Title: Unforeseen
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review
Published: November 2012
Miyako is that rarest of teenage girls in Japan, circa 1915: a Samurai warrior. As technology and war spreads throughout the west, threatening the isolated Japanese way of life, the Shogun -- who rules for the Silent Emperor -- seeks the key to the nation's survival. Miyako's first solo mission takes her through a mysterious portal into a world of bizarre dangers and exciting temptations, where clockwork robots serve their masters and the very air itself can kill.
This is a stand-alone novella set in The Empires of Steam and Rust universe created by Robert E. Vardeman.
My Thoughts
"She felt lighter as though her shorn hair had been tangled up with worries and doubts and weights and then simply cut away."
Miyako is the protagonist in the story and I really admire the courage that she has shown in this story. Sarah Bartsch's narration made it easier for me to imagine what was going on, but on the downside, I think one must have a background knowledge about the 1915 Japan setting to understand some of the words used in the story.
There were so many revelations in the story and and readers will learn a lot of things about Miyako and her past as the story goes on.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Highly recommended for steampunk readers.
Author Interview
Hello Sarah!
- When did you decide that you are going to be a writer?
I've written stories as long as I can
remember, starting with hardbacks when I was four or five. They were simpler books, a few pages each,
bound in cardboard, handwritten single copies... But I made the decision to be
a Writer! a couple years ago. I'd been
fighting it. I got college degrees and
day jobs, but making a living by writing is really all I want, and every day
now I'm obsessing over the business and the art of being a genre author. It's hard and complicated, and I love it.
- Do you ever get 'stuck' while writing a story? What do you do about it?
Getting stuck happens a little bit of
all the time, but I've found I need to push and write even though I'm insecure
or confused or not inspired. Then there
are days I cut everything I did the day before because it was horrible, but that's
just part of the process. Sometimes I
don't know a scene won't work until I write it out and realize--Miyako wouldn't
do that! Then I rethink it and "put
on" the character's perspective and try again.
- Describe each of the characters in Unforeseen with just one word.
Miyako: Relentless
Sook:
Brilliant
Jin:
Devious
Let's get to the fun part!
When I dance, I look like…?
What is one of your weird quirks?
It's not very weird for a writer to be
an introvert, is it? Um... on top of
that, though, I like stale Cheetos.
If you had access to a time machine where and
when would you go?
There are so many places and times that
pop to mind, but after talking about it with my boyfriend, his first idea
sounded great to me. Now, if I get my
hands on a time machine, I'm not giving it up easy, but my initial ride would
be to Roswell in July of 1947 to see what really crashed there.
If you where running for office what would your
campaign slogan be?
I don't really want the job, but if I'm
running for President of the United States:
"Dystopian fiction--not my favorite. Vote for Bartsch to save the world!"
Thank you so much, Sarah! :) a Rafflecopter giveaway