Blood Ties

The Blood War Chronicles #1

by Quincy J. Allen

Clockwork Gunslingers • Chinese Tongs • An Epic Quest
THE BLOOD WAR CHRONICLES

When assassins jump half-clockwork gunslinger Jake Lasater, he knows the Chinese Tong wants to finally settle an old score. Unfortunately, Jake has no idea the Tong is just the first milepost on the road toward a destiny he refuses to believe in.
With his riding partner Cole McJunkins in tow and his ward Skeeter secretly hidden away, Jake squares off against a deadly clockwork mercenary from his past and a troop of crazed European soldiers who want him dead. Add an insane Emperor with knowledge of Jake’s past and a mysterious noblewoman who desperately needs his help—and Jake is faced with a whole mess of trouble, with no end in sight.

Blood Ties launches an epic saga that spans worlds and threatens the human race itself.

Genres: Steampunk, Fantasy, Westerns, Science Fiction, Fiction, Ebooks

276 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2015

Reviews

[Charles van Buren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charles van Buren

TOP 1000 REVIEWER

3.0 out of 5 stars

Maybe it's me

April 9, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition. Verified Purchase

This review is of the Kindle edition
Publication date: February 21, 2018
Publisher: RuneWright
Language: English
ASIN: B079Z4PDGY

A steampunk sci-fi western. Sounds great but at eighty something percent through, I'm just not going to finish it. With apologies to the author, I kept trying but nothing really grabbed me. Then I have a problem with some of the action being illogical. Action such as Jake's pointless dive from one zeppelin toward another. That inexplicable action reminded me of a dog chasing a car. What's he going to do with it if he catches it?

I downloaded this book via Kindle Unlimited.

[Lissibith · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are few surer ways to get me interested in a book than to tell me it's a steampunk western. :D And so, here I am with the first book of the Blood War Chronicles.

This is one of those books that I'm torn about. I love parts. Others, I was not as high on. the characters are a lot of fun so far. It's going for a similar sort of gunslinger-and-pal feeling as we get from Wax and Wayne from the Alloy of Law books. (not saying this is copying, just that they are going for a similar sort of dynamic). And it mostly works, though it doesn't quite feel organic. (I don't think we needed Cole to basically explain it to us, for example), it still feels natural and ingrained enough that we can accept it virtually from the start.

The alternate history and the mix of magic and machines gives the world a unique feel that I like while still keeping a lot of the tropes that make steampunk westerns one of my favorite things.

After surviving a terrible attack in the Civil War, Jake (our main character) has a bunch of machine parts integrated into his body and is just trying to live his life. But some assassins jumping him after a card game make it clear he doesn't have a choice -- he either needs to figure out what's going on, or he and probably the people he cares about are going to die.

Sometimes, Jake is pretty extra. It sometimes felt like parts of his action setpieces were more about what would mentally look cool than what would be a good idea in a fight. But overall, none of it was enough to throw me out, and just gave it more of a pulpy feel.

The only other real problem I had here was the ending. The story is basically setup, and while it's more complete and satisfying than a lot of setup stories, it still left me feeling a bit disappointed.

I do plan to get to book 2 sometime -- it's a fun world and I'm curious about what might happen next. :)

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this Blood Ties on my recent trip to Salt Lake City Comic Con. I also got to meet the author a self-described author of crossing genres and I am I so glad I picked this book up. I really like the main character Jake, He a bad ass gunslinger who does not take any crap but knows when he is beaten. Plus there's also Cole who I absolutely adore and Skeeter a young girl who is a genius when it comes to technology.

First of all, this book does not try to be something it's not. By that I mean it is first and foremost a Western with Steampunk technology, it then throws in elements of fantasy and supernatural. This is done in a very balancing way, the book is not so convoluted that I felt Allen did not know what the hell he was doing. In fact, he very much knows what he is doing because he does it well.

Second of all, this is very much a setup book. Considering it is supposed to a six-book series, it is going to need to set up a world that seems like it is going to be epic. Despite this, the story still flows incredibly well. There were no long drawn out explanations that hurt my head, no rushed backstory on all the characters, and no long talks where the characters keep repeating things over and over so you would remember.

Thirdly, Allen does great action scenes. I can sometimes get lost in an action scene because well frankly there is just so much going on that I have to reread it a couple of times. Surprisingly, I had no trouble at all with keeping up with Allen's descriptions. While still fast-paced and very detailed, I was able to fully imagine everything the first time around.

Finally, even though Allen is male, Jake is male and Cole is male, there was no shortage of bad ass women. This is incredibly important to me, as sometimes male authors get lost in the physical of a female character that they tend to forget to add more characterization and they fall flat. I wasn't cringing when a new female character was introduced because Jake didn't focus on her ample bosom, the way she smelled or the softness of her skin. While yes there are a couple of those moments it was not out of context or demeaning (I'm thinking of a certain popular author...).

You must be wondering why only 4 stars and not 5. This is just for the simple fact that it's the first book. Like I said before that Blood Ties had to set up the world, so the story couldn't fully take root like the coming books will be. I have the second book Blood Curse which I will be reading, when I am not sure, but hopefully soon

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

High-action (in both tension and altitude) rains down you the reader from start to finish. This is steampunk in the Wild West done the way it should be.
Mr. Allen keeps the story's pace fast and furious, dancing a staccato to shame a Flamenco dancer. His characters are all fleshed out, vital, living, breathing people with backgrounds you the reader only get glimpses of, just like real life. Jake, our main protagonist, may be a gunslinger card player, but he's got a moral compass that doesn't sway from true heroic, and can laugh at himself just as be serious. This last bit is my favorite part. The humor. So many stories get heavy handed with action and tension, they lose humor, which life is full of. "Blood Ties" stops to smell the jokes, often sprinkled in with the high-action/drama of a scene, making it all the better.

Let me finish up by saying my praise isn't easily won, especially for the steampunk genre. I'm usually a strict purist, wanting my steampunk all science and I rarely enjoy having magic mixed in with it. I expected to like this story since I've read other work by Mr. Allen, but I didn't expect to like it nearly as much as I do, knowing there was magic involved. He has it in the world, but it to, like the humor, is sprinkled in and rare. He's balanced it just right, and I'm a converted steampunk fan, now that I know it can be done right.

So, let the sigils glow and the shells explode for this crew of characters zepping around the Wild West. I truly look forward to the next two books of the series, and I can't wait to purchase hard copies of this story, after reading the electronic version.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the Victorian era, the newest release from author Quincy J. Allen introduces us to Jake Lasater, an injured Civil War veteran who happens to have some clockwork limbs that are magic infused. He is on a quest to deliver a mysterious package for Lady Danesti, but there are those who are out to prevent this. The Chinese Tong and a few others would like to find Jake and settle a score with him, as well. Jake is travelling with his partner, Cole, and Skeeter- who is his ward and a tinker. His lady, Qi, is also a tinker (helpful!). They run in to more trouble than one can imagine during their action packed journey!
The characters in this novel are so well developed that I felt like I knew them within a few pages of them being introduced. I could not stop reading this book! I didn’t so much feel like I was reading it, as it felt like a friend was telling me a story, and I love getting that feeling from a novel. It was fast paced and filled with action and witty banter between the characters. I really enjoyed that, as with his other writing, the female characters were strong and played a pivotal role in the story. There really weren’t any “background characters”; all of them were really well developed.
I didn’t think that Quincy Allen could make me love him more as an author, but he certainly did with Blood Ties. I am anxiously awaiting book number two!

[Quincy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This thing may have started out feeling like a western, but it immediately turned old west steampunk, and before I knew it, I was dealing with vampires and tales of werewolves. And something sinister lurks in the background, behind a cast of clockwork mercenaries, automaton bands, spell-casting tinkerers, and mad Emperors with super spy rings.

It was a load of fun to read, and there is promise that it will end up an epic fantasy saga.

I can't wait to read the rest!

[Ira Nayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a big fan of science fiction/western hybrids; for me, the tropes of the two genres just don’t mesh very well. A good recent example that proves the point is Cowboys and Aliens, which was a terrible movie. And, yes, I will admit that I was won over by Firefly because Joss Whedon is a writing genius, but even now I think the basic premise was goofy. It’s just not my thing.

Except…

I remember as a kid greatly enjoying a TV series set in the late 1800s about a couple of agents traveling around the United States in a train getting mixed up in all sorts of weird adventures; for some reason, the one episode that I remember to this day involved somebody who could move so quickly that he appeared invisible. The series, which added scientific elements to the basic western could be considered the grandfather of steampunk: it was called The Wild Wild West.

So, when Quincy Allen wrote in the introduction to Blood Ties that his novel had “its roots set squarely in …the antics of James West in a TV series most of you probably don’t remember,” I had to smile. I remembered. I remembered Artemis Gordon, too. (Some of Allen’s readers might be familiar with West from the film version of the character more recently played by Will Smith, but I wouldn’t blame Allen for overlooking its existence as it was eminently forgettable.)

Blood Ties is about a former Confederate soldier turned adventurer after the American Civil War named Jake Lasater. A suicide mission left him without a commission, but with two metallic legs, a metallic arm and an eyepiece that can be adjusted to see in various degrees of light; as we will discover, he is by no means the only steampunk cyborg (called machiners in the novel, which I found to be an awkward neologism) stalking the old west. As with any good western hero, Jake enjoys a little mayhem every now and then, but he lives by a code that drives him to help good people and worthy causes.

The novel is about Jake taking on a job to deliver an undescribed package for a mysterious woman. In the course of the job, he must make alliances with people he thought were his enemies and confront new and powerful foes.

Blood Ties is well written. The characters are complex, with enough detail to make them interesting, often involving passing reference to past adventures that give them (and the world) depth. In addition to Jake, for instance, there is his partner Cole, a dark-skinned man with his own strengths and weaknesses, and Ghiss, a villain who, like Jake, has prosthetic limbs and a moral code (although he draws very different lines than Jake does).

Allen is also good at creating three-dimensional female characters, something many western authors have a problem with. Foremost is Skeeter, Jake’s young but headstrong tech genius who actually gets to save Jake and Cole’s lives once or twice (as opposed to being the damsel in distress who has to be saved by them). Almost as interesting is Qi, an Asian woman who combines tech and magic skills (and is a kick-ass fighter); Qi’s relationship with Jake is complex and fascinating.

Ah, yes. The novel freely mixes tech and magic. Jake’s prosthetics, for example, are metal, but they have magical glyphs carved into them that give them non-mechanical properties (such as quick healing). I’m not sure I’m fully on board with this mix, but I’ll defer to the Wild Wild West model, which also combined the two elements.

In addition, the action set pieces are very well choreographed. For one thing, they build smartly throughout Blood Ties, which starts with an encounter between one man and three assassins and ends with a running battle through San Francisco that involves dozens of characters and a lot of tech. In every instance, Allen paints the scene vividly enough that we know how all of the combatants relate to each other at every moment.

One of the other enjoyable aspects of the novel (an aspect of The Wild Wild West which I had forgotten), was the way Allen weaves characters taken from real life into the narrative. For instance, Samuel Morse appears briefly to lament how the telegraph which he helped invent was being (ab)used as an instrument of war. More interesting is the appearance of Joshua Abraham Norton, the self-proclaimed Emperor of the United States, who has a cordial, one might even say supportive relationship with Mexico, but who is also apparently quite mad. Emperor Norton is so much larger than life that you might assume he was fictional, but he was a real historical figure; his presence enlivens the novel.

Blood Ties is by no means perfect. The first two chapters show how Jake came to lose his limbs (although not how he received prosthetic limbs); although interesting background into his character, it doesn’t directly relate to the plot of the novel, which takes place several years later. It would have made more sense to start the book with chapter three, the true beginning of the story, and refer to or even flash back to Jake’s origins later on.

Also, the reader should be aware that this is the first book of a trilogy with a single continuous story; it is not self-contained. Although Blood Ties does end with a major battle, the narrative is not over, so the reader will not get closure. To be sure, I was hoping for more books from Allen before I got to the end, and the promise of an epic air battle between zeppelins added to the enticement. Still, on principle I don’t believe that readers should be obliged to purchase more than one volume to get a complete story.

Having said that, though, I must say that Blood Ties largely lives up to its author’s ambitions. I look forward to the next book in the trilogy.

Originally published on the Amazing Stories Web site (http://amazingstoriesmag.com/2016/01/...) on January 15, 2016.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I haven't read many steampunk stories, the genre is intriguing to me for a variety of reasons. Mostly, the aesthetic is a way to combine genres typically set in historical eras with other elements of science fiction or fantasy. In Blood Ties, steampunk is the overlay on a western, but with fantasy elements mixed in for a distinct flavor I haven't read before. And while its unique elements are its strengths, there were a few parts of Blood Ties that felt unfinished—or at least written in a way to force the reader to pick up the next book in the Blood War Chronicles.

I appreciated that this book addressed some of the logistical challenges of steampunk. Metal is often heavy, so the fact that the main character had to ride something sturdier than a horse was a welcome detail. The zeppelin ride also seemed to take up much of the book's length, which is likely an accurate portrayal of how long it would take to travel from Colorado to California. I also thought that the unique language used for the "secret code" was a nice touch since most books end up using a common language that any well-read individual can easily decipher.

There were a few qualms I had with this book which were minor, but there were enough of them that added up. I felt it was difficult to separate Jake and Cole as distinct characters, mostly because many other characters had such unique personalities. I also wasn't pleased about how the beginning of the book teased this "magic," but then rarely (if ever) showed it in action again—likely to tease me into reading the next book. Finally, there were quite a few instances of "men writing women" that made me roll my eyes, even if it's obvious the author wrote this book for men.

Some smart steampunk with a collection of minor issues, I give Blood Ties 3.5 stars out of 5.
   1/2

[Sassa Margot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood Ties: Book 1 of the Blood War Chronicles by Quincy J. Allen

Length: 276 pages

Genre: As the author puts it, a Western Steampunk Epic Fantasy. As this reviewer elaborates, a genre-blending mashup of Fantasy, Paranormal, Steampunk and Western

Summary: Half-clockwork gunslinger Jake Lasater and his blue-eyed mulatto riding partner Cole McJunkins storm through a clockwork Weird Wild West battling werewolves, Chinese Tongs, crazed European soldiers and a deadly clockwork mercenary called Ghiss aided by a talented horse with a mighty kick named Lumpy, a beautiful Chinese tinker magician named Qi and his fast-on-her-feet ward Skeeter. Oh, and in the mix there’s a savvy mad emperor and sexy mysterious noblewoman in need of assistance as well.

Set in a vaguely post-Civil War American West, Jake’s adventure begins, after a few preliminary poker games, gunfights and assassination attempts, when he receives a telegram from Qi asking for his help on a job in San Francisco. San Francisco, where the Chinese Tongs who tried to kill him are headquartered. But does our hero turn down an opportunity to head straight for danger? Of course not! “Well, son, lemme tell ya…when a lady like Qi Lau Xing sends you an urgent telegram asking for help, you pretty much get off your tail and lend a hand. You’ll understand better when your suspenders are a little further from the ground.” Without spoiling the rest of the story, let it be said that mayhem and swashbuckling ensue, introducing a vibrant and well-drawn world, peopled with vivid characters and setting the stage for epic adventures to come in later stories, as this one rollicks to a cliffhanger ending.

Review: I enjoyed this book, straight up. Definitely a genre-blender, with steampunk showing up in airships, half-clockwork repaired veterans, green goggles and top hats everywhere, paranormal touches in the occasional werewolf, magicians and enchanted guns and prosthetics, and old school Western appearing in beautifully detailed Old West scenes sent ever so slightly askew by all the madness, like calculating whether your mechanical arm can draw faster than his when the poker game goes awry. If you are a genre purist, prepare to be appalled. If you can roll with author Quincy J. Allen’s mad mix, prepare to be enthralled as he builds a beautifully detailed, creative and markedly visual world.

Why did I enjoy it? Pace. Characters. World-building. Writing.

The dominant pace is breakneck page-turning madness, as we race from one shoot ‘em up to the next, with major battle scenes every other chapter or so, lovingly detailed in Wild West meets Steampunk tropes. But this skilled author knows when to slow the dance down and savor a moment, for high stakes poker games, encounters with lovely ladies or moving moments with Jake and his ward Skeeter. It’s a fast read, with snappy dialogue driving the action.

Author Allen’s characters are beautifully detailed, nuanced and vividly memorable. Our hero Jake is noble and good, in spite of the tough hand he’s been dealt, and skilled at vanquishing bad guys, but only the ones who earn it by making life hard for others. Not a bad philosophy. Cole McJunkins is loyal, quick-thinking and equally skilled at bad-guy vanquishing, and accepts his friend’s despised “machiner” half-clockwork nature as generously as his friend accepts his mulatto skin in a racist time. Skeeter is a fun character, a rebellious but fabulously skilled and street-savvy teenager who, guess what, breaks rules but is grown up enough to handle the consequences. From what I’ve seen so far of this author, I would guess Skeeter has bigger roles to play in future episodes of this epic adventure. Then there is the alluring Qi, magician and tinker, too busy with her own life and missions to take up as our hero’s girlfriend. I’ll leave it to readers to discover on their own Ghiss, mad Emperor Norton and the European lady in need of assistance, not to mention Grandfather Chung, just to mention the more important ones. But what’s great about this writer is even the one-off small characters carve out their own moment, like Marshal Billie Sisty—female, someone who could “speak softly and still know how to work a leg iron when the situation required it”—who had to reprimand Jake for shooting within city limits, although she did allow that he “did the wrong thing for the right reason…or is it the right thing for the wrong reason.”

On world-building, maybe I’m partial because I am from Colorado like the author, and he obviously loves Colorado and its colorful Old West heritage and uses that knowledge masterfully to create a firm foundation for the crazy world he goes on to build. From an overnight stay in the Horace Tabor House to quaffing a brew at the Colorado brewery, Allen knows and loves the real Colorado, even as he covers it up with steampunks and werewolves and half-clockwork villains and heroes. He’s a visual writer, lovingly detailing the gadgets and gehaws, but never slowing the action down to do so. As mentioned above, he proudly refuses to color between the genre lines, or pick a genre for that matter, so buckle up for a few chapters as you rollercoaster from Old West to steampunk to paranormal, but trust that you will know and understand the rules of his mad world and they will eventually make sense. This is probably not a good book for someone who likes their reality real or objects to enchanted mechanical arms, but it’s a great book for someone who is delighted by creative surprises every few paragraphs.

And the writing. It is fine, damn fine. Writing in my mind is five things: the plot, the characters, the world-building, the prose and the quality of the editing. The dull stuff first—editing. I won’t suffer bad grammar or typos. I found one skinny little typo, which is miraculous in a newly published novel, so I take my top hat off to the author for delivering such clean prose. Full points for great well-motivated characters, a rollicking fast-paced plot plausible enough in its own madcap way and a beautifully detailed world, which leaves us to discuss the actual prose. I love this writer’s dialogue and humor. His style reminds me of my favorite Robert E. Heinlein stories, with swashbuckling, wise-cracking heroes, tongue-in-cheek at times with a knowing awareness and humor that leavens both dangerous and moving moments. Allen takes even the tiniest moment and gives it a little sparkle. Like when our hero has to jump naked from bed into a raging gunfight and find a way to present himself with some modesty a few minutes later to a beautiful woman, covered only by his holster. Or his description of a small moment in a card game:
““You’re called, mister,” the cowboy added.
Cole sighed and turned over his hole card. It was a king. The cowboy turned pale first, knowing he was beat, and just as Jake suspected, his face went from pale white to crimson in that slow transition far too many drunken cowboys get right before the shooting starts. Jake could see the alcohol coaxing liquid backbone into the cowboy.””

Recommendation: Read it if you are a fan of steampunk or Weird Wild West genre fiction. You will love the vivid characters, rollicking plot, madly creative world and snappy dialogue. May not have quite enough magic for fantasy and paranormal fans, and I promise there is far too much madness going on for those of you who like your reality real. As my motto is “Reality is for those who lack imagination,” call me a fan. I’m looking forward to the next installment in this madcap universe of the Blood War Chronicles.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author's blurb for the book does a good job of telling you what kinds of things you'll find in the book but fails to capture how weird and wonderful this story really is. I truly stumbled onto this book. I was at Supercon, perusing a publisher's table when the cover caught my eye. Then I talked to the larger than life author who sold me on taking a chance on what sounded like an insane story. What a great find! I have never cared for westerns and couldn't see how in the world that it could mesh with steampunk but it turns out to be a seamless marriage. The world building is fascinating in this series. The time period, the technology, and the characters are all richly fleshed out. The pace is completely unrelenting. It's a book that keeps drawing you on, reading way past bedtime and unable to let go. The hero Jake lost his legs and one arm in the war and has steampunk prosthetics that are totally kickass. But the author is meticulous in his realism with details such as Jake having to ride a brahma bull because his weight is too much for a regular horse. The author thinks of things like that. He also carefully plots mysteries and battles. Some things you feel like you've guessed only to have twist thrown in. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and was eager for the next one. I do have to warn you, as the author warned me, that this is part of a duology. There is a massive cliffhanger at the end of this book! You have to read the next one to get any sort of closure. But it's completely worth it (I've read the second one now too). The author also advised me that the series will be comprised of six books, all written in this duology formula. Take the chance on what sounds insane; you will love it.

[John Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've only read a couple of steampunk novels before, but this is a really good one. Jake and Cole have been asked by an ex-lover of Jake's to deliver a package from San Fransisco to Denver. The Zeppelin they travel to San Fran on is attacked by a mysterious Colonel Szilagyi, but they defeat him (or seem to). Landing in San Fran, they are attacked by members of the Tong, and are rescued by Skeeter, Jake's ward, who is supposed to be back in Denver. After talking to Qi, and her grandfather, Chung, they discover that the Lady Danesti's package is a large coffin size reliquary. They survive an attack on Qi's business, and then another attack while moving the package to the zeppelin. The book ends with them leaving San Fran for Denver, and wondering when the next attack will take place.

I like Jake. He's a character that never gives up, and always seems to have a plan for when the fecal matter hits the rotary propellors.. Cole and Skeeter too are pretty cool characters. The Lady Denesti makes me think she's a vampire, travelling with her coffin filled with soil from her homeland. Guess I'll find that out in the next book. Szilagyi is an unscrupulous military man hell bent on taking the package and unconcerned with who he has to kill to do it. I wonder if he is a vampire or a vamp hunter of some kind. Probably find that out next book too.

I'm looking forward to reading the next book "Blood Curse" soon.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid steampunk adventure story with all the elements you might expect: zeppelins, clockwork people, top hats, and mysterious energy weapons. Blood ties is set in the 'wild west' where the high technology of steam punk co-exists with gamblers, cowboys and gun-slingers.

I found the dialog overly wordy - it seemed that every time a character departed was like reading a transcript of teenage lovers about to hang up the phone. The main character was pretty well defined, and had a back story that often jumped off the page to hit me around the head. The other characters were clichés, from the feisty, smart, orphan girl to the wise, oriental, grandfatherly gang leader.

A great book to read if you're looking at a well formed steampunk novel that stays within the boundaries of the genre. Good action, some mystery, and plenty of cogs and gears.

[Pam Bales · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading steampunk off and on for several years now and sometimes forget how much I enjoy it. I discovered through a story in Larry Correia's Monster Hunter Files #7, an anthology set in the Monster Hunter International series. I enjoyed the story "Sons of the Father" and wanted more by the author. There are two so far in the Blood War Chronicles and I am ready to start the second one when I finish this review. I don't always read anthologies because I know I will discover new authors and I have plenty of books without new ones, but I'm a sucker for new "blood" more often than not. If you enjoy steampunk, give this series a try.

[Craig Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun adventure full of Steampunk and fantasy, magic trickling all around, and two gunslingers fresh out of the civil war. I notice a lot of steampunk seems to take place near the Civil War, and it always makes for an interesting read. The two main characters were developed nicely. They each had their own struggles and backstory that fit well with the plot. The plot got a bit messy from time to time, with the main characters never really knowing what was going on. It kept a puzzle in your head to try and figure it all out. The narrator did a good job with this one, and this book paints a good picture for book 1 in a series. I'm looking forward to checking out the rest!

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know what to expect with this book. I knew I liked the author personally but hadn’t gotten the chance to read his books yet. This book definitely wasn’t my usual style for books but it was so good. It started out slow for me because I had to get a feel for his writing and the genre. It was definitely worth the time put into it. This is the first book in a series and it does end on a cliffhanger so be forewarned about that.

[Michael Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reason to call in sick

Blood Ties was too awesome to put down, leaving me struggling to set it aside and return to my adult responsibilities. Allen provides a detailed world filled with fresh ideas and intricate characters executed with an authentic feel. His visceral retelling of Lasater's nightmares provides insights into a living, breathing character in a way that leaves readers helplessly rooting for Jake and his stubborn dedication to daylight heroics.

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun, a steampunk Western alternative history fantasy with magic and monsters. The characters were interesting, and the pacing was nice, even if occasionally the dialogue, internal and otherwise, was a bit much. The ending was just a cliffhanger for the next book, which I did not much enjoy. It could have been reworked to be a proper ending and still set up for the rest of the series. Overall, I enjoyed this.

[Nathan B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story just stops

This book is good.
The world is thriving and vibrant, the characters are a little flat but still have some good growth and variation.

The cardinal sin committed by this book is that it literally just stops. It feels like half a book because of that.

It might have been intended to be a a cliffhanger but if so it was badly implemented.

[Adam Mahler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting premise

I liked this for the most part, the characters and steam punk vibe were cool. The issue I had was there was a whole bunch of stuff that was talked about happening in the past as if there's a whole book before this one. I felt like I missed out on the origin story.

[Frances]

I think it's me, but it's just really not clicking for me. I got 29% of the way through, but tapped out at the start of chapter 8. Maybe I'm just tired.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The description of the book is already a wonderful synopsis. The only thing I can add about the plot is is while our hero’s origin lay on the battlefields of the Civil War, the meat of the story begins with a poker game in Denver, lasting just long enough to send you on Jake’s perilous journey through San Francisco. This can only result in a serious confrontation with at least one crime syndicate on the Barbary Coast. Or I could be wrong, and he merely ends up enjoying a good plate of Dim-Sum.

This is Steampunk. You must know this, and expect this going into the book. As someone who is picky about his science fiction, and not entirely enthusiastic about Steampunk, I can tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

While it is part of a larger series, the book left me feeling fulfilled and wanting more without my emotions left to hang from a cliff hanger. The characters are well rounded, featuring three fully complete dimensions, leaving the reader with memories of having met people who live in a Steampunk universe, without being caricatures of a Steampunk universe. This is something with which most Steampunk writers struggle, but not Quincy! The fight scenes are also vivid and compelling, bringing to life the movie theater of your imagination.

While this genre may not be for everyone, this book makes a superb attempt to bring new audiences to the Steampunk genre, while bringing the wonderful skill of Quincy Allen to new and veteran readers. I wish I could say more, but further elaboration would serve only to rob the surprise of discovery from the reader.

If you enjoy Steampunk, or like the idea of Steampunk but have difficulty finding a writer who satisfies your inner critic, this book is a must read. Indulge your madness. You won’t regret it!

[Tamara Riley-wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

“They’d chewed a lot of the same dirt over the years”
A Steam Punk Western with pithy sayings, witty dialogue and non-stop action. Think Cullen Bohannon from Hell on Wheels mixed up with Joséy Wales with bionic, runic engraved, clockwork driven, prosthetic limbs with the character and integrity of John Carter and a dash of James West and you have the protagonist, Jake Lancaster. An ex civil war veteran, gunslinger and card shark along with a host of strong intriguing women characters , Chinese tinkers (Qi and Master Chung) and tong members, zeppelins, an evil Wallachia villain along with a bunch of henchmen, a mercenary named Ghiss who was known as “The Night Stalker” for the Confederate Army …mix in magic, zeppelins, an impossible quest to safely deliver a sacred Reliquary, a mysterious Lady Danesti who is a warrior witch, a sixteen year old Tinker, clockwork, engineer named Skeeter and a dangerous partner in arms, Cole McJunkins, and you have Raiders of The Lost Ark mixed with The Warrior Way and a dose of Shanghai Knights. Book One, Blood Ties, of the Blood War Chronicles leaves you wishing that the rest of the series had already been written so you could indulge in a marathon of escapism into the world of Jack Lancaster . If you enjoyed reading John Hornor Jacobs’ The Incorruptible , David Niall Wilson and Steven Savile, Hallowed Ground and are fans of The Wild, Wild West and Jonah Hex, Quincy Allen’s Blood Ties will blow you away with its well written, witty dialogue and action packed plot.

[Mia R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOOD TIES is book 1 in the Blood War Chronicles.

BLOOD TIES starts with Captain Jake Lasater during the Civil War at the beginning of soon-to-be bloody battle. Jake doesn't like the plan and is worried that his troops are going to be killed.

Jake's fears soon come to pass, and all he feels is anger as he dies on the battlefield. And then he wakes up ... (don't you hate that?) He find outs that thanks to the Buffalo Soldiers he was the only survivor of the fight.

Soon you see Jake in his house outside Denver. You find that with magic and mechanicals you can fix just about anything ... or anyone. After surviving the battle his legs and his left arm were replaced by mechanical limbs and his left eye is now protected by a special lens. You soon meet his housemates: Cole McJunkins, former Buffalo Soldier; and Skeeter, a young girl he has rescued from a crazy tinker, and now his ward.

Then a message arrives from an old friend asking him to help her with a problem. There is a lot of money involved, as well as danger, because they have to go to San Francisco, and his last visit there hadn't ended so well. But Jake and Cole are soon off (leaving a sulking Skeeter, or did they?).

There is lots of action, from gunfights, to airship battles, as well as Chinese Tong assassins. And this is just the beginning of the adventure.

One of the best steampunk stories out there. I recommend this for anyone who loves stories of the West (Rocky Mountain and California West, thank you), steampunk, magic, and adventure.

[Rachel Brune · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steampunk cowboys, black zeppelins, and just a dash of the supernatural -- all add up to an action adventure that keeps you immersed in its pages from page one.

Jake and Cole, with their sidekick Skeeter, find themselves wrapped up in intrigue and the shenanigans of a number of shady entities, not all of whom have their best interests at heart. From the high plains to the alleys of San Francisco, they have to use their wit and gun fighting skills to survive.

There is a lot to love in this book, especially if you're a fan of steampunk, Wild West pulp adventures, or just good writing. The characters were well-developed, even as the plot hurtled forward like an airship in an electrical storm. Even the minor characters were fun and compelling - and who doesn't love a cameo from Emperor Norton (an actual historical figure - check him out.)

There were a few minor quibbles, mostly to do with editing, which pulled me out of the story here and there, but never enough to make me put the book down and stop reading.

I definitely put this book on my recommend list, and am impatiently waiting for the sequel!

[Scott Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

The above description is a more than adequate summary of the main characters and what they may find in their future during Blood Ties. Allen does a very good job creating a universe that keeps the reader turning pages (or swiping them, as the case may be), in this post Civil War Steampunk adventure. It is primarily set in Denver, San Francisco and rather elaborate dirigibles. There is ample action scattered throughout the novel, some great one-liners, wonderful well-thought-out characters, and more than one what-is-going-to-happen-next thoughts that surface while one is devouring pages. There are ample good guys (and gals) and bad ones to satisfy pretty much any reader's liking. As for protagonist Jake, I mean, ya gotta like him with all that he has been through. After all, he's just trying to do the right thing all around, in most cases. Overall, this story is well-crafted with attention to detail in nearly everything. Allen has done a nice job in writing a Steampunk novel that is something readers of other genres (such as action/adventure, mystery, thriller even espionage) may enjoy quite a bit.

[Kt · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off I really enjoyed this book. It's because of all the steampunk attributes. Quincy Allen knows how to put together a heck of a story.
This is something that keeps the reader engaged at all times even in the slow parts where you need to breathe and catch your breath. Because this book is chock full of events and things that could go wrong and will go wrong and-and and-and. The end the end is so not what you would have expected your reading along and then there are no more pages. Wait what? This is probably not a book I would have originally picked up because of the Western-leaning genre. This book could either be in steampunk or in western because it does both and it blends them seamlessly five stars out of 5 stars for Quincy Allen. I will definitely be picking up book number 2 to see how the ride continues.

[Blaze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you come across a book that unexpectedly hits a high note, a book that sneaks up on you and grabs hold. "Blood Ties" is a perfect combination of masterful storytelling, well-written dialogue and characters carved out with precision and care. At times it reminded me of Raymond Chandler with its' pacing and some memorable similes.

For me the steampunk genre is fairly unexplored territory. It was a refreshing experience to immerse myself in a novel where I didn't have a preconceived idea and expectation of certain genre standards. Finally, I have to admit that having a "stairway to heaven", in a story full of Zeppelins put a joyful smile on my face.

[Jeff Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very captivating book that captures the reader from the start, Quincy makes you feEl like you are Jake Lasater and makes you believe that you are in that time line. I have had the honor & pleasure of meeting Quincy J Allen at a Comic-Con, it was after visiting with him and him telling me about his book that I then purchased it.

[Emilyann Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first Steampunk read. I really enjoyed the book. The characters are very well developed and the build up of plot is done well. Quincy has a really smooth writing style I very much enjoyed. Good stuff.

[Jeff Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm totally hooked on Jake Lasater, Cole & Skeeter