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Clockwork Dagger #0.5, 2.5, 2.6
Deep Roots
From the author of The Clockwork Dagger and The Clockwork Crown comes a compilation of short works set in the same world: The Deepest Poison, Final Flight, and the Nebula-nominated Wings of Sorrow and Bone.
THE DEEPEST POISON
Octavia Leander, a young healer with incredible powers, has found her place among Miss Percival’s medicians-in-training. Called to the front lines of war, the two women must uncover the source of a devastating illness that is killing thousands of soldiers.
WINGS OF SORROW AND BONE
After being rescued from the slums of Caskentia, Rivka Stout is adjusting to her new life in Tamarania. But when Rivka stumbles into a laboratory run by the powerful Balthazar Cody, she also discovers a sinister plot involving chimera gremlins and the violent Arena game Warriors.
FINAL FLIGHT
Captain Hue hoped he was rid of his troubles once Octavia Leander and Alonzo Garrett disembarked from his airship, but then the Argus is commandeered by a Clockwork Dagger and forced on a deadly mission. Hue must lead a mutiny that might bring down his own ship…. perhaps for good.
THE DEEPEST POISON
Octavia Leander, a young healer with incredible powers, has found her place among Miss Percival’s medicians-in-training. Called to the front lines of war, the two women must uncover the source of a devastating illness that is killing thousands of soldiers.
WINGS OF SORROW AND BONE
After being rescued from the slums of Caskentia, Rivka Stout is adjusting to her new life in Tamarania. But when Rivka stumbles into a laboratory run by the powerful Balthazar Cody, she also discovers a sinister plot involving chimera gremlins and the violent Arena game Warriors.
FINAL FLIGHT
Captain Hue hoped he was rid of his troubles once Octavia Leander and Alonzo Garrett disembarked from his airship, but then the Argus is commandeered by a Clockwork Dagger and forced on a deadly mission. Hue must lead a mutiny that might bring down his own ship…. perhaps for good.
112 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 2, 2016
9 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
Beth Cato
132 books666 followersBeth Cato hails from Hanford, California, but currently writes and bakes cookies in Red Wing, Minnesota. She usually has one or two cats in close orbit. A 2015 Nebula finalist, she is the author of the cozy mystery CHEDDAR LUCK NEXT TIME as well as fantasy like A THOUSAND RECIPES FOR REVENGE. Her short stories can be found in publications ranging from Beneath Ceaseless Skies to Uncanny Magazine. In 2019 and 2022, she won the Rhysling Award for short speculative poetry. Her website BethCato.com includes not only a vast bibliography, but a treasure trove of recipes for delectable goodies. Find her on BlueSky as @BethCato and Instagram as @catocatsandcheese.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 22, 2016
A word on the Clockwork Dagger duology first! I decided to read The Clockwork Dagger because of a post on the Mary Sue website : Busting the Binary Stereotype: Women Warriors, Weaklings, and Healers
I loved the heroine and the steampunk world Beth Cato has created, the feminist message and the lovely relationship between Octavia and Alonzo. The magic system is brilliant and the story action packed and gripping. What I love about Octavia is the same thing I loved about Julius in Nice Dragons Finish Last : her compassion.
I read Deep Roots this summer while I was actually looking forward to Beth Cato’s new novel Breath of Earth (that I preordered but haven’t find the time to read yet. Edit: writing this mini review actually made me caved and I started it already) and was overjoyed when I saw I could read this collection while waiting for BoE‘s release day. This collection of short fiction, two short stories and a novella, was the perfect addition to the lovely steampunk duology that is The Clockwork Dagger.
THE DEEPEST POISON
At first I was confused that it wasn’t in Octavia’s point of view but Miss Percival’s. But then I really appreciated the depth it added to this character that we hear so much about in the duology but that is not seen that much. It really helped to see her in another light. It is set before the events of The Clockwork Dagger so I think The Deepest Poison can be read on its own. The mystery is interesting and great to witness the complicated relationship between those two women, the state of the world they live in and these magical healing powers.
WINGS OF SORROW AND BONE
This novella is set after the events of the duology so obviously, spoilers!
