The smartly titled A Steampunk Anthology: Mechanized Masterpieces is not just a description of the stories collected in this anthology edited by Penny Freeman. The book’s forward reinforces the theme of the stories with, “Steampunk is revisionism, and what better…
Author Archive for Ricky L. Brown
Rick L. Brown is a reader drawn toward innovative work with an edge as long as it is well written. He prefers to examine the literary value of a work over any type of “love it – hate it” or star rating system. Though his degree is in English Literature, he worked for many years as a mechanical engineer where he developed an attention to detail – a key element in the Steampunk genre. He is a writer for the amazingstoriesmag.com blog team and has published several book reviews across differing genre in the news website Examiner.com. You can follow Ricky on his website rickylbrown.com or on Twitter: @RickyLBrown
Believing in The Warlord of the Air – Again
by Ricky L. Brown • • Comments Off
First published in 1971 and possibly one of the forerunners to Steampunk literature, The Warlord of the Air by Michael Moorcock has recently been resurrected by Titan Books. Over the years, the book has been evaluated for its views on…
The Lazarus Machine Brings New Life to Steampunk Characters
by Ricky L. Brown • • Comments Off
Aside from being a fast paced Steampunk mystery, The Lazarus Machine by Paul Crilley is a who’s who of Victorian England. As a young adult novel, it is packed with enough action and creativity to draw in new readers and…
Sherlock Holmes Goes Steampunk
by Ricky L. Brown • • Comments Off
Steampunk Holmes: Legacy of the Nautilus by P.C. Martin is the first installment of an ongoing adventure series published by Noble Beast, LLC. It is a reasonably short book, but by the end there is no doubt that it is…
Uncertainty is the Norm after the Constantine Affliction
by Ricky L. Brown • • Comments Off
The Constantine Affliction by T. Aaron Payton is a fresh new take on Victorian era mystery adventures. The characters seem familiar on the surface, but the unique plot and edgy twist on the classic plague makes for a memorable Steampunk…
Once Upon a Time with Bethany Grenier’s debut novel Sings with Stars
by Ricky L. Brown • • Comments Off
Sings with Stars by Bethany Grenier is not unlike the fairy princess stories many of us have grown up with. Directed more toward the young adult audience, the story can gain interest with the much younger audience as well. Even…
The Cleverness of Sailor Twain
by Ricky L. Brown • • Comments Off
Sailor Twain or the Mermaid in the Hudson is a graphic novel by Mark Siegel. There is a riverboat on the cover, the author’s name is Mark and the hero’s name is Twain. But don’t be fooled. This is not…
Clockwork Angels is a Steampunk Rush
by Ricky L. Brown • • Comments Off
In Clockwork Angels, Kevin J. Anderson weaves a unique examination of the world of Steampunk. Anderson wrote the novel in collaboration with iconic drummer Neil Peart, of the rock band Rush – the story was influenced by the lyrics Peart…
A Look Inside the Doomsday Vault
by Ricky L. Brown • • Comments Off
It’s not often a story can become manipulated by its own setting. Nor is it a bad thing when it does. On the outside, The Doomsday Vault by Steven Harper looks like a romantic Steampunk adventure filled with mystery, monsters…
Dead Reckoning is Dead-On
by Ricky L. Brown • • Comments Off
Iconic writer Mercedes Lackey steps aside from her usual fantasy fanfare along with fellow science fiction romanticist Rosemary Edghill to collaborate on a different kind of adventure. On the outside, Dead Reckoning could be just another western novel. Okay, the…