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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
I was given a copy of this ARC for a fair and impartial review.
With Clockwork Tangerine, Rhys Ford has written a story of such creativity and flair that for a while, I was lost in sheer , breath taking splendour with Marcus and Robin. It's no secret that I am very fond of Rhys' work. I have yet to read a book that didn't rate high on my meter for a writer's story telling flair, the incredibly memorable characters coupled with rich and vibrant settings and in every one of them, wit and flair for circumstances that are real and human and that make me laugh and chuckle at the absolute absurdity of some of them. I value fun in my books and when the author I'm reading tickles my fancy, then I tend to wax lyrical about their work.
Clockwork Tangerine is no different. It is a brilliant and imaginative journey into the world of Marcus Stenhill aka Viscount Westwood, a man from a wealthy background, and well versed in the roughness and violence that is on offer in the world. He is big of heart, fair and strong and sees the good in the man he finds being beaten to death in an alleyway. It's also the story of Robin Harris, teenage science prodigy, used and abused by many in his brilliance to create that which to others seems heretical and forbidden, his keen mind developing scientific remedies for those in corruptive power to put in use in ways that they were not meant to be used. Robin is punished for their sins and for the sin of loving other men.
The incredibly rich world building, the gadgets in the book, the descriptions of a world beset by strange contrivances and fears, a world in which two men in love can never be free to love each other in public for fear of being branded. It is also a world of rich and poor, of a great divide between the classes and those who 'have not got' are simply forgotten, trodden on and left to scrabble for shelter and food. The secondary characters, especially Marcus' grandmother,August Stenhill, and the eccentric Ducky, are beautifully detailed and showcased and add such a lot to the story.
Rhys writes her men with such in depth views into who they are and where they come from and writing from both Robin's and Marcus' perspective allows us to dig deep and see what these men are feeling as they fall deeper and deeper in love. She is a master story teller and a genius at moving her tales along until you are swept away by their passion and eloquence and when that last page is finally over, the disappointment is overwhelming. I wanted this to continue and would gladly have read further or bought the next book in the series if there was one.
I say bravo to Rhys for writing a beautifully evocative steam punk novel of bright imagery and imagination and I hope there are more to come.
With Clockwork Tangerine, Rhys Ford has written a story of such creativity and flair that for a while, I was lost in sheer , breath taking splendour with Marcus and Robin. It's no secret that I am very fond of Rhys' work. I have yet to read a book that didn't rate high on my meter for a writer's story telling flair, the incredibly memorable characters coupled with rich and vibrant settings and in every one of them, wit and flair for circumstances that are real and human and that make me laugh and chuckle at the absolute absurdity of some of them. I value fun in my books and when the author I'm reading tickles my fancy, then I tend to wax lyrical about their work.
Clockwork Tangerine is no different. It is a brilliant and imaginative journey into the world of Marcus Stenhill aka Viscount Westwood, a man from a wealthy background, and well versed in the roughness and violence that is on offer in the world. He is big of heart, fair and strong and sees the good in the man he finds being beaten to death in an alleyway. It's also the story of Robin Harris, teenage science prodigy, used and abused by many in his brilliance to create that which to others seems heretical and forbidden, his keen mind developing scientific remedies for those in corruptive power to put in use in ways that they were not meant to be used. Robin is punished for their sins and for the sin of loving other men.
The incredibly rich world building, the gadgets in the book, the descriptions of a world beset by strange contrivances and fears, a world in which two men in love can never be free to love each other in public for fear of being branded. It is also a world of rich and poor, of a great divide between the classes and those who 'have not got' are simply forgotten, trodden on and left to scrabble for shelter and food. The secondary characters, especially Marcus' grandmother,August Stenhill, and the eccentric Ducky, are beautifully detailed and showcased and add such a lot to the story.
Rhys writes her men with such in depth views into who they are and where they come from and writing from both Robin's and Marcus' perspective allows us to dig deep and see what these men are feeling as they fall deeper and deeper in love. She is a master story teller and a genius at moving her tales along until you are swept away by their passion and eloquence and when that last page is finally over, the disappointment is overwhelming. I wanted this to continue and would gladly have read further or bought the next book in the series if there was one.
I say bravo to Rhys for writing a beautifully evocative steam punk novel of bright imagery and imagination and I hope there are more to come.
Gorgeous.
Possibly the best Rhys Ford story I've heard. I usually think she over eggs her stories and makes them far too long. However, this story was so lovely and I really wanted more. There is a much bigger story in here. The narrator was fab too.
Possibly the best Rhys Ford story I've heard. I usually think she over eggs her stories and makes them far too long. However, this story was so lovely and I really wanted more. There is a much bigger story in here. The narrator was fab too.
3.5* Audio book
A quick steampunk read.
I am too literal normally for steampunk but I did enjoy this one - I especially enjoyed Greg Tremblay's narrating, can see why he gets the accolades!
I would have liked more world building and a bit more on the contraptions Robin was devising - I prefer a theme over charcter based stories - but I did like their move from rescuer/ee to cautious friends to better friends to lovers.
Would read more from them
A quick steampunk read.
I am too literal normally for steampunk but I did enjoy this one - I especially enjoyed Greg Tremblay's narrating, can see why he gets the accolades!
I would have liked more world building and a bit more on the contraptions Robin was devising - I prefer a theme over charcter based stories - but I did like their move from rescuer/ee to cautious friends to better friends to lovers.
Would read more from them
Marcus finds support in the least likely of places for himself and for Robin. These two men couldn’t be more opposite if they actually tried. One a Viscount and the other a “mad scientist”, they eventually bridge the gap of their social standings to find happiness and get a “happy for now” ending.
See the entire review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/2014/02/19/infernal-devices-are-all-the-rage-in-rhys-fords-clockwork-tangerine/
See the entire review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/2014/02/19/infernal-devices-are-all-the-rage-in-rhys-fords-clockwork-tangerine/
i'm not a big fan of steampunk or hard sci/fi, but i loved this story.
4.5 stars, because i wanted to read more about these characters!
4.5 stars, because i wanted to read more about these characters!
4.5 stars rounded down.
“A man with power protects and serves those lesser than he. It is only the weak who use their power to do harm.”
How very Sirius Black.
Historic steampunk - really well done. I loved everything about it. Open-minded grandmothers for the win!
“A man with power protects and serves those lesser than he. It is only the weak who use their power to do harm.”
How very Sirius Black.
Historic steampunk - really well done. I loved everything about it. Open-minded grandmothers for the win!
Steampunk, sexy tortured men, great tension, and a mystery to solve. I hope Rhys choose to write more steampunk.
Rhys does steampunk…And she does it well. It is hard to believe Rhys Ford hadn’t dabbled in this genre yet. Her mind is so creative and her writing so vivid. Her style just seems like a match made in heaven for this genre. In this story she takes us to her beloved Bay Area. San Francisco, actually, St. Francisco. We go to the city when it was part of the British Commonwealth. She takes us right into the thick of things, Little Orient, where our heroes have their fateful meeting. From the get go we are taken into a delightful adventure, with a good dose of political intrigue, very engaging characters (fiesty Dowager included!) and a vivid setting.
Marcus Stenhill, the Viscount of Westwood, happens upon a man receiving a terrible beating while on an errand in Little Orient. Marcus being a man who won’t sit idly while a gang of four, beat on a single man when he is down, comes to the fellow’s rescue. The man Marcus rescues should be his foe, a mortal enemy. Even though they have never faced each other their histories are bound in a sinister way. Robin Harris had a part in Marcus’ father murder, indirect, but a part nonetheless. He should hate him, but instead is flumoxed by his desire for the man. Things won’t be easy…Not only are his unnatural desires criminal in the commonwealth, but Robin himself is a marked man. Pursuing anything with him may be too much folly, even for someone with Marcus’ influence and wealth.
