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Heart of Steel
When reclusive cyborg Alistair Mechanus meets his latest captive, ER doctor Julia Parker, it is love at first sight--for him. While he eagerly drops his preparations for World Conquest to woo her, ten years of solitude have left his social skills badly rusted. When his misguided act of kindness spirals out of control, Julia is forced to trust the mad genius with her life. She has the skills he needs to unlock his forgotten past, but learning who he used to be may come at the cost of his remaining sanity.
285 pages, Paperback
First published February 17, 2015
5 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Einspanier
3 books96 followersWhile Elizabeth has lived her whole life in St. Louis, she frequently spends extended periods of time in worlds of her own creation. She enjoys reading and writing stories that play with the conventions of genre writing, and likes to see what comes out the other side.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 19, 2015
Alistair Mechanus – half-human/half-metal cyborg, creator of the advanced laboratory complex in the bowels of Shark Reef Isle and future master of the world – is in love. Unfortunately, his emotional skills are a bit rusty.
Julia didn’t really want to go on a Polynesian vacation with her fiancé Jim. Tired of his possessiveness, superiority and controlling manner, she had actually planned to break up with him. She just hadn’t found the right moment to drop her bombshell.
When Jim shames her into a scuba excursion close to mysterious and forbidding Shark Reef Isle, she knows it’s a bad idea, but as is typical, her boyfriend simply won’t take no for an answer. The shark-like creature that attacks them rips off her leg and more or less cuts Jim in half. Yet when she regains consciousness, she finds that her leg has been replaced by new flesh that seems to function as well as the original. Her companion is nowhere to be found.
Dr. Mechanus’ first sight of the blonde diver lying naked on his operating table wakes something in his artificial heart, something he scarcely recognizes. All he knows is that he wants to make his lovely – visitor? captive? - happy. Her concern for her mutilated companion motivates Alistair to new feats of biological and mechanical engineering, in order to restore Jim to some sort of functional condition. His attempts backfire, however, as Jim resists mind control and focuses his artificially enhanced physical capabilities on destroying his savior and regaining control of Julia. Before long, it becomes clear that Jim is the true monster – and in fact, has been that way all along – while the brilliant, wounded mad scientist is an unlikely hero.
I absolutely loved this book. It’s original and funny, romantic and witty, full of twists you don’t expect as well as great one-liners. A modern-day riff on H.G. Wells’ classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, the book features a complicated, courageous heroine in Julia, an emergency medical doctor who suffers from anxiety and fights her tendencies toward obsessive-compulsive behavior. Ms. Einspanier does a fabulous job articulating the warring voices in Julia’s head, as she ponders the problem of escaping from Mechanus’ labyrinth and his island patrolled by “dire wolves”.
Meanwhile, the genius Mechanus is confused and clueless in the face of his burgeoning attachment to Julia. She triggers flashes of memory in which he sees another woman, one whom he clearly loved very much – and hears her screams. Who is the woman in his visions? What is the secret lying buried his heart of steel?
To avoid spoiling the delightful experience of reading this book, I won’t say anything more. If, like me, you appreciate a fresh take on romance and you don’t mind a bewildering mix of love, humor and horror, treat yourself to a copy of Heart of Steel.
Julia didn’t really want to go on a Polynesian vacation with her fiancé Jim. Tired of his possessiveness, superiority and controlling manner, she had actually planned to break up with him. She just hadn’t found the right moment to drop her bombshell.
When Jim shames her into a scuba excursion close to mysterious and forbidding Shark Reef Isle, she knows it’s a bad idea, but as is typical, her boyfriend simply won’t take no for an answer. The shark-like creature that attacks them rips off her leg and more or less cuts Jim in half. Yet when she regains consciousness, she finds that her leg has been replaced by new flesh that seems to function as well as the original. Her companion is nowhere to be found.
Dr. Mechanus’ first sight of the blonde diver lying naked on his operating table wakes something in his artificial heart, something he scarcely recognizes. All he knows is that he wants to make his lovely – visitor? captive? - happy. Her concern for her mutilated companion motivates Alistair to new feats of biological and mechanical engineering, in order to restore Jim to some sort of functional condition. His attempts backfire, however, as Jim resists mind control and focuses his artificially enhanced physical capabilities on destroying his savior and regaining control of Julia. Before long, it becomes clear that Jim is the true monster – and in fact, has been that way all along – while the brilliant, wounded mad scientist is an unlikely hero.
I absolutely loved this book. It’s original and funny, romantic and witty, full of twists you don’t expect as well as great one-liners. A modern-day riff on H.G. Wells’ classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, the book features a complicated, courageous heroine in Julia, an emergency medical doctor who suffers from anxiety and fights her tendencies toward obsessive-compulsive behavior. Ms. Einspanier does a fabulous job articulating the warring voices in Julia’s head, as she ponders the problem of escaping from Mechanus’ labyrinth and his island patrolled by “dire wolves”.
Meanwhile, the genius Mechanus is confused and clueless in the face of his burgeoning attachment to Julia. She triggers flashes of memory in which he sees another woman, one whom he clearly loved very much – and hears her screams. Who is the woman in his visions? What is the secret lying buried his heart of steel?
To avoid spoiling the delightful experience of reading this book, I won’t say anything more. If, like me, you appreciate a fresh take on romance and you don’t mind a bewildering mix of love, humor and horror, treat yourself to a copy of Heart of Steel.
August 21, 2015
Cue the maniacal laughter and lightning strike - Muwahahaha I FRIGGAN LOVED THIS BOOK!
*clears throat* Ahem. *takes off gloves and lab coat*. Alright, folks, theatrics aside, this book was such a great read for me. It won't be for everyone, I think, but for me it was near perfect.
This is a WEIRD SCIENCE fiction ROMANCE and is a bit like Beauty & the Beast meets Frankenstein with a dash of Megamind and a sprinkle of Island of Dr. Moreau. It's also a 'clean' romance, for anyone who cares - there is no sex, but there is some kissing combined with a good deal of relationship building and romantic gestures. Well, as romantic as a man who is a mad scientific genius with an island full of created 'chimera' creatures and zero social skills can achieve.
Yup - mad scientific genius and chimeras. Alistair's got gorilla-horses and sharkmen and gigantic dire wolves alongside an array of robotic assistants and one AI named Arthur who is a bit like Iron Man's AI Jarvis. Alistair himself is a cyborg, almost more machine than man, with a messed up head and memories he's misplaced. He's broken, both body and mind, but the size of his heart is revealed throughout the book, even if its made of metal.
This book asks you to put your hard-science hat aside so you can have fun with speculative and fringe science. If you can't accept sharkmen roaming around, sheepishly smiling at you as best they can, after accidentally severing someone's leg because TEETH, then this isn't the book for you. If you can, however, insert your tongue into your cheek for a while, then you're really going to enjoy the ride.
I had no idea where this book was going when it started. Then, I had no idea where it was headed once I figured out the players. Then it continued to twist and turn and surprise me with mystery, suspense, humor (oh wow, is there ever humor - mainly between Arthur and Alistair), romance and weirder science.
Let's take a moment to talk about the romance. Julia is dating Jim, but she's not happy in his controlling relationship. They end up, by way of sharkman, on Alistair's island. Jim goes mental. Julia begins falling for Alistair. Alistair...well, he has a great deal to figure out between his plans of taking over the world, flashbacks from a past he's forgotten, and the way Julia makes his mechanical heart skip. It is a total Beauty and the Beast dynamic, with Jim acting the part of Gaston while Arthur acts as Lumiere.
I won't give any further story points away. I just.. I laughed and smiled and enjoyed so many moments while reading this book. I recommend it, and it's a free read for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
Note - I did have formatting issues on my Kindle version. There are oddly hyphenated and broken paragraphs. It was a distraction, but by the end of the book, I didn't care.
*clears throat* Ahem. *takes off gloves and lab coat*. Alright, folks, theatrics aside, this book was such a great read for me. It won't be for everyone, I think, but for me it was near perfect.
This is a WEIRD SCIENCE fiction ROMANCE and is a bit like Beauty & the Beast meets Frankenstein with a dash of Megamind and a sprinkle of Island of Dr. Moreau. It's also a 'clean' romance, for anyone who cares - there is no sex, but there is some kissing combined with a good deal of relationship building and romantic gestures. Well, as romantic as a man who is a mad scientific genius with an island full of created 'chimera' creatures and zero social skills can achieve.
Yup - mad scientific genius and chimeras. Alistair's got gorilla-horses and sharkmen and gigantic dire wolves alongside an array of robotic assistants and one AI named Arthur who is a bit like Iron Man's AI Jarvis. Alistair himself is a cyborg, almost more machine than man, with a messed up head and memories he's misplaced. He's broken, both body and mind, but the size of his heart is revealed throughout the book, even if its made of metal.
This book asks you to put your hard-science hat aside so you can have fun with speculative and fringe science. If you can't accept sharkmen roaming around, sheepishly smiling at you as best they can, after accidentally severing someone's leg because TEETH, then this isn't the book for you. If you can, however, insert your tongue into your cheek for a while, then you're really going to enjoy the ride.
I had no idea where this book was going when it started. Then, I had no idea where it was headed once I figured out the players. Then it continued to twist and turn and surprise me with mystery, suspense, humor (oh wow, is there ever humor - mainly between Arthur and Alistair), romance and weirder science.
Let's take a moment to talk about the romance. Julia is dating Jim, but she's not happy in his controlling relationship. They end up, by way of sharkman, on Alistair's island. Jim goes mental. Julia begins falling for Alistair. Alistair...well, he has a great deal to figure out between his plans of taking over the world, flashbacks from a past he's forgotten, and the way Julia makes his mechanical heart skip. It is a total Beauty and the Beast dynamic, with Jim acting the part of Gaston while Arthur acts as Lumiere.
