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The Adventures of Phineas Frakture #1
The Adventures of Phineas Frakture
What if the Civil War never happened?
What if Queen Victoria was at odds with an Emperor named Ulysses S. Grant?
What if?
This is the question that plagues one man on his journey to discover his place in the universe. Should he sit by and let history take its course or stand up and make his presence known, changing the outcome for the better…or worse? Set in an alternate past of Victorian era Steampunk, The Adventures of Phineas Frakture follows the title character through a myriad of escapades involving mad scientists, monsters, and fantastic clockwork gadgets.
What if Queen Victoria was at odds with an Emperor named Ulysses S. Grant?
What if?
This is the question that plagues one man on his journey to discover his place in the universe. Should he sit by and let history take its course or stand up and make his presence known, changing the outcome for the better…or worse? Set in an alternate past of Victorian era Steampunk, The Adventures of Phineas Frakture follows the title character through a myriad of escapades involving mad scientists, monsters, and fantastic clockwork gadgets.
- GenresSteampunk
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 12, 2013
3 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Gatch
8 books7 followersI have been an artist the majority of my life, though not taking it seriously until I was twenty and trying to make it in the comic book world. Being self taught in charcoal and later moving to acrylic and oil paint, I have paintings and murals in homes, businesses and schools across the nation. It wasn't until I collaborated with a good friend on a book that he wanted to write that I decided to try my hand at writing as well. Starting out with a series about pirates (long before they were mainstream) I then began writing fan fiction online with my site Star Trek - Adventure, which included a crossover with several other sites entitled Star Trek Unity (which, as we believe, is still the largest crossover on the internet).
My current project, The Adventures of Phineas Frakture, was picked up by Bigworldnetwork.com and ran as a weekly series until it was released in print, ebook and audio on August 12, 2013. The continuing series, subtitle The Steam Wars, is currently running at BWN and should be published sometime next year.
My current project, The Adventures of Phineas Frakture, was picked up by Bigworldnetwork.com and ran as a weekly series until it was released in print, ebook and audio on August 12, 2013. The continuing series, subtitle The Steam Wars, is currently running at BWN and should be published sometime next year.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 19, 2014
I gave up just over half way through. An appealing smashup of Holmes, Fogg and "Doc" Brown, Phineas has assorted adventures in a world very unlike our own, though apparently populated with many of the same people--A. Lincoln, U.S. Grant and Queen Victoria. Allowing some shifting of timelines to allow Lincoln to be in office as President seven years early, Tesla to have developed "rods" while he still wore short pants, and the United States to have become a land-grabbing empire by 1870 - 180, the story is mindless fun. When our protagonist and friends wake up in Atlantis after being attacked by air krakens, I gave up.
The problem is the execution. The story telling and dialogue sounds more late twentieth century than late nineteenth. With winks to other tales, like a robotic interpreter "Sweepio" fluent in 100 forms of communication, the tale stumbled from one gag to the next with little plausibility and even less attempt to engage the reader.
Not bad, just insipid. Too many good books still unread.
Two stars was a gift.
The problem is the execution. The story telling and dialogue sounds more late twentieth century than late nineteenth. With winks to other tales, like a robotic interpreter "Sweepio" fluent in 100 forms of communication, the tale stumbled from one gag to the next with little plausibility and even less attempt to engage the reader.
Not bad, just insipid. Too many good books still unread.
Two stars was a gift.
July 15, 2019
I suppose, in the interests of full disclosure, I should mention that I was acquainted with Phineas Frakture in his New Babbage days. Though I'm sure he'd rather I couldn't say that. (Sheesh, ya shoot a guy *one* time...) (In my defense, he *was* a zombie at the time.) (No matter how much he denies it.)
The point is, the Phineas Frakture in this book is the one I knew - the coffee-fanatic genius (or the genius coffee-fanatic) who fell into adventures, through his own cluelessness as often as not, but somehow managed to work his way out of them successfully. So it was a treat for me to read this book and come along on more adventures with him and his friends. These are stories of equal parts action and humor, with recognizable, and clever, references to pop culture of yesterday and today.
The one drawback I have with it is something that many self- and small-published books suffer from - it could really have used a thorough grammar sweep. The fact that the wincing of my inner grammarian couldn't distract me too much from my enjoyment of the stories, though, testifies to their power.
The point is, the Phineas Frakture in this book is the one I knew - the coffee-fanatic genius (or the genius coffee-fanatic) who fell into adventures, through his own cluelessness as often as not, but somehow managed to work his way out of them successfully. So it was a treat for me to read this book and come along on more adventures with him and his friends. These are stories of equal parts action and humor, with recognizable, and clever, references to pop culture of yesterday and today.
The one drawback I have with it is something that many self- and small-published books suffer from - it could really have used a thorough grammar sweep. The fact that the wincing of my inner grammarian couldn't distract me too much from my enjoyment of the stories, though, testifies to their power.
March 1, 2021
~Good, fun, outlandish, non-stop, adventure
~This story reminds me of the adventure series of the late 1950’s and early 60’s…books, magazines, and TV shows. The hero leaps from one extraordinary adventure right into the next one, hardly stopping for a breath. The main character, Phineas Frakture, always comes out on top and relatively unscathed…which is not always the case for his loyal companions.
~For as smart as Phineas appears to be, he is lacking in many a social skill. Despite his lack of social graces, he is loyal to his friends, and they are, likewise, loyal to him. This makes him a rather unique character…likeable and frustrating at the same time.
~This story takes place in an alternative reality…similar to, but not identical to our ‘real’ world. The reader must have the ability to suspend some of the accepted realities of this world, in order to completely enter into the alternative reality that Phineas Frakture lives in.
~The story was an eccentric, fun-rollicking, adventure…and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the Steampunk genre, a fast-paced adventure story, or plots based in an alternative reality.
~This story reminds me of the adventure series of the late 1950’s and early 60’s…books, magazines, and TV shows. The hero leaps from one extraordinary adventure right into the next one, hardly stopping for a breath. The main character, Phineas Frakture, always comes out on top and relatively unscathed…which is not always the case for his loyal companions.
~For as smart as Phineas appears to be, he is lacking in many a social skill. Despite his lack of social graces, he is loyal to his friends, and they are, likewise, loyal to him. This makes him a rather unique character…likeable and frustrating at the same time.
~This story takes place in an alternative reality…similar to, but not identical to our ‘real’ world. The reader must have the ability to suspend some of the accepted realities of this world, in order to completely enter into the alternative reality that Phineas Frakture lives in.
~The story was an eccentric, fun-rollicking, adventure…and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the Steampunk genre, a fast-paced adventure story, or plots based in an alternative reality.
August 9, 2016
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I am very delighted to make the acquaintance of Mr Frakture.
This was a lovely book with a witty, introverted, geeky character, who is not afraid to show courage, even if he likes to pretend it's for selfish reasons. Written I imagine in the spirit of an American Phileas Fogg Esq., Mr Frakture is a gentle scientist wanting nothing but to spend time on his experiments and books, who is hit by Ms Adventure and her willy ways.
The book is split into four seemingly separate storylines/adventures more suitable I imagine to a comic book but the written form has given Mr Frakture the opportunity to expand his personality, if not his interests and develop from a slightly misanthropic figure at the beginning to a loveable genius towards the end. I would have wished him to be a bit more complicated and I don't know...cleverer but the humour and his three supportive characters captivated me.
I do however have a problem with the villains. I mean....our hero cannot not deserve all the credit since the police and the Imperial forces are stupid, gullible and a bit naive. The scenarios read a bit forced from this point of view as Mr Frakture appears to have it a bit easy being surrounded by incompetents.
I would have liked it to be a tad more difficult for him to foil their not so complicated plans. I suppose the Atlantis adventure is the only one a bit more developed but even then, the focus is on Phineas and not on the dire situation of the Atlants who themselves do not act as if they are in any great danger. I suppose my main quibble is that Mr Fraktur sails through all these adventures and does not appear to be touched by them. His courage is circumstantial as it were.
I would hope this to be a first draft of what could be a great series with a great set of characters and a good background story. I hope Mr Gatch has such intentions and I look forward to reading such a series.
I am very delighted to make the acquaintance of Mr Frakture.
This was a lovely book with a witty, introverted, geeky character, who is not afraid to show courage, even if he likes to pretend it's for selfish reasons. Written I imagine in the spirit of an American Phileas Fogg Esq., Mr Frakture is a gentle scientist wanting nothing but to spend time on his experiments and books, who is hit by Ms Adventure and her willy ways.
The book is split into four seemingly separate storylines/adventures more suitable I imagine to a comic book but the written form has given Mr Frakture the opportunity to expand his personality, if not his interests and develop from a slightly misanthropic figure at the beginning to a loveable genius towards the end. I would have wished him to be a bit more complicated and I don't know...cleverer but the humour and his three supportive characters captivated me.
I do however have a problem with the villains. I mean....our hero cannot not deserve all the credit since the police and the Imperial forces are stupid, gullible and a bit naive. The scenarios read a bit forced from this point of view as Mr Frakture appears to have it a bit easy being surrounded by incompetents.
I would have liked it to be a tad more difficult for him to foil their not so complicated plans. I suppose the Atlantis adventure is the only one a bit more developed but even then, the focus is on Phineas and not on the dire situation of the Atlants who themselves do not act as if they are in any great danger. I suppose my main quibble is that Mr Fraktur sails through all these adventures and does not appear to be touched by them. His courage is circumstantial as it were.
I would hope this to be a first draft of what could be a great series with a great set of characters and a good background story. I hope Mr Gatch has such intentions and I look forward to reading such a series.
July 29, 2013
I am an avid steampunk enthusiast, but this was the first steampunk novel I had the pleasure of reading, and Gatch creates a truly immersive world that I loved every minute of. I don't know which segment of the 4 part story I love more, though all of the cultural reference are a hoot, especially in the final section in England. Phineas is the kind of reluctant hero you can really get behind, because you see how he changes and grows, and yet he still remains the eccentric and at times downright rude genius you first fall in love with. All of the characters are engaging and fun, and by the end you just want to know what will be next for Phineas - and read all about that too. If you enjoy steampunk with a good dose of humor, don't miss out on this one.
January 29, 2014
I simply loved this book! I really liked the way it was broken down into different adventures, one leading to another. The continuity was great! The plot(s) were well written as well as all the characters. I especially liked the Dr. Who references which the author put in and if you're not a Dr. Who fan you'll never find them. All in all a fantastic Steampunk book. I'd recommend this to anyone whether you're a fan of Steampunk or not because after reading it you'll be hooked. I would hope that there will be more adventures of Phineas Frakture and his friends.
August 11, 2016
What a fun read! The author sets up an alternate world with automatons, absent minded professors, evil geniuses. I enjoyed the humor and clever touches to the book. I look forward to reading more adventures of Phineas Frakture.
February 11, 2014
one of the better books I have read in a long, long time. grabbed me at page one and didn't let ago until the very last page....can't wait for the sequel!!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews