The Collected Bartleby and James Adventures (edition 2012)

I liked the first Bartleby and James adventure, “And They Called Her Spider” (you can see my review there), well enough that I bought the entire collection.

This is one of the better steampunk series I’ve read. It has some nicely grotesque moments and strange science and technology, satisfying mysteries, well-done characterization, some nice appearances by characters from other works of literature a la The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and a pleasing sense of hidden forces operating in society with promises of a portentous future. It is also satisfyingly lacking in any attempt to load stories up with commentary on real Victorian society or metaphorically deal with issues of class and sex and race. These are entertaining stories with no real attempt to slip a message in. Continuity is also maintained from beginning to end of the collection.

“Maiden Voyage of the Rio Grande” has James Wainwright suspected of murder on the maiden voyage of an airship built by an American industrialist. It’s the mandatory steampunk airship fix for the collection, entertaining in its own right, but perhaps the least interesting story here.

“On the Trail of the Scissorman” has the pair investigating the depredations of a killer who dismembers his London victims. James reveals a tender side when he adopts a Chinese girl orphaned in one of the murders.

“A Matter of Spirit” combines a locked-room mystery with spiritualism as James is commissioned by the Royal Guild of Engineers and Artificers with investigating murder charges against an old, but now estranged, friend from his apprentice days.

Coorlim actually does some innovative stuff with the e-book format. When Xin Yan, the orphan girl, speaks, the dialogue is given in Chinese characters. Highlight the words, request a translation, and, presto, you know what she said.

Coorlim’s writing is fast and slick … maybe a bit too slick and fast. I caught a few cases of anachronistic sounding language: “serial killer”, “think tank”, and “high-density low-income” that a rewrite might have eliminated. There were some notable misspellings: “Bismark” instead of “Bismarck” and “Liviticus” instead of “Leviticus”.

Those are quibbles and certainly will not keep me from reading – and buying – Coorlim’s future steampunk efforts. ( )

This was a really fun and interesting collection of short stories, which read like a great combination of steampunk and Sherlock Holmes. In a world where reanimated corpses and flying hotels make perfect sense, Bartleby and James are private detectives, Bartleby with knowledge of the human psyche, James with knowledge of engineering and science. Together they solve mysteries ranging from a murderous "Scissorsman" to sabotage in the skies. I really hope Coorlim writes more adventures for these two. ( )

Fancy a bit of steampunk? I've got a recommendation for you! I got these stories free for review, including the first story, [And They Called Her Spider]. Automatons, reanimated corpses, flying ships, all best traditions of the genre right here. It's supposed to be for children, and they would enjoy it for sure, but I think that's mostly because it includes some great illustrations. I really loved these. ( )

The Collected Bartleby and James Adventures by Michael Coorlim is a collection of four well-executed mysteries. As the reader progresses through each of these stories, they enter into the steam punk setting and style of the characters. The unfolding events reveal the depth of each character and create a world for the reader to visit, even if it is only for a little while. The author is a clearly skilled wordsmith as evidenced by the clear images brought forth in the telling.

Unfortunately, the author’s personal agenda was too evident and the tales would be a better read if objectivity allowed the reader to form their own opinions on political or religious issues. This is a fun and entertaining selection that leaves you looking forward to more adventures with these brilliant detectives. ( )

I am giving it 4 stars out of 5 only because I'm not really into steampunk mysteries, just thought to check the book out of curiosity to see if I'll get into the genre. And while steampunk didn't impress me much, the writer's prose certainly did. The stories are quick and engaging, and the narrative is well-written. The characters are likeable and relate-able as well. ( )