Tinker

By: Wen Spencer

Narrated by: Tanya Eby

Length: 13 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's Summary

Move over, Buffy! Tinker not only kicks supernatural butt - shes a techie genius, too!

Inventor, girl genius Tinker lives in a near-future Pittsburgh which now exists mostly in the land of the elves. She runs her salvage business, pays her taxes, and tries to keep the local ambient level of magic down with gadgets of her own design. When a pack of wargs chase an Elven noble into her scrap yard, life as she knows it takes a serious detour. Tinker finds herself taking on the Elven court, the NSA, the Elven Interdimensional Agency, technology smugglers and a college-minded Xenobiologist as she tries to stay focused on whats really important her first date. Armed with an intelligence the size of a planet, steel toed boots, and a junk yard dog attitude, Tinker is ready to kick butt to get her first kiss.

©2003 Wen Spencer (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Great world building and characters

The story was well written and enjoyable. I liked the main characters. The romance was sweet and only caused me to roll my eyes a few times. Overall the pros outweighed the cons. Just once though I would like a strong female to act like a woman and not a swooning idiot. "Make love to me Wind Wolf!" Ack gag cough gag vomit vomit. Just No.

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

An excellent fantasy, finally available on Audible

Welcome to Pittsburgh, but a Pittsburgh that spends 29 days out of every 30 on Elfhome, a world of elves and magic, but then comes Shutdown and Pittsburgh is back in the USA where there is almost no magic.

First up, meet Alexander Graham Bell, better known as Tinker, the owner of Pittsburgh Scrap and Salvage. A mere 5 feet tall, but possessed of a brilliant scientific mind and an indomitable spirit. As we approach shutdown, Wolf Who Rules (aka, Windwolf), the head of the Wind Clan and Viceroy of the elven lands where Pittsburgh lives for 29 out of 30 days, is being chased across the city by a pack of wargs. But the wargs make a fatal mistake, chasing Windwolf into Tinker's scrap yard, and that's the end of the wargs! But also very nearly the end of Windwolf, who is gravely injured in the battle.

With no magic in Pittsburg during shutdown, Windwolf is unable to heal himself. Tinker uses a magic "capacitor" that she's built and filled while Pittsburgh was on Elfhome, combined with a healing spell she prints out on her printer, and Windwolf survives the day long shutdown. And the fun is just beginning!

This wonderful series from Wen Spencer is finally available in audiobook form, with Tanya Eby as the narrator. A great series, and a good narrator. I'm glad to finally have this series on Audible, and I'm enjoying it a lot. Highly recommended.

18 of 20 people found this review helpful

Science and Magic, Oh My!

I have to say, when I saw this book listed, I forget where, I thought it might not be all that much, but it was at hand, so I picked it up. Oh. My. God. I could not have been more wrong, or more happy to be so.

“Tinker”, and the follow-up, “Wolf Who Rules” are extraordinary. The concept of science as the foundation of magic is one I have always wished someone would write about – and Spencer does it in a believable, extremely well developed, and well written manner. I picked up the book for an ‘easy’ read, and within a few pages was totally hooked.

Admittedly, I am a sucker for BOTH fantasy and science books. The “multiverse” and “bubble universe” studies, as well as the whole concept of quantum physics, fascinates me. No, I am not a scientist, never got to learn, but I can still read about it, right? Many authors use alternate universes to base their stories. Spencer takes it further, placing her stories in a possible future, where layers of universes flow-through to a possible future Earth we all recognize. And set in Pittsburgh, no less? Ok, you write about the city you know, and even though I laughed when I read where it was set (who would think Pittsburgh for a land of fairie?) Spencer really makes you feel like you are there, walking the streets of Pittsburgh, that you know the people she writes about. And she makes you really care about them.

Tinker is fascinating. In a way genetically engineered to become the creature of her grandfather’s dreams, she is a genius at mathematics and mechanics in a Pittsburgh moved to a land of magic. Good hearted, down-to-earth, intelligent, and smart as a whip, she is a perfectly realized character, with enough confidence in herself to be strong, and yet not a total screaming bitch as some authors like their heroines to be. She knows that she is not always right, is often unsure of herself, but still takes care of business, taking care of the people who depend on her for their safety and their own. She takes physical change, pain, and uncertainty and becomes the stronger for it. She never gives up who she is – amazing given the situations she finds herself thrown into with no preparation, no training, and socialization to the laws and goals of the group she suddenly finds herself a part of. Kudos, Ms. Spencer, for a beautifully developed group of characters, firmly based in both fantasy, and reality!

