Treasure Darkly

I loved this book because it was fast-paced and well thought out.

This book started on a high note, and only went up from there. A steam-punk story, wrapped around an old west setting with a dash of necromancy. Yes please.

Clark was a really well written and likable character. He came from nothing and expects no more than what a common person has. A safe place to sleep and food on the table. But when the army is on your tail, having a rich and prominent family to protect you doesn't hurt. I liked that even though he never had any formal education he still was very smart, and quick witted. He was also smart enough to know when some one was patronizing him, or was sincere.

Amethyst took longer for me to like. For the first 1/3 of the book she was incredibly shallow and fickle. It was weird for me the way she flaunted herself at her alleged half brother. (It's not much a spoiler since you find out pretty quick, but they aren't actually siblings. I'll save the details for those who read the book.) After Clark saves her though, she became more likable and less self-centered.

The rest of the characters were really background characters, but they still felt important to the story. I liked that all the characters, no matter how small or important, were really complex in their own ways.

The only down side was, for me at least, the last 3 chapters were really slow and kind of boring. But the last few pages show why, that it was winding down a bit before the big plot driver for the next book was revealed. There was a lot of really good plot and character development in this book. And I look forward to the sequel.

This is my first foray into the Steampunk Genre. I was very impressed by the depth in the characters especially Clark.

Clark having lost his mother to murder after he drank a special potion. He can now bring recently dead people back to life as well as speak to the Dead. This is the story of Clark and his travels and most especially him finding his place in the world.

While I loved Clark as a character I wasn't very fond of Amethyst who was petty and only concern is power and money. Though I did see quite a bit of growth. Near the end of the book you can see that she is misjudged by her family and many of the people who know her.

The only issue I had with this book is that Clark and Amethyst are supposed to be siblings so the constant flirting and sexual tension between the two seemed very strange. Without giving away the details about Clark I think after you get past your initial shock you will see that it isn't incestuous at all.

A great book and the first in this series. I can't wait for the second book to be released. A wonderful story by Jordan Elizabeth one that I would recommend to those wishing to try a different style then they are used to.

I'm fairly new to this particular genre, but I found myself enjoying Treasure Darkly a whole lot. It was great getting to know the world, meet the characters and see what their roles are in their world and what they do with it. I want to read more about them!

It’s not often that I see a Steampunk novel, especially one that interests me. The first line of the summary won me over in a second. I’m excited to see more from this story, but I will admit that the ending does have me pouting over the wait.

Summary

Seventeen-year-old Clark Treasure assumes the drink he stole off the captain is absinthe… until the chemicals in the liquid give him the ability to awaken the dead.

A great invention for creating perfect soldiers, yes, but Clark wants to live as a miner, not a slave to the army—or the deceased. On the run, Clark turns to his estranged, mining tycoon father for help. The Treasures welcome Clark with open arms, so he jumps at the chance to help them protect their ranch against Senator Horan, a man who hates anyone more powerful than he.

Sixteen-year-old Amethyst Treasure loathes the idea of spending the summer away from her bustling city life to rot on her father’s ranch, but when a handsome young man shows up claiming to be her secret half-brother, her curiosity is piqued. He’s clever, street smart, and has no qualms jumping into the brawl between the Treasures and Horans. Caught in the middle, Horan kidnaps Amethyst, and all she gets is this lousy bullet through her heart.

When Clark brings her back to life, however, the real action starts, and Amethyst joins him in his fight against the Horan clan—whatever the cost. Defeating the Horans may seem easy at first, but going up against men with the same fighting vengeance as Clark, and a Senator with power he’s obtained by brainwashing the masses?

Well, Amethyst’s boring summer at home has turned into an adventure on the run, chock full of intrigue, danger, love, and a mysterious boy named Clark.

Musings

I’m nearly certain that this summary wasn’t the one given to me when I received this book, but I love the changes that I see in it. Amethyst’s role is just as important as Clark’s and it’s nice to see a summary that gives her a bigger role.

I loved Clark from the moment we were introduced. He was a survivor — someone with a bit of bent ethics, but willing to defend those he cared about and painfully conscious of the burden / gift he’d gotten by drinking the potion.

