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

Great Story, fun characters, & a side of Steampunk

What did you love best about Lady of Devices: A Steampunk Adventure Novel?

This is first and foremost a good story. The story is about a young lady in challenging circumstances, and the importance of attitude in not getting swallowed up in all the turmoil going on around her. The steampunk era sets a fun and believable background, with opportunities for invention, a rigid society hierarchy, without all the supposed "safety nets" of modern society. Her wit, her intellect, her good manners, her confidence in herself. all allow her to overcome challenges that seem to get worse and worse. But she reacts as might be expected, or at least like I like to think I or a friend would react. And may i say this is all pretty good steampunk, with people who actually build and engineer machines instead of just living in a world fully equipped with them as some other authors present.

Have you listened to any of Fiona Hardingham’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

She does a great job. Some of the accents were perhaps a little too accurate and a little hard for this southern U.S.A. ear to follow, but nothing was lost in the story and it just came across as a very realistic. Well Done.

Any additional comments?

As others have said, it seemed a little short, but all the more because i had to keep listening to a little more than i planned to every night before going to bed. Very few books are so enjoyable from start to finish. I will start the next in the series tonight!

Steampunk adventure rules.

Where does Lady of Devices: A Steampunk Adventure Novel rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very entertaining.

What other book might you compare Lady of Devices: A Steampunk Adventure Novel to and why?

Not really like any I've read before. Very entertaining and English.

Which scene was your favorite?

Too many to name

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Industrial revolution has nothing on the Victorian Woman's movement, adventure galore!

Most fun I've had in a book in a long time!

What did you love best about Lady of Devices: A Steampunk Adventure Novel?

The Story line was entertaining, fun and solid.
What could be better than helping each other out, albeit with a little "turbulence" involved.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The street urchins of course- and Rosey the chicken was fun too.

Which character – as performed by Fiona Hardingham – was your favorite?

Fiona did a great job on all the characters. I can't wait for her to narrate the next two books.

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

When the girls finally started to trust "Lady" (Claire).

Any additional comments?

I haven't been this excited to recommend a book (books) in a long time.
They were a lot of fun and a great listen too!

Steam Punk for the Non Steam Lover Just a book!

Where does Lady of Devices: A Steampunk Adventure Novel rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It was very entertaining. I enjoyed the way the lead charter who's name I can't remember lost everything but didn't let it bring her down, instead she builds a kind of home for herself and the street urchins she seems to become governess for. It is a wonderful book and I love how the book has to keep within Victorian standards.

What other book might you compare Lady of Devices: A Steampunk Adventure Novel to and why?

In places it reminds me of the boxcar books, in other places it is like My fair lady, or Oliver Twist. It is really hard to pin it down to being like any other novel . Yet the plot is familiar, Women loses everything ends up on street but keep her dignity is in tact. She ends up taking a butch of street urchins under her wings and turning them into a force to be take notice of.

Have you listened to any of Fiona Hardingham’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was the first time I have listened to MS, Hardingham but I found her most enjoyable. She had just the right inflection to make it believe it believable.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wish I had the time to just sit and listen to it in one sitting but I never have the time, but I had the most enjoyable time listening to it at nights before bed and letting it take me into the hands of Morpheus.

Any additional comments?

This maybe a little juvenile aimed novel but it is very entertaining and like Disney I think all ages will enjoy it. Just understand it's not 50 shades of Gray or the Hunger Games it's a Victorian time period novel with steam punk roots and some amazing parts. For some reason it reminded me a little of a modern day Box Car book with a little Oliver Twist thrown in but I have no idea where I got that, It's been 40 years since I read a Box Car kids book. (Yes I am old but not dead yet)

A Promising Beginning

An interesting tale, but at this time the author didn't really do much for the "why you should care" about my characters. I wasn't vested at first but since I was listening in the car and didn't want to listen to the radio, kept going. the middle to the end is where the book grabbed me and kept me interested. I'm hopeful that the next book will be more engaging.

I did enjoy the narrator very much and would be interested in listening to some of her other work.

Slow start but necessary

Tried at a time to listen to this... Wasn't catching me... Sadly about a year later it stuck.. And wow... The kind of story you truly remember... Can taste the dust from the street, want to squish a couple of characters and honestly love more.... So well done... Only wish is they were longer!!!.

Lady of devices

Into the first hour of this book I found myself really, really enjoying this book! I recommend this quirky book.

Simply Magnificent!

If you're looking for good series starring strong, memorable female characters and a supporting cast of the men in their lives, clever children and a most singular hen, who battle misfortune and come out the better for it, this is the series for you. Shelley Adina can definitely turn a phrase (she had me laughing out loud more than once), and Fiona Hardingham does a smashing job bringing the whole cast to life.

Simply Delightful and engaging!

An English Lady with a mind and will of her own finds herself destitute. Her admirable character and huge heart make this a must listen to novel... I promise you WILL be hooked! Can't wait to see what further adventures lie in store for the Lady of Devices!

Interesting, fun and quite entertaining.

A really fun story and not that predictable, so keeps you interested. It is an easy listen and goes quickly. Overall I enjoyed it.