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OverLondon #1
OverLondon
“A delightful romp, chock-full of wonderfully bonkers ideas.” C.K. (Caimh) McDonnell, author of The Stranger Times and the Bunny McGarry series.
"If Spike Milligan and Terry Pratchett had ever got round to a collaboration it might read like OverLondon.” Heide Goody, author of the Oddjobs and Sam Applewhite series.
“The most fun you can have in the safety of a book. A rollicking good read!” Kaaron Warren, best selling and award winning author of Bitters .
•••
Priests from OverLondon's Church of Vengeful Acquisition are exploding. Is the cause divine retribution, ballistic undergarments or something more sinister? If only the city had a professional private investigator…
Luckily, notorious pirate—turned privateer—Captain Alex Reign, has just narrowly escaped the hang man’s noose to establish the Reign Agency in Drury Lane. She needs cash fast and will take any job, even if failure means facing an inconveniently messy end. But what's a little danger to a professional swashbuckler?
Armed with nothing but her roguish wit, her reliably unreliable crew and a rogue artificer experiencing a mortal crisis, Alex is convinced they'll have this crime solved and the reward pocketed by teatime.
To solve their first case, all they must do is survive while navigating rampaging nuns, clockwork horrors, confectionary gangsters, piratical florists, malevolent urchins, military-grade statuary, weaponized blasphemy and sexual whales.
How hard can it possibly be?
"If Spike Milligan and Terry Pratchett had ever got round to a collaboration it might read like OverLondon.” Heide Goody, author of the Oddjobs and Sam Applewhite series.
“The most fun you can have in the safety of a book. A rollicking good read!” Kaaron Warren, best selling and award winning author of Bitters .
•••
Priests from OverLondon's Church of Vengeful Acquisition are exploding. Is the cause divine retribution, ballistic undergarments or something more sinister? If only the city had a professional private investigator…
Luckily, notorious pirate—turned privateer—Captain Alex Reign, has just narrowly escaped the hang man’s noose to establish the Reign Agency in Drury Lane. She needs cash fast and will take any job, even if failure means facing an inconveniently messy end. But what's a little danger to a professional swashbuckler?
Armed with nothing but her roguish wit, her reliably unreliable crew and a rogue artificer experiencing a mortal crisis, Alex is convinced they'll have this crime solved and the reward pocketed by teatime.
To solve their first case, all they must do is survive while navigating rampaging nuns, clockwork horrors, confectionary gangsters, piratical florists, malevolent urchins, military-grade statuary, weaponized blasphemy and sexual whales.
How hard can it possibly be?
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2023
163 people are currently reading
342 people want to read
About the author
George Penney
1 book37 followersGeorge Penney is a best-selling comedy fiction author who was once saved from being a bunny-slipper-wearing academic by an unexpected three book publishing deal. She’s a driven workaholic who spends her spare time voraciously reading and researching for fun—when she’s not actively trying to wind up her partner-in-crime and co-writer, Tony Johnson.
George has lived a determinedly eccentric life, spanning over fifty places around the globe and blames her life choices on watching the Indiana Jones movies at an impressionable age. While no rolling boulders were available, she’s found her fair share of adventure, including being chased by a rock wielding mob, being nearly rammed off the road in a high-speed chase, and almost being poisoned by a spitting cobra. She once rescued a kitten from a troop of hungry monkeys.
She loves English, Scottish and Irish comedy, will fight to her death for a morning cup of tea, would cuddle an entire zoo if she could, adores staying up late debating philosophy, enjoys world cinema, absurd anime and new music every day. She considers both Ripley and the Alien Queen to be strong female role models.
She is utterly obsessed with sharks and would like to be eaten on her hundredth birthday by a low-flying great white.
George has lived a determinedly eccentric life, spanning over fifty places around the globe and blames her life choices on watching the Indiana Jones movies at an impressionable age. While no rolling boulders were available, she’s found her fair share of adventure, including being chased by a rock wielding mob, being nearly rammed off the road in a high-speed chase, and almost being poisoned by a spitting cobra. She once rescued a kitten from a troop of hungry monkeys.
She loves English, Scottish and Irish comedy, will fight to her death for a morning cup of tea, would cuddle an entire zoo if she could, adores staying up late debating philosophy, enjoys world cinema, absurd anime and new music every day. She considers both Ripley and the Alien Queen to be strong female role models.
She is utterly obsessed with sharks and would like to be eaten on her hundredth birthday by a low-flying great white.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
August 21, 2023
An entertaining romp that is a sort of alternate historical London with steampunk vibes, lots of satire, and a lady pirate turned privateer or"private ear" who solves a mystery involving exploding priests. It's silly and fun and very British, with a mystery plot engine that keeps things interesting. If you like Terry Pratchett you will probably enjoy this as well. It's got a lot of casually queer characters and plays with gender in ways that are both entertaining and subversive. (Like having a large man who has become a nun, joining the "Bad Habits" and being called sister but still identifying as male.) If this vibe seems appealing to you, definitely check it out. There's also plenty of space for it to become a series where notorious lady Pirate Purple Rain and her crew solve more mysteries. The audio narration is also delightful. I received an audio review copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own.
August 6, 2023
I was offered a copy of the audiobook and digital ARC from the publisher, Swashbuckler Press, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions discussed are my own and are subjective to myself as a reader.
What do exploding priests, floating cities, pirates and a Vengeful Queen all have in common? They all make an appearance in OVERLONDON, a Reign Agency Investigation novel by authors George Penney and Tony Johnson.
Dread Pirate Purple Reign (yes, I immediately starting singing "Purple Rain" in my head too) has been pardoned by the Academic Council and granted the title of privateer for services to the city. When a priest spontaneously explodes during a sermon, Alex and her crew get their first client: a seamstress who wants to make sure no one found out she made the priest's undergarments....you know, the red satin ones that were frowned upon by the Church of Vengeful Acquisition.
As you may have guessed, this mystery is wrapped in hijinks and hilarity. The audiobook is narrated by the wonderfully talented Brendan McDonald, so each character has its own unique voice, accent and inflection. This was my first experience reading work by the author team George Penney and Tony Johnson and let's just say that I am eagerly awaiting their next joint adventure with the Reign Agency.
Former Dread Pirate Reign and her crew are a delightful bunch of unique characters that I found endearing and hilarious. I've always been a sucker for the found family trope and this ragtag pirate crew was no exception. Part of OverLondon's population is a mixed race of people who have woodland creature genetics, which was a really fun bit of spice for the character element of the story. Readers get to meet so many characters in all walks of life in the various areas of class and society and they're so well written that it was easy to keep up with who was who. I would love to see this book adapted to a film or tv series.
The Church of Vengeful Acquisition is the real governing body of OverLondon and all live in fear of the Vengeful Queen and Mother Superior whether they're religious or not. One must pay for every prayer, every blessing, even their heavenly home for when they let go of their mortal coil. (Though surviving family members may be able to "rent" out the extra room of that heavenly home...lol) It seemed that everyone worked to pay the Church. Those that balked got the kitten treatment. (Which was only rivaled to getting "the carrot" from Big Ivan.)
((Though The Clockmaker can't be counted out with his employment requirements.))
The characters and humor are not the only shining things about this delightful book. I actually really enjoyed the mystery that was at the heart of the story. I have to confess that I never came close to guessing who the villain(s) were, but then again, Alex Reign didn't either, lol.
This book is an absolute delight that will appeal to a wide audience, young and old. If you enjoy a good mystery featuring pirates, airships, gin and danger around every corner - this one is one for you. Get ready to have a swashbuckling good time and a lot of laughs as you make your way through this steampunk fantasy!
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this review and many more on my website, https://www.thenerdynarrative.com or if you prefer video format, you can find those on my BookTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/thenerdynarra...
What do exploding priests, floating cities, pirates and a Vengeful Queen all have in common? They all make an appearance in OVERLONDON, a Reign Agency Investigation novel by authors George Penney and Tony Johnson.
"Right crew. As you know, we have our first job. It's not exactly a job we know how to do, but it's a job nonetheless!"
Dread Pirate Purple Reign (yes, I immediately starting singing "Purple Rain" in my head too) has been pardoned by the Academic Council and granted the title of privateer for services to the city. When a priest spontaneously explodes during a sermon, Alex and her crew get their first client: a seamstress who wants to make sure no one found out she made the priest's undergarments....you know, the red satin ones that were frowned upon by the Church of Vengeful Acquisition.
As you may have guessed, this mystery is wrapped in hijinks and hilarity. The audiobook is narrated by the wonderfully talented Brendan McDonald, so each character has its own unique voice, accent and inflection. This was my first experience reading work by the author team George Penney and Tony Johnson and let's just say that I am eagerly awaiting their next joint adventure with the Reign Agency.
Former Dread Pirate Reign and her crew are a delightful bunch of unique characters that I found endearing and hilarious. I've always been a sucker for the found family trope and this ragtag pirate crew was no exception. Part of OverLondon's population is a mixed race of people who have woodland creature genetics, which was a really fun bit of spice for the character element of the story. Readers get to meet so many characters in all walks of life in the various areas of class and society and they're so well written that it was easy to keep up with who was who. I would love to see this book adapted to a film or tv series.
The Church of Vengeful Acquisition is the real governing body of OverLondon and all live in fear of the Vengeful Queen and Mother Superior whether they're religious or not. One must pay for every prayer, every blessing, even their heavenly home for when they let go of their mortal coil. (Though surviving family members may be able to "rent" out the extra room of that heavenly home...lol) It seemed that everyone worked to pay the Church. Those that balked got the kitten treatment. (Which was only rivaled to getting "the carrot" from Big Ivan.)
((Though The Clockmaker can't be counted out with his employment requirements.))
The characters and humor are not the only shining things about this delightful book. I actually really enjoyed the mystery that was at the heart of the story. I have to confess that I never came close to guessing who the villain(s) were, but then again, Alex Reign didn't either, lol.
This book is an absolute delight that will appeal to a wide audience, young and old. If you enjoy a good mystery featuring pirates, airships, gin and danger around every corner - this one is one for you. Get ready to have a swashbuckling good time and a lot of laughs as you make your way through this steampunk fantasy!
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this review and many more on my website, https://www.thenerdynarrative.com or if you prefer video format, you can find those on my BookTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/thenerdynarra...
September 15, 2023
OverLondon is a fantastical adventure filled with sarcasm, satire, and silliness. The story follows former Dread Pirate Purple Reign, now privateer Captain Alex Reign, and her misfit crew as they try to earn/steal enough money to get back their airship, which is being held by the government until back taxes are collected. Meanwhile, priests from the Church of Vengeful Acquisition are miraculously exploding, street urchins are missing, and a rogue artificer apprentice is on the brink of prosthetic innovation.
Set in a quasi-historical floating version of London, OverLondon adds several twists to the city’s historical districts, leaders, and religion, all in the name of comedic excellency. The story is filled with humor, using satire and word play, to bring lightness to the deadly mission, discovering who is exploding priests and how it’s being accomplished. Some of my favorites are the names of the beadles in the various districts of OverLondon. For example, Theatreland district has Ushers, Lepers, “created” by The Clockmaker who augments them with metal parts, are the enforcers in Whitechapel, and the Bad Habits police all church-related matters. Adding to the general silliness of the setting are the not-quite human denizens (in the 16th century woodland creatures started to mix genetics with humans).
While I was a bit overwhelmed with the science, characters, and setting at first, once I was able to figure out the humor and various character personalities, I enjoyed the story. The mystery and plot are smartly written, and just because something is silly, doesn’t mean it’s arbitrary. However, it may not be for everyone. The world building and storytelling are very much in the vein of Terry Pratchett, where anything goes. In the end, I enjoyed following Alex, Elias, and the crew work together and forge new/strengthen old friendships.
OverLondon is a standalone mystery, but I for one hope the authors continue the story of the Reign Agency. The characters are lovable and the setting is unique. Overall the book is enjoyable and funny, even silly at times. If you enjoy Pratchett, you should definitely pick up OverLondon.
My Rating: B/B+
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by publisher.
Set in a quasi-historical floating version of London, OverLondon adds several twists to the city’s historical districts, leaders, and religion, all in the name of comedic excellency. The story is filled with humor, using satire and word play, to bring lightness to the deadly mission, discovering who is exploding priests and how it’s being accomplished. Some of my favorites are the names of the beadles in the various districts of OverLondon. For example, Theatreland district has Ushers, Lepers, “created” by The Clockmaker who augments them with metal parts, are the enforcers in Whitechapel, and the Bad Habits police all church-related matters. Adding to the general silliness of the setting are the not-quite human denizens (in the 16th century woodland creatures started to mix genetics with humans).
While I was a bit overwhelmed with the science, characters, and setting at first, once I was able to figure out the humor and various character personalities, I enjoyed the story. The mystery and plot are smartly written, and just because something is silly, doesn’t mean it’s arbitrary. However, it may not be for everyone. The world building and storytelling are very much in the vein of Terry Pratchett, where anything goes. In the end, I enjoyed following Alex, Elias, and the crew work together and forge new/strengthen old friendships.
OverLondon is a standalone mystery, but I for one hope the authors continue the story of the Reign Agency. The characters are lovable and the setting is unique. Overall the book is enjoyable and funny, even silly at times. If you enjoy Pratchett, you should definitely pick up OverLondon.
My Rating: B/B+
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by publisher.
September 23, 2023
*I received a free copy of this book, with thanks to the authors and Swashbuckler Press. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
I bloody LOVE this book!
In fact, I love it so much that despite having received a free review e-copy, I went ahead and purchased the paperback and audiobook versions as well, for my keep shelf and bedtime listening, thereby putting my money right where my mouth is! And if you follow me on social media, you will know that my mouth has been raving about this book over there already.
In terms of the camaraderie, humour and characters, I was reminded of one of my favourite books, Time to be Gonagain by AJ Farrelly, and the setting, plot and style paid homage to my all-time favourite author, Sir Terry Pratchett. Yet George Penney and Tony Johnson have brought their own fresh style and unique worldbuilding to create something new and exciting for comic fantasy (and mystery) fans.
The plot follows ex-pirate-turned-privateer-turned-private-ear Alex “Purple” Reign and her remaining crew (sidekick Sid and half-ferret Flora) as they romp through the floating city of OverLondon, dodging debts and dodgy guilds, attempting to find out who (or what) is causing priests to explode and make an almost-honest buck to buy back their ship.
Meanwhile, rogue artificer Elias is approaching the same problem but from a completely different angle – how are the priests being exploded and what could be making their life-extending trinkets (small and very useful aquatic creatures) detach from the unlucky clerics just before they blow?
Set in an alternate timeline, where Anne beheaded Henry and became a goddess of her own (Vengeful Queen) religion, and rocks were discovered that floated, entirely unlike bricks, to elevate major cities worldwide, there is so much scope for further stories among the sugar-dealers and terrifyingly adapted Lepers of OverLondon that I get breathless just thinking about it!
If you, like me, love the writing of authors like Heide Goody and Ciamh McDonald (who both incidentally endorsed this novel!) then this book is your next favourite read and you should definitely buy it now, in any or all formats!
And now I’m off for a nice little sit down and a calming cuppa, before my exclamation marks get thoroughly over-excited and I run the risk of popping myself!!!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
I bloody LOVE this book!
In fact, I love it so much that despite having received a free review e-copy, I went ahead and purchased the paperback and audiobook versions as well, for my keep shelf and bedtime listening, thereby putting my money right where my mouth is! And if you follow me on social media, you will know that my mouth has been raving about this book over there already.
In terms of the camaraderie, humour and characters, I was reminded of one of my favourite books, Time to be Gonagain by AJ Farrelly, and the setting, plot and style paid homage to my all-time favourite author, Sir Terry Pratchett. Yet George Penney and Tony Johnson have brought their own fresh style and unique worldbuilding to create something new and exciting for comic fantasy (and mystery) fans.
The plot follows ex-pirate-turned-privateer-turned-private-ear Alex “Purple” Reign and her remaining crew (sidekick Sid and half-ferret Flora) as they romp through the floating city of OverLondon, dodging debts and dodgy guilds, attempting to find out who (or what) is causing priests to explode and make an almost-honest buck to buy back their ship.
Meanwhile, rogue artificer Elias is approaching the same problem but from a completely different angle – how are the priests being exploded and what could be making their life-extending trinkets (small and very useful aquatic creatures) detach from the unlucky clerics just before they blow?
Set in an alternate timeline, where Anne beheaded Henry and became a goddess of her own (Vengeful Queen) religion, and rocks were discovered that floated, entirely unlike bricks, to elevate major cities worldwide, there is so much scope for further stories among the sugar-dealers and terrifyingly adapted Lepers of OverLondon that I get breathless just thinking about it!
If you, like me, love the writing of authors like Heide Goody and Ciamh McDonald (who both incidentally endorsed this novel!) then this book is your next favourite read and you should definitely buy it now, in any or all formats!
And now I’m off for a nice little sit down and a calming cuppa, before my exclamation marks get thoroughly over-excited and I run the risk of popping myself!!!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
Read
August 4, 2023Hello, George Penney here,
If you're wondering if this is going to be an author reviewing a copy of their own novel, never fear!
While I assure you that OverLondon is a rather funny and transportive story for the ages—or at least the 11 hours or so it takes to read it—I'm actually here to tell you about a couple of pretty marvellous things:
The first is about the OverLondon audiobook.
"Audiobook?" You ask quizzically.
"Narrated by Brendan McDonald, who also does C.K. McDonnell's brilliant Stranger Times series." I reply with a very proud grin. "He even does the voices and everything! And people have been saying some very nice things about it."
"Where can I get this wondrous thing?!" You ask, more excited now because surely you've heard how excellent C.K. McDonnell's Stranger Times audiobooks are.
"Well, you can go to www.overlondon.net where we've got all the different store links for the ebook, print and audio. Or you can just go to your favourite audiobook place and look it up. Just make sure you type in "OverLondon" combined with "George Penney" or "Tony Johnson" especially on Amazon, because Amazon thinks OverLondon is a typo, which it isn't... I checked. Honest.
The second thing to tell you about is "The Tourist Guide to OverLondon" which all people who subscribe to our OverLondon Cry newsletter receive for free.
Written in consultation with junior rat catching apprentice Protuberance Linus Crouchend, the "OverLondon Tourist's Guide" has all the information an intrepid visitor to the city of OverLondon would need. Including where to eat, the best cultural bits and even some handy hints about safety! Oh, and rats! Who could forget the magnificent variety of unique rat breeds in the city? Not Protuberance, that's a fact.
You can find it here: https://www.overlondon.net/visitors-g...
The OverLondon Cry is a pretty spiffy newsletter. It's got obscure and bizarre history facts, OverLondon's latest news and the odd bit of information about we two swashbuckling barbarian authors who make this universe work.
And finally, well I'd like to just say thank you for taking the time to either read, or think about reading our book. We wrote it hoping to entertain and amuse in a world that sometimes feels a bit grim. If we managed that, our job is done. If we didn't, that's okay too! We still appreciate your time and consideration.
Make It Reign!
George Penney
If you're wondering if this is going to be an author reviewing a copy of their own novel, never fear!
While I assure you that OverLondon is a rather funny and transportive story for the ages—or at least the 11 hours or so it takes to read it—I'm actually here to tell you about a couple of pretty marvellous things:
The first is about the OverLondon audiobook.
"Audiobook?" You ask quizzically.
"Narrated by Brendan McDonald, who also does C.K. McDonnell's brilliant Stranger Times series." I reply with a very proud grin. "He even does the voices and everything! And people have been saying some very nice things about it."
"Where can I get this wondrous thing?!" You ask, more excited now because surely you've heard how excellent C.K. McDonnell's Stranger Times audiobooks are.
"Well, you can go to www.overlondon.net where we've got all the different store links for the ebook, print and audio. Or you can just go to your favourite audiobook place and look it up. Just make sure you type in "OverLondon" combined with "George Penney" or "Tony Johnson" especially on Amazon, because Amazon thinks OverLondon is a typo, which it isn't... I checked. Honest.
The second thing to tell you about is "The Tourist Guide to OverLondon" which all people who subscribe to our OverLondon Cry newsletter receive for free.
Written in consultation with junior rat catching apprentice Protuberance Linus Crouchend, the "OverLondon Tourist's Guide" has all the information an intrepid visitor to the city of OverLondon would need. Including where to eat, the best cultural bits and even some handy hints about safety! Oh, and rats! Who could forget the magnificent variety of unique rat breeds in the city? Not Protuberance, that's a fact.
You can find it here: https://www.overlondon.net/visitors-g...
The OverLondon Cry is a pretty spiffy newsletter. It's got obscure and bizarre history facts, OverLondon's latest news and the odd bit of information about we two swashbuckling barbarian authors who make this universe work.
And finally, well I'd like to just say thank you for taking the time to either read, or think about reading our book. We wrote it hoping to entertain and amuse in a world that sometimes feels a bit grim. If we managed that, our job is done. If we didn't, that's okay too! We still appreciate your time and consideration.
Make It Reign!
George Penney
September 12, 2023
Thanks so much to Swashbuckler Press for the advanced reading copy! I enjoyed this book so so much. It’s a brilliantly crafted story and plot which is funny, entertaining and endearing all at the same time. The world that’s created is fantastic, and the different groups of characters are great. The main characters (Alex, Elias, Sid and Flora) are so great too, you can’t help but fall in love with them. I loved the writing style which really helped me imagine everything so vividly and at times I felt like I wanted to be right there in this mad world with the gang! It’s both m weird and bonkers but for me that made it all the better and even more fun! I will definitely be waiting for the next in the series, and can’t wait for more people to read this!
May 25, 2023
An amazingly written zany adventure for lovers of all things weird and entertaining! A lovely diverse cast of well-developed, vibrant characters, and imaginative environments! As well as a plethora of wonderfully strange and creative ideas executed with the most delightful sense of humour!
Flora and Captain Reign will always hold a special place in my heart!
A great recommendation for anyone looking for a well-written, fun, fantasy whodunnit adventure!
Thanks to Swashbucker Press for the ARC!!!!
Flora and Captain Reign will always hold a special place in my heart!
A great recommendation for anyone looking for a well-written, fun, fantasy whodunnit adventure!
Thanks to Swashbucker Press for the ARC!!!!
May 30, 2023
A feisty lady-pirate captain—this is catnip for mel! Love the steampunk vibe and the irreverent humour involving historical figures and organisations in London.
Fans of Monty Python comedy (or humour that offers a bit of social commentary) will love this one and get caught up in the mystery of the exploding naughty priests.
This one had me laughing at something on every page :)
Fans of Monty Python comedy (or humour that offers a bit of social commentary) will love this one and get caught up in the mystery of the exploding naughty priests.
This one had me laughing at something on every page :)
October 9, 2023
A murder mystery wrapped in wonderful ideas, social commentary, and shenanigans. A wonderful romp of a book.
Enjoy and don’t forget your Axiom Wig Powder!
Enjoy and don’t forget your Axiom Wig Powder!
March 1, 2024
So much fun. Truly original and entertaining.
June 28, 2023
3.75 stars
Thanks to the Editor. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I would be back with a more complete review soon, but I need to write down some thoughts on it before forgetting everything. My memory can be a disaster, for sure!
Anyway, the book... it is brilliant! There are so many amazing things in OverLondon that would make you dizzy, but in the best possible way!
If you are looking, you'll see some inspiration from Pratchett's books, but not in the wrong way (like this book tries to copy something else or something on this line), because this book is highly original! But you can find something that remember you of Pratchett, like an homage or, as I said, inspiration. And it is so good!
I think that my absolute favorite thing in this book was the world. Mind me, we have some interesting characters for sure, since we have a former pirate now privateer, her crew (and Sid is something for sure, even if I am not really sure about what this something is, but Flora is amazing and you need to meet her) and a former artificer with some innovative ideas. And this mix is everything!
And the villains and the criminals are... oh so brilliant! Aside from Count Mendacium, who is the more "normal" of the bad guys in this book, the others are so unique, and amazing and brilliant! You just need to meet them!
And the plot is also quite interesting since we have a mystery or two to solve and we see our MCs going around trying to discover why some priests are exploding on their own. Yep, exploding priests. You read that right!
Anyway, the characters and plot are good, but exploring this world, learning about the bonker alternative history that happened there and discovering all the different woodkins that inhabit OverLondon with the humans, and seeing how the criminal underworld works are... pure bliss!
Thanks to the Editor. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I would be back with a more complete review soon, but I need to write down some thoughts on it before forgetting everything. My memory can be a disaster, for sure!
Anyway, the book... it is brilliant! There are so many amazing things in OverLondon that would make you dizzy, but in the best possible way!
If you are looking, you'll see some inspiration from Pratchett's books, but not in the wrong way (like this book tries to copy something else or something on this line), because this book is highly original! But you can find something that remember you of Pratchett, like an homage or, as I said, inspiration. And it is so good!
I think that my absolute favorite thing in this book was the world. Mind me, we have some interesting characters for sure, since we have a former pirate now privateer, her crew (and Sid is something for sure, even if I am not really sure about what this something is, but Flora is amazing and you need to meet her) and a former artificer with some innovative ideas. And this mix is everything!
And the villains and the criminals are... oh so brilliant! Aside from Count Mendacium, who is the more "normal" of the bad guys in this book, the others are so unique, and amazing and brilliant! You just need to meet them!
And the plot is also quite interesting since we have a mystery or two to solve and we see our MCs going around trying to discover why some priests are exploding on their own. Yep, exploding priests. You read that right!
Anyway, the characters and plot are good, but exploring this world, learning about the bonker alternative history that happened there and discovering all the different woodkins that inhabit OverLondon with the humans, and seeing how the criminal underworld works are... pure bliss!
June 29, 2023
This was an absolute joy. It is a well structured comic-fantasy novel set in a madcap world that has hints of Terry Pratchett but is still very much its own book.
The novel does a great job of introducing you to the world and its characters while still guiding you through a mystery. There is a lot going on and a lot being presented to you but you never feel overwhelmed.
The novel does a great job of introducing you to the world and its characters while still guiding you through a mystery. There is a lot going on and a lot being presented to you but you never feel overwhelmed.
February 27, 2024
Reviewer’s – this one’s, at least – worst nightmare is promising someone nice to review a book that turns out to just be bad. I feel I can’t DNF and one-star it, because I promised. There’s little to be said that isn’t, well, “buk bad, don’t buy buk, but nicely.” If it were middling, at least, I would be able to wrap my real feelings into a cocoon of sentences that mean little, such as “very promising beginning” or “a rather exciting plot twist…”
My greatest pleasure, on the other hand, is finding a book that I can wholeheartedly love, but it has just enough problems (one) that I don’t sound like I was hired to advertise it. This. This is that book.
Welcome to OverLondon, where in his alternative timeline (possibly in OverLondon…?) Sir Terry Pratchett was born to work on the 80s BBCs sitcoms, including, but by far not limited to, ’Allo ‘Allo. I had this book on my e-reader for, uh, yes, a while. I was a bit afraid that it wouldn’t be good. Humour is subjective. If you want to know what the future will definitely not bring, I’m your man. I’d probably have a prosperous business in OverLondon. I started reading late in the evening, nearly wet my pants from laughing so hard before finishing page two, and realised that if I want to get sleepy, ever, I have to avoid this book after 11pm.
I try not to give spoilers, so I’ll just say that the worldbuilding is astounding. There’s so much imagination and imagery in OverLondon, most of it not (too) disturbing. I love the trinkets. I love the idea of OverLondon (and OverParis, and OverKrakow…) I love Alex the Dread Currently Private Ear Purple Reign. Actually, I love all of the characters, because they’re over-the-top stereotypical and fleshed out. The main villain, who is a villainous villain of the villainous variety, makes me roar with laughter with his Clever Schemes even before he takes to speaking in special accent to confuse Sid, who, in his defence, is easily confused. I have a crush on Gregor, who is, embarrassingly, a badger-man. At least, unlike my other crush, Alex, he’s not a woman. (Not that Alex likes being called that.)
Sometimes, running jokes – in general, not here – overstay their welcome. The one about Alex’s height was just about to become irritating when it fades out – exactly at the right time. The Ye Olde Englishe stayed around just a bit too long (Elias’s notes killed the fun for me). And the beginning does feature the words that make me develop hives: “As you know.” But for every Mortalitye Poole there’s a Big Basil the Faulty Clock and the best (worst) clothing. And the Cries. Also, where HL Tinsley has floating nuns (more about this soon…), Penney has exploding priests and Bad Habits. (An Almodóvar reference? Bonus points if yes. It’s okay if no. I laughed anyway and that’s what matters.)
OverLondon sparkles with wit and, even though sometimes the jokes take over the plot, this paradoxically evens the plot. The book is also self-aware, switching to present tense for infodumps that don’t feel like infodumps. Some jokes are in very, very bad taste. Bad, delicious taste. While not quite breaking the fourth wall, OverLondon nods and winks at the reader. What Penney does with the English language (and the priests) is a sacrilege. I’m a Norse heathen, we don’t have the concept of sin, and so I enjoyed all of it.
I don’t know whether OverLondon is a stand-alone or first in a series (the cover says “A Reign Agency Investigation,” so I hope for the latter). No matter what, I want more. George Penney’s bio says she "would like to be eaten on her hundredth birthday by a low-flying great white [shark].” I don’t know how old she is, but I hope the date is as far away in the future as the humankind lasts, which admittedly is not very long. (Even the acknowledgments in the book made me chuckle.) Perfect read at perfect time. So, maybe it’s good that I took a decade…
I fully recommend this book to everyone who enjoys satire, misses Sir Terry, and loves British humour. So, everyone with good taste. As in, my taste. Will Americans appreciate it? I wouldn’t know. (Let me know, Americans.)
PS. I kind of want to know about the haye and the twig, but not enough to find out.
(9.5/10, rounded up to 5/5 for GoodReads)
My ratings:
5* = this book changed my life
4* = very good
3* = good
2* = I probably DNFed it, so I don't give 2* ratings
1* = actively hostile towards the reader
My greatest pleasure, on the other hand, is finding a book that I can wholeheartedly love, but it has just enough problems (one) that I don’t sound like I was hired to advertise it. This. This is that book.
Welcome to OverLondon, where in his alternative timeline (possibly in OverLondon…?) Sir Terry Pratchett was born to work on the 80s BBCs sitcoms, including, but by far not limited to, ’Allo ‘Allo. I had this book on my e-reader for, uh, yes, a while. I was a bit afraid that it wouldn’t be good. Humour is subjective. If you want to know what the future will definitely not bring, I’m your man. I’d probably have a prosperous business in OverLondon. I started reading late in the evening, nearly wet my pants from laughing so hard before finishing page two, and realised that if I want to get sleepy, ever, I have to avoid this book after 11pm.
I try not to give spoilers, so I’ll just say that the worldbuilding is astounding. There’s so much imagination and imagery in OverLondon, most of it not (too) disturbing. I love the trinkets. I love the idea of OverLondon (and OverParis, and OverKrakow…) I love Alex the Dread Currently Private Ear Purple Reign. Actually, I love all of the characters, because they’re over-the-top stereotypical and fleshed out. The main villain, who is a villainous villain of the villainous variety, makes me roar with laughter with his Clever Schemes even before he takes to speaking in special accent to confuse Sid, who, in his defence, is easily confused. I have a crush on Gregor, who is, embarrassingly, a badger-man. At least, unlike my other crush, Alex, he’s not a woman. (Not that Alex likes being called that.)
Sometimes, running jokes – in general, not here – overstay their welcome. The one about Alex’s height was just about to become irritating when it fades out – exactly at the right time. The Ye Olde Englishe stayed around just a bit too long (Elias’s notes killed the fun for me). And the beginning does feature the words that make me develop hives: “As you know.” But for every Mortalitye Poole there’s a Big Basil the Faulty Clock and the best (worst) clothing. And the Cries. Also, where HL Tinsley has floating nuns (more about this soon…), Penney has exploding priests and Bad Habits. (An Almodóvar reference? Bonus points if yes. It’s okay if no. I laughed anyway and that’s what matters.)
OverLondon sparkles with wit and, even though sometimes the jokes take over the plot, this paradoxically evens the plot. The book is also self-aware, switching to present tense for infodumps that don’t feel like infodumps. Some jokes are in very, very bad taste. Bad, delicious taste. While not quite breaking the fourth wall, OverLondon nods and winks at the reader. What Penney does with the English language (and the priests) is a sacrilege. I’m a Norse heathen, we don’t have the concept of sin, and so I enjoyed all of it.
I don’t know whether OverLondon is a stand-alone or first in a series (the cover says “A Reign Agency Investigation,” so I hope for the latter). No matter what, I want more. George Penney’s bio says she "would like to be eaten on her hundredth birthday by a low-flying great white [shark].” I don’t know how old she is, but I hope the date is as far away in the future as the humankind lasts, which admittedly is not very long. (Even the acknowledgments in the book made me chuckle.) Perfect read at perfect time. So, maybe it’s good that I took a decade…
I fully recommend this book to everyone who enjoys satire, misses Sir Terry, and loves British humour. So, everyone with good taste. As in, my taste. Will Americans appreciate it? I wouldn’t know. (Let me know, Americans.)
PS. I kind of want to know about the haye and the twig, but not enough to find out.
(9.5/10, rounded up to 5/5 for GoodReads)
My ratings:
5* = this book changed my life
4* = very good
3* = good
2* = I probably DNFed it, so I don't give 2* ratings
1* = actively hostile towards the reader
November 14, 2024
Many books claim to be in the tradition of Terry Pratchett; far fewer can back it up even partially. This one, I think, can, though of course, compared with the master's best work, it falls short. Then again, compared with his best work, his early work fell short as well.
The setting is an alternate-history Britain where the differences are intentionally absurd. "Floatstone" enables cities (and airships) to fly, including OverLondon, where we lay our scene. Ann Boleyn, rather than being executed, went mad, had Henry VIII executed instead, and declared herself a deity, breaking from the established church (presumably the newly established Church of England, since Henry had broken from the Catholic Church in part to enable him to marry Ann). This is mentioned as having been several centuries ago, but it's not clear exactly when we are; there are elements that feel Elizabethan, including doublets and the existence of a playwright named Wobblespeare who's obsessed with Verona, but there are other elements, like bowler hats and the general clockpunk aesthetic, that feel more Victorian. It didn't seem like the worldbuilding was intended to make much sense, so I won't ding it for the fact that, while printing (except of the Vengeful Queen's holy book) is forbidden - this is a plot point - "penny dreadfuls" still exist, a phenomenon that was only enabled by cheap printing. There also seem to be a lot more cathedrals in OverLondon than in real-life London, though we don't see any bishops, just priests. A cardinal is mentioned often, but never seen. There are also anthropomorphic animal people, just because that's amusing.
