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The Periwinkle Perspective, Volume 1: The Giant Step
June 1897, and as part of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, her expanding Empire lays claim to another new territory: The Moon!
Space Captain Gordon Periwinkle; the much-vaunted Gentleman Adventurer (and amateur taxidermist) becomes the first man to set foot on Earth's only natural satellite.
Or so he believes…
This is the story of the good Captain's attempt to get home, dodging an array of government assassins; nefarious foreign agents, and even Jack the bleedin' Ripper, all the while keeping one step ahead of his backstabbing, overachieving family.
With the help of Tiny: his trusty sherpa, and Professor Hamble Blaise: The Inventor Royal, they cobble together a plot to save both his life and his reputation, whilst bolstering the Queen's and her Empire's into the bargain.
Better hold on tight, because right from the off “The Giant Step”; Paul Eccentric’s first expedition into the visually stunning world of Victorian fantasy, drags you pell-mell down a gaslit path of twists and turns and perilous adventure. Comedic Steampunk for our time.
Space Captain Gordon Periwinkle; the much-vaunted Gentleman Adventurer (and amateur taxidermist) becomes the first man to set foot on Earth's only natural satellite.
Or so he believes…
This is the story of the good Captain's attempt to get home, dodging an array of government assassins; nefarious foreign agents, and even Jack the bleedin' Ripper, all the while keeping one step ahead of his backstabbing, overachieving family.
With the help of Tiny: his trusty sherpa, and Professor Hamble Blaise: The Inventor Royal, they cobble together a plot to save both his life and his reputation, whilst bolstering the Queen's and her Empire's into the bargain.
Better hold on tight, because right from the off “The Giant Step”; Paul Eccentric’s first expedition into the visually stunning world of Victorian fantasy, drags you pell-mell down a gaslit path of twists and turns and perilous adventure. Comedic Steampunk for our time.
- GenresSteampunk
205 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 26, 2020
6 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 6, 2021
I knew Gordon Periwinkle many years ago at Eton school. He was a green sprout running toast errands when I was a prefect. The man was an arse then and he still is one from what I can tell. This slim volume of frankly dubious tales bears little resemblance to the gangling streak of adolescent piss I remember, but I have put away forty years of port since then so memory is not always my friend. He isn’t a military man so Christ only knows why her Majesty would have seen fit to send this pranny to the moon. I would have thought the military was chock full of dunderheads that could have gone in his place. Anyway mines not to reason why. Suffice to say that whilst this is a story of some great excitement and gentleman like adventuring there are not nearly enough naked wenches and shooting of small animals for my liking. Granted, we do see a fair few Hun and the odd Yank bite the bullet but where is the plunder? The pillage? Anyone would think we didn't have a British Empire. Still one can't deny that Winkle, as we used to call him at school, has put together a thunderously good story for a half wit which will no doubt see him bathed in huge piles of cash and dusky maidens for the foreseeable. Lastly, if you haven't read this then you're probably some kind of nancy or a foreigner so if I were you I would send your valet out immediately to procure it and we’ll say no more about it.
January 6, 2021
What an adventure!!!
I thoroughly enjoyed The Periwinkle Perspective and was pleasantly surprised at every turn.
The characters had me laughing as well as fearing for their lives...I've been reading a lot of classics recently and it was so refreshing to be taken into another time period with a twist.
There is adventure, murder, betrayal, unlikely friendship and a great love of baths included!
One of the highlights for me was all the different accents the characters had, I really was transported and could picture them all perfectly.
If you're wondering whether to try the steampunk genre... wonder no more and just go for it! This was the first for me and was just fun and exciting and brilliantly written.
I can't wait for the other books in this series, I'm so invested with the characters and where their stories will go next...
I thoroughly enjoyed The Periwinkle Perspective and was pleasantly surprised at every turn.
The characters had me laughing as well as fearing for their lives...I've been reading a lot of classics recently and it was so refreshing to be taken into another time period with a twist.
There is adventure, murder, betrayal, unlikely friendship and a great love of baths included!
One of the highlights for me was all the different accents the characters had, I really was transported and could picture them all perfectly.
If you're wondering whether to try the steampunk genre... wonder no more and just go for it! This was the first for me and was just fun and exciting and brilliantly written.
I can't wait for the other books in this series, I'm so invested with the characters and where their stories will go next...
March 4, 2021
A Very Punky Steampunk
Anyone who has ever seen Paul do a live storytelling or been to see The Antipoet will know he can spin a funny, clever yarn, and deliver the laughs, all while wearing the most fabulous outfit!
Consider this story to be the written word equivalent of one of Paul's gigs.
It's jam-packed full of stylishly written japes and characters, occasionally breaks the 4th wall with a knowing wink and astounds you with the details of the perilous adventures of Gordon Periwinkle and Co.
Is there a Steampunk trope that has been missed out? I would very much doubt it. This contains espionage, assassination attempts, royalty, inventions, conspiracies (a poke at The Kubrick moon film one in particular) a race to the moon, complete with goldfish bowls on heads, and is a great jolly dose of fun, with some groan-worthy pop culture puns to boot! Oh, and some spit your tea out ones too!
I would very much love to read more of these. Please write a sequel!
Anyone who has ever seen Paul do a live storytelling or been to see The Antipoet will know he can spin a funny, clever yarn, and deliver the laughs, all while wearing the most fabulous outfit!
Consider this story to be the written word equivalent of one of Paul's gigs.
It's jam-packed full of stylishly written japes and characters, occasionally breaks the 4th wall with a knowing wink and astounds you with the details of the perilous adventures of Gordon Periwinkle and Co.
Is there a Steampunk trope that has been missed out? I would very much doubt it. This contains espionage, assassination attempts, royalty, inventions, conspiracies (a poke at The Kubrick moon film one in particular) a race to the moon, complete with goldfish bowls on heads, and is a great jolly dose of fun, with some groan-worthy pop culture puns to boot! Oh, and some spit your tea out ones too!
I would very much love to read more of these. Please write a sequel!
August 15, 2023
The story is a bit of a hash. An interesting premise, steampunk Victorian England and Victoria wants to cap her jubilee year by landing a man on the moon. The bureaucratic functionaries in the government aren't sure it'll work so they decide to fake it instead. Idiocy ensues.
The book is full to the brim with cliches, stereotypes, and attempts to paint modern sensibilities over a Victorian era world. Lots of random plot threads which the author does more or less take care of but leaves you wondering why there they were there to begin with.
1.5⭐ for the audio book because of the really annoying musical stings at every scene change.
The book is full to the brim with cliches, stereotypes, and attempts to paint modern sensibilities over a Victorian era world. Lots of random plot threads which the author does more or less take care of but leaves you wondering why there they were there to begin with.
1.5⭐ for the audio book because of the really annoying musical stings at every scene change.
March 10, 2024
Book one of a fantastic series. Imagine Victoria’s Britain
With space technology. New science lead by a woman and
an adventuring Empire explorer taking to space with a Steam Punk twist. You will want more of Paul Eccentric’s
New World.
With space technology. New science lead by a woman and
an adventuring Empire explorer taking to space with a Steam Punk twist. You will want more of Paul Eccentric’s
New World.
March 8, 2025
I've read better; I've read far, far, worse. To be honest, I've read a lot of steampunk adventure tales. I found the author's process very interesting and the work involved to get it from phone to print is outstanding. Works well as a standalone, and there's also a series to follow on from this.
May 20, 2023
A thoroughly enjoyable Steampunk adventure, peopled with engaging characters and written with wry humour.
July 13, 2023
I loved the narration Terry Molloy
This book has so many twists and turns. Captain Gordon Periwinkle is attempting to get home. While dodging an array of government assassins. Great book.
This book has so many twists and turns. Captain Gordon Periwinkle is attempting to get home. While dodging an array of government assassins. Great book.
June 6, 2021
This is an absolutely amazing beginning to series I am dying to read the rest of. The world Paul Eccentric has built is every bit as real and engrossing as the Discworld, Arrakis, Westeros, or the Galactic Empire, and his characters - not just Gordon Periwinkle himself, but his brothers, employers, Sherpa, and would-be assassin - are a cast you will immediately want to learn more about. Some will leave you craving a gruesome death for them.
Setting the space race in Victorian Britain is a stroke of genius. The era's well documented bold exploratory ambitions combined with the limitations of late 19th century technology makes the race to the moon a perfectly believable goal for Victoria and her Empire. We barely pulled off the feat with 1960's technology; attempting such a thing at the very dawn of electricity makes for a pants-wetting, edge of your seat reading experience.
On top of all that, it is riotously funny. Anyone familiar with Eccentric's previous work won't be surprised by this, but here he outclasses even himself. The only drawback to the whole book is having to wait for publication of the second one.
Setting the space race in Victorian Britain is a stroke of genius. The era's well documented bold exploratory ambitions combined with the limitations of late 19th century technology makes the race to the moon a perfectly believable goal for Victoria and her Empire. We barely pulled off the feat with 1960's technology; attempting such a thing at the very dawn of electricity makes for a pants-wetting, edge of your seat reading experience.
On top of all that, it is riotously funny. Anyone familiar with Eccentric's previous work won't be surprised by this, but here he outclasses even himself. The only drawback to the whole book is having to wait for publication of the second one.
May 5, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed this very quirky and original rip-roaring adventure. I loved the slightly alternative reality of Victorian London, which was so well depicted you forget that it IS alternative! Some really lovely, engaging characters and an intriguing page-turning plot that doesn't let up for a minute. Already I'm looking forward to the next one! It's like a fast-paced Conan Doyle with the gentle humour of an Ealing Comedy! Thoroughly enjoyable, full stars.
December 29, 2020
I’ve now read it six times, I love it but I’m the author’s wife, so I have to say that. The great reviews on the cover say it all. Pick up a copy and prove me wrong, I dare you 😍
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews