Steamed by Katie MacAlister

May 30, 2011 Stephen rated it did not like it

Shelves: romantical, 2006-2010, audiobook, punked, science-fiction, shame-on-you

Ah….another of my life’s shitty decisions. Given the choice between reading this book or having one of my BERRIES ripped off by a rabid wolverine, I went with what I thought was the safe selection and read this book. Hindsight is now screaming a foul wind of obscenities at me because I didn’t go with the partial EUNUCHectomy.

This is one literary baby that should have been family planned a little better and prevented prior to conception. PAINFUL debilitating aneurysm doesn’t begin to describe th ...more

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Jul 07, 2010 AH rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, steampunk, zzread-oct-2010, own, humor

Imagine yourself at work at your desk. Your crazy sister comes up to you with yet another one of her plans to hook you up with a girl. She shakes a canister, puts it down on your work, and poof - the whole world changes.

Steamed is Katie MacAlister’s steampunk romance novel. I must admit, I was a little perplexed by all the negative reviews for this novel. I really enjoyed it, as my updates can attest. I think I may have enjoyed this book more than the average Katie MacAlister reader because I ha Imagine yourself at work at your desk. Your crazy sister comes up to you with yet another one of her plans to hook you up with a girl. She shakes a canister, puts it down on your work, and poof - the whole world changes.

Steamed is Katie MacAlister’s steampunk romance novel. I must admit, I was a little perplexed by all the negative reviews for this novel. I really enjoyed it, as my updates can attest. I think I may have enjoyed this book more than the average Katie MacAlister reader because I had never read any of her books before. I didn’t have any expectations, except that this was a steampunk romance.

As a steampunk romance, I think that this novel met my expectations. There were the usual steam powered contraptions – dirigibles, a type of bicycle, carriages, etc. But – this novel was set in 2010, not in Victorian times. In fact, it was the exact same date that Jack and Hallie’s world went poof! Ever neat! So, you have a Victorian world complete with the corsets and gadgets in 2010. You have the Victorian formalities. But the world is different. The Moghuls are trying to take over Western Europe, the Black Hand is a revolutionary group, and William is the Emperor of England and Prussia.

I enjoyed the characters in this book. The main characters – Jack Fletcher and Octavia Pye are very interesting. Jack is a nanoelectrical engineer from our world. Jack is a little bit of a geek. He loves graphic novels and computers. Octavia is a female airship captain. Jack is instantly attracted to Octavia. Once Octavia figures out that Jack is not a pirate or a thuggee (love that word!), she begins to give into her feelings for Jack. These two characters have a rather entertaining love life and are rather busy during most of the book.

The secondary characters are amusing. Hallelujah (Hallie) Norris is Jack’s sister. She loves taking up causes, any cause will do. Mr. Llama is a rather mysterious member of Octavia’s crew. He appears and disappears at will, however we are not told exactly what he is. I loved Francisco, Octavia’s drama queen steward. Francisco probably had some of the best lines in the book.

I also found that this novel was hysterical. Katie MacAlister has a really neat sense of humor. There were a lot of word plays and one liners to keep me giggling and updating my status regularly.

I recommend this book for a fun take on a steampunk romance. I hope she does write a sequel to this book. I’m dying to find out more about Octavia’s adopted family.
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Mar 17, 2010 Liza Gilbert rated it did not like it

Shelves: adult-fiction

This book is a crime against the steampunk genre. At best, this is tepidpunk. Without the punk. Jack, the hero, supposedly puts on a front so others think he's charming, but MacAlister doesn't ever really show the reader where the line is between his real persona and his fake persona. Instead, Jack spends the novel calling Octavia by different bird names ("squab" was my favorite, close to a racial slur, yet still ornithological in nature). Octavia, the steampunk heroine, is supposed to be busine This book is a crime against the steampunk genre. At best, this is tepidpunk. Without the punk. Jack, the hero, supposedly puts on a front so others think he's charming, but MacAlister doesn't ever really show the reader where the line is between his real persona and his fake persona. Instead, Jack spends the novel calling Octavia by different bird names ("squab" was my favorite, close to a racial slur, yet still ornithological in nature). Octavia, the steampunk heroine, is supposed to be businesslike and efficient, but her "professional" dialog sounds more like she's a robot, and a ditsy one at that.

The sex scenes were hands down the stupidest sex scenes I have ever read. Surely (one hopes) MacAlister was trying to be funny. However, reading them felt like watching those "World's Stupidest" shows, where you just can't believe people are that dumb, and willing to be even dumber.

The crimes against steampunk as a genre were many. Mostly, it felt like MacAlister didn't try. There was close to zero description of the technology, and Octavia's airship, for all intents and purposes, was a regular ship, just without all the nautical lingo.

