TITLE: Thomas Riley
AUTHOR: Nick Valentino
PUBLISHER: Echelon Press, LLC, 2010
ISBN 978-1-59080-700-2 (282 pages)

Thomas Riley is a fun, fast-paced adventure in the "Steam Punk" genre.  Valentino's first novel, it is a satisfactory read with few of the rough edges that often characterize an opus one.  Thomas Riley, an engineer and alchemist who aids his country as a weapons developer, is thrust into the action and mayhem that he has so readily enabled for years.  In a desperate attempt to save the lives of his lovely assistant and the daughter of his sovereign, Riley must kidnap the madman who is his counterpart on the enemy side.  Complete with all the steam powered gadgetry one could wish for, nearly nonstop action, intrigue, betrayel, and sky-piratesto boot, Thomas Riley will not fail to to entertain.