Tales from the Archives Vol. 2 ~ #4

Tales from the Archives Vol. 2 - #4

By:  Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris

Written & Narrated by:  JR Murdock

Format:  Podcast, 28:52 minutes

Genre:  Fantasy, Steampunk

Series:  4th in Tales of the Archives Vol. 2 podcasts, part of A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series

Recommendation:  Yes. Nice way to meet new characters in this steampunk-ish world particularly if you enjoyed the book; A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel, Phoenix Rising.

Synopsis:
The Emperor's Fist

Spring 1889

Agent Reginald Coffey and Special Liaison Meiying Ling are deep within the jungles of China, setting technology against the oldest of dark Chinese magic.  The two are set on a rendezvous with the most sinister of sorcerers and a plot to plunge the world into darkness.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Before we start into the story, we learn Eliza is adverse in several different languages including Chinese, which surprises Wellington.

Agent Reginald Coffey and Liasion Meiying Ling are hired to find out why traders traveling this route through the jungle are attacked.  As they move through in their walker they are attacked constructs of red pottery people, and as Agent Coffey breaks them they slowly reconstruct.  Following the path they come to a pyramid of the burial ground for the first emperor, one no one has ever entered....until now.  A man has entered and has taken on the liquid silver to become the first.

This is an interesting tale as it has adventure and action, mixed in with steampunk.  The walker Agent Coffey and Liasion Meiying ride is neat in its own way; there is a blooming lotus, which is a fire weapon.  Then as we head into the forbidden tomb we see there is a machine created of pipes and gears the power driven man is using to cycle the Elixir of Life to create and control mechanical beings of mercury.  He has even taken in the mercury as well.

What Agent Coffey and Liasion Meiying find in the pyramid is interesting.  One would not think so much would be able to fit in here but that is deceiving there is a miniature city and farm lands.  There are traps that could kill as there are many priceless treasures here from the first emperor.

There is fighting with the terracotta soldiers, then the liquid mechanical soldiers, and finally with the man claiming to now be The First.  In the end, Reginald Coffey does talk with our Wellington about a piece he kept far longer than he should have, after he turned in his report.  A piece to remember what happened, and it still moves, every once in a while.

JR Murdock does the voices and has a difference between them for us to know who's talking.  The story keeps moving and is quick.  I did have to rewind a time or two to make sure I got the details correctly. This is an interesting story in the Archives.


Would you like to listen to these? For a taste of the characters or in addition to the book... Visit The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.

NEW!! The Tales from the Archives: Volume 1 can now be found on Kindle as The Ministry's 99-Penny Dreadfuls.  You can find these for your Reading pleasure in any eFormat you would like at Smashwords.

There are short stories always added to the listing. So keep checking back!

I listened to this short story for my own enjoyment.