An excellent and tremendously well written book. This was the fourth Steampunk book I've read and definitely one of the best and like others did not dAn excellent and tremendously well written book. This was the fourth Steampunk book I've read and definitely one of the best and like others did not disappoint. It wasn't what I was expecting but that's not a bad thing as it was engaging and well thought out. The plot was detailed and had so many branches but everything was explained leaving me as a reader in awe but also satisfied.
The characters all had their own identities which I've come to notice is a necessity in Steampunk books and this book was no exception. Briar and Zeke Wilkes are characters you find yourself pulling for hoping they get everything they want. Other characters are just as deserving and I found them likeable as well. This book was certainly a Steampunk dystopia or utopia depending on your view of the world within its pages.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author Cherie Priest is a great writer and has quite the imagination. I look forward to reading other Steampunk books as well as the others in this steam-filled series. If you enjoy the genre, like dramatic and deeply adventurous books then I highly recommend you read Boneshaker....more
Another great gritty steampunk western and gem of a read. Continuing from where the Buntline Special left off, this book was just as good as the book Another great gritty steampunk western and gem of a read. Continuing from where the Buntline Special left off, this book was just as good as the book before it. Doc Holliday is again his witty, wise and ruthless self, ready to do what he has to in preparation for his death. It's his character that really sells me and really made the book enjoyable.
The steampunk elements do take a bit of reading to understand but once Doc Holliday gets it I got it and hoped the inventions Edison and Buntline made would work. I found Billy the Kid to be very immature just as I imagined he really was. I found all the characters and the plot quite enjoyable. The settings went back and forth but Tombstone was never far behind.
I really enjoyed this book for everything it portrayed and all the wild action packed moments it had. Another one of my favorite books and I ride into the third book in the series having been pleased with the second. 5 bullets!...more
By far one of the best books I have ever read. It was fantastically fun and enthrallingly entertaining. I love the wild west and have taken up an inteBy far one of the best books I have ever read. It was fantastically fun and enthrallingly entertaining. I love the wild west and have taken up an interest in steampunk in recent years so reading this book was an absolute delight. I've had this book and the series for a few years and I wish I had started reading sooner! Number one reason I loved this book was because of Doc Holliday. What a character! Fearless, witty, ruthless and quite funny as well. If the real Doc Holliday was like this then I'm adding him to the list of people I wish I could have met. All the characters were portrayed very nicely and were great but Doc Holliday really takes the bullet. The storyline, characters, plots, and historical fiction spin of actual events were all amazing and kept me glued to every page wanting to find out what happens next. I really loved the weird western and steampunk spin(which is what this book is) that this book had. It was done reasonably and it fit as if you could see it really happening rather then ideas being thrown in from a standpoint that wouldn't. Thomas Edison and Ned Buntline really make Tombstone as weird and steampunk as possible.
Again, I absolutely loved this book and I could go on about everything that was great about it which is everything. I have no complaints and I can't wait to read the next one. If you're into the wild west with a weird steampunk spin and your gunfighters witty as a whip and ready for a fight then this book is definitely for you! 5 bullets!...more
It took me a while but I finally finished this book. It was my first read of the steampunk genre and while I wasn't sure at first on whether or not I'It took me a while but I finally finished this book. It was my first read of the steampunk genre and while I wasn't sure at first on whether or not I'd stick with it I'm beyond glad I did as this was one of the best books I have read in a while. First off, if your going to read your very first steampunk book, I would say look no further then this one. This book is a combination of stories in the Galvanic Century Series which includes books 1 through 7. I will rate and give brief thoughts on each story but let me first state how I felt about the book overall. As I said I had never read a Steampunk book before but having read this I couldn't have been more pleased to have given it a shot as it was a delightful breath of fresh air, almost like a new source of air I'd never breathed in before. Each story tells of the adventures of one James Wainwright and Alton Bartleby. Right away I felt the duo reminded me of Sherlock Holmes and Watson in fact they even work along Scotland Yard. Both are hard driven and elegant workaholics but be rest assured they are damn good at what they do. Like Holmes and Watson they are both quick to examine things, they don't rule out evidence, suspects or even those close to the case. They are fun and engaging characters which I immediately picked up on and this was the first reason I enjoyed the book so much. I feel if you can't really get a read on a character or enjoy what they do or how they do it then perhaps a book isn't for you. This was the opposite as I enjoyed both characters mostly Bartleby as he was funny, serious and attentive all at the same time. There was also Alton's fiance Aldora Fiske who had her own stories toward the end and while she is enjoyable too I found her to be annoying and unbearable at certain times.
