Books From the Backlog #158

Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, please feel free to enter your link and link back to this post, then spend some time visiting some of the other posts at Carole's Random Life in Books blog.

This week's neglected book:

Tales From the Gunpowder Chronicles by Jeannie Lin

Asian Steampunk

8.6.20

Blurb:

Overview

Asian steampunk at its finest with three new tales of adventure from bestselling author Jeannie Lin

East meets West in a clash of gunpowder technology versus steam in an epic and richly-detailed series.

Big Trouble in Old Shanghai

The signs are there. Gangs roaming the streets, the very earth shaking beneath their feet. Ming-fen could tell something was coming to Old Shanghai, but she didn't know exactly what until the city erupted in fiery rebellion — with her brother caught on the wrong side. With the streets in turmoil, Ming-fen must rely on her fighting skills and a blue-eyed foreign devil to survive the day, and perhaps keep an already broken city from all-out civil war.

The Island of the Opium-Eaters

Sagara Satomi hasn't set foot on land since she was exiled from Nippon and cast adrift upon a ship owned by a notorious Chinese rebel. Rogue alchemist, Yang Hanzhu has spent years chasing dark rumors, plotting a course toward an unmarked island with a mysterious past. Will they uncover the island's secrets? Or be buried there along with them?

Love in the Time of Engines

A prequel to Gunpowder Alchemy.

Amidst rumors the West has developed powerful steam engines, the Ministry of Science seeks to recruit new talent. Golden boy Jin Zhi-fu meets mathematics prodigy Shi Anlei while attending the Academy, but doesn't realize his new friend is a woman disguised as a man. It's the only way she'd be allowed to take the imperial examination.

When Anlei's hidden identity is discovered, Zhi-fu and Anlei are forced into a test more difficult than the exam — one that challenges the limits of duty, friendship, and love.

WHY DID I PICK THIS ONE?

I love Jeannie Lin's historicals and this steampunk series so she is an autobuy author. Well, last year, I auto-bought and then didn't read this set of three novellas from her Gunpowder Chronicles series. I found out the third book is coming out and I want to be caught up for it so now I'm motivated to give this one a go.