Steampunk | Self-Publishing Review

Sons of Empire by Chandler McGrew

Seamlessly blending technology and magic in his exhilarating new novel Sons of Empire, author Chandler McGrew has delivered a brilliant allegorical adventure and a bold opening salvo in the World of Arras series.

Trastan, the son of a legendary High Magister, is suddenly sent away from all he knows to learn the hard lessons of war, leadership, and sacrifice, but his bloodline legacy calls him to something far greater – and potentially darker. As new forms of mysticism threaten the realms of old magic, violence seems inevitable, and sinister puppet masters pull strings from the shadows, pushing the great empires […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-10-05T13:37:50+02:00October 5th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Fantasy, Steampunk|

Review: The Authority (The Charismatics Book 2) by Ashley R. Carlson

★★★★★

In The Authority, the second book by Ashley R. Carlson in the Charismatics series, steampunk, science fiction and fantasy collide in an unforgettable adventure of magic, intrigue, destiny, and a potentially collapsing universe.

Picking up directly where the first book left off, readers find themselves amid the wreckage of the dirigible crash where Duchess Ambrose and her rag-tag bunch of compatriots are choosing what to do next. Each has a special skill set, a particular ability based on Charisma, ranging from the ability to fly, becoming invisible, affecting the mind of others, seeing past facades or creating fire, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-04-12T14:17:18+02:00March 15th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Steampunk|

Review: The University of Corporeal and Ethereal Studies by Wolfgang Edwards

★★★★½

For readers who are looking for an exciting ride past the boundaries of the unknown, the wild tales of The University of Corporeal and Ethereal Studies are right up your alley. Author Wolfgang Edwards shows that his powers of creativity are not to be trifled with as he builds an unforgettable world of magic and supernatural science that rivals some of the great fantasy authors of the past.

The book is broken up into 8 stories centering around various students of this peculiar university as they face impossible challenges, life-changing decisions and their own unbelievable potential as practitioners of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-03-02T03:57:33+02:00February 10th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy, Paranormal, Steampunk|

Review: Ironheart: The Primal Deception by Dakota Kemp

★★★★½

An epic, violent, and grimy urban steampunk tale with a hero to cheer for and original mythology that any science-fiction fantasy fan will run at.

In a world of godlike deities and electrifying science fantasy, mortal man is like an ant in the modern jungles of an oppressive regime of the ultra-powerful. For the common folk, survival is the only thing that matters, no matter the cost, and no matter the will of the disinterested elite towering above. It’s lesson learned hard and fast by Jack Booker, an orphan who grew up in the ticking clockwork heart of the […]

James Grimsby2016-05-12T14:13:04+02:00May 12th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy, Steampunk|

Review: The Hidden Monastery (The Last Prophecy Series Book 1) by E. J. Dawson

★★★★½

The Hidden Monastery: The Last Prophecy Series Book 1 by E. J. Dawson is an exciting start to what promises to be a creative and intellectual steampunk series.

Captain Katarina Salisbury of the airship the Iron Lady is also a propaganda tool for the Illisian government. Her latest assignment, to rescue villagers from impending avalanches in the Drezusk Mountains, seems straightforward, until Kat finds out she’ll be escorting nobles on her ship, threatening to take away the media attention from the captain. The trip changes drastically when their efforts to steer an avalanche exposes the entrance to a […]

T B Markinson2016-04-08T04:08:28+02:00March 24th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy, Steampunk|

Review: The Charismatics by Ashley R. Carlson ★★★★★

The Charismatics (Book 1), by Ashley R. Carlson, is a pleasant surprise that will transform readers into instant fans.

Duchess Ambrose Killaher was only seventeen when she was exiled to Shinery, a city of snow and darkness. Ambrose’s arranged marriage turns out to be a disaster and she soon learns her husband despises her. The only person she can trust is her invisible friend named Roan.

Shinery is holding its yearly celebration to celebrate Legalia’s rule, while the poor starve in the streets below. Ambrose can’t keep turning a blind eye to all around her and when she accidentally witnesses […]