Etiquette & Espionage

by Gail Carriger
Little, Brown, 2013.

Sophronia has been causing mayhem at home and her mother, at her wit's end, sends her to finishing school. But even before she arrives - when they're attacked by flyawaymen who want a prototype, to be exact - Sophronia discovers that Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality is much more than just your average finishing school. Besides teaching young ladies to curtsy and behave decorously, a werewolf and a vampire are teachers, and lessons include such things as fighting (with knife, umbrella, or parasol) and the finer arts of poisoning.

If you're familiar with Gail Carriger's Soulless series, then you have an idea of what to expect in narrative voice and humor. The only clue that this is intended for young audiences is the age of the protagonists and the absence of sex (well, there's one indirect reference to it). There were parts when the action flagged, but most of the time it was a fun romp as Sophronia and friends wreak havoc and try to save the day by finding the prototype that a fellow schoolmate has hidden.

Steampunk!

Steampunk!: An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories
edited by Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant
Somerville, Mass. : Candlewick Press, 2011.

In this compilation of steampunk short stories, you will find fourteen original tales by some of the hottest authors in YA and adult fantasy and science fiction. The editors write in the introduction that "The continuing reinterpretation of the steampunk idea made us ask the writers for stories that explored and expanded their own ideas of what steampunk could be" (ix). As a result, these stories push the boundaries of what you might expect from the genre, including everything from a creepy mystery to a "Clockwork Fagin."

This was the perfect collection to dip in and out of during my vacation week, because I could read one story at a time or, since one was so incredibly different from the next, read three straight in a row. I was able to read authors that I already enjoy, such as Cassandra Clare and Ysabeau Wilce, and be introduced to authors that I know want to investigate more, such as Delia Sherman and Dylan Horrocks. I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite, but looking back now the stories "Clockwork Fagin" by Cory Doctorow and "Steam Girl" by Dylan Horrocks stand out the most in my mind. I highly recommend giving this collection a try.

Heartless

by Gail Carriger
New York : Orbit, 2011.

As this is the fourth book in a series, there will necessarily be ***spoilers*** for earlier titles in the series. I highly recommend starting with Soulless, and catching up from there. :)

Lady Alexia Maccon nee Tarabotti receives a rather strange, somewhat garbled, message from a ghost near poltergeist stage (ie., not very lucid): the queen is threatened. The last time the Queen of England was nearly assassinated implicated the former pack of her husband, Lord Maccon. Alexia is eight months pregnant, but she won't let a little thing like waddling get in her way, so she dives headlong into an investigation. Meanwhile, her husband and a few co-conspirators have a rather unorthodox proposition regarding the unborn child, in a move to end the vampire assassination attempts on the baby - and, as an unfortunate side-effect, Alexia.

This fourth book was as witty and clever and ridiculous as ever. If you've read the other books - and I do recommend you read them in order, as there is both plot and character development along the way - you know the sort of story to expect at this point. I enjoyed learning some of the back stories of the characters as Alexia delves into the past of her husband and his former and current werewolf packs. My reaction to the book is a bit ambivalent, primarily because knowing what to expect was both its strength and weakness. I knew exactly what I was in for, and I still didn't entirely engage with the story, not being quite in the mood for this brand of silliness when I was reading. I will, of course, still gobble up the sequel as soon as it comes out.

Leviathan

by Scott Westerfeld
New York : Simon Pulse, 2009.

In an alternate 1914 several European nations, such as Germany, are primed for a fight. In this case, the dividing line is between the Clankers (those who build mechanikal marvels) and Darwinists (those who have used Darwin's findings of evolution and DNA to create new life forms). The story moves between the points of view of Alek, the fourteen-year-old son of the archduke of Serbia, and Deryn, a girl who masquerades as a boy to get a job on a flying "beastie."

I really enjoy teen fiction, and my recent discovery of steampunk led me to add this title to my reading list. I loved the blend of historical fact and inventive world-building. The detail with which Westerfeld creates his alternate history lends credibility to his story. I thought the book had more potential than it truly lives up to, however. I never really felt connected to the characters - despite the points of view changes, I never had a sense of why Alek or Deryn behave the way they do, or why they make the decisions they do. There is neither character growth or change, just their decisions and the consequences. Still, I am intrigued enough - and annoyed enough by a tricksy cliffhanger - to seek out the sequel.

Clockwork Angel

by Cassandra Clare
New York : Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010.

London, 1878. Two Shadowhunters, Will and Jem, find a girl dead on the street, apparently attacked by a demon. Tessa, an American girl travels to London to meet her brother after their aunt dies, is taken prisoner and forced to Change. She thought she was just an ordinary girl, but she learns that she has the ability, once she has held the possession of a person, living or dead, to Change into that person in appearance and thought. Though this ability scares her, the women holding her threaten her with her brother Nate's safety if she does not do what she's told - marry the Magister.

