Thoroughly enjoyed this second installment of the Gunpowder Chronicles, as Jin Soling and Chen Chang-Wei are sent from the troubled Forbidden City by the young emperor who seems trapped under the weight of his imperial title, to explore the possibility of contacting scientists in Japan.

But Japan has closed itself off quite thoroughly from the taint of foreign influence. Soling and Chang-Wei are in constant danger as they pursue their goals, which are complicated by clockwork samurai, figures with secret motivations, the insidious threat of the opium trade, and the outright threat of the invading Westerners.

Soling and Chang-Wei also have to come to terms with the complexities of their relationship, which neither can define, especially with so much going on.

This was a real page turner, filled with excellent period detail, the steampunk elements worked in believably. Foods--clothing--gestures--attitudes--felt realistic instead of a colorful veneer over basically a modern Western paradigm. I am looking forward to the next in the series.