Showing posts with label Steampunk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steampunk. Show all posts

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Prince Albert and the Doomsday Device, Clive London

I felt so honored to be asked by my friends at Zova Books to read and review one of their new releases for July, Prince Albert and the Doomsday Device, by Clive London. It's a YA Steampunk novel about a poor little urchin named Jack who leaves his small, rotten village in England for the hustle and bustle of London, on a mission to find his parents and the rest of the adults from his village, who have disappeared quite mysteriously, under the apparent order of Queen Victoria. 

I'm about seven chapters in and have definitely been enjoying it. It has that great whimsical feel to it that a lot of YA novels have, and naturally I am quite fond of its setting and Steampunk nature! So, I will read on with pleasure, hoping that it continues to be as entertaining as it has thus far. 


** UPDATE: I've finished it, and I must say it was really fun. The pacing was great, and the cast of characters were both endearing and memorable. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, steampunk, or good old adventure stories... young adults and adults alike. And it looks like there will be a Book Two... which is very exciting. Much success to Mr. Clive London in all of his future ventures. 


Thursday, February 17, 2011

Blameless, Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate Bk. 3)

Blameless (The Parasol Protectorate, #3)Blameless by Gail Carriger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The delightful world of Alexia and her Parasol Protectorate is one that I absolutely adore. Gail Carriger's development of her charming and quirky characters continues endear the reader to them in this third installment of the series. We are able to strike an emotional connection with many of the characters in the book... with Alexia's eventual acceptance of her "infant inconvenience," and the love between Lord Akeldama and his young drone Biffy. The sense of getting down to the essential nature of what the books are all about comes out as well. We have the phrase "Parasol Protectorate" used for the first time by the characters, and we are a little bit closer to understanding more about the life of Mr. Tarabotti, which may play a big role in future books.

What I love most about these novels is the way that Gail is able to suffuse propriety with a sharp dose of humor and wit. Blameless was a really fun read, endlessly hilarious with a laugh-out-loud quality to it (as are all of her books). For your enjoyment, I will share with you some of my favorite chapter titles and excerpts from Blameless...


In Which Lord Maccon is Likened to a Small Cucumber
Tea and Insults
How Not to Cross an Alpine Pass
Wherein Alexia Encounters Both Pesto and a Mysterious Jar
"The site was lovely, shaded with trees of various bushy Mediterranean inclinations that took being leafy and green quite seriously." (p. 274)









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Monday, December 27, 2010

Parasol Protectorate

Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate, #1)Soulless by Gail Carriger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Love this series by Gail Carriger. I picked it up because of the kick-ass cover [my absolute favorite covers at present], and the plot doesn't disappoint: Victorian England, a sarcastic protagonist, werewolves, etiquette, and parasols. It doesn't get much better than that. I enjoyed the second book in the series more than the first, but I look forward to anything this author produces. Her website has a wealth of Victorian customs, dress, Steampunk goodies, etc. My favorite feature of her website is the Victorian dress-up doll feature. Definitely worth checking out.

http://www.gailcarriger.com/index.php


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