EXCERPT: Fall of Sky City

Title: Fall of Sky City
Series: Devices of War Book 1
Author: S.M. Blooding
Published Date: republished May 5, 2013
Publisher: Blooding Books
Pages: 316
ISBN: 978-1484052297
Genre: steampunk
Add to: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon

Excerpt:

“Here’s the hangar we’re lookin’ for,” Joshua said lightly. “Now we just need to get everything loaded and be off.”
I walked into the hangar and stared in surprise at the monstrous bird-like machine propped up on rolling jacks. “What is that?”
“Tha’,” he said, pointing to it with a grin, “is my invention to get us out of here.”
“It didn’t come in anything smaller, perhaps a bit faster?”
He laughed and started pulling rigging ropes off of the wings. “Not if we’re taking all o’ our studies with us. No.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“Our entire laboratory is in here.” He stopped and looked at me. “Well, come on. Let’s get going. They’re going ta be tearin’ the city apart looking for you soon enough, like as right. Best we’re off before they catch on.”
Yvette ducked under the tail of the flying machine in knee-length pants, stockings and a white shirt, a leather bodice of sorts holding her belt of contraptions and gadgets. “Ah, so the garçonhas arrived.” She sent me a tight lipped glare. “Thank you for expediting our time table. We really could have used the extra weeks to finish.”
“Yvette,” Joshua said. “Have you loaded all of your things?”
She nodded.
“How many trunks of clothes are we going to be loaded down with?” I asked.
She glared and disappeared on the other side again.
Haji removed the rigging from the wing. “What is this?”
“I call it an aerioplane.” Joshua smiled proudly. “It works differently than the bi-plane in the fact tha’ we’re able to carry cargo. It took a bi’ to figure out how to carry heavy loads, but I think I did all right.”
“Yeah,” Yvette yelled, “though landing this thing’s going to be a bit of an issue.”
My hands paused on the rigging. “What’s she talking about?”
Joshua’s looked like he was trying to shake off his concern. “It’s nothin’ to worry about. We’ll be fine.”
“Uh-huh. Define fine.”
“Well.” He took in a breath and tipped his head. “It’d be best if we were to find a long, soft, flat place to land.”
“And why’s that?”
“Well, the bi-planes can land vertically. My aerioplane needs a runway in order to gain enough force to take off.” He winced. “The heavier we are, the harder it is to take off.”
“And without landing gear,” Yvette said, popping up under the wing, “it’ll be that much harder.”
“Without—Wait.” I followed Joshua into the belly of the beast. “We won’t be able to land?”
“It’ll just be a bi’ rocky is all.” He shrugged.

Follow SM Blooding:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads