The Gilded Scarab

Lancaster's Luck, Book 1

De: Anna Butler

Narrado por: Gary Furlong

Book one in the Lancaster's Luck M/M steampunk trilogy.

When Captain Rafe Lancaster is invalided out of the Britannic Imperium's Aero Corps after crashing his aerofighter during the Second Boer War, his eyesight is damaged permanently, and his career as a fighter pilot is over. Returning to London in late November 1899, he's lost the skies he loved, has no place in a society ruled by an elite oligarchy of powerful Houses, and is hard up, homeless, and in desperate need of a new direction in life. Everything changes when he buys a coffeehouse near the Britannic Imperium Museum in Bloomsbury, the haunt of Aegyptologists. For the first time in years, Rafe is free to be himself.

In a city powered by luminiferous aether and phlogiston, and where powerful men use House assassins to target their rivals, Rafe must navigate dangerous politics, deal with a jealous and possessive ex-lover, learn to make the best coffee in London, and fend off murder and kidnap attempts before he can find happiness with the man he loves.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2019, 2020, 2022 Anna Butler (P)2022 Decent Fellows Press

Very enjoyable

Excellent character building. Interesting story elements woven together very well. I’ll be picking up the next in the series soon.

Great adventure and great romance

As someone who grew up on Wells, Burroughs, H. Rider Hagard, Verne, et al, this book took the Victorian adventure trope and tweaked it with a sprinkling of steampunk, and some well done moments of M/M sex and romance. This version of our British Empire was richly detailed and fascinating. This was never gratuitous, but advanced the story. Beautifully performed by one of my favorite narrators, Gary Furlong. He is so gifted with accents, and male or female voices. Enhanced an already superb volume 1, and volume 2 is coming out soon. This is a three book series I have read more than once, and with Furlong narrating, I will happily listen to it again.

Great book and narration!

I’ve been waiting for this book to come out on audio and I’m so pleased that it finally has! Truly enjoyed the story and Gary Furlong is absolutely wonderful.

absolutely stunning

I only picked this up because I adore Gary Furlong’s voice and the story sounded alright. I have not been so pleasantly surprised in a long time. The writing is redolent of Fitzgerald and Evelyn Waugh—sharp and sparkling or lush and languid, by turns. The story is clever and funny and heartbreaking and human, and the plot is just over the top enough to keep the dramatic tension fun, rather than stressful. The characters and the world building are excellent…I just can’t say enough about how well done this is. I’m not a fan of steam punk, at all, but I’d never seen it done well, before. The just barely off-real world came together so believably, and everything made sense and played by the rules of its own universe. Not a hint of sci-fi magic paintbrushing here! As for the narration, Gary Furlong is my favorite reader, and he brought the characters and scenes so vividly to life, that I could literally see them. Again, I just can’t recommend this book enough. My only complaint is that I can’t give it even more stars.

A perfect match

Gary Furlong is a perfect match for this story. He captures hero Rafe Lancaster perfectly. This gaslamp m/m romance is as thrilling and well written as I remember.