I introduced by son to the concept of Steampunk with a read-aloud of The League of Seven, by Alan Gratz, and he was intrigued by the elements of alternative history (in which electricity is bad) as much as the development of a new book series. Gratz has a nice pacing to his writing, and although this is the first book (we meet only three of the seven heroes who will have to saved the world), those three are interesting.
The story revolves around mythology, with a mix of traditional and non-traditional stories of evil lurking below and ready to rise. In this book, Archie Dent is our protagonist, and he envisions himself the leader of a new League of Seven (each generation has a league to fight evil), although twists at the end change this expectation in intriguing ways. But I won’t give it away.
In this world, Edison is the evil genius, and electricity will help the evil creatures (Titans, in Greek Mythology, I assume) rise from their prisons in the depths of the Earth. Archie’s parents are part of the Septemberists, a collection of people who work to keep the world safe. But they get, well, kidnapped (in a way) and Archie must save them, along with two new friends with different, special abilities.
What unfolds is an adventure and immersion into a world both like and unlike our own, and the League of Seven has us hooked as a read-aloud, and now we wait for the second book (The Dragon Lantern) sometime later this year.
Peace (in the place),
Kevin