It seemed like MacAlister used the steampunk image to create a world in which a woman can run a ship yet not really be overly independent. After all, Octavia puts up with being called a bird multiple times, and when she doesn't love Jack enough, Jack threatens her. He states, forcefully, that he is going to make her love him, and she will end up loving him so much she will die from it. Octavia's response? She giggles. So much for progress, or even recognition of verbal abuse.

MacAlister does return to the technology (eh hem) of her "steampunk" novel in her glossary at the end of the book. Now, if this had been a proper steampunk novel, the glossary would have been useful in identifying weapons, gadgets, etc. MacAlister does identify "aether," but also kindly provides us with an entry for "Rome" (the capital of Italy, in case you forgot).

I do give the book 1 star, though, since MacAlister had the audacity to name an adult character in a book for grown-ups "Mr. Llama." ...more

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Jan 25, 2010 Katie(babs) rated it it was ok

There has been a great deal of buzz in regards to Katie MacAlister’s Steamed, a so-called steampunk romance being released today. The main question lies, is Steamed such a book that may jump start steampunk for the romance genre that so many have been waiting for?

If Steamed is any inclination, I would have to say no. Steamed is an alternative universe with a post World War II feel rather then a Victorian Steampunk type setting. There’s a grating amount of times the term “steampunk” is mentioned There has been a great deal of buzz in regards to Katie MacAlister’s Steamed, a so-called steampunk romance being released today. The main question lies, is Steamed such a book that may jump start steampunk for the romance genre that so many have been waiting for?

If Steamed is any inclination, I would have to say no. Steamed is an alternative universe with a post World War II feel rather then a Victorian Steampunk type setting. There’s a grating amount of times the term “steampunk” is mentioned by the characters, as well as Katie making sure to tell and show in great detail these specific things that must make it so. Honestly, if you take out these very precise rules that make steampunk what it is, what you have is a historical alternate world where the hero and heroine team up to save their country from the enemy. But hey, we have flying ships that run on steam, so this must be a steampunk, right?

Steamed begins in present day 2010, where Dr. Jack Fletcher, a nanoelectrical systems engineer, who has reputation of being a wild ladies’ man. This is so far from the truth, mainly because the rumors about him being compared to an Indiana Jones like hero are false. Jack just happens to be at the right place at the wrong time, and through these bizarre circumstances, he has become larger than life. He’s more comfortable working in his research lab and listening to part steampunk, part goth and part industrial music. By the way, this combination of music sounds like it would be quite painful on the ear drums. And get this- Jack is a Friend, or better known as a Quaker. (I have visions of Indiana Jones meeting the movie Witness, which coincidentally stars both Harrison Ford).

Jack loves everything to do with Steampunk. And he’ll soon become lost in that world he loves so when his sister Hallie comes to visit him at his office and touches something she shouldn’t. She spills a canister full of liquid helium all over an electrical system that sends her and Jack through a portal into another dimension. They end on the airship Tesla under the command of Captain Octavia Pye. Octavia thinks Jack and Hallie are spies, which if they are, may ruin her maiden voyage. There are several female captains in the Southampton Areocorps, but this is the first time Octavia has ever commandeered an airship. There are very important reasons why Octavia must be successful and arrive safely in Rome. Not only does she have to worry about the revolutionary group known as the Black Hand, and their leader Etienne Briel, who she was intimate with, but also the Moghuls who are enemies of the His Imperial Majesty that Octavia serves.

You’d think Jack would freak out more, just like Hallie does, but he loves being in this world. He especially likes Captain Pye, with her luscious red hair and great eye catching chest, as well as her buttoned up dress uniform he would love nothing more to rip off. After Jack explains to Octavia and her crew where he and his sister have come from, they welcome them on board until they can find a way to return them to their own world. Jack is much like a kid in a candy store as he learns about the Tesla and all those wonderful steampunk type gadgets. He also gets to know Octavia very well, where he tries to make his romance reputation, a reality, but only with her. Everything is smooth sailing for Jack as he shows his redheaded captain different ways to loosen up, but then Hallie ends up missing. Octavia must help Jack find his sister before she’s hurt or worse, and stay under the radar of revolutionaries and the emperor himself who Octavia also has had an unfortunate past with.

Steamed was very disappointing. I really was expecting a romance set in a steampunk world. What I read instead was a slap stick, too silly to take serious, let’s fall through the rabbit whole because it will be too ha-ha for words. There was too much fluff, ridiculous amount of conversations and eye rolling action scenes that really didn’t keep my interest. Jack come across too immature for my tastes and his ease at being a strange man in a very strange world, where his main goal is to seduce the proper Octavia grated on my nerves. Octavia wears too many hats, as in, she has multiple disguises and really doesn’t know what she wants to in life. Not only is she an air ship captain, but a revolutionary in secret, who also has been in the beds of many high powered men. I couldn’t get a handle on her motivation for anything. She was also too unrealistic in the way she jumps into Jack’s arms, just because he is a good kisser and the main aggressor sexually. The final last straw that made me want to throw this book across the room is a major twist with Octavia and who she actually is and where she originally has come from.

The first person points of views jump back and forth between Jack and Octavia and the use of the letter “I” becomes very overwhelming and pushes you out of the story. In one paragraph alone, this figure of speech was used eight times. The silliness of the characters and the way they talk and act with one another was another annoyance, especially with Jack and Octavia, as their whole world is crumbling around them, they still have time to engage in a great deal of hanky panky.

I feel like I’ve been duped mainly because Steamed is not a straight up steampunk romance. Just because you throw in flying ships that run on water and steam or have a set of characters with Victorian values and beliefs, does not make it so. If you want to moan and sigh, but not in a good way by what you’re reading, Steamed maybe for you
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Feb 17, 2010 Jess rated it did not like it

I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for steampunk, and I have been for over a decade, so when I saw a steampunk trashy romance, I fell for it. That'll teach me. What would've otherwise been a mediocre story line was undermined by the square-peg-into-round-hole smushing-on of a "steampunk" premise. The problem is that, if you want people to think your book fits into a genre (possibly with the exception of vampires), the best way to do this is NOT to use the word on every other page. It's also not a good ...more

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Aug 04, 2010 Maria rated it did not like it

***Spoiler Alert***I’m going to preface my review by saying that I read a lot of romances. I would even venture to say that I’ve read thousands since I was a teen in every genre: Historical, contemporary, paranormal, suspense, you name it. Over the years I’ve learned that my expectations necessarily need to be adjusted according to the tone and style of the text, but to say that I was disappointed by this book is an understatement, and what follows is a bit of a rant. I fully acknowledge that I ***Spoiler Alert***I’m going to preface my review by saying that I read a lot of romances. I would even venture to say that I’ve read thousands since I was a teen in every genre: Historical, contemporary, paranormal, suspense, you name it. Over the years I’ve learned that my expectations necessarily need to be adjusted according to the tone and style of the text, but to say that I was disappointed by this book is an understatement, and what follows is a bit of a rant. I fully acknowledge that I am possibly being too hard on a novel that is meant to be playful and not taken too seriously, but I also believe that even the most playful literature needs to be plausible with regards to the behavior of the characters. I read because I love to take journeys in my imagination, and I don’t like it when I feel myself jarred back to reality, especially because the characters have chosen a line of action that feels inconsistent. I would never suggest that a book shouldn’t be read, but I will offer my honest opinion and hope that it will be taken in the spirit it is being offered.

The basic idea of Steamed: A Steampunk Romance revolves around Jack Fletcher and his sister Hallie, who are transported from our world to a parallel universe because of an accident caused by Hallie’s very unwise and silly behavior in Jack’s lab. The year is the same, 2010, but Jack and Hallie wake up in an England that is still Victorian in appearance and scientific technology. Jack and Hallie find themselves on the Tesla, a dirigible captained by Octavia Emmaline Pye and her small crew of misfits. Jack embraces the change of venue and takes his presence in an alternate universe in stride—it’s his geeky, steampunk- convention-loving dream come true, after all, and he immediately begins to flirt with Octavia. By contrast, Hallie broadly laments what has happened because it means being cut off from the things she loves most: The internet, her laptop, and her cellphone. Note to self: Please God, may I never have family or friends like these, who would give their loved ones hardly any thought if they were ever suddenly separated. I know this book is meant to be a lighthearted, irreverent erotic romp, but Jack and Hallie’s emotions don’t feel real. Jack spends the first chapter of the book fending off the amorous advances of his female coworkers (which feels like an attempt to convince the reader of how attractive Jack is) and the rest of the book feels like an excuse to have Jack and Octavia talk dirty to each other and then have sex. I like a good sex scene as much as the next girl, but I need more plot than this, and I need characters that behave with at least marginally realistic behavior.

Another major issue that must be addressed is structural: The book is told in first person throughout, but the chapters change from Octavia’s point of view to Jack’s with no warning. I sometimes found myself a full page into a new chapter before I realized the narrative voice had changed, and had to start over to reorient myself. I don’t really have any objections to stories told in the first person, but I have a serious problem with a mass market paperback that is deliberately confusing to the reader. The editing feels heavy handed and clumsy, and the quality of the overall story suffers because of it.

