The Emilie Adventures by Martha Wells

These books are so much fun! I really enjoy the writing of Martha Wells. (And I missed running into her in a College Station bookstore by about 16 minutes last December!) We all love Murderbot, right? Murderbot is one of the absolute best characters to come out of SF in years. I remember when I read the description of Martha Wells’s All Systems Red and thought to myself “I’ve got to put that on hold at the library!” And I was right - it was excellent. I have eagerly awaited each new Murderbot book and also have been reading some of Ms. Wells’s other fantasy books. (The Witch King was good, but my heart belongs to Murderbot.)

So I was very excited when NetGalley and the publisher gave me an eARC of The Emilie Adventures, an omnibus reprinting of of two fantasy novels written by Martha Wells, in exchange for an honest review.

These books are more YA than some of her other books, and maybe that’s why I enjoyed them so much? They really reminded me of fantasy adventure novels I read as a kid. It’s a steampunkish secondary world fantasy, where there are guns and airships are powered by magic. Emilie is a young teen orphan who runs away from an unkind uncle and ends up stowing away on a ship headed inside the hollow world in the first book, and, although not great at everything, she is quite capable without seeming like she has main character plot armor. I had so much fun with these books, especially the second one, which dealt well with the repercussions of her running away from home as well as including some exciting “alien” characters. Highly recommend.

This was such a sweet, engaging YA steampunk duology that reminded me of books I loved in my preteen/teen years, like Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. As an adult reading this, I was definitely reminded of the way T. Kingfisher writes her fantasy books. The language is a bit removed and prone to stating slightly obvious things, but I think that's totally appropriate for a YA level book. This would be great for kids who enjoy Westerfeld's Leviathan series, Oppel's Matt Cruse/Airborn series, or Colfer's Airman novel.

If you pick up this duology expecting Murderbot, you'll certainly be disappointed. This is a fantasy YA series, Murderbot is adult sci-fi. I know people may pick this up because they want to read more from Wells, but I think it's quite unfair to rate this lower just because it has a younger tone, etc without acknowledging that it was written for a very different audience and genre.

I would've adored this duology as a young teen. Emilie is bold, stubborn, and adventurous even when the world around her tells her not to be. I love that Wells allows her to feel, express, and embrace her anger—sometimes, YA literature seems to shy away from allowing their characters to feel real anger and grief and betrayal, all emotions Emilie experiences repeatedly throughout the duology. She grows immensely across the two books, both in confidence and in emotional maturity. I'm hoping the re-release of the duology as one set means Wells might return to this universe, because I think Emilie is a wonderful heroine for kids to read about. Plus, we just don't get enough steampunk literature these days!

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

thank you to the publisher for access to this book. I really enjoyed these stories. This is a super fun read that would be great for any reader who likes steampunk, adventure stories, and world exploration.

Thank you to Tordotcom for my gifted e-review copy. My opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Emilie runs away from home and stows away on a ship in this steampunk YA fantasy series. (2 adventures in 1).

Read this for:
- steampunk fantasy
- pirates and mermaids (of a sort)
- sky pirates
- runaway FMC
- found family
- alien worlds
- magical ether

My thoughts: since I devoured the Murderbot Diaries, I thought I would try Martha’s YA steampunk series, and I enjoyed Emilie’s adventures, but the pace seemed to be slower (or that I was reading this at the wrong time of day for me - it took me over two weeks to finish the book). Emilie is an absolute delight, she’s 17 and smart, but definitely in over her head. I had fun reading the stories, and vastly preferred the second one with the sky pirates and airships.

Recommend for those who like steampunk books.

These were so much fun! Two Novellas about an adventurous runaway in a steampunk sort of setting. These reminded me of a combination of a childhood adventure story like Tintin and the multi-world exploration of Gullivars travels. Neither of these is my normal style but I did enjoy it and would happily reccomend this to a younger person in my life. These read as true YA.

Emilie and the Hollow World

Emilie is sick and tired of hearing what her aunt and uncle have to say about her life. So she packed up and ran away. That sounds all dangerous, but she has a plan. She’s going to travel to where her cousin works at a school and help out there. She’s already sent ahead her supplies and everything.

There’s just one problem. She doesn’t have money to hire a ship, and the one she’s snuck onto isn’t going her way. In fact, the destination isn’t anywhere in this world. Emilie may have just begun a magical journey, entirely by mistake.

I am slowly (oh so slowly) working my way through Martha Wells’ back catalog. It helps that Tor has kindly been republishing a lot of her older works, giving me the motivation to pick up the pace (and the books!). Enter The Emilie Adventures! The first book in this series, Emilie and the Hollow World, is a fantastical tale that not only sets the scene but also introduces us to a young and determined character.

It’s a highly entertaining adventure, from start to finish. We’re talking about a world beneath the sea, plenty of action, and even a daring escape or two. The historical fantasy element adds a nice touch, putting Emilie in a world where women aren’t expected to behave this way.