I won't give any further story points away. I just.. I laughed and smiled and enjoyed so many moments while reading this book. I recommend it, and it's a free read for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
Note - I did have formatting issues on my Kindle version. There are oddly hyphenated and broken paragraphs. It was a distraction, but by the end of the book, I didn't care.
February 18, 2015
Heart of Steel could be summarised as 'The Island of Dr Moreau meets 'Beauty and the Beast' except that this description seems a bit flippant for such an enjoyable story. Although I would class it as Science Fiction, and the description of medical and electronic procedures was written with confidence and an air of authenticity, there is also a 'Steampunk' feel, especially in the last chapter.
I was drawn into it from the start, and although I have to admit I initially felt a 'mad Scientist' called Dr Mechanus was a little like a 'comic strip' character, as the story progressed I realised there was far more to Alistair Mechanus than his desire for world domination. It transpires that even this desire is actually more altruistic than manic. There are occasional references to Jules Verne and Star Trek and at times Julia seems to feel she's living in a dream world, and well she might, with a cybernetically enhanced and very jealous ex boyfriend on the rampage, various bio-electronic creatures and automatons, and a charismatic, if seemingly deranged bionic genius who first takes her captive and then enlists her help.
Alistair Mechanus's deepening affection for Julia is touching, as is the gentle way he treats her, his thoughtful acts of courtesy seemingly at odds with his reclusive nature and macabre appearance. The story is fast moving and had me turning the pages, anxious to see whether Julia really could help him recover his memories of his past without sending him over the edge, while being reluctant for the story to finish. I don't want to give too much away, sufficient to say that the end is satisfying and neatly ties up the loose ends. I finished it, wanting more, which is not a bad thing. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a sweet romance spiced with plenty of action and intriguing Science Fiction elements.
April 1, 2015
3,5 звезды
Алистер Механус – злой гений.
Ну вроде как злой, если судить по чисто внешним признакам. Живет на уединенном острове, оборудовал лабораторию в спящем вулкане; создает миньонов, которые получаются вполне себе монстрами, способными легким движением руки искалечить человека; мечтает о захвате мира. Наверное.
Алистер Механус и сам не вполне человек, а скорее киборг. И он ничего не помнит о своей прошлой жизни.
Джулия Паркер, отправляясь в отпуск со своим парнем (с которым сразу же после путешествия планирует расстаться), даже не подозревала, что ей оторвет ногу человек-акула, а затем странный злодей магическим образом присобачит ее на место, да еще и оставит пострадавшую в своем логове. Мол, если отпущу, будешь болтать, а я так старался, распускал слухи об этом жутком месте, чтоб никто сюда не совался, и блаблабла.
Образ Джулии воскрешает в памяти бесчувственного доктора Механуса какие-то несвязные картинки. А те в свою очередь вызывают чувства.
Сможет ли злодей завоевать любовь и доверие своей гостьи? И поможет ли она ему вспомнить прошлую, человеческую жизнь?
*************
Я так хотела, чтобы эта книга мне понравилась.
Нет, она понравилась, но я хотела… большего. Много большего. Хотела взрыва, ударной волны, бури ощущений. Мурыжила роман почти месяц, откладывала, ждала подходящего настроения, вновь начинала…
Но недочувствовала, увы.
А так в комментариях верно сравнили роман с некой смесью «Острова доктора Моро» и «Красавицы и чудовища».
Очень интересно было наблюдать за «очеловечиванием» Алистера. Хотя его первые мысли о Джулии меня не воодушевили – слишком все резко и быстро. Но, может, гении в своих решениях не медлят.
Миньоны крутые)))
Герои необычные.
Подробности разрозненных конечностей лично меня не смущали, но кому как.
Хороший роман.
Жаль, что мне чего-то не хватило.
Алистер Механус – злой гений.
Ну вроде как злой, если судить по чисто внешним признакам. Живет на уединенном острове, оборудовал лабораторию в спящем вулкане; создает миньонов, которые получаются вполне себе монстрами, способными легким движением руки искалечить человека; мечтает о захвате мира. Наверное.
Алистер Механус и сам не вполне человек, а скорее киборг. И он ничего не помнит о своей прошлой жизни.
Джулия Паркер, отправляясь в отпуск со своим парнем (с которым сразу же после путешествия планирует расстаться), даже не подозревала, что ей оторвет ногу человек-акула, а затем странный злодей магическим образом присобачит ее на место, да еще и оставит пострадавшую в своем логове. Мол, если отпущу, будешь болтать, а я так старался, распускал слухи об этом жутком месте, чтоб никто сюда не совался, и блаблабла.
Образ Джулии воскрешает в памяти бесчувственного доктора Механуса какие-то несвязные картинки. А те в свою очередь вызывают чувства.
Сможет ли злодей завоевать любовь и доверие своей гостьи? И поможет ли она ему вспомнить прошлую, человеческую жизнь?
*************
Я так хотела, чтобы эта книга мне понравилась.
Нет, она понравилась, но я хотела… большего. Много большего. Хотела взрыва, ударной волны, бури ощущений. Мурыжила роман почти месяц, откладывала, ждала подходящего настроения, вновь начинала…
Но недочувствовала, увы.
А так в комментариях верно сравнили роман с некой смесью «Острова доктора Моро» и «Красавицы и чудовища».
Очень интересно было наблюдать за «очеловечиванием» Алистера. Хотя его первые мысли о Джулии меня не воодушевили – слишком все резко и быстро. Но, может, гении в своих решениях не медлят.
Миньоны крутые)))
Герои необычные.
Подробности разрозненных конечностей лично меня не смущали, но кому как.
Хороший роман.
Жаль, что мне чего-то не хватило.
no-dnf-zzz-avoid
June 20, 2016Zzz
June 28, 2018
I was looking for just a quick, fun romance novel to listen to, and this hit the spot! I really liked the unique premise--the "evil mad scientist" falls in love--and it's quite hard not to love Dr. Mechanus. ;) His island lair, robotic minions, and AI buddy were a hoot.
On the downside, it would have been nice to dig deeper and get more character development, and overall it's a bit cliché. The ending was just a tad bit of a let down, or else I probably would have rated it 4 stars. It's also a bit clean for my taste, but there are a couple of sweet kisses.
Narration was solid!
On the downside, it would have been nice to dig deeper and get more character development, and overall it's a bit cliché. The ending was just a tad bit of a let down, or else I probably would have rated it 4 stars. It's also a bit clean for my taste, but there are a couple of sweet kisses.
Narration was solid!
July 11, 2015
Full review at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Heart of Steel is a 1960’s B Movie parody in book form. It’s a fond tribute to the kind of mad scientist bent on world domination that you find in Despicable Me or Austin Powers or Dr. No. There’s a lot of body horror in it, but if you can avoid overthinking it then this book is a lot of fun.
Julia Parker is on a vacation with her boyfriend Jim, who she’s trying to work up the nerve to break up with. He insists that they go scuba diving at Shark Reef Isle. Surprise – the Isle is actually the lair of Mad Scientist Alistair, a self-made cyborg who has built his base in a dormant volcano (as one does) and built himself an army of bizarre creatures (dire wolves, Sharkman, assorted robots). Sharkman is supposed to keep people away from the island, and Alistair likes to save any viable parts for later use, so when Sharkman attacks Julia and Jim, their various bits and peices are brought to the lair. Julia only lost one leg, so Alistair sews it back on. Jim lost – more than that. It’s gross. Alistair has more trouble fixing Jim and ultimately we all wish he hadn’t tried. Remember the first rule of science, Alistair: just because you CAN doesn’t mean you SHOULD.
I did get to a point where I managed not to think too much about the implications of all the artificially created minions and then I could just bask in the glow of the fun – and this book is a lot of fun. It’s sort of a parody, in the same way that Despicable Me is a parody. It’s very funny, and also sweet, as Julia helps Alistair heal from his troubled past and he learns how to be polite. It’s also a nice version of Beauty and the Beast. One thing I appreciated is that Julia recognizes how controlling Jim was but she also realizes that Alistair is controlling too – I mean, he is holding her prisoner in his lair, after all. Julia is a doctor, and she’s very good at what she does. This means that she ends up rescuing about as often as she gets rescued. She was introduced as being so vulnerable that I feared she’d be ditsy but she’s actually pretty badass.
There’s nothing deep about this book. The writing is fine but not spectacular. The book is full of clichés, but of course that’s the point. It’s funny and fast moving. I found the very, very end to be slightly confusing, but generally satisfying. This was just a silly, sweet book that will be enjoyable to a very specific audience, one I happen to be a member of. Just don’t think too hard about the implications of Alistair’s hobby, because if you do then it’s a silly, sweet, super creepy and disturbing book.
- Carrie S.
Heart of Steel is a 1960’s B Movie parody in book form. It’s a fond tribute to the kind of mad scientist bent on world domination that you find in Despicable Me or Austin Powers or Dr. No. There’s a lot of body horror in it, but if you can avoid overthinking it then this book is a lot of fun.
Julia Parker is on a vacation with her boyfriend Jim, who she’s trying to work up the nerve to break up with. He insists that they go scuba diving at Shark Reef Isle. Surprise – the Isle is actually the lair of Mad Scientist Alistair, a self-made cyborg who has built his base in a dormant volcano (as one does) and built himself an army of bizarre creatures (dire wolves, Sharkman, assorted robots). Sharkman is supposed to keep people away from the island, and Alistair likes to save any viable parts for later use, so when Sharkman attacks Julia and Jim, their various bits and peices are brought to the lair. Julia only lost one leg, so Alistair sews it back on. Jim lost – more than that. It’s gross. Alistair has more trouble fixing Jim and ultimately we all wish he hadn’t tried. Remember the first rule of science, Alistair: just because you CAN doesn’t mean you SHOULD.
I did get to a point where I managed not to think too much about the implications of all the artificially created minions and then I could just bask in the glow of the fun – and this book is a lot of fun. It’s sort of a parody, in the same way that Despicable Me is a parody. It’s very funny, and also sweet, as Julia helps Alistair heal from his troubled past and he learns how to be polite. It’s also a nice version of Beauty and the Beast. One thing I appreciated is that Julia recognizes how controlling Jim was but she also realizes that Alistair is controlling too – I mean, he is holding her prisoner in his lair, after all. Julia is a doctor, and she’s very good at what she does. This means that she ends up rescuing about as often as she gets rescued. She was introduced as being so vulnerable that I feared she’d be ditsy but she’s actually pretty badass.
There’s nothing deep about this book. The writing is fine but not spectacular. The book is full of clichés, but of course that’s the point. It’s funny and fast moving. I found the very, very end to be slightly confusing, but generally satisfying. This was just a silly, sweet book that will be enjoyable to a very specific audience, one I happen to be a member of. Just don’t think too hard about the implications of Alistair’s hobby, because if you do then it’s a silly, sweet, super creepy and disturbing book.
- Carrie S.
November 2, 2025
"3.5 out of 5 stars! Alistair (Michael) is a genius. One time has turned into a bit of a mad scientist, who sequesters himself in his lair he built within a volcano not far from Hawaii. However, when Julia and her crazy boyfriend fall into Alistair's life, the things he thought he once knew about himself get questioned when old memories start surfacing again. Is Julia the key to his forgotten past, and if so, will she be willing to help him in the future??
Sort of set up like a "Beauty & the Beast" novel, this action-packed book will keep you guessing the whole way through. It was interesting watching Alistair become more human with each passing encounter with Julia. I especially liked his enthusiasm and affection that he had for his chimeras; it was sweet and made me really root for him."
Read more of this review, a teaser, and an excerpt here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10vrMSkDLr9iUtfthGSDq3y6rDDJosiSd/view?usp=drive_link
Sort of set up like a "Beauty & the Beast" novel, this action-packed book will keep you guessing the whole way through. It was interesting watching Alistair become more human with each passing encounter with Julia. I especially liked his enthusiasm and affection that he had for his chimeras; it was sweet and made me really root for him."
Read more of this review, a teaser, and an excerpt here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10vrMSkDLr9iUtfthGSDq3y6rDDJosiSd/view?usp=drive_link
February 14, 2015
Heart of Steel has a very different hero. Alistair Mechanus has been out of contact with people for years. When Julia Parker is captured and ends up on Alistair’s island he just keeps doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. I really did not know how he was to become a love interest but Einspanier keeps twisting the story until it makes sense. I do wonder how Julia will react to what he does at the ending of Heart of Steel.
If you want SFR with a twist Heart of Steel delivers. Pick it up for what turns out to be a very fun read.
If you want SFR with a twist Heart of Steel delivers. Pick it up for what turns out to be a very fun read.
February 22, 2015
This was a fun concept. Bond-style villain on a private island finds love and humanity with a stranded lady...one who was dragged to his island sans-leg by villain's shark-man hybrid...along with her nearly dead jackass boyfriend who villain turns into a psychotic cyborg.
Just your standard boy meets girl story.
I really enjoyed this departure from the genre. It was fun, the characters had unexpected depth, and the story actually had some substance. Now I just want to see if Mechanus actually takes over the world.
Just your standard boy meets girl story.
I really enjoyed this departure from the genre. It was fun, the characters had unexpected depth, and the story actually had some substance. Now I just want to see if Mechanus actually takes over the world.
February 8, 2017
Let me explain that I'm not the target market for this particular book genre. For genre fans, read other reviews. If you're like me and picked up this book due to an inexplicable cyborg fetish or you just wandered in, wanting to check out waters others than your usual genre, you probably won't finish this book. A light read, but too much so. The characters are one dimensional and not really interesting.
Want to read
February 22, 2015
April 23, 2015
I absolutely loved this! Dr Mechanus is the perfect mad-scientist hero. 5 Stars!
June 22, 2015
Wonderful
A truly different kind of romance. A fantasy world unlike any other. A highly skilled writer brings several inventive elements together in a delightful way.
A truly different kind of romance. A fantasy world unlike any other. A highly skilled writer brings several inventive elements together in a delightful way.
January 22, 2016
I enjoyed this quite a lot. There were funny moments. The characters were interesting and the world-building was pretty good. There was gleeful mad science!!!
February 5, 2018
Surprisingly Good
I wasn't sure what to expect from this story. I was pleasantly surprised! It's a bit predictable but the characters really come to life on the page and it was an entertaining read.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this story. I was pleasantly surprised! It's a bit predictable but the characters really come to life on the page and it was an entertaining read.
February 12, 2020
Interesting premise, however the insta-love was a bit too icky for me. Started well but the ending wasn't my taste. The story didn't have to vilify the heroines ex. It was alright not amazing though.
February 19, 2021
The antagonist was so OTT it got a little ridiculous, but for the most part the story was surprisingly sweet. I was annoyed by the formatting issues, though.
February 28, 2023
2.5* (3 in a good mood)
A kind of b-movie evil scientist love story, albeit with less singing than Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
A kind of b-movie evil scientist love story, albeit with less singing than Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
December 4, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I give Heart of Steel a 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars for Amazon and Goodreads.
Heart of Steel is a sci-fi romance, set in modern day, on a seemingly uninhabited island near Hawaii. Julia Parker, the novel's heroine, is trying to enjoy a tropical vacation with her long-time boyfriend Jim. He's taking her diving, though she isn't enjoying his dive-spot pick, partly because she's preoccupied with thoughts of ending their relationship (a sentiment that's been nagging her for a while).
They begin their dive near the mysterious Shark-Reef Isle. Julia is just starting to relax and enjoy her dive when they are attacked by what appears to be a shark. Julia wakes up in what she assumes is a hospital. She thought she had lost her leg but finds it intact. It doesn't take her long to realize that she is not in a hospital, but in a mad scientist's lab underneath the volcano on Shark Reef Isle with the monsters he has created, including the shark-man that attacked her.
Enter the novel's hero, Dr. Alistair Mechanus, a half human, half cyborg scientist that gave Julia a new leg and is keeping Jim alive, though by all rights he should be dead. Julia is desperately trying to absorb her current and very strange circumstances. Dr. Mechanus instantly takes a liking to her and agrees to fix Jim, though any thoughts of escaping the island are quickly put to rest. Mechanus does fix Jim, but to Julia's horror, he is now a horrific mix of robotic parts, with a mostly catatonic brain.
Mechanus, not used to human company or even acting human, can't understand Julia's horrified reaction. He's set on keeping the new, though not-necessarily-improved Jim, away from her, while creating a more gentle and easier-to-look-at companion for her, in hopes that she'll eventually come to love him as he loves her. Julia's presence has sparked repressed memories of Alistair's former life, before he was part cyborg ten years prior, and he hopes to enlist her help in unlocking his subconscious.
While Julia plans an attempted escape from Shark Reef Isle, cyborg Jim is going rampant, his seemingly catatonic brain zeroing in on one thought: Keeping Julia away from Mechanus, even if it means ending her life. Mechanus must fight to keep not only he and Julia safe, but the creations he has made on Shark Reef Isle. Jim's rampancy becomes full-blown, concluding in an epic hide-and-seek with Julia and Mechanus, during which he finally unlocks his hidden memories, culminating in a final battle, which ends with Jim's destruction and Julia finally realizing her feelings for her mad scientist.
I read through Heart of Steel in one day. It isn't necessarily short, but the story kept me engaged enough to not want to put it down. Though Dr. Mechanus annoyed me with his strange behavior and dialogue half the time, I found both he and Julia to be well-rounded and likable characters. Jim was an arrogant jerk, and I knew from the get-go he would be the story's grade-A a$$hole. The story is a clean romance, mixed with sci-fi. Dr. Mechanus' Victorian-era leanings towards fashion and speaking give it a bit of a steam-punk edge as well.
A few things that annoyed me:
- Events seemed to move ridiculously fast. I feel like this story could've have been nearly twice as long had characters, descriptions, events, etc. been more explained.
- Julia's quick forgiveness of Alistair and hurried acceptance of a pretty bizarre set of circumstances seemed way too rushed.
- I couldn't stand the main character's name: Dr. Alistair Mechanus. The first was too dated and the 2nd too metaphorical and cliched sounding for a 'mad scientist' character. When Alistair remembers his past life and his actual name: Michael James Conroy, I found myself wishing the author had started using that name for the remainder of the novel.
- The ending: Is he still planning on taking over the world? Or has his relationship with Julia changed those plans? Is there supposed to be a second book? If not, I would've liked those questions wrapped up better.
- Alistair's back story. Just a little snippet of a flashback seemed too little to explain such a complex character and his motivations. I would've loved to read more about his past.
Even with those negatives, I was still very much entertained by Heart of Steel. It was well written for the most-part, the dialogue helped me imagine the actual conversations, and a great job with editing. I usually find at least one grammar/spelling/punctuation mistake but I found none. I will definitely read more of Elizabeth's work. I recommend Heart of Steel to ages 17 and older for any romance and sci-fi genre readers.
I give Heart of Steel a 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars for Amazon and Goodreads.
Heart of Steel is a sci-fi romance, set in modern day, on a seemingly uninhabited island near Hawaii. Julia Parker, the novel's heroine, is trying to enjoy a tropical vacation with her long-time boyfriend Jim. He's taking her diving, though she isn't enjoying his dive-spot pick, partly because she's preoccupied with thoughts of ending their relationship (a sentiment that's been nagging her for a while).
They begin their dive near the mysterious Shark-Reef Isle. Julia is just starting to relax and enjoy her dive when they are attacked by what appears to be a shark. Julia wakes up in what she assumes is a hospital. She thought she had lost her leg but finds it intact. It doesn't take her long to realize that she is not in a hospital, but in a mad scientist's lab underneath the volcano on Shark Reef Isle with the monsters he has created, including the shark-man that attacked her.
Enter the novel's hero, Dr. Alistair Mechanus, a half human, half cyborg scientist that gave Julia a new leg and is keeping Jim alive, though by all rights he should be dead. Julia is desperately trying to absorb her current and very strange circumstances. Dr. Mechanus instantly takes a liking to her and agrees to fix Jim, though any thoughts of escaping the island are quickly put to rest. Mechanus does fix Jim, but to Julia's horror, he is now a horrific mix of robotic parts, with a mostly catatonic brain.
Mechanus, not used to human company or even acting human, can't understand Julia's horrified reaction. He's set on keeping the new, though not-necessarily-improved Jim, away from her, while creating a more gentle and easier-to-look-at companion for her, in hopes that she'll eventually come to love him as he loves her. Julia's presence has sparked repressed memories of Alistair's former life, before he was part cyborg ten years prior, and he hopes to enlist her help in unlocking his subconscious.
While Julia plans an attempted escape from Shark Reef Isle, cyborg Jim is going rampant, his seemingly catatonic brain zeroing in on one thought: Keeping Julia away from Mechanus, even if it means ending her life. Mechanus must fight to keep not only he and Julia safe, but the creations he has made on Shark Reef Isle. Jim's rampancy becomes full-blown, concluding in an epic hide-and-seek with Julia and Mechanus, during which he finally unlocks his hidden memories, culminating in a final battle, which ends with Jim's destruction and Julia finally realizing her feelings for her mad scientist.
I read through Heart of Steel in one day. It isn't necessarily short, but the story kept me engaged enough to not want to put it down. Though Dr. Mechanus annoyed me with his strange behavior and dialogue half the time, I found both he and Julia to be well-rounded and likable characters. Jim was an arrogant jerk, and I knew from the get-go he would be the story's grade-A a$$hole. The story is a clean romance, mixed with sci-fi. Dr. Mechanus' Victorian-era leanings towards fashion and speaking give it a bit of a steam-punk edge as well.
A few things that annoyed me:
- Events seemed to move ridiculously fast. I feel like this story could've have been nearly twice as long had characters, descriptions, events, etc. been more explained.
- Julia's quick forgiveness of Alistair and hurried acceptance of a pretty bizarre set of circumstances seemed way too rushed.
- I couldn't stand the main character's name: Dr. Alistair Mechanus. The first was too dated and the 2nd too metaphorical and cliched sounding for a 'mad scientist' character. When Alistair remembers his past life and his actual name: Michael James Conroy, I found myself wishing the author had started using that name for the remainder of the novel.
- The ending: Is he still planning on taking over the world? Or has his relationship with Julia changed those plans? Is there supposed to be a second book? If not, I would've liked those questions wrapped up better.
- Alistair's back story. Just a little snippet of a flashback seemed too little to explain such a complex character and his motivations. I would've loved to read more about his past.
Even with those negatives, I was still very much entertained by Heart of Steel. It was well written for the most-part, the dialogue helped me imagine the actual conversations, and a great job with editing. I usually find at least one grammar/spelling/punctuation mistake but I found none. I will definitely read more of Elizabeth's work. I recommend Heart of Steel to ages 17 and older for any romance and sci-fi genre readers.
December 30, 2015
***This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review***
Julia is a Doctor of medicine who only wants to enjoy her Hawaii trip, break up with her crazy boyfriend (in my opinion) and escape her own issues back home. She ends up with more of an adventure then she bargained for when she wakes up in a strange place being courted by a half human half cyborg. The one who steals the show though is the loveable, sarcastic, and sometimes scary Arthur, the floating football. He is a rather amazing constant through the story that adds some much needed humor is the storm of emotions Julia goes through.
Alistair is a mad scientist (her words not his) who has forgotten what it is like to feel human, what with no companionship other than his creations for 10 years, and cannot remember who he was before the half cyborg he is now. He finds himself fascinated when Julia appears on his island and is determined to win her over with his rusty charms and his frank world domination.
I really LOVED this book. It was like reading Beauty and The Beast if Dr. Frankenstein was a romance story; though I should warn you now that the romance is light and clean, though they do share some pretty good kisses. As an avid reader of romance novels this has been by far the best concept I have come across. You don’t find very many cyborg/human romances that just seem to work. The clichéd mad scientist lair (in a volcano no less) the strange creatures that wonder the halls, and a man rusty in his human interaction and romancing skills make for a fantastic tale. I couldn’t put the book down and before I knew it I had reached the climax of the story and it was approaching the end. I didn’t want it to end because I wanted to stay in Alistair and Julia’s world just a little bit longer. Both characters develop and grow so well throughout the story that you can’t help but fall in love with them and even cry with them. For me, when an author can tug at my heart strings enough to make me cry, has done a great job because not everyone can get you to connect enough with said characters.
The only thing that I couldn’t stop thinking about, and thought about for nearly 20 minutes after finishing the book, is about Alistair’s anatomy and his relationship with Julia. At one point in the book there is a confrontation with the antagonist and he kicks Alistair between the legs. He then basically goes to say that it is a good thing that he has no external genitalia. So if you have no genitals how exactly will Alistair and Julia have an intimate relationship? How does that work? How?!? As you can tell it is something that still bothers me now. Still I recommend you read Heart of Steel if you are ready for something different.
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***
Julia is a Doctor of medicine who only wants to enjoy her Hawaii trip, break up with her crazy boyfriend (in my opinion) and escape her own issues back home. She ends up with more of an adventure then she bargained for when she wakes up in a strange place being courted by a half human half cyborg. The one who steals the show though is the loveable, sarcastic, and sometimes scary Arthur, the floating football. He is a rather amazing constant through the story that adds some much needed humor is the storm of emotions Julia goes through.
Alistair is a mad scientist (her words not his) who has forgotten what it is like to feel human, what with no companionship other than his creations for 10 years, and cannot remember who he was before the half cyborg he is now. He finds himself fascinated when Julia appears on his island and is determined to win her over with his rusty charms and his frank world domination.
I really LOVED this book. It was like reading Beauty and The Beast if Dr. Frankenstein was a romance story; though I should warn you now that the romance is light and clean, though they do share some pretty good kisses. As an avid reader of romance novels this has been by far the best concept I have come across. You don’t find very many cyborg/human romances that just seem to work. The clichéd mad scientist lair (in a volcano no less) the strange creatures that wonder the halls, and a man rusty in his human interaction and romancing skills make for a fantastic tale. I couldn’t put the book down and before I knew it I had reached the climax of the story and it was approaching the end. I didn’t want it to end because I wanted to stay in Alistair and Julia’s world just a little bit longer. Both characters develop and grow so well throughout the story that you can’t help but fall in love with them and even cry with them. For me, when an author can tug at my heart strings enough to make me cry, has done a great job because not everyone can get you to connect enough with said characters.
The only thing that I couldn’t stop thinking about, and thought about for nearly 20 minutes after finishing the book, is about Alistair’s anatomy and his relationship with Julia. At one point in the book there is a confrontation with the antagonist and he kicks Alistair between the legs. He then basically goes to say that it is a good thing that he has no external genitalia. So if you have no genitals how exactly will Alistair and Julia have an intimate relationship? How does that work? How?!? As you can tell it is something that still bothers me now. Still I recommend you read Heart of Steel if you are ready for something different.
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***
July 12, 2015
I bought this after finding it on TVTropes (judge me as you will). It sounded really interesting and like a fun read, so I decided to buy it. The novel is unusual in that it is sci-fi, but is far more of a romance novel. I was hoping for a more equal mixture of the two, but I was still happy with the result. It reminded me A LOT like "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" and "Beauty and the Beast." If you like those two things, you'd probably like this book.
The writing was fairly good, and there weren't many grammar errors. The print edition has some layout issues, and "irony" was misused--not spectacular but not bad. I liked the self-awareness that the author employs. You almost have to have some wink-wink-nudge-nudge in a book about a mad scientist who falls in love. I also liked that the author was aware of the dangerous flaws in a "Beauty in the Beast" story (i.e. Stockholm syndrome) and has the characters work over these hurdles instead of ignoring them. The feminist in me did a happy dance.
I just...wanted something more, I guess, and I didn't get it. It could have gone a little deeper, but it didn't. The author did flesh out the characters, but I still don't feel as if I really know them. It needed more jokes about the scientist's quirks and inability to adapt to human contact or something along these lines... it just felt empty at times. The amnesia element hindered this aspect, I feel, because it kept the characters in the past. Anyway, if you want a fun, different read, I would recommend this.
The writing was fairly good, and there weren't many grammar errors. The print edition has some layout issues, and "irony" was misused--not spectacular but not bad. I liked the self-awareness that the author employs. You almost have to have some wink-wink-nudge-nudge in a book about a mad scientist who falls in love. I also liked that the author was aware of the dangerous flaws in a "Beauty in the Beast" story (i.e. Stockholm syndrome) and has the characters work over these hurdles instead of ignoring them. The feminist in me did a happy dance.
I just...wanted something more, I guess, and I didn't get it. It could have gone a little deeper, but it didn't. The author did flesh out the characters, but I still don't feel as if I really know them. It needed more jokes about the scientist's quirks and inability to adapt to human contact or something along these lines... it just felt empty at times. The amnesia element hindered this aspect, I feel, because it kept the characters in the past. Anyway, if you want a fun, different read, I would recommend this.
May 8, 2015
Ms. Einspainer leads readers into a fantastical world where the greatest horrors hide in the mind.
Read full review in the 2015 April issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2015 April issue of InD'tale Magazine.
April 30, 2018
Great book
I would really like a sequel to this book, because I am really curious as to what happens next. Does he go full supervillain or bond villain? Does mechanus change his ways and start a medical revolution? Do superheroes start popping up to stop him from taking over the world in a stylish labcoat?
I would really like a sequel to this book, because I am really curious as to what happens next. Does he go full supervillain or bond villain? Does mechanus change his ways and start a medical revolution? Do superheroes start popping up to stop him from taking over the world in a stylish labcoat?
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