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The Iron Duke (Iron Seas, #1)

Meljean Brook

Start date: January 1, 2011

Finish date: January 31, 2011

Discussion: Group Reads

Discussion leader: Danielle The Book Huntress

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Showing 2 of 9 topics — 106 comments total

Group Reads

* Group Read Selection/Nomination Guidelines
By Danielle The… , Loves 'Em Lethal · 6 posts · 136 views

last updated Dec 19, 2012 08:46AM

* Group Reads to Date
By Danielle The… , Loves 'Em Lethal · 3 posts · 80 views

last updated Jan 06, 2012 03:40PM

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What Members Thought

Jan 05, 2011 Jen rated it really liked it

Shelves: brooks

Well this review is going to be all over the place because I have so many thoughts on the book. This was my first foray into steampunk and I had no idea what to expect when I first picked up the book. Thanks to Sharon I knew to look at Brook's website to get an idea of what it was before just diving straight in.

Normally I can read a book in about 36 hours but this one took me 3 days. The world Brook has built is so amazingly complex and developed. My biggest struggle of the book was understandin ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Oct 02, 2010 Sayuri_x rated it it was amazing

Shelves: re-read, 2010, best-of-2010, october-2010, 2012, aug-2012

Review to follow but I have to say one thing.

This is the book, this is the series, that is going to make Meljean Brook a superstar.

3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 27, 2010 Sarah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: keeper, reviewed, romance-paranomal-fantasy, steampunk

I really enjoyed the world author Meljean Brook has created here. Dirty, gritty London recently freed from the Horde and still trying to get it's bearings. The worldbuilding was just so rich I could easily see and sense this alternate universe. I loved the nanotechnology and steampunk machinery mixed with paranormal elements (I was at the edge of my seat, eyes glued to the page at the part with the kraken), and the zombies were a creepy addition as well. I'm a bit if a sap and like to have some I really enjoyed the world author Meljean Brook has created here. Dirty, gritty London recently freed from the Horde and still trying to get it's bearings. The worldbuilding was just so rich I could easily see and sense this alternate universe. I loved the nanotechnology and steampunk machinery mixed with paranormal elements (I was at the edge of my seat, eyes glued to the page at the part with the kraken), and the zombies were a creepy addition as well. I'm a bit if a sap and like to have some romance included in just about anything I read, even if it's only a little part of the story, but I thought this book was definitely more sci-fi/fantasy than paranormal romance (PNR) so I was suprised to see it catororized as such on the cover. I wouldn't let that turn you off to the story if you don't care for PNR (I generally don't like the genre myself), you still may enjoy this adventure. There's no PNR cliche's here, thank god, but there are some intimate bedroom scenes. I don't feel like the romance elements overshadowed the story at all, but we all have different tolerances for that kinda thing so I thought I'd mention it.

I certainly loved Trahaearn, the Iron Duke and London's unwitting hero. He's not what you think and the author did such a great job revealing him to us as the story progressed. Detective Inspector Mina was great as well. I can be hard on my heroines but I really liked her; a mix of intelligence, courage, and vulnerability that made her a great protagoanist. The secondary characters were wonderful also. I especially liked the dry wit and scarcasm from Scarsdale. Mina's family was really great too. Brook created a whole cast of characters I wouldn't mind revisiting in future installments. Needless to say, I am really looking foward to reading more books set in this universe. I'd especially love to see the Blacksmith get a story. He's really the mysterious character at this point and I want to know more!

I was somewhat disappointed in the previous steampunk novel I tried but I am definitely glad I gave the genre another try. I knew I would really like it if I found the right story. This one just hit the spot for me, I thought it was great from the first page to the last! I have a feeling this author is going to set the bar for the steampunk/romance genre that is definitely gaining popularity. ...more

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Apr 05, 2012 RogueHireling rated it liked it

I actually like this book quite a bit. I loved the world and the story.
What really bothered me was the writing. I found quite lack of explaining to be an impediment to understanding everything the first time. I had to reread quite a few sections just to confirm if I figured things out correctly. The other thing about the writing the bothered me was the romance. It read like a completely different person wrote the romantic scenes, causing a real break in continuity for me.
Lastly I really didn't ...more

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May 04, 2014 Ally rated it really liked it

Shelves: paranormal-romance, ebook, 2014

Seriously amazing read. Loved the world that Ms Brook has created. Very addictive and compelling. The characters were truly wonderful and I loved the relationship between Rhys and Mina.
I'd put off reading steampunk again and again but The Iron Duke has completely convinced me that it is something that I would read again.
I would highly recommend The Iron Duke....

Oh my god! I can't get over how good The Iron Duke was. I mean I've put off steampunk for so long and then this is what I get. Silly, si ...more

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Oct 15, 2011 Liz B rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, ebook, alternatehistory, 2017-already-owned-it, paranormal

Solid 4.5 stars, and maybe I do like steampunk. I mean, I know I've liked steampunk by authors whose work I already enjoyed, like Gail Dayton, but mostly the idea of airships and clockwork whatevers leaves me uninterested. BUT this world also has nanobots and zombies, so...

I realize I am super late to this party. But this is good stuff. Super alpha-male former pirate runs up against a pragmatic female cop in their mutual effort to solve a geopolitical mystery in an alternate Europe where the Mon ...more

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Oct 30, 2011 Pet rated it it was amazing

Re-read.
I read this book the first time back in 2010 when it published, oh my word, what an exciting experience, I’d never even heard of Steampunk, it was so very new to me, but within the pages of this book I was yanked, dragged, hauled, carried and just plan overcome with the wonder of this world. Inside this book there is amazing and wondrous things and all of it brought to life in vivid three dimensional life by an incredibly talented author. I fell in love along side Mina, I agonized her p ...more

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Nov 04, 2010 Heather rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy, romance, paranormal

I'd give it 2.5 stars if I could. Brook takes an ambitious stab here at melding steampunk and romance, not entirely successfully. The steampunk aspect is pretty cool. The romance storyline is what fell apart for me. The two characters were OK, but I think so much time had to be spent explaining the world they lived in that the relationship wasn't as well-developed as it needed to be to feel finished at the end.

If this is the new direction of romance, though - replacing vampires - I'm all for it. ...more

1 like · Like · see review