Get ready to follow dazzling young writer George Mann to a London unlike any you've ever seen and into an adventure you will never forget, in The Affinity Bridge.
Welcome to the bizarre and dangerous world of Victorian London, a city teetering on the edge of revolution. Its people are ushering in a new era of technology, dazzled each day by unfamiliar inventions. Airships soar in the skies over the city, while ground trains rumble through the streets and clockwork automatons are programmed to carry out menial tasks in the offices of lawyers, policemen, and journalists.
But beneath this shiny veneer of progress lurks a sinister side.
Queen Victoria is kept alive by a primitive life-support system, while her agents, Sir Maurice Newbury and his delectable assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes, do battle with enemies of the crown, physical and supernatural. This time Newbury and Hobbes are called to investigate the wreckage of a crashed airship and its missing automaton pilot, while attempting to solve a string of strangulations attributed to a mysterious glowing policeman, and dealing with a zombie plague that is ravaging the slums of the capital.
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"Excellent example of Steampunk sci-fi, it feels historically accurate even though you know it can't be. Turn of the century London peopled by automatons and airships, with a healthy dose of murder/mystery, all told in a voice that begs for follow-up. The two protagonists, a leading scholar at the Royal Museum and his uncharacteristically (for the times) liberated assistant are definitely destined for more adventures. Bring them on!"
— Michael (4 out of 5 stars)
An enormous pile of awesome.
— Chris Roberson, World Fantasy Award Finalist and Sideways Award WinnerExcellent world building; captures the Sherlock Holmes feel; never a boring passage.A hugely entertaining book.
— SFSignalMann is at the forefront of the new generation of UK movers and shakers.Tremendous fun. Mann writes great chase scenes! [The Affinity Bridge] marks George Mann as a writer of enormous promise.
— SFRevu“Steampunk is making a comeback, and with this novel Mann is leading the charge….An engaging melodrama that rattles along at a breakneck pace.
— The Guardian" I'm not a mystery fan but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Love the alternate history and characters. "
— Sara, 2/16/2014" I thought this was a thought-provoking story inspired by First Wave writers like Gibson and Powers. "
— James, 2/10/2014" Wasn't bad, wasn't great. Had Boneshaker potential, but didn't quite make it. Loved the plot, but the characters were kind of flat. "
— Erin, 2/3/2014" By all means, remind me often of the Fixer's magic juice: otherwise the last half of this is crap. I like newbury and Hobbes but wonder about withdrawal sickness. I might be getting to the end of my steampunk reading as there is just too much overlap in these books. This one throws in all the conventions. What no vampires? "
— Robert, 1/29/2014" An interesting, low key steam punk novel. "
— Chris, 1/20/2014" Imaginative premise. After reading the Felix Castor books by Mike Carey and Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson, I come away thinking how difficult it is to set up a what-if story without an abundant back-story. Mann doesn't take the time to explain the technical side of his Steampunk story. The last two authors tease the reader with bits of information, provoking curiosity to see how the details relate to the whole. Mann mentions his glowing policeman, for example, without giving us an incident of his activity. He doesn't explain how his automata work so flawlessly, though that may come later in the story. I just like writers who lure you into their mystery, without trying to give it a name, date, or place beforehand. "
— Rick, 1/17/2014" This was a fairly fast and fun read. I'm a fan of steampunk, which admittedly made me biased in the book's favor as soon as the scene was set. The plot did seem somewhat linear, from an investigative novel point of view, but it moved along quickly enough that I wasn't too bothered by the characters' overlooking of clues. I was put off by the twist in the epilogue; it read a lot like one of those scenes in a movie that you sit through the credits to see, and while yes, it does leave the book wide open for a sequel, it's also a bit awkward, for lack of a better word. Overall, though, I enjoyed this and will likely look into the rest of the series. "
— Rue, 1/11/2014" Loved this book. Reminded me of Sherlock Holmes. Miss Hobbs is great - a lady, but able to hold her own. Can't wait to read the next book in the series. "
— Kristin, 1/9/2014" I expected more - was a little disappointed. Some good stuff, but he tended to be a bit wordy. Also, never really connected with the characters. "
— Karen, 1/3/2014" I picked this up on a whim at the library. I'm surprised how much I enjoyed it. Zombie plagues, supernatural glowing policeman and out-of-control automatons are not typical of the books I read. It was fun, though! "
— Heidi, 12/12/2013" This book was awesome! Reminded me of a Sherlock Holmes style romp, but with zombies and the queen. I like Veronica a lot, especially at the end. "
— Erin, 11/11/2013" It consists some gruesome parts inspite of that it's a juvenile novel. The plot is fluent but the end of it is predictable. "
— Sandy, 10/28/2013" It was pretty great. Excellent theme, not too overwrought, although I would have like some more exposition on the automata. "
— Matt, 10/17/2013" My first foray into steampunk went well. This book sets up nicely as the first in a series of two agents for Queen Victoria. "
— Crystal, 9/8/2013" I had to skip to the end of the chapter when zombies finally attacked because it was too gruesome for my taste, but the rest of the book was excellent. I will seek out the rest of the series for sure. "
— Deb, 8/30/2013" Good Steam Punk adventure in London. "
— Alison, 2/27/2013" AWESOME! I loved the Sherlock Holmes-y vibe and Steampunk deliciousness that fill the book. :) "
— stitchnsnitch, 3/20/2012" This book is a crazy mixture of Victorian London, fantasy,and a Sherlock Holmes type mystery. The author's strange mixture of motifs was intriguing though ultimately melodramatic. The reader was never drawn in as it seemed too unbelievable. Another rather disappointing reader's choice. "
— Holly, 2/25/2012" steampunk......mmmmmm. combination of Sherlock Holmes and Golden Compass. I thoroughly enjoyed this read. "
— Carol, 1/21/2012" Used the word "whilst" way too much!!!<br/>Adam and I read it together which means it took us awhile to get through it. Neither of us were super excited to pick it up to read. It was ok... I skimmed through the last 50 pages and Adam didn't even finish. "
— Jetta, 5/4/2011" Fun if a little obvious. "
— Lauren, 4/23/2011" Good book,a bit out there... a change from my normal reads! Thanks Chris "
— Karen, 3/26/2011" A fast-paced mystery that takes place in an alternate early-twentieth century London, it recalls Sherlock Holmes but with a very modern sensibility. Everything that I want to write about this book might take a bit away from the reader's experience so I'll just say taht I highly recommend it. "
— Chris, 3/26/2011" I enjoyed it. I love this blend of history and fantasy. "
— Richard, 3/18/2011" Basic story in fantastical trappings. And plenty of repeated phrasing -- if I had to read about someone's "neat copperplate" one more time.... "
— Christy, 3/14/2011" This is a fun book, though not as fun and exciting as Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. It took a while for the plot to pick up, but pick up it did. Most of the plot's questions were answered, but several remain--I look forward to reading the next book. "
— Michelle, 2/1/2011" This was my first foray into Steampunk, with zombies thrown in for good measure. It was a fun read, I liked the characters, but I don't know that I would seek out the rest of the series. The genre, though, is a lot of fun and I'll definitely try some more titles. "
— Stephanie, 1/25/2011George Mann is a Sunday Times bestselling novelist, comics writer, and screenwriter. He is the creator of the Wychwood supernatural mystery series as well as the popular Newbury & Hobbes and Tales of the Ghost. He has written comics, novels, and audio dramas for properties such as Star Wars, Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, Judge Dredd, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Dragon Age.