Ice Demon

The Dark Victorian Penny Dreads #1

by Elizabeth Watasin

“Thee, of stars”

A ship of dead with iced men who shatter; The Terror sails into the Port of London during England’s worst winter, bringing insidious ice fog and a hidden killer. Secret Commission agents, Artifice, the artificial ghost, and Jim Dastard, the animated skull, track their murderer to the frozen Thames’ Frost Fair, only for Art to discover a deadlier danger—one involving the women she holds dear. A steampunk, gaslamp and horror mystery set in the world of the Dark Victorian series.

"Smart. Engaging. The fog literally creeps off the page."
– Melanie Karsak, author of the Amazon best-selling steampunk series, The Airship Racing Chronicles

Experience female detective mysteries with a Victorian super heroine:
A gaslamp fantasy in a steampunk, paranormal London, follow the adventures of an uncanny female sleuth and her senior skull partner set in the same alternate world as Elizabeth Watasin's Victorian Gothic series, The Elle Black Penny Dreads.

Learn more about this intriguing, steampunk lesbian series:
It is 1880; black arts sorcery had its time to grow in England and to battle the eldritch evils threatening, HRH Prince Albert's Secret Commission is born. Executed criminals are brought back to life without memories to fight as agents, and among those resurrected is Artifice, a six foot two tall strongwoman, Quaker, and artificial ghost, guided by her senior partner, Jim Dastard, the animated skull. And she soon discovers–from her encounters with a madwoman journalist, a mysterious woman in black, and a French prostitute–where her heart lies . . .

ICE DEMON is a penny dreadful from speculative fiction storyteller Elizabeth Watasin, who delights in bringing you shilling shockers immersed in Gothic Victorian mystery, women sleuths, and the eldritch vestiges of an otherworldly London. Read more in Dark Victorian: Risen, Dark Victorian: Bones, and Sundark: An Elle Black Penny Dread.

Editor: JoSelle Vanderhooft

Genres: Steampunk, Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, Historical, Lesbian, LGBT

103 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 22, 2014

About the author

Elizabeth Watasin is the author of the Gothic steampunk series The Dark Victorian, The Elle Black Penny Dreads, the cyberpunk Darquepunk series, and the creator/artist of the indie comics series Charm School, which was nominated for a Gaylactic Spectrum Award. Winner of a Rainbow Award 2015, Best Lesbian Fantasy and Fantasy Romance, for Medusa: A Dark Victorian Penny Dread. A twenty year veteran of animation and comics, she lives in Los Angeles with her black cat named Draw, busy bringing readers uncanny heroines in shilling shockers, science fiction, and diesel fantasy tales.
Follow the news of her latest projects at A-Girl Studio.

Reviews

[Ted · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ton of fun. Art, the twins, Jim and the always lovely Delphia on a very frigid bit of adventure. Loved it. Third book I've read with this cast. Loved it. But don't read this as a stand alone. You need to read The Dark Victorian: Risen Volume One then The Dark Victorian: Bones Volume Two first.

[lov2laf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just as good the 2nd time around. I'm bumping up to a 5 star, though, due to my affection for the characters.

This is a novella that takes place after the events in "The Dark Victorian: Bones" and, per usual, Watasin manages to pack a lot into a short narrative.

I stand by that this isn't really a standalone...It's a self-contained story but people would get a lot more out of it with a lot less confusion if they read the other two "Dark Victorian" books first. All are worth the read.

1) Dark Victorian: Risen
2) Dark Victorian: Bones
3) Ice Demon

Like Watasin's other books starring Artifice and Jim Dastard, this is a Victorian paranormal mystery crime caper with a bit of steam punk. There's a splash of romance displayed in her intimate moments with her love interests and there's a smattering of humor and horror, as well.

Always fun to read.

****

4.5 stars.

This is another great book in the Dark Victorian series. How this author can hold so much in her imagination is beyond me and I'm glad she's able to put it to paper for us all to enjoy.

In this story, we see Art, Jim and Delphia take on a new paranormal creature that's wreaking havoc on London. I was delighted to see that Helia and Helene Skycourt make a strong appearance in this story and we see a little more development in Art's relationship with them.

I would definitely recommend reading the first two books in the series before this one so you understand the history behind the characters. This is a self-contained little book but a reader picking this up without reading the other ones might scratch their heads in a few places, not knowing what is being referred to.

