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The Heart of Resistance
Janna Tulli, a disillusioned airship mechanic, is on the run from her father’s fruitless rebellion.
Elsie, an orphan trapped in the miserable workhouse system, dreams of a better life.
Princess Yvonnia, heir apparent to the fractured nation of Sial, is forced to seek aid from the imperialists who threaten her people.
Arthur Pendington, former captain of the Imperial Airship Formidable, is out for revenge against the Empire that made him into a monster. With nothing but his wits, a rag-tag crew, and an ill-gotten airship, Arthur plans to destroy the remaining Dreadnoughts: weapons of terror that rain destruction on the Odolian Empire’s enemies and civilians alike.
Arthur’s impossible mission pulls them all into his inescapable orbit, threatening to shatter the Odolian establishment and tear apart the lives of his few remaining friends. Set in a Dickensian world of flintlocks, airships, class warfare, and colonialism, this swashbuckling steampunk adventure is packed with action, political intrigue, and unforgettable characters who will stay with you long after the final page.
Elsie, an orphan trapped in the miserable workhouse system, dreams of a better life.
Princess Yvonnia, heir apparent to the fractured nation of Sial, is forced to seek aid from the imperialists who threaten her people.
Arthur Pendington, former captain of the Imperial Airship Formidable, is out for revenge against the Empire that made him into a monster. With nothing but his wits, a rag-tag crew, and an ill-gotten airship, Arthur plans to destroy the remaining Dreadnoughts: weapons of terror that rain destruction on the Odolian Empire’s enemies and civilians alike.
Arthur’s impossible mission pulls them all into his inescapable orbit, threatening to shatter the Odolian establishment and tear apart the lives of his few remaining friends. Set in a Dickensian world of flintlocks, airships, class warfare, and colonialism, this swashbuckling steampunk adventure is packed with action, political intrigue, and unforgettable characters who will stay with you long after the final page.
376 pages, Paperback
First published March 25, 2025
2 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
A.D. Griffey
1 book2 followersAria and David Griffey are a husband and wife writing team who love to create fantastical worlds grounded in historical detail. They live in Central Ohio with their daughter and a lot of books.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 3, 2025
** Disclaimer: I received an ARC to give an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **
What immediately caught my attention with this story was the marketing around it, how it was promoted as "steampunk", a "Dickensian world", and being a "swashbuckling adventure". Having now read the story for myself, I can say this is all accurate. In short, it's precisely the kind of book I love reading.
Readers are drawn in to a world that is grand and sweeping in its history and current conflicts, yet swiftly grounds you in the intimate lives of its characters. We're led deeply into the perspectives of three different characters who cross paths/get involved in the wild schemes of Arthur Pendington, allowing us unique insight into not only how their unstable world has affected people of varying social standings, but also how Arthur has effected/will effect their lives too. This was bravely and interestingly done, considering we don't get much deep insight into his character and motivations throughout the book; it primarily comes from the people around him. The climax and ending, though, brought everything together beautifully (and heartbreakingly), while leaving enough promise for a sequel. I do wish we could have seen more of Janna's character throughout because I especially found her intriguing, but I suspect we will in book 2!
It is definitely Dickensian in pulling together a large cast of such varied characters with bold personalities. Also the writing was beautiful and detailed without being overly exhaustive in description. I highly recommend this story.
What immediately caught my attention with this story was the marketing around it, how it was promoted as "steampunk", a "Dickensian world", and being a "swashbuckling adventure". Having now read the story for myself, I can say this is all accurate. In short, it's precisely the kind of book I love reading.
Readers are drawn in to a world that is grand and sweeping in its history and current conflicts, yet swiftly grounds you in the intimate lives of its characters. We're led deeply into the perspectives of three different characters who cross paths/get involved in the wild schemes of Arthur Pendington, allowing us unique insight into not only how their unstable world has affected people of varying social standings, but also how Arthur has effected/will effect their lives too. This was bravely and interestingly done, considering we don't get much deep insight into his character and motivations throughout the book; it primarily comes from the people around him. The climax and ending, though, brought everything together beautifully (and heartbreakingly), while leaving enough promise for a sequel. I do wish we could have seen more of Janna's character throughout because I especially found her intriguing, but I suspect we will in book 2!
It is definitely Dickensian in pulling together a large cast of such varied characters with bold personalities. Also the writing was beautiful and detailed without being overly exhaustive in description. I highly recommend this story.
Read
July 27, 2025if you like firefly and steampunk, found family and absolute chaos, you will enjoy this book
Read
July 19, 2025This book was so good! I had a hard time putting it down.
The prose is immersive and vivid and the characters fun and three-dimensional. Some I needed to give hugs to and others I needed to shake. Hard.
Also...I really need the next book! I need to know what happens next!
The prose is immersive and vivid and the characters fun and three-dimensional. Some I needed to give hugs to and others I needed to shake. Hard.
Also...I really need the next book! I need to know what happens next!
August 5, 2025
Airships, train cities, and empires, oh my!
That…might have sounded better in my head. 😆
But seriously, the worldbuilding was one of the things I enjoyed the most in this book! While it didn’t go overboard with description, I felt immersed in the world and was always interested in learning more. I soooo want to see an illustration of Veturi!
As for the characters, I felt invested in all of them, but was disappointed that the beginning spent some time focusing on a character that disappeared for the remainder of the book. (Until the epilogue, that is.) I’m sure we’ll see more of this character in the next book, but all the same, it messed with my expectations a little bit.
I loved the relationship between Maria and Paul so much! 😭
I’m not sure I can form an opinion on the plot until I read the next book. A lot of stuff happened, and it kept me interested, but it isn’t yet clear to me how it will all fit together. I’m excited to find out!
That…might have sounded better in my head. 😆
But seriously, the worldbuilding was one of the things I enjoyed the most in this book! While it didn’t go overboard with description, I felt immersed in the world and was always interested in learning more. I soooo want to see an illustration of Veturi!
As for the characters, I felt invested in all of them, but was disappointed that the beginning spent some time focusing on a character that disappeared for the remainder of the book. (Until the epilogue, that is.) I’m sure we’ll see more of this character in the next book, but all the same, it messed with my expectations a little bit.
I loved the relationship between Maria and Paul so much! 😭
I’m not sure I can form an opinion on the plot until I read the next book. A lot of stuff happened, and it kept me interested, but it isn’t yet clear to me how it will all fit together. I’m excited to find out!
Read
April 26, 2025It's a good read and very interesting
December 31, 2025
The world building for this story is very cool. It is expansive and leans into familiar steam powered tech but presented in an interesting way.
I struggled a bit with the beginning because the first pov characters were grumpy and kind of mean, but I grew to appreciate them and their stories.
My favorite characters were Elsie, Paul, and Maria. Paul and Maria are an adorable married couple and I love seeing that in books. Elsie was kind of naive but also unwilling to take unnecessary mistreatment and I thought it balanced well for her character arc.
A fun read of adventure, action, intrigue, and relationships. Though not a cliffhanger, it definitely leaves some threads to be wrapped up in book 2.
In this book:
- Adorable married couple who don’t always get along
- Sweet girls who stand up for themselves
- Reference to prostitution (not on screen and not with main characters)
- References to a past war and the carnage
- Skirmishes and battles with weapons
- Theft
- Kidnapping
- Political scheming
I struggled a bit with the beginning because the first pov characters were grumpy and kind of mean, but I grew to appreciate them and their stories.
My favorite characters were Elsie, Paul, and Maria. Paul and Maria are an adorable married couple and I love seeing that in books. Elsie was kind of naive but also unwilling to take unnecessary mistreatment and I thought it balanced well for her character arc.
A fun read of adventure, action, intrigue, and relationships. Though not a cliffhanger, it definitely leaves some threads to be wrapped up in book 2.
In this book:
- Adorable married couple who don’t always get along
- Sweet girls who stand up for themselves
- Reference to prostitution (not on screen and not with main characters)
- References to a past war and the carnage
- Skirmishes and battles with weapons
- Theft
- Kidnapping
- Political scheming
May 22, 2025
The Heart of Resistance is a richly imagined steampunk odyssey set against the backdrop of imperial tyranny and crumbling rebellion. As someone who thrives on character-driven narratives and deeply layered world-building, I found this novel thoroughly immersive, even when it treaded familiar thematic ground.
Told in a multi-POV structure, the story braids together the lives of Janna—a disillusioned rebel mechanic; Elsie—a workhouse orphan desperate for a life beyond servitude; and Arthur Pendington—a once-loyal imperial captain turned insurgent. Each voice brings a distinct texture to the story. Janna’s inner turmoil, especially, stood out to me—her gritted realism, biting wit, and the slowly unraveling weight of her past were brilliantly done. There's a raw, authentic edge to her arc that reminded me of classic literary rebels, but with a modern grit.
The prose walks the line between efficient and occasionally ornate, particularly in describing the cityscapes of Gorand or the infernal machinery of dreadnoughts. The scenes involving airships and skydocks were kinetic and cinematic, and the combat sequences (especially the boarding and escape scenes) had real tension. I appreciated how the authors avoided glamorizing war; they instead chose to emphasize the psychological wear and the slow erasure of ideals, which felt honest.
If I had a critique, it would be about pacing (my old nemesis). The novel begins with a sharp hook and builds well, but midsections—especially the early Elsie chapters—sag slightly. I found myself yearning for a tighter edit in parts to match the intensity of the opening and climax. Some emotional beats also felt rushed when they could have been lingered on for greater impact. That said, the world itself never falters—it feels lived-in and vividly rendered.
Overall, this is a strong debut from the Griffeys. It carries the weight of classic resistance literature while still feeling timely. For readers who love character-driven science fantasy with rebellion, found family, and just the right amount of grit, The Heart of Resistance is well worth your time.
Told in a multi-POV structure, the story braids together the lives of Janna—a disillusioned rebel mechanic; Elsie—a workhouse orphan desperate for a life beyond servitude; and Arthur Pendington—a once-loyal imperial captain turned insurgent. Each voice brings a distinct texture to the story. Janna’s inner turmoil, especially, stood out to me—her gritted realism, biting wit, and the slowly unraveling weight of her past were brilliantly done. There's a raw, authentic edge to her arc that reminded me of classic literary rebels, but with a modern grit.
The prose walks the line between efficient and occasionally ornate, particularly in describing the cityscapes of Gorand or the infernal machinery of dreadnoughts. The scenes involving airships and skydocks were kinetic and cinematic, and the combat sequences (especially the boarding and escape scenes) had real tension. I appreciated how the authors avoided glamorizing war; they instead chose to emphasize the psychological wear and the slow erasure of ideals, which felt honest.
If I had a critique, it would be about pacing (my old nemesis). The novel begins with a sharp hook and builds well, but midsections—especially the early Elsie chapters—sag slightly. I found myself yearning for a tighter edit in parts to match the intensity of the opening and climax. Some emotional beats also felt rushed when they could have been lingered on for greater impact. That said, the world itself never falters—it feels lived-in and vividly rendered.
Overall, this is a strong debut from the Griffeys. It carries the weight of classic resistance literature while still feeling timely. For readers who love character-driven science fantasy with rebellion, found family, and just the right amount of grit, The Heart of Resistance is well worth your time.
June 12, 2025
I received this book for free in exchange for a honest review. My thanks to the authors and to Library Thing.
I love a good steam punk book, with fun technology and airships and secret societies. I was so excited to win this one. It was a good read, but not as good as I hoped. It starts out with Janna and a few others trying to escape port by stealing an airship. It doesn't go well.
Then we've got Elsie and a couple of friends who desperately want to escape the workhouse where they are kept, but they are completely unprepared for real life. Princess Yvonnia is trying to run some peace talks. It's not going well.
I couldn't understand why the writers chose these three characters as POV. Then just as I was beginning to connect with one character, we'd drop them and take up with someone else.
Eventually things started to come together, but for much of the book I was just confused. This is the first volume, so I hope things make more sense as you go, but I'm not sure if I will continue this series or not.
I love a good steam punk book, with fun technology and airships and secret societies. I was so excited to win this one. It was a good read, but not as good as I hoped. It starts out with Janna and a few others trying to escape port by stealing an airship. It doesn't go well.
Then we've got Elsie and a couple of friends who desperately want to escape the workhouse where they are kept, but they are completely unprepared for real life. Princess Yvonnia is trying to run some peace talks. It's not going well.
I couldn't understand why the writers chose these three characters as POV. Then just as I was beginning to connect with one character, we'd drop them and take up with someone else.
Eventually things started to come together, but for much of the book I was just confused. This is the first volume, so I hope things make more sense as you go, but I'm not sure if I will continue this series or not.
August 14, 2024
This book isn’t out yet, but judging by its cover, everyone should read it!! ☺️😉
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews