Tom is the son of the Duke of Northfield, raised with the understanding that his life will be one of duty and honor, so he’s taking the chance to grabTom is the son of the Duke of Northfield, raised with the understanding that his life will be one of duty and honor, so he’s taking the chance to grab all the gusto he can, while he can. While having experienced love seen from his parent’s view, and adoration from his much younger sister, while he’s not callus with their feelings, he’s not such the rogue as to bring shame to the family. He’s got a fascination with Amina, the manageress of The Orchid Club, a clandestine ‘pay what you can afford�, masquerade club that allows the carnal to take center stage. Not quite the more commonly encountered scenes of brothels or kept women, this is a place that allows people to explore their sexuality with only two rules: no names and everything utterly and completely consensual. Tom’s first introduction to the club comes from one of his friends, The Earl of Blakemore, a notorious libertine we fully met in book 2. While intrigued by the sex itself, Tom is more curious about the manageress, and finds that he enjoys her company and presence above all else.
But, his unexpected ascendancy to the title with his father’s death creates a wholesale change in what he believes he must do � and one trip for one night before he disappears into the House of Lords and endless obligatory functions, he convinces Amina to grant him some answers to questions long held, and her company for the night. Discovering not long after that his very proper father was the founder of the club, and now he’s got to decide on it’s future�. Well, things get complicated. Perhaps unduly so as the ton seems more involved in their neighbor’s business then their own, and the implicit and then later stated threats to derail his sister’s upcoming engagement (and perhaps threaten his own family’s reputation and prospects for evermore) Tom has a crisis of conscience: do what he knows will help alleviate the ills facing society and help make things better for those in he worst conditions, or act as requested, and follow in his father’s old path, punishing those without options or means simply to enrich the upper crust.
What Leigh does so well is let us see the awakening of Tom to the hardships of poverty and the choices are borne of those limited opportunities. With Amina sharing her name, Lucia, her background � daughter of a wealthy Englishman and a poor uneducated woman from Naples, and her paternal family’s treatment of her, not to mention her own determination to open a school for girls from Whitechapel, keep those in her employ at the Orchid Club safe and well-paid, and carve out a life that she has determined for herself, the growth and ending for Tom, along with the clearly presented sense of his character, his mother and sister’s love for him, and the worthiness of Tom as the hero of his story, a thoroughly modern (perhaps even far more of the present than the past) man, to the reasons why he Kit and Alex are such good friends � it all folds together neatly to provide an intriguing and interesting trek into London, without all the smells and soot.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
An impossible to put down story that builds with action, tension and disturbing ‘what could be� scenarios are only a few of the highlights in this boo An impossible to put down story that builds with action, tension and disturbing ‘what could be� scenarios are only a few of the highlights in this book. P.K. Tyler places readers into the world she has created: this post-apocalyptic earth where divisions and appearances mean the difference between life and death, semi-realized freedom or slavery and all living to satisfy the will of a small group in charge. (Sound familiar?) I can't wait for the next!
Worlds collide: Sabaal and her Jakkattu heritage, born to a life of slavery and toil in the mines. Subjected to a series of Mengele-like experimentation and deprivations, she takes her one chance to escape into a landscape of terraformed (think Styrofoam packing peanuts) lands surrounded by dead, decaying and ultimately dangerous actual land.
Julip Thorne, a human living on a reservation, subjected to acid rains, toxic clouds, deprivations and hardships. Expected to worship and live by the rules of the Mezna � the alien race that offered help then commandeered power after abuses to the earth caused destruction and near devastation.
The Mezna forcing their will forward under the auspices of power and superior religious piety. Enacting laws, conducting experiments and moving populations at will, the foreshadowing of the potential in that much power is eerie. Then the Teks and the Hybrids, both easily recognized by their bright blue eyes. Both are half-human, with some differences in longevity, health and, for the Teks, skills and enhancements that are used to serve the needs in society. From the ability to ‘patch in� to the mainframe and access data and records to their oddly beautiful wiring and patterns reminiscent of a computer’s motherboard, the Teks are the Mezna’s higher-level functionaries � the messengers. Lastly in this world are the ferals � those who have left reservations to live in small encampments: many with deformities and other genetic or environmentally caused abnormalities.
What Tyler has done is introduced a world that is on the precipice of change: the last days (perhaps) of a ruling class chosen in moments of fear. All scrabbling for a seat at the table. Questions about ruling classes, the dehumanization of large groups of people with subjugation, restrictions and fear. Establishing intellectual superiority by limiting access to learning and history, controlling movement, family structure and resources. Using superstitions that play on fears to push forward a religious-driven agenda that demands worship without providing options or allowing questions, requiring obedience and outward manifestations of belief lest one be subject to punishment.
Descriptions are lush and easily visualized, backed with characters that, despite their differences are accessible to everyone, even as you wonder what could happen next. Wholly new and different � there is a sense of this could (did and may be already) happen should we lose the ability to see the similarities in our differences.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility. ...more
I’m one of the lucky ones � I got early peeks at the full-length story that is the introduction to the world for this sci-fi short. And � trust me wheI’m one of the lucky ones � I got early peeks at the full-length story that is the introduction to the world for this sci-fi short. And � trust me when I say that if this short intrigues, the full length will be a favorite.
A world where humans are relegated to mere ‘objects� and the worker bees are enhanced with varying forms of technology appropriate to their job descriptions. Avendui 5 is a tek, enhanced to work under the earth, but her anxiety takes over and she isn’t able to perform. Not only is she unable to perform her assigned position, rendering her redundant, she is ‘involved� with another tek, Virgil 9ine, against all rules of this world. Even worse, their curiosity and conversations have them realizing that not everything is as they have been told�.something is very wrong.
As dangers to the status quo, Avi and Virgil are deviating from the norm � and providing cause for concern� most especially for their own futures. Tyler uses her ability to draw readers to her characters by giving them qualities that resonate, putting them in situations that force action and reaction and hinting at the world and it’s management, it is a wonderful ‘tease� for the upcoming title.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility. ...more
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