It was so great to get to know Rivka better! She is so nice, willing to fight for those not strong enough to fight for themselves. Truly my favourite of those three stories! We don’t get to see much of her on the duology and I thought that was too bad. After the previous short story that is on the point of view of a person that do not like Octavia so much, jumping to this novella felt really good. I loved all the references to Octavia and Alonzo, totally made me want to get back on the duology to spend some time with them! Plus those chimera gremlins are just so cute.
FINAL FLIGHT
I actually didn’t really remembered Captain Hue to be honest, but I love stories about a ship and its crew, be it spaceship or airship! I read Clockwork Dagger back in July of 2015 so I didn’t remember because of my bad memory, not because he is a boring character.
I loved how the story focused on the Captain’s crew being loyal to him and his relationship with his son.
It also was great to be back on the setting of most of the first book and to see what had happened after Octavia and Alonzo left.
I was really invested in the world of this duology and very glad to see Beth Cato wrote more about it for her readers. It is a very nice collection to complete The Clockwork Dagger and The Clockwork Crown. I’m only a little bummed that the spines don’t match, but still very glad it got published in paper thanks to the Harper Voyager Impulse inprint!
It is a quick and agreeable read that I totally recommend for every fan of the duology.
(Full review with pictures on the blog! https://adragoninspace.wordpress.com/...)
I loved the heroine and the steampunk world Beth Cato has created, the feminist message and the lovely relationship between Octavia and Alonzo. The magic system is brilliant and the story action packed and gripping. What I love about Octavia is the same thing I loved about Julius in Nice Dragons Finish Last : her compassion.
I read Deep Roots this summer while I was actually looking forward to Beth Cato’s new novel Breath of Earth (that I preordered but haven’t find the time to read yet. Edit: writing this mini review actually made me caved and I started it already) and was overjoyed when I saw I could read this collection while waiting for BoE‘s release day. This collection of short fiction, two short stories and a novella, was the perfect addition to the lovely steampunk duology that is The Clockwork Dagger.
THE DEEPEST POISON
At first I was confused that it wasn’t in Octavia’s point of view but Miss Percival’s. But then I really appreciated the depth it added to this character that we hear so much about in the duology but that is not seen that much. It really helped to see her in another light. It is set before the events of The Clockwork Dagger so I think The Deepest Poison can be read on its own. The mystery is interesting and great to witness the complicated relationship between those two women, the state of the world they live in and these magical healing powers.
WINGS OF SORROW AND BONE
This novella is set after the events of the duology so obviously, spoilers!
It was so great to get to know Rivka better! She is so nice, willing to fight for those not strong enough to fight for themselves. Truly my favourite of those three stories! We don’t get to see much of her on the duology and I thought that was too bad. After the previous short story that is on the point of view of a person that do not like Octavia so much, jumping to this novella felt really good. I loved all the references to Octavia and Alonzo, totally made me want to get back on the duology to spend some time with them! Plus those chimera gremlins are just so cute.
FINAL FLIGHT
I actually didn’t really remembered Captain Hue to be honest, but I love stories about a ship and its crew, be it spaceship or airship! I read Clockwork Dagger back in July of 2015 so I didn’t remember because of my bad memory, not because he is a boring character.
I loved how the story focused on the Captain’s crew being loyal to him and his relationship with his son.
It also was great to be back on the setting of most of the first book and to see what had happened after Octavia and Alonzo left.
I was really invested in the world of this duology and very glad to see Beth Cato wrote more about it for her readers. It is a very nice collection to complete The Clockwork Dagger and The Clockwork Crown. I’m only a little bummed that the spines don’t match, but still very glad it got published in paper thanks to the Harper Voyager Impulse inprint!
It is a quick and agreeable read that I totally recommend for every fan of the duology.
(Full review with pictures on the blog! https://adragoninspace.wordpress.com/...)
April 28, 2020
5 stars for the fantastic novella, Wings of Blood and Bone. It’s the reason I bought this book, so I could have a print copy of this novella in my library. I think everyone should read it. It is exciting, fun, imaginative. Has great characters and a wonderful message.