Amethyst’s role in the beginning really irked me. She was that typical celebrity girl role that gets painted in the tabloids — selfish, immature, and pampered. While I’d love to say there was tremendous character growth, I still think she’s still pampered and selfish. I really want to see her character be confronted with more dangerous situations to see how she morphs into the woman I want her character to be.

Overall, I enjoyed the pacing, but I found the ending rushed. Most of my favorite series leave off the novels in a place where there are most strings tied together, with the potential for continuation. This didn’t. I felt like I was smack middle, like I was waiting for a serial fiction to update. However, that’s a good way to guarantee sales for the second book, so I can’t wait until that releases.

Great, adventurous romp. Well written!

3 ½ stars!

Growing up with no father around and with a mother that is a Tarnished Silver, a prostitute in a small mining town called Tangled Wire, Clark Treasure does what he needs to get by – even if that means stealing from his mom’s clients now and then. But when he comes across a vial of what he believes to be Absinthe and he drinks it – he changes his future forever. Next thing he knows, his mom is killed, he figures out he can now raise the dead (or kill) with a simple touch, and the army is now looking for him like he’s enemy #1 as the substance he ingested was actually a serum the army owned to create the perfect soldier that could do just as Clark figured out he could do. On the run for his life, Clark turns to the only people he can think of – the Treasure family, to his father who spent a night with his mother 19 years prior, was unfaithful to his wife, and got Clark’s mom pregnant.

The family accepts him, given the letter and photo Clark has regarding his parentage – both Garth and Georgette Treasure give him a home along with their other children Jeremiah, Zachary, and Amethyst. No one knows the secret that Clark is keeping, that with a touch he can either bring or take life from someone. Clark sets out to get to know his family – however reluctant the boys are – his wild-spirited sister Amethyst makes up for it by trying to learn as much as she can about him…which includes following him around as she is extremely intrigued by him. But Clark has discovered another “power” from the substance he drank two years earlier – he can sometimes see spirits, and when Amethyst is kidnapped by a strange aircraft, it is Clark to her rescue, but not before a spirit tells Clark what the craft is. He feels this must just be a coincidence and is focused on helping to rescue his sister, but when Clark later finds out that the spirit is really his deceased father – an inventor named Eric Grisham, Clark is mystified that his attraction to his “sister” isn’t something to be ashamed of. Upon saving Amethyst from the evil land owner, the Horen family, Clark’s father explains that he wants Clark to liberate the inventions that are in the Horen’s possession that were stolen upon his murder by the family and are rightfully Clark’s. But on a fateful day, Amethyst is once again the victim of the Horen family – this time with a bullet to the heart. Clark restores her and is forced to trust her with his secrets. And when the two fall for each other, they are forced to keep their love a secret or be obligated to expose all they have learned.

This was my first steampunk novel and I really enjoyed how all of the inventions were described and created, all without having indoor plumbing in most homes. Clark was a strong and noble character, who has only ever wanted a family to call his own. Amethyst is wild and stong-willed – she is a perfect complement to Clark as she brings fun and excitement to his life. The rest of the Treasure family is the perfect balance of sophistication and grace in their accepting of Clark and everything he encompasses. My sole complaint was the format – there were multiple POV’s, and there was never a really clear change, other than a little marker between paragraphs. You had to be reading for a while to figure out whose prospective you were listening to, which it would have been nice to have made the separation and POV a little clearer. This was an enjoyable story that left readers on the edge of their seats with a cliff-hanger ending, and I am looking forward to seeing what else is in store for the Treasure/ Grisham family.

Thoughts as I read this:

11.07% This is why you do not take/use things that don't belong to you.
20.42% This is why you do not take/use things that don't belong to you.
22.49% It didn't mean they were unfaithful-it was just once a year or only one night" --Umm that still counts!
30.45% Loving Georgette's character!
71.97% How many inventions did this guy have?!
34.95% Amethyst is really annoying with her spoiled attitude and flirting with her half-brother.
42.91% Turn of events for Clark. Now he has a stalker of sorts...
59.86% And the hunt begins....Good luck Clark!
80.97% And Amethyst is being naughty again. Gah! How she annoys me!
87.54% Death= party time. Got it! Liking Zach's character the more he is in the book.