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A review by schomj
Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook
4.0
Re-read: Still really enjoyed this one. Archimedes and Yasmeen are adorable. Can't quite give it 5 stars because the pacing gets a bit sloggy towards the end, but knowing how little dollops of information that Brook scatters about will get used in later stories was very fun.
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This series is so much better than the man-tittie covers. I can't want for that trend to end. Anyway, about the actual story...
I liked the world building, especially how instead of the "look at the cool gadget, clothing item or other accoutrement" obsession that mars much of the steampunk I've read, Ms. Brook allows those elements to mostly stay in the background. They're there, but they don't get in the way of the story. I also like how much attention she pays to getting the sociopolitical elements of this alternate world right. It's not just a light glossing over of this reality, but the way the different cultures, alliances, beliefs and languages are portrayed reflect a complete and well thought-out world.
I also liked the characters, both primary and secondary. I liked that Yasmeen and Archimedes are their own people, both in the sense of being fully developed and mature, but also that they're really different from previous romantic leads in the series. It makes me wonder what Ms. Brook has in mind for future installments. I also liked that we have the opportunity to watch Yasmeen and Archimedes fall in love. (There was an early attraction, but no insta-love, no destined mates, no dickhead "alpha" nonsense.)
**************************************************
This series is so much better than the man-tittie covers. I can't want for that trend to end. Anyway, about the actual story...
I liked the world building, especially how instead of the "look at the cool gadget, clothing item or other accoutrement" obsession that mars much of the steampunk I've read, Ms. Brook allows those elements to mostly stay in the background. They're there, but they don't get in the way of the story. I also like how much attention she pays to getting the sociopolitical elements of this alternate world right. It's not just a light glossing over of this reality, but the way the different cultures, alliances, beliefs and languages are portrayed reflect a complete and well thought-out world.
I also liked the characters, both primary and secondary. I liked that Yasmeen and Archimedes are their own people, both in the sense of being fully developed and mature, but also that they're really different from previous romantic leads in the series. It makes me wonder what Ms. Brook has in mind for future installments. I also liked that we have the opportunity to watch Yasmeen and Archimedes fall in love. (There was an early attraction, but no insta-love, no destined mates, no dickhead "alpha" nonsense.)