My review of Darrell Pitt's excellent "The Steampunk Detective".

Well, after re-reading "The Steampunk Detective" by Darrell Pitt, I've come to a couple of conclusions. Not only does the story stand up to repeat readings, it actually gets better, in my opinion. Various details and nuances came to my attention that made me appreciate Jack and Mr. Doyle's adventures even more. However, let me present an overview of the story before going further. The two main characters of the tale are Jack Mason, a sixteen year old orphan; and Mr. Ignatius Doyle, consulting detective. The setting is a steampunk version of Victorian England. Despite a rocky first meeting, Jack and Mr. Doyle gradually become true friends and partners. Engaged in a case to find Miss Scarlet Bell's missing father, the duo stumble upon a much greater plot that endangers the world itself. Up against Nazi's, a secret society, and the nefarious M, can the two save the day? Mr. Pitt takes some elements from a more established consulting detective, combines them with his own unique characters, and then turns them loose in his wonderful alternate history setting. Rest assured, this is not a homage or a pastiche. Mr. Pitt takes some inspiration from the world of Sherlock Holmes, but the story he tells here is both well-crafted and uniquely his own. The level of world building put into the setting and it's history is inspiring, and Mr. Pitt's prose is both fluid and highly cinematic. I could easily see this being adapted either into a graphic novel or on the big screen. The world really comes to life through the wonderful prose. The plot itself is seamless, and a grand adventure. Moving from more character-driven moments, to large scale action scenes, to moments more focused on Jack himself, the story behaves organically; nothing is superfluous, everything lends to character development and the advancement of the plot. The characters are well drawn, and as they journey, the journey changes them. They are not the same as they were before their adventure, and have grown considerably. Basically, the story is well written, and a joy to read. I'd like to thank the author, and I look forward to reading more of his wonderful adventures. I enthusiastically recommend "The Steampunk Detective" to anyone wishing to lose themselves in a grand adventure. 5 out of 5 stars.

The author of this great story is pictured above. Here's a few links if you want to know more about Darrell and his works. Swing by and check them out. Darrell's website   Darrell's Facebook  Darrell's Amazon page