Timeless by Gail Carriger

Title: Timeless (The Parasol Protectorate #5)

Author: Gail Carriger

Publisher: Orbit 2012

Genre: Steampunjk Paranormal

Pages: 416

Rating:   5  / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fantasy; A to Z — T; Mount TBR

How I Got It: I own it!

Alexia Tarabotti, Lady Maccon, has settled into domestic bliss. Of course, being Alexia, such bliss involves integrating werewolves into London High society, living in a vampire’s second best closet, and coping with a precocious toddler who is prone to turning supernatural willy-nilly. Even Ivy Tunstell’s acting troupe’s latest play, disastrous to say the least, cannot put a damper on Alexia’s enjoyment of her new London lifestyle.Until, that is, she receives a summons from Alexandria that cannot be ignored. With husband, child, and Tunstells in tow, Alexia boards a steamer to cross the Mediterranean. But Egypt may hold more mysteries than even the indomitable Lady Maccon can handle. What does the vampire Queen of the Alexandria Hive really want from her? Why is the God-Breaker Plague suddenly expanding? And how has Ivy Tunstell suddenly become the most popular actress in all the British Empire?

I am in love with each and every one of the characters in this series.  I love them all equally.  I really cannot decided who is my favorite.  Ms. Carriger has made me want to live in her version of Victorian England.  I want to be best friends with Alexia.  I want to run into Lord Akeldama and his drones at social gatherings. I want to see the productions of the Tunstells.  I want to buy a hat from Biffy.  I want to peruse Madame Lefoux’s gadgets.  And I want to marvel at the dirigbles and ballon travels and general wonderment.   This series is one of my favorites in a very long time.

Alexia Tarabotti
1. Soulless
2. Changeless
3. Blameless
4. Heartless
5. Timeless 

 

 

Heartless by Gail Carriger

Title: Heartless (Parasol Protectorate #4)

Author: Gail Carriger

Publisher: Orbit 2011

Genre: Steampunk

Pages: 385

Rating:   5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Steampunk

How I Got It: I own it!

Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband’s past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux’s latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines and Alexia barely has time to remember she happens to be eight months pregnant.

Will Alexia manage to determine who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it is too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf’s clothing? And what, exactly, has taken up residence in Lord Akeldama’s second best closet?

I think this was my favorite one yet from the series.  I love pregnant Alexia; she’s feisty but clumsy.  She’s such a treat to continue to follow her unconventional life.  Although I love her to pieces, Lord Akeldama and Biffy have become my favorite characters.  The interplay between those two is just fantastic.  Carriger has captured me again.  I can’t wait to read Timeless and find out what happens with the baby, the newly installed hive and of course the pack.  It’s such a shame I have to wait until spring!

Alexia Tarabotti
1. Soulless
2. Changeless
3. Blameless
4. Heartless
5. Timeless 

 

Blameless by Gail Carriger

Title: Blameless (Parasol Protectorate #3)

Author: Gail Carriger

Publisher: Orbit 2010

Genre: Steampunk

Pages: 374

Rating:  5  / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Steampunk

How I Got It: I own it!

Quitting her husband’s house and moving back in with her horrible family, Lady Maccon becomes the scandal of the London season.

Queen Victoria dismisses her from the Shadow Council, and the only person who can explain anything, Lord Akeldama, unexpectedly leaves town. To top it all off, Alexia is attacked by homicidal mechanical ladybugs, indicating, as only ladybugs can, the fact that all of London’s vampires are now very much interested in seeing Alexia quite thoroughly dead.

While Lord Maccon elects to get progressively more inebriated and Professor Lyall desperately tries to hold the Woolsey werewolf pack together, Alexia flees England for Italy in search of the mysterious Templars. Only they know enough about the preternatural to explain her increasingly inconvenient condition, but they may be worse than the vampires — and they’re armed with pesto.

So good!!!!  I love the adventure and paranormal in these books.  They’re like a supernatural Indiana Jones story.  Alexia is still feisty, even after encountering killer ladybugs, Germans, vampires, and Templars.  I loved the continued inclusion of Madama Lefoux.  A very interesting character indeed.  And we get to resolve at least part of the cliffhanger from last book.  I must read Heartless soon.

Alexia Tarabotti
1. Soulless
2. Changeless
3. Blameless
4. Heartless
5. Timeless 

 

Changeless by Gail Carriger

Title: Changeless (Parasol Protectorate #2)

Author: Gail Carriger

Publisher: Orbit 2010

Genre: Steampunk

Pages: 386

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Steampunk

How I Got It: I own it!

Alexia Tarabotti, the Lady Woolsey, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears – leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria.

But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions, and an arsenal of biting civility. Even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only the soulless can.

She might even find time to track down her wayward husband, if she feels like it.

Another great book to add to the series.  I love feisty Alexia, stubborn Conall, and the frivolous Miss Ivy.  Carriger’s characters are her strength.  Sure the story is fun.  The mystery is intriguing.  The action is fast-paced.  Yet, through all this it’s the characters that keep me reading.  It’s the characters that keep me wanting for more.  She has the ability to develop well-rounded characters that are each three-dimensional and complicated.  Even the side characters are interesting.  I loved Tunstell.  Felicity keep Alexia on her witty toes.  Conall’s great great great granddaughter embodies the famous Scottish charm.  All of the Kingair pack are components in the plan.  Madame Lefoux is a welcome addition, a mysterious and fashionable addition.  My only wish was for more Professor Lyall.  Hopefully next book.

Alexia Tarabotti
1. Soulless
2. Changeless
3. Blameless
4. Heartless
5. Timeless 

 

The Affinity Bridge by George Mann

Title: The Affinity Bridge (A Newbury and Hobbes Investigation)

Author: George Mann

Publisher: A Tor Book 2009

Genre: Steampunk

Pages: 333

Rating:   5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Steampunk

How I Got It: Borrowed from the library

Welcome to the bizarre and dangerous world of Victorian London, a city teetering on the edge of revolution. Its people are ushering in a new era of technology, dazzled each day by unfamiliar inventions. Airships soar in the skies over the city, while ground trains rumble through the streets and clockwork automatons are programmed to carry out menial tasks in the offices of lawyers, policemen, and journalists.

But beneath this shiny veneer of progress lurks a sinister side.

Queen Victoria is kept alive by a primitive life-support system, while her agents, Sir Maurice Newbury and his delectable assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes, do battle with enemies of the crown, physical and supernatural. This time Newbury and Hobbes are called to investigate the wreckage of a crashed airship and its missing automaton pilot, while attempting to solve a string of strangulations attributed to a mysterious glowing policeman, and dealing with a zombie plague that is ravaging the slums of the capital.

I loved loved loved this book!  It had everything I want in an adventure novel: great characters, witty dialogue, fast-paced action, a bit of romance, mysteries, and zombies.  Okay, confession time…  I will read almost anything with zombies.  But I have found a few that I didn’t like.  This falls into the majority.  I loved the mystery surrounding the murders and the downed airship.  The zombies were a welcome addition to the mystery.

Newbury and Hobbes are an entertaining detective duo.  I loved that they didn’t make Hobbes a wimpy wallflower, but gave her some strength.  She’s still a lady of the time period, but she’s a progressive lady.  And Newbury is the right amount of gentleman and kick ass hero.  The villains are villainous.  The danger is real.  It was a roller coaster adventure.  I can’t wait to read more from Mann.

Newbury and Hobbes Investigations

1. The Affinity Bridge
2. The Osiris Ritual
3. The Immorality Engine
4. The Executioner’s Heart

 

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Title: Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1)

Author: Gail Carriger

Publisher: Orbit 2009

Genre: Steampunk; Paranormal

Pages: 373

Rating:   5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Steampunk

How I Got It: I own it!

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great man social tribulations.  First, she has no soul.  Second, she’s a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead.  Third, she was rudely attacked by a a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there?  From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire–and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia is responsible.  Can she figure out what is actually happening to London’s high society?  Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing?  Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

I loved this book!  A beautiful blend of steampunk and paranormal with some great characters.  I really beginning to like these “supernaturals have come out” types of books.  How do they integrate or not integrate into society?  What is their role?  Are they still dangerous or just fun oddities?  These aren’t Twilight supernaturals.  There’s always an edge of danger every time one appears.  I just loved the world.  Plus there was dirigibles and inventive weapons.  And some gruesome experimental machines. The steampunk elements were all there.  The storyline was fun with some great twists at the end.  I appreciated the whodunit aspect and finding out with Alexia what was going on.  It was a refreshing change from the third person omnipotent or the incredibly dense first person monologue.  Alexia was a breath of fresh air.  A confident spinster who operates within her academic passions as opposed to fashion and husband hunting.  Nevermind that she gets the husband in the end, it makes sense for her evolution of her character and Lord Maccon is definitely dreamy.  I’m also very attached to her vampire friend Lord Akeldama and werewolf Beta Professor Lyall.  I loved this characters so much.  There’s more to them than what meets the eye.  I hope they make appearances in the subsequent novels.  I have the next three (fifth book hasn’t been released yet) and am ready to dive in.  Well, next week’s readathon in which I must get rid of some library and Net Galley books first.

Alexia Tarabotti
1. Soulless
2. Changeless
3. Blameless
4. Heartless
5. Timeless 

 

Steampunk edited by Ann and Jeff Vandemeer

Title: Steampunk

Edited by: Ann and Jeff Vandermeer

Publisher: Tachyon Publications 2008

Genre: Steampunk

Pages: 373

Rating:  4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Steampunk; A to Z: Author V

A good collection of steampunk stories from the later days of the 20th century.  A lot of authors that I recognize, but none that I’ve actually read.  I don’t have a huge amount to say about this anthology.  It was enjoyable.  It was fun.  It gave me a nice history of the Steampunk genre. It was nice to read something a bit more modern after Steampunk Prime.  I have the second volume from the same editors, but have decided to read some others first.  A good introduction to the genre.  My favorite story: “Lord Kelvin’s Machine” by James Blaylock.  A good combination of intrigue, exploration, and machines.  I definite must read!

 

Steampunk Prime edited by Mike Ashley

Title: Steampunk Prime

Edited by: Mike Ashley

Publisher: Nonstop Press 2010

Genre: Steampunk

Pages: 239

Rating:   4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Local Library; Steampunk

An anthology of classic (written between 1880-1914) steampunk stories.  The origins of the genre.  I thought it would be good to read this anthology before diving completely into the modern takes on the genre.  While most were science heavy with explanations of the machines, they were great reads.  Ashley chose not to include the more famous authors (like H.G. Wells and Jules Verne), but instead focused on some relative unknowns.  My favorites:

1. “The Automaton” by Reginald Bacchus and Ranger Gull (1900) — A creepy story about a chess playing automaton.  Right amount of suspense, supernatural, and intrigue.  Definitely my favorite from the entire anthology!

2. “The Gibralter Tunnel” by Jean Jaubert (1914) — A classic style man-made disaster.  What could go wrong by digging a train tunnel underwater from Spain to Morocco?  Yeah.  Try everything.  Great action adventure story!

3. “In the Deep of Time” by George Parsons Lathrop (1897) — A good story involving Mars, suspended animation, and a love story.  Supposedly written after a conversation with Thomas Edison, the story definitely focuses on the new machines.

 

Steamed by Katie MacAlister

Title: Steamed

Author: Katie MacAlister

Publisher: Signet 2010

Genre: Steampunk Romance

Pages: 332

Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Steampunk

I read another review of this book; one that didn’t like the book very much.  I must say that I have mixed feelings about this book.  Some parts I loved, and others I hated.

The Good

I enjoyed the politics behind Octavia’s actions.  That may be because I like politics in general.  I find it interesting to see how people get wrapped up in competing agendas.  It wasn’t hard at all to keep all the different factions separate.  I loved the intrigue, the uncertain nature of various characters, the keeping secret of information.  It made the book at bit more than a steampunk romance.  I also enjoyed the descriptions of the steampunk world.  having Jack and Hallie come from the real 2010 world created a great way for the characters to explain the steampunk technology.  So the weapons and airships run on nuclear physics?  Interesting.  I liked the scientific side of the story.

The Bad

There were two big things wrong with the book: Hallie and the romance.  Jack’s sister was a nonexistant character, simply a plot device.  The little we saw of her wasn’t good at all.  She was stuck up and stiff and stupid.  I mean who gets herself captured while standing at a fountain.  Wouldn’t you be a little cautious in a war zone?  Better yet, wouldn’t you be a little cautious in a completely different world?  Instead she wanders over to look at a fountain and gets captured as a spy.  Seriously!  We could have done without her character all together.  The other issue I have is with the romance.  It just wasn’t believable at all.  Jack comes off as a complete sex crazed chauvinist masquerading as a Quaker (really a Quaker?).  And Octavia comes off as a pretentious slut.  (I know harsh language, but that was my initial thought)  I wasn’t interested at all in their “romance.”  Just get to the action (fighting, no sex) scenes already.

Overall, interesting premise and background plot but boring characters and romance.

 

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore

Title: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Black Dossier) 

Author: Alan Moore

Genre: Graphic Novel

Rating: Vol. 1 4/ 5 stars, Vol. 2 4/5 stars Black Dossier 2/5 stars

Movie Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Page to Screen; Support Your Local Library; Steampunk

I picked these three volumes up from the library.  A group of literary heroes/villains brought together until shadowy circumstances to “aid” England against threats, what better idea?  I was intrigued.  J convinced me to read them.  He said I would like them.  And I did.  Each character not quite a hero even with their actions.  The art was amazing. If you ever read it, make sure to really look at each panel, especially the backgrounds.  There’s a lot of details drawn into the background.  While the dialogue was good and plot interesting, I really liked finding the surprises in the backgrounds.  And of course, I really enjoyed the allusions to other literary characters and historical events.

Volume one consisted mostly of setting up the universe and characters.  The storyline was intriguing though somewhat predictable.  Volume two was an interesting take on War of the Worlds.  I liked the Martian invasion and inclusion of Dr. Moreau and other shadowy secrets.  Unfortunately, the Black Dossier was a real let down.  Set in 1958, it attempted to pick up the continuation of the League but was much too confusing for me.  I only half-heartedly finished the volume.  It just really didn’t grab my attention like the other two volumes.

A few years back I had seen the movie version of The Leagues of Extraordinary Gentlemen and was very disappointed.  I revisited the movie to see if it had grown on me.  Alas, it was as bad as I remembered.  Unfortunately, most of the characters fell flat. the plot boring and predictable, and the dialogue cheesy.  There were moments when the movie shined, but they were few and far between.  Of all the characters in the movie, I thought Mina Harker and Dorian Grey were the only interesting ones.  And even their story could have been expanded and more interesting.  The allusions to their history could have set up a much more complicated relationship.  Unfortunately the entire movie tried to play it safe and ended up being boring instead.  Not the worst movie I’ve ever seen, but definitely not one I am going to seek out to rewatch.