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Eterna Files #1
The Eterna Files
London, 1882: Queen Victoria appoints Harold Spire of the Metropolitan Police to Special Branch Division Omega. Omega is to secretly investigate paranormal and supernatural events and persons. Spire, a skeptic driven to protect the helpless and see justice done, is the perfect man to lead the department, which employs scholars and scientists, assassins and con men, and a traveling circus. Spire's chief researcher is Rose Everhart, who believes fervently that there is more to the world than can be seen by mortal eyes.
Their first mission: find the Eterna Compound, which grants immortality. Catastrophe destroyed the hidden laboratory in New York City where Eterna was developed, but the Queen is convinced someone escaped--and has a sample of Eterna.
Also searching for Eterna is an American, Clara Templeton, who helped start the project after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln nearly destroyed her nation. Haunted by the ghost of her beloved, she is determined that the Eterna Compound--and the immortality it will convey--will be controlled by the United States, not Great Britain.
Their first mission: find the Eterna Compound, which grants immortality. Catastrophe destroyed the hidden laboratory in New York City where Eterna was developed, but the Queen is convinced someone escaped--and has a sample of Eterna.
Also searching for Eterna is an American, Clara Templeton, who helped start the project after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln nearly destroyed her nation. Haunted by the ghost of her beloved, she is determined that the Eterna Compound--and the immortality it will convey--will be controlled by the United States, not Great Britain.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published February 3, 2015
24 people are currently reading
2919 people want to read
About the author
Leanna Renee Hieber
66 books1,097 followersAuthor, actress, artist and playwright, Leanna received a BFA in Theatre, a focus in the Victorian Era and a scholarship to study in London. She adapted 19th Century literature for the stage and her one-act plays have been produced around the country. She is a 4 time Prism Award winner for excellence in Futuristic, Fantasy, or Paranormal Romance. Her debut novel, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, first in the "Strangely Beautiful" saga of Gothic Victorian Fantasy novels (Barnes & Noble Bestseller) won two 2010 Prism Awards (Best Fantasy, Best First Book) has been hailed by Tor Books as a "foundation work of Gaslamp Fantasy" and has been reissued in new, revised editions as STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL. The prequel, PERILOUS PROPHECY and the never before published MISS VIOLET AND THE GREAT WAR finish the quartet (Tor Books). DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul was named an Indie Next title by the American Book Association and a Scholastic book fair "Highly Recommended" title. All books in the Magic Most Foul trilogy are now available as is THE ETERNA FILES trilogy of Gaslamp Fantasy novels (Tor Books). Her new series with Kensington's new Rebel Base imprint, THE SPECTRAL CITY, a Gaslamp Fantasy / Supernatural Suspense became a # 1 Amazon bestseller in Gaslamp Fantasy, Steampunk and Metaphysical Fantasy as well as hitting the top ten across other platforms. The series continues with three novels. Her short fiction has been included in anthologies such as QUEEN VICTORIA'S BOOK OF SPELLS and the MAMMOTH BOOK OF GASLAMP ROMANCE. All her Victorian-set series feature crossover characters. A member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America and the International Thriller Writers, she is a proud co-founder of Lady Jane's Salon Reading Series in New York City. A member of Actors Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA, Leanna works often in film and television on shows like Boardwalk Empire and Mysteries at the Museum, works as a ghost tour guide for Boroughs of the Dead tour company and creates unique neo-Victorian and Steampunk jewelry on Etsy. In 2018 Leanna wrote, developed and now tours a one woman show "By the Light of Tiffany: A Meeting with Clara Driscoll" about the talented 19th century artist. Visit http://leannareneehieber.com for free reads, writers' resources, interviews, videos and more, and follow her on Twitter http://twitter.com/leannarenee and FB http://facebook.com/lrhieber.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
September 10, 2017
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
Do we have any Anne Shirley fans out there? Me, I love Anne Shirley. I loved her when she first arrived at Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert's farm and asked them to call her Cordelia. I loved her when she broke her slate over Gilbert Blythe's head for calling her "carrots." I loved her when she gave that hilariously honest apology to Rachel Lynde . . .
But it wasn't just the early years, I loved Anne's adult years too.
Do you remember when Diana sent Anne's short story (Averil's Atonement) to that (Rollings Reliable) baking powder company?
If Anne Shirley were a real person alive today and had an interest in paranormal alternate history, this is the kind of book she would write:
THE ETERNA FILES was resolutely Victorian, at times being whimsically funny, floridly embellished, and frustratingly redundant on points of feminine equality.
I feel like it's important to say that this book was well-written and entertaining enough that I didn't lose my patience with it until the very end.
What was so dreadful about the end?
*harrumphs* Only that it ended mid-climax. That's all. No big. *shrieks* *gnashes teeth* *glowers*
I kept pushing the arrow button, over and over, half a dozen times, thinking my kindle had chosen an inopportune moment to go wonky, before I realized that, NO, it was over.
The. End.
*flares nostrils*
And ending mid-crisis highlighted how, for more than one reason, it felt like half a book.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Steampunk is not a genre that I've had much success with. There have been a very few exceptions, but mostly I've found it to be tech-heavy and plot-lite, and I assumed that was what prevented me from enjoying it more.
But here's the thing--THE ETERNA FILES is not steampunk. In fact, it's so not steampunk that I had to add "alternate history" to our genre list. But still . . . I found my eyes glazing over in the manner to which I'd become familiar, b/c bored with the flowery descriptions of corsets, petticoats, and fascinators.
And while I am (of course) sympathetic to the plight of women who had yet to be seen as equal and independently worthwhile human beings . . . finding new and creative ways to highlight that point every few pages became tiresome.
There. I said it. All the "woe-is-me, corsets" and "unfair, unfair, unfair" got tiresome, I was tired. *straightens backbone* (b/c no corset).
And b/c of the era's preoccupation with ghosts and communicating with ghosts, nine times out of ten any paranormal elements in this type of book are going to be in relation to that obsession, which in turn lends a gothic feel, neither of which am I very fond. *sighs*
So that's something to take into consideration: if you like Victorians and Victorian things, there's a strong possibility this book will go much better for you. I consider it a lesson well-learned.
Back to the earlier point, two stories are taking place simultaneously, one in New York, the other in London. In both places a team of scientists trying to find "a cure for death" have gone missing. For some reason, the London powers that be believe the Americans have greater and more extensive research on the subject, so they dispatch a spy to recover said information, b/c much like the Space Race of the '60s, both countries are determined that they be the one to succeed, this time in thwarting death, a concept that I found completely ludicrous. I mean, how can you even say, "a cure for death," without Phantom of the Opera-like organ music blaring in the background?
I do not know. Like I said, not for me.
Regardless, the teams are working in tandem, each trying to beat the other, each trying to discover what happened to their scientists, a circumstance that cannot be unrelated, so you know that they will eventually, inevitably overlap . . . but it never happens. Just before the end (mid-crisis, and NO, I will not let that go), plans were finally in place for the English to cross the pond, but this was not a particularly short book, and I can't help but feel that ultimately . . . not much happened.
Overall, not for me, but maybe for you. If you prefer Ann Radcliffe or the sisters Brontë to Jane Austen, I say give it a shot. Likewise, if you like ghosts and melancholy, or you think stealing (or making) corpses for nefarious experiments is deliciously creepy, rather than grotesque, THE ETERNA FILES by Leanne Renee Hieber could very well be your next great read. However, if you are like me, and all of those things are at best "meh" and at worst "ick" then I would move on to less dreary cityscapes. Recommended under a very specific set of circumstances.
Do we have any Anne Shirley fans out there? Me, I love Anne Shirley. I loved her when she first arrived at Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert's farm and asked them to call her Cordelia. I loved her when she broke her slate over Gilbert Blythe's head for calling her "carrots." I loved her when she gave that hilariously honest apology to Rachel Lynde . . .
But it wasn't just the early years, I loved Anne's adult years too.
Do you remember when Diana sent Anne's short story (Averil's Atonement) to that (Rollings Reliable) baking powder company?
If Anne Shirley were a real person alive today and had an interest in paranormal alternate history, this is the kind of book she would write:
"Is that all, milord? I've left my dear wife anxiously awaiting her surprise: a trip to Paris. She's impossible when she's impatient . . . and she's never patient," he added with a smile that spoke of the throes of young love."
THE ETERNA FILES was resolutely Victorian, at times being whimsically funny, floridly embellished, and frustratingly redundant on points of feminine equality.
I feel like it's important to say that this book was well-written and entertaining enough that I didn't lose my patience with it until the very end.
What was so dreadful about the end?
*harrumphs* Only that it ended mid-climax. That's all. No big. *shrieks* *gnashes teeth* *glowers*
I kept pushing the arrow button, over and over, half a dozen times, thinking my kindle had chosen an inopportune moment to go wonky, before I realized that, NO, it was over.
The. End.
*flares nostrils*
And ending mid-crisis highlighted how, for more than one reason, it felt like half a book.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Steampunk is not a genre that I've had much success with. There have been a very few exceptions, but mostly I've found it to be tech-heavy and plot-lite, and I assumed that was what prevented me from enjoying it more.
But here's the thing--THE ETERNA FILES is not steampunk. In fact, it's so not steampunk that I had to add "alternate history" to our genre list. But still . . . I found my eyes glazing over in the manner to which I'd become familiar, b/c bored with the flowery descriptions of corsets, petticoats, and fascinators.
And while I am (of course) sympathetic to the plight of women who had yet to be seen as equal and independently worthwhile human beings . . . finding new and creative ways to highlight that point every few pages became tiresome.
There. I said it. All the "woe-is-me, corsets" and "unfair, unfair, unfair" got tiresome, I was tired. *straightens backbone* (b/c no corset).
And b/c of the era's preoccupation with ghosts and communicating with ghosts, nine times out of ten any paranormal elements in this type of book are going to be in relation to that obsession, which in turn lends a gothic feel, neither of which am I very fond. *sighs*
So that's something to take into consideration: if you like Victorians and Victorian things, there's a strong possibility this book will go much better for you. I consider it a lesson well-learned.
Back to the earlier point, two stories are taking place simultaneously, one in New York, the other in London. In both places a team of scientists trying to find "a cure for death" have gone missing. For some reason, the London powers that be believe the Americans have greater and more extensive research on the subject, so they dispatch a spy to recover said information, b/c much like the Space Race of the '60s, both countries are determined that they be the one to succeed, this time in thwarting death, a concept that I found completely ludicrous. I mean, how can you even say, "a cure for death," without Phantom of the Opera-like organ music blaring in the background?
I do not know. Like I said, not for me.
Regardless, the teams are working in tandem, each trying to beat the other, each trying to discover what happened to their scientists, a circumstance that cannot be unrelated, so you know that they will eventually, inevitably overlap . . . but it never happens. Just before the end (mid-crisis, and NO, I will not let that go), plans were finally in place for the English to cross the pond, but this was not a particularly short book, and I can't help but feel that ultimately . . . not much happened.
Overall, not for me, but maybe for you. If you prefer Ann Radcliffe or the sisters Brontë to Jane Austen, I say give it a shot. Likewise, if you like ghosts and melancholy, or you think stealing (or making) corpses for nefarious experiments is deliciously creepy, rather than grotesque, THE ETERNA FILES by Leanne Renee Hieber could very well be your next great read. However, if you are like me, and all of those things are at best "meh" and at worst "ick" then I would move on to less dreary cityscapes. Recommended under a very specific set of circumstances.
February 10, 2015
Let me tell you a funny story.
One day, my family and I decided to go to this Chinese restaurant in Muscat, Oman. The interior designs were awesome, the people were amicable, and the food was great. One of the meals we ordered was beef in chili sauce and bell pepper. We finished the meat, of course, but my dad was so impressed with the sauce that he wanted it as his breakfast the next day. "I'm going to put it over my rice!" he said as the waiter took the chili sauce with bell pepper away to be put in a container for take-out. "I'll surely be invigorated and refreshed when I go to work tomorrow!"
And thus, when the waiter came back, he took the rather big container with much gusto, excited for the next day.
Morning came. My father woke up, went to the kitchen, heated the rice, and took out from the refrigerator the container with the delicious chili sauce and put it in the microwave. He placed his rice on the plate, took the container again, and prepared himself to eat the breakfast of his life. He opened the box eagerly, only to find...
... a bell pepper.
A lone strip of green bell-pepper with no sauce in sight. A tiny piece of vegetable that felt so out of place in such a big box, and none of the great amount of sauce that my father expected to be there.
TL;DR: my father expected great things from that container only to get a pathetic strip of a vegetable he couldn't give one fuck about.
Just like what I felt about this book. (PS: Sorry I had to make an example of you, dad...)
First of all, I was really excited to read this one, because 1.) London in the 1880s; 2.) paranormal awesomeness; and 3. ) a team of scientists and theorists on a quest to find the cure for death?! I don't always speak French, but when I do, SIGN ME UP S'IL VOUS PLAIT! You can just imagine the excitement I was emitting from these factors alone, as I believed the mix actually had potential to be awesome. And I was seriously enjoying my read - the prose were nice, it flowed well, and I can see the talent in the author's writing. There was a scene in the beginning that gave me goosebumps, and the book successfully gave me vivid images to make my imagination run wild for days.
Until... it became boring. Until... it became dragging. Until... my eyes started glazing over pages and pages of copious amounts of text that talked about... almost nothing.
Don't get me wrong; as I said before, the writing had its spectacular moments. But most of the time, it was so flowery and overly detailed that I had to put it down and shake my head to get rid of the info dump that was put in my head. Places were described tediously. Scenes were dragged. Things that were said and emphasized pages ago repeated over and over again later. I seriously do not need to read about a back-to-back description of what a building looks like outside, and a back-to-back description of what it looks inside shortly after - and I don't know, guys. Things like that just fly over my head. And there is the issue that it feels like nothing substantial is happening until the very end.
That may be because of the premise, though. There are two teams - one in London, and one in New York. Both teams are dealing with shady stuff in their ends while trying to outdo each other on their quest to find the cure for death. While this is all peachy in theory, it did feel very disjointed at times. Every chapter was so lengthy setting up the Gothic or Victorian scene, introducing and describing characters and side characters (warning, there are many), dragging so many small scenes in a way that I felt was unnecessary. So, when something exciting did happen, it started very late, making it feel like the book was simply a build-up for the next one because there was simply little to no plot to keep the reader in me engaged.
But I do have to applaud the author's language here. You can truly feel the Victorian feel of London and the hustle and bustle of New York quite vividly simply from the words and dialogue exchanged by the characters. Plus, I loved how strong-willed and independent the female characters were here, while at the same time, struggling to be so in a very patriarchal society that see it unacceptable for women to work in a place other than the kitchen. This was the reality for women back then. I simply loved how it was portrayed - the book was historically-aware and conscious of the mentality back then while fighting against it at the same time.
All in all, while there are many positive factors here, the book was overall a disappointment. Like the anecdote, it was like seeing a single strip of bell-pepper when you clearly expected it to accompanied with chili sauce. Hopefully, the second book will pace it up a notch, since obviously shit just got real by then. If you're going to read this book expecting suspense, horror, and thrills, be prepared to feel underwhelmed because for me, it was more a rather lengthy foundation for book 2 to stand on.
One day, my family and I decided to go to this Chinese restaurant in Muscat, Oman. The interior designs were awesome, the people were amicable, and the food was great. One of the meals we ordered was beef in chili sauce and bell pepper. We finished the meat, of course, but my dad was so impressed with the sauce that he wanted it as his breakfast the next day. "I'm going to put it over my rice!" he said as the waiter took the chili sauce with bell pepper away to be put in a container for take-out. "I'll surely be invigorated and refreshed when I go to work tomorrow!"
And thus, when the waiter came back, he took the rather big container with much gusto, excited for the next day.
Morning came. My father woke up, went to the kitchen, heated the rice, and took out from the refrigerator the container with the delicious chili sauce and put it in the microwave. He placed his rice on the plate, took the container again, and prepared himself to eat the breakfast of his life. He opened the box eagerly, only to find...
... a bell pepper.
A lone strip of green bell-pepper with no sauce in sight. A tiny piece of vegetable that felt so out of place in such a big box, and none of the great amount of sauce that my father expected to be there.
TL;DR: my father expected great things from that container only to get a pathetic strip of a vegetable he couldn't give one fuck about.
Just like what I felt about this book. (PS: Sorry I had to make an example of you, dad...)
First of all, I was really excited to read this one, because 1.) London in the 1880s; 2.) paranormal awesomeness; and 3. ) a team of scientists and theorists on a quest to find the cure for death?! I don't always speak French, but when I do, SIGN ME UP S'IL VOUS PLAIT! You can just imagine the excitement I was emitting from these factors alone, as I believed the mix actually had potential to be awesome. And I was seriously enjoying my read - the prose were nice, it flowed well, and I can see the talent in the author's writing. There was a scene in the beginning that gave me goosebumps, and the book successfully gave me vivid images to make my imagination run wild for days.
Until... it became boring. Until... it became dragging. Until... my eyes started glazing over pages and pages of copious amounts of text that talked about... almost nothing.
Don't get me wrong; as I said before, the writing had its spectacular moments. But most of the time, it was so flowery and overly detailed that I had to put it down and shake my head to get rid of the info dump that was put in my head. Places were described tediously. Scenes were dragged. Things that were said and emphasized pages ago repeated over and over again later. I seriously do not need to read about a back-to-back description of what a building looks like outside, and a back-to-back description of what it looks inside shortly after - and I don't know, guys. Things like that just fly over my head. And there is the issue that it feels like nothing substantial is happening until the very end.
That may be because of the premise, though. There are two teams - one in London, and one in New York. Both teams are dealing with shady stuff in their ends while trying to outdo each other on their quest to find the cure for death. While this is all peachy in theory, it did feel very disjointed at times. Every chapter was so lengthy setting up the Gothic or Victorian scene, introducing and describing characters and side characters (warning, there are many), dragging so many small scenes in a way that I felt was unnecessary. So, when something exciting did happen, it started very late, making it feel like the book was simply a build-up for the next one because there was simply little to no plot to keep the reader in me engaged.
But I do have to applaud the author's language here. You can truly feel the Victorian feel of London and the hustle and bustle of New York quite vividly simply from the words and dialogue exchanged by the characters. Plus, I loved how strong-willed and independent the female characters were here, while at the same time, struggling to be so in a very patriarchal society that see it unacceptable for women to work in a place other than the kitchen. This was the reality for women back then. I simply loved how it was portrayed - the book was historically-aware and conscious of the mentality back then while fighting against it at the same time.
All in all, while there are many positive factors here, the book was overall a disappointment. Like the anecdote, it was like seeing a single strip of bell-pepper when you clearly expected it to accompanied with chili sauce. Hopefully, the second book will pace it up a notch, since obviously shit just got real by then. If you're going to read this book expecting suspense, horror, and thrills, be prepared to feel underwhelmed because for me, it was more a rather lengthy foundation for book 2 to stand on.
February 4, 2015
An entertaining diversion, recommended for fans of paranormal historicals.
After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the US and England have become embroiled in a covert 'arms race' - both a desperately researching the fabled 'Eterna Compound' - and alchemical mixture that will confer eternal life.
So far, the experiment that seemed most promising has only resulted in a horrific accident and the mysterious deaths of an entire research team. But a substance that can cause mass destruction may be valuable to certain parties as well.
The story alternates between the two countries, as the reader wonders if the end result will be detente, cooperation, or outright destruction.
I'm generally a fan of Hieber's writing, and this book did not prove an exception - it was very readable and quick-paced. However, it felt a bit 'middle-y': enough time was spent discussing events that had already occurred that I did wonder if I'd somehow missed finding out that this was the second in a series (such things have been known to happen to me). I wouldn't be surprised if a prequel appeared at some point, as well as a sequel.
And yes - there will definitely be a sequel. I feel like I have to mention that this book ends very, very abruptly - to the point where I genuinely wondered if I'd received an incomplete ebook file.
I also felt like the viewpoint characters were a little too similar. Yes, they have different characteristics. American Clara can communicate with the spirit realm, while British Rose is a scientist, but their 'voices' weren't radically different. (I did rather like the Rose vs. Spire X-files-style dynamic, though).
Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for the opportunity to read!
After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the US and England have become embroiled in a covert 'arms race' - both a desperately researching the fabled 'Eterna Compound' - and alchemical mixture that will confer eternal life.
So far, the experiment that seemed most promising has only resulted in a horrific accident and the mysterious deaths of an entire research team. But a substance that can cause mass destruction may be valuable to certain parties as well.
The story alternates between the two countries, as the reader wonders if the end result will be detente, cooperation, or outright destruction.
I'm generally a fan of Hieber's writing, and this book did not prove an exception - it was very readable and quick-paced. However, it felt a bit 'middle-y': enough time was spent discussing events that had already occurred that I did wonder if I'd somehow missed finding out that this was the second in a series (such things have been known to happen to me). I wouldn't be surprised if a prequel appeared at some point, as well as a sequel.
And yes - there will definitely be a sequel. I feel like I have to mention that this book ends very, very abruptly - to the point where I genuinely wondered if I'd received an incomplete ebook file.
I also felt like the viewpoint characters were a little too similar. Yes, they have different characteristics. American Clara can communicate with the spirit realm, while British Rose is a scientist, but their 'voices' weren't radically different. (I did rather like the Rose vs. Spire X-files-style dynamic, though).
Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for the opportunity to read!
April 26, 2016
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/02/10/b...
It’s Great Britain versus the United States in this paranormal historical novel about the search for immortality. After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his widow Mary Todd Lincoln is determined to never let anyone experience her grief again, forming the impetus behind the Eterna Project, a secret group of scientists and researchers tasked to find a cure for death.
Across the ocean, Queen Victoria creates special division in charge of investigating all matters of the supernatural and paranormal, codenaming it “Omega”. Hungry for everlasting power and expansion, the queen appoints Harold Spire of the Metropolitan Police to head up Omega, charging him to find the ruined Eterna laboratory in New York, where she is convinced someone has survived with a sample of the immortality compound. Meanwhile, American Clara Templeton is also searching for Eterna. Grieving for her lover who worked on the secret project and died in the catastrophe that destroyed the laboratory, she will do her best not to let the any of the research fall into British hands.
The book is an interesting blend of genres with a unique premise, though it may take quite a bit of investment to get into the meat of the story. It’s up to the reader to get caught up, since we’re essentially dropped into the wake of the destruction of the Eterna laboratory and deaths of all the scientists and researchers. But perhaps most bewildering of all is the prologue which introduces readers to the character of Clara as a young girl, being confided in by Mary Todd Lincoln after the assassination of the president. Thus we learn that Clara possesses special abilities, ones that allow her to commune with the dead, but that she also a mystic of sorts who recalls all the memories of her past lives.
Even after finishing this novel, I’m still unclear as to the significance of Clara’s abilities in the bigger scheme of things. They don’t benefit her in any clear way, and certainly not on the Eterna project as she isn’t even directly connected with the work. They don’t even come in handy when it comes to communicating with her dead lover, since she blocks everything out. As far as I can tell, her psychic talents are there to make her stand out and be more interesting than she really is. The truth is, Clara is aloof, uninspiring and devoid of much personality, and unfortunately her powers actually don’t do much to improve things. In fact, I think they make an even bigger mess of her character. Whether her abilities will come into play later on in the series, only time will tell.
On the British side, we have Harold Spire and Omega. I found Spire to be a much more developed character than Clara, and more sympathetic due to his tragic past and the unusual relationship he has with his father. There are also more interesting characters in Omega; secret agents and spies and circus performers, oh my. My only criticism is that, while assigned the job of tracking down Eterna, the plot ends up spending more time focusing on Spire as he investigates another seemingly unconnected case. This robs the story of a lot of the suspense, especially if you were anticipating a tension-filled “arms race” type competition between the British and Americans from the novel’s description, with the two nations scrabbling to be the first to find the secret to immortality. This is not that kind of book, which was somewhat disappointing, though I ultimately didn’t mind the new direction.
The Eterna Files ended up being an enjoyable read, if at times disorganized and convoluted. In the jumble of themes and ideas and plot points, I can glean the overall picture and take a good guess where author Leanna Renee Hieber is taking the story, even though the narrative stumbles in the pacing and is slow in pulling it all together. Once everything resolves, however, it’s a lot more compelling.
It’s Great Britain versus the United States in this paranormal historical novel about the search for immortality. After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his widow Mary Todd Lincoln is determined to never let anyone experience her grief again, forming the impetus behind the Eterna Project, a secret group of scientists and researchers tasked to find a cure for death.
Across the ocean, Queen Victoria creates special division in charge of investigating all matters of the supernatural and paranormal, codenaming it “Omega”. Hungry for everlasting power and expansion, the queen appoints Harold Spire of the Metropolitan Police to head up Omega, charging him to find the ruined Eterna laboratory in New York, where she is convinced someone has survived with a sample of the immortality compound. Meanwhile, American Clara Templeton is also searching for Eterna. Grieving for her lover who worked on the secret project and died in the catastrophe that destroyed the laboratory, she will do her best not to let the any of the research fall into British hands.
The book is an interesting blend of genres with a unique premise, though it may take quite a bit of investment to get into the meat of the story. It’s up to the reader to get caught up, since we’re essentially dropped into the wake of the destruction of the Eterna laboratory and deaths of all the scientists and researchers. But perhaps most bewildering of all is the prologue which introduces readers to the character of Clara as a young girl, being confided in by Mary Todd Lincoln after the assassination of the president. Thus we learn that Clara possesses special abilities, ones that allow her to commune with the dead, but that she also a mystic of sorts who recalls all the memories of her past lives.
Even after finishing this novel, I’m still unclear as to the significance of Clara’s abilities in the bigger scheme of things. They don’t benefit her in any clear way, and certainly not on the Eterna project as she isn’t even directly connected with the work. They don’t even come in handy when it comes to communicating with her dead lover, since she blocks everything out. As far as I can tell, her psychic talents are there to make her stand out and be more interesting than she really is. The truth is, Clara is aloof, uninspiring and devoid of much personality, and unfortunately her powers actually don’t do much to improve things. In fact, I think they make an even bigger mess of her character. Whether her abilities will come into play later on in the series, only time will tell.
On the British side, we have Harold Spire and Omega. I found Spire to be a much more developed character than Clara, and more sympathetic due to his tragic past and the unusual relationship he has with his father. There are also more interesting characters in Omega; secret agents and spies and circus performers, oh my. My only criticism is that, while assigned the job of tracking down Eterna, the plot ends up spending more time focusing on Spire as he investigates another seemingly unconnected case. This robs the story of a lot of the suspense, especially if you were anticipating a tension-filled “arms race” type competition between the British and Americans from the novel’s description, with the two nations scrabbling to be the first to find the secret to immortality. This is not that kind of book, which was somewhat disappointing, though I ultimately didn’t mind the new direction.
The Eterna Files ended up being an enjoyable read, if at times disorganized and convoluted. In the jumble of themes and ideas and plot points, I can glean the overall picture and take a good guess where author Leanna Renee Hieber is taking the story, even though the narrative stumbles in the pacing and is slow in pulling it all together. Once everything resolves, however, it’s a lot more compelling.
February 16, 2015
Oh man. I want to write a review of this. But I just don't feel up to the level of disdain that it would require to truly do it right today. It's a shame, the idea was decent enough. But the execution... oh my goodness no thank you.
Maybe we'll talk more about this soon.
Maybe we'll talk more about this soon.
October 8, 2020
I'm a big fan of Hieber's Spectral City series so I was really looking forward to trying more of her work. The Eterna Files (The Eterna Files #1) by Leanna Renee Hieber is a solid new series opener. It never quite hooked me as much and I never felt as invested in the cast of characters, but it's still an enjoyable read. I particularly like Hieber's blend of historical fantasy, especially how she blends the real elements into her own world. I plan on coming back for the rest of this series because there is a lot of potential for it to become great.
February 11, 2015
Review copy
I wanted and expected to like The Eterna Files much more than I did.
Set in New York City and London in 1882, and dealing with spiritualism and parallel searches for a cure for death, it really seemed like something I would enjoy.
Although, I found the story to be intriguing at the start. it soon became too wordy, as moments of sheer delight were separated by page upon page of pure boredom.
The writer would go off on tangents and then seemingly drop those ideas and either return to the original storyline or go off on another tangent. In addition, the end of the story gave me zero satisfaction. It's almost as if it's a set up for a sequel, though I hope not.
The Eterna Files is available in hardback and as an ebook from Tor, a division of Macmillan publishers, through various retailers.
This is one I can't readily recommend, but as always, your reading experience may vary.
I wanted and expected to like The Eterna Files much more than I did.
Set in New York City and London in 1882, and dealing with spiritualism and parallel searches for a cure for death, it really seemed like something I would enjoy.
Although, I found the story to be intriguing at the start. it soon became too wordy, as moments of sheer delight were separated by page upon page of pure boredom.
The writer would go off on tangents and then seemingly drop those ideas and either return to the original storyline or go off on another tangent. In addition, the end of the story gave me zero satisfaction. It's almost as if it's a set up for a sequel, though I hope not.
The Eterna Files is available in hardback and as an ebook from Tor, a division of Macmillan publishers, through various retailers.
This is one I can't readily recommend, but as always, your reading experience may vary.
November 17, 2014
http://koeur.wordpress.com/2014/11/17...
Publisher: Tor
Publishing Date: February 2015
ISBN: 9780765336743
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: DNF
Publisher Description: London, 1882: Queen Victoria appoints Harold Spire of the Metropolitan Police to Special Branch Division Omega. Omega is to secretly investigate paranormal and supernatural events and persons. Spire, a skeptic driven to protect the helpless and see justice done, is the perfect man to lead the department, which employs scholars and scientists, assassins and con men, and a traveling circus. Spire’s chief researcher is Rose Everhart, who believes fervently that there is more to the world than can be seen by mortal eyes.
Review: There were a few reasons this novel got the dreaded “DNF” which is worse than a one star rating. First the premise. It is based on Mary Todd Lincoln’s grief stricken demand that Bishop (them?, who?) find or create the mortality cure thereby gaining immortality. Did Mary Todd have some sort of hidden cabalistic power which would grant her powers beyond Lincoln’s death? She says most of this to some young psychic girl, named Clara. Yeaaah.
The writing wasn’t too bad, it just relied on the tried and true repetitive phrasing used to expedite scenes and dialogue without the effort to craft something that flows intelligently. For instance, murmur or murmured was used a total of 71 times, which is excessive when reading a dialogue heavy novel. Other cringe worthy phrasing was: shuddered (12x), growled (23x) and muttered (21x).
Clara is a failed character. She is constantly bewildered and in disbelief at her past, current and future set of circumstances. She reminds me of a steel orb in a pinball machine. Stumbling her way through life with a ‘vacant’ sign around her neck. Some unearthly rematerializing woman pops in now and then and reminds her just how SPESHUL she is. After which we are left with Clara muttering, murmuring questions to herself and growling her denials. This novel would be a good read in the right hands. I just had a hard time with the mountain of dialogue and cheesy phrasing.
Publisher: Tor
Publishing Date: February 2015
ISBN: 9780765336743
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: DNF
Publisher Description: London, 1882: Queen Victoria appoints Harold Spire of the Metropolitan Police to Special Branch Division Omega. Omega is to secretly investigate paranormal and supernatural events and persons. Spire, a skeptic driven to protect the helpless and see justice done, is the perfect man to lead the department, which employs scholars and scientists, assassins and con men, and a traveling circus. Spire’s chief researcher is Rose Everhart, who believes fervently that there is more to the world than can be seen by mortal eyes.
Review: There were a few reasons this novel got the dreaded “DNF” which is worse than a one star rating. First the premise. It is based on Mary Todd Lincoln’s grief stricken demand that Bishop (them?, who?) find or create the mortality cure thereby gaining immortality. Did Mary Todd have some sort of hidden cabalistic power which would grant her powers beyond Lincoln’s death? She says most of this to some young psychic girl, named Clara. Yeaaah.
The writing wasn’t too bad, it just relied on the tried and true repetitive phrasing used to expedite scenes and dialogue without the effort to craft something that flows intelligently. For instance, murmur or murmured was used a total of 71 times, which is excessive when reading a dialogue heavy novel. Other cringe worthy phrasing was: shuddered (12x), growled (23x) and muttered (21x).
Clara is a failed character. She is constantly bewildered and in disbelief at her past, current and future set of circumstances. She reminds me of a steel orb in a pinball machine. Stumbling her way through life with a ‘vacant’ sign around her neck. Some unearthly rematerializing woman pops in now and then and reminds her just how SPESHUL she is. After which we are left with Clara muttering, murmuring questions to herself and growling her denials. This novel would be a good read in the right hands. I just had a hard time with the mountain of dialogue and cheesy phrasing.
November 22, 2014
I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for this opportunity.
Blurb -
London, 1882: Queen Victoria appoints Harold Spire of the Metropolitan Police to Special Branch Division Omega. Omega is to secretly investigate paranormal and supernatural events and persons. Spire, a skeptic driven to protect the helpless and see justice done, is the perfect man to lead the department, which employs scholars and scientists, assassins and con men, and a traveling circus. Spire's chief researcher is Rose Everhart, who believes fervently that there is more to the world than can be seen by mortal eyes.
Their first mission: find the Eterna Compound, which grants immortality. Catastrophe destroyed the hidden laboratory in New York City where Eterna was developed, but the Queen is convinced someone escaped—and has a sample of Eterna.
Also searching for Eterna is an American, Clara Templeton, who helped start the project after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln nearly destroyed her nation. Haunted by the ghost of her beloved, she is determined that the Eterna Compound—and the immortality it will convey—will be controlled by the United States, not Great Britain.
Review -
The Eterna Files is pleasantly surprising combination of steampunk, fantasy, and alternative history. Following the stories of Harold Spire and Clara Templeton, the reader is quickly immersed in a world that is both rich and satisfying. Gritty action (with a subtle Lovecraftian feel about it I think), and a tight and well written plot makes this novel an enjoyable read for fans of all speculative fiction genres. Hieber is here to stay!
4 out of 5 Stars.
Blurb -
London, 1882: Queen Victoria appoints Harold Spire of the Metropolitan Police to Special Branch Division Omega. Omega is to secretly investigate paranormal and supernatural events and persons. Spire, a skeptic driven to protect the helpless and see justice done, is the perfect man to lead the department, which employs scholars and scientists, assassins and con men, and a traveling circus. Spire's chief researcher is Rose Everhart, who believes fervently that there is more to the world than can be seen by mortal eyes.
Their first mission: find the Eterna Compound, which grants immortality. Catastrophe destroyed the hidden laboratory in New York City where Eterna was developed, but the Queen is convinced someone escaped—and has a sample of Eterna.
Also searching for Eterna is an American, Clara Templeton, who helped start the project after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln nearly destroyed her nation. Haunted by the ghost of her beloved, she is determined that the Eterna Compound—and the immortality it will convey—will be controlled by the United States, not Great Britain.
Review -
The Eterna Files is pleasantly surprising combination of steampunk, fantasy, and alternative history. Following the stories of Harold Spire and Clara Templeton, the reader is quickly immersed in a world that is both rich and satisfying. Gritty action (with a subtle Lovecraftian feel about it I think), and a tight and well written plot makes this novel an enjoyable read for fans of all speculative fiction genres. Hieber is here to stay!
4 out of 5 Stars.
April 30, 2019
I needed something to read that wasn't heavy and I found it. The story is like something straight out of my favourite manga, Black Butler, with corpses and magic and secret conspiracies galore. In other words, it's like an old "penny dreadful." There are quirky characters at every turn (my favourite being the Victorian goth who delights in a black engagement ring), a weird circus, government plots, real historical figures, and strong female characters. So of course I enjoyed it.
However, there were a few things that prevented it from being a total win. Like so much historical fiction I've encountered lately, the scenery and costumes are period perfect, but modern language and sensibilities pop up everywhere to break the illusion. Why can't they do their research?
And then of course there's the ending, which is a huge cliffhanger. Now I wouldn't have minded this so much if there had been anything anywhere in the book or on the cover to suggest that this was in fact the first in a series, but there wasn't. Without the internet I might now believe that the author had published her book unfinished. As it is I see that there is another book, but I don't really think that this was well-written enough to justify going out of my way to find it.
So, a fun light read, but not the masterpiece the quotes on the cover lead one to believe.
However, there were a few things that prevented it from being a total win. Like so much historical fiction I've encountered lately, the scenery and costumes are period perfect, but modern language and sensibilities pop up everywhere to break the illusion. Why can't they do their research?
And then of course there's the ending, which is a huge cliffhanger. Now I wouldn't have minded this so much if there had been anything anywhere in the book or on the cover to suggest that this was in fact the first in a series, but there wasn't. Without the internet I might now believe that the author had published her book unfinished. As it is I see that there is another book, but I don't really think that this was well-written enough to justify going out of my way to find it.
So, a fun light read, but not the masterpiece the quotes on the cover lead one to believe.
March 19, 2018
Well, this book certainly up and surprised me. From the synopsis, I expected a smaller scale novel, with a couple of quirky characters to keep track of, a little bit of action and a little bit of Victorian exposition, topped off by a quaint little mystery that got wrapped up nicely in the end. And yeah, I really didn’t get any of those things. Not that those things aren't in there, as they are, just not in the expected way. It’s funny, because once I realized that I wasn’t getting quite what I initially thought I’d be getting, I nearly stopped reading The Eterna Files. I kinda had my mind set on a certain kind of tale, and had thoroughly expected this book fit nicely within that niche. No such luck here. But the tale was engrossing enough, and the characters nuanced enough, that I stuck with it, and I’m glad I did, my pre-conceived notions notwithstanding.
Because, as I realized pretty soon after starting it, that this is a novel that defies many of the established genre conventions. So many times in novels dealing with the supernatural and the scientific, everything is already mapped out. The rules are firmly in place, and at least one of the characters is a “master” in the field (whichever field that happens to be), world weary and reluctantly all-knowing. Refreshingly, not a single character in The Eterna Files falls into that stereotype. There is a surprisingly large roster of main and supporting characters, and not a single one of them knows it all, or even pretends to. Everyone in this book is fallible (even the villains, gasp!), and there is a constant sense that people are learning things they didn’t know, and trying to take what they have learned and fit it into their established pools of knowledge, with varying levels of success. It’s a small, but welcome change, and something that helps ground the tale. While the fantastical notion of immortality is the crux of the plot, the daily dealings and experiments in search of eternal life are handled in a matter-of-fact manner and nearly mundane manner.
As for those non-stereotypical characters, each one has their own reasons for being involved with the search for immortality. For some it’s personal, for others it’s business, but each one offers a unique viewpoint. The three main characters carry the story well, but we get many other viewpoints as well, from a rather large rotating cast of supporting characters. In fact, the stable just kept growing and growing, though it never got to the point where I was confusing one character for another. However, it must be said that there really are no “normal” characters to be found in The Eterna Files. Nearly each and every person, from main character to bit player, has a quirk, nuance, or special talent that sets them apart. That’s the part that did get a bit confusing, for me at least, as I couldn’t always recall who could do what, and in what circumstance. On the flipside though, most authors would have taken all those various abilities and talents and just thrown them into one or two “super” characters, so kudos to Leanna Hieber for NOT going that well-worn route.
One thing that’s not confusing is how well written this book is. There’s a lot going on here, but it’s all written in prose that is very detailed, but also flows very smoothly. In lesser hands, this would have been an unwieldy tale. But I never once had to go back and reread a passage to make better sense of it. And with all the supernatural events, multitude of characters, and the constantly changing locations, that’s no small feat. On a side-note, I certainly learned a bit about Victorian fashion during this read, as each character’s attire is detailed nearly as much as their physical traits.
Also on the character front are the relationships. Some of them are firmly established as the tale starts, others develop over time, but none of them felt forced or in service of some plot point. Intentions get confused, respect is earned over time (not instantly like in many novels), and some personalities just don’t mix. Everything unfolds slowly and realistically.
I really only have two gripes about this book. First, though it’s not really advertised as such, this is the first book in a MUCH larger tale. There’s a lot of buildup and world building, and then it just…ends. On a cliffhanger, sure, but it’s still rather sudden and unexpected. And though we get introduced to a whole slew of characters, and a lot of theory and supposition are bandied back and forth, not a lot ACTUALLY happens. We get a couple of confrontations, a villain with a (mostly unrevealed) master plan, and a few resolutions to some significant plot threads, but it all feels kinda…insignificant. Once I had finished the book, it really felt (to me anyways) like a whole novel’s worth of groundwork and exposition, in prep for the larger tale yet to come. As such, everything that takes place here feels almost anti-climactic, and slightly unnecessary.
My other gripe is that, due to the large cast of characters and numerous locales, the story does jump around quite a bit, and can feel a little too…busy and unfocused. Again, the groundwork is being laid, and all the pieces are being moved into place, so I guess it’s a necessary evil.
I am interested to see where this tale is headed, so I will likely pick up the next novel when it’s released. I hope that the next book is a little more tightly plotted and focused, but I enjoyed my time spent in this alternate Victorian world, and would like to see what becomes of these quirky characters and their quest for the Fountain of Yo…I mean the Eterna Compound.
Because, as I realized pretty soon after starting it, that this is a novel that defies many of the established genre conventions. So many times in novels dealing with the supernatural and the scientific, everything is already mapped out. The rules are firmly in place, and at least one of the characters is a “master” in the field (whichever field that happens to be), world weary and reluctantly all-knowing. Refreshingly, not a single character in The Eterna Files falls into that stereotype. There is a surprisingly large roster of main and supporting characters, and not a single one of them knows it all, or even pretends to. Everyone in this book is fallible (even the villains, gasp!), and there is a constant sense that people are learning things they didn’t know, and trying to take what they have learned and fit it into their established pools of knowledge, with varying levels of success. It’s a small, but welcome change, and something that helps ground the tale. While the fantastical notion of immortality is the crux of the plot, the daily dealings and experiments in search of eternal life are handled in a matter-of-fact manner and nearly mundane manner.
As for those non-stereotypical characters, each one has their own reasons for being involved with the search for immortality. For some it’s personal, for others it’s business, but each one offers a unique viewpoint. The three main characters carry the story well, but we get many other viewpoints as well, from a rather large rotating cast of supporting characters. In fact, the stable just kept growing and growing, though it never got to the point where I was confusing one character for another. However, it must be said that there really are no “normal” characters to be found in The Eterna Files. Nearly each and every person, from main character to bit player, has a quirk, nuance, or special talent that sets them apart. That’s the part that did get a bit confusing, for me at least, as I couldn’t always recall who could do what, and in what circumstance. On the flipside though, most authors would have taken all those various abilities and talents and just thrown them into one or two “super” characters, so kudos to Leanna Hieber for NOT going that well-worn route.
One thing that’s not confusing is how well written this book is. There’s a lot going on here, but it’s all written in prose that is very detailed, but also flows very smoothly. In lesser hands, this would have been an unwieldy tale. But I never once had to go back and reread a passage to make better sense of it. And with all the supernatural events, multitude of characters, and the constantly changing locations, that’s no small feat. On a side-note, I certainly learned a bit about Victorian fashion during this read, as each character’s attire is detailed nearly as much as their physical traits.
Also on the character front are the relationships. Some of them are firmly established as the tale starts, others develop over time, but none of them felt forced or in service of some plot point. Intentions get confused, respect is earned over time (not instantly like in many novels), and some personalities just don’t mix. Everything unfolds slowly and realistically.
I really only have two gripes about this book. First, though it’s not really advertised as such, this is the first book in a MUCH larger tale. There’s a lot of buildup and world building, and then it just…ends. On a cliffhanger, sure, but it’s still rather sudden and unexpected. And though we get introduced to a whole slew of characters, and a lot of theory and supposition are bandied back and forth, not a lot ACTUALLY happens. We get a couple of confrontations, a villain with a (mostly unrevealed) master plan, and a few resolutions to some significant plot threads, but it all feels kinda…insignificant. Once I had finished the book, it really felt (to me anyways) like a whole novel’s worth of groundwork and exposition, in prep for the larger tale yet to come. As such, everything that takes place here feels almost anti-climactic, and slightly unnecessary.
My other gripe is that, due to the large cast of characters and numerous locales, the story does jump around quite a bit, and can feel a little too…busy and unfocused. Again, the groundwork is being laid, and all the pieces are being moved into place, so I guess it’s a necessary evil.
I am interested to see where this tale is headed, so I will likely pick up the next novel when it’s released. I hope that the next book is a little more tightly plotted and focused, but I enjoyed my time spent in this alternate Victorian world, and would like to see what becomes of these quirky characters and their quest for the Fountain of Yo…I mean the Eterna Compound.
February 2, 2015
https://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2015...
The Eterna Files was one of my January reads and is released early February.
The premise of the book revolves around the search for immortality and the race between the US and the UK to find the files that provide the solution.
After the assassination of Lincoln the US went on a mission to find a means to grant immortality. Of course Queen Victoria, herself still in mourning, also wanted to find the means by which to provide immortality. And so the race is on.
At the start of the story we are introduced to Clara, a rather extraordinary young woman who has visions and prophetic dreams and seems to be able to remember all her previous lifetimes! Clara is a young woman, brought up by a guardian and taught to use her skills and protect herself from the spirit world which would otherwise bombard her. The original concept for Eterma was arrived at by Clara and now she blames herself for the death of the team who were working on the compound and ultimately resulting in the untimely death of her beloved – she can’t even openly mourn his death as nobody was aware of the relationship!
Meanwhile, back in England, a team is being put together, run by Harold Spire, of the Metropolitan Police. Spire will draw together a strange bunch of unlikely characters including circus performers, spies and scientists. Spire himself has a background, he’s been burned by a romance and he’s not quite as trusting anymore.
We have a number of other characters and it’s easy to see the references to the X files – in terms of Spire’s team for example, Spire is not a believer in anything out of the ordinary and Rose is very scientific and methodical whereas Clare’s team rely very much on the paranormal!
The settings are very easy to read about jumping between New York and London and the author does a good job of evoking the time.
This is certainly an unusual book. Two opposing groups of people in a race against time to find the solution to immortality. And, yet, this solution could also be used for harm! And, on top of that there seems to be a third party – but I won’t say more on that score.
The story is told from alternating perspectives which gives us a better idea of what is going on and makes us privy to the actions of both teams. Quite revealing in itself.
On the face of it this book has such a lot that I love and I confess I was very excited to receive a copy. Ghosts and paranormal activity, alternate history, spies, subtrefuge and intrigue and it is undoubtedly well written with plenty of detail and yet, to be honest, I struggled a little with this one and came very close to putting it down. I’m not sure why and can’t put my finger on it but it seemed to, well, drag, somehow. It’s a really interesting idea, a good cast and the setting and time very enjoyable to read about so frankly I’m not sure exactly why I struggled. I think perhaps the pacing is a little off and I also had difficulty relating to Clare or at least understanding what makes her so special maybe?? It could simply be that this book is suffering from first book syndrome. It is definitely a set up for the next book. Simply, I just didn’t relate to the characters enough to be honest. I don’t think I really bought into them and, in fact felt a little ambivalent towards them.
I am intrigued though, it ends on something of a cliffhanger and I think that maybe, in spite of my reservations, I would continue with the series. Like I said, I didn’t race through this and I don’t think it gripped me in the way I expected but I’m keeping my options open for the time being.
I certainly wouldn’t discourage anybody else from reading this. I wouldn’t say I loved it but I am keeping an open mind in terms of the rest of the series and I think there’s plenty here if you enjoy something of a paranormal mystery.
I received a copy of this courtesy of the publishers through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
The Eterna Files was one of my January reads and is released early February.
The premise of the book revolves around the search for immortality and the race between the US and the UK to find the files that provide the solution.
After the assassination of Lincoln the US went on a mission to find a means to grant immortality. Of course Queen Victoria, herself still in mourning, also wanted to find the means by which to provide immortality. And so the race is on.
At the start of the story we are introduced to Clara, a rather extraordinary young woman who has visions and prophetic dreams and seems to be able to remember all her previous lifetimes! Clara is a young woman, brought up by a guardian and taught to use her skills and protect herself from the spirit world which would otherwise bombard her. The original concept for Eterma was arrived at by Clara and now she blames herself for the death of the team who were working on the compound and ultimately resulting in the untimely death of her beloved – she can’t even openly mourn his death as nobody was aware of the relationship!
Meanwhile, back in England, a team is being put together, run by Harold Spire, of the Metropolitan Police. Spire will draw together a strange bunch of unlikely characters including circus performers, spies and scientists. Spire himself has a background, he’s been burned by a romance and he’s not quite as trusting anymore.
We have a number of other characters and it’s easy to see the references to the X files – in terms of Spire’s team for example, Spire is not a believer in anything out of the ordinary and Rose is very scientific and methodical whereas Clare’s team rely very much on the paranormal!
The settings are very easy to read about jumping between New York and London and the author does a good job of evoking the time.
This is certainly an unusual book. Two opposing groups of people in a race against time to find the solution to immortality. And, yet, this solution could also be used for harm! And, on top of that there seems to be a third party – but I won’t say more on that score.
The story is told from alternating perspectives which gives us a better idea of what is going on and makes us privy to the actions of both teams. Quite revealing in itself.
On the face of it this book has such a lot that I love and I confess I was very excited to receive a copy. Ghosts and paranormal activity, alternate history, spies, subtrefuge and intrigue and it is undoubtedly well written with plenty of detail and yet, to be honest, I struggled a little with this one and came very close to putting it down. I’m not sure why and can’t put my finger on it but it seemed to, well, drag, somehow. It’s a really interesting idea, a good cast and the setting and time very enjoyable to read about so frankly I’m not sure exactly why I struggled. I think perhaps the pacing is a little off and I also had difficulty relating to Clare or at least understanding what makes her so special maybe?? It could simply be that this book is suffering from first book syndrome. It is definitely a set up for the next book. Simply, I just didn’t relate to the characters enough to be honest. I don’t think I really bought into them and, in fact felt a little ambivalent towards them.
I am intrigued though, it ends on something of a cliffhanger and I think that maybe, in spite of my reservations, I would continue with the series. Like I said, I didn’t race through this and I don’t think it gripped me in the way I expected but I’m keeping my options open for the time being.
I certainly wouldn’t discourage anybody else from reading this. I wouldn’t say I loved it but I am keeping an open mind in terms of the rest of the series and I think there’s plenty here if you enjoy something of a paranormal mystery.
I received a copy of this courtesy of the publishers through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
January 23, 2015
Mon avis en Français
My English review
The cover and the summary immediately attracted me as soon as I saw them and I really could not wait to get into the story. I must say that I love the novels from the Victorian era and mixing it with paranormal elements could only please me. Yet I confess that in the end I’m a little disappointed by this volume, but I’ll come back a bit to that afterwards.
After the death of Abraham Lincoln, Clara and her guardian, Senator Bishop, a man she likes a lot, have put together a team together to try to find the secret of immortality, a compound called Eterna. For years, researchers have tried to find the solution and the arrival of Louis changed that. This scientist has also a hidden story with our beloved Clara. But one morning, our heroine learns that the whole team is dead except one person. The young woman is therefore launching in a race against time to find Eterna, all with her friends. But Clara is not like any other women because she happens to have visions and sees things that no one else is able to do. Alternatively, we also follow Harold, a man who does not believe in the supernatural world and who is engaged by the Queen of England to lead a team of very special people. Their goal is to find Eterna for England and to prevent Clara and Americans to recover it before them.
Many characters are highlighted in this story, some more interesting than others elsewhere. I admit I was a little lost about some of the protagonists, not really understanding who they were. But the volume especially focuses on Clara and Harold, two completely different characters. Clara is a young touching woman. We know that she has lost her beloved, but because of their secret relationship, no one knows that, and she keeps her feelings for herself. She is determined to understand what had happened to her lover and to recover Eterna if it does exist. I admit that I was passionate about her character, to understand and discover how she was going to resolve everything. Conversely, I have not been very interested in Harold and his chapters. This is a man who does not believe in the supernatural world, but he is determined to carry out his mission. It’s quite a shame, but I found his chapters rather flat and I rather looked forward each time to return to Clara.
To conclude, I spent a good time in general with the novel even though the history of the England side interested me less. However, I am curious to see what will happen afterwards to our dear Clara who must cross one of many trials.
My English review
The cover and the summary immediately attracted me as soon as I saw them and I really could not wait to get into the story. I must say that I love the novels from the Victorian era and mixing it with paranormal elements could only please me. Yet I confess that in the end I’m a little disappointed by this volume, but I’ll come back a bit to that afterwards.
After the death of Abraham Lincoln, Clara and her guardian, Senator Bishop, a man she likes a lot, have put together a team together to try to find the secret of immortality, a compound called Eterna. For years, researchers have tried to find the solution and the arrival of Louis changed that. This scientist has also a hidden story with our beloved Clara. But one morning, our heroine learns that the whole team is dead except one person. The young woman is therefore launching in a race against time to find Eterna, all with her friends. But Clara is not like any other women because she happens to have visions and sees things that no one else is able to do. Alternatively, we also follow Harold, a man who does not believe in the supernatural world and who is engaged by the Queen of England to lead a team of very special people. Their goal is to find Eterna for England and to prevent Clara and Americans to recover it before them.
Many characters are highlighted in this story, some more interesting than others elsewhere. I admit I was a little lost about some of the protagonists, not really understanding who they were. But the volume especially focuses on Clara and Harold, two completely different characters. Clara is a young touching woman. We know that she has lost her beloved, but because of their secret relationship, no one knows that, and she keeps her feelings for herself. She is determined to understand what had happened to her lover and to recover Eterna if it does exist. I admit that I was passionate about her character, to understand and discover how she was going to resolve everything. Conversely, I have not been very interested in Harold and his chapters. This is a man who does not believe in the supernatural world, but he is determined to carry out his mission. It’s quite a shame, but I found his chapters rather flat and I rather looked forward each time to return to Clara.
To conclude, I spent a good time in general with the novel even though the history of the England side interested me less. However, I am curious to see what will happen afterwards to our dear Clara who must cross one of many trials.
November 28, 2017
This book is so unique it is going to be hard to write a review for it. This book takes place in both New York and London at the same time so there is a lot of switching back and forth. Having it set in New York and London at the same time was genius. It gives the book such depth,mystery,and character development that would have been lost if just set in one country and having that country find out about the other country in a later book. Some authors do that and chances for strong character development are lost for pure surprise and shock value.
I love the main character in New York Clara Templeton. She is one of the most unique one of a kind characters I have ever read. She has lived so many lives that it gives her a different view and feelings to everything. I also loved the main character Harold Spire in London. He is a no nonsense policemen and doesn't believe in immortality or the spiritual. I found it intersecting to have one character who is so connected to the spiritual she had no choice but to believe in it and one character who doesn't believe at all. I loved all the characters. They all felt like finding long lost relatives I didn't know I had. I don't want to say to much about the story or characters because I don't want to ruin all the greatness.
In 80 pages more happened in this book then in 200 pages of some other fantasy/sci-fi books. I envy Leanna's imagination and her ability to weave a very complex story. The author's humor is fabulous and I couldn't stop laughing. Can't remember the last time I laughed so much. Leanna is a genius writer and can't recommend this book more highly. Leanna Renee Hieber is my new favorite author.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Content Rating: PG-15 (violence and some talk about sex)
I love the main character in New York Clara Templeton. She is one of the most unique one of a kind characters I have ever read. She has lived so many lives that it gives her a different view and feelings to everything. I also loved the main character Harold Spire in London. He is a no nonsense policemen and doesn't believe in immortality or the spiritual. I found it intersecting to have one character who is so connected to the spiritual she had no choice but to believe in it and one character who doesn't believe at all. I loved all the characters. They all felt like finding long lost relatives I didn't know I had. I don't want to say to much about the story or characters because I don't want to ruin all the greatness.
In 80 pages more happened in this book then in 200 pages of some other fantasy/sci-fi books. I envy Leanna's imagination and her ability to weave a very complex story. The author's humor is fabulous and I couldn't stop laughing. Can't remember the last time I laughed so much. Leanna is a genius writer and can't recommend this book more highly. Leanna Renee Hieber is my new favorite author.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Content Rating: PG-15 (violence and some talk about sex)
January 13, 2015
I read ETERNA when it was in its first stages. Leanna has a skillful way of taking.you back in time. She is a writer who was born in the wrong century in the best possible way. Complex characters, paranormal hijinx, and superb writing make Leanna Renee Hieber a master at gothic paranormal lit.
March 8, 2015
Great premise and ambitious setting. The points didn't converge much throughout the novel and nothing much happen. It felt like one long introduction. Hopefully the second one is better.
February 2, 2015
Hmmm. Didn't enjoy this one as much as I thought I would. Full review coming soon!
January 31, 2016
NOTE: THIS HAS BEEN GIVEN 4 STARS ON THE ASSUMPTION THERE IS ANOTHER BOOK, IF THIS IS IN FACT A STANDALONE BOOK THE RATING IS AMENDED TO 2 STARS, REASONING EXPLAINED TOWARDS THE END OF REVIEW.
London 1882: Harold Spire of the Metropolitan Police has just passed his test, and is newly appointed by Queen Victoria herself to Special Branch Omega Division. Omega's purpose is to investigate the paranormal and supernatural, whether people or events, secretly of course. Spire is skeptical of all things magical, paranormal and so on and with his desire to help people he's the perfect leader of the division. You see these aren't ordinary people, no the division is made up of spies, assassins, con men, scholars, scientists and a travelling circus.
Their mission is to find the Eterna Compound, which grants immortality, and was dreamed up by Clara Templeton following the assassination of President Lincoln. But in the process of developing the compound, the hidden laboratory in New York was destroyed, and all working on it perished. Or did they? There's one who survived and the Queen is convinced the survivor has a sample of the compound and wants it attained at any cost. Even relations between the two countries.
Clara Templeton and her group are also searching for the compound and answers about what happened in the laboratory. Determined not to see the compound fall in to British hands, as none can understand what happened to America in the wake of the assassination. Luckily her lover is haunting her and his brother, and can offer them a helping hand then isn't it?
This book draws you in from the prologue with the assassination and how things got started, from that point I couldn't put it down and was utterly engrossed. The book is original, and set firmly in the Victorian era with a supernatural twist. It had a very nice gothic atmosphere which I particularly enjoyed.
I found myself chuckling along at certain parts of the book, and it was so fantastically written you got a feeling of the time and locations. Both of them. You see we switch between England and New York, and between characters and points of view smoothly to get a better picture of what's going on in both countries. Each narrative being engaging and actually adding something to the story. It was reminiscent of the space race to be honest, with how both teams in England and New York where searching for this cure for death (that's ominous enough) and both determined the other shouldn't have it, or both determined to be the first to it, you know, and it was a bit silly, cos like I said....cure for death, but nevertheless fascinating and entertaining and at times frustrating to read.
The characters all came to life from the page, and where well written. I particularly liked Clara and I found myself enjoying her chapters more than Spire's to be honest. I felt like quite the traitor to my own country preferring the American chapters. The plot was fairly complex and was full of intrigue as you try to work out what's going on along with the characters. However the plot also provided a problem which I'll come back to in a minute.
This was hard to rate however, and I have outlined the good things about the book, I want to give it four stars and I will, but there where points when I got a bit bored with the book and the constant descriptions of corsets and how crap it was for women, we know, we all know, there's no need to come up with new ways to highlight the issue every chapter, and at points it was quite jarring.
The biggest problem with this book is however, also the plot. That doesn't make sense, I hear you all cry, but bare with me. You see, for how long the book is....not much happens, but a lot does happen, it's very contradictory, you see there's clearly something more going on, and the English and the Americans are oblivious, so not much happens on that front because the English don't decide to go over to the US to sort their shit out until the end of the book.
And the end of the book is a problem. NOW. This has four stars because I am assuming that there is going to be another book. If there is not another book, I shall amend this to a much lower rating of either 2 or 3 stars.
A bit harsh, you may think, but let me explain. The book ends. Just like that. The English plan to go over to the US, nothing's really solved, and Clara has passed out with a load of ghosts screaming bloody murder. That's it. The book ends there, which is why overall, while a lot happens in the book, it ends up feeling like not a lot or rather not enough happened in the book, and it essentially feels like half a book. Now if there's a second book...no problem, in which case it's a fantastic ending because it's the ultimate cliffhanger, you're desperate for more, frantically clicking at your Kindle until you realise that's really it, and desperate for the next book.
If there is no second book then it's a very abrupt and kind of crappy ending. There's too many questions left unanswered, there's not enough resolution and it's incredibly frustrating because like I said, it feels like you read half of a book. The book literally ends mid climax and that is not okay, not because of like...feels and stuff, but it really isn't a great ending to such a fantastic book.
So yes, my review is contradictory and makes little sense, and is liable to change depending on what new information I receive after doing some digging. Apologies, but this book was right up my street, and was fantastically written and had so much good going on with it, but the ending lets it down tremendously if this is a stand alone book.
London 1882: Harold Spire of the Metropolitan Police has just passed his test, and is newly appointed by Queen Victoria herself to Special Branch Omega Division. Omega's purpose is to investigate the paranormal and supernatural, whether people or events, secretly of course. Spire is skeptical of all things magical, paranormal and so on and with his desire to help people he's the perfect leader of the division. You see these aren't ordinary people, no the division is made up of spies, assassins, con men, scholars, scientists and a travelling circus.
Their mission is to find the Eterna Compound, which grants immortality, and was dreamed up by Clara Templeton following the assassination of President Lincoln. But in the process of developing the compound, the hidden laboratory in New York was destroyed, and all working on it perished. Or did they? There's one who survived and the Queen is convinced the survivor has a sample of the compound and wants it attained at any cost. Even relations between the two countries.
Clara Templeton and her group are also searching for the compound and answers about what happened in the laboratory. Determined not to see the compound fall in to British hands, as none can understand what happened to America in the wake of the assassination. Luckily her lover is haunting her and his brother, and can offer them a helping hand then isn't it?
This book draws you in from the prologue with the assassination and how things got started, from that point I couldn't put it down and was utterly engrossed. The book is original, and set firmly in the Victorian era with a supernatural twist. It had a very nice gothic atmosphere which I particularly enjoyed.
I found myself chuckling along at certain parts of the book, and it was so fantastically written you got a feeling of the time and locations. Both of them. You see we switch between England and New York, and between characters and points of view smoothly to get a better picture of what's going on in both countries. Each narrative being engaging and actually adding something to the story. It was reminiscent of the space race to be honest, with how both teams in England and New York where searching for this cure for death (that's ominous enough) and both determined the other shouldn't have it, or both determined to be the first to it, you know, and it was a bit silly, cos like I said....cure for death, but nevertheless fascinating and entertaining and at times frustrating to read.
The characters all came to life from the page, and where well written. I particularly liked Clara and I found myself enjoying her chapters more than Spire's to be honest. I felt like quite the traitor to my own country preferring the American chapters. The plot was fairly complex and was full of intrigue as you try to work out what's going on along with the characters. However the plot also provided a problem which I'll come back to in a minute.
This was hard to rate however, and I have outlined the good things about the book, I want to give it four stars and I will, but there where points when I got a bit bored with the book and the constant descriptions of corsets and how crap it was for women, we know, we all know, there's no need to come up with new ways to highlight the issue every chapter, and at points it was quite jarring.
The biggest problem with this book is however, also the plot. That doesn't make sense, I hear you all cry, but bare with me. You see, for how long the book is....not much happens, but a lot does happen, it's very contradictory, you see there's clearly something more going on, and the English and the Americans are oblivious, so not much happens on that front because the English don't decide to go over to the US to sort their shit out until the end of the book.
And the end of the book is a problem. NOW. This has four stars because I am assuming that there is going to be another book. If there is not another book, I shall amend this to a much lower rating of either 2 or 3 stars.
A bit harsh, you may think, but let me explain. The book ends. Just like that. The English plan to go over to the US, nothing's really solved, and Clara has passed out with a load of ghosts screaming bloody murder. That's it. The book ends there, which is why overall, while a lot happens in the book, it ends up feeling like not a lot or rather not enough happened in the book, and it essentially feels like half a book. Now if there's a second book...no problem, in which case it's a fantastic ending because it's the ultimate cliffhanger, you're desperate for more, frantically clicking at your Kindle until you realise that's really it, and desperate for the next book.
If there is no second book then it's a very abrupt and kind of crappy ending. There's too many questions left unanswered, there's not enough resolution and it's incredibly frustrating because like I said, it feels like you read half of a book. The book literally ends mid climax and that is not okay, not because of like...feels and stuff, but it really isn't a great ending to such a fantastic book.
So yes, my review is contradictory and makes little sense, and is liable to change depending on what new information I receive after doing some digging. Apologies, but this book was right up my street, and was fantastically written and had so much good going on with it, but the ending lets it down tremendously if this is a stand alone book.
March 15, 2019
Rated 3.5
February 15, 2015
Finally after several months of breathless anticipation the book was released this week by Tor Books. Let me just say that the wait was worth it! Full disclosure, I am proud to call Leanna a friend, but my feelings for the book are not distorted by my feelings for the author. Leanna Renee Hieber is a masterful writer who is a pioneer of the gaslamp fantasy genre.
The Eterna Files begins on April 16, 1865 when a grieving Mary Lincoln summons Clara Templeton, a Spiritualist medium, and her guardian Senator Rupert Bishop to the White House. President Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated and his widow is in the first throes of grief. The First Lady wants Clara to contact her husband's spirit so that Mary can say her goodbyes. Overwhelmed by the grief surrounding her, the twelve-year-old medium declares that such a tragedy should never again befall the nation and that America's leaders deserve to be given immortality. Out of tragedy the Eterna Commission is born.
Seventeen years pass, and the Eterna Commission, a collection of scientists, theorists, theologians, and paranormal researchers are on the brink of discovering immortality when tragedy strikes again. In one mysterious afternoon the Eterna Commission's scientists are killed by a mysterious force. It is left to Clara Templeton and her band of paranormal researchers to discover the cause of the scientists death and the whereabouts of their research files.
Across the Atlantic Ocean in Victorian England, police inspector Harold Spire is on the verge of breaking an body snatching ring with ties to the aristocracy when he is summoned to Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, has selected Spire to head a classified unit charged with protecting England's version of the Eterna Commission. Despite America's best efforts to keep its research secret, England has learned about the States quest for immortality and wants to beat the Americans at their own game. But there is a problem, the British scientists have all mysteriously disappeared around the same time that disaster struck their American rivals. Spire is forced to abandon his investigation into the body snatching ring and given the unwanted task to protect the new Omega team reporting to the mysterious and flamboyant Lord Black, a powerful member of the House of Lords. Rose Everhart, a gifted clerk who works covertly for Lord Black is assigned to be Spire's assistant. The investigation into missing scientists begins to reveal disturbing connections to the body snatching ring and the mystery that befell the American team.
The Eterna Files is an intriguing tale of ghosts, spirits, the occult, politics, and espionage with complex and engaging characters. Leanna Renee Hieber has brought the Victorian world to life in her novel. The world in which her characters reside in is both romantic and terrifying. The late nineteenth-century was on the precipice of immense change--a change that was both intoxicating and terrifying, which is reflected within the novel. Leanna Renee Hieber knows her history and employs her knowledge well in her novel. The Eterna Files simple crackles with the energy of the era, and is a haunting, lush, and intelligent fantasy.
The Eterna Files is the start of a new series by Leanna Renee Hieber and I can't wait to read the next installment as this novel ends on a terrifying cliffhanger. This novel is simply amazing!
The Eterna Files begins on April 16, 1865 when a grieving Mary Lincoln summons Clara Templeton, a Spiritualist medium, and her guardian Senator Rupert Bishop to the White House. President Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated and his widow is in the first throes of grief. The First Lady wants Clara to contact her husband's spirit so that Mary can say her goodbyes. Overwhelmed by the grief surrounding her, the twelve-year-old medium declares that such a tragedy should never again befall the nation and that America's leaders deserve to be given immortality. Out of tragedy the Eterna Commission is born.
Seventeen years pass, and the Eterna Commission, a collection of scientists, theorists, theologians, and paranormal researchers are on the brink of discovering immortality when tragedy strikes again. In one mysterious afternoon the Eterna Commission's scientists are killed by a mysterious force. It is left to Clara Templeton and her band of paranormal researchers to discover the cause of the scientists death and the whereabouts of their research files.
Across the Atlantic Ocean in Victorian England, police inspector Harold Spire is on the verge of breaking an body snatching ring with ties to the aristocracy when he is summoned to Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, has selected Spire to head a classified unit charged with protecting England's version of the Eterna Commission. Despite America's best efforts to keep its research secret, England has learned about the States quest for immortality and wants to beat the Americans at their own game. But there is a problem, the British scientists have all mysteriously disappeared around the same time that disaster struck their American rivals. Spire is forced to abandon his investigation into the body snatching ring and given the unwanted task to protect the new Omega team reporting to the mysterious and flamboyant Lord Black, a powerful member of the House of Lords. Rose Everhart, a gifted clerk who works covertly for Lord Black is assigned to be Spire's assistant. The investigation into missing scientists begins to reveal disturbing connections to the body snatching ring and the mystery that befell the American team.
The Eterna Files is an intriguing tale of ghosts, spirits, the occult, politics, and espionage with complex and engaging characters. Leanna Renee Hieber has brought the Victorian world to life in her novel. The world in which her characters reside in is both romantic and terrifying. The late nineteenth-century was on the precipice of immense change--a change that was both intoxicating and terrifying, which is reflected within the novel. Leanna Renee Hieber knows her history and employs her knowledge well in her novel. The Eterna Files simple crackles with the energy of the era, and is a haunting, lush, and intelligent fantasy.
The Eterna Files is the start of a new series by Leanna Renee Hieber and I can't wait to read the next installment as this novel ends on a terrifying cliffhanger. This novel is simply amazing!
June 27, 2021
DNF at around 25%-ish. I made it through the prologue and four chapters.
I spent the entire time I was reading certain that this was a poorly-edited self-published book that had somehow snuck onto my TBR list, because it was really that bad. Then I looked it up, and it was published by TOR. I couldn't believe it. A place that has published many books I've enjoyed. I feel weirdly betrayed. I know they can't all be winners, but was ANY editing effort expended on this mess? Is this what the traditional publishing industry has come to?
This book is awful. It is dull. I can't really even tell you much about the content, because the actual narrative is almost completely obscured by the terrible prose. When I start a new book, I'm usually already in the middle of 2-3 other books, so there's always a period where I have to mentally adjust to the new book's particular style and flow. This normally takes one or two chapters, depending on the length of the chapters. But I read a full quarter of this book and at no point did it pick up or begin to "flow," which is a surefire sign the whole thing is going to be a struggle. And I don't have time for that.
And I never do this, but I did write down a couple quotes that I think sort of encapsulate what was wrong with the writing in this book.
Yes, it's just one paragraph and it may seem like I'm nitpicking, but the entire book is like this. Long, awkwardly-constructed sentences; irrelevant details and character musings; endless stacks of sight description and very little of the other four senses; adjectives, adjectives, adjectives. This author never met an adjective they didn't like. The only thing this excerpt is missing is the clunky, faux-Victorian dialogue.
Here's another one:
WTF? Who read this and said, "Yes, this deserves to be published"? Also see the additional example of the awkward af descriptive prose.
And because I've decided I'm going to be THAT person, here is another quote for everyone:
I will roll my eyes at "alright" but accept it. I will sigh at "irregardless" and remind myself that language is not prescriptive. But I draw the line at "could care less." This is basic shit that any editor should have caught. I really cannot believe this isn't a self-published book.
Again, I'm being nitpicky. But there was nothing of substance to distract me from the irritating prose. If the story and characters had been interesting I would have been way more willing to overlook that this is basically first-draft level of writing at best. But they weren't.
I spent the entire time I was reading certain that this was a poorly-edited self-published book that had somehow snuck onto my TBR list, because it was really that bad. Then I looked it up, and it was published by TOR. I couldn't believe it. A place that has published many books I've enjoyed. I feel weirdly betrayed. I know they can't all be winners, but was ANY editing effort expended on this mess? Is this what the traditional publishing industry has come to?
This book is awful. It is dull. I can't really even tell you much about the content, because the actual narrative is almost completely obscured by the terrible prose. When I start a new book, I'm usually already in the middle of 2-3 other books, so there's always a period where I have to mentally adjust to the new book's particular style and flow. This normally takes one or two chapters, depending on the length of the chapters. But I read a full quarter of this book and at no point did it pick up or begin to "flow," which is a surefire sign the whole thing is going to be a struggle. And I don't have time for that.
And I never do this, but I did write down a couple quotes that I think sort of encapsulate what was wrong with the writing in this book.
Spire strode deeper into the wing of the House of Lords where everything was gilded and red fabrics were seen everywhere in the furnishings and hangings--as opposed to the carved but unvarnished stone of the House of Commons, where all was trimmed in green. He passed the enormous statue of Queen Victoria, a loving tribute from Prince Albert that Spire found a bit ostentatious and perhaps indicative of a bit of magisterial insecurity. As he trod the fine red carpeting and traversed narrow passages of dark, polished wood carved in regal Gothic form, Spire wondered what Guy Fawkes would have thought of the splendor of Westminster today.
Yes, it's just one paragraph and it may seem like I'm nitpicking, but the entire book is like this. Long, awkwardly-constructed sentences; irrelevant details and character musings; endless stacks of sight description and very little of the other four senses; adjectives, adjectives, adjectives. This author never met an adjective they didn't like. The only thing this excerpt is missing is the clunky, faux-Victorian dialogue.
Here's another one:
"Only mystics say that. You're a lord. Sir."
"A mystical lord..." Black said dreamily, gazing toward the mezzanine's arched beveled window bedecked with stained-glass royal crests.
WTF? Who read this and said, "Yes, this deserves to be published"? Also see the additional example of the awkward af descriptive prose.
And because I've decided I'm going to be THAT person, here is another quote for everyone:
She could care less
I will roll my eyes at "alright" but accept it. I will sigh at "irregardless" and remind myself that language is not prescriptive. But I draw the line at "could care less." This is basic shit that any editor should have caught. I really cannot believe this isn't a self-published book.
Again, I'm being nitpicky. But there was nothing of substance to distract me from the irritating prose. If the story and characters had been interesting I would have been way more willing to overlook that this is basically first-draft level of writing at best. But they weren't.
November 8, 2015
The Eterna Files is a blend of steampunk, historical fiction and fantasy with a dash of the supernatural. Is your interest piqued? Mine was. Especially since I love steampunk as a genre and anything supernatural and mysterious has my vote. Unfortunately The Eterna Files did not live up to my expectations. It was not as charming as the Parasol Protectorate, nor as interestingly concise and well written as the Borden Dispatches or The St. Croix Chronicles.
The story takes place in 1882 and switches between events happening in America and the United Kingdom. It begins with the talented Clara who along with her guardian Senator Bishop set up the Eterna project after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The purpose of this project is the creation of a compound called Eterna which is supposed to cure death, or you know, gain immortality.
The problem with this book for me was the excessive number of characters. I mean forget the fact that I work 58 hour weeks, even if I was at full awake capacity, I would still have been confused by all the characters. You have the US branch and the UK branch, but guess what, they both sound the same, so I could never tell them apart unless I stopped to think about it. There are so many incidental characters that it’s impossible to keep them all straight. Further the switching between the parties means you never really get a good grasp of any of the characters, so while I don’t dislike Clara or Spire overmuch, I can’t say I care about either of them either. I also don’t get how Clara has all this power and confer with the President’s wife and yet still be so utterly useless. She can’t use any of her powers unlike her partner, whats-his-face, no really what is his face called? I don’t remember. I thought the book would revolve around Spire and Ms. Everhart, but then im dumped into the story with Clara utterly lost and confused.
If not for Everhart I would thoroughly not care about anyone in this book, she was my favorite character by far, because she actually used her brains and did something.
The ending left much to be desired. By which I mean I have no idea what’s going on. It was so abrupt I thought it was a joke (it wasn’t) and whether there was something I was missing (probably) because no end is explained, sorted or otherwise reached.
This is a two star read for me. Possibly when everything is made clearer in the next book this first one will be worth it. But my advice is, if you have your heart set on reading this, make sure you have both books with you so you don’t end up all cranky and disappointed like I did.
The story takes place in 1882 and switches between events happening in America and the United Kingdom. It begins with the talented Clara who along with her guardian Senator Bishop set up the Eterna project after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The purpose of this project is the creation of a compound called Eterna which is supposed to cure death, or you know, gain immortality.
The problem with this book for me was the excessive number of characters. I mean forget the fact that I work 58 hour weeks, even if I was at full awake capacity, I would still have been confused by all the characters. You have the US branch and the UK branch, but guess what, they both sound the same, so I could never tell them apart unless I stopped to think about it. There are so many incidental characters that it’s impossible to keep them all straight. Further the switching between the parties means you never really get a good grasp of any of the characters, so while I don’t dislike Clara or Spire overmuch, I can’t say I care about either of them either. I also don’t get how Clara has all this power and confer with the President’s wife and yet still be so utterly useless. She can’t use any of her powers unlike her partner, whats-his-face, no really what is his face called? I don’t remember. I thought the book would revolve around Spire and Ms. Everhart, but then im dumped into the story with Clara utterly lost and confused.
If not for Everhart I would thoroughly not care about anyone in this book, she was my favorite character by far, because she actually used her brains and did something.
The ending left much to be desired. By which I mean I have no idea what’s going on. It was so abrupt I thought it was a joke (it wasn’t) and whether there was something I was missing (probably) because no end is explained, sorted or otherwise reached.
This is a two star read for me. Possibly when everything is made clearer in the next book this first one will be worth it. But my advice is, if you have your heart set on reading this, make sure you have both books with you so you don’t end up all cranky and disappointed like I did.
February 8, 2015
I really liked the idea behind The Eterna Files. Secret government organization in Victorian England? Yes, please! Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. Some of the characters were interesting, but I never felt that I spent enough time with them to truly get invested in their stories.
Harold Spire has been appointed by Queen Victoria to Special Branch Division Omega, and he’s not happy about it. Spire had been in the midst of a very difficult case and he doesn’t want to let it go unsolved to lead a secret branch of the government that’s bent on investigation the extraordinary. He does not believe in that sort of thing. Spire's first order of business is to investigate the supposed discovery of the Eterna Compound. Apparently it grants immortality, and if the Americans have it, the British definitely want to get their hands on it.
Assisting Spire is the highly capable Rose Everhart, who, like Spire, has a tragic past motivating her actions as a government employee.
Rounding out these perspectives is American, Clara Templeton, the person responsible for the Eterna Compound, or at least putting the idea into the head of the grieving Mrs. Abraham Lincoln after the assassination of her husband. After the deaths of the scientists who were working on the Eterna Compound, Clara is determined to find out what happened and keep the compound from the wrong hands.
The premise for The Eterna Files sounds really good, but what didn’t capture my attention was the narrative style. First off, the characters came across as rather bland. Tidbits of information about each character would be dropped but never fully explored. Second, I found the change in perspective of characters (and locales) to be rather distracting. When things were finally getting good, the novel would move to America or England. What’s more is that the American and English narratives didn’t come together by the end of the novel and I kind of assumed that they would. I can only presume that the author is setting this up to become a series.
I really wanted The Eterna Files to be amazing, but I really had a hard time getting through this one. I think it’s one of those books that’s going to appeal to readers who are more interested in details than characters or plot, and I am, quite simply, not one of those readers.
Originally reviewed at The Book Adventures.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Harold Spire has been appointed by Queen Victoria to Special Branch Division Omega, and he’s not happy about it. Spire had been in the midst of a very difficult case and he doesn’t want to let it go unsolved to lead a secret branch of the government that’s bent on investigation the extraordinary. He does not believe in that sort of thing. Spire's first order of business is to investigate the supposed discovery of the Eterna Compound. Apparently it grants immortality, and if the Americans have it, the British definitely want to get their hands on it.
Assisting Spire is the highly capable Rose Everhart, who, like Spire, has a tragic past motivating her actions as a government employee.
Rounding out these perspectives is American, Clara Templeton, the person responsible for the Eterna Compound, or at least putting the idea into the head of the grieving Mrs. Abraham Lincoln after the assassination of her husband. After the deaths of the scientists who were working on the Eterna Compound, Clara is determined to find out what happened and keep the compound from the wrong hands.
The premise for The Eterna Files sounds really good, but what didn’t capture my attention was the narrative style. First off, the characters came across as rather bland. Tidbits of information about each character would be dropped but never fully explored. Second, I found the change in perspective of characters (and locales) to be rather distracting. When things were finally getting good, the novel would move to America or England. What’s more is that the American and English narratives didn’t come together by the end of the novel and I kind of assumed that they would. I can only presume that the author is setting this up to become a series.
I really wanted The Eterna Files to be amazing, but I really had a hard time getting through this one. I think it’s one of those books that’s going to appeal to readers who are more interested in details than characters or plot, and I am, quite simply, not one of those readers.
Originally reviewed at The Book Adventures.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
March 7, 2015
A very different, but unique book that definitely had me turning the pages wondering what would happen next. I really like the historical setting of New York and England in the 1880’s. Leanna Renee Heiber also writes some of the most interesting characters. The two main characters are the mirrors of one another.
Clara and Harold are the two main characters who learn that things are not always what they seem. Both of them want to find the Eterna compound, because there is a competition between the British and American to find it. Whoever finds this compound or creates it, will have the power over life and death. We are talking about things that people should not play with. Both Clara and Harold have challenges to accomplish their missions/goals. Clara and Harold have different goals in mind when it comes to finding Eterna, not realizing that their is a third player who wants it for nefarious purposes.
I really found that Clara was an interesting heroine because she has lost a lot in the search for this compound. Plus Clara friends are interesting as well because they all have gifts/skills that are important. These skills are important to find clues. Plus their are ghosts who come into the story. The ghosts find ways to contact both Clara and Rose Everhart in different ways. Also the fact that there seems to be a hidden agenda among both the American and British Government. I also like the scenery of New York and how it’s incorporated. (RN: Being a native new yorker, I really like that some of the scenery are places that I walk along, so in the 1880’s everything looked very different)
The pacing of this book was very good as well. We learn that Harold and his team have been misled as well in what Eterna really is. No one really seems to know much. Yet there are clues. Some clues are very easy to uncover. There is something much bigger going on. Yet we don’t know what that is exactly. I like that there is a mystery and that both the Americans and British want Eterna, but it may lead to something even more dangerous and dark and sinister.
This book leaves off with such a stunning cliffhanger. I can’t even say much because it was so unexpected. The twists and turns were interesting because they were done in a way that made you think we are only at the beginning of this story. Yet there is something happening. Plus I like that some of the authors other characters from her other books made some appearances.
A very good start to what looks like a promising series.
Rating:
4 Hearts
Clara and Harold are the two main characters who learn that things are not always what they seem. Both of them want to find the Eterna compound, because there is a competition between the British and American to find it. Whoever finds this compound or creates it, will have the power over life and death. We are talking about things that people should not play with. Both Clara and Harold have challenges to accomplish their missions/goals. Clara and Harold have different goals in mind when it comes to finding Eterna, not realizing that their is a third player who wants it for nefarious purposes.
I really found that Clara was an interesting heroine because she has lost a lot in the search for this compound. Plus Clara friends are interesting as well because they all have gifts/skills that are important. These skills are important to find clues. Plus their are ghosts who come into the story. The ghosts find ways to contact both Clara and Rose Everhart in different ways. Also the fact that there seems to be a hidden agenda among both the American and British Government. I also like the scenery of New York and how it’s incorporated. (RN: Being a native new yorker, I really like that some of the scenery are places that I walk along, so in the 1880’s everything looked very different)
The pacing of this book was very good as well. We learn that Harold and his team have been misled as well in what Eterna really is. No one really seems to know much. Yet there are clues. Some clues are very easy to uncover. There is something much bigger going on. Yet we don’t know what that is exactly. I like that there is a mystery and that both the Americans and British want Eterna, but it may lead to something even more dangerous and dark and sinister.
This book leaves off with such a stunning cliffhanger. I can’t even say much because it was so unexpected. The twists and turns were interesting because they were done in a way that made you think we are only at the beginning of this story. Yet there is something happening. Plus I like that some of the authors other characters from her other books made some appearances.
A very good start to what looks like a promising series.
Rating:
4 Hearts
January 13, 2015
I have recently spent time in a new universe. This gaslamp fantasy – crafted by pioneer of that genre, Leanna Renee Hieber, could easily have become a horror novel à la Koontz had there been a few more left turns than right. This finely blended tale of grim determination has true suspense. The atmosphere calls for vigilance from the characters. They behave as believable Victorian heroes, diligently trying to save Humanity while taking important steps toward understanding it.
Nearly all of Ms. Hieber's boldly selected and fine-drawn characters believe in the magic and mysticism that surrounds them and their decisions. This makes the occult described in The Eterna Files much more understandable and almost inviting.
The lives of these characters, particularly Clara Templeton, do not begin with the first opening of the book. They have all been living lives long before I started reading about them. Ms. Hieber makes it very easy to visualize the world(s) surrounding these spellbinding lives.
On a map of novels, I would place Ms. Hieber's stories – starting with The Eterna Files – about four blocks west of the intersection of Lovecraft and Poe. I am glad to have stopped there for coffee.
Nearly all of Ms. Hieber's boldly selected and fine-drawn characters believe in the magic and mysticism that surrounds them and their decisions. This makes the occult described in The Eterna Files much more understandable and almost inviting.
The lives of these characters, particularly Clara Templeton, do not begin with the first opening of the book. They have all been living lives long before I started reading about them. Ms. Hieber makes it very easy to visualize the world(s) surrounding these spellbinding lives.
On a map of novels, I would place Ms. Hieber's stories – starting with The Eterna Files – about four blocks west of the intersection of Lovecraft and Poe. I am glad to have stopped there for coffee.
February 26, 2017
Fun ! Well-paced, likable set of a characters, both main and the supporting cast. I enjoyed this, looking forward to the next in the series.
February 11, 2015
This was a very slow feeling story. It has a descriptive quality that while interesting, makes the plot seem very slow moving.
The story is mostly centred around 2 investigative pairs, and while I really loved the characters and would like to read stories about them investigating cases, this story didn’t seem to do them justice.
Ms Everhart and Harold Spire make a great crime investigating duo. He is very methodical and she is simply brilliant. She is such a strong woman, in an age whether women are seen as much weaker, and she is cunning enough to know how to use that to her advantage. I’d love to read stories about them investigating and fighting crime as I’m sure it would be entertaining and thrilling.
Similarly, Clara and the Senator make a very swoon worthy pair with a paranormal investigative angle. I’m sure they’ve had many spectacular adventures that I’d love to read about, and their relationship tension is quite Victorian appropriate.
Overall, while this particular story didn’t really enthrall me, the characters did. I’d love to see them in more action oriented books as they were exciting and well written.
The story is mostly centred around 2 investigative pairs, and while I really loved the characters and would like to read stories about them investigating cases, this story didn’t seem to do them justice.
Ms Everhart and Harold Spire make a great crime investigating duo. He is very methodical and she is simply brilliant. She is such a strong woman, in an age whether women are seen as much weaker, and she is cunning enough to know how to use that to her advantage. I’d love to read stories about them investigating and fighting crime as I’m sure it would be entertaining and thrilling.
Similarly, Clara and the Senator make a very swoon worthy pair with a paranormal investigative angle. I’m sure they’ve had many spectacular adventures that I’d love to read about, and their relationship tension is quite Victorian appropriate.
Overall, while this particular story didn’t really enthrall me, the characters did. I’d love to see them in more action oriented books as they were exciting and well written.
February 3, 2015
I received an advance ebook from NetGalley.
Hieber has crafted an intense supernatural mystery. The strong Gothic roots evoke a misty Victorian London, but even stronger is the setting of New York City. This is a world where grieving widows on either side of the Atlantic--Mary Todd Lincoln and Queen Victoria--have spurred quests for immortality. The book follows the two competing teams of America and Britain, both of whom just suffered devastating losses; they think the other is their main rival, but both are unaware of the other, insidious elements at play.
The cast of characters is large, and just starting out, I found this confusing at times. The two leading women have different abilities but somewhat similar voices. The book is dark, and at times it firmly delves into horror, though it never stays there long. It's a fairly fast read, too.
I was a bit frustrated at the end; it has quite a set up for the next book. I was trying to turn Kindle pages that didn't exist, saying, "Noooooo," it can't end there. But it did. I was sad. Now I want to know more about the next book in the series.
Hieber has crafted an intense supernatural mystery. The strong Gothic roots evoke a misty Victorian London, but even stronger is the setting of New York City. This is a world where grieving widows on either side of the Atlantic--Mary Todd Lincoln and Queen Victoria--have spurred quests for immortality. The book follows the two competing teams of America and Britain, both of whom just suffered devastating losses; they think the other is their main rival, but both are unaware of the other, insidious elements at play.
The cast of characters is large, and just starting out, I found this confusing at times. The two leading women have different abilities but somewhat similar voices. The book is dark, and at times it firmly delves into horror, though it never stays there long. It's a fairly fast read, too.
I was a bit frustrated at the end; it has quite a set up for the next book. I was trying to turn Kindle pages that didn't exist, saying, "Noooooo," it can't end there. But it did. I was sad. Now I want to know more about the next book in the series.
February 5, 2015
Great book with two settings: England (London) and the United States (mainly New York), plus a fun cameo from Queen Victoria (and a more subdued appearance by Mary Todd Lincoln). And you do get a sense of two distinct settings, as well as the cutting edge of Victorian achievement.
Great mix of ingenious female characters that excel along side some excellent male characters.
There is some humor, an intriguing paranormal mystery, and definitely room for a welcomed sequel (or series)...what an abrupt and unresolved ending.
Dueling agents from both agents are racing to find research that may lead to immortality after the catastrophic loss of an American research team engaged in this dangerous project. It is difficult to pick a favorite team (English or American)as both sides are filled with colorful and highly intelligent members. Both are plagued by unseen forces, including an intriguing, Big Bad who languishes in a dungeon in England.
Definitely interested to see where this is all headed.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest online review
Great mix of ingenious female characters that excel along side some excellent male characters.
There is some humor, an intriguing paranormal mystery, and definitely room for a welcomed sequel (or series)...what an abrupt and unresolved ending.
Dueling agents from both agents are racing to find research that may lead to immortality after the catastrophic loss of an American research team engaged in this dangerous project. It is difficult to pick a favorite team (English or American)as both sides are filled with colorful and highly intelligent members. Both are plagued by unseen forces, including an intriguing, Big Bad who languishes in a dungeon in England.
Definitely interested to see where this is all headed.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest online review
February 23, 2015
I'm a fan of Hieber's Victorian gothics/gaslamp fantasies, so I was excited for her hardcover debut.
There's a lot to say in its favor. The Eterna Files is a delight for Hieber's fans, because of the plentiful cameos by characters from her Magic Most Foul and Strangely Beautiful series. Hieber has a genuine feel for, and knowledge of, the era -- I was actually startled to discover one small historic inaccuracy, because she's that good.
The biggest flaw that the Eterna Files has is that it's too short by half. There's a lot going on, between the New York and London plots, and a large number of engaging characters. If the book were a bit slower-paced, there would have been more chance to develop things further.
Still, I'll be waiting eagerly for the next one, and not just because of that cliffhanger ending . . .
There's a lot to say in its favor. The Eterna Files is a delight for Hieber's fans, because of the plentiful cameos by characters from her Magic Most Foul and Strangely Beautiful series. Hieber has a genuine feel for, and knowledge of, the era -- I was actually startled to discover one small historic inaccuracy, because she's that good.
The biggest flaw that the Eterna Files has is that it's too short by half. There's a lot going on, between the New York and London plots, and a large number of engaging characters. If the book were a bit slower-paced, there would have been more chance to develop things further.
Still, I'll be waiting eagerly for the next one, and not just because of that cliffhanger ending . . .
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