Review: A Fun Gaslamp Fantasy Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 21, 2014
I've read a few of Cindy Spencer Pape's "Gaslight Chronicles," and I think this is probably my favorite. What can I say? I'm a sucker for an ass-kicking band of ragamuffin orphans. I thought the kids really stole the show.For the steampunk purists (who probably don't read romance anyway...) While there are some clockwork and steam-powered gadgets, there are also fae, vampires and other magical trappings, planting this book a little more in the gaslamp fantasy genre than strictly steampunk. Although there are definitely more steampunk elements than in Gail Carriger's "Soulless," which had barely a gear in sight.True to its name, Steam & Sorcery has a mix of both, and I enjoyed it, personally.Speaking of steam, the romance was on the upper end of the steamyness scale for my personal preferences. After reading Shelley Adina's "Lady of Devices" books, where the romance stays firmly on the sweet side, this was a little much. YMMV. I will give Pape bonus points for actually giving a clever and explicitly-stated reason why the heroine Caro is irresistibly attractive to the opposite sex.A quick, fun read for fans of steampunk-y, Victorian fantasy romance.