Forging an Art

I heard vague inklings about the coming release of this steampunk novel by Cherie Priest many months ago, then definite excitement from Tor editors along with Tiffany Trent (Hallowmere) during a panel on Victorian lit and steampunk at DragonCon.  And steampunk itself?  Does Alice in Wonderland qualify, and how about A Connecticut Yankee?  Is the historical nature of a story vital to the steampunk definition?  Leaving the beaten path . . .

A boneshaker was actually – IRL – an iron bicycle with a wooden seat, sans springs.  Ouch.  In Priest’s tale, it is a mining machine, doomed to create havoc and destroy life, as it were, in late nineteenth century Seattle, a Seattle not yet part of the States, and the States still in the midst of the Civil War, which has continued for nearly two decades.   This is really a story of a tough woman set on saving her teenage son, and the relationship between the two that has led up to his adventure and how it changes during and because of their discoveries.  Priest is all about a fast pace, which keeps the reader’s eye on the page and wanting more; her descriptions are detailed but not overdone; and the emotional drama is present but not mushy or overpowering. 

My only question – and perhaps not a question, at that – regards a statement by Yaozu, in answer to Zeke’s question about the power behind the lights:  “They are powered by the future.”  Nothing more is mentioned about this ‘future’ aspect, and I was left wondering through the rest of the novel what, if anything, the future had to do with the doctor or the technology.  I thought perhaps the doctor had appeared from the future – a la Connecticut Yankee – or the knowledge/machinery itself had been transported in some manner from the future.

Courtesy of Romantic Times Book Reviews, September 2009:

Contemporary:
Castell, Dianne. Hot and Irresistible
Dale, Lisa. It Happened One Night
Davis, Dee. Set Up in Soho
Donovan, Susan. Ain’t Too Proud to Beg
Halliday, Gemma. Scandal Sheet
Kauffman, Donna. A Great Kisser
Kendall, Karen. Take Me for a Ride
Mallery, Susan. Hot on Her Heels
Novak, Brenda, et al. The Night Before Christmas
Warren, Nancy, et al. A Very NASCAR Holiday

Erotica:
Alexander, Lacey. What She Needs
Hayes, Jasmine. Yours for the Night
Jones, Lisa Renee, et al. Wrapped in Seduction
Jordan, Crystal. Untamed
Lloyd, Joan Elizabeth. Flesh for Fantasy
Lyons, Susan, et al. Men on Fire
McIntyre, Amanda, et al. Winter’s Desire
MacNeal, Melissa. Sexual Secrets
O’Clare, Lorie. Seduction Island
Swann, Leda. Temptation
Whiteside, Diane. Captive Desires

Fantasy:
Howell, Morgan. Candle in the Storm
Taylor, Holly. May Earth Rise
Wilson, C.L. Queen of Song and Souls

Historical:
Bridges, Kate. Alaskan Renegade
Brighton, Lori. Wild Heart
Campbell, Anna. Captive of Sin
Enoch, Suzanne. The Care and Taming of a Rogue
Garlock, Dorothy. Leaving Whiskey Bend
Grothaus, Heather. Taming the Beast
Haeger, Diane. The Queen’s Mistake
Heath, Lorraine. Midnight Pleasures of a Scoundrel
Howell, Hannah. Wild Conquest
Hoyt, Elizabeth. To Desire a Devil
Hunter, Jillian. The Wicked Duke Takes a Wife
Laurens, Stephanie. The Untamed Bride
Lawson, Anthea. All He Desires
Layton, Edith. To Love a Wicked Lord
London, Julia. Courtesan’s Scandal
Lyon, Kate. Destiny’s Captive
McCabe, Amanda. The Winter Queen
MacTavish, Dawn. Counterfeit Lady
Metzger, Barbara. The Bargain Bride
Miller, Linda Lael. Creed Country Christmas
Mortimer, Carole. The Rake’s Wicked Proposal
Nash, Joy. Silver Silence
Petersen, Jenna. What the Duke Desires
Rosburg, Helen A. Lady Blue
Stone, Lyn, et al. A Regency Christmas

Inspirational:
Perry, Marta. Leah’s Choice

Mystery:
Baxter, Cynthia. Murder Had a Little Lamb
Caine, Leslie. Holly and Homicide
Coyle, Cleo. Holiday Grind
Harris, C.S. What Remains of Heaven
Harris, Charlaine. Grave Secret
Kingsbury, Kate. Decked With Folly
Viets, Elaine. Fashion Hound Murders
Washburn, Livia J. Huckleberry Finished
Washburn, Livia J. Killer Crabcakes

