Review – Airships and Alphas (Steampunk Red Riding Hood, Book 2) by Melanie Karsak (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Steampunk
Length: 144 pages
Publisher: Clockpunk Press
Release Date: May 29, 2018
ASIN : B07CGVYL5J
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Steampunk Red Riding Hood series
Source: Borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 4/5 stars
“While airship pirates are a common plague upon the kingdom, the airship Fenrir proves particularly troublesome–especially on a full moon.
Clemeny must take to the skies before these shape-shifting Vikings kick off a new Ragnarok. Easier said than done now that she’s down one good eye, a partner, and not to mention the fact that she gets motion sick.
On top of that, the new scar across her face makes Clemeny feel like she’ll have better luck intimidating her foes than finding a beau. But Agent Edwin Hunter, recently assigned as head of Clemeny’s division, is proving to be an interesting prospect. Despite her apprehensions, it’s up to Agent Louvel to chase Fenrir across the heavens.”
Series Info/Source: This is the second book in the Steampunk Red Riding Hood series. I borrowed this through Kindle Unlimited.
Story (4/5): The airship Fenrir is plaguing the skies, robbing merchant ships and Queen Victoria wants it stopped. The task is given to Clemeny who has a new partner, Agent Harper. Agent Harper is much more used to paperwork but has special intellectual qualities that may help Clemeny on her mission. When Clemeny finds out that Fenrir is run by Viking werewolves things really get interesting.
Characters (4/5): Celmeny is a fun, yet flawed, character and I generally enjoy her antics. I didn’t enjoy all the time she spent dwelling about how ugly her scar made her look or all her inner thoughts about needing a man to sate her feelings of lust. Aside from that though, she is reckless and fun and trying to be a better person. I also liked that we are starting to get a bit more depth to Clemeny’s past.
Agent Harper was a fun addition, she is more of a bookish type but ends up being very resourceful and I hope she is in future stories. You see very little of Agent Hunter or Lionheart in this story. However, you do meet some fun new types of creatures…I enjoyed the parts with a certain kelpie and hope he is in future stories. Lily Stargazer also features in the end of the story (no, I haven’t read Lily’s series quite yet).
Setting (3/5): I liked the setting but am a bit confused sometimes at how everything ties together. Here we meet kelpies and there is also discussion about Druids. Sometimes it feels like Karsak is just throwing everything into these books whether it be from literature, Norse mythology, fae folklore or even Arthurian legend. It leaves my head spinning a bit and every time I feel like I get a grip on the world it shifts. This is one of those series where I have learned to just go with it and enjoy it, don’t think too much about how it all fits together or else I will be frustrated. However, it would be nice to know that somehow these books are planned out and they will actually fit together at some point.
Writing Style (4/5): This is well written and easy to read. This is just one of those fun and light reads. I do feel like everything here could be a bit more polished and has so much potential. The world is almost there but is a bit too variable. The characters are fun but a bit too scattered and could use more history. The story is a lot of fun but sometimes tied up too conveniently. Karsak does a great job with action scenes and her dialogue is snappy and fun.
My Summary (4/5): Overall this was a fun read and I enjoyed it. These are great, light steampunk reads with a lot of action, they are quick to read and entertaining. I think this series could be amazing if the world is developed a bit more consistently and the characters are given more depth. Sometimes it feels like there’s not a lot of rhyme or reason to the world or the characters that flit around it. I do plan on continuing the series because I enjoy the books. However, everytime I read a book in this series I think “wow, this is almost amazing but not quite”.
