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Parasol Protectorate #5
Timeless
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Paranormal Fantasy (2012)Alexia Tarabotti, Lady Maccon, has settled into domestic bliss. Of course, being Alexia, such bliss involves integrating werewolves into London High society, living in a vampire's second best closet, and coping with a precocious toddler who is prone to turning supernatural willy-nilly. Even Ivy Tunstell's acting troupe's latest play, disastrous to say the least, cannot put a dampener on Alexia's enjoyment of her new London lifestyle.Until, that is, she receives a summons from Alexandria that cannot be ignored. With husband, child and Tunstells in tow, Alexia boards a steamer to cross the Mediterranean. But Egypt may hold more mysteries than even the indomitable Lady Maccon can handle. What does the vampire Queen of the Alexandria Hive really want from her? Why is the God-Breaker Plague suddenly expanding? And how has Ivy Tunstell suddenly become the most popular actress in all the British Empire?***Also available as a manga adaptation***
407 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2012
About the author
Gail Carriger
59 books15.2k followersGail Carriger writes comedies of manners mixed with paranormal romance (and the sexy San Andreas Shifter series as G L Carriger). Her books include the Parasol Protectorate and the Finishing School series. She is published in many languages and has over a dozen NYT bestsellers. She was once an archaeologist and is fond of shoes, octopuses, and tea. Join the Chirrup for sneak peaks of upcoming giggles: http://gailcarriger.com/chirrup
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,795 reviews
December 16, 2020
Phew.... done... five books is no easy feat. 😆 This final book had A LOT going on. I kinda felt like this one was all over the place (and globe). Lots of things going on, maybe a bit too much?... Overall, this is a decently entertaining series. I’m not sure if there will be more, but either way, I’m good to close the final chapter on this one. 👍
March 8, 2012
The last book in this very hilarious series was somewhat of a let down. There's many moments of Gail's trademark humor that made these books wonderful reads. Something was lacking. I found the plot dull and the scene with Buffy back in London a big bore. But I do love Alexia and Conall's interactions and their daughter Prudence is adorable. Without Prudence, this would have been DOA.
I may grade it higher when I had more time to digest what I read.
I may grade it higher when I had more time to digest what I read.
September 22, 2012
3.5 stars
Oh, I should have listened to this entire series on audio! It’s a completely different experience. With her great accents and excellent characterization, Emily Gray breathed life into a series that very much needed it in its last installment. She’s done such an amazing job that I’ll purposely seek out other audiobooks narrated by her, regardless of the genre, and enjoy them while driving to work and back. Of all the narrators I’ve come across so far, she and Holter Graham are by far my favorites.
Unfortunately, Gail Carriger doesn’t deserve such praise. Timeless is essentially plotless, and what little excitement there is pales in comparison to previous books. Everything I used to love about this series is gone – even the humor isn’t what it used to be. The Parasol Protectorate simply lost its charm. It’s a good thing Carriger decided to end the series when she did – this is where we would have parted ways anyway. By making Timeless the last book, she allowed me to say my goodbyes with a smile and a little bit of nostalgia, instead of the bitter taste so many authors left me with.
Timeless picks up two years after the end of Heartless. Alexia’s daughter Prudence is an extraordinary child and she’s keeping her biological parents and her adoptive father, Lord Akeldama, very busy indeed. She’s even managed to attract the attention of Queen Matakara, vampire Queen of the Alexandria Hive, the oldest supernatural in the world. Alexia, Prudence and their numerous entourage travel to Egypt to indulge Matakara, and hopefully, to uncover Alessandro Tarabotti’s plans for the supernaturals.
Meanwhile, Biffy and Professor Lyall investigate the murder of a Beta, but they somehow spend more time flirting with each other than actually investigating. The budding romance between these two was my favorite part of this book. I loved seeing a different side of Lyall – the reserved professor is surprisingly passionate under the surface, much to my (and Biffy’s) delight.
I never gossip. I observe. And then relay my observations to practically everyone.
After many adventures and several misunderstandings, the relationship between Lord and Lady Maccon is finally steady and calm, but never boring! After all, neither of them is very conventional and Lady Maccon becomes rather restless if she isn’t involved in at least three different conspiracies and secret societies at any given time. But the tenderness she shows her darling husband, and his complete and utter adoration for her turned this book into a satisfying conclusion, despite its many flaws.
You know I have to mention some of those flaws, right? I’ll try to make it quick, like pulling off a band aid. The most important thing is that I wanted more! Many questions were left unanswered and I’m still unclear on quite a few things. The humor… oh, the humor! I used to adore Lord Akeldama and his many fashion experiments, but he, too, became tiresome after a while. Much like the series, he just lost his shine.
In the end, I will go back to the beginning: if you’re considering reading this book, do yourselves a favor and get it on audio. Emily Gray made everything so much more interesting. As for the rest, this is one of those times when saying goodbye isn’t hard. I’m sure Gail Carriger has a lot more to offer, but in a different series and with a new set of characters.
Oh, I should have listened to this entire series on audio! It’s a completely different experience. With her great accents and excellent characterization, Emily Gray breathed life into a series that very much needed it in its last installment. She’s done such an amazing job that I’ll purposely seek out other audiobooks narrated by her, regardless of the genre, and enjoy them while driving to work and back. Of all the narrators I’ve come across so far, she and Holter Graham are by far my favorites.
Unfortunately, Gail Carriger doesn’t deserve such praise. Timeless is essentially plotless, and what little excitement there is pales in comparison to previous books. Everything I used to love about this series is gone – even the humor isn’t what it used to be. The Parasol Protectorate simply lost its charm. It’s a good thing Carriger decided to end the series when she did – this is where we would have parted ways anyway. By making Timeless the last book, she allowed me to say my goodbyes with a smile and a little bit of nostalgia, instead of the bitter taste so many authors left me with.
Timeless picks up two years after the end of Heartless. Alexia’s daughter Prudence is an extraordinary child and she’s keeping her biological parents and her adoptive father, Lord Akeldama, very busy indeed. She’s even managed to attract the attention of Queen Matakara, vampire Queen of the Alexandria Hive, the oldest supernatural in the world. Alexia, Prudence and their numerous entourage travel to Egypt to indulge Matakara, and hopefully, to uncover Alessandro Tarabotti’s plans for the supernaturals.
Meanwhile, Biffy and Professor Lyall investigate the murder of a Beta, but they somehow spend more time flirting with each other than actually investigating. The budding romance between these two was my favorite part of this book. I loved seeing a different side of Lyall – the reserved professor is surprisingly passionate under the surface, much to my (and Biffy’s) delight.
I never gossip. I observe. And then relay my observations to practically everyone.
After many adventures and several misunderstandings, the relationship between Lord and Lady Maccon is finally steady and calm, but never boring! After all, neither of them is very conventional and Lady Maccon becomes rather restless if she isn’t involved in at least three different conspiracies and secret societies at any given time. But the tenderness she shows her darling husband, and his complete and utter adoration for her turned this book into a satisfying conclusion, despite its many flaws.
You know I have to mention some of those flaws, right? I’ll try to make it quick, like pulling off a band aid. The most important thing is that I wanted more! Many questions were left unanswered and I’m still unclear on quite a few things. The humor… oh, the humor! I used to adore Lord Akeldama and his many fashion experiments, but he, too, became tiresome after a while. Much like the series, he just lost his shine.
In the end, I will go back to the beginning: if you’re considering reading this book, do yourselves a favor and get it on audio. Emily Gray made everything so much more interesting. As for the rest, this is one of those times when saying goodbye isn’t hard. I’m sure Gail Carriger has a lot more to offer, but in a different series and with a new set of characters.
July 30, 2020
*** 5 ***
"...“Why, Mr. Biffy, you talk such scandal."
"You wrong me, Madame Lefoux. I never gossip. I observe. And then relay my observations to practically everyone.”
― Gail Carriger, Timeless..."
I love, love, love the way this author writes! She has a turn of phrase that is delightful and playful, it has a lightness to it that makes you smile while reading and gives you an all together feeling of joy and buoyancy, which is precious in cloudy days. The first couple of chapters of this particular book were pure comedy, I started laughing from the bath day scene and didn't stop until the end of the play Ivy and her husband's troop performed for the more progressive audience in London. I am honestly laughing even now, recalling every absurd moment of the bumblebee dream interpretation of the immortal's contemplation of Eternity! 😃😃😃😃😃😆❤️
"...“I suppose that saves us from having to determine what to do with a butler who goes around killing people. It certainly reflects badly upon our domestic staff. Still, I shall miss him. There was a man who knew how to brew a good cup of tea.”
― Gail Carriger, Timeless..."
If you are a fan of clever and witty writing, larger than life characters, and comedy of manners, this series is made for you! Yes, it also has werewolves and vampires, but honestly, I feel that the plot is the vehicle for the prose, Instead of the other way around. A definite favorite and a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day 🌞😎!
"..."A man's virility is in his beard," he insisted.
To which Alexia replied, "And a woman's is in her décolletage. Yet you don't see me allowing mine to get out of control, now do you?"
"If wishes were balloons," was his only response.”..."
"...“Why, Mr. Biffy, you talk such scandal."
"You wrong me, Madame Lefoux. I never gossip. I observe. And then relay my observations to practically everyone.”
― Gail Carriger, Timeless..."
I love, love, love the way this author writes! She has a turn of phrase that is delightful and playful, it has a lightness to it that makes you smile while reading and gives you an all together feeling of joy and buoyancy, which is precious in cloudy days. The first couple of chapters of this particular book were pure comedy, I started laughing from the bath day scene and didn't stop until the end of the play Ivy and her husband's troop performed for the more progressive audience in London. I am honestly laughing even now, recalling every absurd moment of the bumblebee dream interpretation of the immortal's contemplation of Eternity! 😃😃😃😃😃😆❤️
"...“I suppose that saves us from having to determine what to do with a butler who goes around killing people. It certainly reflects badly upon our domestic staff. Still, I shall miss him. There was a man who knew how to brew a good cup of tea.”
― Gail Carriger, Timeless..."
If you are a fan of clever and witty writing, larger than life characters, and comedy of manners, this series is made for you! Yes, it also has werewolves and vampires, but honestly, I feel that the plot is the vehicle for the prose, Instead of the other way around. A definite favorite and a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day 🌞😎!
"..."A man's virility is in his beard," he insisted.
To which Alexia replied, "And a woman's is in her décolletage. Yet you don't see me allowing mine to get out of control, now do you?"
"If wishes were balloons," was his only response.”..."
January 7, 2015
So, another series is over and, I'm afraid to say, for me the ending was just meh. Unfortunately, this appears to be the fate of so many series these days. The Soookie Stackhouse, Georgina Kincaid and Dante Valentine books all immediately spring to mind. Like the first two of these three, the main problem with the Parasol Protectorate series, I think, is that there just was not enough plot for the five books and the series went on for longer than the author is convincingly able to sustain the storyline.
This last instalment takes place two years after the ending of the previous book with Lord and Lady Maccon still residing in Lord Akeldama's closet. The latter is the legal guardian to Prudence, the infant inconvenience who is now a toddler causing a lot of havoc and keeping Lord Akeldama, all his drones and the majority of the Woolsey werewolf clan on their toes. That is, until Alexia receives a summons from Matakara, Queen of the Alexandria hive and the oldest living vampire and the Maccons, along with the Tunstells and their troupe whom they take along as cover, set out for Egypt where, inevitably, they encounter adversity, mystery and adventure, leading to the series being very neatly wrapped up and tied up with a bow (a very oversize one with pink and turquoise stripes, to fit in with the general atmosphere).
Where with the previous book I was a teensy bit bored, with this one, I was a lot bored. In fact all of the first half of this book was just filler, with the author re-visiting some of the more memorable places and characters from the previous books - the hat shop now run by Biffy, the Woolsey Hive (with notable appearances from Countess Nadasdy and Mabel Dair), the fleeting return of Felicity Loontwill in a flurry of spite, the sudden reappearance of Lady Kingair (in the nude in certain placess, no less!) and a single appearance of Guatve Trouve (to deliver a replacement parasol) to name but a few.
The charm and humour of the earlier books has fizzled to a point where a lot of it read like bad panto tipping over into complete absurdity at several points (yes, I am talking about the hideous trouser ripping episode involving Tunstell and the overabundance of silly names). Most of the book could have been illustrated with images like these:
[image error]
Not a great visual backdrop.
After the leasurly self-indulgent intro, the actual story and the wrap up were far too rushed and felt desperate and emotionally manipulative. But the most disappointing thing of all, is that the main mysteries of the books - the Order of the Brass Octopus, the nature of the soulless/soulstealers (what/why/how are they?) etc - remain unanswered pretty much completely, unless you count the fact that Alexia's abilities are discovered to be cancelled out when she is submerged in water (I am not even going to mark it as a spoiler because, really, after five books, that is what we find out?!?).
Having said that, there were a few things that I liked which saved this from being a one star disaster. While I still feel that too many pages were dedicated to it, I did like the relationship between Biffy and Lyall. It was nice to have a homosexual relationship which was genuinely sweet and not reduced to riduculousness. I admire the fact that Alexia stays human and the elegant solution introduced by Carriger to deal with Connall's immortality and that Alexia never descends to the depth of Bella's vanity to obsess about her aging. But the thing I like most of all is the fact that, unlike in the vast majority of urban fantasy and PNR, Alexia remains very much her own person, with her own separate interests, friends and responsibilities and does not immediately turn into a woman-sized appendage of her virile sexy werewolf of a husband, entirely subsumed into his world, beliefs and persona. I can respect that. And I still love certain characters enough (Madame Lefoux and Lord Akeldama please make your way onto the stage) to be content to simply watch them. I almost feel nostalgic already. Almost.
This last instalment takes place two years after the ending of the previous book with Lord and Lady Maccon still residing in Lord Akeldama's closet. The latter is the legal guardian to Prudence, the infant inconvenience who is now a toddler causing a lot of havoc and keeping Lord Akeldama, all his drones and the majority of the Woolsey werewolf clan on their toes. That is, until Alexia receives a summons from Matakara, Queen of the Alexandria hive and the oldest living vampire and the Maccons, along with the Tunstells and their troupe whom they take along as cover, set out for Egypt where, inevitably, they encounter adversity, mystery and adventure, leading to the series being very neatly wrapped up and tied up with a bow (a very oversize one with pink and turquoise stripes, to fit in with the general atmosphere).
Where with the previous book I was a teensy bit bored, with this one, I was a lot bored. In fact all of the first half of this book was just filler, with the author re-visiting some of the more memorable places and characters from the previous books - the hat shop now run by Biffy, the Woolsey Hive (with notable appearances from Countess Nadasdy and Mabel Dair), the fleeting return of Felicity Loontwill in a flurry of spite, the sudden reappearance of Lady Kingair (in the nude in certain placess, no less!) and a single appearance of Guatve Trouve (to deliver a replacement parasol) to name but a few.
The charm and humour of the earlier books has fizzled to a point where a lot of it read like bad panto tipping over into complete absurdity at several points (yes, I am talking about the hideous trouser ripping episode involving Tunstell and the overabundance of silly names). Most of the book could have been illustrated with images like these:
[image error]
Not a great visual backdrop.
After the leasurly self-indulgent intro, the actual story and the wrap up were far too rushed and felt desperate and emotionally manipulative. But the most disappointing thing of all, is that the main mysteries of the books - the Order of the Brass Octopus, the nature of the soulless/soulstealers (what/why/how are they?) etc - remain unanswered pretty much completely, unless you count the fact that Alexia's abilities are discovered to be cancelled out when she is submerged in water (I am not even going to mark it as a spoiler because, really, after five books, that is what we find out?!?).
Having said that, there were a few things that I liked which saved this from being a one star disaster. While I still feel that too many pages were dedicated to it, I did like the relationship between Biffy and Lyall. It was nice to have a homosexual relationship which was genuinely sweet and not reduced to riduculousness. I admire the fact that Alexia stays human and the elegant solution introduced by Carriger to deal with Connall's immortality and that Alexia never descends to the depth of Bella's vanity to obsess about her aging. But the thing I like most of all is the fact that, unlike in the vast majority of urban fantasy and PNR, Alexia remains very much her own person, with her own separate interests, friends and responsibilities and does not immediately turn into a woman-sized appendage of her virile sexy werewolf of a husband, entirely subsumed into his world, beliefs and persona. I can respect that. And I still love certain characters enough (Madame Lefoux and Lord Akeldama please make your way onto the stage) to be content to simply watch them. I almost feel nostalgic already. Almost.
May 24, 2016
Gonna keep this short because I feel like I've already said most of what I want to say about this series in the previous four reviews I've written for it. It's fluffy. It's fun. It's got benevolent supernatural creatures in it who faff around being supernatural and adorable. It's got puns. It's got dirigibles. It's got smoochies. And this one has pyramids and mummies in it. If you liked the first four books, you will probably like this one, too, although the ending was a bit of a shocker and I had to think on it a couple of days before deciding on a rating.
The focus here is the characters, so while there is arguably a "plot" (instigated by the disappearance/murder of the Kingair werewolf pack's beta on a trip to Egypt, and a request from the oldest living vampire queen to meet Alexia and Lord Maccon's two year old daughter, Prudence, who has the ability to temporarily steal the powers of supernatural creatures), you're really showing up to watch them do their thing, no matter the setting.
I was particularly satisfied with the endings for Alexia and Lord Maccon (which resolves an issue I'd been wondering about since book one) and for dear Biffy, who once wanted to be a vampire, but ended up being stuck as a werewolf instead. Biffy ended up being my favorite part of this series, which I did not see coming after book one (which still remains my favorite).
I'm gonna take a bit of a Carriger break, and then it's on to her YA series, and the two (so far) books that follow a grown up Prudence.
