Status
Available
Series
Collections
Publication
New York : TOR, 2009.
First edition.
Description
Sir Maurice Newbury and Miss Veronica Hobbes, agents of Queen Victoria, battle both physical and supernatural enemies of the crown. They are called in to investigate the wreckage of a crashed airship and its missing automaton pilot while dealing with a zombie plague in the slums of the capital and attempting to solve a string of strangulations credited to a mysterious glowing policeman.
User reviews
LibraryThing member amberwitch
The first novel in the Newbury & Hobbes investigation series, a steampunk series set in Victorian England, is a disappointment. A less than mediocre book, verging on bad.
The plot is unconvincing, the characters very badly drawn, and their interactions unbelievable clumsy and wooden.
The editing is
The descriptions are exaggerated and overdone, and the level of detail of the smallest activities boring. The constant switching of point of view an inept way of explaining the actions of the characters - the author seems unable to show something without accompagnying it with an interpreting for the reader.
Maurice Newbury is a gentleman Queens agent who investigates murder and mayhem, as well as a scolar doing research at the British Museum. Victoria Hobbes is his plucky assistent. Unfortunately neither is convincing, and their investigation into the crash of an airship and a number of murders unengaging.
The novel fails on a number of levels, but to me the most grivous failure is in the steampunk aspect, and the worldbuilding. The descriptions of the mechanical wonders are done as if by rote, and filled with similes.
The plot is unconvincing, the characters very badly drawn, and their interactions unbelievable clumsy and wooden.
The editing is
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annoyingly bad - the misuse of an often used words like belying, and the mixup of there and their seems incredible amateurish.The descriptions are exaggerated and overdone, and the level of detail of the smallest activities boring. The constant switching of point of view an inept way of explaining the actions of the characters - the author seems unable to show something without accompagnying it with an interpreting for the reader.
Maurice Newbury is a gentleman Queens agent who investigates murder and mayhem, as well as a scolar doing research at the British Museum. Victoria Hobbes is his plucky assistent. Unfortunately neither is convincing, and their investigation into the crash of an airship and a number of murders unengaging.
The novel fails on a number of levels, but to me the most grivous failure is in the steampunk aspect, and the worldbuilding. The descriptions of the mechanical wonders are done as if by rote, and filled with similes.
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LibraryThing member AnnieMod
Welcome in the English Empire of 1901. Victoria is still ruling and at first glance it looks like our very mundane English Empire. Except that there are airships and automatons that are able to carry any predefines tasks - from serving drinks to piloting the airships and copying texts.
The Prologue
And although this is one of the most important sub-stories in the book, it is not in any way a horror/zombie novel. It's as away from it as it gets.
A series of murders are happening in Whitechapel (where else?) and no one has any clue on what is going on except that a lot of witnesses talking about a blue glowing policeman. Sir Maurice Newbury and his assistant Veronica Hobbes are called to try to help. Sir Maurice is working at a museum but he is also an agent for the Crown. And just when you are setting for a nice murder mystery, an airship crashes and the Queen sends Newbury to investigate. Somewhere around this time, the brother of Miss Coulthard (Newbury's secretary) disappears. Add the plague and the London fog (which in some parts of the novel is the main character) and the setting for the novel is there.
Scotland Yard keeps looking for the murderers, Newbury and Hobbes try to investigate the crashing, and Jack is still missing. And at one point both investigations cross and everyone figure out that there is some connection between both (I would have been surprised if there was none).
And then starts the big action and Newbury turns into a real James Bond-like agent going from one fight to another and from one danger to another. He almost dies a few times, makes quite a lot of spectacular things (including managing to crash safely one of the airships even though he had never been on one before, let alone piloting it). All ends well (for most of the involved at least). And in case you expect that Veronica is just sitting around, you would be surprised. I cannot judge how realistic were the fight scenes but they sounded logical and were enjoyable to be read.
The mysteries get resolved smoothly without any jumps so it was very nice following what was happening. No dirty tricks like someone having a genius idea that just works or having a major property of the world not explained beforehand. 4/5th into the book most of the mysteries had been solved and the last part of the book is dedicated to bringing the bad guys to justice and resolving a few smaller story lines. Except the one for Jack who just turns up at a place where Veronica can find him with lost memory and no explanation what had happened to him.
The world building is nice – it is building over the real London, changing only the needed pieces. It feels real. The science and medical explanations are not overdone and the parts that are needed are in the proper places to ensure that you know what’s going on without breaking the line of the novel. The way the narrative is flowing is a bit dated but is working great for the novel… I am not sure I would have enjoyed it as much if there were not the long and flowery sentences explaining the state of mind of the people during the Victorian era. Tying everything together is a bit rushed in a few places and a few meetings and events are happening a bit too comfortably just when they are needed but at the same time none of them feels as a patch which was just added there to make sure that the narrative flows properly.
And then there is the Epilogue. You would expect that it will close all the remaining stories and will get our heroes back to their every day life. But this happens in the last chapters and I really hoped that it won’t ruin the novel. And in the same way in which the Prologue is part of the story, the Epilogue closes the story in an unexpected way showing a few of the proceedings in a new perspective and explaining a few things that were just looking a bit odd if we consider the way the things had been looking like in 1901. If it had happened earlier, I would not have been surprised by certain actions and the novel would have lost from it. So it was a great decision to send this at the end of the story…
The few weak points:
1. While Newbury was fighting with the creatures close to the carriage, one of them died again. Well - in most cases zombies are really dead before they turn zombies but this novel makes the point a few times that people get in this poor state before dying. A slip of the writer/editor I guess.
2. The disappearance of Jack is left out of the whole story. It looks pointless and the closing is less than satisfactory. I hope it will play some role in later stories because in this one it was just staying as a patch.
3. During most of the story Veronica seemed to hide that she is going to the asylum and why. She did not even want to explain what she meant with the words 'All is in their heads'. And yet near the end, Newbury not only knew but Veronica did not even reacted surprised when he asked about the patient and promised his help...
The amusing things:
1. When Newbury and Veronica went to the crashing site, he was explaining to her that such things happen and the latest one he knows about had been in Bulgaria. It might not be amusing for everyone but I live in Bulgaria. :)
2. Programs that cannot malfunction. I actually laughed at it. Except that this turned out to be true.
As a whole I liked the novel. It had its bad parts and slow moments but I could not stop reading until it ended. It was engaging and entertaining. And it was a perfect read for a lazy weekend.
I will be waiting for the sequel this year :)
The Prologue
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is set in India where something that looks like a zombie makes a big mess from a few guys... and we never hear about them again. But it is not pointless - a few pages into the novel, it turns out that a plague is hunting London and it is basically turning people in living zombies. And everyone suspects that it had been carried from India.And although this is one of the most important sub-stories in the book, it is not in any way a horror/zombie novel. It's as away from it as it gets.
A series of murders are happening in Whitechapel (where else?) and no one has any clue on what is going on except that a lot of witnesses talking about a blue glowing policeman. Sir Maurice Newbury and his assistant Veronica Hobbes are called to try to help. Sir Maurice is working at a museum but he is also an agent for the Crown. And just when you are setting for a nice murder mystery, an airship crashes and the Queen sends Newbury to investigate. Somewhere around this time, the brother of Miss Coulthard (Newbury's secretary) disappears. Add the plague and the London fog (which in some parts of the novel is the main character) and the setting for the novel is there.
Scotland Yard keeps looking for the murderers, Newbury and Hobbes try to investigate the crashing, and Jack is still missing. And at one point both investigations cross and everyone figure out that there is some connection between both (I would have been surprised if there was none).
And then starts the big action and Newbury turns into a real James Bond-like agent going from one fight to another and from one danger to another. He almost dies a few times, makes quite a lot of spectacular things (including managing to crash safely one of the airships even though he had never been on one before, let alone piloting it). All ends well (for most of the involved at least). And in case you expect that Veronica is just sitting around, you would be surprised. I cannot judge how realistic were the fight scenes but they sounded logical and were enjoyable to be read.
The mysteries get resolved smoothly without any jumps so it was very nice following what was happening. No dirty tricks like someone having a genius idea that just works or having a major property of the world not explained beforehand. 4/5th into the book most of the mysteries had been solved and the last part of the book is dedicated to bringing the bad guys to justice and resolving a few smaller story lines. Except the one for Jack who just turns up at a place where Veronica can find him with lost memory and no explanation what had happened to him.
The world building is nice – it is building over the real London, changing only the needed pieces. It feels real. The science and medical explanations are not overdone and the parts that are needed are in the proper places to ensure that you know what’s going on without breaking the line of the novel. The way the narrative is flowing is a bit dated but is working great for the novel… I am not sure I would have enjoyed it as much if there were not the long and flowery sentences explaining the state of mind of the people during the Victorian era. Tying everything together is a bit rushed in a few places and a few meetings and events are happening a bit too comfortably just when they are needed but at the same time none of them feels as a patch which was just added there to make sure that the narrative flows properly.
And then there is the Epilogue. You would expect that it will close all the remaining stories and will get our heroes back to their every day life. But this happens in the last chapters and I really hoped that it won’t ruin the novel. And in the same way in which the Prologue is part of the story, the Epilogue closes the story in an unexpected way showing a few of the proceedings in a new perspective and explaining a few things that were just looking a bit odd if we consider the way the things had been looking like in 1901. If it had happened earlier, I would not have been surprised by certain actions and the novel would have lost from it. So it was a great decision to send this at the end of the story…
The few weak points:
1. While Newbury was fighting with the creatures close to the carriage, one of them died again. Well - in most cases zombies are really dead before they turn zombies but this novel makes the point a few times that people get in this poor state before dying. A slip of the writer/editor I guess.
2. The disappearance of Jack is left out of the whole story. It looks pointless and the closing is less than satisfactory. I hope it will play some role in later stories because in this one it was just staying as a patch.
3. During most of the story Veronica seemed to hide that she is going to the asylum and why. She did not even want to explain what she meant with the words 'All is in their heads'. And yet near the end, Newbury not only knew but Veronica did not even reacted surprised when he asked about the patient and promised his help...
The amusing things:
1. When Newbury and Veronica went to the crashing site, he was explaining to her that such things happen and the latest one he knows about had been in Bulgaria. It might not be amusing for everyone but I live in Bulgaria. :)
2. Programs that cannot malfunction. I actually laughed at it. Except that this turned out to be true.
As a whole I liked the novel. It had its bad parts and slow moments but I could not stop reading until it ended. It was engaging and entertaining. And it was a perfect read for a lazy weekend.
I will be waiting for the sequel this year :)
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LibraryThing member devenish
This story takes place in a Victorian London which on one level is well known to all of us. The author of this book has however changed and adapted it for our enjoyment. Airships fly over the city,Ground trains compete with Hansom cabs for business and Automatons serve as pilots and servants to the
Shortly after the book begins,we are introduced to investigator and royal agent,Sir Maurice Newbury and his assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes. They are sent by Queen Victoria to investigate the mysterious crash of one of the fleet of airships, on which there was a total loss of life.
