Phoenix Rising

The subgenre of "Steampunk" is like many other subgenres subject to a wide range in the quality of the writing, and the skill in which the author is able to incorporate the mechanical aspects that are such a major part of the genre, are one of the major deciding factors for what can make or break a novel. Fortunately Pip Ballantine was able to do this with aplomb with her debut novel Phoenix Rising. This is the first novel in her "Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences" series featuring Agents Eliza D. Braun and Wellington Books.

These characters are absolutely wonderful. There is just the right amount of sexual chemistry between them, but the author was able to season it with comedy which allowed to story to move along without bogging it down with too much sexual tension. As is common with many in the "Steampunk" genre, the female agent is the "wild" one bucking but still managing to thrive in what could be oppressive Victorian morals.

When I first started reading the novel I was afraid that it was going to be just another piece of fluff. The tone of the novel was light and humorous, even though the agents were investigating a series of gruesome murders. But when Eliza and Wellington's investigation leads them into attending a weekend with members of a secret society, the novel gets real serious real fast. This made the last part of the novel full of adventure and action. By the end of the novel the mystery gets solved to the satisfaction of the reader, but I was left with numerous questions about the characters. This was an excellent way to end this novel because it makes me desperate to read the next novel in the series so I can find out if any of the questions are answered.