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Thursday 3 April 2014

Steampunk Review: 'Emperor's Edge' Short Stories by Lindsay Buroker



Ive been catching up with a few short reads these past few days, which does wonders for the tbr list. Theres not enough to say about these to justify a review each, so Ive gathered them into a compilation.

Shadows Over Innocence (Emperors Edge 0.5)

A nice little short story giving a glimpse into the background of Sicarius the emotionless assassin and Sespian the future Emperor as a child. One for the fans, and best read after some of the Emperor's Edge series to fully appreciate the nuances. Two stars.

Ice Cracker II and other stories (Emperors Edge 1.5)

The Frozen Water Trade, Through Fire Distilled, Ice Cracker II

These are fun, light-hearted reads which follow a similar formula: Amaranthe is going about her business when she stumbles across a dead body or an exploded machine, leading her to investigate, whereupon things get much, much worse. Two stories feature Sicarius, and one has Books in it (but sadly theres no sign of Maldynado). Three stars.

The Assassins Curse (Emperors Edge 2.5)

A nice spooky haunted island is the star attraction here. Amaranthe and Sicarius are training in the lake when they spot something odd going on. Can Amaranthe resist investigating? Of course not. This leads to an encounter with another of the authors ingenious steam-powered machines, and the usual implausible but entertaining fight scene. Three stars.

All of these are recommended for fans of the Emperors Edge series, although there isnt a whole lot of backstory revealed. Theyre also a pretty good introduction to the authors steampunk world and mayhem-and-explosion-rich style of adventure.

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