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High Vaultage
EVEN GREATER LONDON, 1887.
An uninterrupted urban plane encompassing the entire lower half of England and, for complex reasons, only the upper third of the Isle of Wight. The immense Tower casts electricity through the sky, powering the mind-boggling mechanisms of the city. The engineer-army of Isambard Kingdom Brunel swarms across the capital, building, demolishing, and rebuilding whatever they see fit. And at the heart of it all sits the country's first private detective agency.
Archibald Fleet and Clara Entwhistle hoped things would pick up quickly for their new enterprise. No-one is taking them seriously, but their break will come soon. Definitely. Probably.
Meanwhile, police are baffled by a series of impossible bank robberies, their resources absorbed by the case. Which means that when a woman witnesses a kidnapping, Fleet-Entwhistle Private Investigations is the only place she can turn for help. They're more than happy to oblige!
But what's the motive behind the kidnap? As Clara and Fleet investigate, they find more than they could ever have imagined . . .
From the creators of the acclaimed audio drama podcast Victoriocity comes a hilarious novel set in the greatest, most chaotic city in history. Twisty, inventive, and joyously funny, High Vaultage is perfect for fans of Ben Aaronovitch, Douglas Adams, and Terry Pratchett.
An uninterrupted urban plane encompassing the entire lower half of England and, for complex reasons, only the upper third of the Isle of Wight. The immense Tower casts electricity through the sky, powering the mind-boggling mechanisms of the city. The engineer-army of Isambard Kingdom Brunel swarms across the capital, building, demolishing, and rebuilding whatever they see fit. And at the heart of it all sits the country's first private detective agency.
Archibald Fleet and Clara Entwhistle hoped things would pick up quickly for their new enterprise. No-one is taking them seriously, but their break will come soon. Definitely. Probably.
Meanwhile, police are baffled by a series of impossible bank robberies, their resources absorbed by the case. Which means that when a woman witnesses a kidnapping, Fleet-Entwhistle Private Investigations is the only place she can turn for help. They're more than happy to oblige!
But what's the motive behind the kidnap? As Clara and Fleet investigate, they find more than they could ever have imagined . . .
From the creators of the acclaimed audio drama podcast Victoriocity comes a hilarious novel set in the greatest, most chaotic city in history. Twisty, inventive, and joyously funny, High Vaultage is perfect for fans of Ben Aaronovitch, Douglas Adams, and Terry Pratchett.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2024
152 people are currently reading
1553 people want to read
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February 24, 2025Steampunk a la Terry Pratchett. Basically crime in a enjoyably implausible alt-Victorian London with lots and lots of gags in the narrative. It's very entertaining as it goes but it didn't make a huge impression on me. Partly because the characters were very comic but (as is generally the case unless you're Pratchett) didn't have a lot of depth, partly because it includes a lot of well-worn elements and I didn't feel it did anything hugely surprising with them. Possibly that's because it's based on what seems to be a long running podcast and some of the things I was waiting for have been done there? It's a fine read; I just felt it could have been stronger.
March 16, 2024
I know I’m thoroughly loving a novel if I do something like buying it or, in this case, starting to follow a podcast.
This is the first in a series so I bought it and subscribed to Victoriocity.
The blurb list names like Adams/Aaronovich and Pratchett. I would add Gail Carriger as The Parasol Protectorate is one of my favorite series and High Vaultage became my favourite steampunk/humorous alt history novel.
Even if I never listened to Victoriocity I fell in love with the novel since I read the first pages as the humour, the world building and the storytelling were perfect according to my heart.
Archibald Fleet and Clara Entwhistle are a weird a well matched couple of investigators. Archibald is a mysterious guy, Clara a rebel. Both are able to think out the box and I had fun in reading their dialogues and discovering their background.
The plot is crazy and gripping, weird and highly entertaining. A mix of humorous fiction and mystery that kept me reading and having fun.
There’s a lot to say about this novel but, please, go and read it as it’s one of the best steampunk I read in a long time.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
This is the first in a series so I bought it and subscribed to Victoriocity.
The blurb list names like Adams/Aaronovich and Pratchett. I would add Gail Carriger as The Parasol Protectorate is one of my favorite series and High Vaultage became my favourite steampunk/humorous alt history novel.
Even if I never listened to Victoriocity I fell in love with the novel since I read the first pages as the humour, the world building and the storytelling were perfect according to my heart.
Archibald Fleet and Clara Entwhistle are a weird a well matched couple of investigators. Archibald is a mysterious guy, Clara a rebel. Both are able to think out the box and I had fun in reading their dialogues and discovering their background.
The plot is crazy and gripping, weird and highly entertaining. A mix of humorous fiction and mystery that kept me reading and having fun.
There’s a lot to say about this novel but, please, go and read it as it’s one of the best steampunk I read in a long time.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
September 30, 2024
I’m not having a great deal of luck with books at the moment. Many I don’t even log in here if I’ve been unable to find a connection.
Made to about quarter of the way through with this but really couldn’t connect. Probably not the fault of the book but to me, seemed very one-dimensional. No sub plot, no layers.
I’m choosing poorly at the moment. Sad times.
Made to about quarter of the way through with this but really couldn’t connect. Probably not the fault of the book but to me, seemed very one-dimensional. No sub plot, no layers.
I’m choosing poorly at the moment. Sad times.
April 2, 2024
Endlessly inventive, laugh-out-loud funny and incredibly warm, with a twisty mystery and a satisfyingly dramatic finish. Tons of fun. Can’t wait for book 2!
April 11, 2024
I loved this book! So imaginative, bursting with creativity, intrigue, surprising inventions and mind-bending concepts. And it was so much fun to read! I loved this Victorian Even Greater London setting, a mix of steampunk machinery, high-tech and advanced scientific progress. Where Queen Victoria (now more machine than human) had to be revived 11 times, following 11 successful assassination attempts; an universe populated by automatons (Tommy Tons as Kathleen Price calls them), where technology is so much different than what we would expect. An immense tower is providing electricity to the city (half the size of England) while ‘draining’ the Thames of all its heat and leaving it frozen. We follow a pair of odd and quirky investigators, who attempt to unravel the events of the most mysterious series of crimes. I thoroughly enjoyed the book - it’s clever, original, funny, sharp, satirical and incredibly entertaining and satisfying. I loved it! Now I need to discover the podcast and Victoriocity as I knew nothing about it when I started the book. Thanks to NetGallery for the ARC!
October 11, 2024
The premise about a steampunk Even Greater London with lots of quirky humor sold me, and I wasn't disappointed. Amazing comedic timing, fast-paced, kept me guessing. This felt like a delightful mash-up of P.G. Wodehouse, Douglas Adams, and Gail Carriger, so if you like even one of those authors, you'll probably be tickled by HIGH VAULTAGE. The audiobook was fantastic--the accents really came to life. I listen to audiobooks when driving, and I found myself sitting in my driveway far too long before getting out of the car because I wanted to just listen to a few minutes more--that's how good it was.
April 2, 2024
I'll be honest, this isn't the kind of book I would have picked up on my own. High Vaultage was however Goldsboro SFF pick for March, and I'm grateful for it. I'm not familiar at all with the Victoriocity podcast, so when I read about it before starting this book I got a little worried. There was no need to be though, this book stands on its own. High Vaultage is a total page-turner: funny, absurd, engaging from the very beginning. I might go listen to this famous podcast to get more of Even Greater London, Archibald Fleet and Clara Entwhistle!
September 27, 2024
Two solid chuckles worth of novel.
Essentially a one note joke throughout, and it's not a funny joke. The authors were making an obvious cash grab after the success of their podcast, and what isn't over explained fan service is the same joke over and over and over and over and etc ad nauseam.
I hit bottom during the exceedingly long and detailed unfunny bit where an automaton proofreads a classified ad. What came after barely rose above that in originality and humor. This entire project is one extended riff on the setup of - Recognizable situation goes weird after a lot of wry description.
In my opinion this novel is a failure of imagination and an unwitty series of attempts at observational humor. It's incredibly boring for most of its run, and the investigation which should have been key to the success of the book is badly plotted and confusing. The evidentiary trail shouldn't have taken the duo where it did, or to the conclusions it did, which thereby required a moment where we are explicitly told what we are supposed to think about what turned up. In a competent novel this is not required. Also, in a classic genre novel sin, the investigators uncover exactly what they need to know at the time that they need it. For example they have exactly the amount of time they need to find every one of the files that they need before being chased directly into the one (extremely unlikely) hiding place that they need to be to break the case wide open. Same with that damn beagle turning up to provide a distraction.
