Agatha H. and the Clockwork Princess [Hardcover]

Phil Foglio (Author), Kaja Foglio (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 3, 2012 | Series: Agatha H. (Book 5)

Intrigue! Subterfuge! Circus Folk! In a time when the Industrial Revolution has escalated into all-out warfare, mad science rules the world... with mixed success. With the help of Krosp, Emperor of All Cats, Agatha has escaped from the massive airship known as Castle Wulfenbach. After crashing their escape dirigible, Agatha and Krosp fall in with Master Payne's Circus of Adventure, a traveling troupe of performers dedicated to staging Heterodyne shows-dramatizations of the exploits of Bill and Barry Heterodyne and their allies-who are unaware of Agatha's connection to the Heterodyne line. Pursued by the ruthless Baron Klaus Wulfenbach, his handsome son Gil, and their minions (not to mention Othar Tryggvassen, Gentleman Adventurer), Agatha hides in plain sight among the circus folk, servicing their clanks and proving herself adept in performing the role of Lucrezia Mongfish, nemesis to-and later wife of-Bill Heterodyne. She also begins training under Zeetha, swordmistress and princess of the lost city of Skifander. Together, Agatha, Krosp, and the performers travel across the treacherous wasteland of war-torn Europa, towards Mechanicsburg, and the ancestral home of the Heterodynes-Castle Heterodyne. But with many perils standing in her way-including Wulfenbach's crack troops, mysterious Geisterdamen, savage Jagermonsters, and the fabled Storm King-it's going to take more than a spark of Mad Science for Agatha to get through... From Phil and Kaja Foglio, creators of the multiple WCCA and Hugo Award-winning webcomic Girl Genius, comes Agatha H and the Clockwork Princess, a gaslamp fantasy filled to bursting with Adventure! Romance! And Mad Science!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kaja Foglio is the current Head of the Department of Irrefutably True History at Transylvania Polygnostic University. She first became aware of the power of Creative History while listening to the excuses of her fellow students who had failed to produce their homework. Her doctoral work brought recognition to the long hidden canis operisphagus, or "homework-eating dog" which, as we now now, infests most of our major schools and universities. She first became interested in the history of the Heterodyne family during the infamous "Nymphenberg Pudding Incident" when she was mistaken for Agatha by an angry mob of dessert chefs from whom she barely escaped. Her subsequent research has brought her the grudging acclaim and jealous rivalry of many of her academic colleagues. She enjoys airship racing, Hyrulian Electro-Mechanical Shadow Puppetry and illustrated novels.

Phil Foglio spends most of his time in the field, collecting legends, folk songs, anecdotes and gossip relating to Sparks and their effects on village society and "folk science". This is a bit odd, as he was originally hired by Transylvania Polygnostic University to teach Modern Dance. He first became interested in Heterodyne stories while doing research on simple automatons and was actually present when the Lady Heterodyne unleashed her "Battle Circus" upon Baron Klaus Wulfenbach. Through subsequent research, bribery, and rampant speculation, the professor has managed to fill in a great many of the narrative gaps in the early life of Agatha Heterodyne. He enjoys botany, mechanical illustration, entomology and -in moderation- modern dance.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 258 pages
• Publisher: Night Shade Books (April 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597802220
• ISBN-13: 978-1597802222
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.6 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #486,711 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

PROFESSORESSA KAJA FOGLIO is the current Head of the Department of Irrefutably True History at Transylvania Polygnostic University. She first became aware of the power of Creative History while listening to the excuses of her fellow students who had failed to produce their homework. Her doctoral work brought recognition to the long hidden canis operisphagus, or "homework-eating dog" which, as we now now, infests most of our major schools and universities. She first became interested in the history of the Heterodyne family during the infamous "Nymphenberg Pudding Incident" when she was mistaken for Agatha by an angry mob of dessert chefs from whom she barely escaped. Her subsequent research has brought her the grudging acclaim and jealous rivalry of many of her academic colleagues. She enjoys airship racing, Hyrulian Electro-Mechanical Shadow Puppetry and illustrated novels.

PROFESSOR PHIL FOGLIO spends most of his time in the field, collecting legends, folk songs, anecdotes and gossip relating to Sparks and their effects on village society and "folk science". This is a bit odd, as he was originally hired by Transylvania Polygnostic University to teach Modern Dance. He first became interested in Heterodyne stories while doing research on simple automatons and was actually present when the Lady Heterodyne unleashed her "Battle Circus" upon Baron Klaus Wulfenbach. Through subsequent research, bribery, and rampant speculation, the professor has managed to fill in a great many of the narrative gaps in the early life of Agatha Heterodyne. He enjoys botany, mechanical illustration, entomology and -in moderation- modern dance.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Stands well on its own April 21, 2012

By Terrell T. Gibbs

Format:Kindle Edition

I usually tend to shy away from novelizations, but this is an unusual novelization--generally, novels get made in to comic books, not the other way around. But I've enjoyed Phil and Katya Foglio's "Girl Genius" series (available online for free, or from Amazon as a set of handsome graphic novels) so much that I decided to give the novels a try. I've read both this one and its predecessor, and while they tell the same story as the graphic novels, and while I miss Phil Foglio's cartooning, I find the novels quite enjoyable on their own terms and very much complementary, enabling the Foglios to develop the characters a bit more that was possible within the constraints of the comic book format.

For those who are new to the series, the Agatha/Girl Genius series is an extended dramatic farce set in a steampunk alternate europe in which scientific genius is almost always accompanied by Victor Frankenstein-style mania often with unfortunate consequences for the populace at large. Clockwork and biotechnology (of the Frankenstein style) is developed to a high level, but electronics has been neglected. The plot is baroquely complicated, with a huge cast of unique and engaging characters that the Foglios somehow manage to keep in play. The Foglios' flair for comic dialog is very much in evidence. Be sure to read the humorous and informative footnotes (which unfortunately are not hyperlinked in the Kindle edition). The novels follow the plot of the "Girl Genius" series pretty much exactly. The first novel "Agatha H. and the Clockwork Princess" was quite good, but with this sequel the Foglios (and the story) really hit their stride.

I'm eagerly anticipating future additions to both the graphic novel and prose novel versions of the story of Agatha.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sheer Genius! June 4, 2012

By antryg

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Right from the start, I'll tell you that I am a fan of Girl Genius. I read the webcomic. I've bought all of the paperback graphic novels. I also bought the first hardback novel. So why buy the book when you can get the webcomic for free?

Have you ever seen a movie and said "It was good but the book was better."? The comic and graphic novels give you amazing artwork and colors. (Yes! Go buy them as well!) This novel allows a much greater depth and insight into the story. The humor and jokes are still present. Yet this book provides so much more. Important details which a picture can only hint at, are lovingly described and expand on things which you thought you knew (if you are already a Girl Genius fan).

Even if you don't like to read because words scare you and paper makes your head hurt; you will want to read this book. It is filled with action, adventure, a few kisses and science!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Really, Amazon? October 14, 2012

By Sydney Ashcraft

Format:Kindle Edition

Agatha H and the Clockwork Princess

Amazon.com: $11.99, Kindle edition, contains DRM
BN.com: $13.74, Nook edition, contains DRM
Baen.com: $6.00, any ebook format, DRM-free

For shame, Amazon and B&N! You can't even pretend the publisher set that price.

Stars are for the book itself.