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Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium
In an era of bygone anachronisms and steam-powered ambulatory engines, a sharp-witted street-thief with a heart of semi-precious metal finds herself locked in a battle of wits against a secret plot to bring the city she loves to its knees. Arcadia will need to enlist the help of a reformed mad scientist, a stern suffragette, and a persnickety pigeon to unravel the mysterious past of the Steamwork Consortium - and stop the cabal of sinister mathematicians who would use that past to destroy all of Aberwick. Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium is both a cautionary tale against reckless mathematics and an accurate historical account all rolled up into one. In fact, the story is so accurate that you might consider it more of a history lecture than an illustrated novel.
288 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 30, 2009
Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium by Robert C. Rogers is on the order of steampunk fiction. Just who is crazy and who isn’t will befuddle you in this delightful tale of developing steam powered machines and mad mathematics that leads to mad science. The brilliant and delightful Arcadia Snips is the main character encountering murder mysteries, kidnappings, air machines and all sorts of misadventures. Miss Snips and her cohorts must work together to save her beloved city of Aberwick. Highly detailed descriptions brings to life the characters and situations. The cast of characters are spectacular with their quirkiness and clever dialog.
The illustrations are wonderful, and if the purpose of the book is to make you smile at the clever back and forth dialog, then it does exactly what it sets out to do. If the giant mechanical spiders don’t amaze you, the probability engine will. This is a delightful story for young or old alike.
My favorite quote: “William Daffodil resembled what you would get if you dressed up a scarecrow and taught it to act polite; he wore his clothes as if they were an ill-fitting burden.”
The illustrations are wonderful, and if the purpose of the book is to make you smile at the clever back and forth dialog, then it does exactly what it sets out to do. If the giant mechanical spiders don’t amaze you, the probability engine will. This is a delightful story for young or old alike.
My favorite quote: “William Daffodil resembled what you would get if you dressed up a scarecrow and taught it to act polite; he wore his clothes as if they were an ill-fitting burden.”
October 30, 2009
This was my first introduction to the "Steampunk" genre and what an introduction it was! I just loved this book. It was so much fun to read. The characters were remarkable. The story was filled with adventure, mystery, a few mad scientists and a whodunit in a world run by and on machines.
The illustrations were fantastic and really helped with character and world visualization. Being a visual reader and new to this genre of storytelling, the illustrations helped me a lot.
I would recommend this to anyone who thinks they might enjoy it. It really was a lot of fun to read!
To find out more information about Robert or the book, you can go to www.arcadiasnips.com
This book was received from the author for review purposes.
The illustrations were fantastic and really helped with character and world visualization. Being a visual reader and new to this genre of storytelling, the illustrations helped me a lot.
I would recommend this to anyone who thinks they might enjoy it. It really was a lot of fun to read!
To find out more information about Robert or the book, you can go to www.arcadiasnips.com
This book was received from the author for review purposes.
August 3, 2025
Aberwick city, home to automatons, airships, assassins, secret societies, mad math and inventions that could save the world or break it. That is the backdrop for the thief and escape artist extraordinaire, Miss Arcadia Snips, and the constrained mathematician William Daffodil, who are thrown together in an explosive murder investigation with ties to both Snips' and William's past.
The main part of the book follows Arcadia and William's adventures, while a smaller part, set twenty years earlier, tells the story of the three scientists Abigail, Jeremiah and Nigel. In the beginning the changing story lines may be a bit confusing, but as the book progresses, the link between the two becomes clear.
Lovers of the humor in the Discworld books should feel right at home in Aberwick city. Filled with incredulous characters, mad machines and devious plotting, Snip's and William's investigation is a rip-roaring rollercoaster ride through a city of madness and brilliance, from the lowest of slums to the highest of offices.
What happens when pigs fly? What did William's parents do? Just how dangerous is mad science? And what exactly is the Steamwork? The answers to all these questions await in Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium.
The plot, the characters and the descriptions are all tremendously entertaining, witty and crazy. But behind all the fun, there is method to the madness. Seemingly random and separate events are effortlessly joined into a coherent tale that makes perfect sense in the crazy universe of Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium.
The main part of the book follows Arcadia and William's adventures, while a smaller part, set twenty years earlier, tells the story of the three scientists Abigail, Jeremiah and Nigel. In the beginning the changing story lines may be a bit confusing, but as the book progresses, the link between the two becomes clear.
Lovers of the humor in the Discworld books should feel right at home in Aberwick city. Filled with incredulous characters, mad machines and devious plotting, Snip's and William's investigation is a rip-roaring rollercoaster ride through a city of madness and brilliance, from the lowest of slums to the highest of offices.
What happens when pigs fly? What did William's parents do? Just how dangerous is mad science? And what exactly is the Steamwork? The answers to all these questions await in Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium.
The plot, the characters and the descriptions are all tremendously entertaining, witty and crazy. But behind all the fun, there is method to the madness. Seemingly random and separate events are effortlessly joined into a coherent tale that makes perfect sense in the crazy universe of Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium.
December 20, 2009
I was asked by Robert Rodgers to read his book, Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium. This was, without a doubt, the BEST book I have read in quite some time!
To imagine the incredibly unique world in which this story is set, you must think "steampunk". Imagine gears and cogs and all manner of mechanical objects. The whole world is operated by machines, and at the center of it all is the Steamwork. Arcadia Snips, professional thief, has been asked to assist in the murder investigation of one Basil Copper, scientist and Steamwork employee. From the outset, you become immersed in two separate storylines, one occurring twenty years in the past that has led to the other, which is set in the present. You meet all manner of characters, from the feminist Miss Primrose to the dastardly Von Grimskull.
In Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium, Snips helps a pair of investigators as they research the "accidental" death of Basil Copper. Little do they know, their investigation is stepping on the toes of a very powerful organization that isn’t in the mood to tolerate their nosing about! This book runs the gamut of mad science scenarios, from tea with pigeons to Armageddon scenarios! In the book, you follow the process of the investigation and slowly learn the full story behind what has taken place.
Arcadia Snips was a fun and relatively quick read! It certainly was the most unique story I have ever read! I particularly loved the interactions between characters. The mannerisms and dialogue is witty and amusing. The book is full of mad banter and some of the characters obviously have a few screws loose. Snips puts it best when she says, "I'm fluent in crazy." The wide variety of characters make for unusual and humorous conversations that on more than one occasion caused me to laugh aloud! I was so entertained that I don’t think I’ve ever smiled so much while reading a book!
The book flows incredibly well, considering you are frequently jumping between storylines. The author involves the reader in every aspect of the story. The book spends time in both the present and the past, allowing you to gain the back-story by jumping back twenty years to where it all began. In the present, the story branches once again, so you are witnessing events from the perspective of Snips, as well as following the actions of the villains. I love that there are also numerous illustrations throughout the book which provided a visual for situations taking place.
One suggestion I must make to readers is that reading the chapter titles is critical! It is very easy to get lost in the mess of who is who, when is what, so forth and so on. I quickly learned that I had more success with keeping track of everything going on if I read the chapter titles. This book has very long chapter titles, however they set the stage for what is happening. For example, chapter 1 is titled, "CHAPTER 1: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO OUR TALE OCCURRING 20 YEARS PRIOR, WHEREIN PIGS TAKE FLIGHT, FOOLS TAKE NOTE, AND A GRAND PARTNERSHIP IS PROPOSED". Intriguing, is it not?
I absolutely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys action, comedy, science fiction, a smattering of romance, or alternative history scenarios! The book is incredibly well written and won't disappoint! I will definitely be watching to see if the author writes any more Arcadia Snips adventures!
To imagine the incredibly unique world in which this story is set, you must think "steampunk". Imagine gears and cogs and all manner of mechanical objects. The whole world is operated by machines, and at the center of it all is the Steamwork. Arcadia Snips, professional thief, has been asked to assist in the murder investigation of one Basil Copper, scientist and Steamwork employee. From the outset, you become immersed in two separate storylines, one occurring twenty years in the past that has led to the other, which is set in the present. You meet all manner of characters, from the feminist Miss Primrose to the dastardly Von Grimskull.
In Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium, Snips helps a pair of investigators as they research the "accidental" death of Basil Copper. Little do they know, their investigation is stepping on the toes of a very powerful organization that isn’t in the mood to tolerate their nosing about! This book runs the gamut of mad science scenarios, from tea with pigeons to Armageddon scenarios! In the book, you follow the process of the investigation and slowly learn the full story behind what has taken place.
