An engaging young heroine in a compelling tale of motor racing and the first steps in overturning the misogyny associated with the sport.

This is an alternate history, so most cars and other forms of transport are steam-powered, not petrol-driven until Poppy Orpington's father designs the first truly reliable petrol engine.1 Tina Williams388 6

I've given 5 high octane fuelled stars to Jon Hartless’ Steampunk adventure, Full Throttle, set in an alternate Edwardian reality of British society. Through the trials and tribulations of the protagonist, Poppy Orpington, the author explores the discrimination and divisions inherent in early twentieth century society, discrimination and divisions which still have resonance today. The novel is a hugely entertaining and thought-provoking read.
At the centre of the tale is Poppy, whose father is on a mission – to produce a petrol-fuelled car fit to compete with and annihilate the steam-powered vehicles which dominate motor racing and wider society. Success will give him and Poppy an escape route from working class poverty and failure is not an option. Poppy’s life and future is inextricably linked to her father’s work and that of the vehicle as her life takes her on a totally unexpected trajectory for a working class girl from the Black Country. Yet will this future be the making or breaking of her and those close to her?
Poppy is an outspoken and strong-willed character whom I greatly admired – as a female with a physical disability her life is far from easy, and I relished how her personality develops throughout the book. I also enjoyed the secondary characters who play an important role in the unfolding drama, namely her best friend Amy (an excellent foil for Poppy) and her father’s backers, the young aristocrat Simeon and his wife Helena, with whom she forms a friendship, despite their social differences. I admired how, through these relationships, the author explored the key themes of the novel. I was entertained throughout by the world building, portraying a Steampunk Edwardian Britain in which the author both encapsulates the excitement and drama inherent in the infancy of motor racing and society's divisions.
I will not reveal the storyline, as to do so would be a disservice to the author and reader, but the narrative expertly explores discrimination in terms of sex, class and disability. The read also touches on greed and obsession, the abuse of power and the ills of misogyny. The book is a cracking, page-turning read, which deserves to be on the reading list of every teenager and adult.
Please note that a copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review. Allison50 6

This was my 1st foray into a Steampunk adventure. Full Throttle, is set in an alternate Edwardian Britain centred around the motor racing industry.

I will be honest, I found this a struggle to read right from the 1st page. There are quite a few notes at the beginning which distracted me from the story line and I eventually gave up on on them someway through the 2nd chapter. I don’t often read fiction that has notes so this might be the reason why.

As I got further into the book it became easier for me to get into a rhythm and was an enjoyable read, but it just did not have that wow factor for me personally.

Jon very cleverly explores discrimination in terms of gender, class and disability. With underlying tones of greed and obsession, mental health and abuse of power.

Full Throttle is undeniably a well written thought provoking read, however the setting was just not for me.

If you are a petrol head, love to watch racing and a fan of Steampunk I would highly recommend this.

Thank you to Love Book Tours, Accent Press Books and Jon Hartless for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.


Synopsis

In an autocratic society that refuses to let her move forward, can Poppy stay ahead of the pack? As expensive steam-powered automobiles speed across the land, Poppy Orpington is trapped and going nowhere – until her father reveals his secret project, a petrol-fuelled car ready for the race track. But will they even be allowed to compete? Racing is the preserve of the wealthy elite and few will welcome a working class family onto their hallowed ground. Can Poppy overcome social prejudice and conformity, or will her one and only chance of a better life be crushed before it can even begin? Full Throttle; book one of a Steampunk motor racing adventure set in a world of division, intolerance and inequality that modern readers may find disturbingly familiar! Dawn VogelAuthor 145 books40

(This review originally appeared at Mad Scientist Journal.)

Full Throttle is a fascinating story of a working-class girl’s struggles in the world of competitive car racing in an alternate Edwardian steampunk/dieselpunk setting. MSJ alum Jon Hartless weaves a compelling tale of family, friendship, and burgeoning romance set in this world, while still appealing to lovers of technology and racecars.

Poppy Orpington, the novel’s main character, has struggled with her disabilities for her whole life. Her father has had his own struggles, including the all-consuming Thunderbus, his diesel-powered automobile. In a world where cars are steam-powered, the Thunderbus is an oddity, but Robert Orpington is certain that his invention is the way of the future. After a chance casual race against a member of the upper class, the Orpingtons and Poppy’s best friend Amy are swept into a different lifestyle as they prepare to race the gargantuan Thunderbus against steam-powered racecars.

While the book primarily tells Poppy’s story, it does occasionally veer into the points of view of other characters in the story. While this head-hopping is unusual, Hartless executes this technique in a clear way that doesn’t leave the reader confused. The novel is also filled with endnotes, which are a sort of fictional author’s commentary on the story and how the pieces were put together from journals and other first-hand accounts. It’s un any other novel I’ve read in that regard.

This book will appeal to a wide array of readers, whether they’re fans of the real Edwardian period or alternate history, steampunk or dieselpunk, or stories dealing with the intersections of class politics, sexism, disability, and same-sex relationships, set against a backdrop of racecars. Trish MoranAuthor 14 books5


My first venture into Steampunk!
Through the narrator of the book, we learn about Poppy Orpington, a pioneer of her age.
While other girls are busy learning skills to equip them to be good mothers and wives, Poppy and her friend Amy are fascinated by mechanics – seen by society as men’s work.
Poppy’s physical disabilities make life difficult for her in many ways but they also help her to gain strength to pursue her own dreams.
As the narrator says, life in those times has many parallels with contemporary life. Though today the inequalities between classes and discrimination against women are not so obvious, many modern teenagers will feel they can identify with her struggles to achieve in her work and also in living a life that doesn’t conform to that expected by society.
A well written, fast-paced story that many teenage readers will enjoy.

Steven DavisAuthor 27 books8

I don't normally go for books that start trilogies (mainly because a lot hide that fact). This book doesn't. And I want to read the second and third, and that's annoying, because they've not been published; possibly not even written yet. This is a YA book, but don't let that put you off. Opening up the world of motor car racing from a 1920s Steampunk era analogous to real world 1920s, this is a surprisingly powerful tract about the injustices of the class system, treatment of women and disabled people in the 1920s (often, unfortunately, with contemporaneous equivalents). I wasn't convinced it would work, but I found myself becoming incensed at the treatment of the heroine, and that's good writing. Rachel Oram19 2

Just finished reading Full Throttle by Jon Hartless - first book in a series. The book is aimed at Young Adults but there is plenty of depth and social commentary to make it a fulfilling read for anyone. It follows the story of Poppy, a young woman trying to make her mark in the male dominated world of an alternative steam punk style Edwardian era. Sadly the restrictions of real life - misogyny, class struggles etc exist in Poppy's world. I d the way it's presented as a biographical narrative, with a fictional author offering insights into the world in the form of footnotes. A great read - can't wait to get to the next one. Liliyana Shadowlyn2,716 85

Full Throttle is an interesting read. A little steampunk with a lot of grit and determination with a heroine that inspires make up this story. Although categorized as young adult, a lot of times the writing feels geared towards middle grade although the book is longer than most books in that category. It was a good story overall, but the writing is what made me give it a three instead of a four. Recommended for tweens who love steampunk and underdog stories. The P.Turners466 4 Read

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