Mechanical Magic By Lorraine Ulrich

Title: Mechanical Magic

Author: Lorraine Ulrich

Genre: Steampunk

Length: Novella (130pgs)

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (8^th February 2012)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥3Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: When Aster Genisov, a creator of mechanical novelties, is asked to help a wounded elf, his special talents and painful past could be the key to the elf’s survival.

Y’rean was born to touch the sky, but when his wings are destroyed by a cruel master, not even the life he begins to build with Aster can assuage his despair. Aster has the means to help him—it’s written in his gypsy blood—but is love enough for Aster to face his past and embrace his talent for mechanical magic?

Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2759

Review: Aster owns a shop that sells his creations of mechanical novelties, one night he is asked to help save the life of an elf. Y’rean is an elf whose wings have been savagely removed, he becomes close to the man who saved him but falls into deep depression when he realises that he will never fly again.

This story has some fantastic world building that lets you picture in your mind Laitha (the city), you get drawn into the world and the lives of the characters. The descriptions of the mechanical novelties are breath-taking and the background of the MC’s and their histories are wonderfully written. Aster and Y’rean build a relationship over a period of a few weeks and their coming together is wrote with a gentle hand.

Aster has a secret that he can’t let be known or he will lose his livelihood and Y’rean has a fear that his old master will find out he is still alive. I really liked how the story was written and both Aster and Y’rean were interesting characters and I liked the development of their relationship. Y’rean’s depression is well described and Aster’s reaction was brilliant. The lovemaking is tastefully done and although there is only one full-on sex scene it is still plenty enough to rev your engines.

The only down side that I found was the unsatisfactory confrontation with Y’rean’s former master, I found it to be short and slightly unrealistic… after all Aster is only an inventor and shop owner whereas Y’rean’s former master is a noble an Earl. I just felt like it was an after-thought and a rushed one at that.

So I will recommend this one to those who love steampunk, elves, gypsies, magic, some really erotic sex and a happy ever after.