The two other stories were interesting, but not of the same high caliber of the novella.
The two other stories were interesting, but not of the same high caliber of the novella.
January 31, 2017
Three short stories. Loved the Clockwork Dagger duology and these stories followed other characters from those books. Fleshed out the world a little bit more. Good stuff.
October 7, 2024
*Source* Edelweiss
*Genre* Steampunk
*Rating* 3.5
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews - Link Shortly!
Published August 2nd 2016 by Harper Voyager
*Genre* Steampunk
*Rating* 3.5
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews - Link Shortly!
Published August 2nd 2016 by Harper Voyager
July 31, 2016
The omnibus for all the Clockwork Dagger novellas.
November 28, 2017
1st short is meh; YA-ish novella is good; final short ends too soon.
A hard-to-rate mixed bag.
Jealous Miss Percival is an interesting but not particularly enjoyable narrator for The Deepest Poison (double meaning there!), about a Waster-caused epidemic at the front. I also was surprised that Octavia's miraculously seeing the "zymes" (microorganisms) wasn't used to find a specific cure, just to ID the delivery mechanism. I wasn't particularly impressed with this prequel; I'm glad I didn't read it before The Clockwork Dagger, or I might not have bothered reading on.
Wings of Sorrow and Bone, OTOH, has a very appealing young protagonist in Rivka, now the acknowledged granddaughter of Mrs. Stout. She's clever and determined, and doesn't let her lifelong self-consciousness due to a harelip stop her when she sees an abuse going on that she can't accept. As an animal lover, I found the save-the-gremlins plot appealing, too — they're homely-cute, and the little ones have all the mischief of a box of ferrets — even if it does get solved a bit simplistically. Selfish Tatiana Garret was another unusual choice, this time as cohort, along with a conscience-torn apprentice medician.
Final Flight, the short which ended the collection, would also have been rounded up to 4 Goodreads stars (4+ on Amazon), until I realized that its last sentence really was its last sentence! Ms. Cato chose to end it like the lady and the tiger, w/o showing us who survives (or not) and how. Captain Hue facing the horror of what the corrupt Caskentian government and its agents once again are willing to do to defeat their enemy, while worrying about his son and the rest of his crew, was gripping, but with that NON-ending, NOT satisfying.
The writing itself was of course well done, but I really don't know what precise rating to give to the whole set. Therefore, I left it rounded to 3, which is average, however you translate it.
A hard-to-rate mixed bag.
Jealous Miss Percival is an interesting but not particularly enjoyable narrator for The Deepest Poison (double meaning there!), about a Waster-caused epidemic at the front. I also was surprised that Octavia's miraculously seeing the "zymes" (microorganisms) wasn't used to find a specific cure, just to ID the delivery mechanism. I wasn't particularly impressed with this prequel; I'm glad I didn't read it before The Clockwork Dagger, or I might not have bothered reading on.
Wings of Sorrow and Bone, OTOH, has a very appealing young protagonist in Rivka, now the acknowledged granddaughter of Mrs. Stout. She's clever and determined, and doesn't let her lifelong self-consciousness due to a harelip stop her when she sees an abuse going on that she can't accept. As an animal lover, I found the save-the-gremlins plot appealing, too — they're homely-cute, and the little ones have all the mischief of a box of ferrets — even if it does get solved a bit simplistically. Selfish Tatiana Garret was another unusual choice, this time as cohort, along with a conscience-torn apprentice medician.
Final Flight, the short which ended the collection, would also have been rounded up to 4 Goodreads stars (4+ on Amazon), until I realized that its last sentence really was its last sentence! Ms. Cato chose to end it like the lady and the tiger, w/o showing us who survives (or not) and how. Captain Hue facing the horror of what the corrupt Caskentian government and its agents once again are willing to do to defeat their enemy, while worrying about his son and the rest of his crew, was gripping, but with that NON-ending, NOT satisfying.
The writing itself was of course well done, but I really don't know what precise rating to give to the whole set. Therefore, I left it rounded to 3, which is average, however you translate it.
August 17, 2018
A Solid three stars all around which doesn't usually happen with a collection of stories. But then these are all written by the same author and set in a world I happen to like so, there's that.
The Deepest Poison: I've already read this as a separate kindle book so I skipped over this one. But if you would like my thoughts on it. You can find my review. Under my reviews. I'd put up a link but I'm not sure how. or search under the book's reviews.
Wings of Sorrow and Bone: Getting the story from Ravki's view was great, especially since she has had to overcome so much. Still don't like Titania though. Not that she's a bad character, I just don't like her. Still ehr and Ravki's friendship was great to read. I liked the angle of using a book to get a point across. The power of books and the written word y'all. Anyway great short story and I'm glad we got to see Mrs. Stout and the other's after the events of the Clockwork Crown.
Final Flight my reaction at the end It was interesting to see the captain and his crew again. I mean I wasn't really attached to them in the first book. Considering we weren't with them overly long and he wasn't exactly a main character. But this made the Captain a bit more real to me. Side characters have stories as well.
A great collection of stories to add to the world of the clockwork daggers.
Recommended? Yes if you've read the series. It's fun getting to see the world from side characters and not just the main's pov
Buy/Borrow? Either Or.
The Deepest Poison: I've already read this as a separate kindle book so I skipped over this one. But if you would like my thoughts on it. You can find my review. Under my reviews. I'd put up a link but I'm not sure how. or search under the book's reviews.
Wings of Sorrow and Bone: Getting the story from Ravki's view was great, especially since she has had to overcome so much. Still don't like Titania though. Not that she's a bad character, I just don't like her. Still ehr and Ravki's friendship was great to read. I liked the angle of using a book to get a point across. The power of books and the written word y'all. Anyway great short story and I'm glad we got to see Mrs. Stout and the other's after the events of the Clockwork Crown.
Final Flight my reaction at the end It was interesting to see the captain and his crew again. I mean I wasn't really attached to them in the first book. Considering we weren't with them overly long and he wasn't exactly a main character. But this made the Captain a bit more real to me. Side characters have stories as well.
A great collection of stories to add to the world of the clockwork daggers.
Recommended? Yes if you've read the series. It's fun getting to see the world from side characters and not just the main's pov
Buy/Borrow? Either Or.
March 15, 2018
Beth Cato’s Deep Roots was placed in a deeply fascinating world, with many complex facets and corners, however the writing style itself and portrayal of the world in the details was somewhat immature. In the third segment of Deep Roots, Final Flight, the logic of the characters was missing some pieces, to the point where it felt like they went from one thought to the next without filling the gaps in between. The first segment The Deepest Poison was well done. There was more depth to it and a variety of understandable motives, selfish and unselfish--a variety that was slightly lacking in the other two pieces.
March 30, 2018
2 short stories and a novella that add a bit of background to the world of the Shadow Daggers. I like the world and I like Beth Cato’s writing style so I enjoyed these. The novella about teenager girls trying to save gremlins from an experimental lab was particularly good. I think you could read them without reading the duology, but the duology is good so why would you want to?
April 12, 2020
All have many die, yet hope for freedom.
1 Deepest Poison - separate review
2 Wings of Sorrow.. - Rivka disrupts greedy Cody building chimera giant for Arena fights. Sad. Cute gremlins crippled by more ignorance than evil.
3 Final Flight - Title foreboding? Tragic- airship Captain hides love for son. Brave crew ready to sacrifice.
1 Deepest Poison - separate review
2 Wings of Sorrow.. - Rivka disrupts greedy Cody building chimera giant for Arena fights. Sad. Cute gremlins crippled by more ignorance than evil.
3 Final Flight - Title foreboding? Tragic- airship Captain hides love for son. Brave crew ready to sacrifice.
July 24, 2019
The only downside was that I read this quite a while after reading the duology so I had trouble remembering details of the world. But otherwise I liked the 3 novellas.
September 7, 2016
I never got these as e-books, so was delighted when they were collected in a bound volume. Each of these snapshots is great. "Wings of Sorrow & Bone" (the 2nd story) completely deserved that Nebula nomination. Wow! All in all, a satisfying group of stories that flesh out the world of the Clockwork series just a little more.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews