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cleocleveland's review
5.0
This was more of an Indiana Jones type adventure romance than The Iron Duke. And given the characters of Archimedes Fox and Yasmeen it was certainly less angsty. I loved Archimedes Fox in The Iron Duke and he doesn't disappoint here. He and Yasmeen are a great team. And this is going to sound ridiculous given that they battle zombies and captain airships but what I really loved was that in a very important way they were a very realistic couple. In that they are truly a team. When he is better at something he leads the way, when she is, she does. I love that they love each others' strengths. For a relationship that began with mutiny and Yasmeen throwing Archimedes overboard once they come together they work remarkably well together. And their adventures are a joy to read about.
Yes, the plot gets bogged down a little bit in the middle with some politics that I'm still not quite sure I understand but I just went with it and it all made sense in the end. The world building is still first rate (as it's been with all the Iron Seas stories) and it is a fascinating world. But in the end, it's a romance and without the connection to the characters the world building doesn't matter. But there are no worries about that and the clever, witty Archimedes and the determined Yasmeen are one of my favorite couples of the year.
Yes, the plot gets bogged down a little bit in the middle with some politics that I'm still not quite sure I understand but I just went with it and it all made sense in the end. The world building is still first rate (as it's been with all the Iron Seas stories) and it is a fascinating world. But in the end, it's a romance and without the connection to the characters the world building doesn't matter. But there are no worries about that and the clever, witty Archimedes and the determined Yasmeen are one of my favorite couples of the year.
ashlaz's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
amym84's review against another edition
5.0
I didn't know what I would think of this book. I really liked [b:The Iron Duke|7864587|The Iron Duke (Iron Seas, #1)|Meljean Brook|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312522759s/7864587.jpg|11022865]. I liked the characters created in that world and a lot of times I din't care when authors switch up the main characters in each of their stories.
In this case Meljean Brook does a great job. Heart of Steel tells the story of Captain Corsaire and Archimedes Fox both featured in the Iron Duke. Archimedes's future was in question after being thrown off Lady Corsaire and left for the zombies.
I think this book was so good for me because it told it's own story. It didn't follow the same formula as the previous book. Yasmeen and Archimedes had their own chemistry and relationship.
Yasmeen was a great female character. Very strong and self-reliant. It was good to see her start to have feelings for Archinedes yet not sacrifice being strong. She didn't soften up her personality, she just made room to feel more.
Same with Archimedes. He didn't lose any of his masculinity by letting Yasmeen take the lead. I really hate it how a male character can be the most alpha until he meets the woman he falls in love with and then he loses it. I think it says more that he felt comfortable enough that he didn't worry about it in the first place.
This book seemed to move at a faster pace than the first book (which doesn't speak badly of either book), just something else to differentiate between the two.
I like this series and I look forward to continuing reading this series.
In this case Meljean Brook does a great job. Heart of Steel tells the story of Captain Corsaire and Archimedes Fox both featured in the Iron Duke. Archimedes's future was in question after being thrown off Lady Corsaire and left for the zombies.
I think this book was so good for me because it told it's own story. It didn't follow the same formula as the previous book. Yasmeen and Archimedes had their own chemistry and relationship.
Yasmeen was a great female character. Very strong and self-reliant. It was good to see her start to have feelings for Archinedes yet not sacrifice being strong. She didn't soften up her personality, she just made room to feel more.
Same with Archimedes. He didn't lose any of his masculinity by letting Yasmeen take the lead. I really hate it how a male character can be the most alpha until he meets the woman he falls in love with and then he loses it. I think it says more that he felt comfortable enough that he didn't worry about it in the first place.
This book seemed to move at a faster pace than the first book (which doesn't speak badly of either book), just something else to differentiate between the two.
I like this series and I look forward to continuing reading this series.
tanaise's review against another edition
a) this cover is possibly the least relevant cover I have seen this year. I mean, okay, yes there is a guy in it, and he does take his shirt off at times, and he does have sharp metal implements. but the way the cover puts them together is just wrong, not to mention that the main character is a woman. and would it have killed them to have included her on the cover as well?
b) while reading this book I realized I mix up the iron duke and westerfeld's steampunk stories at times. luckily the mixing favors both of them.
I did enjoy the story overall. it was sort of an Indiana Jones and the temple of steampunk, but it worked and was fun.
b) while reading this book I realized I mix up the iron duke and westerfeld's steampunk stories at times. luckily the mixing favors both of them.
I did enjoy the story overall. it was sort of an Indiana Jones and the temple of steampunk, but it worked and was fun.
mitabird's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
This was much better than I expected. I thought The Iron Duke was just OK and I expected something along the same lines. I'm glad I was wrong. I really enjoyed the interactions between Archimedes and Yasmeen. They were very cautious of each other, but willing to work together toward a common goal. I really liked Archimedes's slow seduction of Yasmeen. Even though he thought it was a long shot for her to love him, he did everything in his power to make it happen. Everything that occurred between them felt right and natural. So, why 3.5 stars? The pacing of the storyline was a bit slow, though I did find most of it interesting. This book would have been 4 stars, but the ending fell flat. Without giving too much away, Yasmeen was looking for something. Once it was found, I felt the story kind of fizzled. It was just going through the motions, and I missed the suspense that led up to it. Overall, it was a good story.
This was much better than I expected. I thought The Iron Duke was just OK and I expected something along the same lines. I'm glad I was wrong. I really enjoyed the interactions between Archimedes and Yasmeen. They were very cautious of each other, but willing to work together toward a common goal. I really liked Archimedes's slow seduction of Yasmeen. Even though he thought it was a long shot for her to love him, he did everything in his power to make it happen. Everything that occurred between them felt right and natural. So, why 3.5 stars? The pacing of the storyline was a bit slow, though I did find most of it interesting. This book would have been 4 stars, but the ending fell flat. Without giving too much away, Yasmeen was looking for something. Once it was found, I felt the story kind of fizzled. It was just going through the motions, and I missed the suspense that led up to it. Overall, it was a good story.
litwtchreads's review against another edition
4.0
Again I loved the world building and the ideas presented in this book. The romance was a delight as well.
rosehillmb's review against another edition
4.0
I really debated between giving this three stars or four. Once again, being a huge sucker for the hero bumped up the number. To be fair I loved Yasmeen as much as I loved Archimedes. I not only loved them separately, I loved them even more together! Talk about the whole being more then the sum of it's parts!
Ultimately that is why I debated on this book only being three stars for me. I felt like I got jipped on seeing more of them together. It seemed as if I came into the story missing some really important piece of information and that I never really caught up. There were huge chunks of the book that I almost had to make myself push through because I felt so lost. The majority of this came of the geography, history, and cultural back story that takes up so many pages. It felt a little like a history lesson at some points and I was longing for a glossary/dictionary/encyclopedia. I believe Brook has many of those things on her site, but who really wants to stop in the middle of a chapter to get on the internet? This story shone so brightly during all the action sequences and absolutely burned up the pages when Yasmeen and Archimedes were together.
Overall, I'm still a huge fan of Brook and the Iron Seas series. I'd rather have an author push me and make me think, even if I end up confused, then give me some throwaway story.
Ultimately that is why I debated on this book only being three stars for me. I felt like I got jipped on seeing more of them together. It seemed as if I came into the story missing some really important piece of information and that I never really caught up. There were huge chunks of the book that I almost had to make myself push through because I felt so lost. The majority of this came of the geography, history, and cultural back story that takes up so many pages. It felt a little like a history lesson at some points and I was longing for a glossary/dictionary/encyclopedia. I believe Brook has many of those things on her site, but who really wants to stop in the middle of a chapter to get on the internet? This story shone so brightly during all the action sequences and absolutely burned up the pages when Yasmeen and Archimedes were together.
Overall, I'm still a huge fan of Brook and the Iron Seas series. I'd rather have an author push me and make me think, even if I end up confused, then give me some throwaway story.
jacqueline1989's review against another edition
4.0
DOWN AND DIRTY QUICKIE REVIEW!
One Sentence Summary:
Badass fearsome pirate queen teams up with smitten treasure hunter to go adventuring, slaying zombies and falling in love.
What part made you fangirl squeal:
Any time hero was all “Do whatever you want to me woman, I JUST LOVE YOU AND GIVE NO FUCKS; TAKE ME I’M YOURS” to our gal. Stab him, kiss him, he don’t care; boy just wanna be owned by her!
Favorite Character:
Oh, Yasmeen, for 100000000% sure. Heroine can outwit and out-murder you in a split jiffy.
How smexy was the smex?
Dat! Bath! SCENE! It was erotic as frick. He was putty in her hand and her slave to boot! But admittedly, that’s about it. Otherwise the sex is a bit...fleeting.
Name That Trope:
Seafaring Adventure, Alpha Heroine/Beta Hero, Heroine To The Rescue, Forced Proximity, Fake Married
Whose Line Is It Anyway Fav Quote:
Got any bitching to do?
The world building is mega-intense, so the plot's a lot more externally driven than I prefer. BUT OMG DAT OTP MAKE UP FOR IT!
Visually Depict Yo Book Feels:
Famous last words:
If you wanna see a boy fall THE HARDEST EVER for an asskicking gal, this book has got yo name etched in gold leaf.
----------------------------
For a more in depth and LOL-fest discussion on romance novels and romance Asian dramas, HERE BE MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6fO1lNf1L-iHUINRIUtE_g
One Sentence Summary:
Badass fearsome pirate queen teams up with smitten treasure hunter to go adventuring, slaying zombies and falling in love.
What part made you fangirl squeal:
Any time hero was all “Do whatever you want to me woman, I JUST LOVE YOU AND GIVE NO FUCKS; TAKE ME I’M YOURS” to our gal. Stab him, kiss him, he don’t care; boy just wanna be owned by her!
Favorite Character:
Oh, Yasmeen, for 100000000% sure. Heroine can outwit and out-murder you in a split jiffy.
How smexy was the smex?
Dat! Bath! SCENE! It was erotic as frick. He was putty in her hand and her slave to boot! But admittedly, that’s about it. Otherwise the sex is a bit...fleeting.
Name That Trope:
Seafaring Adventure, Alpha Heroine/Beta Hero, Heroine To The Rescue, Forced Proximity, Fake Married
Whose Line Is It Anyway Fav Quote:
Archimedes: I could kiss you.
Yasmeen: I'll bare my ass for your lips later.
Got any bitching to do?
The world building is mega-intense, so the plot's a lot more externally driven than I prefer. BUT OMG DAT OTP MAKE UP FOR IT!
Visually Depict Yo Book Feels:
Famous last words:
If you wanna see a boy fall THE HARDEST EVER for an asskicking gal, this book has got yo name etched in gold leaf.
----------------------------
For a more in depth and LOL-fest discussion on romance novels and romance Asian dramas, HERE BE MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6fO1lNf1L-iHUINRIUtE_g
suzjustsuz's review
4.0
A strong 3.5 stars. This is the second self contained (THANKS BE to the goddess of NO CLIFF HANGERS) swashbuckling adventure set in the vibrant and engaging steampunk world that Meljean Brook has created in her Iron Seas series. Are you tired of "kick butt" heroines who whine, are too stupid to live, can't get past their baggage, or have emotionally unavailable bitch confused with strong? Well, you get none of that here! Capt. Corsair, Yasmeen, is a kick butt heroine who has been hurt and is reluctant to give too quickly, but not so reluctant that she can't see a good thing when it's in front of her and has proven itself time and again.
There's just enough heat in this edition, with the consummation leaning to tease and denial far longer than is common in this genre, to satisfy the romance readers; but plenty of action, adventure, and story to satisfy the fantasy readers.
I really love this series.
****************************
I have a beautiful, signed, ARC of this and the text is so small I'm not sure I can read it. I'm going to try, though; but my headache may prevent completion.
Whether I can get it read or not, I thank Ms. Brook for sending it to me. It's lovely.
There's just enough heat in this edition, with the consummation leaning to tease and denial far longer than is common in this genre, to satisfy the romance readers; but plenty of action, adventure, and story to satisfy the fantasy readers.
I really love this series.
****************************
I have a beautiful, signed, ARC of this and the text is so small I'm not sure I can read it. I'm going to try, though; but my headache may prevent completion.
Whether I can get it read or not, I thank Ms. Brook for sending it to me. It's lovely.
bibliophilebynight's review
4.0
Loved this book. Can't believe I took so long to get back into this series!