Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Unavailable
God Save the Queen
Unavailable
God Save the Queen
Unavailable
God Save the Queen
Audiobook11 hours

God Save the Queen

Written by Kate Locke

Narrated by Courtney Patterson

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

The first in an alternate fantasy series where vampires, werewolves, and goblins rule London.
Queen Victoria rules with an immortal fist.

The undead matriarch presides over a Britain where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. It's a world where the nobility are infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath), Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day, and leeches are considered a delicacy. And a world where technology lives side by side with magic. The year is 2012 and Pax Britannia still reigns.

Xandra Vardan is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it is her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But when her sister goes missing, Xandra will set out on a path that undermines everything she believed in and uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire. And she is the key -- the prize -- in a very dangerous struggle.
The fantastic start to The Immortal Empire series that continues with the spectacular undead books, The Queen is Dead and Long Live the Queen.

The Immortal Empire God Save the Queen The Queen is Dead Long Live the Queen
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJul 3, 2012
ISBN9781611134735
Unavailable
God Save the Queen

Related to God Save the Queen

Related audiobooks

Fantasy For You

View More

Related articles

Reviews for God Save the Queen

Rating: 3.9906015037593985 out of 5 stars
4/5

266 ratings34 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A good, well written UF read, not steampunk as I expected. There were no fantastical steam powered gadgets, just familiar ones with different names. The book is set in England and the author did a good job with the 'British' voice, not far off the mark as some similar books I've read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was a fun, intense and quick read. I simply could not put it down and devoured it in one afternoon.

    Some people complain in their reviews and find similarities with other books, but I found the world Kate Locke created quite original and interesting. (Maybe because I did not read Parasol Protectorate series...)

    The plot is based on the premise that the plague did not kill all the people that were infected but created a gene mutation. So now we have vampires and were-wolves and goblins and half-breeds. The world of today in the book is so very different than our own. There were no world wars. Adolf Hitler was just a not very talented German painter. Queen Victoria still rules in England (since she is a vampire). The fashion and technology can be best described as mild steam-punk. It was all very interesting.

    The heroine Xandra is half-human half-vampire and she is in a Royal Gard sworn to protect vampire nobility. She is very good narrator, her descriptions of surroundings can be almost poetic but can also be short and precise in action scenes increasing the tension. When she was fighting sometimes I felt like I was watching the movie.
    Maybe the romance part of the story was a little bit under developed, but there were so many things happening to her that I did not feel like anything was missing.
    I can not comment anything that happens to her without big spoilers, but I will say that there were a couple of major unexpected twists. Did I mention that I could not put it down? :)

    The big plus for a book is that everything is resolved in the end. There is no pesky cliffhanger to torture us until next year. I will definitively read the next book in series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I had looked forward to reading this book ever since I saw the cover, but the story proved to be even more than I expected. Xandra is an interesting character in that she is judgmental and lives mainly for other people's approval at the start of the book. If she had stayed that way throughout the book, it may have bugged me, but she really grew during the course of the story. She had to learn to accept not only herself, but also that the people in her life weren't all they appeared to be either. She definitely still has some growing to do, but I look forward to reading about it.

    Vex was just about perfect. He makes a good love interest for Xandra and also a good partner in crime. Plus, he's hot.

    The world building is intricate and it may help to read the information in the back of the book first. I didn't, so for the first few chapters I felt a touch overwhelmed by all the info. Once I figured it all out, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was an interesting take on vampires, werewolves, and goblins with a steampunk edge. I like the explanation given for how vamps, etc came to be, and there's an interesting mystery in the book as well. First of a planned trilogy, I will be looking for the sequels. However, this book does well as a stand-alone; everything wraps up nicely at the end of the book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It's 2012 and Queen Victoria still rules England with an iron fist due to the mix of disease and genetics that creates vampires. Only aristocrats can be vampires, half-vampires, or goblins due to their genetics and experience extremely long lives, a stronger constitution, inhuman strength and sense, an abhorrence to light, the list goes on. Xandra Vardan is a halvie and a member of the prestigious Royal Guard. She has set records in her schooling using her exceptional strength and speed and believes wholeheartedly that the aristocrats need their protection against the treacherous, vermin-like humans. Then her sister dies, but she knows that her sister has really gone missing. Her quest to find her sister plunges her into a plot that will turn her world upside down. God Save the Queen is a unique steampunk novel in that it takes place in an alternate present day where Queen Victoria is still alive. This idea results in a world wherea version modern day technology is meshed with Victorian fashion, style, sensibility, and mentality. Both fashion and technology are permanently stunted because the country is led by one really old woman who knows what she likes. There are some changes and advances, but are much more slow moving because the aristocracy is basically immortal. Women are still wearing bustles, corsets, and the like. Hysteria is a common diagnosis for female behavior. Cell phones and computers exist, but not in the same way they do now. It just feels less developed and more clunky, like modern technology through a steampunk lens. Cylinders are used to store audio and video files and cell phones still have rotary dials. Science has also progressed and plays a large role in the novel. Historical figures from the past 175 years are still walking around and looking pretty good for their age, like Winston Churchill. The only thing I think is out of place is the acceptance of homosexual relationships. It's not even fully accepted currently, so I don't think a stunted, decidedly old world would fare any better.Another aspect of the society I love is the disease. The plague mixed with the aristocratic genetics creates either vampires, half vampires, or goblins. (The same is true for werewolves.) The plague mixed with run of the mill commoner genes results in death. Upward mobility is now impossible for humans because of their genes. This clear distinction and huge difference between classes makes tensions run extremely high. The Great Insurrection of 1932 made matters worse when humans tried to overthrow and eradicate the aristocracy, but they failed, leaving both factions bitter and angry. Both are typically prejudiced of each other except for an underground faction where a few can work together. I love this system. It makes for great political intrigue and just a fascinating new world.The characters are pretty awesome. Xandra is a hot head and throws herself wholeheartedly into everything she does. This fiery red head is strong and completely prejudiced against humans. She loves her family and will fight to the end for any them. Her sense of justice and familial fealty are huge parts of her character and change over time. I love seeing this world through her eyes. Throughout the novel, her prejudices and preconceptions change as she sees the truth. I honestly can't get enough of her humor and sarcasm. Vex is her lover and the leader of the werewolves. Werewolves are usually awful and obnoxiously alpha male and abusive. Vex is the opposite. He's quite sweet and the romance between him and Xandra is both steamy and tender. He manages to be protective and strong without being condescending or overbearing. He is the best male interest I have seen in a while. I can't get enough of this vibrant world that merges the present day with the Victorian era. I like that science and technology can be an integral part of a magical fantasy world, showing that science fiction and fantasy can support each other and produce amazing results. In a growing genre, God Save the Queen manages to stand out in the crowd of steampunk. The only flaw is the beginning takes a little while to gain momentum. There is a little too much time before anything really happens. I eagerly await the next installment of the series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    God save the Queen by Kate Locke is a captivating urban fantasy about Xandra, a kick-butt, tough, elite fighter in Queen Victoria's Royal Guard. In 2012 in this alternative magic-filled steampunk universe, goblins snatch children from the sewer grates of London, werewolves prowl, and the aristocracy (including the queen) are undead (and sarcastic as hell!) Xandra's sister goes missing and Xandra puts everything on the line to find her, unraveling some but well-hidden secrets about her family and herself in the process. The world-building in this novel is awesome. When I first picked it up, I thought, steampunk, vampires, werewolves...yawn, it's been done before -- but this world is amazing, interesting, full of supernatural creatures of all sorts, and completely captivating. The world is described in beautiful detail, but it is dark and gritty and scary. The monsters that walk side by side with humans are fear-worthy. The goblins are the stuff of nightmares, and their characterization makes Xandra's journey through the goblin caves to find her sister all the more courageous and compelling. The character-building is even better than the world-building! I fell in love with the characters, main and minor -- even casual characters have depth and personalty. Feelings are beautifully described, and Xandra is a sympathetic and vulnerable heroine, not withstanding all her toughness and rough edges. I have only read the first book, but I already pre-ordered the next in the series. I might just read this one again while I am waiting for the next one to come out.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I received this title from the Librarything early reviewers program.GOD SAVE THE QUEEN was a fun steampunk novel set in a Victorian time. I enjoyed the language and the dress of the characters. The plot was fast paced but I found the story as a whole did not draw me in like some of my favorite steampunk novels have. I would happily recommend you grab a copy of GOD SAVE THE QUEEN from your local library if it sounds interesting to you.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Well Kim Newman did Queen Victoria as a vampire in his Anno Dracula series but this is an interesting twist on a similar idea. Set in an alternative present where the black death mutated and produced people who are largely immortal. Three different aspects of this mutation produced Vampires, Werewolves and Goblins, with varying sensitivity to light and issues. These people become the nobility, many of them already were. Xandra Vardan is a halfie, not quite one of the elite but one of the guards for the elite, she works hard, knows her place in the scheme of things and parties hard when she can. Her life changes utterly when her sister dies and her investigations brings her down paths that will change the empire forever.Interesting concept, interesting characters and I'm looking forward to what's going to happen next with the characters and their lives. There are several good background characters that I'd like to see more of and Xandra's brothers and sisters seem a little thin, character wise, but otherwise it's quite an interesting story.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The undead seem to be in right now. Not just the undead, but in another vine Victorian-period steampunk novels are becoming popular these days. And, strangely enough, I've found that I enjoy the steampunk elements -plus, it's hard for me to say no to an alternative Victorian history. Thus, the oh-so-fun looking God Save the Queen seemed like the perfect fit for me.In an alternative version of England, Queen Victoria continues to rule 100 years later as an immortal. The aristocracy is immortal -werewolves, vampires and the such -and humans are left to live in fear of the nobles and a horrible plague. Young Xandra is a member of the Royal Guard and her duty in life is to protect the nobility -to the death. Yet, as Xandra digs deeper into the mysterious murder of her sister, she finds a conspiracy hidden in the depths of the London underworld that could bring down Victoria and the empire.On paper, God Save the Queen seemed like a fun and fairly carefree book. I was expecting humorous dialog, fun moments and a fairly frothy plot. There was some of this in here -plus a good dose of the paranormal and the undead -but this just didn't hold up for me as the book went out. It didn't stay fun, the humor and witty dialog seemed to completely disappear and the plot became strangely...serious. This may seem somewhat uncharacteristic for me, but I was expecting this to be a light and fun read, but it just wasn't frothy enough.I was also a little disappointing with the setting. The book promised a paranormal-driven novel with heavy Victorian steampunk elements, but the setting frequently seemed distant -hard to find sometimes. I was also unhappy with the heavy use of the vampire elements -I thought there was going to be more here than just that, but (and I don't know about you) I'm sick of vampires.Overall, a decent book that started out okay, but didn't hold up as the story went on
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I chose this title thanks to hype comparing it to Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. While it does have a few similar settings and steampunk flavoring, they otherwise share little resemblance. The first several chapters are a marked example why 'show don't tell' is so critical. The setting up of the world allows almost no room for plot, dialogue or charterer development. After that, Locke seems to get a better sense of her pace and the book settles into a mystery. I liked the main character, but I think she suffers in being compared to Alexis, the protagonist of the Carriger series. who is a far more wry and playful personality. Overall, a good quick read for a rainy day.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I greatly enjoyed this book, it captured me from the beginning. Very fast read, leaving me ready for more. There are a couple of unexpected twists and turns.A very interesting take on present day England. A place where Queen Victoria is a vampire and the political climate has not changed for over a hundred years.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Not bad! The 104th novel I've read so far this year was a pretty decent debut [seeing if I can beat the 138 I read last year :-)]. Set in a 2012 where the plague turned folks into vampires, werewolves and goblins if they survived Queen Victoria has now ruled England for 175 years. This book is not a great classic of literature but it is good fun. As the other reviews have been saying this is an excellent novel for a reader that likes Gail Carriger, steampunk or urban fantasy. The setting is a fun blend of the old and new as parts of society stagnate under the eternal aristocracy. The heroine is *almost* a Mary Sue. She's saved from being the special chosen one by some decent character flaws though. I don't really want to go into plot too much because I don't like spoilers but our heroine is a "halvie" working as a royal guard and sets out to find out what's going on when her sister disappears. I really like the urban fantasy subgenre so I was glad to see a debut novel that was an urban fantasy and not a thinly disguised romance with a few fantasy trappings added on top. While I'd be lying if I said this was the best book I've read this year it definitely was good solid work. It's entertaining fun and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone that fits the target audience of liking Gail Carriger, steampunk or urban fantasy. I'll happily read book two and I've actually already marked down book two, The Queen is dead, for purchase next February. Hopefully the author will have hit her stride and book two will be better yet.So, if you're fond of the subgenre and want a quick fun read I do heartily recommend this book. It's great to see a good new author.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    If you like the Parasol Protectorate books, this book is for you! I am exactly in this book's target audience, and I say, get me the sequel to this book, stat!One thing I liked about this book was the mixture of eras/styles. The year is 2012 but Great Britain is still, literally, in the Victorian age. The characters have computers, television, and cell phones, but women wear bustles and corsets. I love how the author describes the protagonist's clothes -- and this is something that can go either way for me in a book. I'm normally not big on description but it works here (though there is a sadly high attrition rate on my favorite outfits). Sure, the ideas aren't exactly new, but they are *so* much fun here. Vampires, werewolves, aristocracy, and oh yeah, goblins. Also siblings you adore but who occasionally drive you nuts. Drawing-room manners, with guns. Seriously, give this book a try. I got an ARC from LTER but it's out now for your reading convenience.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book is lots of good fun. The heroine is legitimately tough and capable of taking care of herself; when she runs into danger, she doesn't need her friends in high places to get her back out of it. I am a bit tired of the heroines in urban fantasy being one of a kind special creatures, but in this case I can go along with it; her strength earns it for her, in a way. And her love interest the werewolf alpha is everything that an alpha should be, avoiding the usual literary pitfalls. He's confident and sometimes cocky but not overbearing; people follow him because he is a leader. He has her back but doesn't treat her like she needs protecting because she's anything less than him, and if she tells him to let her handle something alone, he stays out of the way. I am looking forward to spending more time with them and learning more about their world.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I would go buy this book if I didn't already have it. It is excellent. The world is fresh/original, the nature of the werewolves and vampires is fresh/original and the story is engaging, interesting and well-written. We also have a "new" intelligent species introduced (goblins) who even play a proper role in the story.What I liked most about this book is that it is such a fresh take on the typical urban fantasy female hero "saves her world" theme that has flooded the marketplace over the past couple years. Oh, and the main character does not whine! That's also a nice change. And I really like the variation of vampire/were origins. Seriously, I read a lot of books in this genre and this is the first time in ages that the story/setting/origins were fresh.There is even a little romantic thread that makes sense and was not creepy or inappropriate and didn't cause the heroine to become all "sappy"... Overall, this was a nice change in a tired genre and I'm going to be looking for more books by this author.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A great ER read! Xandra Vardan is a 'halvie': half human, half vampire. She lives in a current day version of England in which the Black Plague and inbreeding resulted in massive genetic changes among the upper echelon and ruling classes--Queen Victoria is an undead vampire, and all the other royals are vamps, werewolves, or goblins. This was a steampunkish look at a world in which the undeath of the ruling class has led to some interesting changes in life, technology, and society: proper balls are still in vogue, portable music is still large and cumbersome, corsets are the apparel of choice for women, and subway systems are nonexistent due to the cannibalistic goblins ruling the underground. Oh, and every British (human) citizen is required to give blood on a monthly basis to support the appetites of the gentry. A quick, enjoyable read--this one was reminiscent of the Alexia Tarabotti series for me, but the author is a bit weak on character development, especially for the first 100 pages or so. I had a hard time getting into the story because all the characters were just rather haphazardly dumped on the reader at the beginning--no real intro for most, so I was left lost as to who was who for the first few chapters. Once I got everyone sorted out, however, this was an inventive and entertaining read--I will keep an eye out for the next in the series, certainly!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the first book I've read in quite awhile that had me so caught up that I stayed awake until 3 a.m. to finish it. The mix of adventure, mystery, creepy-cool world building, family drama, and romance had me completely invested.That said, if having a heroine who is a Special Snowflake bothers you, the premise and execution of this story might drive you batty. I can go either way with that particular theme; it worked for me here. Characters: The primary focus was on the heroine-narrator, Xandra. She's a half-vampire royal bodyguard, loyal to a fault but with a sense of play that keeps her from being too self-serious. The supporting cast is fleshed out enough to seem real, but they aren't the focus of the attention. This includes Xandra's love interest, who I liked in theory perhaps more than I did in execution (their relationship was just a bit too smooth). I will say the age of Xandra and her siblings seemed awfully young to me (she's 22 or 23), but maybe that's just a sign that I'm getting old.World: Really cool. The steampunk and paranormal elements were pretty much what you'd expect, but the way the author describes them makes them shine... or makes them creepy, depending on the scene:I shook my head, but didn't open my mouth to vocalise my refusal. An open mouth was an invitation to a goblin to stick something in it. If you were lucky, it was only food, but once you tasted their poison you were lost. ... I pushed through the crowd, moving deeper into the lair despite every instinct I possessed telling me to run. I was looking for one goblin in particular and I was not going to leave without seeing him. Besides, running would get me chased. Chased would get me eaten.Plot: For the first 80%, a mix of twisty intrigue, betrayal and double-cross mixed with fun action scenes. The last part was... well, it was way past my bedtime, which might have had something to do with it, but it seemed to tie together a little too smoothly, be a little too convenient. It's not a cliffhanger though, for which I am very grateful.Overall, I liked it quite a lot and am very much looking forward to the next in the series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is quick moving and intriguing. A great book! 10
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I liked the story, characters and the reader...the repetitive use of "mental" was more than a little annoying, however. There are so many descriptive words in our vocabulary the using the same one several times in a paragraph shouldn't be necessary. Having said that, I WILL listen to another of her books.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    They couldn’t get someone with a native British accent to read this? The fake British pronunciations took me out of the story too much to be able to finish it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    So much better than I thought it would be. The world she created is so crisp you can almost touch it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Started and ended strong but got silly for a while in the middle.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    As previous reviewers have stated very little real 'Steampunk'. However, enjoyed it as a 'good read' have decided to get the other 2 in the series. Perhaps in those, we get to travel on some of the 'aeroships' referred to. Characters were not a 'fleshed' out (pun intended) as much as I would have liked and their descriptions had gaps?
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Plot: 4 stars
    Characters: 4 stars
    Style: 4 stars
    Pace: 4 stars

    Sometimes, I just want a relaxing, fluffy read. This fit the bill. I was really in the mood to read the newest Gail Carriger book, but since I was in the middle of Nano at the time, I didn't want to have her style infect my story. This was a good compromise. Same sort of tongue in cheek humor, only occasionally eye-roll inducing, and believable character growth. Though there were quite a few spots where I wished they'd had a better editor to either tighten a scene or to catch errors like words left out and such.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I had the delightful opportunity to not only meet Kate Locke but to also see her at a panel at ALA and both times I walked away impressed. While she is a not a new author, she was new to me, but it was the impressions she left on me that led me to pick up God Save the Queen and boy am I glad I did.

    The book just made me smile, well at least 3/4 of the way through until it got serious(then I just couldn't put it down). It was a delightful romp, with fun characters, an interesting background - Queen Victoria is still alive, still running Britain and a vampire... There was much growling, hunky males, strong females, and a whole new vocabulary to be learned - Oh Fang me! I am eagerly awaiting the next volume and now have become the newest member of the Kate Locke fanclub - oh thank you bookmobiles!!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This started out throwing a lot of information at you in a little time space while background action is going on. I was a bit overwhelmed and bored with the information and almost didn't continue. Luckily the set up info dumping doesn't last long and the story really takes off going into paranormal, mystery, alternate timeline story.

    Although many call this steampunk, I would say it is more correctly alternate timeline. The only steampunkiness is the dresses for formal wear that Queen Victoria insists upon. The gadgetery is just a little different than our own. Computers and cell phones have their own name but it is definitely higher tech than the mechanical worlds of steampunk.

    This does have some romance in it but I wouldn't call in romance it is a side bar story though needed for the plot. The sex is not erotic or with sensual kissing. No big asides of feeling and emotional battles. This is more on the UF side of the coin.

    I liked the main character as she is a officer that has been well trained to believe in the system. She has her bigotries, which are same as most of her kind has. She is a half blood vampire; or is she? A lot of questions get asked and in the end they get answered and in a way I really liked. Everything didn't just fall into place and really you wonder how this is going to affect this world. Still the main story get totally fleshed out. She finds out about her mother and her heritage.

    I really like this story and will be happy to get my hands on a copy of the next installment. I was pushed to read this as it is a library book and the due date was coming up, really glad I did. Will definitely read the next one; really liked the world and characters. 4 1/2 stars.

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Not bad, spotted the new queen pretty quick though....
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I almost gave up on this book in the first chapter when I realized that there was no real steampunk element to this novel. Although the cover screams steampunk, the setting is modern day. The only difference is that modern-day inventions (cell phones, computers, etc.) are sometimes given odd and confusing names (and then again, sometimes not). So when I realized that this wasn't steampunk, I felt cheated. I'd wanted Soulless, but I'd gotten the Hallows.Luckily, I read on. Although the pseudo-steampunk setting continued to annoy me up until the very last chapter, everything else was terrific. This book is an urban fantasy murder mystery with a very clever plot. It was well-written and kept me turning pages to the very end. I did kind of guess the end of the book, but still enjoyed the buildup to the final chapter.Xandra, the heroine, is someone to reckon with. She's tough but never annoying, and the man in her life is a genuine character and not a cardboard one. At times, the dialogue got a bit silly (can a British novel be *too* British?), but for the most part, the characters and the plot fell together well. The addition of the aristocracy put another spin on what might have been a tired, old theme.I'll say it again, though. I just *hated* the way the book tried to be something it wasn't when it comes to steampunk. True, the story involves Queen Victoria (who is a vampire herself and still sits on the throne in the twenty-first century), but it seemed completely unnecessary to fall back on silly names for modern devices. Not only that, I was sick to death of the heroine and her long evening gowns, corsets, and the men in their cravats.Other than that, this was a terrific book, and I look forward to reading about Xandra's next adventure.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    When her baby sister Dede goes missing, Alexandra "Xandra" is the only one in her family of half-siblings to question the official story they're given. Deciding to keep her suspicions even from her brother and their other sister, she decides to set out on her own investigation, knowing it will likely lead to her to places unexpected. Just how unexpected, however, she never could have imagined.The England of the Immortal Empire series is a brilliant mix of the Victorian era along with 2012. There's electricity, but Queen Victoria is still on the throne. People still take horses and carriages, yet there are things, as well, mirroring modern transportation. There are also paranormal creatures - a result of the plague, Not all infected with the plague died in this version of events, rather a gene mutation was caused resulting in vampires, werewolves, goblins and some half-bloods.Xandra herself is a halvie, half-vampire and half-human. Just how it effects her -- and other halvies -- is explained in the book but it makes her a very interesting character. She's not a vampire yet she's not human, either. In fact, the entire society and culture that Kate Locke has created here is very original and a ton of fun. (Though when it's all first explained it is a bit tricky following just how all of the 'genetics' works.)It was nice not to get weighed down by lots of talk about hierarchy or packs, structure or the goblins vs the weres vs the vampires and why they didn't all like each other, etc. It was as much a part of the story as it needed to be but the focus was really on Xandra. There's enough action, violence, drama and danger surrounding her and her quest for the truth as it is. We find out more about her, her past, her family, those closest to her, and some new characters as her story unfolds.I love that as much of the world that Kate Locke created was able to be so effectively brought into such a character-centric book.Both Xandra's DNA, the make-up of the society, the tension between the different beings (as whole groups and individuals) as well as the fantastic setting make this an incredibly enjoyable read. The way that Victorian and modern day settings are woven together is pretty brilliant - it's almost a reverse steampunk idea in a sense. With Victoria still reining and others around from her era as well, they've kept Victorian period things as part of modern society and/or things have evolved in a different manner. It's strange to explain but works so well in the book.God Save the Queen does remind readers a bit of the Steampunk Chronicles (the YA series that starts with The Girl in the Steel Corset) and Gail Carriger's YA Espionage & Etiquette -- likely her adult series as well, but I've yet to read it -- so fans of either series will likely enjoy this. It should be noted, however, that The Immortal Empire is an adult series and contains a bit of adult content and quite a bit of adult language.I can't wait to read the next book (and then be anxiously awaiting Number 3, out this fall).
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This a book with potential. Unfortunately, it was potential never realized. Everything in this book is too simple ... The bad guys, the good guys. Also the pacing was too fast. Too much happened with not enough explanation. Our heroine - Xandra goes from one spot of trouble to another. Next, the science of vampires and werewolves- it makes sense, but just barely. A mutation will not change a person in this effect, and the premise that it ended up in the aristocratic blood lines is non-sense, since the bubonic plague struck everyone equally - there should be a large number of non-royal vampires and werewolves. It would have been better to use haemophilia as the basis for the change, not the bubonic plagueI do like the premise of this world - a world that became static at the beginning of the plague, with change happening very slowly. The stratified society is also very interesting. I just wish more time was devoted to this.

    1 person found this helpful