Book Review: Your Next Ministry Assignment: Follow the Protocol!

This week I’ve been having a happy wallow in new stories of adventure and mystery, as I follow our intrepid agents from the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences while they conduct their investigations.  But this time around, our favored agents Eliza Braun and Wellington Books step out of the spotlight (no doubt an aid in their own furtive pursuit of whatever needs pursuit at the moment) so that we may meet a wider variety of the Crown’s elite agents. Their stories are told by a host of authors who’ve been invited to play in the wondrous world created by Philippa (Pip) Ballantine and Tee Morris.

I’ve been an avid fan of agents Braun and Books since the get-go, and will admit I cracked into Ministry Protocol with just a bit of hesitation. My hesitation turned to glee as I settled into the first adventure in this anthology series.  By the end of the tale, I was hooked. The opening story was absolutely spot-on to the Peculiar universe, kept me guessing, and charmed me with it’s style.

I’ve now read a half dozen of the adventures – and have traveled the world. While London has been the main setting for our adventures previous to Ministry Protocol, we now roam the world, with various agents who cover the globe, protecting (or attempting to) all of humanity from the forces of evil.  Some stories I liked better than others, but that’s all right. The variety is spicy, and I’m happy for that.

Tonight I shall play with the cat, have my supper and then kick the real world aside so that I might re-join the action. I wonder where the next tale will take me?  What sort of agent will be saving the day? My curiosity and wonder are getting a full workout.

Every story takes place in a different location, with till-now unknown agents. And, since each story is written by a different author, each with their own unique style, you just never can know what will happen next – or who your new agency heroes will be. Pack your passport, grab a carpetbag and stuff your hat on your head.  It’s time we were off!

If you have not yet become acquainted with the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, I will politely stifle a gasp of surprise and equally politely direct you to the website devoted to the cause.  Enjoy your visit, learn about the Ministry, and of course, purchase the books. We can all use more adventure in our lives.

Ministry Protocol will be available for public enjoyment on Friday, September 27, 2013.  Huzzah! 

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Please also enjoy this rather official press release, which arrived via pneumatic tube a while back. I found this alarming as I’d never installed a pneumatic tube, but I’m sure there’s a fine explanation for that… somewhere.

The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novels are a multi-award winning steampunk series, which tells the story of the government agency committed to keeping citizens safe from the strange, the unusual, and the bizarre.

In a very successful Kickstarter in July, the Ministry Initiative was funded, allowing the creation of both a roleplaying game and a brand new anthology.

Ministry Protocol: Thrilling Tales from the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences is a collection of short stories that will take readers across the Empire and all over the world, revealing new facets of familiar characters and introducing new agents, allies, and enemies from the Ministry’s colourful history.

The authors of this globe-spanning anthology include Delilah S. Dawson, Leanna Renee Hieber, Alex White, Jared Axelrod,Tiffany Trent, Peter Woodworth, Jack Mangan, JR Blackwell, Dan Rabarts, Lauren Harris, Karina Cooper, and Glenn Freund from The League of S.T.E.A.M.

And one of the Ministry’s creators, Tee Morris, presents the origin story of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences itself.