(Kevin Hellions here.  Titan Books was nice enough to send this title to Team Hellions HQ for review.  I never saw it.  That’s because my wonderful wife loves Steampunk and grabbed the book first.  Her review follows this article.  You can follow Mrs. Hellions on Twitter: https://twitter.com/eliseleusificus and now, Elise’s review.)

Order the book:

http://titanbooks.com/the-aylesford-skull-6164/

 

The Aylesford Skull by James P. Blaylock is sure to be one of the most delightful works of fiction you read this year. The story follows protagonist Langdon St. Ives and his family and friends as they seek out his nemesis, the despicable Dr. Ignacio Narbondo, who has abducted Langdon’s son. Blaylock skillfully constructs a puzzle for his readers, the stakes getting higher as each piece comes together.

Once you start reading, you won’t be able to stand setting the book aside until you reach the conclusion. And then you’ll want more.
If you’re brand new to the Steampunk genre, don’t be intimidated. One can easily see why Blaylock’s work is sometimes called Magical Realism. Set in Victorian England, he first weaves in elements of fantasy and gradually adds Steampunk components. This work would be a perfect introduction to Steampunk for newcomers, giving the reader a chance to dip their toes in the idea of a world populated with clockwork and steam power that weren’t native to historical Victorian times.
Despite all the fantastic and Steampunk aspects, the story Blaylock tells is truly universal. The camaraderie of friendships and love of family seen in each character is both accessible and compelling, as are the characters themselves. From Hasbro to Mother Laswell, you will not find a stock character in this book. As the novel switches points of view from chapter to chapter (a device effectively used here, both to move the story along and create suspense) one comes to adore Blaylock’s entire cast.
This isn’t the author’s first time writing with either the protagonist or antagonist, but the reader never suffers due to this past relationship. There are no dull chapters of wading through backstory that would inevitably make prior works unreadable. Blaylock succinctly gives you the information you need and most importantly, shows you the relationship through the prose and plot of the current novel. Be warned, you are going to want to read the previous novels immediately. Best advice one can give for a reader of The Ayelsford Skull: Order the previous books before you even finish. You’ll always want more of this.