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veronica87's review against another edition
4.0
Reread 2020: I'm enjoying revisiting these books via audiobook. The only voice I'm not thrilled with is Trinica's but by this point I'm more or less used to it. I like seeing the Ketty Jay crew become the little dysfunctional family that they are. My original four star rating still stands.
Ignore the cheesy cover because no one group of people can manage to get into as much trouble as the crew of the Ketty Jay. This time around the crew is trying to save Frey from an ancient curse. At the same time, Frey is trying to win back the heart of the only woman who has ever truly owned his own. What follows is another fun and adventurous romp that continues to deliver high humor and entertainment. This time we get some more insight into Silo, the ship's usually silent engineer. Not sure how I feel about the new addition but, with only one more book to go in the series, I won't have to tolerate the ramifications for long, for good or ill.
Ignore the cheesy cover because no one group of people can manage to get into as much trouble as the crew of the Ketty Jay. This time around the crew is trying to save Frey from an ancient curse. At the same time, Frey is trying to win back the heart of the only woman who has ever truly owned his own. What follows is another fun and adventurous romp that continues to deliver high humor and entertainment. This time we get some more insight into Silo, the ship's usually silent engineer. Not sure how I feel about the new addition but, with only one more book to go in the series, I won't have to tolerate the ramifications for long, for good or ill.
ruzgofdi's review against another edition
4.0
I've mentioned in my reviews of the previous books in this series a passing resemblance between them and a certain well loved but short lived television series and it's wrap up feature film. Well, lets be honest. Look at anyone's reviews for any of the books in the series and you'll probably see the same comparison being made. This time out, we get more sources pulled from. A curse indicated by someone having a black spot on their hand. A piloting race through dangerous environments that is a must win situation. Evil forces performing archeology for powerful artifacts.
We also get a couple of new characters joining the crew. One I'm fairly sure will be around for the next outing. The other may end up becoming a recurring character like the captain's former fiancé and the heroic knight organization (both of which make appearances). I think I can understand why we may be getting more crew at this point. With this novel, it seems like all the characters that have been around since the start of the series have had their time in the spotlight. Which is probably a good thing, as the ending seems to set up a major event coming on the horizon, and I'm not sure how much time could be spared on flashbacks going forward.
We also get a couple of new characters joining the crew. One I'm fairly sure will be around for the next outing. The other may end up becoming a recurring character like the captain's former fiancé and the heroic knight organization (both of which make appearances). I think I can understand why we may be getting more crew at this point. With this novel, it seems like all the characters that have been around since the start of the series have had their time in the spotlight. Which is probably a good thing, as the ending seems to set up a major event coming on the horizon, and I'm not sure how much time could be spared on flashbacks going forward.
jenk2020's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as the others. Got a little too Indiana Jones for me towards the end.
sauvageloup's review
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
this took me an unusually long time to read but ended well
pros:
- there is definite growth in the characters, especially Frey but all of them - in this one it was Silo who was facing his demons and growing as a person.
- it gathered momentum and I was pretty gripped by the last quarter. It's certainly not predictable and it's fun to see how it all turns out.
- I especially like Jez, Crake and Silo, who are all good characters.
- it's just a good, thrilling adventure. We got to see more of Samarla and the ending left an opening for the next book.
- It's funny - the quips and banter are mostly amusing.
- I liked how daemonism got incorporated in the fight.
- I'm glad Frey at least let Ashua stay.
cons:
- i did get a bit bogged down in description in places and found myself skimming bits and having to read it over again to get the sense of things.
- it felt slow to get going, whether this was me or the book i don't know but it did seem like more of a chore to read up until half-way or so.
- Frey is still infuriatingly misogynistic and so are the others in places, though less obviously.
overall, a good new tale that ended strongly. Might read the next one.
pros:
- there is definite growth in the characters, especially Frey but all of them - in this one it was Silo who was facing his demons and growing as a person.
- it gathered momentum and I was pretty gripped by the last quarter. It's certainly not predictable and it's fun to see how it all turns out.
- I especially like Jez, Crake and Silo, who are all good characters.
- it's just a good, thrilling adventure. We got to see more of Samarla and the ending left an opening for the next book.
- It's funny - the quips and banter are mostly amusing.
- I liked how daemonism got incorporated in the fight.
cons:
- i did get a bit bogged down in description in places and found myself skimming bits and having to read it over again to get the sense of things.
- it felt slow to get going, whether this was me or the book i don't know but it did seem like more of a chore to read up until half-way or so.
- Frey is still infuriatingly misogynistic and so are the others in places, though less obviously.
overall, a good new tale that ended strongly. Might read the next one.
irl_bookworms's review against another edition
4.0
The next instalment of the Tales of the Ketty Jay has been on my TBR for the longest time. It took me forever to find a copy of The Iron Jackal, and even once I got it, it sat on my shelf for a long, long time
thaxllssillyia's review
4.0
A shootout in a bar, a foot chase across rooftops, a dog fight in the dark, a battle in sand buggies and a train robbery with an enraged golem, this book has it all! And that's just in the first few chapters!
Chris Wooding's Tales of the Ketty Jay have always been a great mix of character focused story and swashbuckling, wisecracking, air piratey action, and this third installment is the best of the series so far.
Chris Wooding's Tales of the Ketty Jay have always been a great mix of character focused story and swashbuckling, wisecracking, air piratey action, and this third installment is the best of the series so far.
rake_anomander's review
5.0
The "Ketty Jay" books are seriously getting better and better with time. This one may not carry the same punch that "Retribution falls" had in store for me, but it's a fantastic book all the same. The characters are livelier than they've ever been, the world gets some more meat on its bones and everything is just so well written, so well paced that it was hard these past few days to put it down.
It saddens me a bit that there will be some time until the next novel, but I'm glad the promise for it exists. This is one series that can go further and further with Mr. Wooding's fantastic skill.
It saddens me a bit that there will be some time until the next novel, but I'm glad the promise for it exists. This is one series that can go further and further with Mr. Wooding's fantastic skill.
lisasplans's review
4.0
I was originally going to rate this 3 stars but the last 20% of the book had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put it down. Loved it.
carol26388's review
5.0
One can’t help but delight in the antics of Captain Frey of the airship The Kitty Jay. A swashbuckling rapscallion, he has an ego unsurpassed by his wit or his morals. Lately, however, he has found that his normally self-centered ethics are undergoing an uncomfortable transformation as he discovers he cares about his crew of misfits. The crew’s been together on The Kitty for awhile now, and they are finally feeling flush with success after their most recent exploits (The Black Lung Captain). The crew includes Crake, the “highly educated and eloquent” daemonist and his metal golem, Bess; Pinn, more muscle than brain, but determined to be an inventor; Harkins, a stellar flier with a severe anxiety disorder; Silo, a former slave with a mysterious past; Malvery, a doctor with a drinking problem; Jez, “who was half-daemon, and who was dead by most people’s standards”; and Slag, the irascible cat.
“Crake was less than impressed. He’d been expecting someone fiercely intense, a wild-eyed savage of some kind. Instead he’d found a giant bearded raisin.“
Characterization is exceptional, though undoubtedly many readers will recognize crew members as character archetypes from other sources. I couldn’t help but imagine Frey as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean as I read, but many reviewers cite Captain Mal Reynolds in Firefly as well. It’s a compliment to Wooding, really, that he can weave a such glorious tale of adventure that it calls to mind other stories and characters we love. While the narrative largely follows Frey, it also spends time with each member of the crew. As they each undergo their own personal crisis, there’s opportunity for emotional development outside of Frey’s more egotistical perspective. Wooding nicely captures the feel of a band of misfits choosing to trust each other even as they make contingency plans:""Crake thought [Pinn] an odious, immoral dimwit with the intelligence of a cough drop, but he was crew, so that was that."
