Orphan, Dodger, Soldier, Spy — Kathleen McClure

Orphan, Dodger, Soldier, Spy -- Kathleen McClureThis is a back story to the main Gideon Quinn adventures, giving us a bit more of Gideon’s past than is revealed to us in the main books.

In this book we’re taken back to Gideon’s time in the war when Gideon takes a couple of his soldiers to go behind enemy lines to steal some secret documents.   We also get to know how Gideon ends up with all the scars.

Only a short novella kind of thing, but still a good little episode that gives us a bit more history to Gideon’s character.

I would suggest reading this after Soldier of Fortune, and then follow it up with The Longest Shard, which i have jumped straight into after finishing this book.

Kathleen’s Page

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Outrageous Fortune — Kathleen McClure and Kelley McKinnon

Outrageous Fortune -- Kathleen McClure and Kelley McKinnonClick on picture to get your copy.

In this story we get to hear all about the crew of the airship Errant, whom we briefly met when Gideon and Mia delivered Jinna for safe-keeping in Soldier of Fortune.   Not only do we get to hear all about them and their pasts, but we also get to go on another great adventure on the planet Fortune with shenanigans galore.

To write this book Kathleen teams up with Kelley McKinnon and while i found there’s a slightly different feel to the writing, it’s certainly just as good as, and flows perfectly on from, Soldier of Fortune.   Once again, we are feasted to our heart’s content with great characters who just keep the story rip-roaring along for the reader’s complete entertainment.

This book is mostly set at the same time of the events in Soldier of Fortune, and if you haven’t read that first then i would suggest doing so before embarking on this book.

Another winner from the brilliant writers at Outrageous Fiction.

Kathleen’s Page Kelley’s Page

#steampunk #kathleenmcclure #kelleymckinnon

Soldier of Fortune — Kathleen McClure

Soldier of Fortune -- Kathleen McClureHaving been a long time fan of Kathleen’s books, i recently had the pleasure to read and review the first two books of Kathleen’s new sci-fi series that she co-wrote with L. Gene Brown, The Gemini Hustle and The Libra Gambit.   Well worth reading if you like really good action packed sci-fi.

While reading those i found out that Kathleen and Kelley McKinnon are busy putting the finishing touches on the latest Fortune novel, The Crew Who Came in From the Cold. And it had me wondering how long it had been since i’d read the earlier Fortune books, and yeah, it had been quite a while.   So long, in fact, that i could only remember totally enjoying them but not much else — there’s been a huge amount of books read in those in-between years that just dulls one’s memory.

So once i’d finished The Libra Gambit i quickly finished off another book i’d been itching to read, then i loaded up my newest Kindle with all the Fortune books i have and set out to re-read them all again, ready for The Crew Who Came in From the Cold.

Which leads me to this review.   One thing i can say for sure is that my memory didn’t fail me in remembering that i had totally enjoyed this book, and once again, i totally enjoyed it.   It was so good that my memory of the story had faded because i started reading people and places and dracos all came flooding back and it was like bumping into an old friend after years apart.

Gideon Quinn is our main protagonists, and he is so well written and such a great character, as are all the others.   One of my biggest draws to Kathleen’s books, whether written on her own or those she writes with Kelley McKinnon or L.Gene Brown are the characters: they’re just brilliant.

As i’ve said in other reviews, Kathleen and Co make the goodies that perfect level of good and the baddies that perfect level of bad and the interactions between all the characters just roll along perfectly because of this.

And as usual with Kathleen and Co, the action is just non-stop.   It’s like a super good action film in a book form.

And did i mention that this first book in the series is free to download?   So why not give it a try, i can’t imagine you’ll be disappointed and will soon be reading the whole series.

So having finished this first book i’ve dived straight into Outrageous Fortune and i’m having a whole new blast re-meeting the crew of the Errant once again after all these years since i last read this.

Kathleen’s Page

#steampunk #kathleenmcclure

The Angel of Khan el-Khalili — P. Djèlí Clark

The Angel of Khan el-Khalili -- P. Djèlí ClarkThe second story from the Dead Djinn Universe, which i only just got hold of with it having been quite some time since i finished the other three books (silly me thought it was a trilogy).   But not to worry, while it would have been better to have read it before The Haunting of Tram Car 015, it was very much worth reading still and doesn’t detract from anything i’ve already read in this series.

Once again, all the super good writing we’ve come to enjoy from Djèlí, my only question would be is will there be any more Cairo books?   I do so hope so, this is a fantastic world Djèlí has created that begs to be explored a lot more.   And i totally recommend this whole series for everyone, even if you’re not already into steampunk flavoured fantasy with a North African twist you soon will be.

This is available in the anthologies, Clockwork Cairo and Swift the Chase, and also can be read for free over at Tor.com.

P. Djèlí Clark’s Page

#steampunk #fantasy #pdjeliclark

With a Golden Risha — P. Djèlí Clark

With a Golden Risha -- P. Djèlí ClarkAvailable in the periodical, Heroic Fantasy Quarterly — Issue 23.

To begin, a risha is to an Arabian oud as a plectrum is to a guitar.   If you want to know more you can read all about ouds and rishas by clicking here.

So, with that out of the way, let’s get to a review.

Great book.   This is early Djèlí introducing steampunk elements into his fantasy.   Our story begins with our oud player, Saleh, getting rescued by a philosopher pirate (captain who’s not a captain), Usman, and the rest of the crew of the airship The Beggar.   Then we’re off on a 537-kindle-loc-point adventure to find treasure, amongst which is a magical golden risha with which Saleh gets to play his oud.

I really enjoyed this book and hopefully, one fine day in the future, Djèlí might even sit down and write some more stories with Saleh and Usman.   There’s got to be some great stories to be told about a philosopher pirate captain and his side-kick minstrel oud player.

And so, next up in my Djèlí reading list will be The Things My Mother Left Me

P. Djèlí Clark’s Page

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Steampunk! — Anthology

Steampunk! -- Anthology

Some Fortunate Future Day — Cassandra Clare
The Last Ride of the Glory Girls — Libba Bray
Clockwork FaginCory Doctorow
Seven Days Beset by Demons — Shawn Cheng
Hand in Glove — Ysabeau S. Wilce
The Ghost of Cwmlech Manor — Delia Sherman
Gethsemane — Elizabeth Knox
The Summer People — Kelly Link
Peace in Our Time — Garth Nix
Nowhere Fast — Christopher Rowe
Finishing School — Kathleen Jennings
Steam Girl — Dylan Horrocks
Everything Amiable and Obliging — Holly Black
The Oracle Engine — M. T. Anderson

#fantasy #corydoctorow #mtanderson

The Black God’s Drums — P. Djèlí Clark

The Black God's Drums -- P. Djèlí ClarkTake some super good fantasy with a good African/Caribbean flavour, season with a nice hint of steampunk, and bake slowly for a few of hours in an althist New Orleans: what more can you ever want from a book?

This good length novella is from around the same time as Djèlí was writing the Dead Djinn series, and with all of these stories you really pick up on the time in Djèlí’s writing that he begins to introduce steampunk elements into his unique and wonderful style of fantasy.

A really well written, really enjoyable read.

For my next P. Djèlí Clark story, i’m going back in time.   I managed to track down some earlier stories of his that i missed: gotta read them all.   First up of those will be The Things My Mother Left Me.

Djèlí’s Page

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A Master of Djinn — P. Djèlí Clark

A Master of Djinn -- P. Djèlí ClarkThe fourth book in the Dead Djinn Universe and carrying straight on from where The Haunting of Tram Car 015 left off, with all our favourite characters involved, this really is some great writing.

This trilogy has been my first taste of Djèlí’s writing and i’m very impressed.   His imagination is excellent and his ability to put that imagination into words for all us avid readers is simply marvellous.   I’m certainly going to be reading more of his work in the future: i’m hooked.

All in all, a wonderful blend of steampunk, fantasy and folklore all thrown into an alternative history in Cairo with lots of shenanigans mixed will in.   And it’s great to have main protagonists who are strong women, from different religions, who also happen to be in a same sex relationship.

P. Djèlí Clark’s Page

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