Martha Wells' The Emilie Adventures combines two previous YA steampunk releases - Emilie and the Hollow World and Emilie and the Sky-World. Teen Emilie embarks on a series of adventures after running away from her home with a very controlling and disapproving uncle and aunt.

Emilie and the Hollow World is somewhat reminiscent of Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. In it, our young heroine accidentally stows away on the wrong ship. It's attacked just before it leaves (driven by an experimental engine) on an expedition to rescue a Dr. Marlende and his crew, who had journeyed to Earth's interior, the Hollow World.

In Emilie and the Sky-World, they take a ship into the aetherverse.

They encounter both friendly and hostile aliens. There are separations and reunions, and danger abounds but Emilie proves her worth as a valued member of a team of scientist explorers.

Usually I really like Martha Wells books, but The Emelie Adventures was one that just didn’t hold me. I’m not sure if it was the characters or the setting but I just found the book a bit hard to follow and I couldn’t engage with the characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and maybe I will come back to reread it in the future and in a different mindspace I can enjoy it a second time through.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7635122094

Ahoy there mateys! This is an omnibus of the two YA steampunk novels about Emilie.  In the first book she stows away on a vessel that goes under the sea / into the planet to the Hollow-World.  In the second novel she goes on a rescue mission on an airship to the Sky-World.  The world building is the highlight here.  I wanted more!

Both books feel like something Jules Verne would have written.  There is science and a bit of magic.  It is very steampunk and takes place in an alternate Victorian setting.  There are steamships, telescopes, a bustling scientific community, and new horizons to be explored.  There are merpeople, plant based people, and monsters.  Younger me would have adored this.

Emilie is a great character who starts out more as an observer but gains experience and becomes crucial to survival.  She is plucky and thoughtful.  It was lovely to watch her grow and carve out a life better suited to her wishes.  The only small problem was that she feels more like 12 than 16 years old.

These books are light and fluffy.  I enjoyed them but would have like a little more of everything from characterization, to descriptions, and more complex plotting.  The old-fashioned feel worked well but I couldn't help but want writing more in line with Well's adult works.  Arrr!

While I generally prefer Martha Wells' adult work, this was a really enjoyable set of novellas. The steampunk world is just fascinating and delightful, Emilie is such a likable character. I think this straddles the line between YA and Middle Grade. It's not inappropriately violent or graphic, so I would be able to recommend it to a middle grade reader who is able to read more difficult books but maybe not old enough to handle more difficult topics. That's a category that comes up surprisingly often, and I am excited to have a new title to recommend.

Thank you for providing me free copy of this e-arc. This is a re-release of older work and includes two separate stories. They flowed from one to another seamlessly and I enjoyed getting to know Emilie and the fantastic futuristic setting full of airships and magic. This is a YA or middle grade book full of adventures, where the FMC runs away from home, learns how to stand up for herself and becomes an unlikely heroine. Overall, I enjoyed both stories and would rate them 3.5 stars.

The Emilie Adventures is a re-release from Martha Wells' backlist, combining Emilie and the Hollow World and Emilie and the Sky World. I haven't read a steampunk book in quite some time; to be transported back into a steampunk setting through Martha's guiding hand made for a delightful reading experience. Emilie as a character is the kind of plucky heroine you might see in a Studio Ghibli film. Though this novel is meant for young adult readers, I feel readers of any age could enjoy Emilie's adevntures.

Tor has been republishing Martha Well's backlist. As someone who came to her via Murderbot, I've really loved getting the chance to read her older books, including many that were out of print or difficult to find.

The Emilie Adventures combines two middle grade adventure novels into one compendium focused on the eponymous Emilie. She's an adolescent runaway who ends up on a steampunk/gaslamp fantasy expedition full of airships, magic, and (on the whole) very generous and kind people.

The books are definitely age appropriate, and feature no romance or graphic violence. I can recognize Wells's signature clear action scenes and straightforward prose. I definitely recommend for older elementary/middle school kids - this would be a great gift for the young reader in your life looking for a replacement for some other less palatable middle grade fantasies (AHEM).

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Three and a half stars.

Although these two stories were originally published separately, it makes sense to have them collected here as the second story begins immediately (literally) after the first story ends.

This is the story of Emilie, who has run away from her terrible uncle to live with her cousin. But first she must stowaway on a ship to reach her cousin. But, oops, wrong ship. Actually, really wrong ship as it is first attacked by men with guns and then dives into the ocean to reach the hidden world.

These are young adult adventure novels with lots of action and a very plucky heroine who keeps doing the hard thing because it's her only choice. It's not set on earth, but has a steam-punk vibe which the addition of magic (aether manipulation).

