For the uninitiated, gaslamp fantasy is a delightful subgenre of fantasy with a vaguely Victorian or Edwardian setting. It often has a bit of a steampunk feel, but doesn’t necessarily have the grittiness and reliance on gadgets.
There is quite a bit of gaslamp fantasy running around now, I’ve only just started to find them. I think I was introduced to The Lord of Stariel by PaperFury (whose social media is comedy gold) and it sat on my “to read” list for a long time. Eventually, I picked up the e-book.
The story starts with Henrietta Valstar, Hetta, for short, on the train home to Stariel because her father, the Lord of Stariel, has died. She’s going for the funeral, but more importantly, the Choosing. Stariel isn’t a normal human holding, where the titles are passed to the oldest son. Stariel is a feyland that choses it’s own lord from each generation. There isn’t a lot of fey magic left in the world, but Stariel’s magic is undeniable. Everyone of Valstar blood can feel their connection to the land, some more than others. Hetta’s connection has never been all that strong, but it’s still there.
I would describe this story as atmospheric, funny, charming, and also laced with mystery and themes of homecoming and family. Of course, we also have secrets, magic, fey, love, and family drama all weaving together in a delightful romp that I have already read several times and I just found them a year ago.
There are four books telling Hetta’s story, and a fifth—which mostly stands alone—for her botanist older brother, Marius.
Here is the blurb from author AJ Lancaster’s site:
Everyone knows who the magical estate will choose for its next ruler. Or do they?
Will it be the lord’s eldest son, who he despised?
His favourite nephew, with the strongest magical land-sense?
His scandalous daughter, who ran away from home years ago to study illusion?Hetta knows it won’t be her, and she’s glad of it. Returning home for her father’s funeral, all Hetta has to do is survive the family drama and avoid entanglements with irritatingly attractive local men until the Choosing. Then she can leave.
But whoever Stariel chooses will have bigger problems than eccentric relatives to deal with.
Winged, beautifully deadly problems.
For the first time in centuries, the fae are returning to the Mortal Realm, and only the Lord of Stariel can keep the estate safe.
In theory.
The writing is beautiful and funny, the world real enough to touch, and the characters extremely lovable—even aggravating Aunt Sybil, who we love with the fondness reserved for familiar problems.
Honestly, I own it in three formats (again, the audio books are excellent) and if I ever go to New Zealand I would try to find the author at an event for an autograph.
If you like fantasy, cozy mystery, or historical fiction, I think you stand a good chance of enjoying the Lord of Stariel series.
Something that’s common among indie and small press authors, is they usually make available their content ratings on their sites. So you can check that out here.1
I really don’t want to write more and spoil one single thing about the story for you.
Go pick up the Lord of Stariel.
It’s an absolute delight.
I found them last summer and devoured them as quickly as I could get my hands on them—and then I tracked down the author and sent them an email to tell them how much I liked their work.
I don’t think I have ever done that before. I should really do it more often, authors love that and need the encouragement.
Generally, 1-2 on spice, for the main series. Marius’s book is more of a 3/4. It is a M/M romance. The audiobook narrator for Marius’s book is, for lack of a better word, delectable.