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The Augmentors
"We are doing things that only gods have dreamed of doing before."
In the heart of London, 15-year-old George Moore works with his uncle to erase the political stain left by his father, who was blamed for turning a technological breakthrough designed to bring unparalleled glory to the British Empire into a horrific disaster.
Now, under the leadership of George's uncle, Sir Lawrence Moore, the ministry is on the cusp of another giant leap forward-a technological marvel unlike anything seen The Sky Locomotive, a grand vessel that will change the way citizens travel in the British Empire...and beyond.
But that's not all that will change. While George works to unsully his family's reputation, he uncovers a nefarious plot that threatens to reshape the Empire itself-and not for the better.
In a society driven by secrets, lies, propaganda, and dangerous technologies, George faces powerful enemies and interests. Can he rise above his loyalties to prevent more atrocities, or will he witness the end of an experiment that never should have started?
In the heart of London, 15-year-old George Moore works with his uncle to erase the political stain left by his father, who was blamed for turning a technological breakthrough designed to bring unparalleled glory to the British Empire into a horrific disaster.
Now, under the leadership of George's uncle, Sir Lawrence Moore, the ministry is on the cusp of another giant leap forward-a technological marvel unlike anything seen The Sky Locomotive, a grand vessel that will change the way citizens travel in the British Empire...and beyond.
But that's not all that will change. While George works to unsully his family's reputation, he uncovers a nefarious plot that threatens to reshape the Empire itself-and not for the better.
In a society driven by secrets, lies, propaganda, and dangerous technologies, George faces powerful enemies and interests. Can he rise above his loyalties to prevent more atrocities, or will he witness the end of an experiment that never should have started?
- GenresScience Fiction
266 pages, Paperback
Published October 24, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 6, 2023
This book sounded like something I would enjoy. I was not disappointed. An us vs them, man vs machine, science vs nature tale woven with intrigue and grey areas, it lived up the steampunk description.
But don’t let that dissuade you from reading it if steampunk often feels to “science-y” for you. The author did a great job of describing scenes, items, and contraptions without detailing the science behind them. A gun is a gun, we don’t need to know how a plasma gun works to know what happens when it’s fired. In fact, not knowing the science is part of the plot – how does this new locomotive like thing work?
She also did a great job giving the setting a Victorian / Gilded Age feel without being a historical novel – which again is a key element of steampunk.
The story is also timely. As the question of AI is all over the news, this book questions the morality of augmenting humans with mechanical parts. Sure, we already do some of that with prosthetic limbs, but this takes it a step further, implying primitive robotic technologies and their autonomy.
All the logistics aside, it was also a fun read. The characters were relatable – both the good and the bad. The politics of the conflict were easy to follow, quickly explained from the start and elaborated as the story progressed, including the grey areas and personal conflicts. The cast of characters was socioeconomically diverse but limited in quantity – which is a good thing, there weren’t a gazillion people to confuse while reading.
The only thing that caught my attention was the women’s “sleeves” - a type of physical branding mentioned repeatedly in the beginning as an important part of a socialite’s upbringing. They were hardly mentioned later in the book. Insignificant detail to note, but there it is. For all I know, there will be more about them in any possible sequels.
But don’t let that dissuade you from reading it if steampunk often feels to “science-y” for you. The author did a great job of describing scenes, items, and contraptions without detailing the science behind them. A gun is a gun, we don’t need to know how a plasma gun works to know what happens when it’s fired. In fact, not knowing the science is part of the plot – how does this new locomotive like thing work?
She also did a great job giving the setting a Victorian / Gilded Age feel without being a historical novel – which again is a key element of steampunk.
The story is also timely. As the question of AI is all over the news, this book questions the morality of augmenting humans with mechanical parts. Sure, we already do some of that with prosthetic limbs, but this takes it a step further, implying primitive robotic technologies and their autonomy.
All the logistics aside, it was also a fun read. The characters were relatable – both the good and the bad. The politics of the conflict were easy to follow, quickly explained from the start and elaborated as the story progressed, including the grey areas and personal conflicts. The cast of characters was socioeconomically diverse but limited in quantity – which is a good thing, there weren’t a gazillion people to confuse while reading.
The only thing that caught my attention was the women’s “sleeves” - a type of physical branding mentioned repeatedly in the beginning as an important part of a socialite’s upbringing. They were hardly mentioned later in the book. Insignificant detail to note, but there it is. For all I know, there will be more about them in any possible sequels.
September 23, 2023
Thank goes out to Lost Boys Press for the ARC.
To give context for the review, understand that I'm not quite the target audience for a YA book such as this. However, despite that, I enjoyed the setting and the characters and central philosophical questions around augmentation of the human body. The Victorian political factions also added a delightful flair to the novel, and I hope to see this explored further in future books.
Pros: Worldbuilding that feels solidly placed, defined characters (Lucinda will always be a favorite), compelling political intrigues, and snappy well-paced prose that propels you through the story quickly.
Cons: Towards the latter half of the book, the stakes and goals of the characters become murky. The book is quite action-packed, and given all the political intrigue, I think I had hoped for more pulling of power strings rather than raw action-movie theatrics. Again, this is my subjective take as someone who is not generally keen on the YA genre.
Overall, the book is solid and a fast, compelling read.
To give context for the review, understand that I'm not quite the target audience for a YA book such as this. However, despite that, I enjoyed the setting and the characters and central philosophical questions around augmentation of the human body. The Victorian political factions also added a delightful flair to the novel, and I hope to see this explored further in future books.
Pros: Worldbuilding that feels solidly placed, defined characters (Lucinda will always be a favorite), compelling political intrigues, and snappy well-paced prose that propels you through the story quickly.
Cons: Towards the latter half of the book, the stakes and goals of the characters become murky. The book is quite action-packed, and given all the political intrigue, I think I had hoped for more pulling of power strings rather than raw action-movie theatrics. Again, this is my subjective take as someone who is not generally keen on the YA genre.
Overall, the book is solid and a fast, compelling read.
October 26, 2023
The Augmentors by Gemini Gibson is the first book I’m reading by this author. The cover is what initially caught my eye but after reading the blurb I was excited to dig my teeth (so to speak) into this book. This book one hundred percent lived up to its description and I loved it for it. This was an extremely well done story of man versus machine aspect. This story immediately drew me into its clutches and didn’t let me go. I finished it in one sitting, never once putting my kindle down. The worldbuilding was fantastic and the book was described to where you understood everything but was easy to picture what you’re reading as well. This book had a bit of everything… emotions, politics, morally gray areas and conflict. The characters to me were super relatable even as they were set in the steampunk type era. Enjoyed the one liners and banter that was throughout the book. Overall I really enjoyed reading this and am looking forward to more books.
Final review:
4 out of 5 stars
Final review:
4 out of 5 stars
October 3, 2023
What I Did Like:
+The world building is great! I was immediately interested in this idea of augmenting a human body and wanted to know more.
+The ending is intense. The action kicks up, the intrigue kicks up, and you’re left with quite a shock.
+Good characters. They’re strong together and alone, they’re fun, and they have a good relationship. I loved them!
Who Should Read This One:
-Fans of Sci-Fi driven by technological advances and bigger questions regarding ethics of those advances.
My Rating: 4 Stars
For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2023/10/...
+The world building is great! I was immediately interested in this idea of augmenting a human body and wanted to know more.
+The ending is intense. The action kicks up, the intrigue kicks up, and you’re left with quite a shock.
+Good characters. They’re strong together and alone, they’re fun, and they have a good relationship. I loved them!
Who Should Read This One:
-Fans of Sci-Fi driven by technological advances and bigger questions regarding ethics of those advances.
My Rating: 4 Stars
For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2023/10/...
December 29, 2023
This is a steam-punk fantasy thriller, set in an alternative Victorian London. George has been taken in by his respectable uncle as a secretary when his father is disgraced, but finds himself reluctantly allied with a persecuted underbelly class keeping London going at great risk to themselves. “Father always says that the telephonic apparatus is one of the few modern inventions that has little future. There are so few people worth talking to.” The excitement builds relentlessly but there’s enough time taken to make sure that the plot all hangs together, there is some fantastic detail (the arm sleeves will live with me), and as a bonus, the artwork is really good!
February 6, 2024
His father made a mess of a development and his uncle and himself is trying to repair the damage. He is about to find out someone is trying to ruin everything and change things for the worse. How will he get on? Can he stop them? Will life get better? See how he gets on
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
September 5, 2023
I'm never sure of the all the proper definitions, but if you are into steampunk, grimdark, gaslight fantasy, you may enjoy this soon to be published novel from Lost Boys Press. They sent me an ARC and I wasn't too sure about trying it because this isn't one of my absolute favorite genres but this one had enough originality and exciting action to tempt me in. It was a slow start as we are introduced to the world, characters, and the political machinations that always seems to be at the heart of these types of stories. Our supposed hero, George, a 15-year-old being mentored by an uncle as a kind of substitute son and heir to his political ambitions, remains a bit of a blank to my way of thinking throughout the book. I don't know if it his age or just his personality, but I never got as involved in his storyline as I would have liked. His much more dashing and interesting cousin Lucinda, however, was worth the price of admission, as well as other characters such as loyal manservant John, who seems to have his own mysterious agendas. Tons of intrigue, a unique invention (The Sky Locomotive), and some real thrills and chills as the plot picks up kept me reading. The ending twist hints at further entries in a possible series. I think fans of this genre will find a lot to love in this well-written and edited novel.
April 6, 2024
This book floored me!
I went into The Augmentors not expecting to be so drawn in by the characters or the story, but I was. It starts slow, with politics, but the author weaves a web of lives and lies that twists and turns in sharp and subtle ways, leaving the reader to emerge to absolute chaos. Gibson does a fantastic job of managing all of the characters and their points of view. The writing was superb.
I've never read anything so suspenseful. It's definitely a book that needs a cup of tea or a glass of port and I'd recommend it to anyone that loves political intrigue, sci-fi, and a dash of unfortunate reality.
Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Readers Copy from Lost Boys Press in exchange for an honest review.
I went into The Augmentors not expecting to be so drawn in by the characters or the story, but I was. It starts slow, with politics, but the author weaves a web of lives and lies that twists and turns in sharp and subtle ways, leaving the reader to emerge to absolute chaos. Gibson does a fantastic job of managing all of the characters and their points of view. The writing was superb.
I've never read anything so suspenseful. It's definitely a book that needs a cup of tea or a glass of port and I'd recommend it to anyone that loves political intrigue, sci-fi, and a dash of unfortunate reality.
Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Readers Copy from Lost Boys Press in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews