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Scorched Continent #1
Steal the Sky
Detan Honding, a wanted conman of noble birth and ignoble tongue, has found himself in the oasis city of Aransa. He and his trusted companion Tibs may have pulled off one too many cons against the city’s elite and need to make a quick escape. They set their sight’s on their biggest heist yet - the gorgeous airship of the exiled commodore Thratia.
But in the middle of his scheme, a face changer known as a doppel starts murdering key members of Aransa’s government. The sudden paranoia makes Detan’s plans of stealing Thratia’s ship that much harder. And with this sudden power vacuum, Thratia can solidify her power and wreak havoc against the Empire. But the doppel isn’t working for Thratia and has her own intentions. Did Detan accidentally walk into a revolution and a crusade? He has to be careful - there’s a reason most people think he’s dead. And if his dangerous secret gets revealed, he has a lot more to worry about than a stolen airship.
File Under: Fantasy
But in the middle of his scheme, a face changer known as a doppel starts murdering key members of Aransa’s government. The sudden paranoia makes Detan’s plans of stealing Thratia’s ship that much harder. And with this sudden power vacuum, Thratia can solidify her power and wreak havoc against the Empire. But the doppel isn’t working for Thratia and has her own intentions. Did Detan accidentally walk into a revolution and a crusade? He has to be careful - there’s a reason most people think he’s dead. And if his dangerous secret gets revealed, he has a lot more to worry about than a stolen airship.
File Under: Fantasy
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 5, 2016
127 people are currently reading
3838 people want to read
About the author
Megan E. O'Keefe
20 books1,290 followersMegan E. O'Keefe was raised amongst journalists, and as soon as she was able joined them by crafting a newsletter which chronicled the daily adventures of the local cat population. She lives in the Bay Area of California, and spends her free time tinkering with anything she can get her hands on.
Her fantasy debut, Steal the Sky, won the Gemmell Morningstar Award and her space opera debut, Velocity Weapon was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award.
Her fantasy debut, Steal the Sky, won the Gemmell Morningstar Award and her space opera debut, Velocity Weapon was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
August 18, 2020
This was an interesting fantasy that had a bit of action, intrigue, mystery, and humor. It also had an interesting bunch of characters and a pretty cool fantasy world. The nature of the magic gave this fantasy world a weird steampunk feel!
The action took place in the desert oasis city of Aransa. The city is mining colony on the edges of the Empire. The thing mined is the magical substance Selium. Sel is the source that powers a lot of the Empire's economy. It is a lighter than air gas that Sel sensitives can manipulate. It even powers air ships! The Empire keeps tight control of all sources of Sel and Sel sensitivs are put to work extracting the stuff from the mines. Those powerful Sel sensitives, considered deviants by the Empire, are killed before they become a threat.
Noble born rogue and petty thief Detan Honding and his manservant/engineer/friend find themselves stranded in the city after their small airship took damage fleeing the scene of their last scam. They are stuck there until repairs to their ship can be made and it could have not have happened at a worse time as they got caught up in the tense politics of Aransa. The Warden has just been murdered creating a power void. Rumours are split over who committed the crime. Some say it was a renegade Doppel assassin bent on revenge while others claim it was ex-Empire Commodore Thracia. She finds herself on the fringes of the Empire after a scandal and rumours of some less than savoury actions. No one believes she picked the city as a place to slip into early retirement as she did not earn the whispered nickname, Commodore Throat-slitter, for no reason! Detan is not the only one who finds himself caught up in the mess. The same is true of Ripka, the Captain of the Watch. She must find the Doppel and bring it to justice before rumours of it reach the Empire and they decide another Purge of the Sel Sensitives in the city is needed.
The story was quite interesting. It was mainly told from the POV's of Deaton, Ripka, and the Doppel. They were all interesting characters with their own goals and aims. I liked the mix of action and intrigue and the story managed to be quite dark and gritty while also having a few light moments and some humor. The magic was pretty cool as well. The Doppel was so good at manipulating Sel that it could use it to create masks perfectly mimicking other peoples faces!
This was a book that had a lot going for it but despite that I felt like this never managed to be quite as good as it should have been. All the elements were present for this to be a 5 star read but for some reason I just could not fully engage with the characters or the story. I'm not really sure why. Perhaps it was just Megan E. O'Keefe's writing. Sometime I felt like I was almost on the verge of getting fully sucked into the story but it just failed to happen.
All in all I found this to be an enjoyable fantasy story that never quite managed to blossom into the fantastic story I felt like it threatened to be! I liked it well enough that I'll definitely read the sequel if it makes it to audio.
Rating: 3.5 stars.
Reread Update: This worked out much the same for me the second time around.
Audio Note: I quite like Jim Frangione as a narrator. He gets humour and has a good reading voice. His one flaw is that he is not the best at differentiating between the voices of the various characters.
Audio Note 2: I did my reread via the Graphic Audio version. It was as well produced as one might expect from GA.
The action took place in the desert oasis city of Aransa. The city is mining colony on the edges of the Empire. The thing mined is the magical substance Selium. Sel is the source that powers a lot of the Empire's economy. It is a lighter than air gas that Sel sensitives can manipulate. It even powers air ships! The Empire keeps tight control of all sources of Sel and Sel sensitivs are put to work extracting the stuff from the mines. Those powerful Sel sensitives, considered deviants by the Empire, are killed before they become a threat.
Noble born rogue and petty thief Detan Honding and his manservant/engineer/friend find themselves stranded in the city after their small airship took damage fleeing the scene of their last scam. They are stuck there until repairs to their ship can be made and it could have not have happened at a worse time as they got caught up in the tense politics of Aransa. The Warden has just been murdered creating a power void. Rumours are split over who committed the crime. Some say it was a renegade Doppel assassin bent on revenge while others claim it was ex-Empire Commodore Thracia. She finds herself on the fringes of the Empire after a scandal and rumours of some less than savoury actions. No one believes she picked the city as a place to slip into early retirement as she did not earn the whispered nickname, Commodore Throat-slitter, for no reason! Detan is not the only one who finds himself caught up in the mess. The same is true of Ripka, the Captain of the Watch. She must find the Doppel and bring it to justice before rumours of it reach the Empire and they decide another Purge of the Sel Sensitives in the city is needed.
The story was quite interesting. It was mainly told from the POV's of Deaton, Ripka, and the Doppel. They were all interesting characters with their own goals and aims. I liked the mix of action and intrigue and the story managed to be quite dark and gritty while also having a few light moments and some humor. The magic was pretty cool as well. The Doppel was so good at manipulating Sel that it could use it to create masks perfectly mimicking other peoples faces!
This was a book that had a lot going for it but despite that I felt like this never managed to be quite as good as it should have been. All the elements were present for this to be a 5 star read but for some reason I just could not fully engage with the characters or the story. I'm not really sure why. Perhaps it was just Megan E. O'Keefe's writing. Sometime I felt like I was almost on the verge of getting fully sucked into the story but it just failed to happen.
All in all I found this to be an enjoyable fantasy story that never quite managed to blossom into the fantastic story I felt like it threatened to be! I liked it well enough that I'll definitely read the sequel if it makes it to audio.
Rating: 3.5 stars.
Reread Update: This worked out much the same for me the second time around.
Audio Note: I quite like Jim Frangione as a narrator. He gets humour and has a good reading voice. His one flaw is that he is not the best at differentiating between the voices of the various characters.
Audio Note 2: I did my reread via the Graphic Audio version. It was as well produced as one might expect from GA.
October 16, 2016
This new fantasy novel had me in a twitter before I sat down to read it. I expected a steampunk fantasy tome, and if I'm really honest with myself, I always *want* to like steampunk more than I ever truly do.
In fact, I almost pre-judged this one based on my lackluster experiences.
Good news! This is anything but lackluster! :) Now, I don't even know what I was worried about! We've got solid characters butting heads with each other across battle-lines of prejudice, class, and logic. We've got airships tightly tied to a complicated and well-thought-out magic system that is also part and parcel of the prejudice. We've got good adventure.
I'm absolutely going to be keeping my eye out for the rest of these books. I'm nothing if not very impressed by this debut. I especially loved how a few characters kept falling out of their comfort zones with catastrophic results.
This is what the genre needs to be revitalized, IMHO. :) Or better yet, to finally rise out of the fringe. :)
In fact, I almost pre-judged this one based on my lackluster experiences.
Good news! This is anything but lackluster! :) Now, I don't even know what I was worried about! We've got solid characters butting heads with each other across battle-lines of prejudice, class, and logic. We've got airships tightly tied to a complicated and well-thought-out magic system that is also part and parcel of the prejudice. We've got good adventure.
I'm absolutely going to be keeping my eye out for the rest of these books. I'm nothing if not very impressed by this debut. I especially loved how a few characters kept falling out of their comfort zones with catastrophic results.
This is what the genre needs to be revitalized, IMHO. :) Or better yet, to finally rise out of the fringe. :)
January 8, 2016
Wow! This one really exceeded my expectations - great fun!
Stylistically, 'Steal the Sky' is like a mash-up of Cherie Priest's 'Clockwork Century' series and Scott Lynch's 'Gentleman Bastards.' If you like either of those authors, Megan O'Keefe comes highly recommended. She serves up a good mix of grit, humor, and excitement.
The world is steampunk with a sword-and-sorcery feel. A mining town at the foot of an unstable volcano is devoted to the pursuit of extracting 'selium' - a lighter-than-air and volatile substance which is used to power just about everything. Those who are 'sensitive' to the sel can locate it - and also, if strong, use it to accomplish feats that are near-magical, including disguising themselves.
Our (anti?)hero is Detan Honding, a wastrel scion of a once-noble house, now well-known to law enforcement as a thief and a rogue. Of course, he's got a clever sidekick, Tibal, who's there to extricate him from his scrapes. Naturally, there are hints of past tragedies to elicit sympathy for his plights.
When a military woman, Thratia, attempts a political coup, Detan finds himself in an unlikely alliance with the upstanding Watch Captain, Ripka. But is the woman he's made promises to really Ripka, or a sinister "doppel" who's suspected of multiple murders? Several different agendas clash in a fast-moving, action-filled tale set in an imaginative world.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
Stylistically, 'Steal the Sky' is like a mash-up of Cherie Priest's 'Clockwork Century' series and Scott Lynch's 'Gentleman Bastards.' If you like either of those authors, Megan O'Keefe comes highly recommended. She serves up a good mix of grit, humor, and excitement.
The world is steampunk with a sword-and-sorcery feel. A mining town at the foot of an unstable volcano is devoted to the pursuit of extracting 'selium' - a lighter-than-air and volatile substance which is used to power just about everything. Those who are 'sensitive' to the sel can locate it - and also, if strong, use it to accomplish feats that are near-magical, including disguising themselves.
Our (anti?)hero is Detan Honding, a wastrel scion of a once-noble house, now well-known to law enforcement as a thief and a rogue. Of course, he's got a clever sidekick, Tibal, who's there to extricate him from his scrapes. Naturally, there are hints of past tragedies to elicit sympathy for his plights.
When a military woman, Thratia, attempts a political coup, Detan finds himself in an unlikely alliance with the upstanding Watch Captain, Ripka. But is the woman he's made promises to really Ripka, or a sinister "doppel" who's suspected of multiple murders? Several different agendas clash in a fast-moving, action-filled tale set in an imaginative world.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
October 8, 2016
3.5 stars
The characters are definitely the highlight in this book, and almost outshine the actual story. The worldbuilding is a really creative desert-steampunk that felt completely different.
