The Iron Assassin

Greenwood’s triumphant adventure is full of both brutality and psychological nuance. In a beautifully imagined alternate Victorian London, Jack Straker, Lord Tempest, presents a new weapon for the protection of the queen. This horrifying combination of man and machine, the Iron Assassin, soon escapes Jack’s control. The Ancient Order of the Tentacles moves swiftly to claim the weapon in its ongoing shadow war against the government. Rose Gordhammond, Lady Harminster, is recruited as a Dread Agent of the Tower to work alongside Jack in protecting the royal family. With a body count that skyrockets in the first pages, tensions start high and rise through the dramatic battles in, around, above, and below the city. The villainous characters are splendidly realized, reveling in their evil intentions while clinging childishly to petty ideals. The conclusion is shocking and satisfying, and readers will be eager to return to this exciting world full of intricate plots and ever-shifting loyalties. (June)