I have read the first novel in this series, and found it highly engaging. Although not strictly a Steampunk genre novel, there are elements that make it a satisfying read for any resident of the Steamlands, especially those having an interest in the vampiric and lycanthropic clans in Second Life. I should like to construct a battle umbrella like the one mentioned in the early chapters of the first book! There is a riveting battle between Miss Carriger’s heroine and a rather ill-mannered vampire of questionable antecedents, which sets up the story for the rest of the novel. The next…