What Ho, Automaton!

What Ho, Automaton!

By Chris Dolley

     This is a short and sweet steam punk mystery. Consisting of one very short tail of how the main character, Reggie Worcester and how he becomes to be acquainted with the Automation Reeves. The first little story and the way the second started gave me the feeling that the book was to be a set of a few short story, not just one that was a chapter long and the rest of the book covering another.  I liked the idea of this, but no just the two adventures are present. 

     Reggie is a young Englishmen, loving his bachelorhood and intrigued when he comes across a situation that seems odd. He decides to find the root of the problem announcing himself as a "consulting detective." Feeling that with all his reading of Sherlock homes story's he is the perfect man for the job. Especially with his talent for seeing the connection to the (extremely) unusual. 

     This is a cute short adventure where all seems odd and everyone seems steps ahead of the main character.  Who sees connections to things from nowhere... The story tries to be connected to the first short tail but doesn't really feel like it quite gets that connection, and the end feels about as out there as any of Reggie's odd ideas... 

     I think I would have liked this a fair bit more if there was at least one more little adventure in the book, it fell like it just kinda ended in the middle of things. But its a short, 140 page book you can find for 2.99 and that is the best kind of e-book's out there. 

Darkspell by Katharine Kerr

Darkspell

by Katharine Kerr

     Jill's story continues as she follows Rdhery into his exile as a Silver Dagger. Much happier with the life than he is she know just how to make life on the road work. Gilding her man to his next job and making shure he doesn't drink away the money. Nevyn has not lost hope at giving Jill her chance at her true ward but there are dark people out in the world still. 

     This story continues off from where the last one left. It has the same feel, though I am finding myself more interested in the present timeline. For some reason I find it much more interesting... even when one of the lives Jill had was a war Priest... its just more interesting... 

     Still uses the same words now and again... they aren't that imposing or anything I just think we could have been fine without them... 

Daggerspell By Katharine Kerr

Daggerspell

by   Katharine Kerr

     The world is harsh for young Gillian, the life on the road as the daughter of a Silver Dagger is no true life for a young lass. Though truth be told she wishes for no other.  Loving the sights and sounds and the life on the road more than any other girl would. Feeling comfortable enough in boys clothing and enduring her fathers sometimes harsh moods. 

     Her life was never simple for that was not her wyrd. Her fate  has been twisted together with a few other people for many lifetimes and there is a chance that this time she will live it out to its true potential. With help from another who is entwined to her, Nevyn - no one- the old herb man who is so much more, and the lord who has loved her for so many lifetimes. 

     This story is told over a few of Jill's lifetimes, and you are introduced to Nevyn and his actions that led him to his very long life. It is a interesting way of a story being told, one character who lives forever watching and guiding the others in the ways he can. At the very start I there is a clear chapter like marking them though there isn't really normal numbered chapters. 

     This world has a magic that is a simple and practical kind. The basic ideas of it aren't too complicated and it's simple to follow the ideas of what is going on. The majority of the world does not generally know of it or realizes when it is being used around them. In the present timeline Dweomer is starting to make itself known to the general people of the world. Just slowly. 

     The Arther chose to use words that are a kind of made up Celtic - I am likely being unfair to her, it likely took a lot of work to do... it adds a little but not that much. I just don't feel the need, when a choice like this requires three pages of non-story to explain these words AND a glossary at the end... it just feels un-needed... I read the words in my way anyways (Nevyn sounding more like Neville in my head) that I don't know why she bothered... I don't think the gain out weighed the work she likely put into it... 

     The story though is a good one. I just now realized that it is just the beginning of a very long series (15 books). Heres hoping I can find more.