Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collections
Publication
New York : Orbit, 2012.
Description
"Emma Bannon, forensic sorceress in the service of the Empire, has a mission: to protect Archibald Clare, a failed, unregistered mentath. His skills of deduction are legendary, and her own sorcery is not inconsiderable. Unfortunately, they can barely tolerate each other..."--P. [4] of cover.
User reviews
LibraryThing member bluesalamanders
A Sherlockian genius and a powerful sorceress team up to discover and defeat an unknown adversary, for Queen and Country. Also, because it's after them, too.
It's an interesting story which includes a bit of mystery, a lot of magic, and a group of people who have to work together though they may or
On the other hand, in the beginning, Clare is pretty annoying until he stopped talking about deducing things and just does it. He's also irritatingly sexist for someone who is supposed to be so very logical and his friend Sig is called a genius but portrayed as a buffoon.
Very little is explained about how magic - or anything else - works in this alternate Britain. It almost reads like the second book in the series, written with the assumption that the reader is already familiar with the setting. I enjoy books that throw the reader in the midst of things and explain it as the book goes along - but only when things are actually explained.
It's an interesting story which includes a bit of mystery, a lot of magic, and a group of people who have to work together though they may or
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may not trust each other. The characters are (mostly) interesting and well-drawn, particularly Emma. The worldbuilding is intriguing, including Tideturn and its effect on both magic-wielders and gems in proximity to them.On the other hand, in the beginning, Clare is pretty annoying until he stopped talking about deducing things and just does it. He's also irritatingly sexist for someone who is supposed to be so very logical and his friend Sig is called a genius but portrayed as a buffoon.
Very little is explained about how magic - or anything else - works in this alternate Britain. It almost reads like the second book in the series, written with the assumption that the reader is already familiar with the setting. I enjoy books that throw the reader in the midst of things and explain it as the book goes along - but only when things are actually explained.
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LibraryThing member cameling
This steampunk novel introduces Clare, a mentath reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and Bannon, an elite sorceress loyal to the Queen, and Mikal, her Shield. There's a good mix of illogical magic and logical reasoning, dragons and creatures altered with mechanical limbs, and a thrilling race to save
Someone is killing unregistered mentaths and in the process of uncovering the killer, an alarming conspiracy is uncovered. Clare, Bannon and Mikal need to overcome distrust and fear if they are to discover the reason for the murders and who's behind them. The dangers they face escalate and they seek some surprising companions to help them with their quest.
This is the first in the series and I can't wait to get my hands on the next one
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the world as they know it.Someone is killing unregistered mentaths and in the process of uncovering the killer, an alarming conspiracy is uncovered. Clare, Bannon and Mikal need to overcome distrust and fear if they are to discover the reason for the murders and who's behind them. The dangers they face escalate and they seek some surprising companions to help them with their quest.
This is the first in the series and I can't wait to get my hands on the next one
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LibraryThing member majkia
The Iron Wyrm Affair is a terrifically mad romp through Londinium, a place riven with magic, the force of which renews itself with the tide of Londinium’s great river Themis. The young Queen Victrix, inhabited by Britannia’s living spirit, requests one of her Primes, particularly potent
The Prima, in this case a female, sets off with her Shield, the mysterious and oh so sexy Mykal, to ensure one mentath’s safetly, arriving only moments before he too would have been killed. The three of them set out to discover who is killing the mentaths and just what he and his cronies are up to.
Terrific world-building, innovative and complex characters, and an intriguing plot. Highly recommended.
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sorcerers, to investigate the sudden murders and attendant disappearances of her mentaths, who are brilliant thinkers.The Prima, in this case a female, sets off with her Shield, the mysterious and oh so sexy Mykal, to ensure one mentath’s safetly, arriving only moments before he too would have been killed. The three of them set out to discover who is killing the mentaths and just what he and his cronies are up to.
Terrific world-building, innovative and complex characters, and an intriguing plot. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member wizardsheart
I love Steampunk, so was excited to receive this copy for review. Reading the back copy, this seemed like the perfect book for me. The alternate history and the setting attracted me to this. This book had a lot of intriguing elements to it. I loved the concept of a "forensic sorceress". Some of her
But somewhere along the line it just all fell flat to me. I have been noticing that as Steampunk is becoming more popular the quality is beginning to suffer. This seems like a prime example. Authors are seeming so focused on the world building that either the plot or the characters suffer. With this book in particular, I had a real hard time warming up to any of the characters. Even Emma, who was clearly the best developed. I found the world building awkward and confusing at times. I had a real hard time caring about the plot or what was going on. In the end I had zero emotional investment in the book and just kept wanting it to be over.
A few pet peeves: everyone in this book kept getting pale. I understand this as a way for writers to show reactions, but seriously how realistic is that? I personally have rarely seen this in real life and in this book everyone is going pale everytime something mildly shocking happens.
One of the biggest pet peeves for me is when an alternate world is created and they change names just a little bit. London vs Londinium. Victoria vs Victrix. For some reason this really irritates me. It just seems pointless. I know your in London, I get that it is an alternate world. Don't try and invent a different name that sounds kind of the same. I can handle a different reality and it take place in a town called London. It seems insulting and ridiculous to the reader.
I guess I didn't have a lot of nice things to say about this book. It was a big disappointment and I won't be looking into the next installment.
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descriptions were very well done. Emma Bannon was a great strong female character. But somewhere along the line it just all fell flat to me. I have been noticing that as Steampunk is becoming more popular the quality is beginning to suffer. This seems like a prime example. Authors are seeming so focused on the world building that either the plot or the characters suffer. With this book in particular, I had a real hard time warming up to any of the characters. Even Emma, who was clearly the best developed. I found the world building awkward and confusing at times. I had a real hard time caring about the plot or what was going on. In the end I had zero emotional investment in the book and just kept wanting it to be over.
