Phoenix Rising

A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel

By: Pip Ballantine, Tee Morris

Narrated by: James Langton

Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Evil is most assuredly afoot - and Britain’s fate rests in the hands of an alluring renegade... and a librarian.

These are dark days indeed in Victoria’s England. Londoners are vanishing, then reappearing, washing up as corpses on the banks of the Thames, drained of blood and bone. Yet the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences - the Crown’s clandestine organization whose bailiwick is the strange and unsettling - will not allow its agents to investigate. Fearless and exceedingly lovely Eliza D. Braun, however, with her bulletproof corset and a disturbing fondness for dynamite, refuses to let the matter rest... and she’s prepared to drag her timorous new partner, Wellington Books, along with her into the perilous fray.

For a malevolent brotherhood is operating in the deepening London shadows, intent upon the enslavement of all Britons. And Books and Braun - he with his encyclopedic brain and she with her remarkable devices - must get to the twisted roots of a most nefarious plot... or see England fall to the Phoenix!

©2011 Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris (P)2011 HarperCollins Publishers

A wild romp

Pip and Tee work wonderfully together to create an exciting and entertaining dash through Steam Punk Victorian England. The characters of Eliza Braun and Wellington Books are brought colorfully to life and their polar opposite personalities are the source of conflict and humor in unpredictable and satisfying ways.

I hope there is more to come from both pairs, Pip and Tee, and Eliza and Wellington.

Fantastic characters, brilliant steampunk and a pl

Any additional comments?

Phoenix Rising oozed with steampunk goodness. From Eliza’s weapons to the archives we encountered gadgets from the simple to complex. The authors did an excellent job of describing them, and I often felt like I was right in the room with the characters and impressive machinery. Ballantine and Morris delivered an engaging plot with an ebb and flow that provided intense action scenes and moments that allowed us to glean information and understand their characters. The overall story ARC is a small thread woven into the overall tale that has me curious and eager for more. While there is no romance, we do feel a connection developing between our main characters, one that has me itching for more. The case wrapped up nicely, and I look forward to The Janus Affair the next book in the series.

James Langton was absolutely amazing as the narrator. He brought both Eliza and Wellington to life. Through him, they came to life from the gestures to pitch as he conveyed the feelings. He seamlessly delivered punch lines and the snark that made this tale so entertaining for me.
Phoenix Rising was such a brilliant listen. I laughed, felt for the characters and became swept up in the chase. I am so glad I chose to listen to the audio version and plan to continue.

Steampunk with Outrageous Escapades

So glad I wasn't swayed by a few poor reviews written by people who apparently don't understand Steampunk. The enjoyable nature of Steampunk is that it is made up of satire, outrageous escapades and wondrous steam operated machines such as in Captain Nemo adventures. This book was enjoyable and entertaining. I found the main characters lovable and campy beyond description. Everything I love about Victorian Steampunk.I have been following Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris via Podcasting for years and I hope to see this series become a roaring success.

A Pleasant Diversion

This novel was a fun mystery in the steampunk genre. It was a touch too "romance-y" at times, but it kept my interest. The protagonists are likable, if a little predictably argumentative. The plot requires a high degree of suspension of belief, not simply for its fantastic elements, but also from some improbable plot contrivances. Despite the flaws, PR can be fun listening for a somewhat indulgent reader.

A look into British society with a twist of action

Would you listen to Phoenix Rising again? Why?

A good story line alittle slow at first but well written no once was enough but I do look forward to one more to see where everyone ends up

Who was your favorite character and why?

I like both the main characters equally

What about James Langton’s performance did you like?

He was a pro and did a great job he nailed the moods of each character

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The end at the grave yard for the fallen agent

Any additional comments?

A serious look into Queen Vics times, we don't realize just how far we have come toward
equality of all peoples

I loved this audiobook

If you could sum up Phoenix Rising in three words, what would they be?

Good writing, Good Characters, Good Performance.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters are well developed throughout the series. Yes, you need to get the rest of the series.

Which scene was your favorite?

Really? I am not going to be a spoiler. Suffice it to say the climax is thrilling.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Nothing that would make me pull of the road but I only do that for comedies.

Any additional comments?

I have listened to the second one book in the series and just starting the 3rd and my comments about character development still stand

Leaves me wanting more, more, more!

I stumbled onto both authors and to say I am delighted is a heinous understatement!
I love their attention to detail ... the descriptions which allow me to envision the characters and their environments. Both Pip and Tee create worlds I can fully escape to ... so having both authors collaborating lends itself to true delight.
I am new to the "Steampunk" theme ... but, I am hooked! If you've not tried it and are somewhat leery of the genre, I highly recommend this title as your first foray into "Steamy Adventure!"
In the famous words of Billy Idol, "she cried, 'More! More! More!'"

lots of good clean fun

Good steam punk story and good clean fun. I liked the characters right away.
Narration was very well done.

Great adventure, fantastic narration and steampunk

What did you love best about Phoenix Rising?

This was the first steampunk genre I have listened to or read, it has made me a fan leading me to download the second in this series before I had even finished the first. The characters are entertaining and well developed and the narration was perfect for the personalities of agents Books and Braun. My favorite part was the steampunk inventions, it was a great intro for a first timer into the steampunk genre,

Who was your favorite character and why?

Agents Books and Braun are together my favorite characters, their chemistry and odd couple bickering make the pair fun to listen to and drew me into the story even more.

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

Langton made the personality of the characters shine and helped make agent books that much more charming.

Half meh. Half titillating meh.

Slow to start and then about halfway into the book it almost turns into an adult romance novel from the view of a creepy dude's idea of a "woman's proper place"