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Shadow Conspiracy #2
The Shadow Conspiracy II
The soul of the poet who would be king still seeks immortality � but will it find a home? And will that home be flesh or steel?
All new tales of adventure and intrigue in the age of steam, from the authors at Book View Café.
“Mad Bad Richard Dadd,� by Amy Sterling Casil
“The Peculiar Case of Sir Willoughby Smythe,� by Judith Tarr
“Pirate Queen of French Prairie,� by Irene Radford
“The Maiden Mechanical,� by Brenda Clough
“Shadow of Kilimanjaro,� by Sue Lange
“Nuthin� but a Man,� by C.L. Anderson
“Abide with Me,� by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel
“Steel Seraph,� by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
“New Lives,� by Nancy Jane Moore
“Clair de Lune,� by Pati Nagle
“What Ho! Automaton,� by Chris Dolley
All new tales of adventure and intrigue in the age of steam, from the authors at Book View Café.
“Mad Bad Richard Dadd,� by Amy Sterling Casil
“The Peculiar Case of Sir Willoughby Smythe,� by Judith Tarr
“Pirate Queen of French Prairie,� by Irene Radford
“The Maiden Mechanical,� by Brenda Clough
“Shadow of Kilimanjaro,� by Sue Lange
“Nuthin� but a Man,� by C.L. Anderson
“Abide with Me,� by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel
“Steel Seraph,� by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
“New Lives,� by Nancy Jane Moore
“Clair de Lune,� by Pati Nagle
“What Ho! Automaton,� by Chris Dolley
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First published February 1, 2011
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About the author
Phyllis Irene Radford
31books3followersSee main profile under Irene Radford.
Phyllis Irene Radford Karr was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1950.
Phyllis Irene Radford Karr was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1950.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 8, 2015
The Shadow Conspiracy II edited by Phyllis Irene Radford and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff caught my eye in the LibraryThing Early Reader program because I’d met both the editors at BayCon (and had, in fact, heard both of them read). Between that and the steampunk theme, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity, and I am glad I didn’t.
This is a wonderful collection of eleven steampunk short stories by the following authors: Amy Sterling Casil, Judith Tarr, Irene Radford, Brenda Clough, Sue Lange, C.L. Anderson, Katharine Eliska Kimbriel, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, Nancy Jane Moore, Pati Nagle, and Chris Dolley. It contains both stories set in the more traditional arena of Europe, and ones occurring in the New World and even Africa. The characters range from society darlings, to pirates, and even on to missionaries and newspaper men. The main characters are just as likely to be male as female as well (despite the inclusion of only one male author), offering rather different perspectives on the stories and environments. The stories themselves range from psychological/philosophical pieces to adventures and mysteries.
Where many have questioned whether the “punk� has lost its meaning in steampunk as the aesthetic gains more ground than the theme of poking into society’s corners, this collection will offer neither group a quibble. The stories found within these covers (metaphorically speaking since I read it as an eBook) contain automations, steamships and blimps, and various other devices of unusual properties. At the same time, most, if not all, address some aspect of society and philosophy. The most common theme among them is what defines a person, but each story finds a different way of exploring this, such as through the question of skin color, soul transference, or immortality, to name a few.
I can’t say every story was a hit with me, but none of them made me regret reading. The collection even offered a game for the careful reader to play in that these apparently disparate stories held hidden seeds showing how they interrelate despite differences in time and location, if in the most minor fashion. The stories are clearly not just sharing a genre, but sharing an interpretation of that genre within a specific world. While I did not find the clues in every story, or was too involved in the story itself to notice them, I enjoyed how this steampunk world spanned a good part of the globe, and the timeframe, without losing its unique elements.
I wanted to mention my favorite stories, but I am having a hard time separating out just which ones those were. Some I enjoyed the most at my first read while others lingered longer and have now become favorites. There’s little question that I will be picking up the first collection set in this world, and the next should there be one. The only story that significantly jarred me was the very last, and this because it rests primarily on a joke, something not common among the other stories. That said, it’s well written with well-drawn, if traditional, characters and a mystery that builds throughout the tale so when the joke happens, it makes sense and fits with the rest. As a story, it did not fail the reader in me. My only issue was how it related to the rest of the collection’s feel.
Overall, a wonderful read, and one I do not hesitate to recommend to anyone who likes steampunk…or would like a taste of this fascinating genre.
This is a wonderful collection of eleven steampunk short stories by the following authors: Amy Sterling Casil, Judith Tarr, Irene Radford, Brenda Clough, Sue Lange, C.L. Anderson, Katharine Eliska Kimbriel, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, Nancy Jane Moore, Pati Nagle, and Chris Dolley. It contains both stories set in the more traditional arena of Europe, and ones occurring in the New World and even Africa. The characters range from society darlings, to pirates, and even on to missionaries and newspaper men. The main characters are just as likely to be male as female as well (despite the inclusion of only one male author), offering rather different perspectives on the stories and environments. The stories themselves range from psychological/philosophical pieces to adventures and mysteries.
Where many have questioned whether the “punk� has lost its meaning in steampunk as the aesthetic gains more ground than the theme of poking into society’s corners, this collection will offer neither group a quibble. The stories found within these covers (metaphorically speaking since I read it as an eBook) contain automations, steamships and blimps, and various other devices of unusual properties. At the same time, most, if not all, address some aspect of society and philosophy. The most common theme among them is what defines a person, but each story finds a different way of exploring this, such as through the question of skin color, soul transference, or immortality, to name a few.
I can’t say every story was a hit with me, but none of them made me regret reading. The collection even offered a game for the careful reader to play in that these apparently disparate stories held hidden seeds showing how they interrelate despite differences in time and location, if in the most minor fashion. The stories are clearly not just sharing a genre, but sharing an interpretation of that genre within a specific world. While I did not find the clues in every story, or was too involved in the story itself to notice them, I enjoyed how this steampunk world spanned a good part of the globe, and the timeframe, without losing its unique elements.
I wanted to mention my favorite stories, but I am having a hard time separating out just which ones those were. Some I enjoyed the most at my first read while others lingered longer and have now become favorites. There’s little question that I will be picking up the first collection set in this world, and the next should there be one. The only story that significantly jarred me was the very last, and this because it rests primarily on a joke, something not common among the other stories. That said, it’s well written with well-drawn, if traditional, characters and a mystery that builds throughout the tale so when the joke happens, it makes sense and fits with the rest. As a story, it did not fail the reader in me. My only issue was how it related to the rest of the collection’s feel.
Overall, a wonderful read, and one I do not hesitate to recommend to anyone who likes steampunk…or would like a taste of this fascinating genre.
September 5, 2011
Steampunk. Ooo-kay.[return][return]An anthology. Riiiight.[return][return]A self publishing co-operative. Hmmm[return][return]Soul-transfer. Oh God no.[return][return]This could have been so bad.[return][return]This could have been worse than the worst kind of Mary-Sue fan-fiction.[return][return]Actually, Book View Café’s shared universe collection The Shadow Conspiracy II was pretty decent, if rough in places. The usual steampunk tropes are there: Babbage’s invention of the computer two hundred years early, Lady Ada doing the science bit, zeppelins, romantic science, and lashings of adventure, and running through all the stories is the conspiracy for which the books are named. The ability to transfer the consciousness from human to steam-driven automata has been discovered and is being used by various dasterdlies for NO GOOD.[return][return]Anthologies are, by their nature, hit-and-miss affairs, but even the worst of the stories here are pretty decent, if forgettable, yarns. Standing out are Kimbriel’s Abide with Me � a tale of parental loss and hope � and Nagle’s Claire de Lune, which pits Vodon against a moustache-twirling villain.[return][return]While soul-transfer provides a pretty decent MacGuffin, there’s very little sign of any conspiracy (shadowy or otherwise) and any real future plot advancement will likely never happen. Not to worry, it took six seasons of Lost before the audience realised it, so they should be able to push out another four volumes.[return][return]These types of work have a habit of trying to be too clever and, without a ruthless editor, usually end up being awful but Radford and Bohnhoff did a good job of keeping any amateurish edges hidden. It’s not much more than the price of a pint, so you can do worse than picking up a copy.[return][return]
April 17, 2011
Eleven short stories as an eBook
Authors: CL Anderson, Maya Kaathyrn Bohnhoff, Amy Sterling Casil, Brenda W. Clough, Chris Dolley, Katharine Eliska Kimbriel, Sue Lange, Nancy Jane Moore, Pati Nagle, Irene Radford, Judith Tarr.
Interlinked steampunk stories including: automata with souls, airships, pirates, and sinister spymaster Lady Lovelace. These stories span the globe from America to Africa mainly focusing on the transference of souls into machine in various aspects.
This is an entertaining addition to the genre. Easy to dip in and out of which is a plus point for readers new to this type of fiction.
Well worth reading.
Authors: CL Anderson, Maya Kaathyrn Bohnhoff, Amy Sterling Casil, Brenda W. Clough, Chris Dolley, Katharine Eliska Kimbriel, Sue Lange, Nancy Jane Moore, Pati Nagle, Irene Radford, Judith Tarr.
Interlinked steampunk stories including: automata with souls, airships, pirates, and sinister spymaster Lady Lovelace. These stories span the globe from America to Africa mainly focusing on the transference of souls into machine in various aspects.
This is an entertaining addition to the genre. Easy to dip in and out of which is a plus point for readers new to this type of fiction.
Well worth reading.
Read
November 14, 2021I keep trying to put a link to Shadow Conspiracy in here, but the form swallows everything. So -- great steampunk SF/Fantasy anthology, diving into the repercussions of what history/society would be like should the Babbage machine be made, and automatons suddenly exist. You can go over to to read sample stories from both Shadow Conspiracy and Shadow Conspiracy II.
I feel like you could read this collection first, but you'll get maximum enjoyment and the most nuance if you read them in order. If you can't stand to put down your steampunk novel during lunch hour, pick up this collection to tide you over!
I feel like you could read this collection first, but you'll get maximum enjoyment and the most nuance if you read them in order. If you can't stand to put down your steampunk novel during lunch hour, pick up this collection to tide you over!
March 14, 2013
The eleven short stories in this Steampunk shared-world anthology have very little overlap, and can be enjoyed independently of one another, and even from the ones collected in the first book of the series, Shadow Conspiracy. As one who had not read the original prior to this sequel, this reviewer can attest to the strength of this anthology, and will certainly be reading the original in the coming days:
Mad Bad Richard Dadd by Amy Sterling Casil
A silly title, but a fascinating ‘bodysnatcher� story that fits seamlessly into the genre. Bonus points for the clever French pun: “chemin d’enfer�! Further stories by Casil are collected in her collaborative anthology “Without Absolution: Science Fiction Stories� found here:
The Peculiar Case of Sir Willoughby Smythe by Judith Tarr
The main character, Emma Rigby, is apparently a recurring one for Tarr. A sort of Sherlock Holmes story where the interesting part isn’t the protagonist, but the implications of the unfolding mystery around her. Although Tarr is best known for her Fantasy work and not her SciFi, Her novel “Lord of the Two Lands� was nominated in 1994 for the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel:
Queen of French Prairie by Irene Radford
Terrific fast-paced with heavy Steampunk imagery and a clever plot. Pirates help a small community stand up against a bully ‘cattleman� boss. If you enjoy this story as much as I did, I highly recommend the novelette “The Skysailor’s Tale by Michael Swanwick, which can be found (among other places) in the terrific anthology “The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty Fifth Annual Collection� here:
The Maiden Mechanical by Brenda W. Clough
A cute little piece with a few open mysteries that leave me looking of more: why the distrust of Byron? Who is ‘minor Holmes� (Sherlock)? And what’s with the final sentence? I needed my dictionary often, but enjoyed the voice and plot: boy makes girl. “The Water Weapon� is a well-regarded Steampunk short story by Clough, which can be found in the anthology “The Dragon and the Stars�:
The Shadow of Kilimanjaro by Sue Lange
Told in ‘Rashomon� style multi-perspectives, an effective way to get more mileage from the cliffhanger. This story clearly advances the plot of the shared-world plotline. Love the villain! An undercover detective uncovers a plot to ‘ensoul� inanimate objects. Additional dark, humorous short stories by Lange that will make you pause and think after reading can be found in her collection “Uncategorized�:
Nuthin' but a Man by C.L. Anderson
A Steampunk retelling of the John Henry tall tale from an eyewitness POV. Obligatory twist ending but not as satisfyingly SciFi for me. One cool concept I’ve never seen anywhere else: Steam Carrier Pigeons! Anderson gets a little more ‘space opera� in the decidedly more interstellar “Bitter Angels�:
Abide With Me by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel
As a SciFi purist who distrusts mystical plot elements, this reviewer was slightly disappointed by this sentimental story surrounding a mechanical arm that draws and paints and has the soul of its creator willingly trapped within. Beware the very abrupt ending! Kimbriel is best known for her “Chronicles of Nuala� series:
Steel Seraph by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
An “X-Files� mystery told from the perspective of an intrepid reporter. The army is covering up its flying machine program� and the truth about its inventor. Bohnhoff is quite a genre-bender in her writing, but SciFi fans will appreciate her short story "Ask Arlen� found in the anthology “Rocket Boy and the Geek Girls�:
New Lives by Nancy Jane Moore
This reviewer appreciates the reminder in this story of the QUITE different political and social climates of the 19th century when compared to our own. In surprisingly female-centric approach, the protagonist undertakes a rescue mission. While SciFi seemed an afterthought in the work, there is a promise to a prequel/sequel story, and the Jane Freemantle character appears like a regular one in Moore’s work. Interested readers of feminist sub-genre SciFi may want to give Moore’s novella “Changeling� a look:
Claire De Lune by Pati Nagle
One can’t help but compare this story to the one which precedes it in the anthology (‘New Lives� by Nancy Jane Moore). As in ‘New Lives�, this has a racial minority heroine (who seems like a recurring character) rescuing a prisoner and solving a mystery. Here however there is a healthier dosage of SciFi and suspense, and arguably rounder characters. Those who enjoy this great introduction to Nagle’s work will want to follow up by reading her collection “Coyote Ugly� which is named for her Theodore Sturgeon Award Finalist story, and includes SciFi and a sampling of other genres:
What Ho! Automaton by Chris Dolley
A very funny piece that simultaneously reminds one of Douglas Adams “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy� and Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest.� A rogue stumbles across a pair of mysteries in a garden party where both robots and reanimated roam. Personally, this was my favorite story in the collection, and thankfully, the author has an expanded edition which includes this story and a sequel novella of roughly 5 times the length, available here:
Overall, “Shadow Conspiracy II� is a clear winner, with no uninteresting stories, and quite a few memorable ones. As it is an anthology, it also makes a good introductory read for those new to Steampunk as no individual story is an overlong time investment. I received “The Shadow Conspiracy II� as a review copy from the editor.
