Review of Blameless

	Blameless by Gail Carriger 384pp (Paperback) My Rating: 8/10 Amazon Rating: 4/5 LibraryThing Rating: 4.09/5 Goodreads Rating: 4.05/5

Blameless is the third novel in the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger, a nominee for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer this year. The first two books in the series are Soulless and Changeless in that order, and the next book, Heartless, will be released in July 2011. Timeless, the final book, is scheduled for publication in 2012. It has been a great year for this series - not only was Carriger nominated for a major award but both books released in 2010 (Changeless and Blameless) were on the New York Times bestseller list.

Note: There is simply no way to talk about the plot in this book without spoiling the ending of the previous book. The "My Thoughts" part of the review will be spoiler-free, though, so just continue past the horizontal line to read that part of this review if you want.

As if being cast out by her husband were not bad enough, Alexia now has no choice but to live with her frivolous mother and sisters - that is, until they read the morning paper and cast her out as well. After all, the woman involved in The Scandal of the Century will completely ruin her unwed sisters' prospects for marriage. Alexia is all too happy to leave, especially considering she just got an invitation to stay with the far more amiable Lord Akeldama.

However, when she arrives at Lord Akeldama's estate she finds it empty except for one man charged with giving her the cryptic message: "Check the cat." When leaving, her carriage is pursued by mechanical ladybugs intent on her destruction. Alexia decides to brave the lack of tea and travel to Italy to seek the wisdom of the Templars, who may be the only hope for learning more about Alexia's condition - and why this state is bothersome enough that someone wants to kill her.

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The Parasol Protectorate is becoming one of my favorite new series. It's comedic historical fantasy set in a steampunk version of London populated with both humans and the supernatural (vampires, werewolves and ghosts). The first book in the series, Soulless, was also somewhat of a romance, but the next two books are not. In my opinion, this latest installment is about as enjoyable as the previous book and both are more polished than the first one.

Blameless is full of clever, whimsical humor and it struck me a couple of times while reading it that nearly every sentence is hilarious. There are so many well-worded phrases, but while there are plenty of funny situations the book doesn't compromise characterization just for the sake of being amusing. Alexia has become a character I really care about; she's so logical and courageous it would be difficult not to like her. Her mother and sisters remind me so much of Lizzie's family in Pride and Prejudice so it's easy to feel sympathy for her when they're around, although her mother cracked me up when she was trying to explain the state of existence for werewolves:

"Your husband is basically dead, or was basically dead and is mostly dead now." Mrs. Loontwill seemed to be confusing herself. [pp. 12 - 13]

It was also a pleasure to see the inventor Madame Lefoux play a large role in this novel, and Professor Lyall got some more page time as well as he was desperately trying to manage the Woolsey pack. We also got to see a different side of Ivy than just the girl with the funny hats. And I now want to know so much more about Alexia's father after reading all the little references to him that I hope Gail Carriger decides to write stories about him.

One of the highlights of this newest installment was getting to see more of how the other nations treated the supernatural. While England figured they might as well use them, they seem to be a rarity as other parts of Europe despise them. In this book, Alexia travels to both France and Italy so there is a chance to see the difference between these countries and England - and learn facts such as how Italian perception of the supernatural affected the popularity of pesto.

There have been a lot of complaints about the ending to this book, but personally it didn't bother me. Unfortunately, I can't really go into depth about why without spoiling it, but I felt it was a logical conclusion based on Alexia's nature and the progression of her reactions throughout the story.

Blameless is every bit as wonderful as the previous book in the series. It's unique and delightfully quirky, but at the same time it's more than just an entertaining novel good for a few laughs but not much more. In addition, it has both a well-developed setting and a diverse cast of characters that are better fleshed out in each book. More is revealed about Alexia's unique heritage, and I'm looking forward to learning more about what this new information means in Heartless.

My Rating: 8/10

Where I got my reading copy: Review copy from the publisher.

Interview with Gail Carriger

Other Reviews:

• Calico Reaction
• Dear Author
• The Discriminating Fangirl
• Jawas Read Too!
• Rob Will Review

Reviews of other books in this series:

• Soulless
  
• Changeless

The Leaning Pile of Books

This week brought four books that were complete surprises, and three of them are ones I really, really want to read right now, making me sad that I'm not capable of reading eight books simultaneously (since there are about five other books I want to be reading now). Actually, I already had the ARC of one and just got the finished copy in the mail this time, but I'd prefer to read the finished version anyway.

As far as the next review goes, I haven't been able to make much progress since I've been working on another interview in my spare time instead. The questions are almost ready to go, though, so I should be able to get back to finishing that review soon.

Lady Lazarus by Michele Lang

This is the first book in a trilogy by the same name, and it is on sale on August 31. It was actually one of the books on my list to look for at Book Expo America, but I missed it. Then it was a "maybe" book since it looked a little iffy to me from the blurb, but after looking through the actual book and reading the first couple of lines, I now really want to read the rest:

I damned my soul in the summer of 1939. I did it for the noblest reasons, the best ones -- to save the people I loved; to make a terrible wrong turn right.

After reading this, I can't help but want to know about how she damned her soul and what these reasons for doing so are.

Dark Victory, the second book in the series, is scheduled for release in 2011.

With the romance of Twilight, the suspense of The Dresden Files, and the delicious thrills of True Blood, the enthralling saga of Magdalena Lazarus unfolds. Descended from the legendary witch of Ein Dor, she alone holds the power to summon the angel Raziel and stop Hitler and his supernatural minions from unleashing total war in Europe. The Nazis have fighters more fearsome than soldiers, weapons more terrifying than missiles, and allies that even they are afraid of SS werewolves; the demon Asmodel who possesses a willing Adolf Hitler, and other supernatural creatures all are literally hell-bent on preventing Magda from possessing the Book of Raziel, a magical text with the power to turn the tide against Hitler’s vast war machine.

Magda, young and rebellious, grew up in the cosmopolitan city of Budapest, unaware of her family’s heritage. When her mother dies, Magda--ready or not--is the Lazarus, who must face the evil that holds Europe in an iron grip. Unready to assume the mantle of her ancient birthright, but knowing that she must fight, she sets out across Europe searching for the Book. Magda is desperate enough to endanger her soul by summoning the avenging angel Raziel. When she sees him in the glory of his celestial presence, her heart is utterly, completely lost…

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Blameless by Gail Carriger

Blameless is the third book in the Parasol Protectorates series and it is supposed to be on sale August 31. I've been following this series ever since I got an ARC of the very first book, and I liked the second book even better than the first so I was very excited to open up a package and find this within. This should be fun!

I'm going to avoid posting the blurb for this one since it contains spoilers for both the first and second books. However, if you do want to read it, the blurbs for all three books are on this page on Gail Carriger's website.

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Hell's Horizon by Darren Shan

This is the second book in The City series following Procession of the Dead. It will be released in hardcover in January 2011.

In the City, The Cardinal rules, and Al Jeery is a loyal member of his personal guard. But when Al is pulled from his duties at Party Central to investigate a murder, an unexpected discovery leads him in a new direction, where his loyalties and beliefs will be severely tested.

Soon he is involved in a terrifying mystery that draws in the dead, the City's Incan forefathers, the imposing figure of The Cardinal, and the near-mythical assassin Paucar Wami.

Wami is a law unto himself, a shadowy, enigmatic figure who can apparently kill anyone he chooses without fear of punishment or retribution. And Al is about to find out that he has a lot more in common with Wami than he could ever have imagined...

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Cold Magic by Kate Elliott

This is the first book in a new series, The Spiritwalker trilogy. It is supposed to be released in September, but Kate Elliott recently mentioned on Twitter that it is already in stock at Amazon. As I mentioned the first time when I got an ARC of it, I really like the sound of this one and I've wanted to read something by Kate Elliott for a while now so I'm looking forward to it.

From one of the genre's finest writers comes a bold new epic fantasy in which science and magic are locked in a deadly struggle.

It is the dawn of a new age... The Industrial Revolution has begun, factories are springing up across the country, and new technologies are transforming in the cities. But the old ways do not die easy.

