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Bannon & Clare #2
The Red Plague Affair
The service of Britannia is not for the faint of heart--or conscience...
Emma Bannon, Sorceress Prime in service to Queen Victrix, has a mission: to find the doctor who has created a powerful new weapon. Her friend, the mentath Archibald Clare, is only too happy to help. It will distract him from pursuing his nemesis, and besides, Clare is not as young as he used to be. A spot of Miss Bannon's excellent hospitality and her diverting company may be just what he needs.
Unfortunately, their quarry is a fanatic, and his poisonous discovery is just as dangerous to Britannia as to Her enemies. Now a single man has set Londinium ablaze, and Clare finds himself in the middle of distressing excitement, racing against time and theory to find a cure. Miss Bannon, of course, has troubles of her own, for the Queen's Consort Alberich is ill, and Her Majesty unhappy with Bannon's loyal service. And there is still no reliable way to find a hansom when one needs it most...
The game is afoot. And the Red Plague rises.
Emma Bannon, Sorceress Prime in service to Queen Victrix, has a mission: to find the doctor who has created a powerful new weapon. Her friend, the mentath Archibald Clare, is only too happy to help. It will distract him from pursuing his nemesis, and besides, Clare is not as young as he used to be. A spot of Miss Bannon's excellent hospitality and her diverting company may be just what he needs.
Unfortunately, their quarry is a fanatic, and his poisonous discovery is just as dangerous to Britannia as to Her enemies. Now a single man has set Londinium ablaze, and Clare finds himself in the middle of distressing excitement, racing against time and theory to find a cure. Miss Bannon, of course, has troubles of her own, for the Queen's Consort Alberich is ill, and Her Majesty unhappy with Bannon's loyal service. And there is still no reliable way to find a hansom when one needs it most...
The game is afoot. And the Red Plague rises.
321 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
46 people are currently reading
1500 people want to read
About the author
Lilith Saintcrow
153 books4,508 followersLilith Saintcrow was born in New Mexico, bounced around the world as a child, and fell in love with writing stories when she was ten years old. She and her library co-habitate in Vancouver, Washington.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
July 13, 2013
Sorceress Prime Emma Bannon and Mentath Archibal Clare team up in the service of Britannia once again, this time to fight the deadly effects of a mysterious plague. This plague was designed as a weapon but turns out too be rather indiscriminate in its victims, including several characters that we have met before.
I really hoped that this second volume in the series would be an improvement over the first, but I can't really say that it is. I find it frustrating that the author chooses to dance around some areas of the story rather than come straight out with things. It's a real shame because there is a pretty good story bouncing around in here, the execution of it was simply lacking. Often there were leaps in logic that made it difficult to read, and I almost gave up on it at one point because it didn't seem to be going anywhere. Luckily this was just before the main thrust of the story comes into play, and there are some effectively written scenes as alternative reality Londinium suffers the effects of the plague.
I probably won't read another story in this series. It is a real shame because the series has a lot of offer, but the author just isn't making the best use of the world she has created.
I really hoped that this second volume in the series would be an improvement over the first, but I can't really say that it is. I find it frustrating that the author chooses to dance around some areas of the story rather than come straight out with things. It's a real shame because there is a pretty good story bouncing around in here, the execution of it was simply lacking. Often there were leaps in logic that made it difficult to read, and I almost gave up on it at one point because it didn't seem to be going anywhere. Luckily this was just before the main thrust of the story comes into play, and there are some effectively written scenes as alternative reality Londinium suffers the effects of the plague.
I probably won't read another story in this series. It is a real shame because the series has a lot of offer, but the author just isn't making the best use of the world she has created.
March 1, 2019
The Red Plague Affair (Bannon & Clare #2) by Lilith Saintcrow is a great sequel. I quite enjoyed jumping back into this steampunk world and seeing everyone again. It took me a second to remember where the previous one ended and get back into the swing of things, I had so much fun. I'm looking forward to picking up book three, The Ripper Affair, in the future. If you like The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger, I have a feeling you'll love Bannon & Clare from Lilith Saintcrow.
September 21, 2014
Hurt, Archibald Clare ends up in Emma Bannon's house again and I really enjoyed seeing the depth of their friendship. Emma Bannon is the master of understatement because she 'would be vexed' if something happened to Clare.
Once again they have to use their opposite talents to fight against the enemies of Britannia. Only this time the stakes are much higher for everyone involved. A lunatic has decided that the city (and probably the world) needs cleansing. Emma Bannon realizes just how much certain people mean to her and that some do not deserve her brand of loyalty. The moment you get to see it is both frustrating (because you are angry on her behalf) and uplifting (because you get to see how extraordinary she is).
The peculiarity of this series is its steady feeling of doom, heartbreak or dread. You constantly hold your breath waiting for something harrowing to happen. Even the moments that are not sad or bad have the same gloom hanging above them.
Mikal is, thankfully, still an enigma. It wouldn't do if every single thing is revealed and explained. He does things here that only make him even more mysterious. There are also snippets of Emma Bannon's memories of her childhood scattered throughout this book. They only serve to add a new layer to an already great, albeit dark, character.
The changed names like Aleksandr of Makedon, Alberich and such are still annoying but not as distracting as when I read them the first time in The Iron Wyrm Affair, damned is most of the times d--d unless it isn't (reason unknown), but it didn't bother me that much.
Once again they have to use their opposite talents to fight against the enemies of Britannia. Only this time the stakes are much higher for everyone involved. A lunatic has decided that the city (and probably the world) needs cleansing. Emma Bannon realizes just how much certain people mean to her and that some do not deserve her brand of loyalty. The moment you get to see it is both frustrating (because you are angry on her behalf) and uplifting (because you get to see how extraordinary she is).
The peculiarity of this series is its steady feeling of doom, heartbreak or dread. You constantly hold your breath waiting for something harrowing to happen. Even the moments that are not sad or bad have the same gloom hanging above them.
Mikal is, thankfully, still an enigma. It wouldn't do if every single thing is revealed and explained. He does things here that only make him even more mysterious. There are also snippets of Emma Bannon's memories of her childhood scattered throughout this book. They only serve to add a new layer to an already great, albeit dark, character.
The changed names like Aleksandr of Makedon, Alberich and such are still annoying but not as distracting as when I read them the first time in The Iron Wyrm Affair, damned is most of the times d--d unless it isn't (reason unknown), but it didn't bother me that much.
May 27, 2013
Archibald Clare, Mentath to the crown is on the hunt for Dr. Vance, a fellow Mentath. He is injured in his hunt, and is taken to Emma Bannon, who patches him up. After Clare is okay Bannon is called to Queen Victrix for a mission. She is to find a biologist named Morris and bring him in alive. Once Bannon finds Morris, it isn’t him, but his creation that gives Bannon the biggest problem.
The Red Plague Affair is book two in the Bannon and Clare series. While Bannon is a sorceress prime (prime is like the highest level of magic user) Clare is a Mentath. Mentath’s are super geniuses who rely on logic. Magic and logic doesn’t mesh well together, making these two an odd couple. They partner up to solve problems. In this book we see that instead of being just partners that they care for one another.
The restrictions of decorum in this steampunk series sometimes make it hard for me to understand the characters one way or another. That mixed in with the vocabulary of new words can be overwhelming at the start of the novel. Bannon ends up going to an old friend for information, and discovers that her shield, who she knows has a mysterious past, defiantly has a mysterious past.
Bannon had (has?) a semi sexy relationship with her shield Mikal. He came to her in a very questionable way, and she is constantly worried about what he might do, who he might be, and what might happen if someone finds out. She’s also doesn’t really want to know his past. The plot line with Mikal is a side plot that I have a feeling will span over the series. I haven’t been sold on the mysterious Mikal just yet.
The main plot line has to do with what the biologist Morris made, which is pretty much what the title of the novel suggests. It’s up to Bannon and Clare to save the day. Bannon shows a lot of humanity in this installment, good and bad. The story shifts between the Bannon and Clare on a chapter to chapter basis. Clare really takes a main stage in this one, working to the bone. His mysterious Dr. Vance also makes appearances, but I still don’t fully grasp Clare’s obsession with the man.
I had a hard time getting back into this steampunk series, mainly because I couldn’t remember all the events from the last installment. I wanted more from the characters on a whole, but if a reader is looking for the steampunk flair, this novel has it in spades. It introduces a new side plot line with another prime following Bannon for a time. There scenes between Bannon and Queen Victrix that are not only interesting, but were by far my favorite.
Being the second installment in the series I still wonder where it’s heading, other than a shield’s mysterious past. On the one hand the characters interest me greatly, but on the other I constantly want more from them. If you are looking for a steampunk feel that holds nothing back, this is the book for you, though it took me some time getting used to the language.
- Beth
The Red Plague Affair is book two in the Bannon and Clare series. While Bannon is a sorceress prime (prime is like the highest level of magic user) Clare is a Mentath. Mentath’s are super geniuses who rely on logic. Magic and logic doesn’t mesh well together, making these two an odd couple. They partner up to solve problems. In this book we see that instead of being just partners that they care for one another.
The restrictions of decorum in this steampunk series sometimes make it hard for me to understand the characters one way or another. That mixed in with the vocabulary of new words can be overwhelming at the start of the novel. Bannon ends up going to an old friend for information, and discovers that her shield, who she knows has a mysterious past, defiantly has a mysterious past.
Bannon had (has?) a semi sexy relationship with her shield Mikal. He came to her in a very questionable way, and she is constantly worried about what he might do, who he might be, and what might happen if someone finds out. She’s also doesn’t really want to know his past. The plot line with Mikal is a side plot that I have a feeling will span over the series. I haven’t been sold on the mysterious Mikal just yet.
The main plot line has to do with what the biologist Morris made, which is pretty much what the title of the novel suggests. It’s up to Bannon and Clare to save the day. Bannon shows a lot of humanity in this installment, good and bad. The story shifts between the Bannon and Clare on a chapter to chapter basis. Clare really takes a main stage in this one, working to the bone. His mysterious Dr. Vance also makes appearances, but I still don’t fully grasp Clare’s obsession with the man.
I had a hard time getting back into this steampunk series, mainly because I couldn’t remember all the events from the last installment. I wanted more from the characters on a whole, but if a reader is looking for the steampunk flair, this novel has it in spades. It introduces a new side plot line with another prime following Bannon for a time. There scenes between Bannon and Queen Victrix that are not only interesting, but were by far my favorite.
Being the second installment in the series I still wonder where it’s heading, other than a shield’s mysterious past. On the one hand the characters interest me greatly, but on the other I constantly want more from them. If you are looking for a steampunk feel that holds nothing back, this is the book for you, though it took me some time getting used to the language.
- Beth
December 25, 2013
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Upon finishing the Iron Wyrm Affair, I embarked upon this book.
Emma and Clare are once again find themselves solving a fatal mystery. What is this Plague that is going around and what is it's cure? Except this time, Emma loses the Queen favour and someone very close to her.
I have always been a fan of Lilith Saintcrow, but I found myself losing interest in some parts and not understanding what was happening in others.
But overall, the writing was good and the setting was intriguing.
ARC Courtesy of NetGalley and Orbit.
Upon finishing the Iron Wyrm Affair, I embarked upon this book.
Emma and Clare are once again find themselves solving a fatal mystery. What is this Plague that is going around and what is it's cure? Except this time, Emma loses the Queen favour and someone very close to her.
I have always been a fan of Lilith Saintcrow, but I found myself losing interest in some parts and not understanding what was happening in others.
But overall, the writing was good and the setting was intriguing.
ARC Courtesy of NetGalley and Orbit.
July 25, 2016
Second in the Bannon & Clare historical steampunk series in an alternate Londinium and revolving around a sorceress and a man of logic.
My Take
Since The Iron Wyrm Affair , Bannon and Clare have partnered up in other chases and each has come to admire the other. There is definitely no insta-love here though. The story simply continues the interruption in thought from the first book for Clare and Bannon as their worries and thoughts about the other pop up at the oddest moments, quite distracting really. And it doesn't fit with the sense of years having gone by. Emma also chastises herself quite a bit for lying to herself. I'm curious where this line of thought is meant to be going.
I do tend to whine on about authors who play with history, and at least Saintcrow warns us ahead of time that she is playing. To be fair, I don't have objections to fussing with history when the story is something fantasy-based, and yes, steampunk, urban fantasy, paranormals, etc., are all fantasy-based. My objections here are the silly, minute changes Saintcrow makes to the names of people and places; the emphasis she keeps placing on how old Clare is; and, the vagueness in the writing.
Awkward names that the reader stumbles over interrupt the flow of the narrative, and Saintcrow doubles the problem by using true history but with the faux names. It stops my mind as it casts about for the relationship, where Saintcrow's name fits within history. If you want to create a new world, fine, but if you intend to base it on the old one, stick to its real names. I don't object to switching it up to change how the war was fought or the election was lost, just leave the name alone. Please.
Age-wise, Saintcrow reminds us that Clare was 33 when we first met him in The Iron Wyrm Affair , 1, and goes on to say that years have passed since then. But there is no indication of how many years it's been since then. It must be a good twenty for the way the author is carrying on. And if it's been so long since Bannon first worked with Clare, why is she still harping on Mikal's strangling Crawford?
And the vagueness continues: what was Emma's relationship with Thomas or Rudyard; what did happen with Llew at the end; who is the Prime following her around; why not just mention the bloody Philosopher's stone there at the end; just say what Thomas does at the end and stop cloaking Thomas' appearance in all this mummery; and, what has Clare has been dosing himself with? I also wish we would learn more about the status of the Indentured in this world. Usually being indentured is a negative, and yet in this series, Saintcrow mentions how lucky Bannon's staff are to be indentured to her, what a good thing being indentured is. Why? Then there's the odd relationship between Emma and Coldfaith.
Okay, so Rudyard is a dangerous character, and it sounds as though he's brought information to the queen's attention. But I can't tell if he's a threat to England, the queen, or what? There's something about Mikal that frightens Rudyard, and it gets Emma to wondering.
Throughout the story, Saintcrow gives enough information to tease without really saying anything.
The Story
A quite dramatic start when Clare has a heart attack as he’s wrestling with a criminal in the sewers of London. One who has best Clare time and again.
It only worsens when he ends up in a partnership with Vance as he, Vance, Emma, Mikal, and Valentinelli struggle to save Britain from this plague of red.
The Characters
Emma Bannon is a Prima, a sorceress of the highest caliber, and she’s the newly titled Countess of Sellwyth after events in The Iron Wyrm Affair , Llew’s family estate, because Britannia wants Dinas Emrys watched. As part of Emma’s Black Discipline, she does tidy-up work for the Queen. Mikal and Eli are her Shields, men sworn to protect her and be an anchor for magical spells. All of Miss Bannon’s staff are disabled in some manner: Horace and Gilburn are the footmen; Finch the butler; Harthell is the coachman; and, Madame Noyon is the housekeeper.
Sir Archibald Clare, a disbarred mentath who was reinstated as one of the Queen’s Own after events in The Iron Wyrm Affair , has partnered at times with Emma as they chase down the bad guys. Ludovico Valentinelli is a Neapolitan assassin hired to be Clare’s bodyguard. Sigmund Baerbarth, a Bavarian, is a singleminded inventor, and it’s only his assistant, Chompton, who keeps him at all solvent. Mrs. Ginn is Sig’s landlady.
Dr. Francis Vance, an art professor, is a very intelligent mentath with a criminal preference for the unique and difficult. John Morris is a genius-level physicker. Kim Rudyard is a master sorcerer, a half-Indus with some English blood, and is a childhood contemporary of the slums with Emma.
Physicker Darlington is a medical professional. Copperpot is a Master Alterator and sorcerer, one who merges flesh with mechanical. Edmund Tarshingale spends most of his time at King’s Hospital in Holbourne, treating the ill as he promotes the use of carbolic.
Queen Alexandrina Victrix reigns the Empire and serves as the vessel for Britannia. Alberich is the Prince and Consort, an aristocrat from Saxon-Kolbe, who hates Emma. The Duchess of Kent has spent most of her time since her daughter ascended the throne in plotting to bring her under her control. Sir John Conroy is the duchess’ comptroller and partner in raising Victrix. Emma thinks he’s past his use-by date.
The gryphons serve Britannia, have some sort of compact with the Shields, and love the taste of sorcerous-meat. And they hate Emma for what she did in The Iron Wyrm Affair .
The Collegia
Prima Grinaud had been one of the harsher teachers when Emma attended school. Thomas Coldfaith is a Mender of the White Discipline with a twisted and warped body, and it seems as if he has been in love with Emma since they both attended the Collegia. A love that Emma didn’t notice until late.
Constance, Lady Ripley, a.k.a., Constant, Lady Gossip, and the Earl of Dornant-Burgh are useful in their own ways. The Duke of Cailesborough is hand-in-glove with Don Ignacio de la Hoya, a part of the Spanish embassy, in plotting.
The Cover
The cover feels warmer than the first in this series, The Iron Wyrm Affair. Of course it could be the spark of magic Emma is holding along with the orange backlight behind where she’s sitting so carefully upright in the club chair, Clare standing to the side and behind her, one hand on the chair’s upright side. Both are as carefully dressed as always in their Victoriana, although it does seem odd to see Clare with a bowler on his head inside a home library.
The title homes in on the crux of this story, for it’s The Red Plague Affair that creates all the brou-ha-ha.
My Take
Since The Iron Wyrm Affair , Bannon and Clare have partnered up in other chases and each has come to admire the other. There is definitely no insta-love here though. The story simply continues the interruption in thought from the first book for Clare and Bannon as their worries and thoughts about the other pop up at the oddest moments, quite distracting really. And it doesn't fit with the sense of years having gone by. Emma also chastises herself quite a bit for lying to herself. I'm curious where this line of thought is meant to be going.
I do tend to whine on about authors who play with history, and at least Saintcrow warns us ahead of time that she is playing. To be fair, I don't have objections to fussing with history when the story is something fantasy-based, and yes, steampunk, urban fantasy, paranormals, etc., are all fantasy-based. My objections here are the silly, minute changes Saintcrow makes to the names of people and places; the emphasis she keeps placing on how old Clare is; and, the vagueness in the writing.
Awkward names that the reader stumbles over interrupt the flow of the narrative, and Saintcrow doubles the problem by using true history but with the faux names. It stops my mind as it casts about for the relationship, where Saintcrow's name fits within history. If you want to create a new world, fine, but if you intend to base it on the old one, stick to its real names. I don't object to switching it up to change how the war was fought or the election was lost, just leave the name alone. Please.
Age-wise, Saintcrow reminds us that Clare was 33 when we first met him in The Iron Wyrm Affair , 1, and goes on to say that years have passed since then. But there is no indication of how many years it's been since then. It must be a good twenty for the way the author is carrying on. And if it's been so long since Bannon first worked with Clare, why is she still harping on Mikal's strangling Crawford?
And the vagueness continues: what was Emma's relationship with Thomas or Rudyard; what did happen with Llew at the end; who is the Prime following her around; why not just mention the bloody Philosopher's stone there at the end; just say what Thomas does at the end and stop cloaking Thomas' appearance in all this mummery; and, what has Clare has been dosing himself with? I also wish we would learn more about the status of the Indentured in this world. Usually being indentured is a negative, and yet in this series, Saintcrow mentions how lucky Bannon's staff are to be indentured to her, what a good thing being indentured is. Why? Then there's the odd relationship between Emma and Coldfaith.
Okay, so Rudyard is a dangerous character, and it sounds as though he's brought information to the queen's attention. But I can't tell if he's a threat to England, the queen, or what? There's something about Mikal that frightens Rudyard, and it gets Emma to wondering.
Throughout the story, Saintcrow gives enough information to tease without really saying anything.
The Story
A quite dramatic start when Clare has a heart attack as he’s wrestling with a criminal in the sewers of London. One who has best Clare time and again.
It only worsens when he ends up in a partnership with Vance as he, Vance, Emma, Mikal, and Valentinelli struggle to save Britain from this plague of red.
The Characters
Emma Bannon is a Prima, a sorceress of the highest caliber, and she’s the newly titled Countess of Sellwyth after events in The Iron Wyrm Affair , Llew’s family estate, because Britannia wants Dinas Emrys watched. As part of Emma’s Black Discipline, she does tidy-up work for the Queen. Mikal and Eli are her Shields, men sworn to protect her and be an anchor for magical spells. All of Miss Bannon’s staff are disabled in some manner: Horace and Gilburn are the footmen; Finch the butler; Harthell is the coachman; and, Madame Noyon is the housekeeper.
Sir Archibald Clare, a disbarred mentath who was reinstated as one of the Queen’s Own after events in The Iron Wyrm Affair , has partnered at times with Emma as they chase down the bad guys. Ludovico Valentinelli is a Neapolitan assassin hired to be Clare’s bodyguard. Sigmund Baerbarth, a Bavarian, is a singleminded inventor, and it’s only his assistant, Chompton, who keeps him at all solvent. Mrs. Ginn is Sig’s landlady.