As far as plot goes, let’s just discuss for a moment the constant references to steampunk throughout the book. Recently, blogger G.D. Falksen wrote in an entry about worldbuilding in steampunk novels, “…it’s important to remember that a steampunk setting, like any setting, should feel plausible and internally consistent. One of the biggest risks a writer new to steampunk fiction faces is trying to overstate the point. When you start trying to “prove” that the setting is steampunk, it inevitably feels forced and has the opposite effect.” In other words, the first rule of fight club is that you don’t talk about fight club. This book works so hard to remind the reader that it is a steampunk romance that it is hard for me to believe that anyone who is a true fan of the genre wouldn’t be at least mildly annoyed by the way numerous references throughout the novel both breaks the suspension of disbelief and subtly pokes fun at the people who are true fans and cosplay to any degree. This leads me to believe that this romance was written for people who don’t know what steampunk is, and these readers are basically being presented with a caricature—both of the genre, and the people who embrace it. Thanks, but no thanks. There are better “steamy” romances (Gail Carriger’s The Parasol Protectorate series, Meljean Brook’s The Iron Duke, etc.) that provide steamy romance and sexiness as well as a plot that is meaningful.

While we’re on the topic of odd plot choices, the repeated references to Jack Fletcher being a Quaker should be examined. At one point, I thought these references were a Chekhov’s gun plot device—something obscure in the beginning of the story that becomes important at the end of the story-- but this is not the case. Outside of using Jack’s Quaker status to make certain that the newly formed airship pirates will be nonlethal pirates, this is an unimportant detail that could have been completely left out without harming the overall story. It is as though someone bet Katie MacAlister a hundred bucks that she couldn’t put a Quaker in one of her romances and she took them up on that bet. Ultimately, the concept of warm and fuzzy, conscientious objecting pirates just seems silly and reinforces the disposability of the overall story.

I was also concerned by the treatment of the lead female character. Octavia Pyle is thirty years old, has been with the Southhampton Aerocorps since she was 16, and fought for respect and advancement in a male-dominated field. She is a woman who should, simply by virtue of her rank and experience, be a professional with some level of self-control and awareness of the consequences of her actions. Added to this, she is a member of the secret revolutionary group known as the Black Hand, and her service in this capacity requires her to be a savvy political player who can keep her wits about her to avoid exposure. The minute Jack walks onto her ship, however, she becomes an oversexed bimbo who can’t think straight and who makes one bad decision after the other. She comes across as an incompetent klutz who can be controlled and manipulated easily by her libido, and isn’t convincing as either an airship captain or rebel. I had a hard time generating sympathy for Octavia, especially when she and Jack are endlessly babbling at each other while having wild sex instead of worrying about the fate of the crew or planning their next move. For example, in a forehead slapping move Jack and Octavia engage in wild sex in a secret hallway while waiting for another couple to finish in a nearby bedroom so that they can speak the male of the second pair. Unsurprisingly, Jack and Octavia are caught because they make too much noise. This scene is just one among many that demonstrate Jack’s inability to keep his penis in his pants throughout the story and the general ridiculousness of the plot twists the reader has to endure.

But wait, there’s more! While we’re on the subject of Jack, allow me a moment to laugh over his portrayal as a studly nerd. He’s supposedly a genius and an accomplished nanotechnology engineer with an odd history of accidentally saving the day by stumbling into problem situations. He’s also Nathan Fillion gorgeous, with a rebellious lock of hair that hangs over his forhead. Octavia obsesses over it so much I couldn’t resist putting a reference here! But this hot, brilliant man does nothing remotely brilliant on the Tesla outside of a few references to working with the airship’s engineer to learn the ships systems, and his purpose on Octavia’s vessel seems to be reduced to that of ‘walking erection.’ Oh, a possessive walking erection who has to constantly assert his ownership over Octavia to other men who may, or may not be, her former lovers. By the end of the book I was truly over his boorish behavior--it wasn’t cute or loveable at all—and I kept hoping Octavia would deck him just to shut him up.

The characters in this book remind me of a Ke$ha song (“stop, talk, talk, talking that blah, blah, blah.”) Holy diarrhea of the mouth, Batman! Octavia and Jack spend most of the book enacting barroom flirtation by babbling innuendos and erotic thoughts at each other. Worse, they seem to do it when they most seriously need to focus on the issue at hand and come up with a plan to get themselves and the crew of the Tesla out of the most recent scrape they have landed in. It was seriously eye-rollingly bad at points, and their inane chatter at critical points (i.e., like when they discover that Jack’s sister Hallie has been sentenced to die as a spy) made me alternately angry and disgusted. For all of the reasons I’ve listed above, I found myself getting frustrated and disappointed with the direction the story was going. I’m supposed to like these people and hope for their success? Not likely. While I don’t know if my feelings about this book will necessarily keep me from reading other stories by Katie MacAlister, I do know that I will likely not be encouraging other people to read this one.
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Feb 05, 2010 Joelle rated it did not like it

Shelves: read-in-2010

Utterly ridiculous...save your money and time. Let me just tell you what I didn't like since there is really nothing that I did like. The world itself was underdeveloped and frankly just ridiculous. For anyone to be calling this a steam punk novel and introducing this book to new readers of the genre as steam punk is very misleading and unfair to good steam punk novels such as Boneshaker. The world itself was hard to believe but so too were the charters, our hero had a lot of awards for deeds of ...more

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Oct 23, 2009 CJ - It's only a Paper Moon rated it liked it

Shelves: beach-read, fiction-for-women, out-of-the-ordinary, romance, fantasy, steampunk

3.2

This book wasn't groundbreaking or amazing enough to move mountains but it did the job. It was fresh, light and sexy.

