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Mission Clockwork #2
The Dark Deeps
Modo - teenage spy and temporary shape-shifter - is plunged once more into the world of international espionage. This time he's on the trail of a mysterious underwater creature - and he's not alone.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
57 people are currently reading
955 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Slade
72 books522 followersArthur Slade was raised in the Cypress Hills of southwest Saskatchewan and began writing at an early age. He is the author of the bestselling The Hunchback Assignments series of books, Dust (which won the Governor General's award), Tribes and Jolted. He lives in Saskatoon, Canada (which really is a real place). Join his creative & somewhat clever newsletter at: what a zany newsletter!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
June 3, 2011
"The Dark Deeps" is the second in the Hunchback Assignments series. This one has Modo, the hunchback, and Octavia, a fellow agent in the Permanent Association, setting off to NYC posing as a young married couple. They are assigned to look in on a fellow agent who was due to check in but failed to do so. What they find leads them to a set of coordinates off the coast of Iceland. A "sea monster" has been sinking ship in the area and Mr. Socrates orders them to investigate.
This was lots of fun! I loved the idea of the undersea city and the fanciful submarine. I wanted to have more interaction with Octavia though. Colette was interesting but I think there is more to the relationship Modo has with Tavia that could have been expanded on in this book. Oh well, maybe this will be in the next one.
This was lots of fun! I loved the idea of the undersea city and the fanciful submarine. I wanted to have more interaction with Octavia though. Colette was interesting but I think there is more to the relationship Modo has with Tavia that could have been expanded on in this book. Oh well, maybe this will be in the next one.
October 12, 2011
"The Dark Deeps" (Hunchback A. 2) by Arthur Slade is scary steampunk. Brief precisely titled chapters shift viewpoints clearly, without confusion. Some, as the prologue with experimental "Yellow Boy" Griff, link, as to evil Dr. Hyde and icy lovely metal-hand red-haired Hakkandottir, and reappear with invisible coughs. Premonition hints, such as ch4 "On the last day of his life" sprinkle lightly, not too much.
Ugly masked chameleon Modo, now 14, and distracting vision Octavia Milkweed, now 15, look and act older, brave secret agents defending Britannia. Posing as a married couple, they find an underwater Utopia where comrades are equals and recognize no deformities. Should Modo ally with Griff, or an older 18 courageous pretty French agent? Colette, teased for her half-Japanese parentage, "felt like a monster at times", and asks to see his true face.
[Spoiler:
Icaria suggests flying to me, not seabed, and the sacrifices of the comrades seems cruel. Too bad metal-hand Hakkandottir survives.
Ugly masked chameleon Modo, now 14, and distracting vision Octavia Milkweed, now 15, look and act older, brave secret agents defending Britannia. Posing as a married couple, they find an underwater Utopia where comrades are equals and recognize no deformities. Should Modo ally with Griff, or an older 18 courageous pretty French agent? Colette, teased for her half-Japanese parentage, "felt like a monster at times", and asks to see his true face.
[Spoiler:
Icaria suggests flying to me, not seabed, and the sacrifices of the comrades seems cruel. Too bad metal-hand Hakkandottir survives.
October 25, 2010
I’d be hard-pressed to say whether this one exceeds the first or comes dead even. It’s always nice when a series keeps its momentum, both in terms of action and character development. Modo goes from hopping across the rooftops of London to being (albeit cordially) imprisoned on the tricked-out submarine Ictineo after he falls overboard during an attack on their steamship, leaving Octavia behind to relay the news of Modo’s possible death to Mr. Socrates. While the crew and captain of the Ictineo are zealots, with a one-sided focus on using pure science to advance an utopist agenda, their hidden underwater city near Iceland is both a marvel of technology and of tolerance, which pulls at Modo’s heartstrings as well as his intellect. Meanwhile, Hakkandottir and the Clockwork Guild are up to more of their nefarious plans, and they’ve sent after Modo a truly difficult enemy: Griff, the invisible boy.
Modo is in a difficult place in this book, even more so in the first. Managing his appearance is harder, since he is stuck in close quarters on a submarine, and he never fully manages to hide behind masks or his shape-changing ability effectively. This takes a physical toll, obviously, but an emotional one as well, since Modo is constantly on edge that someone will see his true appearance. Also, his desire to please Mr. Socrates by bringing home Captain Monturiol’s technology – thereby aiding the British Empire and sticking it to the French – is in direct contrast with his empathy for the Captain’s true intentions. She only wants to create a society where all people are equal and valued, and Modo, who looks like a monster, shares in that vision. All he wants is a place where he can show his true face without fear, where he can belong.
A lot of what I like about this book is the contrasts among the characters: Captain Monturil and Hakkandottir; Modo and Griff; Octavia and Colette. They’re all duos with similar backgrounds and/or characteristics, but each person does something entirely different with the similarities.
Blinded by her idealistic visions, Captain Monturiol can be ruthless and vengeful with those whom she perceives (sometimes unfairly) to be in her way, but she is sympathetic in a way Hakkandottir is not. Hakkandottir is intriguing, but she is wholly villainous, with no redeeming qualities. She’s mustache-twirling evil, though in a coolly dispassionate way. The Captain, on the other hand, first seems like a villain – after all, she’s sinking ships that come too close to her underwater city, regardless of the lives lost and whether the ships were at fault – but she quickly becomes more complex. Sure, she is a little crazy, a fanatic with an implausible dream who refuses to see reality, and the fact that her fanaticism presents itself in a completely rational, scientific manner only makes it seem crazier. But she truly cares for her people – the ones with whom she’s creating this society – and one gets the sense that if more people thought like her about equality, the world would be much improved. So, she wavers between Modo’s antagonist and his ally and, like all real people, is not simply good or evil but both.
Griff, the invisible boy, is basically Modo without the benefit of Mr. Socrates and the others who raised him with care. Griff is a genetic freak (though in his case, a purposely altered one) used by an organization to further their aims. So is Modo. The biggest difference is that the Clockwork Guild used Griff in an inhumane way, taught him to hate himself and others, and punished his failures severely, while requiring complete obedience. They twisted him mentally. Modo, despite being twisted physically, had an upbringing that was occasionally harsh but never cruel or deceitful, and he always had people to care for him. Griff’s isolation mirrors Modo’s – neither can show his true face, neither can ever be ordinary – but Griff has been driven insane by it. It’s tough not to feel pity for Griff, who’s been shaped by those who raised him as much as Modo has.
And finally, Octavia and Colette, competitive, intelligent, young female spies aware of how hard they must work to be taken seriously among the menfolk. Both are somewhat bossy and superior, especially with Modo, but they’re clearly compensating – Colette is also half-Japanese and half-French, so she feels the pressure to prove herself possibly even more than Octavia does. Colette seems older, more polished and urbane, than Olivia, but both have hard shells. Both come to care for Modo because of his competency, his decency, and his compassion, and I think they are also taken in by his mystery and the challenge of uncovering it. Modo and Colette they come to trust each other – despite Modo being a British spy and she a French one – in part because battling against the Clockwork Guild is more important. Since Colette is more forward about her interest in Modo, willing to challenge his belief that no one will ever truly accept him, he eventually shows her his true appearance. The whole scene is beautifully written, and my heart broke for Modo when Colette tearfully asks him to put his mask back on so that she doesn’t have to see his face. My heart broke again when, after Colette’s and Modo’s daring escape and rescue at the end, Octavia gives him Colette’s farewell letter and he knew in his heart why she hadn’t stayed to say good-bye. Her admission that she wasn’t as good a person as she wanted to be just made it more painful. Modo’s hurt and self-loathing is palpable, and Octavia’s chances of seeing Modo without his mask just went down to zero.
We also get a few chapters from Mr. Socrates viewpoint as Octavia first reports Modo’s potential watery death and then as her search for Modo continues. Again, he is distant and chilly and yet, underneath his emotionless mask, he has feelings for Modo that he cannot quite put aside. Almost, but not quite. He may consider these feelings to be irrational and not in the best interests of the British Empire, but he goes further in this book toward accepting that this is how a father should feel. His relationship to Modo is still the one that I find the most interesting; his heart is always warring with his head when Modo is concerned, but the battle is practically invisible, like he’s trying to fight it without admitting it, even to himself. It makes me wonder even more about his past, of which we know very little. Will he be there when Modo really needs him? Here, it seems, he is, though we don’t get to see their reunion play out in this book, something I really missed.
Of course, this book isn’t short on fascinating steampunk inventions or thrilling chases, escapes, and battles, but what I love about the series is that there’s much more than cool gadgetry and action scenes. It has heart. This may prompt me to finally go out and get Slade's other books to read while I'm waiting for the next installment.
Modo is in a difficult place in this book, even more so in the first. Managing his appearance is harder, since he is stuck in close quarters on a submarine, and he never fully manages to hide behind masks or his shape-changing ability effectively. This takes a physical toll, obviously, but an emotional one as well, since Modo is constantly on edge that someone will see his true appearance. Also, his desire to please Mr. Socrates by bringing home Captain Monturiol’s technology – thereby aiding the British Empire and sticking it to the French – is in direct contrast with his empathy for the Captain’s true intentions. She only wants to create a society where all people are equal and valued, and Modo, who looks like a monster, shares in that vision. All he wants is a place where he can show his true face without fear, where he can belong.
A lot of what I like about this book is the contrasts among the characters: Captain Monturil and Hakkandottir; Modo and Griff; Octavia and Colette. They’re all duos with similar backgrounds and/or characteristics, but each person does something entirely different with the similarities.
Blinded by her idealistic visions, Captain Monturiol can be ruthless and vengeful with those whom she perceives (sometimes unfairly) to be in her way, but she is sympathetic in a way Hakkandottir is not. Hakkandottir is intriguing, but she is wholly villainous, with no redeeming qualities. She’s mustache-twirling evil, though in a coolly dispassionate way. The Captain, on the other hand, first seems like a villain – after all, she’s sinking ships that come too close to her underwater city, regardless of the lives lost and whether the ships were at fault – but she quickly becomes more complex. Sure, she is a little crazy, a fanatic with an implausible dream who refuses to see reality, and the fact that her fanaticism presents itself in a completely rational, scientific manner only makes it seem crazier. But she truly cares for her people – the ones with whom she’s creating this society – and one gets the sense that if more people thought like her about equality, the world would be much improved. So, she wavers between Modo’s antagonist and his ally and, like all real people, is not simply good or evil but both.
Griff, the invisible boy, is basically Modo without the benefit of Mr. Socrates and the others who raised him with care. Griff is a genetic freak (though in his case, a purposely altered one) used by an organization to further their aims. So is Modo. The biggest difference is that the Clockwork Guild used Griff in an inhumane way, taught him to hate himself and others, and punished his failures severely, while requiring complete obedience. They twisted him mentally. Modo, despite being twisted physically, had an upbringing that was occasionally harsh but never cruel or deceitful, and he always had people to care for him. Griff’s isolation mirrors Modo’s – neither can show his true face, neither can ever be ordinary – but Griff has been driven insane by it. It’s tough not to feel pity for Griff, who’s been shaped by those who raised him as much as Modo has.
And finally, Octavia and Colette, competitive, intelligent, young female spies aware of how hard they must work to be taken seriously among the menfolk. Both are somewhat bossy and superior, especially with Modo, but they’re clearly compensating – Colette is also half-Japanese and half-French, so she feels the pressure to prove herself possibly even more than Octavia does. Colette seems older, more polished and urbane, than Olivia, but both have hard shells. Both come to care for Modo because of his competency, his decency, and his compassion, and I think they are also taken in by his mystery and the challenge of uncovering it. Modo and Colette they come to trust each other – despite Modo being a British spy and she a French one – in part because battling against the Clockwork Guild is more important. Since Colette is more forward about her interest in Modo, willing to challenge his belief that no one will ever truly accept him, he eventually shows her his true appearance. The whole scene is beautifully written, and my heart broke for Modo when Colette tearfully asks him to put his mask back on so that she doesn’t have to see his face. My heart broke again when, after Colette’s and Modo’s daring escape and rescue at the end, Octavia gives him Colette’s farewell letter and he knew in his heart why she hadn’t stayed to say good-bye. Her admission that she wasn’t as good a person as she wanted to be just made it more painful. Modo’s hurt and self-loathing is palpable, and Octavia’s chances of seeing Modo without his mask just went down to zero.
We also get a few chapters from Mr. Socrates viewpoint as Octavia first reports Modo’s potential watery death and then as her search for Modo continues. Again, he is distant and chilly and yet, underneath his emotionless mask, he has feelings for Modo that he cannot quite put aside. Almost, but not quite. He may consider these feelings to be irrational and not in the best interests of the British Empire, but he goes further in this book toward accepting that this is how a father should feel. His relationship to Modo is still the one that I find the most interesting; his heart is always warring with his head when Modo is concerned, but the battle is practically invisible, like he’s trying to fight it without admitting it, even to himself. It makes me wonder even more about his past, of which we know very little. Will he be there when Modo really needs him? Here, it seems, he is, though we don’t get to see their reunion play out in this book, something I really missed.
Of course, this book isn’t short on fascinating steampunk inventions or thrilling chases, escapes, and battles, but what I love about the series is that there’s much more than cool gadgetry and action scenes. It has heart. This may prompt me to finally go out and get Slade's other books to read while I'm waiting for the next installment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2012
In this second installment of The Hunchback Assignments we find ourselves away from London as Modo and Octavia are sent to New York to investigate the dissappearance of another British spy and the rumors of a fish as large as a ship... Or is it a fish at all? This newest addition to the series includes underwater civilizations, jealousy, invisible men, the French, the Clockwork Guild, and plenty of suspense.
I personally am a huge fan of Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and apparently so is Arthur Slade. For a decent part of this book I was constantly wondering how an author could copy ideas from another author and put it so openly in their own book and get away with it. From the most abstract ideas to some core details of this book were taken from Jules Verne's famous novel.
This book took some getting used to at first, but after I had finally gotten into the book and delved deeper into the story I was hooked. We see more into Modo and Octavia's relationship with each other as well as a small insight into the ever elusive Mr. Socrates feelings. If anything this book reinforced my disliking of Octavia by replacing her with a more efficient, better trained, more attractive, and overall better match for Modo in the newest character Colette Brunet: a French agent who is after the same "big fish" as Modo and Octavia. Through a series of events Modo and Octavia end up in the same predicament and are isolated from the outside world other than a group of people called "Icarians" wanting to develop their own country. The Icarians are led by the determined, and intelligent Captain Nemo, excuse me, Captain Monturiol. (That was a joke about this book being similar to 20,000 Leagues if you were confused.)
Oh, Modo. Gullible, naive, fourteen year old Modo. At times I am screaming in my head at your inability to see the obvious, at others I am fond of your bravery and strength, and then again at others I want to be able to advise you on decisions, but overall you are a kind-hearted (sometimes when you don't need to be), loyal, and trusting friend. Maybe one day you will grow up and become the greatest spy the world has ever known and fully master your shapeshifting abilities, but for now your young age and experience, along with your short-lasting shaping abilities seem to get you in more trouble than you have friends to get you out of.
Overall, however, even despite my initial boredom and skepticism at the likliness to Jules Verne's novel, The Dark Deeps contains great aspects that in the end make it a great book which include, romance, suspense, mystery and action. As usual you are left caring for the characters that grow within the book and as you find out more about them you want them to be successful, to triumph over evil, to find their love, and to overcome all obstacles, but as books are, everything is not so simple. Everyone does not leave this book unscathed, and you will feel empty in your stomach as the members of the Clockwork Guild strike blows into the Permanent Association's plans and into the characters lives.
I personally am a huge fan of Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and apparently so is Arthur Slade. For a decent part of this book I was constantly wondering how an author could copy ideas from another author and put it so openly in their own book and get away with it. From the most abstract ideas to some core details of this book were taken from Jules Verne's famous novel.
This book took some getting used to at first, but after I had finally gotten into the book and delved deeper into the story I was hooked. We see more into Modo and Octavia's relationship with each other as well as a small insight into the ever elusive Mr. Socrates feelings. If anything this book reinforced my disliking of Octavia by replacing her with a more efficient, better trained, more attractive, and overall better match for Modo in the newest character Colette Brunet: a French agent who is after the same "big fish" as Modo and Octavia. Through a series of events Modo and Octavia end up in the same predicament and are isolated from the outside world other than a group of people called "Icarians" wanting to develop their own country. The Icarians are led by the determined, and intelligent Captain Nemo, excuse me, Captain Monturiol. (That was a joke about this book being similar to 20,000 Leagues if you were confused.)
Oh, Modo. Gullible, naive, fourteen year old Modo. At times I am screaming in my head at your inability to see the obvious, at others I am fond of your bravery and strength, and then again at others I want to be able to advise you on decisions, but overall you are a kind-hearted (sometimes when you don't need to be), loyal, and trusting friend. Maybe one day you will grow up and become the greatest spy the world has ever known and fully master your shapeshifting abilities, but for now your young age and experience, along with your short-lasting shaping abilities seem to get you in more trouble than you have friends to get you out of.
Overall, however, even despite my initial boredom and skepticism at the likliness to Jules Verne's novel, The Dark Deeps contains great aspects that in the end make it a great book which include, romance, suspense, mystery and action. As usual you are left caring for the characters that grow within the book and as you find out more about them you want them to be successful, to triumph over evil, to find their love, and to overcome all obstacles, but as books are, everything is not so simple. Everyone does not leave this book unscathed, and you will feel empty in your stomach as the members of the Clockwork Guild strike blows into the Permanent Association's plans and into the characters lives.
September 10, 2010
Reason for Reading: Next in the series. I'm a fan of the author's and I read every new book he publishes.
Modo and Octavia's assignment is to investigate certain co-ordinates where something referred to as big fish has been sinking fishing boats and any ships that enter that water near Iceland. Modo and Octavia are separated and 'tavia does not play a large role in this story. Instead Modo finds himself kidnapped along with a French spy who has been working the same case for her government. Modo and Colette spend this adventure together which takes them underwater to a strange life aboard their world's first submarine; they are taken to the ideological, socialist, utopia the captain is building and protecting. But they have been infiltrated and it isn't long before the Clockwork Guild shows up in the form of Miss Hakkandottir.