Tinker’s grasp of technology, as well as her grasp of magic theory and the integration between the two makes this a fascinating new meld of my two favorite fields. Thank you, Ms. Spencer, for writing wonderful characters!!!!!

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Could have been better without the sex.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

The writing style and story were good, just filled with useless sex.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked Tinker the most, because her character was cute and funny when confused about everything.

What about Tanya Eby’s performance did you like?

Tanya did a good job, though I think her talents are more suited for a teen young adult story. I thought that was how this one would be, then POW! major porn like sex.

Was Tinker worth the listening time?

Ya, but could have been better.

Any additional comments?

Just some background of my state of mind.I am not a prude by any means, and I really don't mind books with a big of love making here and there. However, the author's writing style dosn't fit the content. The book was written more like a young adult fantasy, but then sex thrown in so she didn't fit that catigory. I have listened and read a lot of fantasy, and I must admit this one would be higher on my list of favorates if i could share it with my nieces and nephews. I am starting to see a trend in my books though, and I don't understand why women writers feel the need to add all sorts of graphic sex. Mind I don't mean all, but the ratio is way higher with female writers than male. I didn't expect it from this book series, and it could have been a lot better without. Don't let anyone under age listen or read this book.

33 of 40 people found this review helpful

I wanted to like it.

This book seemed so promising. I liked the heroine, who is smart, tough and a bit reckless. But not far in things took a turn for the twilight, with the 18 year old heroine developing reciprocated interests with an ancient elf and a human cop. Both of whom had known her since she was 13. The scene in which the cop admits he's lusted after her since she got boobs at 15 was the last straw. Can't get past it, and that makes me sad.

34 of 42 people found this review helpful

engaging story... rather good narator.

book is engaging... narrator immerses you into story... the book plays on on mythical beings that appear throught the making of worm gate or trans dimensional gate... by stolen plans by the chinise. The main character is a mechanical and intellectual genius , she lack of common sense and self preservation... with a huge ego and full of self doubt not to forget a snarky attitude make for very engaging charecter that at time will leave you chuckling or pulling your hair...

10 of 12 people found this review helpful

Tinker bell

Yes it met my best expectation the story line was great the narrator was amazing when tinker helped kill the wargs at the begining of the story was my favorite part

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

So Much Fun!

This is such an interesting and refreshing take on urban fantasy. This series has a great cast of characters. I thoroughly enjoyed Tinker, Oilcan, Windwolf & Co, and this first book has a fast moving plot that made it hard to put down.

I generally enjoy Tanya Eby's book narrations, and while there isn't anything wrong with her reading the Elfhome series, I think her voice sounds too mature for an 18 year old protagonist. I haven't read or listened to any of the other books in the series, so maybe enough time will pass in the next books that Eby's voice won't sound as incongruous. At any rate, she does a great job with a great book.

13 of 16 people found this review helpful

Finally! An excellent series comes to audio!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

As a longtime fan of Wen Spencer, I was tickled silly to see not one, but all four of the full length books in the series become available, and promptly spent not only my credits, but bought extras to get all four. Wen Spencer knows how to build a well fleshed out, plausible world, filled with well developed characters. The heroine is both intelligent and naive. The male protagonists, from her cousin, to the elves, and even Maynard, are believable and work within their contexts. The bad guys are bad, and the gray shades are suitably murky. The clash of cultures just adds to the fun.

What other book might you compare Tinker to and why?

Plot-wise, I can't think of anything that compares, but the writing is as solid as Patricia Briggs, Kevin Hearne, or C.E.Murphy.

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

At first, having had the character's voices in my head for years, Tanya Eby's voice took some getting used to. However, once the story took off, the narration carried it right along.

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

Pittsburgh: a whole other world

Any additional comments?

A superb blending fantasy, science fiction, action and fun, this book is another winner by Wen Spencer.

10 of 13 people found this review helpful

Not my cup of tea

I wanted to like this book, but it was too rapey for me, and it also worked hard to justify some of it, which turns my stomach. Too bad. otherwise it was an interesting idea.

18 of 26 people found this review helpful

Fuffy not buffy

I wouldn't call the many charter a buffy more like a fuffy.
Jan

0 of 3 people found this review helpful