Lady of Devices: A Steampunk Adventure Novel

Magnificent Devices, Book 1

By: Shelley Adina

Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham

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

Steam Punk fan or not - This is a Gem

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

I would love to know my friends can have hours of enjoyment listening to this trip into Victorian fantasy.

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

Fans of Amanda Quick, Julia Quinn or Betina Krahn will love this genre of spunky heroine verses every obstacle of English society. Listening to the books read in an English accent made the experience all the more realistic.

Which scene was your favorite?

I particularly enjoyed those scenes where she battles with ingrained strictures of her society and rises to individuality.

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

I did!

Any additional comments?

The reader was superb so that I bought the next two books before I finished the first. Thanks, Audible, for offering the "Hidden Gems" sale. I may not have tried this series otherwise without your recommendation.

Great story, abrupt ending

What made the experience of listening to Lady of Devices: A Steampunk Adventure Novel the most enjoyable?

The story was really engaging.

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

If you like Etiquette and Espionage, you will enjoy this book.

What about Fiona Hardingham’s performance did you like?

It was very dynamic.

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

The Mopsy sisters are really endearing.

Any additional comments?

The book ended rather suddenly.

If you like Steampunk . . . then give it a go . . . 😱

5 stars excellent.
4 stars good.
3 stars OK.
__________________________________________________ Exceedingly long character and plot development and little to pull one in to the story until about ⅔'s of the way thru the listen. This statement probably represents my personal preference for action. If you like English class stories and you like Steampunk I think you'll like the first and second books in this series (which is all I've listened to at this point. The author and narrator are both very good. 😱

I Needed More From This One

The setup led me to believe that we were dealing with a strong-willed, steampunk lady with a penchant for building devices and blowing things up. I'm good with the idea. The world needs more heroines like that, and as such I expected to like this one more than I did. I didn't NOT like it, but I didn't really like it as much as I hoped either. I kept waiting for... more. I admit, I got spoiled with Morris and Ballantine's Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novels in regards to female leads such as this. But then, those are high-powered steampunk adventure novels, and this one... not really an adventure regardless of what the cover billing says. Not yet, anyway.

As origin stories go, this one's believable. The credibility is there, with the explanation of her father's death and loss of fortune serving to boot our lady to the next phase of her life. I think the issue is one of pacing. There's plenty of character here, but beyond her father's death and the subsequent fallout, not much happens until about the last hour or so of the audiobook. It's like our heroine is so smart that she knows how to avoid the plot before becoming truly victimized by it. By the time she becomes the Lady of Devices pretty much in a single moment, the story seems pretty much over before it really gets going. And as to her personality, she's likable enough, but it seems like she's sandwiched between the layers. She's too unconventional for the high society life she started in, but she's too conventional to be a streetwise success. I commend her for wanting to take care of the kids and set them on a better path and all, but... well, the kids are part of why I'm not really invested. I would rather she spend more time building gadgets and blowing stuff up (preferably by design rather than by accident) than teaching kids basic arithmetic and how not to steal. There are some good ideas skirting the edges of the story here and there, especially in regards to the tech, which is always mandatory in a steampunk novel, but again... more is better.

I can only assume, given the short, quickly-read nature of these books, that now that the origin story is out of the way, the path is clear to tell bigger stories. Thing is, I didn't get that idea by the end of it either. The way is clear, but to bigger stories? Not really convinced. Only one way to know for sure, and I may circle back around for book 2 at some point simply because it is a quick read. I'm open to seeing the potential unfold for this one.

Fiona Hardingham did a wonderful job with the narration, and she's got a beautiful voice, a perfect match for what I'd imagine the Lady of Devices to sound like.

Good narrator; Steampunk series start

Enjoyed the set up for Lady's underworld enterprise. Love the environment with Claire taking responsibility for the kids. It is a good start so far. This is a short read which lays out Claire's background and how she ends up with the kids. I'm excited to see where the series goes. This was a clean book with fun characters and a likeable lead. Narrator adds to the enjoyment.

Fun Victoiran Steampunk Novel!

This is the first book in the Magnificent Devices series. Currently there are at least eight book planned for this series, with the eighth one releasing later in 2014. I really enjoyed this steampunk young adult read set in Victorian London.

I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was very very well done. I highly recommend this on audiobook.

Claire Trevelyan is the daughter of a Viscount and her mother is trying her best to get her married off to a fine gentleman. However Claire would rather go to University and spend time talking to Wits about steam engines. Disaster strikes when Claire’s father goes bankrupt and dies. Claire’s mother and brother are forced to flee the city to escape angry investors, while Claire is left to deal with tying things up in the city. Claire sees this as an opportunity to take control of her own life.

There are a ton of interesting steampunk elements in this novel that I really enjoyed. This is a story that isn’t all that original; a young woman prefers science/knowledge over marriage and decides to go her own way...but it is the type of story I never tire of reading.

Claire is a wonderful balance of a proper lady and a young woman who wants to make her own way. She is at times pretty and soft, but also extremely determined, smart and stubborn. She’s one of my favorite types of heroines to read about. I love how she makes a family for herself and finds a place to call home even in the worst of situations.

This book mainly follows Claire as she deals with the aftermath of her family disaster and loss of place in society and starts to find her own way in life. I loved the steampunk elements, found Claire’s story to be very engaging, and really enjoyed the story overall.

There is a somewhat complicated love interest here. A gentleman who was interested in Lady Claire ends up being the same man who is financing the research of Andrew Malvern, a young inventor who wants to hire Claire as his secretary. It makes for a bit of a love triangle of sorts, although I will say the story definitely isn’t driven by romance there is some romance subtly woven in.

The story ties up nicely, but there are definitely more elements of the story that still need to be resolved.

Overall I really enjoyed this story and thought it was a very fun read. It is not a story that is all that creative, but it is fun and well done. If you enjoy steampunk novels I definitely recommend this book. The story is bit of a Pride and Prejudice meets steampunk kind of read. I definitely plan on listening to more audio books in the Magnificent Devices series!

Getting the others now!

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

Yes I would. I did rewind it a time or two just so I didn't miss anything.

What did you like best about this story?

The descriptions were lively and clear, but not over-long, at no time did I think "just get to it already!" I could really visualize the action while I worked.

Which scene was your favorite?

Oh, in the lab, when she meets the scientist.

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

Did it in a day, I had to stop it to talk to clients.

Any additional comments?

I am glad I can continue the series tomorrow. The only bad thing is I don't like the cover art, it's a poor depiction of Lady Clare.

Wish it was longer!

Captivating story read with a lovely voice! I have enjoyed 3 of these novels so far, and hope more are forthcoming.

Great book for young readers

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

Although I enjoyed the book a lot, I think that someone 50 or 60 years younger than I would really enjoy it. The heroine is very spunky and likable.

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

Her narrative seemed to fit the characters perfectly. It was a delight listening to it.

What an Wonderful Book!

I am listening to this series during all the bad news that is happening around the world. It is a wonderful respite from all the troubles. The narration is spot on and also very soothing. This book had been sitting in my library for awhile and my only regret is that I didn't listen to it sooner. I already have book 2 in my library and am thrilled to see I have quite a few books to keep me busy. I hope you enjoy this book like I did.