Blaze of Glory

Full of fun and interest, but just a little bit too glib and easy for my tastes - or perhaps a little too smugly boys-own British. Our hero, Aubrey Fitzwilliam, is a child of privilege - son of a politician and former peer, talented in multiple areas, and enjoying the stalwart support of a best friend with complementary skills. While his life is made slightly troublesome by a small matter of being dead (not a spoiler: that's revealed in the first line of the book) his derring-do adventures are otherwise uncomplicated by personal conflicts or self-created challenges. This was probably my only dissatisfaction with the book, which was otherwise thoroughly entertaining. But Aubrey takes his loyal Sam George for granted, blithely excels all show more over the place in a manner irritatingly reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes, and generally sails through his adventures, and it all leaves me wishing that I could really see his mettle through him being knocked off his high horse and having to struggle along on foot for a while. show less

It's a step away from the ordinary, with a great setting in the Edwardian, steam-punk era, and it's a parallel universe of history. A great read anywhere, and the series is one of the best. Takes the greatest aspects of a story and puts it all into one fantastic tale. Fantasy/adventure/action/romance, with a hint of history and a pinch of politics. It's fantastic. Definite must read.

Blaze of Glory tells the story of Aubrey Fitzwilliam, son of the Prime Minister. He's learning magic, and has a strong talent for it, even if he's a bit reckless with his experimentation and his desire to protect the Homeland from its enemies.

Michael Pryor taps into a wealth of adventure stories, and puts them in a new context with magic and steam-powered technology. Aubrey and George are both very likeble characters with complementary character strengths and flaws. The villain is believable, but still nasty enough to be scary.

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Blaze of Glory and the following books in the series, and I hope it can be enjoyed outside Australia as well as within.