The Parasol Protectorate series has just kept getting better as it's gone along, and 'Timeless' did not disappoint me. I think it's the best of the series. All of the characters are handled well, Carriger's descriptions are both vivid and precise, and her dialogue, as always, sparkles with wit and humour. Like the rest of the series, this is steampunk with a fine froth and a sense of humour.
'Timeless' jumps two years forward from 'Heartless', two years that have been peaceful -- well, as peaceful as anything is likely to get in the Maccon household. Then Alexia gets, by way of the local vampire queen, a summons to appear with her daughter in Alexandria (yes, the one in Egypt) before Matakara, the oldest vampire living. At the same time, Sidhaeg -- Conall's multi-great-granddaughter and Alpha of his old Scottish pack -- shows up, looking for her missing Beta, who had been in Egypt on a mission for her. The Beta reappears, but gets murdered before he can get more than a few words out to Alexia. So Alexia packs up her family -- and the Tunstells and their acting troupe -- and heads out via steamer (werewolves being notoriously poor floaters). From there, the story whirls through a sequence of mishaps, supernatural political entanglements, and strange occurrences. The action clips along at a great pace, both in Alexandria and back at home, as the Maccons abroad and the wolf pack back at home both try to sort out the mystery of the God-Breaker Plague.
The really great thing here is Carriger's ability to not forget character development admist all the action. For a lot of the book, that really shines in Biffy and Lyall, though we do get a fair bit out of Alexia and Conall as well. Biffy's swiftly becoming my favourite character in the whole series, really, because he goes through such a transformative journey from when we meet him to the end of this book. Without giving too much away, Carriger handles the various aspects of his personality and relationship dynamics really well, with a lot of tenderness and a lot of psychological awareness. She handles the expanding cast of characters without sacrificing any emotional realism, and she jumps back and forth between the two plotlines in a way that makes sure the reader never loses sight of what's going on.
I've said throughout the series that Carriger is at her best when she's writing for herself, with her own style, rather than emulating other genres, and in 'Timeless', she seems to have trusted that impulse entirely. There are no moments of narrative awkwardness, where the story feels like something else has collided into it from the outside; rather, we are treated to the continuing adventures of Alexia et al in Carriger's own witty voice. It's a delight. My only criticism is that the denouement ties up a little too quickly. I could've used a bit more exploration of the new constructs our characters find themselves in at the end of the series, about how they're going to move forward from here on out. Ultimately, it just ended way too soon; I could have happily spent a lot more time with these characters.
'Timeless' is an adventure story that manages to be lighthearted and emotionally tugging at the same time. Carriger gives us characters we can care about, but without ever taking herself too seriously. The series as a whole has fantastic energy, superb wit, and a sparkle that I've yet to find in other steampunk literature. The Parasol Protectorate series is just plain fun. I'm tremendously sorry to say goodbye to this series, but I'm delighted that Carriger's world will be continuing in the YA Finishing School Series and the adult Parasol Protectorate Abroad series. The former will take place some twenty-five years earlier in the AU's history; the latter is due to feature our Prudence, all grown up and taking on the world. Both are due out in 2013, and I eagerly anticipate their arrival.