Arcadia Snips was a fun and relatively quick read! It certainly was the most unique story I have ever read! I particularly loved the interactions between characters. The mannerisms and dialogue is witty and amusing. The book is full of mad banter and some of the characters obviously have a few screws loose. Snips puts it best when she says, "I'm fluent in crazy." The wide variety of characters make for unusual and humorous conversations that on more than one occasion caused me to laugh aloud! I was so entertained that I don’t think I’ve ever smiled so much while reading a book!
The book flows incredibly well, considering you are frequently jumping between storylines. The author involves the reader in every aspect of the story. The book spends time in both the present and the past, allowing you to gain the back-story by jumping back twenty years to where it all began. In the present, the story branches once again, so you are witnessing events from the perspective of Snips, as well as following the actions of the villains. I love that there are also numerous illustrations throughout the book which provided a visual for situations taking place.
One suggestion I must make to readers is that reading the chapter titles is critical! It is very easy to get lost in the mess of who is who, when is what, so forth and so on. I quickly learned that I had more success with keeping track of everything going on if I read the chapter titles. This book has very long chapter titles, however they set the stage for what is happening. For example, chapter 1 is titled, "CHAPTER 1: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO OUR TALE OCCURRING 20 YEARS PRIOR, WHEREIN PIGS TAKE FLIGHT, FOOLS TAKE NOTE, AND A GRAND PARTNERSHIP IS PROPOSED". Intriguing, is it not?
I absolutely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys action, comedy, science fiction, a smattering of romance, or alternative history scenarios! The book is incredibly well written and won't disappoint! I will definitely be watching to see if the author writes any more Arcadia Snips adventures!
January 29, 2010
This is actually one of the first steampunk books I have ever read and enjoyed. I never really set my foot in the genre and am glad I started out with this book to get me into it. It was a fun read, never boring, exciting, and well written. I loved the wit and quirkiness that goes with it. Everything in the book just seems to fit hand in hand and everything just fell into place. I wasn't prepared for the ending, (which was great! and could be classified as a cliffhanger) and the different inventions mentioned in the novel were interesting and very imaginative. The novel was fast paced and the action sequences were well written and well done. You will definitely not be bored with this novel.
I liked how it switched back and forth, from the past, and then into the present. It gave you a clear understanding on how events came to be and explains why things in the present are the way they are. The chapter titles are crucial and it's important for the reader to read these carefully. It summarizes the chapter without getting the reader confused as the book does contain a lot of characters and plot, and it goes at a very fast pace. You won't be dissapointed with the action and fighting scenes and if this book were a movie, it would be an amazing one.
The characters in this book are numerous, but if you pay attention the main ones, then you won't get as confused or lost. Arcadia Snips would obviously be a favorite. I loved her wit, her humor (I love that 'Susan' part) and her grittiness. It reminded me almost of a female Oliver Twist but with a lot more bite and a spine of steel. The rest of the characters are very likable and the villains are exactly that (your classic evil guy). In a way I would have liked to see Arcadia and William together, it did seem like it was going that way but it's hard to say. They're like partners in adventure, but there's an underlying feeling of romance budding. It's very small and vague, but you can see it's there. They're very different personality wise, but I think they would make a rather nice couple as they compliment each other nicely.
The only criticism of this book would be it's extremely fast paced, the reader would have to pay attention closely to events. Which should not be a problem as it's interesting enough to get your attention anyway. Some may consider the plot to go just a little too fast, with no real character development, but then again, this book is meant to be a quick, fun read and not something to be deeply analytical about.
Overall a wonderful adventure to read! I really am hoping there will be more Arcadia books out as I'm sure the adventure will not stop there. I recommend this novel to all those who love the steampunk and science fiction genre. However those who are in for something different, with humor and a fun fast paced adventure, do check this book out. You will not regret it.
I liked how it switched back and forth, from the past, and then into the present. It gave you a clear understanding on how events came to be and explains why things in the present are the way they are. The chapter titles are crucial and it's important for the reader to read these carefully. It summarizes the chapter without getting the reader confused as the book does contain a lot of characters and plot, and it goes at a very fast pace. You won't be dissapointed with the action and fighting scenes and if this book were a movie, it would be an amazing one.
The characters in this book are numerous, but if you pay attention the main ones, then you won't get as confused or lost. Arcadia Snips would obviously be a favorite. I loved her wit, her humor (I love that 'Susan' part) and her grittiness. It reminded me almost of a female Oliver Twist but with a lot more bite and a spine of steel. The rest of the characters are very likable and the villains are exactly that (your classic evil guy). In a way I would have liked to see Arcadia and William together, it did seem like it was going that way but it's hard to say. They're like partners in adventure, but there's an underlying feeling of romance budding. It's very small and vague, but you can see it's there. They're very different personality wise, but I think they would make a rather nice couple as they compliment each other nicely.
The only criticism of this book would be it's extremely fast paced, the reader would have to pay attention closely to events. Which should not be a problem as it's interesting enough to get your attention anyway. Some may consider the plot to go just a little too fast, with no real character development, but then again, this book is meant to be a quick, fun read and not something to be deeply analytical about.
Overall a wonderful adventure to read! I really am hoping there will be more Arcadia books out as I'm sure the adventure will not stop there. I recommend this novel to all those who love the steampunk and science fiction genre. However those who are in for something different, with humor and a fun fast paced adventure, do check this book out. You will not regret it.
February 12, 2012
This book is wonderfully charming. It does what it says and it does it well
I was a little annoyed by the flash back chapters simply because they jarred me out of a narrative i was loving into another narrative that equally fascinated me, either or would make me a happy reader and both of them pleased me, but the way that they jerked back and forth often threw me a little.
I will recommend it, because it's fun and joyous and does what it says and you want to find out the mysteries behind it (most of which are very cunningly hidden) and it reads like a penny dreadful, it is cleverly written, the prose is witty and nicely invisible so you get caught up in the melodrama of the story quite happily.
However it took me less than two hours to finish the entire book, so I only hope that the clearly signposted later volumes might be a touch longer.
I was a little annoyed by the flash back chapters simply because they jarred me out of a narrative i was loving into another narrative that equally fascinated me, either or would make me a happy reader and both of them pleased me, but the way that they jerked back and forth often threw me a little.
I will recommend it, because it's fun and joyous and does what it says and you want to find out the mysteries behind it (most of which are very cunningly hidden) and it reads like a penny dreadful, it is cleverly written, the prose is witty and nicely invisible so you get caught up in the melodrama of the story quite happily.
However it took me less than two hours to finish the entire book, so I only hope that the clearly signposted later volumes might be a touch longer.
April 15, 2010
This review was originally posted on my review blog : http://fallingofftheshelf.blogspot.com
This book really just confused me a lot, which is why I'm not even bothering to write my own view of the synopsis like I normally would do. The premise of the book was very interesting, but I couldn't get past the first 50 pages, because of the constant switch in narration. It flipped to too many characters continuously, and it was too much for my small brain to digest.
One thing I will say about this novel, is that the writing was great, I just couldn't focus on the characters when the scenes would change so abruptly. I may come back to this one in the future, when I have less stress and I can focus more, but as of now, I just couldn't get into it.
This book really just confused me a lot, which is why I'm not even bothering to write my own view of the synopsis like I normally would do. The premise of the book was very interesting, but I couldn't get past the first 50 pages, because of the constant switch in narration. It flipped to too many characters continuously, and it was too much for my small brain to digest.
One thing I will say about this novel, is that the writing was great, I just couldn't focus on the characters when the scenes would change so abruptly. I may come back to this one in the future, when I have less stress and I can focus more, but as of now, I just couldn't get into it.
June 22, 2015
Ugh. This was one of those books that you don't like for a number of reasons, but cannot articulate those reasons sufficiently, but did enjoy it in others. It was slow to get interesting. It was confusing, especially with going back and forth in time, although later in the book, that is what makes it less confusing. There were unclear motivations for characters and overall just very unclear in the investigation and resolution.
July 22, 2013
Arcadia Snips is a comical, action-adventure, murder-mystery, steam-punk novel wherein an irreverent thief (Arcadia Snips) is enlisted by the government to investigate a mysterious death at the Steamworks. It runs on whimsy, steampunk tropes, one-liners, and nonsense. It is cheerily anachronistic and light as a feather.
May 19, 2015
Marvellous fun - mad scientists, impossible machines, and a protagonist whose prickliness is only exceeded by her penchant for throwing herself into near-fatal adventures. Recommended for younger readers, and for those wanting to see what this steampunk business is all about.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews