The Violins Played Before Junston by Lou Kemp

Celwyn is an ancient and powerful magician. He has roamed the world, alone, for a very long time. On his latest adventure, he is hired to capture and deliver the automat Kang to a priest. Celwyn is led to believe that Kang is evil, and thus deserving of the fate awaiting him. But as he travels on board a ship with the man he is supposed to be hunting, it soon becomes clear that he was lied to; Kang is not evil. And in many ways, even though he is an automat, he sometimes seems more human than many living people do. And as Celwyn gets to know Kang, the two of them become friends. And soon they find themselves on an adventure across multiple countries as their group seems to expand along the way, danger following them each step of the way.

I read a review copy of this book and enjoyed this steampunk adventure. The descriptions were vibrant. You could clearly imagine everything and every place being described. The story held my interest throughout. Each of the characters had their reasons for travelling together, and while they may have started out as nothing more than convenient travelling companions, the friendship and feeling of belonging that developed among them felt quite genuine. By the end, they were a sort of found family. Like all families, they did have their disagreements and issues at times, but in the end I believe it brought them closer together.

This was a fun story, with wonderful imagery. Not only was there travel by sailing vessel, but by train as well. Danger follows them, as well as adventure. This was the first book in the series. I am looking forward to seeing what further adventures these characters will find themselves on. I believe readers will enjoy this book as much as I did. It should appeal to anyone who enjoys reading Steampunk adventures with vampires, travel, and magic having a large part in the story. I do need to add a potential trigger warning though, as there is an instance of suicide and references to past child abuse within this book.

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