I found The Hidden World more interesting and propulsive than the Sky World, personally, but both are nice.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is two books put into one and I loved that the stories flowed from one into the other so seamlessly. Emilie’s adventures felt very nostalgic to me. In both books there are blimp like ships and they reminded me so much of Airborn by Kenneth Oppel which I absolutely loved when I was younger.

This is a great YA book with a female lead who is learning to stand up for herself and be brave. I loved Emilie and enjoyed both stories but the second one was my favourite. The stakes were high, there was a very cool scifi type element, the setting was giving me The Nowhere in Cytonic by Brandan Sanderson vibes and a character reminded me of a beloved character from Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.

I don’t know if Martha Wells plans to write any more adventures for Emilie, but if she does, I will definitely be reading them right away.

Super creative world building, interesting and fleshed out characters, well written upper YA novellas. I would definitely come back to this world.

The Emilie Adventures is a 2025 omnibus re-release of Martha Wells's YA Fantasy duology from 2013/2014.

Emilie and the Hollow World:
Emilie is stifled by the expectations of her uncle, and runs away...but kind of botches her escape and accidentally ends up on a ship with an experimental engine bound to the center of the planet. Adventure ensues!

Emilie is headstrong, adventurous, and above all curious about the world around her. She's absorbed a lot of knowledge about her new vessel, but ultimately needs to rely on her courage to persevere through her adversity. I found this to be on the plot heavier side - the action is nonstop!! - but really enjoy Emilie's growth as a character too.


Emilie and the Sky World:
Emilie is a whole adventure wiser (i.e. warier but also has had a taste for the wider world and wants more) and this time, she and the Marlendes discover that the disruption in the upper aether current is actually a ship from another aetheric plane! And there is a creature on board who resembles a flower! But weird things are happening in the currents, and Emilie and her crew are swept away, and of course it's up to Emilie to use her courage and her inquisitive nature to help them out.

I love the youthful nature - it's YA and very appropriate for an adventurous younger reader, specifically not romantic - and Emilie has a really insightful growth arc as a character. She's navigating the complicated barriers of being an unmarried young woman and the daughter of an actress with a "reputation", in a world where most women aren't educated or encouraged in sciences. The tone works really well overall, and Martha Wells captures the joy of adventure paired with coming of age in a nod to some classics but in a way that she makes her own.

There's nothing really *wrong* with The Emilie Adventures; it's perfectly fine for what it is. But since the only other books I've read from Martha Wells are the MurderBot books, my expectations were probably off (even after considering that this duo is meant to be YA). I found Emilie's adventures to be interesting enough that I'd pick up the next book in the series, if there ever is one (but since it's been about 11 years since book 2 (Emilie and the Sky-World) was originally published, I'm not too optimistic there will be more).

With Murderbot hitting Apple+ this week, I don’t know how more people aren’t talking about this rerelease of The Emilie Adventures, being published in one novel. They are two novellas following Emilie who becomes a part of a ship’s crew after stowing away on the wrong ship, leading to her finding the family she’s always wanted while going on two separate adventures.

The world-building is nice and has a unique world system that was confusing at first, but became easier to follow as the story went on. There are some elements of magic that seems more nebulous, interesting ships and experimental engines, as well as people from other worlds and fantastic fight scenes.

4.5 stars

Thank you to @tordotcom and @netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

I did not finish this book. I read about 40% and I was disinterested in the story. I felt confused by the writing style - the tone in the beginning seemed middle grade but the inclusion of topics such as prostitution felt more young adult. I know the book is young adult but the tone was conflicting. I also felt the characters were underdeveloped and flat. I was overall disappointed with my experience and did not want to complete the book.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Sci-Fi, Steampunk, Historical Science Fiction, Fantasy, SFF, Pirates
Audience: Young Adult with crossover to adults
Language: Occasional mild cussing
Format: Two books in one. I love how I got more of Emilie without having to go get another book. Both "worlds" are thrilling!

Jump on for the wild ride of THE EMILIE ADVENTURES! Pirates, thieves, new worlds, and scientists!

This book has everything I love about Jules Verne with a more modern sensibility and inclusion of women. It's adventures, smart, funny, and includes alien-ish characters. Seriously, this is one of my favorite reads of the year. I highly recommend it.

Other things to enjoy beside the wonderful world:
- Family relationships
- Found family
- Unique characters
- Hints of romance
- Fighting amongst friends
- Feminism
- "Can-do" attitude!
- Deception
- Sense of wonder
- Exploration
- Hope for a brighter future

I hope you pick this up!

Happy (traveling adventures) reading!

This is one of those times I read the early work of one of my favorite writers, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that they were a good writer over a decade ago, too. It's also a pair of YA stories in which there is no romance plot, which honestly I loved. Getting bored with protagonists pausing in saving the world to swoon over potential love interests is a reason I don't read that much YA, and take long pauses between them. If there were more of these, I would have just kept reading them. It's a little more magical than most steam-punk, but I can see why it's described as that, it reminded me of Victorian adventure novels without the racism and sexism.

Both Emilie and the Hollow World and Emilie and the Sky World dazzle with world building, creativity, and charm. Emilie and the Hollow World shows massive character growth for Emilie as she learns to trust herself and others and learns how to navigate a world wholly different from her own. In Emilie and the Sky World, we see Efrain’s growth through Emilie’s eyes as his older sister. Both stories introduce at least a dozen characters unique to that story alone, with a few that become true companions to Emilie, and both stories introduce drastically different scenarios for Emilie to face.

These tales are internally consistent and the steampunk fantasy evokes Jules Verne in the most pleasant of nostalgia. Emilie is not extraordinarily lucky or unduly talented, and builds upon her skills in a reasonable fashion as the stories progress. It reads more Middle Grade to me than Young Adult in writing style, I think Emilie’s age could have been younger and the story would not have changed much.

I loved the wide variety of role models she has to learn from among the crew, and how the different styles of communication help her to think about things differently. Emilie being brown is also a nice touch but affects absolutely nothing in the plot (no cultural elements, for example) so PoC may find this representation lacking.

Overall, I enjoyed the spark in this character and the life in these tales. I would love to read more stories of Emilie.

This book was so entertaining. The world and character-building were exquisite, and the cover perfectly matched the story within. I enjoyed following Emilie as she sought to make a life for herself outside of the shadow of her mother's decisions and the sullied reputation her guardians falsely created. She began this book as a headstrong, wide-eyed girl with no real direction. However, she ended the book with a sense of self and living out the stories she would read about with her brothers.

This book gave me Enola Holmes and Dr. Who vibes, and I absolutely loved every single page. I am new to Martha Wells, this being my second book of hers that I have read, and I must say that she is now on my must-buy list. Her imagination is amazing, and her ability to give the characters that she writes so much personality that you forget that you are reading a work of fiction is mind-blowing.

Thank you to Netgalley, Tor Publishing Group | Tordotcom, and Martha Wells for the ARC of The Emilie Adventures.
I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion of this fantastic book.

In her efforts to escape a controlling uncle, Emilie accidentally stows away on a ship traveling through aetheric currents to the Hollow World. The discoveries made there will change everything. Then, while Emilie begins settling into her new life, a mysterious airship descends from the sky, changing everything again.

Two novels, and both were wonderful reads! Emilie is an engaging protagonist and realistically young. She doesn’t act perfectly, holds grudges, and loses her temper. But she’s also kind and curious and sympathetic, and I love her growth especially in book two. The side characters were all fun and interesting. And the world building was fantastic! I’ve finally found my answer to looking for a book with very similar vibes to the movie Treasure Planet.

Many thanks to both NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this arc!

The Emilie Adventures by Martha Wells offers two novel-length YA steampunk adventures that delivered adventures below the sea and above as young Emilie, a stowaway, embarks on an epic adventure. You won’t want to miss these daring adventures with our young hero!

I absolutely love Martha Wells Murderbot series and have since been reading her earlier published works as they are re-released. The Emilie Adventures offers two novel length YA steampunks perfect for everyone young and old who enjoys adventures on the high sea and in the air.

In the first story, Emilie and the Hollow World, our young heroine is frustrated with the way her uncle has been treating her and runs away from home. She is headed to her cousin’s school, hoping for a position there when she finds herself a stowaway on an experimental ship headed to a world below the sea. On board the ship she befriends Lady Marlende, who is traversing worlds to rescue her father, who made the trip before her. We’ve got villains, strange sea creatures and plenty of danger. The story is well paced and kept me engaged. I love steampunk and gadgets used. Emilie proves her worth when she rescues her new friends.

In the second story, Emilie and the Sky World, Professor Abindon, an old colleague of her friend Lady Marlende, warns them of something strange and potentially deadly in the sky, a disruption in an upper air aether current. Emilie, the professor, and Lady Marlende travel with the crew. On this adventure, they encounter a strange creature, find themselves in grave danger and go on a rescue mission to save a crew believed to be dead. There is even a confrontation with Emilie’s uncle. This was my favorite of the two tales, although both were winners. I loved meeting Flower and thought the villains in this tale scary. Once again, the technology and gadgets impressed me.

The Emilie Adventures were delightful and I highly recommend the novel for fans of steampunk, science fiction and fantasy who love an adventure. Watch out for pirates!