| Title | : | The Maiden Voyage |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 57 |
| Publication | : | First published December 30, 2013 |
Set in an alternate history beepunk world built upon pollen-powered mechanics and jellyglass, "The Maiden Voyage" explores Sigmund Black's journey as a newborn apisthrope (or "werebee" to humans), whose only choice in his short life is to mate or kill for his Queen. Surrounded by other varieties of hidden hybrids, Sigmund must decide whether to fly straight or break free of the hive.
The Maiden Voyage Reviews
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This was the first book I bought in 2014, and I'm glad I did.
After ringing in 2013 by finishing Jessica McHugh's PINS, I was excited to discover that The Maiden Voyage would be released on January 1, 2014. Naturally, I bought a copy as soon as it was available from Amazon, and read it ASAP.
McHugh's novella details the brief, wondrous life of a hybrid bee-man named Sigmund Black and his rise from drone/assassin to bodyguard for the head of the world's most powerful honey company, Barbara Holloway. With a steampunk backdrop and a jelly-powered version of the Titanic (yes, THAT Titanic), this is one crazy, mixed-up world, but I loved all of the Victorian details and bee tweaks.
Rewriting history can be a challenge, but McHugh does so with a nod to both her horror roots and the idea that even free men in Victorian times were not necessarily free to do as they pleased. Sigmund Black is just a drone - or is he? Can this up-and-coming "werebee" break free from his natural instincts and fly from the hive, or will be always be a product of his evolutionary heritage, just another cog in this era's huffing, puffing machinery? You'll have to read The Maiden Voyage yourself to find out!
(Full disclosure: I am friends with this author, and have included this book on my "writer friends" shelf.) -
McHugh flexes her imagination once again and delivers something that I can honestly say is unlike anything I've ever read. This is a story of impending doom, strange sexuality, copious alcohol consumption, and moral conundrums. Sigmund Black has several heavy concepts to explore, and not everyone who offers advice is a friend. I found this book brilliantly conceived and masterfully written.
At 57 pages, I breezed through it in no time. I could see more apisthrope tales emerging from this world, maybe in anthology form... I suggest you put on your goggles, don your top hat, pour yourself some scotch, and set sail on The Maiden Voyage. And when you're done, go take a look at some of the author's other works. -
An interesting foray into an alternate version of 1912 where all things mechanical are powered by pollen (so a beepunk world rather than steampunk?) Also, in addition to humans, the world's population includes human/animal hybrids of all sorts. Our central character is Sigmund Black, an apisthrope (or "werebee" as they are known to humans) who is also an assassin. This is because the single choice he was allowed to make shortly after his birth (as a fully-grown bee-man) was between killing for his queen and dying as one of her mates. He has chosen the life of the assassin.
But he is surprised by a royal command to appear before Queen Barbara Holloway, CEO of of Royal Honey Incorporated, and during his audience with his monarch, his services are enlisted as her bodyguard for a voyage from England to America... on the maiden voyage of her new pollen-powered ship, the RMS Titanic. During the course of the voyage, Sigmund will learn the meaning of humiliation, manipulation, terror, and betrayal.
This is another piece of excellent short fiction by Ms. McHugh, and considering the relatively short duration of the story, she has managed to pack in plenty of surprises and jaw-dropping twists. -
Having read a couple of her other books I wasn’t sure what to expect from this ultra thin volume that I purchased via Amazon as the author tends to hop genres. Size certainly doesn’t matter in this instance as she immediately paints an entirely alternative world for the reader in just a few pages. Taking place in a steampunk-esque England populated by several varieties of were-creatures, our story focuses on a newly hatched yet fully grown were-bee as he embarks on a transatlantic journey in hopes of winning his freedom. Interweaving the story with little bits of history almost feels tongue-in-cheek as our standard Sci-Fi novel develops into more of a mystery. Sexual imagery does persist (as in most of McHugh’s work) so care might want to be taken if considering gifting this to a younger cousin or conservative grandma. Short but sweet this novel was a fun way to spend a few hours, although I suspect the world McHugh created will linger in my subconscious far longer.
