Clockwork Dagger, Book I
Clockwork Dagger
We are introduced to a lush world of Casketania and a land where magic is is the true form of doctoring and healing. Ms. Cato has a talent for creating a world where you can see the dust particles in the sunlight. Our main character, Octavia was orphaned at the age of 12 when a rebel ship crashed into her city. She was sent to Ms. Percival’s School for gifted girls where Octavia honed her magi skills for ten years with guidance from the mystical Lady and the Tree. Caskentia has spent the last fifty years in constant civil war. Its recent generations are dead, maimed, or contagious with any number of dread illnesses. Octavia had spent time healing soldiers at the front but now heads south to a town she has been hired to serve as their Medician. The trip involves travel by zephyr air ships and meetings will all sorts of characters, many mysterious and unsavory.
Citizens of Casketania
Since the armistice, which is strained at best, the people of Casketania are worked to the bone, starving and look to Queen Evandia for relief as she stays holed up in the luxury palace. This meager existence had not always been this way. Casketania thrived under King Kethan, more than 50 years ago. They had called it the Golden Age. Libraries were filled, Technology advanced; then the Waste attacked, those settlers who wanted independence from Casketania. They infiltrated the palace and kidnapped the ten-year old princess. King Kethan declared war and sought his daughter to no avail. Wasters struck deeper a year later when they used magi to destroy the palace and kill King Kethan.
Friend or Foe
On Octavia’s journey she is harassed and attacked by all sorts. She is rescued by a porter called Alonzo, who has a mechanic prosthetic leg. As a medician, Octavia is curious about this. He has a fascinating background and an unusual set of skills with a strange demeanor about him. Why is he working as a steward aboard a tattered old passenger airship? And, why is he always around when Octavia is most in need of aid? On the Argus, she ends up sharing a room with Mrs. Stout, a friendly older woman who seems to know a lot about Octavia, more than one should know.
Shiny
Octavia makes a friend whom she dubs Leaf, an adorable little gremlin attracted to silver shiny things. At first I wasn’t sure why an author would spend so much time explaining the mechanics of this hybrid-animal-machine. When you read, you’ll love Leaf as much as I do.
The Clockwork Crown, Book II
What else we know
Without giving too much away, and we know there are two books, intrigue and adventure awake as a love story develops between Octavia and Alonzo. The two books are definitely needed together as the 2nd book helps close the gaps and few holes that were present in the first book. I would definitely recommend reading these books, and don’t give up on book one when it gets bumpy. I’m glad I pushed through and read both of them and love how the story turned out.
You can find the books on Amazon here.
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