The book needs more editing, including for some basic things like punctuating a dialog tag as if it was a separate sentence and frequently not preceding or following a term of address with a comma, as well as the increasingly common "may" when it should be "might" and a collection of mostly familiar vocabulary errors: tenants/tenets, reigns/reins, proscribe/prescribe, disenfranchised/disenchanted, produce/product, rifled/riffled, discrete/discreet. The authors occasionally put too many negatives in a sentence and end up reversing the obviously intended meaning, and don't always get apostrophe placement right. It's no worse than average, but needs a tidy-up. These are mostly things a lot of people get wrong, which accounts for the fact that none of the many people mentioned in the acknowledgements apparently spotted them.
The plot is a kind of farcical hard-boiled mystery; I say "hard-boiled" because there's quite a bit of violence directed at the investigators, they spend a lot of time in the mean streets, they're chronically short of money and they drink a lot (especially their leader). Also, .
Priests are exploding, and Captain Reign, a swashbuckling pirate who has just managed to save her life by signing up as a privateer, becomes a private ear or investigator to try to earn enough money to get her ship out of hock. Her ferret-girl cabin boy Flora and intellectually different bosun Sid assist, or do something that sometimes resembles assisting, as does a clever young artificer named Elias. I enjoyed the reluctant thugs, the grubby urchins, the sinister guild leaders, the Cry (the sole news medium, town criers who announce the news on the hour), the flamboyant villain, the scary nuns. It's a fun world, and although sometimes it's violence or squalor played for laughs, it never felt like dark comedy. I'm not sure what makes the difference; the overall light and zestful tone, I think, and the optimism the characters retain about life and human nature.
I would definitely read more in the series, and it makes it firmly into the Silver tier of my annual recommendations list.
The setting is an alternate-history Britain where the differences are intentionally absurd. "Floatstone" enables cities (and airships) to fly, including OverLondon, where we lay our scene. Ann Boleyn, rather than being executed, went mad, had Henry VIII executed instead, and declared herself a deity, breaking from the established church (presumably the newly established Church of England, since Henry had broken from the Catholic Church in part to enable him to marry Ann). This is mentioned as having been several centuries ago, but it's not clear exactly when we are; there are elements that feel Elizabethan, including doublets and the existence of a playwright named Wobblespeare who's obsessed with Verona, but there are other elements, like bowler hats and the general clockpunk aesthetic, that feel more Victorian. It didn't seem like the worldbuilding was intended to make much sense, so I won't ding it for the fact that, while printing (except of the Vengeful Queen's holy book) is forbidden - this is a plot point - "penny dreadfuls" still exist, a phenomenon that was only enabled by cheap printing. There also seem to be a lot more cathedrals in OverLondon than in real-life London, though we don't see any bishops, just priests. A cardinal is mentioned often, but never seen. There are also anthropomorphic animal people, just because that's amusing.
The book needs more editing, including for some basic things like punctuating a dialog tag as if it was a separate sentence and frequently not preceding or following a term of address with a comma, as well as the increasingly common "may" when it should be "might" and a collection of mostly familiar vocabulary errors: tenants/tenets, reigns/reins, proscribe/prescribe, disenfranchised/disenchanted, produce/product, rifled/riffled, discrete/discreet. The authors occasionally put too many negatives in a sentence and end up reversing the obviously intended meaning, and don't always get apostrophe placement right. It's no worse than average, but needs a tidy-up. These are mostly things a lot of people get wrong, which accounts for the fact that none of the many people mentioned in the acknowledgements apparently spotted them.
The plot is a kind of farcical hard-boiled mystery; I say "hard-boiled" because there's quite a bit of violence directed at the investigators, they spend a lot of time in the mean streets, they're chronically short of money and they drink a lot (especially their leader). Also, .
Priests are exploding, and Captain Reign, a swashbuckling pirate who has just managed to save her life by signing up as a privateer, becomes a private ear or investigator to try to earn enough money to get her ship out of hock. Her ferret-girl cabin boy Flora and intellectually different bosun Sid assist, or do something that sometimes resembles assisting, as does a clever young artificer named Elias. I enjoyed the reluctant thugs, the grubby urchins, the sinister guild leaders, the Cry (the sole news medium, town criers who announce the news on the hour), the flamboyant villain, the scary nuns. It's a fun world, and although sometimes it's violence or squalor played for laughs, it never felt like dark comedy. I'm not sure what makes the difference; the overall light and zestful tone, I think, and the optimism the characters retain about life and human nature.
I would definitely read more in the series, and it makes it firmly into the Silver tier of my annual recommendations list.
September 12, 2023
Queen Anne is quite psychotic, she declared herself a deity and founded the Church of Vengeful Acquisition and diverted money from the OverVatican City to herself. Her action caused OverLondon and OverVatican City to go head to head, thus the Three Hundred Year War. With the peace offering of the last printing press, two million “Books of Vengeance” were printed.
Captain Alex Reign, the Dread Pirate of Purple Reign, was wanted in OverLondon. Because of her actions for saving the city against the OverParisian she’s pardoned. She receives a letter signed by the OverLondon Academic Council and goes from pirate to privateer. Becoming a privateer is still a problem, now she owes taxes. Along with her two crew members: Flora, who loves shiny things and bo’sun Sid Potts, they have to come up with a plan. Alex needs to get her ship back, Purple Reign, but has to find a way to make money to pay the taxes. With the amount of wanted posters she figures she can make the money by being a private eye. Sid has the assignment of screwing in the new sign for the business at The Armoury: The Reign Agency: Home of the Dreade Pirate Purple Reign, and OverLondon Privat Ear! Alex can’t argue with the sign, when she contemplates the reading ability of the OverLondoners.
Elias Adaze Dooley has lived at the Boarding House for Respectable Young Gentlemen, for four years. His landlady, Mrs. Nevins is always trying to get him to eat her porridge. Elias has considered himself an Artificer skilled in scientific method. He created a clockwork toy soldiers arm. His prize creation is the most eccentric trinket, Phillip. It cost him the Guild of Artificer Apprenticeship, but he hopes for something bigger and better with his new business making automatons. He leases space in Whitechapel for his new business the “Ingenious Mechanisms,” from Vikram Bevoir, whom he’s known for four years. Vikram, owns the “not-so” respectable book shop, which works for Elias because no-one from the Artificer Guild would come there.
Elias spends time with his mother at St. George’s Cathedral on occasion. Actually it gives him time to think about his experiments. On one particular day at St. George’s he witnesses the explosion of Father Bartholomew. When he tends to the parts of Father Bartholomew he finds a trinket, a scrap of paper and red satin.
Alex get’s her first case! Miss Sadie Simms, has come to her and offers a good amount of money. She needs Alex to recover a pair of red satin knickers from the now deceased Father Bartholomew. Sadie made the sexy knickers and he’s not the only priest that are her clientele. In the meantime, Elias has discovered something interesting with the deceased priests findings. When Elias witnesses another exploding priest, he fears he would be facing the Bad Habits Special Branch. There’s only one thing left to do and that’s find Alex Reign, Private Eye!
“OverLondon” is one of the most hilarious novels I have read so far. I love the quirky British humor. Taking politics, religion, crimes, science, pirates and mixing it with steampunk, adventure and a suspenseful mystery. There’s Priests running a printing press and publishing pamphlets. The strange way aristocrats come about getting prosthetics and a variety of trinkets and so much more! There’s snarky banter throughout the story. I especially liked the banter between Elias and Vikram, just to decide who’s turn it is to answer the door. I thought Elias was also brilliant how he organizes and connects the crimes. Alex can do nothing but agree with him. I liked Roddy, Keef and Grub!
The tale hosts some of the weirdest and diverse characters: Flora, homo furo, loves shinny things; Gregor, homo meles, Armoury’s Proprietor; Clockmaker; Leper’s; Slasher Harry and Daphne; Big Ivan; Sugar Gang and Sweet Pete and his ice cream scoop. In the way of diversity there’s: homo castor, homo lemmus, homo rattus, and homo phodopus. Seems the woodland creatures started to mix their genetics with the humans in the late 16th century. The Priests of The Blessed Press: Worrier, Cheerful, Pious, Confident and Novice Smug.
The fun doesn’t stop, even the “Acknowledgments” and “About The Authors” are a must read!
