Heartless (The Parasol Protectorate) [Kindle Edition]

Gail Carriger (Author)

Book Description

Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines and Alexia barely has time to remember she happens to be eight months pregnant.

Will Alexia manage to determine who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it is too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing? And what, exactly, has taken up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger writes 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 resides in the Colonies, surrounded by fantastic shoes, where she insists on tea imported from London.

The Parasol Protectorate books are: Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless, and Timeless (March 2012). Soulless won the ALA's Alex Award A manga version with release in Spring 2012. She is currently writing young adult books set in the same universe ~ the Finishing School series (Feb. 2013). Soon she will begin a new adult series, The Parasol Protectorate Abroad (Fall 2013).

Product Details

• File Size: 541 KB
• Print Length: 387 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0316127191
• Publisher: Orbit; 1 edition (July 1, 2011)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0047Y0EZQ
• Text-to-Speech: Not enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,127 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #22 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Science Fiction > Steampunk

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Absurdly charming characters, outlandishly entertaining plot, and endlessly witty--and thoroughly British--writing. June 28, 2011

By Abigail TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Few things in life are more delightful than a new Alexia Tarabotti book. In HEARTLESS, the best installment since the debut, every single page is embellished with equal parts wit and farce. The Parasol Protectorate series, a comedy of manners set in a paranormal steampunk Britain, chronicles the adventures of Lady Alexia Tarabotti and her latest escapades involve attempting to thwart as assassination plot on the Queen, keeping the local vampire hive from killing her yet again, and finding a solution to a former vampire wannabe's unwilling induction to the werewolf pack...all while eight months pregnant.

I'm going to be using the word delightful a lot in this review because it so perfectly describes nearly every aspect of HEARTLESS from the absurdly charming characters, to the outlandishly entertaining plot, and the endlessly witty--and thoroughly British--writing. Never a dull page, never a flat line, and never a wasted opportunity for preposterous frivolity. All of the characters we've grown to love and loath over the series are present in HEARTLESS, most prominently Lord Akeldama, Biffy, and Professor Lyall. We learn a number of very revealing details about the latter as well as Alexia's father.

One of my complaints about the last two books was how little page time Alexia and her husband shared since their relationship and interaction was one of the things that made the first book so fantastic. I have nothing to complain about on that point in HEARTLESS. Alexia and Conall are together in nearly every other scene. I loved watching him fuss over her because of her pregnancy and then grit his teeth when he had to let her run off--or waddle off as Alexia called walking at eight months pregnant--into potential danger.

The end of HEARTLESS was unbelievably good. So much is set up for the next book, specifically regarding the infant-inconvenience. Exactly what kind of baby will a preternatural and a werewolf have? I would never have guessed and I'm predicting it will add significantly to the already very unique mythology in this series.

Overall, book four in this indomitably clever and charming series, is as delightful as I hoped. The fifth book in The Parasol Protectorate series is called TIMELESS and will be published on March 1, 2011. It is currently the last book planned in the series, but I will always hope for more. We will be getting a spin-off YA series set in the same universe twenty-five years earlier called The Finishing School series. The first book is tentatively titled ETIQUETTE & ESPIONAGE and will be published in 2012.

Sexual Content:
Kissing. References to homosexuality. References to sex

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Parasol Protectorate is back! July 1, 2011

By J. Prather TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I wasn't a big fan of the last installment of this series, Blameless. The characters seemed to be going off in odd directions, and the story was just not that enjoyable. I picked this one up worried that the charming Alexia that we met at the beginning of the series was gone forever. Not to worry! Alexia is back in all of her witty, werewolf taming glory along with her hunky husband Lord Maccon. Heartless finds Alexia eight months pregnant, and trying to dodge assassination attempts from those who don't want to see her give birth. The killer porcupines are certainly a highlight of this series that continues to be unabashedly creative and charming.

I was glad to see her husband once again faithfully by her side, and was not surprised that Alexia is not letting her pregnancy stand in the way of her duties to her country and her pack. Felicity and Madame LeFoux both return and bring their own surprises to a story that was well plotted and paced. While there are not quite as many interesting mechanical creations as before, the characters are stronger than ever, and the dialogue still pops along at a merry rate. I am glad to see this series solidly back on track and can't wait until the next installment!

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Peerless among the Parasol Protectorate June 28, 2011

By R. Decalo

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Heartless distills the best of Carrigan's writing so far. Believe it or not, Lord Akeldama is even pithier than before, and his couture miles more magnificent. (I know, we thought it wasn't possible.) Carriger has created fabulous characters with lovely whimsical traits and drives, and in this book, significantly more polished than those previous, they really shine. They positively bask in their individuality and in their relationships. The plot works, and there are no silly contrivances that seem to be simply calculated ploys for laughter and romantic angst. There's still romance and hilarity, mind you, it just works that much better.

Ivy is back--and readers, she is better than ever. Alexia's pregnancy brain and the solicitousness of her pack and butler are superb. The parasol protectorate is on a high in this book--if you loved the first book, and if you enjoy the idea, the banter, the laced civility and the sheer outrageousness of Ms Tarabotti, you'll be rolling with laughter and pleasure with this one.

I'd earlier said that Soulless was the best in the series--but that was before Heartless. Trippingly fun, delicious, and perfect with tea and treacle tart.

More About the Author

New York Times Bestselling author Gail Carriger writes to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She survived her early years by reading most of her local library and memorizing Greek battles. Eventually, she escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning. In pursuit of further finishing, Ms. Carriger traveled the historic cities of Europe, subsisting entirely on biscuits secreted in her handbag. She now resides in the Colonies, surrounded by fantastic shoes, where she insists on tea imported from London.

The Parasol Protectorate books are: Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless & Timeless. Soulless won the ALA's Alex Award. Manga versions of the first two books release in 2012 (Soulless Vol. 1 & Vol. 2) and Soulless: The Manga, Vol. 3 is due out Nov. 19, 2013. The first in her young adult Finishing School series, Etiquette & Espionage debuted at #9 on NYT. The second in the series, Curtsies & Conspiracies is due out Nov. 2013.