This novel is a bit more YA than the rest of Martha Wells’ works, and that’s not a bad thing. Emilie is charming, and her story is great fun. The stakes felt real, though the pacing was perhaps a bit faster than it needed to be. More time to explore the world (and the magic/tech) would have been appreciated, but then again, I’m always greedy like that.

The supporting cast helped to make this story shine, especially Kenar and Rani. I would give just about anything to see a novel or novella from their perspective. Even a short story telling more of their world would be delightful!

Emilie and the Sky World

Emilie has only just gotten back from her first real adventure, and she’s still reeling from it all. She’s lucky enough to have two choices in front of her: work for her cousin at a local school or continue her adventure for the Marlendes family.

It’s not hard to guess which option Emilie picked. Her second adventure wasted no time in showing up on her door, and now Emilie is about to be whisked off into yet another world, this time one high up in the sky. Who could have guessed?!

Emilie’s adventures were a whirlwind read, and I’m sad to see her story come to an end here. I may have even checked (a few times) to be sure that Emilie and the Sky World was the conclusion to this series. Maybe with the reprinting, we’ll see more someday?

Where the first novel was fun, Emilie and the Sky World felt more settled. It’s still a chaotically entertaining adventure, but there’s less worry about having us get to know the characters.

Emilie and the Sky World has a little bit of everything, from technology that feels like magic to alien (otherworldly?) races and complex situations. It was a magical read, pun intended. I especially loved the new character introduced for this one, but I won’t spoil it here.

Much like the first, this novel is a bit more YA than Wells’ other works. That said, it did work in a whole bunch of subplots into the main plot, some of which touch upon deeper themes and subjects. So I wouldn’t say that Wells underestimated her audience.

I will say that Emilie’s bright and joyful personality is a breath of fresh air. She’s excited about her adventures, and it’s easy to get swept up in her. Likewise, it’s nice to see strong female characters outside of the typical adventurer build.

Highlights:
Steampunk World
Layers of Worlds
Determined/Defiant Young Lady
Historical Fantasy

Martha Wells' The Emilie Adventures combines two previous YA steampunk releases - Emilie and the Hollow World and Emilie and the Sky-World. Teen Emilie embarks on a series of adventures after running away from her home with a very controlling and disapproving uncle and aunt.

Emilie and the Hollow World is somewhat reminiscent of Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. In it, our young heroine accidentally stows away on the wrong ship. It's attacked just before it leaves (driven by an experimental engine) on an expedition to rescue a Dr. Marlende and his crew, who had journeyed to Earth's interior, the Hollow World.

In Emilie and the Sky-World, they take a ship into the aetherverse.

They encounter both friendly and hostile aliens. There are separations and reunions, and danger abounds but Emilie proves her worth as a valued member of a team of scientist explorers.

Usually I really like Martha Wells books, but The Emelie Adventures was one that just didn’t hold me. I’m not sure if it was the characters or the setting but I just found the book a bit hard to follow and I couldn’t engage with the characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and maybe I will come back to reread it in the future and in a different mindspace I can enjoy it a second time through.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7635122094

Ahoy there mateys! This is an omnibus of the two YA steampunk novels about Emilie.  In the first book she stows away on a vessel that goes under the sea / into the planet to the Hollow-World.  In the second novel she goes on a rescue mission on an airship to the Sky-World.  The world building is the highlight here.  I wanted more!

Both books feel like something Jules Verne would have written.  There is science and a bit of magic.  It is very steampunk and takes place in an alternate Victorian setting.  There are steamships, telescopes, a bustling scientific community, and new horizons to be explored.  There are merpeople, plant based people, and monsters.  Younger me would have adored this.

Emilie is a great character who starts out more as an observer but gains experience and becomes crucial to survival.  She is plucky and thoughtful.  It was lovely to watch her grow and carve out a life better suited to her wishes.  The only small problem was that she feels more like 12 than 16 years old.

These books are light and fluffy.  I enjoyed them but would have like a little more of everything from characterization, to descriptions, and more complex plotting.  The old-fashioned feel worked well but I couldn't help but want writing more in line with Well's adult works.  Arrr!

While I generally prefer Martha Wells' adult work, this was a really enjoyable set of novellas. The steampunk world is just fascinating and delightful, Emilie is such a likable character. I think this straddles the line between YA and Middle Grade. It's not inappropriately violent or graphic, so I would be able to recommend it to a middle grade reader who is able to read more difficult books but maybe not old enough to handle more difficult topics. That's a category that comes up surprisingly often, and I am excited to have a new title to recommend.

Thank you for providing me free copy of this e-arc. This is a re-release of older work and includes two separate stories. They flowed from one to another seamlessly and I enjoyed getting to know Emilie and the fantastic futuristic setting full of airships and magic. This is a YA or middle grade book full of adventures, where the FMC runs away from home, learns how to stand up for herself and becomes an unlikely heroine. Overall, I enjoyed both stories and would rate them 3.5 stars.

The Emilie Adventures is a re-release from Martha Wells' backlist, combining Emilie and the Hollow World and Emilie and the Sky World. I haven't read a steampunk book in quite some time; to be transported back into a steampunk setting through Martha's guiding hand made for a delightful reading experience. Emilie as a character is the kind of plucky heroine you might see in a Studio Ghibli film. Though this novel is meant for young adult readers, I feel readers of any age could enjoy Emilie's adevntures.

Tor has been republishing Martha Well's backlist. As someone who came to her via Murderbot, I've really loved getting the chance to read her older books, including many that were out of print or difficult to find.

The Emilie Adventures combines two middle grade adventure novels into one compendium focused on the eponymous Emilie. She's an adolescent runaway who ends up on a steampunk/gaslamp fantasy expedition full of airships, magic, and (on the whole) very generous and kind people.

The books are definitely age appropriate, and feature no romance or graphic violence. I can recognize Wells's signature clear action scenes and straightforward prose. I definitely recommend for older elementary/middle school kids - this would be a great gift for the young reader in your life looking for a replacement for some other less palatable middle grade fantasies (AHEM).

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Three and a half stars.

Although these two stories were originally published separately, it makes sense to have them collected here as the second story begins immediately (literally) after the first story ends.

This is the story of Emilie, who has run away from her terrible uncle to live with her cousin. But first she must stowaway on a ship to reach her cousin. But, oops, wrong ship. Actually, really wrong ship as it is first attacked by men with guns and then dives into the ocean to reach the hidden world.

These are young adult adventure novels with lots of action and a very plucky heroine who keeps doing the hard thing because it's her only choice. It's not set on earth, but has a steam-punk vibe which the addition of magic (aether manipulation).

I found The Hidden World more interesting and propulsive than the Sky World, personally, but both are nice.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is two books put into one and I loved that the stories flowed from one into the other so seamlessly. Emilie’s adventures felt very nostalgic to me. In both books there are blimp like ships and they reminded me so much of Airborn by Kenneth Oppel which I absolutely loved when I was younger.

This is a great YA book with a female lead who is learning to stand up for herself and be brave. I loved Emilie and enjoyed both stories but the second one was my favourite. The stakes were high, there was a very cool scifi type element, the setting was giving me The Nowhere in Cytonic by Brandan Sanderson vibes and a character reminded me of a beloved character from Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.

I don’t know if Martha Wells plans to write any more adventures for Emilie, but if she does, I will definitely be reading them right away.

Super creative world building, interesting and fleshed out characters, well written upper YA novellas. I would definitely come back to this world.

The Emilie Adventures is a 2025 omnibus re-release of Martha Wells's YA Fantasy duology from 2013/2014.

Emilie and the Hollow World:
Emilie is stifled by the expectations of her uncle, and runs away...but kind of botches her escape and accidentally ends up on a ship with an experimental engine bound to the center of the planet. Adventure ensues!

Emilie is headstrong, adventurous, and above all curious about the world around her. She's absorbed a lot of knowledge about her new vessel, but ultimately needs to rely on her courage to persevere through her adversity. I found this to be on the plot heavier side - the action is nonstop!! - but really enjoy Emilie's growth as a character too.


Emilie and the Sky World:
Emilie is a whole adventure wiser (i.e. warier but also has had a taste for the wider world and wants more) and this time, she and the Marlendes discover that the disruption in the upper aether current is actually a ship from another aetheric plane! And there is a creature on board who resembles a flower! But weird things are happening in the currents, and Emilie and her crew are swept away, and of course it's up to Emilie to use her courage and her inquisitive nature to help them out.

I love the youthful nature - it's YA and very appropriate for an adventurous younger reader, specifically not romantic - and Emilie has a really insightful growth arc as a character. She's navigating the complicated barriers of being an unmarried young woman and the daughter of an actress with a "reputation", in a world where most women aren't educated or encouraged in sciences. The tone works really well overall, and Martha Wells captures the joy of adventure paired with coming of age in a nod to some classics but in a way that she makes her own.

There's nothing really *wrong* with The Emilie Adventures; it's perfectly fine for what it is. But since the only other books I've read from Martha Wells are the MurderBot books, my expectations were probably off (even after considering that this duo is meant to be YA). I found Emilie's adventures to be interesting enough that I'd pick up the next book in the series, if there ever is one (but since it's been about 11 years since book 2 (Emilie and the Sky-World) was originally published, I'm not too optimistic there will be more).

With Murderbot hitting Apple+ this week, I don’t know how more people aren’t talking about this rerelease of The Emilie Adventures, being published in one novel. They are two novellas following Emilie who becomes a part of a ship’s crew after stowing away on the wrong ship, leading to her finding the family she’s always wanted while going on two separate adventures.

The world-building is nice and has a unique world system that was confusing at first, but became easier to follow as the story went on. There are some elements of magic that seems more nebulous, interesting ships and experimental engines, as well as people from other worlds and fantastic fight scenes.

4.5 stars

Thank you to @tordotcom and @netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

I did not finish this book. I read about 40% and I was disinterested in the story. I felt confused by the writing style - the tone in the beginning seemed middle grade but the inclusion of topics such as prostitution felt more young adult. I know the book is young adult but the tone was conflicting. I also felt the characters were underdeveloped and flat. I was overall disappointed with my experience and did not want to complete the book.