I can't remember enough coherent bits to track down this book.

December 6, 2011 10:01 AM

I can't remember the title, author, or any of the character names for a steampunk-ish book I read a while ago. The main character was the estranged son of a duchess or something like that. There were airships, magic, a few dragons. It was a bit Victorian as well. I remember how it started but much searching hasn't turned it up. It's driving me mad!

The beginning is a country squire type character who's acquired a super strong metal that's in the shape of a tankard. He's a spy we learn later. He tries to blow it up and can't. It was invented by someone in the country of the main character. The metal is somehow imbued with magic in the form of some kind of sigils. I think. Then we go to the country of the main guy and his friends. One of them is a red-headed woman, I think. And a fellow who's the son of a diplomat who is later assassinated. There's a detective priest in it later too. Father something. Argh!

Um. I can remember a few more fragments if that's useful. I think my brain is playing an amusing trick on me!

posted by danteGideon to Writing & Language (2 answers total)

Best answer: Sounds like Shadow Raiders: Book 1 of the Dragon Brigade, though that just came out this year. A relevant passage:

Sir Henry stood the tankard in the middle of the fireplace. He then returned to the table, picked up one of the pistols and, sight- ing down the gun’s barrel, fired a shot at the tankard. The force of the shot sent the tankard bouncing around the stone interior of the fireplace with a most ungodly clanging. Henry picked up the other pistol and shot the tankard again, with the same result. He fired a third time with the musket, almost sending the tankard up the chimney.

posted by jeffkramer at 10:52 AM on December 6, 2011

Response by poster: Thank you so much! That's it!
posted by danteGideon at 11:00 AM on December 6, 2011