I loved the way certain things were told as the detail to explain things are spot on and given I didn't know much about steampunk, details needed to be spot on and indeed they were. The author Michael Coorlim does a wonderful job in explaining mechanisms and trickets of the Steampunk world that I would have otherwise have been lost had he not described them so well. Another thing I found interesting about this book was that like television crime shows you get a certain amount of suspects and you turn each page thinking who did what and who was involved and you wonder who did it. The only difference is television shows don't have these two characters leading the investigation. I was stumped and surprised quite a few times at the reveal of the masterminds behind some of the crimes within the stories. Now I will rate and review each story.
AND THEY CALLED HER SPIDER- 5 Stars An assassin simply known as the spider is taking the London streets by storm as James and Bartleby must find her and stop her. As the first story is the series this was great. It was the perfect example and description of how steampunk works and what it is. As someone who was pretty clueless going in, this story helped me understand. The spider is a woman and shes very quick, sly and precise..almost unhumanlike..I don't do spoilers but I'll leave that as is. I loved how the duo didn't back down even knowing this spider could very well kill them. A great starter story.
Maiden Voyage of the Rio Grande- 4 Stars Think NCIS but only with Steampunk themes. This one was a bit slower then the first when it came down to me getting into it but it does pick up and when it did I was glued in and reading on in wonder as to who on the ship murdered a crew member. At first James is accused but he quickly rebuffs the claims and sets out to find out who the real murderer is. A great story and solid for a story to which you learn about how ships work and ship jargon as well.
ON THE TRAIL OF THE SCISSORMAN- 5 Stars The duo must try to stop a nightmarish serial killer. Right away I was thinking a Jack the Ripper meets Sweeney Todd type of character boy was I wrong. The scissorman is a mechanism made of flesh and well it's hard to explain but I assure you he's not human. He was described wonderfully in detail for me to get a great visual of what I saw him as in my mind but then an actual picture is shown (yay!) and sure enough it was as I thought it was..a vicious mean looking thing that would probably maul me if it existed. Interesting story.
A MATTER OF SPIRIT- 4 Stars One of James' old friends asks for his help to clear his name accused for kidnapping his partner. Again a bit slow out of the shoot but an overall solid story. I liked this one because given both men are so about work and themselves seeing them defend someone else is a sight you rarely see if you pick up on how they are. So seeing Wainwright try to defend his friend really spoke to me, though don't be fooled as he thought he may have done it. Overall a very well told story.
SKY PIRATES OVER LONDON- 5 Stars If the title alone wasn't cool enough. It's true to it's name, so imagine Victorian Era/Galvanic style pirates taking over pirate ships only those pirate ships are flying high above the sky instead of sailing the seas. This one does a great job in telling the detail of the luxurious side of steampunk if that makes sense. I found the pirates to be a but dumb and not very witty at times given the era they were in but I guess criminals are alike all over. A very sky high 5!
THE TOWER OF BABBAGE- 4 Stars This story featured Aldora, Alton's wife as the main character. She goes in search on an expedition to look for a missing motion picture film crew. We are also introduced to a new character a young girl named Penny. All I gotta say about Aldora is she is a very strong woman and she can definitely hold her own. She steps up and really shows that just because your a woman of a wealthy family doesn't mean you can be your own person. A very strong 4 stars.
FINE YOUNG TURKS- 4 Stars Aldora accepts a handsome nobleman's invitation to show off the Ottoman Empire and it's reforms. Let me first start by saying this was my least favorite going in. Aldora immediately seemed to pull a 180 but then gos back to her normal self upon finding certain things out. I didn't quite understand all the politics that were being mentioned but you know what? Another reason I enjoyed it. Sure I didn't understand it but that means it's told in intricate detail and if it's that well told, I'm impressed. A twist indeed and a 4 from me.
Overall I loved this book for everything it was about and everything it stands for. It was me expanding my horizons into the world of literature and getting familiar with the interestingly odd yet amazingly wonderful genre that is Steampunk. Again if you want to read your first book within the genre I strongly suggest starting with this book. You get seven great stories, a solid series, well made characters and it keeps you wanting more which any good series should do. I am not a fan of series books but I got to say this book has kept me with an open mind. I will definitely be looking to read the 8th in the series as well as another short I came across at the end of the book. I give a standing ovation to the author Michael Coorlim on writing such a great book and you sir have a new fan and I will definitely be checking out more of your work....more
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