Mad Bad Richard Dadd by Amy Sterling Casil
A silly title, but a fascinating ‘bodysnatcher� story that fits seamlessly into the genre. Bonus points for the clever French pun: “chemin d’enfer�! Further stories by Casil are collected in her collaborative anthology “Without Absolution: Science Fiction Stories� found here:
The Peculiar Case of Sir Willoughby Smythe by Judith Tarr
The main character, Emma Rigby, is apparently a recurring one for Tarr. A sort of Sherlock Holmes story where the interesting part isn’t the protagonist, but the implications of the unfolding mystery around her. Although Tarr is best known for her Fantasy work and not her SciFi, Her novel “Lord of the Two Lands� was nominated in 1994 for the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel:
Queen of French Prairie by Irene Radford
Terrific fast-paced with heavy Steampunk imagery and a clever plot. Pirates help a small community stand up against a bully ‘cattleman� boss. If you enjoy this story as much as I did, I highly recommend the novelette “The Skysailor’s Tale by Michael Swanwick, which can be found (among other places) in the terrific anthology “The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty Fifth Annual Collection� here:
The Maiden Mechanical by Brenda W. Clough
A cute little piece with a few open mysteries that leave me looking of more: why the distrust of Byron? Who is ‘minor Holmes� (Sherlock)? And what’s with the final sentence? I needed my dictionary often, but enjoyed the voice and plot: boy makes girl. “The Water Weapon� is a well-regarded Steampunk short story by Clough, which can be found in the anthology “The Dragon and the Stars�:
The Shadow of Kilimanjaro by Sue Lange
Told in ‘Rashomon� style multi-perspectives, an effective way to get more mileage from the cliffhanger. This story clearly advances the plot of the shared-world plotline. Love the villain! An undercover detective uncovers a plot to ‘ensoul� inanimate objects. Additional dark, humorous short stories by Lange that will make you pause and think after reading can be found in her collection “Uncategorized�:
Nuthin' but a Man by C.L. Anderson
A Steampunk retelling of the John Henry tall tale from an eyewitness POV. Obligatory twist ending but not as satisfyingly SciFi for me. One cool concept I’ve never seen anywhere else: Steam Carrier Pigeons! Anderson gets a little more ‘space opera� in the decidedly more interstellar “Bitter Angels�:
Abide With Me by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel
As a SciFi purist who distrusts mystical plot elements, this reviewer was slightly disappointed by this sentimental story surrounding a mechanical arm that draws and paints and has the soul of its creator willingly trapped within. Beware the very abrupt ending! Kimbriel is best known for her “Chronicles of Nuala� series:
Steel Seraph by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
An “X-Files� mystery told from the perspective of an intrepid reporter. The army is covering up its flying machine program� and the truth about its inventor. Bohnhoff is quite a genre-bender in her writing, but SciFi fans will appreciate her short story "Ask Arlen� found in the anthology “Rocket Boy and the Geek Girls�:
New Lives by Nancy Jane Moore
This reviewer appreciates the reminder in this story of the QUITE different political and social climates of the 19th century when compared to our own. In surprisingly female-centric approach, the protagonist undertakes a rescue mission. While SciFi seemed an afterthought in the work, there is a promise to a prequel/sequel story, and the Jane Freemantle character appears like a regular one in Moore’s work. Interested readers of feminist sub-genre SciFi may want to give Moore’s novella “Changeling� a look:
Claire De Lune by Pati Nagle
One can’t help but compare this story to the one which precedes it in the anthology (‘New Lives� by Nancy Jane Moore). As in ‘New Lives�, this has a racial minority heroine (who seems like a recurring character) rescuing a prisoner and solving a mystery. Here however there is a healthier dosage of SciFi and suspense, and arguably rounder characters. Those who enjoy this great introduction to Nagle’s work will want to follow up by reading her collection “Coyote Ugly� which is named for her Theodore Sturgeon Award Finalist story, and includes SciFi and a sampling of other genres:
What Ho! Automaton by Chris Dolley
A very funny piece that simultaneously reminds one of Douglas Adams “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy� and Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest.� A rogue stumbles across a pair of mysteries in a garden party where both robots and reanimated roam. Personally, this was my favorite story in the collection, and thankfully, the author has an expanded edition which includes this story and a sequel novella of roughly 5 times the length, available here:
Overall, “Shadow Conspiracy II� is a clear winner, with no uninteresting stories, and quite a few memorable ones. As it is an anthology, it also makes a good introductory read for those new to Steampunk as no individual story is an overlong time investment. I received “The Shadow Conspiracy II� as a review copy from the editor.
September 13, 2017
This is an anthology in which a whole lotta different authors write short stories which are related to each other, telling a complicated story and addressing a serious philosophical issue: what is the soul and can a seemingly inanimate object obtain one?
I was fascinated and I loved it.
I was fascinated and I loved it.
June 14, 2011
In , several questions are raised. What is a soul? Can a soul be transferred from one body to another? Can you transfer a soul into an automaton? Can automatons spontaneously create their own souls? This short story anthology picks up where the first left off. Is it wrong to transfer souls? What do we do now that souls have been transferred between bodies or into machines?
Some of the same characters from the first anthology make a reappearance in this one, and some of the stories make reference to events that occur in the first anthology, but I don't think it's necessary to read in order to enjoy this book.
I enjoyed some stories more than others, and as other reviews mention, the last story in the book has a completely different tone than the rest (it's humor, the rest are not), but overall, it was an enjoyable collection. Even though it didn't quite fit in with the rest in terms of overall feel, I thoroughly enjoyed Dolley's "What Ho, Automaton!" It's one of my favorite stories in the anthology. I also especially enjoyed Nagle's "Clair de Lune."
Some of the same characters from the first anthology make a reappearance in this one, and some of the stories make reference to events that occur in the first anthology, but I don't think it's necessary to read in order to enjoy this book.
I enjoyed some stories more than others, and as other reviews mention, the last story in the book has a completely different tone than the rest (it's humor, the rest are not), but overall, it was an enjoyable collection. Even though it didn't quite fit in with the rest in terms of overall feel, I thoroughly enjoyed Dolley's "What Ho, Automaton!" It's one of my favorite stories in the anthology. I also especially enjoyed Nagle's "Clair de Lune."
June 28, 2011
I rather enjoyed the short stories in the original Shadow Conspiracy collection; this one impressed me less, I'm afraid. A few stood out: Nancy Jane Moore brought back an intriguing character from the first collection; the story was fairly uneventful but dealt with race and gender nicely. Pati Nagle did another of her Marie Laveau stories; this one incorporated Mary Shelley and I enjoyed her characterizations of both. Chris Dolley's Wodehouse tribute short story "What ho! Automaton" is fun. Amy Sterling Casil's "Mad Bad Richard Dadd" was entertaining, but shows elements of the Byronphobia that pervades the collections -- honestly, if Lord Byron could live forever in an artificial body, would that be such a bad thing? (Not that I can see a sensualist like Byron wanting that.) As a whole the collection felt uninspired, though, and moved largely away from the central core plot in the original.
I received this ebook as a reviewer's copy from the LibraryThing Early Reviewer Program.
I received this ebook as a reviewer's copy from the LibraryThing Early Reviewer Program.
March 22, 2016
I think I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. I enjoy the steampunk genre, but did not enjoy all of the stories in this anthology. All of the short stories are loosely tied together, that is, they take place in the same world of automatons. I found that I was not a huge fan of them when I was reading this book. My favorite selections were those by Chris Dolley (charming and funny), Pati Nagle (intriguing and interesting characters) and Katharine Kimbriel. The others I found merely average or forgettable. One thing that bothered me was the inconsistencies with terminology, grammar and spelling. However, that is rather easily overlooked. If you like automatons and steampunk, you will probably enjoy this compilation. However, if you dislike either, I suggest you look elsewhere.
This book was obtained freely through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.
This book was obtained freely through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.
Read
August 7, 2014I always find anthologies a bit hit and miss, and it really depends on a good editor to pick the right stories to tie a theme together. This has happened here. I found the collection to be cohesive, and able to pull me through to the end. The stories were all heavily steampunk, some serious, some light, but I enjoyed them all
March 7, 2013
This collection, Shadow Conspiracy II, is all about steampunk and while I enjoyed it, I had to read it in sessions or I found the stories repetitive.
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