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Dragons Of The Confederacy #2
The Georgia Alchemist
On the run! Union Engineer Braxton Wright thought his mission into the south was to extract the contents of a top secret Confederate train. Unbeknownst to him, he was a just a pawn in Alan Pinkerton’s plan to break his ace spy Hattie Lawton out of the Castle Thunder Prison. Now free, and in the company of Braxton’s childhood friend Laurie as well as a mysterious metal man, Braxton is itching to return north to his safe, quiet drafting board. But Hattie has other plans. Pinkerton didn’t arrange for her escape for no reason. She has something that the Union has been searching for since the start of the war — the location of the Alchemist who invented the Gray soldiers.
With the might of the Confederate army on their tale, Hattie and Braxton must make their way deep into the heart of the south and find the man who’s twisted genius brings dead soldiers back to serve. If Braxton can discover his formula, they just might be able to counter the Confederacy's’ greatest advantage.
Nipping at their heels, Colonel Beauregard Fuller of the Confederate Engineering Bureau also has a plan. If his agent can capture Braxton, the Union engineer might just be persuaded to serve him. With Braxton’s knowledge, the South could develop their own walking guns. With guns, Grays, and their dragons, the Union would have no hope of victory and be forced at last to let the Confederacy go!
With the might of the Confederate army on their tale, Hattie and Braxton must make their way deep into the heart of the south and find the man who’s twisted genius brings dead soldiers back to serve. If Braxton can discover his formula, they just might be able to counter the Confederacy's’ greatest advantage.
Nipping at their heels, Colonel Beauregard Fuller of the Confederate Engineering Bureau also has a plan. If his agent can capture Braxton, the Union engineer might just be persuaded to serve him. With Braxton’s knowledge, the South could develop their own walking guns. With guns, Grays, and their dragons, the Union would have no hope of victory and be forced at last to let the Confederacy go!
- GenresSteampunk
276 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 24, 2023
59 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Dan Willis
63 books316 followersDan is an award-winning, best-selling author who has been writing for most of his life. He wrote for the long running DragonLance series and has worked in the board game and video game industries as well. His current work is the Arcane Casebook series, a fantasy twist on the 1930’s noir detective story.
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August 11, 2023Rating: minus 5
I doubt that this will ever be read but will endeavour to write as if to an audience. This was disappointing and I say this after having issues with the first book. I thought that there had not been a second book but I was wrong and was curious and am sad. I will need to visit some YouTube channels for what will probably be a short review.
This was brought to you by Acollierastro, Flashmob Kekumka 2020, Charlie Hopkinson, Oliver Lugg, Lily Simpson, Kings and Generals, ThePrimeChronus, Jean's Thoughts, FunnyLilGal, May Moon Narrowboat, Philosophy Tube, Planarwalker, Lives and Histories, RobWords, Climate Town, Second Thought, Tale Foundry, Sound of Music Flashmob, Charlie Hopkinson, Verilybitchie.
I liked the steampunk vibe. I looked for Amazon steampunk titles several years ago and was directed to romance novels with steampunk cover art. I assumed that Amazon did not offer real steampunk. It surprised me a little that some readers might have considered those steampunk. I did not think much about it, except to not bother looking through Amazon catalogue for specific types of fiction. This series appearing out of nowhere surprised me.
The good that is obvious was mentioned in my review of book one. In-universe character interactions feel accurate or plausible but the absence of black labourers and the repetition of the political justifications as well as the false psychological drivers of confederate citizens and soldiers undercut the best part of the book.
The scenes of repairs and loading trains not being carried out by slave labour is not only inaccurate but insane. If the Confederate army have a manpower shortage, they are going to use slave labour for every possible non-military task. They did that in actual history and slave labour built in the eighteenth century a seminary in an Ivy League school and other buildings. Slaves built Catholic churches, infrastructure projects and parts of the US capital city in the early nineteenth century. The writer hiding their existence and use from the readers elevates the practice to the level of an almost mythical social construct instead of an economic reality. I think that it subconsciously reinforces a mental image of black slaves as dumb brutes capable only of pulling produce from the ground. Given that this is the standard American media portrayal, the subconscious and from dialogue and exposition in certain books very conscious vision of many Americans, is an unnecessary and dangerous portrayal.
This criticism is not literary or at least not solely. The repeated use of the invisible black slave is a political position. There are many descriptions of magnolia and countryside smells of the Confederate homelands and there are no descriptions of the monstrous worldview of the Confederate population and soldiery. This of a society in which 38% of the population owned at least one slave and all of whom dreamed of more because of their profitability. At this point both books have presented an equivalency between the federal and confederate characters, their motivations and their societies. That is a conscious choice and a political statement, whether the writer admits it or not. It ruined the charm of the premise for me.
There was a slight hint through a character statement that a confederate victory and mechanical replacement workers would have no impact on slavery. The writer seems aware of how he presented certain characters but was afraid to realistically illustrate the lie of states rights. Had I proof that the writer had read even one of the State declarations of secession, I would despise him. You needn't take a degree in history to be able to perform simple research and I would expect a writer to have done so before any writing project.
I mocked a small libertarian comment cloud (originally only four) pestering me by expressing my curiosity of the libertarian view of slavery. They will not and can not claim it abhorrent because their creed is based on "the power of the powerful shall not be limited or constrained". I mistakenly thought I had seen them off, forgetting that I was dealing with Americans. The commenters did not crawl back into their holes but went mad and spent pages extolling the glory of slavery as a practice. The writer of the book - Powers of the Earth, Travis Corcoran himself fantasized in comments about the deportation of all black Americans to Caribbean plantations. Another libertarian declared that white males created all of history and consequently get a pass, if I understood his insanity correctly. This was not 1520, 1620, 1720, 1820, 1920 but 2021 on a reader's forum by several self-described patriotic freedom lovers. I wonder at this point, if such a comment thread would bother many American members. It did not seem to bother a one. 🤔
This is not an abstract issue or minor detail of world building for the American readership. The state of Florida has recently passed a law requiring that all state supported educational institutions must immediately rewrite the US racial history to teach it as a massive job skills training program. The Texas government has removed the term slavery from all State textbooks. Texas in particular is interesting in that their version of any topic (creationism to philosophy) is adopted by one to two thirds of the other states. 😐 This fiction and others with a similar portrayal of slaves as just poorly paid agricultural workers is dangerous, as it consciously or not supports the notion that it was a more of a non-unionised workforce than an awful economic driver for the states in rebellion.
The writer has written a number of fantasy titles but this series has dissuaded me from trying those. I admit that I watch most of my fiction at the moment. So much of the low end of US science fiction is worse than this series, there seem to be only three publisher quality tiers - No Effort, Insulting and Abhorrent. YouTube shorts channels (DUST, Backyard Productions UK and Omeleto are examples) and the streaming services do at the very least a slightly better writing job, are more entertaining and demand less of my time.
YouTube was a surprise two years ago when I found solid science fiction commentary for both print and video. The site drew me in as I discovered educational, lifestyle and essayist channels. My last and most exciting find were the book channels. 😍 These host communities of curious, thoughtful readers enamoured of all things bookish. I would recommend a visit to several book channels for any reader and have listed some below. Most educational, documentary and essayist channels embed sponsor spots for dedicated educational video sites such as Nebula and Wondrium. They all seem interesting and are modestly priced.
I described part of one comment cloud of many that I have seen on mine and other negative reviews. The female readers often receive comments that these mental members haven't the courage to deliver to male reviewers. Powers of the Earth is an unremarkable, poorly written salute to the January 6, 2021 hero. The writer, Travis Corcoran is a vocal advocate for the return of chattel slavery, a US veteran, a self-described libertarian (of course), a supporter of Putin's Russia and an employee of an unnamed US agency. He and his fellows (the number almost doubled) accused me among other things of narcissism as I refused to respond to their almost year long rants. 😂
A leader, Claes Rees Jr/cgr710 whom I had encountered on a previous review, wrote that They had "won" (?). I think that the declaration referred to Their no longer feeling the need to maintain the deluge of comments including racist and sexual filth against YouTube channels which I mention. They failed to impress the Oxford Astrophysicist, the boating couple, the teen boater and her mother or any of the other female creators. They did however deliver what I think is the most accurate portrait of the sexist, racist American man-child, which I could imagine. They also needlessly increased the planet's store of ugliness, which I also suspect They consider a victory. Goodreads discourse! Yay??
My YouTube picks of the moment.
Malinda, Some More News, Ben and Emily, Sarah Millican, Geo Girl, Mia Mulder, Knowing Better, Mrs Betty Bowers, Kazachka, OrangeRiver, Quinn's Ideas, EarleWrites, Times Radio, Sailing Melody, Crow Caller, Biz Barclay, Tom Nicholas, Philosophy Tube, Abney Park, NerdForge.
About Amazon/Goodreads, I suggest that you consider treating this as potentially hostile site. 😐
Ominous music begins. 🙂 I have demonstrated that there is a very toxic minority (hopefully) of members possessed of limited morality or self-awareness. Unfortunately they seem to be white (some are kind enough to identify as such in comment), heterosexual cis-males (inferred from comments, though they do try too very hard so ....?) but are definitely American as they are wont to specify. They are a blight on the landscape of literary discourse but before now had not risen to the level of a danger to my mind.
Emboldened by and aided by certain mentally unstable site techs, I can now describe them as a potential danger. After my little year long experience with fans of Powers of the Earth, the site have stepped in with certain forms of harassment, performed (exceptionally illegal, even in america) kindle service denial (I was surprised that a low level tech had that authority), shared my message history with certain members which was used by Australian Intelligence (I now hesitate to use that term) Services to attempt a probe into my private life through a member of my small friend list. It causes me to wonder what other favours are exchanged through Pine Gap Joint intelligence cooperation. I am hoping it was a bid to free Julian Assange from US persecution, probably silly of me but I remain an optimist. I digress. The point is that there are few limits, which these animals recognize. All this attention resulted from anger that a solitary reader sometimes is offended by No Effort fiction and will mention as much occasionally in a review. I understand a butt hurt (I think I am using the term correctly) secret clearance writer of no talent might had bad feelings from my review and that his low-level police official friend has had an issue with my existence for about three years. I have had several negative exchanges on Goodreads with writers before, though most were civil. To go as far as these two managed is a bit much, even by Amazon standards.
You may or may not be disturbed by my experience. You may be certain that you will not be targeted. You may have watched the latest Belmarsh Conference with no resultant unease. Status can change if you should come to be viewed as an undesirable. On the off chance that might occur, it would be prudent to have minimized profile information, removed lurkers (those friends who observe your Goodreads activity but never post), taken screenshots of the odd and the ugly and limit message use on the site. It cost you very little effort and time. To not might cost you both. We are talking about self righteous twits, both members and site employees with no apparent self-constraint or conscience. They are that special type of American of which a certain wariness is warranted. Ominous music ends. 🙂
May we all enjoy Good Reading! 🤗
I am not at all an expert advisor concerning the value of various YouTube channels but below are some of the channels which were useful, entertained me or brought me joy. Some of my favourites.
Alizee, Savy Writes Books, Second Thought, Owen Jones, Sailing Melody, Munecat, The Snake Charmer, UATV, Operator Starsky, Mia Asano, Natasha's Adventures, Depressed Russian, Military History Visualized, Brittany Page, Verilybitchie, Clockwork Reader, The Kavernacle, The Sword and the Pen Reflections, Invicta, Ben and Emily, Dr Becky, Alt Shift X, Mauler, Bernadette Banner, May, Jill Bearup, Lilly's Expat Life, Lily Alexandre, Karolina Zebrowska, Historical Fashion, History Legends, Real Time History, Planarwalker, Gutsick Gibbon, Hello Future Me, Kelly Loves Physics and History, RobWords, Cambrian Chronicles, Prime of Midlife, Elina Charatsidou, Engineering with Rosie, The British Museum, Joe Scott, Jake Broe, Wayward Winchester, The Confused Adipose, Spacedock, Crecganford, May, Dan Davis History, You, Me and the TV, Tulia, Julie Nolke, MANDY, Lily Simpson, Tara Mooknee, Adult Wednesday Addams -2 seasons, FunnyLilGal React, Sarah Millican, Sarah Z, The Dadvocate, TVP News, Jessie Gender, Kidology, What Vivi did next, Sabine Hossenfelder, Tibees, History with Kayleigh, Ancient Americas, Fortress of Lugh, The Black Forest Family, It's Black Friday, Olly Richards, Climate Town, Mythology and Fiction Explained, Fran Blanche, Real Engineering, Cold Fusion, World War Two, Abby Cox, Shannon Makes, Heather Dale, TIKHistory, Kathy's Flog in France, Call of History, History with Hilbert, Wizards and Warriors, Overly Sarcastic Productions, Deerstalker Pictures, ConeofArc, Bovington Tank Museum, StoneWork, MechWest Show, No Justice MTG, The Bands of HM Royal Marines, Sci-Fi Odyssey, Brickcrafts, IzzzYzzz, Jabzy, Abbie Emmons, Interior Design Hub.
