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Nimbus #1-4
Nimbus: A Steampunk Novel
This omnibus edition of NIMBUS contains all four parts of the original serialized steampunk fantasy novel--with a never-before-seen prologue.
NIMBUS is steampunk for people who don't know they like steampunk, as well as being steampunk for people who already love steampunk!
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Seedy corporations and airship factions, demons and rogues, zealots and thieves…
Nimbus is an epic tale of power, greed, and corruption.
Jude Finley is a new recruit aboard the Gangly Dirigible, an airship that extracts water from rainclouds. While working aboard the ship, Jude and his friends uncover a secret which may or may not help them against a growing uprising that could spell doom for everyone on the planet.
Meanwhile, Demetrius Rucca, the wheelchair-bound son of a prominent religious leader, begins recruiting followers for his own subversive cause. As allegiances are sworn to him and his followers grow, he begins to discover the new powers that lie within him. This power could be the salvation Demetrius is looking for–or it could be the destruction of the known world.
NIMBUS is steampunk for people who don't know they like steampunk, as well as being steampunk for people who already love steampunk!
--
Seedy corporations and airship factions, demons and rogues, zealots and thieves…
Nimbus is an epic tale of power, greed, and corruption.
Jude Finley is a new recruit aboard the Gangly Dirigible, an airship that extracts water from rainclouds. While working aboard the ship, Jude and his friends uncover a secret which may or may not help them against a growing uprising that could spell doom for everyone on the planet.
Meanwhile, Demetrius Rucca, the wheelchair-bound son of a prominent religious leader, begins recruiting followers for his own subversive cause. As allegiances are sworn to him and his followers grow, he begins to discover the new powers that lie within him. This power could be the salvation Demetrius is looking for–or it could be the destruction of the known world.
ebook
First published April 1, 2013
10 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
B.J. Keeton
14 books49 followersB.J. is a geek, gamer, podcaster, and runner. He has been the co-host of the Geek to Geek podcast since 2016, and he helped start the Geek to Geek Media Network. His biggest pet peeve is when someone spells Wookiee with only one E. One time, he told his friends he liked vegetables maybe more than he did Star Wars, and they made him put a dollar in the jar. That should tell you everything you need to know about him. Find him on Twitter as @professorbeej or on Discord as @professorbeej#1337.
He is the author of THE TECHNOMAGE ARCHIVE and NIMBUS: A STEAMPUNK NOVEL
He is the author of THE TECHNOMAGE ARCHIVE and NIMBUS: A STEAMPUNK NOVEL
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 19, 2013
I read Part One of Nimbus in two sits.
Very interesting characters, and vivid steampunk setting that didn't weigh down the narration.
We're thrown in the lives of the crew of Gangly Dirigible, which is responsible for collecting clouds and turning them into water. We follow Jude, one of the Hosers -a decent man amidst colorful characters- who, along with others on the skyship fight the good fight in a world that is torn in two: one is the life on skyports, the other in the Burrows. The middle is deadly and no one walks there. So, Jude and his fellow Hosers are in charge of supplying the Burrows and the Skyports with water. Until they come across an abandoned skyport, Augur's Lighthouse...
The other storyline follows young Rucca, the son of the High Prelate, on Cloud Nine, as the skyport for the noble is called. There, he treads a life of boredom under his father's vigilant and stern eye. Until he saves the beggar Gully from the beating of a soldier...
Part One doesn't end with much of a cliffhanger, but it leaves the reader wanting more of that world the author put together. It's a dirty, yet alive world. With its hierarchy and myths and old languages. With troubles and happy moments. Highly recommended to anyone already in love with steampunk, or to 'beginners' of the genre. A great read.
Very interesting characters, and vivid steampunk setting that didn't weigh down the narration.
We're thrown in the lives of the crew of Gangly Dirigible, which is responsible for collecting clouds and turning them into water. We follow Jude, one of the Hosers -a decent man amidst colorful characters- who, along with others on the skyship fight the good fight in a world that is torn in two: one is the life on skyports, the other in the Burrows. The middle is deadly and no one walks there. So, Jude and his fellow Hosers are in charge of supplying the Burrows and the Skyports with water. Until they come across an abandoned skyport, Augur's Lighthouse...
The other storyline follows young Rucca, the son of the High Prelate, on Cloud Nine, as the skyport for the noble is called. There, he treads a life of boredom under his father's vigilant and stern eye. Until he saves the beggar Gully from the beating of a soldier...
Part One doesn't end with much of a cliffhanger, but it leaves the reader wanting more of that world the author put together. It's a dirty, yet alive world. With its hierarchy and myths and old languages. With troubles and happy moments. Highly recommended to anyone already in love with steampunk, or to 'beginners' of the genre. A great read.
January 2, 2014
One of Nimbus's biggest strengths is it may be in a Steampunk setting, but it does not revolve around Steampunk. The setting is used to give background and motivation to the characters and isn't used as a crutch that the characters must conform to. Set in the world of Nimbus, a society above the clouds, where airships wage war commercially and physically and water is a treasured commodity, two individuals find themselves entwined with an ancient culture, and entwined with each other's fates. One, a royal who has grown up in the lap of luxury, and the other a blue-collar worker trying to get by in any way he can.
Instead of concentrating on the setting, the setting is used to bolster the characters, and never does it feel like a single chapter goes to waste. Giving equal time between both main characters, it's sometimes hard to distinguish who exactly is the protagonist or the antagonist, as from the start both characters seem socially on the same level. The power both characters come into, though, shows how power can both corrupt and empower and by the end, the difference between them is striking.
Overall, a great read. If you're a fan of steampunk, you'll enjoy this, and if you're not a fan, you'll still enjoy this.
Instead of concentrating on the setting, the setting is used to bolster the characters, and never does it feel like a single chapter goes to waste. Giving equal time between both main characters, it's sometimes hard to distinguish who exactly is the protagonist or the antagonist, as from the start both characters seem socially on the same level. The power both characters come into, though, shows how power can both corrupt and empower and by the end, the difference between them is striking.
Overall, a great read. If you're a fan of steampunk, you'll enjoy this, and if you're not a fan, you'll still enjoy this.
December 12, 2013
More like 1.5 stars. Wish I'd quit after 50 pages. Opened slow, and only started to get my interest as it approached 50 pages.
The story involves two very different young men striving for some kind of meaningful life in a sketchily drawn floating world with dirigibles. Steam punk of the poorest sort. For example, one man rides in a "steam chair." Apparently the authors thought that was enough, and provided us no more information about the care or use of these devise, which never needs power applied (or coal, oil or wood), and seems miraculously small, cool and safe.
Then the story just breaks off, with no closing, after 100. There are three more in the series, but not worth pursuing.
It's barely okay.
The story involves two very different young men striving for some kind of meaningful life in a sketchily drawn floating world with dirigibles. Steam punk of the poorest sort. For example, one man rides in a "steam chair." Apparently the authors thought that was enough, and provided us no more information about the care or use of these devise, which never needs power applied (or coal, oil or wood), and seems miraculously small, cool and safe.
Then the story just breaks off, with no closing, after 100. There are three more in the series, but not worth pursuing.
It's barely okay.
September 1, 2017
Steam punk, ...
May 19, 2014
Nimbus is a 4-part serialized Steampunk novel set in a world where one either lives underground or above "the fog", a flesh eating substance that arrived some time in the murky past. Wherever one lives in this world, the most precious commodity is fresh clean water harvested by dirigible crews, at great peril, from the few clouds the crews can discover, much like 19th century whaling voyages.
Only the very wealthy can obtain clean water, with the exception of the few families of the airship harvesting crews, one of whom is Jude Finley, a "Hoser" whose task is to operate the hose devices used to extract water from the clouds, a often fatal task given the perils involved in the operation. Jude has managed to get out of the underground, mining life where for the most dwellers must drink foul, polluted water. He gets his pay in clean water, which he sends to his impoverished family.
The books antagonist is Demetrius Rucca, the son of the High Priest, Cornelius Rucca. The book begins with Cornelius receiving the news that his son has died. Cornelius uses a type of ancient magic involving dark forces to resurrect his son. The dark forces warn Cornelius that there will be a price for their favor, but he forges ahead. Demetrius revives, but discovers that he is a paraplegic cripple. Demetrius grows up an embittered young man who takes out his rage on those less powerful than himself.
Demetrius' one desire is to be an airship captain, something not possible for him, as his father continually reminds Demetrius. However, through a unexpected act of kindness on his part to a beggar being assaulted by an officer, Demetrius finds himself the leader of a crew of lowlies who fulfill his wish by taking over an airship in port. Thus begins Rucca's air adventure.
Demetrius and Jude seem destined to meet and oppose each other as both find in their air journeys that the ancient forces that brought about the conditions on their world find in the two of them hosts through which they can operate.
I enjoyed the book, but the settings of the novel's world, so far at least, are not a developed as they could be or at least as they are in richer Steampunk books with similar alternative worlds. The book was a very quick read, and now that the major players are set up, I hope to find more of the back story developed in subsequent parts of the novel.
I would recommend this book for those who enjoy more of the "space opera", high adventure type of plotting.
Only the very wealthy can obtain clean water, with the exception of the few families of the airship harvesting crews, one of whom is Jude Finley, a "Hoser" whose task is to operate the hose devices used to extract water from the clouds, a often fatal task given the perils involved in the operation. Jude has managed to get out of the underground, mining life where for the most dwellers must drink foul, polluted water. He gets his pay in clean water, which he sends to his impoverished family.
The books antagonist is Demetrius Rucca, the son of the High Priest, Cornelius Rucca. The book begins with Cornelius receiving the news that his son has died. Cornelius uses a type of ancient magic involving dark forces to resurrect his son. The dark forces warn Cornelius that there will be a price for their favor, but he forges ahead. Demetrius revives, but discovers that he is a paraplegic cripple. Demetrius grows up an embittered young man who takes out his rage on those less powerful than himself.
Demetrius' one desire is to be an airship captain, something not possible for him, as his father continually reminds Demetrius. However, through a unexpected act of kindness on his part to a beggar being assaulted by an officer, Demetrius finds himself the leader of a crew of lowlies who fulfill his wish by taking over an airship in port. Thus begins Rucca's air adventure.
Demetrius and Jude seem destined to meet and oppose each other as both find in their air journeys that the ancient forces that brought about the conditions on their world find in the two of them hosts through which they can operate.
I enjoyed the book, but the settings of the novel's world, so far at least, are not a developed as they could be or at least as they are in richer Steampunk books with similar alternative worlds. The book was a very quick read, and now that the major players are set up, I hope to find more of the back story developed in subsequent parts of the novel.
I would recommend this book for those who enjoy more of the "space opera", high adventure type of plotting.
May 7, 2013
I've never read Steampunk before, but I've followed B.J. Keeton on Twitter for a few years so was excited to read his first book.
In many ways, Nimbus is a fantasy novel -- any "sci-fi" is very vague or outright glossed over, and even the steampunk isn't too technical. For me, not being a huge fan of steampunk, that worked out great with the exception of some descriptions being perhaps too vague at times. For example, I still don't have a clear picture in my mind what any of these airships should actually look like.
The characters are both believable and enjoyable, and after I got past the first few chapters, I quickly got into the story and this became one of those hard-to-put-down ebooks. The more common side characters touch upon some of our own social commentary, as do the two main characters. One of the things I really appreciated was showing the reader why the antagonist behaved the way he did, but he was never a one-dimensional "bad guy," he showed compassion quite often towards Gully in particular, then later Samsam but he could be quite ruthless towards anyone he so much as thought had slighted him.
My primary negative comment will be a technical one. One of the first couple chapters where Jude is on the airship and they begin the "raking" process I think it was, there's mention of being at thirty-five thousand feet. I don't know if that was an exaggeration or if the airship was actually at 35,000 ft. Shortly thereafter they encounter a storm. I'm an airline pilot by trade so I really had to struggle with suspension of disbelief because 35,0000 ft is where I work every day. Diminished air pressure pushing oxygen to the lungs gives a Time of Useful Consciousness (TUC) of roughly 30 seconds at that altitude, not to mention a standard temperature of -55 Celcius which would instantly freeze skin. Even though there was no descriptions alluding to this, I decided to just say "it's magic" and get through it. All the descriptions of that plus the storm would have been more appropriate for say 3,500 ft. Just like techies cringe when they see Hollywood-style "hacking" in movies (Jurassic Park, anyone?), pilots cringe at this type of thing but to anyone else, I doubt they even noticed it or gave it a second thought.
Overall, Nimbas was a great fantasy / steampunk-lite adventure romp and I look forward to the next installment!
In many ways, Nimbus is a fantasy novel -- any "sci-fi" is very vague or outright glossed over, and even the steampunk isn't too technical. For me, not being a huge fan of steampunk, that worked out great with the exception of some descriptions being perhaps too vague at times. For example, I still don't have a clear picture in my mind what any of these airships should actually look like.
The characters are both believable and enjoyable, and after I got past the first few chapters, I quickly got into the story and this became one of those hard-to-put-down ebooks. The more common side characters touch upon some of our own social commentary, as do the two main characters. One of the things I really appreciated was showing the reader why the antagonist behaved the way he did, but he was never a one-dimensional "bad guy," he showed compassion quite often towards Gully in particular, then later Samsam but he could be quite ruthless towards anyone he so much as thought had slighted him.
My primary negative comment will be a technical one. One of the first couple chapters where Jude is on the airship and they begin the "raking" process I think it was, there's mention of being at thirty-five thousand feet. I don't know if that was an exaggeration or if the airship was actually at 35,000 ft. Shortly thereafter they encounter a storm. I'm an airline pilot by trade so I really had to struggle with suspension of disbelief because 35,0000 ft is where I work every day. Diminished air pressure pushing oxygen to the lungs gives a Time of Useful Consciousness (TUC) of roughly 30 seconds at that altitude, not to mention a standard temperature of -55 Celcius which would instantly freeze skin. Even though there was no descriptions alluding to this, I decided to just say "it's magic" and get through it. All the descriptions of that plus the storm would have been more appropriate for say 3,500 ft. Just like techies cringe when they see Hollywood-style "hacking" in movies (Jurassic Park, anyone?), pilots cringe at this type of thing but to anyone else, I doubt they even noticed it or gave it a second thought.
Overall, Nimbas was a great fantasy / steampunk-lite adventure romp and I look forward to the next installment!
July 21, 2013
I'm not sure what to expect from a steampunk novel since it isn't a genre I have read before. I'm not even a very big fantasy fan, despite my penchant for fantasy games.
I follow BJ and Austin on twitter and had seen the tweets, like I do for many other authors I follow. I'm not sire why this book over others, but I will say I'm glad I picked it up.
It starts slowly as the characters are being developed, but once it gets going the story seems to flow at a great pace. I don't often have a lot of free personal reading time these days, but I found the time to read this book.
I was excited to know what was going to happen. And I was attached to some of the characters, including Rucca. I enjoyed it and would recommend it, even if you're a steampunk or fantasy fan. Being neither, I was pleasantly surprised.
Well done guys. I look forward to reading more of your stuff.
I follow BJ and Austin on twitter and had seen the tweets, like I do for many other authors I follow. I'm not sire why this book over others, but I will say I'm glad I picked it up.
It starts slowly as the characters are being developed, but once it gets going the story seems to flow at a great pace. I don't often have a lot of free personal reading time these days, but I found the time to read this book.
I was excited to know what was going to happen. And I was attached to some of the characters, including Rucca. I enjoyed it and would recommend it, even if you're a steampunk or fantasy fan. Being neither, I was pleasantly surprised.
Well done guys. I look forward to reading more of your stuff.
February 9, 2016
Steampunk is a fun genre because the technology plays a role almost as if it is a character. In Nimbus the technology defines how people live; there are those who are deep within the belly of the old cities barely subsisting, those who wrestle with the technology to provide the essential clean water for both the masses and the elite, and finally the ruling class - literally with their heads in the clouds- where technology is a ...
To read the full review go to www.talesuntangled.wordpress.com
To read the full review go to www.talesuntangled.wordpress.com
August 4, 2013
I read the first part of this on release, and loved every bit of it. For some reason I missed the remainder until the omnibus edition. Finally picking it up, I sped through it. It's a very witty, well-written story. The characters are fun and believable, for the setting. The mixture of steampunk with fantasy (demonic possession, magic, etc.) really makes for an intriguing story. I hope to see more from the world of Nimbus.
June 13, 2013
I didn't categorize this as steampunk because I believe it's not. Just because the story is on steamships and has characters wearing goggles doesn't makes it so. I put it under fantasy. All in all, I enjoyed this book and liked the characters. I'm hoping for a sequel.
May 28, 2013
This was an excellent book. I really liked the way all the characters were written and the plot was great.
July 17, 2013
A great read. Interesting world and interesting characters.
October 12, 2013
I wouldn't exactly call it "steampunk"; it's a blend of fantasy, steampunk and space opera - but it works!
October 21, 2013
Excellent story line and full of twists.
March 20, 2014
I recently started checking out steampunk and stumbled on this one. I really enjoyed it. Good mix of steampunk and fantasy. I will definitely be checking out other books by these authors.
May 28, 2014
loved the beginning of this book, but the more I read the more I just didn't care what happened. Took me ages to read as I just couldn't be bothered, but just cant leave a book unfinished.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews