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The Viper and the Urchin #1
Bloodless Assassin
An assassin with a fear of blood.
A street girl with a big mouth.
They can’t really be the city’s only hope?
When Rory discovers Longinus’s blood phobia, she makes him a deal. Train her, and she won’t ruin his reputation as a lethal assassin.
What she doesn’t expect is that her new master has more eccentricities than a stray dog has fleas.
And that in aligning herself with him, she now finds herself in the crosshairs of another, far more dangerous assassin.
Now, not only does Rory have to keep herself and Longinus alive, she has to stop a conspiracy that threatens to bring the city to its knees.
An impossible task?
It's even harder with Longinus under the delusion that he’s the hero of the story. That would be funny, if it didn't make Rory want to throttle him.
A street girl with a big mouth.
They can’t really be the city’s only hope?
When Rory discovers Longinus’s blood phobia, she makes him a deal. Train her, and she won’t ruin his reputation as a lethal assassin.
What she doesn’t expect is that her new master has more eccentricities than a stray dog has fleas.
And that in aligning herself with him, she now finds herself in the crosshairs of another, far more dangerous assassin.
Now, not only does Rory have to keep herself and Longinus alive, she has to stop a conspiracy that threatens to bring the city to its knees.
An impossible task?
It's even harder with Longinus under the delusion that he’s the hero of the story. That would be funny, if it didn't make Rory want to throttle him.
360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 26, 2015
493 people are currently reading
1879 people want to read
About the author
Celine Jeanjean
32 books239 followersCeline Jeanjean is French, grew up in the UK and now she travels the world as a nomadic writer. That makes her a tad confused about where she is from. During her travels she's watched the sun rise over Angkor Wat, lost her shoes in Vietnam, and fallen off a bamboo raft in China.
Celine writes stories that feature quirky characters and misfits, set in wondrous worlds.
Celine writes stories that feature quirky characters and misfits, set in wondrous worlds.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
July 12, 2015
If you can sit on a roof somewhere, I think that would be a great place to delve into "The Viper and the Urchin", an adventure by budding author Celine Jeanjean, set in the gritty, steampunk-type world of Damsport.
Two disparate personalities, together in an uneasy alliance, each with secrets, each both stronger and weaker than they seem, a hemophobic assassin and a small but streetwise urchin girl with a desire to be a hero swordswoman. Having no resources with which to achieve her dream, Rory's discovery of the Viper's weakness allowed her the leverage she needed to force him to become her teacher. Together they embarked on an unexpected adventure where they both had to face their fears and their desires, their heros and their enemies, with surprising results.
In the prologue and the first chapter, I learned enough about the two titular characters to keep me reading for the better part of an evening just to find out how they'd get together. In other words, I couldn't stop reading! Luckily for me, I was on a relaxing vacation weekend where that sort of thing is completely acceptable!
The two main characters were completely engaging, and I really enjoyed unfolding their backgrounds and discovering their secrets, especially Longinus, the Viper. I loved all the characters, but one of my favorite "non-central" characters (who I really hope to read more and more about in subsequent books!) was Rafe, one of the official guards who took a special interest in Rory.
The assassin-spy action in the story is fast-paced and exciting, but at the same time, Celine has managed to weave in the personal stories of her characters' journeys of self-discovery, facing their fears and their temptations, and finding out how to be real-life heroes despite their flaws.
The end of the story just left me wanting to know what happens next! I would say this is a great story for those who love adventure stories and unlikely pairs and who don't mind waiting for the next book! I think Celine's first novel is a stunning beginning to a very enjoyable series!
Two disparate personalities, together in an uneasy alliance, each with secrets, each both stronger and weaker than they seem, a hemophobic assassin and a small but streetwise urchin girl with a desire to be a hero swordswoman. Having no resources with which to achieve her dream, Rory's discovery of the Viper's weakness allowed her the leverage she needed to force him to become her teacher. Together they embarked on an unexpected adventure where they both had to face their fears and their desires, their heros and their enemies, with surprising results.
In the prologue and the first chapter, I learned enough about the two titular characters to keep me reading for the better part of an evening just to find out how they'd get together. In other words, I couldn't stop reading! Luckily for me, I was on a relaxing vacation weekend where that sort of thing is completely acceptable!
The two main characters were completely engaging, and I really enjoyed unfolding their backgrounds and discovering their secrets, especially Longinus, the Viper. I loved all the characters, but one of my favorite "non-central" characters (who I really hope to read more and more about in subsequent books!) was Rafe, one of the official guards who took a special interest in Rory.
The assassin-spy action in the story is fast-paced and exciting, but at the same time, Celine has managed to weave in the personal stories of her characters' journeys of self-discovery, facing their fears and their temptations, and finding out how to be real-life heroes despite their flaws.
The end of the story just left me wanting to know what happens next! I would say this is a great story for those who love adventure stories and unlikely pairs and who don't mind waiting for the next book! I think Celine's first novel is a stunning beginning to a very enjoyable series!
July 20, 2015
Let me just say that I pretty much fell in love with Longinus from the synopsis alone. An assassin who’s afraid of blood? I knew from that moment that this was a book I needed to read.
Well, Longinus, and the book, did not disappoint. In fact, I’d say they both exceeded my expectations. Right from the opening pages, I was sitting there grinning like a fool as Longinus performs one of his famed assassinations–with all its unexpected flair. He is a man with a muse, and when the muse speaks, one must always listen, even while offing hapless victims, it seems.
He is also a man of refinement, and of unabashed self-importance who’s not afraid to show open contempt for those whom he deems beneath him, which, incidentally, is almost everyone. That kind of snobbery is incredibly entertaining, and so the bulk of my reading experience was me lounging around, giggling and grinning and thoroughly enjoying pretty much every minute of this novel.
Yet Longinus isn’t the only protagonist of the story—he shares that honor with Rory, a scrappy young urchin gal who’s got about as much refinement as a mud-clad goat. Story magic happens when these two characters are thrown together to create a dynamic that’s both entertaining as well as touching. Because beneath Longinus’ bluster and Rory’s sarcastic sass are two characters with great big hearts, who are just trying to survive in a rather cruel world as best they can.
I feel like a subtitle for this book should be “Rise of the Underdogs” or something like that, because that’s pretty much what this story is. It’s a story of two downtrodden characters and their struggle in life—both against their own personal demons as well as against all the crap the world throws at them. And in a city like Damsport, there’s definitely a lot of crap being flung around (figuratively, of course, though I’d not be surprised if it also happened literally—Damsport just seems like that kind of place).
Now, I’m not always a fan of city settings, and perhaps less so of tropical ones, so that was probably my biggest reservation when I started reading this book. But it works. And I think it works partially from the imaginative steampunk elements (Crazy Willy was just brilliant), as well as the evocative descriptions that anchor you in the story. Whether it was running along the rooftops with Rory, or struggling to navigate through a crowded market—I felt like I was there, and it was a city I’d never seen before, and that’s pretty magical.
All in all, a very enjoyable book. It’s funny, it’s endearing, and it’s well worth a read.
**I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
Well, Longinus, and the book, did not disappoint. In fact, I’d say they both exceeded my expectations. Right from the opening pages, I was sitting there grinning like a fool as Longinus performs one of his famed assassinations–with all its unexpected flair. He is a man with a muse, and when the muse speaks, one must always listen, even while offing hapless victims, it seems.
He is also a man of refinement, and of unabashed self-importance who’s not afraid to show open contempt for those whom he deems beneath him, which, incidentally, is almost everyone. That kind of snobbery is incredibly entertaining, and so the bulk of my reading experience was me lounging around, giggling and grinning and thoroughly enjoying pretty much every minute of this novel.
Yet Longinus isn’t the only protagonist of the story—he shares that honor with Rory, a scrappy young urchin gal who’s got about as much refinement as a mud-clad goat. Story magic happens when these two characters are thrown together to create a dynamic that’s both entertaining as well as touching. Because beneath Longinus’ bluster and Rory’s sarcastic sass are two characters with great big hearts, who are just trying to survive in a rather cruel world as best they can.
I feel like a subtitle for this book should be “Rise of the Underdogs” or something like that, because that’s pretty much what this story is. It’s a story of two downtrodden characters and their struggle in life—both against their own personal demons as well as against all the crap the world throws at them. And in a city like Damsport, there’s definitely a lot of crap being flung around (figuratively, of course, though I’d not be surprised if it also happened literally—Damsport just seems like that kind of place).
Now, I’m not always a fan of city settings, and perhaps less so of tropical ones, so that was probably my biggest reservation when I started reading this book. But it works. And I think it works partially from the imaginative steampunk elements (Crazy Willy was just brilliant), as well as the evocative descriptions that anchor you in the story. Whether it was running along the rooftops with Rory, or struggling to navigate through a crowded market—I felt like I was there, and it was a city I’d never seen before, and that’s pretty magical.
