“Clementine” by Cherie Priest (Tor/Subterranean)

A Steampunk Novella, Clockwork Century #2

Maria Isabella Boyd’s success as a Confederate spy has made her too famous for further espionage work, and now her employment options are slim. Exiled, widowed, and on the brink of poverty…she reluctantly goes to work for the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in Chicago.

Adding insult to injury, her first big assignment is commissioned by the Union Army. In short, a federally sponsored transport dirigible is being violently pursued across the Rockies and Uncle Sam isn’t pleased. The Clementine is carrying a top secret load of military essentials — essentials which must be delivered to Louisville, Kentucky, without delay.

Intelligence suggests that the unrelenting pursuer is a runaway slave who’s been wanted by authorities on both sides of the Mason-Dixon for fifteen years. In that time, Captain Croggon Beauregard Hainey has felonied his way back and forth across the continent, leaving a trail of broken banks, stolen war machines, and illegally distributed weaponry from sea to shining sea.

And now it’s Maria’s job to go get him.

He’s dangerous quarry and she’s a dangerous woman, but when forces conspire against them both, they take a chance and form an alliance. She joins his crew, and he uses her connections. She follows his orders. He takes her advice.

And somebody, somewhere, is going to rue the day he crossed either one of them.

This is the second installment in Priest’s highly popular Clockwork Century steampunk series. Originally a limited edition novella published by Subterranean Press, Clementine has since been made available as an eBook first in the US and now in the UK. I have to admit that I while I enjoyed much of Boneshaker, the first in the series, I was never wholly won over by it. I nevertheless decided to give the rest of the series a try – especially since Tor UK picked up the rights to publish it in Blighty. Clementine does a good job of expanding Priest’s version of a steampunk Civil War-era United States. While still flawed, it is nevertheless an enjoyable book, one that kindled my interest in reading the rest of the series.

DMZ: “Free States Rising” & “The Five Nations of New York” Vols. 11 & 12 (Vertigo)

Finally, the end of the series. Ever since I picked up the first book in Brian Wood’s DMZ, I’ve been hooked, eagerly trying to get hold of the next book, and the next. Wood and Burchielli bring the series to a superb, satisfying and emotional close, doing the long series justice. I was sad to have the series end, but I think the team chose to end it at the right point. Some parts of the story could, maybe, have been expanded on or fleshed out, but I think the fact that the story has ended properly, without spin-offs and extra issues, allows it to maintain a considerable impact. It’s a serious, thought-provoking piece of work. DMZ is a must-read for anyone with an interest in politics, media and modern warfare.

“Captain America: Civil War” (Marvel)

Writer: Ed Brubaker | Artist: Mike Perkins | Colours: Frank D’Armata

Captain America has fallen into a clash with his government and his friends, and the people close to him are paying the price. The life of Cap’s girlfriend, Agent 13, is torn apart as her superiors use her divided loyalties against her. Elsewhere, a new villain emerges; the Red Skull begins to make himself known; and the Winter Soldier again comes face-to-face with Cap. But which side will he choose?

Collects: Captain America (2004) #22-24 & Winter Soldier: Winter Kills

I read the first two volumes of Brubaker’s Captain America – Winter Soldier and Red Menace – quite a while back. However, despite really enjoying them, I decided I wanted to read the Civil War collection before diving into this third installment to the series. The main event book was a little disappointing, but this volume as a part of the Captain America series was far more satisfying.

Marvel’s “Civil War”

One of Marvel’s most popular cross-title Events

Writer: Mark Millar | Artist: Steve McNiven | Inks: Dexter Vines w. Mark Morales, Steve McNiven, John Dell & Tim Townsend | Colours: Morry Hollowell

Whose side are you on? A conflict is brewing that threatens to pit friend against friend, brother against brother and all it will take is a single misstep to cost thousands their lives and ignite the fuse! As the war claims its first victims, no one is safe as teams, friendships and families begin to fall apart and the Marvel Universe super heroes go to war against each other.

Collecting the seven issues in the Civil War mini-series, which had tie-in issues across the Marvel comics line, this is a real show-stopper of a story. It’s not perfect, by any means, but it is an engaging and fast-paced read. It’s also much better than The Ultimates (also written by Millar). Gorgeous artwork, and warring super heroes make for a very good book – more so, when you consider that it is really very reasonably priced in the UK. Well worth reading.