Dan's Review

Steamed is a novel about Jack Fletcher and his sister being transported into a world in which steam power became the driving force of industry instead of electricity. There they meet Octavia Pye, an airship captain with secrets and mysterious past, when they wake up on her ship with no recollection as to how he arrived. Spark fly as his roguish charm and her grim determination collide lighting the fires of their hearts.

Steamed is a well-written novel that is hard to put down. The support characters are interesting, quirky, and perhaps a bit over the top, but they work really well together, and add an element of humor that makes the book shine. Octavia manages to remain a strong character even among the torrent of events that wash over her, but with Jack’s sister I couldn’t help but feel that something was missing. She was an important part of the story, but she never developed as a character to my disappointment. She had such energy and life in the first few chapters, so I was very saddened when she became nothing more than a plot device.

Overall the book was very solid. Everything came together well, and it never became predictable or dry. Katie MacAlister is an excellent storyteller and I would love to see her write another steampunk book.

4 out of 5