Agatha H. and the Airship City

Girl Genius, Book 1

By: Phil Foglio, Kaja Foglio

Narrated by: Angela Dawe

Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

The Industrial Revolution has escalated into all-out warfare. Sixteen years have passed since the Heterodyne Boys, benevolent adventurers and inventors, disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Today, Europe is ruled by the Sparks, dynasties of mad scientists ruling over - and terrorizing - the hapless population with their bizarre inventions and unchecked power, while the downtrodden dream of the Heterodynes’ return.

At Transylvania Polygnostic University, a pretty, young student named Agatha Clay seems to have nothing but bad luck. Incapable of building anything that actually works, but dedicated to her studies, Agatha seems destined for a lackluster career as a minor lab assistant. But when the university is overthrown by the ruthless tyrant Baron Klaus Wulfenbach, Agatha finds herself a prisoner aboard his massive airship Castle Wulfenbach - and it begins to look like she might carry a spark of Mad Science after all.

From Phil and Kaja Foglio, creators of the Hugo, Eagle, and Eisner Award-nominated webcomic Girl Genius, comes Agatha H. and the Airship City, a gaslamp fantasy filled to bursting with Adventure! - Romance! - and Mad Science!

©2011 Phil Foglio (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Good story, passable reading

The story is great, and the narration is clear & understandable — the only issue is that the reader just cannot do different voices as well as they think they can.

Steampunk Adventure

Slow to start but with continued interest this book takes the reader on an adventure through a new dystopian future complete with airships, sword battle, new friendships, and Discovery. A wonderfully written joy to listen and dream.

A brilliant transition for the Professors Foglio!

Fantastic narration brings life to this wonderfully lively adaptation of the Girl Genius world! If you're a newcomer to this gaslamp fantasy epic, this is a great way to introduce yourself to the bombastic narrative that has won many Hugo awards over the years. If you're an old fan of the work done by Phil and Kaya Foglio (as I am), this book and the others in the series do an amazing job of filling in those little details you'd always wondered about while reading Girl Genius (or re-reading for the dozenth time).

Enjoyable Surprise

Any additional comments?

I usually go for urban fantasy or historical fiction, but thought I'd try steampunk for a change of pace. Turned out to be a pretty light, fun listen. Combine Stephanie Plum, Buck Rogers, and Mel Brooks, and you'd end up with something close. Deep literature, no. Enjoyable and credit worthy, yes.

Read the comic, buy the book!

Would you listen to Agatha H and the Airship City again? Why?

Yes, I thought the narrator did an adequate job of transferring the characters voices and personalities to the book form. Though to get the full impact I suggest whoever buys this book to read the online comic first three volumes either before or after listening to this book or you might miss a lot of the humor which I don't think transfers perfectly to the book.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the added back story that some of the characters get in this novelization that it took us years to learn about in the online webcomic. Girl Genius. In the prologue we learn things about the Hetyrodynes that we don't learn till volumes later in the comic. And we get more back story for some characters.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes, my only real problem with the narration was when the narrator tried to express the madness voice of the Spark characters when they where in The Madness Place, if you've read the comic book online you know what I mean, the Sparks came out more whiny then on the edge of madness. Also the robots came out nasal and not at all robotic. Other than those two complains I'm pretty satisfied how she made the different personality of voice for the different characters. Hopefully her clank voices and Sparks in the grip of Genius /madness will improve with he next novel.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The confrontation between Agatha and Von Zinzer about his brother. Also Klauses confrontation with Adam and Lillith about what he did after he came back and what happened to the Hytrodynes and where they went.

Any additional comments?

Uthar's Foul! Needs to be more forceful in the future. Like a yell, it comes of weaker in the audiobook than its depiction in the webcomic. Considering whats happening when it happens, kicked when he's down, pushed off a flying machine stronger is better when he says Foul.

Girl Genius is a Glamtamerous Steamlamp Fantasy!

What did you love best about Agatha H and the Airship City?

I am a fan of the webcomic, and I have bought some of the prints. It's my favorite comic ever!

fun melodrama

Written like the Saturday matinee serials. Rapid fire twists and turns with cliffhangers to keep the reader engaged. Lots of action and lots of humor. Plethora of characters, each larger than life. Keep track of all the characters because they will reappear in the other two books. Just plain fun.
One of my favorites that I return to from time to time, always find new details.

Enjoyable Story

I'm not sure I know what it is: a children's story with killing; a German fairy tale; or a Jasper Forde knock-off. But, the story is interesting, and the narrator is excellent. The author's spend more time letting us know the character's mindset than they do describing their appearances, so you have to use your own imagination to visualize how some of the characters really look, or maybe it's just that your visualizations of the character's appearence seems to change as the book progresses. I'll likely buy book 2.

Hilarious series

If you love steampunk and want to hear a series with mechanical geniuses, giant metal monsters in a coming of age story then this is a great series. If you just don’t get steampunk you will never get the charm of this series. It can get a bit crazy and confusing.

Darn Good Yarn

What made the experience of listening to Agatha H and the Airship City the most enjoyable?

The story line held my interest from beginning to the end..

What was one of the most memorable moments of Agatha H and the Airship City?

It's hard to say what what is the most memorable moments as the book moves so fast that I enjoyed all if it.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Agatha realised her power was what it was.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme action but it was a book I will listen to over and over.

Any additional comments?

When will you publish more of Girl Genius books by Phil Foglio , Kaja Foglio?