I loved this book, even more than the first one I think! Taking to the underwater world is exciting and creates a unique setting compared to book one. One thing I really like that Slade has done here is rather than populate book two with all the characters he has already established, he's chosen a few to be the heroes and villain, given the others smaller parts or mere mentions, while allowing a few new characters to make a fresh story. I find this way of writing a series keeps it vibrant and original. Modo's relationship with Colette was intriguing and very different than his with Octavia. Colette, being French, is more forward with Modo and he experiences some new dynamics with a woman. I loved Colette, she is a fiery character who charges every page she is on. While Octavia is not as central a figure this time around she still has enough time in the story to satisfy fans and she also goes through some emotional experiences that the reader at least can tell have affected her feelings for Modo.
The plot itself is non-stop action with an ever present disturbing atmosphere. The new villain is a creepy presence and Miss Hakkandottir is her glorious cruel and ego-centric self. A great entry in The Hunchback Assignments brings another dark, atmospheric story that starts in an alternate London but travels to America, Iceland and down into the oceanic dark deeps.
Modo and Octavia's assignment is to investigate certain co-ordinates where something referred to as big fish has been sinking fishing boats and any ships that enter that water near Iceland. Modo and Octavia are separated and 'tavia does not play a large role in this story. Instead Modo finds himself kidnapped along with a French spy who has been working the same case for her government. Modo and Colette spend this adventure together which takes them underwater to a strange life aboard their world's first submarine; they are taken to the ideological, socialist, utopia the captain is building and protecting. But they have been infiltrated and it isn't long before the Clockwork Guild shows up in the form of Miss Hakkandottir.
I loved this book, even more than the first one I think! Taking to the underwater world is exciting and creates a unique setting compared to book one. One thing I really like that Slade has done here is rather than populate book two with all the characters he has already established, he's chosen a few to be the heroes and villain, given the others smaller parts or mere mentions, while allowing a few new characters to make a fresh story. I find this way of writing a series keeps it vibrant and original. Modo's relationship with Colette was intriguing and very different than his with Octavia. Colette, being French, is more forward with Modo and he experiences some new dynamics with a woman. I loved Colette, she is a fiery character who charges every page she is on. While Octavia is not as central a figure this time around she still has enough time in the story to satisfy fans and she also goes through some emotional experiences that the reader at least can tell have affected her feelings for Modo.
The plot itself is non-stop action with an ever present disturbing atmosphere. The new villain is a creepy presence and Miss Hakkandottir is her glorious cruel and ego-centric self. A great entry in The Hunchback Assignments brings another dark, atmospheric story that starts in an alternate London but travels to America, Iceland and down into the oceanic dark deeps.
June 23, 2011
***Possible spoilers***
I enjoyed the first book, and I enjoyed this one even better. This one rather focuses more on Modo and Colette (another spy but for the French) aboard a submarine. The addition of Griff into the story- who makes a perfect creepy villain, also made the book a great read.
What I enjoyed the most out of the story is the underwater city. I absolutely loved that part! the descriptions, the overall feel to it was so rich in description and was easily pictured. It was like reading a description of the lost city of Atlantis. The book has a certain ‘Captain Nemo’ feel to it because of the adventure at sea but the intrigue is what sets it apart and that’s where Griff comes in and provides a spectacular role. He does make a chilling villain despite this book meant for children, I have read nasty villains before, but this one fits perfect for the target age audience.
I thought Colette and Modo made a great team! they worked great together - it’s an interesting contrast to what you see with Octavia and Modo (where they bicker at times - which is cute) but Colette seems to be the more calm, mature type character whereas I see Octavia as a small explosive firecracker (for lack of a better terminology!). I’m actually liking the fact that Octavia does really care about Modo, as she does show how she really feel throughout the book.
I’d have to say, I think the only thing I did not really like is the late entrance of the Clockwork Guild. I thought they were going to be in the book for longer but no, so it was just a little disappointing. I was hoping there would be more of them hanging around (Well, Griff doesn’t really count. Sort of. I was hoping for more of Miss Hakkandottir.)
This was a great follow up to the First Hunchback Assignments. I did recently grab the third one; Empire of Ruins and am hoping it will be just as good! This series has to be one of my favorites of Children’s Fiction.
I enjoyed the first book, and I enjoyed this one even better. This one rather focuses more on Modo and Colette (another spy but for the French) aboard a submarine. The addition of Griff into the story- who makes a perfect creepy villain, also made the book a great read.
What I enjoyed the most out of the story is the underwater city. I absolutely loved that part! the descriptions, the overall feel to it was so rich in description and was easily pictured. It was like reading a description of the lost city of Atlantis. The book has a certain ‘Captain Nemo’ feel to it because of the adventure at sea but the intrigue is what sets it apart and that’s where Griff comes in and provides a spectacular role. He does make a chilling villain despite this book meant for children, I have read nasty villains before, but this one fits perfect for the target age audience.
I thought Colette and Modo made a great team! they worked great together - it’s an interesting contrast to what you see with Octavia and Modo (where they bicker at times - which is cute) but Colette seems to be the more calm, mature type character whereas I see Octavia as a small explosive firecracker (for lack of a better terminology!). I’m actually liking the fact that Octavia does really care about Modo, as she does show how she really feel throughout the book.
I’d have to say, I think the only thing I did not really like is the late entrance of the Clockwork Guild. I thought they were going to be in the book for longer but no, so it was just a little disappointing. I was hoping there would be more of them hanging around (Well, Griff doesn’t really count. Sort of. I was hoping for more of Miss Hakkandottir.)
This was a great follow up to the First Hunchback Assignments. I did recently grab the third one; Empire of Ruins and am hoping it will be just as good! This series has to be one of my favorites of Children’s Fiction.
September 25, 2010
Another adventure with Modo and Octavia. This time they set out to see to investigate a possible sea monster causing havoc in the northern Atlantic. The ship they are on gets rammed and Modo is tossed into the frigid waters. He gets rescued by the crew of the Ictineo, a submarine patrolling in the area and learns the real reason they are marking their territory in this part of the ocean.
As in the first book Modo’s still very conscious about his real face and not willing to show others even Octavia who he really cares for. So when he’s onboard the Ictineo and learns about their plans and what they are trying to create, he understands and is tempted to join them. I noticed that Octavia’s always wants to be the more dominant one when it comes to Modo. Maybe because she’s older and feels that she’s more experienced in espionage but she’s always trying to take the lead in the investigation and not letting Modo have his say. But when Modo disappears into the waters, she’s desperate to find him and it shows that she cares more for Modo than even she realizes.
Most of the story takes place with Modo onboard the Ictineo submarine so I found it very useful that a picture of the submarine was included on the inside cover of the book. Not only do you get an exterior look of the ship, but you can see what the layout of the ship is like on the inside as the characters frequently moved from room to room while onboard the submarine.
I read the first book a while back and this second book just exceeded my expectations. The story pulls you in and you become invested in the characters new and old…and I was even sad to see some of the new characters go. I highly recommend this series and it would be a great read for boys, girls and adults as well.
As in the first book Modo’s still very conscious about his real face and not willing to show others even Octavia who he really cares for. So when he’s onboard the Ictineo and learns about their plans and what they are trying to create, he understands and is tempted to join them. I noticed that Octavia’s always wants to be the more dominant one when it comes to Modo. Maybe because she’s older and feels that she’s more experienced in espionage but she’s always trying to take the lead in the investigation and not letting Modo have his say. But when Modo disappears into the waters, she’s desperate to find him and it shows that she cares more for Modo than even she realizes.
Most of the story takes place with Modo onboard the Ictineo submarine so I found it very useful that a picture of the submarine was included on the inside cover of the book. Not only do you get an exterior look of the ship, but you can see what the layout of the ship is like on the inside as the characters frequently moved from room to room while onboard the submarine.
I read the first book a while back and this second book just exceeded my expectations. The story pulls you in and you become invested in the characters new and old…and I was even sad to see some of the new characters go. I highly recommend this series and it would be a great read for boys, girls and adults as well.
August 5, 2011
Reviewed by Theresa L. Stowell for TeensReadToo.com
In the first book of THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS, Modo becomes a spy for his guardian, Mr. Socrates. During his premier assignment, he meets and becomes infatuated with Octavia Milkweed, a girl close to his age. In this second book, Slade channels Jules Verne as he introduces young readers to the world of steampunk adventures.
Now, despite their youth, Modo will be asked to pose as Octavia's husband. Though it seems like a dream come true, Modo will experience significant discomfort as he has to continually transform his features, so Octavia will not discover his true identity.
As Modo's and Octavia's exciting new adventure takes off, they are sent to America aboard a steamship to find another one of Mr. Socrates' agents. Once they arrive, however, they are given the tragic news of the agent's death, and they are thrust into another ocean-going escapade. This time, they are setting off to find out what they can about the mysterious IctÍneo, but the only clues they have are its longitude and latitude and a loose definition of the word that suggests a connection or resemblance to a large fish.
When the rusty ship they are traveling on is damaged on the voyage, Modo is thrown overboard. Octavia struggles with the idea that Modo is dead or will be soon as their ship leaves the area to get repairs. Surprisingly, Modo is saved and learns more about the IctÍneo than he thought was possible.
Interspersed with exciting exploits, frightening villains, and shadowy locations, this segment of Modo's and Octavia's service is a fun, fast read for all ages.
In the first book of THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS, Modo becomes a spy for his guardian, Mr. Socrates. During his premier assignment, he meets and becomes infatuated with Octavia Milkweed, a girl close to his age. In this second book, Slade channels Jules Verne as he introduces young readers to the world of steampunk adventures.
Now, despite their youth, Modo will be asked to pose as Octavia's husband. Though it seems like a dream come true, Modo will experience significant discomfort as he has to continually transform his features, so Octavia will not discover his true identity.
As Modo's and Octavia's exciting new adventure takes off, they are sent to America aboard a steamship to find another one of Mr. Socrates' agents. Once they arrive, however, they are given the tragic news of the agent's death, and they are thrust into another ocean-going escapade. This time, they are setting off to find out what they can about the mysterious IctÍneo, but the only clues they have are its longitude and latitude and a loose definition of the word that suggests a connection or resemblance to a large fish.
When the rusty ship they are traveling on is damaged on the voyage, Modo is thrown overboard. Octavia struggles with the idea that Modo is dead or will be soon as their ship leaves the area to get repairs. Surprisingly, Modo is saved and learns more about the IctÍneo than he thought was possible.
Interspersed with exciting exploits, frightening villains, and shadowy locations, this segment of Modo's and Octavia's service is a fun, fast read for all ages.
April 2, 2012
The hunchback assignment is pitched as a Steampunk story but I like to think of tales like this as Victorian Fantasy, as they echo the likes of Verne and Wells, and don’t really present us with much in the punk area - counter culture, underbelly of society.
You can enjoy this book without having read the first volume, as the author quickly introduces the characters and previous events without bogging the story down in pages of previous events. We are quickly made to feel at home in this world.
With the main character you can see where this tale could connect with the YA audience as Modo is constantly having problems with his body changing and how this is affecting him mentally, with regards to how he interacts with other, mostly female, characters.
As stated at the start of this review the novel echoes the stories of Verne and Wells, and many of the characters are developments of said writers, but brought together in a grand Victorian adventure that the author is obviously enjoying to tell us. We get all the trappings of a fine adventure with evil villains and epic locations that are sure to keep the intended audience hooked.
I felt that maybe there could have been a bit more sense of peril for the main characters in the story, but this is probably just me, and for a YA audience it will undoubtedly be an exciting tale. It doesn’t let detail slow it down and builds well on a world that the author is obviously developing in the series.
So a recommended read for anyone who likes their fantasy of a Victorian nature and I am looking forward to reading the others in the series.
You can enjoy this book without having read the first volume, as the author quickly introduces the characters and previous events without bogging the story down in pages of previous events. We are quickly made to feel at home in this world.
With the main character you can see where this tale could connect with the YA audience as Modo is constantly having problems with his body changing and how this is affecting him mentally, with regards to how he interacts with other, mostly female, characters.
As stated at the start of this review the novel echoes the stories of Verne and Wells, and many of the characters are developments of said writers, but brought together in a grand Victorian adventure that the author is obviously enjoying to tell us. We get all the trappings of a fine adventure with evil villains and epic locations that are sure to keep the intended audience hooked.
I felt that maybe there could have been a bit more sense of peril for the main characters in the story, but this is probably just me, and for a YA audience it will undoubtedly be an exciting tale. It doesn’t let detail slow it down and builds well on a world that the author is obviously developing in the series.
So a recommended read for anyone who likes their fantasy of a Victorian nature and I am looking forward to reading the others in the series.
March 26, 2012
The Dark Deeps is book two in Arthur Slade's steampunk series. In book one we were taken through and under the streets of London. In book two we are taken to the deep depths of the ocean in which Modo (a disfigured, hunchback assassin) will face his hardest battle yet, and perhaps even find a new love interest?
What I liked about this book
1. Arthur didn’t spend too much time rehashing book one. He gave just enough details from book one to refresh the reader's mind.
2. His choice of setting. The majority of the book takes place underwater (a somewhat unusual setting), but he makes it work. He gives enough details to convince the reader that the underwater setting is possible.
3. When you didn’t think it could get any worse for Modo it did! Arthur truly let his inner sadist come through. According to Writability all writers have an inner sadist or he/she wouldn’t be able to create characters that go through the ringer.
3. Conflict is essential to any good book! The conflict in Arthur’s book keeps the reader turning the pages because he/she want to know how on earth are the characters going to get out of this?
On a final note, Modo is thrown into a freezing, cold ocean. How is he to survive? How could Modo possibly forget about Octavia? What about the Clockwork Guild? Read the book to find out!
*Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy (wikipedia)
What I liked about this book
1. Arthur didn’t spend too much time rehashing book one. He gave just enough details from book one to refresh the reader's mind.
2. His choice of setting. The majority of the book takes place underwater (a somewhat unusual setting), but he makes it work. He gives enough details to convince the reader that the underwater setting is possible.
3. When you didn’t think it could get any worse for Modo it did! Arthur truly let his inner sadist come through. According to Writability all writers have an inner sadist or he/she wouldn’t be able to create characters that go through the ringer.
3. Conflict is essential to any good book! The conflict in Arthur’s book keeps the reader turning the pages because he/she want to know how on earth are the characters going to get out of this?
On a final note, Modo is thrown into a freezing, cold ocean. How is he to survive? How could Modo possibly forget about Octavia? What about the Clockwork Guild? Read the book to find out!
*Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy (wikipedia)
December 16, 2010
Cracking good sequel to The Hunchback Assignments, although it had a different tone--not as dark and creepy as the first. In this adventure, our hunchback shapeshifting secret agent, Modo, is sent to New York City with his friend and fellow agent (and secret crush) Octavia, where they must go undercover as husband and wife while they investigate another agent of the Permanent Association who's gone missing. There's lots of humor and suspense as Modo has to keep his shapeshifting ability secret from Tavia, as well as the fact that he's really sweet on her. Things take a stirring turn, however, when their investigation leads them to a mysterious secret submarine. The steampunk elements kick in here, as well as the danger and action. Who are the Icarians, who are crewing the boat? Is the evil Clockwork Guild involved? Will Tavia and Modo ever see each other again? A new character is introduced, another secret agent, who becomes a major player in the action, and she's very interesting.
April 24, 2011
The second book of the series finds Modo and Octavia posing as husband and wife and heading to New York in search of a missing fellow British agent. Once they arrive, they find out that he is dead but can't figure out by whom, and then there is the mysterious note with the words "Big Fish" and a location. What is this Big Fish? Is it part of the Clockwork Guild or something else? What is the organization's master plan?
*Spoilers*
Overall I enjoyed the book and especially learning about Icaria, and everything that the Captain had achieved underwater. However, I thought the story lacked a bit of the excitement of the first book. The Griff character was particularly evil and crazy, but at the same time you feel kind of sorry for him, kind of like Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I'm hoping the author continues the series and we see more of Colette, the half-Japanese/half French spy, as the end of the story made her seem more intriguing.
*Spoilers*
Overall I enjoyed the book and especially learning about Icaria, and everything that the Captain had achieved underwater. However, I thought the story lacked a bit of the excitement of the first book. The Griff character was particularly evil and crazy, but at the same time you feel kind of sorry for him, kind of like Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I'm hoping the author continues the series and we see more of Colette, the half-Japanese/half French spy, as the end of the story made her seem more intriguing.
August 27, 2015
Last year I fell in love with The Hunchback Assignments. It was my favourite book of the year.
I received my ARC of the sequel, The Dark Deeps, yesterday at work. I, literally, devoured it overnight. It was that good.
Picking up shortly after the events of Hunchback Modo and Octavia are given an assignment - to find half-French, half-Japanese spy Colette Chiyoko Brunet. To find her Octavia and Modo must pose as husband and wife and infiltrate the last known location of Colette - code name Ictineo. Arthur Slade's brilliant imagination takes us from Britain to Iceland to the bottom of the sea in this Verne-ish amalgamation that will please readers. I loved this more than the first, if that is even remotely possible.
5 out of 5 stars.
-Review courtesy of www.bibliopunkkreads.com
January 24, 2011
Mod and Octavia's adventures continue on. Now that they know of one another their next assignment has them sailing to America as a Married couple. Modo is not sure what to think of this as he does not want Tavia to see his true face. They are sent to the America's to find someone and obtain information from them. When they get to America they discover that their contact has been murdered. We also meet an new character that has some unseen talents of his own. Once again, Modo and Octaivia find themselves in some very interesting situations as they try to carry out the tasks that Mr. Socrates assigns. Just as in the first book, the Clockwork Guild throws road blocks in their way, and Octavia and Modo end up getting separated. I found this book to be as exciting as the first, I had a difficult time putting it down.
May 9, 2011
Modo and Octavia are sent to America to spy, but they never reach the shores as their ship is hit by an unknown object. Octavia is saved by the seaman and tries to get another captain to go out and search for Modo. None of the captains will to into the waters where the ship was attacked as they are afraid or loosing their own ship.
Little does Octavia know that Modo wasn't drowned but was taken aboard a submarine that has claimed that area of water for their own country. Modo meets a French agent that was also saved when the vessal she was sailing on was also attacked. Together they try to get more information about the ship and figure out a way to escape.
Little do they know that there is an invisable man, who is a creation of Mr. Hydes, onboard that is watching and listening to them.
Little does Octavia know that Modo wasn't drowned but was taken aboard a submarine that has claimed that area of water for their own country. Modo meets a French agent that was also saved when the vessal she was sailing on was also attacked. Together they try to get more information about the ship and figure out a way to escape.
Little do they know that there is an invisable man, who is a creation of Mr. Hydes, onboard that is watching and listening to them.
December 27, 2010
Modo's next assignment is to go undercover in America to find out what happened to a missing agent - with his beloved Octavia posing as his wife. Modo is nervous that Octavia will find out what he really looks like. Meanwhile, young French super agent Colette is scouting out reports of a sea monster in the ocean around Iceland. The "sea monster" capsizes her ship and she finds that the sea monster is actually a submarine. Events bring Modo and Colette together. And of course the Clockwork Guild shows up.
I feel so bad for Modo. I don't think I ever read a novel with a fictional character described to be so revolting to look and Modo is so self-conscious about it. He only wants to be loved, yet the people closest to him don't show him the kind of affection he yearns for.
I feel so bad for Modo. I don't think I ever read a novel with a fictional character described to be so revolting to look and Modo is so self-conscious about it. He only wants to be loved, yet the people closest to him don't show him the kind of affection he yearns for.
March 8, 2012
An entertaining reimagining of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I haven't read the first book in the series yet, but I was able to jump right in. The book gets a little busy at times, jumping between too many viewpoints, but the action is entertaining and it's fun to spot the literary characters who show up. As a big Jules Verne fan, I liked seeing a female Captain Nemo analogue; I was disappointed that she wasn't allowed to be the genius engineer of the original, but I like the idea of her leading a true society instead of just being supported by faceless crewmen.
December 30, 2010
Modo and Octavia are on a new assignment--and must pose as a married couple! Can they discover the "grand fish"? What happened to French agent Collette Brunet? And what is up with the strange coughing sound?
I think I liked this second adventure even better than the first. Slade does an awesome job interweaving the familiar stories with steampunk and espionage, creating his own unique world. It's a lot of fun figuring out what is going on and how they'll survive this time. And whether Modo will ever accept his appearance and his feelings for his fellow spy. Or maybe a new one?
I think I liked this second adventure even better than the first. Slade does an awesome job interweaving the familiar stories with steampunk and espionage, creating his own unique world. It's a lot of fun figuring out what is going on and how they'll survive this time. And whether Modo will ever accept his appearance and his feelings for his fellow spy. Or maybe a new one?
October 27, 2012
At times The Dark Deeps reminded me of Ten Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, but it was still a fascinating action packed read. I felt so sorry for Modo while reading this book. He's such a likeable character and his story is heartbreaking.
I read The Dark Deeps in about an hour or two and enjoyed it. The interactions between Tavia and Modo are simply hilarious. The villains are as scary as ever and the new characters that are introduced are brilliant. Middle school kids will love this steampunk story.
I read The Dark Deeps in about an hour or two and enjoyed it. The interactions between Tavia and Modo are simply hilarious. The villains are as scary as ever and the new characters that are introduced are brilliant. Middle school kids will love this steampunk story.
August 25, 2010
The second installment in Slade’s Hunchback Assignments is a suspenseful deep-sea adventure with Steampunk flair. The Dark Deeps begins a new adventure so readers new to the series can enjoy this one on its own. Readers will be holding their breath as they voraciously read to the final pages to discover how Modo and Brunet manage to escape the clutches of the Clockwork Guild and Griff, the invisible man.
March 12, 2012
Fun sequel. I loved the underwater setting and the addition of Colette the Japanese-French spy. There is also some nice development of the relationships, with a moving scene with Mr. Socrates. I will definitely check out the next book in this serIes.
March 15, 2015
I'm really liking this series. It's kind of steam punk -- kind of action/adventure -- kind of romance -- kind of campy. It might capture the "Cherub" crowd -- more likely the "Incarceron" crowd.
June 10, 2012
It was better than the first book, I think, but still not outstanding. Maybe I just expect too much from them. I did love the steam punk setting though, and I'm looking forward to the next book.
December 14, 2017
When I finished book I in this series, The Hunchback Assignments, I was itching for a second book. This book exceeded expectations, and still left me wanting a third book. Arthur Slade has created an amazing new series in the steam punk style. Set in a Victorian Era but with technology they never had. A convincing alternate reality, that engrosses the reader and draws them into the possibilities of the world that has been created.In this book Modo and Octavia are paired up again to investigate something troubling to the British Empire. Masquerading as Husband and Wife they travel to America, to find a missing British agent and stumble upon some French agents and their plans. They must discover who or what has been sinking ships in the north Atlantic. Modo meets a beautiful French agent named Colette and they end up needing to partner up after both being captured by a new player on the board, a sort of Queen. There is also the reappearance of the Clockwork Guild and it looks like we haven't seen the end of them yet.
This book is incredibly well written. While reading it, you become completely engrossed in the book and will find yourself drawn into their world and rooting for Modo during his adventure. Slade has created a wonderful world with characters you find yourself enamored of, and rooting for.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by arthur Slade. As well as an author profile and interview with Arthur.
This book is incredibly well written. While reading it, you become completely engrossed in the book and will find yourself drawn into their world and rooting for Modo during his adventure. Slade has created a wonderful world with characters you find yourself enamored of, and rooting for.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by arthur Slade. As well as an author profile and interview with Arthur.
October 11, 2022
It's gritty with a high body count really didn't speak to me.
(I haven't read the first book and reviewing it as a standalone.)
Cover
The cover isn't bad. It was the steampunk style that caught my attention. Actually it's not until writing this review I think I've figured out which woman is which on this cover. I did get confused about who is who on this cover.
Interior
It's Victorian steampunk with classic literary inspired monsters blended into a spy vs spy book.
The beginning really threw me off.
By the time you finish four chapters and the prolog you've had five different perspectives and most of it could have been removed and nothing would have been missed and most importantly I never would have gotten confused.
(What really irritated me is that a single chapter is dedicated to a character just for him to die at the end of that chapter.) Like with the prolog nothing is gained that overly matters. And it makes me wondering what if we weren’t given a backstory to Grif?
Not only does this book have a staggering body count but The Invisible Man's (Grif) dialog can get pretty dark to the point it was making me uncomfortable.
After Thoughts
I have to admit that Arthur Slade did his research for this book.
Interestingly enough the Ictíneo is a real submarine from 1859. Even using Monturiol alongside it, I thought was pretty cool.
When you also realize Icaria as the made-up country name is really impressive when you realize that it's an island in Greece that was rumored to have fallen into the sea.
(I haven't read the first book and reviewing it as a standalone.)
Cover
The cover isn't bad. It was the steampunk style that caught my attention. Actually it's not until writing this review I think I've figured out which woman is which on this cover. I did get confused about who is who on this cover.
Interior
It's Victorian steampunk with classic literary inspired monsters blended into a spy vs spy book.
The beginning really threw me off.
By the time you finish four chapters and the prolog you've had five different perspectives and most of it could have been removed and nothing would have been missed and most importantly I never would have gotten confused.
(What really irritated me is that a single chapter is dedicated to a character just for him to die at the end of that chapter.) Like with the prolog nothing is gained that overly matters. And it makes me wondering what if we weren’t given a backstory to Grif?
Not only does this book have a staggering body count but The Invisible Man's (Grif) dialog can get pretty dark to the point it was making me uncomfortable.
After Thoughts
I have to admit that Arthur Slade did his research for this book.
Interestingly enough the Ictíneo is a real submarine from 1859. Even using Monturiol alongside it, I thought was pretty cool.
When you also realize Icaria as the made-up country name is really impressive when you realize that it's an island in Greece that was rumored to have fallen into the sea.
August 2, 2018
I felt this sequel was a pretty forgettable book. In my honest opinion it was like one of those okay straight to DVD movies (I know it's a book, but if it were a movie that's what it would look like to me). I honestly found that the beginning was interesting and easy for me to follow and after that there just seemed to be nothing happening in the book other than going on an Icarian tour. However, the book almost had redemption for me in the third act, but I was just not getting that much into the adventure which is a huge missed opportunity. When the story would occasionally change to Octavia's perspective I found to be total filler because it was literally summed up in one sentence at the end of the book. At points 'the Dark Deeps' was an interesting book considering that Slade is introducing a whole new world to us, but I still felt like there was no purpose for this story to exist. It added little character and story development to the Hunchback Assignments universe. Plus I really felt bad for Octavia considering that I thought Modo was going to reveal his true appearance and the book was going to end on a cliff-hangar, but nope that didn't happen. If your interested in reading this book it won't do you any harm it's just for me I just found it to be just there. I don't hate it, I just forgot most about it.
December 28, 2019
More of Modo and the Permanent Association with a very enjoable 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea flavour to it.
This time the Clockwork Guild have created an invisible man to liven it all up for us readers.
And a French secret agent joins in the fun.
Same caveat applies as in the first book of this series, and in Jules Verne's books also: just don't think too hard about the science. Put your 21st century scientific judgement aside, simply enjoy the tale being told and let Modo and the rest take you on a journey to the bottom of the Ocean.
Well written and very enjoyable.
So now i'm going to dive straight into book 3: Empire of Ruins
This time the Clockwork Guild have created an invisible man to liven it all up for us readers.
And a French secret agent joins in the fun.
Same caveat applies as in the first book of this series, and in Jules Verne's books also: just don't think too hard about the science. Put your 21st century scientific judgement aside, simply enjoy the tale being told and let Modo and the rest take you on a journey to the bottom of the Ocean.
Well written and very enjoyable.
So now i'm going to dive straight into book 3: Empire of Ruins
June 26, 2018
The adventure continues with Modo, Tavia, and Mr. Socrates. This new adventure takes us to the dark deep mixing old and new characters both protagonists and villians. Modo plays a main role exploring the underwater world with a some new friends. The author keeps the same style as the first book and builds on the budding relationship between Octavia and Modo while allowing Modo to explore more of his own emotions and growth. We get more glimpses into Mr. Socrates' feelings toward Modo.
The story moves at a good pace and does a good job of balancing out character povs. As with the previous book, the reader gets a glimpse into the minds of several of the characters.
A good fun read.
The story moves at a good pace and does a good job of balancing out character povs. As with the previous book, the reader gets a glimpse into the minds of several of the characters.
A good fun read.
March 17, 2017
Kindle Unlimited, interesting premise but just could not get in to the stories, and considering have been reading serials and the like lately should not have been that hard.
Book 1: HYDE'S CHILDREN
Book 2: THE DARK DEEPS
Book 3: EMPIRE OF RUINS
Book 4: ISLAND OF DOOM
Modo: Mission Clockwork Boxed Set (1-4)
Seems as if those above The Hunchback Assignments so probably another version/cover of same
Book 1: HYDE'S CHILDREN
Book 2: THE DARK DEEPS
Book 3: EMPIRE OF RUINS
Book 4: ISLAND OF DOOM
Modo: Mission Clockwork Boxed Set (1-4)
Seems as if those above The Hunchback Assignments so probably another version/cover of same
October 13, 2017
In this series, misfit teenage secret agents try to foil an evil secret society of steampunks in an alternate history Victorian world. Sounds right up my alley and I really enjoyed book 1, but this one fell a little flat for me. The characters are shallowly drawn and the adventure is based on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea but not very exciting. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. It made me not want to bother with book 3 and 4.
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