Justin Bienvenue throws us into a world of steampunk machinery and magic with Of Gears and Gaslight! When going to get his watch fixed, train engineer Gerald discovers machinery that can do incredible things, things that get him in trouble with even the likes of sky pirates. In another tale, pious monk Archer gets wrapped up in magic, something that leads him on a wild adventure to recover a scroll. I absolutely love steampunk worlds, and Bienvenue created two very distinctive and alive fantasy worlds through these dual stories! It was really fun how Bienvenue told a series of short stories, but still connected them through the lives of two awesome characters (I think Archer was my favorite). It was really fun getting to see the best of both steampunk machine-filled towns and magic fantasy get packed into both story collections. Really, fun is the word I’d use to describe this one. If you love getting immersed in steampunk or fantasy worlds that are themselves sort of a character, or if you’re looking for an exciting quick read with some great worldbuilding, definitely grab your airship and take off with Of Gears and Gaslight!
