Title: Fires of Invention (Mysteries of Cove #1)
Author: J. Scott Savage
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Mid-Grade Steampunk
Rating: Fabulous
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: "Trenton Colman is a creative thirteen-year-old boy with a knack for all things mechanical. But his talents are viewed with suspicion in Cove, a steam-powered city built inside a mountain. In Cove, creativity is a crime, and invention is a curse word. Kallista Babbage is a repair technician and daughter of the notorious Leo Babbage, who died in an explosion--an event the leaders of Cove point to as an example of the dangers of creativity. Working together, Trenton and Kallista learn that Leo Babbage was developing a secret project before he perished. Following clues he left behind, they begin to assemble a strange machine that is unlike anything they've ever seen before. They soon discover that what they are building may threaten every truth their city is founded on--and quite possibly their very lives" (King County Library System).
Opinions: Steampunk Dragon. Need I say more. Well, yes, I probably do. J. Scott Savage has created a multi-level society living inside a mountain. From page one I was drawn into the world by the laws the citizens of Cove lived by. I wanted to know why, and Trenton Colman was the perfect vessel to help reveal the details. Savage is a master at creating three dimensional characters that the reader can relate to. For example, Trenton is a skilled teen mechanic in a world where invention is considered evil. When he is beaten up by a girl then assigned to working on the farming level, Trenton is pretty sure is world is over. And yet, his world suddenly is filled with secret excursions to out of bound areas, budding relationships, and major character growth.
Trenton wasn't the only one who felt real to me, who I could connect with. I love his parents. There was true love that motivated each of the actions. Even if, at times, the presented a roadblock to Trenton's growth I could understand the whys and the love behind their actions. Then you get to Kallista. An girl orphan dressed as a boy, shunned by society, kick-butt steampunk gear and outfits, and has an incredibly sick secret workshop filled with brilliant tools and walls of books in a society where stories are forbidden. What isn't fascinating about that combo?
So basically: the characters were well developed and real, the plot was complex and intriguing, and the world...steampunk magical awesomeness. This is definitely a must read for kids, teens, young adults and adults. I, personally, cannot wait to read more.
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