Friday 19 June 2015

Beneath London - James P.Blaylock

The collapse of the Victoria Embankment uncovers a passage to an unknown realm beneath the city. Langdon St. Ives sets out to explore it, not knowing that a brilliant and wealthy psychopathic murderer is working to keep the underworld’s secrets hidden for reasons of his own. 

St. Ives and his stalwart friends investigate a string of ghastly crimes: the gruesome death of a witch, the kidnapping of a blind, psychic girl, and the grim horrors of a secret hospital where experiments in medical electricity and the development of human, vampiric fungi, serve the strange, murderous ends of perhaps St. Ives’s most dangerous nemesis yet. 

My thoughts:
I did assume it would take place more beneath London, I mean that is the name of the book. But it mostly took place above ground. Which sort of was a shame, cos the underworld seems really strange with toadstools that eat people.

Steampunk wise, yes it was an alternative Victorian England, but it was more gadgetwise it was steampunk. A few here and there, and witches too, oh and those weird toadstools.

It is a series, but I thought it worked well in its own. Sure there was talk about other characters. And I am sure I could have experienced things even more if I had read the other books, but that is the downfall when you jump into a series. So it works like this too.

The story. We have a professor St Ives who gets a new case about what is beneath London. But then more things happen. A psychic girl is kidnapped. Strange things are going on in London. Are they all connected somehow? To his help he has his wife, and well more people. But I can give you the details cos as things happen, we meet more people...as things happen. Spoilers darling.

It's kind of a thriller mystery set in a steampunk world. There is a strange sort of dry humour there too. The tone is actually really hard to describe. 

But sure, sometimes I felt like, maybe everyone was too nice. More boom, and toadstools please! It was cool, but not always for me.

Conclusion:
An interesting mix.

Cover
eh

Paperback, 432 pages
Published June 9th 2015 by Titan Books
Steampunk mystery
For review

28 comments:

  1. I tried to find the name of the series but couldn't ? However, I found several books by this author on GR with the same kind of covers. I'm interested by the dry sense of humor :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Narbobod series? GR was not good at updating it seems

      Delete
  2. Now I want to know about the toadstools. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's been a while since I've read steampunk, I think I need to remedy that!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hmmm... I love a good steampunk mix up. This may be for me.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well, that's a misleading title then!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Interesting and strange. Two things I usually enjoy but sometimes it just doesn't work. I have a feeling I would see it the same as you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There was something not quite right for me, still good, but something

      Delete
  7. Makes me think of Neverwhere and London Below. Now I think I'll have to reread that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do not know what that second is...hmmm, perhaps

      Delete
  8. I've not really done any steampunk yet. Maybe one day :D

    ReplyDelete
  9. Meh. *crunches on apple* Try as I might I am not a fan of the steampunk.

    ReplyDelete
  10. OOh toadstools and steampunk and witches! I don't think I've read witches in Steampunk before...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I liked that, I mean if you have steampunk then why not use magic too

      Delete
  11. I hate it when everybody is too nice even though we are promised blood, entrails and flesh-eating toadstools. Meh.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm trying to think if I've read any steampunk... And nothing comes to mind. But I think I'll skip this one.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The cover is pretty eh :D The premise is not bad, but not unique either. And you're right, if this had taken place beneath London ... oh, brother, the fun! :) Enjoy your weekend, Linda <3

    ReplyDelete
  14. Interesting mix barely covers it. And what the heck are toadstools? Lol. Glad you enjoyed it nonetheless. But I know what you mean about this book probably not for everyday enjoyment. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Big mushrooms I guess, I do not know the difference really. not really a shroom expert

      Delete
  15. You had me by the title and cover. But to learn it's not under London as the title implies is a bummer. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But then maybe you were not expecting that as much as I ;)

      Delete

Contributors

Copyright © 2008-2020 Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell All Rights Reserved. Proudly powered by Blogger

  © Blogger template Starry by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008 Modified by Lea

Back to TOP