Wednesday, November 28, 2012

The Steam Mole-Dave Freer

The Steam Mole


Dave Freer

PYR, Dec 4 2012, $16.95

ISBN: 9781616146924



Brother to the king of the British-German Empire, Duke Malcolm sends his minion after Clara Calland and her scientist mom because the latter knows how to manufacture ammonia. While Clara’s father lingers in jail in the eastern side of Australia, on the Cuttlefish mother and daughter reach Westralia, a desert part of the continent that the empire prefers to contain not own.



However, the Cuttlefish needs repairs so the Calland duo and the crew are stranded. Whereas the crew obtains work on the underground Steam Moles, Clara and her mother try to persuade the local leadership to buy their manufacturing secret. However, when her mother becomes ill, Clara turns to her boyfriend Tim Barnabas a submariner for help, but he fled due to a racist incident. Meanwhile the nefarious Duke has not given up the pursuit but in fact expanded his plan.



The second Clara Calland alternate historical (see Cuttlefish) is an exciting young adult steampunk thriller starring a brave heroine and a strong support cast in the fully developed Freer world. Although it behooves the audience to read Cuttlefish first to better appreciate what is happening in this realm, fans will relish this entertaining tale.



Harriet Klausner

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