Anthony Laken brings a fresh voice to Steampunk by taking the reader away from nineteenth Century England in his debut novel from Luna Press Publishing.
We find ourselves in Estria, a setting which is as much fantasy as it is Steampunk. The author weaves some intricate politics to really get the cogs turning (sorry, not sorry) in this notable debut. The excellent world building soon stylises an environment Steampunk fans expect, while leaving Queen Victoria well alone.
The Blurb:
Bellina Ressa, daughter of the Lord Chancellor, has lived a sheltered life. Shunned by the rest of the nobility due to her Cognopathic abilities, she has become strong willed and independent. But in the blink of an eye, she finds herself betrothed to the arrogant Elvgren Lovitz and on a diplomatic mission to save the Estrian Empire.
Joined on this perilous quest by her fiancé and the resolute Major Cirona Bouchard, Bellina is about to discover that intrigue lurks just beneath the surface and danger lies in wait around every corner.
One Cog Turning is a rip-roaring new Steampunk adventure, featuring a cast of foul-mouthed, irreverent and memorable oddballs.
An arranged engagement for a woman who knows what she wants is never a good thing. Bellina is a motivated lead in this twisted maze of ambition. The plot is further tangled in an attack on the Estrian Empire. Antony takes the “Princess in Peril” trope and upends it, giving us the self-obsessed Elvgren as her Fiancé.
What stood out most the way the author brings the turn of the century extravagance and intrigue to life in a completely different environment. The reader isn’t forced to swallow every cog. There’s no over descriptive, tiresome Victorian waffle, (unless you allow for Elvgren fulfilling this role) or attempts to revisit British Empiresqueness.
Bellina was the stand out character for me, her character reflecting both the treatment she has received from her family and people around her as well as the influence her Cognopathic ability brings. She knows her mind, and isn’t afraid to use it against anyone- or thing, which gets in her way.
It’s also refreshing to find several complex female characters in main roles. The Major appears to be a by-the-numbers-secondary character to start, but, fortunately, we soon see there is more to Cirona.
One Cog Turning is a grand adventure and contains that vital ingredient: Splendiditity. It embraces the core idea of Steampunk; taking what we know and blending it with something new. By abandoning “Stick some cogs on it (and pray?)” the technology exists in world instead of being focal point of it. The author has excelled in ensuring things don’t get too ‘cogged’ down or ‘steamy’. The characters engage with the world and talents rather than exist to support it. The Cognopathic skill brings a nice twist to an already enjoyable world. The author’s passion for this genre is obvious because none of this detracts from the adventure Industrial Fantasy readers like to find in their reads.
The series promises to be outstanding and I look forward to finishing the series. In the smog of Steampunk twee, One Cog Turning is welcome trip to the coast.
A splendid read indeed.
© Shellie Horst – SFFWorld.com Jan 2018
Publisher: Luna Press Publishing
Published: July 2017
Availability: Ebook and Paperback.
Author Site: http://www.ajlaken.com/
Review copy courtesy of publisher.
