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Ruby Celeste #1
Ruby Celeste and the Ghost Armada
Prepare to enter a dangerous place—the world of sky pirates!
After arriving at The Pharmacologist’s Eden, a grand floating port run by the cut-throat Rhod Stein, Ruby Celeste discovers the deckhand she arranged to purchase has been sold out from under her and replaced with a man kidnapped from the world’s surface. So after dispatching his guarding henchmen, she snatches him and then flees—but not before blowing a gaping hole in the SkyPort.
But unbeknownst to Ruby, Stein survives the blast. And along with the assassins now hot on her tail, she has other problems to contend with: the frail man she kidnapped and his newfound place on her ship, a pervasive series of dangerous electrical malfunctions—and what about the diary she finds on a derelict ship? Are its pages filled with the deranged words of a madman—or does it really hold the key to finding the mysterious Ghost Armada?
After arriving at The Pharmacologist’s Eden, a grand floating port run by the cut-throat Rhod Stein, Ruby Celeste discovers the deckhand she arranged to purchase has been sold out from under her and replaced with a man kidnapped from the world’s surface. So after dispatching his guarding henchmen, she snatches him and then flees—but not before blowing a gaping hole in the SkyPort.
But unbeknownst to Ruby, Stein survives the blast. And along with the assassins now hot on her tail, she has other problems to contend with: the frail man she kidnapped and his newfound place on her ship, a pervasive series of dangerous electrical malfunctions—and what about the diary she finds on a derelict ship? Are its pages filled with the deranged words of a madman—or does it really hold the key to finding the mysterious Ghost Armada?
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2013
14 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 27, 2014
I loved this book. The title intrigued me, and the vivid imagery that paints the entire story drew me in within the first few pages.
For those who think airships and sky pirates are cliche by now - I give you Ruby Celeste, her aging ship the Pantheon, and her crew of varied personalities. Every character is well represented. Even though the story changes points of view many times, the characters maintain their own voices. Each backdrop becomes recognizable, tangible, and inhabitable. The Ruby Celeste universe - the Rubyverse in which this series takes place - is unique and laudably creative. From mechanical operations to heartfelt human emotion to heart-pounding action, this book has it all.
It's been months since a book grabbed me like this, and reading it was nothing short of sheer pleasure. The little twist right at the end was so perfectly timed and placed. Such a memorable book! I look forward to diving into book #2 and spending more time with Ruby, her world, and her interesting crew. My hat - or should I say my tricorne? - is off to Nicholas J. Ambrose.
For those who think airships and sky pirates are cliche by now - I give you Ruby Celeste, her aging ship the Pantheon, and her crew of varied personalities. Every character is well represented. Even though the story changes points of view many times, the characters maintain their own voices. Each backdrop becomes recognizable, tangible, and inhabitable. The Ruby Celeste universe - the Rubyverse in which this series takes place - is unique and laudably creative. From mechanical operations to heartfelt human emotion to heart-pounding action, this book has it all.
It's been months since a book grabbed me like this, and reading it was nothing short of sheer pleasure. The little twist right at the end was so perfectly timed and placed. Such a memorable book! I look forward to diving into book #2 and spending more time with Ruby, her world, and her interesting crew. My hat - or should I say my tricorne? - is off to Nicholas J. Ambrose.
August 26, 2016
This book was rather interesting, I don't tend to read books about Sky Pirates in Steampunk, because I found it hard to relate, however in this book it was pretty easy, the author was careful of how they wrote things down and they made all the characters believable.
I do have to say I didn't like Francis at all though, however he did come through in the end. I kind of wished we knew more about Natalie though, I do get an idea that she was from the same place as Francis though, hence how she was able to relate to him.
My one complaints is why Ruby Celeste wanted to go after the Ghost Armada to begin with, there was nothing to suggest that she was after treasure, just that she wanted to find it, however her priority should have been to get her ship repaired first I would have though?
regardless of that, I will most likely be reading the next instalment of this book!
I do have to say I didn't like Francis at all though, however he did come through in the end. I kind of wished we knew more about Natalie though, I do get an idea that she was from the same place as Francis though, hence how she was able to relate to him.
My one complaints is why Ruby Celeste wanted to go after the Ghost Armada to begin with, there was nothing to suggest that she was after treasure, just that she wanted to find it, however her priority should have been to get her ship repaired first I would have though?
regardless of that, I will most likely be reading the next instalment of this book!
October 10, 2014
Is this steampunky enough to be steampunk? I can't decide.
Passable, fast read with a conflict that seems silly and a halfhearted mystery that deserved more time and the title is really quite a misnomer. Nothing special in this book, but nothing outright terrible, either.
