Storm & Fury Adventures Collections by Gail Z Martin and Larry N Martin

A series of novella steampunk, science fiction stories with airships, airbikes, zombies, golem, and werewolves. Set in the world of the Iron & Blood novels.
Alternative history 1898 New Pittsburgh.

Mitch and Jacob work for The Department of Supernatural Investigations. Together they follow orbs, chase down bad guys and blow things up. It’s part supernatural, part fantasy with lots of gears that are part of the steampunk genre.

An adventure broken down into short stories that are easy to read separately or as part of the whole world. Perfect if you like the steampunk world craziness.
Not all the stories have actual resolutions or endings. The last story in the set is about an inventor. It’s separate from the Storm & Fury/Mitch & Jacob stories.
A few got a little too creepy for me. Lots of monsters. ( )

This was a very fun collection of stories. It’s a little steampunk, a little urban fantasy, a little historical fiction, and a helluvalot of fun. Includes: Airship Down, Ruin Creek, Resurrection Day, The Hunt, Grave Voices, and Rogue. Plus two bonus stories: Ghost Wolf and a Steampunk fairy tale: The Patented Troll. There’s also a preview of another Martin & Martin book.

Mitch and Jacob reminded me a bit of the TV show Supernatural. Mitch is the charming, pretty one. Jacob is a bit more moody, a bit more serious. The whole collection also put me in mind of another great steampunk tale, the Clockwork Legion series by David Lee Summers. I love all the mechanical creatures, some with more sentience than others. Steam tech has allowed for airships and motorcycles as well as other fun gizmos. Adam Barber is Storm & Drang’s stay-at-home mad scientist, always coming up with something new for the guys to field test.

Then there’s the paranormal side. They guys work hard for the DSI with their investigations into zombies, werewolves, and more. Oh my! Those creepy golem dolls! I will have those images stuck in my head for weeks to come. I liked the werewolf stories the most, especially the one with the evil magic user who was tricking people into becoming werewolves.

The guys are periodically joined by the clever and capable ladies, Della and Anna. I liked Della a bit more, but I could be biased because I’ve liked that name since I first heard it on the old Perry Mason mysteries. There’s a few other ladies scattered among the stories, like the Absynthe Witch.

I especially enjoyed the bonus tale, The Patented Troll. This master creator wants to be left alone and so he creates a troll to block the bridge to his hideaway. Years pass and a kid, who’s a bit of genius with mechanical creatures himself, sets out on a quest. It’s beautifully told. While it’s certainly a different tone than the Storm & Fury tales, I felt it was an excellent way to end the collection. 5/5 stars.

The Narration: Neil Hellegers does a great job with this collection of stories. I love his excitement and his regional accents for all the side characters. I can tell he’s into the story, never sounding bored. There were a few times where the two main characters, Mitch and Jacob, sounded the same and I had to listen close to keep track of who was talking. There were no issues with the recording. 4.5/5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of Audiobookworm Book Tours. My opinions are wholly my own. ( )