A few pet peeves: everyone in this book kept getting pale. I understand this as a way for writers to show reactions, but seriously how realistic is that? I personally have rarely seen this in real life and in this book everyone is going pale everytime something mildly shocking happens.
One of the biggest pet peeves for me is when an alternate world is created and they change names just a little bit. London vs Londinium. Victoria vs Victrix. For some reason this really irritates me. It just seems pointless. I know your in London, I get that it is an alternate world. Don't try and invent a different name that sounds kind of the same. I can handle a different reality and it take place in a town called London. It seems insulting and ridiculous to the reader.
I guess I didn't have a lot of nice things to say about this book. It was a big disappointment and I won't be looking into the next installment.
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LibraryThing member CA2Balloon
I found this book a bit slow starting, but once I acquired a sense of the story and cast of characters, I could not put it down. Having read previous stories by Ms. Saintcrow, I was prepared for her tendency to let the reader figure out the back story while charging full steam ahead. I've followed
I enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing how the follow-on books turn out.
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the steampunk movement with interest over the years, but this is the first novel in that genre for me. I enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing how the follow-on books turn out.
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LibraryThing member Mardel
I absolutely love reading a brand new book in a brand new series. I rarely ask for books from The Library Thing, unless I really, really want one, but I saw this, put in for it, and then forgot I put in for it. Then it came in the mail - unfortunately it didn't come in time for me to post about it
The Iron Wyrm Affair is the first of the Bannon and Clare series. Bannon is a sorceress, a very powerful one. Clare is a mentath - a man who MUST use his brain to solve patterns, problems, etc. or his brain will go mad. They live in an alternate historical London - it's actually called Londinium. In this version of history - there are sorcerers, prime (the most powerful of sorcerers) witches, gryffons, etc. It's a very rich world. As the story unfolds, you learn a bit more about the world and it's history.
Mentaths and sorcerers have been found murdered and Bannon is in charge of not only keeping Clare alive, but finding out just what the threat is, and who the real threat is ultimately for.
Lilith Saintcrow has once again delivered a novel that is full of plot, believable and fitting dialogue, rich environments (not $$ rich, rich in atmosphere) and mysterious pasts of characters. There is plenty of action, and just the barest tease of relationships. There is danger and twisty plots. A very enjoyable book - and I am looking forward - very much - to the next novel in the series.
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before the release date, but it's close. The Iron Wyrm Affair is one of Lilith Saintcrow's newest novels, and it is unlike anything she's ever done before. Although - I know she's written some paranormal romance that I haven't read (the Watcher series- I think they're romance, anyway). I have read her two urban fantasy series and they are dark urban fantasy, both of which I enjoyed very much. If you're looking for something like that, you're not going to find it here. However, this is a very well written steampunk novel. There's magic, clockwork horses, altered people, Victorian setting and dialogue...Saintcrow has done a wonderful job of writing something completely different.The Iron Wyrm Affair is the first of the Bannon and Clare series. Bannon is a sorceress, a very powerful one. Clare is a mentath - a man who MUST use his brain to solve patterns, problems, etc. or his brain will go mad. They live in an alternate historical London - it's actually called Londinium. In this version of history - there are sorcerers, prime (the most powerful of sorcerers) witches, gryffons, etc. It's a very rich world. As the story unfolds, you learn a bit more about the world and it's history.
Mentaths and sorcerers have been found murdered and Bannon is in charge of not only keeping Clare alive, but finding out just what the threat is, and who the real threat is ultimately for.
Lilith Saintcrow has once again delivered a novel that is full of plot, believable and fitting dialogue, rich environments (not $$ rich, rich in atmosphere) and mysterious pasts of characters. There is plenty of action, and just the barest tease of relationships. There is danger and twisty plots. A very enjoyable book - and I am looking forward - very much - to the next novel in the series.
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LibraryThing member Radella
I liked aspects of this book. The world Saintcrow has created is vividly imagined. There are fantastical creatures running amok, and magic has taken the industrial revolution in a completely different direction. While this is fairly standard steampunk fare, it is a world that is unique. Being
Generally speaking, I find the "be horribly injured and magically healed" plot device annoying. I find magic deus ex machina, with it being able to solve all problems. In this case, it seemed to fit well. It wasn't the look-at-me-I'm-too-stupid-to-live type of character, rather it was part of what made Emma a sorcerer and willing to go into dangerous situations for queen and country.
Even though I thought it was a great book, I had a hard time getting into it. Maybe it was because I was reading it on the plane, or because it was a *real* book and not on my Kindle, or maybe it was something else entirely. I just couldn't seem to be able to read more than a chapter or two at a time before being distracted by something else. It was great and definitely worth the read, but it didn't have the "grab your attention and suck you in" quality to make it a truly fantastic read.
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familiar with steampunk makes this book easier to read and follow, because Saintcrow pretty much drops the reader in the middle of the story. There's not tedious back stories and explanations, it takes off running and leaves the reader to figure it all out. Knowing the lifestyle/aesthetic/vocabulary of steampunk makes it easier to catch up with the world.Generally speaking, I find the "be horribly injured and magically healed" plot device annoying. I find magic deus ex machina, with it being able to solve all problems. In this case, it seemed to fit well. It wasn't the look-at-me-I'm-too-stupid-to-live type of character, rather it was part of what made Emma a sorcerer and willing to go into dangerous situations for queen and country.
Even though I thought it was a great book, I had a hard time getting into it. Maybe it was because I was reading it on the plane, or because it was a *real* book and not on my Kindle, or maybe it was something else entirely. I just couldn't seem to be able to read more than a chapter or two at a time before being distracted by something else. It was great and definitely worth the read, but it didn't have the "grab your attention and suck you in" quality to make it a truly fantastic read.
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LibraryThing member dulcibelle
The world building in this book was fantastic - a gritty, magical yet logical, Victorian Britannia that was a joy to explore. The character development was equally as wonderful; Saintcrow's characters - Emma Bannon, Archibald Clare, and the rest - simply LEAP off the page. But, I didn't connect
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with those characters. I don't know why - maybe they were both a little cold and unemotional for me - but I just didn't connect. Will I read the sequel? Probably, but I won't be waiting with bated breath. Show Less
LibraryThing member pacey1927
I have wanted to read this novel since I first saw it show up on my list of recommendations. The cover! The steampunk fantasy world! Magic! A mystery comparable to Holmes....What isn't there to love here? It saddens me to say that this book disappointed me in a way very few ever have.
Although I
There is also a lot of new or twisted vocabulary used to describe this alternative world but there is not a dictionary or anything to help readers navigate and understand this world. I am just saddened by the fact that I think the author had some intriguing ideas for her characters and the world but it is presented in a confusing and boring way. I have never found a book to be quite this much of a struggle to get through. It just wasn't enjoyable in the least.
Although I
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trudged through it, this book was almost completely unreadable. Clare is a logical genius and the story never bothers letting the reader in on what he has concluded. O'Bannon could be a wonderful character except as the plot unfolds, we never really know what she is thinking or who the people are that she is investigating. The book would introduce random, new characters and then there would be a verbal exchange between O'Bannon and this person and when the scene wrapped up, I was no more clear on the situation than I was when I started in. There was action which would be exciting but still I didn't understand WHY this was happening. I really couldn't find the plot. We finally are let in on an object that the characters need to get a hold of or stop from being used. We aren't told why this is such a bad thing. Maybe it is hinted at but it is foggy and lost among the rest of the disjointed story.There is also a lot of new or twisted vocabulary used to describe this alternative world but there is not a dictionary or anything to help readers navigate and understand this world. I am just saddened by the fact that I think the author had some intriguing ideas for her characters and the world but it is presented in a confusing and boring way. I have never found a book to be quite this much of a struggle to get through. It just wasn't enjoyable in the least.
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LibraryThing member yarmando
Disappointing start to new series about a Victorian sorceress and a consulting detective.
Why I picked it up: It looked like it might be a Carriger-esque romp, supernatural + steampunk + Wildean comedy-of-manners humor. I was also intrigued by the "mentath" concept, a class of people like Sherlock
Why I finished it: Because I had to write this review so that the Early Reviewers algorithm will still select me. Otherwise, I would have abandoned it after the obligatory 50 pages. The prose is unbearably adolescent and purple, which would be fine if it showed some hint of being deliberate and self-conscious. Take Chapter Two, where in the space of a single paragraph Saintcrow repeats the verb "sniffed" to show different characters being haughty, and then later carelessly repeats the phrase "rather ticklish." Both overblown and sloppy. Saving grace: I think Archibald Clare might turn out to be gay.
I'd give it to: Almost no one, but a "Parasol Protectorate" fan might be able to drawn some small enjoyment out of it.
Why I picked it up: It looked like it might be a Carriger-esque romp, supernatural + steampunk + Wildean comedy-of-manners humor. I was also intrigued by the "mentath" concept, a class of people like Sherlock
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Holmes.Why I finished it: Because I had to write this review so that the Early Reviewers algorithm will still select me. Otherwise, I would have abandoned it after the obligatory 50 pages. The prose is unbearably adolescent and purple, which would be fine if it showed some hint of being deliberate and self-conscious. Take Chapter Two, where in the space of a single paragraph Saintcrow repeats the verb "sniffed" to show different characters being haughty, and then later carelessly repeats the phrase "rather ticklish." Both overblown and sloppy. Saving grace: I think Archibald Clare might turn out to be gay.
I'd give it to: Almost no one, but a "Parasol Protectorate" fan might be able to drawn some small enjoyment out of it.
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LibraryThing member bkjake
I really wanted to like this book. I love mystery and magic blended together. Unfortunately, the steampunk elements of this story were just too much. Some world elements were glossed over with barely any explanation, and I found myself being repeatedly beat over the head with others. For example, I
I gave this book three chances, and finally had to quit about halfway through when one of the main characters was in a big fight/attempted abduction and I just couldn't seem to care.
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really didn't need to be told every ten pages how murky the city was with smog, how all the carriages were pulled by 'clockhorses', and how all the street toughs had mechanical alterations. (That last I found horribly implausible.) I gave this book three chances, and finally had to quit about halfway through when one of the main characters was in a big fight/attempted abduction and I just couldn't seem to care.
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LibraryThing member Capnrandm
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
allthingsuf.com
THE IRON WORM AFFAIR is one of those books that plays vividly across the mind’s eye, unfolding like a movie in all of it’s fantastic and creepy detail. Clockwork horses, flying carriages, gangs of flashboys with their augmented limbs,
The prologue from Archibald Clare’s perspective was arresting, his visual organization of the world around him made me feel as if I could see it through his eyes. This cinematic introduction to THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR had me excited to explore their world, and I was almost disappointed to revert to the more mundane narration of Emma Bannon. I needn’t have worried, however, as Bannon and Clare pass point of view back and forth between them for the length of the story. I’m rarely willing to share the narrative spotlight with a non-romantic character, but Clare’s meticulous mind and touchingly awkward affections for his colleagues completely won me over. Also, the mentath’s sharp observation and deductive reasoning filled in gaps that the reticent Emma and Mikal left blank.