Paranormal:
Armintrout, Jennifer. Child of Darkness
Black, Shayla. Possess Me at Midnight
Butcher, Shannon K. Finding the Lost
Chapman, Janet. A Highlander Christmas
Cooke, Deborah. Winter Kiss
Francis, Diana P. Bitter Night
Graham, Heather. Home in Time for Christmas
Gray, Ava. Skin Game
Hall, Traci E. Beauty’s Curse
Kessler, Jackie. Road to Hell
Laurenston, Shelly. Mane Squeeze
MacAlister, Katie. Me and My Shadow
McCarty, Sarah. Caleb
Markham, Wendy. The Best Gift
Owens, Robin D. Heart Change
Pineriro, Caridad. Sins of the Flesh
Rosetti, Denise. Thief of Light
Singh, Nalini. Blaze of Memory
Sizemore, Susan. Dark Stranger
Stover, Deb. The Gift
Summers, Jordan. Crimson
Windsor, Anna. Captive Soul

Romantic Suspense:
Brant, Kylie. Waking the Dead
Burton, Mary. Dying Scream
Dane, Jordan. The Wrong Side of Dead
Howard, Linda. Ice
Lovelace, merline. All the Wrong Moves
Lyons, CJ. Urgent Care
Neggers, Carla. Cold River

Suspense:
Beres, Michael. Traffyck
Gagnon, Michelle. The Gatekeeper
Martin, P.D. The Killing Hands
Robb, J.D. Kindred in Death
Teller, Joseph. Depraved Indifference

Time Travel:
Halliday, Dawn, et al. A Highlander Christmas
Wolff, Veronica. Lord of the Highlands

Urban Fantasy:
Arthur, Keri. Bound to Shadows
Garey, Terri. Silent Night, Haunted Night
Hamilton, Laurell K. Divine Misdemeanors
Hamilton, Laurell K. et al. Never After
Handeland, Lori. Apocalypse Happens
Kenner, Julie. Tainted
Peeler, Nicole. Tempest Rising

Young Adult:
Cast, P.C. and Kristin. Tempted

*courtesy of Romantic Times Book Reviews magazine, August 2009.

Contemporary:
Allison, Liz, and Wendy Etherington. Winning It All
Angell, Kate, et. al. Santa, Honey
Dailey, Janet. Santa in a Stetson
DeLeon, Jana. Mischief in Mudbug
Dimon, HelenKay. Holding Out for a Hero
Garvey, Amy. Christmas Spirit
Holm, Stef Ann. All That You Are
Kaufmann, Donna, et. al. Kissing Santa Claus
Macomber, Debbie, et. al. That Holiday Feeling
McLane, LuAnn. He’s No Prince Charming
Phillips, Carly. Lucky Break
Wiggs, Susan. Lakeshore Christmas

Erotica:
Banks, Maya. Sweet Seduction
Carr, Susanna. The Year of Living Shamelessly
Fox, Cathryn. Instinctive
Harper, Vonna. Taming the Cougar
Hart, Megan. No Greater Pleasure
Lloyd, Joan Elizabeth. The Spicy Bedtime Companion
McCarty, Sarah. Tucker’s Claim
Mellor, P.J., et. al. Under the Covers
Pearce, Kate. Simply Wicked
Sunny. Lucinda, Dangerously
Templeton, Julia. Sinjin

Fantasy:
Andrews, Ilona. On the Edge
Carriger, Gail. Soulless
Gilman, Laura Anne. Flesh and Fire

Historical:
Ashley, Jennifer, et al. A Christmas Ball
Astor, Kristi. A Midnight Clear
Blake, Veronica. Black Horse
Bryant, Sarah. Sand Daughter
Carlyle, Liz. Wicked All Day
Caskie, Kathryn. The Most Wicked of Sins
Cornick, Nicola, et. al. Together by Christmas
Dare, Tessa. A Lady of Persuasion
Finch, Carol, et. al. Cowboy Christmas
Goodger, Jane. A Christmas Scandal
Hunter, Jillian. A Wicked Lord at the Wedding
Ivie, Jackie. Once Upon a Knight
Jewel, Carolyn. Indiscreet
Johnson, Angela. Vow of Seduction
Justiss, Julia. From Waif to Gentleman’s Wife
Kenny, Janette. A Cowboy Christmas
Killian, Kimberly. Highland Dragon
Kleypas, Lisa. Tempt Me at Twilight
MacGillivray, Deborah. One Snowy Knight
MacNish, Tracy. Stealing Midnight
Maguire, Margo. Taken by the Laird
Marlowe, Deb. Her Cinderella Season
Maxwell, Cathy. The Earl Claims His Wife
Michaels, Kasey. How to Tame a Lady
Raleigh, Deborah. Seduce Me by Christmas
Small, Bertrice. The Border Lord and the Lady
Smith, Kathryn. When Seducing a Duke
Thomas, Jodi. The Lone Texan
Welfonder, Sue-Ellen. A Highlander’s Temptation
Willingham, Michelle. Taming Her Irish Warrior

Mainstream Fiction:
Brant, Marilyn. According to Jane
Chamberlain, Holly. One Week in December
Coleman, Rowan. The Accidental Family
Harper, Sandra. Over the Holidays
Macomber, Debbie. The Perfect Christmas
Michaels, Fern. Razor Sharp
Thompson, Nancy Robards. An Angel in Provence

Mystery:
Beaton, M.C. There Goes the Bride
Childs, Laura. Tragic Magic
Crombie, Deborah. Necessary as Blood
Daniels, Casey. Dead Man Talking
Dunnett, Kaitlyn. A Wee Christmas Homicide
Ferris, Monica. Blackwork
Fiffer, Sharon. Scary Stuff
Fluke, Joanne. Plum Pudding Murder
Hamilton, Barbara. The Ninth Daughter
McCoy, Judi. Heir of the Dog
Watson, Wendy Lyn. I Scream, You Scream
Webb, Peggy. Elvis and the Grateful Dead

Paranormal:
Armintrout, Jennifer. Queene of Light
Ashley, Amanda. Immortal Sins
Bangs, Nina. My Wicked Vampire
Black, Shayla. Seduce Me in Shadow
Brook, Meljean. Demon Forged
Delacroix, Claire. Guardian
Graham, Heather. Unhallowed Ground
Inclan, Jessica. The Beautiful Being
Jones, Lisa Renee, et. al. Awakening the Beast
Kenner, Julie. Demon Ex Machina
Klasky, Mindy. How Not to Make a Wish
Leigh, Lora, et. al. Hot for the Holidays
Macela, Ann. Wild Magic
Marsh, Anne. The Hunt
Neill, Chloe. Friday Night Bites
Perry, Kate. Chosen by Desire
Sands, Lynsay. The Renegade Hunter
Slade, Jessa. Seduced by Shadows
Ward, J.R. Covet
Warren, Christine. Big Bad Wolf
Windsor, Anna. Captive Spirit
York, Rebecca. Dragon Moon

Romantic Suspense:
Alden, Jami. Unleashed
Brant, Kylie. Waking Evil
Brothers, Marilee. Rock and Roll Queen of Bedlam
Butcher, Shannon K. Love You to Death
Cassidy, Carla. Up Close and Personal
Gerard, Cindy. Feel the Heat
Novak, Brenda. The Perfect Murder
O’Clare, Lorie. Long, Lean and Lethal
Rush, Jaime. Out of the Darkness
St. Claire, Roxanne. Make Her Pay
Tyler, Stephanie. Hard to Hold

Suspense:
Carroll, Margaret. Riptide
Johansen, Iris. Blood Game
Kava, Alex. Black Friday
Pinter, Jason. The Fury

by the reliably wonderful Donna Jo Napoli, reviewed here.

Latest review up at BSCReview.com.

  Bits and pieces off the shelf . . .

Eudora Welty as Photographer
Pearl Amelia McHaney, Sandra S. Phillips and Deborah Willis contribute very informative essays to surround this collection of thoughtful photographs by this great Southern writer.  Of great interest is the discussion on Welty’s use of light as she captures moments in time, moments when flickers of interest pass through a man and a woman’s face as they meet on the street, or as tomato pickers on a break talk amongst themselves, a few noticing the camera and gazing at what? The device, the photographer?  What do they think as they are frozen in time, carried forever into the future and the gaze of readers like me?  They may be lost to us, but their expressions become familiar as we recognize them as our own.  Welty the photographer shines through the black and white of these pages in a must-see collection of Americana.

The Du Mauriers
When one’s family history is as fascinating as Daphne Du Maurier’s, what else can a great writer do but fictionalize it?  First published in 1937, this no holds barred account of her, um, more interesting predecessors shows no shame or pity on the part of the author.  She weaves her great-great grandmother into a caricature of motherhood, a woman devoid of morals and obsessed with pleasure.  Her daughter Ellen is a serious child, embarassed by her mother and eventually disappointed in her husband and her children.  George, or “Kicky,” her eldest and the author’s grandfather, stumbles on his way to becoming the writer we remember him to be.  This is quite a soap opera, and since, as we say, the truth is often stranger than fiction, it is the more charming for it.

Mouse Noses on Toast
Oh, the cleverness of an insane Tinby! 

A Gift of Grace
First time author Amy Clipston has penned a complicated story that makes it clear that in spite of the simplicity of the Amish way of life, members of the Amish community struggle with the same relationship problems and emotional issues as the rest of the world.  When Rebecca’s sister Grace, who left the community and the faith years earlier, dies along with her husband in a car accident, she becomes guardian to her two nieces.  Lindsay finds comfort in Amish traditions and beliefs, but Jessica wrestles with her aunt and uncle, insisting that she doesn’t belong with them.  Rebecca wants to fulfill her sister’s wish to raise the girls, but her insistence may be blinding her to God’s will.  I was sorry to reach the end of this well-written story, and will be happy to see the next book in this series.

Crowned in a Far Country
This is more than a series of facts about eight royal brides; Princess Michael of Kent reveals the distinct personalities of each woman as she fulfills her duties as a monarch.  Some had voracious appetites for men or for jewels; others longed mostly for their homeland and their families.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that Catherine the Great, known for her many lovers, was patron of her new country’s literary culture.  She founded the Russian Academy of Letters and charged them with producing a dictionary and a grammar for the Russian language, both of which did not exist before Catherine determined the need.  The other seven contributed in some way to their new culture, making the best of what, in some cases, were frightening and unwelcome situations.

This is Anna Godbersen’s third novel in the Luxe series, and is just as satisfying as the first two.  Carolina, former maid to the almost-fallen house of Holland, has her ups and downs as well as a bit of romance, and another wedding completes the book but not the story.  Diana takes drastic steps to overcome her addiction to Henry, and even more desperate measures to be with him.  Elizabeth?  Well, good things come to those who wait, although Mrs. Holland might not agree on that account.  This was hard to put down – in fact, I didn’t, but rather read it straight through.  Soap opera in the time and place of Henry James - how could I resist?  Looking forward, of course, to the next episode, I mean, title, which will complete the series.

Review of The Ghosts of Kerfol at BSC posted yesterday.

I adore Carson McCullers.  Her work is stunning and painful, and I trust her judgment regarding craft most of the time.  It stands to reason, then, that I would fall in love with the master storyteller, Isak Dinesen, as McCullers herself had some fifty-odd years ago.  Dinesen, the pseudonym of Danish-born Karen (Dinesen) Blixen, published her first book in 1934; Seven Gothic Tales. These psychological dramas take place in the most fantastic of settings with a variety of circumstances and characters, but all are concerned with deception.  Murder and infidelity, friendship and familial bonds gone awry, and lies at the heart of it all.  I read parts of this collection to my grandparents, in the cemetery, my legs stretched out, wet and frozen in the snow, imagining their contented sighs at the incredible and intense descriptions of a lost landscape, a world of the past, but also of those human frailties that remain timeless and heartless, those qualities that idealistic youth might deny but the old and wise amongst us can attest to very well, and from experience.  I do admit to walking into a wall while reading The Poet, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.

Philippa Gregory‘s latest doesn’t sit as well with me as her previous books.  I have adored her chronicles of the Boleyn sisters and the Tudor family, and I was pleased to read a Mary Stuart who is not a mindless, love-struck girl but strong and selfish, with self-preservation and pride in her royalty and her crown foremost in her thoughts.  Her son James, who would become the first king of a united England and Scotland, was her hope, but his succession was dependent on her death and the guilt of her execution that weighed upon her cousin, Elizabeth.  Mary has always been an enigmatic character in British history; we share Robert II of Scotland as an ancestor, and the Stuart family has always been of interest to me.
I am not sure that I disliked the change in points of view between Bess and George, the couple selected to house Mary during her stay in England, and Mary, but I do know that the movement between the three was too quick.  I wanted more from each of them each time they took a turn.  I also wanted the fifteen years skipped over at the end, which ends in Mary’s execution.  Yes, I know that those years would double the length of the novel, but that is no matter.  It would be well worth the time to explore the relationships between these three during the years in which they were most certainly awaiting her execution.