Lady Arabella Trunkett watches couples dance across the floor at her home, Highview House, as the Ambassador from Gandiss, Lord Ismatan, is honored by Arabella's father, Sir John Trunkett, the High Minister for the Empire of Urbannia. Then in the midst of all this, Sir John is kidnapped and his assistant is wounded by a Gandiss snow tiger dagger. Lord Ismatan indicates to Arabella that he is not responsible, but he is taken away. Arabella sets off to rescue her father with a special ring from Lord Ismatan that will aid her should she need it. Accompanying Arabella are her loyal butler, Jasper, and her adopted boy genius companion, Benjy or Benjamin Carter Wentworth, who was placed in an insane asylum by his parents and then rescued by Arabella. Arabella finds that as he was being kidnapped, her father left behind a stick pin that belongs to the Sarcs of Carabarras, a secret group of assassins. Captain Joseph Carter, known as Captain Joe, flies Arabella, Jasper and Benjy in his airship, the "Fantastic Flyer", as they pursue the 'Blackwatch', a ship flown by Wildeye Perry, on its way to Carabarras with Sir John Trunkett aboard. Meanwhile, Arabella's former love, Everette "Rett" Brockton, is trying to raise money to fly his airship, "Gambit". Can Rett aid Arabella on her mission to save her father?

"Revenge of the Mad Scientist", Book One in the 'Airship Adventure Chronicles', is a delightful read that will entrance readers. It makes them wish the author, Lara Nance, would write the sequel quickly. There is good action and plenty of it throughout the story as Lady Arabella Trunkett goes off to rescue her beloved father.

Characters suit the story well and Arabella and Rett's rekindled romance will attract romance fans nicely. The use of airships, the play on place names such as Manu Pica and Montanna will amuse everyone, and the plot flows nicely to the discovery of Krakov, the mad scientist. "Revenge of the Mad Scientist" reads well and should be on reading lists everywhere.

“Revenge of the Mad Scientist” by Lara Nance is my first real introduction to Steampunk, and I have to say I am sorry I waited this long. To call this an adventure would be a misnomer; it is more like 8 or 10 adventures, one after another, built into a single story. At a celebratory dance, preparatory to the signing of a new peace treaty between Urbannia and Gandiss, Lady Arabella Trunkett thought to herself how the events of the next 24 hours would change the fate of their world. Little could she imagine how right she was. Her father, Sir John Trunkett, well-liked and well-respected by governments everywhere, was kidnapped right in the middle of the dance, with evidence suggesting it was agents from Gandiss who were responsible. Thus begins the most incredible series of curves life has ever thrown at anybody. Did Gandiss' agents really take Sir John? What meant the clue he left behind for his daughter? Why did the local constabulary seem so focused on Gandiss as the guilty party? What would happen next, since the peace treaty would obviously not be signed?

I was fully enamored with Lady Arabella, more familiarly known as Belle, who seemed to have virtually unlimited fiscal resources at her disposal, but an even greater storehouse of wile and wit. But in the “good luck” end of things, she is working at a deficit. If you took her fishing, your boat would sink. It seemed almost nothing worked out right for her as first planned, but ultimately she was always successful in finding a “Plan B” to carry her forward. The characters she surrounded herself with were an eclectic bunch of misfits, but more loyal companions may not be found anywhere. They loved and adored Belle, and would gladly put their lives on the line for her, as they often did. This book is the first in what I hope will be a long series of steampunk adventures. Book 2 is already set up as “Rescue from the Baron”, and is off to a resounding start! I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves steampunk or adventure stories of any kind. I suspect that if you have never before read any steampunk, this book will make a fan of you, as it has me. Excellent action adventure!

"The Revenge of the Mad Scientist" by Lara Nance is an energetic and entertaining steampunk novel. You most definitely don’t have to be a diehard fan of the genre to enjoy this story. It will appeal to everyone. Strong characters and an intricate plot make this a cracking good read. Lady Arabella Trunkett’s father is kidnapped at a ball, and all evidence points to the Gandissians, the very people he is working to establish a peace treaty with on behalf of Urbania. However, Belle concludes it is a set-up and it is Carabarras which is behind the skulduggery. She sets off with her ward, Benji, and her butler to rescue her father. This series isn’t called the 'Airship Adventure Chronicles' for nothing and we see Belle hiring Captain Joe and his vessel Fantasy Flyer to make the journey. Add another airship, the Gambit, and its dashing, roguish captain Rett, who just happens to have previously left Belle at the altar, toss in some romance and mystery and you are set for an absorbing story.

This is steampunk at its best with steaming contraptions of all kinds in a Victorianesque setting. We meet scoundrels and stiffly upright, honest individuals, feisty women and bolshy butlers. The feel for the age is vividly created. Scenery varies from lavish ballrooms to desert wastes, but everywhere the action is exciting although never predictable. There isn’t a dull moment, but it is not all gung-ho adventuring. Strong emotions play their part; there is tension, despair, triumph, love and courage in ample helpings. This looks truly belongs in a fabulous series.

Lady Arabella and her father Sir John attended a ball the night before the signing of a treaty between their country of Urbannia and the country of Gandiss. At the ball Belle met the Ambassador of Gandiss. Before the ball was over Sir John had been kidnapped and Gandiss had been blamed for it. The Ambassador sent a message to Belle and told her his country was not involved. She decided, along with her ward Benji and her butler Jasper, to set out and find her father. The first airship they hire is struck by lightning and they have to find other transportation. The only other ship is owned by Rett Brockton who left Belle at the altar several years before. She relents and hires the Gambit to take them to Carabarras. Their journey is fraught with adventures including finding the niece of the Ambassador and Benji being made king of the Mandagol people.

This book is full of non-stop action from the first. Kidnappings, pirates and slave traders abound in the pages to make an exciting read. Somehow they seem to evade all that others try to do to them. Belle wants nothing more than to find her father and stop a world war. Rett wants to make money to pay back the Baron whom he owes big time. They are thrust together after he leaves her at the altar and she reluctantly hires him to help her in her quest. Lots of wonderful minor characters in Benji, Jasper and Armani. This is the first so called steampunk book that I have read and I have to say that I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Anyone familiar with this genre is sure to enjoy this book.