Set in 1851, A Curiosity of the Solar System follows the adventures of Captain Ivor Hooke, an affable but rather undistinguished officer in the British army who has been sent on a mission of diplomacy to one of the farthest flung corners of the British Empire. Ivor is soon hurled in to a world of rebellious intrigue that sees him plotting his escape from a city suspended above the clouds while being pursued by the ruthlessly piratical Jebediah Craven. Throughout the course of his journey Ivor will encounter a curious collection of characters, contraptions and conspiracies while also embarking upon his own peculiar voyage of self-discovery.