The HMAS Verne

A steampunk romance-adventure novel by E.A. Hedgecock.

The story begins with the revelation that in this world, and the country of Erivale, creativity in all its forms has been banished (following the Joyce riots of 1943, 1946, and 1951). A group of six artists have been living under the radar for years, posing as ordinary people until one of them, Thomas the Painter, has his shopping list intercepted by the police and is arrested and framed for the murder of a soldier's wife. Two are arrested then, one is killed, and the remaining three vanish without a trace.

At least, until a couple of years pass and they're picked up, one of them near-death, by the pirate airship the HMAS Verne.

A rollicking good adventure story with tearjerking romances, a monarchy with secrets of their own, and one of the darkest and most detestable villains in literature today.

Can be purchased here.

• Aborted Declaration of Love:
• After-Action Patchup: Of the rare non-romantic variety, between Victoria and Bast.
• Anger Born of Worry:

• Anguished Declaration of Love

• Aw, Look -- They Really Do Love Each Other: When Alexander dives off the side of the ship to save Nicola.
• Badass Family: The Friersons.
• Badass Gay: Felix
• Bandaged Face: Princeton, most of the time.
• Beauty, Brains, and Brawn: Bernard, Princeton, and Alexander
• Belligerent Sexual Tension: Alexander and Nicola
• :
• The Bet

• Beta Couple: Felix and Princeton, arguably.
• Big Brother Instinct: Bernard for Princeton and Annie.

• Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: Bernard, Alexander, Princeton
• Blue Eyes: Standard on the Frierson children.
• Bonding Over Missing Parents: Artie and Bast are the ones who comfort Alexander when he talks about his parents.
• Bookworm: Bernard.

• Break the Cutie: Alexander, surprisingly.
• Character Alignment: Lewis is lawful evil.
• Chekhov's Gun:
• Chekhov's Gunman:
• The Chessmaster: Lewis
• Children Are Innocent: Artie and Bast
• Cool Uncle: Artie and Bast have three!
• Crush Blush: Victoria and Princeton for their respective crushes (somewhat justified because they're redheads).
• Cry Into Chest: Non-romantic, between Felix and Victoria.
• The Cynic: Alexander
• Dance of Romance: Lampshaded by Felix.

• Dark and Troubled Past: Alexander
• Deceased Parents Are the Best: Bernard lampshades this at one point.

• Disappeared Dad: Felix has one.
• Disposable Fiance
• Dogged Nice Guy: Poor Bernard.
• Don't Look At Me: Princeton, most of the time.
• Drowning My Sorrows

• Dying Declaration of Love: For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come.
• Earn Your Happy Ending:
• Everyone Can See It: Bernard and Victoria.
• Establishing Character Moment: The first time you meet the Frierson brothers, Bernard is insisting they help the stragglers, Alexander is insisting they don't jeopardize their own safety, and Princeton is off to the side, being quiet.
• Evil Sounds Deep: Lewis has a cultured, deep voice.
• Fairytale Wedding Dress: Victoria desperately wants one of these.
• False Start: During the waltz.
• Faux Affably Evil: Lewis
• Fiery Redhead: Averted hard with Princeton
• Fragile Speedster: Nicola
• Freudian Excuse:
• Genius Book Club: Felix
• Genius Bruiser: You don't hurt Felix's friends.
• Goal in Life: The HMAS Verne's crew has the goal to defeat the government and bring back the arts.
• Good Is Not Soft: Bernard and Alexander are prime examples.
• Good Parents: Dr. and Mrs. Frierson.
• Good Scars, Evil Scars: Subverted, hard. Half of Princeton's face is disfigured, while Lewis only has a small nick above his lip.
• Grudging Thank You: Nicola to Alexander.

Nicola: I never got to say thank you. Alexander: For what? Nicola: You know for what.

• Happily Adopted: Alexander
• Happily Married: Dr. and Mrs. Frierson.
• Hates Being Touched: Under duress, Alexander and Nicola.
• Headbutt of Love: Felix to Princeton
• Head Desk: Bernard pulls one
• Held Gaze: Alexander to Nicola
• Heroes Want Redheads: Or so Bernard and Felix would argue.
• Heroic Bastard:
• Hold Me

• Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Alexander (a former soldier) and Nicola (a ballerina).
• Humongous Mecha: The government has a penchant for basing all of the designs for the Monsters on animals (just bigger).
• I Am What I Am: Princeton, eventually.
• I Can Still Fight:
• Identical Twin ID Tag: Artie and Bast's mirrored eye colors.
• I Uh You Too

• I Miss Mom

• Important Haircut: Victoria has long hair in the prologue, but very short for the rest of the novel.
• In Vino Veritas
• Just Friends: Bernard and Victoria.
• Kick the Dog:
• Kick Them While They Are Down:
• Kids Are Cruel: Lewis, as a child.
• Kindhearted Cat Lover: Bernard and his cat, Bennett.
• Knight in Sour Armor: Alexander
• Lack of Empathy: Lewis
• La Résistance
• Love Epiphany:
• Love Triangle: Between Bernard, Victoria, and Thomas.
• Massive-Numbered Siblings: There are five Frierson children.
• Megane: Felix
• Memento MacGuffin: Felix's pocket watch
• The Missus and the Ex: She's not a missus, but I believe Victoria and Lenora qualify.
• Mysterious Parent: Alexander's father.
• Non-Idle Rich: The Friersons
• No Sense of Personal Space: the twins
• Not Bad

• Papa Wolf: Bernard
• Pet the Dog: Alexander to his nephews the first time he talks about his father.
• Prank Date: As part of Princeton's backstory.
• Precision F-Strike: Hearing mild-mannered Princeton call a man a prick is jarring, to say the least.
• Promotion to Parent: Bernard for the twins.
• Put on a Bus: Thomas
• Queer Romance
• Romantic False Lead:
• Rotating Protagonist
• Sadistic Choice

• She Cleans Up Nicely: Victoria and Nicola, for the ball.
• She Is Not My Girlfriend

Alexander: Me and Nicola? Are you crazy? Me and Nicola.

• Shipper on Deck: Pretty much everyone for Victoria and Bernard.
• Single-Minded Twins: Artie and Bast, though they don't quite see it that way.

• Sir Swearsalot: Alexander should be this as a former soldier and Anti-Hero, but he has never cursed in his life.
• Sleep Cute: Bernard and Victoria sleeping on the couch.
• Smart People Wear Glasses: Felix
• Snow Means Love
• Invisible to Gaydar: Both Felix and Princeton.
• The Stoic: Alexander, very much. Nicola, to a lesser extent.
• The Tell: Princeton kneads his hand when he's nervous and Alexander tugs at his hat when he's uncomfortable.
• Three Amigos: Victoria, Nicola, and Felix
• Took a Level in Badass: Bernard
• The Un-Hug: When Nicola attempts to console Bernard.

• Unresolved Sexual Tension: Bernard and Victoria. So much.
• :
• "Well Done, Son" Guy: Lewis
• Will They or Won't They?: Between Bernard and Victoria.
• Youngest Child Wins: Averted with Annie
• Your Cheating Heart: Victoria valiantly fights against this.

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