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The Iron Seas #3
Riveted
The New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Duke and Heart of Steel returns to the Iron Seas with a riveting new adventure of steampunk and passionate romance . . .
A century after a devastating volcanic eruption forced Iceland’s inhabitants to abandon its shores, the island has become enshrouded in legend. Fishermen tell tales of giant trolls guarding the land and of seductive witches who steal men’s hearts. But the truth behind the legends is mechanical, not magic—and the mystery of the island a matter of life and death for a community of women who once spilled noble blood to secure their freedom.
Five years ago, Annika unwittingly endangered that secret, but her sister Källa took the blame and was exiled. Now Annika serves on the airship Phatéon, flying from port to port in search of her sister and longing to return home . . . but that home is threatened when expedition leader David Kentewess comes aboard.
Determined to solve the mystery of his own origin, David will stop at nothing to expose Annika’s secrets. But when disaster strikes, leaving David and Annika stranded on a glacier and pursued by a madman, their very survival depends on keeping the heat rising between them—and generating lots of steam . . .
A century after a devastating volcanic eruption forced Iceland’s inhabitants to abandon its shores, the island has become enshrouded in legend. Fishermen tell tales of giant trolls guarding the land and of seductive witches who steal men’s hearts. But the truth behind the legends is mechanical, not magic—and the mystery of the island a matter of life and death for a community of women who once spilled noble blood to secure their freedom.
Five years ago, Annika unwittingly endangered that secret, but her sister Källa took the blame and was exiled. Now Annika serves on the airship Phatéon, flying from port to port in search of her sister and longing to return home . . . but that home is threatened when expedition leader David Kentewess comes aboard.
Determined to solve the mystery of his own origin, David will stop at nothing to expose Annika’s secrets. But when disaster strikes, leaving David and Annika stranded on a glacier and pursued by a madman, their very survival depends on keeping the heat rising between them—and generating lots of steam . . .
413 pages, Paperback
First published September 4, 2012
64 people are currently reading
3134 people want to read
About the author
Meljean Brook
51 books2,574 followersBook info: I am the author of the Iron Seas steampunk romance series. I've written a guide to the world (including a map) on my website.
I also write a paranormal romance series, the Guardians. That series guide is also on my website, including a "The Story So Far" feature, which allows you to catch up on all of the books that previously released in the series if you start after the first installment.
Goodreads info: I am slowly, slowly adding to my shelves and reviews. It's unlikely that I will join many book discussions (especially of my own work) simply because I don't want to stifle reader conversation.
Bio: Meljean was raised in the middle of the woods, and hid under her blankets at night with fairy tales, comic books, and romances. She left the forest and went on a misguided tour through the world of accounting before focusing on her first loves, reading and writing–and she realized that monsters, superheroes, and happily-ever-afters are easily found between the covers, as well as under them, so she set out to make her own.
Meljean lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and daughter.
I also write a paranormal romance series, the Guardians. That series guide is also on my website, including a "The Story So Far" feature, which allows you to catch up on all of the books that previously released in the series if you start after the first installment.
Goodreads info: I am slowly, slowly adding to my shelves and reviews. It's unlikely that I will join many book discussions (especially of my own work) simply because I don't want to stifle reader conversation.
Bio: Meljean was raised in the middle of the woods, and hid under her blankets at night with fairy tales, comic books, and romances. She left the forest and went on a misguided tour through the world of accounting before focusing on her first loves, reading and writing–and she realized that monsters, superheroes, and happily-ever-afters are easily found between the covers, as well as under them, so she set out to make her own.
Meljean lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and daughter.
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October 15, 2018
This is only my second steampunk novel, and while I don't think this genre in general is really my thing, this author does such a great job that I would definitely consider reading more of it anyways as long as she is the one writing it. This book has a good mixture of plot, action, and romance along with a large amount of historically inaccurate mechanical ingenuity which steampunk is known for. For example, there's a giant mechanical whale that can swallow a ship whole for the purposes of piracy - it's interesting, imaginative, and useful all at the same time. In this novel we also get a bit of LGBTQ+ representation with a whole secret society (literal) of women who love women in a time when that is still very much looked down upon. It also brings up an interesting scenario in which their female children have to determine whether or not they are sexually interested in men without having met any.
All this to say, if you are not sure if steampunk is your thing - I'd recommend checking out this author. She might not make you a convert but at least you'll still enjoy the ride.
All this to say, if you are not sure if steampunk is your thing - I'd recommend checking out this author. She might not make you a convert but at least you'll still enjoy the ride.
September 16, 2012
The Iron Seas series is exactly my kind of shizzam. It's a buttload of plot, a healthy dose of characterizationion and then just the most delicious hint of sexy times - all grilled in some really fantastic world-building. It's almost like Brook is writing these books just for me! The reason is that I struggle with normal romance novels - I need romance novels that don't feel like romance novels because they're too busy being awesome sci-fi or fantasy etc with some sex in it. This is exactly what Brook does. Sure there's sex, and Iron Seas, the first book in this series is far more romance-y than the next two - but, more than that, they're just plain great Steampunk. It's almost enough to make me bow down and her feet and beg her to never stop.
To begin with, this book takes places in a different part of the same Steampunk driven world from The Iron Duke and Heart of Steel. But the great thing about this series is that Brook just keep shaking it up! She takes you everywhere and with so many great new characters. For me, Captain Corsair is my true literary love, so Annika had big ass-kicking boots to fill. She took a little while to warm on me, and whilst she can never replace Captain Corsair in my heart, she held her own. Her relationship with David was lovely, sweet and beautiful.
Riveted is a bit of a divergence from Brook's other novels. It takes the plot a long time to kick into gear. The first half is solidly centered on Annika and David developing a mutual relationship and trust. There's very little action or plot in that regard. Then the tension and action is ramped up a notch in the second half, and it's back to dodging bullets and mechanical monstrosities. AKA business as usual in Iron Seas world.
The writing was, as usual with Brook, solid and well-constructed. The plot progressed well with some interesting twists that I didn't see coming. But as usual, it was the characters, relationships and world that really makes this novel. While reading the Iron Seas series, Brook will take you to every corner of it and introduce so many wonderful marvels. The world, politics, locations and peoples are so fabulously complex and intriguing that it keeps you wrapped up in the continuing story.
Annika's home town was one of the things that truly made me fall in love with this novel. The normality of their circumstances, the brilliant and respectful way Brook represented it and wove it into the novel, it was all brilliant. I love this series and I can't wait to see what Brook does next!
*A Copy of Riveted was provided for me by the author. No favours, money or gifts were exchanged though I readily offered them for a chance to read this early. My review and opinion remains unaffected.
To begin with, this book takes places in a different part of the same Steampunk driven world from The Iron Duke and Heart of Steel. But the great thing about this series is that Brook just keep shaking it up! She takes you everywhere and with so many great new characters. For me, Captain Corsair is my true literary love, so Annika had big ass-kicking boots to fill. She took a little while to warm on me, and whilst she can never replace Captain Corsair in my heart, she held her own. Her relationship with David was lovely, sweet and beautiful.
Riveted is a bit of a divergence from Brook's other novels. It takes the plot a long time to kick into gear. The first half is solidly centered on Annika and David developing a mutual relationship and trust. There's very little action or plot in that regard. Then the tension and action is ramped up a notch in the second half, and it's back to dodging bullets and mechanical monstrosities. AKA business as usual in Iron Seas world.
The writing was, as usual with Brook, solid and well-constructed. The plot progressed well with some interesting twists that I didn't see coming. But as usual, it was the characters, relationships and world that really makes this novel. While reading the Iron Seas series, Brook will take you to every corner of it and introduce so many wonderful marvels. The world, politics, locations and peoples are so fabulously complex and intriguing that it keeps you wrapped up in the continuing story.
Annika's home town was one of the things that truly made me fall in love with this novel. The normality of their circumstances, the brilliant and respectful way Brook represented it and wove it into the novel, it was all brilliant. I love this series and I can't wait to see what Brook does next!
*A Copy of Riveted was provided for me by the author. No favours, money or gifts were exchanged though I readily offered them for a chance to read this early. My review and opinion remains unaffected.
September 11, 2012
I mean, I love this series, I just LOVE LOVE it. Steampunk + Adventure + Romance = Wunderbar! This book I think is even better than the last two in the series, but all three are up there. The world building and depth of character in these novels justifies everything I do with my book club, Vaginal Fantasy. I love highlighting books that don't get enough credit or widespread acknowledgment. I'm sure this one will be super popular on its own however, and it deserves it.
I don't want to spoil anything, but the hero in this book has tremendous physical challenges after a childhood accident, and has a lot of nano-tech equipment welded to his body, which is unusual but fascinating as a character study. The chemistry between him and the heroine, a very frank and naive airship crewman who is descended from a Valkerie-type enclave of women on this alt-world's Iceland (yes that typed out dumb but it's totally cool in the book!), is just amazing. They grow to love each other no matter what their background, without judgement. There is a strong lesbian-rights storyline as well in this that somehow fits organically into the world-building as well. It's just really well-done and I def urge you to try the series if you haven't. These characters don't continue from the last ones, so you can pick this one up and know what's going on, although reading the previous will help with world-building.
Just awesome!