The focus here is the characters, so while there is arguably a "plot" (instigated by the disappearance/murder of the Kingair werewolf pack's beta on a trip to Egypt, and a request from the oldest living vampire queen to meet Alexia and Lord Maccon's two year old daughter, Prudence, who has the ability to temporarily steal the powers of supernatural creatures), you're really showing up to watch them do their thing, no matter the setting.
I was particularly satisfied with the endings for Alexia and Lord Maccon (which resolves an issue I'd been wondering about since book one) and for dear Biffy, who once wanted to be a vampire, but ended up being stuck as a werewolf instead. Biffy ended up being my favorite part of this series, which I did not see coming after book one (which still remains my favorite).
I'm gonna take a bit of a Carriger break, and then it's on to her YA series, and the two (so far) books that follow a grown up Prudence.
February 26, 2012
4.5
This is a really fun book, in a fun series, and I almost want to give it 5 stars, but I can't help but feeling just a small sense of dissatisfaction which is keeping me from jumping it with a full 5.
The book starts off very strong. It picks up about 2 years after the end of the last book, and Prudence as a child had me laughing out loud on the train more than once, and Ivy, who's a big part of this story, left me chuckling and shaking my head and just the first several chapters are hysterical.
It takes awhile to get to the real meat of the story and, honestly, I didn't mind all that much because everything else was such a pleasure.
But when we did get to the heart of the plot it felt, I don't know, a bit discombobulated, I suppose. It retained some, though not all, of the humor and wryness as things started turning more serious, but it was more that things were happening almost too quickly and I just couldn't shake this niggling feeling like I was missing something.
Part of it, perhaps, is the usual mystery sort of atmosphere where you only know so much as the main character, so you are actually missing pieces, but even after everything was 'resolved' I felt like some things were just too glossed over and not really explained to my satisfaction (for instance I could live with this if this wasn't the last book in the series*.
Conversely, there were some parts that were, perhaps, a bit too pat. (Such as )
And while I really enjoyed the scenes with Lyall and Biffy and their , I would've liked to have seen more of the 'Lyall to the rescue' that we saw in past books and, also, I'm not sure how I feel about Biffy
So, while, overall I enjoyed the series, once again the real joy lies in the characters and the humor and the interaction and not so much in the actual plot line.
Ah well. At least there was quite a lot of the good stuff to get me through. ;)
* While this is the last book of the series starring Alexia, there is a follow-up series with Prudence so I console myself that we haven't heard the last of some of those loose ends.
This is a really fun book, in a fun series, and I almost want to give it 5 stars, but I can't help but feeling just a small sense of dissatisfaction which is keeping me from jumping it with a full 5.
The book starts off very strong. It picks up about 2 years after the end of the last book, and Prudence as a child had me laughing out loud on the train more than once, and Ivy, who's a big part of this story, left me chuckling and shaking my head and just the first several chapters are hysterical.
It takes awhile to get to the real meat of the story and, honestly, I didn't mind all that much because everything else was such a pleasure.
But when we did get to the heart of the plot it felt, I don't know, a bit discombobulated, I suppose. It retained some, though not all, of the humor and wryness as things started turning more serious, but it was more that things were happening almost too quickly and I just couldn't shake this niggling feeling like I was missing something.
Part of it, perhaps, is the usual mystery sort of atmosphere where you only know so much as the main character, so you are actually missing pieces, but even after everything was 'resolved' I felt like some things were just too glossed over and not really explained to my satisfaction (for instance I could live with this if this wasn't the last book in the series*.
Conversely, there were some parts that were, perhaps, a bit too pat. (Such as )
And while I really enjoyed the scenes with Lyall and Biffy and their , I would've liked to have seen more of the 'Lyall to the rescue' that we saw in past books and, also, I'm not sure how I feel about Biffy
So, while, overall I enjoyed the series, once again the real joy lies in the characters and the humor and the interaction and not so much in the actual plot line.
Ah well. At least there was quite a lot of the good stuff to get me through. ;)
* While this is the last book of the series starring Alexia, there is a follow-up series with Prudence so I console myself that we haven't heard the last of some of those loose ends.
October 31, 2019
I had no idea I was reading the last book in the series until I got to the end of it. What a surprise! I thought Alexia and Connal had a lot more to give. Still I suppose Prudence will carry on in the Custard Protocol.
Timeless was a fun read. Floote turned out to have hidden depths and there was a big surprise for Biffy too. There were new romances, new vampires and an amazingly cute baby. Lots of entertainment altogether, as usual for this series.
I have enjoyed all of the Parasol Protectorate and look forward to reading more of this author's books.
Timeless was a fun read. Floote turned out to have hidden depths and there was a big surprise for Biffy too. There were new romances, new vampires and an amazingly cute baby. Lots of entertainment altogether, as usual for this series.
I have enjoyed all of the Parasol Protectorate and look forward to reading more of this author's books.
June 9, 2012
Alexandria, Egypt
I found this Victorian dress on Pinterest, pinned from “Old Rags” website.
Its practical nature would surely appeal to Alexia Tarabotti, Lady Maccon.
[image error]
★★★★½ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Ah! My little kumquats, I do so love this series. Sorry to see this fifth and final book in the Parasol Protectorate.
Emily Gray does an excellent job with all the various paranormal – and soulless – voices, but she does her best with Prudence, who is now a toddler, making her sound like the “puggle precious” Lord Akeladama dubs her; but, not to worry, she’s not too precocious! In fact, Ms. Gray is so good at delivering Ms. Carriger’s alternate historical version of Victorian England that I wish I’d know about her sooner. Now I’ll end up buying this series in audio as well. Yes, she’s that good.
If you have NOT tried steampunk before; if you like the Victorian era; if you get off on Etiquette & Espionage; and if you like paranormal worlds filled with werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and a preternatural or two, this is the series with which to start.
Maybe I did not laugh as much as I did in Heartless, and I certainly did NOT see... However, I still enjoyed every minute of it.
[image error]
Alexia is called to Egypt this time, and she’s having a hard time finding any tea!
Alas, Gentle Reader, it is impossible to review this book without spoilers! All I can say is that I am impressed and surprised at the all-encompassing arc of the series, with details planted early on and things neatly tied up, for the most part. Or, at least, we know that they’ll most likely reappear in the spin-off series The Parasol Protectorate Abroad which doesn’t come out until Fall, 2013!
Archaeologist and author Ms. Carriger’s avatar showing her hard at work on her laptop.
I found this Victorian dress on Pinterest, pinned from “Old Rags” website.
Its practical nature would surely appeal to Alexia Tarabotti, Lady Maccon.
[image error]
★★★★½ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Ah! My little kumquats, I do so love this series. Sorry to see this fifth and final book in the Parasol Protectorate.
Emily Gray does an excellent job with all the various paranormal – and soulless – voices, but she does her best with Prudence, who is now a toddler, making her sound like the “puggle precious” Lord Akeladama dubs her; but, not to worry, she’s not too precocious! In fact, Ms. Gray is so good at delivering Ms. Carriger’s alternate historical version of Victorian England that I wish I’d know about her sooner. Now I’ll end up buying this series in audio as well. Yes, she’s that good.
If you have NOT tried steampunk before; if you like the Victorian era; if you get off on Etiquette & Espionage; and if you like paranormal worlds filled with werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and a preternatural or two, this is the series with which to start.
Maybe I did not laugh as much as I did in Heartless, and I certainly did NOT see... However, I still enjoyed every minute of it.
[image error]
Alexia is called to Egypt this time, and she’s having a hard time finding any tea!
Alas, Gentle Reader, it is impossible to review this book without spoilers! All I can say is that I am impressed and surprised at the all-encompassing arc of the series, with details planted early on and things neatly tied up, for the most part. Or, at least, we know that they’ll most likely reappear in the spin-off series The Parasol Protectorate Abroad which doesn’t come out until Fall, 2013!
Archaeologist and author Ms. Carriger’s avatar showing her hard at work on her laptop.
June 4, 2024
This fifth, and final, volume of The Parasol Protectorate comes after a time skip of a couple years from Heartless. Little Prudence is two years old, and prone to touching supernaturals, taking their powers, and wreaking havoc. A good chunk of the main cast, including a number of players in Ivy and Tunstell's troupe, head off to Egypt, mainly in service of seeking out the source of the Godbreaker Plague.
Timeless is somewhat less hectically paced than the previous ones, and isn't the worse for it. As usual, action scenes are of very little interest to me, and the various small-scale, quieter scenes here were much more congenial. Akeldama is a fun second dad for Prudence. :) Is there a threesome in the offing?
In general, this series felt rather off-the-cuff and directionless in its plotting, including the changes in situation for that happened in this volume. But after reading a modest number of UF novels (somewhere in the 20s), I find I don't care about their plotting--although it ought to exist in some fashion--as much as I do the characters and their interactions, and the setting if it's unusual enough. The cast bouncing off each other in romantic, friendly and/or just plain silly banter was the highlight of the series. The setting and worldbuilding was decent, with clans of vampires and werewolves, various secret and bureaucratic organizations, and smidgens of steam tech, mad science, and body horror.
One minor bit of tarnish on the steampunk-y brass was Alexandria, Egypt, being described as dirty once or twice, this nonsense coming from characters from London--hardly known for its sparkling clean air, streets and waterways during Victoria's reign.
I haven't seen a lot of praise for Prudence's series, the sequel to this one, so I'll likely skip it. (Edit: Moira Quirk narrates it, though, so I may change my mind!) I enjoyed the first volume of Finishing School, Carriger's YA series, and will move on to that next, in paperback.
Timeless is somewhat less hectically paced than the previous ones, and isn't the worse for it. As usual, action scenes are of very little interest to me, and the various small-scale, quieter scenes here were much more congenial. Akeldama is a fun second dad for Prudence. :) Is there a threesome in the offing?
In general, this series felt rather off-the-cuff and directionless in its plotting, including the changes in situation for that happened in this volume. But after reading a modest number of UF novels (somewhere in the 20s), I find I don't care about their plotting--although it ought to exist in some fashion--as much as I do the characters and their interactions, and the setting if it's unusual enough. The cast bouncing off each other in romantic, friendly and/or just plain silly banter was the highlight of the series. The setting and worldbuilding was decent, with clans of vampires and werewolves, various secret and bureaucratic organizations, and smidgens of steam tech, mad science, and body horror.
One minor bit of tarnish on the steampunk-y brass was Alexandria, Egypt, being described as dirty once or twice, this nonsense coming from characters from London--hardly known for its sparkling clean air, streets and waterways during Victoria's reign.
I haven't seen a lot of praise for Prudence's series, the sequel to this one, so I'll likely skip it. (Edit: Moira Quirk narrates it, though, so I may change my mind!) I enjoyed the first volume of Finishing School, Carriger's YA series, and will move on to that next, in paperback.
November 27, 2016
Bravo Gail Carriger!!! For a perfect ending to a perfect series. I will now say goodbye to my favorite all-knowing, perfectly coiffed rove vampire(dama) and his merry band of drones, a certain studious beta, one dandy werewolf, a robust alpha whose cravat will always be messy, many fabulously gaudy hats, homicidal mechanical ladybugs, a most ingenious french inventor, the ever loyal but duplicitous butler, and most especially, her eminence, leader of said people; Mrs Alexia Tarabotti Maccon and her infallible parasol.
Shelved as 'would-like-to-review'
July 26, 2011I thought the cover for Heartless was bad.... Timeless is even worse T_T
February 10, 2017
Floote and Lyall are the standouts of this series. I loved them both so much. I highly enjoyed this book, particularly the jaunt to Egypt and meeting Matakara. And I really admire Gail for her ability to tie everything up so well in the end and give everyone a solid happy ending, which is something I find very difficult to do.
January 6, 2019
I don't think I could have asked for a better finale. Now I need to read The Custard Protocol series and finish up with the Finishing School novels.
May 19, 2017
Das letzte Abenteuer um Alexia Tarabotti hat mir nochmal richtig gut gefallen! Die meisten Fragen wurden beantwortet, Prudences Verhalten war genial und ich freue mich schon, ihre Abenteuer nachzulesen!
Die Entwicklungen Alphas und Betas betreffend waren für mich oft überraschend und Gail Carriger hat es nochmal geschafft, mich an einigen Stellen mit offenem Mund weiterzulesen. Auch konnte sie die Emotionen ziemlich gut darstellen und trotzdem dem Stil der Romane und der Charaktere treu zu bleiben.
Die Entwicklungen Alphas und Betas betreffend waren für mich oft überraschend und Gail Carriger hat es nochmal geschafft, mich an einigen Stellen mit offenem Mund weiterzulesen. Auch konnte sie die Emotionen ziemlich gut darstellen und trotzdem dem Stil der Romane und der Charaktere treu zu bleiben.
July 10, 2021
One of my favorite series ever reaches a conclusive resolution overall for the stories of the principal characters (except for Madame Lefoux), but the humor is weaker than in previous books and motivations aren't terribly clear, especially in the Egyptian part of the adventure that takes up more than half of the book. So my rating slips to four stars or a fraction lower, though parts of this book were up to the standards of the previous ones.
The biggest surprise was Biffy, who emerges as a second lead character after Alexia and develops a very sweet romance with Dr. Lyell while surprising himself with unexpected powers. That made the London scenes very satisfying.
Another delightful surprise was Alexia and Conall's daughter Prudence. Unlike her preternatural mother, whose touch simply turns vampires and werewolves (like Conall) into mortal humans for the time being, this little toddler is a metanatural--her touch swaps human and superhuman status until she touches the person again or till sunrise, whichever comes first. So Prudence touches a werewolf and suddenly turns into a werewolf cub leaping and hopping and very hard to catch, but when Alexia does manage to grab her, she turns instantly back into the human toddler and her victim is suddenly a werewolf again. Those scenes, especially in London, were the funniest in the book.
Madame Lefoux's habit of dressing like a man is well suited to the adventure in Egypt, where Alexia goes through each and every action scene (including climbing a rope ladder to a balloon high in the sky) wearing full Victorian clothing! The action scenes are well written for detail but, as I said before, it was often hard for me to understand why people were doing what they were doing. Once I stopped trying to puzzle out the plot, I enjoyed the ride all the way to a superb climactic confrontation in which Ivy Tunstell, Alexia's Parasol Protectorate teammate, plays a surprising role.
Ivy's troupe of players, whose performance of The Death Rains of Swansea moves English audiences deeply with its bumblebee dance, travels to Egypt to provide cover for Alexia's mission (Alexia and Conall travel with them as theater patrons) and, wonder of wonders, their play is also deeply moving for Egyptian audiences who don't understand English. That was perhaps the funniest part of the Egyptian adventure for me, although chasing villains in a balloon that just rides air currents came close (five days from Alexandria to Luxor with incredibly skilled navigation). So yes, there were high points (literally) in Egypt too.
The less said about the God-Breaker Plague the better. This was Alexia's main concern in Egypt, and her late father Alessandro Tarabotti (also preternatural) and the Queen of the Alexandria vampire hive did something or other in the murky past to create the problem, and now the Queen wants it solved, not by Alexia but by Prudence (see above). So somehow a preternatural created a problem that only a metanatural can solve, even if she's still a toddler? Fortunately, the ending is spelled out clearly; what's never explained is how on earth it got to that point.
In spite of all that, a very enjoyable read.
The biggest surprise was Biffy, who emerges as a second lead character after Alexia and develops a very sweet romance with Dr. Lyell while surprising himself with unexpected powers. That made the London scenes very satisfying.
Another delightful surprise was Alexia and Conall's daughter Prudence. Unlike her preternatural mother, whose touch simply turns vampires and werewolves (like Conall) into mortal humans for the time being, this little toddler is a metanatural--her touch swaps human and superhuman status until she touches the person again or till sunrise, whichever comes first. So Prudence touches a werewolf and suddenly turns into a werewolf cub leaping and hopping and very hard to catch, but when Alexia does manage to grab her, she turns instantly back into the human toddler and her victim is suddenly a werewolf again. Those scenes, especially in London, were the funniest in the book.
Madame Lefoux's habit of dressing like a man is well suited to the adventure in Egypt, where Alexia goes through each and every action scene (including climbing a rope ladder to a balloon high in the sky) wearing full Victorian clothing! The action scenes are well written for detail but, as I said before, it was often hard for me to understand why people were doing what they were doing. Once I stopped trying to puzzle out the plot, I enjoyed the ride all the way to a superb climactic confrontation in which Ivy Tunstell, Alexia's Parasol Protectorate teammate, plays a surprising role.
Ivy's troupe of players, whose performance of The Death Rains of Swansea moves English audiences deeply with its bumblebee dance, travels to Egypt to provide cover for Alexia's mission (Alexia and Conall travel with them as theater patrons) and, wonder of wonders, their play is also deeply moving for Egyptian audiences who don't understand English. That was perhaps the funniest part of the Egyptian adventure for me, although chasing villains in a balloon that just rides air currents came close (five days from Alexandria to Luxor with incredibly skilled navigation). So yes, there were high points (literally) in Egypt too.
The less said about the God-Breaker Plague the better. This was Alexia's main concern in Egypt, and her late father Alessandro Tarabotti (also preternatural) and the Queen of the Alexandria vampire hive did something or other in the murky past to create the problem, and now the Queen wants it solved, not by Alexia but by Prudence (see above). So somehow a preternatural created a problem that only a metanatural can solve, even if she's still a toddler? Fortunately, the ending is spelled out clearly; what's never explained is how on earth it got to that point.
In spite of all that, a very enjoyable read.
May 5, 2015
This is the 5th and final book in the Parasole Protectorate series and I have to say it was once again a whole lot of fun! I actually started reading this immediately after finishing up the 4th one because I loved the 4th one so much and just couldn't resist continuing, but I found that the 4th one was my favourite, and whilst this one is still wonderful, if wasn't quite as wonderful.
In this story we once more follow our main character of Alexia as she ends up embroiled in a mystery surrounding a dead werewolf, a plague and a skin-stealer. She's a preternatural which means that whenever she touches a supernatural creature she turns them back into their human form and if she touches a Ghost then she essentially performs an exorcism.
Alexia is a stellar character and one of the best female characters I have yet to read about. Not only is she charming, funny and intelligent, but she also has collected a very resourceful and fun group of loyal friends around her who are just as superb and fun.
In this world we have Vampires and Werewolves running rampant and integrated into various societies around the world. They are not themselves unusual, but Miss Alexia's talents are pretty rare and therefore she's always becoming mixed up in all sorts of adventures.
I think that the journeying to Egypt was certainly an interesting part of the story and I liked seeing what went on over there, but equally seeing Biffy and Professor Lyall in their tasks back in London was just superb and some truly touching and shocking moments occurred between and involving the two of them.
Lord Akeldama was a great character in the series too, alongside Lord Maccon and Madame Lefoux, but ultimately Ivy Hisslepenny and Biffy, Lyall, Alexia and Prudence were all the stand out characters in my eyes. I think each of them shone and they had a great and vital role to play in the story, and some of the scenes between them all were just fabulous.
I felt like the ending of the series was a little bit too convenient, but equally I did enjoy the way things wrapped up, so although this one was a lower 5* rating than book 4 the series as a whole is utterly fabulous and I would 100% recommend it :)
In this story we once more follow our main character of Alexia as she ends up embroiled in a mystery surrounding a dead werewolf, a plague and a skin-stealer. She's a preternatural which means that whenever she touches a supernatural creature she turns them back into their human form and if she touches a Ghost then she essentially performs an exorcism.
Alexia is a stellar character and one of the best female characters I have yet to read about. Not only is she charming, funny and intelligent, but she also has collected a very resourceful and fun group of loyal friends around her who are just as superb and fun.
In this world we have Vampires and Werewolves running rampant and integrated into various societies around the world. They are not themselves unusual, but Miss Alexia's talents are pretty rare and therefore she's always becoming mixed up in all sorts of adventures.
I think that the journeying to Egypt was certainly an interesting part of the story and I liked seeing what went on over there, but equally seeing Biffy and Professor Lyall in their tasks back in London was just superb and some truly touching and shocking moments occurred between and involving the two of them.
Lord Akeldama was a great character in the series too, alongside Lord Maccon and Madame Lefoux, but ultimately Ivy Hisslepenny and Biffy, Lyall, Alexia and Prudence were all the stand out characters in my eyes. I think each of them shone and they had a great and vital role to play in the story, and some of the scenes between them all were just fabulous.
I felt like the ending of the series was a little bit too convenient, but equally I did enjoy the way things wrapped up, so although this one was a lower 5* rating than book 4 the series as a whole is utterly fabulous and I would 100% recommend it :)
August 1, 2020
Rating: 3.5 stars
Timeless is the final book in Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. The absurd silliness continues along with all of Carriger's trademark wit. The worst play ever featuring a bumblebee? Check. Chaotic toddler bath day? Check. A trip to Egypt to solve a mystery? Check. Meeting the oldest vampire in existence? Check. A plot? Um...maybe, sort of?
Two years have passed. Prudence has grown into a precocious toddler, the delight of all her parents and an utter terror to the dandies tasked with keeping an eye on her. Biffy finally comes into his own and I enjoyed his story line immensely. Biffy's induction into the Parasol Protectorate was every bit as entertaining as Ivy's in the previous book. Ivy has finally grown on me and I'm interested to see if her new status will have an impact in a future series set in this world. Poor Floote, that wasn't what I expected. Madam Lefoux again was a disappointment as she was along for the ride without much to do. Lord and Lady Maccon have their hands full managing toddlers, vampires, werewolves, an acting troupe and each other. They also end up in a nice place with their future together secured.
If someone were to ask me how to describe this book, and the whole series for that matter, I think it can be summed up nicely with the following quote: "Dandelion fluff upon a spoon." Unlike previous installments, which did seem to have some sort of plot to them, Timeless reads more like a series of character moments. This was a nice way to show where all our favorite characters end up, and loose ends are dealt with, yet lacks that extra something to give the experience a little more depth.
I admit I'm having a hard time rating this one. It's outright hilarious and has a weak plot at best. If I was rating on humor alone it would easily be a 5 stars. Still, it's a fun ending to a fun series. I think I'm going with 3.5 stars and reserve my right to change my mind later.
Timeless is the final book in Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. The absurd silliness continues along with all of Carriger's trademark wit. The worst play ever featuring a bumblebee? Check. Chaotic toddler bath day? Check. A trip to Egypt to solve a mystery? Check. Meeting the oldest vampire in existence? Check. A plot? Um...maybe, sort of?
Two years have passed. Prudence has grown into a precocious toddler, the delight of all her parents and an utter terror to the dandies tasked with keeping an eye on her. Biffy finally comes into his own and I enjoyed his story line immensely. Biffy's induction into the Parasol Protectorate was every bit as entertaining as Ivy's in the previous book. Ivy has finally grown on me and I'm interested to see if her new status will have an impact in a future series set in this world. Poor Floote, that wasn't what I expected. Madam Lefoux again was a disappointment as she was along for the ride without much to do. Lord and Lady Maccon have their hands full managing toddlers, vampires, werewolves, an acting troupe and each other. They also end up in a nice place with their future together secured.
If someone were to ask me how to describe this book, and the whole series for that matter, I think it can be summed up nicely with the following quote: "Dandelion fluff upon a spoon." Unlike previous installments, which did seem to have some sort of plot to them, Timeless reads more like a series of character moments. This was a nice way to show where all our favorite characters end up, and loose ends are dealt with, yet lacks that extra something to give the experience a little more depth.
I admit I'm having a hard time rating this one. It's outright hilarious and has a weak plot at best. If I was rating on humor alone it would easily be a 5 stars. Still, it's a fun ending to a fun series. I think I'm going with 3.5 stars and reserve my right to change my mind later.
June 23, 2017
I'm really glad I read this series - the manners mixed with all the paranormal stuff are quite amusing, and I've enjoyed it. This was a good ending too!
July 17, 2016
5 million stars!
Oh this whole series was so good. Yes there were times when you were thinking when are you going to get to the mystery part. I don't care if Alexia is obsessed with tea. But that also is what makes the book so good.
Let's see, I need to write a review without spoilers, but also reflect on the book. Whenever you are unsure where to start, from the beginning is always best.
Alexia Tarabotti is a preternatural. This means she lacks soul. Where as Vampires, Werewolves and Ghosts has excess soul. The excess of soul allows the metamorphosis process to take place.
Alexia is in her mid-twenties and by all standards a spinster. She is comfortable with this arrangement. Who needs stuffy men telling her what to do. She is comfortable among her family even though her sisters are awful and her mother is an embarrassment. At least she has a place to live and good food and tea at her disposal.
Conall Maccon is the Alpha Werewolf of the Woosley pack based right outside of London. He is the leading interest in Alexia's eyes. Of course at the beginning of the book she is uncertain. I absolutely loved their spats back and forth such a lovely couple. It shows a real relationship. People fight! So to see them get their feelings hurt and love each other anyway. Is what it's all about.
We then have the side characters. Professor Lyall, Maccon's Beta Alpha who is wholly involved in B.U.R. affairs and anything to do with pack relations. He keeps his Alpha dressed correctly and his love life in working order.
There is also the extravagantly dressed and hilarious Lord Alkedama, Rove Vampire extraordinaire. Along with his many beautifully dressed drones. Drones are humans vying to be in the company of a vampire in hopes of one day becoming an immortal. (Only Queens have the power to change humans into vampires in this world).
Biffy, one of Alkedama's drones is a big side character in this series that I absolutely loved. Dressed to kill, with the the ability of persuasion and a gift for gossip, he has learned from the best. He not only brings great fashion sense to the series, but loyalty and uses his powers of observation.
Lastly I want to talk about Ivy Hisselpenny which is Alexia's best friend. Lover of obscenely ridiculous hats and is the best side kick Alexia could ever ask for.
Of course there are many others like Floote, Alexia's butler and oldest confidant. He practically raised her. And Madame Lefoux the French inventor who was ahead of her times and dressed like a man. These two characters really helped the story move along as well and were detrimental to Alexia's growth in character.
If you are wanting a fun, fast paced, witty Adult urban fantasy set in London during the Victorian Era with steampunk elements then this is definitely the book series for you. Just amazing. I can not wait to read all of Gail Carriger's works.
Oh this whole series was so good. Yes there were times when you were thinking when are you going to get to the mystery part. I don't care if Alexia is obsessed with tea. But that also is what makes the book so good.
Let's see, I need to write a review without spoilers, but also reflect on the book. Whenever you are unsure where to start, from the beginning is always best.
Alexia Tarabotti is a preternatural. This means she lacks soul. Where as Vampires, Werewolves and Ghosts has excess soul. The excess of soul allows the metamorphosis process to take place.
Alexia is in her mid-twenties and by all standards a spinster. She is comfortable with this arrangement. Who needs stuffy men telling her what to do. She is comfortable among her family even though her sisters are awful and her mother is an embarrassment. At least she has a place to live and good food and tea at her disposal.
Conall Maccon is the Alpha Werewolf of the Woosley pack based right outside of London. He is the leading interest in Alexia's eyes. Of course at the beginning of the book she is uncertain. I absolutely loved their spats back and forth such a lovely couple. It shows a real relationship. People fight! So to see them get their feelings hurt and love each other anyway. Is what it's all about.
We then have the side characters. Professor Lyall, Maccon's Beta Alpha who is wholly involved in B.U.R. affairs and anything to do with pack relations. He keeps his Alpha dressed correctly and his love life in working order.
There is also the extravagantly dressed and hilarious Lord Alkedama, Rove Vampire extraordinaire. Along with his many beautifully dressed drones. Drones are humans vying to be in the company of a vampire in hopes of one day becoming an immortal. (Only Queens have the power to change humans into vampires in this world).
Biffy, one of Alkedama's drones is a big side character in this series that I absolutely loved. Dressed to kill, with the the ability of persuasion and a gift for gossip, he has learned from the best. He not only brings great fashion sense to the series, but loyalty and uses his powers of observation.
Lastly I want to talk about Ivy Hisselpenny which is Alexia's best friend. Lover of obscenely ridiculous hats and is the best side kick Alexia could ever ask for.
Of course there are many others like Floote, Alexia's butler and oldest confidant. He practically raised her. And Madame Lefoux the French inventor who was ahead of her times and dressed like a man. These two characters really helped the story move along as well and were detrimental to Alexia's growth in character.
If you are wanting a fun, fast paced, witty Adult urban fantasy set in London during the Victorian Era with steampunk elements then this is definitely the book series for you. Just amazing. I can not wait to read all of Gail Carriger's works.
February 13, 2013
"Dandelion fluff upon a spoon" - a term used to describe a floating dirigible owned by a rather dandy of a Victorian vampire in this 5th/latest book of the steampunk "Parasol Protectorate" series. And it pretty well applies to the book series as a whole. These books are some of the most entertaining fluff I've ever read/listened to... and I just LOVE them. I bought the first audio book because it was on sale for $5, and I struck gold. Love Love Love these books... and now I have to wait until Fall 2013 for the next fluffy spin-off series to come around...?!? Boo. The books are a bit like... if Downton Abbey had vampires and werewolves... and steam powered, mechanical contraptions that would have made both Q and Inspector Gadget proud... only set in Victorian London for the most part... with a great deal of emphasis on proper tea and treacle tarts. It totally cracks me up. Much more witty and fresh than you'd think in this era of vampire/werewolf overload... and, it you listen to the audio series, the reader is FANTASTIC... I Love her voice and characterization!
April 23, 2018
I had the hardest time getting into this one. It may have just been that I wasn't quite in the mood and I had the stress of it being a library loan so reading it started to feel like work.
I'm also not a big fan of "travel" stories and this one has the crew going all the way to Egypt. So I went into it with some trepidation.
However, as travel stories go, this one went pretty well. It had its ups and downs, but at about the halfway mark, it really hooked me. There are some gasp-worthy events and there's a lovely, bittersweet side romance, and a very amusing toddler. And, speaking of amusing, I did laugh out loud at some of the theatrical troupe's antics.
This was the end of a five book series and I'm glad I finally tried it out. The next series seems to be about the next generation and I'll probably get around to that at some point as well.
This is an entertaining series. Definitely worth giving it a try.
I'm also not a big fan of "travel" stories and this one has the crew going all the way to Egypt. So I went into it with some trepidation.
However, as travel stories go, this one went pretty well. It had its ups and downs, but at about the halfway mark, it really hooked me. There are some gasp-worthy events and there's a lovely, bittersweet side romance, and a very amusing toddler. And, speaking of amusing, I did laugh out loud at some of the theatrical troupe's antics.
This was the end of a five book series and I'm glad I finally tried it out. The next series seems to be about the next generation and I'll probably get around to that at some point as well.
This is an entertaining series. Definitely worth giving it a try.
December 31, 2019
Trigger warnings: death, gun violence, kidnapping, mentions of rape and physical assault (in the past), serious danger to a loved one, blood, gore.
31/12/2019
Man, I really left rereading this series to the last minute when it's been on my reread list since 1 January, didn't I... Anyway, this is a lot of fun throughout. I love that we get Biffy's perspective back in London to counter Alexia's perspective in Egypt. I love how precocious Prudence is, even as a toddler. And I thoroughly enjoy how things tie up at the end. Honestly? The first book in the series is hands down the best, but the rest are pretty stinking great too.
24/7/2016
This was utterly delightful, even on reread. I loved the history in the story, the intriguing looks at Egypt and its history with the paranormal (we're told briefly that Ancient Egypt was controlled by werewolves, and Rome by vampires). It's especially fun after reading Prudence and seeing how the next generation turn out.
Biffy's story is particularly delightful, and I have high hopes for a novella focusing on him sometimes in the future. Please and thank you??
7/3/2012
I've thoroughly enjoyed the entire Parasol Protectorate series, though I still think the first book is my favourite. In this, the final installment which is set two years after the events of "Heartless", Lady Alexia Maccon travels to Egypt with her husband and child on the request of the Queen of the Alexandria hive.
With Prudence around, high jinks ensue. But in the process, Alexia discovers a number of things about herself, her daughter and her father. While the story didn't quite go the way I expected it to, it was still thoroughly enjoyable, filled with wonderful characters and witty dialogue.
For the first time, the narrative is fairly split between Alexia (in Egypt) and Biffy (in London). I enjoyed this much more than if, say, the London side of the plot had been advanced solely through Alexia receiving messages from Biffy at regular intervals throughout the book. But at the same time, it was a little strange to suddenly have half a chapter without any input from the main character.
I had a moment of "OH MY GOD, SHE DID NOT JUST DO THAT!!" with forty pages to go, which had me on the verge of a little tearful moment. But, as one expects from the last book in a series, all was tied up neatly, leaving the reader with a sense of finality. (Although at the same time, it seems like there's definite potential for a Prudence spin off series!!)
31/12/2019
Man, I really left rereading this series to the last minute when it's been on my reread list since 1 January, didn't I... Anyway, this is a lot of fun throughout. I love that we get Biffy's perspective back in London to counter Alexia's perspective in Egypt. I love how precocious Prudence is, even as a toddler. And I thoroughly enjoy how things tie up at the end. Honestly? The first book in the series is hands down the best, but the rest are pretty stinking great too.
24/7/2016
This was utterly delightful, even on reread. I loved the history in the story, the intriguing looks at Egypt and its history with the paranormal (we're told briefly that Ancient Egypt was controlled by werewolves, and Rome by vampires). It's especially fun after reading Prudence and seeing how the next generation turn out.
Biffy's story is particularly delightful, and I have high hopes for a novella focusing on him sometimes in the future. Please and thank you??
7/3/2012
I've thoroughly enjoyed the entire Parasol Protectorate series, though I still think the first book is my favourite. In this, the final installment which is set two years after the events of "Heartless", Lady Alexia Maccon travels to Egypt with her husband and child on the request of the Queen of the Alexandria hive.
With Prudence around, high jinks ensue. But in the process, Alexia discovers a number of things about herself, her daughter and her father. While the story didn't quite go the way I expected it to, it was still thoroughly enjoyable, filled with wonderful characters and witty dialogue.
For the first time, the narrative is fairly split between Alexia (in Egypt) and Biffy (in London). I enjoyed this much more than if, say, the London side of the plot had been advanced solely through Alexia receiving messages from Biffy at regular intervals throughout the book. But at the same time, it was a little strange to suddenly have half a chapter without any input from the main character.
I had a moment of "OH MY GOD, SHE DID NOT JUST DO THAT!!" with forty pages to go, which had me on the verge of a little tearful moment. But, as one expects from the last book in a series, all was tied up neatly, leaving the reader with a sense of finality. (Although at the same time, it seems like there's definite potential for a Prudence spin off series!!)
January 21, 2013
I'm listening to this one now. Love it! This is my favorite audio book series - the reader is fantastic and this is a fun series that hasn't gotten old.
Finished the other day and I really loved how it ended. I enjoyed this series from start to finish and that's so rare - I can only think of a handful of series I've stuck with through the end. This last book was a little thin on plot and conflicts, but it entertained and I adore the characters and the reader, Emily Gray is the perfect voice for this series.
Finished the other day and I really loved how it ended. I enjoyed this series from start to finish and that's so rare - I can only think of a handful of series I've stuck with through the end. This last book was a little thin on plot and conflicts, but it entertained and I adore the characters and the reader, Emily Gray is the perfect voice for this series.
April 15, 2019
Reread Oct 2017.... what a great book. I'm sad it ended again but with the novellas coming out I can live book wise thru those. Esp the new lyall/biffy novella Nov 5th....glad I'm up to date again on their romance
Reread 2019....bittersweet the end. I know conal and Alexia show up in the custard books but not as main characters :(
Reread 2019....bittersweet the end. I know conal and Alexia show up in the custard books but not as main characters :(
June 7, 2018
Best of the lot, extremely readable, but still lacking something
August 28, 2017
*sighs*The last book in the Parasol Protectorate. Boy, I will be missing this series a whole lot, the characters, the world (though thankfully Gail Carriger is still writing books in this world). I hope that we will still see Lord and Lady Maccon in other books, or Biffy and Lyall.
This book has a time skip of two years. Prudence is now a precocious little toddler, and just when everyone thinks it is time for some peace and quiet, Sidheag pops up, there is werewolf trouble. And if it can't get even more complicated Alexia gets an invite from the vampire queen in Egypt to visit her, and of course bring Prudence. One can't just say no to a vampire queen, so they have to pack up.
And so the book is split up in two parts. Alexia, her hubbie and kid, and her friend Ivy and her hubbie and kids and their theatre troupe are going to Egypt (they need some sort of excuse why they are leaving London, and what better way than to have the theatre troupe go on a tour in Egypt). While Lyall and Biffy stay at home and figure out things from their home + make sure Sidheag isn't doing anything that may bring trouble. I loved both of these POVs. Biffy and Lyall's because I have been shipping them for a while and I just wanted to see them get together. And Alexia's POV because well first of all Alexia, but second Egypt! My favourite country in the world, I still hope to one day visit it.
Of course like the other books there is some silly drama, and I disliked the way it was solved. The drama involves something that Alexia kept from her hubbie, namely what happened so many years ago to his old pack. I am still doubting if it was a good idea to hold it from him, but then again... I can also so see why she never told him. My lord, Lord Maccon is such a drama queen at times. Instead of just talking it over he gets super-angry and then just leaves. Whut?
We also find out more about Alexia's dad (a real mess that guy was), about the Plague and why it is spreading (it was quite interesting to read when they found out what was causing it/how it was spreading). Plus we see a new queen and learn a whole lot about her (poor thing, I can imagine she may want to see Alexia and her kid). Of course there are also enough other exiting things happening. This whole book will keep you on your toes, well, sometimes also throwing you off your toes when you laugh at some of the things that happen (like that show by Ivy, her hubbie, and their theatre troupe). :P
I am also happy to read that Ivy has twins now. Congrats! With of course names typical for Ivy and her hubbie. :P
The ending was fabulous, I was really happy with how everything turned out, it was a bit of a drastic solution, but I think it worked wonders. Even if it means a lot of adapting for all parties involved.
Plus with certain things said, I was just awwing and cheering. That was so sweet of Conall. I was already thinking he may just do that, considering how much he loves Alexia.
Yep, I really enjoyed reading these books. Great characters, wonderful story. Definitely would recommend the series to everyone.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
This book has a time skip of two years. Prudence is now a precocious little toddler, and just when everyone thinks it is time for some peace and quiet, Sidheag pops up, there is werewolf trouble. And if it can't get even more complicated Alexia gets an invite from the vampire queen in Egypt to visit her, and of course bring Prudence. One can't just say no to a vampire queen, so they have to pack up.
And so the book is split up in two parts. Alexia, her hubbie and kid, and her friend Ivy and her hubbie and kids and their theatre troupe are going to Egypt (they need some sort of excuse why they are leaving London, and what better way than to have the theatre troupe go on a tour in Egypt). While Lyall and Biffy stay at home and figure out things from their home + make sure Sidheag isn't doing anything that may bring trouble. I loved both of these POVs. Biffy and Lyall's because I have been shipping them for a while and I just wanted to see them get together. And Alexia's POV because well first of all Alexia, but second Egypt! My favourite country in the world, I still hope to one day visit it.
Of course like the other books there is some silly drama, and I disliked the way it was solved. The drama involves something that Alexia kept from her hubbie, namely what happened so many years ago to his old pack. I am still doubting if it was a good idea to hold it from him, but then again... I can also so see why she never told him. My lord, Lord Maccon is such a drama queen at times. Instead of just talking it over he gets super-angry and then just leaves. Whut?
We also find out more about Alexia's dad (a real mess that guy was), about the Plague and why it is spreading (it was quite interesting to read when they found out what was causing it/how it was spreading). Plus we see a new queen and learn a whole lot about her (poor thing, I can imagine she may want to see Alexia and her kid). Of course there are also enough other exiting things happening. This whole book will keep you on your toes, well, sometimes also throwing you off your toes when you laugh at some of the things that happen (like that show by Ivy, her hubbie, and their theatre troupe). :P
I am also happy to read that Ivy has twins now. Congrats! With of course names typical for Ivy and her hubbie. :P
The ending was fabulous, I was really happy with how everything turned out, it was a bit of a drastic solution, but I think it worked wonders. Even if it means a lot of adapting for all parties involved.
Plus with certain things said, I was just awwing and cheering. That was so sweet of Conall. I was already thinking he may just do that, considering how much he loves Alexia.
Yep, I really enjoyed reading these books. Great characters, wonderful story. Definitely would recommend the series to everyone.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
October 31, 2021
Well, thank goodness this series is over. Someone should probably have put it out of its misery before this, though.
Timeless is essentially plotless, and what little excitement there is pales in comparison to previous books….. what little there was in those, anyway. The main problem with the Parasol Protectorate series, I think, is that there just was not enough plot for the five books and the series went on for longer than the author is convincingly able to sustain the storyline. Everything I used to like somewhat about this series is totally gone now, and even the humor isn’t what it used to be.
Where with the previous book I was bored until half way through it, with this one I was a lot bored, throughout. The ending didn’t even suffice. In fact all of the first half of this book was just filler, with the author re-visiting some of the places and characters from the previous books - the hat shop, Countess Nadasdy and Mabel Dair, that god awful Felicity Loontwill, Lady Kingair and Duve, and a single appearance of Guatve Trouve to name but a few. (I sure wish someone had punched Felicity in the nose a couple times. But alas, no one did).
It was wonderful seeing the relationship between Lyall and Biffy change. The budding romance between these two was my favorite part of this book. I loved seeing a different side of Lyall besides militant organization and absolute control over his own emotions. So now the reserved professor is surprisingly passionate under the surface, much to my (and Biffy’s) delight. But the way the author kept having anyone and everyone call Biffy ‘the young dandy’ was repetitive, and nauseating.
Biffy's induction into the Parasol Protectorate was every bit as silly as Ivy's in the previous book. Ivy has finally started seeming slightly less insipid, and I'm interested to see if her new status will have an impact in a future series set in this world. Poor Floote, that wasn't what I expected. Madam Lefoux again was a disappointment as she was along for the ride without much to do.
Many questions were left unanswered and I’m still unclear on quite a few things. The humor (what little I could find, before) is completely gone, here. I used to find Lord Akeldama and his many fashion experiments kind of interesting, but he too became tiresome after a while. Much like the series itself, he just lost my interest. Even the nicknames he found for Alexa even seemed tired and bored.
So. After the leasurly self-indulgent intro, the actual story and the wrap up were far too rushed and felt desperate and emotionally manipulative, to me. But the most disappointing thing of all, is that the main mysteries of the books: the Order of the Brass Octopus, the nature of the soulless/soulstealers etc., all these things remain unanswered pretty much completely, unless you count the fact that Alexia's abilities are discovered to be cancelled out when she is submerged in water (I am not even going to mark it as a spoiler because, really, after five books, that is what we find out??).
If asked how to describe this book, or even the series, I think it can be summed up nicely with the following: "Dandelion fluff upon a spoon." Unlike previous installments, which did seem to have some sort of plot to them, Timeless reads more like a series of character moments. This was a nice way to show where all our favorite characters end up, I suppose, yet it lacks that extra something to give the experience more depth
I'm afraid to say, for me the ending was just meh. This is one of those times when saying goodbye isn’t hard. I’m sure Gail Carriger has a lot more to offer, but in a different series and with a new set of characters. Maybe….. if I’m bored enough.
I mean, I’d love to know what happens next. But it seems rather like Carriger just kind of…gave up. I’m afraid to start the second tier series of this same world, which unfortunately is called something like The Custard Protocol. (Ugh). Because what if it’s just like this series….? One shudders to think it. This novel took me too long to get through, because I had to keep forcing myself to finish it. I seriously don’t know if I can do this for another 4 novels.
Emily Gray is the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel. Her locution and diction were utter perfection in cut glass consonants and vowels, and her voice characterizations were uniformly pleasing, and consistent. …..Except for the voice of Prudence, which was actually one of the worst ‘voices’ I’ve ever heard. Gray made Prudence sound rather like a 10 month old infant, rather than a 2 year old. Especially the way Gray made Prudence say, “mama”, or “No!” like an infant just starting to speak for the first time. Has she never heard a 2 year old speak before…? And believe me, “No!” is all little Prudence seems to say. (Which is spot on for a 2 year old, btw. Lord do they love saying no). But for god’s sake, stop making her sound like an infant…! I grew to hate whenever the author made Prudence speak. How sad….
2.5 stars, and not really recommended to anyone, except maybe Dandelion Fluff eaters.
Timeless is essentially plotless, and what little excitement there is pales in comparison to previous books….. what little there was in those, anyway. The main problem with the Parasol Protectorate series, I think, is that there just was not enough plot for the five books and the series went on for longer than the author is convincingly able to sustain the storyline. Everything I used to like somewhat about this series is totally gone now, and even the humor isn’t what it used to be.
Where with the previous book I was bored until half way through it, with this one I was a lot bored, throughout. The ending didn’t even suffice. In fact all of the first half of this book was just filler, with the author re-visiting some of the places and characters from the previous books - the hat shop, Countess Nadasdy and Mabel Dair, that god awful Felicity Loontwill, Lady Kingair and Duve, and a single appearance of Guatve Trouve to name but a few. (I sure wish someone had punched Felicity in the nose a couple times. But alas, no one did).
It was wonderful seeing the relationship between Lyall and Biffy change. The budding romance between these two was my favorite part of this book. I loved seeing a different side of Lyall besides militant organization and absolute control over his own emotions. So now the reserved professor is surprisingly passionate under the surface, much to my (and Biffy’s) delight. But the way the author kept having anyone and everyone call Biffy ‘the young dandy’ was repetitive, and nauseating.
Biffy's induction into the Parasol Protectorate was every bit as silly as Ivy's in the previous book. Ivy has finally started seeming slightly less insipid, and I'm interested to see if her new status will have an impact in a future series set in this world. Poor Floote, that wasn't what I expected. Madam Lefoux again was a disappointment as she was along for the ride without much to do.
Many questions were left unanswered and I’m still unclear on quite a few things. The humor (what little I could find, before) is completely gone, here. I used to find Lord Akeldama and his many fashion experiments kind of interesting, but he too became tiresome after a while. Much like the series itself, he just lost my interest. Even the nicknames he found for Alexa even seemed tired and bored.
So. After the leasurly self-indulgent intro, the actual story and the wrap up were far too rushed and felt desperate and emotionally manipulative, to me. But the most disappointing thing of all, is that the main mysteries of the books: the Order of the Brass Octopus, the nature of the soulless/soulstealers etc., all these things remain unanswered pretty much completely, unless you count the fact that Alexia's abilities are discovered to be cancelled out when she is submerged in water (I am not even going to mark it as a spoiler because, really, after five books, that is what we find out??).
If asked how to describe this book, or even the series, I think it can be summed up nicely with the following: "Dandelion fluff upon a spoon." Unlike previous installments, which did seem to have some sort of plot to them, Timeless reads more like a series of character moments. This was a nice way to show where all our favorite characters end up, I suppose, yet it lacks that extra something to give the experience more depth
I'm afraid to say, for me the ending was just meh. This is one of those times when saying goodbye isn’t hard. I’m sure Gail Carriger has a lot more to offer, but in a different series and with a new set of characters. Maybe….. if I’m bored enough.
I mean, I’d love to know what happens next. But it seems rather like Carriger just kind of…gave up. I’m afraid to start the second tier series of this same world, which unfortunately is called something like The Custard Protocol. (Ugh). Because what if it’s just like this series….? One shudders to think it. This novel took me too long to get through, because I had to keep forcing myself to finish it. I seriously don’t know if I can do this for another 4 novels.
Emily Gray is the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel. Her locution and diction were utter perfection in cut glass consonants and vowels, and her voice characterizations were uniformly pleasing, and consistent. …..Except for the voice of Prudence, which was actually one of the worst ‘voices’ I’ve ever heard. Gray made Prudence sound rather like a 10 month old infant, rather than a 2 year old. Especially the way Gray made Prudence say, “mama”, or “No!” like an infant just starting to speak for the first time. Has she never heard a 2 year old speak before…? And believe me, “No!” is all little Prudence seems to say. (Which is spot on for a 2 year old, btw. Lord do they love saying no). But for god’s sake, stop making her sound like an infant…! I grew to hate whenever the author made Prudence speak. How sad….
2.5 stars, and not really recommended to anyone, except maybe Dandelion Fluff eaters.
March 12, 2012
Timeless by Gail Carriger
In this final installment of the Parasol Protectorate Series, Gail Carriger serves her readers the perfect cup of tea. Brewed just the correct amount of minutes, served at exactly the right temperature, splashed with the perfect amount of cream, and displayed in the most exquisite china tea set. (And possibly accompanied by a delicious and flaky bon-bon).
I have been enamored with this series for a variety of reasons. It is a charming mixture of humor, steampunk creativity, paranormal politics, historical formality, and delicious characters. Alexia Tarabotti, soul-sucker extraordinaire, is channeling Amelia Peabody in the most fabulous way. They are both perky, no-nonsense heroines, partnered with giant gruff spouses (Conall-Emerson) and producing naughty cherubic infants (Prudence-Ramses). Where Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody Series goes off in a more serious and historical way, Carriger's books are utter silliness. I adore both, for different reasons, but I especially respect the way Carriger has woven together the humor, romance, and steampunk aspects so flawlessly.
This book charmed the Carhartt pants right off me. Yes, my little buttercups, it's true.
My predictions about the budding romance between Lyall and Biffy were spot-on. (Did anyone really doubt Penelope? I think not). Prudence, the new preternatural baby, is the predictable offspring of a soulless Alexia and alpha werewolf Conall...smart, sensitive, mischievous, and filled with surprising talents. (And of course dressed to perfection thanks to Lord Akeldama). This book is even set in Egypt, further encouraging the Amelia Peabody comparison, but Carriger uses this setting as a back-drop for her over-the-top steampunk vision, whereas Peters uses it to explore her love of Egyptology.
I did think the ending was a bit too abrupt (and of course I'm disappointed that there will not be more books in this series....I would love to see more Prudence!), but otherwise this book was absolute perfection. It even had copious references to beards! ........
*****
The earl could freely play with and, much to Lady Maccon's delight, take care of his daughter any time of the day or night without repercussions. He also grew a very large and scruffy beard, with which she was far less delighted.
"A man's virility is in his beard," he insisted.
To which Alexia replied, "And a woman's is in her décolletage. Yet you don't see me allowing mine to get out of control, do you?"
"If wishes were balloons," was his only response.
****
Hee hee heeeeee......Alexia's only fault.
The perfect ending to a perfectly wonderful series.
Grade: A
Poised for pleasantries,
Penelope
In this final installment of the Parasol Protectorate Series, Gail Carriger serves her readers the perfect cup of tea. Brewed just the correct amount of minutes, served at exactly the right temperature, splashed with the perfect amount of cream, and displayed in the most exquisite china tea set. (And possibly accompanied by a delicious and flaky bon-bon).
I have been enamored with this series for a variety of reasons. It is a charming mixture of humor, steampunk creativity, paranormal politics, historical formality, and delicious characters. Alexia Tarabotti, soul-sucker extraordinaire, is channeling Amelia Peabody in the most fabulous way. They are both perky, no-nonsense heroines, partnered with giant gruff spouses (Conall-Emerson) and producing naughty cherubic infants (Prudence-Ramses). Where Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody Series goes off in a more serious and historical way, Carriger's books are utter silliness. I adore both, for different reasons, but I especially respect the way Carriger has woven together the humor, romance, and steampunk aspects so flawlessly.
This book charmed the Carhartt pants right off me. Yes, my little buttercups, it's true.
My predictions about the budding romance between Lyall and Biffy were spot-on. (Did anyone really doubt Penelope? I think not). Prudence, the new preternatural baby, is the predictable offspring of a soulless Alexia and alpha werewolf Conall...smart, sensitive, mischievous, and filled with surprising talents. (And of course dressed to perfection thanks to Lord Akeldama). This book is even set in Egypt, further encouraging the Amelia Peabody comparison, but Carriger uses this setting as a back-drop for her over-the-top steampunk vision, whereas Peters uses it to explore her love of Egyptology.
I did think the ending was a bit too abrupt (and of course I'm disappointed that there will not be more books in this series....I would love to see more Prudence!), but otherwise this book was absolute perfection. It even had copious references to beards! ........
*****
The earl could freely play with and, much to Lady Maccon's delight, take care of his daughter any time of the day or night without repercussions. He also grew a very large and scruffy beard, with which she was far less delighted.
"A man's virility is in his beard," he insisted.
To which Alexia replied, "And a woman's is in her décolletage. Yet you don't see me allowing mine to get out of control, do you?"
"If wishes were balloons," was his only response.
****
Hee hee heeeeee......Alexia's only fault.
The perfect ending to a perfectly wonderful series.
Grade: A
Poised for pleasantries,
Penelope
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