Review: Entertaining Steampunk
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 21, 2013
Magnificent Devices SeriesBy Shelley AdinaThe entire series is of the genre dubbed “steampunk”.  It is set in London during the reign of Queen Victoria, but steam reigns king (and powers many imaginative devices).I greatly enjoyed this series of stories.  They are all fun, adventurous, and entertaining.  I tried to keep my laughter quiet in deference to those who were around me, but I just couldn’t hold in the laughter at many points.Book 1 – Lady Of DevicesClaire Trevelyan has just graduated finishing school when her father, the Viscount St. Ives, dies.  His finances were in poor order, and Claire finds herself first on the mean streets of London and then a guardian to a group of orphans.  Being a woman of resources and high intellect, she meets the challenge and finds herself heading down a path she couldn’t have imagined only a few weeks prior.Sounds kind of boring – right?  It couldn’t be further from the truth.  Unlike her classmates, Claire has always had a love of tinkering and experimenting.  She loves puzzles, and finds herself thinking of various situations as puzzles in order to figure out what to do.  Far from simpering and wringing her hands, she comes up with imaginative strategies to deal with the loss of her former home and possessions, and her new responsibilities.Book 2 – Her Own DevicesClaire continues to work towards her goal of going to the engineering university, while also juggling a troubled engagement and her birth family.  She continues her guardianship of the orphans and finds inventive ways to further their educations.Book 3 – Magnificent DevicesClaire and the orphans she is guardian for are invited to travel on a private air ship to the Canadas.  While still over the Atlantic, they are boarded by pirates and hijacked to a spot near Santa Fe.  In addition, Claire’s ex-fiance keeps trying to obtain her cooperation through blackmail while also pursuing his own financial ends.  The Wild West provides a truly wild adventure for this group as they make new friends and deal with various obstacles.Book 4 – Brilliant DevicesClaire and her friends and adopted family finally make it to the Canadas after a few more harrowing adventures and obstacles.  Assassination attempts on the Count Von Zeppelin’s life imperil their lives as well.  Throw in sabotage and trickery, and it’s another book of adventures and ingenious solutions.There are actually 2 more books in the series.  Book 5 is already available and is Lizzie's story.  Maggie's story will be in book 6 and is an upcoming release.