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.
    

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Dawn of the Dreadfulls

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Dawn of the Dreadfuls

by  Steve Hockensmith

    

    Every story has a beginning, the Dreadfuls weren't always just a part of an English girl's life. Even the five Bennett girls had a regular life at one point in time. Yet to their mother's horror it wasn't their fate to just grow up to be proper young ladies with nice families. They were meant to protect themselves and England.
     This story takes place before the events in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It shows when the girls all took up their swords and first learned about the threat of Dreadfuls to there world. We see them grow into themselves and accepting who they are as the rest of there world is also forced into accepting them too.
     Their father is a more central character in this story, with their mother just being there to swoon in the background. He accepts what must be done much better than anyone else. The girls go along with this new path that is presented to them.
     I love the way Mary and Kitty continue to be so completely girls, tittering and gossiping while still chopping off zombies' (Dreadfuls! a lady doesn't use the Z word) heads. But on a whole the story is a bit disappointing. It doesn't have the wonderful Jane Austen feel that the original had, nor use language in the same beautiful way.
     It's a fun book but it doesn't quite match the wonderful parody that the first one created. Though that book did set the mark very high.

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Graham-Smith

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter 

by Seth Graham-Smith

     Abraham Lincoln was Bad Ass! We all know this to be true. The truth of HOW bad ass now that is completely new news. The fact that his fight against slaves was not only because of his belief in the ideas of america and that all men (and women) have an inherent right to be free, but also because of his oath to rid America of Vampires and the hold on the south that the slaves gave them.
    The story is told by Seth Graham as he tells us about a set of Journals that were given to him for this very purpose. Those connected to the events felt it was about time we know what really happened. The life and death situation that was truly fought over during the American civil war.  How one amazing man effected us all.

Any Witch Way by, Annastaysia Savage

Any Witch Way

by, Annastaysia Savage

  This is a coming of age story... a girl feels an outcast and alone only to find she is a witch and the center of a great battle. It's realy kinda pridictible. It's not bad realy, and I probably would have it enjoyed it well enouth in grade 6. I guess it just feel's done too death now, and done really well too. You can't recreate Harry Potter any better than Harry Potter...
  That being said I really do think the grade 6 me would have liked it. It's got all the things needed, a relatable  young girl finds power in herself she never expected right when she needed it the most. War happens, she saves the world, everyone is happy. It happens a little to fast for my real liking. I think one of the really good parts about Harry Potter is there is a lot of time on other things his life, the school. Adventure and danger happen... but under a more realistic time frame... this makes everything feel like it happened in a week.
  I am sad that I cant find anything really good to say because I really feel meh about it. Not good or bad... just smack dab in the middle. A real 3 out of 5 is the best way to describe my feelings...

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

by Jane Austen and Seth Graham-smith

     "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains." How can a book starting with such a perfect statement of fact not be wonderful.
     England has been hit with some kind of deadly sickness which gives the dead and buried the power to dig themselves out from the ground and wonder around England in search of brains. But even in such condition this doesn't prevent nice young ladies, who are very able to protect themselves and there home, from the expected curtsies of the proper social code.
     It is hard to say what really makes this story work so well. Every part of it fits so very well. The language and setting feel realistic and natural. The way the people feel towards the plague is acceptance and annoyance. Zombies are just part of the way of England now. They are a bit of an annoyance but they are nothing to be frightened of, good for a nice country hunt. I love the calm acceptance of every incident with them. They are so everyday and unexciting, barley to be taken notice of. Especially when compared to men and a marriage.
     The end of the book asks Some scholars believe that the zombies were a last-minute addition to the novel, requested by the publisher in a shameless attempt to boost sales. Others argue that the horde of living dead are integral to Jane Austen's plot and social commentary. What do you think? Can you imagine what this novel might be like without the violent zombie mayhem? No zombies I say? Who would ever want to read a story about silly girls trying to please some man who is higher in status then them... The violent zombie mayhem brings the whole story a reason to happen... or at least me a reason to read it... though I might check out a copy without the zombies, if someone were so inclined to write such a tale.

(P.S Did you know that Zombies commonly mistake Cauliflower for brains? Apparently it makes great bate in Zombie traps since they stop to devourer it and then you can shoot them in the head.)