I have to declare that 'steampunk',which I am led to believe is what this book would be described as,is a completely new sub-genre to me. It is all the more power to George Mann therefore,that I can say that I really enjoyed it,and look forward to the next 'Newbury & Hobbes' thrilling adventure with keen anticipation.
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rich.At the same time,there are a series of murders committed by a strange glowing figure and a plague of zombie-like creatures infecting the city.Shortly after the book begins,we are introduced to investigator and royal agent,Sir Maurice Newbury and his assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes. They are sent by Queen Victoria to investigate the mysterious crash of one of the fleet of airships, on which there was a total loss of life.
I have to declare that 'steampunk',which I am led to believe is what this book would be described as,is a completely new sub-genre to me. It is all the more power to George Mann therefore,that I can say that I really enjoyed it,and look forward to the next 'Newbury & Hobbes' thrilling adventure with keen anticipation.
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LibraryThing member ladycato
Some steampunk books lean more towards certain genres than others--this one is, at heart, a mystery novel with a steampunk London setting. It's a bit stiff in some regards, and it does contain many cliches of the genre (historical steampunk does have an odd affinity for zombies). However, I found
I would really like to read on in this series.
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it to be a delightful romp of a read, flaws and all. I enjoyed the subtle chemistry between Sir Maurice and Veronica and how Veronica is a true lady of her time period yet still has plenty of spunk. I admit, the scenes with Veronica's sister were fascinating in a way that tended to steal the glory of the rest of the plot; I can only hope that relationship is explored more in future books. I would really like to read on in this series.
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LibraryThing member imyril
An easy-reading swashbuckle through an alternate turn-of-the-century London. With a zombie plague raging and a mysterious serial killer throttling their way through the misty streets of Whitechapel, Her Majesty's agent Sir Maurice Newbury and his new assistant Veronica Hobbes have enough on his
Introducing Mann's vision of steampunk London and a likeable investigative duo (although ye gods the romantic references are heavy-handed), The Affinity Bridge is chockful of entertaining ideas and will divert on a slow afternoon. Sadly Mann seems as uncomfortable with his female characters as his protagonist is (poor Veronica cannot be described without reference to her appearance) and is even more awkward when it comes to describing combat (the grand finale is actually painful to read - terrible choreography, and a big ask in terms of suspension of disbelief). Still, these are fairly minor gripes - overall the novel is inoffensive if not entirely inspiring.
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hands - until an automaton-crewed airship crashes without explanation, killing a royal relative. Introducing Mann's vision of steampunk London and a likeable investigative duo (although ye gods the romantic references are heavy-handed), The Affinity Bridge is chockful of entertaining ideas and will divert on a slow afternoon. Sadly Mann seems as uncomfortable with his female characters as his protagonist is (poor Veronica cannot be described without reference to her appearance) and is even more awkward when it comes to describing combat (the grand finale is actually painful to read - terrible choreography, and a big ask in terms of suspension of disbelief). Still, these are fairly minor gripes - overall the novel is inoffensive if not entirely inspiring.
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LibraryThing member kmaziarz
Sir Maurice Newbury is not the mild-mannered academic he seems. Or, rather, he IS…but he is also secretly an agent of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. He uses his special expertise in anthropological studies—with a concentration in mythology, magic, and the supernatural—to solve the otherwise
Exciting and original, if somewhat marred by slightly clunky expositions and a tendency toward anachronistic slang, “The Affinity Bridge” is a worthy first in a new series of steampunk Victorian mysteries.
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unsolvable mysteries plaguing London and the environs. While investigating a series of deaths that onlookers have laid at the feet of a blue-glowing policeman, Newbury is called away by royal decree to focus his attentions on the mysterious crash of an airship that resulted in the deaths of all aboard. When Newbury and his assistant, the plucky young Miss Veronica Hobbes, arrive at the scene, they discover that the pilot of the airship is missing! Further investigation reveals that the ship had been piloted by a new breed of automata, supposedly infallible and failure-proof. Newbury is not so certain about that, and infallible or not, no one has a reasonable explanation for the automata’s disappearance. The pair’s investigations begin to reveal strange connections between the glowing policeman murders, the missing automata, and the plague of undeath ravaging the city’s slums. Exciting and original, if somewhat marred by slightly clunky expositions and a tendency toward anachronistic slang, “The Affinity Bridge” is a worthy first in a new series of steampunk Victorian mysteries.
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LibraryThing member jlparent
A steampunk sleuth story; this was a decent read. Sir Newbury and Miss Hobbes are trying to help Scotland Yard figure out cases involving a 'glowing blue policeman', a missing brother, and why an airship piloted by a clockwork automaton crashed. I felt it had elements of Sherlock Holmes,
Anyway, it was ok. I will definitely read book two to see how things progress.
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Frankenstein, and Jack the Ripper in addition to its steampunk/Victorian England base. The characters were not fully fleshed out, but I think this is first in a series so naturally, more details will unravel further in. What I did know of the characters was potentially interesting; Newbury has a fascination with dark magic and an laudanum jones, while Miss Hobbes is a rather sturdy young woman who has a psychic sister and a connection to Crown (unknown to Newbury). Anyway, it was ok. I will definitely read book two to see how things progress.
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LibraryThing member little_prof
I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but this book is BRILLIANT! The female character is sympathetic, the male character is flawed, but in an undertstandable way. There are shades of Alan Moore's "From Hell" lurking about creating dark, atmospheric pockets. The zombies are spine chilling and
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extraordinarily well conceived. I cannot wait for the next book. Literally. I can't wait. I may explode. It could happen. So, just wanted to point all that out. I'll try to be sane again now. Show Less
LibraryThing member theboylatham
Seven out of ten.
In a very different Victorian London, full of clattering ground-trains, airships and clockwork automatons, a series of murders and tales of cadavers rising from the dead force the queens office, Newbury to investigate. Action packed and fast paced. Quite similar in style to Harry
In a very different Victorian London, full of clattering ground-trains, airships and clockwork automatons, a series of murders and tales of cadavers rising from the dead force the queens office, Newbury to investigate. Action packed and fast paced. Quite similar in style to Harry
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Potter. Show Less
LibraryThing member vernefan
Supernatural Sleuthing in an Alternative London
Murder Mystery? Yes. Historical fiction? Quite so. Horror Novel? Oh yeah. Science Fiction? Most certainly! Yep, George Mann's debut novel newly released is jammed packed blending all four genres in one! In addition, The Affinity Bridge is not only a
When the story opens, London is being ravished by a plague transported from India leaving victims in a zombie-like state called Revenants, and it's population is being severely diminished by a series of gruesome killings. The paupers and prostitutes of White Chapel are showing up dead by the dozens every day, leaving Scotland Yard at a loss to find the murderer. Some witnesses, and a few survivors, tell haunting stories of seeing a ghostly glowing-blue policeman. With the plague running rampant and the killer mass producing corpses, London's finest crime fighters are coming up empty and need some experienced assistance. They need someone with in-depth knowledge of the occult and paranormal occurences, and they know just the man to call.
Enter our hero, Sir Maurice Newbury, an agent to no one other than Queen Victoria, assisting the crown as a criminal investigator undercover as an anthropologist working in the basement of the British Museum. Sir Maurice and his newly assigned female assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes are immediately called into the fray to assist in both of the investigations. On their first day of the job another tragic disaster hits London, an airship falls from the sky plummeting 50 passengers down to their death. Unbeknownst to the public, these recently developed airships are piloted by modern automaton robots, and when Hobbes and Newbury board the crashed dirigible looking for clues, they notice the pilot is mysteriously missing. Could there be a link between the grisly murders and the airship crash? And so a third conundrum joins the mysterious plague and murders, piling a trilogy of puzzles on the two determined detectives. The Queen wants answers and Newbury must deliver.
The race is soon on as the two unlikely partners delve deep into the inner workings of derigible and robot manufacturing, slowly uncovering shocking revelations that will lead the duo to solve the mystery and catch the killer at large. This story is very creative, well written, and is loaded with action, humor, cool science fiction effects and a quite cleverly devised diabolical plot. It's adventurous, scary, and full of paranormal entities, yet a cleverly crafted murder mystery to rank high with a Sherlock Holmes story. The idea for this innovative story is fresh and new, a lot of fun, and will be a huge success as the series continues with more Newbury& Hobbes Investigations
Murder Mystery? Yes. Historical fiction? Quite so. Horror Novel? Oh yeah. Science Fiction? Most certainly! Yep, George Mann's debut novel newly released is jammed packed blending all four genres in one! In addition, The Affinity Bridge is not only a
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bloody good mix of all those styles of writing, but it also climbs to the top of the new genre of Victorian Steampunk. Those of you unfamiliar with just what Steampunk is, will be thoroughly introduced and mesmerized by the new world of an alternative Victorian London where the age of steam takes over to drive unusual clockwork automatons, steam driven coaches that replace horse and carriage, and where traveling by airship is the finest method of transportation. The author totally creates this mechanical London into a completely believable world that the reader will feel is realistic, and quite normal. When the story opens, London is being ravished by a plague transported from India leaving victims in a zombie-like state called Revenants, and it's population is being severely diminished by a series of gruesome killings. The paupers and prostitutes of White Chapel are showing up dead by the dozens every day, leaving Scotland Yard at a loss to find the murderer. Some witnesses, and a few survivors, tell haunting stories of seeing a ghostly glowing-blue policeman. With the plague running rampant and the killer mass producing corpses, London's finest crime fighters are coming up empty and need some experienced assistance. They need someone with in-depth knowledge of the occult and paranormal occurences, and they know just the man to call.
Enter our hero, Sir Maurice Newbury, an agent to no one other than Queen Victoria, assisting the crown as a criminal investigator undercover as an anthropologist working in the basement of the British Museum. Sir Maurice and his newly assigned female assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes are immediately called into the fray to assist in both of the investigations. On their first day of the job another tragic disaster hits London, an airship falls from the sky plummeting 50 passengers down to their death. Unbeknownst to the public, these recently developed airships are piloted by modern automaton robots, and when Hobbes and Newbury board the crashed dirigible looking for clues, they notice the pilot is mysteriously missing. Could there be a link between the grisly murders and the airship crash? And so a third conundrum joins the mysterious plague and murders, piling a trilogy of puzzles on the two determined detectives. The Queen wants answers and Newbury must deliver.
The race is soon on as the two unlikely partners delve deep into the inner workings of derigible and robot manufacturing, slowly uncovering shocking revelations that will lead the duo to solve the mystery and catch the killer at large. This story is very creative, well written, and is loaded with action, humor, cool science fiction effects and a quite cleverly devised diabolical plot. It's adventurous, scary, and full of paranormal entities, yet a cleverly crafted murder mystery to rank high with a Sherlock Holmes story. The idea for this innovative story is fresh and new, a lot of fun, and will be a huge success as the series continues with more Newbury& Hobbes Investigations
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LibraryThing member bell7
A 'glowing policeman,' perhaps a ghost, kills in Whitechapel, baffling police - an airship crashes and kills all passengers, apparently with no explanation - revenants prowling the streets pass on the plague that infects them, making the foggy streets of London dangerous. Sir Maurice Newbury, in
This is my latest read in the exploration of the Steampunk genre, and I can see how its alternate technology and Victorian setting fit into the parameters. I had trouble getting into the story at the beginning, but I'm glad I persevered. I think it was more me than the actual story, because the pacing built well over the course of the story, until it was strumming along at the end when I just had to keep going and find out how everything fit together. Newbury and Miss Hobbes are interesting characters, and I enjoyed their conversations and growing respect for one another. I would certainly consider reading more of their adventures.
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the service of Queen Victoria herself, is on these cases, tackling them with the help of his assistant, Miss Veronica Hobbes, and his good friend the police commissioner, Sir Charles Bainbridge.This is my latest read in the exploration of the Steampunk genre, and I can see how its alternate technology and Victorian setting fit into the parameters. I had trouble getting into the story at the beginning, but I'm glad I persevered. I think it was more me than the actual story, because the pacing built well over the course of the story, until it was strumming along at the end when I just had to keep going and find out how everything fit together. Newbury and Miss Hobbes are interesting characters, and I enjoyed their conversations and growing respect for one another. I would certainly consider reading more of their adventures.
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LibraryThing member jasmyn9
This story had so many different elements to it...a zombie plague, a ghostly policeman, an airship crash, crazy scientists, and a touch of the paranormal. It was almost too much to keep up with. I can's imagine how Sir Newbury managed to keep up with it all, but somehow he did with the help of his
The story starts off with the investigation of a glowing policeman that seems to be responsible for several murders. As Sir Newbury begins the investigation he is instead directed, by the Queen herself, to investigate an air ship crash. Somehow all of this and the zombie plague tie together fairly neatly in the end, but in a very odd way.
While I did enjoy reading the story, there were times it seemed to jump around a bit, and I could not find myself truly loving any of the characters. The saving grace, and what piqued my interest, was the final chapter. It just may compel me to give the second book a chance and see what happens.
3/5
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beautiful assistant, Veronica.The story starts off with the investigation of a glowing policeman that seems to be responsible for several murders. As Sir Newbury begins the investigation he is instead directed, by the Queen herself, to investigate an air ship crash. Somehow all of this and the zombie plague tie together fairly neatly in the end, but in a very odd way.
While I did enjoy reading the story, there were times it seemed to jump around a bit, and I could not find myself truly loving any of the characters. The saving grace, and what piqued my interest, was the final chapter. It just may compel me to give the second book a chance and see what happens.
3/5
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LibraryThing member bookgirlokc
19th-century Victorian England with zombies! What could be better? This book had some great elements and for the most part was a fun read. I will definitely read the next book in the series. I am hoping the writing will be a little less cliched and the characters more fully developed.
LibraryThing member butterflybaby
This book was fast paced and a page turner. I can easily imagine this book being a movie. I loved the setting, Mann wrote London to be a character. The characters and plot were very engaging. Great stuff.
LibraryThing member ToxicWitchling
George Mann's novel is crammed full of plot lines that could be interesting, unfortunately he lets himself down with characters that are hard to interact with. Sir Maurice Newbury is like a darker, blander Sherlock Holmes. Somehow he manages to create a character that should be interesting
The steampunk theme in the book is well executed, but the amount of idioms used to describe the different mechanisms sometimes became tiresome. Especially since sometimes, as much as I enjoy setting the appropriate tone for a scene, I just want get on with the story rather than reading in detail about fifty different small machines and how they work. Queen Victoria was the highlight of the book for me, and the end of the book came to a brilliant climax. The villians were fantastic in my view but a little short lived on whole in the plot. The zombie plot line feed nicely into the malfunctioning robots story. I will be buying the second one but purely for the end extract where Victoria and the Queen are conversing about Sir Maurice. Hopefully the plot will be less crammed, more even paced and have less grammatical errors.
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considering his constant drug use and knowledge of dark arts in Victorian London yet he turns out so bland it's almost unbearable. He does display great qualities but by the end of the book I found myself honestly not giving a damn as to whether he lives or dies. There is no personal attachment to any of the characters, nothing that makes them remotely human other than the painfully obvious. Victoria Hobbes is a little easier to like because of her ventures to her sisters asylum, although yet again her sister is pretty much one dimensional and only there as a plot device. The steampunk theme in the book is well executed, but the amount of idioms used to describe the different mechanisms sometimes became tiresome. Especially since sometimes, as much as I enjoy setting the appropriate tone for a scene, I just want get on with the story rather than reading in detail about fifty different small machines and how they work. Queen Victoria was the highlight of the book for me, and the end of the book came to a brilliant climax. The villians were fantastic in my view but a little short lived on whole in the plot. The zombie plot line feed nicely into the malfunctioning robots story. I will be buying the second one but purely for the end extract where Victoria and the Queen are conversing about Sir Maurice. Hopefully the plot will be less crammed, more even paced and have less grammatical errors.
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LibraryThing member adpaton
I don't know why I had such high expectations of The Affinity Bridge - I must have read somewhere that is was a stirling example of the Steampunk genre: however, although its a good, comfortable read, the book is not outstanding and, through no fault of the writer, I was disappointed.
George Mann
Robo servers are attacking their masters, airships flown by mechanical pilots are falling out of the sky, and the London fog is made lethal by prowling hoardes of the undead who prey seemingly senselessly on living flesh.
The Queen wants it put a stop to so Sir Maurice is kept busy racing across town in wheezing, uncomfortable steam-driven cabs powered by a noisy internal combustion engine or clipping along sedately in a horse drawn hanson while endless cups of tea are consumed and the murky smog lays a blanket over everything.
Its all great fun and, if I can get them on the cheap, I shall be reading others in this series which, despite failing my expectations, is none the less an excellent read.
George Mann
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includes many of the essential elements from a Zombie plague to homocidal robots and his secret service hero Sir Maurice is assisted by his glamorous aide Victoria. The original Victoria, the queen, is kept alive by machines designed by a miracle-working and mysterious doctor who comes across as a character set up for closer examination in another book. Robo servers are attacking their masters, airships flown by mechanical pilots are falling out of the sky, and the London fog is made lethal by prowling hoardes of the undead who prey seemingly senselessly on living flesh.
The Queen wants it put a stop to so Sir Maurice is kept busy racing across town in wheezing, uncomfortable steam-driven cabs powered by a noisy internal combustion engine or clipping along sedately in a horse drawn hanson while endless cups of tea are consumed and the murky smog lays a blanket over everything.
Its all great fun and, if I can get them on the cheap, I shall be reading others in this series which, despite failing my expectations, is none the less an excellent read.
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LibraryThing member amandrake
Rather a straightforward British mystery/action novel, steampunk-flavored with a twinge of sociology but, frankly, nothing very interesting.
I suspect it would appeal more to mystery genre fans.
I suspect it would appeal more to mystery genre fans.
LibraryThing member smileyman
Product Description
Welcome to the bizarre and dangerous world of Victorian London, a city teetering on the edge of revolution. Its people are ushering in a new era of technology, dazzled each day by unfamiliar inventions. Airships soar in the skies over the city, while ground trains rumble through
But beneath this shiny veneer of progress lurks a sinister side.
Queen Victoria is kept alive by a primitive life-support system, while her agents, Sir Maurice Newbury and his delectable assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes, do battle with enemies of the crown, physical and supernatural. This time Newbury and Hobbes are called to investigate the wreckage of a crashed airship and its missing automaton pilot, while attempting to solve a string of strangulations attributed to a mysterious glowing policeman, and dealing with a zombie plague that is ravaging the slums of the capital.
Good opening to a new series. The two mysteries that Newbury is investigating zip along, but both Newbury and Hobbes felt a little flat. Hopefully Mann fleshes both of them out a little more in the following books. Definitely worth reading and highly recommended.
Welcome to the bizarre and dangerous world of Victorian London, a city teetering on the edge of revolution. Its people are ushering in a new era of technology, dazzled each day by unfamiliar inventions. Airships soar in the skies over the city, while ground trains rumble through
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the streets and clockwork automatons are programmed to carry out menial tasks in the offices of lawyers, policemen, and journalists.But beneath this shiny veneer of progress lurks a sinister side.
Queen Victoria is kept alive by a primitive life-support system, while her agents, Sir Maurice Newbury and his delectable assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes, do battle with enemies of the crown, physical and supernatural. This time Newbury and Hobbes are called to investigate the wreckage of a crashed airship and its missing automaton pilot, while attempting to solve a string of strangulations attributed to a mysterious glowing policeman, and dealing with a zombie plague that is ravaging the slums of the capital.
Good opening to a new series. The two mysteries that Newbury is investigating zip along, but both Newbury and Hobbes felt a little flat. Hopefully Mann fleshes both of them out a little more in the following books. Definitely worth reading and highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member RGazala
This book is a passably entertaining foray into steampunk and a good way to while away a few hours. The principal characters, Maurice Newbury and Victoria Hobbes, are shamelessly modeled on Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic Holmes and Watson, and they're even more blatantly reminiscent of the X Files'
The book cries for the touch of a voracious editor. Mann spends too much energy hammering home via overwrought symbolism the dehumanizing socioeconomic upheavals foisted on England as inevitable end products of Britain's rampant imperialism and industrialization. There are a couple of insubstantial subplots adding little but extra pages to the story. I suspect Mann included them to introduce characters for future novels. Mann has problems with points of view, switching haphazardly from one to another. Toward the story's end Newbury battles in quick succession a pair of zombies, then a pair of robots, then a serial killer on the roof of a train, and finally in a zeppelin against the evil mastermind, defeating them all with a brand of superheroism that reduces the likes of James Bond to effete incompetence. The last couple of chapters, and the epilogue, exist solely to ensure the reader knows all too well Mann has every intention of writing the further adventures of Newbury and Hobbes. With strong editing, those adventures may well be worth reading.
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Mulder and Scully. The plot moves quickly as the heroes grapple under unreliable gaslight with an array of zombies, robots, and human miscreants in Victorian London at the seemingly incessantly foggy dawn of the 20th century. The story is engaging enough, and often summons compelling imagery. To his credit, author George Mann does a fairly good job bringing most of the handful of main characters to life.The book cries for the touch of a voracious editor. Mann spends too much energy hammering home via overwrought symbolism the dehumanizing socioeconomic upheavals foisted on England as inevitable end products of Britain's rampant imperialism and industrialization. There are a couple of insubstantial subplots adding little but extra pages to the story. I suspect Mann included them to introduce characters for future novels. Mann has problems with points of view, switching haphazardly from one to another. Toward the story's end Newbury battles in quick succession a pair of zombies, then a pair of robots, then a serial killer on the roof of a train, and finally in a zeppelin against the evil mastermind, defeating them all with a brand of superheroism that reduces the likes of James Bond to effete incompetence. The last couple of chapters, and the epilogue, exist solely to ensure the reader knows all too well Mann has every intention of writing the further adventures of Newbury and Hobbes. With strong editing, those adventures may well be worth reading.
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LibraryThing member lkernagh
I love it when two of my favorite genres - Victorian murder mystery and steampunk - come together in a story.
It is November 1901. Sir Maurice Newbury is an experienced anthropologist with the British Museum. He is also an agent of the Queen. He is good friends with Sir Charles Bainbridge, a chief
It is possible that I will not amuse a number of individuals when I state that I feel that this book should be classified as a 'cozy steampunk mystery". It has all the trappings, setting, characters and overall atmosphere of a cozy Victorian set murder mystery series. In particular, It really has all I have come to enjoy in Charles Finch's Charles Lennox murder mystery series with the added accoutrements of the steampunk genre - airships, automatons - and the addition of zombies in the form of plague revenant victims. The main characters are charming, society class individuals with personalities of their own and the murder mystery is one that is easy to settle into. Not a page turner, and not, IMO, a 'engaging melodrama' as billed, but more of a fun, comfort read. I will say this, you really have to follow the story to its conclusion to see how all the pieces tie together.
I would recommend this book as a good primer for anyone who enjoys Victorian murder mysteries as a launching pad into the world of steampunk, to find out what all the excitement is about, and to test the waters to see if steampunk is something they might want to delve into further.
The Affinity Bridge is book one in what is so far a three book series - my local library only recently acquired book one - and I do look forward to following the further adventures of Newbury and Hobbes.
It is November 1901. Sir Maurice Newbury is an experienced anthropologist with the British Museum. He is also an agent of the Queen. He is good friends with Sir Charles Bainbridge, a chief
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Inspector at Scotland Yard. Sir Maurice also has a new assistant that the Museum, Miss Veronica Hobbes. Newbury and his assistant Hobbes are called to investigate the wreckage of a crashed airship and its missing automaton pilot, and attempt to solve a string of strangulation attributed to a mysterious blue glowing policeman while dealing with the revenant plague - aka zombies- that are ravaging the slums, including Whitechapel, of London.It is possible that I will not amuse a number of individuals when I state that I feel that this book should be classified as a 'cozy steampunk mystery". It has all the trappings, setting, characters and overall atmosphere of a cozy Victorian set murder mystery series. In particular, It really has all I have come to enjoy in Charles Finch's Charles Lennox murder mystery series with the added accoutrements of the steampunk genre - airships, automatons - and the addition of zombies in the form of plague revenant victims. The main characters are charming, society class individuals with personalities of their own and the murder mystery is one that is easy to settle into. Not a page turner, and not, IMO, a 'engaging melodrama' as billed, but more of a fun, comfort read. I will say this, you really have to follow the story to its conclusion to see how all the pieces tie together.
I would recommend this book as a good primer for anyone who enjoys Victorian murder mysteries as a launching pad into the world of steampunk, to find out what all the excitement is about, and to test the waters to see if steampunk is something they might want to delve into further.
The Affinity Bridge is book one in what is so far a three book series - my local library only recently acquired book one - and I do look forward to following the further adventures of Newbury and Hobbes.
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LibraryThing member titania86
Victorian England is in turmoil. Revenants, undead creatures, prowl the night and spread their sickness to unsuspecting citizens. Also, a supposed ghost of a murdered police man has been strangling passersby in White Chapel. Many have died so far and there are no witnesses or leads. Sir Maurice
The Affinity Bridge is steeped in an alternative history version of Victorian England. There are flying airships in the air, clockwork automatons as servants and pilots, revenant zombies in the streets, and even a crude life support system to keep Queen Victoria alive. The book opens with a horrific zombie scene in India and then the story goes to England, where much of the investigation is simply in Victorian society. At points, I was lulled into the sense that I was reading a normal Victorian mystery novel and then I would be jarred when clockwork men or zombies attacked. I haven’t read a book quite like this one and I enjoyed that the supernatural aspects weren’t all encompassing. Even though the technology in this book is more advanced than the actual era, poverty, hunger, and their infamous mistreatment of mental illness unfortunately still exist. These stark realities gave the book a believability I don’t think it would have had if they were absent.
The main characters in this book are flawed and dynamic, with their own sets of insecurities and sordid secrets. Maurice Newbury is a brilliant detective and anthropologist with an addiction to opium. He is slightly Holmes-like, but much more eager to physically fight. I felt they portrayed his physical strength and stamina a bit overexaggerated. His past is rather murky, but the small allusions to it left me wondering. I always like a story to feel that there is more to it than the book can contain. Veronica Hobbes is my favorite character. She is a strong, confident woman with a no-nonsense attitude. She’s very sensible and seems rather cold, but her close relationship with her sister proves otherwise. I really feel Veronica wasn’t utilized to her fullest ability and I hope the next book will improve.
The rest of the characters are largely one dimensional and more like stock characters, even the villains. They didn’t have facets to them like the main characters did. Victorian society also isn’t portrayed very realistically. The close friendship between Veronica and Maurice would have been largely disapproved of and would have had serious consequences for Veronica.
Overall, I enjoyed The Affinity Bridge despite the lacking minor characters and depiction of Victorian society. I would recommend it to fans of Gail Carriger’s Alexia Tarabotti series.
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Newbury, agent of the Queen and anthropologist for the British Museum, is in the middle of investigating that series of murders when the Crown requested that he investigate a mysterious and tragic accident. An aircraft piloted by an automaton crashed in Finsbury Park and killed everyone inside of it. He and his intrepid assistant, Veronica Hobbes, are on the case and investigate. It starts off as a conventional investigation until multiple attempts on their lives are made. Can Maurice and Veronica figure out the two mysteries before more people die or they are killed?The Affinity Bridge is steeped in an alternative history version of Victorian England. There are flying airships in the air, clockwork automatons as servants and pilots, revenant zombies in the streets, and even a crude life support system to keep Queen Victoria alive. The book opens with a horrific zombie scene in India and then the story goes to England, where much of the investigation is simply in Victorian society. At points, I was lulled into the sense that I was reading a normal Victorian mystery novel and then I would be jarred when clockwork men or zombies attacked. I haven’t read a book quite like this one and I enjoyed that the supernatural aspects weren’t all encompassing. Even though the technology in this book is more advanced than the actual era, poverty, hunger, and their infamous mistreatment of mental illness unfortunately still exist. These stark realities gave the book a believability I don’t think it would have had if they were absent.
The main characters in this book are flawed and dynamic, with their own sets of insecurities and sordid secrets. Maurice Newbury is a brilliant detective and anthropologist with an addiction to opium. He is slightly Holmes-like, but much more eager to physically fight. I felt they portrayed his physical strength and stamina a bit overexaggerated. His past is rather murky, but the small allusions to it left me wondering. I always like a story to feel that there is more to it than the book can contain. Veronica Hobbes is my favorite character. She is a strong, confident woman with a no-nonsense attitude. She’s very sensible and seems rather cold, but her close relationship with her sister proves otherwise. I really feel Veronica wasn’t utilized to her fullest ability and I hope the next book will improve.
The rest of the characters are largely one dimensional and more like stock characters, even the villains. They didn’t have facets to them like the main characters did. Victorian society also isn’t portrayed very realistically. The close friendship between Veronica and Maurice would have been largely disapproved of and would have had serious consequences for Veronica.
Overall, I enjoyed The Affinity Bridge despite the lacking minor characters and depiction of Victorian society. I would recommend it to fans of Gail Carriger’s Alexia Tarabotti series.
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LibraryThing member graceschumann
Steampunk is all the rage right now. And Mann did not leave me disappointed at all with his take on it. Introducing Newbury (the detective) and Miss Hobbes (his assistant), this book delves into a world where airships float gracefully through the sky, where zombies stalk the dark street corners,
I loved this book. That is not an exaggeration in the least. Mann definitely knows what he's doing. He has great character development and the plot-line is incredibly captivating. I don't think I've read a book that has incorporated all the true elements of the Steampunk genre as Mann has. This is truly a work of art!
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where automatons appear to the be the new frontier.I loved this book. That is not an exaggeration in the least. Mann definitely knows what he's doing. He has great character development and the plot-line is incredibly captivating. I don't think I've read a book that has incorporated all the true elements of the Steampunk genre as Mann has. This is truly a work of art!
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LibraryThing member kkisser
The mystery series following crown investigators Newbury and Hobbes in the alternate Victorian London where Queen Victoria is kept alive using clever steampunk technology. The story is like a combination of Indiana Jones and Sherlock Holmes in a world were anything could happen including zombies.
LibraryThing member bytheseabchcmbr
this is the first Steampunk I've read, I really did enjoy it and will be looking for other books similar, The story itself was almost a simple version of a Sherlock Holmes feeling, then it changed and became its own genre. Indiana
Jones, lovers may enjoy this.
Jones, lovers may enjoy this.
LibraryThing member jcmontgomery
The more I read steampunk, the more I like it. Especially when the story and characters are as engaging as they are here.
This is the first book in George Mann’s Newbury & Hobbes Investigation series. As with traditional steampunk, the setting is Victorian England.
Beyond the science fiction
The only part I had trouble with is how one of the sub-plots was resolved. It felt . . . awkward, as if it was loose end not discovered until too late and fixed hurriedly. Since the book opens with this particular storyline, or at least it’s main character, then I’m hoping it’s because it will be developed more in a later installment, so I shouldn’t jump to conclusions.
Still, it didn’t detract much from the overall story and how much I liked it.
This is a definite recommendation not only to those who like steampunk, but especially for introducing it to others. It is an excellent ambassador for the genre.
Now, off to read the second in the series, The Osiris Ritual.
This is the first book in George Mann’s Newbury & Hobbes Investigation series. As with traditional steampunk, the setting is Victorian England.
Beyond the science fiction
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however, is a well-crafted mystery. From the beginning I was enthralled. I knew immediately this was going to be an enjoyable book to read. I guessed at part of it, but when unraveled, the complete story was beyond what I’d imagined and I was thrilled to be so surprised. It’s been a long time since an author caught me off guard that way. It was wonderful!The only part I had trouble with is how one of the sub-plots was resolved. It felt . . . awkward, as if it was loose end not discovered until too late and fixed hurriedly. Since the book opens with this particular storyline, or at least it’s main character, then I’m hoping it’s because it will be developed more in a later installment, so I shouldn’t jump to conclusions.
Still, it didn’t detract much from the overall story and how much I liked it.
This is a definite recommendation not only to those who like steampunk, but especially for introducing it to others. It is an excellent ambassador for the genre.
Now, off to read the second in the series, The Osiris Ritual.
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Subjects
Awards
Sidewise Award (Finalist — 2008)
Language
Original publication date
2008
Physical description
334 p.; 22 cm
ISBN
9780765323200
Similar in this library
Pages
334