Skyships, saber duels, and lots of royal intrigue... and, of course, kissing.
The Third Daughter of the Queen wants her birthday to arrive so she'll be free to marry for love, but rumors of a new flying weapon may force her to accept a barbarian prince's proposal for a peace-brokering marriage. Desperate to marry the charming courtesan she loves, Aniri agrees to the prince's proposal as a subterfuge in order to spy on him, find the weapon, and hopefully avoid both war and an arranged marriage to a man she does not love.
Third Daughter is the first book in the The Dharian Affairs Trilogy (Third Daughter, Second Daughter, First Daughter). This steampunk-goes-to-Bollywood (Bollypunk!) romance that takes place in an east-Indian-flavored alternate world filled with skyships, saber duels, and lots of royal intrigue. And, of course, kissing.
My thoughts:
First, where are my saber duels? You promised me duels.
Moving on. Everyone was so ohhh bollypunk! While I was all there could be more. Just cos you show us Indian clothes on the cover. Have Indian names and mention a few things does not India make. This could have been any fake fantasy land. I never saw a lot of steampunk in this world. It was more a fantasy book with a skyship with a few Indian flavors. I think I would like to see what someone that actually is from India thinks. That would be interesting. I just wanted more. More India, and def more steampunk. A few gadgets does not steampunk make.
But it was a good story, even if it felt totally fantasy in a fantasy land.
Aniri must marry a neighboring prince. They are barbarians and she is all euww. She goes there to spy cos they have an airship. And she is all I miss my lover! She is 17. But she matures and gets a brain...was this YA? Honestly it did not feel like YA. Dunno what makes a book feel YA. Just cos someone is young does not make it YA and this never felt YA. I only realised it when I read reviews.
Even if I wanted more meat on its bones I enjoyed it and would read more if I had more.
Cover
Ok
Kindle Edition, 280 pages
Published December 12th 2013
The Dharian Affairs Trilogy #1
Steampunk romance
Own
Oh boo. What a pretender...
ReplyDeleteTotally
DeleteFriday!!!!
ReplyDeleteYAY. I totally needed a weekend, EVERYONE, co workers and most kids were ill at work. It was just me left working all day
DeleteWell that's good it was enjoyable even if not totally fleshed. And I say that about BDSM often. A little spanking and using those letters does not a BDSM read make. lol
ReplyDeleteLOL! Good one
DeleteToo bad it wasn't more fleshed out. Bollypunk! I would totally read it for that, but I would probably want more as you did.
ReplyDeleteIt's not that it mattered, it was still a fun world, just not really steampunk cos of a few gadgets
DeleteIt sounds like overall you liked it, even if you wanted more. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
ReplyDelete~Jess
:)
DeleteYeah, it really bugs me sometimes that a book is called "steampunk" when there's just a few clockwork trinkets. That's a steampunk element, but I've seen so many instances where the connection is so tenuous I just have to question the categorization.
ReplyDeleteIn spite of that, this book looks like a lot of fun. It also sounds very different from a lot of what's out there, and I like different. The cover is bizarre though, it looks nice except for the seemingly random placement of the guy in the back.
~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum
Yes! A few gadgets, and talk about those who work with clockworks. But not really showing the world fully, and really fleshing it out. It felt fantasy like, not steampunk.
DeleteBut yeah it was fun, just do not go all out screaming STEAMPUNK!
Haha, he looks all, wtf am I doing here?
Bollypunk? Seriously? *snorts* And only a few gadgets? Boooo....
ReplyDeleteA ship, a "phone", some toy, and talk about artisans
Delete17 and she misses her lover in a YA story? Really? Next...
ReplyDeleteyup...
DeleteNope, not for me Blodeuedd, if it is advertised as steampunk, that is what I want, and not just some kind of fantasy.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya, I expected more gadgets
DeleteI've never read a book like that but I confess that I really want to try!
ReplyDeleteIt was free when I got it, but that was then
Delete*Sighs* The lack of a duel is upsetting me....as you know I will skip this book, because I am super, duper picky on my steampunk (I'm not much of a fan, but I will read it...it has to AMAZE me)
ReplyDeleteI am not picky but it still annoys me every time
DeleteThat's too bad it lacked, still, good you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI can't for the life of me get into Bollywood ... anything, really. It's like my brain is unable to cope with everything that happens on the screen - music, dance, color, clothes, exotic screeching and so forth... I love steampunk, and I love reading about maharajah and raven-haired princesses, but not in this formula, and especially not if the formula is lacking :) Thanks for a great review & Happy Valentine's Day! <3
ReplyDeleteI have never tried one, well ok once but it had no subs and I sure could NOT follow the story. Suddenly everyone was just singing and I was all what?
DeleteLOL, I have read books labeled steampunk and found them to be more fantasy..I love your just because at the beginning.
ReplyDeleteThanks ;)
DeleteHmm a YA book that doesn't feel YA? I need to read this one! I haven't even read the book, but I can totally agree that yes, there should have been more saber duels! :-) Great review!
ReplyDeleteIt did feel more adult, and then I do not mean NA M)
Deleteyep, enjoyed it too! :)
ReplyDelete