Stevie‘s review of The Kraken King (The Iron Seas, Book 4) by Meljean Brook
Stempunk Romance published by Berkley 04 Nov 14
I’ve been meaning to read Meljean Brook, and especially her Iron Seas series, for far too long, so when I spotted that a new serial novel was coming out set in that universe, back at the beginning of the summer, I snapped up all the episodes, intending to read them one at a time as the author envisioned. But then life happened, and so I found myself reading all eight of the installments back-to-back. Which meant that I was finished just in time to write my review the week before the whole lot comes out as one novel. Now the verdict’s in, am I going to catch up with all the books in this fascinating world that have so far eluded me? You bet. But first, my thoughts on the tales of the Kraken King… Geraldine, aka the novelist Zenobia Fox, longs to have adventures like those she writes about in her fiction and similar to the real-life exploits of her brother and his wife – on which many of her stories are based. Unfortunately for Zenobia, her brother is rather overprotective of her, particularly given the number of times she’s been kidnapped and held for ransom in recent years. When Zenobia’s long-time friend invites her to be a travelling companion on a journey to rejoin her diplomat husband, Zenobia jumps at the chance, but very soon finds herself jumping out of an airship when they come under attack from piratical bad guys.
Zenobia, her friend, and her two servants (bodyguards in the guise of a maid and valet) are rescued by Ariq, whom Zenobia recognises from her brother’s descriptions as the infamous rebel, the Kraken King. Ariq accommodates them all in his settlement, Krakentown, but Zenobia’s friend has a very pressing reason to reach her husband in the shortest time possible, and this urgency is misinterpreted by Ariq as evidence that Zenobia is either a rather incompetent spy or a courier for a more competent one. And so the adventure proper begins, along with a blossoming romance between Zenobia and Ariq.
I love all the details of the world that Brook has created in this series, as well as the varied characters that populate it, and the rich history she has developed around them. I’m particularly keen to learn more about Zenobia’s brother Archimedes and about his adventures that Zenobia reads about in the letters he sends her and which she converts into her highly popular stories. On the other hand, I also want to know more about how Ariq came to found Krakentown and as well as seeing what else is in store for him and Zenobia. So obviously I’ll be tracking down the whole of the series at the earliest opportunity.
As for this book, it stands up well as a story that can be read with no prior knowledge of the characters and their world. My one criticism is that it feels a little long for a novel, and so once I’ve caught up with the world of the Iron Seas series, I’ll be picking it up again and reading each episode as a story in its own right.
Grade: B
Summary:
A former smuggler and thief, Ariq—better known as the Kraken King—doesn’t know what to make of the clever, mysterious woman he rescues from an airship besieged by marauders. Unsure if she’s a spy or a pawn in someone else’s game, Ariq isn’t about to let her out of his sight until he finds out…
After escaping her fourth kidnapping attempt in a year, Zenobia Fox has learned to vigilantly guard her identity. While her brother Archimedes is notorious for his exploits, Zenobia has had no adventures to call her own—besides the stories she writes. But when she jumps at the chance to escape to the wilds of Australia and acquire research for her next story, Zenobia quickly discovers that the voyage will be far more adventurous than any fiction she could put to paper…
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