“OverLondon” is a definite must read, page-turner, with a little drama, danger and a great mystery. I love George Penney and Tony Johnson’s sense of British humor and how they took a chance and fractured history. I’m hoping the authors have plans for a sequel. “OverLondon” is a novel that I would definitely read again!
Captain Alex Reign, the Dread Pirate of Purple Reign, was wanted in OverLondon. Because of her actions for saving the city against the OverParisian she’s pardoned. She receives a letter signed by the OverLondon Academic Council and goes from pirate to privateer. Becoming a privateer is still a problem, now she owes taxes. Along with her two crew members: Flora, who loves shiny things and bo’sun Sid Potts, they have to come up with a plan. Alex needs to get her ship back, Purple Reign, but has to find a way to make money to pay the taxes. With the amount of wanted posters she figures she can make the money by being a private eye. Sid has the assignment of screwing in the new sign for the business at The Armoury: The Reign Agency: Home of the Dreade Pirate Purple Reign, and OverLondon Privat Ear! Alex can’t argue with the sign, when she contemplates the reading ability of the OverLondoners.
Elias Adaze Dooley has lived at the Boarding House for Respectable Young Gentlemen, for four years. His landlady, Mrs. Nevins is always trying to get him to eat her porridge. Elias has considered himself an Artificer skilled in scientific method. He created a clockwork toy soldiers arm. His prize creation is the most eccentric trinket, Phillip. It cost him the Guild of Artificer Apprenticeship, but he hopes for something bigger and better with his new business making automatons. He leases space in Whitechapel for his new business the “Ingenious Mechanisms,” from Vikram Bevoir, whom he’s known for four years. Vikram, owns the “not-so” respectable book shop, which works for Elias because no-one from the Artificer Guild would come there.
Elias spends time with his mother at St. George’s Cathedral on occasion. Actually it gives him time to think about his experiments. On one particular day at St. George’s he witnesses the explosion of Father Bartholomew. When he tends to the parts of Father Bartholomew he finds a trinket, a scrap of paper and red satin.
Alex get’s her first case! Miss Sadie Simms, has come to her and offers a good amount of money. She needs Alex to recover a pair of red satin knickers from the now deceased Father Bartholomew. Sadie made the sexy knickers and he’s not the only priest that are her clientele. In the meantime, Elias has discovered something interesting with the deceased priests findings. When Elias witnesses another exploding priest, he fears he would be facing the Bad Habits Special Branch. There’s only one thing left to do and that’s find Alex Reign, Private Eye!
“OverLondon” is one of the most hilarious novels I have read so far. I love the quirky British humor. Taking politics, religion, crimes, science, pirates and mixing it with steampunk, adventure and a suspenseful mystery. There’s Priests running a printing press and publishing pamphlets. The strange way aristocrats come about getting prosthetics and a variety of trinkets and so much more! There’s snarky banter throughout the story. I especially liked the banter between Elias and Vikram, just to decide who’s turn it is to answer the door. I thought Elias was also brilliant how he organizes and connects the crimes. Alex can do nothing but agree with him. I liked Roddy, Keef and Grub!
The tale hosts some of the weirdest and diverse characters: Flora, homo furo, loves shinny things; Gregor, homo meles, Armoury’s Proprietor; Clockmaker; Leper’s; Slasher Harry and Daphne; Big Ivan; Sugar Gang and Sweet Pete and his ice cream scoop. In the way of diversity there’s: homo castor, homo lemmus, homo rattus, and homo phodopus. Seems the woodland creatures started to mix their genetics with the humans in the late 16th century. The Priests of The Blessed Press: Worrier, Cheerful, Pious, Confident and Novice Smug.
The fun doesn’t stop, even the “Acknowledgments” and “About The Authors” are a must read!
“OverLondon” is a definite must read, page-turner, with a little drama, danger and a great mystery. I love George Penney and Tony Johnson’s sense of British humor and how they took a chance and fractured history. I’m hoping the authors have plans for a sequel. “OverLondon” is a novel that I would definitely read again!
October 14, 2023
If I had to describe OverLondon in just one word, it would be: FUN. This book is so much fun. There’s A LOT going on and it took me some time to wrap my head around everything – the story is set in a fantasy world where cities exist above the cities we know – ie. OverLondon, OverParis, OverManchester – and there are just enough similarities and differences to remind you that the OverLondon world is based on ours, but not really. For example, in OverLondon’s current events, Queen Anne (Boleyn) the Vengeful tore up Henry VIII’s orders for her execution and broke with the Vatican herself when she declared herself a goddess (this alternate timeline is, like I said, FUN).
The characters are also very interesting. The main character is former pirate-turned-privateer Captain Alex Reign, who has to beg, borrow, and/or steal enough money to buy back her airship, which is currently held by the government until back taxes are paid (bureaucracy, it seems, exists in every reality). As we meet more characters in the story, my imagination was running wild trying to picture them – many are human-animal hybrids and thus have features and talents to go along with their mixed DNA.
The story is a humourous balance of history, fantasy, religion, and satire. There is a lot of word-play and sarcasm (my favourite) and there’s a sense of lightness to the whole thing, even though we’re dealing with a very deadly mission.
The mystery of the exploding priests and the overall plot were very well-done and moved along at a quick pace. There is quite a lot of story and world-building done in one book, which is an accomplishment made easier by the humour that kept things from getting too bogged down or boring.
While this book is a standalone story, I’m definitely hoping that this is the start of a long-running series.
*** Thank you to the publisher, Swashbuckler Press, for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
The characters are also very interesting. The main character is former pirate-turned-privateer Captain Alex Reign, who has to beg, borrow, and/or steal enough money to buy back her airship, which is currently held by the government until back taxes are paid (bureaucracy, it seems, exists in every reality). As we meet more characters in the story, my imagination was running wild trying to picture them – many are human-animal hybrids and thus have features and talents to go along with their mixed DNA.
The story is a humourous balance of history, fantasy, religion, and satire. There is a lot of word-play and sarcasm (my favourite) and there’s a sense of lightness to the whole thing, even though we’re dealing with a very deadly mission.
The mystery of the exploding priests and the overall plot were very well-done and moved along at a quick pace. There is quite a lot of story and world-building done in one book, which is an accomplishment made easier by the humour that kept things from getting too bogged down or boring.
While this book is a standalone story, I’m definitely hoping that this is the start of a long-running series.
*** Thank you to the publisher, Swashbuckler Press, for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
September 6, 2023
Did you ever have one of those books where you knew immediately that you were going to love it? OVERLONDON was that book for me. A delightful romp through an alternate London where all is ruled by a Vengeful Queen and Mother Superior, I was immediately smitten with the inventive and interesting world the authors created. There are steampunk elements, there’s a Church that rules all, but the heart of this story lies with the fantastic cast of characters which consist of a mix of humans and woodland creatures. Alex Reign, formerly Dread Pirate Purple Reign, is the star of the show, leading the investigation into the mystery of exploding priests. Yes, you read that right, and if a mystery involving exploding priests isn’t enough to hook you, I don’t know what is.
The pacing is fast and often frenetic, and we meet a lot of different characters through the course of the story. Each character, whether a main or supporting character, was unique, dynamic, and full of personality. I had a bit of trouble at first keeping a handle on everyone, but I was eventually able to keep them all straight. The mystery is fun and engaging and will certainly keep readers guessing until the very end. All told, a delightfully fun read that hooked me from the very beginning. Pick this one up if you’re a fan of:
➽ Madcap adventures
➽ Lady pirates
➽ Delightfully queer characters
➽ Humor and satire
➽ Exploding priests
➽ Mysteries
➽ General fun!
*Many thanks to the authors for gifting a copy for review.
The pacing is fast and often frenetic, and we meet a lot of different characters through the course of the story. Each character, whether a main or supporting character, was unique, dynamic, and full of personality. I had a bit of trouble at first keeping a handle on everyone, but I was eventually able to keep them all straight. The mystery is fun and engaging and will certainly keep readers guessing until the very end. All told, a delightfully fun read that hooked me from the very beginning. Pick this one up if you’re a fan of:
➽ Madcap adventures
➽ Lady pirates
➽ Delightfully queer characters
➽ Humor and satire
➽ Exploding priests
➽ Mysteries
➽ General fun!
*Many thanks to the authors for gifting a copy for review.
October 19, 2023
I think the word 'romp' gets banded about quite a bit in book reviews but in this case it is well deserved. Overlondon is a piratey steampunky comedy fantasy mystery romp. I mean have you heard of any other books with sexual whales? i thought not.....
OverLondon is an alternative version of our Tudor universe with enough to be recognisable but with a Steampunk twist. I adored the larger than life characters with their foibles and (sometimes) questionable choices.
