Book Review: Twits on the Stump: A Steampunk Distraction

Twits on the Stump: A Steampunk Distraction by Tom Alan Robbins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reading the latest installment of the “Twits Chronicles” during an election year was a surreal experience. The antics of my favorite fictional friends got me thinking about what’s probably going on behind the scenes in real-life politics everywhere. Clearly, we need to be voting for intelligent, forward-thinking, clear-headed candidates. But until those candidates come along, we must settle for the unbelievably rich, carefree, and rarely sober Cyril Chippinton-Smythe.

Cyril craves diversions to alleviate the boredom of his comfortable, privileged existence. While visiting a local pie shop, he’s caught off-guard by love at first sight with Forsythia Oblongata, an activist trying to help the workers in her family’s pie factory obtain better pay. Cyril does what any unqualified wealthy man would do: he’s taken under the wing of a cutthroat political tutor and runs for office, hoping to win the girl’s heart. Unfortunately, his cousin Binky has also fallen in love with Forsythia.

Will Cyril win the race and get the girl? Will the piemakers situation improve? And what about Binky?

I can’t forget to mention my favorite character in this entire series, Bentley. He’s a steam-powered automaton valet that’s been in Cyril’s family for generations. Honestly, Cyril wouldn’t last ten minutes without Bentley’s assistance. If only he could run for office, we’d all be in fine shape.

Hopefully you’ve read the previous six books in the “Twits Chronicles” (and the free short story, Uncle Hugo’s Crises. The books are not overly long. You can breeze through one in an afternoon. Catch up now and you’ll be ready for Twits Hit the Target, available to pre-order now, and due to arrive on December 21st!

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