I need to stop finding books that are in a series. Currently looking at the books strewn across my room (due to my return from college) I count at least 30 different sets (incomplete and complete) of books in a series, and those are only the ones that have kept/have not read yet! At least Harry Potter and Twilight have ended so that's two I won't have to keep up with and can instead re-read whenever I feel like it. But of course then there's a series like Nancy Drew which seems to have a never-ending number of books (although I am only interested in reading the yellow hardcover originals, but still there's 50+ of those and I've only read about 5).
But that will never happen and I will continue to read a ridiculous number of books in a series.
So the newest series I have discovered I found on another blog about books (I don't remember which one, though). When a book has the tag line "A novel of vampires, werewolves, and parasols" well that's like giving a kid the key to a candy store, the combination is simply irresistibly intriguing.
I was not always interested in vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural beings. To tell the truth, I have been scared to death by such creatures for most of my life. There are pictures of me at Halloween all dressed up standing next to our animated Dracula and crying because I was so afraid of the doll! I do not watch horror movies for the most part (the only exceptions are when an actor I like, aka Johnny Depp and Roger Daltrey, is involved, but I have to like that actor a great deal in order to subject myself to the nightmares that will no doubt follow my viewing of the film). However, in high school a friend introduced me to a rather mild werewolf book (Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause) and even though I had to place the book outside of my room, in the hall, face down because I was afraid of the cover I really enjoyed the book and have read it several times since (I no longer need to leave the book outside of my room. I have fallen asleep without any ill effects while the book has been on my nightstand face up). I mean I was even afraid of the dementors when I first read about them in Harry Potter! Anyway, so after that I read The Silver Kiss by the same author. I have also read Twilight, and I enjoyed it too. After that I have found the Sookie Stackhouse books, and well I don't feel comfortable not claiming that I enjoy books with these supernatural elements. I think I have to be very selective so I am do not scare myself (I do not see myself reading Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles anytime soon) but re-imaginings of vampires and werewolves (a la Twilight) and more humorous versions of these creatures (a la Sookie Stackhouse novels) have lead me to believe that I have been missing some pretty good fiction. I already enjoy fantasy so this is not a very large leap to make and one I will continue to enjoy exploring.
So combine Victorian England with vampires and werewolves, and you have my immediate attention. Not to mention that the cover and title help a great deal.
Soulless is part of the series The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger and is into its second book with the third due September 1, 2010. It is a steampunk novel, which is basically combines the era of steam power with elements of fantasy and fictional technology or anachronistic technology. Basically things like Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (a very good comic) or the Will Smith movie Wild, Wild West. For a better idea head over to the ever resourceful Wikipedia article linked here: Steampunk.
By the way, there will be some spoilers, so I suggest you go read the book before you continue! :)
As the title implies, the main character Alexia Tarabotti is soulless. In the world of the book an excess of soul allows for humans to be transformed into vampires or werewolves (also ghosts I believe, but I'm not 100% sure about that as there were no ghosts in the first book) if they are bitten. Alexia, however, is one of the few who can negate these supernaturals merely by touching them. She is considered a preternatural by the Bureau of Unnatural Registry (BUR). But her kind are so few and far between the rest of the general population is not aware there are people who are soulless. Needless to say, Alexia's condition helps her a great deal when a vampire attacks her at the onset of the book. As soon as she touches him, his fangs disappear and for all intents and purposes he becomes human. Of course, once contact is broken, the fangs reappear and he is back to his normal vampire self. After a few more tries Alexia accidentally stakes the vampire causing BUR agents to arrive, rather quickly. And who should arrive but Conall Maccon, Lord Woolsey and Professor Lyall, the Alpha and Beta of the local wolf pack. Lord Maccon is a wonderful character described as "loud, messy, gorgeous and werewolf". I enjoy him immensely. Despite his rough description, he is quite charming and his thoughts can be quite humorous. Speaking of humorous, Professor Lyall has wonderful comedic bits throughout the book. I enjoyed the silliness involved in the book so much. I'd say it reminds me most of Julia Quinn's books, because I find them wonderfully amusing also. Although the supernatural aspect adds a bit more to the humor because imagining these actions and thoughts associated with vampires and werewolves puts a whole new spin on the humor.
Anyway, the dead vampire is simply the beginning of Alexia's troubles (aside from the fact that she is soulless she is also half Italian, a spinster, and a blue stocking, all of which are frowned on in Victorian England). Because of the accident, it is practically a guarantee that she will encounter Lord Maccon a great deal more than she has previously. Which only leads to the tension between these two opposites escalating and working its way throughout the rest of the story as other events unfold around them.
I don't think I can express how much I enjoyed this book. It was not what I was expecting, although having read some of the author's blog posts and experiencing her humor there I should not have been surprised by its integration with the story. I honestly sat there shaking my head some times at the silliness. Another aspect I enjoyed was that when the werewolves in the books changed from human to wolf they lost all of their humanness. Nothing remained, therefore causing them to be locked up so they were not able to accidentally kill humans. While I enjoy the different 'types' of werewolves I have encountered such as in the Twilight Saga and in the Sookie Stackhouse novels, both are able to remain around humans, and even protect humans if they wish to. So, Ms. Carriger's take on werewolves was refreshing. Nothing particularly outstanding changed the vampires, but they do not typically loose the sense of perception, unless they are starving for blood. Other than a little bit at the end, and then it is only the barest hint a a werewolf recognizing a human, the reader is read to believe a werewolf in wolf form would have no idea if he was attacking his own mother if the situation presented itself. I also enjoyed the character of Alexia. She's very tough and it seems she has had to become that way because society has basically turned her into an outcast. She most definitely has a backbone and knows how to handle herself. She is very intelligent and is easily comfortable whether she speaking of science or wielding her parasol with its brass additions.
My one critique of this book was the abrupt jump in third person narration. One moment it would be Alexia's thoughts and in the next it would be Lord Maccon's. I found myself going back and double checking that I had everything right and was now reading the thoughts of the right person. But this was very minor in the scheme of things.
I highly recommend the book and will soon provide my thoughts on Changeless, the sequel.
Listening to: Gaelic Storm - "The Salt Lick"
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