Bronze Gods is a steampunk mystery/urban fantasy by married couple Ann and Andre Aguirre (writing as A.A. Aguirre). I loved the world and the main characters, but I was disappointed by the mystery. The plot is very simple in essence but very complicated in detail. James Mikani and Celeste Ritsuko are inspectors with the Criminal Intelligence Division. They have to work together to stop a series of murders. They have been partners for three years, … Continue reading Bronze Gods by A.A. Aguirre →
Beauty and Beastly is a lyrical, lovely re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast. It’s a slight story and you don’t want to be asking too many practical questions about it, but it conveys fairy tale love well. This is part of the Steampunk Fairy Tales series and although there are references to other books, I had no problem jumping in with this one. In a fantasy version of 1814 England, Isabelle and her father make … Continue reading Beauty and Beastly by Melanie Karsak →
I’ve been in a reading rut lately. It’s the worst feeling in the world, and my solution has been to try novellas instead. They’re less intimidating than full-length books: it’s an hour of my time instead of four, I don’t feel like I’ve wasted time if I hate the book, I don’t experience guilt if I DNF, etc. The list goes on and on. When Jeannie Lin released an anthology set in her 19th century … Continue reading Tales from the Gunpowder Chronicles by Jeannie Lin →
Steampunk Darcy is a lot of fun and also kind of a mess. It never fully resolves the conflict between the two main characters. It has a weird ethical problem in terms of an automaton. It ends on a cliffhanger with no planned sequel. But it also has a poignant story about familial loss and responsibility, great sexual tension, clever use of Pride and Prejudice motifs, plausible conflicts, cool world building, and lots and lots … Continue reading Steampunk Darcy by Monica Fairview →
The Affair of the Mysterious Letter is a homage to both Sherlock Holmes and Lovecraftian fantasy. The book is told as a memoir written by Captain John Wyndham, who finds lodging with a sorceress and named Ms. Shaharazad Hass. The Mysterious Letter is their first case together. The reader is dropped into the world of Captain John Wyndham. Everything takes place in a multi-dimensional, multi-timeline, multiverse world, with a roughly steampunk Victorian aesthetic. Ms. Haas … Continue reading The Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis Hall →
The Black God’s Drums is an awesome novella set in a steampunk, alternate history New Orleans. The narrator of the book, Creeper, is a homeless thirteen year old girl who dreams of becoming an airship pilot someday. She is also visited on a regular basis by Oya, the Yoruba goddess of wind and storms. Creeper befriends the captain of a visiting airship, hoping to earn the captain’s trust and secure a place onboard. Oya and Captain … Continue reading The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark →
By Fire Above is the sequel to The Guns Above, a novel that rekindled my romance with steampunk. The steampunk element is mostly limited to the existence of airships. Josette is the first female airship captain in the war between Garnia and Vinzhalia. The aristocratic Lord Bernat was assigned to her ship as a spy, and is now Josette’s staunchest and crankiest supporter. I recommend reading The Guns Above prior to By Fire Above. In … Continue reading By Fire Above by Robyn Bennis →
Widdershins should be my absolute catnip. It features a m/m romance in a fantasy Victorian setting between a private detective and a geeky, shy philologist. One of the supporting characters is a woman who struggles to be respected as an Egyptologist in a male-dominated field. Most of the action takes place in a giant museum, and I do love a good museum! There’s a mummy, and I do love a good mummy! Alas, the plot … Continue reading Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk →
There was a dark moment in my life recently when I thought maybe I was going to break up with steampunk. We had a good run, steampunk and I, but I read a string of steampunk books that were pretty much identical and thought, “Eh, maybe we should start seeing different people.” I’m pleased to say that The Guns Above has rekindled our relationship by being funny, gritty, realistic, and full of good character development … Continue reading The Guns Above by Robyn Bennis →
Of Dreams and Rust is a sequel to Sarah Fine’s Of Metal and Wishes . The two books basically function as one single book, and this review contains spoilers for Of Metal and Wishes. Alert – this is a YA story with first person, present-tense narration and a love triangle. Fortunately, the setting, characters, and overall plot made it feel fresh. Of Metal and Wishes is inspired by The Phantom of the Opera, one of … Continue reading Of Dreams and Rust by Sarah Fine →
The Transatlantic Conspiracy is no Agatha Christie, but it’s an exciting, fun YA steampunk mystery set on an underground train, so I’ll take it. Despite the gorgeous cover, there are no cephalopods of any kind in the book. Otherwise, it’s fine. The plot is as follows: in an alternate version of 1908, seventeen-year-old Rosalind is ordered by her father to take the first ride on his new train, the Transatlantic Express. Her father designed this … Continue reading The Transatlantic Conspiracy by G.D. Falksen →
