Review: Wonderful new series!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 18, 2013
An alternative history setting, Her Ladyship's Curse takes place in Toriana, what we know as the United States, but the British won the revolutionary war. Though H.M. (Her Majesty) would refer to it as a quashed rebellion - not a war. In this world, magic and magicians are considered to be mundane and superstition is never irrational.Kit doesn't believe in magic and makes a comfortable living as female investigator in man's world. While her clients think she is dispelling curses, she prefers to think she is debunking fraudulent magicians. When Lady Walsh hires Kit to negate a curse, Kit's approach is to uncover a simple plot to harass the poor lady. Instead, her investigation ruffles someone's feathers and leads to an attempt to kill Kit, pointing to a bigger, dangerous conspiracy. The true extent of the conspiracy is not revealed in this book, so I don't consider this to be a standalone. You have to read His Lordship Possessed to get the conclusion of the story.I really liked this story. It combines mystery with the paranormal. Toriana is a fascinating new world, full of the familiar and the not so familiar, complete with a delightful vocabulary that is unique, yet accessible. A glossary is provided in case you need it. But I found, as I read through the glossary after I had finished the book, I had inferred the correct meaning of most of the language used.Viehl has written into life several fascinating and colorful characters, including a powerful deathmage, Dredmore, who seems to carry a torch for a certain gel (Kit). Another character I hope will be a part of the ongoing series is Kit's grandfather ghost, Harry.I would classify this as steampunk-urban fantasy. It's a great combination, one that I won't tire of for a long time! Her Ladyship's Curse will be going on my 'favorites' shelf. I'm exited about this new series and have pre-ordered His Lordship Possessed, the second book, coming out in October.