The World's Greatest Detective gone Steampunk!

Greetings! I'd thought I'd share a favourite with you all- something for those who love a good mystery, starring Sherlock Holmes.

Steampunk Holmes: Legacy of the Nautilus, P.C Martin
(MX Publishing, ltd., United Kingdom, 2012)

In this retelling of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Bruce-Partington Plans, the famous consulting detective Sherlock Holmes is called in by his sister Mycroft when the plans for the Nautilus, the submarine of Captain Nemo (of Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island) are stolen. As anyone who has studied the entire Conan-Doyle corpus, you can immediately pick out the changes in this incarnation of Holmes- he rides a motorcycle, and a weapons-trained sister takes the place of his canonical, less inclined to physical action elder brother Mycroft, but of course Watson is a constant, telling the story from his perspective as always, albeit with a bionic arm equipped with weapons.

Perhaps this is where the book does fall a little short. There are parts where the author has tried a little too hard to inject the Steampunk genre into the story itself, and often switches into chase scenes and shootouts, and so perhaps those so devoted to the canon might find it a bit distasteful. It honestly depends on personal opinion- I find it more an accquired taste, really- and it wasn't well received by most readers, with reviews from Amazon calling it 'rushed' and one even saying that the author had only done enough to not be seen as a plagiarist since she copied most of the original short story. The illustrations take up most of the e-book, so I would recommend getting the digital version on a tablet. I'm mostly indifferent, it's a good read for a rainy day. I'll let you all decide.

Must be off now, I'll leave you with this video demo of the interactive app that was released for the book. The Alchemist's Guild is meeting again soon and I'm being expected there.

Regards, 

E.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time- Literally!

Warmest greetings, friend! I had the most extraordinary conversation with an odd man with a bow tie. Odd man, really, but I suppose time travelers are like that as a general rule. Speaking of which...

Timebound, Rysa Walker
(Skyscape, New York 2013)

First in the Chronos Files series, Timebound is the story of sixteen year old Kate, who discovers her genetic ability to time travel after her grandmother gives her a medallion that is the only thing stopping her from disappearing from existence entirely when a shift in time causes her parents to suddenly vanish, as well as all knowledge of her life from the minds of all who knew her, save for a boy named Trey. Now yours truly doesn't approve of messing with timelines, but how Walker explains it in her books allows for changes and alterations to a timeline, which results in multiple timelines, but changes in the past can result in people being erased from existence, their memories being changed. This introduces moral dilemmas as the protagonists try to get the "right" timeline that has what they want. There is a rather steamy scene that I won't mention- let's just say this series is for older teenagers, for any parents out there.

The protagonist is hailed by the Publisher's Weekly as "The Katniss Everdeen of time travel", and considering the action-packed adventures Kate goes through, I certainly do not blame them!! Definitely one for the list if you're looking for a good read.

Professional reviews: 

PW Annex reviews (October 14, 2013; 9781477848159)

School Library Journal (March 01, 2014; 9781480558571)

I really would like to go on more about this book, loves, but that nice man in the bow tie is back and he's invited me to tea. I would tell you the details later, but a lady never tells.

Happy reading!

Regards,

E.

Upon the topic of Automata...

Greetings! I was able to send you this short transmission while the head of the Airship Guild stepped out to see to a dirigible that's just come in, he won't mind and I can wait.

Remember how we spoke about Hugo? How he finds an Automaton?

Fascinating thing, Automata. In Japanese, they call it Karakuri. They are perhaps some of the most elaborate puppets ever created. Things like Singing-Bird Boxes, or those little figures you see ringing bells in clocks, or cuckoos in cuckoo clocks.  They've been around since DaVinci, if you'll believe it, and are the precursor to modern-day robots.

I figured I'd show you some great videos about automatons, and give you some links to read about them on other sites: (x) (x) (x)

"The Writer"

 

 

"Cleopatra"

 

 

"The Archer"

 

I think I hear my good friend returning, so I must cut this short. Ta-ta for now, loves!

 

Regards,

 

E.

