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Age of Steam #2
Tin Swift: The Age of Steam by Devon Monk
IN STEAM AGE AMERICA, MEN, MONSTERS, MACHINES, AND MAGIC BATTLE TO CLAIM THE SAME SCRAP OF EARTH AND SKY. IN THIS CHAOS, ONE MAN FIGHTS TO HOLD ON TO HIS HUMANITY—AND HIS HONOR… Life on the frontier is full of deceit and danger, but bounty hunter Cedar Hunt is a man whose word is his bond. Cursed with becoming a beast every full moon, Cedar once believed his destiny was to be alone. But now, Cedar finds himself saddled with a group of refugees, including the brother he once thought lost.Keeping his companions alive is proving to be no easy task, in part because of the promise he made to the unpredictable Madder brothers—three miners who know the secret mechanisms of the Strange. To fulfill his pledge, Cedar must hunt a powerful weapon known as the Holder—a search that takes him deep into the savage underbelly of the young country and high into the killing glim-field skies defended by desperate men and deadly ships.But the battles he faces are just a glimmer of a growing war stirring the country. To keep his word Cedar must navigate betrayal, lies, and treacherous alliances, risking everything to save the lives of those he has come to hold dear…
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First published July 3, 2012
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About the author
Devon Monk
89 books2,058 followersDevon Monk is a national best selling writer of urban fantasy. Her series include Ordinary Magic, House Immortal, Allie Beckstrom, Broken Magic and Shame and Terric. She also writes the Age of Steam steampunk series, and the occasional short story which can be found in her collection: A Cup of Normal, and in various anthologies. She has one husband, two sons, and lives in Oregon. When not writing, Devon is either drinking too much coffee or knitting silly things.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
May 9, 2015
So perilously, perilously close to being a five-star book. So close.
Let's start with how this book opens in the super-fun part of Happily Ever After, namely the bit that comes after that, when everything's gone to hell. I LOVE THIS. AUTHORS: DO MORE OF THIS.
No wait, let's start with how this book was everything I really wanted Bioshock: Infinite to be that it wasn't. I really felt some strong parallels between Booker DeWitt and Cedar Hunt, and Alabaster Saint and Zachary Comstock, and the whole corrupt-general-looking-for-post-Civil-War-revenge portion of the game.
And the airships! The airships are wonderful. They are probably my favorite airships ever, due in no small part to the sheer technical excellence of Monk's writing ("The ship's frame screeched under the strain of the dive, her tin bones singing out like a hundred wet fingers over fine crystal"), and how lyrically and extensively they are described. Let us pause here now for the wanton Thank You For Awesome Worldbuilding Dance.
*shimmies*
And just like in the first book, randomly lovely details appear unexpectedly but consistently, now with the added bonus of Captain Hink, who is hilarious. There is also a scene I am not going to spoil for you, but will simply say that it seemed an entirely accurate portrayal of what happens when a hero tries to get his swerve on while the rest of his airship crew is trying to sleep in the same room.
The disconnect between the steampunk Western and the dark fairy stories I felt in the first book don't appear in this one, mainly because the steampunk Western section has clobbered the fairy story into submission. The fairies kind of do their dark and evil thing around the edges of this great big glorious steampunk Western with AIRSHIPS, which I don't think I mentioned that I loved more than a day off, because I am very picky about my AIRSHIPS and having thought it over these are definitely my favorite AIRSHIPS ever.
I did kind of wish that the Madder brothers had had a larger role in the story, and I did object to a major impetus of the story being a thing that happened to one of the characters that I am only going to say HOY, ICEBOX (aka Booker, Catch!) at, which is why we are not seeing our elusive special friend Mr Fifth Star here. But seriously, there is so much *zzzzzip bang! whoosh!* here, and so much action and adventure (AIRSHIPS!) and so many beautiful things that I am hard-pressed to complain.
*recommences worldbuilding dance*
Let's start with how this book opens in the super-fun part of Happily Ever After, namely the bit that comes after that, when everything's gone to hell. I LOVE THIS. AUTHORS: DO MORE OF THIS.
No wait, let's start with how this book was everything I really wanted Bioshock: Infinite to be that it wasn't. I really felt some strong parallels between Booker DeWitt and Cedar Hunt, and Alabaster Saint and Zachary Comstock, and the whole corrupt-general-looking-for-post-Civil-War-revenge portion of the game.
And the airships! The airships are wonderful. They are probably my favorite airships ever, due in no small part to the sheer technical excellence of Monk's writing ("The ship's frame screeched under the strain of the dive, her tin bones singing out like a hundred wet fingers over fine crystal"), and how lyrically and extensively they are described. Let us pause here now for the wanton Thank You For Awesome Worldbuilding Dance.
*shimmies*
And just like in the first book, randomly lovely details appear unexpectedly but consistently, now with the added bonus of Captain Hink, who is hilarious. There is also a scene I am not going to spoil for you, but will simply say that it seemed an entirely accurate portrayal of what happens when a hero tries to get his swerve on while the rest of his airship crew is trying to sleep in the same room.
The disconnect between the steampunk Western and the dark fairy stories I felt in the first book don't appear in this one, mainly because the steampunk Western section has clobbered the fairy story into submission. The fairies kind of do their dark and evil thing around the edges of this great big glorious steampunk Western with AIRSHIPS, which I don't think I mentioned that I loved more than a day off, because I am very picky about my AIRSHIPS and having thought it over these are definitely my favorite AIRSHIPS ever.
I did kind of wish that the Madder brothers had had a larger role in the story, and I did object to a major impetus of the story being a thing that happened to one of the characters that I am only going to say HOY, ICEBOX (aka Booker, Catch!) at, which is why we are not seeing our elusive special friend Mr Fifth Star here. But seriously, there is so much *zzzzzip bang! whoosh!* here, and so much action and adventure (AIRSHIPS!) and so many beautiful things that I am hard-pressed to complain.
*recommences worldbuilding dance*
August 3, 2013
4.5 stars. I liked this one even better than the first. Lots of action, we got to know the characters even more and there was certainly character development, and two budding romances as distant secondary story lines. If I had a negative it would be that I'd like a bit more action on the romance front but the story didn't suffer for the slow pace and lack of detail in that regard.
Airships abound in this book and it's great! I love the steampunk elements and lore in this series and how Monk has combined the steam with the magic. I love the way she's woven the magic and supernatural through the lore, even the way the good guys have and use magic is gritty - down and dirty.
I loved the dialog in this book. Not only did it afford some wonderful character development but I found myself laughing out loud on more than a few occasions. Monk uses the dialog to help set the world building, the tone of the story, and the period, in an entirely engrossing and believable way that had me giving accents to each character in my head.
Although I have other new releases waiting for me I'm going to jump right into book 3, which is the only other one currently out in this series, because it's just that good.
Airships abound in this book and it's great! I love the steampunk elements and lore in this series and how Monk has combined the steam with the magic. I love the way she's woven the magic and supernatural through the lore, even the way the good guys have and use magic is gritty - down and dirty.
I loved the dialog in this book. Not only did it afford some wonderful character development but I found myself laughing out loud on more than a few occasions. Monk uses the dialog to help set the world building, the tone of the story, and the period, in an entirely engrossing and believable way that had me giving accents to each character in my head.
Although I have other new releases waiting for me I'm going to jump right into book 3, which is the only other one currently out in this series, because it's just that good.
June 27, 2013
Tin Swift picks up a few weeks after the end of the first book. It continues the adventures of Cedar and Company as they trek east, each with their own purposes for doing so. Like book one, Tin Swift continues to tell the story from the third person POV of Cedar, Mae, and Rose however there are some new characters this time around and two of them also get added into the POV mix. The result, sadly (at least for me), is a decrease in the POV chapters from Mae and Rose. One thing that I enjoy about this series is its strong women and I hate to lose any time with them. We do get some exciting airship battles so I can't complain too much. There is some romance but it's not a huge part of the story which worked out fine for me as this is primarily an adventure tale.
October 2, 2016
I enjoy a good western. I love SiFi. I am beginning to read Steampunk SiFi and really liking it. I occasionally enjoy a good supernatural/horror story. This series does all that for me. A superb blending of all these different story types. Good solid entertaining read with interesting characters and story line. Very recommended
December 21, 2015
Okay, it could have been less than 5 stars due to what feels like a rushed end... However, the action and writing was so intense in the last 80 pages or so that it got me hooked to all characters and I can't wait to read the last volume! Goodreads once again :-)
September 11, 2021
Another I finished a while ago. Unfortunately I'm finding that I tend to do other things and less reading when stuck at home which is somewhat paradoxical. I guess Light Rail was good for more than just getting from Point A to Point B. LOL
Nice continuation of the series.
Nice continuation of the series.
February 18, 2015
Another 5-star Roller Coaster Ride from Devon Monk! Is Tin Swift great literature? Nah. But is it a whole lotta fun, written well, developed well, and filled with excitement, cover to cover? Yep! If anything, Tin Swift is even better than the first book of this series, Dead Iron, so it gets a full 5 stars from me for pure entertainment value.
Again, the setting is an alternate steampunk version of America and the westward expansion, as it never was, of course, but as it is cleverly re-imagined to have been. The book begins with the same group of players from Dead Iron, on their journey to take the witch, Mae, back to her coven who are calling (forcing) her home through some pretty wicked mind games that nearly destroy her. This doesn’t sit well with our hero, Cedar Hunt, who is definitely sweet on Mae. And their journey is made even harder by the evil Mr. Shunt, who has managed to pull himself back together–literally, with needle and thread–in order to chase them down and wreak havoc at every turn. (Did I mention that Mr. Shunt is one of the scariest Bad Guys I’ve ever read about? Geesh, he makes me shiver!)
Battles and drama ensue, and new characters are introduced, all with a flair for pulling readers into this world. Devon Monk has a way with words that I really enjoy. She often uses very elegant phrasing to describe the most ordinary of things. Height: “Hink scraped up a full six foot, three inches, and had shoulders that took the sides off doorways if he wasn’t mindful.” Daybreak: “Dawn had taken the bruise off the night…” The sky: “Morning had chalked clouds across the sky.” I purely love unexpected phrases of this nature, so the book gets an extra point for that style of writing alone.
If you are only familiar with Devon Monk’s Allie Beckstrom series, you might be very surprised with this one. I read the first Beckstrom book and was pretty much “Meh,” about it, myself, though it seems to have a very big following. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t think the book was bad, or anything. More that it was something I just wasn’t compelled to pursue, and there were a few things in it really annoyed me, though that was more to do with the premise of the book and rules regulating magic, than poor writing. The Age of Steam series, however, shows a completely different side of Monk’s writing skills. Her voice is stronger, her prose more eloquent, and the excitement and pacing much, much better. At least in my opinion, which I get to express here, because hey…my blog. ;)
If you want your rip-roaring adventures to coincide with some well-developed characters and thoughtful relationships, this series is loads of fun. I was so impressed with Dead Iron that I ordered Twin Swift and Cold Copper at the same time, and have just started the latter. When I finish that one, I suspect I’m going to be very antsy for the next in the series to be made available. The Age of Steam is completely addictive!
Bookin' It
Again, the setting is an alternate steampunk version of America and the westward expansion, as it never was, of course, but as it is cleverly re-imagined to have been. The book begins with the same group of players from Dead Iron, on their journey to take the witch, Mae, back to her coven who are calling (forcing) her home through some pretty wicked mind games that nearly destroy her. This doesn’t sit well with our hero, Cedar Hunt, who is definitely sweet on Mae. And their journey is made even harder by the evil Mr. Shunt, who has managed to pull himself back together–literally, with needle and thread–in order to chase them down and wreak havoc at every turn. (Did I mention that Mr. Shunt is one of the scariest Bad Guys I’ve ever read about? Geesh, he makes me shiver!)
Battles and drama ensue, and new characters are introduced, all with a flair for pulling readers into this world. Devon Monk has a way with words that I really enjoy. She often uses very elegant phrasing to describe the most ordinary of things. Height: “Hink scraped up a full six foot, three inches, and had shoulders that took the sides off doorways if he wasn’t mindful.” Daybreak: “Dawn had taken the bruise off the night…” The sky: “Morning had chalked clouds across the sky.” I purely love unexpected phrases of this nature, so the book gets an extra point for that style of writing alone.
If you are only familiar with Devon Monk’s Allie Beckstrom series, you might be very surprised with this one. I read the first Beckstrom book and was pretty much “Meh,” about it, myself, though it seems to have a very big following. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t think the book was bad, or anything. More that it was something I just wasn’t compelled to pursue, and there were a few things in it really annoyed me, though that was more to do with the premise of the book and rules regulating magic, than poor writing. The Age of Steam series, however, shows a completely different side of Monk’s writing skills. Her voice is stronger, her prose more eloquent, and the excitement and pacing much, much better. At least in my opinion, which I get to express here, because hey…my blog. ;)
If you want your rip-roaring adventures to coincide with some well-developed characters and thoughtful relationships, this series is loads of fun. I was so impressed with Dead Iron that I ordered Twin Swift and Cold Copper at the same time, and have just started the latter. When I finish that one, I suspect I’m going to be very antsy for the next in the series to be made available. The Age of Steam is completely addictive!
Bookin' It
November 7, 2012
3.5 stars. There was a lot to love about this book. It started with what might be the most stunning cover I've ever seen, I really couldn't get enough of looking at it. It's really even better in person than the picture you're seeing on the Internet, especially because the colors are more subtle. I don't know why so many covers get brighter when they're put online by the publishers but this one is much better in in real life, get it and see.
And the cover really captures the book, the danger and the adventure, the Old West meets Streampunk nature of the stories, and the ship. The ship the best character in the book, it's no wonder the book is named after her; she was just cool. And her captain, Hink, was a great new character, vivid and bold, almost larger than life, but with a lot of depth developed throughout the book as well.
Unfortunately, in contrast the rest of the characters suffered. Even though Cedar should be the hero and this should be the his book, it felt like he's so freaked out by his situation and holding back his emotions so much that his voice in the story is really passive. He's still just responding to everything that happens to him, demands that are placed upon him. Hink was much more vivid after one chapter than Cedar was after the whole book. Cedar is still the strong, silent type, but as a character in a book that doesn't work so well, I still feel like I don't know him very well. I know some things about him, but I don't know him.
And the clever, bold women that I loved so much in the first book were both ill in one way or another throughout this book so much that I barely got any sense of who they were at all. I wanted to see Rose as a hero, devising and fixing things, not waiting around and being hurt. The romance that she got in this book was nice but not what makes Rose so special. And the same with Mae to a degree. While I understand plot-wise why she had to be so driven to get back to Kansas, reading about a strong, clever woman being so lost and confused wasn't that fun. Both woman had their moments in the sun, don't get me wrong, but overall I just missed them. The fun of reading a series is getting to see your favorite characters and mine were out of commission for a lot of this book, weakened or changed so much that they were almost unrecognizable from their normal, vibrant selves.
But the ships and the air battles were super cool. Shunt was a really creepy villain, well worth everything Cedar goes through to battle him. Hink and his crew were a great addition to the story. And overall it was just a lot of fun. Plus did I mention that cover? Stunning, just stunning. You can see more of Cliff Nielson's art by clicking here.
And the cover really captures the book, the danger and the adventure, the Old West meets Streampunk nature of the stories, and the ship. The ship the best character in the book, it's no wonder the book is named after her; she was just cool. And her captain, Hink, was a great new character, vivid and bold, almost larger than life, but with a lot of depth developed throughout the book as well.
Unfortunately, in contrast the rest of the characters suffered. Even though Cedar should be the hero and this should be the his book, it felt like he's so freaked out by his situation and holding back his emotions so much that his voice in the story is really passive. He's still just responding to everything that happens to him, demands that are placed upon him. Hink was much more vivid after one chapter than Cedar was after the whole book. Cedar is still the strong, silent type, but as a character in a book that doesn't work so well, I still feel like I don't know him very well. I know some things about him, but I don't know him.
And the clever, bold women that I loved so much in the first book were both ill in one way or another throughout this book so much that I barely got any sense of who they were at all. I wanted to see Rose as a hero, devising and fixing things, not waiting around and being hurt. The romance that she got in this book was nice but not what makes Rose so special. And the same with Mae to a degree. While I understand plot-wise why she had to be so driven to get back to Kansas, reading about a strong, clever woman being so lost and confused wasn't that fun. Both woman had their moments in the sun, don't get me wrong, but overall I just missed them. The fun of reading a series is getting to see your favorite characters and mine were out of commission for a lot of this book, weakened or changed so much that they were almost unrecognizable from their normal, vibrant selves.
But the ships and the air battles were super cool. Shunt was a really creepy villain, well worth everything Cedar goes through to battle him. Hink and his crew were a great addition to the story. And overall it was just a lot of fun. Plus did I mention that cover? Stunning, just stunning. You can see more of Cliff Nielson's art by clicking here.
January 14, 2015
I am still firmly on the fence about this series. I was hoping that book two would push me over into the “I love this series!” category. It didn’t.
Monk is really good at writing action scenes. They move quickly and are packed full of violence. Just the way I like ‘em. She’s also not afraid to permanently maim or kill her characters. Another trait I appreciate. Another pro is that Monk doesn’t get bogged down in the steampunk aspect of her stories. The steampunk devices just flow naturally throughout the story.
However, instead of character development or finally learning characters’ back stories, Monk added new characters. Granted, I liked the new characters better than the original ones, but we need to know Cedar and Wil’s back stories. It’s not suspenseful or mysterious, it’s annoying. Also, there are still huge holes in the world building. Huge holes. Things we need to know to continue believing the story-lines.
No matter how much I like battle scenes, this series could really, really, really use some fleshing out. I’m going to read the next one because the library had it, but I’m beginning to lose faith that it’ll be a keeper.
Monk is really good at writing action scenes. They move quickly and are packed full of violence. Just the way I like ‘em. She’s also not afraid to permanently maim or kill her characters. Another trait I appreciate. Another pro is that Monk doesn’t get bogged down in the steampunk aspect of her stories. The steampunk devices just flow naturally throughout the story.
However, instead of character development or finally learning characters’ back stories, Monk added new characters. Granted, I liked the new characters better than the original ones, but we need to know Cedar and Wil’s back stories. It’s not suspenseful or mysterious, it’s annoying. Also, there are still huge holes in the world building. Huge holes. Things we need to know to continue believing the story-lines.
No matter how much I like battle scenes, this series could really, really, really use some fleshing out. I’m going to read the next one because the library had it, but I’m beginning to lose faith that it’ll be a keeper.
September 22, 2015
I don't know if I am just burnt out from reading too many books in a row but something seemed off about this one. Don't get me wrong, the characters are cool, the villians are evil and disgusting, the world is fascinating etc, etc.. At one point in the story the action takes off and just keeps on going and going and going with these choppily writtent scene. Also, I didn't care for the instalove between Captain Hink and Rose, which wasn't very believable. I don't think I will be continuing on with this series. 3 stars because I still enjoy the characters and premise.
want-to-read-but-overpriced
February 11, 2012$9.99 at B&N for eBook!
November 12, 2017
A little while ago I read this nutty steampunk pseudo horror mystery western called Dead Iron. And it’s the sort of book that stick in your head just because of the pure raw imagination that went into it. And as I was looking for new book to read, I decided to look into the sequels. So here I am reviewing the second book in The Age of Steam series called Tin Swift by Devon Monk.
The book picks up about a month after the first book drops off. Cedar Hunt our werewolf bounty hunter for hire, is traveling with a ragtag group across the western states to Kansas. The goal is to get Mae, who is a witch, to her coven. If they don’t get her there fast enough her brains will be scrambled for good as a broken binding spell between her and her husband is sending her into dementia. The group runs across a town an town. There everyone is dead. It isn’t until its tool late that Cedar realizes the copses are infected with the "Strange," allowing clockwork to grow inside of them. And the dead soon rise with the goal to tear them apart. They fight a noble battle to get out alive and only by dumb luck does an airship fly over and give them a hand. But they do not escape entirely. A member of their group, Rose is critically injured and infected with some of the strange. Also the captain of the ship Marshal Hink, has a number of air pirates chasing him, who want him dead leading to more trouble. Ultimately the two story lines tie together.
The good? Imagination is wonderful. There’s nothing else really like it. Between the airship pirate battles, shoot outs, and clockwork living dead abominations, its hard to not appreciate the craziness of it. The story is great.
The bad? Devon Monk is a wonderful author where a sparks of imagination surely erupts into wildfires. But she suffers from some problems Frank Beddor had when he wrote the Looking Glass Wars. She’s not very good with detail. Scenes with our clockwork living dead could have been much scarier and downright creepy of there more detail. The action scenes moved quickly jarring the reader to re read parts. And steam punk world need more fleshing out. This was a problem. I hoped she would improve on after book one but sadly didn’t.
Overall, it’s a darn good read, but it does have it problem. The lack of detail really does force the reader to full I the blanks here and there. But that is a very small complaint when set against the wildly fun tale here.
Overall Rating: Air Pirates, Werewolves, and Clockwork Monsters. Oh my.
3 smoothie out of four.
November 10, 2024
Cedar Hunt is traveling with the Madder brothers, his brother Wil, Rose and Mae, headed to Kansas to Mae's witch sisters to remove the binding that draws her back to them with such insistence that it is slowly taking over her mind. Cedar has agreed to help the Madders find the pieces of the Holder, the magic object so powerfully destructive that it can destroy the world. Their first stop is to resupply in the town of Vicinity. But when they get there they discover that the people of the town have all been killed and turned into zombie-like undead by a piece of the Holder. Outnumbered in the battle, they are rescued by Captain Hink of the airship Tin Swift, and thus begins another adventure with new characters.
This book was much better than the first one, a more solid story and more engaging characters, with lots more action and even a touch of romance. I loved the ship and its rogue Captain, and am looking forward to the third book!
This book was much better than the first one, a more solid story and more engaging characters, with lots more action and even a touch of romance. I loved the ship and its rogue Captain, and am looking forward to the third book!
May 23, 2023
I have been a fan of Devon Monk for quite some time. I like how she has her different voices for each of eight [so far] series. This series is steampunk western. I enjoyed book one a few years ago then waited to be in the right mood for book two. They are on my keeper shelf.
Sometimes I have voices narrate a book as I read them. This one had the cast from Firefly, the wonderful and sadly short-lived television series. It was a perfect chorus in my cranium.
This story has an intriguing premise, great characters, dialogue that sparks, and the chemistry between the characters is sublime.
The bad is creepy bad and there are so many different big- bads in this book. This was my back patio book which meant I read it in daylight which was good for me and my vivid imagination.
I can highly recommend this book, series and author.
Sometimes I have voices narrate a book as I read them. This one had the cast from Firefly, the wonderful and sadly short-lived television series. It was a perfect chorus in my cranium.
This story has an intriguing premise, great characters, dialogue that sparks, and the chemistry between the characters is sublime.
The bad is creepy bad and there are so many different big- bads in this book. This was my back patio book which meant I read it in daylight which was good for me and my vivid imagination.
I can highly recommend this book, series and author.
July 17, 2017
Basic Plot: Cedar Hunt and company are on the trail of the Holder and find themselves aboard the Tin Swift, Captain Hink Cage's airship, and on the bad side on a disgraced Southern general who also wants the Holder.
The characters continue to intrigue me. The plot held steady, and I loved the descriptions of the airships. The Madder brothers make for some really funny deus ex machinae, which is a plot device I still hate, but since I was rather expecting it, somehow didn't mind it so much here.
I am very curious as to how on earth the author can have the crew find only one part of the Holder (there are 7 total) in this book, yet there's only one book left in the series. These characters are going to be hopping in that final book.
The characters continue to intrigue me. The plot held steady, and I loved the descriptions of the airships. The Madder brothers make for some really funny deus ex machinae, which is a plot device I still hate, but since I was rather expecting it, somehow didn't mind it so much here.
I am very curious as to how on earth the author can have the crew find only one part of the Holder (there are 7 total) in this book, yet there's only one book left in the series. These characters are going to be hopping in that final book.
November 20, 2018
An enjoyable continuation of this fantasy/steampunk/western amalgamation! We not only continue to follow Ceder, Mae, Rose, and the Madder brothers, but are also joined by Wil the wolf and the introduction to Captain Hink of the airship "Swift" (hence the title.) I always love the airship parts of steampunk and this book has plenty of chases, narrow escapes, and burgeoning romance to keep you turning pages. The only downside is that the book's beginning is very abrupt and may leave you wondering how they got to this event. Apparently there is a novella that takes place just before this which should be read to bridge the gap between "Dead Iron" and "Tin Swift." However, I still enjoyed the story and looking forward to the next installment.
Read
January 5, 2022In this second book of Monk's Age of Steam series, werewolf Cedar Hunt is part of a group, including the Madder Brothers, Cedar's brother Wil, and Rose Small, trying to return Mae to her sisters in the coven before they drive her mad. Their trek takes them to a village destroyed by the Strange, where Cedar senses not just the Holder, a mysterious and dangerous other-world object, but also the demonic Mr. Shunt, who Cedar thought he'd killed once and for all. Rescue comes in the form of Captain Hink, airship pilot and Marshall, who is on a mission of his own. I didn't find this book as strong as the first, and the ending seemed a bit rushed, but overall Monk's steam punk/alt. history series is a guilty pleasure. On to book 3!Show lessEdit comment for Tin SwiftRemove comment for Tin Swift
March 18, 2017
So good. SO. GOOD. I really liked the first book, but if I had any doubts, they were erased by the sequel. The story opened intensely and kept up a fantastic pace until the explosive ending. This story was steampunk at its heart with daring chases, rescues, constant peril, romance, and an ending that honestly kept me up at night. I couldn't have put it down if I wanted to. Favourite characters like Cedar, Mae, Rose, and the Madder brothers returned, and we were introduced to new characters like Captain Hink, who is my absolute favourite airship captain EVER. Everything you want in a captain, he's got it. Then there were the villains, who were beyond devious and evil. Terrifying and fantastic to read about. The story took a slow point just past the halfway mark, but I was still immersed because it was filled with passion, tenderness, and built to a battle of epic proportions. I felt like I was right there with the characters. There's so much uniqueness to this book and this series in general. I honestly can't recommend it highly enough to anyone who enjoys supernatural steampunk adventures with daring airship captains. Best thing is, this book holds well as a standalone. But why would you do that to yourself when there are two other books to snare your attention and take you on more wild adventures?
August 7, 2024
A very good follow up to the first of the series. Similar but different; there appears to be only three in the series, which seems like a missed trick, given there's seven of an item to track down. Book 2 adds airships and sky-mining and a whole other dimension to the first book, moving it away from Wild West and more steampunk/airship.
January 22, 2019
It is a great continuation of the story. It helps to establish the scope of the quest that Cedar is on and brings together lots of different characters. The interactions between characters are fun and interesting and the ending has drama and realism.
September 29, 2019
My chief objection to Book 1 in this series was the amount of time spent in the mind of the Bad Guy. This book spends more time than I liked in the mind of the Big Bad, but I found the balance better and didn't object as much. Plot is moving ahead, I am intrigued to see where it goes.
July 28, 2018
I’m a big Devon Monk fan. This series has an exciting storyline and wicked bad villains tied together with steampunk.
September 3, 2018
The continuing saga where Steampunk meets Western and Magic. Now we've added Airships! Truly enjoying Devon Monk's writing style and the richness of characters.
January 7, 2019
Cannot wait to read the next book.
January 19, 2019
Loved it!
I adore this series. I'm always looking forward to a new character to be introduced because they are so varied and interesting. Can't wait for the next book!
I adore this series. I'm always looking forward to a new character to be introduced because they are so varied and interesting. Can't wait for the next book!
February 4, 2019
Exciting series
I hope this series is going to continue. Never a dull moment with engrossing characters that make you want more.
I hope this series is going to continue. Never a dull moment with engrossing characters that make you want more.
February 9, 2019
Intriguing
I was constantly fascinated by the way things were always working out. Some of the parts were a bit hard toread but the rest was so fascinating it offset them.
I was constantly fascinated by the way things were always working out. Some of the parts were a bit hard toread but the rest was so fascinating it offset them.
March 24, 2019
The series could have stopped at the end of this book - it was that much HFN - but there is still work to do, Strange to fight. Great series, glad I have Book 3 handy. :)
July 30, 2020
Just a great series! Looking forward to Cold Copper!
Just a great series! Looking forward to Cold Copper!
Release the ropes, and let's head for the sky! Glim on!
Just a great series! Looking forward to Cold Copper!
Release the ropes, and let's head for the sky! Glim on!
August 8, 2021
A riveting fast-paced adventure that is sure to excite many steampunk fans.
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