3.5 stars. 
 I don't understand steampunk (I'm a newbie to the genre, and my poor friends were bombarded with questions while I read), but for some reason I keep getting sucked into these novels with their interesting stories and intriguing characters. And the covers. Can't forget the whole judging-books-by-their-covers. The Iron Wyrm Affair did use its cover well to draw me in. 
 Emma Bannon is a Prima who is extremely loyal to Britannia and her current vessel. Which, as far as I understand, Britannia is the spirit? entity? of Britain that protects & holds together the land. This is a point I was confused on. Emma goes back and forth between acting like a proper lady and then thinking that what she is doing is something a proper lady won't do, but she's not proper. Mikal is her Shield, which there is a lot of hinted at back-story, but nothing is ever out-right said. Which is why one star got knocked off right away. This is an event that seems to have been of great importance in their lives/relationship. Yet we only get bits and pieces. This is a pet peeve of mine! Archibald Clare is a mentath, which seems to be a genius whose mind depends on logic, and illogical things have a negative effect on him. 
 The story switches viewpoints often between Bannon and Clare. I had the feeling as the action picked up, extra conflict/conspiracies were thrown in to keep the action up on both sides after they split up. One plot I feel wasn't even solved/thwarted, but forgotten about in the rush of the ending. 
 The action was quick and descriptive, and scattered throughout the book. 
 The Iron Wyrm Affair was an ok/good read. I had issues of walking away from it and not picking it back up. It just did not call to me like others-knocking off the 1/2 star.