The Ace of Skulls is a fast-paced, thrilling, fantasy-steampunk adventure story that provides a magnificent conclusion to the tales of crew of the air-ship "The Ketty Jay".

Note:  This is book 4 of 4.  I recommend reading the previous three novels to have a better understanding of what is going on in this novel.

Another fine action packed, fantasy-steampunk addition to the Tales of the Ketty Jay.  The beginning of the book was a bit long-winded, but the pace picked up somewhere near the 1/4 mark.  The characters are amusing and their escapades entertaining.

From the Blurb:

"Darian Frey is down on his luck. He can barely keep his squabbling crew fed and his rickety aircraft in the sky. Even the simplest robberies seem to go wrong. It's getting so a man can't make a dishonest living any more.

Enter Captain Grist. He's heard about a crashed aircraft laden with the treasures of a lost civilisation, and he needs Frey's help to get it. There's only one problem. The craft is lying in the trackless heart of a remote island, populated by giant beasts and subhuman monsters.

Dangerous, yes. Suicidal, perhaps. Still, Frey's never let common sense get in the way of a fortune before. But there's something other than treasure on board that aircraft. Something that a lot of important people would kill for. And it's going to take all of Frey's considerable skill at lying, cheating and stealing if he wants to get his hands on it..."

The Black Lung Captain is the second fantasy/steampunk (sort of) tale of the Ketty Jay airship and it's misfit crew.  This is much better than the first book - more character development, lovely world building, more action, more surprises and lots of fun swashbuckling adventure.  The story is self-contained but it is best to read Retribution Falls first.  

Have you been missing Firefly and Captain Mal and his crew?  If so, give Retribution Falls a try!  Mind you, Captain Frey is somewhat grungier and somewhat less um... scrupulous and savoury.  :)

So we have pirates, we have air ships - rust buckets and sleek cruisers and huge frigates, we have pirate towns, we have manors, we have out of the way religious abbeys, we have cutlasses and guns and daemons and golems and so many diverse and wonderful things!

The crew of the Ketty Jay is the very definition of motley, down to Slag, the ship's feline.  All of them have something in their past that has made them outcasts of some sort or another and throughout the book, we get to learn their stories one by one.  In between the space battles, heists, and breakouts they all get fleshed out and we come to appreciate both the good things about them and the flaws.

Retribution Falls is a rollicking steampunky adventure peopled with cool and interesting characters, a social system in upheaval and enough magic to make it fun.  :)  It reads like watching a TV show - like Firefly! - and I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the next of the Ketty Jay tales.

An entertaining, swashbuckling fantasy/light steam-punk adventure tale involving daemonists, golems, airships, pirates, guns, loot, political plots and the motley crew of the Ketty Jay.  The book starts off slowly, but picks up pace nicely.

This book would be suitable for teenagers.  There isn't anything particularly graphic in terms of sex or violence.

NOTE:  This is book 1 of 4 of the Tales of the Ketty Jay (complete series).  This book can be read as a standalone novel (i.e. it has a beginning, middle and end).