Buffalo Soldier

by Maurice Broaddus

Overview

Read the steampunk adventure the New York Times called a "wild, satisfying ride."

Having stumbled onto a plot within his homeland of Jamaica, former espionage agent, Desmond Coke, finds himself caught between warring religious and political factions, all vying for control of a mysterious boy named Lij Tafari.

Wanting the boy to have a chance to live a free life, Desmond assumes responsibility for him and they flee. But a dogged enemy agent remains ever on their heels, desperate to obtain the secrets held within Lij for her employer alone.

Assassins, intrigue, and steammen stand between Desmond and Lij as they search for a place to call home in a North America that could have been.

Buffalo Soldier is a steampunk adventure from Maurice Broaddus.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780765394286
Publisher:	Tor Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/25/2017
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	116
Sales rank:	605,119
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

MAURICE BROADDUS is a fantasy and horror author best known for his short fiction and his Knights of Breton Court novel trilogy. He has published dozens of stories in magazines and book anthologies, including in Asimov's Science Fiction, Black Static, and Weird Tales.

Broaddus was born in London, but grew up in Indianapolis. His mother is from Jamaica, where she and many of his relatives still live.

Editorial Reviews

02/20/2017
This alternate-present steampunk adventure novella starts out strong, but the short length keeps both the world and the narrative from fully developing. Desmond Coke is a servant to a prominent Jamaican family, but he can’t bear how family scion Lij is treated, so he escapes with the boy to the mainland. They make their way through the Albion colony of America and neighboring Tejas before entering the Five Civilized Tribes’ territory. They’re pursued by Pinkerton agent Cayt Siringo, whose employer wants to claim Lij for his own purposes. Broaddus (The Voices of Martyrs) creates a fascinating world, but what little readers learn about it sometimes raises confounding unanswered questions, such as how Lij’s favorite writers, James Baldwin and Toni Morrison, still came to exist in this timeline. More is revealed about the history of the people with whom Desmond and Lij find sanctuary, but the story’s conclusion feels rushed. This is a solid introduction to an intriguing world, and hopefully Broaddus will revisit and expand upon it. Agent: Jennifer Udden, Barry Goldblatt Literary. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

In the rough-and-tumble Weird West of Maurice Broaddus's Buffalo Soldier, an ex-spy battles hunters determined to capture the terrifying weapon he's stolen. It's an exciting, if familiar, plot—but Broaddus shows little interest in predictable adventure narratives. Instead he packs this slim novella with alternate American history, fantastic technology and father-son bonding, for a far more surprising and satisfying result.

The New York Times Book Review - N. K. Jemisin

"A wild, satisfying ride awaits." — The New York Times Book Review

"A joy to read... the ending came all too soon." —Lightspeed Magazine

"I want more of this world and soon." —The Brazen Bull

From the Publisher