Friday, July 8, 2011

Heartless-Gail Carriger

Heartless
Gail Carriger
Orbit, Jul 1 $7.99
ISBN: 9780316127196

Alpha of the Woolsey werewolf clan, Lord Maccon worries about his eight months pregnant wife Lady Alexia. He is unconcerned about her crankiness and complaints of bunions growing in her womb. His trepidation is whether her Metanatural unborn may be the second known soul stealer. He persuades her friend vampire Lord Akeldama, who’s relative Queen Zenobia is the first, to adopt the baby.

When Alexia learns an assassin stalks Queen Victoria, she waddles over to protect her Highness. However, her quest is dangerous as she dodges quills from zombie porcupines, vampires who want her dead, Biffy the werewolf still howling for her mentor Maccon, and the worst her clueless sister Felicity.

The fourth Parasol Protectorate Victorian fantasy (see Soulless, Changeless and Blameless) is a fun at times jocular (especially when the married couple discuss her “bunions”) investigative tale. The heroine escorts readers through a different London filled with eccentric otherworldly species not found in a Dickens’ novel. Although the story line is thin even with several subplots that never fully gel, fans will enjoy Alexia’s pregnant pause as she sets out to protect the Queen.

Harriet Klausner

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