All in all, a very enjoyable book. It’s funny, it’s endearing, and it’s well worth a read.
**I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
January 21, 2019
Initial review:
I AM FLAILING, THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD!
[coherent review to come]
Proper review:
Originally posted on A Keyboard and an Open Mind
Oh my goodness, this book was so much fun! To the point that I was making stupid noises during the last 10% or so. There are entertaining characters, an interesting setting and intriguing political machinations happening all around.
Rory is somewhere around the age of eighteen, and making ends meet picking pockets and the like with her partner in crime, Jake. She’s saving up to travel with a master swordsman and achieve her dream being just like the Scarred Woman, a swordswoman whose work she witnessed ten years prior. This all goes wrong thanks to a betrayal from Jake, and Rory is on her own.
The Viper, aka Longinus, is a master assassin with the invention of numerous deadly poisons to his name, but he has a secret: he has a debilitating fear of blood. When Rory witnesses an assassination gone wrong and learns of his secret, she blackmails him into teaching her to swordfight. But as they begin training, the victims of a copycat assassin start appearing, and Longinus and Rory are both in mortal danger.
Rory is a great character; she’s streetwise, but not ridiculously capable, like some street urchin characters tend to be. She also talks like street urchin, instead of sounding exactly like every other character in the book. Someone needs to give Longinus a hug, except be careful how you do it, because there will be hell to pay if you ruin his clothes. He’s a bit ridiculous, but it made him more endearing.
The world of Damsport is rich in both geography and history, and yet it didn’t overpower the story. The reason I have never been able to read a lot of Steampunk is because it tends to get very caught up in “look at all these cool gadgets and this world I’m creating!” and the story and characters suffer from it. The Viper and the Urchin did not suffer from this problem.
The ending resolves enough to feel satisfying, but there is definitely set-up for subsequent books. I for one can’t wait to see Longinus spend more time around Lady Martha; it’s going to be hilarious. My problem now is that the book was only released a month ago, so I’m going to have to wait (not so) patiently for the next one.
I AM FLAILING, THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD!
[coherent review to come]
Proper review:
Originally posted on A Keyboard and an Open Mind
Oh my goodness, this book was so much fun! To the point that I was making stupid noises during the last 10% or so. There are entertaining characters, an interesting setting and intriguing political machinations happening all around.
Rory is somewhere around the age of eighteen, and making ends meet picking pockets and the like with her partner in crime, Jake. She’s saving up to travel with a master swordsman and achieve her dream being just like the Scarred Woman, a swordswoman whose work she witnessed ten years prior. This all goes wrong thanks to a betrayal from Jake, and Rory is on her own.
The Viper, aka Longinus, is a master assassin with the invention of numerous deadly poisons to his name, but he has a secret: he has a debilitating fear of blood. When Rory witnesses an assassination gone wrong and learns of his secret, she blackmails him into teaching her to swordfight. But as they begin training, the victims of a copycat assassin start appearing, and Longinus and Rory are both in mortal danger.
Rory is a great character; she’s streetwise, but not ridiculously capable, like some street urchin characters tend to be. She also talks like street urchin, instead of sounding exactly like every other character in the book. Someone needs to give Longinus a hug, except be careful how you do it, because there will be hell to pay if you ruin his clothes. He’s a bit ridiculous, but it made him more endearing.
The world of Damsport is rich in both geography and history, and yet it didn’t overpower the story. The reason I have never been able to read a lot of Steampunk is because it tends to get very caught up in “look at all these cool gadgets and this world I’m creating!” and the story and characters suffer from it. The Viper and the Urchin did not suffer from this problem.
The ending resolves enough to feel satisfying, but there is definitely set-up for subsequent books. I for one can’t wait to see Longinus spend more time around Lady Martha; it’s going to be hilarious. My problem now is that the book was only released a month ago, so I’m going to have to wait (not so) patiently for the next one.
October 4, 2015
Absolutely fantastic, and highly recommended. Gorgeous writing, a beautifully-described world, and characters who were endearing, occasionally irritating (when the author meant for them to be), and totally fascinating. This is one of the best independently-published books I've had the pleasure of reading, and I do love me some indie books.
I started reading this on my Kindle, then stopped at chapter nine so I could order the paperback and finish it that way. It's that good, and I knew I'd want a copy on my shelf.
I don't know why more people aren't reading this one.
I started reading this on my Kindle, then stopped at chapter nine so I could order the paperback and finish it that way. It's that good, and I knew I'd want a copy on my shelf.
I don't know why more people aren't reading this one.
Want to read
May 6, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/6/2019)! 🎁
July 6, 2015
This book came to my attention when the author emailed me, saying she’d seen that I’d reviewed and liked Lindsay Buroker’s self-published Emperor’s Edge series, and would I be interested in reviewing her own book, which held similarities to Buroker’s work?
Well. As an utter fanatic of The Emperor’s Edge and its sequels, I search ceaselessly for books that recapture Buroker’s style and magic. Of course, I wrote the author back, saying yes, please send me your book! At once! — I mentally added.
Now, having finished reading it, I can say that The Viper and the Urchin was a short, solid start to what looks to be a series with potential. It indeed holds similarities to Buroker’s Emperor’s Edge — they are both set in a industrial fantasy setting, with mild steampunk elements. There are assassins, whose names both end in “us” — although Jeanjean’s deadly alchemist Longinus is decidedly different from Buroker’s consummate killer, Sicarius.
I didn’t know what to make of Longinus at first. I was slow to wrap my head around such a foppish — at times foolish — assassin. As the novel drew onwards, I began to find him slightly endearing, although the brevity of the book, 262 pages, was not enough to explain his motivations for killing fully. He seems to be a gentler soul, so why is he drawn to murder? Besides I hope my questions regarding this will be answered in Jeanjean’s upcoming installments.
Longinus was not the only protagonist, however. He shares narration with Rory, an 18 year-old city urchin who harbors ambitions of becoming a great swordsman, like her idol, the Scarred Woman. Rory was your typical scrappy heroine, who has a heart of gold buried beneath the law-breaking behavior adopted to help her survive the cruel streets. She discovers some embarrassing information about Longinus, and blackmails him — her secrecy in exchange for lessons in dueling.
Neither of these characters really flew off of the page for me, but I do have hope that they’ll slowly be built up over time.
Where The Viper and the Urchin really impressed me was its political intrigue. The story takes place in a tiny, muggy, little country called Damsport, which used to be the property of an empire about 45 years ago, give or take a decade. Independence was won by Damsport’s young Marchioness who then made a series of brilliant political maneuvers, turning Damsport into an international trade center. When the empire tried to take Damsport back into the fold, the little country waged a Thermopolyae-esque stand, in time for its allies to push the empire back. The emperor has been bitter ever since.
This aspect of the story really held my attention. Going forward, it seems as if the politics will continue to develop, which is excellent.
The style of writing was good, at times showing signs of beginner wobbles, but solid all the same. I particularly liked a descriptive passage that described Damsport’s Wet Market:
A tad long-winded, but very evocative!
All in all, I give The Viper and the Urchin 3.5 stars — I liked the book and intend to follow the series, but the brevity of the novel and its subsequent lack of development makes me hesitant to rank it higher. However, The Viper and the Urchin left me wanting more — truly a good sign. I very much look forward to seeing how Celine Jeanjean unfolds her debut series.
Well. As an utter fanatic of The Emperor’s Edge and its sequels, I search ceaselessly for books that recapture Buroker’s style and magic. Of course, I wrote the author back, saying yes, please send me your book! At once! — I mentally added.
Now, having finished reading it, I can say that The Viper and the Urchin was a short, solid start to what looks to be a series with potential. It indeed holds similarities to Buroker’s Emperor’s Edge — they are both set in a industrial fantasy setting, with mild steampunk elements. There are assassins, whose names both end in “us” — although Jeanjean’s deadly alchemist Longinus is decidedly different from Buroker’s consummate killer, Sicarius.
I didn’t know what to make of Longinus at first. I was slow to wrap my head around such a foppish — at times foolish — assassin. As the novel drew onwards, I began to find him slightly endearing, although the brevity of the book, 262 pages, was not enough to explain his motivations for killing fully. He seems to be a gentler soul, so why is he drawn to murder? Besides I hope my questions regarding this will be answered in Jeanjean’s upcoming installments.
Longinus was not the only protagonist, however. He shares narration with Rory, an 18 year-old city urchin who harbors ambitions of becoming a great swordsman, like her idol, the Scarred Woman. Rory was your typical scrappy heroine, who has a heart of gold buried beneath the law-breaking behavior adopted to help her survive the cruel streets. She discovers some embarrassing information about Longinus, and blackmails him — her secrecy in exchange for lessons in dueling.
Neither of these characters really flew off of the page for me, but I do have hope that they’ll slowly be built up over time.
Where The Viper and the Urchin really impressed me was its political intrigue. The story takes place in a tiny, muggy, little country called Damsport, which used to be the property of an empire about 45 years ago, give or take a decade. Independence was won by Damsport’s young Marchioness who then made a series of brilliant political maneuvers, turning Damsport into an international trade center. When the empire tried to take Damsport back into the fold, the little country waged a Thermopolyae-esque stand, in time for its allies to push the empire back. The emperor has been bitter ever since.
This aspect of the story really held my attention. Going forward, it seems as if the politics will continue to develop, which is excellent.
The style of writing was good, at times showing signs of beginner wobbles, but solid all the same. I particularly liked a descriptive passage that described Damsport’s Wet Market:
The Wet Market was the centre of the Great Bazaar, and therefore the very heart of Damsport. But whereas most hearts pulsate, pumping out life’s blood, Damsport’s heart dripped. Live fish and crustaceans dripped sea water onto the cobblestones, and dead fish dripped murky viscera. Blood dripped from meat cleavers, whey from cheesecloths, ale through the cracks of poorly constructed barrels, and piss from table legs, attesting to the passage of a stray dog.
Milk dripped from jugs, from udders, from chins; berries dripped juice, makeshift awnings dripped leftover rainwater, and priests dripped holy water. Sweat dripped from the faces of porters, bent under heavy loads, wine dripped down the chins of those checking its quality, and snot dripped from children’s and old men’s noses. Fat dripped from sausages, dripping dripped from fried fish, vinegar dripped from prawn dumplings, eaten by hand straight from enormous bamboo steamers. Beer dripped from spilt tankards, mud-coloured tobacco water from water pipes, wine from broken bottles, brandy from over-hurried gulps, fire liquor from glasses dashed onto the cobbles, tea from teapot spouts, and more urine dripped from over-refreshed men.
All of it drip-drip-dripped onto the Wet Market’s cobblestones, found its way to the gutters, and trickled off along each of the Twelve, gathering speed thanks to the gentle downward slopes, and carrying the lifeblood and stench of the Wet Market out to the rest of Damsport.
A tad long-winded, but very evocative!
All in all, I give The Viper and the Urchin 3.5 stars — I liked the book and intend to follow the series, but the brevity of the novel and its subsequent lack of development makes me hesitant to rank it higher. However, The Viper and the Urchin left me wanting more — truly a good sign. I very much look forward to seeing how Celine Jeanjean unfolds her debut series.
November 12, 2015
https://anaslair.wordpress.com/2015/1...
This book was unique, for sure. It's steampunk all the way and some of the descriptions are very interesting and will grip you.
One of our main characters is an 18-year-old urchin who looks and acts like a 14-year-old.
The other is a dandy assassin with a love for poetry, who cannot stand not being dressed properly or the sight of blood.
This Viper character is an odd one indeed. He kills people but only with poison he makes himself and claims no one does it better - amongst other things. Most everyone is below him and he makes sure he shows that. I have to admit I never really got why he killed. But following him around was fun. For instance, his leaving his mark before the poison truly set in because he did not want to deal with the nastiness of its effects. And if blood was involved... Well then, poor little Viper would not be able to handle it at all. Not a pretty sight.
Rory has no manners and does what she has to survive. I did not find her as interesting as the Viper, probably because I did not get as much backstory but it was an interesting ride. I have to admit I did not enjoy the story quite as much as those two bantering. That was definitely the highlight for me. I even laughed out loud on a couple of occasions.
But don't get me wrong, there are several great things in this book and, as I mentioned, it is quite unique, not only due to the quirky characters. There are also no love interests! There are no predictable twists and turns and I did enjoy it for the most part.
There was just something about the novel that did not cause me to engage with the characters, particularly Rory. I really think not knowing her backstory had a great deal to do with my lack of enjoyment at times. The lack of development of other characters also put a dent in it. I guess it took me so long to get through the book that, though the world creation was very well done, the fact that most of the characters felt like strangers to me didn't allow me to enjoy the novel as much as if there had been such a set up, as well as a better wrapping up of the story. The Old Girl said that Myran was caught but last I heard she dove in the water.
And I never really got why it was so obvious that the doctor who had died in the baths had been the one to create the poison who killed the other guy.
I recommend The Viper and the Urchin if you enjoy steampunk, mysteries and are sick and tired of romance in YA.
Disclaimer: I would like to thank the author for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This book was unique, for sure. It's steampunk all the way and some of the descriptions are very interesting and will grip you.
One of our main characters is an 18-year-old urchin who looks and acts like a 14-year-old.
The other is a dandy assassin with a love for poetry, who cannot stand not being dressed properly or the sight of blood.
This Viper character is an odd one indeed. He kills people but only with poison he makes himself and claims no one does it better - amongst other things. Most everyone is below him and he makes sure he shows that. I have to admit I never really got why he killed. But following him around was fun. For instance, his leaving his mark before the poison truly set in because he did not want to deal with the nastiness of its effects. And if blood was involved... Well then, poor little Viper would not be able to handle it at all. Not a pretty sight.
Rory has no manners and does what she has to survive. I did not find her as interesting as the Viper, probably because I did not get as much backstory but it was an interesting ride. I have to admit I did not enjoy the story quite as much as those two bantering. That was definitely the highlight for me. I even laughed out loud on a couple of occasions.
But don't get me wrong, there are several great things in this book and, as I mentioned, it is quite unique, not only due to the quirky characters. There are also no love interests! There are no predictable twists and turns and I did enjoy it for the most part.
There was just something about the novel that did not cause me to engage with the characters, particularly Rory. I really think not knowing her backstory had a great deal to do with my lack of enjoyment at times. The lack of development of other characters also put a dent in it. I guess it took me so long to get through the book that, though the world creation was very well done, the fact that most of the characters felt like strangers to me didn't allow me to enjoy the novel as much as if there had been such a set up, as well as a better wrapping up of the story. The Old Girl said that Myran was caught but last I heard she dove in the water.
And I never really got why it was so obvious that the doctor who had died in the baths had been the one to create the poison who killed the other guy.
I recommend The Viper and the Urchin if you enjoy steampunk, mysteries and are sick and tired of romance in YA.
Disclaimer: I would like to thank the author for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
July 14, 2015
This is a really fun read. The setting is vividly described, and very imaginative . Without wishing to give too much away, look out for the coffee scene! I loved it. There are incredibly evocative moments, and the richness and the detail of the setting means I really felt like I was there, in the sweaty, grimy, but rather wonderful city of Damsport.
But the real strength of the book is in its characters. Longinus and Rory leapt off the page for me. They were both complex, fully developed characters, each with very distinct personalities. They felt both real and endearing, but at the same time following them around Damsport was a lot of fun, and at times just plain funny. And Longinus is just brilliant!
In fact, all the characters in this book are interesting. Even some of the smaller, side characters have intriguing personalities, quirks, so that the whole book is populated with a cast of characters you want to spend more time with.
For all that, a very compelling mystery runs throughout the story. There are pockets of humour throughout the novel, but the plot remains well developed and engaging throughout, so that you just want to keep turning those pages. There were a few moments that I really didn't see coming -- which is of course always a lot of fun!
All in all I really enjoyed this book. The Viper and the Urchin is a fun caper, served with big dollops of mystery and humour.
But the real strength of the book is in its characters. Longinus and Rory leapt off the page for me. They were both complex, fully developed characters, each with very distinct personalities. They felt both real and endearing, but at the same time following them around Damsport was a lot of fun, and at times just plain funny. And Longinus is just brilliant!
In fact, all the characters in this book are interesting. Even some of the smaller, side characters have intriguing personalities, quirks, so that the whole book is populated with a cast of characters you want to spend more time with.
For all that, a very compelling mystery runs throughout the story. There are pockets of humour throughout the novel, but the plot remains well developed and engaging throughout, so that you just want to keep turning those pages. There were a few moments that I really didn't see coming -- which is of course always a lot of fun!
All in all I really enjoyed this book. The Viper and the Urchin is a fun caper, served with big dollops of mystery and humour.
April 1, 2016
Love the premise of this book - a clever, blackmailing street urchin mets a foppish, melodramatic assassin with a fear of blood. It had an odd flow at points but overall I loved the characters and their interactions enough to make up for that. No romance at this stage (and I'm not sure if there will ever be any - particularly between the titular characters but I'm ok with that).
February 26, 2016
I have just met a new favourite author with a new set of favourite characters! I just loved this fun story with its quirky characters. Even better, it had me laughing out loud more than a few times. Can't wait for the next in the series.
October 6, 2015
I was thinking of the three sliding variants of character development—competence, proactivity, and sympathy—as I read The Viper and the Urchin, author Celine Jeanjean’s debut novel. Based on the blurb, I agreed to do a review, but I was nervous. Her novel had a terrific premise—a master assassin who can’t handle the sight of blood—and was in the steampunk/fantasy genre I love. I needn’t have worried.
So where did Celine set the Sympathy/Competence/Proactivity sliders for her two main characters?
1. Longinus: “Damsport’s most elegant assassin”, seems to be a shallow dandy, obsessed with appearances and fame. Even as he’s stalking his next victim, he’s communing with an invisible muse, composing the elegant sentences that will convey the image he so desperately wants the world to see. At first, he seems supremely competent and fairly proactive when it comes to his career of professional assassin. Our sympathy levels are darn low here. Only… there’s a showstopper hole in the middle of all his expertise and planning. He can’t take the sight, or even the thought, of blood. At the same time, the saving graces of humor and wit are more engaging with each page, while his slowly revealed backstory sends our sympathy levels soaring.
2. Rory: a scrawny, smelly urchin, she’s a “master of the game of survival”, and she has a plan. Okay, “blackmail the highly-trained killer” might not be the best plan, but Rory is willing to put in the effort it will take to pull it off. On the face of things, you’d think her sympathy level would be high too—she’s an orphan who lives on the streets. Except…she’s just so competent at being an urchin, that it’s hard to work up a lot of sympathy for her fate. She’s highly-proactive in her quest to achieve the goal she set for herself of becoming a master swords-woman like the Scarred Woman she met when she was a little girl. But like Longinus, there’s a hole at the center of all that. The competence she seeks is threatened by her sympathy for a fellow underdog. “Nothing good ever came out of meddling in other people’s business, but she hated seeing an underdog get beaten up.”
What you soon realize is that these two characters who seem different in almost every possible way— from education and birth to status and wealth—are actually very similar. And when they combine their talents, all their character sliders go up as they fill in each other’s gaps.
I can’t tell you how much fun it was to see the seemingly-disparate Longinus and Rory forced by circumstances and then a reluctantly acknowledged but sincere affection into combining into a formidable force. And when they have to use their coalition against the single most formative figure in either of their pasts, it’s perfectly magical. When you combine that with the brilliant world-building and especially with the rapid-fire snarky humor and pace, you have an absolutely remarkable first novel. The side characters (especially the intriguing Rafe, who complacently suggests, “I could be your sidekick, you know. Or your love interest. There’s always a sidekick and a love interest in stories.”) are each swiftly but perfectly drawn.
Author Celine Jeanjean has a firm but dead-on touch with the story arc. She finishes off the existing villains, and explains the mysteries. But all those character-driven clues to the bigger backstory leave readers hungry for more adventure, and especially more time with these completely intriguing characters. Of course, I’d give The Viper and the Urchin five out of five stars. In fact, my only complaint is that we have to wait so long for the sequel.
***I reviewed The Viper and the Urchin: A Novel of Steampunk Adventure (Bloodless Assassin Mysteries Book 1) by Celine Jeanjean for Rosie’s Book Review Team. I received this book for free from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.***
From my email:
FROM: Barb
TO: Celine
I just had to tell you… I have a TON of other books ahead of The Viper and the Urchin in my TBR queue. But I stayed up last night to read it anyway because I read the opening pages and I was hooked. What an incredibly fun read!
–Barb
So where did Celine set the Sympathy/Competence/Proactivity sliders for her two main characters?
1. Longinus: “Damsport’s most elegant assassin”, seems to be a shallow dandy, obsessed with appearances and fame. Even as he’s stalking his next victim, he’s communing with an invisible muse, composing the elegant sentences that will convey the image he so desperately wants the world to see. At first, he seems supremely competent and fairly proactive when it comes to his career of professional assassin. Our sympathy levels are darn low here. Only… there’s a showstopper hole in the middle of all his expertise and planning. He can’t take the sight, or even the thought, of blood. At the same time, the saving graces of humor and wit are more engaging with each page, while his slowly revealed backstory sends our sympathy levels soaring.
2. Rory: a scrawny, smelly urchin, she’s a “master of the game of survival”, and she has a plan. Okay, “blackmail the highly-trained killer” might not be the best plan, but Rory is willing to put in the effort it will take to pull it off. On the face of things, you’d think her sympathy level would be high too—she’s an orphan who lives on the streets. Except…she’s just so competent at being an urchin, that it’s hard to work up a lot of sympathy for her fate. She’s highly-proactive in her quest to achieve the goal she set for herself of becoming a master swords-woman like the Scarred Woman she met when she was a little girl. But like Longinus, there’s a hole at the center of all that. The competence she seeks is threatened by her sympathy for a fellow underdog. “Nothing good ever came out of meddling in other people’s business, but she hated seeing an underdog get beaten up.”
What you soon realize is that these two characters who seem different in almost every possible way— from education and birth to status and wealth—are actually very similar. And when they combine their talents, all their character sliders go up as they fill in each other’s gaps.
I can’t tell you how much fun it was to see the seemingly-disparate Longinus and Rory forced by circumstances and then a reluctantly acknowledged but sincere affection into combining into a formidable force. And when they have to use their coalition against the single most formative figure in either of their pasts, it’s perfectly magical. When you combine that with the brilliant world-building and especially with the rapid-fire snarky humor and pace, you have an absolutely remarkable first novel. The side characters (especially the intriguing Rafe, who complacently suggests, “I could be your sidekick, you know. Or your love interest. There’s always a sidekick and a love interest in stories.”) are each swiftly but perfectly drawn.
Author Celine Jeanjean has a firm but dead-on touch with the story arc. She finishes off the existing villains, and explains the mysteries. But all those character-driven clues to the bigger backstory leave readers hungry for more adventure, and especially more time with these completely intriguing characters. Of course, I’d give The Viper and the Urchin five out of five stars. In fact, my only complaint is that we have to wait so long for the sequel.
***I reviewed The Viper and the Urchin: A Novel of Steampunk Adventure (Bloodless Assassin Mysteries Book 1) by Celine Jeanjean for Rosie’s Book Review Team. I received this book for free from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.***
September 18, 2015
The blurb for this steampunk fantasy caught me. An elegant assassin that can't stand the sight of blood and a blackmailing, grammatically incorrect urchin. Really, I could not resist! The story of assassin Longinus and urchin Rory should not be resisted. I started and finished The Viper and the Urchin on the same day.
Longinus is an amazingly written character. As an assassin, he thinks himself quite elegant and dapper. Although he knows how to use a sword, he abhors the use of blades in the assassination business. He thinks great thoughts and writes them down. And the sight of blood makes him ill. But he has not let that deter him from becoming the famous Viper. Rory is a street urchin who has dreams of becoming a heroic swordswoman and works everyday of her life toward that goal. When Rory discovers that Viper has a flaw, she decides that blackmail might get him to train her in the ways of the sword. And so a partnership is formed.
I've found new author with a delightful talent for telling a tale! There are many things I liked about this book. The characters, the plot, the setting. But first and foremost, I loved the writing.
Ms. Jeanjean can certainly set a scene. She is so imaginative! The details of a scene are almost part of the action, described in a way that gets me into the book so that I too can experience what Rory experiences, right down to the sights, sounds and smells of the city of Damsport.
A memorable scene of a ride on Crazy Willy's steamcoach includes a fire-breathing steamcoach, a dangerous leap onto said racing steamcoach, and a monkey that takes the fare from the teeth of Rory while she is clinging to the side and then sticks around until she yells 'Eight' to let the monkey know where she wants to get off. The steamcoach does stop at Eight to let Rory disembark - but barely!
There are so many wonderful imaginative elements in The Viper and the Urchin, I could almost forget there is an actual plot wrapped up in all this imagination. Just kidding. There is an assassin! There has to be some evil plot that involves Longinus/Viper. And Rory. People are dying and it looks like the Viper's work. But Longinus denies responsibility and Rory believes him. But why would someone try to copy the Viper. Or discredit the Viper? In the meantime, Rory is warned away from Longinus. Some terrible business is afoot in Damsport. The team of the Viper and the urchin are on the trail.
I can't end this without adding a few more of the lovely images from the mind of Celine Jeanjean. So here are few just to pique your interest:
1) Voiceless cemetery cats
2) Giant mechanical spider
3) Lethal pony tails
4) Butterscotch coffee
5) The Old Girl
So - 5 Stars! If you like fascinating characters, steampunk devices, clever monkeys and just plain really good writing, you should check out The Viper and the Urchin. Yes, I loved this book!
Longinus is an amazingly written character. As an assassin, he thinks himself quite elegant and dapper. Although he knows how to use a sword, he abhors the use of blades in the assassination business. He thinks great thoughts and writes them down. And the sight of blood makes him ill. But he has not let that deter him from becoming the famous Viper. Rory is a street urchin who has dreams of becoming a heroic swordswoman and works everyday of her life toward that goal. When Rory discovers that Viper has a flaw, she decides that blackmail might get him to train her in the ways of the sword. And so a partnership is formed.
I've found new author with a delightful talent for telling a tale! There are many things I liked about this book. The characters, the plot, the setting. But first and foremost, I loved the writing.
Ms. Jeanjean can certainly set a scene. She is so imaginative! The details of a scene are almost part of the action, described in a way that gets me into the book so that I too can experience what Rory experiences, right down to the sights, sounds and smells of the city of Damsport.
A memorable scene of a ride on Crazy Willy's steamcoach includes a fire-breathing steamcoach, a dangerous leap onto said racing steamcoach, and a monkey that takes the fare from the teeth of Rory while she is clinging to the side and then sticks around until she yells 'Eight' to let the monkey know where she wants to get off. The steamcoach does stop at Eight to let Rory disembark - but barely!
There are so many wonderful imaginative elements in The Viper and the Urchin, I could almost forget there is an actual plot wrapped up in all this imagination. Just kidding. There is an assassin! There has to be some evil plot that involves Longinus/Viper. And Rory. People are dying and it looks like the Viper's work. But Longinus denies responsibility and Rory believes him. But why would someone try to copy the Viper. Or discredit the Viper? In the meantime, Rory is warned away from Longinus. Some terrible business is afoot in Damsport. The team of the Viper and the urchin are on the trail.
I can't end this without adding a few more of the lovely images from the mind of Celine Jeanjean. So here are few just to pique your interest:
1) Voiceless cemetery cats
2) Giant mechanical spider
3) Lethal pony tails
4) Butterscotch coffee
5) The Old Girl
So - 5 Stars! If you like fascinating characters, steampunk devices, clever monkeys and just plain really good writing, you should check out The Viper and the Urchin. Yes, I loved this book!
June 3, 2020
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in The Viper and the Urchin series. Right now there are six books in this series. I borrowed this book for Kindle through Kindle Unlimited.
Story (3/5): This story starts out pretty slow, things don’t actually get moving until about 50% through the story and then the action is non-stop. This is about an assassin named the Viper and a young urchin named Rory. When Rory helps out the Viper, she finds out his most embarrassing secret. Rory ends up blackmailing the Viper; if he will train her in combat, then she will keep his secret. Things start to go sideways and Rory and the Viper end up in a plot to save the ruler of Damsport.
As I said the story started slow, but it sounded like it was going to be a bit different from your typical fantasy story. As it continued it picked up pace but turned into a more typical “save the kingdom from destruction” type of story.
Characters (3/5): I actually really disliked Rory and the Viper at the beginning of the story. Rory made some really stupid decisions that hurt her a lot. The Viper was just overly silly. As the story went on I grew to like them a bit more. Rory and the Viper are starting to develop a better working relationship by the end of the story as well. I am guessing as the series continues these characters will grow and become a bit more likable. However, for now I could have taken or left them.
Setting (4/5): The story takes place in Damsport, a pretty typical fantasy-like city with some steampunk vibes. There is a little effort made to place Damsport in the broader world and give it some history. I enjoyed the city and the steampunk overtones, but hope the rest of the world is built out better in future books.
Writing Style (3/5): The writing here is okay. It’s easy to read and fairly engaging but the pacing could use some work. I almost stopped reading it because the beginning was so slow, then a ton of things happened in the last half of the book. Hopefully, Jeanjean learned from this book and makes the pacing more consistent in later books in the series.
My Summary (3/5): Overall this was an okay steampunk fantasy read. I thought the first part was boring and didn’t really like the characters, but as things progressed the characters started to grow on me and I got more interested in the world. I am unsure right now if I will continue with this series. I have some other series I want to read first, but if I start thinking about this one again I might go pick up the 2nd book later.
Story (3/5): This story starts out pretty slow, things don’t actually get moving until about 50% through the story and then the action is non-stop. This is about an assassin named the Viper and a young urchin named Rory. When Rory helps out the Viper, she finds out his most embarrassing secret. Rory ends up blackmailing the Viper; if he will train her in combat, then she will keep his secret. Things start to go sideways and Rory and the Viper end up in a plot to save the ruler of Damsport.
As I said the story started slow, but it sounded like it was going to be a bit different from your typical fantasy story. As it continued it picked up pace but turned into a more typical “save the kingdom from destruction” type of story.
Characters (3/5): I actually really disliked Rory and the Viper at the beginning of the story. Rory made some really stupid decisions that hurt her a lot. The Viper was just overly silly. As the story went on I grew to like them a bit more. Rory and the Viper are starting to develop a better working relationship by the end of the story as well. I am guessing as the series continues these characters will grow and become a bit more likable. However, for now I could have taken or left them.
Setting (4/5): The story takes place in Damsport, a pretty typical fantasy-like city with some steampunk vibes. There is a little effort made to place Damsport in the broader world and give it some history. I enjoyed the city and the steampunk overtones, but hope the rest of the world is built out better in future books.
Writing Style (3/5): The writing here is okay. It’s easy to read and fairly engaging but the pacing could use some work. I almost stopped reading it because the beginning was so slow, then a ton of things happened in the last half of the book. Hopefully, Jeanjean learned from this book and makes the pacing more consistent in later books in the series.
My Summary (3/5): Overall this was an okay steampunk fantasy read. I thought the first part was boring and didn’t really like the characters, but as things progressed the characters started to grow on me and I got more interested in the world. I am unsure right now if I will continue with this series. I have some other series I want to read first, but if I start thinking about this one again I might go pick up the 2nd book later.
July 28, 2015
Fans of Lindsay Buroker's Emperor's Edge series will notice right away that The Viper and the Urchin is the story of an assassin, but that’s where the similarities end. Longinus kills not for the thrill or for politics, but for notoriety. It’s all about his stylish reputation – so of course he’s appalled when a common street thief, Rory, not only has to help him with a job, but learns he’s actually afraid of blood. Rory wants to be a warrior swordswoman and when she realizes Longinus is great with a blade, she blackmails him into teaching her all he knows. When Longinus’s livelihood is threatened by a copycat assassin, she’s determined to get to the bottom of it, if only to continue her training.
The two characters are great together. Rory is unrefined and purposefully obnoxious, and Longinus isn’t sure how to react so he ups his arrogance. The two come to deeply care about each other, but in a natural, platonic way that fits the book’s fun, lightheartedness.
Even more than the excellent writing (and it really is excellent), I was impressed by the setting. Despite the main city being set in the tropics, it had the feel of Victorian London. The best thing, though, is that every character was dark-skinned. And this wasn’t a plot point, either, more a “let’s mention it in passing because it’s not a big deal; it’s completely natural for this part of the world” point. As someone who’s hypersensitive to the lack of diversity just about everywhere, I really enjoyed this little extra (although it’s not really reflected on the cover).
One of the best parts, though, was that I didn’t predict the ending only 25% into the book. I figured it out halfway through but thoroughly enjoyed the author’s bit of misdirection. I enjoyed the whole book and highly recommend it.
(Note: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a review.)
The two characters are great together. Rory is unrefined and purposefully obnoxious, and Longinus isn’t sure how to react so he ups his arrogance. The two come to deeply care about each other, but in a natural, platonic way that fits the book’s fun, lightheartedness.
Even more than the excellent writing (and it really is excellent), I was impressed by the setting. Despite the main city being set in the tropics, it had the feel of Victorian London. The best thing, though, is that every character was dark-skinned. And this wasn’t a plot point, either, more a “let’s mention it in passing because it’s not a big deal; it’s completely natural for this part of the world” point. As someone who’s hypersensitive to the lack of diversity just about everywhere, I really enjoyed this little extra (although it’s not really reflected on the cover).
One of the best parts, though, was that I didn’t predict the ending only 25% into the book. I figured it out halfway through but thoroughly enjoyed the author’s bit of misdirection. I enjoyed the whole book and highly recommend it.
(Note: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a review.)
September 7, 2015
The Viper and the Urchin is a rollicking good tale which grabs you by the collar and sweeps you through the grimy streets of Damsport with humour and nail-biting danger. Its heroine, Rory, is a small scrawny urchin, scraping a living by theft and deception, who makes an unlikely alliance with the elegant Viper, an assassin who uses only poison on his victims and takes pride in his art.
When Longinus, the Viper, questions Rory’s behaviour, “You are coarse, you swear, and worse, you are grammatically incorrect,” she responds correctly, “Well I’m supposed to be, aint I? You’re the laconic assassin. I’m the cheeky urchin. That’s how it works.”
There are several other vibrant characters too, such as Cruikshank, the engineer who has designed a large mechanical spider to transport them up walls & over roofs, the Old Girl or Marchioness of Damsport who rules the state and the Scarred Woman, a mysterious swordswoman whom Rory wishes to emulate.
The city environment is vividly described, dirty and crowded with Banyan trees sprouting out of cracks in the radiating streets. I could visualise the Varanguards, costumed in the style of Varan, a dancer who hid knives in her hair, wearing horsehair ponytails as part of their helmets. And I would love to board Crazy Willy, the wild beast of a steam coach which races through the streets each night.
This exciting story contains all the essential ingredients of a fantastic steam-punk adventure, including a tough but vulnerable heroine, an intriguing companion, an evil foe and even a vague suggestion of a romantic interest. It is the first book of The Bloodless Assassin Mysteries and I am very much looking forward to the publication of the next one.
When Longinus, the Viper, questions Rory’s behaviour, “You are coarse, you swear, and worse, you are grammatically incorrect,” she responds correctly, “Well I’m supposed to be, aint I? You’re the laconic assassin. I’m the cheeky urchin. That’s how it works.”
There are several other vibrant characters too, such as Cruikshank, the engineer who has designed a large mechanical spider to transport them up walls & over roofs, the Old Girl or Marchioness of Damsport who rules the state and the Scarred Woman, a mysterious swordswoman whom Rory wishes to emulate.
The city environment is vividly described, dirty and crowded with Banyan trees sprouting out of cracks in the radiating streets. I could visualise the Varanguards, costumed in the style of Varan, a dancer who hid knives in her hair, wearing horsehair ponytails as part of their helmets. And I would love to board Crazy Willy, the wild beast of a steam coach which races through the streets each night.
This exciting story contains all the essential ingredients of a fantastic steam-punk adventure, including a tough but vulnerable heroine, an intriguing companion, an evil foe and even a vague suggestion of a romantic interest. It is the first book of The Bloodless Assassin Mysteries and I am very much looking forward to the publication of the next one.
August 12, 2015
The Viper and the Urchin was one of my first steampunk fantasy reads, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The two main characters, Longinus and Rory, drew me into the story and kept me reading. Longinus, the Viper, is an arrogant assassin who specializes in poisons because he can't stand the sight of blood. Rory, the streetwise urchin who dreams of becoming a heroic swordswoman, learns about Longinus' fear of blood and hatches the idea of blackmailing him into teaching her swordsmanship.
I liked Rory's scrappiness and gritty determination to rise above her life of poverty. Longinus seemed a bit foppish and over the top at first, but he quickly grew on me. Their interactions and sarcastic banter had me laughing out loud more than once. The supporting characters, too, were well-drawn and interesting.
I also very much liked the setting of Damsport, with its spiderweb-like street pattern. The vivid descriptions brought the city to life in all its glory and seaminess.
Longinus and Rory's uneasy business arrangement slowly evolves into mutual respect and platonic friendship as they work to solve the mystery of a copycat assassin and discover an even greater threat to their world. I enjoyed the unexpected twists in the story and the emotional depth of the characters and how they came to truly care for one another as if they were family.
The ending was satisfying, yet left the door open for more adventures for the unlikely pair. Can't wait to read them!
*** I received an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I liked Rory's scrappiness and gritty determination to rise above her life of poverty. Longinus seemed a bit foppish and over the top at first, but he quickly grew on me. Their interactions and sarcastic banter had me laughing out loud more than once. The supporting characters, too, were well-drawn and interesting.
I also very much liked the setting of Damsport, with its spiderweb-like street pattern. The vivid descriptions brought the city to life in all its glory and seaminess.
Longinus and Rory's uneasy business arrangement slowly evolves into mutual respect and platonic friendship as they work to solve the mystery of a copycat assassin and discover an even greater threat to their world. I enjoyed the unexpected twists in the story and the emotional depth of the characters and how they came to truly care for one another as if they were family.
The ending was satisfying, yet left the door open for more adventures for the unlikely pair. Can't wait to read them!
*** I received an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.
September 24, 2015
"It was always a pleasure to kill..."
...begins the book as it launches into a long and ominous description of an assassin, The Viper, and the nefarious activity he is on his way to perform. And then he thinks to himself,
"Is it really too much to ask that the common dockworker experience a faint malaise in my presence? Obviously."
and I smiled because, suddenly, the Viper looked like someone I was really going to enjoy!
It turns out that The Viper is a lovable, sarcastic, pompous jerk of a man. "How can that be?" I asked myself. Those don't go together and then (in the words of my three year old)...
Oh. My. Gossshhhh.
He's Eeyore.
Not the sad, dopey, Disney donkey but the true A.A. Milne pompous ass right down to his sarcastic wit. Yes, it's Eeyore as an assassin and he's paired with a blackmailing, slip of a street girl. It might sound ridiculous but you need to trust me, the dialog between the two is not something you're going to want to miss.
Would I recommend it?
Yes. I ended the book laughing even as I was dismayed it was over.
This honest review was given in return for a free copy of the book from its author.
...begins the book as it launches into a long and ominous description of an assassin, The Viper, and the nefarious activity he is on his way to perform. And then he thinks to himself,
"Is it really too much to ask that the common dockworker experience a faint malaise in my presence? Obviously."
and I smiled because, suddenly, the Viper looked like someone I was really going to enjoy!
It turns out that The Viper is a lovable, sarcastic, pompous jerk of a man. "How can that be?" I asked myself. Those don't go together and then (in the words of my three year old)...
Oh. My. Gossshhhh.
He's Eeyore.
Not the sad, dopey, Disney donkey but the true A.A. Milne pompous ass right down to his sarcastic wit. Yes, it's Eeyore as an assassin and he's paired with a blackmailing, slip of a street girl. It might sound ridiculous but you need to trust me, the dialog between the two is not something you're going to want to miss.
Would I recommend it?
Yes. I ended the book laughing even as I was dismayed it was over.
This honest review was given in return for a free copy of the book from its author.
July 31, 2015
This book had me smiling throughout, laughing out loud at times but most importantly itching to read the next page and delve deep into my Kindle night after night. I won't labour on the story and synopsis as there are sufficient other reviews which go into more detail however I will say that I think the author has developed a superb world and story - one which transported me, right there in the moment I was reading, into each and every scene and its accompanying smells, sounds and places.
Both the characters and the world of Damsport are enchanting and well developed, for example within the first chapter I already had developed a strong connection with Longinus and his evident quirks and as the story developed so did my vision of the world of Damsport and all its charm, grit and history.
Really enjoyable read, can't wait for the next instalment
Both the characters and the world of Damsport are enchanting and well developed, for example within the first chapter I already had developed a strong connection with Longinus and his evident quirks and as the story developed so did my vision of the world of Damsport and all its charm, grit and history.
Really enjoyable read, can't wait for the next instalment
March 29, 2016
This is the first steampunk novel I have ever read, and I have to say I was very nervous. I didn't know what to expect, but I must truly say I enjoyed this novel immensely. Right away, I saw that this book is incredibly well thought out and written. I absolutely loved the characters. They have some of the strangest and most lively personalities I have ever come across, and I long to read more as soon as I can.
I recommend this book to anyone who is into a good assassin story and anyone who is bored of the typical YA book characters. Anyone who reads this amazing and hilarious story will see steampunk in a new light like I have. This book definitely deserves five stars.
I recommend this book to anyone who is into a good assassin story and anyone who is bored of the typical YA book characters. Anyone who reads this amazing and hilarious story will see steampunk in a new light like I have. This book definitely deserves five stars.
July 15, 2015
A really good, fast-paced read. I liked Rory (the urchin) right away. She was spunky, clever, and street-smart, and she really jumped off the page. I wasn't sure I would like Longinus--I mean, he's an assassin--but he grew on me too, and soon I was rooting for them both. There are some wonderful plot twists that kept me guessing what would happen next, and the ending was clever and unexpected. The characters are vivid, distinct, and well-drawn and the writing is strong. Definitely recommend.
February 7, 2016
DNF'd read a few chapters and it just wasn't interesting to me.
August 17, 2025
The Bloodless Assassin
Viper and Urchin 1
Celine Jeanjea
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
361 pp
I forget the trail that lead me to this book, but I’m glad it did. Here’s the premise:
Q: What if an experienced assassin was so overcome by the sight of blood that he passed out?
A: Then he’d choose to use poison.
Q: What if said poisoner was extremely fastidious too?
A: He’d likely be averse to all forms of mess.
Q: How would that manifest?
A: No dishevelment anywhere. He’d dress like a dandy, be precise with his tools of the trade, his house would be meticulous, and his learning of subjects would be complete. He’d be the best.
Q: What if a street urchin discovered his aversion to blood?
A: Sassy little minx that she is, she’d blackmail him.
Q: Why? What could she hope for?
A: She’d hope to learn the rapier from him, then sail off and sign up with the lady pirate with the scar. She’d never have to worry about being too small again.
Q: Okaaay, but how does this make a story?
A: Wellll, what if said lady pirate was the sister of the assassin, but was his tormentor throughout his youth? What if she has designs on their little archipelago, to bring it back into the empire on behalf of the emperor?
Q: The assassin and the urchin would be bound to foil that plan, right?
A: Just so.
Q: Do the assassin and the urchin become friends?
A: We’ll see.
This is over-simplified, the plot is actually quite complex and has many moving parts, including past partners, a possible romantic interest, a leader that the populace calls “The Old Girl,” a machinist, and a backstory for the assassin that’s quite ruthless. The characters are well-written, and the city comes alive under Jeanjean’s pen.
There are something like 8 books in the series, which I didn’t know when I picked up this book. Now that I’m in the deep end, I think I’ll have a swim.
Viper and Urchin 1
Celine Jeanjea
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
361 pp
I forget the trail that lead me to this book, but I’m glad it did. Here’s the premise:
Q: What if an experienced assassin was so overcome by the sight of blood that he passed out?
A: Then he’d choose to use poison.
Q: What if said poisoner was extremely fastidious too?
A: He’d likely be averse to all forms of mess.
Q: How would that manifest?
A: No dishevelment anywhere. He’d dress like a dandy, be precise with his tools of the trade, his house would be meticulous, and his learning of subjects would be complete. He’d be the best.
Q: What if a street urchin discovered his aversion to blood?
A: Sassy little minx that she is, she’d blackmail him.
Q: Why? What could she hope for?
A: She’d hope to learn the rapier from him, then sail off and sign up with the lady pirate with the scar. She’d never have to worry about being too small again.
Q: Okaaay, but how does this make a story?
A: Wellll, what if said lady pirate was the sister of the assassin, but was his tormentor throughout his youth? What if she has designs on their little archipelago, to bring it back into the empire on behalf of the emperor?
Q: The assassin and the urchin would be bound to foil that plan, right?
A: Just so.
Q: Do the assassin and the urchin become friends?
A: We’ll see.
This is over-simplified, the plot is actually quite complex and has many moving parts, including past partners, a possible romantic interest, a leader that the populace calls “The Old Girl,” a machinist, and a backstory for the assassin that’s quite ruthless. The characters are well-written, and the city comes alive under Jeanjean’s pen.
There are something like 8 books in the series, which I didn’t know when I picked up this book. Now that I’m in the deep end, I think I’ll have a swim.
June 17, 2022
I have mixed feelings about this book. I really liked the relationship between the two main characters.
My issues were that it felt YA to me and wasn't labeled as such. I'm not a fan of YA.
I couldn't get a good feel for the Viper's age. At first, he seemed older, in his thirties, but then seemed like a teenager.
I also thought there was a lot going on. Too much. It got a little bit too random.
I have the first 3 books in this series. I will probably read the next, but... so many books, so little time.
My issues were that it felt YA to me and wasn't labeled as such. I'm not a fan of YA.
I couldn't get a good feel for the Viper's age. At first, he seemed older, in his thirties, but then seemed like a teenager.
I also thought there was a lot going on. Too much. It got a little bit too random.
I have the first 3 books in this series. I will probably read the next, but... so many books, so little time.
July 15, 2022
Bloodless Assasin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.25
I received a free arc from the author but all thoughts are my own.
An assassin scared of blood paired with a feisty small girl determined to be a hero and prove the world wrong.
This was such a funny book, full of fun mystery and lighthearted characters and interactions. If you’re a fan of Lemony Snicket, this might be a good light read for you!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.25
I received a free arc from the author but all thoughts are my own.
An assassin scared of blood paired with a feisty small girl determined to be a hero and prove the world wrong.
This was such a funny book, full of fun mystery and lighthearted characters and interactions. If you’re a fan of Lemony Snicket, this might be a good light read for you!
February 20, 2022
I grabbed this after seeing a recommendation from an author friend of mine. I read it in two days. It's a good light read with a fun assassin character that has an aversion to blood. The flamboyance of the assassin gave me a good smile here and there. A few sentence phrasings caused me to stumble, but overall, a solid read. I liked this book. It was fun. Hats off to the author for a new twist on what an assassin can be.
June 21, 2021
Of all the books I've read so far this year, this book is definitely one of the front-runners, so I'm excited to gush about it a bit.
I'm not a big steampunk fan, so the fact that I've read no less than four steampunk fantasy novels in the past couple of months is a pretty big deal for me. So maybe I'm a fan now. We'll see.
Bloodless Assassin follows the story of Rory, a girl who lives on the streets of Damsport and whose friend and survival buddy betrays her on her most important day: the day when she can finally have her shot at becoming a sword preceptor's apprentice. Her friend's betrayal ruins her chances at getting a better life for herself, but not all is lost, because Rory finds out about the famous Viper's weak spot... his phobia of blood! She blackmails him into training her, but soon finds herself embroiled in a series of deaths throughout Damsport that seem to link back to her new teacher, the illustrious assassin with a penchant for poisons.
The clock-like divisions of Damsport were really interesting, and the visual was familiar enough that I could imagine the place much more easily. And then there were the modes of transportation - and a very interesting character that drives like a maniac - that added cool worldbuilding details to the story and that weren't just bells and whistles - they actually did play a role in the story later on.
I really loved the character of Longinus, who is an assassin known to the public as the Viper. He has a perfectionism, and arrogance, and a fixation on being a gentleman that work together to create a night, light mood for an otherwise heavy topic: the deaths of numerous people throughout Damsport that point back to him. And while he is an assassin, he didn't do them!
I especially loved how Rory and Longinus interact, because while Longinus is so prim and proper and fashionable, Rory is really very much the opposite, and as a result Longinus finds offense in so many things she does. There is a makeover scene that was both surprising and fun, and acted as the perfect segue into the plot itself and got the story started.
None of the events and scenes in this book felt like additional extras that could have been deleted, which is nice. Everything fit in perfectly, like a jigsaw puzzle, and I appreciated that. As a result, the pace of the story was great, and the banter between our two main characters made it all the more fun to read - and at the end of the book, I really wanted more!
I would definitely recommend this cool steampunk fantasy if you're looking for something to read this summer!
I'm not a big steampunk fan, so the fact that I've read no less than four steampunk fantasy novels in the past couple of months is a pretty big deal for me. So maybe I'm a fan now. We'll see.
Bloodless Assassin follows the story of Rory, a girl who lives on the streets of Damsport and whose friend and survival buddy betrays her on her most important day: the day when she can finally have her shot at becoming a sword preceptor's apprentice. Her friend's betrayal ruins her chances at getting a better life for herself, but not all is lost, because Rory finds out about the famous Viper's weak spot... his phobia of blood! She blackmails him into training her, but soon finds herself embroiled in a series of deaths throughout Damsport that seem to link back to her new teacher, the illustrious assassin with a penchant for poisons.
The clock-like divisions of Damsport were really interesting, and the visual was familiar enough that I could imagine the place much more easily. And then there were the modes of transportation - and a very interesting character that drives like a maniac - that added cool worldbuilding details to the story and that weren't just bells and whistles - they actually did play a role in the story later on.
I really loved the character of Longinus, who is an assassin known to the public as the Viper. He has a perfectionism, and arrogance, and a fixation on being a gentleman that work together to create a night, light mood for an otherwise heavy topic: the deaths of numerous people throughout Damsport that point back to him. And while he is an assassin, he didn't do them!
I especially loved how Rory and Longinus interact, because while Longinus is so prim and proper and fashionable, Rory is really very much the opposite, and as a result Longinus finds offense in so many things she does. There is a makeover scene that was both surprising and fun, and acted as the perfect segue into the plot itself and got the story started.
None of the events and scenes in this book felt like additional extras that could have been deleted, which is nice. Everything fit in perfectly, like a jigsaw puzzle, and I appreciated that. As a result, the pace of the story was great, and the banter between our two main characters made it all the more fun to read - and at the end of the book, I really wanted more!
I would definitely recommend this cool steampunk fantasy if you're looking for something to read this summer!
January 28, 2020
By night Longinus is The Viper, an infamous very stylish master assassin. By day he is a just as stylish gentleman of exacting tastes and standards. He can whip up a poison to kill you in various ways but his deepest darkest secret is that though he comes from a family of assassins he has a sever case of hemophobia. One night when a job goes unplanned his biggest secret is revealed to a witness very willing to blackmail him to get what she wants...
Rory is a street urchin with one dream: to become a swordswoman. When she was younger she witnessed such a woman in action and has dreamed up becoming just like her ever since. She’s found someone who will agree to let her apprentice and she’s packed and ready to leave Dampsport in pursuit of her dreams. Unfortunately for her the one person she trusted most, her partner in crime Jake, screws her over and gets her money taken from her. Left with nothing and no hope for another apprenticeship she’s not in the best mood. Then she stumbles upon a scene that she finds that she might be able to benefit from...
Longinus agrees to train Rory to use a sword under extreme duress and because she blackmailed him. But his new unwanted apprentice is the least of his worries when someone starts killing people and blaming the completely inelegant murders on The Viper. It simply won’t do for anyone to believe that he would do such sloppy work. So he has a mystery to solve in the interest of keeping his good name and reputation intact.
Worlds collide when it is revealed that the woman Rory looked up to is no other than Longinus’s older hateful sister who had a vendetta against him for basically being alive and existing. But her problem isn’t only with her brother she’s going after the beloved Marchioness of Dampsport, her brother just makes god a convenient scapegoat. Longinus and Rory must team up to save the day and save the ruler of their city. But who would believe the word of an urchin girl and an assassin? And who can they trust? They both know that at any moment anyone might be willing to betray them...
Rory and Longinus are adorable together they may claim not to like each other from the start what with the blackmail and all but they become protective of each other and it’s obvious that what both of them really needed was to have someone in their lives they could trust. Their brother/sister relationship seemed almost destined to be.
Rory is a street urchin with one dream: to become a swordswoman. When she was younger she witnessed such a woman in action and has dreamed up becoming just like her ever since. She’s found someone who will agree to let her apprentice and she’s packed and ready to leave Dampsport in pursuit of her dreams. Unfortunately for her the one person she trusted most, her partner in crime Jake, screws her over and gets her money taken from her. Left with nothing and no hope for another apprenticeship she’s not in the best mood. Then she stumbles upon a scene that she finds that she might be able to benefit from...
Longinus agrees to train Rory to use a sword under extreme duress and because she blackmailed him. But his new unwanted apprentice is the least of his worries when someone starts killing people and blaming the completely inelegant murders on The Viper. It simply won’t do for anyone to believe that he would do such sloppy work. So he has a mystery to solve in the interest of keeping his good name and reputation intact.
Worlds collide when it is revealed that the woman Rory looked up to is no other than Longinus’s older hateful sister who had a vendetta against him for basically being alive and existing. But her problem isn’t only with her brother she’s going after the beloved Marchioness of Dampsport, her brother just makes god a convenient scapegoat. Longinus and Rory must team up to save the day and save the ruler of their city. But who would believe the word of an urchin girl and an assassin? And who can they trust? They both know that at any moment anyone might be willing to betray them...
Rory and Longinus are adorable together they may claim not to like each other from the start what with the blackmail and all but they become protective of each other and it’s obvious that what both of them really needed was to have someone in their lives they could trust. Their brother/sister relationship seemed almost destined to be.
December 28, 2016
UGH. What a let down. I'd been stalking this book through UPS all last week waiting for it show up on my doorstep, but now, I'm just so terribly disappointed. I thought this book would revive my love for fantasy, but unfortunately that's not the case. I could only read the first 100 pages before I had to give up. This does not compare to my precious Emperor's Edge in the slightest. This just isn't for me, but at least I tried. The cover will look pretty on my shelf I guess. I'll try to do an actual review tomorrow!DNF
July 26, 2016
"It was always a pleasure to kill."
The Bloodless Assassin by Celine Jeanjean was not what I expected at all. This book went above and beyond my expectations and I was easily swept up into Celine's characters and her world. The Bloodless Assassin is full of secrets, betrayal, friendship, mysteries, and death. While reading, there was not a single moment that I found myself bored or uninterested. This book is one exciting adventure/mystery after another!
My first impression of this book was that it was going to be about a young girl, an assassin, who just goes around town assassinating people. I had no idea that it was going to be about an assassin trying to find his impersonator. Don't get me wrong, yes there was killing in this book, but not as much as I thought there would be. Celine Jeanjean did not write your average assassin story and I think that is what I enjoyed the most about this book. I absolutely love reading books that are different. I have a huge spot in my heart for books that are not the typical stories you read and hear about.
Celine's mind is so colorful and vivid that her characters automatically pop out of the pages and come to life. Rory and Jake's relationship is easy to relate to. We all know how it feels to be used and betrayed at some point in our life. Longinus and Rory's relationship is completely unexpected, and my favorite. These two grew so much in the book, and it was awesome to see the two learn to work together for a greater cause. Longinus us a very deep and complex character, which I never expected. Learning about his background and history with his family and sister blew my mind! I could not believe what I was reading but at the same time, it explained so much about his characters.
I am so glad that this book is not a stand alone and that there are more in the series. I can not wait to jump back into Celine's world. It took me a while to start this book, but once I started I knew there would be no stopping! I really recommend The Bloodless Assassin.
"Death should always be silent"
The Bloodless Assassin by Celine Jeanjean was not what I expected at all. This book went above and beyond my expectations and I was easily swept up into Celine's characters and her world. The Bloodless Assassin is full of secrets, betrayal, friendship, mysteries, and death. While reading, there was not a single moment that I found myself bored or uninterested. This book is one exciting adventure/mystery after another!
My first impression of this book was that it was going to be about a young girl, an assassin, who just goes around town assassinating people. I had no idea that it was going to be about an assassin trying to find his impersonator. Don't get me wrong, yes there was killing in this book, but not as much as I thought there would be. Celine Jeanjean did not write your average assassin story and I think that is what I enjoyed the most about this book. I absolutely love reading books that are different. I have a huge spot in my heart for books that are not the typical stories you read and hear about.
Celine's mind is so colorful and vivid that her characters automatically pop out of the pages and come to life. Rory and Jake's relationship is easy to relate to. We all know how it feels to be used and betrayed at some point in our life. Longinus and Rory's relationship is completely unexpected, and my favorite. These two grew so much in the book, and it was awesome to see the two learn to work together for a greater cause. Longinus us a very deep and complex character, which I never expected. Learning about his background and history with his family and sister blew my mind! I could not believe what I was reading but at the same time, it explained so much about his characters.
I am so glad that this book is not a stand alone and that there are more in the series. I can not wait to jump back into Celine's world. It took me a while to start this book, but once I started I knew there would be no stopping! I really recommend The Bloodless Assassin.
"Death should always be silent"
April 18, 2016
The Bloodless Assassin is book #1 in The Viper and The Urchin series and has been re-launched under its new title. I felt this book was a mix of fantasy and steampunk.
The Viper is Damsport's deadliest assassin, but he also a poet, a writer and an alchemist. However he has a serious flaw, he can't stand the sight or smell of blood, which is why his chosen weapon is poison.
Rory is a teenage girl, a street urchin and thief. For two years she has been saving all her money to pay to be Master Xian's pupil. Inspired by the meeting of a scarred female warrior she wants to learn the art of sword-fighting to take her away from life on the streets and enable her to protect herself and in time become, perhaps, a hero.
When Rory loses her savings, she must find her own luck. She chances upon a street brawl and helps save a man who might just teach her how to swordfight if she can just blackmail him. The gentleman she saves is Longinus aka The Viper.
However Rory's training becomes interrupted by a copy cat murderer who is impersonating The Viper. Just how far will someone go to make The Viper take the blame for the murder of a very important dignitary? Can Rory and The Viper get over their differences in time to solve the puzzle?
There are some great characters and dialogue in this book, the steampunk machines are lightly sprinkled with a higher emphasis on the fantasy world setting. Book #2 in the series is already available to readers.
The Viper is Damsport's deadliest assassin, but he also a poet, a writer and an alchemist. However he has a serious flaw, he can't stand the sight or smell of blood, which is why his chosen weapon is poison.
Rory is a teenage girl, a street urchin and thief. For two years she has been saving all her money to pay to be Master Xian's pupil. Inspired by the meeting of a scarred female warrior she wants to learn the art of sword-fighting to take her away from life on the streets and enable her to protect herself and in time become, perhaps, a hero.
When Rory loses her savings, she must find her own luck. She chances upon a street brawl and helps save a man who might just teach her how to swordfight if she can just blackmail him. The gentleman she saves is Longinus aka The Viper.
However Rory's training becomes interrupted by a copy cat murderer who is impersonating The Viper. Just how far will someone go to make The Viper take the blame for the murder of a very important dignitary? Can Rory and The Viper get over their differences in time to solve the puzzle?
There are some great characters and dialogue in this book, the steampunk machines are lightly sprinkled with a higher emphasis on the fantasy world setting. Book #2 in the series is already available to readers.
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