I don't want to spoil anything, but the hero in this book has tremendous physical challenges after a childhood accident, and has a lot of nano-tech equipment welded to his body, which is unusual but fascinating as a character study. The chemistry between him and the heroine, a very frank and naive airship crewman who is descended from a Valkerie-type enclave of women on this alt-world's Iceland (yes that typed out dumb but it's totally cool in the book!), is just amazing. They grow to love each other no matter what their background, without judgement. There is a strong lesbian-rights storyline as well in this that somehow fits organically into the world-building as well. It's just really well-done and I def urge you to try the series if you haven't. These characters don't continue from the last ones, so you can pick this one up and know what's going on, although reading the previous will help with world-building.
Just awesome!
December 15, 2021
2021 Spring Bingo (#SpringIntoLoveBingo🌷): Map/Diagram
This is wild. My jaw was dropped the entire time. I don’t deny that the worldbuilding is hella problematic if you pick it apart (hence the rating), but the ship is exquisite. Also: I had some questions about a secondary character motivation that didn’t make much sense to me. Read via library.
This is wild. My jaw was dropped the entire time. I don’t deny that the worldbuilding is hella problematic if you pick it apart (hence the rating), but the ship is exquisite. Also: I had some questions about a secondary character motivation that didn’t make much sense to me. Read via library.
September 3, 2012
4.5 or 5 stars…Not what I was expecting. It was so much more!
Long Story Short
Annika searches for her exiled sister. When she finds her they will return to their secluded village in Iceland. Then, Annika meets David. He is searching for his mother’s homeland so he can bury her runes as per her dying wish. Unfortunately, his mother never revealed her origins, but Annika may hold the answers he needs.
My thoughts
As I said, this book wasn’t what I was expecting. I thought there would be megalodons or krakens, a deluge of nifty gadgets, and swashbuckling romance. Riveted has more of an introspective quality. The dialogue is filled with insights to human nature. Cultural and societal values are relevant themes throughout the story. The plot progressively thickens with a series of events.
Of course there is the romance! Annika and David are one of the most endearing couples I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy. They are earnest, candid, awkward, passionate, and unique. At first, Annika’s frank speech sets David aback. His interactions with people, especially women, have been disheartening. People recoil from his scarred face and artificial limbs. Annika’s enjoyment of his company and sincere interest in him stirs him. David sparks her attraction, too. With time, conversation, and company they fall in love in such a touching way. It is rare to find a romance so achingly tender.
This book has adventure, romance, tears, despicable acts, trolls, villains, volcanoes, forgiveness, the call of the wolf, bravery, more tears, sobbing, love, and a happy ending. It is different compared to the other Iron Sea novels, but no less because of it. Riveted has a home on my Keeper shelf! Loved it!
Can this book stand alone? Yes. The characters are new to the series. None of the characters from previous Iron Sea books are present.
Memorable Quote
”And then there were his theories of gravity, which didn’t overturn Hooke’s laws, but refined them, deepened them. One journal absolutely changed how we see so many things, yet now they seem so obvious. Many physicists are still reeling.”
Annika pushed up on her elbow as he spoke, her brown eyes widening with wonder. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I like the way you speak of it. That seems incredible.”
She was incredible. “You did the same to me. You completely turned the world about. It is like paddling along in a canoe and suddenly being capsized --- except that as soon as the boat upends, you realize that you’d been paddling along upside down and never realized it because you could breathe and see. And until you take a real breath of air, see what everything looks like without the water distorting the view, you believe that the upside-down world is the way things are. But you tipped me over.”
Tears glittered in her eyes. “You truly wrote that?”
“Yes.” And that he’d fallen in love with her – but it was already so much deeper now. “Don’t cry.”
December 31, 2015
Riveted is the third installment in Meljean Brook's steampunk/adult romance series titled Iron Seas. I am LOVING this series! Although Riveted may not be my favorite in the series, it's still so, so good. I love this magnificent steampunk world Ms. Brook has crafted and the character building she has so delicately structured is amazing. The heroine Annika advocates for women to love who they love without judgment and empowers others to move forward despite their origins. She has struggled with being judged based on where she comes from and she's much too tired to let this continue to negatively affect her. The hero David is a half machine man that despite his incredible physical strength, is incredibly self-conscious and struggles with his self-esteem particularly around women. How fun it was to watch these two slowly find their way towards each other...and yes, it's sexy as hell. Although the romance aspect is very present, it's not as focal as the earlier installments (at least from my memory), but the main storyline featured is entertaining enough without the frequent hook-ups. If anything, the slow build up was the perfect tease for this innocent-feeling romance.
Riveted is a great addition to a remarkable series that I am having too much fun with. If you enjoy both steampunk and adult romance, check out this series. NOW!
My favorite quote:
“People are the only things that don't always improve upon knowing what makes them up. Well, people and sausage from a manufactory.”
Note: I found this photo of a steampunk Herbie and just had to include it. It's so stinkin' cute!!! Sadly, it has nothing to do with the book, but who cares...
The Iron Seas series includes the following installments as of May 2015. The ratings are my personal opinion only.
#0.4-The Blushing Bounder
#0.5-Here There Be Monsters ★★★★★
#0.6-The Hook
#1-The Iron Duke ★★★★★
#1.5-Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City ★★★★☆
#2-Heart of Steel ★★★☆☆
#2.5-Tethered
#3-Riveted ★★★★☆
#3.4-Wrecked
#3.5-Part of anthology: Enthralled
#4-The Kraken King
#4.1-The Kraken King and the Scribbling Spinster
#4.2-The Kraken King and the Abominable Worm
#4.3-The Kraken King and the Fox's Den
#4.4-The Kraken King and the Inevitable Abduction
#4.5-The Kraken King and the Iron Heart
#4.6-The Kraken King and the Crumbling Walls
#4.7-The Kraken King and the Empress's Eyes
#4.8-The Kraken King and the Greatest Adventure
Riveted is a great addition to a remarkable series that I am having too much fun with. If you enjoy both steampunk and adult romance, check out this series. NOW!
My favorite quote:
“People are the only things that don't always improve upon knowing what makes them up. Well, people and sausage from a manufactory.”
Note: I found this photo of a steampunk Herbie and just had to include it. It's so stinkin' cute!!! Sadly, it has nothing to do with the book, but who cares...
The Iron Seas series includes the following installments as of May 2015. The ratings are my personal opinion only.
#0.4-The Blushing Bounder
#0.5-Here There Be Monsters ★★★★★
#0.6-The Hook
#1-The Iron Duke ★★★★★
#1.5-Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City ★★★★☆
#2-Heart of Steel ★★★☆☆
#2.5-Tethered
#3-Riveted ★★★★☆
#3.4-Wrecked
#3.5-Part of anthology: Enthralled
#4-The Kraken King
#4.1-The Kraken King and the Scribbling Spinster
#4.2-The Kraken King and the Abominable Worm
#4.3-The Kraken King and the Fox's Den
#4.4-The Kraken King and the Inevitable Abduction
#4.5-The Kraken King and the Iron Heart
#4.6-The Kraken King and the Crumbling Walls
#4.7-The Kraken King and the Empress's Eyes
#4.8-The Kraken King and the Greatest Adventure
July 16, 2014
3.5 stars
And for the second time in two days I'm writing a review for a book I highly anticipated and wanted to love. And yet again:this is not how I wanted to feel about it. I don't know if it's my mood, or just me. I mean EVERYONE adores this book. I just... liked it. Oh, well.
I want to feel as if my guts are riveted together, to feel as if I would do anything just for a kiss, or a touch, or to see them. I want to feel as if I can’t live without them, and if I have to…if I have to live without them, I want to feel as if every moment I had with them was worth a lifetime of love. And I want to be loved that way in return.”
Annika(also called Annika the Rabbit) is from a small and peculiar village of Hannasvik, which is inhabited only with women. Now she's out in the world, looking for her sister, lost, but getting by. She is thought by all to be very bold, not even close to shy, because of her forward and honest nature. And she is, mostly I think, because of the liberal environment in which she was raised. She is also in a possession of a good sense of humor. Now she sees new things, good and back, and quickly adapts.
...she’d become accustomed to new cities, a new life—and to seeing men everywhere. They were exactly as Annika’s mother had described them: much like women, but hairier. And, when part of a group, stupider.
She also meets David, a very intriguing expert in volcanoes. He is also intrigued by her. And not just by her lovely appearance. No, he suspects she holds the joy to fulfilling his mother's last request. That's not to say he wasn't fascinated by Annika, the person. He is. And soon they'll be caught together while mad scientists, secrets and weird machines make their world a very complicated one. But, hell, what fun would it be otherwise?
The steampunk details were very well done here. All kinds of unique and imaginative...things appear. And David and Annika were likable. But, (oh and I wish there weren't a but, but there is) something was missing for me. I'm not sure what. The story felt slow for me until the end, and for some reason I didn't connect completely with the h/H.
Are the high expectation at fault? Something else? Maybe this book and I just aren't completely compatible , as this is def not the most favorite in the series to me, as it is to, well, most if not all of mine friends. Well, you win some and lose some. And Meljean Brook is still an author I love.
Quotes
"People never believed of others what they couldn’t imagine of themselves."
"Pity only served the person who felt it; generosity better served the person who needed it. "
"He looks very serious, at first,but he has three smiles. One is for anyone who reacts to his appearance with fear—though that is not even a smile, I think, but something he does because there is no other response to give. One is for when he is uncertain, and that is only half his mouth, on the side without scars. And there is one that he saves for friends, which moves all of his face, and makes you want to smile, too.”
“Pretend that I’m brave.”
“I don’t have to pretend.”
And for the second time in two days I'm writing a review for a book I highly anticipated and wanted to love. And yet again:this is not how I wanted to feel about it. I don't know if it's my mood, or just me. I mean EVERYONE adores this book. I just... liked it. Oh, well.
I want to feel as if my guts are riveted together, to feel as if I would do anything just for a kiss, or a touch, or to see them. I want to feel as if I can’t live without them, and if I have to…if I have to live without them, I want to feel as if every moment I had with them was worth a lifetime of love. And I want to be loved that way in return.”
Annika(also called Annika the Rabbit) is from a small and peculiar village of Hannasvik, which is inhabited only with women. Now she's out in the world, looking for her sister, lost, but getting by. She is thought by all to be very bold, not even close to shy, because of her forward and honest nature. And she is, mostly I think, because of the liberal environment in which she was raised. She is also in a possession of a good sense of humor. Now she sees new things, good and back, and quickly adapts.
...she’d become accustomed to new cities, a new life—and to seeing men everywhere. They were exactly as Annika’s mother had described them: much like women, but hairier. And, when part of a group, stupider.
She also meets David, a very intriguing expert in volcanoes. He is also intrigued by her. And not just by her lovely appearance. No, he suspects she holds the joy to fulfilling his mother's last request. That's not to say he wasn't fascinated by Annika, the person. He is. And soon they'll be caught together while mad scientists, secrets and weird machines make their world a very complicated one. But, hell, what fun would it be otherwise?
The steampunk details were very well done here. All kinds of unique and imaginative...things appear. And David and Annika were likable. But, (oh and I wish there weren't a but, but there is) something was missing for me. I'm not sure what. The story felt slow for me until the end, and for some reason I didn't connect completely with the h/H.
Are the high expectation at fault? Something else? Maybe this book and I just aren't completely compatible , as this is def not the most favorite in the series to me, as it is to, well, most if not all of mine friends. Well, you win some and lose some. And Meljean Brook is still an author I love.
Quotes
"People never believed of others what they couldn’t imagine of themselves."
"Pity only served the person who felt it; generosity better served the person who needed it. "
"He looks very serious, at first,but he has three smiles. One is for anyone who reacts to his appearance with fear—though that is not even a smile, I think, but something he does because there is no other response to give. One is for when he is uncertain, and that is only half his mouth, on the side without scars. And there is one that he saves for friends, which moves all of his face, and makes you want to smile, too.”
“Pretend that I’m brave.”
“I don’t have to pretend.”
January 3, 2017
I just want to note that, according to the text, both of the protagonists are much less pale than they are portrayed on the cover, and instead of looking Default Steampunk Bosoms, Annika is notorious for loving to wear bright colours that don't match, and whatever the frick shape of clothes she can sew, nevermind if an Elizabethan collar doesn't go with her harem pants. David is also badly disfigured on one side of his face and uses assistive prosthetics for his disability, not sassy-monocle-wearing.
This book is fun because Annika has no sense of heteronormativity because she was raised bywolves lesbians, and has to keep her secret lesbian village secret, but is kind of bad at it. David just wants to know his dead mom's secret (she was raised by lesbians too), and investigate volcanoes.
Kudos for fairly good depictions of arctic exploration, and I think Brook was traumatised by accounts of what happen to dogs in historical exploration, because she has written robo-dogs to protect any actual sled-dogs from being hurt.
Then there's the machinations of the villain who is kind of Evil Jules Verne.
This book is fun because Annika has no sense of heteronormativity because she was raised by
Kudos for fairly good depictions of arctic exploration, and I think Brook was traumatised by accounts of what happen to dogs in historical exploration, because she has written robo-dogs to protect any actual sled-dogs from being hurt.
Then there's the machinations of the villain who is kind of Evil Jules Verne.
December 26, 2012
Annika left her hidden all-women community to find her missing sister. After years of searching whilst working as an airship engineer, she encounters David, a scientist who is looking for the hidden community in order to properly bury his mother's runes. Can they overcome pirates, social prejudices, mad scientists, evil plots, mysterious disasters, volcanic eruptions, and their own lack of flirting skills to find true love? And stop Iceland from getting blown up?
In an objective sense this is probably the best of the series, especially in terms of character development and believability. But I missed the episodic swashbuckling action of the previous book.
In an objective sense this is probably the best of the series, especially in terms of character development and believability. But I missed the episodic swashbuckling action of the previous book.
September 6, 2012
So much fun! Annika and David sitting in a troll, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.... Well done!
There is so much to love about Meljean Brook’s The Iron Seas series. Each book stands on its own so you really don’t need to read the books in order. The world is imaginative and original and an alternative history to our own. For a brief synopsis of this world, I would recommend that you look at the author’s website for her Iron Seas Guide.
Riveted is steampunk done right. Oh, the whimsical steampunk technology! Giant, four-legged, sealskin covered, steam powered walkers called trolls scare away the curious from the town of Hannasavik. There is a scene where one of these trolls was a-rocking, a sight I would have loved to have seen.
Clockwork sled dogs, robots, airships, even a huge mechanical boat-eating whale (a homage to Jules Verne perhaps?) This book is full of awesome. Take, for example, the main character David, a broken and damaged man. Add in some nanoagents, some clockwork and brass, mechanical legs, a hand that is better and stronger than the original flesh and bone, add an enhanced eye and there you have it! Steampunk Man!
Riveted is set in the sparsely populated Iceland, a land that had been mostly abandoned due to volcanic activity. Snow, ice, rocks, active volcanoes, Iceland is not suitable for habitation except for the hardiest settlers. It’s the perfect place for our heroine’s family to hide out. The secret town of Hannasvik is a town of women who wish to live an alternate lifestyle without men.
I love the romantic couple in this book. Annika Fridasdotter is an unconventional female lead. Seeing herself as a timid rabbit, Annika is anything but that. Annika is independent, fierce, spirited, and smart. Annika hails from Hannasavik and is an engineer on the airship Phateon. She is on a mission to find her sister Kalla and bring her back home. David Kentewess is a volcanologist who wants to survey all of Iceland in order to find his mother’s people. David’s mother died in the accident that caused him the loss of his eye, hand, and legs.
The attraction begins slowly, a yearning and desire that builds up so much so that I was yelling at the book – “Kiss her already!” Annika is very set in her ways – she wants to be in love before she’ll have a physical relationship. David is intrigued by Annika, even when she tells him that she won’t sleep with him. He cares deeply for her and his alpha side shows when she is in danger.
The book had a little bit of a slow start for me. It is quite different from The Iron Duke and Heart of Steel. Once I got into the story, I could not put the book down. If you are hesitant about starting a steampunk novel or haven’t really read many books in this genre, this is a good book to start.
I’m excited to hear that there are more books planned for The Iron Seas series. I can’t wait to read more of this series.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Penguin for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
There is so much to love about Meljean Brook’s The Iron Seas series. Each book stands on its own so you really don’t need to read the books in order. The world is imaginative and original and an alternative history to our own. For a brief synopsis of this world, I would recommend that you look at the author’s website for her Iron Seas Guide.
Riveted is steampunk done right. Oh, the whimsical steampunk technology! Giant, four-legged, sealskin covered, steam powered walkers called trolls scare away the curious from the town of Hannasavik. There is a scene where one of these trolls was a-rocking, a sight I would have loved to have seen.
Clockwork sled dogs, robots, airships, even a huge mechanical boat-eating whale (a homage to Jules Verne perhaps?) This book is full of awesome. Take, for example, the main character David, a broken and damaged man. Add in some nanoagents, some clockwork and brass, mechanical legs, a hand that is better and stronger than the original flesh and bone, add an enhanced eye and there you have it! Steampunk Man!
Riveted is set in the sparsely populated Iceland, a land that had been mostly abandoned due to volcanic activity. Snow, ice, rocks, active volcanoes, Iceland is not suitable for habitation except for the hardiest settlers. It’s the perfect place for our heroine’s family to hide out. The secret town of Hannasvik is a town of women who wish to live an alternate lifestyle without men.
I love the romantic couple in this book. Annika Fridasdotter is an unconventional female lead. Seeing herself as a timid rabbit, Annika is anything but that. Annika is independent, fierce, spirited, and smart. Annika hails from Hannasavik and is an engineer on the airship Phateon. She is on a mission to find her sister Kalla and bring her back home. David Kentewess is a volcanologist who wants to survey all of Iceland in order to find his mother’s people. David’s mother died in the accident that caused him the loss of his eye, hand, and legs.
The attraction begins slowly, a yearning and desire that builds up so much so that I was yelling at the book – “Kiss her already!” Annika is very set in her ways – she wants to be in love before she’ll have a physical relationship. David is intrigued by Annika, even when she tells him that she won’t sleep with him. He cares deeply for her and his alpha side shows when she is in danger.
The book had a little bit of a slow start for me. It is quite different from The Iron Duke and Heart of Steel. Once I got into the story, I could not put the book down. If you are hesitant about starting a steampunk novel or haven’t really read many books in this genre, this is a good book to start.
I’m excited to hear that there are more books planned for The Iron Seas series. I can’t wait to read more of this series.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Penguin for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
September 24, 2012
Review posted on Demon Lover's Books & More
The world-building in this series is so vivid and descriptive, without being flowery, and all I could think of was This is what Steampunk should be. The world-building alone makes this a 5 star book, but when you factor in the characters and the originality, it makes me wish I could rate this book higher.
There are so many threads to the plot at work and they’re very subtle at first. Each strand leads you a different direction at first, but ultimately they twist together and tie the characters and the plot together nicely.
Annika is from a hidden village in Iceland, and the village elders plan on keeping it hidden. But one of those plot threads leads outsiders near her home. The village might not stay hidden for much longer.
Annika meanwhile is an engineer aboard an airship, and one of those threads leads her in search of her sister Källa who was exiled for something Annika did. The next thread is David Kentewess and he tangles up the strands quite nicely. He and Annika have an interesting road to their relationship and it’s so unbelievably sweet.
A few plot threads you really don’t see coming are the villain of the piece (I won’t mention his name as it’s still a new book), and when Annika finally does find her sister, you will never believe where she’s been.
Annika’s village is so well-done. I can’t tell you what it is that I love about it, but it’s a beautiful approach to a controversial topic. Meljean Brook is an amazing writer, she weaves all of those seemingly insignificant plot threads into significance.
It’s a fantastic story.
I’m leaving this review short and sweet for a couple reasons. 1) I’ve written it and re-written it several times and I just don’t feel I’m doing justice to it, and 2) A lot happens in this story. While the romance is slow-paced, it is the driving action of the story. Without this romance, those plot threads just don’t weave together properly. I feel like if I give too much away, it could ruin the book for you.
So, final verdict: While this is book 3 in the Iron Seas series, it is also a stand-alone. However, I would suggest reading Meljean’s FAQ page about the world. It will help fill in blanks.
***eARC courtesy of Edelweiss, Berkley, and the author
The world-building in this series is so vivid and descriptive, without being flowery, and all I could think of was This is what Steampunk should be. The world-building alone makes this a 5 star book, but when you factor in the characters and the originality, it makes me wish I could rate this book higher.
There are so many threads to the plot at work and they’re very subtle at first. Each strand leads you a different direction at first, but ultimately they twist together and tie the characters and the plot together nicely.
Annika is from a hidden village in Iceland, and the village elders plan on keeping it hidden. But one of those plot threads leads outsiders near her home. The village might not stay hidden for much longer.
Annika meanwhile is an engineer aboard an airship, and one of those threads leads her in search of her sister Källa who was exiled for something Annika did. The next thread is David Kentewess and he tangles up the strands quite nicely. He and Annika have an interesting road to their relationship and it’s so unbelievably sweet.
A few plot threads you really don’t see coming are the villain of the piece (I won’t mention his name as it’s still a new book), and when Annika finally does find her sister, you will never believe where she’s been.
Annika’s village is so well-done. I can’t tell you what it is that I love about it, but it’s a beautiful approach to a controversial topic. Meljean Brook is an amazing writer, she weaves all of those seemingly insignificant plot threads into significance.
It’s a fantastic story.
I’m leaving this review short and sweet for a couple reasons. 1) I’ve written it and re-written it several times and I just don’t feel I’m doing justice to it, and 2) A lot happens in this story. While the romance is slow-paced, it is the driving action of the story. Without this romance, those plot threads just don’t weave together properly. I feel like if I give too much away, it could ruin the book for you.
So, final verdict: While this is book 3 in the Iron Seas series, it is also a stand-alone. However, I would suggest reading Meljean’s FAQ page about the world. It will help fill in blanks.
***eARC courtesy of Edelweiss, Berkley, and the author
January 18, 2023
“What I told you is true - I want to love someone first. I want to feel as if my gust are riveted together, to feel as if I would do anything just for a kiss, or a touch.”
For four years Annika has worked on the airship Phatéon, flying from port to port looking for her sister Källa. Annika is from an island is Iceland, one that has to be kept secret, and five years ago, she almost endangered them all by accident. And Källa took the blame, and was exiled. All she wants to do is bring her sister home.
David Kentewess is part man, part steel. He lost his legs, an arm, and part of an eye when an invention went horribly wrong and a mountain and half a city was destroyed, and many people killed, including his mother and uncle. And while his mother was dying, she made him promise that he would bury her runes necklace on her people’s mountain. But the problem is, he doesn’t know anything about his mother’s people, or where she came from before she met his father. And now after twenty years, he has finally found someone who might be able to help. But getting Annika to tell her secrets is not going to be easy, and he will have to convince her that he can be trusted.
But then disaster strikes, and there airship is ambushed by a giant steel whale, leaving them stranded on a glacier, and they have to outrun a madman, hoping that they can survive and have a future together.
I love this series. With every book another part of this world is revealed, and I enjoyed every moment of it. There’s just something so captivating about the steampunk world, with its nanoagents, and the machines that are built for man like steel whales and trolls, oh and the airships which I love. And Meljean Brook has the ability to describe the world so well, that each part is a clear picture in your mind.
I really enjoyed the plot in this book. Annika and David’s journey across Iceland was interesting and quite an adventure.
I loved both the main characters. I especially loved that Annika wasn’t repulsed by David’s appearance, and that she saw how sexy and wonderful he was. The romance was great, and so very sweet and romantic. I love the slow-burn of the romance in this series, it just works so well with the story.
This was another fantastic addition to a series that I love.
October 28, 2018
4.5 stars - on my second 'read' too. I would say that I enjoyed it even more this time in audio.
My original review:
Riveted was probably the sweetest of Brook's Iron Seas romances so far. I loved both Vulcanologist David, who has always looked for joy in life despite some major adversity, and airship engineer Annika, who sees herself as the rabbit her family and friends have called her - but who, when push comes to shove, is brave enough to do what must be done. There is an innocence to Annika, and to David as well, that is quite appealing and while neither of the pair fit well into the 'civilized' world, they both fit well together - even when it looks like their individual quests will keep them apart.
My nits are that while I loved that Brook takes her time building the relationship between David and Annika, the story does drag just a tad as the two initially get to know each other, but once the story gets rolling and David and Annika decide to take a chance on each other, the way that Brook develops the relationship is really really good. Another minor nit is that there is an exceedingly creepy bad guy whose exit from the story is really odd and anticlimactic. And finally, not exactly a nit but a warning, the real reason that Annika must keep her hometown a secret and the attitudes held by some of the characters in reaction to that reason are going to be a touchy subject for some readers.
So the bottom line on Brook's latest Iron Seas steam punk romance is that I really loved seeing another corner of the Iron Seas world. Brook's world building - with trolls, leviathans, and airships galore - is truly amazing and fortunately the people who 'live' there are every bit as fascinating. I loved Annika and David, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that since Mina/Rhys and Archimedes/Yasmin have both gotten after the HEA shorts, we will get to see just a little bit more of Annika and David sometime in the future.
My original review:
Riveted was probably the sweetest of Brook's Iron Seas romances so far. I loved both Vulcanologist David, who has always looked for joy in life despite some major adversity, and airship engineer Annika, who sees herself as the rabbit her family and friends have called her - but who, when push comes to shove, is brave enough to do what must be done. There is an innocence to Annika, and to David as well, that is quite appealing and while neither of the pair fit well into the 'civilized' world, they both fit well together - even when it looks like their individual quests will keep them apart.
My nits are that while I loved that Brook takes her time building the relationship between David and Annika, the story does drag just a tad as the two initially get to know each other, but once the story gets rolling and David and Annika decide to take a chance on each other, the way that Brook develops the relationship is really really good. Another minor nit is that there is an exceedingly creepy bad guy whose exit from the story is really odd and anticlimactic. And finally, not exactly a nit but a warning, the real reason that Annika must keep her hometown a secret and the attitudes held by some of the characters in reaction to that reason are going to be a touchy subject for some readers.
So the bottom line on Brook's latest Iron Seas steam punk romance is that I really loved seeing another corner of the Iron Seas world. Brook's world building - with trolls, leviathans, and airships galore - is truly amazing and fortunately the people who 'live' there are every bit as fascinating. I loved Annika and David, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that since Mina/Rhys and Archimedes/Yasmin have both gotten after the HEA shorts, we will get to see just a little bit more of Annika and David sometime in the future.
September 10, 2012
4.5 stars. Swashbuckling adventure, fearsome steam-powered creatures, and sweet romance make this a great read. The setting is divided between a helium powered airship and Iceland's volcanic landscape. David is a vulcanologist. He is infected with nanoagents and his body has been rebuilt with bio-mechanical limbs, which makes him very strong but also isolates him as others are repulsed by his differences. Annika is the engineer on the airship, Phateon. She has left her isolated Sapphist village to search for her missing sister but meets David and begins to question her beliefs. The two are caught up in the destructive plans of a madman.
The most appealing part of David and Annika's romance is their naivete and timidity and how quickly it turns around as they experience sex and love for the first time. The other thing I really enjoyed in this novel were the mechanical monstrosities. The whale that could swallow whole ships, the giant Trolls that can race across the tundra, etc etc. All really exciting, edge-of-your-seat stuff.
Meljean Brook is one of my top 5 authors. I love her wild imagination and sweeping love stories. I love the complexity and morality in her novels. I've never read a book of hers that didn't make me feel emotional. I was telling my sister about the ending in one of her books from the Guardian series and it still brought me to tears even months after I read it.
A few things detracted slightly from this story for me. While the villain's demise was spectacular, it was only presented to the reader from a second-hand perspective and therefore it seemed anti-climactic and distant. I also found Paolo and Kalla's storyline a bit bizarre and hard to believe. Despite that I really loved it. I'm also really anticipating the final Guardian book coming out in 2013.
The most appealing part of David and Annika's romance is their naivete and timidity and how quickly it turns around as they experience sex and love for the first time. The other thing I really enjoyed in this novel were the mechanical monstrosities. The whale that could swallow whole ships, the giant Trolls that can race across the tundra, etc etc. All really exciting, edge-of-your-seat stuff.
Meljean Brook is one of my top 5 authors. I love her wild imagination and sweeping love stories. I love the complexity and morality in her novels. I've never read a book of hers that didn't make me feel emotional. I was telling my sister about the ending in one of her books from the Guardian series and it still brought me to tears even months after I read it.
A few things detracted slightly from this story for me. While the villain's demise was spectacular, it was only presented to the reader from a second-hand perspective and therefore it seemed anti-climactic and distant. I also found Paolo and Kalla's storyline a bit bizarre and hard to believe. Despite that I really loved it. I'm also really anticipating the final Guardian book coming out in 2013.
November 15, 2013
Not my kind of book. I was bored.
I have more patience with audiobooks and that’s the only reason I kept with it and finished. I felt like the author made a detailed outline and then colored-it-in-between-the-lines, trying to make it interesting. I felt no chemistry about the characters. I wasn’t interested in them. The flow wasn’t good. I didn’t see enough motivations. I’m still vague about why the bad guy did some of the things he did and what happened to him at the end. Some of the conflicts felt forced.
I kept thinking of Saturday morning cartoons for kids. There are many interesting and neat things artists and animators could draw. The action and crises would make a good cartoon.
Who will like this? Probably readers who love the steampunk world and urban fantasy. There are interesting ideas about metal grafted onto human bodies, nano agents, coal fired air ships, a mechanical whale, and riding inside walking-trolls-robot-type-things.
There is a back story about a women-only village and women loving women. Annika is open to finding romance with either a man or woman. Not much is done with that topic, but it may interest some - or not.
As to male-female romance, it was there, but I wasn’t feeling it.
I was not pleased with the narrator Alison Larkin. She made the heroine sound like a little girl instead of a woman.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 13 hrs and 59 mins. Swearing language: moderate including religious swear words but rarely used. Sexual language: moderate but rarely used. Number of sex scenes: about 6, a couple of these were briefly referred to, no details. Setting: unknown time in the past, various locations including Iceland and Europe. Book copyright: 2012. Genre: steampunk romance.
I have more patience with audiobooks and that’s the only reason I kept with it and finished. I felt like the author made a detailed outline and then colored-it-in-between-the-lines, trying to make it interesting. I felt no chemistry about the characters. I wasn’t interested in them. The flow wasn’t good. I didn’t see enough motivations. I’m still vague about why the bad guy did some of the things he did and what happened to him at the end. Some of the conflicts felt forced.
I kept thinking of Saturday morning cartoons for kids. There are many interesting and neat things artists and animators could draw. The action and crises would make a good cartoon.
Who will like this? Probably readers who love the steampunk world and urban fantasy. There are interesting ideas about metal grafted onto human bodies, nano agents, coal fired air ships, a mechanical whale, and riding inside walking-trolls-robot-type-things.
There is a back story about a women-only village and women loving women. Annika is open to finding romance with either a man or woman. Not much is done with that topic, but it may interest some - or not.
As to male-female romance, it was there, but I wasn’t feeling it.
I was not pleased with the narrator Alison Larkin. She made the heroine sound like a little girl instead of a woman.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 13 hrs and 59 mins. Swearing language: moderate including religious swear words but rarely used. Sexual language: moderate but rarely used. Number of sex scenes: about 6, a couple of these were briefly referred to, no details. Setting: unknown time in the past, various locations including Iceland and Europe. Book copyright: 2012. Genre: steampunk romance.
August 31, 2012
This is a spoiler free review.
Riveted is the third book in Meljean Brook's Iron Seas series, and easily my favorite of the series, and most definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. I suspect it is going to be everyone's favorite in the series... no joke! While it is based in the same Iron Seas world, it is a completely new setting, Iceland, with new folklore and mythology. New characters, too! And oh how they simply shine. Annika and David both are so unique and strong in their own ways, and could not be more perfect for each other.
It didn't take long for me to realize that I was completely enamored of the hero and the heroine. They both are so different, eccentric, and are both completely smitten with one another from the start. I could not wait for them to meet up again, so I could get more of their interaction. The tension that builds between them is so sweet and engaging. I suppose you could say I felt like this was the most romantic of the books in that the two main characters are so in to each other from the start. Maybe it was just because I fell in love with each of them immediately that I feel that way, but regardless, I think this book is going to appeal to everyone.
My most favorite part of this book are the trolls!!! Giant mechanical trolls that each have their own look and personality, though they are person-driven. They added such a spectacular depth to the story, I hope they show up in more future Iron Seas novels.
Riveted can most definitely be read stand-alone, and oh how I recommend it! It you are new to the series, check this book out, it will definitely have you reaching for the backlist. Existing fans are going to devour this installment, it is simply superb in every way.
Riveted is the third book in Meljean Brook's Iron Seas series, and easily my favorite of the series, and most definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. I suspect it is going to be everyone's favorite in the series... no joke! While it is based in the same Iron Seas world, it is a completely new setting, Iceland, with new folklore and mythology. New characters, too! And oh how they simply shine. Annika and David both are so unique and strong in their own ways, and could not be more perfect for each other.
It didn't take long for me to realize that I was completely enamored of the hero and the heroine. They both are so different, eccentric, and are both completely smitten with one another from the start. I could not wait for them to meet up again, so I could get more of their interaction. The tension that builds between them is so sweet and engaging. I suppose you could say I felt like this was the most romantic of the books in that the two main characters are so in to each other from the start. Maybe it was just because I fell in love with each of them immediately that I feel that way, but regardless, I think this book is going to appeal to everyone.
My most favorite part of this book are the trolls!!! Giant mechanical trolls that each have their own look and personality, though they are person-driven. They added such a spectacular depth to the story, I hope they show up in more future Iron Seas novels.
Riveted can most definitely be read stand-alone, and oh how I recommend it! It you are new to the series, check this book out, it will definitely have you reaching for the backlist. Existing fans are going to devour this installment, it is simply superb in every way.
March 1, 2015
actual rating: 4.5 stars
I read this lovely book for the first time waaay back in 2012.
The thing is, I never did come around to writing a review for it, and since this is my fourth re-reading (yes, I know...) and I always end up loving it just a little bit more with each one, it was about time I stopped being lazy and just wrote a review.
The problem is... what do I have to say about a good book?
And that's the only kind of book Meljean Brook writes...
I love the characters, but I always love Brook's characters...
The plot is engaging, original, and addictive... like all of Brook's plots.
The worldbuilding is flawless... like everything Meljean Brook writes.
So... I recommend it, not that Brook's books need recommendation.
You see what I mean when I say I don't know what to say about a good book?
I read this lovely book for the first time waaay back in 2012.
The thing is, I never did come around to writing a review for it, and since this is my fourth re-reading (yes, I know...) and I always end up loving it just a little bit more with each one, it was about time I stopped being lazy and just wrote a review.
The problem is... what do I have to say about a good book?
And that's the only kind of book Meljean Brook writes...
I love the characters, but I always love Brook's characters...
The plot is engaging, original, and addictive... like all of Brook's plots.
The worldbuilding is flawless... like everything Meljean Brook writes.
So... I recommend it, not that Brook's books need recommendation.
You see what I mean when I say I don't know what to say about a good book?
August 16, 2012
One of the best books I've read this year. Meljean continues to astound me. David, the hero is adorable, a beta and rowl when it comes to making love.
I want my own troll. I will call him George. I'd like my own David also.
I want my own troll. I will call him George. I'd like my own David also.
November 5, 2012
I loved the first two in Brook's Iron Seas trilogy. I mean, I just LOVED them. I've always had a thing for steampunk, and to see the genre done so wonderfully and with such deft writing really made me happy.
I wish I could say the same for Riveted, but I found this book quite problematic for a number of reasons. NOTE: Spoilers to follow.
Here's the thing: I think Brook bit off more than she could chew in terms of theme. I mean, we have disability politics, gay rights, Othering, and sociopathy, just to name a few. Though I usually applaud Brook for her clever writing and quick plots, her criticisms weighed the book down. That's not to say that I don't respect her for tackling tough issues in genre fiction, but she really chose too many to handle adroitly.
For example, her work with lesbian rights was heavy-handed at the best of times. The plot slowed down to a crawl because Brook needed considerable exposition to get her ideas off the ground; there were times in the first half of the book that I almost quit reading because the criticism was so obvious. I also found the ways she dealt with lesbian rights to be problematic. As someone who deals with queer theory on a regular basis, her discussion of "homosexuality as sickness" is period appropriate, though a little archaic as far as modern theory is concerned. Additionally, she makes the argument that homosexuality is not a choice, but some sort of biological predetermination, which opens a completely different can of worms. Theory has moved to understand gender as a continuum, but Brook's writing perpetuates the idea of gender dichotomies instead.* What I found most troubling, however, was Brook's use of a heterosexual romance. By focusing the book on a heterosexual coupling, she still casts homosexuality as deviant on some level. For being so incredibly preachy, Brook sure does backpedal with her central characters.
By choosing so many difficult themes, Brook never really handles any of them with depth or substance. For instance, I found David's "disability" fascinating; though she develops the character in a compelling way, she basically dismisses how uncomfortable he is with his own body. I would have loved to get more of his perspective here, and I think Brook misses valuable opportunities to link his own perceptions to larger social structures.
I realize that this seems like an overanalysis of genre fiction, but I know that Brook is an incredibly capable writer. Her worldbuilding is superb, and her first two books do a much better job blending social critique with plot and romance. This book lacked Brook's usual finesse, which I hope to see return in the next Iron Seas novel.
*Again, I know that this is period appropriate. However, I truly think Brook included these subtexts to challenge the idea that genre fiction must be trite and shallow. If she really wants to push readers, I think it's important to understand the intersection of historical constructions and modern discussions of queer theory.
I wish I could say the same for Riveted, but I found this book quite problematic for a number of reasons. NOTE: Spoilers to follow.
Here's the thing: I think Brook bit off more than she could chew in terms of theme. I mean, we have disability politics, gay rights, Othering, and sociopathy, just to name a few. Though I usually applaud Brook for her clever writing and quick plots, her criticisms weighed the book down. That's not to say that I don't respect her for tackling tough issues in genre fiction, but she really chose too many to handle adroitly.
For example, her work with lesbian rights was heavy-handed at the best of times. The plot slowed down to a crawl because Brook needed considerable exposition to get her ideas off the ground; there were times in the first half of the book that I almost quit reading because the criticism was so obvious. I also found the ways she dealt with lesbian rights to be problematic. As someone who deals with queer theory on a regular basis, her discussion of "homosexuality as sickness" is period appropriate, though a little archaic as far as modern theory is concerned. Additionally, she makes the argument that homosexuality is not a choice, but some sort of biological predetermination, which opens a completely different can of worms. Theory has moved to understand gender as a continuum, but Brook's writing perpetuates the idea of gender dichotomies instead.* What I found most troubling, however, was Brook's use of a heterosexual romance. By focusing the book on a heterosexual coupling, she still casts homosexuality as deviant on some level. For being so incredibly preachy, Brook sure does backpedal with her central characters.
By choosing so many difficult themes, Brook never really handles any of them with depth or substance. For instance, I found David's "disability" fascinating; though she develops the character in a compelling way, she basically dismisses how uncomfortable he is with his own body. I would have loved to get more of his perspective here, and I think Brook misses valuable opportunities to link his own perceptions to larger social structures.
I realize that this seems like an overanalysis of genre fiction, but I know that Brook is an incredibly capable writer. Her worldbuilding is superb, and her first two books do a much better job blending social critique with plot and romance. This book lacked Brook's usual finesse, which I hope to see return in the next Iron Seas novel.
*Again, I know that this is period appropriate. However, I truly think Brook included these subtexts to challenge the idea that genre fiction must be trite and shallow. If she really wants to push readers, I think it's important to understand the intersection of historical constructions and modern discussions of queer theory.
January 24, 2016
4.5 Stars
Another winner from Meljean Brook. If you haven't read any of her Iron Seas book, this is a great place to jump in, since it works as a complete standalone. Of course, it shares the world of the books before it, but Brook lays it out simply and effectively enough that you won't feel lost at all.
Our heroine, Annika, grew up in a secret Iceland village that consisted entirely of women. She never would have left if her sister Kalla had not taken an exile meant for her. She's been searching for Kalla for the past five years, working aboard an airship to gain access to foreign shores. The plan is to find her sister, then head straight back home. She never dreams she will come across anyone or anything that could make her want anything else. Then she meets David.
David recognizes something familiar in Annika the first time he sees her. She shares the unusual accent his mother had. As he travels on the ship where she works, he gets to know her better and comes to realize Annika knows the secrets of his mother's birthplace, somewhere he has been trying to find for the past 20 years, so can honor a promise he made to his mother when she died. The thing is, the more time he spends with Annika, the more he is drawn to her for other reasons... and she to him. But it's a while before either believes there can be anything between them.
There is a lot going on here: exploding volcanoes, a crazy sociopath, giant ship-eating whales and a plan to fly to the moon. All of that is cool and it keeps the plot moving along pretty quickly. But David and Annika are the heart of the story. I loved David. He lost both legs, a hand, and an eye in a tragic accident as a child. Now, he has steel prosthetics that few people can see beyond. He feels like no woman will ever want him. So every single touch, kiss, or sign of affection he gets from Annika affects him profoundly. Couple that with the fact she has never been with a man and their interactions are filled with wonder and sexual tension and... fire. They're so hot, even when they don't go all the way.
And that's just the physical side. The emotional side is fantastic too. Each of them is so vulnerable and knows so little about what it is to love and be loved in return. I reveled in watching them find their way slowly... until they get to a point they would kill or die for each other. Amazing.
I might have felt a "message" kind of hanging in the horizon with the acceptance theme going on with Annika's village. And I might have liked a bit more oomph on the villain resolution. But, all in all, it was a great book. I loved The Kraken King more, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this one as well.
Rating: B+
Another winner from Meljean Brook. If you haven't read any of her Iron Seas book, this is a great place to jump in, since it works as a complete standalone. Of course, it shares the world of the books before it, but Brook lays it out simply and effectively enough that you won't feel lost at all.
Our heroine, Annika, grew up in a secret Iceland village that consisted entirely of women. She never would have left if her sister Kalla had not taken an exile meant for her. She's been searching for Kalla for the past five years, working aboard an airship to gain access to foreign shores. The plan is to find her sister, then head straight back home. She never dreams she will come across anyone or anything that could make her want anything else. Then she meets David.
David recognizes something familiar in Annika the first time he sees her. She shares the unusual accent his mother had. As he travels on the ship where she works, he gets to know her better and comes to realize Annika knows the secrets of his mother's birthplace, somewhere he has been trying to find for the past 20 years, so can honor a promise he made to his mother when she died. The thing is, the more time he spends with Annika, the more he is drawn to her for other reasons... and she to him. But it's a while before either believes there can be anything between them.
There is a lot going on here: exploding volcanoes, a crazy sociopath, giant ship-eating whales and a plan to fly to the moon. All of that is cool and it keeps the plot moving along pretty quickly. But David and Annika are the heart of the story. I loved David. He lost both legs, a hand, and an eye in a tragic accident as a child. Now, he has steel prosthetics that few people can see beyond. He feels like no woman will ever want him. So every single touch, kiss, or sign of affection he gets from Annika affects him profoundly. Couple that with the fact she has never been with a man and their interactions are filled with wonder and sexual tension and... fire. They're so hot, even when they don't go all the way.
And that's just the physical side. The emotional side is fantastic too. Each of them is so vulnerable and knows so little about what it is to love and be loved in return. I reveled in watching them find their way slowly... until they get to a point they would kill or die for each other. Amazing.
I might have felt a "message" kind of hanging in the horizon with the acceptance theme going on with Annika's village. And I might have liked a bit more oomph on the villain resolution. But, all in all, it was a great book. I loved The Kraken King more, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this one as well.
Rating: B+
September 4, 2012
This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.
Expected Release Date: September 4, 2012
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Trade
Author’s Website: http://meljeanbrook.com/
My Source for This Book: Edelweiss
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 3, Iron Seas Series
Series Best Read In Order: Works well as a standalone
Steam Level: Warm
Romanceaholic’s Pet Peeves: Preachy
Romanceaholic’s Favorite Tropes: Physically Imperfect or Scarred, Starvation
With one of the most creative steampunk worlds I’ve ever come across, the Iron Seas series as a whole has always been a favorite of mine. I was pleasantly surprised by how well this book stood on its own, even though a part of me was a tiny bit disappointed that some of my favorite characters didn’t make an appearance.
Even so, Annika and David were a truly fantastic couple, both full of their own insecurities and inner strength. I really enjoyed David’s character, in particular, with his many physical enhancements that both made him physically stronger and emotionally more vulnerable.
While I didn’t particularly care for the rather “preachy” undertones that rose to the surface on occasion, I loved the characters and the overall storyline, complete with vivid imagery and wild technology.
Though not my favorite of the series (that will probably always be the novella, Here There Be Monsters in the Burning Up Anthology), this one was still a solidly entertaining installment of the series. New readers shouldn’t fear picking this one up before reading the others, and I would definitely recommend this book to any fan of Romantic Steampunk.
4/5 Stars
Expected Release Date: September 4, 2012
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Trade
Author’s Website: http://meljeanbrook.com/
My Source for This Book: Edelweiss
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 3, Iron Seas Series
Series Best Read In Order: Works well as a standalone
Steam Level: Warm
Romanceaholic’s Pet Peeves: Preachy
Romanceaholic’s Favorite Tropes: Physically Imperfect or Scarred, Starvation
With one of the most creative steampunk worlds I’ve ever come across, the Iron Seas series as a whole has always been a favorite of mine. I was pleasantly surprised by how well this book stood on its own, even though a part of me was a tiny bit disappointed that some of my favorite characters didn’t make an appearance.
Even so, Annika and David were a truly fantastic couple, both full of their own insecurities and inner strength. I really enjoyed David’s character, in particular, with his many physical enhancements that both made him physically stronger and emotionally more vulnerable.
While I didn’t particularly care for the rather “preachy” undertones that rose to the surface on occasion, I loved the characters and the overall storyline, complete with vivid imagery and wild technology.
Though not my favorite of the series (that will probably always be the novella, Here There Be Monsters in the Burning Up Anthology), this one was still a solidly entertaining installment of the series. New readers shouldn’t fear picking this one up before reading the others, and I would definitely recommend this book to any fan of Romantic Steampunk.
4/5 Stars
November 13, 2022
Annika and David going on adventures, forever and always. They provide each other with a sense of home and belonging and that did my heart good. Also loved how queer this book was (but mind the CWs below). Some elements did not age well but I otherwise enjoyed this rollicking tale.
Note: There is a lot of ableism and internalized ableism around David’s scars and disabilities. A big theme is how David believed no one would ever truly love him for himself (which Annika disproves), as well as people cruelly underestimating or denigrating him. Exercise caution as needed.
Characters: Annika is a bisexual mixed race Icelandic airship first engineer and virgin. (I read her as possibly demisexual.) David is a disabled part-native expedition leader who is infected with nanoagents. (As much as this has a great cover, it unfortunately whitewashes the main characters.) This is set in Iceland.
Content notes: MC near death due to hypothermia and starvation, dubious consent/sexual assault , volcano eruption (past and present), homophobic violence (, homophobia, secondary character who was institutionalized and given electric shock therapy, Mentally Ill Villain trope, ship attack, murder, mass casualties (captured ships, volcano eruption), physical assault, missing sister , disabled MMC (prosthetic legs and arm, as well as left eye implant), facial scars (MMC), ableism, internalized ableism, sexism, FMC was homeless orphan and abducted by a woman from Hannasvik (she views this as being saved and her abductor is her adoptive mother), past death of MMC’s mother (volcano eruption, she died protecting him), workplace abuser (miners), animal death, FMC has burn scar on arm (backed into furnace), past war, past death of secondary character’s husband, purity culture (Hymen Island ), past theft, on page sex, alcohol, gender essentialism, ableist language, mention of infidelity (secondary character), mentions of past Horde frenzies leading to rape
Note: There is a lot of ableism and internalized ableism around David’s scars and disabilities. A big theme is how David believed no one would ever truly love him for himself (which Annika disproves), as well as people cruelly underestimating or denigrating him. Exercise caution as needed.
Characters: Annika is a bisexual mixed race Icelandic airship first engineer and virgin. (I read her as possibly demisexual.) David is a disabled part-native expedition leader who is infected with nanoagents. (As much as this has a great cover, it unfortunately whitewashes the main characters.) This is set in Iceland.
Content notes: MC near death due to hypothermia and starvation, dubious consent/sexual assault , volcano eruption (past and present), homophobic violence (, homophobia, secondary character who was institutionalized and given electric shock therapy, Mentally Ill Villain trope, ship attack, murder, mass casualties (captured ships, volcano eruption), physical assault, missing sister , disabled MMC (prosthetic legs and arm, as well as left eye implant), facial scars (MMC), ableism, internalized ableism, sexism, FMC was homeless orphan and abducted by a woman from Hannasvik (she views this as being saved and her abductor is her adoptive mother), past death of MMC’s mother (volcano eruption, she died protecting him), workplace abuser (miners), animal death, FMC has burn scar on arm (backed into furnace), past war, past death of secondary character’s husband, purity culture (Hymen Island ), past theft, on page sex, alcohol, gender essentialism, ableist language, mention of infidelity (secondary character), mentions of past Horde frenzies leading to rape
May 24, 2018
After just wrapping up Yasmeen and Archimedes story in Heart of Steel and Tethered, I was ready to press on and see what more the Iron Seas steampunk series had for me. This time we were off to Iceland land of volcanoes, secrets, and legends of trolls and witches? Had to see what that was about.
Riveted is book three in the series, but it is a standalone adventure and could be enjoyed separately. I wouldn't recommend it, though, because the overall world of this series is understood by this point so the author pretty much skims on those details to focus on this new aspect of her Iron Seas world.
The story opens with airship boiler engineer, Annika, rescued from a tough situation by volcanologist and explorer, David Kenteweiss. David and his team are taking passage on her ship for Iceland where they are studying volcanic activity. David also has a personal reason. He is searching for his deceased mother's people. Annika is keeping a profound secret that her thoughtlessness cost her deeply for when her sister took the blame and was exiled. Annika is a member of a remote village of women who got away from unbearable past lives now living in Iceland and perpetuating myths to keep the curious away and now David's search and the work of another group threaten to expose the location of her home.
Naturally, this would not be an Iron Seas adventure without colorful new characters, clever steampunk gadgetry, and complex plots that provide some grand excitement and twists. It was definitely all that especially with the first encounter with people of different backgrounds from the previous characters and the new setting.
The thing is, I should have loved this one and I did to a certain extent, but I also felt it dragged in a couple of places. I felt like I was waiting for something to happen for the longest time. The author used this little game between Annika and David to introduce all the ship's crew and David's crew while showing their budding friendship and interest. I tried to be patient with this thinking this would be significant later. Well, erm, it wasn't really.
Now, what I didn't have a lot of patience for was the author using Annika to really browbeat a point which, again, stalled out the story for me. People should be able to love who they love without it being a crime or a social ostracism. I didn't mind the point being made, it was the going on and on about it. Yep, got it the first time. Now, can we get the story, please.
Annika was an interesting heroine. She's not afraid to say or think what most people keep to themselves which makes her socially awkward. She sees herself as this little, scared rabbit and her sister as this fierce warrioress, but the hero makes it clear right away that she's got it wrong. She does what she has to do when the chips are down and she's open about her sexuality which is interesting because she's still a virgin. She thinks she's really this homebody who isn't made for adventures and can't seem to understand she's been on one long adventure since she left home years ago to make her way out in the world while finding her exiled sister.
David was not any less interesting since he's also somewhat awkward. His is due to all the physical augmentation he had done to his body after surviving an explosion that killed his mother who threw herself over him to save him. People are either revolted to look at him or be near him or pity him and in both cases, he is seen as less than a man. Annika's sexual attraction and frank admiration do so much for him. He helps her realize she has strength and courage so they really bring out the best in each other. He also makes her understand that he admires her and will help her protect her vulnerable secrets if she will just trust him. Oh, and once they get past their issues, whew boy, were they hot stuff.
There is an external conflict that is something of a mystery at first and then is gradually revealed when the villain's full plans come out. I actually liked this side of the plot up until then. It lost a lot of its menace when I got the who and the why though was still dangerous for the heroes. There was a few interesting surprises there and a sociopathic villain makes for a great antagonist.
I picked this one up on audio and have enjoyed Alison Larkin's work before. She did a great job with this story. She gives a whimsy and an engaging quality to the story above and beyond the author's writing that only one or two other narrators have done. I was captivated by her accents and ability to do both genders and several voices. She reads more than acts, but does it in a way that I still got the full impact of the audio experience of the book.
All in all, I was glad to get this latest Iron Seas adventure and love that the author takes this series all over the world with its airships, steam-powered contraptions, inventions, and alternate histories. Definitely one of the best steampunk romance series I've read and I'm pressing on for more.
Riveted is book three in the series, but it is a standalone adventure and could be enjoyed separately. I wouldn't recommend it, though, because the overall world of this series is understood by this point so the author pretty much skims on those details to focus on this new aspect of her Iron Seas world.
The story opens with airship boiler engineer, Annika, rescued from a tough situation by volcanologist and explorer, David Kenteweiss. David and his team are taking passage on her ship for Iceland where they are studying volcanic activity. David also has a personal reason. He is searching for his deceased mother's people. Annika is keeping a profound secret that her thoughtlessness cost her deeply for when her sister took the blame and was exiled. Annika is a member of a remote village of women who got away from unbearable past lives now living in Iceland and perpetuating myths to keep the curious away and now David's search and the work of another group threaten to expose the location of her home.
Naturally, this would not be an Iron Seas adventure without colorful new characters, clever steampunk gadgetry, and complex plots that provide some grand excitement and twists. It was definitely all that especially with the first encounter with people of different backgrounds from the previous characters and the new setting.
The thing is, I should have loved this one and I did to a certain extent, but I also felt it dragged in a couple of places. I felt like I was waiting for something to happen for the longest time. The author used this little game between Annika and David to introduce all the ship's crew and David's crew while showing their budding friendship and interest. I tried to be patient with this thinking this would be significant later. Well, erm, it wasn't really.
Now, what I didn't have a lot of patience for was the author using Annika to really browbeat a point which, again, stalled out the story for me. People should be able to love who they love without it being a crime or a social ostracism. I didn't mind the point being made, it was the going on and on about it. Yep, got it the first time. Now, can we get the story, please.
Annika was an interesting heroine. She's not afraid to say or think what most people keep to themselves which makes her socially awkward. She sees herself as this little, scared rabbit and her sister as this fierce warrioress, but the hero makes it clear right away that she's got it wrong. She does what she has to do when the chips are down and she's open about her sexuality which is interesting because she's still a virgin. She thinks she's really this homebody who isn't made for adventures and can't seem to understand she's been on one long adventure since she left home years ago to make her way out in the world while finding her exiled sister.
David was not any less interesting since he's also somewhat awkward. His is due to all the physical augmentation he had done to his body after surviving an explosion that killed his mother who threw herself over him to save him. People are either revolted to look at him or be near him or pity him and in both cases, he is seen as less than a man. Annika's sexual attraction and frank admiration do so much for him. He helps her realize she has strength and courage so they really bring out the best in each other. He also makes her understand that he admires her and will help her protect her vulnerable secrets if she will just trust him. Oh, and once they get past their issues, whew boy, were they hot stuff.
There is an external conflict that is something of a mystery at first and then is gradually revealed when the villain's full plans come out. I actually liked this side of the plot up until then. It lost a lot of its menace when I got the who and the why though was still dangerous for the heroes. There was a few interesting surprises there and a sociopathic villain makes for a great antagonist.
I picked this one up on audio and have enjoyed Alison Larkin's work before. She did a great job with this story. She gives a whimsy and an engaging quality to the story above and beyond the author's writing that only one or two other narrators have done. I was captivated by her accents and ability to do both genders and several voices. She reads more than acts, but does it in a way that I still got the full impact of the audio experience of the book.
All in all, I was glad to get this latest Iron Seas adventure and love that the author takes this series all over the world with its airships, steam-powered contraptions, inventions, and alternate histories. Definitely one of the best steampunk romance series I've read and I'm pressing on for more.
December 26, 2023
2.5 ☆
Such a disappointment. I loved book one and two in the series but this was just dull and boring and not a lot happened really not much action to talk of. The writing style felt different more prose, more unnecesary discriptions. The characters are mediocre at best and annoying at their worst.
Such a disappointment. I loved book one and two in the series but this was just dull and boring and not a lot happened really not much action to talk of. The writing style felt different more prose, more unnecesary discriptions. The characters are mediocre at best and annoying at their worst.
January 6, 2013
The thing I enjoy most about this series is that it's a very well balanced mix between the romance and actual story. The stories are usually swashbuckling adventure jaunts within a rich and engaging steampunk alternative history Earth. This book, Riveted, was no different.
I enjoyed the juxtaposition between sociological views in our world and the corresponding views in the Riveted world, and especially appreciated the "love is love" message that was very clear yet not too preachy.
The steam and mech tech is always fascinating in this series. It usually sets my imagination flying in a way that reminds me of my early days reading Heinlein. In the first book in this series I found the tech and the sociological aspects of the world building to be quite dark and gritty. I'm not sure if I've just grown accustomed to the world and therefore don't find it so jarring or if the books have changed and lightened up a bit.
I think perhaps the difference is that in the first book all the enhanced individuals were that way by force, by an enemy that had stolen their free will and turned them into a hive mind, but the subsequent books have been about people getting along in the aftermath of that, learning to adjust to a world with that tech but free will intact or restored. Maybe what I found gritty and dark was the enforced collective consciousness, not so much the enforced tech.
Either way, this is a world that I enjoy exploring. Brooks' romances are engaging enough to keep you interested and rooting for the protagonists but not so sappy to make you think you are reading the book in spite of the romance, and the stories the romances are wrapped in are always way above average and engaging in their own right.
4 to 4.5 stars.
I enjoyed the juxtaposition between sociological views in our world and the corresponding views in the Riveted world, and especially appreciated the "love is love" message that was very clear yet not too preachy.
The steam and mech tech is always fascinating in this series. It usually sets my imagination flying in a way that reminds me of my early days reading Heinlein. In the first book in this series I found the tech and the sociological aspects of the world building to be quite dark and gritty. I'm not sure if I've just grown accustomed to the world and therefore don't find it so jarring or if the books have changed and lightened up a bit.
I think perhaps the difference is that in the first book all the enhanced individuals were that way by force, by an enemy that had stolen their free will and turned them into a hive mind, but the subsequent books have been about people getting along in the aftermath of that, learning to adjust to a world with that tech but free will intact or restored. Maybe what I found gritty and dark was the enforced collective consciousness, not so much the enforced tech.
Either way, this is a world that I enjoy exploring. Brooks' romances are engaging enough to keep you interested and rooting for the protagonists but not so sappy to make you think you are reading the book in spite of the romance, and the stories the romances are wrapped in are always way above average and engaging in their own right.
4 to 4.5 stars.
Read
January 30, 2013Well, that was a hot bath and a cup of tea on a rainy day of a book.
Hero - not an asshat! Heroine - not stupid! How amazing that that's remarkable. The worldbuilding is laugh-out-loud charming, the plot happens at the proper pace, there's a dastardly villain and just enough complexity to keep it from getting dull - all in all, pretty much perfect for what it sets out to be.
...that said. Yes, it's got that kind of prim political correctness about -isms that leads to easy answers that I don't think do the cause much service, in the way that literature is supposed to. Then some of the character angles it sets up could have been...weightier, or were wiggled out to easily. Let's just say the sex scenes could have been a hell of a lot more interesting if they'd been primarily from David's perspective, and The romance, of course, is endlessly convenient, but that's ok.
Like, the book is good enough that i'm almost kind of torn - on the one hand, why am I reading about sweet romance and giant mechanical trolls and mad scientists and secret lesbian communes when theres all this great stuff all over the place that could be a darker and more intense story about vulnerability, technology, masculinity, secrecy, society, etc, whatever, and with themes and whathaveyou and everything? On the other hand, dude, giant mechanical trolls and mad scientists and secret lesbian communes!
I guess overall it pretty much manages to hit a good balance. Maybe there is a messier, more conceptual book tucked somewhere in there, but it very possible that it wouldn't be as enjoyable. I'll take what I can get.
Hero - not an asshat! Heroine - not stupid! How amazing that that's remarkable. The worldbuilding is laugh-out-loud charming, the plot happens at the proper pace, there's a dastardly villain and just enough complexity to keep it from getting dull - all in all, pretty much perfect for what it sets out to be.
...that said. Yes, it's got that kind of prim political correctness about -isms that leads to easy answers that I don't think do the cause much service, in the way that literature is supposed to. Then some of the character angles it sets up could have been...weightier, or were wiggled out to easily. Let's just say the sex scenes could have been a hell of a lot more interesting if they'd been primarily from David's perspective, and The romance, of course, is endlessly convenient, but that's ok.
Like, the book is good enough that i'm almost kind of torn - on the one hand, why am I reading about sweet romance and giant mechanical trolls and mad scientists and secret lesbian communes when theres all this great stuff all over the place that could be a darker and more intense story about vulnerability, technology, masculinity, secrecy, society, etc, whatever, and with themes and whathaveyou and everything? On the other hand, dude, giant mechanical trolls and mad scientists and secret lesbian communes!
I guess overall it pretty much manages to hit a good balance. Maybe there is a messier, more conceptual book tucked somewhere in there, but it very possible that it wouldn't be as enjoyable. I'll take what I can get.
October 20, 2012
Meljean Brook delivers a stellar love story that is slow- burning but utterly romantic and satisfying. The yearning that both parties feel is translated so well on the pages that readers feel increased anticipation as they wait to see what happens next.
RIVETED begins a little slowly, warming up to the world and introducing these new characters and forging a bond between them. It isn't until half the book has passed that readers are completely sucked into the world that Brook has created. Such a vivid imagination that Meljean has! Creating a world so vastly different from ours piques the curiosity of readers, but the real talent lies in Brook's ability to conjure up these scenes and make them feel real.
Readers who are searching for that perfect steampunk romance will be thrilled to find everything RIVETED. Fascinating worlds, a misunderstood villain and of course, a passionate love story -- Meljean Brook has delivered it all in a perfectly polished platter, yours for the taking!
Read this review in its entirety at Fresh Fiction
RIVETED begins a little slowly, warming up to the world and introducing these new characters and forging a bond between them. It isn't until half the book has passed that readers are completely sucked into the world that Brook has created. Such a vivid imagination that Meljean has! Creating a world so vastly different from ours piques the curiosity of readers, but the real talent lies in Brook's ability to conjure up these scenes and make them feel real.
Readers who are searching for that perfect steampunk romance will be thrilled to find everything RIVETED. Fascinating worlds, a misunderstood villain and of course, a passionate love story -- Meljean Brook has delivered it all in a perfectly polished platter, yours for the taking!
Read this review in its entirety at Fresh Fiction
September 22, 2012
I don't know what to say about this book that probably hasn't been said better by other reviewers. I loved it. The world-building isn't as intense as The Iron Duke, but the author makes good use of the foundations she built in the previous books. What is especially wonderful about Riveted is how different the story and the characters are from her earlier books. Even being set in the same world, the main characters in Riveted are very different types of people than ones we've seen before. Even toughened by difficult lives, they both have a certain warmth and humanity about them.
Riveted has great action, wonderful new gadgets, and interesting new characters, and it also has a very sweet love story. I hope we get to revisit Iceland and out new friends in future Iron Seas novels.
Riveted has great action, wonderful new gadgets, and interesting new characters, and it also has a very sweet love story. I hope we get to revisit Iceland and out new friends in future Iron Seas novels.
September 2, 2016
Audiobook
Alison Larkin did a great job narrating this book. I was impressed how she could get around all of the different accents. The story itself was good. Not as a criticism, but I didn't realize that there were so many sex scenes in these books (or is it just this one). Well written, but I was a little surprised. The story itself was good. The bad guy was absolutely awful, almost too much. But enjoyed the book even with that criticism. Looking forward to listening/reading the entire series.
Alison Larkin did a great job narrating this book. I was impressed how she could get around all of the different accents. The story itself was good. Not as a criticism, but I didn't realize that there were so many sex scenes in these books (or is it just this one). Well written, but I was a little surprised. The story itself was good. The bad guy was absolutely awful, almost too much. But enjoyed the book even with that criticism. Looking forward to listening/reading the entire series.
October 16, 2012
4.5/5.0
I really enjoyed this installment in the Iron Seas series. It had a different setting and feel to it. It is definitely one of my favorites. I enjoyed the way it blended social issues into the story. The action was great ( I actually caught myself sitting on the edge of my chair bent over my kindle, caught up in the excitement of what was happening in the story - lol), the main characters are engaging and the romance very sweet. This is currently my favorite steampunk series.
I really enjoyed this installment in the Iron Seas series. It had a different setting and feel to it. It is definitely one of my favorites. I enjoyed the way it blended social issues into the story. The action was great ( I actually caught myself sitting on the edge of my chair bent over my kindle, caught up in the excitement of what was happening in the story - lol), the main characters are engaging and the romance very sweet. This is currently my favorite steampunk series.
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