Cat and Bee are part of this revolution. Young women at college, learning of the science that will shape their future and ignorant of the magics that rule their families. But all of that will change when the Cold Mages come for Cat. New dangers lurk around every corner and hidden threats menace her every move. If blood can't be trusted, who can you trust?

Review of Changeless

	Changeless by Gail Carriger 400pp (Paperback) My Rating: 8/10 Amazon Rating: 4.5/5 LibraryThing Rating: 4.18/5 Goodreads Rating: 4.32/5

Changeless is the second book in the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger. Soulless is the first novel in the series, and the next novel Blameless will be released in September of this year (which is something to be thankful for because the ending to Changeless could drive one crazy). It's difficult to categorize these books with a genre - Changeless is part mystery, part comedy and set in an alternate Victorian England brimming with vampires, werewolves and ghosts.

There will be spoilers for the first book in this review as it would be rather difficult to discuss it without revealing a rather major occurrence that happened close to the end of Soulless.

Alexia is not having a good evening. First she is abruptly awakened earlier than usual by Lord Maccon yelling very loudly. Initially, she assumes he must be upset with her, then she worries that perhaps he is screaming at himself since no one else seems to be present. Eventually, she realizes he is talking to Formerly Merriway, a timid ghost whose murmurs are too quiet for Alexia to hear. Alexia continues to feign sleep until she is "awakened" by her husband, who wants to say goodbye to her before he runs off to whatever emergency had him throwing a fit. Although she is annoyed by the fact that he does not fill her in on whatever is going on, Alexia is even more irritated when she discovers a bunch of werewolves camping on her front lawn. To make matters worse, the major in charge of the new arrivals mistakes her for the housekeeper and leers at her in a most ungentlemanly fashion. And then Alexia's friend Ivy unexpectedly drops by with some big news that simply cannot wait, making her late for a meeting of the Shadow Council.

Once Alexia joins the other two members of Queen Victoria's Shadow Council, a werewolf and a vampire, she discovers what must have disturbed her husband so greatly: the supernatural around London have been plagued with humanity. Several ghosts were exorcised and both other members of the council are currently mortal, a state for which they blame Alexia until she points out she can only cause mortality by touch. Theories abound on whether the cause is a weapon, a disease or something else entirely, and Alexia is determined to find out the truth even if it means traveling to the most uncivilized place she can imagine - Scotland.

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Soulless was a lot of fun to read, but Changeless was even more enjoyable. From start to finish I did not want to stop reading, and it did not get bogged down by too many love scenes like its predecessor. Upon reaching the end, it became clear to me just how much I had become hooked because it did leave such a big impression, making me realize just how much I've come to care about what happens to Alexia. This novel proved to me that I have yet another series addiction as I cannot wait for the third book so I can find out what happens now.

Changeless is less of a romance than the first book although it does have a romantic side plot involving someone other than Alexia and it is also more steampunk. It still may not fit some people's definition of steampunk since even though there is more technology–including dirigibles, a new method of communication and a parasol that rivals one of Batman's utility belts–there is not a lot of analysis on how it affects society. The steampunk elements are part of the setting and sometimes they are even somewhat important (such as the usefulness of being able to communicate quickly over long distances), but it's not a driving force in the story. Much like how not all science fiction is "hard," this is more "soft" steampunk.

The novel is well-paced with a humorous, engaging writing style. It is told from the third person perspective of Alexia, whose narrative voice is both quirky and funny. The novels are not at all serious, and neither is the tone of Alexia's perspective. Yet she is a very likable heroine - very practical and rather fearless at the same time due to lacking a soul and all.

There are many familiar characters from the first book, but there are some new ones as well - notably the inventor Madame Lefoux, who is quite possibly my favorite after Alexia herself now. Of course, Lord Akeldama, Ivy and Lord Maccon are all present, as well as several more minor characters from book one.

Changeless was a lot of fun to read and an even stronger novel than the first book in the series. Fans of Victorian London, comedies of manners and urban fantasy should certainly consider reading these books.

My Rating: 8/10

Where I got my reading copy: It is a review copy from the publisher.

Read Excerpt

Other reviews:

• Babbling About Books, And More!
• Jawas Read, Too!
• Rob Will Review

Reviews of other books in this series:

• Soulless (#1)
  
  

Interview with Gail Carriger

The Leaning Pile of Books

I had been thinking about picking up the next Kate Daniels book this week but didn't since I'm not letting myself read it until after reviewing the first one (almost there - just need to write a review of The Thief and revise a draft of A Local Habitation first). Two more review copies showed up this week, though.

Changeless by Gail Carriger

Changeless is the second book in the Parasol Protectorate series and is coming out in April (although Amazon will be shipping it starting March 30). The first book in this series, Soulless, was a lot of fun to read so I'm really looking forward to this one. It was a humorous story featuring vampires and werewolves in Victorian London and a heroine born without a soul.

I'm going to skip the blurb for this one just because it does contain a spoiler for the end of the first book. If you've read Soulless and would like to read it (or don't care about spoilers), you can read it here.

And if you haven't seen it yet, there's a pretty neat video showing how the cover for the third book (Blameless) was put together. I especially liked the revision process.

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Divine Misfortune by A. Lee Martinez

Divine Misfortune is a comedic fantasy coming out in hardcover on March 26. My husband has already read this one and is planning to write a review of it, although I'm not really sure when he is going to have time to do so.

DIVINE MISFORTUNE is a story of gods and mortals---in worship, in love, and at parties.

Teri and Phil had never needed their own personal god. But when Phil is passed up for a promotion - again-it's time to take matters into their own hands. And look online.

Choosing a god isn't as simple as you would think. There are too many choices; and they often have very hefty prices for their eternal devotion: blood, money, sacrifices, and vows of chastity. But then they found Luka, raccoon god of prosperity. All he wants is a small cut of their good fortune.

Oh -- and can he crash on their couch for a few days?

Throw in a heartbroken love goddess and an ancient deity bent on revenge and not even the gods can save Teri and Phil.

Interview with Gail Carriger

After I had a delightful time reading Soulless, I contacted Gail Carriger to see if she would be a guest on the blog. She kindly agreed to an interview and I am pleased to have her answers today to share with all of you.



About Gail Carriger (from her website):

Ms. Carriger began writing in order to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning. Ms. Carriger then traveled the historic cities of Europe, subsisting entirely on biscuits secreted in her handbag. She now resides in the Colonies, surrounded by a harem of Armenian lovers, where she insists on tea imported directly from London and cats that pee into toilets. She is fond of teeny tiny hats and tropical fruit. Soulless is her first book.


FC: How did you begin writing?

GC: My Mum used to read to me in bed and if I didn't like the end of the book I would explain to her very carefully that the author got it wrong and then inform her of the real ending. That was the start of the madness.

FC: Was it difficult to go through the process of publishing your first novel?

GC: Some aspects were challenging and some were frustrating but never the parts I expected. In the end, looking back, I was pretty darn lucky.

FC: Did you learn anything about the process that you wish you’d known beforehand?

GC: Lots of terms that I won't bore you with here (like "in house copy"), a few behavior modifications, and one or two better luck next times. The one specific thing I feel compelled to pass on to budding authors is: the response when you get The Call, even if you have no agent, is: "Thank you so much for your interest, let me pass you along to my agent." Nothing more.

FC: Your website says there will be two more books after Soulless. Is it likely there will end up being more than three books in the series total?

GC: My contract is for three books. Which isn't to say I wouldn't love to write more. I think we have to see how readers like Soulless first.

FC: Have you considered writing any prequels about the history of the vampires and werewolves and how they became accepted in Great Britain?

GC: I'd love to write a bit about Alexia's father, but to go that far back, I'm not sure. That would be during the time of the Tudors, not a period of history that greatly interests me, and more clockpunk than steampunk. Of course, I reserve the right to change my mind. I'm intrigued by both Lyall's past and Lord Akeldama's past, there may be books hidden there. I'd also love to explore the future, turn-of-the-century Old West steampunk has always appealed to me.

FC: You have mentioned that vampires and werewolves were your explanation for how such a small country like Great Britain became such a conquering force. Once other nations begin to see what a powerful weapon the supernatural is for Britain, what is keeping them from following suit?

GC: Ah, that is an excellent question and all I can say at the moment is that you'll learn much of this in the third book, Blameless. The nature of this alternative world and its history is one of the things that is revealed more and more as the series progresses.

FC: The vampire and werewolf cultures each played a role in Soulless but although the ghosts were mentioned they never made an appearance. Will we see more of them in future novels?

GC: Ah, yes, quite a bit more. Ghosts of various personalities have small but pivotal roles to play, particularly in the second book, Changeless.

FC: Which group would you be most wary about causing offense to – the vampires or the werewolves?

GC: With immediate effect – the werewolves. In the long term – definitely the vampires.

FC: If you were to attend a ball along with each of the characters from Soulless, which one would you hope to be seated next to at dinner?

GC: Oh, Lord Akeldama, definitely! Even if he talked nothing but frivolities, they would excellent and highly entertaining frivolities.

FC: Is there anyone in particular whose presence would be so horrifying to prompt you to (discreetly, of course!) switch their place card with another if you found it next to your seat?

GC: Hum, I don't think so. I tend to find most of my characters intriguing in some manner or another. I'm not sure I could tolerate an entire dinner next to the Countess, but even she can be charming – if she is in a pleasant mood.

FC: Soulless is a very diverse blend of genres – particularly urban fantasy, steampunk, and comedy. What are some of your favorite books from each of these?

GC: In urban fantasy I adore anything by Patricia Briggs, so far as steampunk is concerned I enjoy Girl Genius, and in the arena of comedy, I have to stay true to my first love, Douglas Adams.

FC: What are Alexia’s personal pet peeves when it comes to ill-mannered behavior?

GC: Introductions are very important to her, as are good table manners, well-behaved children, and respect for the social order. I think she is less concerned with proper dress than she pretends.

FC: How would you react if you were you attacked by a vampire without even a proper introduction? And you found yourself without a hair stick or a parasol?

GC: Oh, I have no pride or gumption. I would run to the nearest public area yelling for the constabulary.

FC: Can you tell us anything about what to expect from the next book, Changeless?

GC: This one is all about the werewolves!

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Thank you so much for stopping by and answering some questions, Gail! I'm even more excited about the next two books knowing there where be more about the alternate history and the ghosts.

Review of Soulless

	Soulless by Gail Carriger 384pp (Paperback) My Rating: 7.5/10 Amazon Rating: 4.5/5 LibraryThing Rating: 4.17/5 Goodreads Rating: 3.85/5

Soulless is the first book in the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger. Its official release date in the US is today, although I first saw it in the new books section in my local bookstore over a week ago. The second book Changeless is scheduled to come out in April 2010, and there will be at least one more book following that one, Blameless. Even though this is the first book in a series, it is the type that is a complete story - no cliffhanger ending but it still leaves room for more adventures. Soulless is a blend of many different genres - it's part steampunk, urban fantasy (but not contemporary since it is set in Victorian London), comedy, and romance.

While at a rather unenjoyable private ball, Alexia Tarabotti retires to the library where she meets a vampire, who is all too pleased to meet a lone lady in a low-necked gown. The vampire attacks Alexia to her great surprise - after all, even vampires adhere to social etiquette and only feed upon those who give their consent. Fortunately, Alexia is not harmed since she is a preternatural, a person who has no soul and cancels out the effects of the supernatural. Therefore, when the vampire attempts to bite her, he is puzzled to find his fangs have completely disappeared. When his attempts at biting her do not break the skin, the vampire decides to strangle her instead. Alexia tries to drive him off with the threat of her hair stick/stake, but accidentally whacks it right into his heart with her parasol. To make matters worse, a group of young men approach the library when she prepares to sneak out unseen so Alexia pretends to do what any sensible woman would do when happening upon such a sight - faints.

Although she succeeds in fooling the young people, Alexia's pretense does not fool Lord Maccon, who arrives to investigate while she is lying supposedly unconscious upon the floor. Lord Maccon is not only an earl and an Alpha werewolf but also an agent of BUR (Bureau of Unnatural Registry) - and is not in the least surprised to find the exasperating woman who instigated the hedgehog incident involved in such a situation. Once Alexia explains what happened to her, it becomes clear that this was no ordinary vampire - not only was he ill-mannered but also uneducated (for he did not even know what a preternatural was!) and most unrefined (for he had a rather un-vampirelike lisp).

In spite of Lord Maccon's best efforts to keep Alexia out of the investigation, an invitation to visit the local vampires and Alexia's own inquisitive nature can't keep her out of trouble for long...

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When I found a copy of Soulless in my mailbox, I was a little unsure about it after I saw the front cover said "A novel of vampires, werewolves and parasols," particularly since I'm not someone who gets excited at the thought of reading about vampires and werewolves. (This doesn't mean I completely avoid those books, but I tend to gravitate more toward urban fantasy without them unless it's a series that comes highly recommended for great characters such as Mercy Thompson.) [Ed: And the parasols? What of them?] Then I read the back and thought it sounded like it could either be very odd in an over-the-top way or very quirky in just the way that I like. Once I read the first chapter with the rude vampire attack and Alexia's reaction, I found it to definitely be the latter. Soulless is so much fun - it was light and humorous and I could hardly put it down.

It's also a very unique book, partially because it's such a diverse blend of genres (steampunk, urban fantasy, alternate history, comedy, romance, and there's a bit of a mystery too!) and also because of its setting. There are so many books gracing the shelves these days that contain vampires or werewolves but the vast majority of these are set in modern times. Instead of examining what our lives would be like if paranormal creatures existed, Carriger shows us what might have happened in the past, particularly if vampires and werewolves were integrated into Victorian society. In an interview, she mentioned that there needed to be some sort of explanation for tiny Great Britain's great success as a conquering empire. She figured it would be a very fitting for Victorians to look at it this way: "Ah yes, vampires, jolly good chaps, excellent fashion sense, always polite, terribly charming at cards, we just won't mention that little neck biting habit." In her series, Britain is very open to accepting the supernatural and using them for the good of the country while some other nations are not as open-minded, particularly America, which is shown to be rather fearful and disapproving of vampires and werewolves. This is a very interesting alternate history and I'm hoping to see more of how this affects other nations in future installments.

Alexia was a great character and I liked her immensely - she's very unconventional, nearly fearless, and strong-willed. At approximately a quarter of a century old, she's a spinster and her entire family persecutes her but this never seems to bother her. She's perfectly happy to read, go for walks with her friend Ivy or have dinner with her friend Lord Akeldama. Eventually she does get involved in a romance, but it's never something she looked for or made a first priority in her life - and she never becomes one of those mopey, angsty heroines who pines all day.

The secondary characters are also very fun to read about. Lord Maccon, Alpha werewolf and BUR agent, is forward and ill-mannered, but he can be at least partially excused, being from Scotland where people are not civilized. His calm, well-mannered Beta Professor Lyall always keeps him in check. Spymaster Lord Akeldama is a gay vampire who keeps up with the latest fashions and uses lots of italics throughout his speech (which I admit I found a little annoying at times even though it worked well with his pretense at being a bit more simpleminded than he really is). Alexia's best friend Ivy has a new ugly hat every time she visits, and Alexia's mother and sisters are very silly and reminiscent of Lizzie's family in Pride and Prejudice, especially since Alexia, like Lizzie, is far more sensible in contrast.

I did feel that the end of the book wasn't quite as good as the beginning, but that was mainly because there was a lot of sex. Personally, I prefer reading about the emotional aspects of a relationship and tend to get bored with physical descriptions. These scenes were more humorously told than most, but toward the end I did get tired of them. Also, some of the jokes were beginning to get a bit repetitive - such as Alexia's half Italian heritage and Ivy's hats.

Soulless is one of the more entertaining and unusual books I've read this year. Although some of the recurring gags and sexual encounters were excessive by the end, Alexia herself and the humorous scenes and writing style kept me unable to put it down. I will definitely be reading the sequel and am eagerly awaiting finding out what kinds of mishaps Alexia will get into next.

7.5/10