Agatha H. and the Airship City (Girl Genius Series, Book 1)

by Phil Foglio, Kaja Foglio

Overview

The Industrial Revolution has escalated into all-out warfare. It has been eighteen years since the Heterodyne Boys, benevolent adventurers and inventors, disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Today, Europe is ruled by the Sparks, dynasties of mad scientists ruling over — and terrorizing — the hapless population with their bizarre inventions and unchecked power, while the downtrodden dream of the Hetrodynes' return.
At Transylvania Polygnostic University, a pretty, young student named Agatha Clay seems to have nothing but bad luck. Incapable of building anything that actually works, but dedicated to her studies, Agatha seems destined for a lackluster career as a minor lab assistant. But when the University is overthrown by the ruthless tyrant Baron Klaus Wulfenbach, Agatha finds herself a prisoner aboard his massive airship Castle Wulfenbach — and it begins to look like she might carry a spark of Mad Science after all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781597802871
Publisher:	Night Shade Books
Publication date:	01/01/2011
Series:	Girl Genius Series , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	264
File size:	318 KB

About the Author

PROFESSOR PHIL FOGLIO spends most of his time in the field, collecting legends, folk songs, anecdotes, and gossip pertaining to Sparks and their effects on village society and “folk science.” This is a bit odd, as he was originally hired by Transylvania Polygnostic University to teach Modern Dance. He first became interested in Heterodyne stories while doing research on simple automatons, and was actually present when the Lady Heterodyne unleashed her “Battle Circus” upon Baron Klaus Wulfenbach. Through subsequent research, bribery, and rampant speculation, the professor has managed to fill in a great many of the narrative gaps in the early life of Agatha Heterodyne. He enjoys botany, mechanical illustration, entomology, and—in moderation—modern dance. PROFESSORESSA KAJA FOGLIO is the current head of the Department of Irrefutably True History at Transylvania Polygnostic University. She first became aware of the power of Creative History while listening to the excuses of her fellow students who had failed to produce their homework. Her doctoral work brought recognition to the long-hidden Canis operisphagus, or “homework-eating dog,” which, as we now know, infests most of our major schools and universities. She first became interested in the history of the Heterodyne family during the infamous “Nymphenberg Pudding Incident” when she was mistaken for Agatha by an angry mob of dessert chefs, from whom she barely escaped. Her subsequent research has brought her the grudging acclaim and jealous rivalry of many of her academic colleagues. She enjoys airship racing, Hyrulian Electro-Mechanical Shadow Puppetry, and illustrated novels.

Editorial Reviews

The Hugo Award-winning Foglios (Girl Genius) present the first three volumes of their popular gaslight fantasy comic in novelized form, maintaining the zany energy, witty repartee, creative characterization, and innovative world-building of the original. Agatha Clay is a university lab assistant in a world filled with madboy scientists, dangerous automata, and not quite human soldiers with silly Germanic accents. She soon finds herself a pawn in political power struggles when her locket is stolen and she is taken hostage on the airship of the powerful Baron Klaus Wulfenbach. While trying to stay alive long enough to discover the truth, she begins to discover her personal history and genius talents of her own. This version keeps closely to the original plot, and uses most of the original dialogue, but also provides expanded scenes and character interiority that will delight regular fans of the series. Although this book is likely not the best way to experience the Foglios' talent for the first time, and cannot do justice to the sheer buxomness of its main character, it is entirely comprehensible and enjoyable on its own without its comic counterparts. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

It's hard being Agatha Clay. On top of debilitating headaches and missing relatives she has to deal with inventions that don't work and a lab position at Transylvania Polygnostic University that is heading nowhere fast. This uncomfortable inertia is disrupted when Baron Wulfenbach visits the lab and all mad science breaks loose, ending with Agatha a prisoner aboard the massive airship Castle Wulfenbach. With sparks of surprising scientific insight, the Baron's son, and a cat on her side, Agatha can't help but succeed, though it won't be easy. VERDICT This volume by the creators of the Eisner Award-nominated webcomic Girl Genius (Volumes 1–9) is a fantastic reintroduction (in a novel format) to the Girl Genius world and will definitely capture new fans. It will appeal to fans of the steampunk genre who like their books riddled with mad science and adventure, along with a liberal dash of humor.—April Steenburgh, Endwell, NY

Library Journal