TIMEKEEPER

Author: Tara Sim

Summary:

I was in an accident. I got out. I’m safe now.

An alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, where a damaged clock can fracture time—and a destroyed one can stop it completely.

A prodigy mechanic who can repair not only clockwork but time itself, determined to rescue his father from a Stopped town.

A series of mysterious bombings that could jeopardize all of England.

A boy who would give anything to relive his past, and one who would give anything to live at all.

A romance that will shake the very foundations of time.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

I'm so glad I finally got to this one! The whole series has been sitting on my physical shelves for years but since I could get them on audio included with my membership, it made it way easier for me to actually read them. So now I'm going to read the whole series!

I thought this was a really strong intro to this series, but honestly felt like it was supposed to be a stand alone. It ended with an opening for a sequel (and obviously there is a sequel!), but it felt wrapped up and pretty complete from what we saw.

I really liked Danny's character, and Colton's as well. I thought they were really well done. They had a lot of personality to them. Both Danny and Colton had needs and wants that went beyond just the surface level. I liked seeing how they grew and helped each other throughout the story. And obviously the romance was super cute and swoon worthy!

I liked the way that English (colonial) history played into this, while still providing us with an "alternative" version of events. I thought there was a lot we learned about how things are "different" (like, clock spirits controlling time lol). But truly, the best part of the world building was that the characters themselves didn't know everything about the physics of their world. Danny knows how clocks work, but he only believes the gods and clock spirits to be legends until he meets them.

Even the clock spirits themselves don't have all the answers to how they operate or how they came to be. As a reader who was piecing it all together, it was perfectly paced that we were learning the world alongside Danny himself. It was nice to see that it wasn't all just plot and info dump on the reader but that we were learning alongside Danny at a comfortable pace. 

There were some moments where I fell out of the story (any time we switched POVs randomly). That could be because I listened to this as an audio with only one narrator. I think that could have been tightened up in this. There was also a lot of progressive aspects of society and I know it is an alternative version of history but it seemed like it glazed over the idea of how these progressive aspects of society came about.

TLDR: I thought this was a really strong start to the series - a good mix of steampunk, alternative history, and romance. The characters could use a bit more development, but I'm hopeful that happens over the next books. I would have liked to see more about the protests and the options for time keeping, so I'm hoping that is in the next instalment. But this was honestly such a good, strong first book and I'm mad at myself for not reading it sooner!

Have you read this book? Are you going to pick up this or anything else by Tara Sim?

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays

SINS OF EMPIRE

Author: Brian McClellan

Series: Gods of Blood and Powder #1

Source: ARC via Publisher

Publisher: Orbit

Publication Date: March 7, 2017

Summary:

An epic new fantasy series from Brian McClellan, set in the world of his wildly popular Powder Mage trilogy.

A world on the cusp of a new age...

The young nation of Fatrasta is a turbulent place -- a frontier destination for criminals, fortune-hunters, brave settlers, and sorcerers seeking relics of the past. Only the iron will of the lady chancellor and her secret police holds the capital city of Landfall together against the unrest of an oppressed population and the machinations of powerful empires.

Sedition is a dangerous word...

The insurrection that threatens Landfall must be purged with guile and force, a task which falls on the shoulders of a spy named Michel Bravis, convicted war hero Mad Ben Styke, and Lady Vlora Flint, a mercenary general with a past as turbulent as Landfall's present.

The past haunts us all...

As loyalties are tested, revealed, and destroyed, a grim specter as old as time has been unearthed in this wild land, and the people of Landfall will soon discover that rebellion is the least of their worries.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.

I really liked this one. A good mix of low fantasy and steampunk to keep me (and my boyfriend) super interested! I loved the characters and how this progressed. But there were some things I wish that had been done differently - and it would have been nice for everyone to interact more.

When this book - and ultimately series - was first pitched to me (back in the day *hides*), I was told that I could jump right into this series without needing to read the first to understand what was going on. While that was true, this book is definitely the start of it's own own series and has a great cast of characters, there were winks and nods to the past that probably would have had more context if I had read that original series first. Which isn't all that disappointing because I am okay with not having that context but I am probably still going to read that first series. So it would have been nice to know how they related back to one another.

But ultimately, that was my biggest complaint. I loved the characters, the action, and the pacing. I liked seeing how it all progressed throughout and thought that there were some really good twists and turns. Both my boyfriend and I thought that there was a big introduction to the stone obelisk at the beginning that didn't really make its way back until too late but I was happy with how it turned out.

I would have liked for the main three storylines to intersect more, especially since they only did through a character that wasn't even a "main" character of this book, but the previous series. That's probably what annoyed me the most out of it. But I loved how the main characters were portrayed and how they ultimately worked together without knowing it. I thought there was the right amount of smarts, perserverence, and tenacity spread across the characters.

And the world was really fun to be in! I loved the lower fantasy elements to it mixed in with some steampunks elements, which made it a really fun read. I always enjoy going into those types of worlds since I don't visit them often. But McClellan does a good job of making it accessible to all audiences - and keeping me and my boyfriend (who have VERY different fantasy tastes) engaged and intrigued the entire time.

This was definitely a fun read and everything I could have asked for in a low fantasy. But the questions becomes: should we finish this trilogy first or go back and read the "prequels" to this so we have more context? Stay tuned to see what we choose to do!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jamie @ Books and Ladders (@booksandladders) on Jan 25, 2019 at 5:29am PST

Have you read this one? Are you going to pick it up?

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays

CLOCKWORK IMAGE

Purchase:

Amazon | Kindle

Describe CLOCKWORK IMAGE in 10 words or less.

L.G. Rollins:  Hum, that’s hard. How about: Tough woman saves orphaned children in a Victorian-era steampunk.

What has been your favourite novel to write in the Steam and Shadow series?

L.G. Rollins:  I’ve loved them all. One of the main reasons I’m writing steampunk right now is that it’s so much fun. However, I do have to say I loved writing WALTZ OF THE CROWS. That one has a stronge spy/mystery theme running through it and I really enjoyed it.

What is the most interesting part of researching steampunk aspects? What has been challenging in incorporating it into your writing?

L.G. Rollins: I’ve kept a lot of my steampunk aspects “closely related” to the historical Victorian era. Almost all my research starts with me learning about what happened during that time period, and then I tweak it a bit, up the technology and such, and that’s the world the Steam and Shadow series is placed in. For example, I learned a lot about the one of the earliest submarines—built in France in the mid 1800’s—and how it’s propulsion worked. I used that science when writing about the Gearhound, the submarine used in BURIED IN BLUE.

What do you enjoy most about writing for a crossover young adult/adult audience?

L.G. Rollins: I love that it’s so open—there are so few restrictions and boxes to check. This crossover audience is willing to pick up anything that’s a good story. It may include pirates, or spaceships, or historical settings, or puppy dogs. So long as the story is intriguing and well told, this audience likes it.

What do you like most about writing a series? How does CLOCKWORK IMAGE fall into this?

L.G. Rollins: I love writing in a series. It’s wonderful not needing to re-imagine everything for every book. But, even better than that, I love giving side characters their own story. The main character in CLOCKWORK IMAGE is Seawoman Tressa Wimple—however, you first meet her aboard the Gearhound in BURIED IN BLUE. All the Steam and Shadow stories are stand-alones, so you can read them in any order. If you want to know the order they happen in, though, you can check out the series page on Amazon.

Tressa is a BAMF - what would be her profession in our current world?

L.G. Rollins: I certainly could see her in a profession where she uses her hands a lot. Maybe on an oil rig. She’s learned the skills to be an effective leader, so perhaps running her own shop. Then again, she’s the type of person who would be very successful on a police force.

What can we expect from you next?

L.G. Rollins: In CLOCKWORK IMAGE you meet Tressa’s younger brother, Jasper. The next novel in the Steam and Shadow series is Jasper’s story. It’s titled STOLEN BLOODLINE and I’m so excited with the way it’s turned out! That one is going to be released end of August. So, very soon!

Thank you again for taking the time to answer these questions!

L.G. Rollins: Absolutely! It was lots of fun. Thanks for talking with me and I hope your readers find CLOCKWORK IMAGE right up their alley!

For L. G. Rollins, conversations regarding Schrodinger’s cat, the effects of scientific advancements on politics, and whether Infinity is better categorized as a number or an idea are all quite commonplace. To be short, she is an unapologetic nerd. Mix in her love of whimsy and the unusual, and you get Steam and Shadow, a steampunk series of science, sweet romance, and unexpected adventures.

To learn more about L. G. Rollins, her books, and get a FREE NOVELLA visit LGRollins.com.

Connect with the Author:

Website | Goodreads | Amazon

What are some of your favourite Adult SFF books?