One of the challenges with characterization is how to have them handle conflict without endangering sympathy for the character. Wooding gauges the line nicely, creating Frey as a Jack Sparrow-like weasel whose morals usually come through in the end. When his crew questions him about the latest heist, Frey finds himself flailing as he tries to justify the plan:
“‘Aren’t we the bad guys?’ Pinn asked suddenly.
They all stared at him. He shrugged. ‘Well, I mean, we’re robbing them, right?’
‘We’re never the bad guys!’ said Frey, horrified at the suggestion. He was surprised the moral objection had come from Pinn rather than Crake. Pinn didn’t have any morals, so he probably just wanted the attention.
[…]
‘Plus,’ he raised a finger, ‘those on that train are gonna be armed guards. They’re paid to get shot. If people like us didn’t try to rob trains, they’d be out of a job.’
‘We’re providing employment opportunities now?’ Crake asked, deadpan.
‘Exactly!’ said Frey. ‘Greasing the wheels of foreign capital, and that.’
‘Cap’n,’ said Crake. ‘I do believe you know as much about economics as Pinn does about hygiene.’
Malvery mopped his pate, which had reddened and begun to peel. ‘Look, as long as we stop short of killing women and children, and we ain’t shooting adorable little puppy dogs in the face, I’m in.’”
Plotting is fun, with a typical heist scenario leading to one complication after another. Much like a movie, Iron Jackal opens with a shootout and foot chase, Frey outdoing his normal cowardly efforts as he chases Ashua, a former street urchin with valuable intel. Once Ashua is on board, the heist proceeds, only to lead to unfortunate consequences, unsurprisingly caused by Frey. The crew rallies round him even as each faces doubts and set off after the MacGuffin. But what an entertaining journey along the way! A variety of setting and political situations keeps the action from feeling repetitive. The end engagement is a unexpected, complex situation that points to the direction for the next book –but is not a cliff-hanger for this one.
Tone and voice are wonderfully balanced, able to maintain a degree of suspense and uncertainty while cracking jokes along the way. Witty dialogue is tempered by emotional turmoil, which places it a step or two above many action-focused stories. Frey and Ashua have a Beatrice and Benedick repartee (Much Ado About Nothing), while Crake frequently makes word jokes that only Ashua (and hopefully, the reader) understands:
“‘Why do I need a dictionary?’ Frey complained.
‘No reason,’ said Ashua. ‘Now let’s get down there and mortify some guards.’
Frey was caught in one of those moments when he didn’t know what somebody meant and couldn’t decide whether to pretend he did or not.
Pinn groaned, as if explaining things to Frey was extraordinarily tiresome. ‘Mordant means dead, don’t it? So mortify means kill, obviously. They even sound the same. Right?’ He looked at Ashua, who nodded encouragingly.
‘Oh,’ said Frey. “Oh! Let’s mortify some guards. I’m with you now. Didn’t hear you right the first time, that’s all.’
Crake and Ashua exchanged a glance, though it was hard to tell its meaning behind their goggles. Malvery tutted to himself. Frey had the distinct impression that a joke was being had at his expense, but couldn’t for the life of him figure out what it was.’”
Extremely readable, it’s one of those books that swaggers into your afternoon, says, “don’t mind if I do,” kicking off boots and placing feet on coffee table. For the right mood, priceless.
“Crake was less than impressed. He’d been expecting someone fiercely intense, a wild-eyed savage of some kind. Instead he’d found a giant bearded raisin.“
Characterization is exceptional, though undoubtedly many readers will recognize crew members as character archetypes from other sources. I couldn’t help but imagine Frey as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean as I read, but many reviewers cite Captain Mal Reynolds in Firefly as well. It’s a compliment to Wooding, really, that he can weave a such glorious tale of adventure that it calls to mind other stories and characters we love. While the narrative largely follows Frey, it also spends time with each member of the crew. As they each undergo their own personal crisis, there’s opportunity for emotional development outside of Frey’s more egotistical perspective. Wooding nicely captures the feel of a band of misfits choosing to trust each other even as they make contingency plans:""Crake thought [Pinn] an odious, immoral dimwit with the intelligence of a cough drop, but he was crew, so that was that."
One of the challenges with characterization is how to have them handle conflict without endangering sympathy for the character. Wooding gauges the line nicely, creating Frey as a Jack Sparrow-like weasel whose morals usually come through in the end. When his crew questions him about the latest heist, Frey finds himself flailing as he tries to justify the plan:
“‘Aren’t we the bad guys?’ Pinn asked suddenly.
They all stared at him. He shrugged. ‘Well, I mean, we’re robbing them, right?’
‘We’re never the bad guys!’ said Frey, horrified at the suggestion. He was surprised the moral objection had come from Pinn rather than Crake. Pinn didn’t have any morals, so he probably just wanted the attention.
[…]
‘Plus,’ he raised a finger, ‘those on that train are gonna be armed guards. They’re paid to get shot. If people like us didn’t try to rob trains, they’d be out of a job.’
‘We’re providing employment opportunities now?’ Crake asked, deadpan.
‘Exactly!’ said Frey. ‘Greasing the wheels of foreign capital, and that.’
‘Cap’n,’ said Crake. ‘I do believe you know as much about economics as Pinn does about hygiene.’
Malvery mopped his pate, which had reddened and begun to peel. ‘Look, as long as we stop short of killing women and children, and we ain’t shooting adorable little puppy dogs in the face, I’m in.’”
Plotting is fun, with a typical heist scenario leading to one complication after another. Much like a movie, Iron Jackal opens with a shootout and foot chase, Frey outdoing his normal cowardly efforts as he chases Ashua, a former street urchin with valuable intel. Once Ashua is on board, the heist proceeds, only to lead to unfortunate consequences, unsurprisingly caused by Frey. The crew rallies round him even as each faces doubts and set off after the MacGuffin. But what an entertaining journey along the way! A variety of setting and political situations keeps the action from feeling repetitive. The end engagement is a unexpected, complex situation that points to the direction for the next book –but is not a cliff-hanger for this one.
Tone and voice are wonderfully balanced, able to maintain a degree of suspense and uncertainty while cracking jokes along the way. Witty dialogue is tempered by emotional turmoil, which places it a step or two above many action-focused stories. Frey and Ashua have a Beatrice and Benedick repartee (Much Ado About Nothing), while Crake frequently makes word jokes that only Ashua (and hopefully, the reader) understands:
“‘Why do I need a dictionary?’ Frey complained.
‘No reason,’ said Ashua. ‘Now let’s get down there and mortify some guards.’
Frey was caught in one of those moments when he didn’t know what somebody meant and couldn’t decide whether to pretend he did or not.
Pinn groaned, as if explaining things to Frey was extraordinarily tiresome. ‘Mordant means dead, don’t it? So mortify means kill, obviously. They even sound the same. Right?’ He looked at Ashua, who nodded encouragingly.
‘Oh,’ said Frey. “Oh! Let’s mortify some guards. I’m with you now. Didn’t hear you right the first time, that’s all.’
Crake and Ashua exchanged a glance, though it was hard to tell its meaning behind their goggles. Malvery tutted to himself. Frey had the distinct impression that a joke was being had at his expense, but couldn’t for the life of him figure out what it was.’”
Extremely readable, it’s one of those books that swaggers into your afternoon, says, “don’t mind if I do,” kicking off boots and placing feet on coffee table. For the right mood, priceless.
sarah42783's review
3.0
● My Dear Captain Frey if you Disappoint you're Dead Buddy Read (MDCFiyDyDBR™) with my Favourite The Fearless Canadian who Shall not be Named (mFTFCwSnbN™). Read his review here! ●
Actual rating: 3.5 stars. I was going to go for a 3.25 rating butmFTFCwSnbN™ has a terrible influence on me, as a consequence of which I may be growing a heart and showing signs of unsuspected kindness *shudders*
Actual rating: 3.5 stars. I was going to go for a 3.25 rating but