The time, 1896, the dawn of the electric, aeronautic and automobile ages. The place, Joplin, MO at the turn of the century. A brutal murder, to which the law, save one determined deputy, has turned a blind eye. A faltering airship company. These are the circumstances in which newly widowed Evaline “Evvy” Amstel finds herself after the untimely death of her husband Heinz, an inventor and owner of the The Amstel Airship Company. As one shocking revelation after another threatens to turn her world upside down, with the prospect of losing her social standing in a society in which she really doesn’t feel totally comfortable, Evvy finds the courage and strength to uncover the secrets of her husband’s secret life, right the faltering airship company and, if it exists, to determine the whereabouts of what would have been his crowning achievement, the highly advanced airship, The Empress of the Clouds. And she’s not the only one who wants to find it.
At the time, the world was bristling with a seemingly endless flow of new ideas, scientific achievements and technological advancements. Society was fast changing in order to keep abreast of these advancements. With reference to many of the people, places and events that actually took place around the turn of the century (including the Great Airship Mystery of 1896), the author has done an excellent job of weaving historical fact into this work of fiction. The story is well rooted in the science and sensibilities of its time. Therefore the technology outlined in the story may at first seem fanciful yet remains wholly plausible for the period in which it is set.
The characters and settings feel very real. The story moves forward with realistic logic without the use of sudden surprises or events to explain anything away, a welcome relief from that overused device that often insults the reader’s intelligence. The actions of the characters always feel true to the reality in which they find themselves. The heroes of the story are real people. They have faults, they have fears, they make mistakes. But they take action because they must and they do the best they can with the talents they have and a sheer determination to do right by the world. That means putting a stop to a mega-maniacal villain, bent on righting what he sees as a monumental injustice, no matter who he hurts or the damage he does in the process.
“The Empress of the Clouds” is the best book I have come across in years. If only all stories were so well thought out and progressed in such a believable and satisfying way. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time in the world the author has crafted. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to lose themselves in a well written story. Drama, mystery, history, thrills, there is something here for just about everyone.
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