If you like romance with your steampunk and a bit of physics you should like this book. It's a good beach read.

Some drawbacks:

The leads were constantly horny. Which would've been fine if there hadn't been two major instances in which having sex was clearly not the answer. Also, when your sister gets kidnapped in a strange land - is your first action to have sex?

Octavia's hist ...more

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Mar 22, 2010 Jennifer rated it did not like it

Shelves: steampunk

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Terrible. Absolutely terrible.

I will be the first to admit that I am not that well versed in steampunk culture, but I know enough to be aware that there’s no way this book should be labeled as steampunk…and no, mentioning the word steampunk as many times as humanly possible doesn't make it so. Also, airships and goggles do not automatically make something steampunk either.

But even worse, this book shouldn't even be called a romance in my opinion. In a romance book, one is supposed to root for th ...more

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Mar 03, 2010 Angel rated it did not like it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 19, 2012 Danielle rated it did not like it

Shelves: dnf, no-one-likes-you-mc, steam-cyberpunk, please-stop-fucking, cardboard-love-interest

I tried. I tried so hard.

The main character, Jack, is the most insufferable asshole in romance history. He's a nerdy Quaker nanoelectrical engineer who loves cons and Steampunk and hasn't met a woman he can't seduce. Oh and everyone thinks he's Indiana Jones. From the second he's introduced to Octavia, the love interest, he treats her like dirt. Even if you wake up on a dirigible and believe yourself to be at a convention, you should no openly oggle a woman's breasts. You certainly cannot touch I tried. I tried so hard.

The main character, Jack, is the most insufferable asshole in romance history. He's a nerdy Quaker nanoelectrical engineer who loves cons and Steampunk and hasn't met a woman he can't seduce. Oh and everyone thinks he's Indiana Jones. From the second he's introduced to Octavia, the love interest, he treats her like dirt. Even if you wake up on a dirigible and believe yourself to be at a convention, you should no openly oggle a woman's breasts. You certainly cannot touch them, or her, after she tells you to stop. You should never make a woman so uncomfortable with her body that you force her to button her coat so you'll stop sexually harassing her. And if you do all of these things, she will not fall madly in lust with you. And I will not read your terrible novel where this seems like a logical and reasonable course of action.

I stopped reading once on page 89, when Jack and Olivia "share" their first kiss.

"I'm going to kiss you, Octavia Emmaline Pye."

"You may refer to me as Captain Pye, and I decline your offer," I said, a bit breathless to be true. *snip*

"Your mind says no, but your body says yes," he said, gently, persistently tugging me closer to him.

ENTHUSIASTIC CONSENT. PLEASE LEARN THE CONCEPT, AUTHORS.

But, despite how badly that line pushes my buttons, I soldiered on until page 111-112 when I actually threw the book across the room. Emphasis mine.

I shook away the memory of her mouth so softly enticing beneath mine and made an effort to focus on the words that emerged from between those delectable, delicious lips. "Sorry, you asked me what? Oh, what would interest us both? I though you could tell me a little bit about your father."

Her gaze left my lips, the pupils flaring. "My father? Robert Ansthruther?"

"Yes. Matt said you were missing him. I take it he's dead?"

"He's gone, yes." She bowed her head. "And I do miss both him and his wife, Jane. As I mentioned, they were my foster parents, not my true parents, but I could not love them more if they had been."

"Does it upset you to talk about them?" I asked, my erection dying in the face of her grief. I wanted to comfort her, to take her in my arms and protect her from the sadness in the world, but I had as suspicion if I touched her, my dick would take control again.

So you pumped a crewmember for information on this woman you just met, found out about the greatest tragedy in her life, confronted her about her dead parents, and then, what, felt bad when your dick wilted? I can totally see why your secretary, who you mock behind you hand, wants another go. I'm going to stop there. Let's not ruin what we have, Jack. ...more

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Nov 07, 2010 Olga Hughes rated it did not like it

Shelves: not-finished

The book starts with a horrible “is that a blah-blah in your pocket” cliche which is usually enough to make me close the book there and then, but I rallied and kept reading.

Jack Fletcher spends the first chapter telling us why he is really not so-cool. Then dropping as many ‘steampunk’ references as possible along the way to his lab (he’s an engineer) he meets with his sister Hallie, who manages to spill a vial of something, which transports them into Steampunk land.