Bannon is an almost archetypal Saintcrow heroine. Dark, dedicated, sparking and crackling with magic and bruised by a traumatic past. The violence that brought her and Mikal together is also the same thing keeping them apart, and I liked that there was more than simple class-conscious stubbornness stretching out the romance. Of course, all of THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR’s characters are still a bit remote. With their fantastic abilities and passionate loyalties, I found them intriguing but not particularly human.
This didn’t impact my emotional investment in the story, however, but rather left me hungry for more details of their intricate, mysterious inner lives. The relationship between mentaths and sorcerors was very well crafted and fascinating in its own right, but when coupled with with epic characters and a hint of romance, THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR has a lot to offer fans of both steampunk and urban fantasy.
Sexual Content: References to sex.
allthingsuf.com
THE IRON WORM AFFAIR is one of those books that plays vividly across the mind’s eye, unfolding like a movie in all of it’s fantastic and creepy detail. Clockwork horses, flying carriages, gangs of flashboys with their augmented limbs,
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stilted mentaths using science to impose order on the world around them even as sorcerors defy all natural laws. Rather than adding fantastical and steampunk elements to familiar history, Saintcrow adds a few drops of the familiar into her own witch’s brew of a world. The tight restraint of her characters isn’t only due to Victorian sensibilities, but also the physics that governs magic and logic in their reality. Saintcrow has created an ambitious new world with the Bannon & Clare series, one that I cannot wait to revisit.The prologue from Archibald Clare’s perspective was arresting, his visual organization of the world around him made me feel as if I could see it through his eyes. This cinematic introduction to THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR had me excited to explore their world, and I was almost disappointed to revert to the more mundane narration of Emma Bannon. I needn’t have worried, however, as Bannon and Clare pass point of view back and forth between them for the length of the story. I’m rarely willing to share the narrative spotlight with a non-romantic character, but Clare’s meticulous mind and touchingly awkward affections for his colleagues completely won me over. Also, the mentath’s sharp observation and deductive reasoning filled in gaps that the reticent Emma and Mikal left blank.
Bannon is an almost archetypal Saintcrow heroine. Dark, dedicated, sparking and crackling with magic and bruised by a traumatic past. The violence that brought her and Mikal together is also the same thing keeping them apart, and I liked that there was more than simple class-conscious stubbornness stretching out the romance. Of course, all of THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR’s characters are still a bit remote. With their fantastic abilities and passionate loyalties, I found them intriguing but not particularly human.
This didn’t impact my emotional investment in the story, however, but rather left me hungry for more details of their intricate, mysterious inner lives. The relationship between mentaths and sorcerors was very well crafted and fascinating in its own right, but when coupled with with epic characters and a hint of romance, THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR has a lot to offer fans of both steampunk and urban fantasy.
Sexual Content: References to sex.
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LibraryThing member arbjames
I love this new crime-solving duo! Set in an alternate Victorian London, Emma Bannon and Archibald Clare have to sort through a series of murders (real and fake!), discover who is creating a mechanical army, and keep a sleeping dragon from being awakened. Oh, and, of course, save the Queen. Will
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they all survive the magic, mechanicals, and mayhem? Emma is the most intriguing character with many references to haunting past. Guess I'll have to stay tuned for volume 2! Show Less
LibraryThing member ronincats
This ER ARC was waiting for me when I got home, and the cover words screaming "SORCERY! SEDUCTION! DEDUCTION!" were so demanding that I had to get it read quickly. (Note: those words are NOT on the official cover, but they are on the ARC in 1.24 inch tall letters.)
Another alternative England, this
Although there are some similarities to the Parasol Protectorate books, this is grittier, and there is no comedy of manners here. The steampunk characteristics of Victorian industrialism are shared, but the fog of Londinium in this story is more like an nasty, unsavory character. The built-in antagonism of the sorcerers and the mentaths sets up a dynamic tension right from the first.
Another alternative England, this
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one puts together sorcery and Sherlock-Holmsian deduction to create a lively story of treachery and betrayal of the Crown. Extremely interesting world-building and equally interesting characters, this one is all action from start to finish. Although there are some similarities to the Parasol Protectorate books, this is grittier, and there is no comedy of manners here. The steampunk characteristics of Victorian industrialism are shared, but the fog of Londinium in this story is more like an nasty, unsavory character. The built-in antagonism of the sorcerers and the mentaths sets up a dynamic tension right from the first.
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LibraryThing member thehistorychic
Won from Library Thing Early Reviewers...
This was a DNF for me :( I know this book worked really well for other people so please go check out their reviews!
This was a DNF for me :( I know this book worked really well for other people so please go check out their reviews!
LibraryThing member philae_02
After waiting for my library to acquire this book, I was hoping to be transported to an alternate steampunk timeline. But unfortunately, I was disappointed. For me, the hook wasn't enough to entice me to read further than the first three chapters. I'm sure the book is fine, but it's one that I
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won't be returning to soon. Show Less
LibraryThing member kcaroth1
I really enjoyed this steampunk alternate universe. I am always a sucker for the heroine with a tragic past that is driven to overcome everything as a result. It is especially rewarding when her sorcery talent makes her more powerful than just about anyone else. Her partner in saving the world is a
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logic-driven mentath who can’t seem to help making some emotional connections as well. Add some romance, mystery, clockwork horses, floating castles and a Queen that is the literal embodiment of her country, and you come up with a very satisfying read. Show Less
LibraryThing member mamzel
Metallic horses, mentaths, giant iron spiders, sleeping dragons, and lots of action. What's not to enjoy in a book with all that?
LibraryThing member 4leschats
Great world building and plenty of action but the best part was the fun characters
LibraryThing member Murphy-Jacobs
Good gracious, this was fun!
More when my heartbeat goes back to normal.
Ok, brain is back to normal, or at least as normal as it ever gets around here. Let's count this off.
First, I have a lot of enthusiasm for this book, in part simply because it's the first book in a VERY long time that I picked
Next, I'm a Saintcrow fan, and I like how she handles phrases and characters and plot and other writerly stuff. She used some standard phrases, sort of catch phrases, that could have been annoying except that she seemed to be so consciously using them that it became shorthand. It didn't get annoying and instead gave some layering. So there's THAT.
Third, you'd have to be blind not to see the nod to Sherlock Holmes in this, although it is handled with a good bit of skill and finesse. This isn't a Holmes rip off translated to an alternate world and gussied up with Magick. This is decent homage, which means it steals just enough that I notice the source, but not enough to feel like a rip off.
Fourth, although these are some fairly troubled and complicated characters, there was a refreshing lack of angst! Oh the angst! and a maturity to the characters that I appreciated. They aren't STUPID and they don't suddenly do STUPID stuff, nor do they ever act without a motive that coincides with the character construction up to the point of the action. Hey, that's important. The characters aren't really presented in order to show their growth -- this is a steampunk tinged adventure, not a Bildungsroman -- but it's there in subtle touches. Even characters who were not all that competent manage to reach their own levels of competence and just don't go stupid in order to create a plot need or hook. I mean, that's good writing.
Last, speaking of subtle touches, my favorite part was how many threads of development were revealed in the tiniest bits and trailed off to be continued in later books. Lots of threads, lots of questions, lots of mysteries yet unsolved, but the primary mystery was sufficiently mysterious and that unraveling of it sufficiently gripping. The world built behind all this plot stuff was also revealed in touches and visuals -- no big fat info dumps of author notes disguised as word count.
So that's pretty much why I enjoyed the hell out of this book and have the next on preorder.
More when my heartbeat goes back to normal.
Ok, brain is back to normal, or at least as normal as it ever gets around here. Let's count this off.
First, I have a lot of enthusiasm for this book, in part simply because it's the first book in a VERY long time that I picked
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up and just HAD to finish. This in and of itself inflates my overall enjoyment of the book, so everything else goes via that lens. Next, I'm a Saintcrow fan, and I like how she handles phrases and characters and plot and other writerly stuff. She used some standard phrases, sort of catch phrases, that could have been annoying except that she seemed to be so consciously using them that it became shorthand. It didn't get annoying and instead gave some layering. So there's THAT.
Third, you'd have to be blind not to see the nod to Sherlock Holmes in this, although it is handled with a good bit of skill and finesse. This isn't a Holmes rip off translated to an alternate world and gussied up with Magick. This is decent homage, which means it steals just enough that I notice the source, but not enough to feel like a rip off.
Fourth, although these are some fairly troubled and complicated characters, there was a refreshing lack of angst! Oh the angst! and a maturity to the characters that I appreciated. They aren't STUPID and they don't suddenly do STUPID stuff, nor do they ever act without a motive that coincides with the character construction up to the point of the action. Hey, that's important. The characters aren't really presented in order to show their growth -- this is a steampunk tinged adventure, not a Bildungsroman -- but it's there in subtle touches. Even characters who were not all that competent manage to reach their own levels of competence and just don't go stupid in order to create a plot need or hook. I mean, that's good writing.
Last, speaking of subtle touches, my favorite part was how many threads of development were revealed in the tiniest bits and trailed off to be continued in later books. Lots of threads, lots of questions, lots of mysteries yet unsolved, but the primary mystery was sufficiently mysterious and that unraveling of it sufficiently gripping. The world built behind all this plot stuff was also revealed in touches and visuals -- no big fat info dumps of author notes disguised as word count.
So that's pretty much why I enjoyed the hell out of this book and have the next on preorder.
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LibraryThing member Capnrandm
The prologue from Archibald Clare's perspective was arresting, his visual organization of the world around him made me feel as if I could see it through his eyes. This cinematic introduction to THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR had me excited to explore their world, and I was almost disappointed to revert to
Rather than adding fantastical and steampunk elements to familiar history, Saintcrow adds a few drops of the familiar into her own witch's brew of a world. The tight restraint of her characters isn't only due to Victorian sensibilities, but also the physics that governs magic and logic in their reality. I liked how the narration passes back and forth between Clare and Emma, as the mentath's sharp observation and deductive reasoning filled in gaps that the recitent Emma and Mikal left blank. Emma is a typical Saintcrow heroine. Dark, dedicated, sparking with magic and bruised by a traumatic event. The violence that brought her and Mikal together is also the same thing keeping them apart, and I liked that there was more than simple class-conscious stubborness stretching out the romance.
THE IRON WORM AFFAIR is one of those books that plays vividly across the mind's eye, unfolding like a movie in all of it's fantastic and creepy detail. Clockwork horses, flying carriages, gangs of flashboys with their augmented limbs, stilted mentaths using science to impose order on the world around them even as sorcerors defy all natural laws. Saintcrow has created an ambitious new world with the Bannon & Clare series, one that I cannot wait to revisit.
While I enjoyed the way sorcery and mentaths both complimented and opposed one another, I did not anticipate a significant twist that raised the mentaths to a whole new level. The magical structure of this world is fascinating in its own right, and with intriguing characters and a hint of romance, THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR has a lot to offer fans of both steampunk and urban fantasy.
Full review to follow.
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the more mundane narration of the main character.Rather than adding fantastical and steampunk elements to familiar history, Saintcrow adds a few drops of the familiar into her own witch's brew of a world. The tight restraint of her characters isn't only due to Victorian sensibilities, but also the physics that governs magic and logic in their reality. I liked how the narration passes back and forth between Clare and Emma, as the mentath's sharp observation and deductive reasoning filled in gaps that the recitent Emma and Mikal left blank. Emma is a typical Saintcrow heroine. Dark, dedicated, sparking with magic and bruised by a traumatic event. The violence that brought her and Mikal together is also the same thing keeping them apart, and I liked that there was more than simple class-conscious stubborness stretching out the romance.
THE IRON WORM AFFAIR is one of those books that plays vividly across the mind's eye, unfolding like a movie in all of it's fantastic and creepy detail. Clockwork horses, flying carriages, gangs of flashboys with their augmented limbs, stilted mentaths using science to impose order on the world around them even as sorcerors defy all natural laws. Saintcrow has created an ambitious new world with the Bannon & Clare series, one that I cannot wait to revisit.
While I enjoyed the way sorcery and mentaths both complimented and opposed one another, I did not anticipate a significant twist that raised the mentaths to a whole new level. The magical structure of this world is fascinating in its own right, and with intriguing characters and a hint of romance, THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR has a lot to offer fans of both steampunk and urban fantasy.
Full review to follow.
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LibraryThing member SunnySD
Her discipline may be Black, but her loyalty is unquestionable. Prime Emma Bannon's goal may sound simple - protect the new Queen Victrix and Britannia from the manipulative plottings of those who mean to control her. Unfortunately, Emma's closest ally may be willing to kill her, and the enemies
Saintcrow has created a London populated by the Altered, flashboys, clockhorses, sorcerers and witches, where magic sparks and dawn and dusk bring the flooding power of Tideturn. In Archibald Crane lives the spirit of Shelock Holmes at his best, and in Mikal and Emma a hero and heroine both with flaws, strengths and doubts enough to be engaging. Excellent!
Note: A few typos and the occasional rough spot, but as the edition read as an ARC, it's expected this small problems will be smoothed out prior to publication.
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ranged against her are great in power and steeped in deviousness. As the pages turn, the body count rises and the plot thickens... Saintcrow has created a London populated by the Altered, flashboys, clockhorses, sorcerers and witches, where magic sparks and dawn and dusk bring the flooding power of Tideturn. In Archibald Crane lives the spirit of Shelock Holmes at his best, and in Mikal and Emma a hero and heroine both with flaws, strengths and doubts enough to be engaging. Excellent!
Note: A few typos and the occasional rough spot, but as the edition read as an ARC, it's expected this small problems will be smoothed out prior to publication.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: A dark, magical steampunk tale with a strong female character set in an alternate London. A heavy, in-depth read that is full of action, strange clues and intrigue.
Opening Sentence: Emma Bannon, Sorceress Prime and servant to Britannia’s current
The Review:
The Iron Wyrm Affair is a creatively written steampunk set in an alternate world of 1800′s London called Londinium. Many of the historical names/places have been changed to curious spellings such as Queen Victoria is Victrix. There is also a lot of big descriptive and architecture words that may intimidate the reader, thankfully I used my Kindle to look up some of the words I wasn’t sure about. Others may not have my problem.
Emma Bannon has been sent on a quest to find out why a group of sorcerers and mentaths have been killed. Archibald Clare is the only unregistered mentath still alive and Emma comes to his rescue just as he is being attacked. Although, the question afterwards is who was the actual target of the attack, Bannon or Clare? Bannon doesn’t let Clare know the reasons for his protection at first, letting him deduce the crimes with his brilliant mentath mind. She eventually opens up and gives details to him so he can come up with plans to find out who and what is behind the plan to most likely overthrow Queen Victrix.
Emma is a Sorcerer Prime and welds quite a bit of power. She is also a black sorcerer capable of some extreme magic. She must use all her powers if she wants to destroy the people behind this terrible plan. Bannon and Clare are dragged into a terrible scheme that includes steampunk style mecha-machines, dragons (wyrms) and more. Bannon will certainly find out that magic may not always help in a fight.
Emma is certainly a woman that is way to tough for her times. She makes sure she is appropriately dressed with her gowns and jewelry. The jewelry helps to hold her magic and spells. She often curses, although it is mentioned through Clare as using words more suitable to a sailer. I throughly enjoyed Emma, she made no excuses for her actions, she may have had regrets but she took no crap from anyone.
Archibald Clare was a little harder to understand. I never really quite understood the mentath ability, just that they were trained, they are very smart and the fact that their brain can melt with too much information or the fact that they could go crazy with no stimulation. Clare and his companions were definitely more of the comic relief in the book to counteract with Emma’s seriousness.
The Iron Wyrm Affair is a very involved and in-depth book. Some of the speech and names took a while to get used to but the story is constantly moving forward and unraveling new clues. There is a lot of action and intrigue. The short chapters mixing between Bannon and Clare’s point of views also added quite a bit of tension and what’s going to happen next, as they both undertake different paths to uncover pieces of the puzzle.
In the end, I really enjoyed The Iron Wyrm Affair. It was a dark, magical steampunk tale that set up a world of its own. Even though I may have gotten lost at times, especially with the sorcery fights, I would definitely pick up another novel in this series
Notable Scene:
Emma’s hands shot out, sorcery crackling between them. She squeezed, smoke rising from her rings and the scorched material of her gloves, and Mehitabel shrieked again. The flashboys froze, workers dropping where they stood. The chant died away now that Emma had her grip.
“I can crush flesh just as easily,” she called, the words slicing through snap-crackling flame and shuddering metallic clanking. The simulacrum’s face continued melting, runnels of liquid iron sliding down, its unfashionable dress a torch. “Even your flesh. Where is it, Me-hi-ta-beh-ru-la gu’rush Me-hi-lwa?” The foreign syllables punctured tortured air; Emma’s throat scorched and her eyes watering as she accented each in its proper place.
Hours of study and careful tortuous work had suddenly returned its investment. Mehitabel had obviously never guessed that Emma might uncover her truename, much less use it.
A wyrm would never forget, let alone forgive such a thing.
The Blackwerks . . . stopped.
Sparks and cinders hung in mid-air. The burning simulacrum was a painting, flames caught in mid-twist, its face terribly ruined.
A huge, narrow head, triple-crowned and triple-tongued, rose from a crucible of molten metal, snaking forward on a flexible, black-scaled neck. The eyes were jewels of flame, matching the now-cracked rubies of the simulacrum, and leathery wings spread through the cinderfall, their bladed edges cutting through individual flecks and sparks held in stasis.
The tongues flickered, smoke wreathing the wyrm’s long body in curiously lethargic veils. Mehitabel held the Werks out of Time’s slipstream, her wings ruffling as they combed slumbering air. The heat was immense, awesome, the cup of metal holding the lower half of her body bubbling with thick tearing sounds. She turned her head sideways, one ruby eye glinting, but Emma leaned back, fingers burning, the thin fine leash of her will cutting across the dragon’s snout.
They are the children of Time, her teacher had intoned long ago. They are of the Powers, and their elders sleep. We should be glad of that slumber, for if those wyrms awakened they would shake this isle – and plenty more – from their backs, and the Age of Flame would return.
FTC Advisory: Orbit provided me with a copy of The Iron Wyrm Affair. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A dark, magical steampunk tale with a strong female character set in an alternate London. A heavy, in-depth read that is full of action, strange clues and intrigue.
Opening Sentence: Emma Bannon, Sorceress Prime and servant to Britannia’s current
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incarnation, mentally ran through every foul word that would never cross the lips of a lady.The Review:
The Iron Wyrm Affair is a creatively written steampunk set in an alternate world of 1800′s London called Londinium. Many of the historical names/places have been changed to curious spellings such as Queen Victoria is Victrix. There is also a lot of big descriptive and architecture words that may intimidate the reader, thankfully I used my Kindle to look up some of the words I wasn’t sure about. Others may not have my problem.
Emma Bannon has been sent on a quest to find out why a group of sorcerers and mentaths have been killed. Archibald Clare is the only unregistered mentath still alive and Emma comes to his rescue just as he is being attacked. Although, the question afterwards is who was the actual target of the attack, Bannon or Clare? Bannon doesn’t let Clare know the reasons for his protection at first, letting him deduce the crimes with his brilliant mentath mind. She eventually opens up and gives details to him so he can come up with plans to find out who and what is behind the plan to most likely overthrow Queen Victrix.
Emma is a Sorcerer Prime and welds quite a bit of power. She is also a black sorcerer capable of some extreme magic. She must use all her powers if she wants to destroy the people behind this terrible plan. Bannon and Clare are dragged into a terrible scheme that includes steampunk style mecha-machines, dragons (wyrms) and more. Bannon will certainly find out that magic may not always help in a fight.
Emma is certainly a woman that is way to tough for her times. She makes sure she is appropriately dressed with her gowns and jewelry. The jewelry helps to hold her magic and spells. She often curses, although it is mentioned through Clare as using words more suitable to a sailer. I throughly enjoyed Emma, she made no excuses for her actions, she may have had regrets but she took no crap from anyone.
Archibald Clare was a little harder to understand. I never really quite understood the mentath ability, just that they were trained, they are very smart and the fact that their brain can melt with too much information or the fact that they could go crazy with no stimulation. Clare and his companions were definitely more of the comic relief in the book to counteract with Emma’s seriousness.
The Iron Wyrm Affair is a very involved and in-depth book. Some of the speech and names took a while to get used to but the story is constantly moving forward and unraveling new clues. There is a lot of action and intrigue. The short chapters mixing between Bannon and Clare’s point of views also added quite a bit of tension and what’s going to happen next, as they both undertake different paths to uncover pieces of the puzzle.
In the end, I really enjoyed The Iron Wyrm Affair. It was a dark, magical steampunk tale that set up a world of its own. Even though I may have gotten lost at times, especially with the sorcery fights, I would definitely pick up another novel in this series
Notable Scene:
Emma’s hands shot out, sorcery crackling between them. She squeezed, smoke rising from her rings and the scorched material of her gloves, and Mehitabel shrieked again. The flashboys froze, workers dropping where they stood. The chant died away now that Emma had her grip.
“I can crush flesh just as easily,” she called, the words slicing through snap-crackling flame and shuddering metallic clanking. The simulacrum’s face continued melting, runnels of liquid iron sliding down, its unfashionable dress a torch. “Even your flesh. Where is it, Me-hi-ta-beh-ru-la gu’rush Me-hi-lwa?” The foreign syllables punctured tortured air; Emma’s throat scorched and her eyes watering as she accented each in its proper place.
Hours of study and careful tortuous work had suddenly returned its investment. Mehitabel had obviously never guessed that Emma might uncover her truename, much less use it.
A wyrm would never forget, let alone forgive such a thing.
The Blackwerks . . . stopped.
Sparks and cinders hung in mid-air. The burning simulacrum was a painting, flames caught in mid-twist, its face terribly ruined.
A huge, narrow head, triple-crowned and triple-tongued, rose from a crucible of molten metal, snaking forward on a flexible, black-scaled neck. The eyes were jewels of flame, matching the now-cracked rubies of the simulacrum, and leathery wings spread through the cinderfall, their bladed edges cutting through individual flecks and sparks held in stasis.
The tongues flickered, smoke wreathing the wyrm’s long body in curiously lethargic veils. Mehitabel held the Werks out of Time’s slipstream, her wings ruffling as they combed slumbering air. The heat was immense, awesome, the cup of metal holding the lower half of her body bubbling with thick tearing sounds. She turned her head sideways, one ruby eye glinting, but Emma leaned back, fingers burning, the thin fine leash of her will cutting across the dragon’s snout.
They are the children of Time, her teacher had intoned long ago. They are of the Powers, and their elders sleep. We should be glad of that slumber, for if those wyrms awakened they would shake this isle – and plenty more – from their backs, and the Age of Flame would return.
FTC Advisory: Orbit provided me with a copy of The Iron Wyrm Affair. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Sable677
I wasn't sure what to expect with The Iron Wyrm Affair, but having read and enjoyed Saintcrow's Dante Valentine and Jill Kismet series I wanted to give it a try. The Iron Wyrm Affair proved to be an amazing adventure introducing fascinating characters, an amazing steam punk world, and compelling
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storyline that kept the reader eagerly turning the pages. Saintcrow did an amazing job at developing the Emma character slowly hinting at her past, her uneasy relationship with her protector, and her unfaltering loyalty to her queen. I enjoyed this character the most and found myself loving the uneasy relationship between Emma and Mikal as well as her building friendship with Archibald. Archibald is also a fascinating character that reminded me of Holmes with his reasoning and intelligence. While this character still remains a mystery, I look forward to learning more about him in future books. Mikal was also a great addition to this team with his loyalty and concern for Emma as well as his ability to help their cause. Saintcrow has delivered another compelling series, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Overall this was a fabulous read that I would most definitely recommend. Show Less
LibraryThing member wealhtheowwylfing
Emma Bannon is a powerful sorceress in service to the British Empire. When the mutilated corpses of mentaths (super-geniuses) start showing up, she is the only one to link the deaths to a potential threat to Britain itself. She manages to save the last mentath from an assassination attempt, then
Archibald Clare is the weakest part of this book. He's supposedly this fantasy/steampunk world's version of Sherlock Holmes, but he talks in a bad knock-off of a dithering public school accent: lots of "I say!" and "Good day sir" and "how improper". (I'm not exagerating in the least--these are actual samples of actual dialog.) He's a genius, but I saw no examples within the text. For instance, Emma mentions that she was a poor orphan, and three pages later he "deduces" that she grew up poor based on her table manners. She just told you, dimwit! Alas, it seems that he is a permanent main character.
Emma's sections of the book are just as silly as Archibald's but at least she does things. Her magic is dramatic and dark. The dragons she encounters are easily the most interesting aspects of the book, being both intriguing twists on the usual bodies dragons get and sounding quite frightening. And I loved that she was a balls-to-the-wall kind of badass, who throws her all into a battle and then, having barely survived, immediately fight another. She has a series of furious rides that are downright inspiring. Fans of Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series will like her; I certainly did. She's like a normal dark sorceress cranked up to 11.
The plot is basically just a bunch of random ideas Saintcrow throws at the heroes, without much development or explanation. So don't read this if you're expecting a mystery, because there aren't clues or hidden threads or anything like. But do read this if you're in the mood for flashy clockwork creatures and campy pseudo-Victorian dialog.
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enlists him to her cause. While Emma investigates the sorcerous conspiracy, Archibald Clare the mentath pounds the pavement looking for clues.Archibald Clare is the weakest part of this book. He's supposedly this fantasy/steampunk world's version of Sherlock Holmes, but he talks in a bad knock-off of a dithering public school accent: lots of "I say!" and "Good day sir" and "how improper". (I'm not exagerating in the least--these are actual samples of actual dialog.) He's a genius, but I saw no examples within the text. For instance, Emma mentions that she was a poor orphan, and three pages later he "deduces" that she grew up poor based on her table manners. She just told you, dimwit! Alas, it seems that he is a permanent main character.
Emma's sections of the book are just as silly as Archibald's but at least she does things. Her magic is dramatic and dark. The dragons she encounters are easily the most interesting aspects of the book, being both intriguing twists on the usual bodies dragons get and sounding quite frightening. And I loved that she was a balls-to-the-wall kind of badass, who throws her all into a battle and then, having barely survived, immediately fight another. She has a series of furious rides that are downright inspiring. Fans of Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series will like her; I certainly did. She's like a normal dark sorceress cranked up to 11.
The plot is basically just a bunch of random ideas Saintcrow throws at the heroes, without much development or explanation. So don't read this if you're expecting a mystery, because there aren't clues or hidden threads or anything like. But do read this if you're in the mood for flashy clockwork creatures and campy pseudo-Victorian dialog.
Show Less
Language
Original publication date
2012-08-07
Physical description
323 p.; 21 cm
ISBN
9780316201261
Local notes
Bannon and Clare, 1
DDC/MDS
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