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beingshort's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
brettt's review
4.0
Even in the wild wild world of e-publishing books have to have something of a return in order for a series to continue, and apparently Evan Currie's alternative history tale Steam Legion never quite demonstrated the legs to get anyone to invest in continuing the series. Which is too bad because it's a neat twist on both the alternative history and steampunk genres, offering a simpler and more realistic outing in the one and welcome new ground for the other in 2012's Steam Legion.
Dyna of Sparta studies under Heron of Alexandria in the first century Roman Empire. The long-simmering revolt of the Zealots in Judea has spilled out into other provinces, endangering the Egyptian city and its fabulous library. While the Spartans of her day are more of a joke than the feared fighters of legend, Dyna is of the line of Leonidas and is not about to abandon her teacher, his work or the knowledge the library contains to mobs operating under cover of devotion to their monotheism. As a Spartan noble she has some authority under Roman law and she marshals the few Roman soldiers still on station. They use working models of Archimedes steam cannon built by Heron to repel the invaders. But enough escape to link up with other Zealot forces, and they will be back. Dyna, the Roman commander Cassius and Heron have only a brief window to put more of Heron's test models to work and help them defend the city before a Zealot army returns to destroy them all.
Currie has fashioned a straightforward story to introduce his planned series and he gives it very little distracting adornment. In our history, the city of Alexandria faded into obscurity despite its famous library, as partial destruction by Julius Caesar and neglect gnawed it to a slow death. The first Jewish-Roman war, unaided by secret Roman political manipulation, did not spread from Judea into Egypt. He tweaks history just slightly to rope in the city and library so he can introduce Heron and the obviously-destined-for-greatness scholar/warrior Dyna. As befits the intended first volume of a series, the characters are only partially developed outside the broadest strokes. Dyna carries the shame of the pale reflection her people are of their past as it spurs her to guard the honor of the line of Leonidas even more resolutely. Cassius is not at all sure a woman is the right person to follow into battle -- even more when she insists on working with the philosopher/artisan Heron and his contraptions -- but the results speak for themselves.
What Currie had planned for his cast following Steam Legion isn't clear, although they've drawn the attention and ire of some high-level plotters against the emperor Nero by thwarting their plans to foment unrest and their peaceful return to the Library seems unlikely. It works as a stand-alone, though, because his character development is organic as well as incremental; it serves the purpose of the story it's in as well as setting the stage for possibilities later. His battle scenes, including the fearsome new steam cannons, hit with force and reality and he's well-capable of accent spots of wry humor here and there to counter the potential ridiculousness of taking the story too seriously.
Since 2012 Currie has busily written a few series and a handful of stand-alone novels. They are surely genre fiction and don't aspire to be more than good diverting yarns with interesting situations and characters to root for. Steam Legion fits well within that category and has the advantage of being significantly better done that a lot of its competitors in the field.
Dyna of Sparta studies under Heron of Alexandria in the first century Roman Empire. The long-simmering revolt of the Zealots in Judea has spilled out into other provinces, endangering the Egyptian city and its fabulous library. While the Spartans of her day are more of a joke than the feared fighters of legend, Dyna is of the line of Leonidas and is not about to abandon her teacher, his work or the knowledge the library contains to mobs operating under cover of devotion to their monotheism. As a Spartan noble she has some authority under Roman law and she marshals the few Roman soldiers still on station. They use working models of Archimedes steam cannon built by Heron to repel the invaders. But enough escape to link up with other Zealot forces, and they will be back. Dyna, the Roman commander Cassius and Heron have only a brief window to put more of Heron's test models to work and help them defend the city before a Zealot army returns to destroy them all.
Currie has fashioned a straightforward story to introduce his planned series and he gives it very little distracting adornment. In our history, the city of Alexandria faded into obscurity despite its famous library, as partial destruction by Julius Caesar and neglect gnawed it to a slow death. The first Jewish-Roman war, unaided by secret Roman political manipulation, did not spread from Judea into Egypt. He tweaks history just slightly to rope in the city and library so he can introduce Heron and the obviously-destined-for-greatness scholar/warrior Dyna. As befits the intended first volume of a series, the characters are only partially developed outside the broadest strokes. Dyna carries the shame of the pale reflection her people are of their past as it spurs her to guard the honor of the line of Leonidas even more resolutely. Cassius is not at all sure a woman is the right person to follow into battle -- even more when she insists on working with the philosopher/artisan Heron and his contraptions -- but the results speak for themselves.
What Currie had planned for his cast following Steam Legion isn't clear, although they've drawn the attention and ire of some high-level plotters against the emperor Nero by thwarting their plans to foment unrest and their peaceful return to the Library seems unlikely. It works as a stand-alone, though, because his character development is organic as well as incremental; it serves the purpose of the story it's in as well as setting the stage for possibilities later. His battle scenes, including the fearsome new steam cannons, hit with force and reality and he's well-capable of accent spots of wry humor here and there to counter the potential ridiculousness of taking the story too seriously.
Since 2012 Currie has busily written a few series and a handful of stand-alone novels. They are surely genre fiction and don't aspire to be more than good diverting yarns with interesting situations and characters to root for. Steam Legion fits well within that category and has the advantage of being significantly better done that a lot of its competitors in the field.
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