Third Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn

Hey everyone,

Continuing with my challenge to read all the books in my TBR pile I picked up Third Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn this weekend.  An Indian-set Steampunk Romance that was released sometime in 2013. Arguably Steampunk has lessened in popularity since its hurray last year, however, this is still a genre I love to read.

The book:

Skyships, saber duels, and lots of royal intrigue... and, of course, kissing.

The Third Daughter of the Queen wants her birthday to arrive so she'll be free to marry for love, but rumors of a new flying weapon may force her to accept a barbarian prince's proposal for a peace-brokering marriage. Desperate to marry the charming courtesan she loves, Aniri agrees to the prince's proposal as a subterfuge in order to spy on him, find the weapon, and hopefully avoid both war and an arranged marriage to a man she does not love.

Third Daughter is the first book in the The Dharian Affairs Trilogy. This steampunk-goes-to-Bollywood romance takes place in an east-Indian-flavored alternate world.

My thoughts:

Told exclusively from the viewpoint of Aniri or the Third Daughter of the Queen as she is also known Third Daughter is an exciting adventure across an alternative India. Although clearly a steampunk novel I felt it relied more on concepts of political and social intrigue. Probably because the majn conflict in the book revolves around the political, economic and military strife between the countries of Dharia, Samirian and Jungali. It is in fact the tenuous relationship between Jungali and Dharia that leads to Aniri arranged marriage.

Gunpowder Alchemy by Jeannie Lin

Hey everyone,

A slightly later than usual post as I’ve been working since 9 in the morning and have only just found the time to sit down and write. This week I want to talk about Gunpowder Alchemy a steampunk romance novel set in China. I mean if that doesn’t make you a teeny tiny bit intrigued I don’t know what will. I certainly was and pre-ordered Jeannie Lin’s novel despite never having read anything by her before. Also the cover is simply beautiful!

The book:

Since her father’s execution eight years ago, Jin Soling kept her family from falling into poverty. But her meager savings are running out, leaving her with no choice but to sell the last of her father’s possessions—her last memento of him.

Only, while attempting to find a buyer, Soling is caught and brought before the Crown Prince. Unlike his father, the Emperor, the Prince knows that the only chance of expelling the English invaders is to once again unite China’s cleverest minds to create fantastic weapons. He also realizes that Soling is the one person who could convince her father’s former allies—many who have turned rebel—to once again work for the Empire. He promises to restore her family name if she’ll help him in his cause.

But after the betrayal of her family all those years ago, Soling is unsure if she can trust anyone in the Forbidden City—even if her heart is longing to believe in the engineer with a hidden past who was once meant to be her husband…

My thoughts:

I think my favourite aspect of Gunpowder Alchemy was the setting of historical China and the amazingly rich detail the author included. Although I have visited Asia and even have friends in China I am shamefully ignorant of the culture, history and customs but after reading this book I feel I might know just a tiny slither. Before I get carried away on the history and culture of China I feel it is important to state that this is Steampunk and although clearly based on well-researched history of the Opium Wars Jeannie Lin admits that she has fictionalised certain elements, a big one being the technology present in the book.