[Review] Phoenix Rising by Bryony Pearce

Phoenix Rising by Bryony Pearce

Series: Phoenix Rising #1

Rating: 2 stars

Published: June 1st 2015

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a future world where fossil fuels have run out and democracy has collapsed, an outlawed pirate crew fight for survival on their ship, the Phoenix, kept afloat by whatever they can salvage or scavenge on the debris-filled seas. Toby has never known anything other than life onboard the Phoenix and he's desperate for adventure. But when trouble comes hunting the Phoenix down, Toby realizes that what you wish for isn't always what you want. He meets beautiful Ayla from the Banshee, a rival pirate ship and sworn enemy of the Phoenix, and his world is thrown into disorder. How can he know who to trust and what to believe? The future rests on him making an impossible choice...

It's really hard for me to enjoy the steampunk genre. For me, I love knowing my setting crystal clear. I feel weird in some steampunk stories because the time and place is ill-defined. I had this problem with Phoenix Rising, where I had honestly no clue what was going on for a good portion.


The writing wasn't really my style, and things were happening at a variety of paces. The first part was unbelievably slow, describing the happenings onboard the ship and the cast of characters (of which there are many). So many characters made it hard for me to keep track and connect to any of them. They were scarcely there so I didn't get to witness any monumental character development. I wasn't quite sure of the objective of the Phoenix's crew until the very end. Even then, I have many unanswered questions. Lots of betrayals, lots of explosions, lots of sneaking going on.

The second part was a lot of info-dumping and information I didn't really know what to do with it.

Computers are mentioned but the setting has a feel of Pirates of the Caribbean (so 1800sish), which just left me questioning everything. Steampunk is quite confusing. Or maybe just this book.