Thunder Girl

By: T. K. Arispe

Narrated by: Benjamin Fife

All Cat wanted was an ordinary summer internship at the American Museum of Natural History. But when the fossils on display command her to use an ancient amulet to restore balance to the sacred lands out West, she and her robot companion Hermes find themselves journeying across an alternate-history 1890s America to set things right in the Native States.

If that wasn’t enough, a powerful railroad tycoon also wants the amulet - which is rumored to be cursed.

With danger always at their heels, can Cat and Hermes make it to the sacred lands and fulfill the fossils' quest?

From the bustling streets of Manhattan to the untouched plains of the West, one thing is clear: Cat’s summer will be anything but ordinary in this fun-filled, slightly nerdy steampunk fantasy Western.

©2019 T. K. Arispe (P)2021 T. K. Arispe

Creative and original

I was very surprised by this book. I was just not sure how all of these random elements could come together into a cohesive story. But they did and I enjoyed it.

The first strange element was the thunder stone that brings fossilized animals back to life. It was very mystical and was enough on it's own to hold it he story. But add a niece robot and you have steampunk gold.

Then there was the addition of Iapetus, the grandson of Frankenstein's monster. I was blown away, how it's this a thing? But it worked. it was an easy transition from Frankenstein to adding a werewolf.

The only part that didn't work was when the robot brought up evolution, and it was too much. You don't get to have native spirits, magic stones, gothic monsters, and evolution. No. one of these things is not like the others. Thankfully I'm a Christian so I'm already use to tuning out all mentions of evolution.

Anyway, I really did love this book, the humor, the quirky characters, and especially the narrator.

Benjamin Fife is a brilliant narrator. He does all the voices and even adds a tiny effect when he does the robot's voice.

If you are looking for something different, and clever then this is the he book you need.

Forget the cover this book is brilliant

Imaginative and Cleverly creative, this futuristic fantasy was so entertaining and a pleasure to listen to. The narration was wonderful, really painting each scene vividly. Perfect for kids, young adults and anyone with an imagination at any age.

Steampunk, dinosaurs, and monsters, oh my

I picked up this audiobook review copy because I have an interest in steam punk and alternate histories, and this turned out to be a fun romp in that area. Plus, what adult doesn't like to briefly relieve the dinosaur hyper fixation most children go through at some point? So many references to how our understandings of dinosaurs have changed over the years!

As a Frankenstein fan, I have to say I almost squealed when that book was significantly referenced for the plot, too!

I do have my slight concerns about the portrayal of Native Americans. There is no obvious disrespect that I caught, indeed the story seemed to be actively trying to respect them.

But I still cannot help but notice they are all side characters in a story that focuses on an artifact from one of their nations, while a presumed white girl (judging by the cover) has the spotlight and saves the day. I'm not native American and I cannot speak for them, but I did want to call attention to this.

Otherwise, this was a mostly light and fun romp that I enjoyed.

I have no complaints about Benjamin Fife's performance. He continues to amaze me with the sheer number of voices he can affect for a cast of characters. Again, I received a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Fun Mix of Dinosaurs, Fantasy, Sci-fi & Steam Punk

I really enjoyed the historical side of this and I could see this being a great read for those that love paleontology. It starts with a girl working at a museum along side a paleontologist robot and she gets thrust on an adventure to help the Native Americans. Her amulet brings fossils to life to help her on her journey so there's lots of information and learning that takes place. If anything there were times in the story that it did feel a little too informative or instructional but overall I did really enjoy the book. This is a clean read and I would place it as an elementary read 2nd-3rd grade and up and definitely recommend for the dinosaur enthusiast.

The narrator did a wonderful job with all the characters voices, acting, and made the story more fun to listen to.

—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Imagination runs wild in this awesome adventure!

Thunder Girl takes place in an American alternate history steampunk setting where Native American tribes oversee the western states, technology is both behind reality and advanced beyond it, and fantasy creatures are real! The setting is so creative and alive, it demands to be adventured in, and author T.K. Arispe is up to the challenge! What results are escapades in continually fresh and imaginative settings, filled with great twists, charming friendship, palpable danger and touching morality. The writing on display here is appropriately descriptive of the various wonders, but never hangs too long; the author knows how to keep the story flowing! Everything is paced to both keep the reader's interest and make sure not to lose them! Mr. Benjamin Fife, the narrator for the audiobook version, must have had fun with this story! He keeps pace with the events very well, and skillfully differentiates between the cast with different tones, accents, and even voice filters where necessary! If not for the narrative denoting who was speaking (as it must, by necessity), then listeners would easily be able to tell who is speaking simply by listening to Mr. Fife's performance! Bravo! With well-researched facts about American history, an inspired dose of fantasy and sci-fi, and a story that knows exactly what it wants to do, Thunder Girl enters the market and reminds readers and authors alike what a healthy imagination can do! Pick this book up and move it right to the front of your queue - and while you're at it, follow the author, because I can tell you from experience that all of her work is this great!