Steampunk Western Review: The Native Star by M.K. Hobson


The Native Star by M.K. Hobson (Veneficas Americana #1)


Christmas gift

Synopsis from Goodreads
In the tradition of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, this brilliant first novel fuses history, fantasy, and romance. Prepare to be enchanted by M. K. Hobson’s captivating take on the Wild, Wild West.

The year is 1876. In the small Sierra Nevada settlement of Lost Pine, the town witch, Emily Edwards, is being run out of business by an influx of mail-order patent magics. Attempting to solve her problem with a love spell, Emily only makes things worse. But before she can undo the damage, an enchanted artifact falls into her possession—and suddenly Emily must flee for her life, pursued by evil warlocks who want the object for themselves.

Dreadnought Stanton, a warlock from New York City whose personality is as pompous and abrasive as his name, has been exiled to Lost Pine for mysterious reasons. Now he finds himself involuntarily allied with Emily in a race against time—and across the United States by horse, train, and biomechanical flying machine—in quest of the great Professor Mirabilis, who alone can unlock the secret of the coveted artifact. But along the way, Emily and Stanton will be forced to contend with the most powerful and unpredictable magic of all—the magic of the human heart.


Amazon  US/UK(£4.69) | Amazon kindle US | The Book Depository US/UK(£4.67)

9/10

* * *
This was an excellent steampunk western, and I'd fully recommend it to anyone who loves steampunk or just alternative history adventures.



M.K. Hobson blew me away with her world-building and sassy wonderful main characters. Both Emily and Stanton are a such contradiction as in they are polar opposite to each other it's pure fun to see them try and work together.

Emily is a young witch in a backwater country who can't even make a love spell without it going awry, and Dreadnaught is a stuffy young educated warlock who can't help but lament his exile away from civilised society of New York and point Emily's inadequacies to her.

Of course how it often happens, a magical mining explosion releases a horde of zombie-like creatures and unleashes a magical artifact that embeds itself in Emily's palm, and now the couple will have to travel to New York to help Emily to get rid of it.

However be wary of impending magical disaster, treachery among warlocks, a mounting movement of witch burning and political intrigues while they are at it. Add native American magic, cross-dressing, a villain with a flair, and an embarrassing growing attraction between Emily and Stanton, and you'd get an excellent, wonderful adventure!

Highly recommended.

 * * *
Лихой получился у Хобсон стиманковский вестерн! Добавьте альтернативную Америку 19в. с магией со-существующей с технологическим прогрессом, сложное построение мира, прекрасных драматических героев, замечательного злодея и мешанину различных культур и получите Коренную Звезду.

Эмили - молодая ведьма, живущая в позабытой маленькой деревеньке на Западе, у которой даже приворотное зелье выходит слишком сильным. Дреднот Стэнтон - молодой колдун, обученный в Нью-Йорке и оплакивающий своё изгнание из цивилизации в закулички страны. Оба отличаются как небо и земля и терпеть не могут друг друга.

Однако когда после взрыва на шахте магический артефакт освобождает зомби рабочих из под контроля и вживается в ладонь Эмили, пытающейся этих зомби остановить, Эмили и Стэнтону ничего не остаётся как отправиться в Нью-Йорк, чтобы извлечь артефакт и изучить его возможности.

Однако путь через земли, испещрённые бандитами и индейцами, а также новым движением, выступающим за сожжение ведьм, опасен, а сам Нью-Йорк полон предательств среди колдунов, политических интриг и ассассинов, умеющих населять тела будущих жертв...

Ожидайте погони, перестрелки и перепалки среди неизбежного, растущего между героями влечения, а также эпическую концовку, доказывающую, что Эмили вполне способна постоять за себя сама.

Очень рекомендую и читала с большим удовольствием!


Comments

  1. Hm, blogger did not want my comment..new try..sounds good ;D

    ReplyDelete
  2. So wait, did I get this right? It's historical, there are witches, it's steampunk, western AND there are zombies roaming about? Is that a perfect recipe or what? I was supposed to read this one a while back, but never got around to it. I guess it's time to reconsider.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ooo this sounds good, I want it :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alternative histories are always such a neat idea

    ReplyDelete
  5. Maja, I think the world-building is absolutely fab, and there are two more books in the series to savour :) I really enjoyed it.

    Blodeuedd, hope you try it, hon!

    Auian, it is! Very fun read!

    Brandi, yes they are :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oooo, goooood! I love that cover too. Nice to hear about this one. I think I need it. lol.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ooooh thanks for bringing this to my attention! I love steampunk but I've never read a steampunk western, I must check this one out :D

    ReplyDelete
  8. This looks like a good one, Kara-Karina!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts