Review: Bronze Gods by A. A. Aguirre

May 9, 2014 4 stars, Book Review 33 ★★★★

Review: Bronze Gods by A. A. AguirreBronze Gods Series: Apparatus Infernum #1
Published by Ace on April 30, 2013
Genres: Adult SFF, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
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Danger stalks the city of steam and shadows.

Janus Mikani and Celeste Ritsuko work all hours in the Criminal Investigation Division, keeping citizens safe. He's a charming rogue with an uncanny sixth sense; she's all logic--and the first female inspector. Between his instincts and her brains, they collar more criminals than any other partnership in the CID.

Then they're assigned a potentially volatile case where one misstep could end their careers. At first, the search for a missing heiress seems straightforward, but when the girl is found murdered--her body charred to cinders--Mikani and Ritsuko's modus operandi will be challenged as never before. Before long, it's clear the bogeyman has stepped out of nightmares to stalk gaslit streets, and it's up to them to hunt him down. There's a madman on the loose, weaving blood and magic in an intricate, lethal ritual that could mean the end of everything...

four-stars

Verbal sparring with a velvet touch
Bronze Gods features a male and female inspector duo set in a fantasy world that is reminiscent of Victorian England but is most definitely a unique world all its own. I wouldn’t call this steampunk but it did have that sort of steamy, gaslit punk flair to it as there is a melding of magic and technology that creates something new. Magic-gas-punk? Oh, dear that won’t do either, sounds like a an extreme gastro intestinal upset. I honestly don’t know how to accurately describe it other than impressive. Now onto the inspectors, Janus Mikani (the male) and Celeste Ritsuko are one dynamite kick butt pair working for the CID of the city. I tell you with as much chemistry between these two it’s a wonder they could focus on solving who ate the last scone let alone murders. Just kidding, just kidding – I have to give them more credit than that, they are an excellent investigative team and their banter as well emotional tension is actually what I liked most about their partnership.

Kidnappings, Murder and Mystery
All fabulous elements to start a fresh new series off right. So there is a missing girl who happens to be from one of the biggest well-to-do Houses in the city. Of course you know she has to go and turn up dead and that puts our inspectors in the hot seat. The pressure is on and the clock is ticking early on in this book and while there were a few parts that made you wonder “now where are they really going with this” luckily it all comes together in the end. There were enough scenes of action peppered throughout the book to keep things rolling along rather smoothly.

So you say you like they fey?
Well if you do then you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the twist Bronze Gods on the fey. Here they are called Ferishers and have long past interbred with mortals to the point where pure blooded ferishers no longer exist in this world. There are plenty of references to the summer and winter fey and a very minimal amount of flashbacks into some historical moments which were done quite nicely. I found this books version of fey to be really interesting and while I really could have used more background on how everything works and a bit more background world building I am really hoping that we are going to have more slowly revealed to us in the forthcoming books. Definitely a fun new urban fantasy series I would recommend.

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Tabitha (Pabkins)

When I'm in the zone I can flip book pages faster than the eye can see - screaming "More Input!" I'm a book, yarn, & art supply hoarding goblin who loves to draw, make toys and craft all sorts of creepy cute things. My current habit is to listen to audio books while I'm arting it up!
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33 Responses to “Review: Bronze Gods by A. A. Aguirre”

    • Tabitha (Pabkins)

      Luckily I haven’t read a whole lot of steampunk since I just read all over the place in the sub genres that I don’t seem to get tired of anything – unless I hit a phase of wanting a certain something and binge reading that subgenre.

      But yeah this one had a good pair. Needs some fine tuning but usually the first books in a series do.
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    • Tabitha (Pabkins)

      Glad you still enjoyed it. I think like you said it was their chemistry that ultimately did it for me. I loved the worldbuilding but some of it felt left out like I was missing things you know?

      Looking forward to the second and hope some of that gets cleaned up. Now what do you think – that cover – doesn’t the extra hand behind Mikani’s hand look creepy – like it was supposed to belong to Ritsuko right but looks like a creepy disembodied man’s hand!
      Tabitha (Pabkins) recently posted…Review: Bronze Gods by A. A. AguirreMy Profile

  4. Melliane

    Oh I’m glad you had a good time with this one, I have it since its release but I haven’t read it yet I confess but I need to! It sounds so good with so many things in it! I can’t wait to discover it and to compare my feelings with yours. Thanks for the review.

  5. Charleen

    Hmm, interesting. Steampunk is another genre that’s not been able to grab me (yet…) but this one sounds like a different enough twist on it that I might enjoy it.
    Charleen recently posted…Bout of Books 10 – GoalsMy Profile

    • Tabitha (Pabkins)

      I know what you mean – I haven’t read extensively in steampunk. I do like the feel but this really didn’t come across as steampunk to me…there weren’t any steamy things…and not a lot of gizmos either so I don’t consider it steampunk – but yeah the cover has a steampunk feel so it confuses people I think.

      I consider it more gaslit – magic
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  6. Kirsty-Marie

    Magic-gas-punk, haha! Now, that should be a genre. You can’t help but love characters that have amazing chemistry together, and the banter is always fun. 😉 I’m not really into fey ones- though I wouldn’t have guessed that it was but it does sound like it has a unique spin on it at least, and I mean, I’d read it for the cover, though the dude looks like the Doctor with a hat…
    Kirsty-Marie recently posted…DNF Round-Up: AprilMy Profile

    • Tabitha (Pabkins)

      Dude …. seriously some people have magic gas….err toxic LOL I know I couldn’t help it but I was trying to figure out a description to accurately describe because this totally wasn’t steampunk to me.

      They weren’t really really fey thats the thing it was just mortals who’d had dilluted blood from ages ago of these “ferishers” and to me the (very few) summer and winter references always make me think “fey” you know?
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    • Tabitha (Pabkins)

      I enjoyed the world building as well but I think a few things could have been tightened up and made more clear but I’m just hoping those things get better explained in the second book which I have sitting right here just waiting to be read!
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    • Tabitha (Pabkins)

      It was pretty enjoyable. I’m digging the chemistry alot between these two – but I fully anticipate it could grow into “WILL YOU JUST GET TOGETHER ALREADY” haha with the amount of tension there is between them being work partners I can already tell that is going to make things hard!
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          • Livia @ Butterfly-o-Meter Books

            Noooo, don’t tell me!! I only read the first in the series, and loved it to bits!! When on earth I’ll manage to read the rest is beyond me, the more I want to read something the less time I find for actually doing it, lol.

            I think someone’s secretly shrinking days, I’m telling you… >_>

        • Tabitha (Pabkins)

          NO worries totally not telling you anything but really though that is a series that will be finished THIS year in SEPT you are woefully behind my dear. 13 books egads and a companion guide and some graphic novels and shorts stories. There is a lot to read. I know of a blog that is doing a readalong for the series if you’re interested.

          Personally I agree with you – there is someone floating around with some sort of time stealing shrink ray gun and is hijacking all the time out of my day *stares woefully at the computer*
          Tabitha (Pabkins) recently posted…Review: Bronze Gods by A. A. AguirreMy Profile

          • Livia @ Butterfly-o-Meter Books

            Haha, yeah, well I’m just reading the main novels in the series, I can’t deal with the stress of thinking I gotta manage to read all that zound of other stuff too :)) If I read the actual novels, I think I’ll be covered 😀

            Who’s doing the read-along? Might help my lazya$$ to get into gear and read this baby, finally, lol. Unless they’ve already gone beyond #2 in which case I’m already behind, nooooo!!

            Haha, yeah, I’ve got a list of potential culprits for the time-theft issue. That’s right, I’m looking at you, Facebook!! :))

  12. Jessica @ Rabid Reads

    WORD. You know how I feel about Fey creatures. Also–I snorted at your “Magic-gas-punk” categorizing of this book . . . it was very unladylike 😉 But seriously, I’ve had my eye on this one for awhile. I’m liking Aguirre more and more, and I was curious to see what she’d do with this genre. I’m glad to see that (like everything else she does) she turns it on it’s head, and makes it her own.
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  14. starryeyedjen

    I need to get this book. It sounds fabulous, and I’ve loved what I’ve read of Aguirre’s previous works, which is honestly not much considering her catalog, but still. I like reading about the fey, especially when they’re presented in a much different light than usual.
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