Rod Duncan writes alternate history, fantasy and contemporary
crime. His novels have been shortlisted for the Philip K. Dick
Award, the East Midlands Book Award and the John Creasey Dagger of
the Crime Writers' Association. A dyslexic with a background in
scientific research, he now lectures in creative writing at
DeMontfort University.
Some might say that he is obsessed with boundary markers, naive
18th Century gravestones and forming friendships with crows. But he
says he is interested in the way things change.
gaslitempire.co.uk
twitter.com/rodduncan
Author hometown- Leicester, UK
"Steeped in illusion and grounded in an alternative history of the
Luddite Rebellion, Duncan's strong supernatural mystery serves ably
as both a standalone adventure and the start to a
series...Strategically placed steampunk tropes inform but do not
overwhelm Elizabeth's headlong quest to find a missing aristocrat
sought by the Patent Office, which is fixated on both achieving
perfection and eliminating "unseemly science." A hazardous border
crossing into the permissively corrupt Kingdom of England and
Southern Wales provides ample excitement, and a glossary at the
novel's conclusion hints enticingly at a much more involved story
to come."
-Publishers Weekly "I was completely caught up in her adventure and
her plight. I think steampunk readers and fantasy/sci-fi readers
will enjoy this one, so I'm recommending it for them even though
(and to some extent because) its use of steampunk is a bit
different. I found it to be a refreshing change from more formulaic
steampunk novels."
-Popcorn Reads "A detective story with a difference ... Chapters
begin with quotes from the legendary Bullet-Catcher's Handbook,
phrases that introduce not only the idea of illusion that pervades
the novel, but also the author's sly humour. [Duncan's misdirection
is] subtly and well done, all the way through the book, right to a
neat little twist at the end, a play on the title that had me
nodding in approval. Each [character] is vividly portrayed, lively
enough to feel like the heroes of their own stories, all with
distinctive voices; it's always a good sign when you find yourself
reading dialogue out loud, rolling your lips and tongue around the
words. Rod Duncan's talent has combined inventive plot and
characterisation to create a smart, amusing and fascinating tale
that had me reading long into the night."
-Fantasy Faction "It's all steampunk and circus wonder as we follow
the adventures of Elizabeth Barnabas.The double crosses along the
way keep the plot tight and fun, and the conclusion sets us up
nicely for book two."
-The Washington Post, Best New Science Fiction and Steampunk
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