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mellhay's review
4.0
Lena disappears before Eliza on the train in a flash of lightning, but just before doing so asks Eliza for help. Eliza wants and requests the case, but being a Junior Archivist (not on field work) and compromised with knowing the victim, is not given the case. Agent Bruce Campbell is given the case. While at a suffragist meeting another lady, one well known to Eliza, is attacked. Eliza now starts to investigate the case with Wellington's help, and finds it leads to the suffragist women going missing and protecting the one woman who could lead the England Suffragists into a new time. This particular incident seems to go back several years in the archives when investigated into it, all unsolved and referencing the burnt metal smell and flash of light. As far away from the past as both our partnered agents might think, it will creep up to them fast here.
Both of our courageous characters are haunted by their history. One that wants it back and the other who can't forget it. Eliza's past keeps showing up in London...a suffragist from New Zealand, an old love...all the things that bring Eliza's exiled home fresh to the front of her mind. We see Eliza with a touch of vulnerability with her yearning for her home land, and missing her family and friends. Wellington's mind is daunting by his memories of his commanding father.
Boy do I love Wellington and the secrets he has. We get a small taste of what he has up his sleeves, yet still so mysterious! I want to tell Eliza, Wellington is much more than she knows...stronger and deadlier than she thinks, yet such a gentleman. I just love seeing Wellington's spunk. The secrets he's hiding are starting to seep through the longer he is with the adventurous Eliza, and becoming visible to those around them.
We are sucked into the mystery in the prelude wondering what Lena is running from and why. Then what the heck happened to her on the train in front of Eliza!? Shocking! And the electrifying mystery will have you guessing and looking for clues with our duo.
I have to mention the chapter headings, titles as per say. Ha ha! Love these. They make me smile and give a little of whats to come in the chapter. And they call Eliza a Pepperpot!
The Ministry Seven is back! These kids add a lovely touch to the story with Eliza and Wellington. Almost a family feeling. There is a young Verity mentioned. I love Verity! and so excited to see here status here. Between listening to the Tales from the Archives and reading the books I know Verity is in the Tales from the Archives, but not 100% sure of Phoenix Rising. I do enjoy hearing of her again though. Brilliant young lady.
Speaking of the Tales from the Archives! It is NOT necessary to listen or read them to enjoy any of these books. But, yes always a but... But they do give a few back stories you could very well enjoy, especially after reading this book. If you are curious about Eliza and the happenings related to Kate, you can read or listen to the podcast that highlights this story. But do take a listen to The Evil that Befell Sampson. Or you can download the first collection stories in Kindle format (which includes The Evil That Befell Sampson) at:
Now to go with learning about Eliza's past, if you are more curious about Wellington and his father you can learn a touch on that as well with the Tales from the Archives. We have Sins of the Father, in podcast form. Or, again, you can download the collection of short stories in Kindle format (including Sins of the Father) at:
I do love seeing our secret agents on a mission, seeing glimpses of Eliza and Wellington enjoying teasing each other, and knowing just how to push each others buttons. They both know what cards to play and when, with what they do and the secrets each keeps... the secrets might just be the obvious thoughts are just a cover and there is more stewing underneath the layers.
Since I went there with the links on Eliza and Wellington's past, if you are curious to meet Verity, you can listen to the podcast with her in, The Precarious Child. Or again, download on your Kindle the collection of stories with her tale in it:
Again, I can't wait to get more of Eliza and Wellington in their next adventure! Of course I know after reading this book where they are going next, and can't wait to get there. (No, it's not a cliffhanger, just lets you know where they are heading next.)
Do enjoy!
Both of our courageous characters are haunted by their history. One that wants it back and the other who can't forget it. Eliza's past keeps showing up in London...a suffragist from New Zealand, an old love...all the things that bring Eliza's exiled home fresh to the front of her mind. We see Eliza with a touch of vulnerability with her yearning for her home land, and missing her family and friends. Wellington's mind is daunting by his memories of his commanding father.
Boy do I love Wellington and the secrets he has. We get a small taste of what he has up his sleeves, yet still so mysterious! I want to tell Eliza, Wellington is much more than she knows...stronger and deadlier than she thinks, yet such a gentleman. I just love seeing Wellington's spunk. The secrets he's hiding are starting to seep through the longer he is with the adventurous Eliza, and becoming visible to those around them.
We are sucked into the mystery in the prelude wondering what Lena is running from and why. Then what the heck happened to her on the train in front of Eliza!? Shocking! And the electrifying mystery will have you guessing and looking for clues with our duo.
I have to mention the chapter headings, titles as per say. Ha ha! Love these. They make me smile and give a little of whats to come in the chapter. And they call Eliza a Pepperpot!
The Ministry Seven is back! These kids add a lovely touch to the story with Eliza and Wellington. Almost a family feeling. There is a young Verity mentioned. I love Verity! and so excited to see here status here. Between listening to the Tales from the Archives and reading the books I know Verity is in the Tales from the Archives, but not 100% sure of Phoenix Rising. I do enjoy hearing of her again though. Brilliant young lady.
Speaking of the Tales from the Archives! It is NOT necessary to listen or read them to enjoy any of these books. But, yes always a but... But they do give a few back stories you could very well enjoy, especially after reading this book. If you are curious about Eliza and the happenings related to Kate, you can read or listen to the podcast that highlights this story. But do take a listen to The Evil that Befell Sampson. Or you can download the first collection stories in Kindle format (which includes The Evil That Befell Sampson) at:
Now to go with learning about Eliza's past, if you are more curious about Wellington and his father you can learn a touch on that as well with the Tales from the Archives. We have Sins of the Father, in podcast form. Or, again, you can download the collection of short stories in Kindle format (including Sins of the Father) at:
I do love seeing our secret agents on a mission, seeing glimpses of Eliza and Wellington enjoying teasing each other, and knowing just how to push each others buttons. They both know what cards to play and when, with what they do and the secrets each keeps... the secrets might just be the obvious thoughts are just a cover and there is more stewing underneath the layers.
Since I went there with the links on Eliza and Wellington's past, if you are curious to meet Verity, you can listen to the podcast with her in, The Precarious Child. Or again, download on your Kindle the collection of stories with her tale in it:
Again, I can't wait to get more of Eliza and Wellington in their next adventure! Of course I know after reading this book where they are going next, and can't wait to get there. (No, it's not a cliffhanger, just lets you know where they are heading next.)
Do enjoy!
birbboi's review
I realised it was the second book and I haven't read the first one
mxsallybend's review
4.0
As the second Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel, The Janus Affair more than delivers on the promise of last year's [b:Phoenix Rising|9795166|Phoenix Rising (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, #1)|Philippa Ballantine|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1319574583s/9795166.jpg|14685275], even if the story at the heart of it isn't quite as strong. With the preliminaries out of the way, Ballantine & Morris are able to spend more time exploring their steampunk society, developing the relationship between Books and Braun, and building upon some of the plot threads teased but left dangling in the first instalment.
Let's start with the steampunk elements. While present in the first book, they were either a part of the background or they stood out awkwardly. Here, not only are they far more prevalent, but they blend very well into the overall story. They're still cool and exciting (particularly the train at the beginning of the book and the motorcycle near the end), but they just seem to fit better. You just get the sense that Ballantine & Morris felt a bit more relaxed here, making it a bit easier to draw the reader into the fun.We also get to see more of the other agents from the Ministry, which is a trend I hope continues in subsequent books.
As for the characters, they are truly why this second volume shines. First of all, we find out just what was up with Bruce Campbell in the first book, and even if his story isn't perfectly resolved, it's handled very well. As for Books and Braun, we get to explore more of their respective backstories, particularly with Books - by the time you're done this book, the haunting voice of his father will make much more sense, and the origin of his James Bond style skills and experience will be satisfactorily exposed. The two flirt with the idea of romance much more than in the first book but, in the tradition of the best stories of the genre, it remains just that - flirting and fun. There's still a healthy dose of antagonism and distrust between them, but it's balanced with genuine friendship and admiration.
It's just a shame the story behind it all - the reason for our two heroes to get out of the Archives - isn't as exciting or as compelling as that of [b:Phoenix Rising|9795166|Phoenix Rising (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, #1)|Philippa Ballantine|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1319574583s/9795166.jpg|14685275]. It all starts out promising enough, with the very public disappearance of several women, all in a very 'flashy' manner (to say the least). The problem is the mystery of the disappearances is dragged out for too long, one woman disappearing after another, with little in the way of investigative progress or narrative exposure of the dastardly villains and their motives. The politics of it all are interesting, if a bit heavy-handed at times, but they tend to get in the way of moving the story forward. It must be said, however, that while the climactic set-piece isn't quite as exciting as the first book, Books does get a far better opportunity to shine.
All-in-all a fun, exciting read that bodes well for future instalments in the series. Well worth a read.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Let's start with the steampunk elements. While present in the first book, they were either a part of the background or they stood out awkwardly. Here, not only are they far more prevalent, but they blend very well into the overall story. They're still cool and exciting (particularly the train at the beginning of the book and the motorcycle near the end), but they just seem to fit better. You just get the sense that Ballantine & Morris felt a bit more relaxed here, making it a bit easier to draw the reader into the fun.We also get to see more of the other agents from the Ministry, which is a trend I hope continues in subsequent books.
As for the characters, they are truly why this second volume shines. First of all, we find out just what was up with Bruce Campbell in the first book, and even if his story isn't perfectly resolved, it's handled very well. As for Books and Braun, we get to explore more of their respective backstories, particularly with Books - by the time you're done this book, the haunting voice of his father will make much more sense, and the origin of his James Bond style skills and experience will be satisfactorily exposed. The two flirt with the idea of romance much more than in the first book but, in the tradition of the best stories of the genre, it remains just that - flirting and fun. There's still a healthy dose of antagonism and distrust between them, but it's balanced with genuine friendship and admiration.
It's just a shame the story behind it all - the reason for our two heroes to get out of the Archives - isn't as exciting or as compelling as that of [b:Phoenix Rising|9795166|Phoenix Rising (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, #1)|Philippa Ballantine|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1319574583s/9795166.jpg|14685275]. It all starts out promising enough, with the very public disappearance of several women, all in a very 'flashy' manner (to say the least). The problem is the mystery of the disappearances is dragged out for too long, one woman disappearing after another, with little in the way of investigative progress or narrative exposure of the dastardly villains and their motives. The politics of it all are interesting, if a bit heavy-handed at times, but they tend to get in the way of moving the story forward. It must be said, however, that while the climactic set-piece isn't quite as exciting as the first book, Books does get a far better opportunity to shine.
All-in-all a fun, exciting read that bodes well for future instalments in the series. Well worth a read.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
colorfulleo92's review
4.0
These books are exciting and a wild ride, in steampunk Victorian times, so much fun to follow the characters through their adventure. Love that Eliza is a real badass and Mr Books a totally nerd with some actions. I need more books about them!
b33dubs's review
3.0
Entertaining, but there were some continuity/comprehension issues that jarred me out of the story.
eastofthesunwestofthemoon's review
4.0
A good second entry in this series - I listened to the audio book and it's quite well read. I believe I enjoyed it more than I would have just reading. I look forward to the continuing adventures.
teebeethegreat's review
4.0
The Nitty Gritty: A snappy gent with spectacles and a Colonial Pepperpot are playing the heros again in this second installment of the Ministry of Peculiar Affairs series. This time their adventure starts when a fellow suffragist is snatched off a hypersteam train by a lightening storm.
Someone in London is kidnapping the country's leading suffragist and Eliza, never a girl to be held back by a simple demotion jumps on the case whether her partner Wellington is willing to come along for the ride of not.
A blast from Eliza's past threatens to derail her investigation however, and if Wellington has anything to say about it he will send the chap packing. London is hardly ready for the full force of Eliza's gunslinging and Wellington's tinkering.
Opening Line: "It was the smell-the smell of metal baking under a summer sun-that alerted Lena to the terrible fact that her getaway had been a failure."
What's the 411: At first glance I didn't really get into this series. I picked it up Phoenix Rising at the library and returned it without reading it. Now before you tar and feather me understand that I have on an average 30 books checked out at a time, and I read three to four books at the same time. Occasionally to my dismay I return books without reading them.
So I read Phoenix and liked it. I had misgivings about continuing the series though. I'm not a sci-fi reader myself though I am a sci-fi watcher. I mean I'm a Whovian (though I would call Doctor Who fantasy somehow its been tagged a sci-fo show) and aTrekkie after all.
Well a long business trip to Chicago convinced me I didn't have anything better to do than sit and read. I put on my big girl panties and picked up The Janus Affair and I am so glad that I did. Thank you Windy City and Lou Mal Nauties deep dish pizza. The Janus Affair has sealed with the deal with me.
And I have to say that I think I like Wellington a little more than Eliza. Don;t get me wrong Eliza is my sort of woman. Tough, independent and altogether badass for no other reason than she can me. But sometimes she just tries a little too hard to be strong. Sometimes its ok to be rescued, and I;m not just saying that because she is a woman. I would say the same thing about a man, and that is what I really like about Wellington. He has no problem whatsoever letting someone else do the heavy lifting though he is more than capable of taking care of himself and his fellow agent. Wellington is like ever nerd girl's wet dream. He is a geek through and through, but he knows his way around a fight. Its like the jock and the captain of the debate team had a baby and Wellington was the result, and to top it off he's a gentlemen and totally hot.
I am in nerdvana with Wellington Thornhill Books.
The first tale had Braun and Books on the tail of a secret society who dabbled in the dark sexual arts when it tickled their fancy. I always find it comical that men that are on just the right side of ugly are the ones that always want to play those sexual swapping games. I'm not making a judgement on anyone in that lifestyle nor the lifestyle itself. I am just making an observation on fiction. I loved the clandestine nature of the case they worked on in the first book but I loved the lightening kidnapping aspect of the Janus Affair.
We got to peek into Eliza's past this go around, and I for one wasn't shocked that it centered around a man. Not that I think Eliza's is promiscuous or anything, but she is a beautiful woman and you know she has left a few broken hearted men scattered around the globe. I was questioning whether Douglas was in on the caper or not. His behavior was suspect from the word go for me. It was odd little things. Like giving the Ministry Seven a bag of lollies, which meant that he was watching Eliza's house, then giving Chris that Crocodile Dundee knife, making Welly feel bad about Serena getting hurt as if Books wasn't feeling bad already, showing up at Diamond Dotties house to rescue Eliza, as if she needed the help. I couldn't figure out if he was honestly trying to help Eliza because he was confusing her with the young whelp she had been in New Zealand or if he was trying to be a monkey wrench in the works to keep the kidnappings going. After getting to the end of the book I can say that I am glad he is gone. Not gone in the six feet under sense, but just gone as in his story has ended, gone.
Without a doubt I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The Good: The dance between Eliza and Wellington. We could see the budding romance between the Ministry agents. We even rooted for them, but I like that it wasn't a spontaneous occurrence. There was a build up. A seductive dance that held my attention from page one. I blush here, a stolen glance there. It was a real life progression of a love affair in a fictional novel. I like my fantasy to be fantasy but I really want my romance to be more real life and less Twilight porn. If you're a Twilight fan please don't bother trying to defend that garbage to me. Finally getting to that kiss was the best sort of foreplay. I;m on the edge of my seat to see how they get on in America after the kiss heard round the Archives.
I like that the author is exploring different characters. I mean they are characters that are feasible for the United Kingdom at that time, but it would have been easy for them to just overlook the Indian population and just keep it strictly white. I hope they keep up the trend. As a minority myself I always root for the minorities in books. Even if they are the villainess.
The bursts of action are spaced at a pace that makes for a great read. Not that fast paced books aren;t just as good, but I feel like sometimes its hard to catch your breath as you leap from one action scene to another. I mean I know I miss things when I am just going non-stop through the action. I feel like I'm in a sugar induced coma while sitting in a sensory tank and my brain is going to explode. I guess it doesn't help that I read three or four books at a time.
The Maestro is really starting to get under my skin. His end game is still a murky lake and I don't like being in the dark. Don't get me wrong being in the dark with a book series is where I want to be. It means the author is good at teasing and keeping me interested for eleven or twelve books, but it means I'm in the dark for about 4 or 5 years lol. That is a tough place to be for someone who likes all her cards front and center where she can see them.
At this point I am of the opinion that Wellington's father needs to be a character in his own right. His voice is getting more and more forceful and frequent. I don't know how Welly stands it I'm going mad hearing his voice in my own head. Which maybe more telling about my frame of mind that Wellington's.
I often find that a lot of female writers fall under the Badass chick Spell. Every female character in their book is either completely badass or completely frail. There are plenty of male writers that do the same thing, but since I fancy myself a lady I am only going to speak about female authors right now lol. I love that Ballantine's females run the total gambit.
Sophie del Morte is a world class assassin who has taken the lives of men and women in all corners of the world, but she quickly bows and scraps before the almighty Maestro without question. Chanda is a properly bred Indian Brit with the style and grace to make Miranda Priestly stand up and pay attention, but the chick is beyond wickedly smart and a right nutter.
Kate Sheppard is part Barack Obama, JFK and Muhammad Ali all rolled into one, but she acknowledges that even she needs a bodyguard every once and awhile. Mrs. Shillingworth is a beautiful woman who isn't easily swayed by honeyed words for a cute guy, she loves her job and the perks of carrying a machine gun with the situation calls for it aren't too shabby either.
I love that Ballantine's female characters are fully realized and fleshed out, but there is still room for them to grow if the situation calls for it.
The Bad: As a feminist and a minority some of the sexiest and separatists themes in the book irritate me, but not to the point where they make the book less enjoyable. I guess it is a sign of the times. this book is set in the United Kingdom in 1899.
Eliza's teasing is borderline bullying. Now, now I know what you are saying. Its just harmless fun and no one is getting hurt, but as someone who was bullied from elementary school till I was in college bullying starts off innocent enough. However Eliza's remorse at her ribbing of Wellington does give me hope.
My Hopes for the Series: I hope the next book isn't all about Eliza and Welly snogging by the Thames. I don't think Eliza is that sort of girl and I don't want them to make her one. I want the Ministry Seven to be taken in by the couple and Serena to become their daughter.
My Final Say: If lightening and explosions and Italian assassins get your juices going then get ready to slip and slide!
Someone in London is kidnapping the country's leading suffragist and Eliza, never a girl to be held back by a simple demotion jumps on the case whether her partner Wellington is willing to come along for the ride of not.
A blast from Eliza's past threatens to derail her investigation however, and if Wellington has anything to say about it he will send the chap packing. London is hardly ready for the full force of Eliza's gunslinging and Wellington's tinkering.
Opening Line: "It was the smell-the smell of metal baking under a summer sun-that alerted Lena to the terrible fact that her getaway had been a failure."
What's the 411: At first glance I didn't really get into this series. I picked it up Phoenix Rising at the library and returned it without reading it. Now before you tar and feather me understand that I have on an average 30 books checked out at a time, and I read three to four books at the same time. Occasionally to my dismay I return books without reading them.
So I read Phoenix and liked it. I had misgivings about continuing the series though. I'm not a sci-fi reader myself though I am a sci-fi watcher. I mean I'm a Whovian (though I would call Doctor Who fantasy somehow its been tagged a sci-fo show) and aTrekkie after all.
Well a long business trip to Chicago convinced me I didn't have anything better to do than sit and read. I put on my big girl panties and picked up The Janus Affair and I am so glad that I did. Thank you Windy City and Lou Mal Nauties deep dish pizza. The Janus Affair has sealed with the deal with me.
And I have to say that I think I like Wellington a little more than Eliza. Don;t get me wrong Eliza is my sort of woman. Tough, independent and altogether badass for no other reason than she can me. But sometimes she just tries a little too hard to be strong. Sometimes its ok to be rescued, and I;m not just saying that because she is a woman. I would say the same thing about a man, and that is what I really like about Wellington. He has no problem whatsoever letting someone else do the heavy lifting though he is more than capable of taking care of himself and his fellow agent. Wellington is like ever nerd girl's wet dream. He is a geek through and through, but he knows his way around a fight. Its like the jock and the captain of the debate team had a baby and Wellington was the result, and to top it off he's a gentlemen and totally hot.
I am in nerdvana with Wellington Thornhill Books.
The first tale had Braun and Books on the tail of a secret society who dabbled in the dark sexual arts when it tickled their fancy. I always find it comical that men that are on just the right side of ugly are the ones that always want to play those sexual swapping games. I'm not making a judgement on anyone in that lifestyle nor the lifestyle itself. I am just making an observation on fiction. I loved the clandestine nature of the case they worked on in the first book but I loved the lightening kidnapping aspect of the Janus Affair.
We got to peek into Eliza's past this go around, and I for one wasn't shocked that it centered around a man. Not that I think Eliza's is promiscuous or anything, but she is a beautiful woman and you know she has left a few broken hearted men scattered around the globe. I was questioning whether Douglas was in on the caper or not. His behavior was suspect from the word go for me. It was odd little things. Like giving the Ministry Seven a bag of lollies, which meant that he was watching Eliza's house, then giving Chris that Crocodile Dundee knife, making Welly feel bad about Serena getting hurt as if Books wasn't feeling bad already, showing up at Diamond Dotties house to rescue Eliza, as if she needed the help. I couldn't figure out if he was honestly trying to help Eliza because he was confusing her with the young whelp she had been in New Zealand or if he was trying to be a monkey wrench in the works to keep the kidnappings going. After getting to the end of the book I can say that I am glad he is gone. Not gone in the six feet under sense, but just gone as in his story has ended, gone.
Without a doubt I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The Good: The dance between Eliza and Wellington. We could see the budding romance between the Ministry agents. We even rooted for them, but I like that it wasn't a spontaneous occurrence. There was a build up. A seductive dance that held my attention from page one. I blush here, a stolen glance there. It was a real life progression of a love affair in a fictional novel. I like my fantasy to be fantasy but I really want my romance to be more real life and less Twilight porn. If you're a Twilight fan please don't bother trying to defend that garbage to me. Finally getting to that kiss was the best sort of foreplay. I;m on the edge of my seat to see how they get on in America after the kiss heard round the Archives.
I like that the author is exploring different characters. I mean they are characters that are feasible for the United Kingdom at that time, but it would have been easy for them to just overlook the Indian population and just keep it strictly white. I hope they keep up the trend. As a minority myself I always root for the minorities in books. Even if they are the villainess.
The bursts of action are spaced at a pace that makes for a great read. Not that fast paced books aren;t just as good, but I feel like sometimes its hard to catch your breath as you leap from one action scene to another. I mean I know I miss things when I am just going non-stop through the action. I feel like I'm in a sugar induced coma while sitting in a sensory tank and my brain is going to explode. I guess it doesn't help that I read three or four books at a time.
The Maestro is really starting to get under my skin. His end game is still a murky lake and I don't like being in the dark. Don't get me wrong being in the dark with a book series is where I want to be. It means the author is good at teasing and keeping me interested for eleven or twelve books, but it means I'm in the dark for about 4 or 5 years lol. That is a tough place to be for someone who likes all her cards front and center where she can see them.
At this point I am of the opinion that Wellington's father needs to be a character in his own right. His voice is getting more and more forceful and frequent. I don't know how Welly stands it I'm going mad hearing his voice in my own head. Which maybe more telling about my frame of mind that Wellington's.
I often find that a lot of female writers fall under the Badass chick Spell. Every female character in their book is either completely badass or completely frail. There are plenty of male writers that do the same thing, but since I fancy myself a lady I am only going to speak about female authors right now lol. I love that Ballantine's females run the total gambit.
Sophie del Morte is a world class assassin who has taken the lives of men and women in all corners of the world, but she quickly bows and scraps before the almighty Maestro without question. Chanda is a properly bred Indian Brit with the style and grace to make Miranda Priestly stand up and pay attention, but the chick is beyond wickedly smart and a right nutter.
Kate Sheppard is part Barack Obama, JFK and Muhammad Ali all rolled into one, but she acknowledges that even she needs a bodyguard every once and awhile. Mrs. Shillingworth is a beautiful woman who isn't easily swayed by honeyed words for a cute guy, she loves her job and the perks of carrying a machine gun with the situation calls for it aren't too shabby either.
I love that Ballantine's female characters are fully realized and fleshed out, but there is still room for them to grow if the situation calls for it.
