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thebookishunicorn's review against another edition
4.0
Fun and quick read, I love this alternate Victorian England Mann has created. It's the perfect blend of reality and steampunk. I think this one might be my favorite in the series so far!
hollybg's review against another edition
3.0
Sumptuous Delights
This cover is so beautiful I actually want to lick it (but I won't, at least not till it's been sterilized, until then I shall merely caress it fondly like a beloved family pet). In fact the whole series of Newbury and Hobbes covers are incredibly lovely and deserve some sort of award for their fussy Victorian-punk delightfulness, like a delicious raisin scone upon which someone has spread lashings of strawberry jam (always strawberry!) on top of which is precariously balanced an unhealthy dollop of clotted cream. Ahhhhh.
The Inner Workings
Veronica Hobbes is most concerned with the state of Sir Maurice Newbury's health. Sinking further than usual into the dark embrace of his beloved opium, she (along with the help of his dear old friend Chief Inspector Bainbridge) finally feel they have a case to task his brilliant mind and spur him out of this self destructive spiral. The corpse of a renowned burglar has been discovered, but if he is irrefutably dead, then how is he continuing to pilfer stolen goods? And can an assassination attempt on the decomposing (but still quite alive) Queen Victoria as well as Miss Hobbes own troubled sister be linked to the odd case?
Steamy Windows
This is the third installment in the fantastic Newbury and Hobbes series and if your not familiar with them please ignore this post and go find copies of the gorgeous The Affinity Bridge and The Osiris Ritual, and once you've stopping stroking the covers lovingly and actually crack them open you will find rip-roaring adventures wrapped around the twisted mysteries inside. So I was rather surprised to find that this long-awaited third chapter failed to spark my interest as fervently as the previous two had. I can't definitively put my finger on what it was about this tale that fell flat for me, maybe it was the ridiculously long wait for it. After purchasing it online in July last year (when the release date was meant to be September 2010) it then failed to materialise until June 2011! And my frantic Googling could not find any reason for the delay, even on the Author’s own website! So by the time it actually arrived (19 months after the last book!) my excitement had rather dwindled.
Regardless, I cannot fault the exceptionally convoluted plot which is a staple of these investigations. The old “dead man witnessed alive and well and up to no good” gambit gets the ball rolling here, but it soon starts gathering threads and ends of other seemingly unrelated mysteries and pretty soon it’s all so beautifully tangled that only a series of explosions, insane knights of the realm and one giant mech can make sense of it. It was a great story and I doff my cap to Mr George for stuffing this book so full with these ideas.
Unfortunately where it sort of fell down for me were the characters, apart from the odd rare moment (as above) these did not feel like the same Maurice Newbury and Veronica Hobbes of old. Granted much has happened between them and they clearly have trust issues to sort out (if they’d only bloody admit it). But it felt like Sir Newbury barely had a chance to show off his wonderfully big brain with all it's sparks of intuition and Miss Hobbes’ usually charming practicality in the face of danger; seemed to disintegrate under her growing anxiety for her sister. I kept hoping Sir Maurice would shake off the opium fuelled self pity he was wallowing in and get to solving the mystery. But it was mostly left to Miss Hobbes to do some blind snooping and Inspector Bainbridge to do all the actual research (no to mention some spectacular fisticuffs) and then after no time at all it just sort of ended.
This book felt more like a brief episode then a fully fleshed out story to me, and many of the 'great plot reveals' I had worked out ages before the characters did. But this will definitely not keep me from reading the future adventures of Newbury and Hobbes, I just love their crazy world too much.
This cover is so beautiful I actually want to lick it (but I won't, at least not till it's been sterilized, until then I shall merely caress it fondly like a beloved family pet). In fact the whole series of Newbury and Hobbes covers are incredibly lovely and deserve some sort of award for their fussy Victorian-punk delightfulness, like a delicious raisin scone upon which someone has spread lashings of strawberry jam (always strawberry!) on top of which is precariously balanced an unhealthy dollop of clotted cream. Ahhhhh.
The Inner Workings
Veronica Hobbes is most concerned with the state of Sir Maurice Newbury's health. Sinking further than usual into the dark embrace of his beloved opium, she (along with the help of his dear old friend Chief Inspector Bainbridge) finally feel they have a case to task his brilliant mind and spur him out of this self destructive spiral. The corpse of a renowned burglar has been discovered, but if he is irrefutably dead, then how is he continuing to pilfer stolen goods? And can an assassination attempt on the decomposing (but still quite alive) Queen Victoria as well as Miss Hobbes own troubled sister be linked to the odd case?
Steamy Windows
This is the third installment in the fantastic Newbury and Hobbes series and if your not familiar with them please ignore this post and go find copies of the gorgeous The Affinity Bridge and The Osiris Ritual, and once you've stopping stroking the covers lovingly and actually crack them open you will find rip-roaring adventures wrapped around the twisted mysteries inside. So I was rather surprised to find that this long-awaited third chapter failed to spark my interest as fervently as the previous two had. I can't definitively put my finger on what it was about this tale that fell flat for me, maybe it was the ridiculously long wait for it. After purchasing it online in July last year (when the release date was meant to be September 2010) it then failed to materialise until June 2011! And my frantic Googling could not find any reason for the delay, even on the Author’s own website! So by the time it actually arrived (19 months after the last book!) my excitement had rather dwindled.
Regardless, I cannot fault the exceptionally convoluted plot which is a staple of these investigations. The old “dead man witnessed alive and well and up to no good” gambit gets the ball rolling here, but it soon starts gathering threads and ends of other seemingly unrelated mysteries and pretty soon it’s all so beautifully tangled that only a series of explosions, insane knights of the realm and one giant mech can make sense of it. It was a great story and I doff my cap to Mr George for stuffing this book so full with these ideas.
"Newbury's eyes flickered back to her face 'Indeed. It begs the question of who exactly would be out to make such an attempt on my life. Either Sykes really is still out there, somehow, and knows I'm on to him, or someone else has control of his machine and is using it for their own increasingly nefarious purposes.'
Veronica stepped back, her hands on her hips. Sometimes she found it difficult to stomach the sheer arrogance of men. 'I think that upon reflection, Sir Maurice, you will find the intended victim of any such assassination attempt was, in fact, me. This is my apartment, after all.'"
Unfortunately where it sort of fell down for me were the characters, apart from the odd rare moment (as above) these did not feel like the same Maurice Newbury and Veronica Hobbes of old. Granted much has happened between them and they clearly have trust issues to sort out (if they’d only bloody admit it). But it felt like Sir Newbury barely had a chance to show off his wonderfully big brain with all it's sparks of intuition and Miss Hobbes’ usually charming practicality in the face of danger; seemed to disintegrate under her growing anxiety for her sister. I kept hoping Sir Maurice would shake off the opium fuelled self pity he was wallowing in and get to solving the mystery. But it was mostly left to Miss Hobbes to do some blind snooping and Inspector Bainbridge to do all the actual research (no to mention some spectacular fisticuffs) and then after no time at all it just sort of ended.
This book felt more like a brief episode then a fully fleshed out story to me, and many of the 'great plot reveals' I had worked out ages before the characters did. But this will definitely not keep me from reading the future adventures of Newbury and Hobbes, I just love their crazy world too much.
tigerb99's review against another edition
4.0
I have not yet read book #2 in this series, so I don't know how much better I might have liked #3 if I had. It's a ripping yarn, to be sure, and I was very happy that Veronica displayed her courage, prowess, determination, and loyalty. However... what I want from Sir Maurice is intelligence, and he seemed a bit slow on the uptake in this one.
eososray's review against another edition
3.0
I like the idea of this series more than I like the actual creation of it. I enjoy them as a fast and easy mystery read but would like less personal folly in the character development and more world building.
hobbleit's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
afutt92's review against another edition
4.0
Newbury and Hobbes books are some of my favorite steampunk adventures. They're just plain fun. The world is vivid, the characters are likeable, and the adventures keep you interested.
styxx's review against another edition
3.0
Disclaimer: I was fortunate to win a copy of 'The Immorality Engine' in a Goodreads giveaway. However, any opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. There may be potential spoilers.
This is the third book in the Newbury & Hobbes series. Set in an alternate steampunk Victorian era, the story begins with Newbury being dragged out of an opium den (shades of Sherlock Holmes) by his trusty sidekick, in this case Veronica Hobbes rather than Dr Watson. Her reason for doing so is because Newbury's detective skills are required for an unusual case: a dead man who has apparently managed to nonetheless commit a burglary even after his body is in the morgue.
Their investigation will lead them to a powerful secret society, as well as raise serious questions about the actions of the doctor treating Veronica's sister, Amelia.
I enjoyed this story. The world is well realised by the author and I liked the fact that the morality was not black and white. The question of right and wrong gets decidedly murky and characters start to question what really is the right thing to do. Is anything justified if it is with the aim of keeping the Victorian Empire intact and is the alternative being presented really any better?
This is the third book in the Newbury & Hobbes series. Set in an alternate steampunk Victorian era, the story begins with Newbury being dragged out of an opium den (shades of Sherlock Holmes) by his trusty sidekick, in this case Veronica Hobbes rather than Dr Watson. Her reason for doing so is because Newbury's detective skills are required for an unusual case: a dead man who has apparently managed to nonetheless commit a burglary even after his body is in the morgue.
Their investigation will lead them to a powerful secret society, as well as raise serious questions about the actions of the doctor treating Veronica's sister, Amelia.
I enjoyed this story. The world is well realised by the author and I liked the fact that the morality was not black and white. The question of right and wrong gets decidedly murky and characters start to question what really is the right thing to do. Is anything justified if it is with the aim of keeping the Victorian Empire intact and is the alternative being presented really any better?
tacanderson's review against another edition
4.0
I've greatly enjoyed this whole series so far. This book, even more than the previous two, was very fast paced and moved right along, pausing only for things like character development. Mann definitely took the Steampunk elements up a notch in this book. This is one of my top 3 Steampunk series. Read this but I highly recommend starting with the 1st book, The Affinity Bridge: [b:The Affinity Bridge|3472342|The Affinity Bridge (Newbury and Hobbes, #1)|George Mann|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61cJa6S4iIL._SL75_.jpg|3513645].
momoxshi's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While struggling with an opium addiction, Sir Maurice Newbury gets called in to investigate the death of a known but difficult to catch serial burglar. But while the body is in the morgue, his signature burglary tactics are used again in another break in. The mystery deepens even more when they discover a second dead body--again, that of the said burglar.
The Immorality Engine is a Sherlock Holmes-like story set in Steampunk Victorian England that's fit for any readers who like either mystery or steampunk, or both.
Possible trigger warnings: Slight gore and torture.
+
Was this the first book I've read from the Newbury and Hobbes series? Yes. Is it fit as a standalone? Kinda. It CAN work as a standalone to some extent as it wasn't difficult to understand everything but I did get some spoilers from the first two books so there's that. But I was still able to enjoy this. The characters of Newbury and Hobbes are one of the best Sherlock Holmes + Watson inspired characters I've come across. There's a good balance between the two characters that the original duo did not, you'll easily realize that they wouldn't be as successful if they weren't working together.
I'm always a sucker for Steampunk and this did a good job of setting the scene. I always like how a lot of mystery stories I read that are set in Victorian Englandpaint Queen Victoria as the main villain and her motivations and her being "married" with machinery in this story was just superb. Though I found it laughable that there was a literal kill switch installed on her machine that Dr. Fabian thought no one would notice. I was about to rage until I got to the ending to find out Victoria knew about it all along. I did find a few inconsistencies when it comes to motivations of some of the characters specifically, I got confused with Newbury in particular when Veronica was asking him to choose between the Queen and her when it was obvious from the start where his loyalty lies more.
Overall, a pretty good read. Hoping to be able to read the others in the series as I got my copy of this book at a thrift shop.
The Immorality Engine is a Sherlock Holmes-like story set in Steampunk Victorian England that's fit for any readers who like either mystery or steampunk, or both.
Possible trigger warnings: Slight gore and torture.
+
Was this the first book I've read from the Newbury and Hobbes series? Yes. Is it fit as a standalone? Kinda. It CAN work as a standalone to some extent as it wasn't difficult to understand everything but I did get some spoilers from the first two books so there's that. But I was still able to enjoy this. The characters of Newbury and Hobbes are one of the best Sherlock Holmes + Watson inspired characters I've come across. There's a good balance between the two characters that the original duo did not, you'll easily realize that they wouldn't be as successful if they weren't working together.
I'm always a sucker for Steampunk and this did a good job of setting the scene. I always like how a lot of mystery stories I read that are set in Victorian England
Overall, a pretty good read. Hoping to be able to read the others in the series as I got my copy of this book at a thrift shop.