Phoenix Rising, the first book in the A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series from husband-wife duo Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine, is a rich and decadent treat, with some naughty fun served on the side. Perfect for connoisseurs of the steampunk genre.
Before you’ve barely had a chance to devour a page our heroine, the beguiling New Zealander Eliza Braun, blazes onto the scene to rescue a straight-laced archives keeper named Wellington Books from an early fate in Antarctica. Braun’s explosive (in more ways than one) demeanor not only demands your full attention from the get-go, it’s clear she favors the spotlight.
One might think Wellington would be very appreciative for the daring rescue, but Books and Braun don’t start out on the best of terms. Their working relationship is further soured when Braun is ordered to stay put and act as Wellington’s assistant. Tension much? Neither one is particularly happy about the arrangement or being in such close quarters. I admit that I have a soft spot for Books. He has charm and a subtle manner about him, a true gentleman. And he provides some necessary balance for the illustrious Braun.
Not long after the banter between the two begins, Books and Braun uncover some questionable behavior within the ministry, among them a cold case involving Braun’s former partner, and they soon find themselves thrust into danger. Then the rousing adventures begin. There are plenty of gadgets, inventions, and atmospheric goodies to appease steampunk fans. Characters are refreshing, original, witty and fun, though the seedy villains may make you squirm. Power punched action scenes keep you flipping pages to seek out what will happen next.
To my delight this was an exciting, albeit complex, set-up to what I’m anticipating to be an exhilarating series. I can’t wait to discover what dark secrets Books and Braun have locked away in their pasts in The Janus Affair, and what new perils they’ll be sucked into. Whether in the world of engaging dialogue, seedy foes, the ever-shocking and colorful presence of Braun, or keeping tabs on the never ending resourcefulness of Books, you won’t get lost in the rubble, even if Eliza has somewhat of a dynamite fetish. Readers of the steampunk genre will applaud the sheer creativity, and readers of any genre will appreciate the evolving growth of the hero and heroine.
Each chapter captures the layered personalities of not only the characters, but the authors, Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris. To become further immersed in the brilliant world of Books and Braun, it should be noted that the authors also have an informative website devoted to The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. While there you will find the gorgeous cover of their upcoming book, and more about the talented folks behind the series. Hopefully that will help whet your appetite until the next course. All in all, Phoenix Rising provides an addictive good time.
I absolutely loved this book when I read it last year! I was fortunate to get an early peek at it as I was recruited to write a short story for the accompanying podcast anthology, Tales From the Archives. I wrote about the infamous Paris mission mentioned in Phoenix Rising. All of the stories are available for ebook purchase or for free in the podcast. I highly recommend them to anyone wanting more stories set in this intriguing world. My favorite of the collection is Hanumans’s Gift, but they’re all very well done. Check them out and support Tee and Pip!