This is the second book in The Extraordinaires series.
Oh oh oh, you know I love Michael Pryor Books, now I just need pay day to rock around so I can get this one, that and for it to be out. It has an April release date.
Yes, yes we all know I am a huge fan of Michael Pryor and so it seems obvious that I would be looking forward to his next offering. Now just to make you all aware of it, here is the new book trailer.
As I’m going to not be posting between now and the new year I thought I would put my top picks of this year down now.
These aren’t the only ones I loved and there is no order to them, they are simply some of the ones released this year as far as I know that stand out in my mind.
Picture Books
The Flying Orchestra – Clare McFadden
The Last Viking – Norman Jorgensen/James Foley
The Jewelfish of Karnak – Graeme Base
Fiction 4-9
Violet Mackeral’s Natural Habitat – Anna Branford
Mystery in Paris – Thea Stilton (As with the rest of the series)
The Amazing Voyage – Geronimo Stilton (really I love the whole series)
Fiction 8 – 12
Eight Keys – Suzanne LaFleur
The Medusa Plot – Gordon Korman
Wonderstruck – Brain Selznick
Young Adult Fiction
Daughter of Smoke and Bone – Laini Taylor
The Extraordinaires – Michael Pryor
Mastiff – Tamora Pierce
Book one of The Extraordinaires series
Kingsley Ward had left home to pursue a career as a stage magician. It doesn’t start well. In fact it couldn’t have started much worse. Instead of amazing the audience with his sleight of hand and death-defying escapology, his first real performance ends in disaster. He loses control of his hidden wolfish nature. In steps Evadne Stephens, juggler, inventor and weaponsmith, who has decided to take an interest in Kingsley. As his hopes and dreams look likely to collapse, Kingsley’s father is abducted and his home ransacked.
Kingsley finds himself swept into a world that had previously been hidden from him, called the Demimonde. Some of the residents of the Demimonde have more than a passing interest in Kingsley though, and he finds himself targeted by two warring factions: the immortal magicians with nefarious plans for mayhem and little interest in Kingsley’s survival; and the last of the Neanderthals who are working on a plan to wipe out the human race once and for all.
Kingsley is not alone as Evadne proves far more resourceful and talented than he could ever have guessed. Also the famous author, Rudyard Kipling, is keen to help, though Kingsley isn’t sure why.
Michael Pryor has a way with first sentences, they just draw me in – Kingsley Ward’s wolfishness was a problem. If it weren’t the howling, it was the occasional desire to bite boorish people, which was rarely acceptable, no matter how boorish the boor.
This world that has been put before us is more familiar than Albion from the Laws of Magic series and yet in some ways more bizarre. The Demimonde is extensive, dark and just as layered as the surface world.
Kingsley’s animal nature holds him apart from many around him. The addition of Kipling gives Kingsley’s character yet another dimension. Underneath it all Kingsley is a nice person who struggles with his own secrets and loves to challenge himself. His magic skills add to his mystery and are a useful tool when he finds himself in certain situations. His willingness to accept Evadne’s capabilities is a trait that Pryor gives several of his male characters and this is a wonderful treat as it allows the female characters to stand on their own and in some cases really shine.
Evadne is in someways very open, she knows herself well, and in other ways she is very guarded. She has depths and strengths that make her interesting. I love the way she is the one who creates the weapons. For me proactive females in a story are a huge plus and Pryor has once again delivered on that front.
As the story weaves together from various points of view, a more fully realised landscape is laid out for us. I love the way the sinister and bizarre are blended seemlessly in through the mundane. As with other of this authors novels, there is more than one story thread going on and as always Pryor handles them deftly in a manner that never comes across as confusing. If you love steampunk, old school performance magic and fascinating characters definitely give this a try. Highly recommended.
Publisher: Random House Australia
Published: 1 December 2011
Format: Paperback 376 pages
Categories: Steampunk Fantasy
ISBN 13: 9781864718201
Here is the trailer for The Extinction Gambit – The Extraordinaires, by Michael Pryor, due for release in December.
I totally cannot wait for this book, I love Michael Pryor’s Laws Of Magic Series.
I received this book from Random House
Hour of Need
By: Michael Pryor
Laws of Magic series bk 6
(Spoiler Alert if you haven’t finished book 5)
Aubrey Fitzwilliam is considered a renegade and traitor in his own land. instead of seeking to right this problem he chooses to track down his enemy Dr Mordecai Tremaine. To do this he ventures deep into the heart of enemy territory and finally has Tremaine in his crosshairs. Things seldom go smoothly for Aubrey though and what he uncovers at Tremaine’s base leaves him wondering and very worried. He has known for a while that his enemy was seeking immortality and that the path to that is a bloody one, but what Tremaine appears to be doing to attain his goal leaves Aubrey’s blood running cold.
A terrifying combination of electrical science and cutting edge but soul shattering magic seems destined to bring the world far closer to destruction than most people realise. Only Aubrey appears to grasp what is going on and how much is at stake.To stop Tremaine may cost Aubrey the very life he fought so long to save. Fortunately Aubrey isn’t alone.
Wow, what a way to end a series.
I feel I should warn you I may gush a little here but this is the final book in this series so I am going to talk about the things I loved about these books.
Aubrey, for all his ability is a very thoughtful and moral character, though he is in no way perfect. He doesn’t always know the answer but he always tries. He stands for what he believes and does what needs to be done without much thought about personal accolades, he just doesn’t want to let his friends or family down.
George is a wonderful counterpoint to Aubrey, in so many ways. He is in no way considered less by Aubrey because he has no magic, like a true friend Aubrey sees George’s strengths and abilities and he values his friend for them.
Caroline is a wonderful character. She is strong, smart and thoroughly enjoyable to read about, though like her friends she is in no way perfect. It is a real pleasure to find stories where the girls are strong of mind, will and ability. Where they are able to go toe to toe with the boys and in a manner that is indicative of equals. Caroline doesn’t need magic to stand side by side with Aubrey she just needs to be herself. In addition I’d like to mention the suffragette movement in these books. It never seemed preachy to me and I think that is a credit to Pryor and the way he developed and wrote Caroline, Lady Rose and Sophie.
Dr Mordecai Tremaine is all about power and self. He is not a character we ever like or even really understand, but as Aubrey tries to do just that, he comes to know more about himself. This really works on two levels; the character development of Aubrey and in giving texture to the story as a whole.
These were the first steampunk novels I bought and I love them. I found myself totally immersed in the world Pryor created; the depth of character and a story wonderfully balanced with action, espionage, humour and humanity. These books are filled with light and shade. The labyrinthine layers to Tremaine’s plotting may have gotten confusing, clunky or even obvious in another’s hand, but Pryor never allows it to get that way. Cleverly and seemingly effortlessly (though I am sure it wasn’t) he weaves complex pieces together producing a fascinating and addictive read. I think I am going to miss these characters.
Publisher: Random House Australia
Published: 2 May 2011
Format: Paperback 437 pages
Categories: Adventure Crime Fantasy Steampunk
ISBN 13: 9781741663105
Purchase from Booktopia using logo on side of the page
By: Michael Pryor
Laws of Magic series bk 5
Albion is at war. As much as they had hoped to avoid it, war is upon them and Aubrey and George can’t sit back and do nothing. On the way to signing up they find themselves swept into roles at the Directorate, a joint force comprising of the Magic Department and the Secret Services. Aubrey believes he George and Caroline make the perfect combination for a special unit, though it appears the military hierarchy may have other ideas.
Before long Aubrey’s team find themselves in a far more precarious situation than their superiors believed it to be when they sent them in. Sent to establish a safe base and investigate mysterious magical emanations. Instead they discover something far more horrible than they could have imagined. Aubrey has to decide if they are going to obey their orders and just observe or step in and do all they can to prevent what will be a terrible bloodbath.
Aubrey is back and facing the weighty decision of how best to live up to his family name. He isn’t the sort of person who could or would sit back and allow others to step up when he is perfectly capable of doing something. He is a moral and forward thinking character who still remains somewhat unbalanced when around Caroline. His abilities make him powerful but he doesn’t revel in this, he takes pride in his abilities, accepting that it means he can he can step up. He is an example of the saying ‘with great power comes great responsibility’. Aubrey is the antithesis of his arch enemy Dr Tremaine. Tremaine is a great bad guy, he is canny, talented, super smart and totally ruthless.
Pryor has created a world that has depth and colour all of it’s own. The three central characters gel so well, they balance and ground each other and the addition of Sophie is an artful touch. It brings new energy to the team, with none of them seeming out of place. With a truly deft hand Pryor untangles layer upon layer of plotting, to bring problem after problem to the fore and creative solutions out of our heroes. (I’m sure Caroline would dislike the addition of the word heroine here). Then he leaves us with a final twist that had my hand desperately reaching for book 6.
Publisher: Random House Australia
Published: 02 August 2010
Format: Paperback 432 pages
Categories: Adventure Crime Science Fiction Fantasy
ISBN 13: 9781741663099
Purchase: here or click on Booktopia logo on side of the page
By: Michael Pryor
Laws of Magic Series Bk 4
Aubrey Fitzwilliam is taking part in the nobel pursuit of cricket, but it seems even something so ordinary cannot stay that way with Aubrey around. The magical attack when it comes is quite impressive. Then into Aubrey’s possession comes the mysterious Beccaria cage and it could be the solution Aubrey has been looking for – a way to reunite his soul and body once and for all. But then it could also be something else, hiding a secret agenda. Then something happens to Aubrey and he only narrowly manages to escape a terrible fate thanks to his friends George and Caroline. Then more decidedly unusual things start to happen and Aubrey decides he has only one real course of action – confront his nemesis Dr Tremaine.
With the ever trustworthy George and the dauntless Caroline at his side, Aubrey travels to Holmland’s capital Fisherberg. He is deep in the heart of hostile territory here yet with all things Aubrey gets entangled in it doesn’t stay focussed in one direction. Before he even arrives he is thrown off a train and finds himself mixed up in a plot involving brigands and black market weapons. As well as the usual magical conundrums and near death experiences there are ghosts to deal with. Can Aubrey deal with everything and do enough to prevent Dr Tremaine’s plotting before the world is plunged into war?
Another exciting and entertaining installment in the Laws of Magic Series. It is so easy to get swept away into the intrigues of this world and the smalled but none-the-less important issue of Aubrey’s great dilemma. There is sophisticated magic, quick thinking and characters that just work so incredibly well together all in a world bought to life through Pryor’s wonderfully steam punk descriptions. These were the first speampunk novels I read and I very quickly became addicted.
Publisher: Random House Australia
Published: 01 July 2010
Format: Paperback 432 pages
Categories:Adventure, Crime, Science Fiction, Fantasy
ISBN 13: 9781864718652
Purchase: here