This is a wonderful extension of the series. An excellent read. Recommend!

[Corrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

(March 11) I actually had to turn up the heat a notch whilst reading this icey novella, that is how convincing Elizabeth Watasin describes the arctic circumstances our agents have to operate in. An ice demon hitches a ride on a ship and comes to London. Oh my! I loved the fair on the frozen Thames river and Art getting drunk for the first time in her life (courtesy of a naughty Helene Skycourt). I love this series!

(May 2) Revisited the novella with Book Club Buddie D. and I could read it to her from start to finish in one sitting. Eventhough it's May, it felt like I had the snow drifts forming in my living room. I tell you, read this in summer and you need no airco! :-)

Keep a look out for one of our most favorite side characters named Aldosia Stropps. The gifted illustrator for the Strand and her Tourets are just a hoot! Do yourself a favor and buy the whole Dark Victorian series today. D. and I highly recommend it!

[ᴥ Irena ᴥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is part of the world of The Dark Victorian series.

With the exception of the 'twist' in the end almost the whole story is in the book summary.
I keep waiting something extraordinary to happen in this world (not just in this story). After all, it has an excellent idea. An artificial ghost and her skull partner working as 'secret' agents against supernatural threats sounds great, doesn't it? Well, somehow it manages to be very boring at times. Still, I am an optimist as far as this series go, so I won't give up.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the latest Dark Victorian tale, author Elizabeth Watasin gives readers a novella about an ice demon. The book starts off with a literal bang, as a ship crashes into a London pier ... and the captain, who is frozen solid, falls off and shatters into pieces while his horrified wife looks on.

Art and Jim Dastard, the heroes of the series are soon called upon to investigate the happenings.

I am a huge fan of this series; Art, the artificial ghost of a London Quaker woman, is intelligent and entertaining. Her "sidekick," the wisecracking skull Jim Dastard, is one of my favorite characters in all of literature. He's got constant and unusual insight into every situation.

I was delighted by every bit of this tale.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and it is easily 4 stars from me. I enjoyed the dark mysterious Victorian tale, the vivid descriptions and how the plot moved through the book. I would definitely recommend this read to anyone who likes books of this nature. This is the first book I have read by this author and I hope to be able to read other books by them in the future.

[LVLMLeah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Loved the concept, the characters and the whole feel of this book. It’s very different and I thought it quirky and fun.

The beginning caught my interest and imagination right away. It starts out as a mystery. Why is everyone dead on the ship Terror? It seems its captain was alive but disappeared in front of his wife standing on the dock waiting for him. The initial investigation leaves the reader really curious and it kept me reading.

The characters, a ghost who can take form, a skull who smokes, and the other offbeat characters- like the twins --added quite a bit to the dark ambience.

The problem is that halfway through, the story got boring. Once the mystery is cleared up and the characters are mainly trying to deal with the ice demon, there’s not much left to the story. Also the end was left kind of hanging. For me anyway.

One reason I got this book was because of the hint of a lesbian relationship. There is one, but it’s barely a blip in the story. That’s fine, I still enjoyed.

And mea culpa but I didn’t totally read the blurb when I bought the book. I just read the title’s second part (The Dark Victorian Penny Dreads Book 1) and assumed it’s a 1st book in a series. I only found out after the fact that it’s more like supplement or mini story that includes characters from the main series, which introduces the characters. While I didn’t get too disturbed by lack of introduction or back story and didn’t feel like I had just jumped into the middle of something, I wish I had read at least the first of the series. I think it would have added a lot more to my enjoyment.

That said, I will definitely read more.

[Vanessa (V.C.) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Art and Jim Dastard are back in the always so dark and delicious Dark Victorian universe! And this time, they're faced with a murder mystery that's as icy as the ice demon. If one isn't familiar with Elizabeth Watasin, you'll see how this short and sweet but oh so exciting and fast-paced novella will showcase her many talents, one of them being that she sure knows how to grip the reader with her out-of-this-world imagination. And most of all, it's her characters that always pop out of the page, always so witty and animated. Ice Demon is no exception; it has all the charm that you expect from Elizabeth. Yes, the nature of this story is dark and filled with menace and intrigue, but it's balanced with many whimsical moments that will tickle the funny bone. I always feel like I don't say enough about Elizabeth's story within a review, and that's only because I really don't want to ruin all the fun and surprises that await for the reader. All I can promise is that if you're a fan of steampunk, mystery, and action, you'll get a kick out of this book and the series as a whole. If there's only one negative thing that I can say about this one is that it's too short! But it certainly whets the appetite for the next book in the series, Everlife. And I'd recommend reading the other books in the series first before diving into this one, so to better see how the plot thickens and how the characters and their relationships develop. Once you do, you'll be hooked, and it will make reading Ice Demon all the more fun - and rewarding.

