Steam*punk [steem-puhngk]
noun
A subgenre of science fiction and fantasy featuring advanced
machines and other technology based on steam power of the 19th
century and taking place in a recognizable historical period or a fantasy
world.
Side note: There
seems to be a huge debate on what is and is not actually steampunk. With all
due respect, I’m seriously not here to argue that point as I am unqualified to
do so.
Still don’t understand? Here’s a list of some movies I’ve
seen that claim the “steampunk” genre:
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
Sleepy Hollow (Staring Johnny Depp…Scream!)
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Stardust (Highly recommend this movie)
The Brothers Grimm
The Prestige (Excellent movie)
Wow, it appears that I really like steampunk movies! That
said, I would like to share my recent experience of having read my very first
steampunk novel. Magnificent Devices is the first book in Shelley Adina’s Lady
Of Devices steampunk series. Here is a short advertisement found on Ms. Adina’s
website.
Lady Of Devices – Magnificent Devices
London, 1889. Victoria is Queen. Charles Darwin’s son is Prime
Minister. And steam is the power that runs the world.
At 17, Claire Trevelyan, daughter of Viscount St. Ives, was
expected to do nothing more than pour an elegant cup of tea, sew a fine seam,
and catch a rich husband. Unfortunately, Claire’s talents lie not in the
ballroom, but in the chemistry lab, where things have a regrettable habit of
blowing up. When her father gambles the estate on the combustion engine and
loses, Claire finds herself down and out on the mean streets of London. But
being a young woman of resources and intellect, she turns fortune on its head.
It’s not long before a new leader rises in the underworld, known only as the
Lady of Devices.
When she meets Andrew Malvern, a member of the Royal Society
of Engineers, she realizes her talents may encompass more than the invention of
explosive devices. They may help her realize her dreams and his…if they can
both stay alive long enough to see that sometimes the closest friendships can
trigger the greatest betrayals…
This
little blurb really caught my attention, but I have to admit it was the $0.00
price tag that sold me on the book. One click and the book popped up on my
Kindle App. How easy is that? But here’s a little hint, I checked the price of
the book on Kindle today, 2-26-13 and it’s already gone up to .99 cents, so
hurry up and get it while it’s still cheap!
I had a bit of a hard time getting into the first chapter of
the book because I didn’t know what to expect, but by chapter two I was
completely in the groove. Shelley doesn’t mention anything about it in the
book’s cover copy, and I don’t think it would cause any spoilers, but the best
part of the book for me started in chapter 14 when she meets her new gang.
Shelley wrote the chapters about the children perfectly,
from their thick cockney accents to their disheveled attire. I fell in love
with them and raced through to the end of the book.
I would highly recommend this book. What have you got to
lose, but .99 cents? How much did I like it? So much that I bought book two,
Her Own Devices and book three, also called Magnificent Devices, earlier today.
Can’t wait to dive into these steampunk
offerings. Bravo Shelley Adina on a job well done!
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