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mellhay's review against another edition
4.0
For me steampunk is all about the gadgets. And Tee and Pip don't let me down! I love the gadgets created and used or seen with other agents. Awesome! But they also drew in the emotions from lose to love and blooming friendships into the book as well as the adventures and dangers continue.
****FULL REVIEW****
Okay. I have to stop and bring my thoughts together. There is, once again, much we learn here as our Agents fight the best battle they can.
We follow two missions through this book. First and foremost in many eyes is what Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are up against. Following the trail of the isotope Blackwell created for in Dr. Jeckyll, Wellington Books and Eliza Braun find themselves in India where a person Jeckyll had been in contact with was heading.
Books and Eliza are trying to track down all on the list that are working with Dr. Jekyll. It's going a bit...rough. They are trying to clean up Dr. Jekyll's work and mess of super-enhanced people who go a bit mad and grow in size along with other abilities. This leads them to where one of Dr. Jekyll's patients had worked, and shared secrets with military in India. Not only are the medicines that Jekyll experiment with an issue, but there are experimental equipment that is now in the hands of the Ghost Rebellion forces. And this brings a new battle for Wellington and Eliza to battle, trying to get to Jekyll.
But reinforcements come! Well, one assassin that is, and the agents that remain in India. Yes, you guessed it by the mention of assassin. We get to see Sophia again. I really do love this woman, and seeing her personality clash with Eliza's is fun. I believe we will see her more in the last book to come as well - you'll come to the same conclusion in the end.
The second mission we follow is with Bruce and Brandon. They are sent to the arctic cold winter of Russia to find and obtain a Firebird feather to help cure the queen after the effects of Dr. Jekyll's serum in the last book. I have enjoyed the bold Bruce in previous books, but here I have started to see another side to him. Bruce seems to have a softer side here, a genuine person.
We get to see inside the House of Usher meetings too! And they are behind so much that Books has unknowingly stopped. Oh and a bit more on our dear Wellington too. There are major points shared with us that I just can't share because I don't want to spoil the book for you.
While the remaining agents are on their missions we see them deal with the great losses, and losses of those that were dear friends as well. There are connections to those we knew and the losses are still fresh in many hearts. The Ministry is reforming after the great losses felt preciously. It's a lot of work, and being in the state The Ministry is, anything can happen...
I want to add, I love that we have a couple that still function and interact as individuals paired together. They are who they are and love each other for that reason. Eliza and Wellington still banter and make me smile as they go through their missions, but they are more to each other as well. I enjoy writing of couples in this way.
For me steampunk is all about the gadgets. And Tee and Pip don't let me down! I love the gadgets created and used or seen with other agents. Awesome! But they also drew in the emotions from lose to love and blooming friendships into the book as well as the adventures and dangers continue.
****FULL REVIEW****
Okay. I have to stop and bring my thoughts together. There is, once again, much we learn here as our Agents fight the best battle they can.
We follow two missions through this book. First and foremost in many eyes is what Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are up against. Following the trail of the isotope Blackwell created for in Dr. Jeckyll, Wellington Books and Eliza Braun find themselves in India where a person Jeckyll had been in contact with was heading.
Books and Eliza are trying to track down all on the list that are working with Dr. Jekyll. It's going a bit...rough. They are trying to clean up Dr. Jekyll's work and mess of super-enhanced people who go a bit mad and grow in size along with other abilities. This leads them to where one of Dr. Jekyll's patients had worked, and shared secrets with military in India. Not only are the medicines that Jekyll experiment with an issue, but there are experimental equipment that is now in the hands of the Ghost Rebellion forces. And this brings a new battle for Wellington and Eliza to battle, trying to get to Jekyll.
But reinforcements come! Well, one assassin that is, and the agents that remain in India. Yes, you guessed it by the mention of assassin. We get to see Sophia again. I really do love this woman, and seeing her personality clash with Eliza's is fun. I believe we will see her more in the last book to come as well - you'll come to the same conclusion in the end.
The second mission we follow is with Bruce and Brandon. They are sent to the arctic cold winter of Russia to find and obtain a Firebird feather to help cure the queen after the effects of Dr. Jekyll's serum in the last book. I have enjoyed the bold Bruce in previous books, but here I have started to see another side to him. Bruce seems to have a softer side here, a genuine person.
We get to see inside the House of Usher meetings too! And they are behind so much that Books has unknowingly stopped. Oh and a bit more on our dear Wellington too. There are major points shared with us that I just can't share because I don't want to spoil the book for you.
While the remaining agents are on their missions we see them deal with the great losses, and losses of those that were dear friends as well. There are connections to those we knew and the losses are still fresh in many hearts. The Ministry is reforming after the great losses felt preciously. It's a lot of work, and being in the state The Ministry is, anything can happen...
I want to add, I love that we have a couple that still function and interact as individuals paired together. They are who they are and love each other for that reason. Eliza and Wellington still banter and make me smile as they go through their missions, but they are more to each other as well. I enjoy writing of couples in this way.
For me steampunk is all about the gadgets. And Tee and Pip don't let me down! I love the gadgets created and used or seen with other agents. Awesome! But they also drew in the emotions from lose to love and blooming friendships into the book as well as the adventures and dangers continue.
mxsallybend's review
4.0
The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences is, far and away, my favorite saga of alternative history, sci-fi steampunk, and espionage adventure. Strong characters, creative world (and history) building, and some really inventive mash-ups of monsters and mechanicals have made each book more interesting than the last.
With their fifth full-length tale, The Ghost Rebellion, Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris have upped the ante once again, thrusting Books & Braun into the battlefields of India, and dropping Brandon & Bruce into the cold depths of Russia. It's the first time in the series that we've had a pair of stories working in parallel, with separate missions advancing the plot, and it makes for a more well-rounded story. Combined with some darker interludes that both open up the story and reveal some of the connections between the previous books, this may be the series' strongest entry in terms of narrative.
Of course, it's the characters who make this series work so well, and it's their ongoing development that makes each new book a must-read. I really like where Books & Braun are in their relationship, with that perfect blend of affection and good-natured aggravation between them. They're both capable of carrying the story on their own, but the way they play off each other really makes the story work. As for Brandon & Bruce, they began to evolve out of the mismatched, awkward partner role in the last book, and they really get a chance to take on some of the heroics here. They're still responsible for some of the most consistently amusing aspects of the story, but they also get some deeper, more significant moments.
The story really kicks it up a notch in terms of technology this time around as well. The 'ghosts' of the title are really victims of an abused æthergate technology that was dangerously unstable to begin with, and there are some chilling implications to their rather un-tethered fates. While the tools and weapons in the series just keep getting bigger and badder, nothing tops the scene where Braun so gleefully takes control of a giant mech, basically flipping switches and slapping at buttons to see what happens, until she hits the self-destruct and initiates the ride of her life. It's not just all fun and adventure, however - Ballantine & Morris really get into the whole politics and culture of India at the time, never shying away from the racism, segregation, and exploitation that came with being part of the British Empire.
Although this is clearly not the last we'll see of Books & Braun, the Ministry itself, or the House of Usher, Ballantine & Morris have spared us the anxiety of another cliffhanger this time around. There are a lot of story pieces still to be picked up - not the least of which are Books' dark history, the eventual fate of Dr. Jekyll, and the tease of Ragnarök - so hopefully the series will keep on rolling.
As a final note, if you're new to the series, do yourself a favor and check out Phoenix Rising first. You won't regret it.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
With their fifth full-length tale, The Ghost Rebellion, Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris have upped the ante once again, thrusting Books & Braun into the battlefields of India, and dropping Brandon & Bruce into the cold depths of Russia. It's the first time in the series that we've had a pair of stories working in parallel, with separate missions advancing the plot, and it makes for a more well-rounded story. Combined with some darker interludes that both open up the story and reveal some of the connections between the previous books, this may be the series' strongest entry in terms of narrative.
Of course, it's the characters who make this series work so well, and it's their ongoing development that makes each new book a must-read. I really like where Books & Braun are in their relationship, with that perfect blend of affection and good-natured aggravation between them. They're both capable of carrying the story on their own, but the way they play off each other really makes the story work. As for Brandon & Bruce, they began to evolve out of the mismatched, awkward partner role in the last book, and they really get a chance to take on some of the heroics here. They're still responsible for some of the most consistently amusing aspects of the story, but they also get some deeper, more significant moments.
The story really kicks it up a notch in terms of technology this time around as well. The 'ghosts' of the title are really victims of an abused æthergate technology that was dangerously unstable to begin with, and there are some chilling implications to their rather un-tethered fates. While the tools and weapons in the series just keep getting bigger and badder, nothing tops the scene where Braun so gleefully takes control of a giant mech, basically flipping switches and slapping at buttons to see what happens, until she hits the self-destruct and initiates the ride of her life. It's not just all fun and adventure, however - Ballantine & Morris really get into the whole politics and culture of India at the time, never shying away from the racism, segregation, and exploitation that came with being part of the British Empire.
Although this is clearly not the last we'll see of Books & Braun, the Ministry itself, or the House of Usher, Ballantine & Morris have spared us the anxiety of another cliffhanger this time around. There are a lot of story pieces still to be picked up - not the least of which are Books' dark history, the eventual fate of Dr. Jekyll, and the tease of Ragnarök - so hopefully the series will keep on rolling.
As a final note, if you're new to the series, do yourself a favor and check out Phoenix Rising first. You won't regret it.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the author in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way affect the honesty or sincerity of my review.
lorialdenholuta's review against another edition
5.0
I love a good chase, and the pursuit of Dr. Jekyll did not disappoint. Great fun!
selket16's review against another edition
3.0
I got this book in a giveaway and as such, won't say much bad about it. There's not really much bad to say about it anyway, it's just not really my cup of tea.
I think if you like steam punk, you'll probably enjoy this series, the authors had some fun word play and the story follows a standard spy thriller formula. I would suggest starting at the beginning of the series as there is no explanation for anything; it's just assumed you know what the weapons are, who the characters are. It's very much book five in a series. That being said, if you like the genre, you'd probably catch on pretty fast.
It could have had another pass with an editor and considering it's a Kickstarter thing (It mentions its Kickstarter audience in the dedication), I feel like it would have had the capital up front to not skimp on that before publishing, but it's pretty clean for something self-published, although enough to pull me out of the story a few times while I'm otherwise trying to figure out what's going on.
Anyway, if you like the Victorian era locations and references, steam punk, and spy thrillers, you'll probably like this book, but maybe go back to book one.
I think if you like steam punk, you'll probably enjoy this series, the authors had some fun word play and the story follows a standard spy thriller formula. I would suggest starting at the beginning of the series as there is no explanation for anything; it's just assumed you know what the weapons are, who the characters are. It's very much book five in a series. That being said, if you like the genre, you'd probably catch on pretty fast.
It could have had another pass with an editor and considering it's a Kickstarter thing (It mentions its Kickstarter audience in the dedication), I feel like it would have had the capital up front to not skimp on that before publishing, but it's pretty clean for something self-published, although enough to pull me out of the story a few times while I'm otherwise trying to figure out what's going on.
Anyway, if you like the Victorian era locations and references, steam punk, and spy thrillers, you'll probably like this book, but maybe go back to book one.
emslovestoread's review against another edition
3.0
I'm ready for this series to be over with, and yet another book is imminent. I suppose I'll have to continue on, but it is getting rather tiresome. Just end it already.
acf151's review against another edition
5.0
This book is worth the wait! A whole host of diverse new tertiary characters are introduced in several new locations, as the Ministry is recovering from the events of the [b:Diamond Conspiracy|22460416|The Diamond Conspiracy (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, #4)|Pip Ballantine|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1412396973s/22460416.jpg|41895465], and they are just as unique, inventive and explosive-prone as the rest of the main cast. Thankfully their intros mostly provided color and comic relief. They don't overshadow the rest of the characters or plot lines, just as many of the experienced field agents hinted at or briefly appearing throughout the book series.
I was thrilled to meet an active operative of the Ministry who was deaf, and that her competence was assumed by the most unlikely of characters. It's a rare thing to find deaf characters in fiction being treated as normal or competent, unless the thing is written specifically for that segment of the population. I really appreciate the inclusion.
Long time fans will be glad to see that answers regarding Books' upbringing continue to be teased and addressed. And he and Eliza's relationship appears to be progressing well. It was good to see more of the infamous House of Usher and why they have not been the front and center villains.
I did miss seeing more of Dr. Sound, except for one really excellent scene, but hopefully more for the next book. And, if we have the ability to tunnel to the center of the earth (awesome!), surely someone is trying to recreate Nemo's Nautilus, from concept, even if they don't have the plans. Thank you, Eliza.
The mind-control/obedience aspect introduced in Diamond Conspiracy with Callum was not brought up in this book, but given how many other technological marvels made an appearance, that's not necessarily out of play. However, if the Queen still needs her serum, Books likely does too - the ledger mentioned needing periodic doses. If he's losing some of his control and the Ministry now knows about his condition, the Ministry may not be so gentle with him in the next book. If the House of Usher and Jekyll team up to reclaim Books for their team, I think Eliza will be forced to shoot him, regardless of what he is or is not wearing.
Axelrod and Blackwell have introduced all sorts of new armaments since the last book. It's a fairly extensive list. They must be maintaining contact with Tesla. I'm looking forward to the next book, which hopefully (please!) won't be the last.
I was thrilled to meet an active operative of the Ministry who was deaf, and that her competence was assumed by the most unlikely of characters. It's a rare thing to find deaf characters in fiction being treated as normal or competent, unless the thing is written specifically for that segment of the population. I really appreciate the inclusion.
Long time fans will be glad to see that answers regarding Books' upbringing continue to be teased and addressed. And he and Eliza's relationship appears to be progressing well. It was good to see more of the infamous House of Usher and why they have not been the front and center villains.
The mind-control/obedience aspect introduced in Diamond Conspiracy with Callum was not brought up in this book, but given how many other technological marvels made an appearance, that's not necessarily out of play. However, if the Queen still needs her serum, Books likely does too - the ledger mentioned needing periodic doses. If he's losing some of his control and the Ministry now knows about his condition, the Ministry may not be so gentle with him in the next book. If the House of Usher and Jekyll team up to reclaim Books for their team, I think Eliza will be forced to shoot him, regardless of what he is or is not wearing.
Axelrod and Blackwell have introduced all sorts of new armaments since the last book. It's a fairly extensive list. They must be maintaining contact with Tesla. I'm looking forward to the next book, which hopefully (please!) won't be the last.
vittorioseg's review against another edition
3.0
It was... okay.
A little over dramatic in certain points. Very easy to follow the plot and the actions were so-so. Even so, I liked that they showed the evil part of the Steampunk setting, that several characters showed more ambivalence and depth in their ideals and a couple of twists I honestly didn't see coming.
A little over dramatic in certain points. Very easy to follow the plot and the actions were so-so. Even so, I liked that they showed the evil part of the Steampunk setting, that several characters showed more ambivalence and depth in their ideals and a couple of twists I honestly didn't see coming.
reanne's review
I'm DNFing this one, at least for now. Way too many "interludes" without Books and Braun.
sarah42783's review
4.0
Actual rating: 3.75546689965126 stars. And stuff.
Wherein our favourite agents of deering-do (aka the Colonial Pepperpot and Dashing Archivist) find themselves dispatched to exotic, friendly (if a little on the brink of war) India. And facing wickedly nefarious Cobras and Badgers and Foxes and Bears and Lions and Dingoes and Tigers and Wolves and Scorpions, oh my. And also good bowel-movements, enemas and squeaky-clean intestines (don't ask). And also also revoltingly inferior supernatural technology (a most scandalous rip-off, if you ask me). And also also also a deliciously evil madman (aka the Atypical Mad Scientist) whose favorite hobby is turning innocent bystanders into ten feet monsters (yay!).
Quite the daunting predicament, you say? Bloody shrimping balderdash, I retort! Unflappable as a pair of lethargic barnacles, our Colonial Pepperpot and Dashing Archivist always are. Provided there is no shortage of The Brew That Cures All Ailments, Be They Physical Or Psychological (TBTCAABTPOP™). Obviously.
· Book 1: Phoenix Rising ★★★★
· Book 2: The Janus Affair ★★★★
· Book 3: Dawn's Early Light ★★★★
· Book 4: The Diamond Conspiracy ★★★
· Book 6: Operation: Endgame ★★★★
Wherein our favourite agents of deering-do (aka the Colonial Pepperpot and Dashing Archivist) find themselves dispatched to exotic, friendly (if a little on the brink of war) India. And facing wickedly nefarious Cobras and Badgers and Foxes and Bears and Lions and Dingoes and Tigers and Wolves and Scorpions, oh my. And also good bowel-movements, enemas and squeaky-clean intestines (don't ask). And also also revoltingly inferior supernatural technology (a most scandalous rip-off, if you ask me). And also also also a deliciously evil madman (aka the Atypical Mad Scientist) whose favorite hobby is turning innocent bystanders into ten feet monsters (yay!).
Quite the daunting predicament, you say? Bloody shrimping balderdash, I retort! Unflappable as a pair of lethargic barnacles, our Colonial Pepperpot and Dashing Archivist always are. Provided there is no shortage of The Brew That Cures All Ailments, Be They Physical Or Psychological (TBTCAABTPOP™). Obviously.
“Just another day at the Ministry.” “Shall I go put the kettle on?”
· Book 1: Phoenix Rising ★★★★
· Book 2: The Janus Affair ★★★★
· Book 3: Dawn's Early Light ★★★★
· Book 4: The Diamond Conspiracy ★★★
· Book 6: Operation: Endgame ★★★★