In Defence of the Empire (Prologue & Chapter 1)

Victorian London has been transformed by Henry Babbage's perfection of his father's Analytical Engine. Fuelled by these computing machines, science and engineering have taken giant leaps forward; horses and manual labour have been all but replaced by the limitless power of steam, and Britain's armies have become practically invincible thanks to the introduction of mechanical leviathans. With new and more fantastic inventions being produced daily, the citizens of the Empire struggle to keep up with the accelerating pace of change. Indeed, there are many who oppose the relentless march of Progress, and the gentleman's clubs and drinking dens of London abound with talk of change; be it evolution or revolution.

When an outspoken MP is found brutally murdered, Scotland Yard enlists the assistance of the adventuress Lady Rose Buchanan and her scientist husband Professor James. Accompanied by the professor's mysterious assistant Mr. Lazarus, the couple begin to investigate the strange occult phenomenon that surrounded the victim's death, and quickly find themselves embroiled in a sinister plot to overthrow the monarchy and bring down the empire.

The first two chapters of the book are available here and on the iDotE website, with the full book downloadable from Amazon