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Jack Hessey

Autore di True Hero?

3 opere 25 membri 2 recensioni

Opere di Jack Hessey

True Hero? (2011) 12 copie
Steam Queen (2010) 10 copie
On Angels Wings (2010) 3 copie

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In Steam Queen, the opening scene introduces us to Erica, an eighteen-year-old with the megalomania and proclivity towards violence of a sociopath. In spite of her self-righteous and self-centered administration of justice, however, she also feels a deep love for her father. This devotion is what lands here with the Steam Queens, a mercenary team that hunts down targets via locomotive. With a new assignment, they find themselves caught between a female general with a disregard for consequences and a kaiser who has an almost fanatical love for diesel engines.

Steam Queen is, as one might expect, a steampunk novel. Admittedly, I had to spend some quality time with Wikipedia to familiarize myself with the subgenre, whose illustrious residents include The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen graphic novels and HG Wells' The Time Machine. This gave a bit of context to the story and helped me resolve some anachronisms, the most glaring of which was the use of English as a dominant language when the common tongue during the industrial era was French. In an alternate reality, authors are entitled to these kinds of liberties.

Erica proves to be one of those characters that are likeable within the context of the story but not someone you would ever choose to befriend in real life. Her pathological aversion to dirt and her inability to see things from others' point of view make her as entertaining as she is frustrating. There is a brief inconsistency in her personality roughly halfway through the book, but she bounces back readily enough only to slip again towards the end. On the whole, however, her strident personality makes this novel command your attention. The supportive cast is appropriately entertaining without stealing the limelight.

For the first third of the book, I did have a great deal of difficulty understanding the world in which Erica and her companions dwell. In many ways, I felt as if the author was in such a rush to reach the meatier parts of the story that relevant background information was discarded by the wayside. Details were given only when they became immediately relevant, such as the long-winded explanation about the star painted on the side of the Steam Queen. A seamless integration of the information would have rendered the awkward text unnecessary.

One of the reasons that it took me so long to work my way through this novel is because of the writing itself. A fast-paced storyline and plentiful vocabulary do not substitute for adherence to basic rules of grammar. There were several sentences that attempted to convey too much in a disjointed fashion that was difficult to follow. Also, British colloquialisms, such as "was sat", managed to work their way in. While this is appropriate in dialogue (e.g. Holly's use of "have done"), it does not have a place elsewhere in the text.

This book is certainly interesting, but it could stand a few edits for the aforementioned reasons and then some. The copy that I received was rife with errors, including frequent confusion concerning homophones and the inconsistent (and often inappropriate) use of commas, apostrophes, and periods. As much as I liked the adventure, its conveyance left much to be desired.

Steam Queen has the potential to be a great read. Further editing, however, and the inclusion of more well-timed explanations would benefit it greatly. Note: Some of the violent content may not be for the squeamish. Personally, it made me a little sick.

Hide and Read
(Review copy provided by the author)
… (altro)
 
Segnalato
hideandread | 1 altra recensione | Jun 12, 2011 |
Article first published as Book Review: Steam Queen by Jack Hessey on Blogcritics.

In a Europe known for its lawlessness, mercenaries travel from town to town selling their security. Railway lines are the travel preference of the ruthless bandits that use Steam Engines to travel the country looking for easy marks. Only the most ruthless of people join the ranks of paid protectors. War is at hand when two of the largest cities are looking for change but in different and opposing ways. Unable to agree, they decide to fight for the survival of their own ideas.

The traditionalists of St. Vith feel that steam power is the way. The Wintescheid Diesel Empire opposes St. Vith; they feel that diesel is the only power. The fighting is dirty and messy, and the traditionalists have come up with a new ploy to get more soldiers to their side. Death and destruction continue on both sides.

Erica is an emotionally troubled girl with a penchant for trouble, and on her last good footing with the law. Her father is forced to send her to work as a mercenary with a reputable group to keep her from arrest. She is brash and insists on punishing those she considers to have done her wrong. Her feelings are somewhat stunted and she does not care for people. She uses a knife and a gun like actual appendages, something that will useful in her new life as a mercenary. She is oddly afraid of dirt and cannot abide touching or being around any type of filth. Her new surroundings are not what she is prepared for; she will be living and moving from place to place in a Steam Engine called Steam Queen. She is not impressed with her compatriots, and makes it very clear in very short order. When her crew is pulled into the war, she has no choice but to come along. Fascinated by the diesels, Erica makes herself known in her usual but somewhat alarming fashion, by creating a scene. Trapped in the situation they find themselves in, can they survive the war?

In Steam Queen, Jack Hessey has built a story around the Steam era. It is a fascinating world set with odd and yet likable characters. Written in the steampunk tradition, it resonates with action. Set amidst gangs, bandits and soldiers, it is a world in turmoil, with different factions believing their side is right.
Erica is an interesting hero, unlikely and yet she seems to fall into the fray without trying. Always looking to punish those who wrong her often puts her in precarious situations. The rest of her crew is quite gregarious and have their own set of characteristics. While I have never read steampunk before, I found it to be very quick paced and often just a bit ‘tongue in cheek’. It was strangely addictive, and when I put it down, my mind kept traveling back to the story.

This is a great book for those that enjoy the steampunk genre. I have seen other books described as steampunk, and I was not sure of the category; I do believe I understand now. You have to like a girl that carries a gun named Mr. Pop Bang, and a knife called Mr. Slice. It is an intriguing story, full of spunk.

This book was received as a free download from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.
… (altro)
 
Segnalato
wrighton-time | 1 altra recensione | Apr 17, 2011 |

Statistiche

Opere
3
Utenti
25
Popolarità
#508,561
Voto
½ 3.5
Recensioni
2
ISBN
1