Part of Series
This is a short-story prequel to The Sublime Electricity series. To check out the other books of the series, go to UPON BEING promoted to the rank of detective constable of the New Babylon Police, Leopold Orso had no idea that, from then on, he would have to track down succubae, exorcise poltergeists and hunt for werebeasts. But, even after grappling with the supernatural had become routine, he was still thrown into a trembling fear every time he thought back on his first The Case of the Bloody Tree. The Second Empire stretches from ocean to ocean. Army dirigibles hum through the heavens, and its waters are furrowed by steamships. But above all else, the power of the state is derived from industry. So one day, when workers start disappearing from a nearby factory, the New Babylon Criminal Investigation Department takes up the case. But, the detectives have no idea what horrors the acrid char of factory smokestacks can awaken...
Author
Pavel Kornev is a popular Russian author whose writing crosses the boundaries of the sci fi thriller, fantasy adventure and steampunk. Genre mashing has long become his signature style. “His books are a page-turning mix of non-stop action and hard-boiled detective stories in the edgy atmosphere of steampunk noir. Far from being a knight on a white charger, Kornev’s typical protagonist is an everyday man with his fair share of flaws who puts his talents to good use. His heroes struggle to survive and win their places in the sun; but most importantly, they manage to preserve their humanity even in the direst of circumstances.” Pavel is a professional economist who spent years working for a large bank – until his first novel, The Ice, became an overnight bestseller, allowing him to quit his day job. He now writes full time.
