History Literature / TheCorsayBooks

* ShoutOut: Elijah Beckett has the same first name and last initial as Elijah Bailey, of ''Literature/TheCavesOfSteel''. He habitually wears a red scarf over the lower part of his face, a possible visual nod to ComicBook/TheShadow.

* ShoutOut: Elijah Beckett has the same first name and last initial as Elijah Bailey, of TheCavesOfSteel. He habitually wears a red scarf over the lower part of his face, a possible visual nod to TheShadow.

* {{Determinator}}: Elijah Beckett, and - to a lesser extent - Elizabeth Skinner

* LayeredMetropolis: Trowth was created when one noble family built a tall, spindly tower with a view of the river, which offended another noble family who made a squat ugly tower in front of the tall spindly tower as an insult. It escalated into [[SeriousBusiness war]], until a new front opened up when one architect built bridges over a major thoroughfare that went through his property. Soon, people started building on top of the bridges, to the point that it became a massive, towering, constantly constructed city.

'''The Corsay Books''' are an as-yet uncompleted book series by Chris Braak. The first two novels, ''The Translated Man'' and ''Mr. Stitch'', are set in the city of Trowth - an AlternateUniverse version of VictorianLondon. They follow the adventures of Elijah Beckett, Elizabeth Skinner, and Valentine Vie-Gorgon. These three are members of the Coroners, a law enforcement group dedicated to fighting the dangerous and exotic sciences known as Heresies.

* AlternateUniverse

* BlindWeaponmaster: [[spoiler:Skinner]]

* FantasticRacism

* HandicappedBadass: Skinner

* LayeredMetropolis: An architecturally improbable example rather like a [[Creator/HPLovecraft Lovecraftian]] {{Steampunk}} channeling-suicidal-amounts-of-Literature/PerdidoStreetStation version of [[StarWars Coruscant]], spurred on by an [[SillyReasonForWar architectural war.]] Yes, really, it all MakesSenseInContext. It started when one noble family built a tall, spindly tower with a view of the river, which offended another noble family who made a squat ugly tower in front of the tall spindly tower as an insult. It escalated into [[SeriousBusiness war]], until a new front opened up when one architect built bridges over a major thoroughfare that went through his property. Soon, people started building on top of the bridges, to the point that it became a massive, towering, constantly constructed city.
* JudgeJuryAndExecutioner: The Coroners' job description.

* LastNameBasis: Fitting given the quasi-Edwardian setting. Beckett and Skinner are almost always referred to by their last names. Curiously, however, Valentine goes by his first - possibly because there are so many Vie-Gorgons around that it might cause confusion, or possibly just because it bucks convention.
* MadScientist - the primary targets of the Coroners. Beckett's been hunting them for so long that he can even predict the content of their EvilGloating.
* MasterSwordsman: Valentine, [[spoiler:Skinner]], and many members of the Trowthi aristocracy.
* NonIdleRich: Valentine Vie-Gorgon

* SwordCane: [[spoiler:Skinner has one.]]

'''The Corsay Books''' are an as-yet uncompleted book series by Chris Braak. The first two novels, ''The Translated Man'' and ''Mr. Stitch'', are set in the city of Trowth - an AlternateUniverse version of VictorianLondon. They follow the adventures of Elijah Beckett, Elizabteth Skinner, and Valentine Vie-Gorgon. These three are members of the Coroners, a law enforcement group dedicated to fighting the dangerous and exotic sciences known as Heresies.

* LayeredMetropolis: An architecturally improbable example rather like a [[Creator/HPLovecraft Lovecraftian]] {{Steampunk}} channeling-suicidal-amounts-of-PerdidoStreetStation version of [[StarWars Coruscant]], spurred on by an [[SillyReasonForWar architectural war.]] Yes, really, it all MakesSenseInContext. It started when one noble family built a tall, spindly tower with a view of the river, which offended another noble family who made a squat ugly tower in front of the tall spindly tower as an insult. It escalated into [[SeriousBusiness war]], until a new front opened up when one architect built bridges over a major thoroughfare that went through his property. Soon, people started building on top of the bridges, to the point that it became a massive, towering, constantly constructed city.

* DisabilitySuperpower: The Knockers are blinded (by wearing a metal blindfold, and not in any more squicky way) to focus their abilities of auditory clairvoyance.

* {{Hallucinations}}: Induced by overdoses of the powerful narcotic Fang.

* HostileWeather: The city of Trowth has this in spades, ranging from a Second Winter cold enough to kill an exposed person in moments to psychestorms, which drive anyone not sheltered by copper-plating ''insane''. This often proves an inconvenience.

* KeepTheHomeFiresBurning: Skinner and Karine are only employed by the Coroners because most of the young men are away at war.
* LastNameBasis: Fitting given the quasi-Edwardian setting. Beckett and Skinner are almost always referred to by their last names. Curiously, however, Valentine goes by his first - possibly because there are so many Vie-Gordons around that it might cause confusion, or possibly just because it bucks convention.

* SwordCane: [[spoiler:Skinner has one]]
* VictorianLondon: Trowth is something of an AlternateUniverse version, albeit with more malevolent weather.

* DisabilitySuperpower: The Knockers are blinded to focus their abilities of auditory clairvoyance.

* LastNameBasis: Fitting given the quasi-Edwardian setting. Beckett and Skinner are almost always referred to by their last names. Curiously, however, Valentine goes by his first.
* MadScientist

* BunnyEarsLawyer: Valentine is quite eccentric by the standards of Trowthi society

The Corsay Books are an as-yet uncompleted book series by Chris Braak. The first two novels, ''The Translated Man'' and ''Mr. Stitch'', are set in the city of Trowth - an AlternateUniverse version of VictorianLondon. They follow the adventures of Elijah Beckett, Elizabteth Skinner, and Valentine Vie-Gorgon. These three are members of the Coroners, a law enforcement group dedicated to fighting the dangerous and exotic sciences known as Heresies.

A third novel, ''In Corsay'' is due [[http://chrisbraak.com/novels/ sometime in 2011]].

* AlienGeometries: How The Excelsior was supposed to work. Also the cause of [[spoiler:the titular translated man]].

* VictorianLondon: Trowth is something of an AlternateUniverse version, albiet with more malevolent weather.

The overall aesthetic of the series can be described as [[HPLovecraft Lovecraftian]] SteamPunk, prominently featuring BodyHorror, EldritchAbomination, and fantastical technology made of brass. The world is closely realized, with intriguing details of Trowthi history and culture woven into the page-turner narrative.

* DisabilitySuperpower: The Knockers are blinded to focus their abilities of auditory clairvoyance.

* LayeredMetropolis: An architecturally improbable example rather like a [[HPLovecraft Lovecraftian]] {{Steampunk}} channeling-suicidal-amounts-of-PerdidoStreetStation version of [[StarWars Coruscant]], spurred on by an [[SillyReasonForWar architectural war.]] Yes, really, it all MakesSenseInContext. It started when one noble family built a tall, spindly tower with a view of the river, which offended another noble family who made a squat ugly tower in front of the tall spindly tower as an insult. It escalated into [[SeriousBusiness war]], until a new front opened up when one architect built bridges over a major thoroughfare that went through his property. Soon, people started building on top of the bridges, to the point that it became a massive, towering, constantly constructed city.

* HostileWeather: The city of Trowth has this in spades, ranging from a Second Winter cold enough to kill an exposed person in moments to psychestorms, which drive anyone not sheltered by copper-plating ''insane''.