Quinn Langston ‘A Clockwork Army’ Review

Written by: Vitina Molgaard 

“The immortality of the soul is a matter which is of so great consequence to us and which touches us so  profoundly that we must have lost all feelings to be indifferent about it.”

—Blaise Pascal

I would like to thank Quinn Langston for bringing this tale of steam punk fiction to life in a manner that actually clarifies the term steam punk fiction. Prior to her story I had seen this term used in regards to other books and wondered what it was. This adventure brought some clarity to me.

This Novella is the first in what proves to hold great promise for her new series, Vampire Extraordinaire, and I’ll tell you, I found myself plowing through this quickly, enjoying the twists in the plot. A different take on the tale of the world of vampirism is told throughout the tale, which really does deliver something special.

Power, the great motivation of many, added to the lust for immortality is the driving force of Colonel Julian Hawthorne. He’s a maniacal creature of the dark life who has plenty of time and a great deal of wealth at his disposal, as he sets out to rule the world. The wealth is advantageous to achieving his mad plan and the fact that he is a vampire certainly provides him with the needed amount of time to accomplish such an ambitious feat.

Julian’s largest hindrance is his very own brother, Lord Sebastian Hawthorne. Sebastian, the younger of the two, is out to prevent his brother from succeeding in his devious attempt at world dominance. And the truth is, he outright despises his older brother for the monstrosity that he is. He is a strong and clever protagonist, out to fight the cruel inhumanity of Julian.

My thoughts on this story are actually surprising, for me. I tend to stay away from this sub-genre but in this case I found myself pleased and enjoying it. You as the readers will not find an Anne Rice story here, yet you will get enough of the blood, violence and sexual activity that often accompanies vampire tales, and subsequently works as magnetic fodder for bloodsucker freaks. If the bloody gore needs to be overwhelming for you to enjoy this, this may not satisfy you. If you enjoy quality, well-written stories that steer clear of exploitative angles, check it out. Quinn Langston has a feel for her characters that she shares with a fluidity that leaves the reader fully prepared to devour more.

Pre-order it here.

Rating: 4/5