I get why people like this book. It's low effort and recognizable as humor in the way that It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad World was. It's not actually funny though. It is almost a literary crime to make a comparison to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy because Adams was actually funny. Wacky is not enough, madcap is not enough, your jokes and scenarios have to make sense to land. These authors have nothing to say beyond, "Look how madcap!".
Ugh
Essentially a one note joke throughout, and it's not a funny joke. The authors were making an obvious cash grab after the success of their podcast, and what isn't over explained fan service is the same joke over and over and over and over and etc ad nauseam.
I hit bottom during the exceedingly long and detailed unfunny bit where an automaton proofreads a classified ad. What came after barely rose above that in originality and humor. This entire project is one extended riff on the setup of - Recognizable situation goes weird after a lot of wry description.
In my opinion this novel is a failure of imagination and an unwitty series of attempts at observational humor. It's incredibly boring for most of its run, and the investigation which should have been key to the success of the book is badly plotted and confusing. The evidentiary trail shouldn't have taken the duo where it did, or to the conclusions it did, which thereby required a moment where we are explicitly told what we are supposed to think about what turned up. In a competent novel this is not required. Also, in a classic genre novel sin, the investigators uncover exactly what they need to know at the time that they need it. For example they have exactly the amount of time they need to find every one of the files that they need before being chased directly into the one (extremely unlikely) hiding place that they need to be to break the case wide open. Same with that damn beagle turning up to provide a distraction.
I get why people like this book. It's low effort and recognizable as humor in the way that It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad World was. It's not actually funny though. It is almost a literary crime to make a comparison to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy because Adams was actually funny. Wacky is not enough, madcap is not enough, your jokes and scenarios have to make sense to land. These authors have nothing to say beyond, "Look how madcap!".
Ugh
May 10, 2025
I was so intrigued by the blurb; a comedic story about Victorian era London with a dystopian twist. Though I wasn’t hooked on this story and it took me a while to read. I think this boils down to this book just not catching me.
High Voltage is a book that was created by Podcasters and essentially follows the same main investigator duo, its happenings take place after S2 of the podcast (if I’m not mistaken). To some extent, I don’t think you need to have listened to the podcast to understand the book, however I do believe it gives you some background info on the main duo that didn’t come through enough in the book. I can also imagine that an audio/podcast version of this is a bit more entertaining!
Ultimately, this book is outlined as comedic, I personally didn’t really face any “laughing out loud” moments, just don’t think it is my kind of humor. Which is fine! It is somewhat classic British Humor (so considering I’m not British, that may be the reason why).
The story also felt a bit one dimensional in that there was a main problem to be solved, and everything that happens focuses on this. It also took a while for the story to get going and with many instances of describing things, it got a bit anticlimactic in parts.
Overall, this book will have its audience, and I can see people loving it, but it just wasn’t for me.
*Thanks to the publisher for sending me a finished copy for review*
High Voltage is a book that was created by Podcasters and essentially follows the same main investigator duo, its happenings take place after S2 of the podcast (if I’m not mistaken). To some extent, I don’t think you need to have listened to the podcast to understand the book, however I do believe it gives you some background info on the main duo that didn’t come through enough in the book. I can also imagine that an audio/podcast version of this is a bit more entertaining!
Ultimately, this book is outlined as comedic, I personally didn’t really face any “laughing out loud” moments, just don’t think it is my kind of humor. Which is fine! It is somewhat classic British Humor (so considering I’m not British, that may be the reason why).
The story also felt a bit one dimensional in that there was a main problem to be solved, and everything that happens focuses on this. It also took a while for the story to get going and with many instances of describing things, it got a bit anticlimactic in parts.
Overall, this book will have its audience, and I can see people loving it, but it just wasn’t for me.
*Thanks to the publisher for sending me a finished copy for review*
September 24, 2024
Great. Loved the characters and the setting. Really humorous. Just what I wanted.
Read it in one sitting in across a 24 hr period, because I just wanted to carry on reading it.
Looking forward to more!
Read it in one sitting in across a 24 hr period, because I just wanted to carry on reading it.
Looking forward to more!
January 5, 2025
A wonderful comic novel, which expands on the world created in the Victoriocity podcast. Comparisons with Douglas Adams are warranted - the Sugdens spin delightfully funny turns of phrase, sparkling dialogue and touching character moments, all while telling an intricately plotted mystery.
November 21, 2025
4/4.5 stars
For those looking for a humorous, steampunk-esque historical fiction - then this is for you!
I enjoyed the nonsensical characters and the witty banter between the two main characters. I do wish that they hadn't had their POV's jammed together. I would have enjoyed them to be separated into chapters, one for each character. However overall I enjoyed the book and look forward to future installments!
For those looking for a humorous, steampunk-esque historical fiction - then this is for you!
I enjoyed the nonsensical characters and the witty banter between the two main characters. I do wish that they hadn't had their POV's jammed together. I would have enjoyed them to be separated into chapters, one for each character. However overall I enjoyed the book and look forward to future installments!
March 24, 2024
Victoriocity continues to be funny and absurd and delightful as ever. Such a fun addition to the podcast :)
March 20, 2024
Victoriocity is a rare treat in the audio drama world and honestly the book is even better. I have read parts and listened to parts, and while it’s thoroughly enjoyable in both forms, I highly recommend the audiobook. The narrator is incredible and I hope to listen to him more in the future!
March 2, 2024
Great fun and endlessly inventive
This was a riotously imaginative read from beginning to end. The steam punk elements were well fleshed out and the plot was complicated and solidly put together and the characters, while not totally believable, were easy to like and engage with. The scene, set in a gigantic (‘Even Greater’) London, covering most of the South of England, made for a partly familiar but often surprising landscape. Enchantment was added by the frozen Thames (not by nature but by scientific design) and of course there is a sinister electrical tower drawing power from the whole country. There are mysterious disappearances and bank robberies which must be investigated at great personal risk by the delightful Clara Entwhistle and gloomy Archibald Fleet.
Basically, a great, thoroughly enjoyable, escapist read, well put together and full of inventive and delightful details.
I totally recommend it and will be looking for more from these authors.
This was a riotously imaginative read from beginning to end. The steam punk elements were well fleshed out and the plot was complicated and solidly put together and the characters, while not totally believable, were easy to like and engage with. The scene, set in a gigantic (‘Even Greater’) London, covering most of the South of England, made for a partly familiar but often surprising landscape. Enchantment was added by the frozen Thames (not by nature but by scientific design) and of course there is a sinister electrical tower drawing power from the whole country. There are mysterious disappearances and bank robberies which must be investigated at great personal risk by the delightful Clara Entwhistle and gloomy Archibald Fleet.
Basically, a great, thoroughly enjoyable, escapist read, well put together and full of inventive and delightful details.
I totally recommend it and will be looking for more from these authors.
July 26, 2025
This was such a fun adventure! My Dad and I both read this so that made it a little extra special for me! :)
This was a ridiculous, silly, captivating, hilarious story that is a whodunit that’ll keep you turning the pages. Even Greater London has become more steampunk than anything, even with Queen Victoria more machine than human after 11 assassination attempts. Archibald Fleet and Clara Enwhistle are private investigators who are hired to figure out what’s going on with potential kidnappings and murders. They go on a vast adventures, meeting many different…people and things along the way. I laughed out loud numerous times and the twists and turns of the mystery was very fun.
Definitely recommend for fans of Douglas Adams, if you’re a fan of detective fiction, steampunk, mysteries, whodunits, and comics!
This was a ridiculous, silly, captivating, hilarious story that is a whodunit that’ll keep you turning the pages. Even Greater London has become more steampunk than anything, even with Queen Victoria more machine than human after 11 assassination attempts. Archibald Fleet and Clara Enwhistle are private investigators who are hired to figure out what’s going on with potential kidnappings and murders. They go on a vast adventures, meeting many different…people and things along the way. I laughed out loud numerous times and the twists and turns of the mystery was very fun.
Definitely recommend for fans of Douglas Adams, if you’re a fan of detective fiction, steampunk, mysteries, whodunits, and comics!
October 21, 2025
A steampunk mystery set in Even Greater London in 1887. It's an intriguing mystery which begins with an apparent kidnapping and two private detectives who take on the job. A sprawling set of mysteries soon present themselves as the mismatched duo attempt to solve them. I enjoyed this on the whole, the setting and set up were interesting, and I like the dynamic between Fleet and Clara. Ultimately though, it was a little bit too long and a times a bit confusing. I think it's based on a podcast so perhaps that's why we get more action than character development.
April 19, 2024
This was quite a funny, quick read. Its not one I would have gone for, if I didnt get it in a Goldsboro sub but I ended up liking it a lot.
The way that 'progress' was portrayed in the book was quite funny, in the fact that no one knew the overall aim. I liked the characters and how they managed to work out everything despite being so different. I hope there will be more books set in this world.
The way that 'progress' was portrayed in the book was quite funny, in the fact that no one knew the overall aim. I liked the characters and how they managed to work out everything despite being so different. I hope there will be more books set in this world.
April 17, 2024
I loved this book. A great read for fans of the Victorocity podcast.
April 15, 2024
Brilliant! Simply brilliant. Found it hard to put down… very much looking forward to further adventures.
April 10, 2024
I became obsessed with Victoriocity last month after I found out the Goldsboro SFFF special edition would be High Vaultage.
So I loved it. Everyone should listen to the podcast and read this book.
I'm really happy Goldsboro chose this one so I could discover it!
So I loved it. Everyone should listen to the podcast and read this book.
I'm really happy Goldsboro chose this one so I could discover it!
April 11, 2024
Just as great as I expected it, another amazing adventure from Clara and Fleet.
March 20, 2024
By Mechanical Man this book is brilliantly funny and fabulously inventive. Who wouldn't want a go on the London Funderground? (Well, I wouldn't, because I don't like rollercoasters, subterranean or otherwise, but you get my point.)
I love the Victoriocity podcast world of Even Greater London and this book certainly doesn't disappoint - I frequently found myself reading the book in my head in the style of the fabulous actors from that show, especially the Narrator and Fleet. In fact, sometimes the word play is so intricate I had to do it in the style of the Narrator to properly make sense of it and that's my only reservation- I had to work quite hard in a few places to follow the descriptions and get the joke, until I got more into the flow of the style. Certainly the speed with which I read the book picked up considerably as I neared the end - and to be fair I've had a stinking cold and a throat on fire like a J.G Brailsford foundry for 2 days, so I've not been at my very best for reading. However, this book left me with a massive smile on my face and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good dash of steam punk humour.
I love the Victoriocity podcast world of Even Greater London and this book certainly doesn't disappoint - I frequently found myself reading the book in my head in the style of the fabulous actors from that show, especially the Narrator and Fleet. In fact, sometimes the word play is so intricate I had to do it in the style of the Narrator to properly make sense of it and that's my only reservation- I had to work quite hard in a few places to follow the descriptions and get the joke, until I got more into the flow of the style. Certainly the speed with which I read the book picked up considerably as I neared the end - and to be fair I've had a stinking cold and a throat on fire like a J.G Brailsford foundry for 2 days, so I've not been at my very best for reading. However, this book left me with a massive smile on my face and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good dash of steam punk humour.
October 10, 2024
Liked this! It’s a mystery, whodunnit story but with the humour and quirkiness you’d find in Fallout 4 or The Outer Worlds. I liked the twists the mystery took, and I couldn’t guess how it would end. It’s fun!!
TBR Pile: 1/60 🙃
TBR Pile: 1/60 🙃
March 21, 2024
High Vaultage by Chris & Jen Sugden.
This is utterly, utterly brilliant.
I'm a recent comer to the Victoriocity podcast. only having discovered it from an advert for this book. I listened, I got hooked.
The inclusion of a book into the series is a phenomenal addition, hopefully running in tandem with the podcast because honestly, that's too good to lose to books.
The world is just as alive here & the comedy descriptive passages that can get lost in the interests of plot in the podcast have room to shine & breathe here. I started highlighting my favourite ones but soon realised I'd end up highlighting most of the book. It's pretty much a laugh a page, either from the madness of the world, a fun event or a superb descriptive passage.
The plot itself is well put together, moves briskly along & is tight & engaging. If I had one complaint about it, it'd be that everything is linked in a way that is pretty standard in detective fiction these days but is a personal annoyance to me as being too neat for real life.
One thing I have to mention is one of my favourite things in books, especially comic ones & that's the background action behind a main scene, little insignificant scenes that run through the main plot, micro tales of daily life. I love them, they're here in abundance & they're brilliantly done.
I split this over the kindle & audiobooks (still waiting on my signed copy to turn up!) & my only frustration is with the audiobook. Given that it's a book following on from a audio drama, we know exactly what the characters sound like. A single narrator, no matter how good & through no fault of their own, is incapable of doing the "right" voices & being a one man cast. Just be aware of that if you're planning on listening to this one.
Highly, highly recommended but be aware you'll need to set half a day aside as you'll not be able to put it down.
This is utterly, utterly brilliant.
I'm a recent comer to the Victoriocity podcast. only having discovered it from an advert for this book. I listened, I got hooked.
The inclusion of a book into the series is a phenomenal addition, hopefully running in tandem with the podcast because honestly, that's too good to lose to books.
The world is just as alive here & the comedy descriptive passages that can get lost in the interests of plot in the podcast have room to shine & breathe here. I started highlighting my favourite ones but soon realised I'd end up highlighting most of the book. It's pretty much a laugh a page, either from the madness of the world, a fun event or a superb descriptive passage.
The plot itself is well put together, moves briskly along & is tight & engaging. If I had one complaint about it, it'd be that everything is linked in a way that is pretty standard in detective fiction these days but is a personal annoyance to me as being too neat for real life.
One thing I have to mention is one of my favourite things in books, especially comic ones & that's the background action behind a main scene, little insignificant scenes that run through the main plot, micro tales of daily life. I love them, they're here in abundance & they're brilliantly done.
I split this over the kindle & audiobooks (still waiting on my signed copy to turn up!) & my only frustration is with the audiobook. Given that it's a book following on from a audio drama, we know exactly what the characters sound like. A single narrator, no matter how good & through no fault of their own, is incapable of doing the "right" voices & being a one man cast. Just be aware of that if you're planning on listening to this one.
Highly, highly recommended but be aware you'll need to set half a day aside as you'll not be able to put it down.
March 29, 2024
This was such a fun book! Highly recommend!!!!
July 13, 2024
3.5/5
High Vaultage is the first in a historical steampunk science fiction series where feats of engineering have far advanced its time, Queen Victoria is more machine than woman after 11 assassination attempts, and the engineer army has urbanized much of England as “Even Greater London” and filled the city with automatons. It follows new private detective partners Fleet and Entwhistle as they investigate a series of impossible bank heists and a kidnapping that will lead them to the very heights of the engineer army.
I know there is an audience that will absolutely love and devour this book, but this was just not for me. There was just this ridiculousness to the character interactions and some of the occurrences that was initially fine but quickly wore out its welcome with me. There’s a serious story being told here, and I just thought the book wasn’t treating it as seriously as I was wanting it to. I bristled at the weird tone and just didn’t jive with the satirical(?) vibe it’s going for. I liked the complex interconnecting mystery (as I usually do) and some of the humor, but the ridiculous situations that are meant to be humorous wasn’t as funny to me as it probably should have been. I did also like the historical setting and the world that was built around it.
The book is told from alternating perspectives of the two leads and (minimally) a couple others. I liked Clara Entwhistle who was born into minor nobility but leaves home to pursue her own independence as a journalist and now also a parter PI to Fleet. She was competent, fun, and really carried this partnership. I thought Archibald Fleet was severely underutilized and I can’t really say he had many contributions to the investigation despite being a former detective constable who is just waiting for paperwork to declare that he isn’t dead (long story) so he can be reinstated. You can really sense his frustration with his situation and I was frustrated for him too. Their dynamic worked but felt totally uneven despite both getting equal perspectives.
While it delivered on the premise, High Vaultage just did not hit right with me tonally.
High Vaultage is the first in a historical steampunk science fiction series where feats of engineering have far advanced its time, Queen Victoria is more machine than woman after 11 assassination attempts, and the engineer army has urbanized much of England as “Even Greater London” and filled the city with automatons. It follows new private detective partners Fleet and Entwhistle as they investigate a series of impossible bank heists and a kidnapping that will lead them to the very heights of the engineer army.
I know there is an audience that will absolutely love and devour this book, but this was just not for me. There was just this ridiculousness to the character interactions and some of the occurrences that was initially fine but quickly wore out its welcome with me. There’s a serious story being told here, and I just thought the book wasn’t treating it as seriously as I was wanting it to. I bristled at the weird tone and just didn’t jive with the satirical(?) vibe it’s going for. I liked the complex interconnecting mystery (as I usually do) and some of the humor, but the ridiculous situations that are meant to be humorous wasn’t as funny to me as it probably should have been. I did also like the historical setting and the world that was built around it.
The book is told from alternating perspectives of the two leads and (minimally) a couple others. I liked Clara Entwhistle who was born into minor nobility but leaves home to pursue her own independence as a journalist and now also a parter PI to Fleet. She was competent, fun, and really carried this partnership. I thought Archibald Fleet was severely underutilized and I can’t really say he had many contributions to the investigation despite being a former detective constable who is just waiting for paperwork to declare that he isn’t dead (long story) so he can be reinstated. You can really sense his frustration with his situation and I was frustrated for him too. Their dynamic worked but felt totally uneven despite both getting equal perspectives.
While it delivered on the premise, High Vaultage just did not hit right with me tonally.
January 4, 2025
i'm so grateful to live in a world where this exists <3 fleetwhistle dramatic break up ily
March 13, 2024
A piece of speculative fiction, set in an alternative, steampunk-ish, late 19th century UK, where a series of mysterious bank break-ins launch us on a journey that shows us the intricacies of the worldbuilding the authors excelled at, and engages us in unraveling a multi-faceted mystery. Our protagonists are a couple of unusual Private Investigators - Entwhistle is a woman in her 20s that is seeking to build a life of her own in the big city, away from the outdated expectations of her parents and high society; Fleet is a semi-retired (there is a fun story around this fact) police detective, who struggles with his new position in life, and seeks purpose.
The main feature of this book is the worldbuilding. It is perhaps among the most engaging, complex, and well thought through that I've seen in a long time. There are elements here of Perdido Street Station, Paul Di Filippo, and even the recently published The Hexologists (with which the similarities don't end here). The "science" at the core of this world is robust, enjoys internal consistency, and is well explored in the story, without relying on unnecessary exposition.
The other feature of this book is its levity and style. The writing is superb - it's well paced, fun, and rhythmic. The mystery at the core of the book unravels nicely over time, and no part of the book feels overly rushed (kudos to the authors and editors!). The fact that the authors don't take themselves too seriously is charming - there are so many moments in the book that I chuckled out loud! I had a smile on my face in most segments, and enjoyed the banter between the various characters, the personalities (especially of Entwhistle), and the odd joke here and there (like the "entrepreneurial spirit" of Fleet's landlord).
There were a few small things about the book I found less engaging. The first was the character development - our protagonists came across as interesting, but they were not explored much, and their emotional depth didn't come to light at all. As if they existed in a vacuum, and therefore their decisions and behaviours seemed a bit forced at times - without a strong cohesive core. Not a huge deal, given how entertaining the characters were anyway, but more of a missed opportunity.
The other thing I disliked a bit was how nicely all the elements of the book fit together. It's like there was no unnecessary aspect of the story (specifically - the detectives' investigations) that eventually didn't fit into a broader story. This felt forced, and also had a strong aroma of deus ex machina, whereby many clues were discovered by chance more than by logic or hard work.
I recommend it to any fan of steampunk, and of alternative speculative histories. It's also great if you're not looking for something grim or dark (a la Perdido Street Station), but rather something more approachable and fun.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.
The main feature of this book is the worldbuilding. It is perhaps among the most engaging, complex, and well thought through that I've seen in a long time. There are elements here of Perdido Street Station, Paul Di Filippo, and even the recently published The Hexologists (with which the similarities don't end here). The "science" at the core of this world is robust, enjoys internal consistency, and is well explored in the story, without relying on unnecessary exposition.
The other feature of this book is its levity and style. The writing is superb - it's well paced, fun, and rhythmic. The mystery at the core of the book unravels nicely over time, and no part of the book feels overly rushed (kudos to the authors and editors!). The fact that the authors don't take themselves too seriously is charming - there are so many moments in the book that I chuckled out loud! I had a smile on my face in most segments, and enjoyed the banter between the various characters, the personalities (especially of Entwhistle), and the odd joke here and there (like the "entrepreneurial spirit" of Fleet's landlord).
There were a few small things about the book I found less engaging. The first was the character development - our protagonists came across as interesting, but they were not explored much, and their emotional depth didn't come to light at all. As if they existed in a vacuum, and therefore their decisions and behaviours seemed a bit forced at times - without a strong cohesive core. Not a huge deal, given how entertaining the characters were anyway, but more of a missed opportunity.
The other thing I disliked a bit was how nicely all the elements of the book fit together. It's like there was no unnecessary aspect of the story (specifically - the detectives' investigations) that eventually didn't fit into a broader story. This felt forced, and also had a strong aroma of deus ex machina, whereby many clues were discovered by chance more than by logic or hard work.
I recommend it to any fan of steampunk, and of alternative speculative histories. It's also great if you're not looking for something grim or dark (a la Perdido Street Station), but rather something more approachable and fun.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.
January 5, 2025
As a long-time fan of Victoriocity, an English podcast with mystery, that dry British humor, and an automaton version of Queen Victoria set in a steampunk alternate version of England, I was excited for more of that world and more of Private Investigator Archibald Fleet and Clara Entwhistle, journalist and investigating partner.
When I heard they were releasing a book, I leapt on the chance to listen to it on audiobook because I love the production design, voice acting, and storytelling of the podcast.
Although this book isn’t bad, per say, it does feel like a pale facsimile of its podcast predecessor. Perhaps the voice actors, sound effects, music, and mostly absence of description serve the podcast more than I thought, or it could be that switching from podcast to audiobook is not quite the 1:1 ratio that I had thought it might be.
The dry British humor is still there, as are the characterizations and world building, but it all felt a bit lost among the almost purple prose. Seriously, so much of this book felt like overwrought descriptions or navel gazing of different characters and honestly made the book boring for great stretches.
I should mention that the audiobook narrator did a fantastic job of voicing all these characters that have real life voice actors for each one, and let me tell you, it cannot be easy attempting to stay authentic while also trying to match the mannerisms and style of real people. But who is to say what this experience would have been if I had read the book instead of listening to it.
Usually there is great chemistry between Clara and Fleet, but they felt so much more platonic and flatter toward each other. Again, it must be tough trying to balance furthering the story without going too far because you can’t change too much in the overall plotline and disrupt the progression in the podcast.
I also thought the action scenes felt lackluster because they were weighed down by too many descriptions, which really halted the fast pacing.
Overall, the book just couldn’t hold up to the podcast, in my opinion. I think some tighter editing and banter between your main characters could go a long way, as well as a slightly faster pace.
However, one thing I did really enjoy was the insight and development of the Brunelians, a group that is mentioned in the podcast, but here they really get a chance to shine and we get a better look into who they are, how they operate, etc.
For fans of the pod, this book may be worth it, but I would rather listen to the podcast. I am interested to hear from fans what they thought of reading the physical book, however, to see if there is indeed a difference.
When I heard they were releasing a book, I leapt on the chance to listen to it on audiobook because I love the production design, voice acting, and storytelling of the podcast.
Although this book isn’t bad, per say, it does feel like a pale facsimile of its podcast predecessor. Perhaps the voice actors, sound effects, music, and mostly absence of description serve the podcast more than I thought, or it could be that switching from podcast to audiobook is not quite the 1:1 ratio that I had thought it might be.
The dry British humor is still there, as are the characterizations and world building, but it all felt a bit lost among the almost purple prose. Seriously, so much of this book felt like overwrought descriptions or navel gazing of different characters and honestly made the book boring for great stretches.
I should mention that the audiobook narrator did a fantastic job of voicing all these characters that have real life voice actors for each one, and let me tell you, it cannot be easy attempting to stay authentic while also trying to match the mannerisms and style of real people. But who is to say what this experience would have been if I had read the book instead of listening to it.
Usually there is great chemistry between Clara and Fleet, but they felt so much more platonic and flatter toward each other. Again, it must be tough trying to balance furthering the story without going too far because you can’t change too much in the overall plotline and disrupt the progression in the podcast.
I also thought the action scenes felt lackluster because they were weighed down by too many descriptions, which really halted the fast pacing.
Overall, the book just couldn’t hold up to the podcast, in my opinion. I think some tighter editing and banter between your main characters could go a long way, as well as a slightly faster pace.
However, one thing I did really enjoy was the insight and development of the Brunelians, a group that is mentioned in the podcast, but here they really get a chance to shine and we get a better look into who they are, how they operate, etc.
For fans of the pod, this book may be worth it, but I would rather listen to the podcast. I am interested to hear from fans what they thought of reading the physical book, however, to see if there is indeed a difference.
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