I wish you a glorious morning, a wonderful afternoon, a pleasant evening, a splendid night and may we all continue learning.
A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because It has a song.
Taiwanese proverb
I doubt that this will ever be read but will endeavour to write as if to an audience. This was disappointing and I say this after having issues with the first book. I thought that there had not been a second book but I was wrong and was curious and am sad. I will need to visit some YouTube channels for what will probably be a short review.
This was brought to you by Acollierastro, Flashmob Kekumka 2020, Charlie Hopkinson, Oliver Lugg, Lily Simpson, Kings and Generals, ThePrimeChronus, Jean's Thoughts, FunnyLilGal, May Moon Narrowboat, Philosophy Tube, Planarwalker, Lives and Histories, RobWords, Climate Town, Second Thought, Tale Foundry, Sound of Music Flashmob, Charlie Hopkinson, Verilybitchie.
I liked the steampunk vibe. I looked for Amazon steampunk titles several years ago and was directed to romance novels with steampunk cover art. I assumed that Amazon did not offer real steampunk. It surprised me a little that some readers might have considered those steampunk. I did not think much about it, except to not bother looking through Amazon catalogue for specific types of fiction. This series appearing out of nowhere surprised me.
The good that is obvious was mentioned in my review of book one. In-universe character interactions feel accurate or plausible but the absence of black labourers and the repetition of the political justifications as well as the false psychological drivers of confederate citizens and soldiers undercut the best part of the book.
The scenes of repairs and loading trains not being carried out by slave labour is not only inaccurate but insane. If the Confederate army have a manpower shortage, they are going to use slave labour for every possible non-military task. They did that in actual history and slave labour built in the eighteenth century a seminary in an Ivy League school and other buildings. Slaves built Catholic churches, infrastructure projects and parts of the US capital city in the early nineteenth century. The writer hiding their existence and use from the readers elevates the practice to the level of an almost mythical social construct instead of an economic reality. I think that it subconsciously reinforces a mental image of black slaves as dumb brutes capable only of pulling produce from the ground. Given that this is the standard American media portrayal, the subconscious and from dialogue and exposition in certain books very conscious vision of many Americans, is an unnecessary and dangerous portrayal.
This criticism is not literary or at least not solely. The repeated use of the invisible black slave is a political position. There are many descriptions of magnolia and countryside smells of the Confederate homelands and there are no descriptions of the monstrous worldview of the Confederate population and soldiery. This of a society in which 38% of the population owned at least one slave and all of whom dreamed of more because of their profitability. At this point both books have presented an equivalency between the federal and confederate characters, their motivations and their societies. That is a conscious choice and a political statement, whether the writer admits it or not. It ruined the charm of the premise for me.
There was a slight hint through a character statement that a confederate victory and mechanical replacement workers would have no impact on slavery. The writer seems aware of how he presented certain characters but was afraid to realistically illustrate the lie of states rights. Had I proof that the writer had read even one of the State declarations of secession, I would despise him. You needn't take a degree in history to be able to perform simple research and I would expect a writer to have done so before any writing project.
I mocked a small libertarian comment cloud (originally only four) pestering me by expressing my curiosity of the libertarian view of slavery. They will not and can not claim it abhorrent because their creed is based on "the power of the powerful shall not be limited or constrained". I mistakenly thought I had seen them off, forgetting that I was dealing with Americans. The commenters did not crawl back into their holes but went mad and spent pages extolling the glory of slavery as a practice. The writer of the book - Powers of the Earth, Travis Corcoran himself fantasized in comments about the deportation of all black Americans to Caribbean plantations. Another libertarian declared that white males created all of history and consequently get a pass, if I understood his insanity correctly. This was not 1520, 1620, 1720, 1820, 1920 but 2021 on a reader's forum by several self-described patriotic freedom lovers. I wonder at this point, if such a comment thread would bother many American members. It did not seem to bother a one. 🤔
This is not an abstract issue or minor detail of world building for the American readership. The state of Florida has recently passed a law requiring that all state supported educational institutions must immediately rewrite the US racial history to teach it as a massive job skills training program. The Texas government has removed the term slavery from all State textbooks. Texas in particular is interesting in that their version of any topic (creationism to philosophy) is adopted by one to two thirds of the other states. 😐 This fiction and others with a similar portrayal of slaves as just poorly paid agricultural workers is dangerous, as it consciously or not supports the notion that it was a more of a non-unionised workforce than an awful economic driver for the states in rebellion.
The writer has written a number of fantasy titles but this series has dissuaded me from trying those. I admit that I watch most of my fiction at the moment. So much of the low end of US science fiction is worse than this series, there seem to be only three publisher quality tiers - No Effort, Insulting and Abhorrent. YouTube shorts channels (DUST, Backyard Productions UK and Omeleto are examples) and the streaming services do at the very least a slightly better writing job, are more entertaining and demand less of my time.
YouTube was a surprise two years ago when I found solid science fiction commentary for both print and video. The site drew me in as I discovered educational, lifestyle and essayist channels. My last and most exciting find were the book channels. 😍 These host communities of curious, thoughtful readers enamoured of all things bookish. I would recommend a visit to several book channels for any reader and have listed some below. Most educational, documentary and essayist channels embed sponsor spots for dedicated educational video sites such as Nebula and Wondrium. They all seem interesting and are modestly priced.
I described part of one comment cloud of many that I have seen on mine and other negative reviews. The female readers often receive comments that these mental members haven't the courage to deliver to male reviewers. Powers of the Earth is an unremarkable, poorly written salute to the January 6, 2021 hero. The writer, Travis Corcoran is a vocal advocate for the return of chattel slavery, a US veteran, a self-described libertarian (of course), a supporter of Putin's Russia and an employee of an unnamed US agency. He and his fellows (the number almost doubled) accused me among other things of narcissism as I refused to respond to their almost year long rants. 😂
A leader, Claes Rees Jr/cgr710 whom I had encountered on a previous review, wrote that They had "won" (?). I think that the declaration referred to Their no longer feeling the need to maintain the deluge of comments including racist and sexual filth against YouTube channels which I mention. They failed to impress the Oxford Astrophysicist, the boating couple, the teen boater and her mother or any of the other female creators. They did however deliver what I think is the most accurate portrait of the sexist, racist American man-child, which I could imagine. They also needlessly increased the planet's store of ugliness, which I also suspect They consider a victory. Goodreads discourse! Yay??
My YouTube picks of the moment.
Malinda, Some More News, Ben and Emily, Sarah Millican, Geo Girl, Mia Mulder, Knowing Better, Mrs Betty Bowers, Kazachka, OrangeRiver, Quinn's Ideas, EarleWrites, Times Radio, Sailing Melody, Crow Caller, Biz Barclay, Tom Nicholas, Philosophy Tube, Abney Park, NerdForge.
About Amazon/Goodreads, I suggest that you consider treating this as potentially hostile site. 😐
Ominous music begins. 🙂 I have demonstrated that there is a very toxic minority (hopefully) of members possessed of limited morality or self-awareness. Unfortunately they seem to be white (some are kind enough to identify as such in comment), heterosexual cis-males (inferred from comments, though they do try too very hard so ....?) but are definitely American as they are wont to specify. They are a blight on the landscape of literary discourse but before now had not risen to the level of a danger to my mind.
Emboldened by and aided by certain mentally unstable site techs, I can now describe them as a potential danger. After my little year long experience with fans of Powers of the Earth, the site have stepped in with certain forms of harassment, performed (exceptionally illegal, even in america) kindle service denial (I was surprised that a low level tech had that authority), shared my message history with certain members which was used by Australian Intelligence (I now hesitate to use that term) Services to attempt a probe into my private life through a member of my small friend list. It causes me to wonder what other favours are exchanged through Pine Gap Joint intelligence cooperation. I am hoping it was a bid to free Julian Assange from US persecution, probably silly of me but I remain an optimist. I digress. The point is that there are few limits, which these animals recognize. All this attention resulted from anger that a solitary reader sometimes is offended by No Effort fiction and will mention as much occasionally in a review. I understand a butt hurt (I think I am using the term correctly) secret clearance writer of no talent might had bad feelings from my review and that his low-level police official friend has had an issue with my existence for about three years. I have had several negative exchanges on Goodreads with writers before, though most were civil. To go as far as these two managed is a bit much, even by Amazon standards.
You may or may not be disturbed by my experience. You may be certain that you will not be targeted. You may have watched the latest Belmarsh Conference with no resultant unease. Status can change if you should come to be viewed as an undesirable. On the off chance that might occur, it would be prudent to have minimized profile information, removed lurkers (those friends who observe your Goodreads activity but never post), taken screenshots of the odd and the ugly and limit message use on the site. It cost you very little effort and time. To not might cost you both. We are talking about self righteous twits, both members and site employees with no apparent self-constraint or conscience. They are that special type of American of which a certain wariness is warranted. Ominous music ends. 🙂
May we all enjoy Good Reading! 🤗
I am not at all an expert advisor concerning the value of various YouTube channels but below are some of the channels which were useful, entertained me or brought me joy. Some of my favourites.
Alizee, Savy Writes Books, Second Thought, Owen Jones, Sailing Melody, Munecat, The Snake Charmer, UATV, Operator Starsky, Mia Asano, Natasha's Adventures, Depressed Russian, Military History Visualized, Brittany Page, Verilybitchie, Clockwork Reader, The Kavernacle, The Sword and the Pen Reflections, Invicta, Ben and Emily, Dr Becky, Alt Shift X, Mauler, Bernadette Banner, May, Jill Bearup, Lilly's Expat Life, Lily Alexandre, Karolina Zebrowska, Historical Fashion, History Legends, Real Time History, Planarwalker, Gutsick Gibbon, Hello Future Me, Kelly Loves Physics and History, RobWords, Cambrian Chronicles, Prime of Midlife, Elina Charatsidou, Engineering with Rosie, The British Museum, Joe Scott, Jake Broe, Wayward Winchester, The Confused Adipose, Spacedock, Crecganford, May, Dan Davis History, You, Me and the TV, Tulia, Julie Nolke, MANDY, Lily Simpson, Tara Mooknee, Adult Wednesday Addams -2 seasons, FunnyLilGal React, Sarah Millican, Sarah Z, The Dadvocate, TVP News, Jessie Gender, Kidology, What Vivi did next, Sabine Hossenfelder, Tibees, History with Kayleigh, Ancient Americas, Fortress of Lugh, The Black Forest Family, It's Black Friday, Olly Richards, Climate Town, Mythology and Fiction Explained, Fran Blanche, Real Engineering, Cold Fusion, World War Two, Abby Cox, Shannon Makes, Heather Dale, TIKHistory, Kathy's Flog in France, Call of History, History with Hilbert, Wizards and Warriors, Overly Sarcastic Productions, Deerstalker Pictures, ConeofArc, Bovington Tank Museum, StoneWork, MechWest Show, No Justice MTG, The Bands of HM Royal Marines, Sci-Fi Odyssey, Brickcrafts, IzzzYzzz, Jabzy, Abbie Emmons, Interior Design Hub.
I wish you a glorious morning, a wonderful afternoon, a pleasant evening, a splendid night and may we all continue learning.
A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because It has a song.
Taiwanese proverb
Read
October 22, 2024Excellent!
I couldn't stop reading. The alternate history is incredibly well thought out, the characters are completely believable, and the pace is outstanding!
I couldn't stop reading. The alternate history is incredibly well thought out, the characters are completely believable, and the pace is outstanding!
July 10, 2023
Rollicking good fun, just like its setup and predecessor, Lincoln’s Wizard. Both tell the tales of a team of Union spies and sympathizers trying to keep the rebellious South from winning the decade-long Civil War. The South, with its zombie-like “Grays” and the only Dragons in the Western Hemisphere, may have a thing or two to say about that plan…
I sincerely hope that the authors can get back together and continue the story, which is ripe for multiple follow-ups.
Fingers crossed!
I sincerely hope that the authors can get back together and continue the story, which is ripe for multiple follow-ups.
Fingers crossed!
June 5, 2023
Keep this series going!
Dan and Tracy have created a marvelous steampunk Civil War full of imaginative science and engineering as well as the supernatural magic of alchemy. The characters are just flawed enough to to identify with and the plot line mixed with real history and historical figures is intriguing. I hope to see book 3 soon, please!!!
Dan and Tracy have created a marvelous steampunk Civil War full of imaginative science and engineering as well as the supernatural magic of alchemy. The characters are just flawed enough to to identify with and the plot line mixed with real history and historical figures is intriguing. I hope to see book 3 soon, please!!!
April 6, 2025
“The Georgia Alchemist” lacks the novelty of the first book in the series (“Lincoln's Wizard”) and doesn't introduce much in the way of steampunk ingenuity.
Braxton, Hattie, Laurie and Stan (engineer, spy, doctor and robot respectively) are searching the Confederacy for June Rutledge, daughter of the man who created the Grays. Confederate troops are in hot pursuit.
It's all standard stuff and I was seriously thinking of abandoning it, but there were a few things fairly late in the book which were moving - June's story, the tragedy of the Grays, and the fate which befell Ambrose Routledge.
Add in a neatly-worked trick finish and it gained an extra star.
3 Stars.
Braxton, Hattie, Laurie and Stan (engineer, spy, doctor and robot respectively) are searching the Confederacy for June Rutledge, daughter of the man who created the Grays. Confederate troops are in hot pursuit.
It's all standard stuff and I was seriously thinking of abandoning it, but there were a few things fairly late in the book which were moving - June's story, the tragedy of the Grays, and the fate which befell Ambrose Routledge.
Add in a neatly-worked trick finish and it gained an extra star.
3 Stars.
December 12, 2023
Zombies! Alchemy! Walking artillery! Deception! Betrayal! Redemption! Pontificating about the Civil War! A SUPRISING DEARTH OF NON WHITE CHARACTERS! But also possibly multiple skin colors! Pieced together drigibles! ( if Adam Savage's tone) electro mechanical zappy hydrogen man!
A nice easy fluff read that I would've been satisfied if it was a duology but nope, set up for a trilogy or longer. I hope they stay together!
A nice easy fluff read that I would've been satisfied if it was a duology but nope, set up for a trilogy or longer. I hope they stay together!
June 10, 2023
Will there be more?
This turned out to be a good series of books. Steam punk mixed with the civil war is interesting. I'm interested to see if the authors continue with another book. It's not a bad ending but I would like to see the next adventure for the characters and see how the war is won in this alternative history.
This turned out to be a good series of books. Steam punk mixed with the civil war is interesting. I'm interested to see if the authors continue with another book. It's not a bad ending but I would like to see the next adventure for the characters and see how the war is won in this alternative history.
February 14, 2024
Civil War steampunk zombies
After 10 years of war both sides feel they must win to justify the suffering and horror. The authors use action, emotion, logic and a little steamy alchemy to explore we must fight for a future we can be proud of.
P.S. I think it was the Sweet tea and deviled eggs in June's system that gave the elixir the boost needed to restore her.
After 10 years of war both sides feel they must win to justify the suffering and horror. The authors use action, emotion, logic and a little steamy alchemy to explore we must fight for a future we can be proud of.
P.S. I think it was the Sweet tea and deviled eggs in June's system that gave the elixir the boost needed to restore her.
April 26, 2023
Good stuff!
I wasn't sure if I was going to like this series but I found the characters really engaging and the logic of the alternate fantasy Civil War good enough to keep me reading. I recommend it.
I wasn't sure if I was going to like this series but I found the characters really engaging and the logic of the alternate fantasy Civil War good enough to keep me reading. I recommend it.
May 9, 2023
Excellent new series
Willis and Hickman are an inspired pair, and this new series is as gripping and fascinating as any book ever penned. Magic and tech meet a plausible alternate history in an unforgettable way.
Willis and Hickman are an inspired pair, and this new series is as gripping and fascinating as any book ever penned. Magic and tech meet a plausible alternate history in an unforgettable way.
May 16, 2023
Very good steampunk
I waited to read books 1 and 2 until both were available and I am glad I did. This is a great adventure with an engineer, a spy, a doctor, an android like tok, dragons and a whole lot of intrigue.
I waited to read books 1 and 2 until both were available and I am glad I did. This is a great adventure with an engineer, a spy, a doctor, an android like tok, dragons and a whole lot of intrigue.
May 29, 2023
Excellent read. Great characters, intriguing story
The character development was excellent and instant. The twists and turns were masterful. All in all an exceptionally well told story.
The character development was excellent and instant. The twists and turns were masterful. All in all an exceptionally well told story.
July 24, 2023
Harry Turtledove would be proud.
If you read Book one, then you already know the major themes here. If you didn’t. STOP now and go read it. You need the continuity.
As alternate history the book is fascinating. Standing alone with Book 1, it’s a lot of fun to read.
If you read Book one, then you already know the major themes here. If you didn’t. STOP now and go read it. You need the continuity.
As alternate history the book is fascinating. Standing alone with Book 1, it’s a lot of fun to read.
November 7, 2023
Marvelous read
Live this book, and, really, the whole two book series. It was a quick read but a great read. Tyre Silk woven pieces into actual history are great. Well story the read got anyone interested in alt-history with that fantasy twist.
Live this book, and, really, the whole two book series. It was a quick read but a great read. Tyre Silk woven pieces into actual history are great. Well story the read got anyone interested in alt-history with that fantasy twist.
December 30, 2024
A very good story begging for a a sequel.
A well told tale that satisfactorily wraps up the problems in the first book. However it leaves a new problem that's just begging for a a sequel.
A well told tale that satisfactorily wraps up the problems in the first book. However it leaves a new problem that's just begging for a a sequel.
May 1, 2023
Book review
Great book. I want to read more of the great story line. I hope to read more in the near future.
Great book. I want to read more of the great story line. I hope to read more in the near future.
June 10, 2023
I could not put it down
I usually don't like alternative history, but this book is well written and has characters you can really get into. Can't wait for the next one.
I usually don't like alternative history, but this book is well written and has characters you can really get into. Can't wait for the next one.
June 12, 2023
Fun!
I really enjoyed this series and look forward to more. I’ll definitely look for anything else by this talented author.
I really enjoyed this series and look forward to more. I’ll definitely look for anything else by this talented author.
June 30, 2023
Zombies in the confederacy
Second volume in a war between slavers and freedom. The slavers have decided on alchemical methods to freedom's engineering and precision.
Second volume in a war between slavers and freedom. The slavers have decided on alchemical methods to freedom's engineering and precision.
July 16, 2023
Good alt history
Great combo of steam and dragons and spies
A real page turner. Can't wait for the next book to see hw the war ends.
Great combo of steam and dragons and spies
A real page turner. Can't wait for the next book to see hw the war ends.
August 2, 2023
Great story,
Another well written book, with a good ending for a two part story. And yet enough of a time line to continue as a series.
Another well written book, with a good ending for a two part story. And yet enough of a time line to continue as a series.
November 13, 2023
fun read
Good story. Creative use of historical sources and steam punk elements. I’ve recommended to friends. And I hope more in the series are on the way
Good story. Creative use of historical sources and steam punk elements. I’ve recommended to friends. And I hope more in the series are on the way
January 15, 2024
Another great story.
Another wonderful adventure in this great series from Dan Willis and Tracy Hickman. I hope you get next book is just as good.
Another wonderful adventure in this great series from Dan Willis and Tracy Hickman. I hope you get next book is just as good.
January 23, 2024
Read book 1, This book 2 ❣️🥹
Enjoy this book! love a good read ,twist and surprises! Will look forward to your next Trip through the what if History.
Enjoy this book! love a good read ,twist and surprises! Will look forward to your next Trip through the what if History.
October 21, 2024
Action thrill and chills .
The zombie screaming silently was creepy and sad. The expectation of more tails of daring do sounds like fun reading.
The zombie screaming silently was creepy and sad. The expectation of more tails of daring do sounds like fun reading.
October 21, 2024
Well done
Well crafted alternate history with engaging characters and extremely well crafted plots within plots.
Buy it, enjoy
Hoping there will be a book 3
Well crafted alternate history with engaging characters and extremely well crafted plots within plots.
Buy it, enjoy
Hoping there will be a book 3
December 3, 2024
A satisfying ending to the story. The pair only get 4stars together. The first without the second doesn't so the job.
June 25, 2025
Fantastic
I really like this series so far. I am hoping these two keep going, I want to know how it all turns out.
I really like this series so far. I am hoping these two keep going, I want to know how it all turns out.
July 30, 2023
The Georgia Alchemist - Review
Well written and entertaining. Characters are intriguing and relatable. It is a quick read and worth the time and investment
Well written and entertaining. Characters are intriguing and relatable. It is a quick read and worth the time and investment
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