The Tinker King

Gr 7–10—In this sequel to The Unnaturalists(S & S, 2012), Olivia is now Empress of New London, ably assisted by her magical advisors, Bayne and Vespa, as well as her Artificer, Syrus, who repairs broken machinery. A new villain threatens their shaky civilization in the form of Ximu, Queen of the Shadow Spiders. Ximu's attacks force Olivia's retinue to flee to Bayne's family home, Scientia. There they meet old acquaintances Charles and Tesla, who propose a mixture of machinery and magic to trap Ximu and free her enslaved minions. Trent's novel features carefully crafted settings and scores of intriguing characters. While not a stand-alone, this steampunk novel will give series followers welcome updates on favorite characters. The switch between Syrus's first-person and Vespa's third-person limited narration may initially cause a little confusion. Large amounts of backstory and setting description force character development to take a backseat to plot. Bayne and Vespa's romance seems hastily tucked into spare moments among fires, traps, and battles, while the resolution hinges on a convenient solution and a rapid pace in the final confrontation scene, which may leave readers feeling unsatisfied. Still, Trent forges an intricate melding of fantasy and steampunk that is dense but accessible to most fans of the genre. Perhaps future sequels will give readers a little breathing room between calamities.—Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT