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zibby's review against another edition
3.0
I think it's fair to say the ideas are stronger than the writing here, I liked the mix of Victorian steampunk technology and magic. Yes, the storyline is full of cliches and the romance is a little cringe-inducing, but when the plot zips along as this one does and the heroine is just about on the right side of plucky, I can forgive it. Bring on the Book Two!
suzrae73's review against another edition
3.0
Wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but I have to say I was pleasently surprised. Took a little bit to get into it, but I really enjoyed it and I really like Elle and Marsh! Wasn't expecting the twist at the end, looking forward to the next installment to see what adventures they get themselves into
beckylej's review against another edition
3.0
The trouble begins for Elle Chance when she accepts what should be a small charter job in Paris. The job soon becomes more complex than expected and Elle only narrowly escapes on her way back to London. When she arrives, however, she discovers that her father has been kidnapped and the man who got her into this mess insists on sticking around to keep an eye on her. But there's more going on than Elle could ever know including a surprising inheritance from her long gone mother.
Liesel Schwarz's debut is a mix of steampunk and paranormal sort of in the vein of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorates series. Where Carriger's series is set in the 1800s, however, Schwarz has set her book in the early 1900s.
A Conspiracy of Alchemists begins a bit rocky. The interaction between Elle and Marsh is not unlike that of Alexia and Maccon, but Schwarz doesn't manage to capture quite the same chemistry. The arguments between Elle and Marsh were awkward and seemingly ill placed - or chalked up to a woman's prerogative to change her mind - either way it just didn't quite work for me. Because of the similarities in setting and such, it's hard not to draw comparison to Carriger's work, which may be an unfair comparison except that Carriger's debut was much smoother in comparison to Schwarz's.
Now, this is not at all to say that I didn't like Schwarz's book. Quite the opposite in fact, it's a quick read and I thought it was overall very fun. The world is great and the steampunk elements are dead on. Even the characters - when they're not bickering - are enjoyable. Most of the stumbles I'd put down to first time issues and expect will work out better in subsequent releases. And for readers who enjoy steampunk and paranormal (like I do), Schwarz is a fine addition!
Liesel Schwarz's debut is a mix of steampunk and paranormal sort of in the vein of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorates series. Where Carriger's series is set in the 1800s, however, Schwarz has set her book in the early 1900s.
A Conspiracy of Alchemists begins a bit rocky. The interaction between Elle and Marsh is not unlike that of Alexia and Maccon, but Schwarz doesn't manage to capture quite the same chemistry. The arguments between Elle and Marsh were awkward and seemingly ill placed - or chalked up to a woman's prerogative to change her mind - either way it just didn't quite work for me. Because of the similarities in setting and such, it's hard not to draw comparison to Carriger's work, which may be an unfair comparison except that Carriger's debut was much smoother in comparison to Schwarz's.
Now, this is not at all to say that I didn't like Schwarz's book. Quite the opposite in fact, it's a quick read and I thought it was overall very fun. The world is great and the steampunk elements are dead on. Even the characters - when they're not bickering - are enjoyable. Most of the stumbles I'd put down to first time issues and expect will work out better in subsequent releases. And for readers who enjoy steampunk and paranormal (like I do), Schwarz is a fine addition!
carlyoc's review against another edition
3.0
Not the best writing, though parts of the plot were interesting. The romance was over the top and kind of jarring, the protagonist really got on my nerves at times, and the whole thing seemed to lack consistency and believably. It wasn't so bad I had to abandon it, but I wouldn't read it again or recommend it to anyone.
littleread1's review against another edition
3.0
Alchemists is a good mix of paranormal, sci fi, steam punk, and a touch of fantasy (with the epic journey). The writing is a little cheeky and formal all at the same time, which kept taking me out of the story. That kind of story-telling works for some people, but it just didn't "do it" for me.
The combination of steam punk and paranormal was a lot fun. The magics that helped run the machinery could have been explained a bit better, but overall by the end of the story I had a good grasp on the world and the things that ran it.
The romance, while cute, seemed forced at times. Marsh and Elle are fabulous characters on their own, with their own strengths and challenges, but I was never really rooting for them as a couple.
I am having a hard time putting this review down - the book was ok, I enjoyed it fine, I had some issues, but overall finished the story and it was that - just ok. Nothing major was wrong, and nothing made me all giddy.
The combination of steam punk and paranormal was a lot fun. The magics that helped run the machinery could have been explained a bit better, but overall by the end of the story I had a good grasp on the world and the things that ran it.
The romance, while cute, seemed forced at times. Marsh and Elle are fabulous characters on their own, with their own strengths and challenges, but I was never really rooting for them as a couple.
I am having a hard time putting this review down - the book was ok, I enjoyed it fine, I had some issues, but overall finished the story and it was that - just ok. Nothing major was wrong, and nothing made me all giddy.
unabridgedchick's review against another edition
3.0
Set in 1903, this steampunk-flavored historical fantasy follows Miss Eleanor "Elle" Chance, a woman of good breeding and some social standing, who became a dirigible pilot against her father's wishes. Elle has her own dirigible and some sketchy clients, and at the novel's open, she's in Paris to make a very shady delivery: human cargo. Uneasy, Elle's apprehension only worsens when an absinthe fairy hides in her diamond bracelet (Elle's preferred form of payment), and as she leaves for the airfield, she's jumped by thugs.
Things get very hairy after this. Her father is kidnapped, she sets off on a gyrocopter trip across the Continent, develops a crush on her human cargo (it doesn't help he's a hundred year old heartthrob of a Warlock, and Lord to boot!), learns a shocker of a secret about herself and her family history, and has further adventures on the Orient Express.
There's a supernatural element that goes hand-in-hand with the novel's alterna-history setting: the non-magic 'Light' world lives in tense balance with the paranormal 'Shadow' world . In the course of the novel, Elle discovers she -- and her family -- are rather at the center of that struggle, forcing her to reconsider everything she's taken as fact.
This was a wonderfully fluffy read with a strong romance novel arc for Elle and our agéd Warlock (which I really liked). The steampunk flavor and paranormal world-building was enough to give me a sense of the world without making me feel mired, but detail geeks might feel things are thin. For the most part, I enjoyed the characters, but I will say I found the secondary characters a little more robust than Elle. There was even a vampire character I liked! (I wouldn't mind a novel about her.) A tertiary character, this vampire was a train companion who makes a throwaway comment about her uncle's unseemly infatuation with a barrister's wife in Whitby, followed by an eye roll and "Men," which had me rolling out my bed with laughter.
I had a great time with this book although I will admit it's a bit uneven in places. I liked Elle for the most part, but as with so many novels dependent on a truly charismatic heroine, Elle felt a bit flat. And to be fair, creating a Victorian heroine of breeding who is both reasonably independent and not a caricatured comic book super heroine is tough -- there needs to be a balance of vulnerable and bold, a nod to social mores and values, and a believable sense of what said heroine can withstand. Additionally, Elle is saddled with the burden of being one of those gamechanging VIPs, and unfortunately, her personality was just a tad too flat for me to totally buy her as the epic heroine but I'm hopeful Schwarz can flesh her out more in future books.
I was strongly reminded of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate books with this one; while Carriger's novels lean more toward comedic, both have similar elements -- conspiracy, secret cabals, Italy, supernatural romance -- but this one leans more toward adventure rather than comedy of manners.
I understand this is the first in a series; the novel ends satisfactorily for those who don't want to add a new series to their queue, and I'm looking forward to seeing how Schwarz unfolds Elle's story.
Things get very hairy after this. Her father is kidnapped, she sets off on a gyrocopter trip across the Continent, develops a crush on her human cargo (it doesn't help he's a hundred year old heartthrob of a Warlock, and Lord to boot!), learns a shocker of a secret about herself and her family history, and has further adventures on the Orient Express.
There's a supernatural element that goes hand-in-hand with the novel's alterna-history setting: the non-magic 'Light' world lives in tense balance with the paranormal 'Shadow' world . In the course of the novel, Elle discovers she -- and her family -- are rather at the center of that struggle, forcing her to reconsider everything she's taken as fact.
This was a wonderfully fluffy read with a strong romance novel arc for Elle and our agéd Warlock (which I really liked). The steampunk flavor and paranormal world-building was enough to give me a sense of the world without making me feel mired, but detail geeks might feel things are thin. For the most part, I enjoyed the characters, but I will say I found the secondary characters a little more robust than Elle. There was even a vampire character I liked! (I wouldn't mind a novel about her.) A tertiary character, this vampire was a train companion who makes a throwaway comment about her uncle's unseemly infatuation with a barrister's wife in Whitby, followed by an eye roll and "Men," which had me rolling out my bed with laughter.
I had a great time with this book although I will admit it's a bit uneven in places. I liked Elle for the most part, but as with so many novels dependent on a truly charismatic heroine, Elle felt a bit flat. And to be fair, creating a Victorian heroine of breeding who is both reasonably independent and not a caricatured comic book super heroine is tough -- there needs to be a balance of vulnerable and bold, a nod to social mores and values, and a believable sense of what said heroine can withstand. Additionally, Elle is saddled with the burden of being one of those gamechanging VIPs, and unfortunately, her personality was just a tad too flat for me to totally buy her as the epic heroine but I'm hopeful Schwarz can flesh her out more in future books.
I was strongly reminded of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate books with this one; while Carriger's novels lean more toward comedic, both have similar elements -- conspiracy, secret cabals, Italy, supernatural romance -- but this one leans more toward adventure rather than comedy of manners.
I understand this is the first in a series; the novel ends satisfactorily for those who don't want to add a new series to their queue, and I'm looking forward to seeing how Schwarz unfolds Elle's story.
denizyildiz's review against another edition
4.0
Just loved this! Marsh and Ella's chemistry is amazing, loads of good action and good world building make for a great debut novel
A must read for steampunk lovers!
A must read for steampunk lovers!
jennlcollier's review against another edition
3.0
Up until the last 80 pages or so this book was going to be rated two stars. Overall, there were just too many things that bugged me, but the ending made up for some of it.
The character of Elle starts of as this spunky and independent girl, but later in the story she stands up for herself in stupid/illogical situations and concedes to Marsh constantly. By setting up these situations the author is undermining her character's personality and making it hard to like the main character. I get that the verbal sparring is supposed to be creating romantic tension, but it was just annoying and dragged out the story.
Patrice was obvious from the beginning and that led to an underwhelming turning point in the story.
The ending though was interesting and finally added some much needed action to the story. Constantinople was the best part of the book, and I wish the story focused more on the behind the scenes conspiracy, but the author is saving that for the next book in the series and I most likely won't pick it up.
The character of Elle starts of as this spunky and independent girl, but later in the story she stands up for herself in stupid/illogical situations and concedes to Marsh constantly. By setting up these situations the author is undermining her character's personality and making it hard to like the main character. I get that the verbal sparring is supposed to be creating romantic tension, but it was just annoying and dragged out the story.
Patrice was obvious from the beginning and that led to an underwhelming turning point in the story.
The ending though was interesting and finally added some much needed action to the story. Constantinople was the best part of the book, and I wish the story focused more on the behind the scenes conspiracy, but the author is saving that for the next book in the series and I most likely won't pick it up.
kueltzo's review against another edition
4.0
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
Conspiracy of Alchemists is a refreshing change to the current spate of urban fantasy. As the first novel in what I hope will be a series, the readers are introduced to a unique world where steampunk and magic are mixed into a delightful universe. The heroine, Elle Chance, has a strength and vulnerability that I Iook forward to seeing develop as the character matures. I also enjoyed the way the major and minor supporting characters developed over the course of the novel, often in ways I did not expect. The novel also reads well as a self-contained novel or as the introduction to a series. I look forward to what comes next.
Conspiracy of Alchemists is a refreshing change to the current spate of urban fantasy. As the first novel in what I hope will be a series, the readers are introduced to a unique world where steampunk and magic are mixed into a delightful universe. The heroine, Elle Chance, has a strength and vulnerability that I Iook forward to seeing develop as the character matures. I also enjoyed the way the major and minor supporting characters developed over the course of the novel, often in ways I did not expect. The novel also reads well as a self-contained novel or as the introduction to a series. I look forward to what comes next.
jaclynder's review against another edition
3.0
A Conspiracy of Alchemists is a steampunk novel. Elle Chance is a pilot and has come to Paris to transport some cargo via her regular contact, Patrice. The cargo turns out to be a mysterious box and it comes with a passenger, the irritating Mr. Marsh. Before she leaves Paris, Elle is attacked and rescued by Mr. Marsh leading them to race to England to evade the forces that have targeted Elle.
The world building in this novel was pretty interesting with fairies and other mythical creatures being commonplace in this alternate version of 1903. This magical society is divided into the Light and the Shadow, with the alchemists of the Shadow being the villains of the novel. The leader of the alchemists, Abercrombie, wants to unleash the power from an in-between plane through an Oracle in order to break all those of Shadow’s bond with the Nightwalkers (ie. vampires).
Unfortunately for Elle, her mother was the Oracle, and Elle is discovered to be the next one. Both sides of the struggle want to have Elle in their court since she will provide them great power with the dwindling of magic in the world. Marsh believes that Elle should join forces with the Council of Warlocks, which he is part of, where she will live a life of luxury and isolation. Elle, a modern girl for the times, is understandably irritated by Marsh and his suggestions and fights his assertions of her power at every point. However, Elle ultimately has to face the fact that her mother’s blood runs in her veins and she will have to acknowledge her power.
Overall, I liked the plot of A Conspiracy of Alchemists; it was an interesting concept in an interesting alternate world. I liked the combination of the Oracle mythology and the steampunk genre and it really demonstrates the versatility of steampunk as a genre. At times I found the pacing a little slow, especially considering there were pretty intense things happening. For example, when Elle learns her father has been kidnapped, it takes her a few days to start her search for him. I felt the pacing was at odds with what was happening in the novel.
My other issue with the novel was the insta-romance between Elle and Mr. Marsh. I liked each character individually but I didn’t buy the romance between them. They went from blatant antagonism to love fairly quickly. There was more about Elle’s thought process and her progression of feelings towards Mr. Marsh, but when it came to Marsh, I didn’t really buy his feelings for Elle; it seemed very sudden.
Lastly, I was a little confused about the whole Oracle thing. Is becoming an Oracle a hereditary trait; the fact that Elle’s mother was an Oracle seems to suggest that it is something inherited by from a parent? If being an Oracle is hereditary, then I do not know why the Council of Warlocks would be isolating the Oracle from everyone, wouldn’t the Oracle’s need to go out, marry and have kids? I just felt that this was a hole in the story and I think it should have been addressed.
Ultimately, I did enjoy the novel, and I would probably read the next one in the series because of the cliffhanger ending and the reveal about the true conspiracy. I think A Conspiracy of Alchemists would be a good book that could be read by an adult or teen audience. I wouldn’t blatantly call it a teen book, the age of the characters seem to suggest that it is not a teen book, but I think it has versatile appeal.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
The world building in this novel was pretty interesting with fairies and other mythical creatures being commonplace in this alternate version of 1903. This magical society is divided into the Light and the Shadow, with the alchemists of the Shadow being the villains of the novel. The leader of the alchemists, Abercrombie, wants to unleash the power from an in-between plane through an Oracle in order to break all those of Shadow’s bond with the Nightwalkers (ie. vampires).
Unfortunately for Elle, her mother was the Oracle, and Elle is discovered to be the next one. Both sides of the struggle want to have Elle in their court since she will provide them great power with the dwindling of magic in the world. Marsh believes that Elle should join forces with the Council of Warlocks, which he is part of, where she will live a life of luxury and isolation. Elle, a modern girl for the times, is understandably irritated by Marsh and his suggestions and fights his assertions of her power at every point. However, Elle ultimately has to face the fact that her mother’s blood runs in her veins and she will have to acknowledge her power.
Overall, I liked the plot of A Conspiracy of Alchemists; it was an interesting concept in an interesting alternate world. I liked the combination of the Oracle mythology and the steampunk genre and it really demonstrates the versatility of steampunk as a genre. At times I found the pacing a little slow, especially considering there were pretty intense things happening. For example, when Elle learns her father has been kidnapped, it takes her a few days to start her search for him. I felt the pacing was at odds with what was happening in the novel.
My other issue with the novel was the insta-romance between Elle and Mr. Marsh. I liked each character individually but I didn’t buy the romance between them. They went from blatant antagonism to love fairly quickly. There was more about Elle’s thought process and her progression of feelings towards Mr. Marsh, but when it came to Marsh, I didn’t really buy his feelings for Elle; it seemed very sudden.
Lastly, I was a little confused about the whole Oracle thing. Is becoming an Oracle a hereditary trait; the fact that Elle’s mother was an Oracle seems to suggest that it is something inherited by from a parent? If being an Oracle is hereditary, then I do not know why the Council of Warlocks would be isolating the Oracle from everyone, wouldn’t the Oracle’s need to go out, marry and have kids? I just felt that this was a hole in the story and I think it should have been addressed.
Ultimately, I did enjoy the novel, and I would probably read the next one in the series because of the cliffhanger ending and the reveal about the true conspiracy. I think A Conspiracy of Alchemists would be a good book that could be read by an adult or teen audience. I wouldn’t blatantly call it a teen book, the age of the characters seem to suggest that it is not a teen book, but I think it has versatile appeal.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.