A tale of high adventure and derring-do set in the same Victorian-style world as the acclaimed The Court of the Air and The Secrets of the Fire Sea. Thanks to his father's gambling debts, young Jack Keats finds himself on the streets and trying to survive as a pickpocket, desperate to graft enough coins to keep him and his two younger brothers fed. Following a daring bank robbery gone badly awry, Jack narrowly escapes the scaffold, only to be pressed into Royal Aerostatical Navy. Assigned to the most useless airship in the fleet, serving under a captain who is most probably mad, Jack seems to be bound for almost certain death in the far-away deserts of Cassarabia. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Omar ibn Barir, the slave of a rich merchant lord finds his life turned upside down when his master's religious sect is banned. Unexpectedly freed, he survives the destruction of his home to enter into the service of the Caliph's military forces - just as war is brewing. Two very similar young men prepare to face each other across a senseless field of war. But is Omar the enemy, or is Jack's true nemesis the sickness at the heart of the Caliph's court? A cult that hides the deadly secret to the origins of the gas being used to float Cassarabia's new aerial navy. If Jack and his shipmates can discover what Cassarabia's aggressive new regime is trying to conceal, he might survive the most horrific of wars and clear his family's name. If not...
Jack Cloudie
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Review
Praise for Stephen Hunt: 'Hunt's imagination is probably visible from space. He scatters concepts that other writers would mine for a trilogy like chocolate-bar wrappers. This is Philip Pullman with a dose of benzedrine. Hold on to your hat and let yourself get carried away.' Tom Holt 'A ripping yarn ... the story pounds along ... constant inventiveness keeps the reader hooked ... the finale is a cracking succession of cliffhangers and surprise comebacks. Great fun' SFX 'An inventive, ambitious work, full of wonders and marvels' Lisa Tuttle, The Times 'The characters are convincing and colourful, but the real achievement is the setting, a hellish take on Victorian London ... the depth and complexity of Hunt's vision makes it compulsive reading for all ages' Guardian 'Wonderfully assured ... Hunt knows what his audience like and gives it to them with a sardonic wit and carefully developed tension' Time Out
About the Author
Stephen Hunt has worked as a writer, editor and publisher for a number of magazines and national newspaper groups in the UK. He is also the founder of www.SFcrowsnest.com, one of the oldest and most popular fan-run science fiction and fantasy websites. Born in Canada, the author divides his time between the UK, North America and Spain. His interests include computer programming, the graphic arts and collecting comics. One day he hopes to have a library large enough to house all of his books.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By Ana
Format:Hardcover
I have been an avid fan of Stephen Hunt since I picked up a lovely hardcover of The Court of the Air five years ago from my bookstore's clearance bin.
Since then I've been if not obsessed, then have greatly esteemed his works. That was, until the last book Secrets of the Fire Sea came out. I don't know how other readers of this series felt, but I was simply disappointed with the story. Regardless, I was pleased to find myself thoroughly enjoying Jack Cloudie. The book in the series which finally explores Cassarabia and explains and expands on the knowledge of the womb mage's magic. I was also please to see Commodore Black returning, as he is the recurring and most interesting character in the series. The book, although fantastical in nature is really the story of two nations in a cold war. It shows the differences between the high rulers leading the war, and the simple native involved beyond their choice. The novel focuses on two of these simple natives, Keats, a criminal from Jackals, and Omar, a slave from Cassarabia. Somehow they find themselves, through a series of strange, though not improbable circumstances directly fighting for freedom and peace, together. Hunt manages to show the hardships faced, the broken spirits, and even make the reader question who is right, and who is wrong, through the use of his fantasy plots.
As I said before, I felt the previous book was lacking in momentum and sentimentality, but I found Jack Cloudie to have the perfect mix of all elements. As well as being extremely informative about the bizarre happenings in Cassarabia. Which also happens to make sense of the previous mentions in the works.
All in all, a fun and intriguing read, which once catches momentum, cannot be stopped.
Since then I've been if not obsessed, then have greatly esteemed his works. That was, until the last book Secrets of the Fire Sea came out. I don't know how other readers of this series felt, but I was simply disappointed with the story. Regardless, I was pleased to find myself thoroughly enjoying Jack Cloudie. The book in the series which finally explores Cassarabia and explains and expands on the knowledge of the womb mage's magic. I was also please to see Commodore Black returning, as he is the recurring and most interesting character in the series. The book, although fantastical in nature is really the story of two nations in a cold war. It shows the differences between the high rulers leading the war, and the simple native involved beyond their choice. The novel focuses on two of these simple natives, Keats, a criminal from Jackals, and Omar, a slave from Cassarabia. Somehow they find themselves, through a series of strange, though not improbable circumstances directly fighting for freedom and peace, together. Hunt manages to show the hardships faced, the broken spirits, and even make the reader question who is right, and who is wrong, through the use of his fantasy plots.
As I said before, I felt the previous book was lacking in momentum and sentimentality, but I found Jack Cloudie to have the perfect mix of all elements. As well as being extremely informative about the bizarre happenings in Cassarabia. Which also happens to make sense of the previous mentions in the works.
All in all, a fun and intriguing read, which once catches momentum, cannot be stopped.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.2 out of 5 stars
6 reviews
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
a $20 digital copy?
Jun 17 2012
By O. Downey
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I agree with John, another good fun read. If you've read the other books well, your going to buy this one aren't you? I did. If you haven't, start with "Court of the Air" then you can buy this one after 4 more books and by then, maybe, Amazon will have dropped the price down from $20!!! Seriously I'm about to get the newest book for less than I paid for this one.
In summation the book was pretty wizard
In summation the book was pretty wizard
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
I really enjoyed it.
Jun 11 2012
By Jonathan Salem Baskin
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
I've been a big fan of this series since its inception. I wasn't thrilled with the reveals late in the story -- either their pace or substance -- but if you like steampunk adventures, this is a real page-turner.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Jackelian Outing
Dec 9 2012
By Brendan A. Mancilla
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I first read the paperback version of "The Kingdom Beyond the Waves" about two and a half years ago. I had mistaken it for the first novel in the series, and was so enthralled with it that I quickly gobbled up the Court of the Air. I found that novel wanting when compared to its sequel but nevertheless and enormous treat into understanding the finer delicacies of the Kingdom of Jackals. I was so impressed with his worldbuilding (though the narrative exposits a bit heavily) that I bought the Rise of the Iron Moon. My love affair with the whole series was imperiled by that novel, which I didn't enjoy nearly as much as its predecessors. Although a little disheartened, I bought "Secrets of the Fire Sea" and my faith was immediately restored. So, I downloaded the next novel with immediate gratitude.
And I have to say that Jack Cloudie was another great outing that continued building on the success of Secrets of the Fire Sea. I think where Hunt succeeds really well is taking what we, as westerners, consider "familiar" via the Jackelian society and setting it alongside the alien worlds of this distant-future, steampunk Victorian Earth. The Empire of Cassarabia features prominently as the Kingdom's foil is this novel, the antithesis of the Jackals in almost every single way.
The story was engaging and interesting, with enough twists and turns that it became a compulsive read near the end. I don't like to give too much away, except to say that if you like reading about airships and bizarre mutations brought on by magical genetic-engineering, then this is your novel. I congratulate Mr. Hunt on rolling out another Jackelian masterpiece!
And I have to say that Jack Cloudie was another great outing that continued building on the success of Secrets of the Fire Sea. I think where Hunt succeeds really well is taking what we, as westerners, consider "familiar" via the Jackelian society and setting it alongside the alien worlds of this distant-future, steampunk Victorian Earth. The Empire of Cassarabia features prominently as the Kingdom's foil is this novel, the antithesis of the Jackals in almost every single way.
The story was engaging and interesting, with enough twists and turns that it became a compulsive read near the end. I don't like to give too much away, except to say that if you like reading about airships and bizarre mutations brought on by magical genetic-engineering, then this is your novel. I congratulate Mr. Hunt on rolling out another Jackelian masterpiece!
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 6 reviews
4.2 out of 5 stars
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