It’s not timetravel, we find.

The book starts with a horrible “is that a blah-blah in your pocket” cliche which is usually enough to make me close the book there and then, but I rallied and kept reading.

Jack Fletcher spends the first chapter telling us why he is really not so-cool. Then dropping as many ‘steampunk’ references as possible along the way to his lab (he’s an engineer) he meets with his sister Hallie, who manages to spill a vial of something, which transports them into Steampunk land.

It’s not timetravel, we find. It is still 2010. Also it’s not strictly steampunk. There’s an air-ship and a lot of talk of steampunk.

Then we meet Octavia, an air-ship Captain. Expecting a strong female lead? Think again. The woman has no handle on her crew at all, who either disobey her or make constant lecherous remarks about her breasts, which she gets exasperated at, and not much else. I thought perhaps the family tragedy she recalls early on would lend her some depth, but, well, not so far anyway.

Jack Fletcher is a silly, shallow, irritating man. This is displayed in some mind-bogglingly appalling statements such as

“a man would have to be dead six months to not want to ogle your breasts” Really? Like you wouldn’t get a poke in the eye for that statement? But Octavia gets all fluttery and brushes it off.

Then “Your mind says no but your body says yes” and, after a mild complaint, “Your mouth says yes too”

There is no instance in where a statement even vaguely similar to this should be used, ever. That is all.

I imagine that finding your hero repulsive and your heroine a simpering fool will usually deem the rest of the book unreadable. Sexual tension is no excuse for being moronic. I put the book down.

I picked the book up again, but then the lengthy explanations on the mechanics of the air-ship began, which normally would be fine, but as I couldn’t emotionally invest in the world, it did nothing but annoy me. So I stopped reading. I don’t think I made 100 pages.

You can read the full review at JustRomance

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Dec 19, 2011 Jasmine rated it liked it

Shelves: american

For some reason I was under the impression that several people I know had read this book, found it funny and suggested I might enjoy it... I was wrong none of you have read it... If one of you would like to remind me what book you did actually read that would be awesome.

I don't know what to do with this starwise. I mean don't get me wrong this book is TERRIBLE, god damn fucking TERRIBLE. but it's one of those books that is so bad it's freaking hilarious, I laughed out loud multiple times.

But i ...more

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Jun 05, 2018 Margie (Bookzombie) rated it it was ok

Shelves: books-read-in-2018, romance

2.5 stars

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Nov 16, 2011 Sara rated it did not like it

Shelves: steampunk-and-stuff-claiming-to-be

There are a few bits--a very few--that had promise. The airship corps was a fairly interesting concept, and one would think that a thirty-year old female airship captain, who has fought long and hard (apparently) to gain her rank would, y'know, be a good leader and command (or even demand) respect from those around her. Is this what happens? Hell, no. Instead, we are treated to a ridiculous hero (c'mon, the protagonist-from-the-real-world-magically-transported-to-a-fantasy world schtick sucks th There are a few bits--a very few--that had promise. The airship corps was a fairly interesting concept, and one would think that a thirty-year old female airship captain, who has fought long and hard (apparently) to gain her rank would, y'know, be a good leader and command (or even demand) respect from those around her. Is this what happens? Hell, no. Instead, we are treated to a ridiculous hero (c'mon, the protagonist-from-the-real-world-magically-transported-to-a-fantasy world schtick sucks these days, and should be confined to the worst kind of fanfiction) who openly makes sexual comments about the female protagonist in front of her crew and encourages said crew to join in and to which said female protagonist reacts not at all, save for being, apparently, turned on. Sorry, but even in fantasy novels I expect people in a position of leadership to actually expect the respect their status is due--say, for example, throwing any crewmember who makes comments about the captain's breasts or ass off the side of the freakin' ship or at least dangling them from the end of a very old and fraying rope. And I would certainly expect a woman who is (supposedly) at the mature age of thirty and who is both a captain AND a member of a secret revolutionary organization to have absolutely no time for a smarmy git who encourages such behavior. But no, apparently that's too much to ask. (Thank goodness I went and read Meljean Brook's The Iron Duke right after this, which despite my dislike for overdone steamy bits had both an excellent plot and a very excellent female protagonist who would have shot 'sexy Jack' approximately thirty seconds after he opened his mouth. Otherwise, I might have been put off 'Steampunk Romance' permanently...) I limped on, however, despite the appallingly sexist behavior of anyone with a Y chromosome and the passive behavior of the double-X's, because I hoped (faintly) it might get better.

