Arabella the Traitor of Mars

Book excerpt: Arabella is now a hero, but her new status brings attention that could threaten all she holds dear, in this final cosmic adventure. Finally and truly husband and wife, Arabella Ashby and Capt. Prakash Singh are lauded as heroes in England after defeating Napoleon at the Battle of Venus. When they are invited to the Brighton palace of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, a Martian- and Venusian-inspired architectural marvel, the mechanically-bent Arabella finds herself drawn to the prince’s steam-powered Merlin chair and two-wheeled Draisine. But the Prince has motives other than mere entertainment for their visit. He offers Singh a great opportunity, divulged under a cloak of secrecy. In his dual role of captain and spy, Singh will be sent to Mars to help bring the planet under British control, a mission that will pit Arabella’s love and loyalty for her home against the most powerful realm in the universe. Praise for the Adventures of Arabella Ashby trilogy “Clever and entertaining . . . A memorable saga.” —Kim Stanley Robinson, New York Times–bestselling author “If Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jules Verne, and Patrick O’Brien had sat down together to compose a tale to amuse Jane Austen, the result might be Arabella of Mars. So. Much. Fun!” —Madeleine Robins, author of the Sarah Tolerance Regency mystery series “A fanciful romp through a cosmic 1812 . . . A treat for steampunk fantasy fans.” —Library Journal (starred review) “An imaginative setting that combines 19th-century seafaring with pulp-style space adventure.” —Publishers Weekly