Helpful Score: 4
I couldn't finish this book. I could barely start it. It's just a stupid rehash of every post feminist fantasy steampunk cliche I've ever seen. I gave it 70 pages and gave up.
I think a better medium for this story would be graphic novel, since it was the cover that sold me on the book. In a graphic novel, you'd have some nice art, a lot less pseudo-Victorian narrative to wade through, and you could finish it in twenty minutes. It's not worth a second more of anybody's life than that. I give it two stars for the cover.
I think a better medium for this story would be graphic novel, since it was the cover that sold me on the book. In a graphic novel, you'd have some nice art, a lot less pseudo-Victorian narrative to wade through, and you could finish it in twenty minutes. It's not worth a second more of anybody's life than that. I give it two stars for the cover.
Jessica G. (jaguerns) -
I went through a Steampunk phase where everything I read had to have Steampunk elements, not matter how contrived or implausible. Caught The Iron Wyrm Affair toward the end of that phase so maybe I was a little too done with the genre by then.
While this was an interesting premise, I pretty much couldn't stand the main character Emma Bannon. She's trying to be a badass (and mostly succeeds) but I wanted explanation for who she is and why she acted as she did other than "because she can." However, her Shield, Mikal, saved her for me. He saw something in her worthwhile, so I stuck with the story.
The concepts of sorceresses and mentath was fascinating to me. I might have to give the second book a try.
While this was an interesting premise, I pretty much couldn't stand the main character Emma Bannon. She's trying to be a badass (and mostly succeeds) but I wanted explanation for who she is and why she acted as she did other than "because she can." However, her Shield, Mikal, saved her for me. He saw something in her worthwhile, so I stuck with the story.
The concepts of sorceresses and mentath was fascinating to me. I might have to give the second book a try.
R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed The Iron Wyrm Affair (Bannon & Clare, Bk 1) on + 1450 more book reviews
It's a zany quirky and delightful read among the most unlikely and imagined mechanical creatures. Emma Bannon, a sorceress extraordinaire, seeks to protect the queen of a very different British Isles known as Brittania. The book is labeled as steam punk but the author called it fantasy with a few ideas thrown in to make the story better. And, better it is, so much better.
The cast of human characters includes an analyical mentath, Archibald Clare, who is interested in how just about everything works. He is so different from Bannon that the contrasting two form a wonderfully compatible pair to investigate and derail the threats to the throne. Actually, there are three threats so the cast enlarges to include two shields whose primary role is to protect Miss Bannon unless told to do otherwise, a German entrepreneur who loves all things mechanical and an Italian murderer who works for hire.
The tale is fast paced and serious as the group seeks to halt the threats to the queen who herself holds the wisdom of past monarchs in her mind. I loved this rollicking story as it zooms from scene to scene and meets so many dangers. Miss Bannon escapes death again and again with the help of her cohorts. In short, this is a read that is just pure fun. Kudos to the author for her writing, plot and unforgetable characters.
The cast of human characters includes an analyical mentath, Archibald Clare, who is interested in how just about everything works. He is so different from Bannon that the contrasting two form a wonderfully compatible pair to investigate and derail the threats to the throne. Actually, there are three threats so the cast enlarges to include two shields whose primary role is to protect Miss Bannon unless told to do otherwise, a German entrepreneur who loves all things mechanical and an Italian murderer who works for hire.
The tale is fast paced and serious as the group seeks to halt the threats to the queen who herself holds the wisdom of past monarchs in her mind. I loved this rollicking story as it zooms from scene to scene and meets so many dangers. Miss Bannon escapes death again and again with the help of her cohorts. In short, this is a read that is just pure fun. Kudos to the author for her writing, plot and unforgetable characters.
Karissa E. (ophelia99) reviewed The Iron Wyrm Affair (Bannon & Clare, Bk 1) on + 2527 more book reviews
This is the first book in the Bannon and Clare series. This series is a historical fiction/steampunk novel set in an alternate London. I really wanted to love this book but I struggled with it. There are some amazingly creative parts in here and I felt like I could have really loved the characters and story moe if the book had flowed better.
There is a lot thrown at the reader very quickly and I really struggled to picture settings and understand the world. The characters are also very hard to engage with; they seem very distant throughout.
The story jumps around a lot and the chapters are very short. This made for a choppy read that was very had to sink into and stay engaged with. I kept picking this up, reading a chapter, then putting it down and finding something else to do.
Emma was a fascinating character, as was Mikal. I loved Emma's magic, Mikal's crazy fighting abilities, and Clare's mental acuity. However, I just struggled so much with picturing what was happening throughout and wish I could have followed the story better.
Overall this book was pretty disappointing to me because there is some great stuff in here, it was just hard to get through because of how poorly the story flowed and how poorly things were described. This is an okay read but I wouldn't necessarily recommend. I won't be reading anymore of the series.
There is a lot thrown at the reader very quickly and I really struggled to picture settings and understand the world. The characters are also very hard to engage with; they seem very distant throughout.
The story jumps around a lot and the chapters are very short. This made for a choppy read that was very had to sink into and stay engaged with. I kept picking this up, reading a chapter, then putting it down and finding something else to do.
Emma was a fascinating character, as was Mikal. I loved Emma's magic, Mikal's crazy fighting abilities, and Clare's mental acuity. However, I just struggled so much with picturing what was happening throughout and wish I could have followed the story better.
Overall this book was pretty disappointing to me because there is some great stuff in here, it was just hard to get through because of how poorly the story flowed and how poorly things were described. This is an okay read but I wouldn't necessarily recommend. I won't be reading anymore of the series.