Once Marcus takes on rescuing Robin, he goes all the way. He takes Robin back to his house, and does not leave his side until he is recovered. From the moment Marcus steps into Robin’s home he can see that the inventions which were taken and bastardized by the Society to bring down the Empire were not the last Robin’s mind had to give. There are all kinds of magical contraptions all over the house. Harris has apparently successfully developed prosthetics that are aiding people to walk and see. Marcus is enthralled. By the time Robin comes around a few weeks later after the beating, Marcus is a mainstay in his life.
Robin is taken aback by the kindness, by the presence of the man. Of all people, Marcus should loathe him, yet he gives him nothing but gentleness. There is also the issue of the man’s beauty. Robin can barely take being close to him without working himself up to complete discombobulation. Robin just does not understand what the man could be after…Maybe he feels the same, there have been hints here and there…But, but…No it can’t be, there is no way possible that someone as tainted as he could end up with a man like Marcus in his bed and a life of happiness. Robin can have his doubts, but Marcus will show Robin to never underestimate a man who knows EXACTLY his worth, his position and his heart, and what he is willing to do for those he loves.
For the length of this novella, all in all, we get quite the story. Not only did we get a very strong sense of the place and world, but we got to know both men and their individual stories pretty well. The world was solidly set as well, we got a good understanding of how the society works, and the foes who have and could threaten their world. I would love to see a sequel for this book where Robin and Marcus united to defend their beloved British Empire. There is a lot to love about the world Rhys created, but at the nucleus it is a strong love story. Marcus saves Robin from a life of isolation and guilt, and together the life they will build will make them both whole.
To get the full review complete with the wine I paired this lovely story with, stop by The Tipsy Bibliophile
Marcus Stenhill, the Viscount of Westwood, happens upon a man receiving a terrible beating while on an errand in Little Orient. Marcus being a man who won’t sit idly while a gang of four, beat on a single man when he is down, comes to the fellow’s rescue. The man Marcus rescues should be his foe, a mortal enemy. Even though they have never faced each other their histories are bound in a sinister way. Robin Harris had a part in Marcus’ father murder, indirect, but a part nonetheless. He should hate him, but instead is flumoxed by his desire for the man. Things won’t be easy…Not only are his unnatural desires criminal in the commonwealth, but Robin himself is a marked man. Pursuing anything with him may be too much folly, even for someone with Marcus’ influence and wealth.
Once Marcus takes on rescuing Robin, he goes all the way. He takes Robin back to his house, and does not leave his side until he is recovered. From the moment Marcus steps into Robin’s home he can see that the inventions which were taken and bastardized by the Society to bring down the Empire were not the last Robin’s mind had to give. There are all kinds of magical contraptions all over the house. Harris has apparently successfully developed prosthetics that are aiding people to walk and see. Marcus is enthralled. By the time Robin comes around a few weeks later after the beating, Marcus is a mainstay in his life.
Robin is taken aback by the kindness, by the presence of the man. Of all people, Marcus should loathe him, yet he gives him nothing but gentleness. There is also the issue of the man’s beauty. Robin can barely take being close to him without working himself up to complete discombobulation. Robin just does not understand what the man could be after…Maybe he feels the same, there have been hints here and there…But, but…No it can’t be, there is no way possible that someone as tainted as he could end up with a man like Marcus in his bed and a life of happiness. Robin can have his doubts, but Marcus will show Robin to never underestimate a man who knows EXACTLY his worth, his position and his heart, and what he is willing to do for those he loves.
For the length of this novella, all in all, we get quite the story. Not only did we get a very strong sense of the place and world, but we got to know both men and their individual stories pretty well. The world was solidly set as well, we got a good understanding of how the society works, and the foes who have and could threaten their world. I would love to see a sequel for this book where Robin and Marcus united to defend their beloved British Empire. There is a lot to love about the world Rhys created, but at the nucleus it is a strong love story. Marcus saves Robin from a life of isolation and guilt, and together the life they will build will make them both whole.
To get the full review complete with the wine I paired this lovely story with, stop by The Tipsy Bibliophile