Dr. Francis Vance, an art professor, is a very intelligent mentath with a criminal preference for the unique and difficult. John Morris is a genius-level physicker. Kim Rudyard is a master sorcerer, a half-Indus with some English blood, and is a childhood contemporary of the slums with Emma.
Physicker Darlington is a medical professional. Copperpot is a Master Alterator and sorcerer, one who merges flesh with mechanical. Edmund Tarshingale spends most of his time at King’s Hospital in Holbourne, treating the ill as he promotes the use of carbolic.
Queen Alexandrina Victrix reigns the Empire and serves as the vessel for Britannia. Alberich is the Prince and Consort, an aristocrat from Saxon-Kolbe, who hates Emma. The Duchess of Kent has spent most of her time since her daughter ascended the throne in plotting to bring her under her control. Sir John Conroy is the duchess’ comptroller and partner in raising Victrix. Emma thinks he’s past his use-by date.
The gryphons serve Britannia, have some sort of compact with the Shields, and love the taste of sorcerous-meat. And they hate Emma for what she did in The Iron Wyrm Affair .
The Collegia
Prima Grinaud had been one of the harsher teachers when Emma attended school. Thomas Coldfaith is a Mender of the White Discipline with a twisted and warped body, and it seems as if he has been in love with Emma since they both attended the Collegia. A love that Emma didn’t notice until late.
Constance, Lady Ripley, a.k.a., Constant, Lady Gossip, and the Earl of Dornant-Burgh are useful in their own ways. The Duke of Cailesborough is hand-in-glove with Don Ignacio de la Hoya, a part of the Spanish embassy, in plotting.
The Cover
The cover feels warmer than the first in this series, The Iron Wyrm Affair. Of course it could be the spark of magic Emma is holding along with the orange backlight behind where she’s sitting so carefully upright in the club chair, Clare standing to the side and behind her, one hand on the chair’s upright side. Both are as carefully dressed as always in their Victoriana, although it does seem odd to see Clare with a bowler on his head inside a home library.
The title homes in on the crux of this story, for it’s The Red Plague Affair that creates all the brou-ha-ha.
September 12, 2017
I quite enjoyed this story! The black plague has been resurrected in Londinium and the Queen's consort has contracted it! I really liked the characters, especially Mr. Clare, the mentath! Dr. Vance was an nice addition!
January 28, 2019
The further adventures of forensic sorceress Emma Bannon and mentath Archibald Clare in an alternate London are quite enjoyable. Recommended.
August 3, 2017
The Red Plague Affair (Bannon & Clare #2) by Lilith Saintcrow Author: Lilith Saintcrow Title: The Red Plague Affair Series: Bannon & Clare Cover Rating: Book Rating: Buy This Book:
The service of Britannia is not for the faint of heart--or conscience...Emma Bannon, Sorceress Prime in service to Queen Victrix, has a mission: to find the doctor who has created a powerful new weapon. Her friend, the mentath Archibald Clare, is only too happy to help. It will distract him from pursuing his nemesis, and besides, Clare is not as young as he used to be. A spot of Miss Bannon's excellent hospitality and her diverting company may be just what he needs.Unfortunately, their quarry is a fanatic, and his poisonous discovery is just as dangerous to Britannia as to Her enemies. Now a single man has set Londinium ablaze, and Clare finds himself in the middle of distressing excitement, racing against time and theory to find a cure. Miss Bannon, of course, has troubles of her own, for the Queen's Consort Alberich is ill, and Her Majesty unhappy with Bannon's loyal service. And there is still no reliable way to find a hansom when one needs it most...The game is afoot. And the Red Plague rises.
The Red Plague Affair by Lilith Saintcrow is the second book of the Bannon and Clare books. I really wish I had gotten to read the first book of this series because there are a lot of plot ties that link to the first book that I think would have made this book easier to understand.
That being said this book is unlike any other that I've ever read. The Red Plague Affair really sort of made me think of Sherlock Holmes for the steam punk generation.
Fun and full of laughable moments I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone.
Until next time book lovers...
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews purchased a print copy for personal collection.
All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews
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The service of Britannia is not for the faint of heart--or conscience...Emma Bannon, Sorceress Prime in service to Queen Victrix, has a mission: to find the doctor who has created a powerful new weapon. Her friend, the mentath Archibald Clare, is only too happy to help. It will distract him from pursuing his nemesis, and besides, Clare is not as young as he used to be. A spot of Miss Bannon's excellent hospitality and her diverting company may be just what he needs.Unfortunately, their quarry is a fanatic, and his poisonous discovery is just as dangerous to Britannia as to Her enemies. Now a single man has set Londinium ablaze, and Clare finds himself in the middle of distressing excitement, racing against time and theory to find a cure. Miss Bannon, of course, has troubles of her own, for the Queen's Consort Alberich is ill, and Her Majesty unhappy with Bannon's loyal service. And there is still no reliable way to find a hansom when one needs it most...The game is afoot. And the Red Plague rises.
The Red Plague Affair by Lilith Saintcrow is the second book of the Bannon and Clare books. I really wish I had gotten to read the first book of this series because there are a lot of plot ties that link to the first book that I think would have made this book easier to understand.
That being said this book is unlike any other that I've ever read. The Red Plague Affair really sort of made me think of Sherlock Holmes for the steam punk generation.
Fun and full of laughable moments I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone.
Until next time book lovers...
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews purchased a print copy for personal collection.
All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews has a QR code for your phone!
May 12, 2013
Bannon & Clare are one of the most disjointed couples I have read, and still they do click together perfectly. But then logic and feeling must go together or we create sociopaths rather than well-balanced human beings.
So, even under their respective banners, Bannon and Clare are actually a mix of both. She's pretty ruthless and logical for a sorceress (and woman, to quote Clare), and he has quite a well of feelings under all that mind.
I suspect that this book will divide readers in two camps too. You either love or loathe Ms Saintcrow's latest writing. I'm strongly in the first group: I love her prickly heroines, strong and twisted and always so damned interesting. I love her world-building that integrates differences in the almost-known. And I love her plots, stories that never take the usual path.
Her style is not for everyone, above all in this latest series. It may sound purple to some. To me it simply perfect with the setting.
As with The Iron Wyrm Affair, the first part of the book was a bit difficult to get into. As I'm not "familiar" with Clare's mind, and his thoughts and leaps are somewhat difficult to follow through.
More than the first book, The Red Plague Affair has more questions than answers and you'll find yourself willing the next book out now. There are no cliff-hangers, the mystery is solved, the plot closed almost to satisfaction. But some of the actions that happened will have repercussions or simply will need answers. :)
I have one nit that somewhat marred my enjoyment of the story (above all at the beginning): I really do not understand what was the purpose of the Vance Affair.
So, even under their respective banners, Bannon and Clare are actually a mix of both. She's pretty ruthless and logical for a sorceress (and woman, to quote Clare), and he has quite a well of feelings under all that mind.
I suspect that this book will divide readers in two camps too. You either love or loathe Ms Saintcrow's latest writing. I'm strongly in the first group: I love her prickly heroines, strong and twisted and always so damned interesting. I love her world-building that integrates differences in the almost-known. And I love her plots, stories that never take the usual path.
Her style is not for everyone, above all in this latest series. It may sound purple to some. To me it simply perfect with the setting.
As with The Iron Wyrm Affair, the first part of the book was a bit difficult to get into. As I'm not "familiar" with Clare's mind, and his thoughts and leaps are somewhat difficult to follow through.
More than the first book, The Red Plague Affair has more questions than answers and you'll find yourself willing the next book out now. There are no cliff-hangers, the mystery is solved, the plot closed almost to satisfaction. But some of the actions that happened will have repercussions or simply will need answers. :)
I have one nit that somewhat marred my enjoyment of the story (above all at the beginning): I really do not understand what was the purpose of the Vance Affair.
May 26, 2013
this is the second book of the Bannon&Clare Series and I have to say I liked this book even more than the first one.
in this story Emma is asked by the queen to bring back a missing scientist which has developed a new weapon. After an episode of his own Clare lands again on Emmas doorstep and she decides to ask him for help with her case ... and soon both of them are very deep in trouble.
the pacing of this book is excellent and the story compelling and full of action. it also has serious impact on Emmas relationship with the queen and it will be intersting to see how that developts. Mrs. Saintcrow is doing a perfect job in creating answers and with them opens new questions.
Bannon and Clare are very fascinating characters and they develop even more during this book. we get to know them and their history better and it is interesting to see how their relationship with each other grows. We learn more about Bannons background which explains a lot of her behaviour. this book has a little more pagetime for Clare and his way of thinking which is fascinatiing to see and was very captivating for me.
this book introduces also a very intersting secondary character, named Dr. Vance. He is a little bit like the criminal version of Clare and I am sure he will make an appearance in the next book as well.
Mikal is as always very visible but a complex riddle. I think his origins will have more impact on Emma than she foresees.
on the whole a really good read and a fine example for a steampunk novel ... I can't wait to get the next book
in this story Emma is asked by the queen to bring back a missing scientist which has developed a new weapon. After an episode of his own Clare lands again on Emmas doorstep and she decides to ask him for help with her case ... and soon both of them are very deep in trouble.
the pacing of this book is excellent and the story compelling and full of action. it also has serious impact on Emmas relationship with the queen and it will be intersting to see how that developts. Mrs. Saintcrow is doing a perfect job in creating answers and with them opens new questions.
Bannon and Clare are very fascinating characters and they develop even more during this book. we get to know them and their history better and it is interesting to see how their relationship with each other grows. We learn more about Bannons background which explains a lot of her behaviour. this book has a little more pagetime for Clare and his way of thinking which is fascinatiing to see and was very captivating for me.
this book introduces also a very intersting secondary character, named Dr. Vance. He is a little bit like the criminal version of Clare and I am sure he will make an appearance in the next book as well.
Mikal is as always very visible but a complex riddle. I think his origins will have more impact on Emma than she foresees.
on the whole a really good read and a fine example for a steampunk novel ... I can't wait to get the next book
June 3, 2013
In the years since the Iron Wyrm Affair marked the beginning of Bannon and Clare's unorthodox -- but highly effective -- partnership, the two have become a formidable team in service to Britannia, the ruling spirit of the land currently residing in the vessel of a young Queen Victrix. But recently mentath Archibald Clare has found his considerable intellect distracted from his service to the Crown by a personal vendetta -- the search for his arch-nemesis, the wily criminal mentath Professor Vance. When Clare's obsession begins affecting his health and work, sorceress Emma Bannon finds herself forced to intervene. Britannia has commissioned its most loyal Sorceress Prime to retrieve a wayward doctor tasked with developing a secret weapon for the defense of the realm. Emma has never before questioned a commission from her queen, but when the doctor in question turns out to have an agenda that threatens the realm's own subjects, Emma begins to question her own blind loyalty to the ruling spirit of the land. Bannon and Clare find themselves in a race against time to stop an outbreak that threatens every loyal subject of the Crown. And when one in the Bannon-Clare partnership threatens to fall, the other will find themselves drive to extraordinary lengths to save the other, their polar opposite who has become an unexpectedly dear, indelible part of the other's life.
Saintcrow is on a fast-track to become a favorite author with her Victorian-era steampunk novels, as this, her second in the Bannon and Clare series (third if you count the American-set The Damnation Affair) is perhaps her best yet. This homage to a steampunk-era Sherlock Holmes is a wholly entertaining, page-turning thrill ride that further explores the laws and mechanics of Saintcrow's steampunk universe, while deepening the characterizations and relationship between her two principle players. This time around, the narrative seems more balanced between both Clare and Bannon's perspectives, shading each intensely private character with greater emotional depth. And perhaps because the stakes have never been higher -- or more personal -- for the dedicated sorceress and the brilliant mentath, this installment lays critical groundwork for their future relationship as well as providing fascinating glimpses into each character's shadowed history.
Within the pages of The Red Plague Affair, Saintcrow has a lot of fun playing with the her own variation on the character of Sherlock Holmes and the tropes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic stories. Here Clare the mentath, the brilliant logician, encounters that most dangerous of adversaries -- boredom. That, coupled with the use of addictive substances to sharpen his faculties, brings Clare to the brink of death as his battered body threatens to give way even as his mind seeks ever higher levels of challenge. I adored the manner in which Saintcrow introduces Clare's Moriarty -- Professor Vance has become Clare's latest obsession in lieu of a more challenging case, and when the two are forced into an uneasy partnership the chemistry and humor that results from the meeting of two such brilliant minds is tremendously entertaining.
Emma Bannon, Sorceress Prime of the iron will, is given far greater depth here, as Saintcrow delves into Emma's poverty-stricken past and the cost of service to the crown. This novel smartly introduces shades of grey into Emma's previously black and white view of her government service, which forces her to re-evaluate her previously unquestioning allegiance to blindly follow Britannia's dictates, particularly when those missions begin to threaten the lives of those she holds most dear.
It is perhaps early to speculate whether or not Saintcrow's "endgame" for Bannon and Clare includes a romantic component. I've always been of the school of thought that Sherlock loved Irene Adler in his own way, so there is an inherent appeal in the latent possibilities and simmering chemistry that exists between Emma and Archibald. I absolutely loved how Saintcrow teases readers with the depth of the pairs' feelings for each other, not yet taking the leap but dancing around the issue, teasing out the attraction and the will-they-or-won't-they tension to delicious levels. If Saintcrow is building towards a romance, it promises to be an unforgettable one as the unlikely pair of Bannon and Clare are truly a perfect intellectual match, and I for one cannot wait to see where Saintcrow takes this pair next -- particularly since Clare has yet to discover the lengths to which Emma and her illogical sorcery was willing to go in order to save his oh-so-logical life. *wink*
The Red Plague Affair is a wildly entertaining slice of steampunk-colored, adventurous escapist fiction. The pages flew as I quickly became wholly invested in the latest chapter of Bannon and Clare's story, the excitement and tension building to a fevered pitch that doesn't let go until the final chapter. Saintcrow paints her canvas of Victorian England with charismatic, compelling leads, colorful, well-drawn supporting characters, and action sequences that feature a positively cinematic flair. This is pure, entertaining, candy-coated escapism at its finest -- wildly addictive, page-turning fun guaranteed to leave you wanting more. I cannot WAIT for the next installment of Bannon and Clare's thoroughly entertaining adventures.
Saintcrow is on a fast-track to become a favorite author with her Victorian-era steampunk novels, as this, her second in the Bannon and Clare series (third if you count the American-set The Damnation Affair) is perhaps her best yet. This homage to a steampunk-era Sherlock Holmes is a wholly entertaining, page-turning thrill ride that further explores the laws and mechanics of Saintcrow's steampunk universe, while deepening the characterizations and relationship between her two principle players. This time around, the narrative seems more balanced between both Clare and Bannon's perspectives, shading each intensely private character with greater emotional depth. And perhaps because the stakes have never been higher -- or more personal -- for the dedicated sorceress and the brilliant mentath, this installment lays critical groundwork for their future relationship as well as providing fascinating glimpses into each character's shadowed history.
Within the pages of The Red Plague Affair, Saintcrow has a lot of fun playing with the her own variation on the character of Sherlock Holmes and the tropes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic stories. Here Clare the mentath, the brilliant logician, encounters that most dangerous of adversaries -- boredom. That, coupled with the use of addictive substances to sharpen his faculties, brings Clare to the brink of death as his battered body threatens to give way even as his mind seeks ever higher levels of challenge. I adored the manner in which Saintcrow introduces Clare's Moriarty -- Professor Vance has become Clare's latest obsession in lieu of a more challenging case, and when the two are forced into an uneasy partnership the chemistry and humor that results from the meeting of two such brilliant minds is tremendously entertaining.
Emma Bannon, Sorceress Prime of the iron will, is given far greater depth here, as Saintcrow delves into Emma's poverty-stricken past and the cost of service to the crown. This novel smartly introduces shades of grey into Emma's previously black and white view of her government service, which forces her to re-evaluate her previously unquestioning allegiance to blindly follow Britannia's dictates, particularly when those missions begin to threaten the lives of those she holds most dear.
It is perhaps early to speculate whether or not Saintcrow's "endgame" for Bannon and Clare includes a romantic component. I've always been of the school of thought that Sherlock loved Irene Adler in his own way, so there is an inherent appeal in the latent possibilities and simmering chemistry that exists between Emma and Archibald. I absolutely loved how Saintcrow teases readers with the depth of the pairs' feelings for each other, not yet taking the leap but dancing around the issue, teasing out the attraction and the will-they-or-won't-they tension to delicious levels. If Saintcrow is building towards a romance, it promises to be an unforgettable one as the unlikely pair of Bannon and Clare are truly a perfect intellectual match, and I for one cannot wait to see where Saintcrow takes this pair next -- particularly since Clare has yet to discover the lengths to which Emma and her illogical sorcery was willing to go in order to save his oh-so-logical life. *wink*
The Red Plague Affair is a wildly entertaining slice of steampunk-colored, adventurous escapist fiction. The pages flew as I quickly became wholly invested in the latest chapter of Bannon and Clare's story, the excitement and tension building to a fevered pitch that doesn't let go until the final chapter. Saintcrow paints her canvas of Victorian England with charismatic, compelling leads, colorful, well-drawn supporting characters, and action sequences that feature a positively cinematic flair. This is pure, entertaining, candy-coated escapism at its finest -- wildly addictive, page-turning fun guaranteed to leave you wanting more. I cannot WAIT for the next installment of Bannon and Clare's thoroughly entertaining adventures.
December 17, 2020
I am rather enjoying this series and look forward to reading the next one
May 23, 2013
I received my copy from Orbit through Nudge
Archibald Clare is a Mentath, a genius detective with exceptional powers of observation and deduction. Emma Bannon is his opposite in every way. She is a Prime sorceress who has only gotten more powerful after the events in The Iron Wyrm Affair. According to established wisdom these two polar opposites shouldn’t be able to work together, after all magic and logic are opposing forces. In practice though Bannon and Clare form a talented and successful team when it comes to investigating crimes against the Empire.
When Queen Victrix instructs Emma to find and return a missing doctor in possession of a deadly new weapon, she turns to Clare for assistance. And it isn’t long before they discover that this new weapon is powerful enough to bring death and destruction not just to Londinium but to the whole world. And with no known cure, not even our heroes are immune to the poison that is about to be released. Because once the red plague has been unleashed upon the capital, nobody, regardless of their rank or position will be able to escape its deadly power.
And so we find ourselves back in what is the steampunk version of Victorian England. Imaginative and well developed this world is both very recognisable and completely alien. Lilith Saintcrow makes clever use of historical facts and figures, both fictional and real, although she changes them enough to ensure that the reader never forgets that they are inhabiting an alternate universe.
Archibald Clare is strongly based on Sherlock Holmes, something which is emphasized with sentences such as:
“It is elementary, sir.”
And when a character named Kim Finchwilliam Rudyard is introduced it shouldn’t surprise anyone when he states:
“The female of her species is deadly.”
In many ways the author has taken events and people to fantastical new heights. Archibald Clare is not just an exceptionally clever man he is a member of an exclusive and specially trained group of talented people, born with extreme mental powers. The Queen, Victrix, is the chosen vessel of Britannia, the ever continuing spirit ruling the Empire and as such two different creatures; one human and vulnerable the other ruthless and indestructible. And the same is true for the various districts of Londinium. With names close enough to those we are familiar with, they resemble their real world counterparts while at the same time being something more; darker, more sinister or brighter. In fact, the author has given the reader the opportunity to engage in two mysteries. There is the disaster our two heroes have to try to divert and then there is the quest to trace characters and places back to their Victorian original.
Bannon and Clare are fully-fleshed and fascinating characters to read about. Observing how they work together, despite their differences, watching them develop ever increasing respect for the others’ exceptional powers and witnessing them dealing with the feelings they may or may not have about each other is a pure delight.
While it isn’t absolutely necessary to read “The Iron Wyrm Affair” before starting this book I would advice readers to do so. This alternate Victorian world is well established and explained in the first book and some events from the first story are referred to in a manner that relies on the reader being aware of what happened in the first book.
This is not a light or a fast read. Fascinating and thrilling as it is, it pays to take your time while reading this book. The characters, the world they move in and the mysteries they’re up against all are multi-facetted. It is easy to miss hints and clues if you allow yourself to get caught up in the heat of the chase and start turning the pages too fast. This is a good thing though since it gives the book an added depth. The language used in this book is also slightly different from what we are used to. While this certainly helps to keep the reader rooted in the alternate world, it also means that real attention needs to be paid to what is actually being said.
This is more than just another intriguing mystery set in an alternate Victorian England; this is a well thought out tale in a fully realised world with characters that are as intriguing as they are relatable. In short, this is a fascinating story and imaginative book.
Archibald Clare is a Mentath, a genius detective with exceptional powers of observation and deduction. Emma Bannon is his opposite in every way. She is a Prime sorceress who has only gotten more powerful after the events in The Iron Wyrm Affair. According to established wisdom these two polar opposites shouldn’t be able to work together, after all magic and logic are opposing forces. In practice though Bannon and Clare form a talented and successful team when it comes to investigating crimes against the Empire.
When Queen Victrix instructs Emma to find and return a missing doctor in possession of a deadly new weapon, she turns to Clare for assistance. And it isn’t long before they discover that this new weapon is powerful enough to bring death and destruction not just to Londinium but to the whole world. And with no known cure, not even our heroes are immune to the poison that is about to be released. Because once the red plague has been unleashed upon the capital, nobody, regardless of their rank or position will be able to escape its deadly power.
And so we find ourselves back in what is the steampunk version of Victorian England. Imaginative and well developed this world is both very recognisable and completely alien. Lilith Saintcrow makes clever use of historical facts and figures, both fictional and real, although she changes them enough to ensure that the reader never forgets that they are inhabiting an alternate universe.
Archibald Clare is strongly based on Sherlock Holmes, something which is emphasized with sentences such as:
“It is elementary, sir.”
And when a character named Kim Finchwilliam Rudyard is introduced it shouldn’t surprise anyone when he states:
“The female of her species is deadly.”
In many ways the author has taken events and people to fantastical new heights. Archibald Clare is not just an exceptionally clever man he is a member of an exclusive and specially trained group of talented people, born with extreme mental powers. The Queen, Victrix, is the chosen vessel of Britannia, the ever continuing spirit ruling the Empire and as such two different creatures; one human and vulnerable the other ruthless and indestructible. And the same is true for the various districts of Londinium. With names close enough to those we are familiar with, they resemble their real world counterparts while at the same time being something more; darker, more sinister or brighter. In fact, the author has given the reader the opportunity to engage in two mysteries. There is the disaster our two heroes have to try to divert and then there is the quest to trace characters and places back to their Victorian original.
Bannon and Clare are fully-fleshed and fascinating characters to read about. Observing how they work together, despite their differences, watching them develop ever increasing respect for the others’ exceptional powers and witnessing them dealing with the feelings they may or may not have about each other is a pure delight.
While it isn’t absolutely necessary to read “The Iron Wyrm Affair” before starting this book I would advice readers to do so. This alternate Victorian world is well established and explained in the first book and some events from the first story are referred to in a manner that relies on the reader being aware of what happened in the first book.
This is not a light or a fast read. Fascinating and thrilling as it is, it pays to take your time while reading this book. The characters, the world they move in and the mysteries they’re up against all are multi-facetted. It is easy to miss hints and clues if you allow yourself to get caught up in the heat of the chase and start turning the pages too fast. This is a good thing though since it gives the book an added depth. The language used in this book is also slightly different from what we are used to. While this certainly helps to keep the reader rooted in the alternate world, it also means that real attention needs to be paid to what is actually being said.
This is more than just another intriguing mystery set in an alternate Victorian England; this is a well thought out tale in a fully realised world with characters that are as intriguing as they are relatable. In short, this is a fascinating story and imaginative book.
May 14, 2013
Read the full review on The Qwillery
http://qwillery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/0...
The Red Plague Affair is the second installment of the Bannon and Clare series and there is more adventure ahead for this unlikely pair. The story continues not long after the end of The Iron Wrym Affair (Bannon and Clare 1) with Clare and Bannon living their separate lives. Bannon has been summoned by Queen Victrix to find a renowned biologist while Clare is out searching for his arch nemesis, Dr. Vance. Things turn dire for Clare as in the midst of his pursuit of Dr. Vance and this puts our favourite odd couple back together. Bannon soon sets Clare to work with the task of helping her to find the elusive Dr. Morris. What they find however, is far worse than anything they could have imagined as Morris had developed a deadly plague and released it on the unsuspecting citizens of Londonium. It’s a race against time for Clare to find a cure and for Bannon to save the day. The odds are stacked against the oddest couple in this steampunk world.
I really liked The Iron Wrym Affair on my first read through but didn't think it held up on my second read of it. The things that bothered me in book 1 were cleared up in book 2, well almost! Clare and Bannon have a much closer relationship in The Red Plague Affair and there is more camaraderie between the two and evidence that their friendship has grown since they last worked together. I actually liked Bannon in this novel and thought that Saintcrow wrote her with more humanity than in the previous novel. Bannon was something other than just her curly hair, well trimmed outfits and sparkling jewels. There was also more revealed about Bannon’s past and how she ended up in the Collegia and as a Prime. Clare was his usual witty self and more of this novel was dedicated to the talented mentath. He was also used as the method of drawing out Bannon’s past which I thought was a good way of revealing her story. There were a few more tidbits about Mikal, Bannon’s Shield (aka bodyguard) but Saintcrow continues to tease me by not revealing who or what he is. For those that haven’t read The Iron Wrym Affair, much is made about Mikal’s mysterious past, about what he is and his motivation for working for Bannon. Even in this second installment she constantly questions the circumstances of how he came to work for her, where he came from and more importantly, whether she trusts him. There was a point in the novel that Mikal was about to confess to Bannon but she said she didn’t want to know. I was practically screaming at my Kindle ‘tell me, tell me, I want to know!’ There is the biggest tease at the end of the book about Mikal that makes me hope that Saintcrow doesn’t leave us hanging on much longer.
Saintcrow, really ramps up the tension in The Red Plague Affair as I was on the edge of my seat from the first chapter. There was a lot happening in this installment and even the scenes with just Clare on his own in Bannon’s house were full of intrigue. The discovery of the plague and quest to find a cure were subtle in their intensity, especially the scenes with Clare. There was a real feeling of the race against time to find the cure and it culminated into a truly exciting ending. I was a bit disappointed with The Iron Wrym but I thought that The Red Plague Affair more than made up for it. The plot was well constructed with the right mix of action, plot and intrigue. I think that Saintcrow needs to resolve the Mikal mystery soon as I think that the 'not knowing' could grow thin after a while. This is really nit picking as The Red Plague Affair is a dark and compelling read with a gorgeous cover!
http://qwillery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/0...
The Red Plague Affair is the second installment of the Bannon and Clare series and there is more adventure ahead for this unlikely pair. The story continues not long after the end of The Iron Wrym Affair (Bannon and Clare 1) with Clare and Bannon living their separate lives. Bannon has been summoned by Queen Victrix to find a renowned biologist while Clare is out searching for his arch nemesis, Dr. Vance. Things turn dire for Clare as in the midst of his pursuit of Dr. Vance and this puts our favourite odd couple back together. Bannon soon sets Clare to work with the task of helping her to find the elusive Dr. Morris. What they find however, is far worse than anything they could have imagined as Morris had developed a deadly plague and released it on the unsuspecting citizens of Londonium. It’s a race against time for Clare to find a cure and for Bannon to save the day. The odds are stacked against the oddest couple in this steampunk world.
I really liked The Iron Wrym Affair on my first read through but didn't think it held up on my second read of it. The things that bothered me in book 1 were cleared up in book 2, well almost! Clare and Bannon have a much closer relationship in The Red Plague Affair and there is more camaraderie between the two and evidence that their friendship has grown since they last worked together. I actually liked Bannon in this novel and thought that Saintcrow wrote her with more humanity than in the previous novel. Bannon was something other than just her curly hair, well trimmed outfits and sparkling jewels. There was also more revealed about Bannon’s past and how she ended up in the Collegia and as a Prime. Clare was his usual witty self and more of this novel was dedicated to the talented mentath. He was also used as the method of drawing out Bannon’s past which I thought was a good way of revealing her story. There were a few more tidbits about Mikal, Bannon’s Shield (aka bodyguard) but Saintcrow continues to tease me by not revealing who or what he is. For those that haven’t read The Iron Wrym Affair, much is made about Mikal’s mysterious past, about what he is and his motivation for working for Bannon. Even in this second installment she constantly questions the circumstances of how he came to work for her, where he came from and more importantly, whether she trusts him. There was a point in the novel that Mikal was about to confess to Bannon but she said she didn’t want to know. I was practically screaming at my Kindle ‘tell me, tell me, I want to know!’ There is the biggest tease at the end of the book about Mikal that makes me hope that Saintcrow doesn’t leave us hanging on much longer.
Saintcrow, really ramps up the tension in The Red Plague Affair as I was on the edge of my seat from the first chapter. There was a lot happening in this installment and even the scenes with just Clare on his own in Bannon’s house were full of intrigue. The discovery of the plague and quest to find a cure were subtle in their intensity, especially the scenes with Clare. There was a real feeling of the race against time to find the cure and it culminated into a truly exciting ending. I was a bit disappointed with The Iron Wrym but I thought that The Red Plague Affair more than made up for it. The plot was well constructed with the right mix of action, plot and intrigue. I think that Saintcrow needs to resolve the Mikal mystery soon as I think that the 'not knowing' could grow thin after a while. This is really nit picking as The Red Plague Affair is a dark and compelling read with a gorgeous cover!
September 6, 2013
A mysterious disease released as a contiguous bioweapon of mass destruction is a theme becoming more popular. Ms. Saintcrow makes it her own with twists and plot turns. This story once again showcases Ms. Saintcrow's creativity. The reader returns to the Steampunk world of Sorceress Prima Emma Bannon and mentath Archibald Clare.
This is a complex story with many layers and characters with conflicting priorities. The end result is betrayal, death and broken loyalties. This story is not intended as fluffy mind candy. It's not the easiest read for average readers. First, the world built in the prior book must be fully understood as a foundation to comprehend the references in this book. Second, the reader must be able to use context clues to decipher words which don't exist in the English language. No dictionary is supplied. Third, a basic understanding of Britain's class system from the Victorian age will also help capture the nuances of each character's actions. Lastly, a rudimentary understanding in germ theory of disease and epidemiology brings all the concepts into a rich reader experience.
Ms. Saintcrow does not neglect her character development. This one, the reader learns more of Emma's past and her current motivations. A surprising betrayal and abuse of Emma's talents is a hard blow which even the reader can feel penetrating her heart. To be one of the most dedicated subject and then relegated as a "cleaner" for dirty jobs is unexpected. To add insult to injury, Emma is kept in a "needs to know" clearance level. And she doesn't need to know. Still, each main character is designed to be either clever or devious. It brings the level of this book at a higher and more fulfilling and meaty reading experience.
This story makes a reader think about the bonds of friendship and how fragile they can be. It makes one question what sacrifices one would make in order achieve the results desired. One may even question, how far they cross the line in order to extract answers from reluctant persons of interest. How ruthless will a desperate person become? For Emma, the lines are crossed repeated for a good cause. What happens when the cause is revealed and it is not just? What happens when a rogue agent uses their own agenda of righteous cleansing of human kind and unleashes a disease like no other? The devastation across the board is truly breathtaking.
I thoroughly enjoy books which make me think hard what I'd do in the same position. How far would I go? Emma stays on course despite her misgivings. Clare supports her and races against time to find a cure for a seemingly incurable disease. Through this terrifying experience, the two characters draw closer together. Times like this, ones friends and enemies become abundantly clear. Sometimes, it's not the people we would expect. This elegant steampunk tale is recommended for those who love figuring out puzzles.
*provided by NetGalley
This is a complex story with many layers and characters with conflicting priorities. The end result is betrayal, death and broken loyalties. This story is not intended as fluffy mind candy. It's not the easiest read for average readers. First, the world built in the prior book must be fully understood as a foundation to comprehend the references in this book. Second, the reader must be able to use context clues to decipher words which don't exist in the English language. No dictionary is supplied. Third, a basic understanding of Britain's class system from the Victorian age will also help capture the nuances of each character's actions. Lastly, a rudimentary understanding in germ theory of disease and epidemiology brings all the concepts into a rich reader experience.
Ms. Saintcrow does not neglect her character development. This one, the reader learns more of Emma's past and her current motivations. A surprising betrayal and abuse of Emma's talents is a hard blow which even the reader can feel penetrating her heart. To be one of the most dedicated subject and then relegated as a "cleaner" for dirty jobs is unexpected. To add insult to injury, Emma is kept in a "needs to know" clearance level. And she doesn't need to know. Still, each main character is designed to be either clever or devious. It brings the level of this book at a higher and more fulfilling and meaty reading experience.
This story makes a reader think about the bonds of friendship and how fragile they can be. It makes one question what sacrifices one would make in order achieve the results desired. One may even question, how far they cross the line in order to extract answers from reluctant persons of interest. How ruthless will a desperate person become? For Emma, the lines are crossed repeated for a good cause. What happens when the cause is revealed and it is not just? What happens when a rogue agent uses their own agenda of righteous cleansing of human kind and unleashes a disease like no other? The devastation across the board is truly breathtaking.
I thoroughly enjoy books which make me think hard what I'd do in the same position. How far would I go? Emma stays on course despite her misgivings. Clare supports her and races against time to find a cure for a seemingly incurable disease. Through this terrifying experience, the two characters draw closer together. Times like this, ones friends and enemies become abundantly clear. Sometimes, it's not the people we would expect. This elegant steampunk tale is recommended for those who love figuring out puzzles.
*provided by NetGalley
September 21, 2013
*Genre* Steampunk
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
The Red Plague Affair is book two in the Bannon and Clare series which features Archibald Clare (Mentath who relies on Logic and Reason) and Emma Bannon (Prime Sorceress who came from a very poor background). Both serve at the will of Britannia. While Clare is playing a game of catch me if you can with Dr. Francis Vance, Doctor of Art, Mentath & Thief that is taking a huge toll on his heart; Emma is tasked by Queen Victrix to not only seek out traitors to the crown, but to also find a doctor (John Morris) who apparently has created a new form of plague that ends up being unleashed on Londinium (London).
The Red Plague, set in alternate Victorian era, flip flops POV's between chapters after Clare and Bannon finally manage to realize that they need to be working together in finding a way to stop the plague from spreading, while also discovering a cure before it's too late. Apparently, this story takes place 2 years after the Iron Wyrm Affair and I didn't find it necessary to go back to read that book, or to say that you should probably read the first book first.
I think readers will come away seeing that Clare and Bannon are clearly two different characters who go about things in their own unique way. While Clare is more logic driven and older, Bannon is like an iron fist who crushes Victrix's opponents without much of a concern about how others will feel about her. I do think, however, that we do see a bit of Bannon's consciousness coming out when she wonders how much longer she can serve Victrix's desires.
One of the questions from The Iron Wyrm Affair still chips away at my brain: What is Emma's relationship with Mikal (Shield) and what is the mystery surrounding his origins? Here's hoping that it is better explained in the next book in this series. There is also the point of debate in this book that I am jumping on like other reviewers: How is it that Clare and Vance could survive so long after being exposed to the Plague? What exactly did Bannon do to Clare when he was suffering from the plague? What did Mikal do to Bannon when she fell ill? Is Bannon and Queen Victrix on the outs? Who was the mysterious Prime who appeared in the book, but was never revealed & why is he stalking Emma? Are we headed for a twisted 3 way love triangle between Mikal, Emma, and Bannon?
*Recvd via NetGalley 05/21/2013* Released: May 21st 2013 by Orbit
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
The Red Plague Affair is book two in the Bannon and Clare series which features Archibald Clare (Mentath who relies on Logic and Reason) and Emma Bannon (Prime Sorceress who came from a very poor background). Both serve at the will of Britannia. While Clare is playing a game of catch me if you can with Dr. Francis Vance, Doctor of Art, Mentath & Thief that is taking a huge toll on his heart; Emma is tasked by Queen Victrix to not only seek out traitors to the crown, but to also find a doctor (John Morris) who apparently has created a new form of plague that ends up being unleashed on Londinium (London).
The Red Plague, set in alternate Victorian era, flip flops POV's between chapters after Clare and Bannon finally manage to realize that they need to be working together in finding a way to stop the plague from spreading, while also discovering a cure before it's too late. Apparently, this story takes place 2 years after the Iron Wyrm Affair and I didn't find it necessary to go back to read that book, or to say that you should probably read the first book first.
I think readers will come away seeing that Clare and Bannon are clearly two different characters who go about things in their own unique way. While Clare is more logic driven and older, Bannon is like an iron fist who crushes Victrix's opponents without much of a concern about how others will feel about her. I do think, however, that we do see a bit of Bannon's consciousness coming out when she wonders how much longer she can serve Victrix's desires.
One of the questions from The Iron Wyrm Affair still chips away at my brain: What is Emma's relationship with Mikal (Shield) and what is the mystery surrounding his origins? Here's hoping that it is better explained in the next book in this series. There is also the point of debate in this book that I am jumping on like other reviewers: How is it that Clare and Vance could survive so long after being exposed to the Plague? What exactly did Bannon do to Clare when he was suffering from the plague? What did Mikal do to Bannon when she fell ill? Is Bannon and Queen Victrix on the outs? Who was the mysterious Prime who appeared in the book, but was never revealed & why is he stalking Emma? Are we headed for a twisted 3 way love triangle between Mikal, Emma, and Bannon?
*Recvd via NetGalley 05/21/2013* Released: May 21st 2013 by Orbit
June 12, 2015
I read the first book in this series last year and while I liked it, I wasn't wowed. Honestly, I expected to move on from the series since there are so many other books on my to read shelf. But, I kept thinking about the characters and wondering what happened to them. It hit me that I probably liked it more than I credited and I immediately picked up books two and three to find out their fates.
The Red Plague Affair picks up a while after the events of the Iron Wyrm Affair. Clare is on the trail of a mentath-gone-bad and Bannon is working in her position as a Prime for the Queen. When a plague is released into the city they have to work together to stop it before it kills everyone.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. The story was strong and kept me interested throughout. We learned more about the main characters and went deeper into their relationships. Specifically the friendship between Bannon and Clare and the semi-romantic relationship between Bannon and Mikal. The author has done a great job with showing a male/female friendship. It could have gone badly considering Clare's mentath personality but it's very well done. I also love the mystery of Mikal's character and want to know more of his back-story. What are his powers, where is his relationship with Bannon going to take her, etc. The scenes with the Queen were also an integral part of the story. Emma Bannon is a powerhouse. I don't think we fully know what she can do and it's now clear that she doesn't serve blindly. This means she is a danger to the crown and that can only mean juicy things for the reader.
My only, minor, quibble is that I would really like more Steampunk elements included. What's here is well done but since I read so little Steampunk, I want those I read to be FULL of machines and alternate worlds.
4/5 stars. Ready for book 3!
The Red Plague Affair picks up a while after the events of the Iron Wyrm Affair. Clare is on the trail of a mentath-gone-bad and Bannon is working in her position as a Prime for the Queen. When a plague is released into the city they have to work together to stop it before it kills everyone.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. The story was strong and kept me interested throughout. We learned more about the main characters and went deeper into their relationships. Specifically the friendship between Bannon and Clare and the semi-romantic relationship between Bannon and Mikal. The author has done a great job with showing a male/female friendship. It could have gone badly considering Clare's mentath personality but it's very well done. I also love the mystery of Mikal's character and want to know more of his back-story. What are his powers, where is his relationship with Bannon going to take her, etc. The scenes with the Queen were also an integral part of the story. Emma Bannon is a powerhouse. I don't think we fully know what she can do and it's now clear that she doesn't serve blindly. This means she is a danger to the crown and that can only mean juicy things for the reader.
My only, minor, quibble is that I would really like more Steampunk elements included. What's here is well done but since I read so little Steampunk, I want those I read to be FULL of machines and alternate worlds.
4/5 stars. Ready for book 3!
June 27, 2013
Lilith Saintcrow’s flavor of simmering emotion, significant glances, and dramatic mystery is a perfect compliment to the Victorian alternate timeline that contains her Bannon & Clare series. And while this tone makes for deliciously satisfying unspoken devotion, both romantic and platonic, it can also obscure the magical elements of the story beyond understanding.
Luckily, while Bannon’s magic may be the engine driving her exploration, the lynch pin of the story is the familiar scientific method. Despite some of the more esoteric magic flying right over my head (Mikal’s origins and at least two mysterious deaths never clicked for me), there was enough relatable content to carry the story. Saintcrow doesn’t take any shortcuts when it comes to defining her characters’ relationships, and rivalries pop up between allies and enemies alike. These twists and turns kept the plot intellectually interesting, but only Bannon and Clare’s friendship really touched my emotions.
And in turn, despite the hand waving and portents, only the surface events made sense to me. Whatever terrible past endangers Mikal didn’t resolve itself to anything I could understand, though Bannon’s crumbling devotion to her Queen was touched my heart. THE RED PLAGUE AFFAIR was a a slower read than its predecessor, though as long as the friendship at the core of this story is intact, so too is my interest.
Sexual Content: References to prostitution.
Luckily, while Bannon’s magic may be the engine driving her exploration, the lynch pin of the story is the familiar scientific method. Despite some of the more esoteric magic flying right over my head (Mikal’s origins and at least two mysterious deaths never clicked for me), there was enough relatable content to carry the story. Saintcrow doesn’t take any shortcuts when it comes to defining her characters’ relationships, and rivalries pop up between allies and enemies alike. These twists and turns kept the plot intellectually interesting, but only Bannon and Clare’s friendship really touched my emotions.
And in turn, despite the hand waving and portents, only the surface events made sense to me. Whatever terrible past endangers Mikal didn’t resolve itself to anything I could understand, though Bannon’s crumbling devotion to her Queen was touched my heart. THE RED PLAGUE AFFAIR was a a slower read than its predecessor, though as long as the friendship at the core of this story is intact, so too is my interest.
Sexual Content: References to prostitution.
Read
April 28, 2013This is a DNF (did not finish) book for me. I'm not sure if it was my mood or the book, but after about 80 pages, nothing really happens which was a bit of a disappointment for me.
A little background - I didn't really enjoy the first book The Iron Wyrm Affair, and when a chance to read The Damnation Affair came up, I decided to give this series another chance. I loved The Damnation Affair. So I thought I'd continue on with this series.
The book itself is well written; the writer takes Victorian England and alters it just a little. London is Londinium, Queen Victoria is Victrix, and so on. Some of the alterations were rather clever. For example, Henry the VIII was referred to as Henry the Wife Killer which is a much more apt title. There are some interesting elements of steampunk and magic. The main character Emma Bannon is extremely brainy and calculating and she uses her femininity to her advantage.
Perhaps historical novels are not for me. I did want to love this one. I just couldn't get through it.
A little background - I didn't really enjoy the first book The Iron Wyrm Affair, and when a chance to read The Damnation Affair came up, I decided to give this series another chance. I loved The Damnation Affair. So I thought I'd continue on with this series.
The book itself is well written; the writer takes Victorian England and alters it just a little. London is Londinium, Queen Victoria is Victrix, and so on. Some of the alterations were rather clever. For example, Henry the VIII was referred to as Henry the Wife Killer which is a much more apt title. There are some interesting elements of steampunk and magic. The main character Emma Bannon is extremely brainy and calculating and she uses her femininity to her advantage.
Perhaps historical novels are not for me. I did want to love this one. I just couldn't get through it.
May 29, 2013
It seemed an innocent enough charge, hunting down a missing fellow for the crown. But when it leads to a death close to Bannon a situation far more virulent than a simple retrieval rears its head. It will take all of Clare's considerable faculties and Bannon's power and ferocity to bring the situation to heel. Personal relations and loyalties are all in a turmoil as Bannon and Clare work to sort out the plague that has descended upon their city, and their world.
The second Bannon and Clare book lived up to my expectations, and then some. Ms. Saintcrow expands on the world and characters she introduced readers to in The Iron Wyrm Affair, keeping a lively pace and readers on their toes with a mix of glee and (sometimes less than innocent) anticipation.
Clare remains one of the most intriguing characters I have run into in quite some time. I find the idea of the mentaths, so different than anything I have stumbled across in the genre, to be utterly intriguing. Between him and Ludo, my interest is well and truly held and I will read for as long as Ms. Saintcrow is interested in writing.
Another fun, fast read.
The second Bannon and Clare book lived up to my expectations, and then some. Ms. Saintcrow expands on the world and characters she introduced readers to in The Iron Wyrm Affair, keeping a lively pace and readers on their toes with a mix of glee and (sometimes less than innocent) anticipation.
Clare remains one of the most intriguing characters I have run into in quite some time. I find the idea of the mentaths, so different than anything I have stumbled across in the genre, to be utterly intriguing. Between him and Ludo, my interest is well and truly held and I will read for as long as Ms. Saintcrow is interested in writing.
Another fun, fast read.
June 4, 2013
I started reading this book late last night and only put it down when I could no longer hold my eyes open. I spent most of today finished it and was quite vexed when I found myself at the last page and wondered where the rest of this story was.
I will definitely be sitting on tenterhooks until Bannon & Claire #3 is in my quivering hands.
I really hope my public library sees fit to buy it without my yelling and screaming.
I will definitely be sitting on tenterhooks until Bannon & Claire #3 is in my quivering hands.
I really hope my public library sees fit to buy it without my yelling and screaming.
June 16, 2013
much more powerful, much stronger than the introductory book to this series. A gut wrenching blend of steam and magic. I found this read compelling, disturbing and artful.
tbr-series-sequels-x
April 9, 20208 April 2020: $0.99 on Kindle
17 March 2015: Still $2.99
22 December 2014: $2.99 on Kindle
17 March 2015: Still $2.99
22 December 2014: $2.99 on Kindle
June 29, 2016
This is such a fun, adventure packed steampunk story. Highly entertaining read.
July 30, 2013
Originally reviewed for My World...in words and pages.
First Sentence: I am too bloody old for this.
My Thoughts and Summary: Melissa previously reviewed The Iron Wrym Affair, and you will find her thoughts here.
What you need to know: this is an alternate Victorian London, now called Londinium, with steampunk and magic, and partly an homage to Sherlock Holmes. Archibald Clare is a mentath: brilliant, logical, and deductive. Emma Bannon is a Sorceress Prime, in service to Queen Victrix and willing to do whatever Her Majesty requests.
The Red Plague Affair picks up a few years after The Iron Wyrm Affair ended. Can you read this one without reading the first? Look, as a writer, I am rather violently anal about reading books in order to begin with; in the case of this book, I’d say hell-to-the-no more than usual. Saintcrow prefers to immerse the reader in the world rather than force-feed details, trusting the reader to fill in the pieces without long bits of exposition. This is my preferred approach when reading (and writing) as well, however it would make it more difficult in my opinion to pick up the second book in the series and become accustomed to not only the new world but suss out past events referenced from the previous installment. In this series you could skip The Damnation Affair—as book #1.5, it takes place in another part of the world with different characters (though don’t, as that book is OMFG wonderful)—but I recommend not jumping into this one without The Iron Wyrm Affair first.
My review will be spoiler-free.
In this adventure, Bannon and Clare find themselves racing to stop a devastating plague from descending on Londinium. Mystery is a fair bit of the plot, and so I’ll avoid giving a summary; the jacket copy above does give enough of a glimpse. But this Bannon and Clare outing changes the dynamic of the series when secrets are uncovered, alliances form (we meet Dr. Vance!), and Bannon’s service comes into question. The Red Plague Affair is thrilling, dark and lush, wickedly smart, and told by two fascinating lead characters.
At first glance, our two leads seem as though they couldn’t be more different.
Reason and emotion. Logic and irrationality. Though a mentath is all logic and magic pure irrationality, part of why Bannon and Clare work so beautifully together is not that they are polar opposites but that they both are a mix of emotion and reason. Clare prides himself on his deductive skills and rational thoughts, though often he seems to be the more emotional of the two (especially with regards to his nemesis, Dr. Vance, eluding him); Bannon is a high level sorceress, commanding magic which is the height of illogic, however she is practical and calm, and even Clare admits she is more reasonable than he’d expect her to be. And this mix of both features is what makes them so compatible and able to complement each other; they have just enough in common to allow them to work in tandem, joining their two opposing abilities into an unstoppable force.
The characters are all three-dimensional and well-drawn, from the leads to the secondary ones that populate this world. I could go on at length about each distinct personality, however I'll restrain myself and focus on Emma, as she is one of my favourite characters to date. What I value most in people—whether fictional or real—is competency more than just about anything, and Emma has that in spades. As a high ranking sorceress with a gift for...magic of a decidedly darker sort, she is practical, powerful, competent, passionate, has a ruthless streak I appreciate, and manages to maintain a certain “ladylike” quality necessary for women of that period while still being someone no sane person would dare to cross. Emma Bannon, in a nutshell, gets shit done, and I love her for it. Her character grows by leaps and bounds in The Red Plague Affair; this book is not easy on Emma Bannon, and makes it clear that as the series progresses, more difficult choices are ahead of her.
The language is lush as in all Saintcrow’s works, but the voice here is crisp and distinctly British; I often pause during the Bannon and Clare books to speak sentences aloud, enjoying the feel and sound of them (look, I like words). Words like “vexation”. Let’s all say that one: vexation. Isn’t it delicious? Every time I hear it, I spend the rest of the day speaking like I’m in a Regency film.
Saintcrow’s head must be the busiest place in existence, as just with her other many series, Bannon and Clare exist in a fully fleshed out world that at some point in history branched from ours. The world-building is rich and vast, and each book suggests we’ve barely scratched the surface of the history and workings of this alt-London (I, for one, could happily read a series of books on The Care and Feeding of Gryphons; they are fascinating). Though the setting is quite loosely Victorian England with clockwork horses and the like, magic is firmly entrenched in the story, woven believably into the world's history. One of the more interesting details, for me, is how the monarch Alexandrina Victrix is presented: she is Queen, yes, but that is more than a mere title. She’s the chosen vessel for Britannia Herself, literally the spirit of the Empire residing in the young woman’s body.
Let me tell you, it brings a whole new perspective on using the royal “we”.
I cannot go into detail because spoilers, but suffice to say Emma's interactions with Britannia were among my favourite in the book.
What is perhaps most refreshing with the Bannon and Clare books for me as a reader is the entirely platonic relationship between the two leads. There is no will-they-or-won’t-they or forced romantic tension here: the two are allies, friends, and work as partners; they have an affection and regard for one another, but they aren’t shagging (if that is in the cards, I trust it will integrate smoothly and still not become the focus of the series). Romantic love is all well and good, but sometimes? Sometimes I want a story about male and female leads who are friends. Because friendship is often underrated in fiction in favour of...fetishizing romantic love and holding it above all other kinds. And I don’t know about anyone else, but I like having friends and I like seeing people work together without necessarily getting naked; friends who would die for one another, friends whose love is as strong as any romantic pairing. The non-romance between the leads is a wonderful reversal on reader expectations.
It also bears mentioning that those who prefer no naughty words and no sex scenes will be happy with this book; neither would particularly fit with the story, so their absences are entirely appropriate here. (There is violence, often implied rather than fully on screen.)
Although the main plot wraps up in The Red Plague Affair, there is definitely the sense of more to come (OH IS THERE EVER), and a lead up to the third book, The Ripper Affair (tentative), which I cannot wait for.
Bitchstress Bechdel Bonus: Does it pass the Bechdel Test? Why, yes, yes it does. There are multiple female characters who speak to each other about things other than a man.
First Sentence: I am too bloody old for this.
My Thoughts and Summary: Melissa previously reviewed The Iron Wrym Affair, and you will find her thoughts here.
What you need to know: this is an alternate Victorian London, now called Londinium, with steampunk and magic, and partly an homage to Sherlock Holmes. Archibald Clare is a mentath: brilliant, logical, and deductive. Emma Bannon is a Sorceress Prime, in service to Queen Victrix and willing to do whatever Her Majesty requests.
The Red Plague Affair picks up a few years after The Iron Wyrm Affair ended. Can you read this one without reading the first? Look, as a writer, I am rather violently anal about reading books in order to begin with; in the case of this book, I’d say hell-to-the-no more than usual. Saintcrow prefers to immerse the reader in the world rather than force-feed details, trusting the reader to fill in the pieces without long bits of exposition. This is my preferred approach when reading (and writing) as well, however it would make it more difficult in my opinion to pick up the second book in the series and become accustomed to not only the new world but suss out past events referenced from the previous installment. In this series you could skip The Damnation Affair—as book #1.5, it takes place in another part of the world with different characters (though don’t, as that book is OMFG wonderful)—but I recommend not jumping into this one without The Iron Wyrm Affair first.
My review will be spoiler-free.
In this adventure, Bannon and Clare find themselves racing to stop a devastating plague from descending on Londinium. Mystery is a fair bit of the plot, and so I’ll avoid giving a summary; the jacket copy above does give enough of a glimpse. But this Bannon and Clare outing changes the dynamic of the series when secrets are uncovered, alliances form (we meet Dr. Vance!), and Bannon’s service comes into question. The Red Plague Affair is thrilling, dark and lush, wickedly smart, and told by two fascinating lead characters.
At first glance, our two leads seem as though they couldn’t be more different.
Reason and emotion. Logic and irrationality. Though a mentath is all logic and magic pure irrationality, part of why Bannon and Clare work so beautifully together is not that they are polar opposites but that they both are a mix of emotion and reason. Clare prides himself on his deductive skills and rational thoughts, though often he seems to be the more emotional of the two (especially with regards to his nemesis, Dr. Vance, eluding him); Bannon is a high level sorceress, commanding magic which is the height of illogic, however she is practical and calm, and even Clare admits she is more reasonable than he’d expect her to be. And this mix of both features is what makes them so compatible and able to complement each other; they have just enough in common to allow them to work in tandem, joining their two opposing abilities into an unstoppable force.
The characters are all three-dimensional and well-drawn, from the leads to the secondary ones that populate this world. I could go on at length about each distinct personality, however I'll restrain myself and focus on Emma, as she is one of my favourite characters to date. What I value most in people—whether fictional or real—is competency more than just about anything, and Emma has that in spades. As a high ranking sorceress with a gift for...magic of a decidedly darker sort, she is practical, powerful, competent, passionate, has a ruthless streak I appreciate, and manages to maintain a certain “ladylike” quality necessary for women of that period while still being someone no sane person would dare to cross. Emma Bannon, in a nutshell, gets shit done, and I love her for it. Her character grows by leaps and bounds in The Red Plague Affair; this book is not easy on Emma Bannon, and makes it clear that as the series progresses, more difficult choices are ahead of her.
The language is lush as in all Saintcrow’s works, but the voice here is crisp and distinctly British; I often pause during the Bannon and Clare books to speak sentences aloud, enjoying the feel and sound of them (look, I like words). Words like “vexation”. Let’s all say that one: vexation. Isn’t it delicious? Every time I hear it, I spend the rest of the day speaking like I’m in a Regency film.
Saintcrow’s head must be the busiest place in existence, as just with her other many series, Bannon and Clare exist in a fully fleshed out world that at some point in history branched from ours. The world-building is rich and vast, and each book suggests we’ve barely scratched the surface of the history and workings of this alt-London (I, for one, could happily read a series of books on The Care and Feeding of Gryphons; they are fascinating). Though the setting is quite loosely Victorian England with clockwork horses and the like, magic is firmly entrenched in the story, woven believably into the world's history. One of the more interesting details, for me, is how the monarch Alexandrina Victrix is presented: she is Queen, yes, but that is more than a mere title. She’s the chosen vessel for Britannia Herself, literally the spirit of the Empire residing in the young woman’s body.
Let me tell you, it brings a whole new perspective on using the royal “we”.
I cannot go into detail because spoilers, but suffice to say Emma's interactions with Britannia were among my favourite in the book.
What is perhaps most refreshing with the Bannon and Clare books for me as a reader is the entirely platonic relationship between the two leads. There is no will-they-or-won’t-they or forced romantic tension here: the two are allies, friends, and work as partners; they have an affection and regard for one another, but they aren’t shagging (if that is in the cards, I trust it will integrate smoothly and still not become the focus of the series). Romantic love is all well and good, but sometimes? Sometimes I want a story about male and female leads who are friends. Because friendship is often underrated in fiction in favour of...fetishizing romantic love and holding it above all other kinds. And I don’t know about anyone else, but I like having friends and I like seeing people work together without necessarily getting naked; friends who would die for one another, friends whose love is as strong as any romantic pairing. The non-romance between the leads is a wonderful reversal on reader expectations.
It also bears mentioning that those who prefer no naughty words and no sex scenes will be happy with this book; neither would particularly fit with the story, so their absences are entirely appropriate here. (There is violence, often implied rather than fully on screen.)
Although the main plot wraps up in The Red Plague Affair, there is definitely the sense of more to come (OH IS THERE EVER), and a lead up to the third book, The Ripper Affair (tentative), which I cannot wait for.
Bitchstress Bechdel Bonus: Does it pass the Bechdel Test? Why, yes, yes it does. There are multiple female characters who speak to each other about things other than a man.
January 8, 2020
Once I let myself get hooked into the book, I didn't want to stop reading it. Every time I tried to take a break, I very shortly started reading again, unless I was distracted with some real-life task that just had to be done.
In this the second installment of Ms. Saintcrow's Bannon and Clare series, she creates a compelling and fast-paced tale that gripped my mind until it was all I could think about. Bannon and Clare remain true to their characterizations as even more hints to their personalities are revealed as they hunt for the creator of a deadly plague before it can be unleashed in the world. In this book each realizes the value of the other to themselves, and both act to protect each other, going well above the call of duty to do so. Secrets abound in this novel, and the pair gradually uncovers grim fact after grim fact about the plague, its creator, and its deadly potential.
Back when I read the first book, I instantly fell in love with the duo, and enjoyed their partnership in the extreme—and I'm glad to say that my expectations were met in Bannon and Clare 2. The plot took unexpected turns as the true virulence of the Red Plague became evident, and the way Emma Bannon and Archibald Clare reacted to the twists and turns impressed me, and I think one of my favorite twists was how they outsmart Clare's archnemesis. What I liked most about the book was how each character grew and developed—and changed.
I'm already looking forward to getting the next book in the series.
In this the second installment of Ms. Saintcrow's Bannon and Clare series, she creates a compelling and fast-paced tale that gripped my mind until it was all I could think about. Bannon and Clare remain true to their characterizations as even more hints to their personalities are revealed as they hunt for the creator of a deadly plague before it can be unleashed in the world. In this book each realizes the value of the other to themselves, and both act to protect each other, going well above the call of duty to do so. Secrets abound in this novel, and the pair gradually uncovers grim fact after grim fact about the plague, its creator, and its deadly potential.
Back when I read the first book, I instantly fell in love with the duo, and enjoyed their partnership in the extreme—and I'm glad to say that my expectations were met in Bannon and Clare 2. The plot took unexpected turns as the true virulence of the Red Plague became evident, and the way Emma Bannon and Archibald Clare reacted to the twists and turns impressed me, and I think one of my favorite twists was how they outsmart Clare's archnemesis. What I liked most about the book was how each character grew and developed—and changed.
I'm already looking forward to getting the next book in the series.
April 30, 2020
This is the second Bannon and Clare story that I've read and the second in the series by Lilith Saintcrow. The series is a well-developed combination of steampunk and sorcery. It's a melding of subgenres that I thought that I honestly wouldn'd like but I found the rides completely enjoyable. Emma Bannon and Archibald Clare are engaging characters. Saintcrow seems to be doing a great job developing the story arc between the two characters. The two protagonists have very opposite but at the same time very complimentary talents; Clare clinging to his world of observation, logic, and deduction, Bannon staying with what she knows; instinct, her ability to read people, and strong ability in magic. The introduction and development of secondary characters are also done very well, each having a unique backstory and arc as the series develops.
As a side note; I've have my London street map as a reference with me as well as looking up a number of Victorian words as I am reading the series. A reader certainly doesn't need this, but as someone that's been to London, it's another level of enjoyment.
I am finding this to be a thoroughly enjoyable series. The third in the series is being delivered soon and I can't wait to dive in.
As a side note; I've have my London street map as a reference with me as well as looking up a number of Victorian words as I am reading the series. A reader certainly doesn't need this, but as someone that's been to London, it's another level of enjoyment.
I am finding this to be a thoroughly enjoyable series. The third in the series is being delivered soon and I can't wait to dive in.
May 6, 2020
A steampunk, wizard and witch filled makeover of Sherlock Holmes with a feminist twist. Emma Bannon is a Sorceress Prime, whose magic comes from the dark side of power, and whose employer is the Queen: not only her current physical manifestation, but Britannia, the spirit that has ruled for centuries. She is partnered with Archibald Clare, a master of deduction and logic. With a no less exceptional set of secondary characters, ranging from Bannon’s Shield Mikal, a bodyguard with superhuman skills, to Clare’s Neapolitan assassin valet, Valentinelli, the Bannon/Clare crew take on giant Wyrms, evil conspiracies, and many, many things that go bump in the night. Dense prose and complex world building make for a challenging but very engaging new universe to explore.
April 30, 2020
While I did actually read something in between this and book 1, it was really just half a book. So I was a little confused by how much time had passed between books 1 and 2. More than had passed for me, apparently! Also I'm not clear on how old anyone is.
None of which diminished my enjoyment. More well-written story (although slightly harrowing at the moment, since the subject is a plague sweeping through the populace). World seems to have depth beyond what we see.
I immediately checked out book 3, although if we don't get some explanation about Mikal I am going to be quite vexed!
None of which diminished my enjoyment. More well-written story (although slightly harrowing at the moment, since the subject is a plague sweeping through the populace). World seems to have depth beyond what we see.
I immediately checked out book 3, although if we don't get some explanation about Mikal I am going to be quite vexed!
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