THE MORTAL WORD

THE MORTAL WORD by Genevieve Cogman

433  pages

https://slpl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1423249116#

Reviewed by Rae C.

The fifth book in the Invisible Library series, and the best one so far!

There are multiple worlds, and in each there are different levels of technology (order, ruled by Dragons) and magic (chaos, ruled by The Fae).  Each earth has different versions of the same stories, reflecting the different development and history of that particular world. 

The Library exists at the center of all the worlds, and is outside of time.  By collecting the different versions of stories, the Library keeps the worlds bound together.  Also Librarians are able to speak The Language, and therefore in each world have a power different from either Fae or Dragon.  The Language is a pure command, the essence of all earth languages on all the different versions of earth. For example, if a Librarian commands water to boil in The Language, the water will boil.

There is an ongoing conflict between Dragon and Fae, and neither species can tolerate too much of the other. So Fae suffer in the order of Dragon worlds. And Dragons lose strength in chaotic Fae worlds filled with magic and Story.  (The Fae themselves are dominated by Story.  In fact, sometimes they are bound by the rules of the Story and/or their characters.  Both this book and The Masked City display this feature of Fae power.)

In this book there is a peace conference underway between Dragon and Fae, and the Librarians are officiating.  The main protagonist, Irene Winters, is currently Librarian in Residence in a world that is steampunk, and at roughly the 1920's in its timeline. One of her companions is a real life Sherlock Holmes, named Peregrine Vale.  (In some worlds Sherlock Holmes is not just a story.)  Her other companion is a Dragon Prince, Kai Strongrock.

All three of them are summoned to the top secret peace conference after a Dragon is murdered.  The conference and peace in all the worlds is in jeopardy.  Like the other four books, this is a great adventure, with "unguessable" twists and turns.  Cogman always has something up her sleeve!

I especially enjoyed the interim with Vale's POV.  This is the first time there has been a POV other than Irene's.  My understanding is this series grew partly out of the author's love of Sherlock Holmes (as well as Dungeons and Dragons), so to have Vale highlighted was a treat! In fact, Irene's name was chosen from Irene Adler in Conan Doyle's "Silk Stocking." Cogman did a good job of recreating a solid Sherlock Holmes in an unfamiliar world ruled by Fae and Dragons, and powered by ether.

The alternate Paris the story is set in retains all of the history of our worlds' Paris, and includes a very exciting scene in the Grand Guignol.  And the added spectacle of the Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory, running the show.

Kind of sorry I finished it so fast because now it is another long year of waiting for book six!!!

Behemoth

Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld, 485 pages

Bottom of Form

“The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker Powers. Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory. Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what's ahead.” I can’t believe that I waited so long to read Westerfeld’s books.  I love this series and teens who like steampunk, adventure, or fantasy will want to read it.

Manners & Mutiny

Manners & Mutiny by Gail Carriger, 326 pages

“If one must flirt...flirt with danger.  Lessons in the art of espionage aboard Mademoiselle Geraldine's floating dirigible have become tedious without Sophronia's sweet sootie Soap nearby. She would much rather be using her skills to thwart the dastardly Picklemen, yet her concerns about their wicked intentions are ignored, and now she's not sure whom to trust. What does the brusque werewolf dewan know? On whose side is the ever-stylish vampire Lord Akeldama? Only one thing is certain: a large-scale plot is under way, and when it comes to fruition, Sophronia must be ready to save her friends, her school, and all of London from disaster--in decidedly dramatic fashion, of course. What will become of our proper young heroine when she puts her years of training to the test? Find out in this highly anticipated and thrilling conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Finishing School series!” I love this entire series and anyone who likes adventure stories, especially steampunk needs to read it.  This was a very satisfying conclusion to the series, although I’m sorry to see it end.  However, Carriger is good at ending a series before it gets tiresome, so she’s probably right to stop where she did.

Imprudence

Imprudence by Gail Carriger, 352 pages

“Rue and the crew of the Spotted Custard return from India with revelations that shake the foundations of England's scientific community. Queen Victoria is not amused, the vampires are tetchy, and something is wrong with the local werewolf pack. To top it all off, Rue's best friend Primrose keeps getting engaged to the most unacceptable military types. Rue has family problems as well. Her vampire father is angry, her werewolf father is crazy, and her obstreperous mother is both. Worst of all, Rue's beginning to suspect what they really are... is frightened.”  This sequel is just as fun as all of Carriger’s other books.  This is for fans of steampunk fantasy.

Leviathan

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, 440 pages

"In an alternate 1914 Europe, fifteen-year-old Austrian Prince Alek, on the run from the Clanker Powers who are attempting to take over the globe using mechanical machinery, forms an uneasy alliance with Deryn who, disguised as a boy to join the British Air Service, is learning to fly genetically-engineered beasts."  I'm a relative newcomer to Westerfeld's books but I really liked the first book in this series.  I'm sorry it took me so long to get to it.  I liked this a lot better than the Pretties series, which was good but not great.  This was much better and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

Of Metal and Wishes

Of Metal and Wishes by Sarah Fine, 321 pages

“This love story for the ages, set in a reimagined industrial Asia, is a little dark, a bit breathless, and completely compelling.  Sixteen-year-old Wen assists her father in his medical clinic, housed in a slaughterhouse staffed by the Noor, men hired as cheap factory labor. Wen often hears the whisper of a ghost in the slaughterhouse, a ghost who grants wishes to those who need them most. And after one of the Noor humiliates Wen, the ghost grants an impulsive wish of hers--brutally.  Guilt-ridden, Wen befriends the Noor, including the outspoken leader, a young man named Melik. At the same time, she is lured by the mystery of the ghost. As deadly accidents fuel tensions within the factory, Wen is torn between her growing feelings for Melik, who is enraged at the sadistic factory bosses and the prejudice faced by his people at the hand of Wen's, and her need to appease the ghost, who is determined to protect her against any threat--real or imagined. Will she determine whom to trust before the factory explodes, taking her down with it?”  I really liked this story.  I think that this would appeal to teens who like dystopian fiction as well as realistic fiction, romance, scary stories, and even fantasy, as there is a little bit of all of that going on in this book.

Waistcoats & Weaponry

Waistcoats & Weaponry by Gail Carriger, 298 pages

The third book in The Finishing School series has Sophronia helping her friend Sidheag get back to Scotland to help her werewolf pack.  With help from her best friend Dimity, her sooty friend, Soap and even from Lord Felix Mersey, her sometime love interest. They manage to hijack a train until they attract the attention of some flywaymen and Picklemen.  It will take all of their skills to navigate through their predicament but Sophronia and the others are up for the challenge.  I really enjoyed this latest book in the series and teens, especially girls, who like steampunk will enjoy it also.

Prudence

Prudence by Gail Carriger, 357 pages

Carriger’s new series, The Custard Protocol, follows Prudence, daughter of the Maccons, the protagonists from her last series, The Parasol Protectorate.  Rue and her friends, Prim, Percy and Quesnel are being sent to India by Rue’s vampire guardian, Lord Akeldama, to find out what has happened to his tea.  In Rue’s new dirigible, The Spotted Custard, the group encounters new types of were animals and find out that there is much more going on in India besides some missing tea.  Unfortunately, no one seems inclined to explain exactly what they are dealing with.  Although I thought this was pretty good and liked the characters, I’d agree with Ed W that it isn’t as good as the first series, or even the YA series.  The whole book seems more focused on character development than plot.  However, I liked the characters and I plan to read more in the series as they come.

The Expeditioners And The Treasure Of Drowned Man’s Canyon

The Expeditioners And The Treasure Of Drowned Man’s Canyon by S.S. Taylor, 375 pages

The three children of famous explorer, Alexander West, discover a map that their father left behind.  West has been missing and presumed dead for several months and the three kids, Kit, Zander and M.K., decide to follow the map.  Unfortunately, several people from the government seem keen to take the map away from them and claim the treasure they expect to find for themselves.  The trio manages to evade capture and, accompanied by the daughter of another famous explorer, they are able to set out and make an amazing discovery.  Unfortunately, the government agents are hot on their tracks and it’s up to the kids to keep them from the discovery.   This was a fun adventure story, set in a futuristic time that is very different from most imagined futures.  A lot of kids who like adventure stories will enjoy this beginning of a new series.

Timeless

Timeless by Gail Carriger, 402 pages

Lady Alexia Maccon and her husband, Lord Maccon, have mostly adjusted to living with a vampire and Lord Akeldama and his hive have mostly adjusted to living with werewolves but everyone is constantly adjusting to live with the Maccons daughter, Prudence. Prudence has the ability to steal immortals immortality. For example, if she touches a vampire, she becomes a vampire. Luckily, the effects reverse if Alexia touches her so no lasting harm has come to anyone. In this novel, Lady Maccon has been summoned to Egypt to meet the vampire Queen, Matakara. Matakara wants also to meet Prudence and Lord Maccon will not allow them to travel alone. After all, this will also give them a chance to examine to possible origin of the God-Breaker Plague, especially as it appears the Plague may be expanding. They need to figure out what is happening so they can either stop it or control the spread, assuming that Matakara plans to let them survive their meeting. This is the action packed, funny, fifth book in the Parasol Protectorate series. People who like this style of supernatural historical novels will love this series.

Johannes Cabal the Detective

Johannes Cabal the Detective by Jonathan Howard, 288 pages

This book is the second in a series, the first of which I read a few years back. The main character, Johannes Cabal, is a darkly humored necromancer and in the first book, he has been without his soul in order to learn necromancy. However, he wants it back and must earn it back by getting others to give up theirs, while running a carnival.
This installment in the series was a little steampunk, which was a change of pace from the first book.  The second book is set mostly on a zeppelin onto which Cabal has fled, to attempt to escape a crime. He ends up having to participate in the solving of several murders and is almost murdered himself. Along to help him is Leonie Barrow, a woman he met in the first book.
The author tried to throw in some poor attempts at romance for Cabal in this one, which I found unnecessary, as it breaks from Cabal's character. It is attributed to him having his soul back, but still, unnecessary.
The best part about the Cabal books are the humor. Cabal is extremely sarcastic and he's not only a necromancer, but also an un-apologetic killer when necessary. I suppose he's somewhat sociopathic. I've discovered I really do enjoy books about sociopaths.

Curtsies & Conspiracies

Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger, 310 pages

This is the second book in the Finishing School series.  Sophronia is in her second year and is continuing to learn a lot about espionage, in fact, her marks have her first in her class.  This is not such a good thing though, when her friends shun her because of it.  And she could really use some friends right now, what with all of the intrigue surrounding a stolen device.  Who is responsible, the picklemen or the vampires?  And is the same group trying to kidnap Dimity, Sophronia’s friend?  And why?