Agatha H. and the Airship City: Girl Genius, Book 1

~~~~4.5 Stars~~~~This book hit the spot!!! I have been skim-ditching, it's a horrible habit (one I am trying to wean from and sort of my thing lately), like crazy which led to my frustration levels building exponentially with every discarded book found littering my bedroom floor. I had been insatiable for a book...not just ANY book mind you..which book you ask?? I had no clue...a common problem no doubt but a catastrophe for a bibliophile on the hunt for a no named, non classified genre-less gem...searching (in vain) for too many weeks to be healthy. Did it have to be the motherload of all literature, the Holy Grail? Nope, just something to scratch a very ill placed itch. Agatha H and the Airship City had been sitting on my ereader for SOO long I had to scroll a ridiculous amount of times to even locate it again after relegating its name to longterm memory storage (cranially that is)..anywho, it was 2am and I came across Agatha and thought that I'd throw a Hail Mary and sample a bit. A bit turned into a bunch which turned into a marathon read...just what I needed...go figure. Who knew a Steampunk Bizaro- Europe, action packed, light hearted, Romance lite, compendium (previously a graphic novel) populated by Evil (?) Geniuses, madboy tinkerers, sentient bots (revavants), talking animals, LOADS of phenotypically varied chimera, air pirates and more (much much more) could be the answer? I really love the Steampunk genre BUT, and that's a big but, only when it is done right. A lot of books claim to be Steampunk and mention nary a doodad, robot, corseted Tinkerer or anything remotely Punkish. This was just plain old fashioned fun. It felt like olden times: reading with the blanket over my head as to not disturb, book hooked you right in the beginning, the pages and subsequent chapters flew by at breakneck speed, there were always an abundance of twists and turns (though a bunch being a tad too easily forseen) all wrapped up neatly with a satisfyingly succinct (sometimes saccharine sweet) conclusion. There are too many things I adored about this book but I do have a favorite concept and a warm fuzzy feeling for an entire group. My favorite concept is the Spark...that oomph which resides in each mad Genius beseeching/demanding them to build, create, beget and bring forth Newness and Life into a world where previously there was none...and at times after there was some but that's a whole other bag of technicolored -technomancy. My favorite group is the Jagers who are "monsters" who, quite humorously, pretend to be a lot dimmer than they actually are and the outcome is very amusing. They speak in a unique (yet endearing) slang. They take an instant liking to and are suspiciously protective of our kick @$$ (though reluctant at first) female heroine. It is told from varying POVs which I find tricky at times but thought Phil and Kaja Foglio pulled off nicely.All this and 2 subsequent books already out for instant gratification, what more could you want from a 2am Hail Mary?? Be advised: this is set to be a 10 book series. So if you are of the sect who do not start a book unless the entire series is completed and available you might want to wait awhile before delving into this one.

As great as I acknowledge the Girl Genius comics to be, for my personal money Agatha's story is much better told in this narrative, which not only fleshes out but clarifies so much information that can be confusing to take in in comic form. (Girl Genius is extremely light on exposition and extremely heavy on explosions, chase sequences, and romantic drama, which means unfortunately that a lot of the plot-heavy stuff and world building doesn't get the attention it should to really cement itself in your brain.) The writing is light and airy and frequently unexpectedly funny to boot, casually slipping in bizarre concepts and tidbits that keep the story snappy and exciting. The downside is that description is a bit on the scant side, usually just relying on a few lines to give the most general idea of characters, places, or constructs, and as such you lose out on the really brilliant designs the material has in its illustrated form.It's not necessary to have read the comic before you read this, especially since this IS the comic, and while purists will probably disagree, Agatha H and the Airship City is the perfect blend of adventure, mayhem, mystery, and mad science to make for fantastic lazy afternoon reading. If you're looking for a fantasy story that really sets out to entertain you, something that feels different from an endless parade of elves and dwarves, then you'll definitely want to give this book a shot. Can't wait for the next.

Agatha H. and the Airship City (the novel) is a second look at the Agatha Heterodyne "Girl Genius" story now being developed in the authors' graphic novels, the most recent two of which have won the Hugo for Best Graphic Story. As such, it should be taken as a secondary source.This volume covers the story we met in the first three volumes of the graphic story: Agatha Heterodyne and the Beetleburg Clank, Agatha Heterodyne and the Airship City, and Agatha Heterodyne and the Monster Engine.Phil Foglio has stated in interviews that one part of the Girl Genius story is what happens to legends over time. The legends about Agatha's parents and uncle have grown with time; should we not expect the same of the legends about Agatha? In fact, there are some details changed and snippets of story added. A prologue tantalizes with glimpses of history and historical characters and perturbs the historical timeline developed by fans, hinting at clues or vital constraints. Other changes deepen and richen the character development without, so far as I can tell, damaging the story. We learn a few new things and are reminded of some old ones. Some lines of fan speculation are cut off, leaving us to focus on better questions.The Girl Genius story is all about the backstory. Bit by bit through the graphic novels we've gotten history, found questions in it, and gotten answers that have provided fascinating and bigger questions. That essential story dimension does not change.The Foglio humor still glows. Much of it revolves around the Jaegermonsters. If you are a fan, you probably know that the Jaegermonsters were a late addition; Phil was already drawing the comic books in which the first part of the story appeared when they were invented. By now they are deeply woven through both story and backstory. Among their narrative duties, they serve as clowns whose antics conceal both foreshadowing and backstory. A few new incidents near the start of the novel had me laughing out loud. (Clowns or not, they are capable of noble action and sacrifice.)Is this as good a novel as the graphic story is a graphic story? No, it is not. That's not bad news: the graphic story's artwork, pacing, and working out of story details are so good that it would be a wonder if the novel could match it. The most apparent weakness is that details of the milieu that can be background in graphic form must be explained, and sometimes the explanation pauses the story for detail that might better be given elsewhere. This is a matter of technique and a basic problem for all SF&F writing, and unless the Foglios choose not to improve (for the sake of style, perhaps) they surely will.It is possible that writing this novel required the Foglios to make another pass over their story notes. The overall plot and the key characters were written before the first published page was drawn, promising a tightly woven story. Phil and Kaja Foglio have delivered magnificently on that promise. This novel may help them continue to do so.If you want the primary source for the Girl Genius story, continue to buy the graphic novels and read the eponymous web site. That's what they are for. If you are already a fan of the story, or cannot bear the long graphic form, then buy this book. But if you skip the graphic novels, you are missing an awful lot of richness, depth, and fun.

Very enjoyable adaption!