In short this is a must for Terry Pratchett and/or C.K. McDonnell fans. A similar style of humour and equally brilliant charatisation. But to be honest i would recommend to anyone that craves some silly escapism and mystery.
Will there be anymore in this series? i hope so. I definitely want to be back solving bonkers crimes with the gang again soon.
OverLondon is an alternative version of our Tudor universe with enough to be recognisable but with a Steampunk twist. I adored the larger than life characters with their foibles and (sometimes) questionable choices.
In short this is a must for Terry Pratchett and/or C.K. McDonnell fans. A similar style of humour and equally brilliant charatisation. But to be honest i would recommend to anyone that craves some silly escapism and mystery.
Will there be anymore in this series? i hope so. I definitely want to be back solving bonkers crimes with the gang again soon.
August 23, 2023
Dread Pirate Purple Reign has recently been spared hanging and allowed to start the Reign Agency, turning her notorious pirate talents into privateering. She is in need of cash, and quickly, so that she can reclaim her vessel and return to the world of pirating with her crew. As luck would have it, priests from OverLondon's Church of Vengeful Acquisition have begun exploding, and it seems that there are several people willing to pay a private investigator to find out why.
I'm not sure where to start with my review for this one. It really is a rollicking romp of a story! There's pirates, exploding priests, sugar gangsters and more, all wrapped up in a delightful mystery story set in a London that is nothing like the London we know.
Being the first book in the series it takes a few chapters to settle in to the rhythm of the story and get a feel for OverLondon and the world that you are inhabiting. Once you've got a taste it's hard to put down though, and I soon found myself totally engrossed. The worldbuilding is fantastic, there are hints of the world we know burried under a stack of wondrous and outlandish differences. Penney and Johnson also offer a lighthearted social commentary steeped in satire in amongst all of this, which is perfect for readers of authors like Terry Pratchett.
I thought the characters were exactly what they needed to be for a book like this. It's hard to pick a favourite, but I felt like I had a clear image of all of the main characters and their temperaments.
On top of that the authors have done a brilliant job of blurring the lines of gender throughout the book, without making things seem forced or overdone.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, the storyline and writing style are right up my street. I'm hoping that this is the first in a series of books following the Reign Agency.
Thanks to publishers Swashbuckling Press for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not sure where to start with my review for this one. It really is a rollicking romp of a story! There's pirates, exploding priests, sugar gangsters and more, all wrapped up in a delightful mystery story set in a London that is nothing like the London we know.
Being the first book in the series it takes a few chapters to settle in to the rhythm of the story and get a feel for OverLondon and the world that you are inhabiting. Once you've got a taste it's hard to put down though, and I soon found myself totally engrossed. The worldbuilding is fantastic, there are hints of the world we know burried under a stack of wondrous and outlandish differences. Penney and Johnson also offer a lighthearted social commentary steeped in satire in amongst all of this, which is perfect for readers of authors like Terry Pratchett.
I thought the characters were exactly what they needed to be for a book like this. It's hard to pick a favourite, but I felt like I had a clear image of all of the main characters and their temperaments.
On top of that the authors have done a brilliant job of blurring the lines of gender throughout the book, without making things seem forced or overdone.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, the storyline and writing style are right up my street. I'm hoping that this is the first in a series of books following the Reign Agency.
Thanks to publishers Swashbuckling Press for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2023
I was kindly sent a digital advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher though all thoughts are my own.
OverLondon is a wild ride of a book that is equal parts funny, confusing and full of surprises. I love how it was a mixture of British humor, British history with some major twists, an alternate version of Britain, a liberal dose of Steampunk and some of the characters were equal parts human and creature aka anthropomorphic.
This book is told in multiple points of view such as a small crew of airship pirates named Captain Alex Reign, formally known as the Dread Pirate Purple Reign, her two crewmates Sid Potts the bo'sun and cabin boy Flora who is crafty, attracted to anything shiny, often in trouble for "borrowing" other peoples' shiny things and whose features as well as temperament are a mixture ferret-like and girl who are temporarily without a ship and back in the city of OverLondon.
Then there's a young former apprentice artificer named Elias Dooley who is dragged to a service by his mother as New Lent starts and while fiddling with a mechanical trinket during service, looks up when he hears a weird wet sound and people screaming to realize that a priest has literally exploded. When he finds himself in front of another priest who seems to spontaneously combust and worried that somehow he may be blamed for their deaths, he seeks out Alex and her crew who have recently opened a business known as the Reign Agency: An OverLondon Privat Ear (thanks to Sid's uh.... interpretation of how to spell). Alex then hires Elias to help her with a recent investigation that is linked to Elias's predicament though it takes some time to figure out how the two are linked.
What ensues is a wild ride of an adventure involving a mobster hamster, more exploding priests, a risque pamphlet about sweets that have been banned by an over zealous Mother Superior, kidnappings, lots of plays on words and liberal amounts of confusion that's all part of the fun of this book.
If you are a fan of British humor mixed with pirates and Monty Python, this may very well be your kind of story particularly if you enjoy an alternate history and an unlikely cast of characters helping solve a mystery.
Looking forward to reading more by these authors, plus I can't wait to see what new adventures the Reign Crew will find and highly recommend.
OverLondon is a wild ride of a book that is equal parts funny, confusing and full of surprises. I love how it was a mixture of British humor, British history with some major twists, an alternate version of Britain, a liberal dose of Steampunk and some of the characters were equal parts human and creature aka anthropomorphic.
This book is told in multiple points of view such as a small crew of airship pirates named Captain Alex Reign, formally known as the Dread Pirate Purple Reign, her two crewmates Sid Potts the bo'sun and cabin boy Flora who is crafty, attracted to anything shiny, often in trouble for "borrowing" other peoples' shiny things and whose features as well as temperament are a mixture ferret-like and girl who are temporarily without a ship and back in the city of OverLondon.
Then there's a young former apprentice artificer named Elias Dooley who is dragged to a service by his mother as New Lent starts and while fiddling with a mechanical trinket during service, looks up when he hears a weird wet sound and people screaming to realize that a priest has literally exploded. When he finds himself in front of another priest who seems to spontaneously combust and worried that somehow he may be blamed for their deaths, he seeks out Alex and her crew who have recently opened a business known as the Reign Agency: An OverLondon Privat Ear (thanks to Sid's uh.... interpretation of how to spell). Alex then hires Elias to help her with a recent investigation that is linked to Elias's predicament though it takes some time to figure out how the two are linked.
What ensues is a wild ride of an adventure involving a mobster hamster, more exploding priests, a risque pamphlet about sweets that have been banned by an over zealous Mother Superior, kidnappings, lots of plays on words and liberal amounts of confusion that's all part of the fun of this book.
If you are a fan of British humor mixed with pirates and Monty Python, this may very well be your kind of story particularly if you enjoy an alternate history and an unlikely cast of characters helping solve a mystery.
Looking forward to reading more by these authors, plus I can't wait to see what new adventures the Reign Crew will find and highly recommend.
October 21, 2023
In het begin moest ik even wennen aan het overvloedige gebruik van bijvoeglijk naamwoorden, maar ik ben blij dat ik doorgezet heb, want dit was een leuk verhaal :). Londen in de 19e eeuw! Steampunk! Piraten! Een sterke vrouwelijke hoofdrol! Een moordmysterie rond exploderende priesters! Maffe Engelse termen! Dier-mensen! Onverwachte plottwists! En nog veel meer 😄
October 22, 2023
A crazy and very imaginative new humorous fantasy world. I admit, the characters were hard to warm up to for the first quarter, but by the end, I had decided to watch for the next one!
March 13, 2024
This is an irreverent, imaginative, zany adventure that made me snicker, snort, laugh, and guffaw at various moments. It's full of ideas, and I look forward to seeing them get more developed in the promised sequels.
It's also full of references to pop culture and Easter eggs, and I'm sure I missed many of them, but the ones I caught were fun.
It's also full of references to pop culture and Easter eggs, and I'm sure I missed many of them, but the ones I caught were fun.
December 8, 2023
Pterry would be ptoud.
November 17, 2023
Interesting story with well developed characters. Not laugh-out-loud funny, but amusing and quirky.
September 7, 2023
Hilarious, fun, wild, thrilling, hilarious, and hilarious. It's also funny. Perfect for fans of Pratchett, Our Flag Means Death, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Blackadder, or any show with Matt Berry. I laughed. Then I cried from laughter. Then my wife rushed over to see if I was having a stroke. I'm not sure I wasn't.
March 13, 2024
I really like George’s musings on Mastodon, so I was hoping to enjoy this book, but it fell a bit flat for me. I read the physical book and the font was a bit hard to read, which didn’t help (yes, I have glasses, and yes, I was wearing them!).
I felt like the characters and setting were fully developed in the authors’ minds, but that they hadn’t given me enough background for them to come alive in my head.
I felt like the characters and setting were fully developed in the authors’ minds, but that they hadn’t given me enough background for them to come alive in my head.
September 18, 2023
***Thank you to Swashbuckler Press for providing a digital copy of OverLondon. I also procured a copy of the audiobook from my local library. Therefore, my experience with this book was a combination of reading some parts and listening to others. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading/listening experience.***
What the hell did I just read?! Exploding priests. An alternate London that floats in the sky. Human-animal hybrids. The zaniness in OverLondon had no bounds. Just when I thought the authors couldn't come up with a kookier idea, they'd always surprise me with something even more outlandish. I was cackling from the beginning to the end of my time reading it, and the ridiculousness of it all was pure comedy gold.
The best part, though, was that the humor, despite being over the top hilarious, didn't overpower or outweigh the other elements of OverLondon. The story was fast-paced and sucked me in immediately. It never let up and had plenty of twists and turns. I had so much fun theorizing about who might be responsible for the exploding priests and how they'd done it. In the end, I was stumped, but the resolution did make sense, in hindsight.
Some of the most unlikely people in OverLondon were the ones responsible for solving the mystery. Alex, a pirate turned privateer private investigator, led her motley crew on a wild chase for clues (and booty) all through the city. She had a strong personality and unending persistence, and I liked getting to see her learn to navigate her new life on land while still staying true to her skyfaring values. Things rarely went to plan, but she always took it in stride.
Elias, a rogue artificer who joined Alex's crew for the investigation, was the other main character in OverLondon with a strong arc. He was very intelligent and inquisitive, and decided to set up his own shop so others couldn't stop him from doing his experiments. His logical nature was the perfect counterbalance to the manic spontaneity of the rest of the crew. Elias' participation in the investigation gave him a great opportunity to use his ingenuity in the field and expand his skills.
Many of the other characters in OverLondon also had POV moments, and I enjoyed bouncing around between them all. The rest of Alex's crew included a lovable thief and a man with little common sense and an obsession with mystery novels, which he tried to use to help solve the case. The more minor characters, from the exploding priests to the ornery purveyor of perverted books, were all a joy to read, as well. This story truly had one of the oddest, yet most endearing, casts I've ever had the pleasure of reading.
I'd be remiss not to mention the world-building in OverLondon because it was wild. This alternate version of London was incredibly unique, and the authors brought it to life wonderfully. They were masters at dropping details in ways that felt organic to the story, and I cannot wait to travel back to this world when the next book arrives. I also loved how so many characters were casually queer in this world. It was a joy to read.
All in all, OverLondon was a real treat. If you are looking for something to make you laugh that also has a good mystery at its heart and masterful fantasy world-building, please pick up this book. I definitely recommend the audiobook, as well. The narrator did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life with different accents and inflections, and he possessed an energy that took the narrative to another level. With all this in mind, I rate OverLondon 4.5 out of 5 stars.
See more of my reviews and other bookish content on my blog.
What the hell did I just read?! Exploding priests. An alternate London that floats in the sky. Human-animal hybrids. The zaniness in OverLondon had no bounds. Just when I thought the authors couldn't come up with a kookier idea, they'd always surprise me with something even more outlandish. I was cackling from the beginning to the end of my time reading it, and the ridiculousness of it all was pure comedy gold.
The best part, though, was that the humor, despite being over the top hilarious, didn't overpower or outweigh the other elements of OverLondon. The story was fast-paced and sucked me in immediately. It never let up and had plenty of twists and turns. I had so much fun theorizing about who might be responsible for the exploding priests and how they'd done it. In the end, I was stumped, but the resolution did make sense, in hindsight.
Some of the most unlikely people in OverLondon were the ones responsible for solving the mystery. Alex, a pirate turned privateer private investigator, led her motley crew on a wild chase for clues (and booty) all through the city. She had a strong personality and unending persistence, and I liked getting to see her learn to navigate her new life on land while still staying true to her skyfaring values. Things rarely went to plan, but she always took it in stride.
Elias, a rogue artificer who joined Alex's crew for the investigation, was the other main character in OverLondon with a strong arc. He was very intelligent and inquisitive, and decided to set up his own shop so others couldn't stop him from doing his experiments. His logical nature was the perfect counterbalance to the manic spontaneity of the rest of the crew. Elias' participation in the investigation gave him a great opportunity to use his ingenuity in the field and expand his skills.
Many of the other characters in OverLondon also had POV moments, and I enjoyed bouncing around between them all. The rest of Alex's crew included a lovable thief and a man with little common sense and an obsession with mystery novels, which he tried to use to help solve the case. The more minor characters, from the exploding priests to the ornery purveyor of perverted books, were all a joy to read, as well. This story truly had one of the oddest, yet most endearing, casts I've ever had the pleasure of reading.
I'd be remiss not to mention the world-building in OverLondon because it was wild. This alternate version of London was incredibly unique, and the authors brought it to life wonderfully. They were masters at dropping details in ways that felt organic to the story, and I cannot wait to travel back to this world when the next book arrives. I also loved how so many characters were casually queer in this world. It was a joy to read.
All in all, OverLondon was a real treat. If you are looking for something to make you laugh that also has a good mystery at its heart and masterful fantasy world-building, please pick up this book. I definitely recommend the audiobook, as well. The narrator did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life with different accents and inflections, and he possessed an energy that took the narrative to another level. With all this in mind, I rate OverLondon 4.5 out of 5 stars.
See more of my reviews and other bookish content on my blog.
March 13, 2024
Reigny days in Over London
Captain Alex Reign, formerly known as The Dread Pirate Purple Reign and now as The Dread Privateer Purple Reign, is not the happiest of women. To begin with, she much preferred being a pirate. As if her having lost her role (and her ship!) wasn’t bad enough, to add insult to injury, she’d lost them when she was betrayed by her own first mate. The ship— the Purple Reign— sat at the Custom’s Dock in Over London, and Alex would have no access to it until she was able to pay off the past-due taxes that the city demanded. Unable to be a proper privateer (let alone a pirate) without her airship, Alex and the remnants of her crew— Sid, her not very bright boatswain, and Flora, her half-ferret crew member— have to find a new line of work, as detectives.
Over London itself does not really qualify as an alternate London unless you’re prepared to believe not only in the metaverse, with its multiple dimensions separated from our own, but that it was also a number of slots away from our own. Our histories apparently diverged during the reign of King Henry the Eighth, at the time in 1536 the king had hoped to have his Queen, Anne Boleyn, decapitated so he could remarry. Instead, in this alternate history, the tables were turned, and Queen Anne had Henry’s head chopped off instead.
In her anger she became the Vengeful Queen Anne Boleyn. Where Henry split with Rome and confiscated the Church’s monasteries, the Vengeful Queen Anne took that sort of avariciousness the extreme, and founded the Church of Vengeful Acquisition, an entire religion based on greed.
It was priests of this Church that had begun messily exploding, and in so doing provided Alex with her first work as a detective: find out who is blowing up the clerics, get their airship back, and return to making an honest living as dastardly pirates.
George Penney and Tony Johnson have seriously warped minds. I look forward to reading the next Over London tale.
Captain Alex Reign, formerly known as The Dread Pirate Purple Reign and now as The Dread Privateer Purple Reign, is not the happiest of women. To begin with, she much preferred being a pirate. As if her having lost her role (and her ship!) wasn’t bad enough, to add insult to injury, she’d lost them when she was betrayed by her own first mate. The ship— the Purple Reign— sat at the Custom’s Dock in Over London, and Alex would have no access to it until she was able to pay off the past-due taxes that the city demanded. Unable to be a proper privateer (let alone a pirate) without her airship, Alex and the remnants of her crew— Sid, her not very bright boatswain, and Flora, her half-ferret crew member— have to find a new line of work, as detectives.
Over London itself does not really qualify as an alternate London unless you’re prepared to believe not only in the metaverse, with its multiple dimensions separated from our own, but that it was also a number of slots away from our own. Our histories apparently diverged during the reign of King Henry the Eighth, at the time in 1536 the king had hoped to have his Queen, Anne Boleyn, decapitated so he could remarry. Instead, in this alternate history, the tables were turned, and Queen Anne had Henry’s head chopped off instead.
In her anger she became the Vengeful Queen Anne Boleyn. Where Henry split with Rome and confiscated the Church’s monasteries, the Vengeful Queen Anne took that sort of avariciousness the extreme, and founded the Church of Vengeful Acquisition, an entire religion based on greed.
It was priests of this Church that had begun messily exploding, and in so doing provided Alex with her first work as a detective: find out who is blowing up the clerics, get their airship back, and return to making an honest living as dastardly pirates.
George Penney and Tony Johnson have seriously warped minds. I look forward to reading the next Over London tale.
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