A Reluctant Heroine

The Armored Saint by Myke Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Liked, didn't love, but most of the time that's good enough. I read this as an ebook--I would rather find the paperback, when it comes out, because half the fun is that awesome cover.

The action in the last twenty percent was great. Much of the world-building was original and interesting. It just took a long time to get to the good parts, IMO.

It's a short novel--novella length, as they say--and reads quick. I feel like it's setting up books 2 and 3, so maybe those would have more continuous action like other books by Myke Cole.

I like how he doesn't present a simple answer, a simple right and wrong. Even though it's a short read, it's got excellent complexity and gray-scaled moral nuance. If that's your jam--take a look.

I'll preview book 2 before I grab it--hoping for lots of fun action. I already like the main character.

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Who Doesn't Love a Monstrous Gentlewoman?

European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman by Theodora Goss
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book 2 in the series. Still good fun. Both are recommended.

New characters are added in this sequel. In addition to the daughters of Dr. Jekyll (and Mr. Hyde), the wife of Frankenstein, and the others from the first book, we mostly have characters from the story of Dracula--Mina Harker, Dr. Van Helsing, his wife and daughter, and a few others--along with characters from other 19th Century British adventure literature. It's a lot of fun to see them come together as if they are all real people.

The story is a sort of mix between a novel of manners, a Sherlock mystery, and an early-type science fiction adventure, with a touch of the comic tossed in with a good dose of feminism. It's fun and works, though I'll admit it slowed down a bit in this volume. One of my favorite aspects of both stories is the way the author has the characters interrupt from time to time, disagreeing with the presentation of events or how they're portrayed by the supposed author, Catherine Moreau. It is clever and funny and a good tool for developing character.

Speaking more generally, I also really enjoy the reuse and recycling of old gothic tales and adventure stories, bringing them back to life, Frankenstein-like, by centering minor female characters or little-read heroes. It feels like a look behind the curtain as well as a nice antidote to the male-centered originals. It's a breath of fresh air--and lots of fun.

I'm looking forward to the third book.

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Where I say what's right with Django Wexler's books, for those who didn't know yet

The Guns of Empire by Django Wexler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you read the first three books, you probably already know you will enjoy this book, so you don't need someone (like me) telling you so. If you haven't read the first books, there's not much point in me telling you to read this one--I'll suggest the first book, which I also liked very much. Off you go. ;)

So, with no real audience for this review, I'll still say into the void--this is a great book. Great series, actually, and I highly recommend all of it. There are a lot of reasons to offer up my praise, but the two most compelling, for me, are the author's handling of characters and the realistic portrayal of a military campaign.

In reverse order, since this is going into the void anyway, one of the most impressive things about the whole series is the accuracy and completeness of the author's portrayal of war and soldiers, of camp and campaign and battle. The action and descriptions ring true, with the force of genuine scholarship, so that whatever errors it might contain are beyond my ability to detect or trip over. The effect of that, of course, is that the story hits home more deeply because the reader (well, me) believes it more. In addition, and this is not a minor point, it makes the story more fun.

Returning to characters, this is also a strong point from the beginning of the series. The author has not only created a number of well-drawn, comprehensible, captivating, distinct, round, dynamic characters with interesting arcs, but he has given us as many female characters of that type as male. More, perhaps, if I were to take a tally, and maybe someone wants to accept that job....

Winter is my favorite character--complex and damaged but noble and heroic--though I also love Bobby, and her arc here is spoilerly awesome. Sothe's action is fun to read, and Cyte has become a new favorite, and on and on. I also admire Marcus, and identify with him, and see Janus as an impressive, complex, mysterious, iconic leader, and enjoy any scene with Give-Em-Hell, etc., so there's a great balance that, to me, feels organic rather than forced.

This sharing of the narrative load among many personality types, between men and women, and between civilian, soldier, noble, and officer, makes the story feel more layered and satisfying, as well as more significant thematically and emotionally. And more fun. This helps carry the reader on (well, me again), which matters, because even though it's a long (comparatively long) book, it seldom drags. It's nearly always a pleasure to start the next chapter.

So, in a nutshell--good book. I liked it.

One book to go. It's out in hardcover, so that's cool... but that would just not look right on the shelves next to 4 paperbacks. Nothing I can do. It's a thing. So, I'll have to wait just a bit. But I'm looking forward to it. And in the meantime I may check into his kids' books. They look good, too. :)

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