For Steam And Country - A Review
Steampunk is as popular now as ever, and so I thought I would take a moment to review one of the more successful steampunk YA series' currently out there. For Steam And Country is the first in a series of several books (book #6 is about to be released, if I recall correctly), and I'll say from the outset that it is rather enjoyable. I had a pleasant time reading it. It is also, however, very formulaic, with a few unique twists thrown in just to make things interesting. Its author, Jon Del Arroz, is not someone whose political opinions I agree with. I also don't agree with his claim that he is the "leading Hispanic voice in science fiction." (That title belongs to Ty Franck, and it isn't even close how much more successful Franck is.) But those disagreements go on the back burner in this post, as I evaluate the story on its own merits. Zaira begins much the way all other "hero's journey" stories begin. She's young (16), self-reliant, lives