I'm not sure that I have much more to add to the other reviews of continuing adventures of Josette Dupre and her crew except to say that I like this novel and it'll be interesting to see how far Bennis can take this story. ( )

Josette and crew nurse the Mistral back to Arle for badly-needed repairs and luftgas but supplies are short. Josie still wants to return to Durum which they left, along with her mother, under Vin rule. But she'll need the help of Bernie, and his brother, to navigate the political minefield that stands between Josie and her goals. The second book in the series is more light-hearted and most of the action takes place on the ground, which may not be a welcome change to fans of steampunk but which allows more character growth. And Bennis throws in one heck of an action scene on the Mistral to compensate! ( )

Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over

I enjoyed the first novel in this steampunk series, and By Fire Above offers an interesting follow. While it does not repeat the situations of the first, it is both true to the feel and holds similar themes. The characters retain their personalities, even Bernie who continues to be an amusing idiot at times but an endearing one. It’s rife with dangerous battles and perilous escapades. In fact, you’re tossed into the thick of it from the start with the Mistral limping to port heavily damaged after a battle.

The original cast has some replacements due to the costs of war, and others, like Kemper, step into a larger role. Kemper’s mettle is tested in ways no ensign should have to endure. Both her gender and the biased first officer assigned to the Mistral set her in positions where no decision is a good one. She’s only one example of a crew member stepping up, if the main one, and it’s nice to see the possibilities expanding. This is especially true because of how Kemper makes independent decisions, knowing what Dupre would do, but sometimes choosing her own way.

Don’t mistake my appreciation for Kemper’s story as a sign Captain Dupre has been pushed to the side, however. She and Bernie remain the main stage for a story that begins with the illogical nature of court and politics, and ends up with betrayal in the wind. There is trouble no matter where Dupre sets her feet.

Take a moment to imagine Captain Dupre at court. Yes, it is every bit as problematic and amusing as you think. It is taken one step further by the rivalry between Bernie and his brother, who is the heir by order of birth, not value…at least according to Bernie. Interestingly, Dupre and Bernie are not set up as a potential couple, though they’re mired in each other’s love life. They have a strong bond in any case. Otherwise, Dupre would not have been able to tolerate him at all, especially as he tries to educate her on negotiating the contrary loyalties and personalities found in politics.

Bernie is true to his nature. He’s still full of himself, lacking a true sense of ship-life, and bewildered by the crew’s treatment of him. At the same time, he’s loyal to a fault and willing to take risks no one of his station should be. Despite his character flaws, I can’t help but like him.

The novel has a good number of startling twists, all of which are grounded in what we know. This is even true for the last twist, one which caused me a little annoyance, not because it wasn’t true to the characters, but because I disagreed with the captain’s choice. I was involved with the characters and engaged by the tale all the way through. This is not an airbrushed version of war, maintaining the foot soldier viewpoint. This meant there were a good number of hard spots to manage, but I appreciate the realism over a prettified version where no one is ever hurt or makes the wrong call.

Ultimately, By Fire Above is a solid sequel to the first, offering a look at prejudice and bias from several perspectives, and not always the ones you’d expect, either. The story is strong, the underlying themes are incorporated well, and the characters are delightful and annoying in turn, just as they should be.

P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review. ( )

The second book in Bennis's Signal Airship series is even stronger than the first book, beginning at a fast clip that continues all the way through. What I love about these books is that they approach steampunk from a military standpoint; even with some fantastical elements, the airships feel realistic and the technological advantages and disadvantages of the vessels play a major role throughout.

By Fire Above isn't all about battle, though. Courtly political machinations also play a vital part--as does a brother of the foppish, delightfully obnoxious Lord Bernat. The romantic element is mild, and the banter is fantastic with a dry, British feel. I especially appreciated the difficulties the airship crew has in acquiring supplies for necessary repairs. That's an incredibly realistic element that I've become aware of in my own period historical research.

I highly recommend this book for readers who love steampunk, but I also hope flintlock fantasy readers of authors like Brian McClellan and Django Wexler will take a look. I know I'm already eager for the next book. ( )

This is the sequel to one of my favorite books last year The Guns Above! Yes, you do want to read that first to get the full impact of this one. In this one we start out slow as Josette gets a crash course in Royal politics. The pace slowly increases as Josette, Bernie and the rest of the crew of the Mistral take part in a plan to retake the city of Durum. When you get to the last quarter of the book make sure you have enough time to finish the book in one go. And what a go it is as again we get some of the best battle scenes I have read in a long time. The author throws us right into the thick of things to where I was ready to duck from flying musket balls as we headed towards that explosive finale. So. Much. Fun! Please let there be a book 3! ( )