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badseedgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Just for the record, this book did not take a month to read. I had an excessive number of ILL and holds come in all at once and I had to put this story on hold. The reality is it took about 3-4 days to read.
This is seriously one of the hardest series to pigeon-hole into a category.
BSG: Welcome back crazy voice in my head! I have not heard much from you since I reviewed The Night Circus.
CVIMH: Yeah, well I been waiting for you to let your freak flag fly and today you opened the crazy gate! WooHoo!!
BSG: Lets start with the large genre definition. This is not really an urban fantasy. It is set in the city and the savannahs around it. But it is set in a "Victoria" era, and so it does not really feel urban.
CVIMH: Victoria era, well it is clearly Steampunk. wait haven't we had this conversation before?
BSG: Yes, because every time you hear the words "Victorian era" you grab your Top hat, goggles, corset, and your gears and widgets, and start talking in the worst fake British accent ever, while dancing around in my head singing about steam engines and dirigibles. Which you don't even pronounce right. Firebrand has none of the fantastical elements of steam technology, so just put the damn corset back in your closet!
CVIMH: You know, you really should not antagonize crazy, you know that right? Well I'm reasonable, Hee, Hee Hee, lets start with something easy. It's published by Tor teen so it's a YA book.
BSG: Well yes and no. The heroine is a young person, but the story deals with some fairly complicated political and socioeconomic themes dealing with race and economic diversity. I think we're going to call this an alternate/parallel universe set in that universes version of the Victorian era.
CVIMH: Well, I guess we can, but couldn't I have some kind of a dramatic meltdown. You know I do a good dramatic meltdown......Please.
BSG: No. I'm sorry but I just needed to use you as a sounding board. It's good to know we can have an adult conversation that does not end in anyone melting down. Firebrand is just a really good, entertaining and enjoyable story about the evils of colonization, and how that colonization alienated and marginalized the indigenous people in the colonized countries.
CVIMH: Ok, you know what, you deserve this....... ARE YOU F*CKING SH*TING ME. DID YOU SERIOUSLY JUST TYPE THE WORDS ENTERTAING, ENJOYABLE, AND THE MARGINILIZATION OF AN ENTIRE GOUP OF PEOPLE IN THE SAME SENTENCE. SERIOUSLY THEY CALL ME THE CRAZY ONE!!!!!! Oh wait you were right,this story was good, no great, and I also liked it............. Well Sh*t.
This is seriously one of the hardest series to pigeon-hole into a category.
BSG: Welcome back crazy voice in my head! I have not heard much from you since I reviewed The Night Circus.
CVIMH: Yeah, well I been waiting for you to let your freak flag fly and today you opened the crazy gate! WooHoo!!
BSG: Lets start with the large genre definition. This is not really an urban fantasy. It is set in the city and the savannahs around it. But it is set in a "Victoria" era, and so it does not really feel urban.
CVIMH: Victoria era, well it is clearly Steampunk. wait haven't we had this conversation before?
BSG: Yes, because every time you hear the words "Victorian era" you grab your Top hat, goggles, corset, and your gears and widgets, and start talking in the worst fake British accent ever, while dancing around in my head singing about steam engines and dirigibles. Which you don't even pronounce right. Firebrand has none of the fantastical elements of steam technology, so just put the damn corset back in your closet!
CVIMH: You know, you really should not antagonize crazy, you know that right? Well I'm reasonable, Hee, Hee Hee, lets start with something easy. It's published by Tor teen so it's a YA book.
BSG: Well yes and no. The heroine is a young person, but the story deals with some fairly complicated political and socioeconomic themes dealing with race and economic diversity. I think we're going to call this an alternate/parallel universe set in that universes version of the Victorian era.
CVIMH: Well, I guess we can, but couldn't I have some kind of a dramatic meltdown. You know I do a good dramatic meltdown......Please.
BSG: No. I'm sorry but I just needed to use you as a sounding board. It's good to know we can have an adult conversation that does not end in anyone melting down. Firebrand is just a really good, entertaining and enjoyable story about the evils of colonization, and how that colonization alienated and marginalized the indigenous people in the colonized countries.
CVIMH: Ok, you know what, you deserve this....... ARE YOU F*CKING SH*TING ME. DID YOU SERIOUSLY JUST TYPE THE WORDS ENTERTAING, ENJOYABLE, AND THE MARGINILIZATION OF AN ENTIRE GOUP OF PEOPLE IN THE SAME SENTENCE. SERIOUSLY THEY CALL ME THE CRAZY ONE!!!!!! Oh wait you were right,this story was good, no great, and I also liked it............. Well Sh*t.
stellarian's review against another edition
4.0
I love the action and mysteries of these books, as well as the social justice themes. I see in book three the villain’s goal is to ”make Bar-Selehm great again”, so I’m looking forward to reading about his defeat!
kleonard's review against another edition
5.0
This fantastic series features a fascinating world filled with interesting characters who succeed, fail, learn, and continue trying and learning. There's never a moment of boredom, and the writing sparkles and propels the plots and subplots along at a good clip.
jolierice99's review against another edition
4.0
Just as good as the first, this convoluted plot manages to make sense the entire time, and you have no idea how everything going to come together until it does. Another great murder mystery that has you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
booksnorkel's review against another edition
5.0
What a great second book, I love this world and the people in it. It's fabulous!
wildflowerz76's review against another edition
DNF. It kills me to, because I've liked everything ELSE I've read by this author, but this one just isn't for me. I made it through the first one, but didn't love it. I decided to give the second a shot, but it's just not my genre.
samantha_randolph's review against another edition
5.0
Now working as a private detective/spy, Ang may be living a financially healthier life than her years a steeplejack, but she’s in as much danger as ever. Political parties are clashing, some turning from very conservative to something darker, something much more extreme that puts people like Ang and many others in fear for their lives. Not to mention, refugees are giving their all to escape their war plagued country, but certain politicans will do whatever it takes to keep them out of the city. Ang must pose as one of the elite, fight old and new enemies, and navigate her own conflicting place in a dangerous world.
While Steeplejack had plenty of action, political intrigue, and mystery, Firebrand turns everything up by approximately 5 notches. Though this is an alternate history set in South Africa, it’s impossible to miss the parallels Hartley makes with contemporary world politics (and brilliantly so). This series is from Ang’s perspective, but I love how we see so many unique secondary characters ranging from inspectors to parliament members to governesses and more. Firebrand has one of the most complex and relevant settings I’ve read, and with each page, you’ll find yourself sinking deeper and deeper into the mystery plot.
As this is a series, Ang’s character arc was less arc-like and more building. She’s in a strange place, no longer welcome in a place she used to dwell, no longer part of the steeplejacks, but not part of any other class either. She finds herself facing tougher challenges, ones that make her question exactly who she is at heart. I can’t wait for the next book to see how her character develops more.
Told with a clear voice, emotional intensity, and heart-racing political plots that reveal the best and worst of humanity, FIREBRAND is an unforgettable installment in a mystery series that is sure to capture hearts.
Originally posted at The Forest of Words and Pages: http://www.forestofwordsandpages.com/2017/06/blog-tour-firebrand-j-hartley-giveaway/
While Steeplejack had plenty of action, political intrigue, and mystery, Firebrand turns everything up by approximately 5 notches. Though this is an alternate history set in South Africa, it’s impossible to miss the parallels Hartley makes with contemporary world politics (and brilliantly so). This series is from Ang’s perspective, but I love how we see so many unique secondary characters ranging from inspectors to parliament members to governesses and more. Firebrand has one of the most complex and relevant settings I’ve read, and with each page, you’ll find yourself sinking deeper and deeper into the mystery plot.
As this is a series, Ang’s character arc was less arc-like and more building. She’s in a strange place, no longer welcome in a place she used to dwell, no longer part of the steeplejacks, but not part of any other class either. She finds herself facing tougher challenges, ones that make her question exactly who she is at heart. I can’t wait for the next book to see how her character develops more.
Told with a clear voice, emotional intensity, and heart-racing political plots that reveal the best and worst of humanity, FIREBRAND is an unforgettable installment in a mystery series that is sure to capture hearts.
Originally posted at The Forest of Words and Pages: http://www.forestofwordsandpages.com/2017/06/blog-tour-firebrand-j-hartley-giveaway/
colossal's review against another edition
4.0
In an fantasy country inspired by South Africa a young woman from one of the minority populations builds on her new position to face a plot that affects the city where she lives and international politics.
Anglet Atonga is now secure in the employment of an up and coming politician when she stumbles on a plot with ramifications for all sides of politics, the progressive party of her employer, the nationalist ruling party and the extreme white supremacy party. The latter is gaining popularity as the city experiences in an influx of black refugees from a Northern war. Her skills are tested and there's a lot of growth needed before she can perform the role that Willinghouse and the city of Bar-Selehm need her to perform.
I actually like this one more than the previous book. Ang's position is established and so too are other key supporting characters, giving the story more of a feel of the detective procedural in a fantasy world that the title of the series seems to imply. She has the trust of some of the police, and Willinghouse as well as having established friends throughout the city and beyond, and having her leverage these contacts feels very familiar as she puts together the overall scheme.
There also isn't the egregiously ridiculous non-care of a newborn that was conspicuous in the previous one.
Finally, the discussion around refugees, racism and the rise of the political right feels very topical which gives the whole plot a lot more weight than is probably immediate on the page.
Anglet Atonga is now secure in the employment of an up and coming politician when she stumbles on a plot with ramifications for all sides of politics, the progressive party of her employer, the nationalist ruling party and the extreme white supremacy party. The latter is gaining popularity as the city experiences in an influx of black refugees from a Northern war. Her skills are tested and there's a lot of growth needed before she can perform the role that Willinghouse and the city of Bar-Selehm need her to perform.
I actually like this one more than the previous book. Ang's position is established and so too are other key supporting characters, giving the story more of a feel of the detective procedural in a fantasy world that the title of the series seems to imply. She has the trust of some of the police, and Willinghouse as well as having established friends throughout the city and beyond, and having her leverage these contacts feels very familiar as she puts together the overall scheme.
There also isn't the egregiously ridiculous non-care of a newborn that was conspicuous in the previous one.
Finally, the discussion around refugees, racism and the rise of the political right feels very topical which gives the whole plot a lot more weight than is probably immediate on the page.
therealbluestocking's review against another edition
5.0
https://www.spdhpod.com/spdhepisodes/2017/9/9/episode-6-the-chimney-sweeps-are-revolting