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    A Conspiracy of Alchemists
    A Conspiracy of Alchemists
    A Conspiracy of Alchemists
    Audiobook12 hours

    A Conspiracy of Alchemists

    Written by Liesel Schwarz

    Narrated by Amy McFadden

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    In a Golden Age where spark reactors power the airways, and creatures of Light and Shadow walk openly among us, a deadly game of Alchemists and Warlocks has begun.

    When an unusual cargo drags airship-pilot Elle Chance into the affairs of the mysterious Mr. Marsh, she must confront her destiny and do everything in her power to stop the Alchemists from unleashing a magical apocalypse.

    Discover the thrilling new series that transforms elements of urban fantasy and paranormal romance into pure storytelling gold.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateDec 3, 2013
    ISBN9781480537651
    A Conspiracy of Alchemists
    Author

    Liesel Schwarz

    Liesel Schwarz, a lifelong fan of nineteenth-century Gothic literature, is a hopeless romantic who loves Victorians, steampunk, fairies, fantasy monsters, the fin de siècle, and knowing the correct way to drink absinthe. She also likes medieval things, pirates, zombies, space operas, and all subjects in between.

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    Reviews for A Conspiracy of Alchemists

    3.5/5

    92 ratings20 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I have actually never read a steampunk that takes place in the early 1900s, so that was different. Because new things were already on the move, but then this book also mixes magic and tech. The world is divided into Light and Shadow. Magic and new inventions. And things have gone wrong in the past when one side has grown too strong.

      Elle our heroine was strong and a woman pilot. She went for what she wanted and got it. The hero, Marsh is mysterious and someone she comes into contact with when she is hired to bring a parcel to England. He is a warlock, she does not believe in that nonsense. He has secrets, she is annoyed by that. He wants to tell her something, she starts to fall. Yes you see my point, they are quite the pair.

      These two will have quite the adventure as..things happens. Again I will leave it at that. There will be magic, bad guys, vampires, an absinthe fairy and flying.

      I enjoyed the story. It was light and the story always moved forward with a good pace, and threw a few surprises too.

      The end was good too as it was a solid ending that I could live with. It did not end with a horrid cliffhanger, but still left a big danger still to come
    • 3/5
      From the title and cover alone this book sounds promising. Even the blurb is promising, but all it manages to do is stumble about and be a weird mix of steampunk and not steampunk. Instead of complaining though I'll break it all down for you.

      A seemingly strong female Elle is put into a precarious situation with her father being kidnapped and the 'quick' delivery she was supposed to make. It all turns out to be a huge set up for some terrible things to take place.

      The things I liked in this book. The characters were pretty unique and awesome. Lots of treachery and fun to be had by all. It was interesting seeing some of the characters I was suspicious of turn out to be evil. I really liked Marsh and how much he grew throughout the book. Elle seemed like a strong character, but later on she started to fall flat for me.

      The things I didn't care for was that the book literally took a turn around 50% of being slow and boring. I almost didn't finish it, but I made myself stick it out. Which the ending was pretty good so I'm glad I did.

      Overall I really can't say a lot of good about this book I give it 2.5/5 stars. I was left just not as interested in the end. Don't foresee myself picking up the sequel either. It's definitely more on the trash end of things.
    • 3/5
      A good debut work. Needs a little tightening but details, world building and dialogue are good.

      Editing was decent, very little misspellings or missing words but as noted above some tightening of the timeline and story would be good.

      Overall I enjoyed the theme. The ending seemed a bit rushed after spending the entire book building to it. And it would have been slightly better to have explained how she eliminated the vortex...

      Undecided on whether I'll continue the series
    • 3/5
      I received an advance copy of this book through a First Reads giveaway! THANK YOU Goodreads!

      So, I think I would get along with this author. She likes a bunch of cool things: airships, pirates, airship pirates, absinthe, fairies, vampires, plucky heroines, noble heroes, evil villains, henchmen, secret occult societies, sacrifices on altars, the Orient Express, Paris, Constantinople, absent-minded professors, scientific inventions, magic, and of course, alchemy.

      All these things are jammed into this book.
      It's not about being original, it's about fitting all the cool things in. The result, is a light, cartoony, adventure-romance. it's good fun, even though I had a persistent feeling of 'seen it before,' and even though the romance aspect was a little annoying, mainly due to the male lead's patronizing attitude. No, I really don't find that kind of thing attractive.

      I would highly recommend this book to all fans of M.K. Hobson - I found it very similar - and, to a lesser degree, to fans of Gail Carriger and Leanna Renee Hieber.

      I know this is an advance copy, so I'm not going to make a big deal of the few errors in the text... with one exception. A "bill of fare" is the MENU at a restaurant, not the bill or check. Editors!
    • 4/5
      This had a lot of potential, there were some good moments in it but it just didn't quite work as well as it possibly might.Elle Chance is a airship-pilot, fighting against the restrictions of her sex and society. She accepts a commission from a friend in Paris and this draws her into the world of Alchemists and Warlocks, two opposing groups who want her because her destiny is to be a pivot point in the world and she will have to come to terms with her destiny.One of the people involved is Mr Marsh a warlock, who is attracted to her, but I didn't really feel that the relationship development was shown enough.Interesting, I'm going to read more but I'd like to see more about the relationship coming through.
    • 4/5
      Goodreads Blurb: LEAVE IT TO CHANCE.Eleanor “Elle” Chance, that is—a high-flying dirigible pilot with a taste for adventure and the heroine of this edgy new series that transforms elements of urban fantasy, steampunk, and paranormal romance into pure storytelling gold.It is 1903, and the world is divided between light and shadow. On the side of light is a wondrous science that has transformed everyday life by harnessing magical energies to ingenious new technologies. But each advance of science has come at the expense of shadow—the traditional realm of the supernatural.Now two ancient powers are preparing to strike back. Blood-sucking immortal Nightwalkers and their spellcasting Alchemist allies have a plan to cover the whole world in shadow. All they require is the sacrifice of a certain young woman whose past conceals a dangerous secret.But when they come after Elle, they get more than they bargained for. This enterprising young woman, the daughter of a scientific genius, has reserves of bravery and determination that even she scarcely suspects. Now she is about to meet her match in more ways than one: a handsome yet infuriating Warlock named Hugh Marsh, whose agenda is as suspect as his charms are annoyingly irresistible.An exciting and creative series debut, this book deftly combines history with science fiction, fantasy, in the wonderful and magical world of steampunk fiction. From the very beginning this series revolves around a very strong-willed young lady, one who can serve tea in the drawing room to members of high society, then turn around and pilot her own dirigible. Elle takes after her father with a mind for mathematics and engineering, yet remains as feminine as the next debutant - when it suits her that is.Lord Greychester, also known as Hugh Marsh, is a striking leading male character. He is a lovely blend of domineering, devious, gallant, chivalrous, and utterly bemused by the young Ms. Elle Chance. As a Warlock Mr. Marsh has a duty, but he finds it more and more difficult to fulfill his obligations. The longer he goes without fully explaining himself to Elle, the stronger she is in her resistance of his 'requests.'The other characters are just as developed as necessary to get by. They aren't particularly well-rounded, with a few exceptions of course. Normally that would bother me, but in this case it works. Most of the other characters fall into the roll of antagonist of varying degrees, and as villains they play their roles very well, if not a bit by rote. Most are caricatures of the evil villains of the 1920's and 30's, with the billowing black cape and mustache waxed into points, yet they fit the story flawlessly. They all have the traditional motivations, greed and power, and they are more than willing to kill to gain what they want, which of course is a real problem for Elle, seeing as she is what they want. Or more precisely, what is inside her is what they want.This story starts neatly and quickly picks up speed, until it is as fast as a runaway freight train. Yet for all the speed the plot is still well rounded and peppered with great details and tantalizing glimpses of what might be. The arc of the story is smooth, with steady pacing that ebbs and flows with a very natural feeling. Each scene is smoothly constructed, and even with an explosive ending the book still leaves a few threads dangling to better set up the next book in the series. Though not the most original steampunk book I've read, this one more than satisfies.
    • 2/5
      This story is the first in a new series and it seemed like the author wanted to take too many things and add them to the stew of the story and hope it all works together. We have the plucky steampunk pilot heroine who meets with a business associate to take delivery of a package gets paid in a diamond bracelet that promptly has a absinthe fairy inhabited it. There are vampires that are not called vampires working with the wizards that protect them from the other wizard faction. There is the hero wizard that amazingly enough our heroine falls in love with even though the reader doesn't see where the attraction comes from. And even then she runs hot and cold for him as the book goes on. The baddies were so obviously the bad guys, I'm surprised they were not twirling their mustaches. I don't see myself reading any more books in the series.

      Digital review copy provided by Edelweiss
    • 3/5
      A conspiracy of Alchemists is a great debut novel that has entered the Steampunk genre.The story centers around Elle Chance, dirigible pilot, and her 'mystical' inheritance. Without giving any spoilers, Elle is the central figure in the balance between the Light and the Shadow elements of her world.Elle's world is full of dirigibles, steam, and other typical steampunk elements; where magic and the 'undead' are also part the norm. Romance comes in the form of Lord Greychester, aka Mr. Marsh, who is part of the Shadow world and is integral in shaping Elle to become the great Oracle that is her inheritance.The story is fun, light and quick to read. I liked the characters although Elle can come off as a bit high strung. Since this is the first in a trilogy, I expect more character definition will come into play. Ms. Schwarz creates a balanced novel with a good plot and characters to help support the story. I have already pre-ordered book 2!
    • 5/5
      This is the first in The Chronicles of Light and Shadow series, and it was a great start to a new Urban Fantasy and Steampunk series. This starts off with an action packed beginning, and I knew I was in for something that was going to be interesting and something that I would not want to put down.
      We first our two main characters, Eleanor (Elle) and Hugh Marsh (Marsh), when Elle arrives in Paris to meet a prospective client. She has been hired to carry a couple parcels to England. Elle is inquisitive by nature, so of course she has questions about the charter she has been hired to do. She is feisty and doesn’t take anything from anyone, especially a man who instantly irritates her because she is a female pilot. Mr Marsh is the other parcel, and he is an arrogant man to say the least. There is a lot more to Elle life than she ever knew, she is the Oracle. I enjoyed the fact she doesn’t give in easily which I thought was fantastic. So many just go in blindly and accept it, but not her, and I think it shows the true strength of her character. Elle is a heroine in her own rights.

      Marsh isn’t just any man. He is a Warlock, and is a strong powerful one who has closed himself off from most people. He was interesting and learning his past was great. But there is even more to him as the story continues. Marsh helps Elle on her path to become what she meant to be and his affections for her grows into something sweet and endearing. The romance aspect of this was fantastic. There are a few other characters that I have to mention too. Elle’s Father is a professor and a genius one at that.

      The world building was fascinating, with a world that is divided between Light and Shadow. The war is progressing on between them and the search for the Oracle is getting desperate. It is the only way to have a balance. There were fairies, nightwalkers, and interesting steam and spark powered machines. The pacing was fast and with plenty of action. Air attacks, and people always trying to kidnap her, so never a dull moment. The ending left some unanswered questions, and set us up for the next book. The characters were great and the plot was definitely unique.

      A Conspiracy of Alchemists is a wonderful blend of steampunk, historical fiction, adventure with an unexpected romance. It has an element of paranormal to it too. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I am excited for A Clockwork Heart out later this year. This is an awesome to start to a new series.
    • 5/5
      Disclaimer: Received from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

      This was a fun, well-paced steampunk fantasy romance! I thought it was a strong start to a new series that I will be snatching as soon as available. It starts off with intrigue and action and keeps it up throughout the book. I loved the absinthe fairies and the inner monologue of Adele as she travels with Elle on her adventure.

      I've always liked Wonder Woman and the archetype of strong, self-efficient feminine leads without them acting as if they have something to prove. Elle Chance is this kind of character. She is self-sufficent and able to stand on her own, but doesn't have that self-aggrandizement that can be so annoying. She questions Marsh and his motives from the beginning, which was smart in my book as why ever would you trust someone with your life and the life of a loved one based on his word alone?

      Marsh, as her counterpart, is likeable with the tiniest hint of "hurt in the past" that makes you want Elle to fix him. Dashing, gentlemanly, and never condescending.

      I enjoyed the turns of mythology in regards to oracles, the fantasy of magic with warlocks, and the steampunk ships, creations, mechanicals, and alchemists. The ending was satisfying even though it left you with heart palpitations and wanting the next book RIGHT NOW.

      A Conspiracy of Alchemists publishes on March 4, 2013. So get it now and join me in the "wait, when is the SEQUEL?!"
    • 4/5
      This steampunk novel, the first of a trilogy, introduces us to Elle Chance, owner of her own airship and daughter of a renowned inventor. To pay for her ship, she runs it as light freighter. Most companies won’t hire her, though, so she takes what she can get. So when she is offered an under the table job of transporting a small box from Paris to England, she takes it. No sooner does she do this, however, than trouble starts- and doesn’t stop for 400+ pages. This is a 1903 where airships and horseless carriages are run on steam powered by mysterious (to me) spark reactors -I never figured out if that was magic, or science, or something in between. The world is divided into Light and Shadow, with fairies, vampires, warlocks, fauns, airship pirates and I’m not sure what else. For a long time, Light, the side of science and logic, has ruled, but members of the Shadow side aim to put an end to that soon- and to end a long time pact with some associates. Not only does Elle get embroiled in this fight by having the box, but it seems she has a talent that both sides want, too. Of course, there is the handsome, troubled hero, whom Elle finds attractive but cannot trust or get along with, Hugh Marsh, Lord Greychester. While Elle seems to get past her troubles when she makes it safely home, that changes when her father is kidnapped and she goes out for blood. As she and Hugh try to rescue her father, the way this world works is unfolded for us and it’s an interesting world, with some interesting characters in it. Sadly, Elle is sometimes not the most interesting of them. She starts out fine, brave, smart, and capable of making her own way in the world. But meeting Hugh seems to rob her of a part of herself and turn her into a teenager who reacts emotionally when she shouldn’t and refusing to listen to important things about herself and her family. I’m hoping that in the next volume she comes around and faces things as an adult. Everyone is entitled to scared and petulant moments, but when it becomes one’s personality, that gets irritating. I’m also hoping to see more of some of the characters introduced in this book: Adele the absinth fairy, Baroness Belododia the (good) vampire, and Inut the half-faun boy. They made more of an impact that one would expect for the limited number of pages given to them, which is why I’m hoping they are given more space in Book Two. Which I will be reading.
    • 4/5
      I wasn't sure what I was in for when I began reading A Conspiracy of Alchemists. I avoided reading any of the reviews about it, but the description made it sound promising. Plus, I really like the cover. I read this book when I most needed something light and easy, and it proved to be a good fit. I haven't read too much in the way of steampunk, and loved the descriptions of the devices and forms of transportation described . It was interesting and the author did a good job of setting the stage for her novel. I loved the idea of Elle, a female pilot trying to make her way among a mostly male dominated field. Elle had been raised by her father, having lost her mother when she was young. Her mother's death and reputation was mired in rumors of the occult. Elle isn't one to believe much in magic. She's very practical minded. And although she sometimes finds herself walking between the Light (more scientific realm) and the Shadow (more magical realm), she'd like to think her feet are firmly planted in the Light. When she takes on a job for one of her regular customers, the Frenchman Patrice, she soon finds herself questioning the reality she knows, both in the present and in the past. What should have been a simple cargo flight from Paris to London, turns into a fight for her life as she flees an unknown enemy. When her father is kidnapped, Elle will do anything to find him. Even if that means putting her trust in Mr. Marsh, a shady character with high connections. What unfolds is a story of magic and mayhem where alchemists seek their freedom from the vampires, and the warlocks try to hold onto that last sliver of magic they can find. Author Liesel Schwarz brought the landscape her novel is set in to life from the descriptions of England and France and Italy and Constantinople. The action is almost nonstop from beginning to end and plenty of secrets to be uncovered. There is also romance, albeit a bit cliche. When behind the wheel of an aircraft, Elle was quite the formidable foe. I loved the scene where she was up against the air pirates. She could be quite stubborn in an annoying sort of way, especially when it came to Mr. Marsh. I liked her overall, however. She had heart.I enjoyed getting to know Elle and the world she lives in, as well as many of the other characters, including meeting Baroness Beladodia on the Orient Express, the absinthe fairy that stowed away in Elle's bracelet, and Inut, the half-faun who was eager to be of help.I really like the idea of a steampunk novel about a female pilot, and admit to being a tad disappointed when it became clear the author was going in an entirely different direction with the character. Even so, I let go of my expectation and let Schwarz take me where she would. In the end, I enjoyed the ride quite a bit. I definitely will be seeking out future books in the series.Review copy provided by Publisher.
    • 4/5
      So the advanced reader version was mailed to me by the author and i found Ellie to be kinda whiny at times due to marsh pushing her aside. He has his reasons and she just wont understand that. Overall i loved the book and its now on of my favorites
    • 4/5
      This book was utterly fabulous! I loved everything about it --the characters, the plot, the climax, and ending. This steampunk mystery/drama was everything that I could have hoped from the air ship pirates to the absinthe fairies. Eleanor "Elle" Chance is an air ship pilot, who is commissioned by a mysterious warlock viscount named Hugh Marsh. Elle takes the job, but soon realizes she's in more than she's bargained for. From burglaries to kidnappings, Elle and Marsh travel around Europe to put a stop to the dastardly Alchemists' plans for world domination. I can't wait for book 2!
    • 3/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: Elle’s hidden gift is all that can keep the world in balance and running from her destiny could prove more dangerous than embarrassing who she really is.Opening Sentence: This was the place where people came to give their souls to fairies.The Review:Schwarz has created an amazing universe in this book. The world is divided into Light and Shadow. Everything in the Light believes only in science and solid fact while the Shadow is made up of all the magic of the world. They exist in balance, one never overpowering the other until a greedy old alchemist named Abercrombie decides to destroy this harmony and tip the world in favor of the Shadow.I enjoyed Abercrombie as the villain quite a bit. As an alchemist, he is bound as a servant to a Nightwalker named Aleix. In the beginning it appears these two are partners, Abercrombie doing the work Aleix couldn’t while the sun was up. It didn’t take long, however, to notice that this partnership wasn’t going to end well for one of the two gentlemen. Neither of them was given much of a back story outside of the history of their two species. Basically, Abercrombie was sick of being as powerful as he was and still being a servant. His motives were simple and straightforward. Get the girl and the key and destroy the creatures that believe themselves to be above him.Now the girl is Miss Elle Chance. To start, she is one of the only female pilots of her day but by the end she must face a destiny that will decide the fate of the world forever. She has an incredible amount of confidence in herself and refuses to fill the role society dictates for her. I immediately like this woman even if she comes off a bit, Mary-Sue to begin with. I mean she’s beautiful, a gifted pilot, smart, strong-willed, destined for a greatness she doesn’t yet know of; basically she is perfect. That little fact is quite annoying to me because I like to see characters with flaws that they have to work through for the greater good. Elle’s greatest pitfall is her pride and narrow minded views. I enjoyed Elle’s wit and spirit so much that I was able to overlook everything else.Elle is a pilot for freight planes and her one most loyal and trusted patron is Patrice. He often gives her assignments since not many other men would trust their freight with a woman flying the plane. Patrice comes off as a kind and jolly man but I have read enough books and watched enough movies that as soon as Elle told Mr. Marsh that she trusted Patrice without a doubt, I knew he was going to do something stupid.Mr. Marsh is probably my favorite character. He is a warlock on a mission and he tries so desperately to keep Elle out of it that he often comes off as rude and a bit sexist. I love the banter between Elle and Marsh, especially as it becomes more and more obvious that the two have a thing for each other. Marsh’s character comes off nearly as perfect as Elle’s because he is quite rich, handsome, powerful, but his perfection seems more appropriate due to the fact that he’s a warlock. He has seen a great deal of the world and understands things Elle shouldn’t or couldn’t.Overall, I enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and the plot was interesting enough. The one thing I had a problem with is not something everyone will find as a fault. Since I read mostly young adult novels, I have become a bit accustomed to having plots move quickly from point to point to point so that if there is a lull in the action, that part of a journey is merely summarized in a paragraph or two. Schwarz left no moment untold, no day unspoken for. We followed the characters basically minute by minute from dusk till dawn. While this is a sign of a well thought out and developed story, it made it very difficult for me to get through. By the end of this adventure, I was very thankful to be done which isn’t usually the case. While this book wasn’t really my cup of tea, I’m sure that a fanbase will form behind it and the series will be very much enjoyed.Notable Scene:They can all manage by themselves. The voices were right. The world would manage without her. But before it did, she would have to rid the world of these evil men and whatever it was that they were planning. She was not about to let them succeed, even if it was to be the last thing she did. Suddenly an awesome sense of power filled her and when she spoke her voice had a resonance that was not her own. “Alchemist, you will not take from me what you have no permission to take. By the power that my mothers before me command, all you do shall be returned to you three-fold.” A sudden gust of air whirled around the cell. A few of the cloaked figures shifted slightly and looked at one another. Abercrombie started laughing. “How magnificent you are. You look like a goddess in that dress, with your hair all around you. But alas, ,I must call a halt to matters now. Enough of the brave games. The moon is rising and we have important business to attend to.” He reached over and touched his fingers to the center of Elle’s forehead. Hot alchemy flashed against her skin. She resisted for an instant, but her feeble barriers didn’t hold. Suddenly she was far away from her own body. She watched her knees buckle under her. Hands caught her and lifted her up onto the flower-adorned litter they had ready and waiting outside the door. A wreath of flowers was pushed into her hair. She was borne away in time to the deep-toned death chant of the Alchemists. Then everything went black.FTC Advisory: Del Rey/Random House provided me with a copy of A Conspiracy of Alchemists. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 4/5
      dirigibles, absinthe drinkers and dens of inequityEnter into the heady steampunk world of Victorian England and Paris--absinthe drinkers, dens of inequity, and alchemists' accruements. Add to this the faerie world of shadow and light and the Victorian era take on an altogether different hue. The pivotal character is Aviatrix Elle, pilot of a 40 ' dirigible,When meeting a client, Mr. Marsh, an occultist, in an opium den (absinthe cafe) a diamond bracelet attaches itself to her arm. This is the age of reason and for Elle, electromancy can be explained by science but occultism is a different to- be- avoided realm.Attacks in Paris, a foiled kidnapped attempt, and dramatic getaway from a Paris field is followed by other troubles back in England. Her father is kidnapped, the plot is afoot, and occultism comes to the fore.A lively read.A Netgalley ARC
    • 3/5
      3.5 Stars

      ****Posted as a guest review over at Paranormalhaven.com*****

      When I first came across the blurb for Liesel Schwarz’s A Conspiracy of Alchemists, I got really excited. Talk about a blending of some of my favorite genres. Urban fantasy, steampunk and paranormal romance all mixed into one. There are lots of ideas that get tossed around in the book, so it took me a little while to get through the novel, but the visual imagery and creativity get high marks from me.

      Eleanor Chance or “Elle” is a young pilot who is hired by her docking agent Patrice, to fly a very important parcel to England. Against her better judgment, she agrees to carry the package, while not knowing what exactly is inside the box itself. Almost as soon as Elle has custody of the parcel, there is an attempted abduction and the box ends up being stolen, while Elle is rescued by a gentleman that goes by the name of Hugh Marsh. They encounter a bit of trouble after Elle lands her airship at the agreed upon destination of her passengers and Elle, along with her airship, lands in the care of Hugh Marsh. When Elle returns home, she finds that her father has been kidnapped and insists upon setting out to rescue her father. At this point in the story, you can tell that Marsh is deliberately keeping information about Elle to himself, but the author does a nice job with having Marsh reveal various pieces of information throughout the story.

      While Elle comes across as a competent character, she also seems very young. Although she flies her ships and is the daughter of this genius inventor, she’s also very sheltered, and it comes across with her interactions with Marsh. In some ways, this reads very much as a Young Adult novel and it did frustrate me a bit while I was reading. The author takes great pains in setting up the Light and Shadows and makes the reader want to know more about the Nightwalkers and Alchemists. There is also an alternating viewpoint from an absinthe fairy that starts before every other chapter or so that adds another layer to the story that I found intriguing.

      Now there are parts that meander something fierce and I did find myself skimming at times when the book would get bogged down in descriptions, but this may be attributed to being book # 1 within the series. The relationship that develops between Elle and Marsh was also a high point for me, with both them slowly learning about one another with revelations being made all throughout the book. By the author’s own description, the double cross that occurs does not come as any great surprise, but that’s a small quibble with a book that I enjoyed immensely. If you like a book with great visual imagery, unique world building, and a somewhat muted romance, then A Conspiracy of Alchemists may be the book for you.
    • 4/5
      I received an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley.I've been reading a lot of steampunk, and have been disappointed by a number of titles. Some of them think throwing in a few airships and goggles is all the genre needs. This one hits the steampunk vibe just right; it's dark, it utilizes the technology, and it features a smart and savvy heroine who struggles against the expectations of propriety for a woman in her time. It's set in the Belle Epoch, only a few years into the 20th century, and jets all over Europe. The settings are fully realized, and it felt like Schwarz really did her research.I confess, the book didn't grab me right away. It offered many curious elements in the first few chapters, such as absinthe fairies, but Elle as a heroine had to grow on me. For me, the book really picked up after she returned to England and endured several interesting complications there. Mr. Marsh didn't pique my curiosity at first, either, but his character grew in pleasant and complicated ways. The romantic element is gentle. Both characters grow together and grow up, but it's not a smooshy-face-kissy type of romance--good!One of the things I liked best about the book was how it melded steampunk and magic on Earth. It's the sort of angle I enjoy in my own writing, and it was refreshing to see Schwarz's take on the subject. In all, a good read, and I'd be curious to read on in the series.
    • 3/5
      A Conspiracy of Alchemists is an intriguing tale of love and adventure set in a steam punk universe. Fans of the genre are sure to eat this one up. While the novel has some glaring issues, such as pacing, character development, and world-building, I was still able to enjoy the story and will be reading the sequel, if one is in the making. Elle is supposed to be this kick-ass heroine. I can tell by the way she's set up. However, she came across more as a temperamental and immature simpering miss. She just isn't strong enough for me to buy into the whole kick-ass image the author was trying to portray. Having a fiery temper and being strong are two completely different things. Sometimes emotional control requires more strength than mouthing off. At the end of the day, Elle is unable to take care of herself, just like all the other weak heroines in the YA genre. Mr. Marsh is your typical arrogant rich guy. He also sucks at communication. Seriously, he was the source of most of the world-building, and I still have no idea how anything in the world works. Also, I have no idea what he looks like. None. Some people like that, but I was distracted the entire book trying to figure out what kind of face I wanted him to have. His back story also isn't entirely clear, and I really didn't feel like I got to know him well enough. The secondary characters are mostly filler, and I didn't feel a connection with any of them. The most interesting character is the professor, but he, too is a cliche. I just wasn't impressed with the characterization of this novel. The bad guys were so generic, I expected them to actually go, "Muah hah hah hah." The relationship between Elle and Mr. Marsh is a little insta-lovey. Also, their dialogue is, more often than not, stilted and awkward. There were some awesome lines between them, though, such as when Elle told Marsh that she would rather eat her own foot than marry a man like him, in which he replied that he should propose right then just to see her try. Regardless, I don't know how they could possibly have fallen in love in case there was something I didn't see that happened, like some touching verbal exchange or something. Considering every mundane detail is explained for the first 70% of the book, I doubt I missed anything. The pacing is incredibly slow to start. When the plot picks up, nothing is explained still. I'm a bit frustrated that I don't know how Elle's power works. I'm also irritated at the lame explanations given for the alchemists and warlocks. The last 30% of the book happens in a rush and nothing seems fully developed. Also, the backstabber didn't come as a shock to me. Everything was pretty predictable. I know that it sounds like I didn't like this book at all, but I did. I enjoyed the idea and I look forward to seeing what happens next. I just hope that some of these issues are fixed in the next installment. This has the potential to be a good series.
    • 5/5
      This is a debut novel by Schwarz and the first book in The Chronicle of Light and Shadow. This second book will be titled A Clockwork Heart and is scheduled for an August 2013 release. I really enjoyed this book. It was an entertaining and fun Victorian steampunk read.Elle is a lady pilot who has trouble getting jobs because she is female. As a result she does some less than savory work for Patrice delivering packages that need the utmost discretion. When Patrice asks her to deliver a small box, something warns her that this isn’t going to go well. Accompanying her is the devilishly handsome (and probably just as troublesome) Mr. Marsh. Before the delivery is complete Elle will find herself plunged into the world of Shadow and hunted for strange abilities she doesn’t even know she has.This was a fast-paced and well written read. Elle is a spunky, yet sometimes vulnerable, female lead who is tons of fun to read about. I really enjoyed her. As the book progresses Elle develops interesting powers. I am very curious to see what happens with her abilities in future books.Marsh is a wonderfully complex character as well, full of many hidden secrets. He is also absolutely to-die-for handsome and respectful and supportive of Elle. He was a wonderful male lead, and great fun to read about.There are tons of nifty steampunk devices throughout this novel, Schwarz did an excellent job describing and researching all of this. Schwarz is obviously a huge steampunk fan and describes her steampunkish devices in wonderful detail. I really enjoyed reading about them.The novel is a wonderful blend of steampunk, mystery, and a bit of romance. There is a lot of action and the novel is very fast-paced. I had trouble putting it down and was completely drawn into to this world where Light (tech) battles Shadow (magic).The book was well written and easy to read. I also enjoyed that this was a well done and complete story. The Epilogue starts a little storyline that will be addressed in the next book.Overall I really enjoyed this book, is was pure fun to read. There is lots of witty banter and humor in here, as well as an intriguing world and engaging characters. So if you enjoy steampunk, faeries, and some romance this is definitely a book you don’t want to miss. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be reading the next one in the series.