Storms of Lazarus: sigo enamorada del romance steampunk + sorteo

Mis arrebatadores, ¿cómo lleváis agosto? Estos días he estado desaparecida por vacaciones, aunque hoy re-estreno el blog para hablaros de un libro que me ha encandilado. STORM OF LAZARUS, de Karen Quincy, rebosa aventura steampunk, historia alternativa, nigromancia, romance en peligro, guerra, espionaje y tecnomancia absolutamente brillante.

Quizás recordéis la primera parte, Shadows of Asphodel, que me conquistó tanto como esta segunda novela. ¡Qué bien me lo paso cuando puedo continuar las andanzas de personajes tan magníficos como Ardis y Wendel!

Ardis es una mercenaria y Wendel un nigromante. Sufrieron un terrible revés del que apenas salieron con vida y ahora tratan de escapar. Todo se complica terriblemente cuando son arrestados y Europa estalla en guerra.

El archimago Konstantin les recluta para defender Prusia de las garras bélicas de Rusia. El hogar ancestral del que Wendel fue desheredado por sus poderes nigromantes está ahora en peligro, aunque no será fácil llegar allí indemnes.

Esta extraordinaria aventura cuenta con ingredientes de sobra
para mantenerme en vilo:

- zeppelines en los que hay sitio para la pasión, partidas de póker inusuales, ataques tecnológicos y la lucha a vida o muerte

- personajes de carne y hueso que me importan y son interesantes

- diálogos ingeniosos y divertidos

- tecnomancia, una mezcla entre tecnología y magia con toque steampunk

-escenas que mezclan con maestría combates de espada, huídas, ciudades europeas, viajes por tierra y aire, el peligro de la guerra, personajes en agonía emocional, familias rotas, magia que revive a los muertos, y un romance épico y sensual

Recuerdo que el final de la primera novela fue impresionante, poder continuar con más aventuras me ha llenado de asombro y alegría por la imaginación de la autora. Ha recreado de maravilla la ambientación de la vieja Europa, bien cargada de pólvora bélica y aire steampunk, en la que se mueven los archimagos y los asesinos de la orden de Asphodel con sus objetivos de poder y sus máquinas mágicas. 

No ha habido un momento en el que faltara la acción sorprendente, los diálogos entretenidísimos, la preciosa relación de amor y la evolución de los personajes, tanto a nivel emocional como en lo referente a la trama. Creo que ha terminado de forma magnífica y estoy casi segura de que visitaremos América en una próxima ocasión. Yay!

Estoy contentísima de participar en el tour de esta novela, organizado por la estupenda Candace. Si queréis visitar las otras paradas, hay entrevistas y mucho material para leer.

Storms of Lazarus

(Shadows of Asphodel #2)

Sometimes escape is impossible. Sometimes love isn't enough.

1913. Christmas Eve. Ardis hardly expects a quiet holiday with Wendel, between fleeing Constantinople and hiding from an ancient society of assassins. And they owe a debt to a certain archmage.

In Königsberg, Prussia, they work with Konstantin on the next evolution of Project Lazarus. Wendel once called Königsberg home, the city now besieged by the Russians and their clockwork engines of war. This may be Wendel’s last chance to save his family and find redemption, but he's tormented by nightmares and tempted by laudanum. Ardis fears her love isn’t enough to save Wendel. Her hands are full piloting the automatons, and she's terrified to tell him a secret of her own. Will they—and their love—survive the storms of war?

Goodreads | Amazon

My opinion of Storms of Lazarus

This is one hell of an adventure I was thrilled to go back to. I couldn't forget the main characters nor the world they lived in from the first novel, Shadows of Asphodel. So I was happy as a kitten with cream when the second book came under my greedy eyes.

Last time, Ardis and Wendel barely survived. Now, they have to do it all over again in the face of vampires, overzealous archmages, deadly technomancy, and they have to travel by zeppelin to a land about to plunge into war against the powerful Russian army. While they fight for their ill-fated romance!

 It's good to be back to Quincy's writing. I like her no-nonsense, straight-to-the-point, fast-paced quality. On the other hand, it never lacks all the sensibility needed to portray the distinctive soul of her characters.

The dialogues between Ardis and Wendel are always compelling, as is their relationship. Sometimes dark, always intense, they share witty conversations, dangerous adventures and beautifully hot intimacy.

Necromancer Wendel is plagued by a nightmarish event that keeps him awake at night, while mercenary Ardis fights her fear of losing him. In the mean time, enemies pursue them relentlessly with all the might at their disposal.

Again, I'm keenly impressed by this steampunk and alternate history adventure that's brimming with action, plot twists, amazing characters and boasts a solid, funny and sensitive writing style. Everything that I loved about this rich world is back with a vengeance: the dark magic, the sarcastic and tragic personality of Wendel, courageous and smart Ardis, the war politics, the devious and traitorous assassins, the emotional turmoil. Poor Wendel suffers endlessly here due to his trauma and his family issues.

Obviously, I enjoyed myself immensely for those reasons and for the satisfying chance to know more about my favourite characters, the archmages and the Order of Asphodel. I think there's a lot more to find out however. A third foray, maybe?

Scenes keep coming that pound with fierce action and entertainment and surprises. They never cease to amaze me and I fell in love all over again with Wendel, Ardis, Konstantin, even Natalya, and a quirky pet, who all had to battle betrayal, armies, mythological creatures, pain and fear.

A couple of side points:

- too often, the after effects of a vampire's bite are minimized. Not here. I like the fact that these symptoms are taken seriously and not romanticized

- the poker game played in the zeppelin is both exhilarating and eye-opening. So unexpected!

The author manages a deeply gratifying balance between steampunk adventure and dramatic romance, witty fun and heart-wrenching loss, swashbuckling action and rich European setting. The atmosphere is almost Gothic, clearly old Europe-flavoured, but alive with dark fantasy and never-ending danger. Let's not forget the poignant, steamy love story that seeps into every page of this magnificent and epic quest. If anybody decides to bet on these books, they will be more than pleased.

Dear Karen, you wrote an awesome story. Again.

About the Author:

Karen Kincy (Kirkland, Washington) can be found lurking in her writing cave, though sunshine will lure her outside. When not writing, she stays busy gardening, tinkering with aquariums, or running just one more mile. Karen has a BA in Linguistics and Literature from The Evergreen State College.

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¿Qué estáis leyendo estas vacaciones? ¿Alguna cosita sorprendente? :o)

Babel contemplando las vistas desde un dirigible.