The Bad: As a feminist and a minority some of the sexiest and separatists themes in the book irritate me, but not to the point where they make the book less enjoyable. I guess it is a sign of the times. this book is set in the United Kingdom in 1899.
Eliza's teasing is borderline bullying. Now, now I know what you are saying. Its just harmless fun and no one is getting hurt, but as someone who was bullied from elementary school till I was in college bullying starts off innocent enough. However Eliza's remorse at her ribbing of Wellington does give me hope.
My Hopes for the Series: I hope the next book isn't all about Eliza and Welly snogging by the Thames. I don't think Eliza is that sort of girl and I don't want them to make her one. I want the Ministry Seven to be taken in by the couple and Serena to become their daughter.
My Final Say: If lightening and explosions and Italian assassins get your juices going then get ready to slip and slide!
hgranger's review
2.0
I like the ideas behind this book, I mostly like the characters, and I like most of the storyline. However...The book is just SO slow-moving and wordy that it feels like a chore to get through it. Despite the excessive amount of words, the characters are still not fleshed our properly, which is a shame, and this story could probably have been told better in half the pages.
cajeck's review
4.0
Sometimes I wonder if I'm a little too generous with my stars given, but I can't deny that the Janus Affair was skillfully written with great depth and attention to detail. Any annoyances I suffered came as a result of my very niche tastes, and I know not everyone will agree with my views.
First the positives: This is a strong steampunk adventure novel. The world is rich and vibrant with imaginative technology. The characters are oh-so-very British (or colonial, depending on who we are focusing on) but it's all great fun. I wonder why the authors insist on calling Eliza a "colonial pepper pot" when the story keeps focusing sympathetically on a feminist movement. I mean, wouldn't she object? But the description is used less in this book than the last, I think. I read the first book right when it first came out, so I'm late to the party on the second. I actually like the plot better in The Janus Affair then Phoenix Rising, mostly because it maintains a level of fantastic adventure without somehow getting into an almost sleazy pulp-fiction quality I felt from the first. (Rutting nobles in a pseudo-cult out to dominate the world? Sure. I know you just wanted to write in an orgy, guys. It's okay. We're all adults here.)
Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris really do achieve a level of epicness in their books, both in the scope of their plot and characters. Their antagonists are decidedly villainous, and their schemes indeed both clever and dastardly. They weave in details with care, timing things to such a degree that you feel a sense of admiration at their story-weaving. What's great about their stories is that you can envision them as blockbuster movies with their larger-than-life characters striking poses and making funny quips, while at the same time managing a depth and fallacy in their being that feels both sympathetic and real.
Now for the...possible negatives? Depends on if you're like me, really. If you don't care about these things, then The Janus Affair is really a five star book for you, and you should check it out. But me? I like to focus on the subjective. The sticky, tricky, icky relationships that people have with each other are important to me. It doesn't matter if it's a romance or a mystery or a horror. It's the relationships of the characters that allow me to best relate and sympathize with them. Not how they solve problems or how freaking clever they are. I will say this though: if I AM reading something that is going to bother with romance, then damn it, I want the romance to be central in some way, not a hanger-on to the "action packed plot". Otherwise, don't bother. I don't like canned romance, like the variety you get from action movies. "Every cishet hero needs a girl to kiss at the end!" No thank you.
I don't like it when stories go in between The Notebook level of romance, and the amount of romantic focus you get out of Big Trouble in Little China either.
Sadly, I feel this is exactly where The Janus Affair falls on the romance quality spectrum.
MoPO Book 2 picks up roughly close to where the first ended (apparently there was an interlude that I missed, but it seemed hardly important.) In the first adventure with Phoenix Rising (or something) Books and Braun definitely exhibit signs of a mutual attraction to one another, but because of their adventure and their personality differences things just don't get happenin'. In the second book, safe to say, we see a bit more movement there. I just wished there had been more...passion? Emotional connection?
For instance, and I'll try not to spoil things, there is one portion of the book where Eliza does a pretty selfish, ditzy thing to Books, and though she realizes her mistake, there is NO RECONCILIATION for it, whatsoever. Nope, in Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris' book, we just pull up stakes and keep moving, missing a prime moment to really stop and focus on the relationship of our two lead characters. I mean sure, we get there towards the end with some catharsis, but would it really have killed the authors to inject a little more focus on the budding romance? It's a major part of Books and Braun's dynamic, I certainly don't think it would have harmed their precious plot if they had.
But I digress. You see? This is a niche issue. Not everyone wants the same thing like I do. Some might accuse me of trying to squeeze blood from a stone. I've made my point, though. I still think The Janus Affair is a damn good steampunk story. MoPO was the first of the genre I read, actually. I'm glad I did. Looking forward to starting the next adventure!
First the positives: This is a strong steampunk adventure novel. The world is rich and vibrant with imaginative technology. The characters are oh-so-very British (or colonial, depending on who we are focusing on) but it's all great fun. I wonder why the authors insist on calling Eliza a "colonial pepper pot" when the story keeps focusing sympathetically on a feminist movement. I mean, wouldn't she object? But the description is used less in this book than the last, I think. I read the first book right when it first came out, so I'm late to the party on the second. I actually like the plot better in The Janus Affair then Phoenix Rising, mostly because it maintains a level of fantastic adventure without somehow getting into an almost sleazy pulp-fiction quality I felt from the first. (Rutting nobles in a pseudo-cult out to dominate the world? Sure. I know you just wanted to write in an orgy, guys. It's okay. We're all adults here.)
Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris really do achieve a level of epicness in their books, both in the scope of their plot and characters. Their antagonists are decidedly villainous, and their schemes indeed both clever and dastardly. They weave in details with care, timing things to such a degree that you feel a sense of admiration at their story-weaving. What's great about their stories is that you can envision them as blockbuster movies with their larger-than-life characters striking poses and making funny quips, while at the same time managing a depth and fallacy in their being that feels both sympathetic and real.
Now for the...possible negatives? Depends on if you're like me, really. If you don't care about these things, then The Janus Affair is really a five star book for you, and you should check it out. But me? I like to focus on the subjective. The sticky, tricky, icky relationships that people have with each other are important to me. It doesn't matter if it's a romance or a mystery or a horror. It's the relationships of the characters that allow me to best relate and sympathize with them. Not how they solve problems or how freaking clever they are. I will say this though: if I AM reading something that is going to bother with romance, then damn it, I want the romance to be central in some way, not a hanger-on to the "action packed plot". Otherwise, don't bother. I don't like canned romance, like the variety you get from action movies. "Every cishet hero needs a girl to kiss at the end!" No thank you.
I don't like it when stories go in between The Notebook level of romance, and the amount of romantic focus you get out of Big Trouble in Little China either.
Sadly, I feel this is exactly where The Janus Affair falls on the romance quality spectrum.
MoPO Book 2 picks up roughly close to where the first ended (apparently there was an interlude that I missed, but it seemed hardly important.) In the first adventure with Phoenix Rising (or something) Books and Braun definitely exhibit signs of a mutual attraction to one another, but because of their adventure and their personality differences things just don't get happenin'. In the second book, safe to say, we see a bit more movement there. I just wished there had been more...passion? Emotional connection?
For instance, and I'll try not to spoil things, there is one portion of the book where Eliza does a pretty selfish, ditzy thing to Books, and though she realizes her mistake, there is NO RECONCILIATION for it, whatsoever. Nope, in Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris' book, we just pull up stakes and keep moving, missing a prime moment to really stop and focus on the relationship of our two lead characters. I mean sure, we get there towards the end with some catharsis, but would it really have killed the authors to inject a little more focus on the budding romance? It's a major part of Books and Braun's dynamic, I certainly don't think it would have harmed their precious plot if they had.
But I digress. You see? This is a niche issue. Not everyone wants the same thing like I do. Some might accuse me of trying to squeeze blood from a stone. I've made my point, though. I still think The Janus Affair is a damn good steampunk story. MoPO was the first of the genre I read, actually. I'm glad I did. Looking forward to starting the next adventure!
tehani's review
4.0
3.5 if I could do half stars. An enjoyable, if at times problematic, read. I really do like the lead characters and the worldbuilding, but there's a bit of gender stuff going on that I'm not a huge fan of; even though I get the feeling the authors are trying to actually subvert that, it doesn't quite work. I also keep coming across copy edit errors which are jarring, and disappointing in a pro publication.