Clockwork Tangerine

By: Rhys Ford

Narrated by: Greg Tremblay

The British Empire reigns supreme, and its young Queen Victoria has expanded her realm to St. Francisco, a bustling city of English lords and Chinese ghettos. St. Francisco is a jewel in the Empire's crown and as deeply embroiled in the conflict between the Arcane and Science as its sister city, London - a very dark and dangerous battle.

Marcus Stenhill, Viscount of Westwood, stumbles upon that darkness when he encounters a pack of young bloods beating a man senseless. Westwood's duty and honor demand he save the man, but he's taken aback to discover the man is Robin Harris, a handsome young inventor indirectly responsible for the death of Marcus's father.

Living in the shadows following a failed coup, Robin devotes his life to easing others' pain, even though his creations are considered mechanical abominations of magicks and science. Branded a deviant and a murderer, Robin expects the viscount to run as far as he can - and is amazed when Marcus reaches for him instead.

©2014 Rhys Ford (P)2016 Dreamspinner Press

Wonderfully Engaging

I’m not usually a fan of steampunk but I chose this audiobook to review because Rhys Ford is such a talented author that I knew she would do well with the subject.

Plus, Greg Tremblay. I’d listen to him narrate the dictionary.

Beverly reviewed the ebook a while back and you can check it out HERE.

I absolutely LOVED this story. I was so swept up in the sweet tale of Marcus and Robin. Ford did such a great job with these guy’s personalities. Marcus is one of the upper crust but he’s not spoiled. Robin has been through a lot but he didn’t give up helping others and has the biggest heart, despite his pain.

There are a couple things that I’d like to echo from Beverly’s review.

This is a beautifully written steam punk novella and one of the few I’ve read where the dystopian vision did not overpower the story line. Steam punk and Dystopian Fantasy and Sci-Fi, are usually amazingly constructed and visualised but often very depressing. This story however, is not and there is an HEA and a bright ending.

There was great world-building here but thankfully it didn’t overshadow the amazing characters and their love story.

Like Beverly, I also loved the 19th century era of language. It added authenticity to the setting.

I have to give a shout-out to Marcus’s grandmother. She was absolutely heavenly and hilarious. A true unforgettable character.

Narration Review:

What can I say about Greg Tremblay that hasn’t already been said by me or other reviewers? He is consistently one of the absolute best narrators in the business. Here, he nailed the accents and language of all the characters. Thanks to his sultry voice I was totally hooked on this book from beginning to end.

only one regret

I love this story. It's so sweet and I love the world it's set in. My only regret is that it's so short. I would love to see more of this world and especially of Marcus and Robin.
Oh... and Greg.... I can't get enough of his voice!

Great Narration, Good Story

Would you try another book from Rhys Ford and/or Greg Tremblay?

I always get Ms. Ford's books, ditto for Greg Tremblay - I will forever give them a chance to entice me with their talents.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I would love for Mary Calmes' book "Piece of Cake" to come out on audio with Paul Morey doing the narration.

What about Greg Tremblay’s performance did you like?

Mr. Tremblay is always good. I remember when he did "Control" - Mary Calmes and Cardeno C (sp?) - the voices were great and he REALLY gets into his characters. He is no shrinking violet when it comes to putting his heart and soul into the characters.

Do you think Clockwork Tangerine needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Clockwork Tangerine really wasn't up my alley, I got bored.

Steampunk that even I can love!

Westwood (Aka Marcus Stenhill) finds a man being beaten nearly to death in an alley one night and saves him. Little does he know he’s rescued the notorious “toy maker”, a scientist punished for blending science and magic, a man whose creation, in fact, killed Westwood’s own father.

Robin (aka the “toy maker”) is constantly fighting against a society that doesn’t understand him or his work. He’s punished for being a “sodomite” and for his work, but he won’t stop because people are helped by his inventions.

After saving Robin and learning more about him, Westwood can’t help but fall in love…but how in the world would that work in this society and will Robin return the feelings?

**

So I’m not a fan of Steam Punk but I’m a huge fan of Rhys and Greg so I had to take this opportunity to check out this audiobook, even though I was a bit worried.

I shouldn’t have worried.

Rhys fills this short story full of magic, poetry, humor and love. Poor Robin is so misunderstood, a man ahead of his time, and it’s obvious that once someone learns what his true heart is, they can’t help but love him. Westwood wastes no time holding a grudge and we move quickly from the point of the story where he might hate Robin to a point where he really understands him instead.

Though this is a very short story we get a lot of world building, a fair bit of crazy contraptions and magic, some humor, a few heart string pulling feels, a bit of passion and, all in all, a delightful little romance.

I loved the grandmother and felt the believability of these two having a relationship in this time period was really well explained.

Greg, as always, does a wonderful job with the narration – giving us an unobtrusive British accent – more a hint than full blown- and he absolutely added to my overall enjoyment of this story.

For fans of the genre I think you’ll love this, for people out there like me – maybe a bit scared to try it – don’t be. It was really sweet and wonderful and worth the exploration.

For both the story and the narration 4.5 of 5 stars

Steam Punk, Dystopian-esque

What did you love best about Clockwork Tangerine?

Marcus. I loved the way he was written and the way he was voiced. So regal and determined, yet loving and tender.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Clockwork Tangerine?

When Marcus told his Grandmother he was gay. That women stole the show let me tell you. "Oh... the Horror!"

What does Greg Tremblay bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He brings each and every character to life.

If you could rename Clockwork Tangerine, what would you call it?

Why try to fix something that isn't broken? What's wrong with Clockwork Tangerine??

Any additional comments?

What happens when you not only rescue, but fall in love with the man that inadvertently caused your father's death? Well, Marcus Stenhill is about to find out. Marcus is running an errand for his grandmother one afternoon when he stumbles upon a group of men literally trying to beat another man to death. Upon learning that the man he rescued is Robin Harris, Marcus is confused more than anything else. Robin is so young, far younger than Marcus thought him to be. Over the course of the several weeks it takes Robing to heal from his injuries, Marcus stands vigil by his side and learns there is so much more to Robin than he'd thought.

Robin Harris was only fourteen years old when he was used as well as his designs, that were meant to help people, for a darker purpose. He has paid for that decision a hundred times over. When he finds himself in the company of Viscount of Westwood, Marcus, Robin finds himself attracted to the man that should hate him, but he doesn't. The attraction is mutual, but a friendship is secured first. The only problem from there is convincing Marcus's family, some of which are still quite bitter over their father's death, that Robin was a pawn and he truly is a kind man with a brilliant mind.

If you follow my reviews then you already know how much I enjoy it when Greg Tremblay takes Rhys Ford's novels and brings them to life. This book is no exception. I was intrigued by the world and era that Ford created, a mixture of Steam Punk and Dystopian edge. Tremblay took care to guarantee that every character had their own voice and persona, sometimes the voice itself gave me a feel for the character that tied in with the way they were written. The story was short, just a few hours in length, but there was a lot of content and character development in those few hours. I think Marcus's grandmother stole the show though. She cracked me up with her need to break ugly porcelain animals and maneuvering the hovercraft thingie while giggling and clapping like a happy child.

I think anyone that enjoys the Steam Punk and Dystopian style of stories will enjoy this one for sure, but there is a lot more to the story than just that distinction. Highly recommended by me!

WONDERFUL STEAMPUNK . TOO SHORT THOUGH!!

Most enjoyable story on Marcus and Robin. Also during Victorian times which I like. As always Rhys Ford and Greg Tremblay make a winning combination. Well written and excellently performed. The only complaint is that it is too short. I hope that there will be more books on this series. Please make it fast, Ms. Ford. Thank you.