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New Avalon: Love and Loss in The City of Steam
New Avalon is a city filled with stories. They stain every brick, and echo in every doorway. The best stories aren't found out where anyone might trip over them, though. The good ones are found down dark alleys and in hidden alcoves, washed up on night time shores and for sale in midnight markets. These are the secret hearts of the City of Steam, and like all the best secrets they fill you up while leaving you wanting more.
Come and take a tour of a place where everyday miracles and personal damnations walk hand-in-hand. A place where the light of modern science burns bright enough to cast shadows you can fall into. Plumb the mysteries of the Grates, and see what horrifying, beautiful secrets linger in the steam-shrouded souk. If you look closely you'll be able to find true love for pennies, only slightly damaged in Love is a Broken Clock. Walk the moonlit streets of Headsman's Wharf, and hear a heartbreaking ghost story that may or may not be true in The Legend of Black Jack Guillotine. Maybe you'd prefer a flight of fancy? Then listen closely to the story of a maiden voyage of a very different kind in Flight of Icarus.
Ten tales of love and loss grace these pages; ten secret stories hidden in quiet niches and saved for the truly curious. Those who will accept no substitute, and who want the real thing. Be warned, when flowers grow in the City of Steam they may not be quite what you expect.
Come and take a tour of a place where everyday miracles and personal damnations walk hand-in-hand. A place where the light of modern science burns bright enough to cast shadows you can fall into. Plumb the mysteries of the Grates, and see what horrifying, beautiful secrets linger in the steam-shrouded souk. If you look closely you'll be able to find true love for pennies, only slightly damaged in Love is a Broken Clock. Walk the moonlit streets of Headsman's Wharf, and hear a heartbreaking ghost story that may or may not be true in The Legend of Black Jack Guillotine. Maybe you'd prefer a flight of fancy? Then listen closely to the story of a maiden voyage of a very different kind in Flight of Icarus.
Ten tales of love and loss grace these pages; ten secret stories hidden in quiet niches and saved for the truly curious. Those who will accept no substitute, and who want the real thing. Be warned, when flowers grow in the City of Steam they may not be quite what you expect.
171 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2015
1 person is currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Neal F. Litherland
31 books35 followersNeal Litherland lives in Valparaiso, Indiana and holds a Bachelors of Criminal Justice from Indiana University. A professional storyteller, and an amateur adventurer, he's lived all over the United States and has had occasion to wonder what strange rivers might run just beneath the surface of even the most normal places. That, in part, is what many of his stories are about.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 13, 2015
Basic Premise: In a world of steam and clockwork, life and love are brutal affairs that never seem to end with a happily ever after.
This is Litherland's first completely solo effort, and it has all of the hallmarks one would associate with the work he's had appear in other places. The language has descriptive poetry in it. The characters have passion and drive. The setting is mysterious and dark, filled with shadows, mysteries, and impure intentions. Heck, just reading the story has driven my review into far more descriptive language than I would normally use.
One of the things I like about the stories is their sense of the egalitarian. Women and men work and love side-by-side with no expectation of one being superior to the other. They protect, fight, fly, and fix as natural partners. One of my particular favorite stories was "The Understudy," where a female mechanic helps run a very unique theater. Any other theatre people out there will love that one.
If you like your romances with a shot of whiskey instead of summer light lemonade, this is definitely a collection for you. It's very well-written and worth the time.
This is Litherland's first completely solo effort, and it has all of the hallmarks one would associate with the work he's had appear in other places. The language has descriptive poetry in it. The characters have passion and drive. The setting is mysterious and dark, filled with shadows, mysteries, and impure intentions. Heck, just reading the story has driven my review into far more descriptive language than I would normally use.
One of the things I like about the stories is their sense of the egalitarian. Women and men work and love side-by-side with no expectation of one being superior to the other. They protect, fight, fly, and fix as natural partners. One of my particular favorite stories was "The Understudy," where a female mechanic helps run a very unique theater. Any other theatre people out there will love that one.
If you like your romances with a shot of whiskey instead of summer light lemonade, this is definitely a collection for you. It's very well-written and worth the time.
May 9, 2015
Welcome to New Avalon. In this world, horse-drawn cabs carry those who can pay while the poor slog through poisonous air. You'll see clockworks, dangerous science and stage productions performed by flesh and iron thespians. Everyone here has something to love, and something to lose along the way.
The stories here are gorgeously written in a lush prose that evokes the Victorian era. At times, I found myself simply enjoying the cadence and poetic meter of the language as I read along. The stories are romantic, sometimes horrific, but they remain true to the theme of love and loss.
Each story stands alone, glimpses into the lives of the people living in the margins. As with any collection, you'll find stories that make your hair stand on end, and those that pass by like a stranger on the street. I'd like to point out some of my particular favorites. The opening story, "Love is a Broken Clock" was well-chosen to lead the rest. It cements the sense of place, time, and theme for the rest of the collection. "The Legend of Black Jack Guillotine" is another, so I'll give you a glimpse of the lovely prose that enchanted me.
“Ghosts lived in the mists. Leering phantoms gathered round hot boxes on the corners, or lingering beneath the flickering corpse lamps along the cracked paves of the dock ward. They flitted in and out of the roiling fog; ragged things seen and then gone again down dark alleys and disappearing into slumped doorways like half glimpsed gargoyles. They looked back with eyes that stared from the grave, even though they still gleamed in filthy flesh.”
My favorite tale was "The Understudy" where we meet Fiona, the mechanic charged with keeping the automatons of the Theatre De Mechanike in shape for performance. When their lead actor breaks, Fiona turns to a man known only as the Engineer to secure the replacement part that will let the show go on. Once repaired, Fiona and her team discover oddities in their workshop, she is promoted to become the understudy to the grand dame of the theater, and the mechanical lead actor mysteriously malfunctions. Remember, there is theater, and then there is the Theatre De Mechanike.
Because the stories all hinge on the same theme, I suggest readers take these in small bites, lest they become repetitive. I recommend this collection for fans of steampunk, dark romance that doesn't always end well, paranormal stories, and those who enjoy classic tales of gothic horror.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This review originally published at www.bookie-monster.com
The stories here are gorgeously written in a lush prose that evokes the Victorian era. At times, I found myself simply enjoying the cadence and poetic meter of the language as I read along. The stories are romantic, sometimes horrific, but they remain true to the theme of love and loss.
Each story stands alone, glimpses into the lives of the people living in the margins. As with any collection, you'll find stories that make your hair stand on end, and those that pass by like a stranger on the street. I'd like to point out some of my particular favorites. The opening story, "Love is a Broken Clock" was well-chosen to lead the rest. It cements the sense of place, time, and theme for the rest of the collection. "The Legend of Black Jack Guillotine" is another, so I'll give you a glimpse of the lovely prose that enchanted me.
“Ghosts lived in the mists. Leering phantoms gathered round hot boxes on the corners, or lingering beneath the flickering corpse lamps along the cracked paves of the dock ward. They flitted in and out of the roiling fog; ragged things seen and then gone again down dark alleys and disappearing into slumped doorways like half glimpsed gargoyles. They looked back with eyes that stared from the grave, even though they still gleamed in filthy flesh.”
My favorite tale was "The Understudy" where we meet Fiona, the mechanic charged with keeping the automatons of the Theatre De Mechanike in shape for performance. When their lead actor breaks, Fiona turns to a man known only as the Engineer to secure the replacement part that will let the show go on. Once repaired, Fiona and her team discover oddities in their workshop, she is promoted to become the understudy to the grand dame of the theater, and the mechanical lead actor mysteriously malfunctions. Remember, there is theater, and then there is the Theatre De Mechanike.
Because the stories all hinge on the same theme, I suggest readers take these in small bites, lest they become repetitive. I recommend this collection for fans of steampunk, dark romance that doesn't always end well, paranormal stories, and those who enjoy classic tales of gothic horror.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This review originally published at www.bookie-monster.com
April 22, 2015
I was warned that each of the stories in this collection of short stories would end in some kind of tragedy. But I like to spread my wings beyond reading horror, romance (yes, I read it and write it too), mysteries, and classical literature. (I enjoy the classical literature, but it also helps with getting the answers right when I watch quiz shows.)
So I read it. I didn’t cry—must be made of some strong stuff—but they did impact me. I tended to pause at the end of each story to absorb each final scene. Litherland’s stories are mixed with strength and beauty, which serves to make each ending more pronounced in its tragedy.
I enjoyed the stories greatly, but knowing that they'd end in some sort of tragedy, I was bracing myself the entire time. Many of the tales resonated with me as I'd grown to like and understand the characters—a feat for an author to achieve in itself.
Also, I appreciated the diversity in characters. They were portrayed non-stereotypically and it showed me that there didn’t need to be a lot of attention called to their inclusion in the stories. Each character fit seamlessly into the world Litherland created—one of dark city streets, gunslingers, and mechanical leading men taking the stage…
These tales are extremely well written, but they have sad and despairing endings. Make sure you’re ready for them.
So I read it. I didn’t cry—must be made of some strong stuff—but they did impact me. I tended to pause at the end of each story to absorb each final scene. Litherland’s stories are mixed with strength and beauty, which serves to make each ending more pronounced in its tragedy.
I enjoyed the stories greatly, but knowing that they'd end in some sort of tragedy, I was bracing myself the entire time. Many of the tales resonated with me as I'd grown to like and understand the characters—a feat for an author to achieve in itself.
Also, I appreciated the diversity in characters. They were portrayed non-stereotypically and it showed me that there didn’t need to be a lot of attention called to their inclusion in the stories. Each character fit seamlessly into the world Litherland created—one of dark city streets, gunslingers, and mechanical leading men taking the stage…
These tales are extremely well written, but they have sad and despairing endings. Make sure you’re ready for them.
November 1, 2015
New Avalon is a series of short stories that take place in the fictional steampunk city of the same name. The city of New Avalon is vividly described and mapped out. Parts of it reminded me descriptions of Victorian London, but other sections of the city are unique.
I enjoyed every single story, something I do not always find in anthologies. The prose is elegant and descriptive, noting small details that enchant and cause the reader to linger over a sentence. Each story revolves around a love that goes wrong in some way. There are no happy endings here and that seems fitting in New Avalon.
Many of the stories hark back to Greek mythology which I found interesting. The Flight of Icarus is a retelling of that myth in a style that I found unique and intriguing. I particularly liked The Legend of Black Jack Guillotine which tells of an affair that spawns a horrific legend. Another story I really liked was The Understudy which reminded me of The Phantom of the Opera.
I highly recommend New Avalon and I will definitely be looking for more from this author.
I enjoyed every single story, something I do not always find in anthologies. The prose is elegant and descriptive, noting small details that enchant and cause the reader to linger over a sentence. Each story revolves around a love that goes wrong in some way. There are no happy endings here and that seems fitting in New Avalon.
Many of the stories hark back to Greek mythology which I found interesting. The Flight of Icarus is a retelling of that myth in a style that I found unique and intriguing. I particularly liked The Legend of Black Jack Guillotine which tells of an affair that spawns a horrific legend. Another story I really liked was The Understudy which reminded me of The Phantom of the Opera.
I highly recommend New Avalon and I will definitely be looking for more from this author.
July 30, 2016
This is a mandatory reading primer of steampunk, especially for those who need their fiction through a glass darkly. I cannot recommend +Neal Litherland's "New Avalon" enough to fans of The Continental Op, Frank Miller, pollution choked shit-holes with heart, or anyone who thought (secretly) that the PT Cruiser was a step in the right direction.
"Love is a Broken Clock" sets the pace and mood of this geared-up Chinatown setting. Noir drips in dark drops from every phrase, and in true noir style you find your self immersed deeply in a tale far bigger on the inside than it is on the outside: these tales are short but powerful (not unlike Shorty from Joe R. Lansdale's "The Thicket", which I just read. "Tears of Pandora" is another melancholical tragedy of love, and brings up the terrible consequences of magic which I nearly always find to be enlightening and fun.
"Love is a Broken Clock" sets the pace and mood of this geared-up Chinatown setting. Noir drips in dark drops from every phrase, and in true noir style you find your self immersed deeply in a tale far bigger on the inside than it is on the outside: these tales are short but powerful (not unlike Shorty from Joe R. Lansdale's "The Thicket", which I just read. "Tears of Pandora" is another melancholical tragedy of love, and brings up the terrible consequences of magic which I nearly always find to be enlightening and fun.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews