Synopsis:
Book One of the Children's Steampunk Series, "The Jupiter Chronicles"
It is the year 1892 and Ian and Callie Castillo have had to suffer the hardships of a single parent family since their father went missing five years ago. Since then Ian has refused to use the last gift that his father left the wounded boy; a telescope that sits collecting dust in the attic.
When Callie decides to peer through its murky lens it activates the device and sends the Castillos to the steam-powered floating cities of Jupiter to rescue their father and save the Jovians before the Martians launch their attack.
What follows is the beginning of an era that will forever be known by its strange name…Steampunk!
Combining Children’s Science Fiction with Fantasy, this action-packed Chapter Book series takes you on an adventure into the world of Steampunk chronicles the birth of a new era!
Join the adventure now!
Review:
The Jupiter Chronicles: The Secret of the Great Red Spot by Leonardo RamirezMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for an honest review.
This is the first book in a new steampunk series for children. I loved it!
Ian and Callie Castillo are fun characters. Ian is twelve and Callie is 9. Ian is an extremely serious young man. It's not been easy growing up without his father. I absolutely LOVE Callie! She is more relaxed and has a funny sense of humour.
This is a fun steampunk novel for children. The story is an amazing adventure that see's Ian and Callie travelling to Jupiter and getting into all sorts of trouble after their father had disappeared five years before. The author's imagination in mixing reality and fantasy has created an exciting adventure that had me turning the pages! Steampunk is a relatively new genre for me, and I was amazed at how the author brought the concept into the story without detracting from the storyline. However, my analytic mind was a little skeptical as to how the weapons and other instruments worked with steam, considering the lack of water containment. But, since I am a little older than the target market, I suppose that mixing the two concepts - old and modern - gave this story an otherworldly feel. I loved Callie's little journal entries, which had me giggling - I could just imagine her saying these things and, although I don't have a brother, only two sisters, they would have been something I would have said as a youngster about an older sibling.
There are some really scary bad guys that sent a shiver up my back! I certainly wouldn't want to meet these characters in the flesh! Emperor Phobos is a megalomaniac of the first order and is not very nice.
There is also some light entertainment that will appeal to youngsters in the form of a Doomslayer (a kind of robotic soldier) called Francisus Flatulus Ferdinand. As you can guess from his name, he has a slight bodily dis-function. The story is also peppered with some facts about Jupiter and her moons that will educate the readers and hopefully, engage them in learning about the solar system. The end of the story finishes on a slight twist, and I am now looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Leonardo Ramirez has written a fantastic steampunk novel that was fast paced and exciting enough to keep even the most fidgety youngster enthralled. This is an author I will be keeping an eye on in the future.
I highly recommend this book to younger readers aged 5 to 7 as a bedtime story, 7 to 10 year old's as a read along (or read alone depending on reading ability), and 10 to 12 year old's. I also recommend this book to adults who love younger YA or steampunk genres. - Lynn Worton
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