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Aurorarama
Aurorarama: A Novel | Jean-Christophe Valtat
10 posts | 7 read | 24 to read
A seductive and shockingly inventive literary thriller that entwines suspense, history, the supernatural, adventure, steampunk, and a wicked sense of adventure into an intoxicating new genre. EPISODE ONE IN AN ASTONISHING NEW SERIES New Venice--the pearl of the Arctic--is a place of ice palaces and pneumatic tubes, of beautifully ornate sled-gondolas and elegant Victorian garb, of long nights and short days and endless vistas of crystalline ice. But as the city prepares for spring, it feels more like qarrtsiluni-- the time when something is about to explode in the dark. Local poletics are wracked by tensions between the citys security forces--the Subtle Army--and the Eskimos who were there first; by suffragette riots led by an underground music star; and by drug round-ups led by the ruthless secret police force known as the Gentlemen of the Night. Meanwhile, a mysterious and ominous black airship hovers over the city like a supernatural threat--is New Venice about to come under assault, or is it another government ploy? At the root of it all is an anonymous pamphlet calling for revolt, which the Gentlemen suspect was written by one of the citys most prominent figures, Brentford Orsini. But as they tighten the net around him, Orsini receives a message from a long-lost love that compels him to radical action.
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vivastory
Aurorarama: A Novel | Jean-Christophe Valtat
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New Venice, The Pearl of the Arctic-
A place of sparkling #frozen canals & gorgeous architecture laced ice, of elegant sleighs & ingenious technology, of music & literature & fashionable policemen in chic tophats...
Also, of extreme cold, food shortages & drug problems, of a restless populace, secret police & anarchist terrorism, of snowcaine gangsters & the occasional phantom.
In short, a place where bad things happen after dark.
The thing is..👇

vivastory It's dark all the time. #MOvember @Cinfhen 4y
Cinfhen Wow!! You totally sold it!!! 4y
vivastory @Cinfhen I wish I could take credit for this, alas it is the description on the back cover 4y
Cinfhen Ha!!! I was so impressed 4y
73 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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catiewithac
Aurorarama: A Novel | Jean-Christophe Valtat
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Open day! Here‘s the reveal of my #scififantasyswap box from @MaleficentBookDragon 📦 I really appreciate the homemade bookslip, and I‘m excited to try the coffee and chocolate from Fuddy Duddy‘s! ☕️ 🍫 Aurorarama has been on my TBR list for a long time; it will be good to make its acquaintance. The extra book was a nice surprise, too! I 💗 the Kurt Vonnegut buttons!! Thank you! ☮️ Thank you @Avanders for another fun swap! 📚 #SFFS

MaleficentBookDragon I'm so glad you like everything. 5y
monalyisha Love it! 5y
madamereadsalot1 @MaleficentBookDragon where did the buttons come from!?! I need those in my life. 5y
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MaleficentBookDragon @madamereadsalot1 I found them on Amazon. 5y
Avanders Oooh 🧬🦄♥️♥️👏🏽 5y
46 likes6 comments
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tournevis
Aurorarama: A Novel | Jean-Christophe Valtat
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The retro-scifi short flick Aurora is finally out. I kickstarted it and it's cute. Happily, the first time-hopping Nazi gets killed by the space monster, as well he should. There is also an unfortunate twist ending though, especially considering who is the current US president.

Unrelated to the tagged book.

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TobeyTheScavengerMonk
Aurorarama: A Novel | Jean-Christophe Valtat
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Linsy Slow Chocolate Autopsy! 😂 6y
63 likes1 comment
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vivastory
Aurorarama: A Novel | Jean-Christophe Valtat
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I just bought this for a mere two dollars at the library. It has been on my tbr for awhile.

saresmoore Lovely cover and it comes highly recommended by @TobeyTheScavengerMonk , too, I think. Is this one of those genre bending books? 7y
vivastory @saresmoore The cover is wonderful. It's hard to forget. I believe so. From what I gather it is a steampunk story addressing global warming among other concerns 7y
Leniverse The blurb makes it look like something Lawrence Norfolk could have written, which makes it simultaneously alluring and intimidating to me. 😅 7y
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DeborahSmall This needs to be stacked 7y
EvieBee It's been on my list too! 7y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk @saresmoore @vivastory Oooooooh man this icepunk book was my kind of weird. Sex, drugs, music, polar kangaroos and pole-tics. It is surprisingly slow but beautifully written. It also contains my all-time favorite quote ever. 7y
saresmoore Geez, if that doesn't convince me, I don't know what would! @TobeyTheScavengerMonk 7y
vivastory @TobeyTheScavengerMonk I noticed it is part of a series. Is the series finished? It sounds spectacular 7y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk There are only two books right now and fair warning: while book 2 is well-written and IMMENSELY quotable the plot is so messy and aimless that I can't recommend it, unless you're just desperate to spend more time with the characters. 7y
batsy I've had this on my TBR for so long. Thank you for reminding me. Nice find for only two dollars! 7y
vivastory @batsy I had forgotten about this one until i saw it. I was thrilled to find it. 7y
Hobbinol I really enjoyed the ambience & inventiveness of this book. 7y
vivastory @hobbinol I'm intrigued by the broad appeal of it. 7y
Kalalalatja I had forgotten about this too, it sounds so intriguing! 7y
vivastory @Kalalalatja I'm really looking forward to it. I hope to read it in the next couple of months 7y
44 likes6 stack adds15 comments
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TobeyTheScavengerMonk
Aurorarama: A Novel | Jean-Christophe Valtat
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I've posted this before. I'll post it again. My favorite quote. If I ever get a tattoo, it will be the first sentence of this.

#aQuoteaDay

Jabberwocky Is the book as profound as this quote?! 7y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk Oh @Jaberwocky let me tell you about this odd little icepunk novel set in the sparkling city of New Venice, just below the North Pole, in 1908. Brentford Orsini and his pal Gabriel D'Allier navigate a frozen world of music, drugs, airships, women's suffrage and "poletics". All this and the mythical Polar kangaroo... 7y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk @Jaberwocky Check out the gorgeous cover too. 7y
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Jabberwocky @TobeyTheScavengerMonk so I just ordered this from my library. 😅 I'll keep you posted 7y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk @Jaberwocky Please do. It's slow going, not much in the way of propulsive plot, but it's one of those books where the language is so great you just enjoy the ride. 7y
Suet624 Lovely first sentence! 7y
44 likes3 stack adds7 comments
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TobeyTheScavengerMonk
Aurorarama: A Novel | Jean-Christophe Valtat
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This is what notorious bibliophile and libertine Gabriel D'allier is thinking to himself as he looks upon the glittering lights of the Arctic city of New Venice and slowly freezes to death (or begins to, before the polar kangaroo shows up) in Jean-Christophe Valtat's weird wild icepunk novel, Aurorarama. It is my #favoritequote for #riotgrams

If I ever get a tattoo it will be the first sentence of this.

Hobbinol I enjoyed this book. I purchased but have not yet read the second volume. 7y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk @Hobbinol Not to spoil, but I thought the sequel didn't hang together nearly as well as the first, story-wise. It is extremely quotable though (I put several quotes on Litsy). 7y
Hobbinol Thanks❗I'll look for them😊 7y
17 likes3 comments
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TobeyTheScavengerMonk
Aurorarama: A Novel | Jean-Christophe Valtat
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I have no #bookishtattoos for #riotgrams but I've always said that if I ever got one it would be this quote about Gabriel D'Allier as he stares at the Arctic city of New Venice in Jean-Christophe Valtat's weird wild icepunk novel Aurorarama. Also the quote I am most likely to doodle on my agendas during workshops and faculty meetings.

15 likes2 stack adds
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Hobbinol
Aurorarama: A Novel | Jean-Christophe Valtat
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Enough inventions to uphold your wonder, and enough atmosphere for you to forget where you are. These #steampunk novels are set somewhere in a wintry frozen climate called New Venice. I've enjoyed Aurorarama, but have not traveled into Luminous Chaos yet. These French novels are just right for this time of year.

43 likes1 stack add
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CherylDeFranceschi
Aurorarama: A Novel | Jean-Christophe Valtat
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A city made of ice-palaces, with endless expanses of crystalline ice. Oh, a sentient ice burg, too! Brrrr! A lovely adventure in the manner of A Winter's Tale. #chillyreads #photoadaynov16

Ericmanciniwriter Looking at the title makes me dizzy 😵 7y
ReadingOver50 Sounds really interesting 😄 7y
CherylDeFranceschi @ReadingOver50 It was a lot of fun. Interesting world, gorgeous writing. But- it is the first book (and a big book) in a series. 7y
Hobbinol I really enjoyed this book and purchased the second volume, but I haven't read it yet. 7y
76 likes6 stack adds4 comments