The Lazarus Machine (A Tweed and Nightingale adventure) by Paul Crilley

Sebastian Tweed is racing against time to save his father and prevent Moriarty from perfecting a ghastly new invention in his attempt to achieve a kind of immortality and throw the world into chaos.  But Sebastian has an even bigger challenge awaiting him in the form of his new accomplice Octavia Nightingale.  In his seventeen years he has learned nothing about intelligent, ambitious young women who refuse to sit at home and embroider cushions.  He hardly knows any women at all.  Octavia, on the other hand, is only too happy to educate him as to the differences!   All the steampunk action takes place in a parallel London, 1895.

Philippa @ Balwyn Library.

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The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress

This Steampunk novel set in London in the early 1900s is full of action. Three young, intelligent women, each the assistant to powerful men, meet by chance at an exhibition where a scientist is found murdered. Each of the women - Cora, intelligent and scientific, Nellie, friendly and sneaky, and Michiko, aloof and strong - feel drawn to the case and soon decide to team-up to solve the crime.

What follows is plenty of mystery and action, a little bit of romance and plenty of girl-power. Whilst set in the early 1900s, the book has a distinctly modern edge, and at times this was more annoying than charming. Terms such as 'make-out' and 'I guess', neither of which fit the language or setting of Victorian London really stood out and detracted from an otherwise well written and entertaining story. Perhaps I am just being pernickety!

Still, it's a good read and a light-hearted introduction to Steampunk. If you're interested the genre, checkout the album of other Steampunk novels on our Facebook page.

Caitlin @ Balwyn Library.

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• Go to the catalogue and reserve it.
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