The Iron Wyrm Affair (Bannon and Clare) [Paperback]

Lilith Saintcrow (Composer)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 7, 2012 | Series: Bannon and Clare (Book 1)

Emma Bannon, forensic sorceress in the service of the Empire, has a mission: to protect Archibald Clare, a failed, unregistered mentath. His skills of deduction are legendary, and her own sorcery is not inconsiderable. It doesn't help much that they barely tolerate each other, or that Bannon's Shield, Mikal, might just be a traitor himself. Or that the conspiracy killing registered mentaths and sorcerers alike will just as likely kill them as seduce them into treachery toward their Queen.

In an alternate London where illogical magic has turned the Industrial Revolution on its head, Bannon and Clare now face hostility, treason, cannon fire, black sorcery, and the problem of reliably finding hansom cabs.

The game is afoot..

Editorial Reviews

Review

" Saintcrow scores a hit with this terrific Steampunk series that rockets through a Britain-that-wasn't with magic and industrial mayhem with a firm nod to Holmes. Genius and a rocking good time." (New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs )

"Saintcrow melds a complex magic system with a subtle but effective steampunk society, adds fully-fleshed and complicated characters, and delivers a clever and highly engaging mystery that kept me turning pages, fascinated to the very end." (Laura Anne Gilman )

"Innovative world building, powerful steam punk, master storyteller at her best. Don't miss this one....She's fabulous. " (Christine Feehan )

"Lilith Saintcrow spins a world of deadly magic, grand adventure, and fast-paced intrigue through the clattering streets of a maze-like mechanized Londonium. The Iron Wyrm Affair is a fantastic mix of action, steam, and mystery dredged in dark magic with a hint of romance. Loved it! Do not miss this wonderful addition to the steampunk genre." (Devon Monk )

"Lilith Saintcrow's foray into steampunk plunges the reader into a
Victorian England rife with magic and menace, where clockwork horses pace the cobbled streets, dragons rule the ironworks, and it will take a sorceress' discipline and a logician's powers of deduction to unravel a bloody conspiracy." (Jacqueline Carey )

"Sensual writing, intricate plotting, and sympathetically quirky, satisfyingly competent characters make this series one to watch." (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )

"This isn't just fantasy with cogs stuck on. A really good read" (SFX )

"Sensual writing, intricate plotting, and sympathetically quirky, satisfyingly competent characters make this series one to watch." (Publishers Weekly )

"Fast paced and full of plot twists, this is a lightweight summer read for fans of Gail Carriger and Meljean Brooks." (Booklist )

"A fast and furious ride through an alternate Victorian London that occasionally stops for polite afternoon tea, just to let you catch your breath. Exciting, great characters and one of the best books I've read this year. Roll on the next instalment! " (thebookbag.co.uk )

"A fast-paced blend of Victorian-era urban fantasy and steampunkish technology." (Shelf Awareness )

About the Author

Lilith Saintcrow was born in New Mexico, bounced around the world as an Air Force brat, and fell in love with writing when she was ten years old. She currently lives in Vancouver, WA. Find out more at www.lilithsaintcrow.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Orbit; 1 edition (August 7, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031620126X
• ISBN-13: 978-0316201261
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (58 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,524 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lilith Saintcrow lives in Vancouver, Washington, with her two children and assorted other strays. She has been writing since she was nine years old. Find her on the web at www.lilithsaintcrow.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Not What I Was Expecting September 15, 2012

By Avalee

Format:Paperback

Add me to the group of people who really wanted to love this book, but was disappointed. The story was slow moving and hardly anything in the author's steampunk world is explained. Some things you can figure out for yourself, but mostly you're just left guessing. I love this genre but if you're looking for steampunk/sci-fi or anything along those lines, there are sooo many better books out there.

37 of 45 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Could have been good, but falls sadly flat. August 6, 2012

By Anna N.

Format:Paperback

A Sherlockian genius and a powerful sorceress team up to discover and defeat an unknown adversary, for Queen and Country. Also, because it's after them, too.

It's an interesting story which includes a bit of mystery, a lot of magic, and a group of people who have to work together though they may or may not trust each other. The characters are (mostly) interesting and decently well-drawn, particularly Emma. The worldbuilding is intriguing, including Tideturn and its effect on both magic-wielders and gems in proximity to them.

On the other hand, in the beginning, Clare is pretty annoying until he stopped talking about deducing things and just does it. He's also irritatingly sexist for someone who is supposed to be so very logical and his friend Sig is called a genius but portrayed as a buffoon.

Very little is explained about how magic - or anything else - works in this alternate Britain. It almost reads like the second book in the series, written with the assumption that the reader is already familiar with the setting. I enjoy books that throw the reader in the midst of things and explain it as the book goes along - but only when things are actually explained.

39 of 48 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Victorian Hot Mess August 7, 2012

By anne-marie

Format:Paperback

I'm all for steampunk and Victorian anything, but not when it makes me feel like an idiot using my native language. The Iron Wyrm Affair is like reading Shakespeare for the first time without a lexicon. Everything great about this book was overshadowed by overly indulgent prose coupled with a lack of context.

I was really excited about this book, up until I started reading it. The plot starts off promising in the middle of a conspiracy but is bogged down by an overly descriptive narrative and no foundation to root the reader. Plopped into an established world with no introduction, was a bit disorienting. I kept waiting to be let in on the secret world and magical explanations, but none came. I felt cheated, not being able to participate in the world building experience, excluded from the author's VIP mind set. I was lost a lot, grasping for some context to ground me in this unfamiliar world.

The characters were interesting but the alternating POVs makes the story choppy and difficult to get into. The writing style hindered their connection for me, at times I found it difficult to separate the dialogue and who was saying what. I usually rather enjoy having dueling perspectives but I don't think Saintcrow made it worked here. With two diverse personalities such as Clare and Bannon I would expect two contrasting distinct voices, but really only got one voice for the two characters.

The most difficult part for me was not being familiar with any of the slang used. There was a breakdown of magical hierarchy which would've been more useful presented in the front of the text than the back but I wish there was an index of terms, footnotes, anything to help the reader out.

If you like being thrown to the wolves for a bare handed fight then you'll love The Iron Wyrm Affair. While I got the gist of the story, it was slow going. I felt a lot of the details and growth got lost in the language. The reader must constantly wade through Saintcrow's overly stylize prose just to drown in her own personal joke of a world she won't let the reader in on. This series could be great with a prequel, glossary of terms, and some serious editing.