I AM annoyed that Ruby Celeste is comparatively a superbly minor character. When I walk into a book called Ruby Celeste that's what I expect. This book should have been called Natasha and the Asking Francis If He Wants To Talk About It.
Passable, fast read with a conflict that seems silly and a halfhearted mystery that deserved more time and the title is really quite a misnomer. Nothing special in this book, but nothing outright terrible, either.
I AM annoyed that Ruby Celeste is comparatively a superbly minor character. When I walk into a book called Ruby Celeste that's what I expect. This book should have been called Natasha and the Asking Francis If He Wants To Talk About It.
January 20, 2021
I really enjoyed this. I was interested in all characters, I loved the interactions, I enjoyed the multiple mysteries we had, I enjoyed the comedy moments. I really liked how there were chapters within the actual chapters which helped it be so fast paced! I loved the fast pacedness of this story! The ending is very purposefully cliffhangerly. But I still have a few questions: who or what did Ruby originally purchase before she got Francis? What is Ruby's backstory and how did she become the captain when everyone is clearly mostly older than her?
Granted, I have few niggles: It felt a little convenient at times (e.g. the other ship having so much food and supplies they desperately needed), and a little repetitive (e.g. being attacked and docked twice by ships in less than 200 pages?, and the constant mentioning of characters skipping meals or whole days of meals), and the characters were a little dumb (e.g. not noticing just how strange and distant Ben, Natasha, and Ruby were becoming overtime) and my least fav character is definitely Ruby; I need more of her backstory and origin to like her. Right now she seems pretty niave, bratty, narrowminded (how she blamed Francis for everything when it was obvious not all things suddenly started happening because of him?!) and kinda dumb. HOW she got this crew and they allowed her to be captain, I have no idea.
But, it was fast paced, fun, action packed, good humour, and I wanna know more!
Granted, I have few niggles: It felt a little convenient at times (e.g. the other ship having so much food and supplies they desperately needed), and a little repetitive (e.g. being attacked and docked twice by ships in less than 200 pages?, and the constant mentioning of characters skipping meals or whole days of meals), and the characters were a little dumb (e.g. not noticing just how strange and distant Ben, Natasha, and Ruby were becoming overtime) and my least fav character is definitely Ruby; I need more of her backstory and origin to like her. Right now she seems pretty niave, bratty, narrowminded (how she blamed Francis for everything when it was obvious not all things suddenly started happening because of him?!) and kinda dumb. HOW she got this crew and they allowed her to be captain, I have no idea.
But, it was fast paced, fun, action packed, good humour, and I wanna know more!
August 3, 2017
Sly SteamPunk Series Sails Serene Summer Skies
Ambrose has written a thoroughly enjoyable steampunk novel, with some very interesting variations on common concepts. No balloons or lighter-than-air ships here, his skyships depend on lift generated by volums...strange animals that generate lift as they eat...The skyships "land" at skyports to trade and stock up. His steam world also includes sky islands, but the skyships are generally unable to reach the Earth below. (Volume lack the power to dive that deeply into the ocean of air and return!)
Unlike some steampunk works that take themselves much too seriously, Ambrose seems to slyly poke fun at his own story at different points. I found the story just a bit short in both length and in plot development, but I still enjoyed the read. Suspend your disbelief as the volume generate the lift...
Ambrose has written a thoroughly enjoyable steampunk novel, with some very interesting variations on common concepts. No balloons or lighter-than-air ships here, his skyships depend on lift generated by volums...strange animals that generate lift as they eat...The skyships "land" at skyports to trade and stock up. His steam world also includes sky islands, but the skyships are generally unable to reach the Earth below. (Volume lack the power to dive that deeply into the ocean of air and return!)
Unlike some steampunk works that take themselves much too seriously, Ambrose seems to slyly poke fun at his own story at different points. I found the story just a bit short in both length and in plot development, but I still enjoyed the read. Suspend your disbelief as the volume generate the lift...
July 3, 2017
The overall story is very entertaining, but every other aspect needs work. The world building is confused, bringing in modern American cultural, social, and linguistic aspects to what is supposed to be a different world. The technologies are just as mixed up, with the magiced steam-esque volums as the only explanation for the running of this world. Convenience and straight up ignoring explanations move the story along, leaving odd and illogical motivations driving the characters. Self publishing is amazing, and part of the digital world we are adjusting to, but, again, there are sound reasons for editors and publishers. This book decidedly could have used both, and might then have turned into something great.
