Review

An awesome story about healing, forgiveness, and the power of determination…

In the latest book of The Ether Chronicle’s readers are shipped to a small island North of London. It’s here that Kalindi MacNeil, a brilliant engineer, escapes to heal from surviving an attack on Liverpool months earlier. Inside of getting her solitude to recover, she discovers a stranded Man O’War, Fletcher Adams, on her island. They are both bruised and broken trying to survive in the aftermath of the horrors of war.

Archer truly captures the effects war has on the individual in this tale. Even with all the Steampunk elements the heart of the story lies in how two people come together and heal each other through friendship and then eventually love. I really enjoyed how the emotions and desire blossomed slowly through the hero and heroine, and in that sense the story had a realistic plot. Of course danger and sometimes pure wonder tend to escalate emotions and at the right time those factors bring both Kali and Fletcher together in a magical way.

Both characters have difficulty communicating their feelings, and this only provides plenty of conflict and emotional turmoil. Both characters are also stubborn and extremely good at what they do. I love Archer because she provides a strong, intelligent heroine and an equally challenging hero. Never once do her character’s traits and behaviors become sacrificed for the sake of the story. Fletcher and Kali remain true to themselves no matter what challenges they face.

One of my favorite scenes is where Kali is determined to shoot an ether rifle, even though she’s not supposed to be able to and of course she’s got to let Fletcher get close:

“Hold on to me, so I don’t go toppling arse over teakettle.” When he hesitated, knowing what  a sweet pain it would be to touch her, she looked impatient. “Don’t turn prude on me.”

What could he say to her? That his hands had begun to ache with wanting to touch her? That he’d started to long for a connection – any connection—they could have? Touching her would only give him a taste of what couldn’t be his. But he didn’t back down from challenges. So he stood close behind her, bracing his chest against her shoulder and upper body. He placed one hand on her waist. Warmth from her body soaked through the wool of her dress into his hand, and right up his arm.

“You’re hands are so hot,” she exclaimed, glancing over her shoulder. “Are you ill?”

“Man O’ Wars have higher body temperatures than normal men,” he said roughly.

Her eyes widened. “Oh,” was all she managed to say, her cheeks turning that rosy spice color he liked so much. This time, it was she who chased the topic back to shooting the ether rifle. She lifted the gun. “So, um, you’ve got me.”

“I do.”

If you’re worried that story ends with the romance, let me remind you that Archer always provides plenty of action. So be ready for airships, hand-to-hand combat, and if you’re a reader of the series mentions to previous books and characters.

Overall, this is a must read for Steampunk fans. I would say the whole series is worth your time if you want to catch up on all the amazing things happening in this world.

For fans of Meljean Brook.

Reviewed by Landra