Today I want to discuss Jordan Elizabeth's western steampunk sequel, Born of Treasure. Released September 21st by Curiosity Quills Press, this book is the sequel to Treasure, Darkly. Featuring a young man with the recently attained ability to bring the dead back to life, and to communicate with ghosts, Born of Treasure is quite entertaining!
Come back tomorrow for my last review on the Curiosity Quills Press September Releases Review Tour!
My Review
Born of Treasure is the western steampunk sequel to Treasure, Darkly. There's a lot to love about this high octane adventure!
Love:
Clark. As the young man around whom much of the action centres, Clark's pretty awesome. He's got powers that he doesn't really want, and he's doing the best he can to follow his strong moral compass. I love his desire to protect Amethyst and the Treasures. I love that he rolls with the punches as much as he can, but that every now and then something happens to really trip him up. He so very much wants a place to belong and feel safe, and at the same time, wants to protect Amethyst and the Treasures by extension. He sees what needs doing and does it rather than looking for easier alternatives, and I appreciated that as well.
The setting. There's a great mixture of steampunk technology, advanced technologies, and western sensibilities. Horses alongside steamcycles. People who live off the land contrast with those who spend their time at nightclubs, shopping, and other frivolities. I loved this world, and I would gladly return to explore it more.
The story. The story never slows down. Born of Treasure is action-packed, with lots of twists and turns. There's a good balance between positive moments and moments when things get worse...and worse...and worse. It's easy to get sucked in and while away an afternoon with this book.
The Treasures. I really enjoyed Jeremiah, in particular. That he's not entirely on board with Clark made me grin, but he's still very family first. I also liked that the family itself is very strong as a unit, with confidence in Garth and Georgette. I liked that these people are *not* perfect, that they make mistakes, even though everyone seems to think that might be the case.
Didn't Love So Much:
Amethyst. She's feisty and exuberant, and while there's lots to like about her, I found her, overall, to be too superficial for me. Her concerns about all the trappings of her life as a society darling in the east wore on me. Even where there's balance between her complaints about conditions, I still felt like she's very head-in-the-sand about the long-term implications about not only the situations she finds herself in, but also the consequences of some of her choices.
My other issue with Amethyst is her age. Even though her age makes sense in the setting, I had a really hard time with some of the story because she's so young. It does contribute to that uniquely Amethyst vision of the world that's kind of naively self-centred? But still. An extra two years would have made me more comfortable.
No time for reflection. Many of the choices made by Amethyst, Clark, and their families should have come with some emotional fallout. Particularly through the climax of the book, I wanted Amethyst to be hit by the repercussions of her actions, to see beyond the immediate success or failure of her plans (no spoilers here!). The book didn't pause long enough to get really emotional.
Bottom line:
If you've read Treasure, Darkly, you need to read Born of Treasure to see what happens next for Clark and Amethyst. And if you haven't? I strongly recommend you start with that book and then grab this one. Together, they're a fantastic steampunk-western story. Very enjoyable, very fast-paced, a lot of fun!
4 stars
For fans of steampunk, westerns, ghost stories
Jordan Elizabeth, formally
Jordan Elizabeth Mierek, writes down her nightmares in order to live her
dreams. With an eclectic job history of working as a college professor;
historic costumed interpreter at Fort Stanwix, Victorian Leisure Fair, and
Mayfaire on the Green; office specialist; sales clerk; election inspector; and
trainer, she is now diving into the world of author.It happens to be her
favorite one.
When she’s not creating art or
searching for lost history in the woods, she’s updating her blog, Kissed by
Literature. Jordan is the president of the Utica Writers Club and maintains
JordanElizabethMierek.com.
Come back tomorrow for my last review on the Curiosity Quills Press September Releases Review Tour!
The Book
Clark
used to be a miner, until he drank from a vial he swore was absinthe but was
actually an invention to give him the ability to raise the dead. Now Clark
seeks to fulfill his father’s wishes to keep other inventions away from Senator
Horan.
His
beloved Amethyst is along for the ride. Deceit, drama, romance, the insidious
underbellies of gangs…How can she not be involved?
Clark
can’t hide behind the Treasure name forever and the army still wants him for
his secret abilities. If Captain Greenwood can’t snare Clark, then he’ll use
the Treasures as collateral. Saving his father’s inventions will just have to
wait, especially now that the Treasures have been kicked off their ranch and
driven into exile. Clark knows how to survive on the run, but that’s not the
fate the Treasures deserve. He can surrender to the army or fight for his
freedom, but Amethyst has other plans for fixing their troubles.
She’s
come across another one of the vials that gave Clark is abilities, and it looks
mighty tasty.
Born of Treasure is available now!
Born of Treasure is the western steampunk sequel to Treasure, Darkly. There's a lot to love about this high octane adventure!
Love:
Clark. As the young man around whom much of the action centres, Clark's pretty awesome. He's got powers that he doesn't really want, and he's doing the best he can to follow his strong moral compass. I love his desire to protect Amethyst and the Treasures. I love that he rolls with the punches as much as he can, but that every now and then something happens to really trip him up. He so very much wants a place to belong and feel safe, and at the same time, wants to protect Amethyst and the Treasures by extension. He sees what needs doing and does it rather than looking for easier alternatives, and I appreciated that as well.
The setting. There's a great mixture of steampunk technology, advanced technologies, and western sensibilities. Horses alongside steamcycles. People who live off the land contrast with those who spend their time at nightclubs, shopping, and other frivolities. I loved this world, and I would gladly return to explore it more.
The story. The story never slows down. Born of Treasure is action-packed, with lots of twists and turns. There's a good balance between positive moments and moments when things get worse...and worse...and worse. It's easy to get sucked in and while away an afternoon with this book.
The Treasures. I really enjoyed Jeremiah, in particular. That he's not entirely on board with Clark made me grin, but he's still very family first. I also liked that the family itself is very strong as a unit, with confidence in Garth and Georgette. I liked that these people are *not* perfect, that they make mistakes, even though everyone seems to think that might be the case.
Didn't Love So Much:
Amethyst. She's feisty and exuberant, and while there's lots to like about her, I found her, overall, to be too superficial for me. Her concerns about all the trappings of her life as a society darling in the east wore on me. Even where there's balance between her complaints about conditions, I still felt like she's very head-in-the-sand about the long-term implications about not only the situations she finds herself in, but also the consequences of some of her choices.
My other issue with Amethyst is her age. Even though her age makes sense in the setting, I had a really hard time with some of the story because she's so young. It does contribute to that uniquely Amethyst vision of the world that's kind of naively self-centred? But still. An extra two years would have made me more comfortable.
No time for reflection. Many of the choices made by Amethyst, Clark, and their families should have come with some emotional fallout. Particularly through the climax of the book, I wanted Amethyst to be hit by the repercussions of her actions, to see beyond the immediate success or failure of her plans (no spoilers here!). The book didn't pause long enough to get really emotional.
Bottom line:
If you've read Treasure, Darkly, you need to read Born of Treasure to see what happens next for Clark and Amethyst. And if you haven't? I strongly recommend you start with that book and then grab this one. Together, they're a fantastic steampunk-western story. Very enjoyable, very fast-paced, a lot of fun!
4 stars
For fans of steampunk, westerns, ghost stories
About the Author
Jordan Elizabeth, formally
Jordan Elizabeth Mierek, writes down her nightmares in order to live her
dreams. With an eclectic job history of working as a college professor;
historic costumed interpreter at Fort Stanwix, Victorian Leisure Fair, and
Mayfaire on the Green; office specialist; sales clerk; election inspector; and
trainer, she is now diving into the world of author.It happens to be her
favorite one.
When she’s not creating art or
searching for lost history in the woods, she’s updating her blog, Kissed by
Literature. Jordan is the president of the Utica Writers Club and maintains
JordanElizabethMierek.com.
She roams Central New York, but she loves to travel. A great deal of time has been spent in a rural town very similar to Arnn, the setting of her novel ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW.
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