashes, are characters are all struggling for survival in a world that has been turned upside down. Many of the scenes have our favorite friends separated and fighting their tormentors individually. Can they unite in time to beat the steam barons, and which steam baron will come out on top?
Not much sleuthing and detective skills are used in this installment, but lots of loose ends are tied up nicely. Holloway could end this series with this book, but the new possibilities are amazing...the revelations, incredible new twists, and my need for more hope, this isn't the case.
A Study In Ashes pulls out all the big guns in this fabulous Steampunk adventure.
I received this ARC copy of A Study in Ashes from Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey Spectra in exchange for an honest review. This book is set for publication on December 31, 2013.
I love this series and have been hooked from book one.
In A Study in Ashes, are characters are all struggling for survival in a world that has been turned upside down. Many of the scenes have our favorite friends separated and fighting their tormentors individually. Can they unite in time to beat the steam barons, and which steam baron will come out on top?
Not much sleuthing and detective skills are used in this installment, but lots of loose ends are tied up nicely. Holloway could end this series with this book, but the new possibilities are amazing...the revelations, incredible new twists, and my need for more hope, this isn't the case.
A Study In Ashes pulls out all the big guns in this fabulous Steampunk adventure.
I received this ARC copy of A Study in Ashes from Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey Spectra in exchange for an honest review. This book is set for publication on December 31, 2013.
September 5, 2013
Third and last installment of the series (for now) "The Baskerville Affair", all settles down, all the characters go back in the limelight, good and bad, and some who forsake forever, or maybe. Evelina has her moments of glory, as well as Niccoló and Tobias and all the various actors. As for the other books, although this is one of the best along with the second, I would have liked a hundred pages less but this is still one of the best trilogies steampunk of the year.
Terzo e per ora ultimo capitolo della serie The Baskerville Affair, tutti i nodi tornano al pettine, tutti i personaggi tornano alla ribalta, buoni e cattivi, ed alcuni l'abbandonano per sempre, o forse. Evelina ha i suoi momenti di gloria, come anche Niccoló e Tobias e tutti i vari comprimari. Come anche per gli altri libri, nonostante questo sia tra i migliori assieme al secondo, avrei fatto volentieri a meno di un centinaio di pagine resta comunque una delle migliori trilogie steampunk dell'anno.
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND RANDOM HOUSE PUBLISHING GROUP - DEL REY SPECTRA FOR THE PREVIEW!
Terzo e per ora ultimo capitolo della serie The Baskerville Affair, tutti i nodi tornano al pettine, tutti i personaggi tornano alla ribalta, buoni e cattivi, ed alcuni l'abbandonano per sempre, o forse. Evelina ha i suoi momenti di gloria, come anche Niccoló e Tobias e tutti i vari comprimari. Come anche per gli altri libri, nonostante questo sia tra i migliori assieme al secondo, avrei fatto volentieri a meno di un centinaio di pagine resta comunque una delle migliori trilogie steampunk dell'anno.
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND RANDOM HOUSE PUBLISHING GROUP - DEL REY SPECTRA FOR THE PREVIEW!
June 9, 2016
It took me a while, but I read all three books in this trilogy. It is well worth the time it took. The story is a wonderful read, and I am looking forward to more books on the adventures of Evelina and Nick.
January 7, 2015
Really enjoyed this series. Very imaginative.
October 25, 2015
Although this could be the end, I hope it's not. The not totally surprising rise of the new Black King begs another novel. Or at least a spin off series.
November 10, 2016
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series (4 stars each) but this one was slow and boring. Quite a disappointment.
January 9, 2014
4.5 Stars. A year has passed since the events that unfolded at the end of A Study in Darkness changed Evelina Cooper's world forever. Left emotionally gutted by the loss of her pirate-love Nick, the disaster that left her best friend, Imogen, in a coma-like state, and captive to the steam baron Jasper Keating's every whim, Evelina's once bright future has dimmed beyond recognition. Held captive to the grounds of the Ladies' College, Evelina chafes at Keating's restraints even as she despairs of ever escaping his clutches -- and worst of all, even if she did, without Nick and Imogen the idea of a future free from Keating's machinations holds little appeal. But her uncle, the ever-resourceful Sherlock Holmes, refuses to accept the idea that Evelina's life is forever sacrificed in service to a ruthless steam baron. When he's approached by Imogen's younger sister, Poppy, the girl desperate to find a cure to restore the soul to her sister's lifeless form, he sets in motion a daring plan to free his niece from Keating's clutches, once again able to use her magical abilities without fear and with the hope of seeing her friend restored.
But there is more afoot than Keating's desire to become first among the steam barons, using Evelina's gifts to wed magic to machines. Queen Victoria's last heir lies close to death, and rumors of poison and a son, long-hidden as insurance against the barons' schemes for absolute power come to light, and as those rumors spread the embers of rebellion fan into a flame. The people rally to the cry of "Baskerville!" and a mysterious Schoolmaster with an enigmatic smile and a charismatic spirit emerges as the movement's leader, gathering to him the disaffected and persecuted, makers and average citizens alike, bound together by the common hunger for freedom. While Evelina, in her bid for freedom, finds herself recruited to the Baskerville cause, her one-time love Tobias dances on the edge of a precipice, torn between protecting his new family or the danger that will come if he sacrifices security for principles. And deep within an enchanted long-case clock, and the hell that is one of the Scarlet King's prisons, two souls once thought lost forever make their own desperate bids for freedom. As rebel forces descend on London, Evelina and her friends risk everything to see themselves and their country freed forever from the steam barons' iron grasp -- but the marriage of magic and machine is dangerously unpredictable, and unless Evelina can come to terms with her power and potential, all may yet be lost to new enemies and new threats, wilier still than the steam barons of old.
Emma Jane Holloway's Baskerville trilogy has been a glorious surprise, each volume an improvement in showcasing her seemingly boundless imagination, world-building, and gift for penning heartfelt, memorable characters. Here everything -- and I mean literally EVERYTHING -- comes full circle with nary a thread to my remembrance dropped in error, resulting in a wholly satisfying, occasionally heart-wrenching, conclusion to Evelina's story. But by now this trilogy is about so much more than Evelina and her quest to unite the dual halves of her personality, the mechanical and the magical. Her friends and enemies each take their turn stealing center stage, becoming heroes in their own right or deliciously irredeemable villains one loves to hate.
This is at once both Holloway's greatest strength, delivering a satisfying conclusion for her fans, but also illustrative of the series' greatest weakness. Holloway isn't afraid of going big and reaching for the stars when it comes to her storytelling, and here she goes bigger than ever before, delivering a conclusion to her steampunk version of Sherlock's London that is grander and more ambitious in scope than anything that's come before -- but it's also over a hundred pages longer than each of the previous two volumes. Now I pretty much adored this book and love this series, but I can't help but feel that with some careful editing, allowing for more seamless transitions between the different points-of-view and varied story threads that this volume of the trilogy would've been even more pulse-pounding and exhilarating.
More than ever before here Holloway dives deep into the lives of her supporting characters -- Toby, Imogen, and now Poppy, the latter little more than set dressing until circumstances here allowed her to shine and reveal her spark. I loved Poppy's moxie, her desperation to save her sister and her bravery in defying her father's expectations. Until the end of A Study in Darkness, Poppy's older, frailer sister Imogen was overshadowed by Evelina. But here -- separated from not only those she loves but her very body, forced to confront evil personified in the form of her insane twin, Imogen becomes a heroine in her own right. Her chapters have the flavor of a steampunk version of Alice in Wonderland, and I loved the charm of her love story with toymaker Bucky Penner. The final Roth sibling, Tobias, broke my heart here. The charming rake has become a man divided, tormented by his choices and desperately seeking redemption -- and in a bold move (hopefully the set-up for a sequel series) he becomes a force to be reckoned with.
I loved how Holloway wove nods to the original The Hound of the Baskervilles story throughout Evelina's story arc, an association only hinted at in the first two volumes coming full circle here. While I've enjoyed seeing Holloway play a bit fast and loose with the Holmes canon in the first two books, I was completely entertained by her take Doyle's classic novel. Given the scientific nature of her steampunk world, I also have to wonder if her version of the famous hound's origin story was in any way influenced by the Sherlock episode The Hounds of Baskerville as there are one or two fascinating parallels that could be drawn between the two. As the tipping point for revolution, precipitating Evelina's own crisis of conscience regarding light and dark magic, the revelation of every detail concerning the multi-layered Baskerville plotline is a rewarding experience for both fans of Sherlock and high adventure.
A Study in Ashes overflows with Holloway's signature humor and apparently boundless imagination. While I do think this would be an even stronger conclusion if it was somewhat shorter in length, I cannot deny that I was nevertheless enthralled by Holloway's spectacular conclusion to the infamous Baskerville Affair. This trilogy has become so much more than just Evelina's story by this point, and the scope and spectacle of this final act is a breathtaking entertainment on all fronts. The stakes are high, and be forewarned -- Holloway is an author who isn't afraid to break a reader's heart -- but the rewards are worth it. The magic, romance, and mystery of the first volumes come full circle, leaving me desperate for a sequel series -- because there just has to be a sequel series. PLEASE?! :) A Study in Ashes is very well-done, a journey worth the wait and a one I'm thrilled to have experienced.
But there is more afoot than Keating's desire to become first among the steam barons, using Evelina's gifts to wed magic to machines. Queen Victoria's last heir lies close to death, and rumors of poison and a son, long-hidden as insurance against the barons' schemes for absolute power come to light, and as those rumors spread the embers of rebellion fan into a flame. The people rally to the cry of "Baskerville!" and a mysterious Schoolmaster with an enigmatic smile and a charismatic spirit emerges as the movement's leader, gathering to him the disaffected and persecuted, makers and average citizens alike, bound together by the common hunger for freedom. While Evelina, in her bid for freedom, finds herself recruited to the Baskerville cause, her one-time love Tobias dances on the edge of a precipice, torn between protecting his new family or the danger that will come if he sacrifices security for principles. And deep within an enchanted long-case clock, and the hell that is one of the Scarlet King's prisons, two souls once thought lost forever make their own desperate bids for freedom. As rebel forces descend on London, Evelina and her friends risk everything to see themselves and their country freed forever from the steam barons' iron grasp -- but the marriage of magic and machine is dangerously unpredictable, and unless Evelina can come to terms with her power and potential, all may yet be lost to new enemies and new threats, wilier still than the steam barons of old.
Emma Jane Holloway's Baskerville trilogy has been a glorious surprise, each volume an improvement in showcasing her seemingly boundless imagination, world-building, and gift for penning heartfelt, memorable characters. Here everything -- and I mean literally EVERYTHING -- comes full circle with nary a thread to my remembrance dropped in error, resulting in a wholly satisfying, occasionally heart-wrenching, conclusion to Evelina's story. But by now this trilogy is about so much more than Evelina and her quest to unite the dual halves of her personality, the mechanical and the magical. Her friends and enemies each take their turn stealing center stage, becoming heroes in their own right or deliciously irredeemable villains one loves to hate.
This is at once both Holloway's greatest strength, delivering a satisfying conclusion for her fans, but also illustrative of the series' greatest weakness. Holloway isn't afraid of going big and reaching for the stars when it comes to her storytelling, and here she goes bigger than ever before, delivering a conclusion to her steampunk version of Sherlock's London that is grander and more ambitious in scope than anything that's come before -- but it's also over a hundred pages longer than each of the previous two volumes. Now I pretty much adored this book and love this series, but I can't help but feel that with some careful editing, allowing for more seamless transitions between the different points-of-view and varied story threads that this volume of the trilogy would've been even more pulse-pounding and exhilarating.
More than ever before here Holloway dives deep into the lives of her supporting characters -- Toby, Imogen, and now Poppy, the latter little more than set dressing until circumstances here allowed her to shine and reveal her spark. I loved Poppy's moxie, her desperation to save her sister and her bravery in defying her father's expectations. Until the end of A Study in Darkness, Poppy's older, frailer sister Imogen was overshadowed by Evelina. But here -- separated from not only those she loves but her very body, forced to confront evil personified in the form of her insane twin, Imogen becomes a heroine in her own right. Her chapters have the flavor of a steampunk version of Alice in Wonderland, and I loved the charm of her love story with toymaker Bucky Penner. The final Roth sibling, Tobias, broke my heart here. The charming rake has become a man divided, tormented by his choices and desperately seeking redemption -- and in a bold move (hopefully the set-up for a sequel series) he becomes a force to be reckoned with.
I loved how Holloway wove nods to the original The Hound of the Baskervilles story throughout Evelina's story arc, an association only hinted at in the first two volumes coming full circle here. While I've enjoyed seeing Holloway play a bit fast and loose with the Holmes canon in the first two books, I was completely entertained by her take Doyle's classic novel. Given the scientific nature of her steampunk world, I also have to wonder if her version of the famous hound's origin story was in any way influenced by the Sherlock episode The Hounds of Baskerville as there are one or two fascinating parallels that could be drawn between the two. As the tipping point for revolution, precipitating Evelina's own crisis of conscience regarding light and dark magic, the revelation of every detail concerning the multi-layered Baskerville plotline is a rewarding experience for both fans of Sherlock and high adventure.
A Study in Ashes overflows with Holloway's signature humor and apparently boundless imagination. While I do think this would be an even stronger conclusion if it was somewhat shorter in length, I cannot deny that I was nevertheless enthralled by Holloway's spectacular conclusion to the infamous Baskerville Affair. This trilogy has become so much more than just Evelina's story by this point, and the scope and spectacle of this final act is a breathtaking entertainment on all fronts. The stakes are high, and be forewarned -- Holloway is an author who isn't afraid to break a reader's heart -- but the rewards are worth it. The magic, romance, and mystery of the first volumes come full circle, leaving me desperate for a sequel series -- because there just has to be a sequel series. PLEASE?! :) A Study in Ashes is very well-done, a journey worth the wait and a one I'm thrilled to have experienced.
December 30, 2019
The story exciting, but some aspects feel forced. The author introduces Alice as a pretty girl and pushes her to being a beauty. She goes from being a girl gets what she wants and happy with her dad to being a girl who has no choice and deal with what she has the best way she can. Tobias is strong willed and steadfast to fickle and controllable. She goes in one direction, and toward the end of the first changes her mind, and tries, with force, to make certain characters likeable by changing their character. There huge leaps from one book to another. I get confused on how certain events happened or when they happened. I don’t know these characters. You think you have an understanding, and then you get a new person.
March 2, 2020
Longer than the last one, and I complained about its length. However, this one flowed better, so along with a bit of skimming it was more enjoyable. It also helped that Evelina wasn't anywhere near as big an idiot as she was in the second novel.
The story marches to its expected conclusion, with all coming out well for the team and for the Victorian Era. However, unlike the first book, Sherlock and Mycroft just seem crammed in because they're supposed to be there. While the romance between Evelina and whats-his-name was very standard it was still well told.
However, it was clearly a hint for more books while I understand why the publisher didn't want to bother.
The story marches to its expected conclusion, with all coming out well for the team and for the Victorian Era. However, unlike the first book, Sherlock and Mycroft just seem crammed in because they're supposed to be there. While the romance between Evelina and whats-his-name was very standard it was still well told.
However, it was clearly a hint for more books while I understand why the publisher didn't want to bother.
Read
June 5, 2024It would be unfair of me to rate/ form an opinion of this book. I started the series way back in 2015 and didn’t reread the first two books before reading this one. Nine years is an awful long time between sequels, so I can’t say with any certainty why I feel the way I feel about this one. I remember liking the first two books, I wouldn’t have bought the third book if I didn’t. I just couldn’t vibe with Darkness. I will say that I think the author fell victim to what I call the Melville curse– over-explaining things and spending too much time on details that don’t add anything to the story. I didn’t need five pages describing the design of the airship, I promise!
August 28, 2025
Evalina has finally made it to college. But it's not what she hoped and she's grieving for Nick who is believed dead and for Imogene who is in a comatose state. There are a lot of plot lines to wind up and the author does a good job of it. A bit too much description in some places (battles with the Steam Barons) and it turns quite horrific and unsettling at points (in the laboratories and the Black King's kingdom)But overall everything has an ending - not all happy but wound up well. The ending leaves several lines open for further novels but I'm pretty much done with the series. It's not quite what I want to read and my reading time is too precious.
September 23, 2017
This book started soooo slowly. It took me a long time to get into and I couldn't stand any of the characters and how stupid they all were. Thankfully things finally started picking up, but I can't help but feel this book was too long and jumped in between the different storylines too much for my taste. Thankfully things finally picked up and I'm glad Evelina got her revenge on both Magnus and Keating. There were several loose ends that make me think there is another book in this world coming, but I am glad finally have made it through all three of these books.
May 25, 2018
I am not sure how to articulate what was wrong with these books. The plotting is sort of meandering and jerky, sometimes I was left wondering why things happened.... also it may be that I legitimately didn't really like any of these people. Meh, I would probably skip these had I not been on vacation with a ton of reading time.
Also, frankly, the author did a terrible job inserting Sherlock Holmes in here - this is not a version of this archetypal character anyone would really recognize and others have used him recently in modern fiction to MUCH better effect.
Also, frankly, the author did a terrible job inserting Sherlock Holmes in here - this is not a version of this archetypal character anyone would really recognize and others have used him recently in modern fiction to MUCH better effect.
June 6, 2017
An awesome finish to the battle between the Rebels and the Steam Barons, to the story of Evalina and her friends. So much action crammed into one book, it's practically bursting!! Brilliantly written with characters that spring to life from the page (and with narration that keeps you hooked in the audiobook), this series is great from beginning to end. I highly recommend this series, but am desperate to know what happens next!
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