The Iron Jackal [Hardcover]

The colorful crew of the Ketty Jay is back for a third installment of the tale named The Iron Jackal. Captain Frey is famous after the happenings in book two and although he enjoys the advantage it gives with the ladies it makes it hard to fly under the radar as an air pirate.

The series is best described as retro futuristic steampunk about the competent but unlucky crew of the airship Ketty Jay. They usually get involved in some money making scheme that unfolds in unexpected ways with great repercussions in the world around them. Lately they uncovered secrets about a cult that threatens to throw the country into civil war. The story usually has multiple main characters but the cast is limited and the focus is mainly on one or two in each book, which I like.

This time the caper goes off as planed but giving Frey a mysterious box and tell him not to open it might not be the smartest thing. You can probably figure where things head after that.

Frey's charming maybe-affair with the deadly Trinica continues to unfold with many ups and downs. He is totally clueless in a way I enjoy to read and I say that as a man. Frey continues his development from selfish narcissist towards something more human in this novel. I really like the characters Chris Wooding has made. This time Frey and one of the pilots gets more room to develop.

Jez the half-mane is my favorite character. I have a soft spot for female protagonist with exotic powers which is especially true this time as Jez does a River Tam on the opposition at one time. You Firefly lovers will know what I mean when you read it the rest should go see Firefly and then read the book. It has a lot in common with the Tales of the Ketty Jay. Jez is not as prominent here as before but there are interesting developments for her too.

The best words to describe The Iron Jackal are Curse of the Mummy meets the Air Pirates. It is a fun action filled romp I greatly enjoyed. Chris you have made it again and I love your new book!

The crew of the Ketty Jay, fresh from defeating an incursion of the nefarious Manes, have been hailed as heroes and have become minor celebrities across the lands of Vardia. Avoiding notoriety and seeking their next job, Captain Frey and his crew have relocated to Samarla to undertake a train heist. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a straightforward caper turns into a major crisis, with Frey's life on the line and a supernatural force hunting the crew, known as the Iron Jackal...

The Iron Jackal is the third book in the Tales of the Ketty Jay series, following on from the excellent Retribution Falls and The Black Lung Captain. As before, the novel follows the crewmembers of the airship Ketty Jay as they get into various scrapes. Once again, Chris Wooding has delivered a tight narrative which mixes in humour, adventure, character development and worldbuilding in a near-perfect mix, but done it with even more flair and panache than the previous volumes.

The book is built around an escalating series of adventures: after the initial train heist, the crew have to take part in a dangerous aircraft race through a maze of canyons, break into the Archduke's palace and finally cross a burning desert to find an ancient city. The pace is fast and relentless, but Wooding finds time to give every character a moment to shine as each one faces his or her own challenges (internal or external). This also extends to some newcomers (the Ketty Jay acquires a new crewmember in this novel) and recurring characters as well. Frey himself ends up as the best-developed character in the book and manages to gain the reader's sympathy as his plight worsens with every passing chapter.

Wooding introduces a sense of weirdness and horror to the series that wasn't as prevalent in previous volumes. The Iron Jackal itself is a sinister, threatening creation, and the showdown in an ancient city is an appropriately nightmarish (though a titanic enemy introduced in the last few pages feels a little unnecessary). There are also intriguing hints about the distant past of the world that could fuel discussion on internet message boards for a while. At the same time, Wooding lightens things up with an appropriate level of humour (Pinn's decision to become an inventor and his attempts to experiment on the ship's psychotic cat provides a rich seam of comedic moments) and expertly maintains a precarious balance between the darker and lighter elements of the novel.

There's also the feeling of an expanding scope in this novel. A third war between Vardia and Samarla seems to be brewing and there's a sense of greater geopolitical events going on in the background which the crew of the Ketty Jay occasionally brush against the fringes of. Wooding also seems to be laying pipe for future novels, with mentions of distant, newly-discovered landmasses where colonisation efforts by Vardia seem to be going wrong. Intriguing stuff, which adds elements of depth and richness to the world not present in earlier books (though there isn't a map, as Wooding wants to retain the freedom to change things or add in new locations for future novels).

With near-perfect pacing, strong characterisation and an addictive mix of adventure, good humour and flashes of dark horror, The Iron Jackal (*****) will likely emerge as the most purely enjoyable, fun SFF novel of the year. Heavily recommended. The novel is available now in the UK and on import in the USA.

[NO SPOILERS]

The Ketty Jay series just keeps getting better!

Although the train is prominently featured on the cover of this book, the scene involving a train is just a taste of the excitement in store. The story begins to build up steam when Captain Frey touches something he's not supposed to. The clock is ticking, but will he remedy his situation in time?
The other characters--that feel like old friends by now--are also struggling with their fair share of problems; doubts about their loyalty and loves.
Serving as backdrop to these struggles are almost-forgotten deserts, familiar towns, moving trains and strange cities. There is definitely enough change in scenery to keep your attention.

And while the action scenes will probably satisfy most cravings, it is the interaction between the characters themselves that really make this book (indeed the whole series) a pleasure to read. The series is definitely reminiscent of FIREFLY but manages to be avoid being a poor clone.

One last thing. The ending all but promises a sequel.
Count me in!

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