Heart of Steel (A Novel of the Iron Seas) [Paperback]

Meljean Brook (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 1, 2011 | Series: A Novel of the Iron Seas (Book 2)

Named one of Publishers Weekly's "Best Books of 2010," The Iron Duke introduced the gritty, alluring adventure of the Iron Seas. Now, Meljean Brook returns to the world where nanotech fuses with Victorian sensibilities -- and steam.

As the mercenary captain of the Lady Corsair, Yasmeen has learned to keep her heart as cold as steel, her only loyalty bound to her ship and her crew. So when a man who once tried to seize her airship returns from the dead, Yasmeen will be damned if she gives him another opportunity to take control.

Treasure-hunter Archimedes Fox isn't interested in the Lady Corsair -- he wants her coldhearted captain and the valuable da Vinci sketch she stole from him. To reclaim it, Archimedes is determined to seduce the stubborn woman who once tossed him to a ravenous pack of zombies, but she's no easy conquest.

When da Vinci's sketch attracts a dangerous amount of attention, Yasmeen and Archimedes journey to Horde-occupied Morocco -- and straight into their enemy's hands. But as they fight to save themselves and a city on the brink of rebellion, the greatest peril Yasmeen faces is from the man who seeks to melt her icy heart...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Rising star Brook has created two completely mesmerizing characters whose journeys in this gritty and treacherous world make for heart-stopping fun!" (4 1/2 stars, Top Pick!) --RT BookReviews

About the Author

Award-winning author Meljean Brook has published eight novels in her Guardians paranormal romance series and Iron Seas steampunk romance series. She lives in Oregon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 311 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; 1 edition (November 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780425243305
• ISBN-13: 978-0425243305
• ASIN: 0425243303
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #690,442 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Meljean was raised in the middle of the woods, and hid under her blankets at night with fairy tales, comic books, and romances. She left the forest and went on a misguided tour through the world of accounting before focusing on her first loves, reading and writing-and she realized that monsters, superheroes, and happily-ever-afters are easily found between the covers, as well as under them, so she set out to make her own.

Meljean lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and daughter.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#63 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#63 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars I Didn't Like Yasmeen And Felt Like I Barely Got To Know Archimedes January 15, 2012

By Catherine

Format:Paperback

*2.5 Stars*

I'm sad to say that this is probably my least favorite Meljean Brook novel to date. The writing style I love was still there, but I never became engaged by the story. I think everything would have been different if I had enjoyed the characters more. I didn't like Yasmeen much and I didn't feel I knew Archimedes well enough to truly care.

I liked Yasmeen's character in The Iron Duke but I wasn't completely sold on her as a main character. It's easier for me to enjoy certain personality types when I'm only viewing them from a distance, not stuck following them around. Unfortunately, I didn't grow to love her as I had hoped, and actually spent the bulk of the book trying to figure out what Archimedes saw in her.

I understood his determination to fall for her in the beginning. That had more to do with his fear of losing control of his emotions (like he did when the Horde signal dampened his moods) and less to do with Yasmeen herself. Actually, what I disliked about her was what made her ideal for Archimedes's goal. He went in planning on getting his heart broken and relished the opportunity to feel in all its agony. It was only when he actually fell for her that he became interested in convincing her to fall as well. Before that, it was all word games and grand ideas.

Yasmeen was a hard character to like. Brook is particularly skilled at writing strong, but likable, women, so I was eager to delve into her character and see what made her tick. Based on The Iron Duke, I had a few predetermined views of her character. She tended more toward the hard, cold end of "strong" and she had a worrying tendency to view the world and its occupants in terms of power games and manipulation. Points for me for being dead on.... ;) The power games were my major complaint about her and the relationship between her and Archimedes as a whole. I wasn't thrilled with her in general--and her constant use of opium (Archimedes did it too) didn't endear her to me--but that was my main sticking point.

Everything in Yasmeen's life revolved around power. The power she possessed and the power that she was convinced everyone wanted to wrest from her. Every past bad relationship had to do with men not being about to deal with her and her role as captain, and every roadblock she faced in the present had to do with the same. I was irritated to find that the plot validated her belief that everything was about her. It was exhausting and irritating to have everything circle back around to this. I wanted to watch a relationship develop without the power games. Archimedes was perfectly content to let her steer and didn't want her role, but even after they had fallen for each other, the power games still impacted them. After she was hurt and unconscious, he had to take control of the ship and her men. After she woke up he was honestly concerned about her being angry and was willing (but uneager) to let her humiliate him in front of her crew so she could gain her power back. WTF? No thanks. I'll pass on a relationship like that.

In terms of Archimedes...I just didn't know him that well. I heard about his past and I knew what motivated him to experience emotions to their fullest, but I never got a handle on the core him. I was told these things but never had any particular resonance with them. I had the same trouble with Yasmeen, though. At one point she's telling a story that has to do with her race's origins and she starts to cry because she's so touched by thinking of the tale. But why? I felt nothing from her for it. It's like I spent the whole book just slightly out of sync with the events. I watched them from a distance and remained cold. I think if you enjoyed Yasmeen more than I did, then your chances of enjoying this book just shot through the roof.

I had some trouble adjusting to the Steampunk technology in the first book (my fault--my brain doesn't interpret machines well) but it was smooth sailing in this one. The technology and terms were much easier to understand and it was great to see the world and the aftereffects delved into more. I really liked that the author had the characters drift away from familiar territory and delve into new and exciting areas. I'm not sure who the next book will feature or where it will take us in the post-Horde recovery, but I hope I'm able to click with them a little better. I think that would have made all the difference in this book.

Favorite Quote:

"Stop letting yourself fall for me, Archimedes. Anything that makes you worry for someone else's ass over your own does you no favors, and I like you too well to see you die."

He couldn't have stopped now if he tried. "I'd die to protect you."

"Idiot."

*Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen* Read more ›

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Definitely not the same old same old.... November 3, 2011

By BamaGal

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This story, even more so than the previous ones; had a distinct 'Indiana Jones does Steampunk' vibe to it. There was really more action and adventure than there was romance. The romance was more implied (until near the end), but the sexually-tinged repartee between and Archimedes and Yasmeen was smokin' throughout the book.

After Yasmeen lost her airship, she embarked on a quest with Archimedes to reclaim the valuable da Vinci drawing which had been stolen from him. He needed to money to pay off a blood debt; and Yasmeen needed it to get another airship. Along the way, they are hired to look for some artifacts from various locations, and help the rebels in their efforts to overthrow the Horde. The book has it all; adventure, zombies, assassins, and treasure hunting. All of this set in a really cool and imaginative alternate universe.

Archimedes knows he wants Yasmeen. Although she's willing to have sex with him at any time, he's holding out for her love. He's definitely Beta, but he's still all man. He doesn't try to change her, and wants her just the way she is. That's so refreshing in a romance novel, and with a man in general. Yasmeen is a wonderful h; strong, sassy, and kick-ass. There's no complaining that this is a TSTL h. She's competent, world-wise, and capable of taking of herself. This HEA was particularly sweet for me, because the woman didn't have to give up her life and dreams for a man.

I don't know who is next in the series - Zenobia maybe? Also good reads are the two wonderful 'Iron Seas' short stories. Here There Be Monsters (Burning Up anthology) and The Blushing Bounder (Wild and Steamy anthology). They are both great short stories, but also really bring the reader up to speed on Brook's Steampunk world of the 'Iron Seas'.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Adventure and Romance in Steampunk World March 25, 2012

By Kindle-aholic VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

So far I've read and enjoyed everything in Brook's Iron Seas: the novel Iron Duke and the two novellas. The fun kept on going with book 2, although it is a very different story from what has come before it.

There is still a lot of action, but it is a lot less intense than the first book. Also, no Alpha-hero, which I really liked. There tends to be lots of Alphas in the PNR world - kind of nice to have a strong hero who didn't need to be in control all the time. Yasmeen (and yes, I have a girl-crush on Yasmeen cause she kicks butt) would NEVER do well with a Rhys or Eben. She also wouldn't do well with someone who needed her to order them around. Instead, she needs someone who doesn't need to order her around, accepts her for who she is, and be willing to back her up. She begins the story believing that this man doesn't exist.

Enter Archimedes Fox famous explorer and hero of several popular novels, last seen in Iron Duke when Yasmeen dropped him overboard in zombie-infested Venice. Archimedes is not an Alpha. He doesn't want to give orders, doesn't want to take them either. He prefers doing things his own way. And he is captivated by Yasmeen. He would have to be to not be in a killing frenzy over their last meeting. There is some history between them, and they do play some cat and mouse in the beginning before teaming up.

This one has some steam, but there is definitely a slow-burn getting there. I did really like how the relationship developed. There is action, but I was never really worried about the characters, just looking forward to how they would eventually triumph. Probably very similar to one of Archimedes' "best selling books". I was a little surprised by how easy some parts were for them, but overall I still enjoyed it....

It was a fun read and I'll be looking forward to the next Iron Seas adventure. If you liked the world-building in Iron Duke, but not so much the Alpha-hero or intensity, you might like this one better. Read more ›