August 31, 2017
Considering it's in the title, there really wasn't much about the Ghost Armada other than finding a book that mentioned it and typing in co-ordinates to head that way. Still, it was an ok start to the series.
December 5, 2018
Interesting characters, great action, and a constant feeling of 'what the heck could happen next'? My only nitpick is in finding it hard to fully embrace the technology that makes this society possible. Still, I quite enjoyed the ride!
June 19, 2019
Great steampunk pirate adventure.
June 17, 2016
Ruby Celeste and the Ghost Armada was a wonderful tale of Ruby and her crew flying through the air in their airship. You follow the crew as the travel to get a new deckhand but end up getting cheated by the man who was selling the deckhand. This ticks off Ruby and ends up causing chaos and leads to a chase. In the process Ruby takes the deckhand, who she finds out was kidnapped from his home on the surface, and he wants to go home.
Along the journey Ruby and her crew are attacked on three occasions.Each attack leaves her ship is worse condition than what it started in, and it doesn't seem like the ship started in great condition to start with. But the crew stands together and keeps fighting whatever is dished their way by the man pursuing them, however Ruby assumes that the man she brought back on to her ship is the cause of these attacks. Later she comes to realize that he isn't, but only after a crew members has jumped off the ship and the ship is left in shambles after an attack.
In the end it all works out for Ruby and her crew, and it's awesome to see how the story starts out one way and ends a totally different one. I didn't expect many of the things that occurred to occur, and it kept me on my toes and I absolutely loved that. I can't wait to read what happens next to Ruby and her crew, because I've come to love them
Along the journey Ruby and her crew are attacked on three occasions.Each attack leaves her ship is worse condition than what it started in, and it doesn't seem like the ship started in great condition to start with. But the crew stands together and keeps fighting whatever is dished their way by the man pursuing them, however Ruby assumes that the man she brought back on to her ship is the cause of these attacks. Later she comes to realize that he isn't, but only after a crew members has jumped off the ship and the ship is left in shambles after an attack.
In the end it all works out for Ruby and her crew, and it's awesome to see how the story starts out one way and ends a totally different one. I didn't expect many of the things that occurred to occur, and it kept me on my toes and I absolutely loved that. I can't wait to read what happens next to Ruby and her crew, because I've come to love them
December 4, 2014
Very strange book. Not sure how I feel about the concept from the start, where a character kills hundreds of innocent people by essentially bombing a shopping center and then the book goes on to have another character tell me over and over "but she is a good person because well by golly, she sure cares lots about her plucky crew."
Yes yes sky pirates, pirates were never good people blah blah I know but something about the presentation here just ... maybe I'm outgrowing this genre. Perhaps if it had been explored a little more, or presented with a little more self awareness?
The protags are only likeable because the antags are comically mustache-twirling evil so they seem nice by comparison, but I think almost everyone in this book is actually a terrible person and the book itself doesn't seem aware of that. So that kind of bothers me.
Also a bit disappointing that the title-touted ghost armada is just a red herring.
All that said if you don't think too hard about it and just want a quick & dirty shallow sky pirate wild west style no-rules-apply type of jaunt this book is pretty well written and fits the bill. Hooray.
Yes yes sky pirates, pirates were never good people blah blah I know but something about the presentation here just ... maybe I'm outgrowing this genre. Perhaps if it had been explored a little more, or presented with a little more self awareness?
The protags are only likeable because the antags are comically mustache-twirling evil so they seem nice by comparison, but I think almost everyone in this book is actually a terrible person and the book itself doesn't seem aware of that. So that kind of bothers me.
Also a bit disappointing that the title-touted ghost armada is just a red herring.
All that said if you don't think too hard about it and just want a quick & dirty shallow sky pirate wild west style no-rules-apply type of jaunt this book is pretty well written and fits the bill. Hooray.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2014
I really enjoyed this adventure story. The author has a very smooth writing style, free of grammatical errors, which kept me turning the pages. I was puzzled by several of the plot points and character motivations, but I found several surprises along the way. Other reviewers complained that because all the conflicts were resolved, the story is complete and there's no point in continuing on to the sequels. I disagree, because I think that the main characters learned several things that will lead to new behaviors and stories in the next books. I do agree with some reviewers who complained about the (mild spoiler) apparent massacre at the beginning, but I think that was partly what created tension in the story. I do plan to continue.
January 18, 2014
unexpectedly good! downloaded on recommendation of others but really glad I did. enjoyable pacey read and I will be buying the next in the series. a departure from my usual choice, but glad I did!
February 24, 2014
Couldn't finish swashbuckling without the swashbuckling!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews