ARC #Review - Guardian by A.J. Hartley #YALit #Steampunk #Fantasy

Series: Steeplejack (#3)
Format: E-Galley, 320 pages
Release Date: June 12, 2018
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Historical

Anglet Sutonga must save a city pushed to the brink in Hartley's pulse-pounding fantasy mystery series that Cory Doctorow praises for its "richly realized world"

The city of Bar-Selehm is tossed into a whirlwind of scandal when the prime minister is found dead on the floors of Parliament: and Anglet Sutonga's friend and employer, Josiah Willinghouse, is the one holding the knife.

Determined to prove his innocence, Ang investigates leads throughout the city, only to discover even more chaos wherever she goes. A mysterious but fatal illness is infecting the poor. A fanatical politician seizes power, and rolls out his plans to make Bar-Selehm great again?? 

Amidst these surrounding dangers, Anglet Sutonga must gather her friends from places high and low to form a resistance... and, hopefully, protect everything she knows and loves.

Guardian is the third and final installment in author AJ Hartley's Steeplejack trilogy. 17-year old Anglet Satonga is a Lani (non-white) who lives in a world that is similar in nature to 19th century South Africa. She's a former steeplejack who works for Brevard Party politician Josiah Willinghouse solving the most curious mysteries. Ang's work will get even harder this time out as she finds herself trying to solve problem after problem starting with Josiah's arrest and his subsequent charge of murder, conspiracy, and treason. For Ang, she knows better.

Ang's working relationship with Josiah has been kept quiet. Only three or four people know who she works for including Inspector Andrews, her friend & reporter Sureyna, and Josiah's sister Dahria who often feins disinterest on matters of a political nature. But, what exactly is Ang? A tool for someone else's political ambition? Or, the bright light in a dreary land that is being held hostage by a group of fascists and racists? Ang knows that Josiah is a pawn in a much bigger game which quickly becomes a reality. 

She also knows that the most frequent casualty in Bar-Selehm is the absolute truth. For those who know the truth are often times silenced by powerful men who make life altering decisions for the majority non-white population living in the city. Ang has to put the pieces together before everything and everyone she knows is put in harm's way and loses their way of life. She knows that not only does she have to save Josiah, but also her city of Bar-Selehm from racial identity provisions, outside interference from a hostile government, as well as those in her own parliament who have every intention of making Bar-Selehm for whites only. 

There really is a whole lot more to talk about including Ang's relationship with Dharia & Madame Nahreem & her sister Vestris. Some very curious twists sprout wings right before your very eyes. I adore Ang. She's very much human which means that she isn't perfect or at least she doesn't go down whining and blaming others for her issues. Ang has been through a whole lot since the first installment when she met Josiah as well as Sureyna, Inspector Andrews, Captain Emtezu and Mnega. Ang very much deserves praise for her actions. But, I think she would be happy just to settle down for a few days and explore her new relationship with... NO SPOILERS!!!!!!

I have one more thing to add to my review. When you think about this world, think about South Africa under apartheid. Think about Colonial South Africa. In fact, if you have the time, do your own research since you will probably not have heard of this from any of your teachers. There's one particular character in the story I likened to Nelson Mandela because of his strong message and desire for peace. Also, the synopsis is most likely the author's attempt at humor and has nothing to do with actual events.

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Wednesday #Review - Firebrand by A.J. Hartley #YALit #Fantasy #Steampunk

Series: Alternative Detective # 2
Format: Hardcover, 335 pages
Release Date: June 6, 2017
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source: Library
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Steampunk

Once a steeplejack, Anglet Sutonga is used to scaling the heights of Bar-Selehm. Nowadays she assists politician Josiah Willinghouse behind the scenes of Parliament. The latest threat to the city-state: Government plans for a secret weapon are stolen and feared to be sold to the rival nation of Grappoli.

The investigation leads right to the doorsteps of Elitus, one of the most exclusive social clubs in the city. In order to catch the thief, Ang must pretend to be a foreign princess and infiltrate Elitus. But Ang is far from royal material, so Willinghouse enlists help from the exacting Madam Nahreem. 

Yet Ang has other things on her mind. Refugees are trickling into the city, fleeing Grappoli-fueled conflicts in the north. A demagogue in Parliament is proposing extreme measures to get rid of them, and she soon discovers that one theft could spark a conflagration of conspiracy that threatens the most vulnerable of Bar-Selehm. Unless she can stop it.

Firebrand is the second installment in author A.J. Hartley's Alternative Detective series. This is a world that I have best described as being an alternative reality of 19th century South Africa. In this world, Bar-Selehm is home to 17-year old Protagonist Anglet Sutonga. Ang is a former Steeplejack, a Lani who has seen the worst sort of discrimination because of her skin color, and now works as a undercover detective for Josiah Willinghouse, a junior member of Parliament. The story really does start out in a action packed manner, and ends in a stunning manner. 

After chasing a thief known as Darius through the city after he apparently stole plans for a secret weapon, it is decided that Lani will go undercover as a foreign Princess visiting Bar-Selehm. In order to assist Ang pass for said Princess, Josiah and his sister Dahria call in their grandmother Madame Nahreem to act as Ang's tutor. To become Princess Ki Misrae from Istilia fully, Ang must navigate treacherous waters in an attempt to discover who is helping their enemies from Grappoli. Ang must try to keep her head above politically and racially charged waters that seem to be heading for a complete eradication of anyone who is not white.

That includes refugees who have made their way to the country after fleeing the Grappoli armies, half-breeds, intellectuals, and other so called deviants. Ang stands as a passionate character who tries not to get caught up in too many roadblocks. Her relationship with Josiah & Dahria has moved forward to the point where Ang is comfortable feeling part of something good for a change. Especially Dahria who has bull dogged her way into Ang's life and takes as good as she gives. Ang hasn't forgotten where she came from, which is good since without connecting to her home which she was sent away from in the last installment, she would miss her former apprentice becoming a larger part of her sister's life.

This story is more of a social commentary than an action filled one. A bit of a let down from Steeplejack. Ang faces multiple mysteries, multiple characters who could be capable of anything, and ends up facing a whole lot of truths about her own character, and who she wants to become. One of my favorite characters, outside of Dahria, is Sureyna who was introduced in the previous novel. If you are looking for a character who has had tremendous character growth and possibilities for a bright future, it is Sureyna. In a way, there is a certain twisted cleverness to the author's attempt at giving Ang a bit of romance. Either way is perfectly acceptable to this reader.  

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#Friday Review - Steeplejack by A.J. Hartley (Young Adult, Steampunk, Fantasy)

Series: Alternative Detective # 1
Format: E-Galley, 336 pages
Release Date: June 14, 2016
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source: Publisher
Recommended By: 
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Steampunk

Seventeen-year-old Anglet Sutonga, Ang for short, repairs the chimneys, towers, and spires of Bar-Selehm, the ethnically-diverse industrial capital of a land resembling Victorian South Africa. The city was built on the trade of luxorite, a priceless glowing mineral. When the Beacon, a historical icon made of luxorite, is stolen, it makes the headlines. But no one cares about the murder of Ang's new apprentice, Berrit—except for Josiah Willinghouse, an enigmatic young politician, who offers Ang a job investigating Berrit's death. On top of this, Ang struggles with the responsibility of caring for her sister's newborn child.

As political secrets unfold and racial tensions surrounding the Beacon's theft rise, Ang navigates the constricting traditions of her people, the murderous intentions of her former boss, and the conflicting impulses of a fledgling romance. With no one to help her except a savvy newspaper girl and a kindhearted herder from the savannah, Ang must resolve the mysterious link between Berrit and the missing Beacon before the city is plunged into chaos

Steeplejack is the first installment in new to me author A.J. Hartley's Alternative Detective trilogy. 17-year old Anglet "Ang" Sutonga lives in a place called Bar-Selehm. One could say that the setting of the story is an alternative version of South Africa, especially with the most diverse cast that I can truly remember reading about. Ang is one of only a few individuals, and the only female, who works the high places of Bar-Selehm. Her work includes cleaning and repairing everything from chimney's to spirals to towers. 

After discovering her new apprentice Berrit murdered, and the Beacon that shines brightly over the city missing, Ang is pulled into a situation that can have dire consequences for people of all colors. Ang is what's known as a Lani. In other words, she's not white, nor black. The Lani came to the country as laborers, and now they do various jobs like being a steeplejack. Ang takes the burden on her shoulders to discover what really happened to Berrit, and ends up working for the only person who seems to really care; Josiah Willinghouse. 

Ang and Josiah make a deal. Ang will do what she does best; investigate who killed Berrit, and who had the means necessary to steal the Beacon which is made of a rare and valuable material called luxorite. That means Ang gets to dig into places only she would have access to, which puts a target on her back. Ang is such an interesting and fierce character. Ang is a character that you can relate to, except for maybe her family. Ang has her own moral compass, and I can honestly respect a whole lot of her choices.

She struggles to survive each day knowing that she can fall to her death at any time. She belongs to a gang lead by a man who is just vulgar, and pays peanuts to his gang. Her own family, two older sisters, are dysfunctional and horrible towards Ang. I do have one minor issue and that concerns a baby that Ang becomes responsible for. I shall not spoil the rest, nor will I say who it actually belonged to. Was just trying to figure out the point of that particular storyline. After all, Ang puts her life on the line time and time again.

Steeplejack is a story that is deep into racial and political tensions but not overtly to make the reader feel uncomfortable. One wrong move on Ang's part, or not discovering who the actual villains are, will push the country into a war that it cannot win. Hartley does an amazing job of keeping a strong pace, while also making readers confused about who would be responsible for intentionally tearing the country apart. His cast of characters is so diverse, that I challenge would be readers to jump in feet first and enjoy.

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