This is the first in a new series by the author of The Mortal Instruments, and a prequel of sorts to the same. The Clockwork Angel could be read first, but the explanation of the existence and purpose of Shadowhunters - or Nephilim - may be a little confusing as an introduction rather than a reminder, and the names of characters will not resonate quite so much with readers who are unfamiliar with their (apparent) descendants. This fast-paced story blends urban fantasy, vampires and werewolves, and just a touch of steampunk. The characters are compelling, and I had a much harder time figuring out some plot points than I did with The Mortal Instruments. I loved the references to literature and poetry of the Victorian era as well, and am now eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Blameless

by Gail Carriger
New York: Orbit, 2010.

The third highly-anticipated book (for me, at least!) in the Alexia Tarabotti series begins with Lady Maccon once again living with her appalling family because her husband, Earl of Woolsey and werewolf Alpha, has kicked her out. Alexia is pregnant, you see, a state that scientists agree would be impossible as her husband is not exactly living, and she herself as a preternatural never expected what she has dubbed the infant-inconvenience. The vampires seem to know more about it than she does, however, because they want her dead.

While I enjoyed reading more adventures of Alexia, Lord Maccon, Professor Lyall, Ivy Tunstell (nee Hisselpenny), and the rest, I did not enjoy Blameless quite as much as the previous titles in the series. Perhaps this has more to do with my expectations than the story itself. I expected certain plot threads to take more time than they did to resolve, and was taken aback by how much time is spent figuring out why Alexia is pregnant and what that means for the supernatural community. Personally, since the fact that she is pregnant is a given, I was less interested in the how. I enjoyed the over-the-top humor as always, and was intrigued by the hints that Ivy is not quite as harebrained as we may have been led to believe. I will be looking forward to the publication of Heartless, the next book in the series, due out in July of next year.

Steampunk Short Stories

Steampunk
edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer

This anthology of steampunk writers from over twenty years begins with the essay "The 19th-Century Roots of Steampunk" by Jess Nevins, which gives the reader a lot of background about the genre and its roots in the novels of Jules Verne, dime novels, and authors' political responses to science fiction. The stories included then go on to show just how broad this genre can be, from diabolical inventors to a really creepy character who created rifts in time to a sort of comedy-of-manners in which a wife tries to distract her husband from gardening.

You may not love every story here - in fact, considering the range of stories, I would be surprised if you did - but you will surely come away with an appreciation of the breadth of subjects and styles that steampunk can encompass. My personal favorite was "Seventy-Two Letters" by Ted Chiang, an intricate short story involving the power of naming, kabbalistic ideas, and automata. On the other hand, I skimmed rather than read "The Steam Man of the Prairie and the Dark Rider Get Down: A Dime Novel" by Joe R. Lansdale. Though an interesting premise, that the main character from H.G. Wells' Time Machine created rifts in time and becomes insane, the story involved such a large amount of violence that only those with a very strong stomach should read it.

Finally, if you enjoy some of the stories, you will come away with a list of further books to read. I want to look for more by Ted Chiang, as well as James Blaylock and Michael Chabon. Besides the authors included, the final two essays give you even more to look into. Rick Klaw surveys steampunk books, movies, and games in his essay "The Steam-Driven Time Machine: A Pop Culture Survey," in which he includes a list of his top-ten steampunk books and movies. The final essay, "The Essential Sequential Steampunk" by Bill Baker gives readers a brief sketch of steampunk stories in comic book format.

If you're interested in learning about the steampunk subgenre, this collection of short stories is an excellent place to start. Though the editors admit in the introduction that the best of steampunk is novel-length, the essays and stories included in this anthology are an excellent source of information, authors, and title suggestions for a newbie like me and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick introduction to the genre.

One Should Always Have a Parasol

Changeless
by Gail Carriger
Orbit, 2010.

*As the second book in a series, this necessarily has spoilers for the first book, Soulless. Potential readers beware!*

Lady Alexia Maccon, the new muhjah and wife to werewolf Conall Maccon, has a new problem to solve when London and its environs suddenly does not have supernaturals. The ghosts disappear, and vampires and werewolves become mortal, generally in the environs of the Thames. Most disturbingly, no one knows why, though apparently their ancient lore suggests that this is not the first time something like this has happened. Lord Maccon travels to Scotland to try to work out the mystery, and Alexia soon follows when his Beta discovers that the plague - or whatever it is - appears to be traveling in the same direction as her husband.

I so enjoyed returning to the inventive world first encountered in Soulless. Alexia and Lord Maccon are as entertaining married as they were before - and their argumentative and stubborn natures stay quite true to their characters. While the first book had only a hint of flying airships and alternate technology, this one has a little bit more, and the introduction of some of the scientific alternatives in this world were fun. I'm very much looking forward to the next book which, sadly, does not come out until September.

