The year is 1869. Earth experiences the close pass of a comet never before seen. In its wake, many of Terra's inhabitants find themselves changed. Among men, prodigies rise in unprecedented numbers, while many ordinary adults suddenly find themselves possessed of preternatural genius. Likewise, non-hominid animals become self-aware and intelligent.
Fast forward to 1875. A young “comet prodigy” from humble beginnings, Ichabod Temperance, has become the world's foremost inventor. He travels to England to deliver his latest brilliant invention to a famous explorer, until Fate intervenes. Meanwhile, a lovely young Bluestocking, Miss Persephone Plumtartt, survives an experimental accident only to find herself imbued with a power she can neither understand nor control, while dark forces and malevolent creatures pursue her, leaving a gruesome wake of death.
Yet, worse is to come. The naïve young inventor and the lovely intellectual find themselves fighting not only to save their own lives, but to prevent the destruction of all life on Earth.
Ichabod Temperance is a silly little fellow living in historic Irondale, Alabama, USA, with his lovely muse, Miss Persephone Plumtartt, and their furry pack family.
This was a very different steampunk story and I was very pleasantly surprised.
I read a lot of steampunk fiction and I've found that it usually tends to lean towards the fantastical. And while this was definitely fantastical it had far more of a science fiction base to it. And was surprisingly refreshing.
I loved the back story to the technology itself, how it all came about and how it affected different people. This universe has rules and it sticks to them.
I did sometimes find the creatures a little difficult to picture, but that didn't put me off. Probably made them more terrifying!
Persephone was absolutely my favourite character. She was headstrong and smart and I probably read Ichabod's parts of the story all the faster so I could get back to her narrative. That being said, I loved how enthusiastic he was, it was like when he told the story the words themselves bounced around in excitement. The voices telling the story were so distinct that even without the different fonts it was easy to tell who was speaking. Telling. Narrating. You know.
Are you ready for a charmingly quirky and ever so proper trip into an alternate past, where steampunk rules? Grab your parasol, straighten your bustle ladies, and you gentlemen, a walking cane and hat should do, because Ichabod Temperance is about to take you on his very own adventure in A Matter of Temperance. Get ready to appreciate the whirlwind that is Ichabod!
Fresh out of Alabama, with his greatest invention, Green Beauties (night vision goggles) and his affable Southern charm, Ichabod heads to England intent on personally delivering his product to its purchaser, who turns out to be an obnoxious arse. Fate must have timed the following events for Ichabod as he is witness to some very unusual events which lead him to an unsettling introduction with the brilliant beauty, Miss Persephone Plumtartt, a young woman with a special talent she gained when an unusual comet passed over the earth. Evil is afoot and the adventure begins as Ichabod and Persephone begin a dash around the globe for answers, while trying to stay one step ahead of danger!
Did I say dash? Try warp drive, wait, that wasn’t invented yet. No matter, A Matter of Temperance completely blew me away! Not only is Ichabod Temperance a delightful character with all of his Southern Charm and wonderful innocence about the world, but he is a brave soul who craves knowledge, defends damsels and fights for good! Miss Persephone has the eye of the “gentlemen” and the wit and intelligence to evade any sense of impropriety as well as enough spunk to stand toe to toe with Ichabod every step of the way!
Ichabod Temperance, the author, has a sense of fun that will leave you laughing at his over-the-top use of, well, everything! From his world building to his characters, no area has been left unpolished in this dazzling tale! Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT expect to be bored! Expect to be enchanted, to be whisked away on the magic carpet of Mr. Temperance’s carefree style! Total fun, total enjoyment, tons of steampunk and the unbelievable, I’m half-tempted to buy my own parasol, I already have the modern version of Green Beauties!
Not sure how he knew I NEEDED this light-hearted and adventuresome escape, but I need to thank Ichabod Temperance for sharing his tale with me! I received a copy from Ichabod Temperance himself, in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: April 17, 2013 Publisher: GoldenBear Creative Works ISBN: 149744750X Genre: Steampunk Fantasy Adventure Print Length: 303 pages Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
This is my first official adventure into the steampunk genre and it was definitely an enjoyable start. Ichabod Temperance is a young American inventor, whose first big claim to fame are his “Green Beauties,” a pair of goggles gifted to the famous Professor Plumtartt. Meanwhile, the professor, who is famous for the invention of Sol Furnaces, has also managed to harness the powers of the strange comet that recently passed over the earth. Or has he? Serendipitously, a freak accident at Plumtartt’s factory results in his daughter, Persephone, gaining strange new powers, just in time to fight off the monstrous creatures that have broken through to our world from another realm.
So begins round-the-world adventure, told in the alternating POVs of Ichabod and Persephone. Initially, the two are separate, but its not long before they join forces to fight the great evil that has been unleashed. The writing for Persephone’s chapters is a bit more solid, while Ichabod’s is more whimsical, each reflecting their particular character, but they blend well together, even when duplicating scenes, where we get to witness an event from both unique points of view.
Apparently, this began as a back and forth story adventure between two friends, which is a process dear to my heart. I’ve witnessed or participated in many such online collaborative storytelling and I love the idea that this particular story has been published to share with a larger audience. I’m sure there are some inside jokes that most readers will never know, but they were subtle and the overall tongue-in-cheek humour ensures that the story is fun for any adventure lover.
There were a few editing quirks – tense changes, inconsistent use of capitalization, grammar – but nothing to take away from the amusement, charm and excitement.
I received a digital copy of this book from the author via Brook Cottage Books in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. Thanks for the copy! All are my own opinion and is not compensated by any individual, organization, or company. This might contain minor spoilers.
Ohhh! Interesting! Ohhh! Pretty! Ohhh! Dangerous!
I quoted you, Mr. Temperance, for what you said is exactly what this book is about!
MY OVERALL REACTION: FUNNY AND AMAZING! I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING BUT TO LAUGH AND CLAP AT THE SAME TIME!
Amazing! Adventure, Sci-Fi, Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Horror—it’s all in here! You’ll get hooked by the classic, engaging and fun story writing and the comical characters!
Written in dual POV, the story follows Persephone and Temperance as they met by fate in a desperate undertake to get rid of monsters that threaten to conquer Earth while preserving their lives overtime. Packed with different kinds of monsters—slimy, stinky, ugly, and invisible horrors… this book is a perfect ‘fuel’ material for everyone’s imagination.
No dull moments, no dull chapters. All chapters are FUNtastic, all are written beautifully and well-thought-out.
The vigorous action and the solid battle cries reminded me of the movie series Pirates of the Caribbean. I do not know why but I can see likeness in them.
This story is a good material for big screen, I say! I want to see how the characters look like fighting unseeable monsters. Could someone hurry up and make preparations for it? I want the movie out soon!
This could also be a splendid game-story material. This is what I looked for in interactive games I play.
Good gracious! I am seeing bountiful future in you, Temperance and Persephone! You completely blew away every cell in my body!
A Matter of Temperance marks the beginning of a thoroughly decent, action-packed Steampunk romp, which is not only engaging, but appeals to my (rather warped) sense of humour, too.
Ichabod Temperance is a most charming fellow with exceptional manners, and a strong sense of chivalry - which is exactly how he ends up assisting the fabulous Miss Plumtartt - diving in to protect her from freakish otherworldly creatures, which only Miss Plumtartt is able to see. With the aid of one of his inventions, Ichabod can see them too - and by golly are they gruesome!
The world that A Matter of Temperance is set in has been given a thorough Steampunk makeover, with fabulous conveyances, gentlemen's clubs, duelling pistols, fisticuffs, and let's not forget Miss Plumtartt's bustle, which has (quite literally) saved her arse on several occasions! And oh my gosh, this book made me chuckle for so many reasons; adventurous alliteration antics, otherworldly bug descriptions, the necessity of always keeping one's sammiches and tinder-box dry, conveyance crashing (lots of, I love a good crashing/sinking/exploding mode of transport) and in Steampunk, those engines really go BOOM!!
With no end of beastly bugs chasing them from one continent to the next, Ichabod's creative genius is tested, along with his survival skills, and Persephone Plumtartt's determination to thwart the critters against all odds may not be enough to save them both.
There are parts of A Matter of Temperance which feel a tad info-dumpy, but in all honesty, the humour and the relentless action more than make up for it. Absolutely enjoyable!
A Matter of Temperance is a story set in the late 1800s, where the Revelatory Comet has just passed Earth, leaving behind enhanced talents to prodigies in all fields. One of them is Ichabod Temperance, who has travelled to England to meet with a famous explorer who's about to purchase his prized invented goggles, the Green Beauties, but things didn't go well between him and the despicable explorer so the deal was off. One night he sees the gorgeous Persephone Plumtartt being chased by an invisible monster and he came to her rescue using his goggles. He sees the horror and saves Ms. Plumtartt. Need to know more? Read it!
Steampunk is defiantly alive in this book. I love how this book brings you into the steampunk era and also delves deep into adventure, mystery, and romance. Reminded me of Sherlock Holmes/ the show Dracula. Love the story and the characters. Very easy read.
Science Fiction & Fantasy /Science Fiction / Steampunk
Reviewer For Sweets Books and Ichabod Temperance.
Till next time ~ Sweets Books (Written by Beth - SBAH)
Steampunk and SciFi fans will enjoy this entertaining read. Ichabod Temperance finds himself across the Atlantic, creating a partnership with Miss Plumtartt. After the recent passing of a strange comet, some people were "blessed" with abilities, prodigies really, such as increased intelligence or the ability to build or fix anything (I could use that ability). Creatures appear in London, heading for Miss Plumtartt and Temperance comes to her aid. Well, creatures that only Miss Plumtartt could see (or Temperance with his goggle invention). Readers familiar with Lovecraft may recognize the otherworldly critters that are set to devour the residents of Earth. But how are they crossing that barrier? Has someone opened a portal or is the effect of the comet? This is an enjoyable read and great for vacation. It reminds me of the old radio programs, especially with the way it's written. The "voice" of the author would do well as a radio production, perhaps by Alien Voices? I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Good Reads Synopsis:
In a past that never was...
The year is 1869. Earth experiences the close pass of a comet never before seen. In its wake, many of Terra's inhabitants find themselves changed. Among men, prodigies rise in unprecedented numbers, while many ordinary adults suddenly find themselves possessed of preternatural genius. Likewise, non-hominid animals become self-aware and intelligent.
Fast forward to 1875. A young “comet prodigy” from humble beginnings, Ichabod Temperance, has become the world's foremost inventor. He travels to England to deliver his latest brilliant invention to a famous explorer, until Fate intervenes. Meanwhile, a lovely young Bluestocking, Miss Persephone Plumtartt, survives an experimental accident only to find herself imbued with a power she can neither understand nor control, while dark forces and malevolent creatures pursue her, leaving a gruesome wake of death.
Yet, worse is to come. The naïve young inventor and the lovely intellectual find themselves fighting not only to save their own lives, but to prevent the destruction of all life on Earth.
I’m going to start this review by saying this is quite a fun story. There are many elements that make it very enjoyable and entertaining. The characters are interesting and charming, the steampunk elements are fun (LOVE the genre), and the plot pushes along nicely.
But I wasn’t really a fan of the way the story was written. I had to get a friend to help me figure out what it was I didn’t like. I had been trying to understand what it was for about half the book.
Much of this book is written in passive voice. Instead of having very active and engaging verbs, the sentences are written very passively, which for me, gets kind of boring and hard to read. Now, it is definitely a preference thing because I’ve read reviews that don’t mention this and it obviously didn’t bother them at all. It’s just something that I couldn’t get away from. There were also some strange fragments used. Sometimes in stream of consciousness fragments work, but they were odd in this book for me.
This book is written in dual POV, split between Ichabod Temperance and Persephone Plumtartt (both very likeable and charming characters). What I didn’t like about this was every time you switched POV, you had to backtrack and see the same scenes from the opposite characters perspective. Even when gaining new information or insight during this process, it felt tedious and unnecessary. I liked the dual POV, but would have rather had it without all the backtracking.
There were some FABULOUS word choices in this book. The vocabulary was extremely fun and colorful. That along with the steampunk elements helped create very vivid pictures for the reader. As I said earlier there was plenty of action; it felt like as far as plot went there wasn’t a dull moment. It was, however, a lot of the same at times; creatures followed them around the world (literally) and Mr. Temperance had to keep inventing new ways to fight them. It was quite entertaining how he kept naming his weapons the acronym for what the weapon actually was: i.e. the P.G.D.D. = The Plasmo-Gasmic Discharge Device.
But I digress. This is a fun story (albeit oddly written) with fun characters, who form a rather sweet relationship and overcome terrifying circumstances. Very charming, although I wasn’t a fan of the writing style.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
A Matter of Temperance is the first steampunk book I've read. I actually avoided this genre because I had a feeling that I wouldn't enjoy it.
Imagine my surprise when I read this delightful novel. It may not be my comfort genre but I was really entertained by Ichabod and Persephone's adventures.
A Matter Of Temperance is a story set in the late 1800s, where the Revelatory Comet has just passed Earth, leaving behind enhanced talents to prodigies in all fields. One of them is our hero,Ichabod Temperance. He travelled to England to meet with a famous explorer who's about to purchase his prized invented goggles. But things didn't go well between him and the vile explorer so the deal was off. One night he sees the beautiful Persephone Plumtartt being chased by an invisible monster and he came to her rescue. Using his goggles he sees the abomination and saves Ms. Plumtartt. And the rest is a history of adventures across the globe.
I like the fact that the story is on dual POV. I especially enjoy reading Ichabod's thoughts. He was such a nice gentleman and I can't help but like his charming personality. I also enjoy the humorous bits added by the author, especially the use of sound effects (!plinck!) inside his mind. It was just funny. Persephone's POV is darker and gives the story a more serious side. Persephone's character is a strong woman, who knows when to use her brain and beauty to their advantage, even if Ichabod doesn't like it. Yep, she uses her charming beauty for some small favors (nothing scandalous, mind you).
The overall story was good. I especially enjoyed their travels from one country to another. The author's style made the gore scenes less terrifying. If the book had a more serious tone in it, the story would have been in the horror genre. Really, some scenes should have been disgusting and scary but it wasn't.
As much as I enjoyed most parts of the book, I had a hard time reading through some pages because of too many technical terms. The book was so wordy that it became tedious to read through some pages. I'm not sure I even understand them myself. Other than that, this is a good book all in all. If you haven't tried reading Steampunk yet, this is a good book to start with. Just make sure you have some dictionary handy beside you. I'm giving A Matter of Temperance 4 stars for the wonderful adventure and the new world it has shown me. I definitely recommend this to Steampunk fans and to those who want to try the said genre. It's a book worth reading!
I love alternate earth/history novels. Seeing the 'new' old world the author creates is always fun and A Matter of Temperance did not disappoint.
A Matter of Temperance is told through the eyes of both Ichabod Temperance and Persephone Plumtartt. It's an interesting combination, since you get to see both characters view of events and things aren't always exactly the same. It's neat to see two different perspectives on the same space of time. I like both Ichabod and Persephone. They are fun and smart characters. I also liked a lot of the people the met on the journey. The story itself is super fast paced. Which is great because it keeps the pages turning, but I think it is also part of the stories faults. Everything is going soooo fast that some things, such as extra characters that the heroes meet on the way,seem to barely get a passing glance. I liked a lot of these characters, even though they were only on the page a few moments. I think they could have had a bit more page time and helped keep the story from feeling so rushed. I think that was the only problem I really had with the book overall. Even the detailed descriptions of the different technology felt rushed. Plus at one point it felt as if part of a scene must be missing because it was going by so fast. I have to say though that despite the novels break neck speed, I did enjoy the ride. As I said before I enjoyed all the characters, even the ones that I didn't get a large amount of time with. The main characters are just plain fun, and the supporting characters are memorable. Honestly it reminded me of a great movie with lots of cameos by famous stars. I also love the world building that the author has done. Seriously, Temperance's world is amazing. The author has a fine eye for technological detail as well as amazing descriptive abilities. I really felt as if I could just step onto the page, although since most of the time they are fighting evil creatures from another dimension I probably would hesitate to do so. lol. I can't wait to start reading A World of InTemperance. I hope that I get to see more of the characters that were introduced in this book, as well as more of Ichabod and Persephone's world.
Ichabod Temperance is a young man with a brilliant mind and a gentlemanly manner that includes doing anything to save a lady. In 1875, he sets across the Atlantic to England on a voyage that will change his life even more than the comet that dashed Earth with its tail and bestowed greater intelligence on some people. Even animals became self-aware. England has been suffering from vicious ghost attacks. Ichabod saves a lovely young lady from one of these horrifying creatures and discovers she is Persephone Plumtartt, the daughter of a well known inventor. The monsters seem intent on her, and Ichabod cannot leave a lady in danger. The pair soon discover they are at the center of something much bigger than random ghost attacks and begin a quest to save Earth from an evil greater than any imagining.
What a wonderfully quirky and cheeky steampunk tale. The world pulled me in and hooked me. The romance of the Victorian age with advanced steampunk technology and people with super intelligence. It has all the charm with the fanciful dress, etiquette, and manners of speech. The tongue-in-cheek names for people and places had me giggling. Even with the light-heartedness, there is a dark edge. The monsters have a Lovecraftian flavor and the villains have no mercy.
The cast of characters is large and varied. Ichabod's voice is young and filled with wonder. I loved his eagerness, southern charm, and sense of chivalry. Persephone is a strong and clever young woman, a proper role model for all steampunk girls.
The plot is fast-paced and exciting. Never a dull moment! This is a fantastic start to the Adventures of Ichabod Temperance series. I will definitely be picking up the next books. 4.5 stars and cheers to a highly entertaining story.
I am a steampunk fantatic! I love all things steampunk and enjoy reading a good book that throws in a good bit of steampunk action.
Matter of Temperance is the beginning of the journey of Icabod Temperance (Icky) and Persephone, and though it is part of a series, I can confidently say you can read it and any of the others as solo reads. However, I would suggest you read them all, as each is brilliant and they create a fab overall story, when read together.
In this book, we see the emergence of Icky, as we will know him for the rest of the series. He is a an American abroad, as he is making his way to England. However, even this excellent tinker can find himself in trouble. As a comet changes the world, we see Icky become himself, Persephone gain powers and the true emergence of the steampunk world.
Persephone must use her powers to defeat an evil, and we soon find Icky teaming up with her, and the two create a brilliant steampunk duo, fighting off the evil in the world.
I loved the amount of steampunk that was in this book. The beginning of the book gave us loads of information, creating the world we were in, Icky and Persephone, so that we knew who they were, before finding out who they are...after. I think this was essential. We got to know things, to see just how much they changed.
The pace of the book was swift, but it really worked. The details were still in the book, and we had depth of character, but it moved quick to match the urgency behind the fight they were in.
Overall, this is a brilliant first book to a grand steampunk series. It only gets better as you go along. The writing style is fast and different, but it fits the steampunk genre and the fight. I loved it and think my steampunk readers will as well!
Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this in the first two chapters. Ichabod’s first chapter was kind of info-dumping, and I never approve of killing the animals. (Slaughter all the people you want, apparently���) I’m also always on the fence about whether First Person from multiple people works.
Yet, after a couple chapters, I decided that it did work here. The chapters are short and punchy, and written in Present Tense, which gives a very excited pacing. Ichabod’s enthusiasm was contagious, and there were little details to the writing that you think would annoy me but were very funny.
Like he would use (!) in sections to convey the narrator’s shock over something. Ichabod being an Alabama boy in England was also amusing, both from his accent mixing and the change of stereotypes in the racist Englishman (!) versus the appalled Southerner (!).
By 16% (thanks to my Kindle), I was really getting into it. Seeing various events from both Ichabod’s and Persephone’s perspectives made it very intriguing, as did using the comet to set up the steampunk world–even if the first description of it made me doubtful at the start.
Nonstop is a good word to describe the story. It gets a little too much so towards the middle, but it picks you back up. The humor was corny at points (magically delicious, really?) but it works and was actually cute. Not to mention, the Siberian tigers? A way to this reviewer’s heart, even if briefly.
Ultimately, I call this book monstrously amusing, quirky, charming, and just a hell of a lot fun. 5 Fireballs!
I was gifted my copy direct from the author. And I thank them for the opportunity.
6 years after a comet passed earth, technological advance are fast and furious. Ichabod Temperance races across the Atlantic in a steam boat to hand deliver his latest invention. Persephone Plumtartt is the daughter of a previous recipient of his inventions. Together they fight the ghost her father pulled forth before he died.
I liked the IDEA of this book, that a comet released the inner scientist of a huge amount of people all at once.
I didn't like the way it's told. It's told in the first person, present tense, and it flips between the two characters. Each change is clearly headed and occurs as the chapters change BUT some of those chapters are very very short, and it got dizzy at points.
I struggled with the dialogue and narration. I figure the author tried to use language of the time, 1875, but it didn't quite work for me.
It is heavy on the steampunk. Very heavy. Far too much for me.
It is totally clean, but it does get a bit messy fighting the monsters, and not a single profanity was uttered.
It's not showing on Amazon as young adult, but I would class it as such. That, and steampunk and urban.
There are 5 more books in this series, however they are not for me.
Sorry, Mr Temperance, but thank you for the opportunity to read them.
3 stars.
**Same worded review will appear on Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com**
(3.5) This novel certainly can't be accused of lacking adventure nor acronymic gadgets. What a ride! Ichabod and Persephone certainly had an unusually exciting meeting and journey thereafter. Ichabod couldn't seem to pass up saving Persephone every chance he got and there was plenty. Plenty paranormals after Persephone so plenty of opportunities for Ichabod to practice his gentlemanliness and use of his inventions. What an adorable couple they turned out to be. Opposites do attract. I wonder what they'll be up to in the next installment!
I thought I hadn't read any steampunk but I read Cassandra Clare's Clock Work Angel and enjoyed it. A Matter of Temperance is in that same genre but this take is lighter. There was some giggle worthy moments. Mix that with around the world backdrop and you've got yourself a fast moving venturesome book. As you can imagine, I enjoyed Ichabod's stop in the Philippines. Not much was said but I like the mention nonetheless.
My impression of the writing was fearless and dramatic. I got a theatrical feel in the read. Wouldn't be surprised if this gets turned into film. Hence, a solid good book. It just needs another editing run through to clean up some minor composing texts.
I really didn’t know what to expect when I began reading “A Matter of Temperance,” other than it was set in the 1800s and dealt with steam technology. I believe this is what is called, Steam Punk. I’m not sure. What I do know is that if I hadn’t taken a chance on an unknown author (to me) and a genre far removed from my normal choosing, I would have missed out on a terrific story, many laughs, and great entertainment. The author knows how to tell a story with humor, suspense, action, imagination, and genteel romance from another era, but he also seems to possess an extensive and impressive master of the English language. His vocabulary and choice of words was awe-inspiring and at times extremely humorous. Bravo, Mr. Temperance! Mr. Ichabod Temperance and Miss Persephone Plumtartt’s fight against an ancient evil trying to take over the world was filled with much inventive technology, rousing battles with gross, frightful monsters, budding romance between the hero and heroine, and so many laugher-inducing moments that I had no time to be bored. In a broad sense it was like nineteenth century Ghosts Busters traveling Around the World in Eighty Days. Whatever genre you normally read, take a chance and get caught up in the adventures of Ichabod and Persephone. You’ll be glad you did.
I'm not really sure, even now, how I feel about this book. Storyline - 4; words and word play - 3; steampunk elements - 4; and yet, I'm feeling like - 2, it was OK. The voice oftentimes felt stiff or wooden. In the beginning I really liked the story, towards the middle the voice became repetitive, explaining something in one sentence and then saying it again or even a third time differently, but still, saying the same thing. By the last quarter of the book I was really just wanting to be done. Then again, I really enjoyed the concept, the word play throughout, the story covered almost every genre possible and the banter between Ichabod and Persephone was fun. Another thing one notices and will feel it is either a fun tongue in cheek nod to many stories such as 80 Days Around the World, etc. or it's cheaply imitating snippets from other books. I found it to be a fun nod. And finally, from my memory the book was clean throughout, no foul language. I like it well enough to give the next book in the series a go some time down the road.
Plenty of action, travel, steampunk, despicable characters, alien life forms, other dimensions, gadgets, Kabooms... OK, LOTS of KABOOMS, a bit of romance and fun word association.
I did not know much about Steampunk when I read Mr. Temperance's novel, but I soon found myself drawn into this compelling world. The novel has two protagonists, who couldn't be more different. Ichabod is an engagingly humble "tinkerer" (translation: mechanical genius) with a deep sense of honor. His humble origins come through in his often creative use of language, which only makes him more believable.
The other protagonist, Miss Persephone Plumtartt, is what in the 19th Century was called a "Bluestocking," a sheltered, reticent female intellectual. The two come together when Ichabod must rescue Miss Plumtartt from an otherworldy danger, but the bond between them grows, both from the danger that intertwines them and from their shared sense of honor.
The book presents a great character development, a richly realized late 19th Century Steampunk world, combined with a great monster hunt and a millenia-old mystery that must be solved. There is a nice mix of poignant romance, thrilling adventure, heinous minions, and pun-laden humor.
I must say, after reading this book, I shall check out other Steampunk novels.
A Matter of Temperance is a story set in the late 1800s, where the Revelatory Comet has just passed Earth, leaving behind enhanced talents to prodigies in all fields. One of them is Ichabod Temperance, who has travelled to England to meet with a famous explorer who's about to purchase his prized invented goggles, the Green Beauties, but things didn't go well between him and the despicable explorer so the deal was off. One night he sees the gorgeous Persephone Plumtartt being chased by an invisible monster and he came to her rescue using his goggles. He sees the horror and saves Ms. Plumtartt. Need to know more? Read it! Steampunk is defiantly alive in this book. I love how this book brings you into the steampunk era and also delves deep into adventure, mystery, and romance. Reminded me of Sherlock Holmes/ the show Dracula. Love the story and the characters. Very easy read. Science Fiction & Fantasy /Science Fiction / Steampunk Reviewer For Sweets Books and Ichabod Temperance.
Searching for an incredible unique adventure story that will get you hooked and excited for more? A Matter of Temperance gives you everything you would want and need in an adventure novel.
Ichabod and Persephone journey around the world to search out the best solution so that will finally put an end to the undetectable vile entities that are claiming the lives of many innocent people.
I loved how the creatures are invisible, making it hard for people to see them without using Ichabod’s green beauties. I also admired the many inventions generated, especially the names of the devices, that aid the heroes against the numerous amount of creatures popping out from every corner. I feel there has not been a great adventure story since the 80s until now.
I found this book a little odd. It is written from two different points of view, but having said that there were quite a few parts that made me laugh. The book I found had a bit of a slow start, but I ploughed through it and it is a fairly engaging sort of read. I am glad I gave it a go through.