Dru Pagliassotti

This book starts at an execution, quickly transitions into an ambush, and leaves our heroes on the run, accused of regicide, and trying to get out of enemy territory. Taya and Cristof have been sent to Alzana to try to prevent them from going to war with Ondinium. However, it turns out that they were just buying time for their country to dig out old weapons and prepare for the war.

They manage to get to another country - Cabisi - while they are fleeing from Alzanan forces in their aircraft. show more Cabisi sells weapons to the Alzanan; weapons which are going to be turned on Ondinium. Taya and Cristof have to get back home before the enemy gets there and sets off a bomb that will destroy the Great Engine. Along the way they rescue one Alzanan princess and kidnap another.

This book as air battles, land battles, daring deeds, and all sorts of characters who each have their own agendas. I like the relationship between Taya and Cristof. I like the way they are learning to care for each other's needs. Taya and Cristof don't look at the world in the same way. Taya is more optimistic and more religious. Cristof is much more cynical.

This was an interesting fantasy series that had some wonderful steampunk elements. show less

A classic horror novel, Dru Pagliassotti’s An Agreement with Hell blends science, spirit and magic into a multiverse tale of horrific leviathan vs angels, demons and more. Teen college students are shocked when earthquakes destroy their campus. But the night is dark, and horrors rise from the pit where construction workers removed the seal from an ancient tomb. This horror’s neither demonic nor natural, and a strange alliance might be needed to send it back where it belongs.

An aging show more former priest and his magickian friend have received an angelic vision (with delightful hints of Biblical munching on scrolls). Meanwhile the Walker, balanced between worlds, and his demon have read the signs. And earth hangs in the balance.

Blending fascinating theological concepts, well-argued pauses for thought, and haunting glimpses of Biblical imagery, Dru Pagliassotti’s horrors are extra-dimensional, his angels and demons are dangerously detached from a world that’s not entirely real to them, and redeeming power is pleasingly real but well-hidden.

Teen bravery, blood and fire, together with the inevitable "no, don’t go there," anchor this story firmly in the realms of traditional horror. But theological debate and the Walker’s strange paths "between" offer readers a unique and haunting viewpoint, making the story much more than it seems.

Disclosure: I was lucky enough to get a free copy and I’m sorry it took me so long to get around to reading it. show less

Pagliasotti has created a world with a rigid class structure, and winged messengers that can travel between the castes. Taya is an icarus who gets pulled into the world of the Exalteds, and finds intrigue and danger exist at all classes. This is very different from usual fantasy, or even steampunk fantasy. Exquisite and subtle world-building that doesn't hit you over the head, engaging characters, and a plot that kept me guessing.

This was an excellent conclusion to this steampunk series. There is a lot of action and intrigue and things are tied up nicely. While I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first two books (too much politics and war), it was still well done. You definitely want to read the two previous books in the series before reading this one, this book does not stand alone well.

Taya and Cristof are being sent to Alzana to try and prevent a war between Alzana and Ondinium. Enroute they are ambushed and are show more wrongly accused of killing the Alzanan rulers. They end up on the run with an Alzanan princess and find out that both Alzana and Ondinium are preparing ancient machines for war. Taya and crew end up in Cabisi and find out that Cabisi has been selling dangerous war tech to the Alzanans. Can Taya and Cristoff figure out a way to prevent Alzana from decimating Ondinium?

The book is very fast-paced with our heroes racing from one disaster to another with no breaks. There are a lot of politics and a lot of war scenes.

I continue to enjoy the unique world that this story is set in. I also really enjoy Taya and Cristof as character; they have a wonderful and respectful relationship together. I was a bit disappointed that we spent so much time racing between one disaster to another and less time exploring the interesting parts, cultures, and inventions of this world.

Things are wrapped up very nicely and I enjoyed how everything played out.

Overall a solid conclusion to this unique steampunk fantasy series. I really enjoyed the characters and the world, but thought the pace was almost too fast. Our characters are just thrown from one dire situation to another the whole book without any breaks for character development. I would recommend if you enjoy fantasy steampunk reads that tend a bit more towards epic fantasy in style. show less