The Boy in the Clock Tower, a Marvellous Machine, and a Heart-Shaped Key

Hullo again. You've come at just the right time, I've just ordered tonight's tea. They've replaced the automaton they used to have as a waitress here with a newer model, I suppose it was for the best- the poor dear was quite outdated and broke just as they were closing up shop last week. Can you believe it? Anyway, I hope you're in the mood for some Assam. Seems like the sort of night for it, really.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick
(Harper Collins Publishers ltd., Great Britain, 2008)

Chances are this book rings a bell with you- if you're thinking of the 2011 film starring Asa Butterfield, then you'll be pleased to know that this was the book it was based off of. A mixture of graphic novel and book, Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret is the wondrous tale of a young boy named Hugo, who lived with his father, a watchmaker, until his unfortunate death in a fire while he's working at a museum. And while we're on the topic of Automatons, the only thing Hugo has left of his father while he's working with his drunken uncle in the clock tower of a train station is an automaton that his late father had been working on before the fire. Convinced that the automaton has a message from his father, Hugo steals and scavenges parts to fix it, leading to him meeting Georges, and his granddaughter, Isabelle, and a grand adventure ensues.

Professional Reviews:
Horn Book Magazine (July 01, 2007; 9780545003636 )

School Library Journal (March 01, 2007; 9780439813785)

Publishers Weekly (March 12, 2007; 9780545003636)

Author's website

The illustrations are magnificent, the story riveting- a heart-warming experience all in all. The movie was received well, earning a 7.5/10 from IMDB, 4/4 from Roger Ebert, and 94% from Rotten Tomatoes. Unfortunately Blogger won't let me find the trailer, so here's a link to the film trailer, and you can view a book trailer below.

 

 

Must be off now, the head of the airship guild wants to speak to me about his crystal matrix- the damned thing's on the fritz again.

 

Regards,

 

E.

Chronicles of Light and Shadow, and the High Priestess of British Steampunk

Welcome back! I hope the man at the door didn't trouble you too much about the entry fee. It's a little difficult to craft a pearl from a young lady's tears, but seeing as you're here I suppose that's been no problem for you. Today's tea is a lovely, warm pot of Earl Grey with a little honey to sweeten it. Come have a cup, it will get the chill from your bones.

A Conspiracy of Alchemists, Liesel Schwarz
(Ebury press, Great Britain, 2013)

Liesel Schwarz's Chronicles of Light and Shadow is a riveting trilogy, beginning with A Conspiracy of Alchemists, and follows the adventures of Elle Chance, an airship pilot who deals mostly in delivering cargo, and the odd circumstances that lead to her meeting the warlock Hugh Marsh while delivering a package from Paris to London.

A fun read with sci-fi, a bit of sleuthing and all the charming Victorian aesthetic you'd expect from a Steampunk novel. I'm already through the second edition in the trilogy- you'll come to love Elle, she's so plucky and charming and her story keeps you coming back for more.

Professional reviews: 
  Library Journal (February 22, 2013; 9780345545077)
 
Author's Website


I came across an author interview from San Diego ComiCon, so here's Ms Schwarz talking about her book, the appeal of Steampunk, and the problematic aspects of Victorian and Edwardian fiction.

Must be off, I've an appointment with a certain gentleman upon the subject of a speckled band.

Regards,

E.

Tea and Fantasy: Where Science, Art and Magic Collide

When we think of science fiction or see the word "Sci-Fi", we think of stuff somewhere along the lines of "Everything looks like an Apple store and the world probably ended", right?

Maybe you think of stuff like Star Wars? With aliens running about? Landspeeders and starships that can make the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs? Planets covered in sand that's coarse and gritty and gets everywhere?

This blogger prefers a more artistic take on Science Fiction known as Steampunk. "What is Steampunk?" You may ask. To put it simply it's basically what you get if the super information highway had been discovered while Victoria was still Queen of England.

By far, it is one of the least represented subgenres of Sci-Fi, which is tragic due to its antique aesthetic and beauty from the time of hansom cabs, high teas and great authors such as Oscar Wilde and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Some Steampunk-esque movies you might have seen may include Hugo (2011), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), 9 (2009) or Wild Wild West (1999), and the genre has inspired musical artists such as Professor Elemental, The Cog Is Dead, Steam Powered Giraffe and Abney Park.

Professor Elemental, All In Together (June 2014)

Steam Powered Giraffe, Brass Goggles (March 2012)

The Cog is Dead, The Copper War (2011)

Abney Park, Sleep Isabella (2009)

This blog aims to highlight the beauty and the allure of Steampunk fiction, and hopefully you'll be joining me for a bit of tea and fantasy.

Regards,

E