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Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences #anthology
The Books & Braun Dossier
From the award-winning podcast anthology series Tales from the Archives comes these fantastic adventures of spy craft, science, and the supernatural.
When Agents Eliza D. Braun and Wellington Thornhill Books, Esquire, were first partnered up in the Archives of The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, it was hard to believe they would ever delight in one another's company, let alone engage in acts of derring-do within and outside the boundaries of Her Majesty's Empire. First published in the Tales from the Archives, and Ministry Protocol these stories are now collected for the first time in one volume. These cases are before and in-between the award-winning steampunk novels written by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris. In The Books & Braun Dossier, you will find out…
Why Eliza D. Braun was cast out of her homeland of New Zealand.
Who is Arthur Books.
How Wellington and Eliza cannot avoid trouble, even on Christmas Eve.
When Wellington is away, how Archimedes entertains himself.
When Agents Eliza D. Braun and Wellington Thornhill Books, Esquire, were first partnered up in the Archives of The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, it was hard to believe they would ever delight in one another's company, let alone engage in acts of derring-do within and outside the boundaries of Her Majesty's Empire. First published in the Tales from the Archives, and Ministry Protocol these stories are now collected for the first time in one volume. These cases are before and in-between the award-winning steampunk novels written by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris. In The Books & Braun Dossier, you will find out…
Why Eliza D. Braun was cast out of her homeland of New Zealand.
Who is Arthur Books.
How Wellington and Eliza cannot avoid trouble, even on Christmas Eve.
When Wellington is away, how Archimedes entertains himself.
224 pages, Paperback
First published June 14, 2018
35 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 23, 2023
Four-star stories; 0-star copyediting featuring: The Case of the Missing Articles; an entire story where virtually every plural is Apostrope S (which is only for the possessive - it's a basic rule of grammar!); tense confusion and much, much more!
Fortunately, the stories themselves were very entertaining. We learn (as noted on the back cover) Why Eliza D. Braun had to leave New Zealand (And it's a story that will resonate with a lot of the series' readers); We will even hear from Books' cat Archimedes as he tells how he became so intelligent (and foils a couple of dastards!).
If you can get past nearly non-extant copyediting, there is much to enjoy here.
Fortunately, the stories themselves were very entertaining. We learn (as noted on the back cover) Why Eliza D. Braun had to leave New Zealand (And it's a story that will resonate with a lot of the series' readers); We will even hear from Books' cat Archimedes as he tells how he became so intelligent (and foils a couple of dastards!).
If you can get past nearly non-extant copyediting, there is much to enjoy here.
September 11, 2019
This was the first Steampunk book I’ve ever read, and it will not be my last, because I loved reading about the cases of The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. The agents of the Ministry travel all over the world trying to unravel peculiar occurrences in strange vehicles and using unusual weapons. A few of the tales left me wanting more, because they didn’t really seem to have an ending, but I so enjoyed what I was reading that it didn’t really matter. One of my favorite cases involved Agent Wellington Book's cat, Archimedes, who had been eating a special food prepared for him, so that he became self-aware. He even read the daily newspaper to know what was going on in the world. When two ruffians break into Wellington’s house, Archimedes knows where all the safeguards are and exactly how to set them off. It was like the movie, Home Alone, except with a big tomcat beating the bad guys. I also liked the case with Ebenezer Scrooge. Eliza Braun and Wellington Books are my kind of heroes. I knew I would like this book when the foreword stated that one of their present-day accomplishments was successfully returning David Bowie to his home world and wishing him Godspeed. I believe I had a smile on my face from the first page to the last. I would definitely recommend this book, as it was a very quick and easy read. I can’t wait to read more by these authors!
September 11, 2018
I am vey disappointed in the book.
Maybe it is my fault, I read the description and did not understand that any single tale in the book had already been told, published, and for some even re-published.
Pleasant tales, the first time you hear/ read them.
The third time, not as pleasant.
I cross checked the titles in my podcast library or in my kindle shelves and found any entry in the index.
Only the foreword were written anew.
At least, the book is cheap; I waste little money as well as little time.
Maybe it is my fault, I read the description and did not understand that any single tale in the book had already been told, published, and for some even re-published.
Pleasant tales, the first time you hear/ read them.
The third time, not as pleasant.
I cross checked the titles in my podcast library or in my kindle shelves and found any entry in the index.
Only the foreword were written anew.
At least, the book is cheap; I waste little money as well as little time.
December 16, 2019
I was not clear that these short stories related to novels until just now. I did enjoy them, in parts, but spent most of the book slightly confused. I am not sure what order the stories were in, but I know it's not chronological.
Also, it apparently needs to be said: copyeditors have value! They're great! Please, please pay them to look at things! The typos were so bad as to be distracting.
Also, it apparently needs to be said: copyeditors have value! They're great! Please, please pay them to look at things! The typos were so bad as to be distracting.
February 1, 2019
When I picked this up I thought it was stand-alone. I didn’t feel like I needed to have read the novels to understand everything, but most of the things here are more abrupt vignettes that are just filling in background color than stories in their own right. I wouldn’t recommend unless you’re already well-invested in the characters.
February 24, 2019
Short stories that I just couldn't connect to. Stopped 30% in.
January 25, 2019
Having listened to the podcast for years, it was wonderful to get the backgrounds filled in. A very enjoyable read.
June 12, 2023
Several -delightful- short stories giving insight and background to the protagonists of the Books and Braun series.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews