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The Rise of the Remarkables #1
Brasswitch and Bot
Drawn into a world of prejudice, deceit and danger, Wrench must master her powers, knowing they offer her only hope for survival . . . if they don’t destroy the world first.
Screams surge along York’s narrow Victorian streets as a run-away crackle-tram races toward disaster. Fearing an accident like the one that killed her parents, Brasswitch Wrench is forced to reveal her powers – a decision that will change her life forever.
Recruited to the sinister department of Regulators who hunt down others like her, Wrench teams up with their maverick mechanical leader, Bot as they are tasked with halting the rise of the aberration threat. Until today, being called Brasswitch would have got you killed. Now, it might save your life.
Screams surge along York’s narrow Victorian streets as a run-away crackle-tram races toward disaster. Fearing an accident like the one that killed her parents, Brasswitch Wrench is forced to reveal her powers – a decision that will change her life forever.
Recruited to the sinister department of Regulators who hunt down others like her, Wrench teams up with their maverick mechanical leader, Bot as they are tasked with halting the rise of the aberration threat. Until today, being called Brasswitch would have got you killed. Now, it might save your life.
335 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2020
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55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 20, 2024
Representation: N/A
Trigger warnings: Blood, grief and loss depiction, death of parents in a train crash in the past, physical assault and injury, near-death experiences, xenophobia, military violence and war themes, explosions
Score: Seven out of ten.
Find this review on The StoryGraph.
Brasswitch and Bot by Gareth Ward was by no means perfect, but it wasn't disappointing either. It was enjoyable. I wanted to read this one for a while and headed in with high expectations considering the ratings. The blurb looked intriguing to me, and when I closed the final page, it was a compelling, but flawed reading experience.
It starts with Wren 'Wrench' Chester Harris living her life, except it's an alternate reality version of late 19th century York in the UK, with lots of steampunk aspects. As the name 'steampunk' implies, the technology in Brasswitch and Bot heavily relies on steam, and devices running on electricity, like the light bulb, are scarce. The catch is Wrench isn't a human, she's a cyborg, sorry, aberration, as they call it. She joins a team with two other people, Plum and Octavia, and a full robot named Bot (original.) How do they make humanoid robots in the 1800s way before AI existed, I have no idea. Anyway. These are the Regulators, tasked with keeping stuff from other dimensions, like other aberrations from entering this one. Thaumagicians are the magical equivalent to electricians.
I thought that would be tedious to read, but the writing style and pacing surprisingly engaged me (the length is barely above 300 pages,) and so did the worldbuilding. Mostly. The only issues I found were the characters, since they were likable, but they're plot devices to keep the plot-driven central storyline moving. The other one is the questions I had while exploring Brasswitch and Bot, like how did the UK get so advanced and ahead of their time? What about other countries? Octavia is a human-octopus hybrid and Plum can control elements, so how do they do that?
Ward mentions The Rupture, the portal to another dimension, but how did that come to exist? The conclusion is heartstopping with epic battle scenes. I'll have to read the second and final instalment, The Thaumagician's Revenge, to discover what happens next.
Trigger warnings: Blood, grief and loss depiction, death of parents in a train crash in the past, physical assault and injury, near-death experiences, xenophobia, military violence and war themes, explosions
Score: Seven out of ten.
Find this review on The StoryGraph.
Brasswitch and Bot by Gareth Ward was by no means perfect, but it wasn't disappointing either. It was enjoyable. I wanted to read this one for a while and headed in with high expectations considering the ratings. The blurb looked intriguing to me, and when I closed the final page, it was a compelling, but flawed reading experience.
It starts with Wren 'Wrench' Chester Harris living her life, except it's an alternate reality version of late 19th century York in the UK, with lots of steampunk aspects. As the name 'steampunk' implies, the technology in Brasswitch and Bot heavily relies on steam, and devices running on electricity, like the light bulb, are scarce. The catch is Wrench isn't a human, she's a cyborg, sorry, aberration, as they call it. She joins a team with two other people, Plum and Octavia, and a full robot named Bot (original.) How do they make humanoid robots in the 1800s way before AI existed, I have no idea. Anyway. These are the Regulators, tasked with keeping stuff from other dimensions, like other aberrations from entering this one. Thaumagicians are the magical equivalent to electricians.
I thought that would be tedious to read, but the writing style and pacing surprisingly engaged me (the length is barely above 300 pages,) and so did the worldbuilding. Mostly. The only issues I found were the characters, since they were likable, but they're plot devices to keep the plot-driven central storyline moving. The other one is the questions I had while exploring Brasswitch and Bot, like how did the UK get so advanced and ahead of their time? What about other countries? Octavia is a human-octopus hybrid and Plum can control elements, so how do they do that?
Ward mentions The Rupture, the portal to another dimension, but how did that come to exist? The conclusion is heartstopping with epic battle scenes. I'll have to read the second and final instalment, The Thaumagician's Revenge, to discover what happens next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2020
We are very lucky to be able to claim Gareth Ward as a New Zealand author. His fabulous imagination has dreamed up The Traitor and the Thief and The Clockill and the Thief... and now a new series... The Rise of the Remarkables : Brasswitch and Bot.
I loved the setting of this story... Steampunk York, with all the atmosphere that both of these things evoke. I also loved the humour which permeated through all the high octane action. I am a big fan of tongue-in-cheek one-liners and this book had plenty to keep this reader happy.
Wrench is a Brasswitch - an aberration, with powers that some deem unacceptable. To admit to these powers could get her killed. But when she is recruited by Bot, and the Department of Regulators, her powers may end up being her saviour.
I must confess that I do struggle a bit with fantasy and having to keep track of unfamiliar creatures, settings and concepts - and so this would be my only criticism... but that is a criticism of me not the story! There will be plenty of young readers who absolutely lap this up!!!
I loved the setting of this story... Steampunk York, with all the atmosphere that both of these things evoke. I also loved the humour which permeated through all the high octane action. I am a big fan of tongue-in-cheek one-liners and this book had plenty to keep this reader happy.
Wrench is a Brasswitch - an aberration, with powers that some deem unacceptable. To admit to these powers could get her killed. But when she is recruited by Bot, and the Department of Regulators, her powers may end up being her saviour.
I must confess that I do struggle a bit with fantasy and having to keep track of unfamiliar creatures, settings and concepts - and so this would be my only criticism... but that is a criticism of me not the story! There will be plenty of young readers who absolutely lap this up!!!
August 2, 2020
If Wrench (Wren Chester-Harris) hadn't saved dozens of lives including her own, she wouldn't now be sitting in an
electric chair for interrogation. Captain Flemington of the Regulators is ever so gleeful to have her in his clutches. After all, she is an aberation (not completely human). She is a Brasswitch, and his job is to police and capture any aberations that stand out.
Wrench can manipulate machines with her mind, and has faced the prejudice and hatred from others before. She is a skilled Brasswitch for one so young, but carries a heavy guilt over the deaths of her parents. Her father was a gifted engineer who designed locomotives. The Drake was his newest design and while on a celebratory trip, it jumped the tracks killing several on board including him and Wrench's mother. Wrench survived but blames herself for the crash - maybe she did something accidentally, causing the Drake's brakes to lock?
Just as Captain Flemington is to flick the switch to a powerful electrical current, a mechanoid crashes into the cell. He snatches Wrench away from danger and soon introduces himself as Bot. He too works for the Regulators and Wrench still fears for her safety. Bot soon allays her fears. He needs a Brasswitch for a particular mission. This mission could save the world.
Bot belongs to a top section of Regulators called Cabal Thirteen who monitor and if necessary, control NIA's. (Non Indigenous Aberations) These come from a Rupture (an opening to another Dimension). Someone wants to open it, and Bot and his magical (Remarkable) Regulators are desperate to stop them.
Wrench meets Octavia, a dark-blue skinned beautiful woman who just happens to have several tentacles, and Plum, a pale, and frail-looking boy, is skilled in controlling the elements. Water, Fire and Air are his weapons.
For the first time since her parents died, Wrench feels safe and comfortable as herself - admired for her special skills as a Brasswitch with new friends at her side. This safety is challenged again and again as Bot, Plum and Wrench hunt for those planning to open the Rupture. This enemy is made up of aberations (Remarkables), sick and tired of being treated badly for their differences. They want to turn it back on their tormentors.
Can Wrench help Bot and his team stop them? Does she want to stop them? She too has been bullied mercilessly by others. In fact, can Wrench trust those around her to keep her safe as tensions build to breaking point, or will they finally deem her back to aberation status? She has to trust her gut, their loyalty and dig deep to save herself and those around her. Then and only then may she find the truth? Why does Flemington hate her so much? Did she kill her parents - even by accident?
This new novel by multi-award winning author Gareth Ward, had me gripped from the first page. Wrench (Wren Chester-Harris) is a Brasswitch who can control anything mechanical with her mind. This difference has plagued her with prejudice and bullying, but a chance to use her skills for good changes her entire life.
This novel hooked me in with the sassy, brave but guilt-filled Wrench. It threw me into one action scene after another, pumped with gadgetry, explosions, twists, turns and sprinkles of humour too. Strange creatures run amok, old agendas run rife, unspoken grief and guilt drive the characters and loyalties are tested.
As with Ward's The Traitor and the Thief series, his language is rich, but not too complex for readers 10+, with lots of his own word-morphs along the way. Also as before, the world building is exquisite, putting me smack centre into a life of steam, gadgets, harnessed electricity, trains and weaponry. Loved it.
electric chair for interrogation. Captain Flemington of the Regulators is ever so gleeful to have her in his clutches. After all, she is an aberation (not completely human). She is a Brasswitch, and his job is to police and capture any aberations that stand out.
Wrench can manipulate machines with her mind, and has faced the prejudice and hatred from others before. She is a skilled Brasswitch for one so young, but carries a heavy guilt over the deaths of her parents. Her father was a gifted engineer who designed locomotives. The Drake was his newest design and while on a celebratory trip, it jumped the tracks killing several on board including him and Wrench's mother. Wrench survived but blames herself for the crash - maybe she did something accidentally, causing the Drake's brakes to lock?
Just as Captain Flemington is to flick the switch to a powerful electrical current, a mechanoid crashes into the cell. He snatches Wrench away from danger and soon introduces himself as Bot. He too works for the Regulators and Wrench still fears for her safety. Bot soon allays her fears. He needs a Brasswitch for a particular mission. This mission could save the world.
Bot belongs to a top section of Regulators called Cabal Thirteen who monitor and if necessary, control NIA's. (Non Indigenous Aberations) These come from a Rupture (an opening to another Dimension). Someone wants to open it, and Bot and his magical (Remarkable) Regulators are desperate to stop them.
Wrench meets Octavia, a dark-blue skinned beautiful woman who just happens to have several tentacles, and Plum, a pale, and frail-looking boy, is skilled in controlling the elements. Water, Fire and Air are his weapons.
For the first time since her parents died, Wrench feels safe and comfortable as herself - admired for her special skills as a Brasswitch with new friends at her side. This safety is challenged again and again as Bot, Plum and Wrench hunt for those planning to open the Rupture. This enemy is made up of aberations (Remarkables), sick and tired of being treated badly for their differences. They want to turn it back on their tormentors.
Can Wrench help Bot and his team stop them? Does she want to stop them? She too has been bullied mercilessly by others. In fact, can Wrench trust those around her to keep her safe as tensions build to breaking point, or will they finally deem her back to aberation status? She has to trust her gut, their loyalty and dig deep to save herself and those around her. Then and only then may she find the truth? Why does Flemington hate her so much? Did she kill her parents - even by accident?
This new novel by multi-award winning author Gareth Ward, had me gripped from the first page. Wrench (Wren Chester-Harris) is a Brasswitch who can control anything mechanical with her mind. This difference has plagued her with prejudice and bullying, but a chance to use her skills for good changes her entire life.
This novel hooked me in with the sassy, brave but guilt-filled Wrench. It threw me into one action scene after another, pumped with gadgetry, explosions, twists, turns and sprinkles of humour too. Strange creatures run amok, old agendas run rife, unspoken grief and guilt drive the characters and loyalties are tested.
As with Ward's The Traitor and the Thief series, his language is rich, but not too complex for readers 10+, with lots of his own word-morphs along the way. Also as before, the world building is exquisite, putting me smack centre into a life of steam, gadgets, harnessed electricity, trains and weaponry. Loved it.
August 16, 2020
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Thank you Walker Books for this book in exchange for an honest review
I was really looking forward to this book. It is an New Zealand author and well it’s steampunk themed, so how could you not love it right?
I loved the technology in this book. It really embraced the steampunk feel and the advancement of the technology with the gadgets and gizmos, it was rather cool. The magic was really cool too, though you don’t see enough of it.
Wrench, the main character was okay…? I didn’t get enough from this character, I need more information about them then what was provided. I need a little more to find him relatable, interesting or anything really. Unfortunately, I am just not that invested in them.
I really enjoyed the world that was built in this book and it was built well, so you can feel yourself immersed in there with the gorgeous writing of Ward.
Overall it was a great read but I just needed a little more depth to the characters and more of that delightful magic.
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Thank you Walker Books for this book in exchange for an honest review
I was really looking forward to this book. It is an New Zealand author and well it’s steampunk themed, so how could you not love it right?
I loved the technology in this book. It really embraced the steampunk feel and the advancement of the technology with the gadgets and gizmos, it was rather cool. The magic was really cool too, though you don’t see enough of it.
Wrench, the main character was okay…? I didn’t get enough from this character, I need more information about them then what was provided. I need a little more to find him relatable, interesting or anything really. Unfortunately, I am just not that invested in them.
I really enjoyed the world that was built in this book and it was built well, so you can feel yourself immersed in there with the gorgeous writing of Ward.
Overall it was a great read but I just needed a little more depth to the characters and more of that delightful magic.
August 3, 2020
3/5 stars
I was really excited to start this book as it is a New Zealand author and has steampunk themes! So to start with my positives:
- The technology and world were really well done. I could tell I was in a place which was rife with gadgets and trains and also techno terms.
- The magic and the way of learning magic was interesting to me. I don't think we got to see enough of it though and I would hope that sequels would show more of it!
- Wrench was a likeable main character that any reader could enjoy reading about. Brave, just, clever, and a good amount of innocence.
Why is it 3 stars for me? I found I was thrust into the world without quite enough explanation and I could have done with a bit more background or slower pacing at times. I enjoyed reading about the characters but because I didn't have as much time to bond with them I didn't feel overly invested in what happened to them.
I do believe this might just not have been the right book for me, however, I can totally see perhaps 10-13 year olds being really into it and I would recommend it to them! Something not overly complex but still fun and really unique.
Thanks to Harper Collins NZ for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review
I was really excited to start this book as it is a New Zealand author and has steampunk themes! So to start with my positives:
- The technology and world were really well done. I could tell I was in a place which was rife with gadgets and trains and also techno terms.
- The magic and the way of learning magic was interesting to me. I don't think we got to see enough of it though and I would hope that sequels would show more of it!
- Wrench was a likeable main character that any reader could enjoy reading about. Brave, just, clever, and a good amount of innocence.
Why is it 3 stars for me? I found I was thrust into the world without quite enough explanation and I could have done with a bit more background or slower pacing at times. I enjoyed reading about the characters but because I didn't have as much time to bond with them I didn't feel overly invested in what happened to them.
I do believe this might just not have been the right book for me, however, I can totally see perhaps 10-13 year olds being really into it and I would recommend it to them! Something not overly complex but still fun and really unique.
Thanks to Harper Collins NZ for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review
December 30, 2021
A fun, smart read. Wrench is an orphan with special abilities which are to some an advantage and to others a sign that she is dangerous and unpredictable and should be eradicated. Taken under the metallic wing of the mechanoid Bot who heads up Cabal Thirteen, an eclectic group of special 'aberrant' or 'remarkable' folk like Wrench and a more regular crew who do their best to defend the world from remarkables like herself, Wrench must learn to control her developing powers and avoid the dangers coming thick and fast all around her.
There were elements of the plot that felt a little familiar, but the story telling is zippy and fresh and Ward has put his imagination to good use coming up with all sorts of gadgets and processes that take our own 21st century technology and recalibrate it for a steampunk world. There is much to enjoy here and I'm looking forward to the second book.
There were elements of the plot that felt a little familiar, but the story telling is zippy and fresh and Ward has put his imagination to good use coming up with all sorts of gadgets and processes that take our own 21st century technology and recalibrate it for a steampunk world. There is much to enjoy here and I'm looking forward to the second book.
June 30, 2021
Having previously adored Gareth Ward's The Traitor and the Thief, I enjoyed Brasswitch and Bot. It was humorous and entertaining.
August 16, 2020
I do have to admit to being somewhat of a total fangirl of this particular author. He co-owns my favorite independent bookstore so I was already predisposed to love this book. And boy did I!
I want to be Wrench when I grow up. She is brave, feisty and so clever. I loved the technology and magic even if some of it went a little over my head, it was easy to see the author is seriously passionate about the world he has created. I loved all of the characters and watching friendships form and be tested. There is a humor in this book that is utterly fantastic sprinkled in the right way to help lift spirits. Wrench learning water magic definitely caused a few giggles on my behalf
The only complaint I have is that I want more! I wasn't ready to leave these characters and world that I had come to love so much and I'm already hanging out for the sequel
I want to be Wrench when I grow up. She is brave, feisty and so clever. I loved the technology and magic even if some of it went a little over my head, it was easy to see the author is seriously passionate about the world he has created. I loved all of the characters and watching friendships form and be tested. There is a humor in this book that is utterly fantastic sprinkled in the right way to help lift spirits. Wrench learning water magic definitely caused a few giggles on my behalf
The only complaint I have is that I want more! I wasn't ready to leave these characters and world that I had come to love so much and I'm already hanging out for the sequel
May 4, 2021
Really enjoyed this! I found the characters to be well rounded, believable and (mostly) likeable. The premise was interesting and the world building was thorough without being overwhelming. The story arc makes sense and I enjoyed the unexpected twists.
I much preferred this to the previous series (The Traitor and the Theif etc) especially in terms of how the characters interacted.
My 10 year old is due to read this next and I think he will really like this too. Its violent but not gratuitous.
I much preferred this to the previous series (The Traitor and the Theif etc) especially in terms of how the characters interacted.
My 10 year old is due to read this next and I think he will really like this too. Its violent but not gratuitous.
October 6, 2020
I was a bit concerned when I started this as the initial premise (orphan child picked up by an organisation) seemed very similar to Gareth's earlier novel (The Traitor and the Thief). However the story of Wren(ch) and Bot quickly caught my interest and this became a real page turner which had me trying (unsuccessfully) to unpick the mystery. I became invested in the characters and the secrets that unfolded and I really want to know what happens next.
July 1, 2021
We loved this fast placed super fun steam punk ride. My kids couldn't get enough of brasswitch, Bot, Olivia and Plum. Wow so many twists and turns that we did not see coming!! Loved watching brasswitches journey of self discover with her magic and brasswitch skills!! Can't wait for the journey to continue!
November 7, 2020
Exciting and inventive, cool and intriguing characters, well paced with plenty of action, adventure, all set in an imaginative backdrop and I love Octavia’s costume talents!
October 3, 2021
I really enjoyed this book it was really good and interesting!
September 20, 2020
Part of my Book Reviews for ReadPlus.
You'll 'bally-well' enjoy it!
You'll 'bally-well' enjoy it!
February 20, 2023
A great Steampunk themed story with good humor and captivating to the end.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews