The Glass Galleon

by Brian D. Lambert

Steam power has brought many benefits to the citizens of Her Majesty’s Britannic Empire, but also enemies jealous of her supremacy. Several times her military might has been tested, and each time she has prevailed. But now with the warships and armed war-blimps of her old enemy massing in the North Sea, Britain is facing its greatest time of peril – warfare of an unprecedented scale is poised to be unleashed. The mysterious and black-hearted Olivia is behind the smuggling of guns and ammunition into London to fuel internal riots and aid invasion, but most importantly of all the theft of Britain’s ultra-secret stealth ship, codenamed Glass Galleon, with the death of all hands. With her plans coming to fruition why has she ordered a stealth-blimp be sent into the thick fog of a night-time London? Why would she need to kidnap Samuel and Clara, the children of a minor civil servant? Has it anything to do with what was seen by a transatlantic blimp that was blown off-course in the deepest North Atlantic Ocean? But what can she hope a myth can achieve against Britain’s Royal Navy?

Genres: Steampunk

168 pages, Paperback

First published September 7, 2013

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

George and Hannah Grant were Samuel and Clara's parents and in the beginning were quite unaware of Clara's special powers over animals however Samuel had noticed it many times. However as time goes on they do notice and so does a strange man when their father takes them to a talk at his club and some ladybugs escape and land on her dress. He notices how she manages to make them do different type of tricks. Later on in the book during a foggy night over London a strange building starts to rise into the air and as it does it begins to open from the middle outwards. As it does a large dark shape rises slowly and silently into the air. After it's risen above the building it takes on the normal shape of an airship. It moves through the night silently and slowly over a roof of a large building. Ropes drop from the airship and figures drop down to the end of the ropes as silent signals are given. A door is suddenly located and acid is used to eat away at the lock. Once the door is opened the soldiers silently enter the door onto a catwalk and see their objective floating in a dry dock but first they have to take care of the soldiers guarding it. Snipers take care of the soldiers however one sees them. One of the engineers runs to the enemies goal, jumps down a hatch and shouts, blow it up, several times. After the shooting is over Olivia arrives at the warehouse to gaze at the most top secret ship that the 'Squirrel Works' had ever invented. It was a stealth ship codenamed 'Glass Galleon'. The next step of her plan is to capture Samuel and Clara whether or not their parents die is immaterial. Samuel, Clara and their mother were in the house doing some reading when they suddenly hear some crashing upstairs above them. Their mother got frightened and told them to hide in the cupboard until it was safe then take Clara to the ministry since it was her they were after.

I can't go on without leaving a lot of spoilers, you'll just have to read it yourself. Needless to say Samuel and Clara are captured and Clara is made to do some incredible things. You'll just have to read the book. I found it well written and I liked the plot. I've already bought the 2nd book in the series and am getting ready to start reading it. I'm sure it will be as good as the first was.