The Age of Steam Series by Devon Monk

Those who have been searching for an adventure to please the inner child of their heart look no further…

It’s America back in the day where railroads were still being built but at the same time airships have already become battle vessels of the sky. This steampunk themed series will take you on an adventure that is near impossible to step away from.

I personally have never been tied to a specific genre or author (Aside from Neil Gaiman, who is my love) but I found myself craving a sort of classic adventure book. I’ve read fantasy and science fiction and romance novels in early time periods, but I wanted something different.

Devon Monk introduced me to her world and I lived in it from chapter to chapter, having to argue with myself to put the book down so that I can do normal functioning human things like sleep. (Psh, so overrated.)

The story follows along a few characters, each intermingling and dispersing on their own ways through out the book. There was truly something I fell in love with about each character. You can sense the authors soul poured into this story and I really enjoyed the way she made me care about each of them as individuals and then all of them when they came together as a group.

The reason I am doing this review on the entire series (consisting of just three books at the moment, but potentially more) is because I read the first one so fast, I was finished with the second and third within the week! I haven’t been so into a series like this since re-reading the Harry Potter series OVER and OVER and OVER again. (I have lost count how many times.)

Even though the story line was taken by the inner child inside me always dreaming of new worlds, it was the maturity and underlying darkness of it all that kept me intrigued. I think Devon was very clever in the way she went about constructing the plot line, keeping the more gruesome parts like torture, gunfights, and loss interwoven through out the whimsical world she constructed of steam.

Another genius part of her novel is it’s correlation with the American government. I find the political capture of a novel has always been the down fall of making or breaking a made up reality. Without the varying opinions and wars of the government leaders, the world becomes more and more distant to the reader.

The thing that I find unfortunate about this series is that the publishing has been interrupted. Though Devon hopes to finish the series someday (She had seven books planned in total) it hasn’t been added to since the third novel in 2014.

There is a small short story on the internet that I believe takes place after the first novel and before the second, but I really hope there is a way this series regains popularity so that the characters in the story may finish their adventure.

Despite the sadness that will fill your heart at the end not getting to continue their journey right away, I still recommend giving the first book “Dead Iron” a try. If you do enjoy it, the two others that en capture the memorable characters and their world are “Tin Swift” and “Cold Copper.”

Devon Monk is also a celebrated author with another very successful series that has too many books for me to devote my time to at the moment, but I would encourage you to look into her if you enjoy a good adventure. Her writing is unique and full of heart.

Stay young and wild in your heart, adventures both in life and in books are always right around the corner.