It didn't. Instead, we are treated to ridiculous sexual behavior more appropriate to teenagers than thirty-somethings (sex in a secret passage in the heart of enemy territory, not three feet from the Emperor? Loud, wild sex, no less? While supposedly trying to save the "hero's" sister's life?!), nothing resembling a plot (there is NO world-building or explanation for this apparent "Empire" or why it's Bad. And the Revolutionaries suck. Also the apparently random Turkish "terrorists" who seem mostly interested in blowing stuff up without any indictation of an intelligent plan, diabolical or otherwise), and none of the characters are even remotely likeable or, frankly, plausible. Jack is a jerk (and no matter what various media sources insist, a sexist pig with no respect for women is NOT sexy), his sister whined so much it would have been a mercy if she HAD been hung as a spy, and Octavia is an idiot who probably should never have been promoted past midshipman, if allowed to join the airship corps at ALL.

I am sure some might assure me that I'm taking the book far too seriously, that it was supposed to be a funny, fluffy romp...and yet, somehow, degrading sexual comments and idiotic behavior just don't strike me as funny. (Fine, I admit it: I loathe those movies of the raunchy-comedy type for the same reasons. So sue me.) I think I actually finished the book because it was like a train wreck: I just couldn't look away, and I was frozen in fascinated, appalled horror.

Do yourself a favor: Give this one a pass and go read the Iron Seas books. They're a little steamier than I prefer (I like my romance, but I generally am of the fade-to-black, Georgette Heyer school of thought), but damn, at least they have some excellent writing and characterization to offset it!! ...more

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Jan 28, 2010 Jess rated it liked it

Shelves: 2010, katie-macalister

The word that comes to mind when I think about trying to describe this book is quirky. If you're picking this book up, and think it's going to be similar to MacAlister's other series.. you are in for a bit of a surprise. It was funny in a weird way, but has nothing to do with dragons or demons or anything like that.

I suggest to look in the Glossary in the back and look it over before reading. This helped when the author throws around words all the time as if we're supposed to know what they mean ...more

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Aug 24, 2010 Hirondelle rated it did not like it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, i-quit

Oh, wow, this is indeed THAT bad. I feel stupid that I had to make sure.

I liked the idea, I enjoyed very much a few of the author´s books ( OTOH there were also a few on which I could not make it past the first couple chapters), and steampunk, light and fun, sounded irresistible.

The book even started out well, in a vaguely Jasper Fforde-ish tone. After the first chapter, it all does downhill. The worlbuilding is ridiculous and a bit tedious, the character interaction ludicrous, and the sexual ...more

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Apr 27, 2020 Cathy rated it did not like it

Shelves: steampunk

DNF - This book was very disappointing. The author has made no effort to create an acceptable story within the Steampunk genre. There is no world building, the characters are uninterested and undeveloped, the interaction between the two is more like sexual harassment… I couldn't bring myself to finish this book. ...more

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Jan 17, 2010 Fiendishly Bookish rated it really liked it

Shelves: steampunk, steampunkromance

Zapped into the aether by a zany laboratory mishap, Jack Fletcher and his sister Hallie find themselves aboard a real live airship-in an alternate universe, at the mercy of Captain Octavia Pye and her crew of the Tesla. Grappling with the realization that they are far from Kansas and no Toto, Jack and Hallie are thrust into the madcap adventures of the Tesla, the ongoing war with the Moghuls (against the Emperor), and the revolutionary force Black Hand who are dead-set at toppling the Empire. An Zapped into the aether by a zany laboratory mishap, Jack Fletcher and his sister Hallie find themselves aboard a real live airship-in an alternate universe, at the mercy of Captain Octavia Pye and her crew of the Tesla. Grappling with the realization that they are far from Kansas and no Toto, Jack and Hallie are thrust into the madcap adventures of the Tesla, the ongoing war with the Moghuls (against the Emperor), and the revolutionary force Black Hand who are dead-set at toppling the Empire. And that’s just what they have to deal with first in order to find a way back home. If they can even get home.

I was endlessly grinning throughout this book because MacAlister’s characterizations are engaging and fiercely funny. Always. She has a knack for writing the most amazing comedic scenes and dialogue and its not just restricted to Steamed but in all her books. With a great cast of supporting characters such as Francisco, Mowen, Piper, Dooley, Christian and others each with their own eclectic bent, you’ll find yourself laughing nearly at every page. (I still want to know Mr. Llama’s secret!)

The mating dance between Octavia and Jack is charming, and hilarious. Jack is such an easy going character so different from other author’s conception of a hero: he’s affable, sexy in an Indiana Jones’ kind of way, and he’s not a shapeshifter or vampire. He’s not laden down with any tattoos or mysterious power other than his priceless sense of humor. Just a geeky tech scientist who wants Tavey in his bed and will connive anyway to do it and while she’ll protest the entire time, she wants Jack in the fiercest way.

There’s no stopping it. Steamed is an adventure to read and one that I enjoyed. The romance is snugly inserted into one daring event after another. Once you’re on the Katie Mac express prepare for dips, turns and loop-de-loops. Make sure you’re strapped in tight (and got your goggles on) because this irrepressible author will take you for the ride of your life. Spicy, zesty, with all the fat and calories, Katie MacAlister slaps you upside the head with a whammy of ginormous proportions. Who says that love can’t be fun?

...more

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May 13, 2011 Eon Beaumont rated it it was ok

This book had some interesting potential but it fell terribly short. The romance was silly and heavy handed. The author couldn't seem to go more than two or three sentences before reminding the reader that the two main characters were hot for each other. The humor was passable. The sex was at times steamy but came at woefully inappropriate times in the narrative. If you're trying desperately to free your sister from a prison in an alternate universe, I don't believe even the most fabulous cleava ...more

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Apr 28, 2010 Audra (Unabridged Chick) rated it did not like it

Shelves: steampunk, not-as-good-as-everyone-said, did-not-finish

I'm glad I'm not the only one turned off by the weird Quaker thing and the artificial sense of steampunk. Octavia Pye might have been a great character but I couldn't get past page 30 to find out. Jack was so uninteresting (too bland to be unlikable) I didn't care if he had sex with Octavia or not. ...more

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Oct 27, 2020 Lindap rated it did not like it

1 Star

Jack and his sister, Haley, are thrown into the past due to an explosion in his lab. They wake up in the hold of a steampunk airship commanded by Octavia. A woman who's been very capable of taking care of herself looooooong before Jack showed up. Insta-affection from Jack to the Captain. Jack is Quaker who has no problem cussing, and is a pacifist. His macho attitude is a bit stupid considering he has no idea where he really is, what's going on, or who's who in Octavia's world. He's "the m ...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Stephanie Krause rated it did not like it

Shelves: didn-t-hold-interest, steampunk-fiction

This... This was just awful. I wanted to laugh every time I looked at the cover of the book and it read "NY Times BESTSELLING AUTHOR" because... No.

I FINALLY finished this book today. It has ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS cover art. Do not let it persuade you to try to read this book.

Read the reviews here. They don't lie. I wish I had before I picked this one up, it was just simply awful. So awful, it achieves the dubious distinction of being my first ONE-STAR book on Goodreads.

In short, the story was impl ...more

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May 09, 2012 Karen rated it it was ok

DNF... I just couldn't get into this one. The worldbuilding was a little too gimmicky, and it's mostly handled in somewhat confusing backstory. Jack's supposed to be a brilliant scientist-type, but seems far more interested in ogling Cpt. Pye's boobs than in exploring the ENTIRE ALTERNATE UNIVERSE he and his sister have just been plunked into. (Not to mention fondling her clothing-- who DOES that to a total stranger? That's just creepy, dude.)

And while I'm usually pretty okay with the idea of i ...more

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Feb 03, 2010 Rachel- Goodbye Borders rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-2012

I almost put this on my DNF shelf, but I thought to myself, "this is so ridiculous it's hilarious." So of course I kept on going.
Underneath the title it tells everyone it is "A Steampunk Romance." I guess we are all stupid because "steampunk" appears quite often in the text. A couple of examples: "-how we got on board an airship in what is evidently a steampunk world." -and- "Steampunk sweetheart."
The characters:
Hallie AKA shit for brains (I've been wanting to use that phase forever in a review ...more

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Jun 29, 2010 A.J. rated it it was ok

Shelves: unowned, steampunk, reluctantly-admitted-romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 01, 2010 Carla rated it did not like it

Shelves: not-own, dnf, 2011

I gave up about page 130...

The premise was interesting and I kind of enjoyed the travel between parallel worlds but it dragged! There was plenty of bosom's description and a lot of backside and bustles and how the female character's scent was tormenting the hero but plot? It was nowhere to be seen! And it was ridiculous how a captain would be defied in front of her crew. Meljean Brook does a better work with her Yasmeen. ...more

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May 20, 2010 Jo rated it did not like it

Shelves: did-not-finish

I like steampunk well enough, but this book is terrible. I couldn't stand the main characters. The story is very thin, and the world is very poorly developed (if at all). The sex was jarring. I read 'til page 257 waiting for it to get good -- what a waste of time. The whole thing was so irritating, it wasn't worth finishing. And if you haven't started it, don't. It's really not worth starting. ...more

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Jan 17, 2016 Nancy rated it it was ok

This is a steampunk time travel romance. I enjoyed Jack and his sense of humor and admiration for intelligent women. BTW, there is a great deal of sex in this book which took away from the flow of the story (seemed that even though the author had a good idea for a story, they thought lots of sex would make it more marketable).

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Mar 01, 2010 Alexis rated it did not like it

Wow. I love Katie MacAlister but I couldn't even get through this book. Flat characters, a weird plot, and a vibe that made me immediately think of fan fiction. I feel like this would have made a better novella than a novel. ...more

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