[W. Tinkanesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

1880, London. It is the most bitterly cold winter.The day after the SS Terror returns from a scientific expedition in Arctic, the Thames is frozen and a fair is immediately set up on the icy river. All the men from the SS Terror died frozen, except for John Rowden, and his wife saw him fleeing after the boat crashed into the pier. What killed the crew? What did they bring back?
The novella 'Ice Demon' is another supernatural adventure for intrepid agents Art (artificial ghost and quaker), Jim (the animated skull) and Delphia (their human assistant). It is also an opportunity for Art to rekindle her close friendship with the Skycourt sisters, Helia and Helen.
Elizabeth Watasin wrote this new penny dread with her usual enthusiasm, attention for details and colourful style. It is easy to watch the characters move in your mind's eye as they walk through the unnatural fog or skate on the frozen Thames. There is a Jules Verne feel underlying the storyline. If made into movies, Elizabeth Watasin's Dark Victorian stories would have the elegance of the 'The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' with an uplifting light-heartiness.

[Becky Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Watasin delivers yet another fast-paced and action-packed adventure in the Dark Victorian series.

Written in Elizabeth's intriguing style, Ice Demon demonstrates her enthusiasm for the steampunk genre with a living, breathing mechanical London with vivid and unique characters.

I am very much looking forward to the release of Everlife, the next gothic tale in the Dark Victorian series.

Because Ice Demon occurs in November 1880, eight months after the events in Risen and Bones, it is suggested that they be read first to be fully acquainted with the characters and their relationships.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

First in the series I've read and it was a fun, fast frolic. Watasin definitely sets a very vivid scene and her characters are grand. Imaginative and amusing.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cold winter, a ship of frozen men, and an icy force return to London in Elizabeth Watasin's Ice Demon: The Dark Victorian Penny Dread # 1. 

To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.

The ship Terror sails back to port in London during the worst winter England has seen, though the men on board have all been frozen solid, with some having shattered, leaving no survivors save one man who was unaccounted for on board and glimpsed by his wife jumping from ship to shore in a shroud of icy fog. Agents of a secret royal commission, Art and Jim, an artificial ghost and an animated skull, respectively, investigate the ship to discover a possible cause of the men's demise. Having tracked the murderous icy culprit down to the Frost Fair on the frozen Thames, the agents and their investigative partners and friends figure out a way to shift the icy threat and protect London's citizens.

A quick foray into a version of London filled with some supernatural elements and steampunk technology while some fiercely intelligent and capable women (and Jim) investigate the mystery that's docked on their shores that has placed them all in danger. While this story is able to be read on its own and be enjoyed and understood, some of the character interactions and abilities or behaviors would likely make more sense having read preceding stories of theirs that help to establish them, as well as some of the intricacies of the world they inhabit. That said, the world is fascinating in the various supernatural and extraterrestrial beings that seem to have a relatively common place within the world, enticing readers to continue on with whatever stories that might follow.

Overall, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

[Bonita Gutierrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

One part mystery, one part supernatural thriller, Ice Demon is a cool gothic ghost story with a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen vibe. Highlighted by a charmingly eccentric cast of characters, this Penny Dread is action-packed, beautifully written and darkly funny. It will keep you reading well into the night.

[Jennifer Reaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good follow up. My o my complies that it was too short. I really like the characters and I hope there will be more to their adventures.

[Brienne Dubh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from website Escapology Reviews
escapologyreviews.com


My word but I loved this book! 73 pages of Steampunk goodness. It had everything I love about steampunk – the clothes, the dark and mysterious setting, the fabulous and anachronistic apparatus – it was a joy to read. Here's the moment I realize I LOVED this book:

“She looked up at the Terror's yards with their shredded furled sails, the scraps flapping. The large icicles that hung from them pointed long, glistening fingers down. Of the ships she'd flown past to find the Terror, she'd not seen one with so much ice already grown upon it.
Art heard the swift hooves of a horse and its hansom cab on the walk. The cab emerged from the thick fog, a blonde girl seated within. Nearly eighteen years of age, she carried a skull in a top hat in her gloved hand. Art's partner – the animated skull Jim Dastard – and their assistant, Delphia Bloom, had arrived.” p6

Watasin not only created a dynamic universe for her scintillating characters she also wove a great detective story. The 'monster's' nature is revealed early on, and the dramatic irony is perfect in length – this might just be a personal thing but I get really annoyed when it takes the protagonist the whole book to discover what the reader is told on page one. What we have instead is a cat and mouse chase, lateral thinking, and a dramatic climax.
And oh how I wanted to be at the fair with them all!
It is obvious that Watasin is a consummate writer. The images she presents are vivid and each character is sharply defined as soon as they are introduced.
The romance between the women in the novel was very touching too. There was obvious affection and respect, even though the arrangement was very unorthodox. More pan-sexual than lesbian, Art's love goes to individuals with whom she feels love, and her respectful devotion could not be any other way. This is especially poignant as this particular romantic situation could easily be a high drama fit for bad TV. Watasin's characters make it work and theirs is truly a paragon of polygamous pansexual love.

Rating: 9 out of 10. I can't give it higher than Palace of Curiosities which has set the bar for me with it's gorgeous prose, but this little gem made my day. It's short length was it's only real downfall.
It was read and enjoyed and I still had time to wash my hair before the water went cold!

Reviewed by Vikki Heaven @ Escapology Reviews

[Mostly Sapphic Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this 2.5 stars, but I rounded up because my low rating is my fault, not the author’s.

This book was my first introduction to this world and these characters, which, I later learned was a mistake on my part. I kept thinking, “I like these characters, but they feel like they’ve already been introduced elsewhere and I’m picking up in the middle of the story.” That’s because that’s exactly what happened. I thought this was the first volume, but it appears to be the first volume of a kind of spin-off series. Someone who read the books in the correct order will surely like it more than I did and have a better sense of the characters and what is going on.

That being said, I did like a lot about this book. The cast of characters is great. A lesbian ghost detective courting a set of twin sisters. An animated skull sidekick. The setting, a Victorian ice fair terrorized by an ice wraith, has great vibes too. Aesthetically, I could picture a lot of this book and really liked it. Great cover art too.

The dialogue was where my interest waned a little. Maybe it was just the nature of the Victorian dialect rather than the writing itself, but it often felt stilted and impersonal. (Not always, there are a handful of funny quips between the main characters.) I don’t have much experience reading dialogue from this period, so, again, someone who does may like it more than me.

I may go back and read the real first book in the series. I have a feeling I’ll like that one more.

[Barry Huddleston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Watasin’s stories! If you haven’t read Elizabeth’s earlier books, you can start with this one without any trouble. Having said that, I would recommend reading "Risen" and "Bones", even-though "Ice Demon" stands on it’s own.

I love the dark Victorian milieu Elizabeth has created. The characters are richly developed and very unique. The story burns along at a very quick pace and it’s dark vibe oozes off the page. Dark, creepy, funny, this is the sort of book series that a reader can ( and will ) get addicted to …

This series is a must-read for the Gothic Victorian crowd. I enjoyed every little quirky morsel and give "Ice Demon" 5 stars out of 5.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these characters...

This is a wonderful story that is so richly drawn you willingly enter a world that is similar to our own boring world and yet so completely different that you cannot stop reading until you come to the end. I really enjoyed reading this.

[Shanna Golembeske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great find

This is a well written short story with such details placed to make you feel as if you were in the story. Short but intriguing not a dull moment. Hope to read more of this series

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this quite surprising. It was a strange tale and told well. There were parts were the story just rambled and certain bits could have been left out. But it was a good read and a great start to what could be a great series

[Velvetink]

kindle

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found it hard to get into. but once the action picked up it was much better.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting group of "detectives". A talking and smoking skull, a ghost that can materialize at will and a real person. It was a Kindle short story.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good read. A little difficult to follow at times but, i enjoyed it