The characters are definitely the highlight in this book, and almost outshine the actual story. The worldbuilding is a really creative desert-steampunk that felt completely different.
October 24, 2015
This book is an absolute blast. It mixes up magic and steampunk shenanigans in the style of Firefly. Detan is a lovable rogue with snarky wit and a huge secret. The world-building here is phenomenal. It's steampunk as far as airships and factory technology, but there's almost an old west feel to it all (adding to the Firefly vibe). The magic is fascinating, too: the manipulation of a mined substance that is lighter than air and grants airships loft but can also be used by especially adept practitioners to mask their features and become doppelgangers.
STEAL THE SKY is out on January 5th from Angry Robot. It's well worth the pre-order.
STEAL THE SKY is out on January 5th from Angry Robot. It's well worth the pre-order.
July 9, 2025
2025
Aaaw rereading books is always so nostalgic and also a little bit scary, because what if I don't like the book anymore? It's been 9 years since I first read this book. I was a young, happy and naive woman. She was swept away by Detan's shenanigans. Now I'm a slightly older, grumpy woman. Taste change.
I think it's partly the nostalgia talking, but I had lots of fun this time around as well. 4 stars!
2016
4,5 stars
This book was awesome!! Exactly what my heart needed. Im always in for conmen and heists. I loved the writing, it was hilarious. All the characters were interesting and Detan immediately waltzed into my heart. Great setting, I really like books set in the desert and i found the magic/selium part interesting and it took a bit of time until i understood it.
Aaaw rereading books is always so nostalgic and also a little bit scary, because what if I don't like the book anymore? It's been 9 years since I first read this book. I was a young, happy and naive woman. She was swept away by Detan's shenanigans. Now I'm a slightly older, grumpy woman. Taste change.
I think it's partly the nostalgia talking, but I had lots of fun this time around as well. 4 stars!
2016
4,5 stars
This book was awesome!! Exactly what my heart needed. Im always in for conmen and heists. I loved the writing, it was hilarious. All the characters were interesting and Detan immediately waltzed into my heart. Great setting, I really like books set in the desert and i found the magic/selium part interesting and it took a bit of time until i understood it.
December 25, 2015
The only thing stranger than making a deal with the Watch Captain of Aransa to steal the best ship in the realm is finding out you may have just made the deal with a doppelganger. Detan Honding wasn't planning an extended stay in Aransa. As a gifted selium sensitive, he tries his best to stay out of mining towns where selium is all too temptingly within reach. However, after waking up with a burlap sack over his face and wheedling his way out of trouble by playing the watch captain off against her greatest rival, he realizes he'll be lucky to get out with his skin intact. A doppelganger-- a person who is not only sensitive to selium but can cast illusions with it-- is on a murderous rampage, the Warden of Aransa is the doppel's latest victim, and Ex-Commodore Thratia Ganal, aka General Throatslitter, is ready to seize the opportunity to make a grab at controlling Aransa.
Steal the Sky Is a lot of fun. I've made no secret of my weakness for heist stories, and when that's combined with interesting worldbuilding, I'm sold. Like many other heist stories, the plot had a high dependence on refrigerator logic that couldn't withstand close examination, but it pulled me along regardless. While I'm not sure I exactly found the characters compelling, particularly the antihero of the piece, I did quite enjoy their adventures. The only exception was the doppelganger, whose petty scheme for revenge utterly failed to engage my sympathies.
Other than my tendency to misread it as "selenium" instead of "selium," I thoroughly enjoyed the story's worldbuilding. Selium is a substance mined from what sounds like volcanic soil. Its main selling point for most of society is that it's lighter than air and can therefore be used to power airships and the like, but in the hands of selium sensitives, it's far more interesting. I liked the idea of doppelgangers, especially since my tendency to try to guess where the doppelganger would pop up added extra fun to the story. (At several points, I was vastly irritated by what I saw as inconsistencies in a character's behavior; lo and behold, it was the doppelganger.) I think the major weakness in the worldbuilding is the selium mining bit, which, given that it's basically enslavement, is bizarrely and unrealistically egalitarian. All selium sensitives, no matter how high-born, are effectively permanently indentured, either in the dangerous mines or as pilots. Quality of life for miners is far from ideal, yet everyone, rich or poor, has the potential to have a loved one in the mines, or to end up there oneself. Given this, why are such problematic conditions allowed to continue? Typically such injustices survive because the people in power are isolated from the consequences. I'm a bit sceptical that this setup could ever come about--I suspect the rich and powerful would find a way to weasel out of it.
Overall, if you're looking for a fast read full of breezy dialogue, imaginative worldbuilding, and capers galore, Steal the Sky Is definitely worth a look.
~3.5
~~ I received an advanced reader copy of this ebook through Netgalley from the publisher, Angry Robot, in exchange for my honest review. Thanks!~~
Steal the Sky Is a lot of fun. I've made no secret of my weakness for heist stories, and when that's combined with interesting worldbuilding, I'm sold. Like many other heist stories, the plot had a high dependence on refrigerator logic that couldn't withstand close examination, but it pulled me along regardless. While I'm not sure I exactly found the characters compelling, particularly the antihero of the piece, I did quite enjoy their adventures. The only exception was the doppelganger, whose petty scheme for revenge utterly failed to engage my sympathies.
Other than my tendency to misread it as "selenium" instead of "selium," I thoroughly enjoyed the story's worldbuilding. Selium is a substance mined from what sounds like volcanic soil. Its main selling point for most of society is that it's lighter than air and can therefore be used to power airships and the like, but in the hands of selium sensitives, it's far more interesting. I liked the idea of doppelgangers, especially since my tendency to try to guess where the doppelganger would pop up added extra fun to the story. (At several points, I was vastly irritated by what I saw as inconsistencies in a character's behavior; lo and behold, it was the doppelganger.) I think the major weakness in the worldbuilding is the selium mining bit, which, given that it's basically enslavement, is bizarrely and unrealistically egalitarian. All selium sensitives, no matter how high-born, are effectively permanently indentured, either in the dangerous mines or as pilots. Quality of life for miners is far from ideal, yet everyone, rich or poor, has the potential to have a loved one in the mines, or to end up there oneself. Given this, why are such problematic conditions allowed to continue? Typically such injustices survive because the people in power are isolated from the consequences. I'm a bit sceptical that this setup could ever come about--I suspect the rich and powerful would find a way to weasel out of it.
Overall, if you're looking for a fast read full of breezy dialogue, imaginative worldbuilding, and capers galore, Steal the Sky Is definitely worth a look.
~3.5
~~ I received an advanced reader copy of this ebook through Netgalley from the publisher, Angry Robot, in exchange for my honest review. Thanks!~~
June 16, 2019
3.5 stars.
Steal the Sky was an entertaining Fantasy caper featuring two likeable rogues in Detan and Tibs. All the characters were engaging ; the villains were suitably villainous and our heroes were reluctantly er.... well heroic. A good series for fans of Locke Lamora to indulge in while we wait for The Thorn of Emberlain to come out. If it ever does !!
Recommended and I'll certainly be reading more by Megan E. O'Keefe.
Steal the Sky was an entertaining Fantasy caper featuring two likeable rogues in Detan and Tibs. All the characters were engaging ; the villains were suitably villainous and our heroes were reluctantly er.... well heroic. A good series for fans of Locke Lamora to indulge in while we wait for The Thorn of Emberlain to come out. If it ever does !!
Recommended and I'll certainly be reading more by Megan E. O'Keefe.
March 27, 2016
[I received a copy of this book through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.]
An interesting world with a lot of background remaining to be discovered, and characters that all hide more depth than one would think at first. However, I found the story itself somewhat confusing.
It starts with an offer that our main thief/conman character, Detan Honding, is in no position to refuse, coming from the very captain of the Watch. A strange request: steal the newfangled airship of ex-Commodore Thratia, an exile from the the Valathean empire, infamous for her ruthless methods. Soon enough, though, Detan and Tibal, his friend and associate, realise they may be out of their depth here, and that the players involved aren't so easy to thwart.
A lot of things revolve around selium, a strange gas found on the Scorched Continent, that can only be manipulated by sel-sensitive people. Privileged in a way, but slaves in many others: they have no other choice than to work in the selium mines (regular people won't be their friends if their shirk their “duty”...), those who lose their skill are forced into retirement, and those with “deviant” talents are sooner or later captured and experimented upon by the Valathean “whitecoats”. Not such very enthralling prospects. As for criminals in Aransa, the mining city where the story is set, they can choose to die by the axe, or to “walk the Black”, aka letting the scorching sun of the obsidian desert kill them in a matter of minutes (if they're lucky).
There's a lot seemingly going on behind the scenes. Valathea, for instance, with its blend of refinement and cruelty (I couldn't help but envision a mix between Roman and Chinese civilisations, in terms of conquest and clothing, with airships and an elite corps of scientists bent on dissecting people with sel-related abilities). The Scorched had a “Far West/unconquered land” vibe in some ways—perhaps because of the whole desert thing and of how it tried to remain out of Valathea's influence, but could feel it pressing down closer and closer. Additionally, many characters appear simple at first (Detan is a conman, Ripka the loyal Watch captain, Thratia a ruthless manipulator who won't hesitate to kill people, the doppel a mysterious killer with a single goal...) yet soon show signs of being more than meet the eye, with agendas and knowledge of their own,
However, while the world felt rich, and provides enough ground to cover more than one book in that regard, the plot was a bit all over the place, as if it couldn't decide what to focus on. The expected heist (stealing an airship) wasn't so exciting nor given that much attention, with our conmen being more outclassed than actually able to properly work on it, and with the story veering into murder investigation, and revenge, and intrigue, and a few more things. This felt more confusing than anything else. I guess this is partly a case of “it's not the book, it's me”: I like heist stories, but I like them with my burglars/conmen being able to have a marginal success at least. Here, both Detan and Tibs went from failure to failure, with Detan losing his “rogue” charm, and after a while I didn't really care anymore.
2.5 stars. The setting remains interesting, so I may check the next book if NetGalley or the library has it, because the group at the end has potential for good adventures, complete with an already existing dangerous enemy, and with another potential antagonist looming in the background. We'll see.
An interesting world with a lot of background remaining to be discovered, and characters that all hide more depth than one would think at first. However, I found the story itself somewhat confusing.
It starts with an offer that our main thief/conman character, Detan Honding, is in no position to refuse, coming from the very captain of the Watch. A strange request: steal the newfangled airship of ex-Commodore Thratia, an exile from the the Valathean empire, infamous for her ruthless methods. Soon enough, though, Detan and Tibal, his friend and associate, realise they may be out of their depth here, and that the players involved aren't so easy to thwart.
A lot of things revolve around selium, a strange gas found on the Scorched Continent, that can only be manipulated by sel-sensitive people. Privileged in a way, but slaves in many others: they have no other choice than to work in the selium mines (regular people won't be their friends if their shirk their “duty”...), those who lose their skill are forced into retirement, and those with “deviant” talents are sooner or later captured and experimented upon by the Valathean “whitecoats”. Not such very enthralling prospects. As for criminals in Aransa, the mining city where the story is set, they can choose to die by the axe, or to “walk the Black”, aka letting the scorching sun of the obsidian desert kill them in a matter of minutes (if they're lucky).
There's a lot seemingly going on behind the scenes. Valathea, for instance, with its blend of refinement and cruelty (I couldn't help but envision a mix between Roman and Chinese civilisations, in terms of conquest and clothing, with airships and an elite corps of scientists bent on dissecting people with sel-related abilities). The Scorched had a “Far West/unconquered land” vibe in some ways—perhaps because of the whole desert thing and of how it tried to remain out of Valathea's influence, but could feel it pressing down closer and closer. Additionally, many characters appear simple at first (Detan is a conman, Ripka the loyal Watch captain, Thratia a ruthless manipulator who won't hesitate to kill people, the doppel a mysterious killer with a single goal...) yet soon show signs of being more than meet the eye, with agendas and knowledge of their own,
However, while the world felt rich, and provides enough ground to cover more than one book in that regard, the plot was a bit all over the place, as if it couldn't decide what to focus on. The expected heist (stealing an airship) wasn't so exciting nor given that much attention, with our conmen being more outclassed than actually able to properly work on it, and with the story veering into murder investigation, and revenge, and intrigue, and a few more things. This felt more confusing than anything else. I guess this is partly a case of “it's not the book, it's me”: I like heist stories, but I like them with my burglars/conmen being able to have a marginal success at least. Here, both Detan and Tibs went from failure to failure, with Detan losing his “rogue” charm, and after a while I didn't really care anymore.
2.5 stars. The setting remains interesting, so I may check the next book if NetGalley or the library has it, because the group at the end has potential for good adventures, complete with an already existing dangerous enemy, and with another potential antagonist looming in the background. We'll see.
November 16, 2015
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2015/11/1...
Publisher: Angry Robot
Publishing Date: January 2016
ISBN:9780857664914
Genre: SciFi Steampunk
Rating: 4.7/5
Publishers Description: Detan Honding, a wanted conman of noble birth and ignoble tongue, has found himself in the oasis city of Aransa. He and his trusted companion Tibs may have pulled off one too many cons against the city’s elite and need to make a quick escape. They set their sight’s on their biggest heist yet – the gorgeous airship of the exiled commodore Thratia.
Review: Holy shjtballz this was good. The storyline and world building were impeccable as were the depth of the characters that inhabited it. I am really looking forward to more from this author.
Publisher: Angry Robot
Publishing Date: January 2016
ISBN:9780857664914
Genre: SciFi Steampunk
Rating: 4.7/5
Publishers Description: Detan Honding, a wanted conman of noble birth and ignoble tongue, has found himself in the oasis city of Aransa. He and his trusted companion Tibs may have pulled off one too many cons against the city’s elite and need to make a quick escape. They set their sight’s on their biggest heist yet – the gorgeous airship of the exiled commodore Thratia.
Review: Holy shjtballz this was good. The storyline and world building were impeccable as were the depth of the characters that inhabited it. I am really looking forward to more from this author.
August 12, 2016
I was told there would be sky pirates.
I'd like to think I have better reasons for my disappointment, but I have to acknowledge a chunk of it comes from how it was pitched to our book club. It filled my head with visions of swashbuckling aboard flying ships amidst cannon fire.
In reality, there's very little action through most of the book, and no significant flying occurs until about 80% of the way through. This ultimately relates to the novel's greatest issues, pacing.
I'm normally not this aware of plot structure, but the back half really made me aware of the issues by sheer contrast. Through the first half it feels like a scoundrel, police captain, shape changer, and a villain are all just circling each other, not really pushing the plot forward or making any moves. It's like when shows like The Walking Dead or Lost have episodes where everyone just seems to be running around. It's movement in place of dramatic escalation.
But things go nuts in the end, and it made me wish the author had spread it out a bit. Through a huge chunk of the book Detan Honding keeps hinting at his mysterious past, but we get so few concrete details that it actually starts to feel antagonistic. When it's revealed, the nature of deviant sel-sensitive characters is really interesting, and probably should have played a larger part in the entire story.
I can't tell if it's a writer's holding back to better facilitate a trilogy, or a bunch of ideas that occurred near the end of the process, but it made the story a struggle to read, yet a joy to complete. A part of me is almost curious about the second book, but I'm not sure this type of narrative is something I want to invest in further.
A much smaller point, and one not exclusive to this novel, is the obnoxious figures of speech. Phrases like "let the sel out of the sack" and "caught with their hand in the agave candy" made me straight-up twitch. If you're world is so different that our old cliched phrases don't apply, don't just take those cliches and put different nouns in them. If there are cats, and there are bags, just let the cat out of the bag. It's not as bad as Brandon Sanderson's fake swearing but it's close.
Ultimately an uneven experience, but not without merit.
I'd like to think I have better reasons for my disappointment, but I have to acknowledge a chunk of it comes from how it was pitched to our book club. It filled my head with visions of swashbuckling aboard flying ships amidst cannon fire.
In reality, there's very little action through most of the book, and no significant flying occurs until about 80% of the way through. This ultimately relates to the novel's greatest issues, pacing.
I'm normally not this aware of plot structure, but the back half really made me aware of the issues by sheer contrast. Through the first half it feels like a scoundrel, police captain, shape changer, and a villain are all just circling each other, not really pushing the plot forward or making any moves. It's like when shows like The Walking Dead or Lost have episodes where everyone just seems to be running around. It's movement in place of dramatic escalation.
But things go nuts in the end, and it made me wish the author had spread it out a bit. Through a huge chunk of the book Detan Honding keeps hinting at his mysterious past, but we get so few concrete details that it actually starts to feel antagonistic. When it's revealed, the nature of deviant sel-sensitive characters is really interesting, and probably should have played a larger part in the entire story.
I can't tell if it's a writer's holding back to better facilitate a trilogy, or a bunch of ideas that occurred near the end of the process, but it made the story a struggle to read, yet a joy to complete. A part of me is almost curious about the second book, but I'm not sure this type of narrative is something I want to invest in further.
A much smaller point, and one not exclusive to this novel, is the obnoxious figures of speech. Phrases like "let the sel out of the sack" and "caught with their hand in the agave candy" made me straight-up twitch. If you're world is so different that our old cliched phrases don't apply, don't just take those cliches and put different nouns in them. If there are cats, and there are bags, just let the cat out of the bag. It's not as bad as Brandon Sanderson's fake swearing but it's close.
Ultimately an uneven experience, but not without merit.
June 7, 2017
The story has great characters and witty dialog. The story itself I thought was kind of weak. The character names were confusing and were hard for me to follow.
The audiobook is well done.
I'm not sure if I will read the next book in the series.
The audiobook is well done.
I'm not sure if I will read the next book in the series.
Read
December 22, 2015If you want to visit a steampunk mining town where lighter-than-air gel is extracted and used for both airships and magic, then read Steal the Sky by Megan E. O’Keefe. The opalescent gel is the second most prized resource in the Empire. The first is those men and women who are sensitive to it, especially those with enough command to shape it in crafts of power.
The rogue Detan can command it with rage. If he allows himself to get angry, the gel around him will ignite to the destruction of all. He’s promised himself not to hurt anyone again, and above all he must stay out of the Empire’s clutches. So he skips from town to town, with his friend, Tibs. They help each other stay in control, and they pass the time with general knavery.
Detan is sometimes clever, often too clever for his own good. Scared of swords, terrified of his own power, he relies mostly on his fast talking. The character has some callbacks to P.G. Wodehouse’s Berty Wooster, with their menacing aunts and broken engagements, but Detan has more drive and efficacy, just enough so the book isn’t a farce.
“You are a common crook,” Watch Captain Ripka tells him.
“I am not common,” Detan says.
Ripka would rather do legal paperwork than attend noble parties. The only thing she fears is the silence in her unlived-in house. She squashes tarantulas under her boot while staring meaningfully at Detan. If Dragon Age has taught me anything it’s that I have a soft spot for hard-edged guard captains. I wish Ripka had led more of the action in the book, but it’s a bit of a muddle because her appearance is so often stolen by Pelkaia, the doppelganger.
Pelkaia prefers to be called an illusionist. She shapes the gel into more than face masks. She uses it to reinforce her diseased bones, to give her the strength to take revenge on those who killed her son. He worked in the gel mine and not by choice. There he died, and now Pelkaia will tear down not only his taskmasters but also the city authority and the Empire bureaucrats who drove them to unsafe measures.
The town Aransa was built around the gel mine. The only problem is that the settlement is clinging to the side of a mountain, parched in full blow of the desert winds. Also, the mine is more like a volcano that could explode at any moment. In the meantime it bathes the town in ash that turns the moons red.
The citizens of Aransa don’t get much entertainment. Their favorite sport is seeing criminals executed by being forced to walk around the volcano until their boots and feet melt, and the prisoners have no choice but to fall and embrace the obsidian shards. Good times.
I can’t blame Detan for wanting to skip town. The trouble is, Pelkaia catches him up in her obsession for revenge. He has to break the law for her, and if she has her way, there won’t be escape for anyone.
The rogue Detan can command it with rage. If he allows himself to get angry, the gel around him will ignite to the destruction of all. He’s promised himself not to hurt anyone again, and above all he must stay out of the Empire’s clutches. So he skips from town to town, with his friend, Tibs. They help each other stay in control, and they pass the time with general knavery.
Detan is sometimes clever, often too clever for his own good. Scared of swords, terrified of his own power, he relies mostly on his fast talking. The character has some callbacks to P.G. Wodehouse’s Berty Wooster, with their menacing aunts and broken engagements, but Detan has more drive and efficacy, just enough so the book isn’t a farce.
“You are a common crook,” Watch Captain Ripka tells him.
“I am not common,” Detan says.
Ripka would rather do legal paperwork than attend noble parties. The only thing she fears is the silence in her unlived-in house. She squashes tarantulas under her boot while staring meaningfully at Detan. If Dragon Age has taught me anything it’s that I have a soft spot for hard-edged guard captains. I wish Ripka had led more of the action in the book, but it’s a bit of a muddle because her appearance is so often stolen by Pelkaia, the doppelganger.
Pelkaia prefers to be called an illusionist. She shapes the gel into more than face masks. She uses it to reinforce her diseased bones, to give her the strength to take revenge on those who killed her son. He worked in the gel mine and not by choice. There he died, and now Pelkaia will tear down not only his taskmasters but also the city authority and the Empire bureaucrats who drove them to unsafe measures.
The town Aransa was built around the gel mine. The only problem is that the settlement is clinging to the side of a mountain, parched in full blow of the desert winds. Also, the mine is more like a volcano that could explode at any moment. In the meantime it bathes the town in ash that turns the moons red.
The citizens of Aransa don’t get much entertainment. Their favorite sport is seeing criminals executed by being forced to walk around the volcano until their boots and feet melt, and the prisoners have no choice but to fall and embrace the obsidian shards. Good times.
I can’t blame Detan for wanting to skip town. The trouble is, Pelkaia catches him up in her obsession for revenge. He has to break the law for her, and if she has her way, there won’t be escape for anyone.
January 14, 2016
http://lynns-books.com/2016/01/14/ste...
I’m going to be totally honest here and just come out and say that Steal the Sky was a book that I very nearly decided to skip. I don’t know why. On the face of it this book has everything that I would normally jump at so I guess at the time I was maybe just having a ‘moment’. I’m so glad it was a fleeting moment because I did pick up a copy (clearly) and it was a really enjoyable read.
At the start of the story we have two conmen arriving in the City of Aransa. Honding and Tibs are about to undertake their most ambitious heist yet – they’re planing on stealing a brand new and sparkly airship, however, all their planning isn’t going to prevent this heist from going to hell in a handcart.
First things first. A bit about the setting. I was really impressed with the world building and the way that you find out little by little what you need to know. In fact I thought that O’Keefe showed great ability with establishing the scene and the characters. The world seems to be split between the green and pleasant parts and the scorched, difficult to live in parts and obviously the Empire chooses to live in the green and pleasant parts of the world whilst the dry and uninhabitable areas seem to be where people out of favour are sent. Well, it also seems to be where the vast majority of mining takes place. So as well as outcasts the City of Aransa plays home to the miners and obviously the city has grown over time to include your usual slums, taverns, markets and other supporting areas.
This is a world where Selium exists. Selium is a very strange gas, incredibly light and with powers that give those that are sel-sensitive the ability to perform certain types of magic. Selium is found deep within the mines and is sought after as it is used to power things such as the airships. Those who are sel-sensitive can have varying degrees of ability which range greatly. I’m not going to elaborate on that because it is expanded on in the book and I was really surprised by it all. Mining Selium is dangerous with the threat of explosions and the only people who can sense where the Selium is are those who are sel-sensitive. So, finding yourself with Selium abilities is something of a double edged sword as with one hand you’re gifted the ability to perform certain types of magic but on the other you become enlisted by the empire and sent to the mines. Don’t get me wrong, the miners are looked after and provided with certain comforts but still, at the end of the day, their freedom and ability to make their own life decisions has been effectively removed. To cut a long story short it’s akin to being a prisoner. Those with an affinity are trapped in this life with no choice to take a different route until they are incapable of mining or are injured. And, those with really ‘special’ abilities have a different future in store altogether – a bit of a tease but I really can’t say more on that aspect.
Now, the people. We have Detan. He has a lot of secrets and a reason for trying to keep low on the radar. His trusty sidekick is Tibs. They have a great friendship and a way of working together that makes you suspect they can almost read each others mind! We also have a watch captain called Ripka – she’s a great character and I really liked her. I can’t even put my finger on why, other than she’s had to work hard, she’s firm but fair and she’s just a tough, no nonsense type. Then we have General Thratia, fondly known as the throat slitter – and with good reason! and finally Pelkaia. Pelkaia is sel sensitive. Most people refer to her as a doppelganger but she prefers to be known as an illusionist. Pelkaia has her own agenda and her and Detan are going to make a strange sort of alliance. All their fates seem to be rushing headlong on a collision course.
Now, basically, I’m trying to be a little bit coy about the plot because there are a good deal of twists and turns as the story progresses and I don’t want to give them away. Detan and Tibs try to do their ‘thing’ but somebody throws a spanner in the works and all hell breaks loose. Pelkaia does a bit of sneaking about and Ripka tries to get a grip on everything! Is that all perfectly clear? Probably not. Long story short – you can’t trust anybody! Nobody and nothing is what you think and it’s a good deal of fun getting it all sorted out. This is much more than the heist story that it sets out as. We have corruption and bigger plans being put into place by those in power and alongside this somebody in the shadows plotting vengence.
I would definitely recommend Steal the Sky. It’s a very entertaining read. The characters are a great combination of goodies and baddies and somewhere inbetweens. The writing is smooth, the plot dives about like a maniac and the ending is a great set up for the next book. I’m pleased that I didn’t miss this one.
This review first appeared at the Speculate Herald (here)
I received a copy courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
I’m going to be totally honest here and just come out and say that Steal the Sky was a book that I very nearly decided to skip. I don’t know why. On the face of it this book has everything that I would normally jump at so I guess at the time I was maybe just having a ‘moment’. I’m so glad it was a fleeting moment because I did pick up a copy (clearly) and it was a really enjoyable read.
At the start of the story we have two conmen arriving in the City of Aransa. Honding and Tibs are about to undertake their most ambitious heist yet – they’re planing on stealing a brand new and sparkly airship, however, all their planning isn’t going to prevent this heist from going to hell in a handcart.
First things first. A bit about the setting. I was really impressed with the world building and the way that you find out little by little what you need to know. In fact I thought that O’Keefe showed great ability with establishing the scene and the characters. The world seems to be split between the green and pleasant parts and the scorched, difficult to live in parts and obviously the Empire chooses to live in the green and pleasant parts of the world whilst the dry and uninhabitable areas seem to be where people out of favour are sent. Well, it also seems to be where the vast majority of mining takes place. So as well as outcasts the City of Aransa plays home to the miners and obviously the city has grown over time to include your usual slums, taverns, markets and other supporting areas.
This is a world where Selium exists. Selium is a very strange gas, incredibly light and with powers that give those that are sel-sensitive the ability to perform certain types of magic. Selium is found deep within the mines and is sought after as it is used to power things such as the airships. Those who are sel-sensitive can have varying degrees of ability which range greatly. I’m not going to elaborate on that because it is expanded on in the book and I was really surprised by it all. Mining Selium is dangerous with the threat of explosions and the only people who can sense where the Selium is are those who are sel-sensitive. So, finding yourself with Selium abilities is something of a double edged sword as with one hand you’re gifted the ability to perform certain types of magic but on the other you become enlisted by the empire and sent to the mines. Don’t get me wrong, the miners are looked after and provided with certain comforts but still, at the end of the day, their freedom and ability to make their own life decisions has been effectively removed. To cut a long story short it’s akin to being a prisoner. Those with an affinity are trapped in this life with no choice to take a different route until they are incapable of mining or are injured. And, those with really ‘special’ abilities have a different future in store altogether – a bit of a tease but I really can’t say more on that aspect.
Now, the people. We have Detan. He has a lot of secrets and a reason for trying to keep low on the radar. His trusty sidekick is Tibs. They have a great friendship and a way of working together that makes you suspect they can almost read each others mind! We also have a watch captain called Ripka – she’s a great character and I really liked her. I can’t even put my finger on why, other than she’s had to work hard, she’s firm but fair and she’s just a tough, no nonsense type. Then we have General Thratia, fondly known as the throat slitter – and with good reason! and finally Pelkaia. Pelkaia is sel sensitive. Most people refer to her as a doppelganger but she prefers to be known as an illusionist. Pelkaia has her own agenda and her and Detan are going to make a strange sort of alliance. All their fates seem to be rushing headlong on a collision course.
Now, basically, I’m trying to be a little bit coy about the plot because there are a good deal of twists and turns as the story progresses and I don’t want to give them away. Detan and Tibs try to do their ‘thing’ but somebody throws a spanner in the works and all hell breaks loose. Pelkaia does a bit of sneaking about and Ripka tries to get a grip on everything! Is that all perfectly clear? Probably not. Long story short – you can’t trust anybody! Nobody and nothing is what you think and it’s a good deal of fun getting it all sorted out. This is much more than the heist story that it sets out as. We have corruption and bigger plans being put into place by those in power and alongside this somebody in the shadows plotting vengence.
I would definitely recommend Steal the Sky. It’s a very entertaining read. The characters are a great combination of goodies and baddies and somewhere inbetweens. The writing is smooth, the plot dives about like a maniac and the ending is a great set up for the next book. I’m pleased that I didn’t miss this one.
This review first appeared at the Speculate Herald (here)
I received a copy courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
December 9, 2015
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Steal the Sky by Megan E. O'Keefe is an inventive sci fi/steampunk adventure featuring a lovable airship rogue trying to make a living on the fringes, his stalwart first mate, and a Watch Captain too upstanding to be posted to a outpost settlement. Add in a 'doppel' who can change faces at will, and grifter will get scammed, watch captain betrayed, and several big explosions happen in between.Story: Detan Honding has a problem: the flotation balloons of his ship are damaged, he's stuck in a poor mining colony on the back end of the planet, and he's about to get a surprising offer he can't refuse from an otherwise stalwart Watch Captain Ripka. The con? Steal the flagship from a very ruthless commodore with a history of Bloodthirsty and Machiavellian scheming. Detan soon finds himself at the mercy of three women: the frustrated Watch Captain, mercurial doppler, and powerful Commodore. But Detan has a few tricks up his sleeve that will surprise everyone.
The worldbuilding is quite unique and superb here. A resource, selenium, that can float air ships but also be manipulated by 'sel sensitives' to various effects (including changing faces). Mining of Sel is all important and anyone sensitive to selenium ends up in the mines doing various chores of moving the resource to be packaged and shipped. But there are Sel deviants - those that are found such as doppels are fated to be human experiments by imperial 'researches'. Former Sel Sensitive Detan Honding knows a thing or two about the 'white coats' who performed on him before he escaped.
Into this world are several distinct characters. Detan Honding is the "Han Solo"/"Captain Mal" archetype of lovable rogue constantly getting in and out of scrapes. He has a smooth tongue - or so he thinks - but more often than not drives everyone else around him to frustration. It's all bravado but it works for him (most of the time). His second mate is quiet and efficient - born on the streets and a foil to extract Honding when he gets in too deep. Contrasting Honding's POV is that of Ripka, a Watch Captain who just wants peace in her small colony and who isn't either a puppet of the Imperials or a political player. Her grounded justice is contrasted with Commodore Thratia - a woman who will do whatever it takes to reach her goals, even if that includes selling out most of the town that Ripka watches over.
The first part of the book does go a bit slow as petty swindles provide the resources to set up the big heist of Thratia's ship. The chaos element of the doppel, who takes identities frequently and to the detriment of the main characters, keeps the reader guessing as to where the plot will go. But once the main heist kicks in, reversals in fortune happen often, as do the surprises.
I was greatly reminded of Firefly tv series elements in this story. Pseudo Western town, an honest lawman, and a lot of imagination making for a unique story. The key to liking the story is the 'smooth tongued scamp' aspect of Honding's grandiose dialogues. Reviewed from an advance reader copy received from the publisher.
March 3, 2016
Some good ideas but the execution could have been a lot better.
The is a first novel in a steampunk world.
The world is one of cities surrounded by deserts ( the Scorch) and volcanoes from which a substance called sel is harvested.
It's not very clear what this substance is for except it's lighter than air and is used in flying ships.
On top of this some people are sensitive to this substance and can use it in different ways ( make it explode with their mind, or disguise their appearance). The think is those people are considered outlaws and hunted which makes you wonder why the substance is so sought out...( there's no example or mention of military usage for example, and very few in common life except in flying ships).
Anyway, in such a world we follow a con man named Detan and his friend as they are trying to steal a flying ship, all of this in middle of a series of murders committed by one of these outlaw sel sensitives ( a dopel in this case as he/she can use sel to change her appearance and create illusions).
The action isn't bad but the plot is sometime confusing as the same mechanics are used several time ( the dopel disguising as the same person over and over again and still getting away with it in front of the same people) and the final chapters could in my view have been better.
I think with some improvement the universe has room to be a lot better and I know more books are forthcoming so hopefully the next book will be a little better, especially in term of explaining the dynamics and economics of the world.
All in all I think 3 stars is a fair rating.
The is a first novel in a steampunk world.
The world is one of cities surrounded by deserts ( the Scorch) and volcanoes from which a substance called sel is harvested.
It's not very clear what this substance is for except it's lighter than air and is used in flying ships.
On top of this some people are sensitive to this substance and can use it in different ways ( make it explode with their mind, or disguise their appearance). The think is those people are considered outlaws and hunted which makes you wonder why the substance is so sought out...( there's no example or mention of military usage for example, and very few in common life except in flying ships).
Anyway, in such a world we follow a con man named Detan and his friend as they are trying to steal a flying ship, all of this in middle of a series of murders committed by one of these outlaw sel sensitives ( a dopel in this case as he/she can use sel to change her appearance and create illusions).
The action isn't bad but the plot is sometime confusing as the same mechanics are used several time ( the dopel disguising as the same person over and over again and still getting away with it in front of the same people) and the final chapters could in my view have been better.
I think with some improvement the universe has room to be a lot better and I know more books are forthcoming so hopefully the next book will be a little better, especially in term of explaining the dynamics and economics of the world.
All in all I think 3 stars is a fair rating.
January 30, 2016
I was excited to get to this book. It's Megan's first and it was thoroughly enjoyable. The characters had their own voices, the setting was wonderful and easy to visualize (one scene in particular involving the Black Wash was a favorite), and the story was lots of fun. I started off intrigued and for a while, due to my usual reading habits, was a bit confused by the slow build up. I say slow but that was just in comparison to something much more focused on action. That "slowness" was all in my head and once I calmed down and settled into the pace, it was fine. And definitely worth it. Because once things finally start kicking into gear, once all the pieces are set, things start moving a LOT and then you're devouring the pages wondering what's coming next. And the ultimate end of the book is satisfying. Even when some of the things you're expecting, maybe just because of past reads, get swapped. Megan did a great job of making everything count and wrapped up the book in such a way that it's self-contained but the future is left comfortably open. Ultimately, it gets a 4.5 from me mostly because a few minor bits not really worth mentioning. Just tiny personal blips. I'm really looking forward to seeing where she goes from here.
January 18, 2016
This solid fantasy debut novel delivers witty dialogue, a main character with an ignoble tongue, a story with twists and turns, funny moments, a pinch of steampunk and sword and sorcery.
It is not my book of the year but I have had a good time with this book.
It is not my book of the year but I have had a good time with this book.
December 26, 2018
2.5! I wanted to love this sooo much.
World: Airships and kingdoms and magic, on paper it felt like “Eternal Arcadia” for Dreamcast and the images it conjured in my head were so splendid. However, that’s not totally what I got. I think the best thing about this book is the world building, with the ships and the floating cities and the volcanos and mines and the Sel it was an interesting albeit done before world that I would love to explore. The magic system was a bit vague and that kinda threw me off and the magical beings and then details of them were just as vague so that needs more expansion but overall the world is one I want to visit.
Story: The story was alright, it was choked full of genre cliches and paced okay. The story is about Detan and then there’s the Thratia and a doppelgänger and a female captain and about politics and adventure and yeah there is a lot of stuff happening and with the short length of the book there was not really enough time for everything and so the story becomes neither here nor there. The biggest part of this book that suffers from the bloated story are the characters but more of that below. The story was aight, but as I said hardly original, and also bloated. The politics was a bit unclear, the powers of the Sel and the ship was a bit shallow, the stuff with the Doppel was a bit on the surface and in the end nothing really clicked with me cause I if I had to care I needed to care about the characters and oh man I did not care at all. In the end, the story was forgettable and yeah, that’s all I can say. It’s not bad, it’s just meh.
Characters: The biggest issue I had with this series was that the characters were uninteresting and did not catch me at all. Detan is a cliched rogue and his banter with Tibs was painful to read because the “British” was floating all over the time period, from regency to the 60s to the stereotypical the dialog for this book especially these to characters was just terrible. Detan is uninteresting and I just really wanted to care more, I wanted more of his backstory other than the basics we got and the pop psychology we got as to his character now. I also did not really care for the villain as she was one dimensional and also there was enough mwah haa haa but none of the personal voice to make her a fun villain to hate and root for, much like Detan there is an absence of personality. There are two female characters in this book and honestly there is no different to their personalities as there is no personality to be had, what’s more unintentionally hilarious is that their lack of personality makes one of them impersonating the other such a breeze and so very contrived. I also don’t like doppelgänger stories as I find them to be overly done and a power like that always bored me cause it allowed for way too many story cheats so yeah, not a fan of those type of characters.
I wanted to love this story, the world was interesting and I wanted to much to be taken on a journey in the skies but what I got was a bloated story riddle with cliches and characters with the personality of a boiled potato. Sad.
Onward to the next book!
World: Airships and kingdoms and magic, on paper it felt like “Eternal Arcadia” for Dreamcast and the images it conjured in my head were so splendid. However, that’s not totally what I got. I think the best thing about this book is the world building, with the ships and the floating cities and the volcanos and mines and the Sel it was an interesting albeit done before world that I would love to explore. The magic system was a bit vague and that kinda threw me off and the magical beings and then details of them were just as vague so that needs more expansion but overall the world is one I want to visit.
Story: The story was alright, it was choked full of genre cliches and paced okay. The story is about Detan and then there’s the Thratia and a doppelgänger and a female captain and about politics and adventure and yeah there is a lot of stuff happening and with the short length of the book there was not really enough time for everything and so the story becomes neither here nor there. The biggest part of this book that suffers from the bloated story are the characters but more of that below. The story was aight, but as I said hardly original, and also bloated. The politics was a bit unclear, the powers of the Sel and the ship was a bit shallow, the stuff with the Doppel was a bit on the surface and in the end nothing really clicked with me cause I if I had to care I needed to care about the characters and oh man I did not care at all. In the end, the story was forgettable and yeah, that’s all I can say. It’s not bad, it’s just meh.
Characters: The biggest issue I had with this series was that the characters were uninteresting and did not catch me at all. Detan is a cliched rogue and his banter with Tibs was painful to read because the “British” was floating all over the time period, from regency to the 60s to the stereotypical the dialog for this book especially these to characters was just terrible. Detan is uninteresting and I just really wanted to care more, I wanted more of his backstory other than the basics we got and the pop psychology we got as to his character now. I also did not really care for the villain as she was one dimensional and also there was enough mwah haa haa but none of the personal voice to make her a fun villain to hate and root for, much like Detan there is an absence of personality. There are two female characters in this book and honestly there is no different to their personalities as there is no personality to be had, what’s more unintentionally hilarious is that their lack of personality makes one of them impersonating the other such a breeze and so very contrived. I also don’t like doppelgänger stories as I find them to be overly done and a power like that always bored me cause it allowed for way too many story cheats so yeah, not a fan of those type of characters.
I wanted to love this story, the world was interesting and I wanted to much to be taken on a journey in the skies but what I got was a bloated story riddle with cliches and characters with the personality of a boiled potato. Sad.
Onward to the next book!
September 8, 2019
I rushed into this book headlong...
I should have waited. I discovered the author by reading "Velocity Weapon" and falling in love with the characters and story. This book has none of the polish of Megan O'Keefe's newest. The characters feel flat, the story overly long, and the motivations simplistic. That said I do feel that author's usually get better as they write, I look forward to continuing this series after I go off and read something completely different.
I should have waited. I discovered the author by reading "Velocity Weapon" and falling in love with the characters and story. This book has none of the polish of Megan O'Keefe's newest. The characters feel flat, the story overly long, and the motivations simplistic. That said I do feel that author's usually get better as they write, I look forward to continuing this series after I go off and read something completely different.
January 27, 2016
*copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review*
Steal the Sky is Megan E. O’Keefe’s debut novel . It’s an imaginative, intriguing piece of work, set in a unique world, with a lot of potential.
The world O’Keefe has created has the feeling of being on the margins of something larger. It’s centred on a town nestled on the side of a volcanic mountain. The town is sat on the side of an active volcano because it contains ‘selium’, a lighter than air gas, which can be used for travel – but can also be manipulated by the small percentage of the population which are ‘sel-sensitive’. Sensitives can do all manner of things with selium, but are strongly discouraged from doing so – instead, being the only ones able to process the gas on which air transport depends, they spend their lives working at the selium mines, or, rarely, as airship captains. There’s a suggestion that those with a greater affinity for selium, or with the ability to do odd things to it, are quietly disappeared.
It’s a world with it’s own customs and expectations, which O’Keefe quietly slides into the narrative. The sense of a company town is carefully and cleverly evoked , and by the close of the narrative, it feels like a living, breathing metropolitan area. Admittedly, not one you’d want to live in – filled with rock dust, knife-edge politics and the occasional murder- but still a place with a soul, and a unique sense of place.
This rugged, dangerous, semi-magical space is occupied by several interesting characters. There’s the Watch Captain, a stolid individual with a strong sense of duty, and a surprising willingness to get into scraps with people who get in her way. There’s the sneak thief/con artist from one of the nobility, and his loyal companion. There’s the commodore from over the sea, filled with a clinical ruthlessness and a yen for power.
Some characterisations are more successful than others ; the central pillar of the narrative is the noble con artist, whose smooth talking efforts to avoid jail time end up leading into something far worse, and at times I struggled empathise with him. There were some moments of cleverness which were both amusing and excellent indicators of character – at one point he filches a set of clothes from a public bath, and ends up with the owners wallet, as well as his rage, but there were smaller instances where it didn’t work as well, where the dialogue felt ever so slightly awkward, or where there was a bit too much exposition. Still, he was rather fun to read, and there were enough character-consistent revelations to keep things interesting. The Watch Captain, by contrast, is a perfectly serviceable character, filled with traits – but I would have liked to have seen her develop further; perhaps this will come in later books.
The antagonists are delightfully unpleasant, pragmatically vicious people. There’s not a sense of the diabolical here, but more the systematically oppressive, or the uncaring brutality of the strong to the weak. It’s an impersonal poison, which is very well portrayed, and makes for an agonising and enjoyable read. Again, it would have been great to see a little more of these characters, and shared something of their more human moments – but they work perfectly well in the text as-is.
The plot…well, as ever, I’ll try and avoid spoilers. It starts with something of a slow burn, as the reader gets acclimatised to the characters and their environment. But there’s something relentless about the pacing of the text, and it picks up ever-increasing speed from about the middle onward – and by the end, it’s an absolute juggernaut of prose, which I couldn’t stop reading. There’s something for everyone – witty banter, realpolitik, elusive and wonderful magic, the occasional stabbing. If the characters aren’t trying to save the world (or at least their piece of it), they’re definitely busy trying to save themselves. There’s red herrings, investigations, the occasional wonderfully funny moment, and some heartstopping action sequences – it’s a lot of fun, and it’s got heart.
Is it worth reading? If you’re willing to look past the occasional flaw, and have the patience for the slow start, this is a fascinating, thoroughly rewarding read. It’s definitely worth the time – I’m looking forward to seeing what adventures the enxt book may bring.
Steal the Sky is Megan E. O’Keefe’s debut novel . It’s an imaginative, intriguing piece of work, set in a unique world, with a lot of potential.
The world O’Keefe has created has the feeling of being on the margins of something larger. It’s centred on a town nestled on the side of a volcanic mountain. The town is sat on the side of an active volcano because it contains ‘selium’, a lighter than air gas, which can be used for travel – but can also be manipulated by the small percentage of the population which are ‘sel-sensitive’. Sensitives can do all manner of things with selium, but are strongly discouraged from doing so – instead, being the only ones able to process the gas on which air transport depends, they spend their lives working at the selium mines, or, rarely, as airship captains. There’s a suggestion that those with a greater affinity for selium, or with the ability to do odd things to it, are quietly disappeared.
It’s a world with it’s own customs and expectations, which O’Keefe quietly slides into the narrative. The sense of a company town is carefully and cleverly evoked , and by the close of the narrative, it feels like a living, breathing metropolitan area. Admittedly, not one you’d want to live in – filled with rock dust, knife-edge politics and the occasional murder- but still a place with a soul, and a unique sense of place.
This rugged, dangerous, semi-magical space is occupied by several interesting characters. There’s the Watch Captain, a stolid individual with a strong sense of duty, and a surprising willingness to get into scraps with people who get in her way. There’s the sneak thief/con artist from one of the nobility, and his loyal companion. There’s the commodore from over the sea, filled with a clinical ruthlessness and a yen for power.
Some characterisations are more successful than others ; the central pillar of the narrative is the noble con artist, whose smooth talking efforts to avoid jail time end up leading into something far worse, and at times I struggled empathise with him. There were some moments of cleverness which were both amusing and excellent indicators of character – at one point he filches a set of clothes from a public bath, and ends up with the owners wallet, as well as his rage, but there were smaller instances where it didn’t work as well, where the dialogue felt ever so slightly awkward, or where there was a bit too much exposition. Still, he was rather fun to read, and there were enough character-consistent revelations to keep things interesting. The Watch Captain, by contrast, is a perfectly serviceable character, filled with traits – but I would have liked to have seen her develop further; perhaps this will come in later books.
The antagonists are delightfully unpleasant, pragmatically vicious people. There’s not a sense of the diabolical here, but more the systematically oppressive, or the uncaring brutality of the strong to the weak. It’s an impersonal poison, which is very well portrayed, and makes for an agonising and enjoyable read. Again, it would have been great to see a little more of these characters, and shared something of their more human moments – but they work perfectly well in the text as-is.
The plot…well, as ever, I’ll try and avoid spoilers. It starts with something of a slow burn, as the reader gets acclimatised to the characters and their environment. But there’s something relentless about the pacing of the text, and it picks up ever-increasing speed from about the middle onward – and by the end, it’s an absolute juggernaut of prose, which I couldn’t stop reading. There’s something for everyone – witty banter, realpolitik, elusive and wonderful magic, the occasional stabbing. If the characters aren’t trying to save the world (or at least their piece of it), they’re definitely busy trying to save themselves. There’s red herrings, investigations, the occasional wonderfully funny moment, and some heartstopping action sequences – it’s a lot of fun, and it’s got heart.
Is it worth reading? If you’re willing to look past the occasional flaw, and have the patience for the slow start, this is a fascinating, thoroughly rewarding read. It’s definitely worth the time – I’m looking forward to seeing what adventures the enxt book may bring.
November 15, 2015
This is a first novel? Very nice job. I didn't trip over the usual freshman mistakes as I ran through the book. The writer seemed saltier than most beginners. Kudos.
As for the book, Detan Honding is a guy on Some World, a kind of a con man with a small flier. He starts out playing the lovable rascal. The story begins with a bag on his head, and then slows down a bit before it picks up. It seems that he is actually "Lord Honding" and comes from a powerful family in another place. He has a sidekick, Tibal, who he appears not to deserve.
Things fly on Some World using selium, which is a bouyant fluid. Some people are "sel-sensitive," they can sense it, and even guide it through pipes and the like. These people are press-ganged into mining jobs, unless they have a shot at a pilot career. Detan has a secret, he is sel-sensitive. If it were known, he might be press-ganged into mining.
This cultural oddity has a related ethic. If you are sel-sensitive, you can work the mines. If you're not, you can't. So the ones that can't make the ones that can do the mining as if both are being patriotic. If someone were found to be sel-sensitive and to have hidden it for years, they'd be punished.
The world is divided into at least two areas - Valathea and "The Scorched." Valathea is green and pleasant. The Scorched used to be green and nice, but then it got, well, scorched. The Scorched was peopled by the Catari, and then the Valatheans came and treated them like native americans, or maybe more like Tazmanian abo's.
The Scorched is apparently pretty hot even now, because one of the forms of capital punishment is to "Walk the Black," which means to walk a few hours in this desert land trying to avoid dying of hyperthermia, thirst, or loss of blood from scratches.
I like sci-fi more than fantasy, and it took me a while to get into this particular world. It felt kind of steampunk with selium for the steam. There is no discussion that I recall about the planet that they are on - how humans got there, what happened to the space ships, or the technology. The mines appear to have computers, so they aren't totally without tech. So, no spaceships, no missile barrages in space, no faster-than-light phone calls. No problem, just letting you know the layout.
I liked the characters. They didn't fall into the predictable tropes of guy gets the girl, good guys beat up the bad guys, etc. Sure, there was plenty of that. The most interesting was a Catari woman named Pelkaia, who had more secrets than the book gave up. Again, she was part "hero" and part "villain." I enjoy stories where the people have some good and bad parts.
The story happens in or near the town of Aransa, which is apparently a mining outpost that sends selium back to The Evil Empire. The Empire appears to be a group of elitists that expect the miners to slave for them because the Imperials feel, well, entitled. They have researchers called "Whitecoats" who remind me of the dudes in the blue gloves in Firefly. Our man Detan is deathly afraid of the Whitecoats.
This story is about a clash between a vengeful mother, an ambitious ex-commodore of the empire, an honest cop, and our con man. I like the pace, the people, and even liked the climax and the ending.
At the end, I must say that I found myself asking what had really changed, and what might happen next. Presumably, there will be more books, and we can visit SomeWorld again. The subtitle is "A Scorched Continent Novel" so I'm thinking we get to visit again. I'll be there.
DISCLOSURE: I received a free ebook - advance reader copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
As for the book, Detan Honding is a guy on Some World, a kind of a con man with a small flier. He starts out playing the lovable rascal. The story begins with a bag on his head, and then slows down a bit before it picks up. It seems that he is actually "Lord Honding" and comes from a powerful family in another place. He has a sidekick, Tibal, who he appears not to deserve.
Things fly on Some World using selium, which is a bouyant fluid. Some people are "sel-sensitive," they can sense it, and even guide it through pipes and the like. These people are press-ganged into mining jobs, unless they have a shot at a pilot career. Detan has a secret, he is sel-sensitive. If it were known, he might be press-ganged into mining.
This cultural oddity has a related ethic. If you are sel-sensitive, you can work the mines. If you're not, you can't. So the ones that can't make the ones that can do the mining as if both are being patriotic. If someone were found to be sel-sensitive and to have hidden it for years, they'd be punished.
The world is divided into at least two areas - Valathea and "The Scorched." Valathea is green and pleasant. The Scorched used to be green and nice, but then it got, well, scorched. The Scorched was peopled by the Catari, and then the Valatheans came and treated them like native americans, or maybe more like Tazmanian abo's.
The Scorched is apparently pretty hot even now, because one of the forms of capital punishment is to "Walk the Black," which means to walk a few hours in this desert land trying to avoid dying of hyperthermia, thirst, or loss of blood from scratches.
I like sci-fi more than fantasy, and it took me a while to get into this particular world. It felt kind of steampunk with selium for the steam. There is no discussion that I recall about the planet that they are on - how humans got there, what happened to the space ships, or the technology. The mines appear to have computers, so they aren't totally without tech. So, no spaceships, no missile barrages in space, no faster-than-light phone calls. No problem, just letting you know the layout.
I liked the characters. They didn't fall into the predictable tropes of guy gets the girl, good guys beat up the bad guys, etc. Sure, there was plenty of that. The most interesting was a Catari woman named Pelkaia, who had more secrets than the book gave up. Again, she was part "hero" and part "villain." I enjoy stories where the people have some good and bad parts.
The story happens in or near the town of Aransa, which is apparently a mining outpost that sends selium back to The Evil Empire. The Empire appears to be a group of elitists that expect the miners to slave for them because the Imperials feel, well, entitled. They have researchers called "Whitecoats" who remind me of the dudes in the blue gloves in Firefly. Our man Detan is deathly afraid of the Whitecoats.
This story is about a clash between a vengeful mother, an ambitious ex-commodore of the empire, an honest cop, and our con man. I like the pace, the people, and even liked the climax and the ending.
At the end, I must say that I found myself asking what had really changed, and what might happen next. Presumably, there will be more books, and we can visit SomeWorld again. The subtitle is "A Scorched Continent Novel" so I'm thinking we get to visit again. I'll be there.
DISCLOSURE: I received a free ebook - advance reader copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2015
Detan Honding, a loveable scoundrel and noble-born conman, has landed his ragbag airship in oasis city of Aransa and is up to no good. But you can’t help but love him. Dentan and his right hand man Tibs are after a bit of airborne class in the shape of the Larkspur, the airship of the exiled commodore Thratia. But the heist is complicated when a face changer, known as a doppel, begins working her way through the key members of Aransa’s government. The spate of murders results in mass paranoia that severely hampers Detan and Tibs patient setup for the theft. It also does not help that Dentan has a dangerous secret which can make his life as hot as the terrible ordeal of walking the black (an alternative sentence to beheading by axe).
'It was a pretty nice burlap sack. Not the best he’d had the pleasure of inhabiting, not by a long shot, but it wasn’t bad either.' There is a great deal of discussion about how important a first sentence in a novel is, and Megan O'Keefe's has really nailed not only Dentan’s character, but the atmosphere of the whole novel in one deft go. That Dentan’s world has been likened to the short-lived, but well-loved FireFly TV series does not surprise me. Dentan certainly has qualities that remind me (in a good way) of Malcolm Reynolds the captain of the beat-up Firefly, which can only mean the reader is in for a great time as the two friends escape from one scrape after another by the seat of their pants.
There is a great deal of luscious description of Aransa which really gives some quality immersion in Dentan's world without slowing down the plot. The dialogue is also excellent and really helps to flesh out the characters and get you emotionally involved with them. The politics of the world is complex and well-wrought. This is an ensemble novel, although the key perspectives are through Dentan, Ripka (Watch Captain Leshe to you, you reprobate!) and the doppel, Pelkaia. This leaves you with a sense of either wondering what’s going to happen next, or shouting ‘oh no, watch out.’ I can’t wait to see what Dentan, Tibs and their gradually accumulated band of accomplices get up to next.
'It was a pretty nice burlap sack. Not the best he’d had the pleasure of inhabiting, not by a long shot, but it wasn’t bad either.' There is a great deal of discussion about how important a first sentence in a novel is, and Megan O'Keefe's has really nailed not only Dentan’s character, but the atmosphere of the whole novel in one deft go. That Dentan’s world has been likened to the short-lived, but well-loved FireFly TV series does not surprise me. Dentan certainly has qualities that remind me (in a good way) of Malcolm Reynolds the captain of the beat-up Firefly, which can only mean the reader is in for a great time as the two friends escape from one scrape after another by the seat of their pants.
There is a great deal of luscious description of Aransa which really gives some quality immersion in Dentan's world without slowing down the plot. The dialogue is also excellent and really helps to flesh out the characters and get you emotionally involved with them. The politics of the world is complex and well-wrought. This is an ensemble novel, although the key perspectives are through Dentan, Ripka (Watch Captain Leshe to you, you reprobate!) and the doppel, Pelkaia. This leaves you with a sense of either wondering what’s going to happen next, or shouting ‘oh no, watch out.’ I can’t wait to see what Dentan, Tibs and their gradually accumulated band of accomplices get up to next.
December 11, 2015
Got ARC from Net Galley.
When I spotted this book I just had to request it. The blurb from an author I've been meaning to read called it Firefly steampunk which sold me. Also the title makes me think of the theme song. Come on admit it I'm not the only one that sings the song. I make sure no one is around because I can't sing but gorram it that song is catchy.
I also love the cover. This book really does have a Firefly vibe to it. I'm shocked that this is Megan's first book. At this point I'd be tracking down other books by her but there aren't any. This series is off to a great start so I know I'll be welcoming a physical copy of this book to my home to join my other books. I haven't read a lot of steampunk so I'm always eager to find more. Gail Carriger is a great author you should check out if you want a steampunk fix.
Anyhoo I ended up having a dream with Joss Whedon. He was sitting across me at a table and he was wearing a hat like Detan on the cover. I assume that's him. We were creating an anime that I think was a hybrid of Scorched Continent and Firefly. I would swear I spotted Nathan Fillion a little further down the table but since I was fangirling over Joss I can't say that it was him but I'm pretty sure it was. So if you're a Firefly fan you should totally check this book out. It is a fun book that has fun characters and an awesome world. Detan and Tibbs kind of remind me a bit of Mal and Zoe since they have that kind of friendship. They get into trouble and this world has this crazy stuff going on with doppels which are pretty much like shapeshifters who are able to use this stuff called selium to change their appearance. I can't wait to read more by this author. After just one book I'm hooked on this author.
http://www.ficgal.com/book-club/steal...
When I spotted this book I just had to request it. The blurb from an author I've been meaning to read called it Firefly steampunk which sold me. Also the title makes me think of the theme song. Come on admit it I'm not the only one that sings the song. I make sure no one is around because I can't sing but gorram it that song is catchy.
I also love the cover. This book really does have a Firefly vibe to it. I'm shocked that this is Megan's first book. At this point I'd be tracking down other books by her but there aren't any. This series is off to a great start so I know I'll be welcoming a physical copy of this book to my home to join my other books. I haven't read a lot of steampunk so I'm always eager to find more. Gail Carriger is a great author you should check out if you want a steampunk fix.
Anyhoo I ended up having a dream with Joss Whedon. He was sitting across me at a table and he was wearing a hat like Detan on the cover. I assume that's him. We were creating an anime that I think was a hybrid of Scorched Continent and Firefly. I would swear I spotted Nathan Fillion a little further down the table but since I was fangirling over Joss I can't say that it was him but I'm pretty sure it was. So if you're a Firefly fan you should totally check this book out. It is a fun book that has fun characters and an awesome world. Detan and Tibbs kind of remind me a bit of Mal and Zoe since they have that kind of friendship. They get into trouble and this world has this crazy stuff going on with doppels which are pretty much like shapeshifters who are able to use this stuff called selium to change their appearance. I can't wait to read more by this author. After just one book I'm hooked on this author.
http://www.ficgal.com/book-club/steal...
February 11, 2016
Too many books are formulaic, in my opinion. Some are still good, some are not, all depending on the skill of the writer. What I liked about Steal the Sky was that not only was it well-written, but it was fresh and new. The story immediately caught my attention with an interesting and engaging cast of characters, and the world-building was intricate and enjoyable. I might have had a faint quibble on meteorology, but overall, her universe rang true. More than ringing true, which is just one vital aspect, it was interesting. The most complete world-building is worthless of that world is boring. O'Keefe's Aransa is certainly not boring!
The bottom line is that the book was a good, fun read and not a re-hash of the same-old, same-old. I enthusiastically recommend this book.
The bottom line is that the book was a good, fun read and not a re-hash of the same-old, same-old. I enthusiastically recommend this book.
Read
February 4, 2016I'm a total sucker for scoundrels with more depth than is at first apparent, and strong bonds of friendship between very different people, and dangerous psychic-power style magic, so it's like this book was made just for me. I LOVED it, especially the last third or so, after . After finishing the story, I immediately went back and re-read all my favorite bits--there's no greater praise I can give a book than that. Is it perfect? No; but did I enjoy the hell out of it? YES. I'll be counting down the days until the next book comes out.
November 9, 2018
https://delivreenlivres.blogspot.com/...
Ce livre n'était pas ce que j'en attendais, mais finalement tant mieux car j'ai vraiment bien aimé le chemin qu'il prenait !
Ville-oasis autonome aux abords d'un volcan dans un vaste désert, Aransa est construite autour d'une mine très importante de Selium, un matériau gazeux plus léger que l'air qui sert à faire voler les aérostats de l'empire et à faire fonctionner de nombreuses machines. La ville est prisonnière du désert, car elle est entourée d'une zone d’obsidienne qui devient tellement chaude pendant la journée qu'une personne debout dessus ne met pas plus d'une demi heure que son corps soit réduit en cendre.
Dans ce monde il existe des personnes capable de manipuler le Selium (appelé aussi sel), on les appelle les Sensibles. Et il ne fait pas bon être Sensible dans l'empire car on devient esclave et on est obligé de passer sa vie à manipuler le gaz sans autre espoir de carrière. Bien entendu l'empire n'a que faire de ceux qui sont dangereux ou trop puissants, ils finissent comme sujets d’expérience ou tout simplement exécutes (discrètement bien, sur car pour la population les Sensibles sont bien traités, du moment qu'ils font ce qu'on leur dit). Les Sensible sont accro au sel, ils ne supportent pas d'en être éloigné. Et c'est cette menace la qui les force à continuer à servir l'empire, seul fournisseur de Sel.
Ceci dit à Aransa les Sensible sont bien traités, ils ont droit à une maison, une retraite, finalement ils sont enviés du reste de la population, surtout des plus pauvres. La situation est donc assez tendue.
Au niveau technique on est sur un monde qui fait bien penser au 19ième siècle chez nous. On a de nombreuses machines, des armes à feu et un gros développement dans les transports mécaniques.
Detan est un hors la loi, membre d'une des familles fondatrice qui ont débarqué sur le continent brulé il y a quelques siècles et établi la puissance de l'empire, et il est Sensible. Suite à un accident survenu à la mine ou il a travaillé des années, il a perdu ses pouvoirs. Du moins c'est ce que croit l'empire et Aransa aussi. Il est même considéré comme mort la bas car il n'est jamais revenu après avoir été embarqué pour être testé à la suite de l'accident.
Depuis ce temps la il se cache et il a toujours évité la zone, parce qu'en fait ses pouvoirs n'ont pas disparu, ils se sont au contraire drôlement amplifiés au point qu'il est dangereux pour lui d'être à proximité de sel et la ville en est remplie.
Mais à la suite d'un coup qui a mal tourné, il est obligé de se poser sur place pour trouver l'argent nécessaire à la réparation de son aérostat.
Il a mal choisi sa venue car c'est à se moment la que la sécurité en ville explose suite à l'assassinat du gouverneur de la ville par un Doppel. C'est ainsi qu'on appelle les Sensibles capable de maitriser si finement le sel qu'il peuvent utiliser une très fine couche pour modifier leur apparence (comme un masque en latex par exemple). Bien sur les Doppel sont une menace activement recherchée par l'empire. Ils sont aussi mal vu par la population qui en a très peur car ils peuvent prendre l'apparence de n'importe qui (souvent en assassinant la personne en question pour la remplacer) et se cacher parmi eux.
Mais en même temps la course au poste vacant de gouverneur a été lancé. Il n'y a que deux candidats en lice : le maitre de la mine, très apprécié par tous, et Thratia, une ancienne commodore de l'empire qui a posé ses valises en ville et qui monte en puissance politiquement depuis.
Sa présence en ville est renforcée par le fait qu'elle possède une société de transport en aérostat qui fait donc que la moitié des commerçant de la ville passent par elle pour faire sortir leurs marchandises de la ville car elle est réputée être la plus sure et la plus rapide grâce à ses vaisseaux neufs venant directement de l'empire.
Seulement Thratia n'a pas été exclu de son post et exilée à Aransa pour rien. Elle a une réputation d’extrême violence malgré le fait qu'elle présente bien et est capable de donner l'impression qu'elle est très compétente. Une future dictatrice en herbe en gros.
Et c'est de ça qu'a peur Ripka, le second personnage que nous suivons dans cette histoire. Celle ci est une enfant de la ville, des quartiers pauvres, et a réussi à se hisser au poste très respecté de chef de section dans la police de la ville.
Alors quand elle tombe sur Detan et voit ce qu'il est devenu (elle le connaissait de l'époque ou il était à la mine), elle lui propose un marché. Elle lui demander d'aller dérober le tout nouveau vaisseau de Thratia. En échange elle lui donnera de quoi réparer son vaisseau et la protection dont il a besoin pour pouvoir sortir de la ville sans se faire prendre.
En fait elle espère que le fait de montrer que Thratia est aussi vulnérable aux ennuis que tous les autres transporteurs réduira sa mainmise sur la ville et permettra au maitre de la mine de gagner la course au poste de gouverneur.
C'est donc dans cette situation tendue et complexe que commence l'histoire de ce livre.
Tout d'abord pour la classification du livre j'ai mis steampunk mais en fait on n'est pas vraiment dans du steampunk, mais plus dans de l'Arcanepunk parce que le gaz qui fait tourner les machines est le Sel, pas la vapeur.
En fait quand j'ai commencé le livre je pensais me trouver devant un livre d'aventure avec un gros coup de Detan pour voler le vaisseau et les conséquences ensuite pour lui et son associé.
Mais en fait ce n'est pas du tout le cas. Tout ce concentre sur la bataille pour le poste de gouverneur et l'enquête pour trouver le Doppel qui l'a assassiné. Finalement le vol prévu n'est qu'une broutille en comparaison. On est bien plus sur une intrigue politique et d'influence que sur de l'aventure.
J'ai vraiment bien apprécié ma lecture. Comme vous pouvez le constater vu le temps que j'ai mis pour vous l'expliquer, la situation de départ est complexe et met du temps à se mettre en place.
Le personnage de Detan est finalement très classique dans ce genre de livres avec son coté baroudeur, petit criminel qui foire souvent ses coups et joue sur la chance. Mais en même temps j'ai bien aimé le fait qu'il joue aussi bien sur son coté noble pour se sortir de situations difficile ou infiltrer des lieux sécurisés tout en gardant un coté voyou le reste du temps. En fait c'est surtout la différence de langage entre les deux situations qui est marrante, il peut passer d'une phrase super élaborée et flamboyante à un langage limite ordurier en quelques lignes.
J'ai bien aussi apprécié le fait qu'il ne soit pas parfait. Et le fait que son caractère est aussi un peu dicté par son addiction. Ça lui fait perdre patience de temps en temps et accapare ses pensées aux pires moments, quand le stress est à son paroxysme par exemple. Il a vraiment peur de lâcher prise. Du coup à certains moments ça lui fait prendre des risques et ne pas forcement suivre le plan qu'il avait prévu. En gros il a une espèce d'instabilité en lui qu'il a vraiment du mal à contrôler.
On suis aussi d'autres personnages comme le très mystérieux Doppel qui a déclenché toute la situation dans sa quête de vengeance ou l'acolyte de Detan qui est très touchant et que j'ai bien apprécié.
Bref, j'ai été un peu surprise au début mais j'ai vraiment bien apprécié cette intrigue (classique mais bonne) et cet univers (original). Je lirais la suite avec plaisir.
16.5/20
Ce livre n'était pas ce que j'en attendais, mais finalement tant mieux car j'ai vraiment bien aimé le chemin qu'il prenait !
Ville-oasis autonome aux abords d'un volcan dans un vaste désert, Aransa est construite autour d'une mine très importante de Selium, un matériau gazeux plus léger que l'air qui sert à faire voler les aérostats de l'empire et à faire fonctionner de nombreuses machines. La ville est prisonnière du désert, car elle est entourée d'une zone d’obsidienne qui devient tellement chaude pendant la journée qu'une personne debout dessus ne met pas plus d'une demi heure que son corps soit réduit en cendre.
Dans ce monde il existe des personnes capable de manipuler le Selium (appelé aussi sel), on les appelle les Sensibles. Et il ne fait pas bon être Sensible dans l'empire car on devient esclave et on est obligé de passer sa vie à manipuler le gaz sans autre espoir de carrière. Bien entendu l'empire n'a que faire de ceux qui sont dangereux ou trop puissants, ils finissent comme sujets d’expérience ou tout simplement exécutes (discrètement bien, sur car pour la population les Sensibles sont bien traités, du moment qu'ils font ce qu'on leur dit). Les Sensible sont accro au sel, ils ne supportent pas d'en être éloigné. Et c'est cette menace la qui les force à continuer à servir l'empire, seul fournisseur de Sel.
Ceci dit à Aransa les Sensible sont bien traités, ils ont droit à une maison, une retraite, finalement ils sont enviés du reste de la population, surtout des plus pauvres. La situation est donc assez tendue.
Au niveau technique on est sur un monde qui fait bien penser au 19ième siècle chez nous. On a de nombreuses machines, des armes à feu et un gros développement dans les transports mécaniques.
Detan est un hors la loi, membre d'une des familles fondatrice qui ont débarqué sur le continent brulé il y a quelques siècles et établi la puissance de l'empire, et il est Sensible. Suite à un accident survenu à la mine ou il a travaillé des années, il a perdu ses pouvoirs. Du moins c'est ce que croit l'empire et Aransa aussi. Il est même considéré comme mort la bas car il n'est jamais revenu après avoir été embarqué pour être testé à la suite de l'accident.
Depuis ce temps la il se cache et il a toujours évité la zone, parce qu'en fait ses pouvoirs n'ont pas disparu, ils se sont au contraire drôlement amplifiés au point qu'il est dangereux pour lui d'être à proximité de sel et la ville en est remplie.
Mais à la suite d'un coup qui a mal tourné, il est obligé de se poser sur place pour trouver l'argent nécessaire à la réparation de son aérostat.
Il a mal choisi sa venue car c'est à se moment la que la sécurité en ville explose suite à l'assassinat du gouverneur de la ville par un Doppel. C'est ainsi qu'on appelle les Sensibles capable de maitriser si finement le sel qu'il peuvent utiliser une très fine couche pour modifier leur apparence (comme un masque en latex par exemple). Bien sur les Doppel sont une menace activement recherchée par l'empire. Ils sont aussi mal vu par la population qui en a très peur car ils peuvent prendre l'apparence de n'importe qui (souvent en assassinant la personne en question pour la remplacer) et se cacher parmi eux.
Mais en même temps la course au poste vacant de gouverneur a été lancé. Il n'y a que deux candidats en lice : le maitre de la mine, très apprécié par tous, et Thratia, une ancienne commodore de l'empire qui a posé ses valises en ville et qui monte en puissance politiquement depuis.
Sa présence en ville est renforcée par le fait qu'elle possède une société de transport en aérostat qui fait donc que la moitié des commerçant de la ville passent par elle pour faire sortir leurs marchandises de la ville car elle est réputée être la plus sure et la plus rapide grâce à ses vaisseaux neufs venant directement de l'empire.
Seulement Thratia n'a pas été exclu de son post et exilée à Aransa pour rien. Elle a une réputation d’extrême violence malgré le fait qu'elle présente bien et est capable de donner l'impression qu'elle est très compétente. Une future dictatrice en herbe en gros.
Et c'est de ça qu'a peur Ripka, le second personnage que nous suivons dans cette histoire. Celle ci est une enfant de la ville, des quartiers pauvres, et a réussi à se hisser au poste très respecté de chef de section dans la police de la ville.
Alors quand elle tombe sur Detan et voit ce qu'il est devenu (elle le connaissait de l'époque ou il était à la mine), elle lui propose un marché. Elle lui demander d'aller dérober le tout nouveau vaisseau de Thratia. En échange elle lui donnera de quoi réparer son vaisseau et la protection dont il a besoin pour pouvoir sortir de la ville sans se faire prendre.
En fait elle espère que le fait de montrer que Thratia est aussi vulnérable aux ennuis que tous les autres transporteurs réduira sa mainmise sur la ville et permettra au maitre de la mine de gagner la course au poste de gouverneur.
C'est donc dans cette situation tendue et complexe que commence l'histoire de ce livre.
Tout d'abord pour la classification du livre j'ai mis steampunk mais en fait on n'est pas vraiment dans du steampunk, mais plus dans de l'Arcanepunk parce que le gaz qui fait tourner les machines est le Sel, pas la vapeur.
En fait quand j'ai commencé le livre je pensais me trouver devant un livre d'aventure avec un gros coup de Detan pour voler le vaisseau et les conséquences ensuite pour lui et son associé.
Mais en fait ce n'est pas du tout le cas. Tout ce concentre sur la bataille pour le poste de gouverneur et l'enquête pour trouver le Doppel qui l'a assassiné. Finalement le vol prévu n'est qu'une broutille en comparaison. On est bien plus sur une intrigue politique et d'influence que sur de l'aventure.
J'ai vraiment bien apprécié ma lecture. Comme vous pouvez le constater vu le temps que j'ai mis pour vous l'expliquer, la situation de départ est complexe et met du temps à se mettre en place.
Le personnage de Detan est finalement très classique dans ce genre de livres avec son coté baroudeur, petit criminel qui foire souvent ses coups et joue sur la chance. Mais en même temps j'ai bien aimé le fait qu'il joue aussi bien sur son coté noble pour se sortir de situations difficile ou infiltrer des lieux sécurisés tout en gardant un coté voyou le reste du temps. En fait c'est surtout la différence de langage entre les deux situations qui est marrante, il peut passer d'une phrase super élaborée et flamboyante à un langage limite ordurier en quelques lignes.
J'ai bien aussi apprécié le fait qu'il ne soit pas parfait. Et le fait que son caractère est aussi un peu dicté par son addiction. Ça lui fait perdre patience de temps en temps et accapare ses pensées aux pires moments, quand le stress est à son paroxysme par exemple. Il a vraiment peur de lâcher prise. Du coup à certains moments ça lui fait prendre des risques et ne pas forcement suivre le plan qu'il avait prévu. En gros il a une espèce d'instabilité en lui qu'il a vraiment du mal à contrôler.
On suis aussi d'autres personnages comme le très mystérieux Doppel qui a déclenché toute la situation dans sa quête de vengeance ou l'acolyte de Detan qui est très touchant et que j'ai bien apprécié.
Bref, j'ai été un peu surprise au début mais j'ai vraiment bien apprécié cette intrigue (classique mais bonne) et cet univers (original). Je lirais la suite avec plaisir.
16.5/20
October 2, 2022
In a fit of whimsy, I hereby announce I will give everyone five stars, but the reviews may not reflect it.
I listened to the audio of this but found myself drifting off a lot as I listened. This is very likely a "me thing", as I did enjoy the bits I focused on. I find with audiobooks that a lot of worldbuilding tends to set my mind thinking about other things (usually work). Maybe someday I'll give the print a try, it definitely was entertaining in when I was switched on.
I listened to the audio of this but found myself drifting off a lot as I listened. This is very likely a "me thing", as I did enjoy the bits I focused on. I find with audiobooks that a lot of worldbuilding tends to set my mind thinking about other things (usually work). Maybe someday I'll give the print a try, it definitely was entertaining in when I was switched on.
January 8, 2019
I'm going to do my very best not to compare Steal the Sky to the BIG fantasy heist novel everyone in the fantasy community knows, loves, and wants book 4 published. But truth be told, the original reason I picked up Steal the Sky was because I was yearning for something similar to Lies of Locke Lamora but felt guilty rereading Lies when so many unread books exist. Steal the Sky seemed perfect! A fun duo of rogues, one of noble birth, working together with the watch captain in order to steal a prized Air Ship? Great! Sign me up, let's go adventuring! And as you can see by my 4 star rating, I overall enjoyed this book, but the itch hasn't been fully scratched yet.
Things I loved about Steal the Sky:
• the subplot with the Doppel. One of my favorite things about heists is the subterfuge and disguises donned in order to trick whoever is the current mark. With a character who literally can change their appearance at will, this led to some great moments of trickery.
• Detan having magic. Magic, or sel sense in the book, was utilized expertly. It wasn't a crutch or cure all to their problems, and the limited use of it helped ground the world. Sel is less just a magical ability, but moreso a resource that those who DO have abilities can utilize. I really liked this take on a magic system and how it added to the world building. Detan having the ability to use Sel, but there being a cost or danger to use it was excellent.
• "New Chum." This is a character who gets introduced somewhat early on, doesn't play a huge role, but I found him immensely fun to be around. I like this random dude.
• Watch Captain Ripka. She was a great character. I always am a sucker for super lawful characters just trying their best, and Ripka fits this archetype to a tee. She's highly motivated, bound by duty, believes in good, and is exactly who you'd want leading the city watch.
That being said, I didn't love this book. For well-sized chunks, I felt my attention wandering, and I wasn't following the overall plot conspiracies that well. A lot of the motivations of why people were plotting certain things I either missed or never fully understood. The primary antagonist - a politician named Thratia - had multiple ongoing machinations that apparently had high stakes, but I never fully understood. I believed that Detan was concerned about them, but if you asked me to explain what would happen if she got her way, I wouldn't be able to. Along with that, I struggled to differentiate between Thratia and the head of the White Coats, an organization seemingly hell bent on experimenting on those sel sensitive. In fact, the entire dynamic between the city of Aransa and those who can utilize Sel confuses me. When the plot would go back to character beats or events that affect our main group, I suddenly would care again, but then we'd wander back into nebulous political machination territory and I'd get bored.
All in all, I did really enjoy this book. I don't quite get what fully happened, but I liked the characters and think that there's a lot set up in this book that can be explored in the 2nd. Detan's relationship with his noble blooded family never got explored here, same with his background with Tibs. We touched and hinted at things and I definitely want to know more!
Things I loved about Steal the Sky:
• the subplot with the Doppel. One of my favorite things about heists is the subterfuge and disguises donned in order to trick whoever is the current mark. With a character who literally can change their appearance at will, this led to some great moments of trickery.
• Detan having magic. Magic, or sel sense in the book, was utilized expertly. It wasn't a crutch or cure all to their problems, and the limited use of it helped ground the world. Sel is less just a magical ability, but moreso a resource that those who DO have abilities can utilize. I really liked this take on a magic system and how it added to the world building. Detan having the ability to use Sel, but there being a cost or danger to use it was excellent.
• "New Chum." This is a character who gets introduced somewhat early on, doesn't play a huge role, but I found him immensely fun to be around. I like this random dude.
• Watch Captain Ripka. She was a great character. I always am a sucker for super lawful characters just trying their best, and Ripka fits this archetype to a tee. She's highly motivated, bound by duty, believes in good, and is exactly who you'd want leading the city watch.
That being said, I didn't love this book. For well-sized chunks, I felt my attention wandering, and I wasn't following the overall plot conspiracies that well. A lot of the motivations of why people were plotting certain things I either missed or never fully understood. The primary antagonist - a politician named Thratia - had multiple ongoing machinations that apparently had high stakes, but I never fully understood. I believed that Detan was concerned about them, but if you asked me to explain what would happen if she got her way, I wouldn't be able to. Along with that, I struggled to differentiate between Thratia and the head of the White Coats, an organization seemingly hell bent on experimenting on those sel sensitive. In fact, the entire dynamic between the city of Aransa and those who can utilize Sel confuses me. When the plot would go back to character beats or events that affect our main group, I suddenly would care again, but then we'd wander back into nebulous political machination territory and I'd get bored.
All in all, I did really enjoy this book. I don't quite get what fully happened, but I liked the characters and think that there's a lot set up in this book that can be explored in the 2nd. Detan's relationship with his noble blooded family never got explored here, same with his background with Tibs. We touched and hinted at things and I definitely want to know more!
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