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CHAPTER 1
If not for the gruesome bloodshed required of the military, Longinus fancied he would have made an excellent soldier. Or rather, an excellent officer—he was better suited to leadership than to performing the groundwork of a regular foot soldier.
He checked himself in the mirror. He’d selected an outfit of military feel, and it suited his bearing very well. Of course, the military jacket was a little on the hot side, the fabric thicker than what was advisable for Damsian summer, but Longinus hadn’t been able to help himself.
He’d discovered so many delightful new fabrics back in Bel Stadd, the capital of the Airnian Empire, and he found it hard to go back to limiting himself to light fabrics—as wonderful and versatile as silk was.
He tugged on the jacket collar, loosening it a little. The jacket looked good enough that the discomfort was worth it. He grabbed the riding crop he’d prepared as a matching accessory and headed to the spare room. Tess was waiting for him, as per his instructions.
Having drawn in and expelled a lungful of air in a fashion that the discerning observer would have recognised as “military breathing,” Longinus headed to the guest room.
It was simply furnished but pleasant, with a focus on clean lines and understated, elegant wooden furniture. In short, he’d done a marvellous job with it.
“Now, Tess, I need you to attend me.” Longinus clasped his hands behind him, pacing slowly about the room, much like he imagined a general might when briefing his troops. “This mission will be dangerous. It will be fraught with difficulties and peril. You must be prepared to expect the unexpected at all times.” He smacked the riding crop smartly into his gloved hand and winced. The gesture might have looked good and dramatic in his head, but in reality, the stiff leather stung his palm. Best to stick to a lighter version of military speech-making.
“This will be our battleground.” He traced a wide circle with his riding crop to encompass the room, enjoying the feel of the stiff leather in his hand. “You will remove anything fragile. We must turn this room into an unassailable fortress!” He punctuated the last word by pointing his riding crop to the sky.
Truly, the riding crop is a most excellent accessory. There must be a way to incorporate it into the rest of my wardrobe. A shame I don’t like to ride horses.
Tess grabbed a nearby porcelain bowl and jug. “I think that’s it, right?”
“My dear girl, you are failing to grasp the seriousness of the situation. Look at this little side table—beautiful lacquered makore wood. Why, it could be smashed to splinters! It must be removed. Put it in my bedroom for now. And the bedding, here.” He touched the fabric with his fingers, even though he was wearing gloves. “It is of delicate linen and will need to be replaced with coarse cotton—probably best for now to get something second-hand. Everything will need to be burnt once we’re done. I have workmen arriving imminently to install bars on the windows and on the door. You can also have them remove that nice sideboard there, in case something chips the varnish.” Longinus tucked the riding crop under his arm.
Tess looked confused and a little worried. “What’s going to happen in this room?”
“You will find out soon enough. On second thought, have the workmen remove all wooden furniture from the room. No wood left behind. I will not have such a noble material damaged—unless it’s pine. Pine I don’t care for,” he sniffed. “A wrought iron bed will be delivered this afternoon. Then you will stock up the pantry so that we can withstand a siege.”
“A siege?” Tess looked worried.
“A siege! I leave the choice of food to you. However, no alcohol may enter the house from this point forward. You will also purchase a padlock and key—my laboratory will need to be kept locked at all times. The barred door I’m having installed in this room will come with its own lock.”
Tess licked her lips. “Sir? What are we preparing for?” She looked around the room.
“Stop scaring her,” Rory said, entering.
She wore her old fighting leathers with more cuts and lashes on them than a whipped back. Her mass of ropelike hair was loose, dwarfing her small frame. Little polished copper rings winked out from her hair, giving her a slightly piratical air.
“Ain’t nothing to be afraid of,” she told Tess. “We’re just bringing Adelma here, that’s all. She’s gonna stay with us for a little while. Problem is she ain’t likely to wanna come, so we’re going to have to force her, which might mean a bit of a scrap. And then once she’s here, we’re gonna have to force her to stay—and she might, um, break some things and try to escape.”
Tess paled visibly.
“Now who’s scaring her?” Longinus asked smugly. “You’d have been better off telling her that we’ll be wrestling a wild bear into the room. And she’s quite right to be worried, too—the gravity of the situation cannot be underestimated.”
“We’re going to force Adelma to stay here?” Tess whispered.
Rory nodded grimly. “We’d take any other option if there was one, but it’s the only way for now.” She frowned and looked back at Longinus. “Although them bars at the windows might be a bit much, no?”
“Actually, the bars were my idea,” Cruikshank said, walking in. Her footsteps made an odd, uneven metallic sound. She’d designed a leg brace for herself, which helped remove the limp she’d acquired following the injury to her toe in Azyr. She’d stopped wearing it in Bel Stadd, but now that they were home, she wore it everywhere, and it helped her quite a bit. These days, it looked as much a part of her as the complicated cog tattoo that sleeved her right arm.
And for once, Cruikshank looked clean—no soot marred her face, and only a faint, residual grime rimmed her nails. She hadn’t been at her workshop for the last few days, in preparation for this moment.
“I let myself in downstairs.” Cruikshank gestured with the key Longinus had had cut for her. “I had to deal with the same thing with my father, Rory. If we leave the windows unprotected, it will be too easy for Adelma to smash one and climb out. Same for the door. It’s hard enough keeping your average raging alcoholic from drinking. With Adelma, it’s going to be near impossible…”
“I guess I better get to work,” Tess said, hurrying off as the workmen knocked on the door downstairs.
Rory looked worried. “I really hope this works.”
“Me too,” Cruikshank replied. “Because otherwise I’m all out of ideas as to how we can help her.”
Real customer stories
4.84 ★ (864)
Verified
Customers praised this steampunk fantasy novel as "an entertaining and engaging read" with "fast action" and humor. The 8th installment ties up loose ends while advancing character development. Reviewers appreciated the intrigue, world-building, and balance of tension with levity. One noted the fast-paced story felt packed, suggesting it could be longer.
- 5 stars: 23 (88%)
- 4 stars: 3 (12%)
- 3 stars: 0 (0%)
- 2 stars: 0 (0%)
- 1 star: 0 (0%)
M
Mickey An entertaining and engaging read. My favourite so far.
If you've been following this series, then this lastest installment is treat. It ties up a lot of loose ends from The-Shadow-Palace, and has happy resolutions for my all favourite characters. Intrigue, action, and humour make this a very enjoyable and entertaining read.
We're back in Damsport, where internal strife threatens to tear apart the city, while our heros struggle to deal with personal conflicts, and doing what's right. We see how the citizens of the city come together to deal with new threats. And the best thing ever if you like romance: Longinus has a new love interest and she likes him too.
If you're new to the series, check-out the-bloodless-assassin. It does help to read the stories in order. The first 3 books are also available in a box set for a great deal (The Viper and the Urchin). Or if you want an intro first before diving in, go over to Celine's webpage for a free short story: The Pick Pocket. It's also a very enjoyable read and provides a great insight into Rory's character.
Cheers!
M
Mickey If you've been following this series, then this lastest installment is treat. It ties up a lot of loose ends from The-Shadow-Palace, and has happy resolutions for my all favourite characters. Intrigue, action, and humour make this a very enjoyable and entertaining read.
We're back in Damsport, where internal strife threatens to tear apart the city, while our heros struggle to deal with personal conflicts, and doing what's right. We see how the citizens of the city come together to deal with new threats. And the best thing ever if you like romance: Longinus has a new love interest and she likes him too.
If you're new to the series, check-out the-bloodless-assassin. It does help to read the stories in order. The first 3 books are also available in a box set for a great deal (The Viper and the Urchin). Or if you want an intro first before diving in, go over to Celine's webpage for a free short story: The Pick Pocket. It's also a very enjoyable read and provides a great insight into Rory's character.
Cheers!
E
Emily W. Please note: this review may contain minor spoilers for the previous books in this series.
Argh, I�m a terrible ARC reviewer, I swear with each time a new book in this series comes out, my review is even later.
After a brief foray into Adelma�s backstory in the previous book, the-veiled-war reunites us with our favourite ragtag group of spies. Celine was quite smart in inserting The-Opium-Smuggler into the series where she did. Characters introduced in The-Opium-Smuggler had parts to play in this next installment and it was good to already be familiar with them; it would have slowed things down to give them the introduction they needed in this setting.
Once again, we get to see more of Damsport. This time, it�s the Mansion where the Marchioness lives, along with the Damsport prison. The world-building just keeps getting bigger and better in this series.
Character-wise, I think Rafe and Cruickshank were my favourites this time around, even if I did keep wanting to shake Rafe into Just. Talking. To. Rory. But still, I enjoyed the way his arc progressed. Ditto for Cruickshank, as one of the older characters, it was hard seeing her wrestle with the new war coming to their shores.
The political intrigue was also great, especially when you realise how long things have been going on under the characters� noses. I�m looking forward to seeing how this all pans out.
Thank you to Celine Jeanjean for a gratis copy of the-veiled-war in exchange for a review
E
Emily W. Argh, I�m a terrible ARC reviewer, I swear with each time a new book in this series comes out, my review is even later.
After a brief foray into Adelma�s backstory in the previous book, the-veiled-war reunites us with our favourite ragtag group of spies. Celine was quite smart in inserting The-Opium-Smuggler into the series where she did. Characters introduced in The-Opium-Smuggler had parts to play in this next installment and it was good to already be familiar with them; it would have slowed things down to give them the introduction they needed in this setting.
Once again, we get to see more of Damsport. This time, it�s the Mansion where the Marchioness lives, along with the Damsport prison. The world-building just keeps getting bigger and better in this series.
Character-wise, I think Rafe and Cruickshank were my favourites this time around, even if I did keep wanting to shake Rafe into Just. Talking. To. Rory. But still, I enjoyed the way his arc progressed. Ditto for Cruickshank, as one of the older characters, it was hard seeing her wrestle with the new war coming to their shores.
The political intrigue was also great, especially when you realise how long things have been going on under the characters� noses. I�m looking forward to seeing how this all pans out.
Thank you to Celine Jeanjean for a gratis copy of the-veiled-war in exchange for a review
M
Mike M. Great read, action with humor
Great series continues. Can be read alone, but as part of the series is best for fullest enjoyment. This author writes fast action with an overlay of humor seldom found in the current generation of writers.
If Celine has one short coming it is that she cannot write as fast as I can read.
M
Mike M. Great series continues. Can be read alone, but as part of the series is best for fullest enjoyment. This author writes fast action with an overlay of humor seldom found in the current generation of writers.
If Celine has one short coming it is that she cannot write as fast as I can read.
C
Cari A whole lot going on.
I loved the last book, The-Opium-Smuggler. And I am extremely glad the author chose to write it, as it certainly put Adelma�s coming off the rails in perspective! How the mighty have fallen. But seeing where she starts out in the book, and where she ends up, is very satisfying. Also, seeing little Alice and Pip�s resourcefulness was definitely amusing. You can�t help but cheer them on! In fact, there is a lot happening with the various people we�ve met in Damsport, and I enjoyed seeing them all come together.
So why the four stars?
Because there IS a lot going on, and it is all packed into one fast paced book. I love the large cast of characters, all of them are interesting and unique. But so much is happening to each one of them (and there are new ones), not to mention the overall story arc, I feel like the book could have been longer and not suffered from it.
Don�t get me wrong, the book is still a good read and I am certainly looking forward to seeing how everything plays out in the next one.
I received an ARC of this book for my honest review. But I also purchased it because the series is an interesting one, with a cast of characters that I look forward to reading more about.
C
Cari I loved the last book, The-Opium-Smuggler. And I am extremely glad the author chose to write it, as it certainly put Adelma�s coming off the rails in perspective! How the mighty have fallen. But seeing where she starts out in the book, and where she ends up, is very satisfying. Also, seeing little Alice and Pip�s resourcefulness was definitely amusing. You can�t help but cheer them on! In fact, there is a lot happening with the various people we�ve met in Damsport, and I enjoyed seeing them all come together.
So why the four stars?
Because there IS a lot going on, and it is all packed into one fast paced book. I love the large cast of characters, all of them are interesting and unique. But so much is happening to each one of them (and there are new ones), not to mention the overall story arc, I feel like the book could have been longer and not suffered from it.
Don�t get me wrong, the book is still a good read and I am certainly looking forward to seeing how everything plays out in the next one.
I received an ARC of this book for my honest review. But I also purchased it because the series is an interesting one, with a cast of characters that I look forward to reading more about.
d
david The latest and just keeps getting better!
An absolute joy to read. The gang back together, Longinus, Rory, Adelma, Cruikshank and Rory, along with new characters. Their characters just keep growing and expanding. It�s like sitting down with old friends and hearing of their latest adventures. Thank You, just Thank You Ms Jeanjean. You do not disappoint!!
E
Emma Another excellent book. I highly recommend the whole series. This book is not a standalone. I was concerned that this book might become too dark - it certainly starts with several of the main characters in a bad place and I have become so emotionally invested in them that I hurt with them. Fortunately the author has a light touch with a good balance of humour thrown in, though it has enough tension and suspense to ensure I couldn't put it down. There were a few obvious red herrings - I fell for them. It was good to see more of Pip, Alice and Tommy but I like all the characters. Can't wait for the next in the series.
P
Phil When heroes return home from a war they have won, the world is not the same as when they left.
The Rookery where Rory lived as a girl is threatened by an insidious enemy whose plan to take over the country begins with its destruction. It will take all the ingenuity and courage of our band of heroes to defeat this foe. But there is a slight hitch.
Adelma, shattered by the loss of her right hand, has drowned herself in alcohol. Rafe, terrified by memories of his mother�s insanity which he believes may be his own future, suddenly finds himself without the stabilizing discipline of the Aranguard. Cruikshank, faced with the reality of a world which is far more deadly because of her invention of a sophisticated gun, finds herself constantly second-guessing the consequences of future actions. And Longinus is looking for a wife. How could things get any worse?
J
Jane F. Wow! Fantastic Book!
I absolutely loved this book!
Rory and Longinus and the gang really have their work cut out for them in the-veiled-war.
First they have to save Adelma from herself. Adelma feels like she has no reason to go on and is slowly drinking herself to death after losing Raddish and then losing her arm. And if you know Adelma, you know that getting her to do anything she doesn't want to do is no small feat.
Then Rafe notices some really odd things going on when he tries to see the Marchioness. The Varanguard is standing down while new soldiers in scary armour with wicked guns are lurking around every corner.
It will take everything Rory, Longinus, Adelma, Rafe and Cruikshank can do to handle what is planned for the Rookery and the whole of Damsport this time.
You won't want to miss this one if you like Steampunk, Fantasy and a wild, humorous, action-filled ride.
E
Emma Another excellent book in this series
Another excellent book. I highly recommend the whole series. This book is not a standalone. I was concerned that this book might become too dark - it certainly starts with several of the main characters in a bad place and I have become so emotionally invested in them that I hurt with them. Fortunately the author has a light touch with a good balance of humour thrown in, though it has enough tension and suspense to ensure I couldn't put it down. There were a few obvious red herrings - I fell for them. It was good to see more of Pip, Alice and Tommy but I like all the characters. Can't wait for the next in the series.
E
Ed A. Good read
A continuation of our teams adventures now that they�re back in Damsport. This was quite a nice evenings read, and I enjoyed it. The story moved along nicely, and I didn�t feel the need to skim any of the chapters because of the plot dragging. The entire series has been entertaining and I look forward to the next installment. And I�m curious as to the outcome between Longinus and his new friend. I received an ARC, but purchased a copy.
L
Lizanne L. Steampunk in an exotic setting
In the eighth book of this exotic steampunk series our five friends have returned to their hometown of Damsport. To really appreciate the humour and pathos of this thrilling tale you really need to have read the earlier novels in the series. In the-veiled-war we view the changing situation through the eyes of each character in turn. Rory, no longer a street urchin, is a self-assured young woman determined to protect her friends in her former homeland of the Rookery. She and Rafe, the Varanguard have still to resolve their problems from their Arnian venture but Rafe continues to conceal his past. Longinus, �the laconic assassin,� is at his well-groomed best, suited in military style to impress a mysterious date made by a matchmaking service. Meanwhile Cruikshank struggles to control Adelma, whose drinking is sending her in a downward spiral.
But they are all shaken out of their own concerns by suspicious actions at the Mansion. The Marchioness has refused to see anyone and her decrees are out of character. Gradually the friends realise that Damsport is threatened from within and soon even the children are in danger. In a dramatic story full of twists and turns, no-one can be relied upon, but heroism wins through. The comradeship and understanding of these damaged but single-minded individuals saves the day, at least for now.
D
Dan H. Another great entry to the series, another reason to start with book one of you haven't yet.
Very good read! This book is part of a series and as such it would be best to read the rest of the series first, including The-Opium-Smuggler as it introduces characters and provides background for this book.
All of the main characters are back here and the story is written from their POV, Rory, Longinus, Rafe, Cruikshank, Adelma and a couple of new POV characters are added.
As any good series does the action is getting fast and heavy here near the end. If you think of the whole series as a single book, this one would be the start of the final third. This is where the climax begins building. This book does tell a complete story but you're left hanging because you know that there's more, the tale isn't done, the big baddie was only beaten not eliminated.
Our favorite characters are really developing now, demons delt with, pasts layed raw, truths stated and love realized.
P
Phil The Rookery where Rory lived as a girl is threatened by an insidious enemy whose plan to take over the country begins with its destruction. It will take all the ingenuity and courage of our band of heroes to defeat this foe. But there is a slight hitch.
Adelma, shattered by the loss of her right hand, has drowned herself in alcohol. Rafe, terrified by memories of his mother�s insanity which he believes may be his own future, suddenly finds himself without the stabilizing discipline of the Aranguard. Cruikshank, faced with the reality of a world which is far more deadly because of her invention of a sophisticated gun, finds herself constantly second-guessing the consequences of future actions. And Longinus is looking for a wife. How could things get any worse?
J
Jane F. I absolutely loved this book!
Rory and Longinus and the gang really have their work cut out for them in the-veiled-war.
First they have to save Adelma from herself. Adelma feels like she has no reason to go on and is slowly drinking herself to death after losing Raddish and then losing her arm. And if you know Adelma, you know that getting her to do anything she doesn't want to do is no small feat.
Then Rafe notices some really odd things going on when he tries to see the Marchioness. The Varanguard is standing down while new soldiers in scary armour with wicked guns are lurking around every corner.
It will take everything Rory, Longinus, Adelma, Rafe and Cruikshank can do to handle what is planned for the Rookery and the whole of Damsport this time.
You won't want to miss this one if you like Steampunk, Fantasy and a wild, humorous, action-filled ride.
d
david An absolute joy to read. The gang back together, Longinus, Rory, Adelma, Cruikshank and Rory, along with new characters. Their characters just keep growing and expanding. It�s like sitting down with old friends and hearing of their latest adventures. Thank You, just Thank You Ms Jeanjean. You do not disappoint!!
D
Dan H. Very good read! This book is part of a series and as such it would be best to read the rest of the series first, including The-Opium-Smuggler as it introduces characters and provides background for this book.
All of the main characters are back here and the story is written from their POV, Rory, Longinus, Rafe, Cruikshank, Adelma and a couple of new POV characters are added.
As any good series does the action is getting fast and heavy here near the end. If you think of the whole series as a single book, this one would be the start of the final third. This is where the climax begins building. This book does tell a complete story but you're left hanging because you know that there's more, the tale isn't done, the big baddie was only beaten not eliminated.
Our favorite characters are really developing now, demons delt with, pasts layed raw, truths stated and love realized.
L
Lizanne L. In the eighth book of this exotic steampunk series our five friends have returned to their hometown of Damsport. To really appreciate the humour and pathos of this thrilling tale you really need to have read the earlier novels in the series. In the-veiled-war we view the changing situation through the eyes of each character in turn. Rory, no longer a street urchin, is a self-assured young woman determined to protect her friends in her former homeland of the Rookery. She and Rafe, the Varanguard have still to resolve their problems from their Arnian venture but Rafe continues to conceal his past. Longinus, �the laconic assassin,� is at his well-groomed best, suited in military style to impress a mysterious date made by a matchmaking service. Meanwhile Cruikshank struggles to control Adelma, whose drinking is sending her in a downward spiral.
But they are all shaken out of their own concerns by suspicious actions at the Mansion. The Marchioness has refused to see anyone and her decrees are out of character. Gradually the friends realise that Damsport is threatened from within and soon even the children are in danger. In a dramatic story full of twists and turns, no-one can be relied upon, but heroism wins through. The comradeship and understanding of these damaged but single-minded individuals saves the day, at least for now.
E
Emma Another excellent book. I highly recommend the whole series. This book is not a standalone. I was concerned that this book might become too dark - it certainly starts with several of the main characters in a bad place and I have become so emotionally invested in them that I hurt with them. Fortunately the author has a light touch with a good balance of humour thrown in, though it has enough tension and suspense to ensure I couldn't put it down. There were a few obvious red herrings - I fell for them. It was good to see more of Pip, Alice and Tommy but I like all the characters. Can't wait for the next in the series.
E
Ed A. A continuation of our teams adventures now that they�re back in Damsport. This was quite a nice evenings read, and I enjoyed it. The story moved along nicely, and I didn�t feel the need to skim any of the chapters because of the plot dragging. The entire series has been entertaining and I look forward to the next installment. And I�m curious as to the outcome between Longinus and his new friend. I received an ARC, but purchased a copy.
L
Li Overlooking "The Opium Smuggler" (which didn't really work for me) each book in this series just keeps getting better than the last. So this latest instalment; absolutely brilliant. It has adventure, action, humour and heart, is well paced and written in an engaging and highly readable style. The events of this book build on those of the earlier books with some old faces causing whole new problems which Longinus, Rory and their friends face with their usual verve, courage and humour.
If you haven't read the earlier books in the series yet, you'll definitely enjoy this one more if you go back and start from the beginning. The characters have all grown throughout the series and by the end of this book you get a sense that they are ready for the greatest of challenges and although this book isn't a cliffhanger like the "White Hornet" you do know what that challenge is going to be at the end of this book.
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Hi! I'm Celine
I write different flavours of fantasy with a twist, but always with one uniting thread: quirky, flawed characters and heart-warming found families.
My books span the sub-genres of steampunk (but set in a secondary, tropical world) urban fantasy (set in Asia and London) and gothic gaslamp fantasy.
I'm French, grew up in the UK, and for the last few years I've been living a life of nomadic adventure, exploring the world with my laptop as my constant companion. My adventures have been a great source of inspiration for my stories.
These days I'm trying to figure out where in the world I might stop and setup some bookshelves.
I love to hear from readers, so feel free to contact me at with our contact form.
