The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher

In my experience, kids and adults alike either love or hate steampunk as a literary genre.  That of course refers to those who know what steampunk even is.

So a little lesson here.  Steampunk is rooted in science fiction/fantasy.  Stories feature inventions and technology as envisioned by those in the 1800s might have.  The primary means of power is steam and dress resembles that of the Victorian era when pictured graphically.  My husband, son, and I dressed as a steampunk family for an "old-time photo".  It's old meets newly imagined.  Giant flying airships powered by steam.

Why is it a love or hate thing?  I'm not entirely sure.  I am not a huge fan, but I'll read it.  My first steampunk experience was a free Nook Book a few years ago, Viridis by Calista Taylor, which was a hybrid romance-steampunk novel.  Butcher comes from the fantasy genre (based on reviews I read prior, he's not an author I know well).  Many reviewers suggest they came to this novel by way of his prior series.  Let's also get out of the way, for my student readers in particular, this is a long book.  About 650 pages.  It's not a one-day read.  As it is a first serial, there is a lot of setup and background information that needs to be conveyed to get you to read book 2 when it arrives.  I myself was not engrossed enough to get myself on the waiting list for book 2, but if a student suggests it, as they did with this one, I certainly will read it.

Yes, that's correct.  This is a student suggested read.  I take these suggestions most seriously of any.  Students trump family, friends, colleagues, book reviews, movie previews, prior experience, basically anything else.  If one of my kids is reading it, and says I should, that's going to be my next read!   

You also know I love animals.  Some of the best characters are not human.  There's a literal cat fight.  It was awesome.

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