Airships, Automata, and Mystery

The Affinity Bridge
by George Mann
Tor, 2009.

A "glowing policeman," perhaps a ghost, kills in Whitechapel, baffling police - an airship crashes and kills all passengers, apparently with no explanation - revenants prowling the streets pass on the plague that infects them, making the foggy streets of London dangerous. Sir Maurice Newbury, in the service of Queen Victoria herself, is on these cases, tackling them with the help of his assistant, Miss Veronica Hobbes, and his good friend the police commissioner, Sir Charles Bainbridge.

This is my latest read in the exploration of the Steampunk genre, and I can see how its alternate technology and Victorian setting fit into the parameters. The technology is interesting, too - from airships to automata to medicinal remedies. I had trouble getting into the story at the beginning (which was more about my brain still being on the Attolia series than any fault of the book itself), but I'm glad I persevered. The pacing built well over the course of the story, until it was strumming along at the end, when I just had to keep going and find out how everything fit together. Newbury and Miss Hobbes are interesting characters, and I enjoyed their conversations and growing respect for one another. I would certainly consider reading more of their adventures.

Soulless

by Gail Carriger
Orbit, 2009

When Miss Alexia Tarabotti took refuge in the library during a dinner party, she did not expect to meet a vampire. He attacks her without provocation and does not know that she was a preternatural, thus ending up dead when she attempted to protect herself. Yes, Miss Tarabotti is soulless, one of those individuals who negate the supernatural abilities of vampires and werewolves, though don't tell her mother, or she'll have a fit. The dead vampire is only the beginning, however, as Miss Tarabotti and Lord Maccon, the werewolf Alpha leading investigations for BUR, discover when they begin to look into the mystery.

This story does not fit neatly into one genre. With vampires and werewolves, it's definitely fantasy, with a smattering of paranormal romance and steampunk.  The writing fit the story perfectly, narrating with a humorous tone and a slightly old-fashioned tinge that conveys the 19th century period in which the book is set.  I would recommend it to fans of the vampire/werewolf genre and to readers just looking for something out of the ordinary who wouldn't mind all the genre mixing. Personally, I really enjoyed how various genres are seamlessly blended in surprising yet believable ways.  Some readers (alright, probably not those who read a lot of vampire novels) might be put off by the romantic aspects of the story, but I would advise them to skip a few pages here and there that might offend and read the rest of the story, because it's a darn good read. I'm really looking forward to the next one!

Exploring Steampunk: The Anubis Gates

The Anubis Gates
by Tim Powers

In 1802, Doctor Romany and Amenophis Fikee perform an incantation at the behest of their master, an incantation that should allow Anubis to come forth and sorcery to rule the world. In 1983, Brendan Doyle receives a summons from a rich old man who wants to travel to 1810 to observe Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and wants Doyle to lecture his fellow travelers before they set off.

Powers weaves a deft, complicated tale in which both of those apparently divergent tales have much to do with one another. Filled with eccentric characters and the danger of the London streets, the many threads of this story come together in sometimes surprising ways and the pace never lets up.

Exploring new genres is fun! I've been meaning to try steampunk for awhile - though I'm more of a fantasy than science fiction fan, the alternate history part of it intrigued me and it's just an awesome name for a genre, anyways - so when some folks on LibraryThing decided to start a Steampunk Group Read I jumped in with them. The Anubis Gates is one of the classics of the genre, though it doesn't have all the trademarks, particularly the Victorian setting, and has more magic than steam technology. One of the posts on the group read thread explains better than I can how this particular title fits within the genre (reader beware - the link goes to a thread with spoilers, though that particular message doesn't have any).

I'm definitely planning on reading more steampunk this year. Soulless or The Affinity Bridge with be next; the latter will be for the group read.

Steampunk and Zombies - what's not to love?

Boneshaker
by Cherie Priest

In this alternate history set in 19th century Seattle, Leviticus Blue created a massive machine called the Boneshaker, which dug below the city banks and released a cloud of gas that turned those who breathed it into "rotters." Fifteen years after the incident, Levi's wife Briar and her son, Ezekiel, deal with the censure of their neighbors for being related to Levi and to Maynard Wilkes, Briar's father who infamously let inmates free to get them away from the gas. When Ezekiel sneaks into the now walled-off Seattle, filled with the poisonous gas and the rotters, determined to clear his grandfather's and father's names, an earthquake leaves him stranded on the inside. Briar is determined to find him and enters the city after him.

After years of reading fantasy, I've gotten pretty good at suspending disbelief, which you really need to do to get into this steampunk/zombie story. If you can, it's a fun premise and I enjoyed the re-imagining of Seattle and American history. The world-building was well done and the writing moves along quickly. I wanted a little more to happen in terms of the story as some revelations were not all that surprising, but overall it was a fun ride and I'd be willing to read more by this author.