abigcoffeedragon's review against another edition
1.0
This is exactly the type of book that I hate - the Characters talk about doing things, but never do anything. Or talk about what happened off screen (off pages) in between chapters.
I also hate when a man and a woman work together and they cannot see each other as attractive nor being attracted to one another but everyone else says they are and should be and ... BLAH!
And, while this has 'elements' of Steampunk, you never 'see' anything steampunk. There is a missing automaton - there is a machine factory that makes automatons - it just does not work for me.
Classic that this may well be and may well remain, it is boring and yawn worthy to me and the rest of the series will remain untouched.
I also hate when a man and a woman work together and they cannot see each other as attractive nor being attracted to one another but everyone else says they are and should be and ... BLAH!
And, while this has 'elements' of Steampunk, you never 'see' anything steampunk. There is a missing automaton - there is a machine factory that makes automatons - it just does not work for me.
Classic that this may well be and may well remain, it is boring and yawn worthy to me and the rest of the series will remain untouched.
e_flah's review against another edition
The portrayal of women in this book was...something else.
abookishwonderer's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rye_toast's review against another edition
5.0
I was hooked on Newbury & Hobbes after consuming this book. A definite page turner with lots of intrigue. I love how the occult is such an important part in Newbury's role as an agent for the queen. The characters are all very well developed and easy to get attached to. I always try to recommend this series of books to folks who are into Sherlock Holmes style mysteries and seem to have an appreciation for fantasy as well (or are at least willing to explore that genre a bit). A must read for any steampunk!
jessh165's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
mlklein1's review against another edition
2.0
I had some difficulty with this novel - though it should of course be noted that I finished it. I also should say up front that I was so blown away by the very end of the book that it is seriously making me consider reading the next Newbury & Hobbes investigation. Excellent cliff hanger, Mr. Mann!
I don't have enough experience (any) with the steampunk genre to know whether the problems I had were with this book specifically, or the genre as a whole, so I'll be brief.
I felt Mr. Mann had planned a wild ride for us, but then it feels as if it was edited down to the key elements. There are no red herrings, which we come to expect in a mystery, don't we? Everything every character says or encounters has a bearing on the case. Yet at the same time, sometimes Mann goes into drudging detail about tiny day to day things the characters, particularly Newbury, does.
Additionally, I found Newbury to be a bit of a Hollywood cartoon hero. He is set upon relentlessly by our villains, and despite the fact that he frequently is about to succumb to his wounds and the blackness around him, he always manages to muster a little more energy to win the fight or escape. And this is in stark contrast to the tone of the rest of the novel that could easily have been written in the 1800s, save for the new technology peppered throughout.
Perhaps it's a credit to Mr. Mann that he very effectively has written a novel that appears true to the period. Then he adds the steampunk tech, and that’s fine, but then he adds Newbury, right out of a 1980s Hollywood buddy cop film. And the weight of those three elements together was just about too much for me.
I don't have enough experience (any) with the steampunk genre to know whether the problems I had were with this book specifically, or the genre as a whole, so I'll be brief.
I felt Mr. Mann had planned a wild ride for us, but then it feels as if it was edited down to the key elements. There are no red herrings, which we come to expect in a mystery, don't we? Everything every character says or encounters has a bearing on the case. Yet at the same time, sometimes Mann goes into drudging detail about tiny day to day things the characters, particularly Newbury, does.
Additionally, I found Newbury to be a bit of a Hollywood cartoon hero. He is set upon relentlessly by our villains, and despite the fact that he frequently is about to succumb to his wounds and the blackness around him, he always manages to muster a little more energy to win the fight or escape. And this is in stark contrast to the tone of the rest of the novel that could easily have been written in the 1800s, save for the new technology peppered throughout.
Perhaps it's a credit to Mr. Mann that he very effectively has written a novel that appears true to the period. Then he adds the steampunk tech, and that’s fine, but then he adds Newbury, right out of a 1980s Hollywood buddy cop film. And the weight of those three elements together was just about too much for me.
awesomejen2's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
cara_selene's review against another edition
1.0
I started off enjoying this but in the final quarter of the novel I just spiraled into complete indifference. Newbury's turn from investigator into a balls to the wall combative James Bond/Rambo type was just too sudden. I lost track of how many wounds he had, how many times stitches popped, how many beatings he took... it just got to be too much and I found it hard to believe the man was still standing, let alone still fighting. I found myself skipping pages and pages of action because it was just walls of text describing his prowess. If not for that it was an interesting little mystery (albeit kind of predictable). Veronica was the only character I found myself caring for, all of the other characters fell way too far into stereotypical archetypes. Overall it was entertaining but I won't be going back for more.
erinsanson's review against another edition
3.0
Wasn't bad, wasn't great. Had Boneshaker potential, but didn't quite make it. Loved the plot, but the characters were kind of flat.