Timeless (edition 2012)

I was sad to see this series end. It was a satisfying ending, though I enjoyed books 2-4 the most in the series. I also love Carriger's other book, a YA novel, Etiquette and Espionage. ( )

Want to win your own copy of Timeless? Here's your opportunity!

4.5 stars

Much thanks to Orbit for providing me a copy of this for review.

Timeless, the fifth and last installment in the Parasol Protectorate. And the final adieu to Alexia, Conall, Ivy, and all the other colorful characters we’ve grown to know and love. This was actually my favorite installment out of the entire series surprisingly enough. Usually I don’t care for when a series that I’m quite fond of ends; however, it was done so well and was so much fun that I was sold. If you haven’t picked up this series yet and are looking for something incredibly original this is it.

Timeless opens several years after Heartless with Alexia and Conall’s daughter Prudence having been adopted by Lord Akeldama in order to guarantee the safety of the entire family. Prudence had me laughing out loud on several occasions as she was such a handful but such a wonderful addition to the story. The entire family travels to Egypt when the God breaker Plague becomes an issue once again as it has started expanding at an alarming rate.

With Alexia and the family in Egypt, Lyall and Biffy are left behind in London so there are POV shifts between the two locations. I can understand the need for this in retrospect but at the time I couldn’t help feeling it took something away from the story, especially with the focus on the budding relationship between Lyall and Biffy. All in all though? Extremely well done and truly enjoyable. Hands down my favorite steampunk book/series I’ve ever read.

Luckily, we may not have heard the last of The Parasol Protectorate as there is a planned series called The Parasol Protectorate Abroad with the first story entitled ‘Prudence’. Sounds like Lady Alexia will be passing her Parasol along to her daughter – I can’t wait! ( )

Vampires, werewolves and ghosts, oh my! Lady Alexia (Tarrabotti) Maccon's last adventure, to Egypt, is a very exciting installment in this series. Discoveries from events in the past make the reader wonder "what's going to happen next"? The steampunk aspect of the book is absolutely wonderful. Ms. Carriger makes it all seem so very real and quite believable. All of the characters are wonderfully constructed. And the alternate history aspect was quite interesting.

Wow! What a, seemingly, ending to a wonderful series. So many of the loose ends throughout the series were tied up in this book. I was in tears at various points in the book. I sincerely wish this was not the last book in the series. I could also see a "spin-off" series of books centered on Prudence.

If you have not yet read this series, I cannot recommend them highly enough! Read! This! Series! Of! Books! ( )

This could have been really good, but then there were all these rug rats taking up space where interesting plot and potentially well-rounded characters could have been. (Yes, I'm allergic to kidfic.) At least there was some nice Biffy/Lyall. And interesting hot air balloon and dirigible mechanics. ( )

Action abounds in the final chapter of the Parasol Protectorate and I was thoroughly hooked from the first chapter. I highly reccomend the entire series. With all the mystery and adventure in Timeless I am quite sad to leave this world and hope there will be more books written by this wonderful author.
( )