Time's Arrow: Black Swan - voting closes today!

If you've now had a chance to download and read Time's Arrow: Black Swan you've only got until the end of the day to vote for how you would like the story to continue.


Simply head over to the Abaddon Facebook page and post 'A' or 'B' after the status update that starts 'WHAT WILL COME OF OUR DASHING HERO NEXT?'

Or, alternatively, you can email your choice of 'A' or 'B' to abaddonsolaris@rebellion.co.uk.

Do it! Do it now! (Or I'll send the cyber-gorilla after you*.)


* Or maybe not.

Hannibal the Pachyderm-Droid

OMGGM* it's Hannibal, the pachyderm-droid from Pax Britannia: Anno Frankenstein!

Actually it's The Machines de l'Ile's Great Elephant.

12 metres high, 8 metres wide and 21 metres long, this incredible contraption weighs 48.4 tons. Constructed of wood and metal, motive power is provided by a 450 horsepower engine. It includes an indoor lounge with French windows and balconies, and there is a terrace accessible by stairs.On, and it travels at a speed of ​​1-3 km per hour.

And while we're on the subject of all things steampunk, and  Anno Frankenstein in particular, don't forget that the Victorian Steampunk Society is launching a series of awards voted for by UK Steampunks attending The Asylum each year.

These are awards for work first published/released between January 1 and December 31, 2011, and will be made for a tangible piece of work, which means that Anno Frankenstein is eligible.

But even if you're not attending The Asylum yourself this year, you can still suggest a category and nominate in it. The best suggestions will incorporate into the awards. These forms will be used to draw up a shortlist of nominees, and of course being shortlisted is of course an accolade in itself. The voting form will be made available to all Asylum convention adult attendees and results will be announced at the Empire Ball.

Just so you know...



And lastly, there still time to vote for your preferred story ending to Time's Arrow: Black Swan.


Simply head over to the Abaddon Facebook page and post 'A' or 'B' after the status update that starts 'WHAT WILL COME OF OUR DASHING HERO NEXT?'

Or, alternatively, you can email your choice of 'A' or 'B' to abaddonsolaris@rebellion.co.uk.

You have until 25 June 2012 to cast your vote.


* A vernacular term meaning 'Oh my goodness gracious me'.

The Inaugural UK Steampunk Awards

The Victorian Steampunk Society has from its formation recognised excellence in the world of Steampunk and is now launching a series of awards voted for by UK Steampunks attending The Asylum each year.

These are awards for work first published/released between January 1 and December 31, 2011, and will be made for a tangible piece of work be it a book, artwork or piece of music etc, which means that my novel Anno Frankenstein is eligible.

But even if you're not attending The Asylum yourself this year, you can still suggest a category and nominate in it. The best suggestions will incorporate into the awards. These forms will be used to draw up a shortlist of nominees, and of course being shortlisted is of course an accolade in itself. The voting form will be made available to all Asylum convention adult attendees and results will be announced at the Empire Ball.

Just so you know...

Happy International Steampunk Day!

International Steampunk Day

That's right, in case you didn't already know, 14 June (H G Wells' birthday) is International Steampunk Day. And I'm celebrating with another great review of Time's Arrow: Black Swan that's appeared on the Geek Syndicate website:

In 1988 Sylvester McCoy hosted a programme on Children’s BBC called What’s Your Story. For those not old enough to remember, the premise was that you watched a story unfold before you and, when the cliffhanger came at the end, you phoned in with your choice of where the story went next. A great interactive approach and one which Jonathan Green, author of the Pax Britannia series, is adopting himself. 


The Time’s Arrow trilogy, published by Abaddon Books, reunites us with one of Green’s standout characters in Ulysses Quicksilver, general dandy and all round hero. Released as e-books, this steam punk trilogy allows the reader to vote to decide the direction of the story which is a great way to engage with your readership. Part one and two are out now. Read on for Geek Syndicate’s review of part two, Black Swan.


Black Swan follows on from where part one, Red-handed, left off with Ulysses Quicksilver in the Parisian apartments of Monsieur Lumiere as he hunts the killer involved with the Rue Morgue murders. A number of prominent individuals have prematurely shuffled their mortal coil and Quicksilver, prime suspect of the local gendarmes, is out to clear his name and bring the real killer to justice. 


The story rattles on at a fair pace with little time to draw your breath between the action. Rampaging gorillas, mechanical parrots, steam-powered flying bicycles and damsels firmly in command all play their part with a sinister villain plotting worldwide destruction all in the heart ofParis. Gaston Leroux, Conan Doyle and Poe are all paid homage to, amongst others, as we are drawn excitedly towards the cliffhanger ending in readiness for part three. 

I have to admit to not having read Red-handed in advance of this, possibly not the wisest of things when tackling a series but such is the life of a reviewer, so was worried I might be slightly lost starting with book two. However, having previously read Green’s Evolution Expects, well worth a read by the way, I was well acquainted with Mr Quicksilver and found the writing dropped enough previous plot points into the narrative to allow me to catch up quickly. 

Black Swan is a fun story, one which engages you from the off, and you can tell that Green is enjoying his writing. Quicksilver, agent for the British government, is a fantastic character, full of dare-doing, and carries the day with an air of optimism and a stiff upper lip throughout; think James Bond as a Victorian toff. The villains are painted equally well and are just on the right side of moustache twirling dastardliness without being corny. 

There are some parts of the story where the escapes are fortuitous and far fetched but, hey, that’s all part of the playfulness of the writing. Go into this with a complete suspension of disbelief and you’ll come out smiling at the other end. 

I really enjoyed this and would recommend that you pick it up but possibly start with book one like a sane person would do! 

Voting for where part three, White Noise, heads closes on Friday 15 June. To influence where the story goes next visit www.abaddonbooks.com but obviously after you’ve read the book which is available for download now. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

You can download the eBook of Time's Arrow: Black Swan here.

Time's Arrow - the non-eBook edition

Pax Britannia: Time's Arrow - the print edition of Ulysses Quicksilver's eighth daring adventure - is available for pre-order now.

Paris. City of lights. City of lovers. City of dreams. Yet if one man gets his way, its inhabitants will soon be forced to endure a nightmare such as they have never known. But Hero of the British Empire Ulysses Quicksilver is determined to get in his way... although he has problems of his own to deal with first, before he can try to rescue the French capital from its earth-shattering fate. Arriving at a murder scene, Ulysses is forced to go on the run, so that he might track down the real killer. His intention: to clear his good name, and get back to England in one piece and as quickly as possible; for the love of his life is about to take a most ill-advised trip to the Moon. But the terrorist known only as 'Le Papillon' is preparing to bring chaos to the capital.

Remember there's still time to vote for how you want the story to end in Part 3 - White Noise. Simply follow this link to find out more.