Lady of Devices: A Steampunk Adventure Novel

Magnificent Devices, Book 1

By: Shelley Adina

Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham

Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

London, 1889: Victoria is Queen. Charles Darwin's son is Prime Minister. And steam is the power that runs the world.

At 17, Claire Trevelyan, daughter of Viscount St. Ives, was expected to do nothing more than pour an elegant cup of tea, sew a fine seam, and catch a rich husband. Unfortunately, Claire's talents lie not in the ballroom, but in the chemistry lab, where things have a regrettable habit of blowing up. When her father gambles the estate on the combustion engine and loses, Claire finds herself down and out on the mean streets of London. But being a young woman of resources and intellect, she turns fortune on its head. It's not long before a new leader rises in the underworld, known only as the Lady of Devices...

When she meets Andrew Malvern, a member of the Royal Society of Engineers, she realizes her talents may encompass more than the invention of explosive devices. They may help her realize her dreams and his...if they can both stay alive long enough to see that sometimes the closest friendships can trigger the greatest betrayals....

©2011 Shelley Adina (P)2013 Shelley Adina

Wonderful start for this new series.

This is an engaging story that takes a totally new approach to the steampunk genre by setting it amongst the trials of a debutante whose family has suffered a catastrophe. Fiona Hardingham does a terrific job narrating this story and handling the variety of voices, both male and female, and running the full range from beggar to posh. Her narration added considerably to my enjoyment in listening to this tale, and I look forward to listening to other books In this series,mass well as by the author and the narrator.

Wonderful

I cannot wait to read more stories like this one. This is a fun adventure.

Fun Series to Lose Yourself In....

I love the steampunk series and the story behind Lady Claire. Very entertaining story starting off lady Claire's adventures; and the introduction to her flock. The fantasy science is very well written, and makes me think about the possibilities. Love, love, love the series!

Where's the rest?

While the story isn't bad and the characters being engaging it is only part of a book. This is one of those books that is only a part of a story and you have to purchase the rest to find out anything. I do like books that are a series but not at the expense of the story and you have to buy the next to complete a plot line. At which case the story lost a star for incompleteness. As a good clean steampunk story, this book would be it. It is geared more towards YA, so no sex (not really even a romance) and no bad language. I might be tempted to purchase the next in the series if there is a sale but I would not pay full price for part of a book. Narrator does an excellent job and is very clear and understandable.

Was it really just one book divided into four?

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

A delightful story to listen to. The main character was very determined, very likable. The supporting characters were also well developed and became quite alive (except the mother seemed a bit too exaggerated). I'd recommend this, however, my one reservation is, I think that it was deliberately divided into four for sales. Where this book ended seemed more an end of Act I, than a complete end to a novel.If it was done for sales, well, so be it, but a fully fleshed out book costing a bit more would've most likely earned five stars from me.
The author has a delightful imagination and she's created a unique world. But Book One just ended, no resolution, too many issues left hanging. Since Harry Potter's seven books it's become a trend to do this, but in this case, The Lady of Devices would've been best served by being put in one single book. Just my opinon.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Lady of Devices: A Steampunk Adventure Novel?

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the "moppets" and how they were transformed.
All throughout, the author did a fine job "inventing" machines and giving just enough description so they could be imagined.

What does Fiona Hardingham bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her voice is smooth, and so very easy to listen to. The English accent makes the listener absolutely feel as if they are transported to Victorian England. She did a wonderful reading and I've written her name down to find more books.

Any additional comments?

I really do wish that Audible would combine all of the books in this series into one. It makes the purchasing easier and allows for the story to continue without interruption.

Serious good fun listen

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed the depth and detail of the world. Sometimes too much information is like stuffing you get bloated. Not here the detail brought it alive for me helped me to imagine the world and setting.

What does Fiona Hardingham bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Narrator's always make or break a audio book for me. This narrator just nailed the voices and time period. Well at least how I imagine the period. Her accent and voices for the children are awesome.

Entertaining, but maybe not worth a credit...

I bought this during a $4 sale, and I'm happy with my purchase. First, this is a YOUNG ADULT novel (I didn't see this mentioned anywhere except another review). All the same, it's an entertaining 5 hours. The main character wasn't particularly unique (I recently listened to Alexia Tarabotti), but the world was interesting and the characters made even livelier by Hardingham's narration. Her character voices were all very good, and my only complaint is the strange breaks... in the middle... of sentences. I got used to it after a little bit, and before I knew it, the book was finished. I'll probably follow up with the rest of the series if I can likewise find them for $4. They would be good for passing time during long drives with the whole family.

BEST BOOK YET FOR THE NEW YEAR!

I have never felt so strongly about a book/series to make a comment. This is my first and I am an avid Audible reader/listener. Good fun, strong characters along with a vivid storyline make this series a winner! Own the whole series - you can't go wrong.

Exceptional Listen!

I listened to this book on audio, and it was a wonderful listen! The characters were distinct and lively, the plot moved forward well, and the descriptions were superb! I would also like to comment on the voice acting which was wonderful. The voice actress brought life and emotion to the story and characters and never once missed a beat with the different accents, pitches, and gender voicing. I loved it.

Feels like a serial segment

I am unsatisfied. At 1 credit for less than 6 hours and without a conclusion it is definitely part of a series and not a standalone book. Perhaps joining the first 2 books would satisfy.

With that being said I like the characters and the development of the story. The performance is wonderful and I will look for more books with Fiona Hardingham.