The Clockwork Century books are among my favorite steampunk series. This book was very slow to get going for me, and it took a long time for the two mThe Clockwork Century books are among my favorite steampunk series. This book was very slow to get going for me, and it took a long time for the two main characters to come together. The book did irk me with the annoying 19th century cliche of "the harlot with a heart of gold"; too many books in that time period either use women as a doting mother or as a prostitute. Mind you, Priest is an excellent writer, and Josephine's character slowly grew on me. I really liked the male viewpoint, Cly, with his gruff way of looking at the world and his sweet regard for Briar back in Seattle.
The first and most famous book of this series, Boneshaker, darkly portrayed the city of Seattle as a wall-up city filled with noxious gas and killer zombies. As the series has gone on, it's explored the repercussions this had had across America--namely, that the zombie-causing gas can be filtered to a very potent drug, and that drug also turns people into zombies. It creates an interesting ripple effect and I'm curious about where Priest will take that development.
The most compelling element of Ganymede is the titular submarine. This is a subject of particular interest to me. I've been a Civil War buff since I was a kid, and I happened to be living in South Carolina in 2000 when the Hunley rose from the ocean and made its belated return to shore. In the world of the Clockwork Century, the Civil War has dragged on for twenty years, and Ganymede is part of Hunley's lineage. Priest did her research--and certainly twiddled with history--but Ganymede has a sense of realism to it.
In all, a good addition to the series, though the second book (Dreadnought) remains my favorite. ...more
This is yet another solid volume in the Clockwork Century series that begins with Boneshaker, and this is the only one other than that first book thatThis is yet another solid volume in the Clockwork Century series that begins with Boneshaker, and this is the only one other than that first book that fully takes place in walled-off post-apocalyptic Seattle. Though my favorite in the series involves traveling across the prolonged Civil War midwest (Dreadnought), it was great to return to Seattle in this book. Priest has created such a vivid environment, with survivors living in tunnels beneath the city, dodging rotters (aka zombies) in the yellow-fogged streets above, even as conflicts between the subterranean communities of the whites and Chinese threaten to pull everyone apart.
The past two books have involved protagonists I don't immediately latch onto. The last book had a madam; this one has a drug addict. However, I found Wreck the sap-addict's story more compelling. He's really a kid who was lost from the start--an original orphan from the Blight, tossed into an orphanage and left largely to his own devices. He has some annoying character quirks--like whining a lot--but it's not too annoying. It makes him sound like a real teenage boy, and one who's had a hard life. Also, I really like how his battle against addiction is woven into the narrative. It sets up a nice conflict when the sap-addict has to confront what sap causes in the end: zombies. I was reminded of before and after pictures of meth users, though this is a tad more extreme.
The Inexplicables is a fast, easy read. The stakes don't feel as high as in previous books, and the climax isn't as big, but that was fine by me. It provided adventure and a good escape, and reminds me of why I continue to read the series. ...more
Straightforward description: Steampunk and zombies.
Dr. Leviticus Blue designed his Boneshaker machine to compete in the Klondike gold rush by digging Straightforward description: Steampunk and zombies.
Dr. Leviticus Blue designed his Boneshaker machine to compete in the Klondike gold rush by digging deep through the frozen earth. Instead, on its test run the machine tore a gouge through downtown Seattle, exposing a vein of gas that sickened the populace and turned some into flesh-eating zombies. Fifteen years later, the ruins of Seattle are encased behind 200-foot high walls to hold back the toxic Blight gas and undead hordes. In the outskirts, Leviticus Blue's widow struggles to raise her teenage son under the heavy legacy of what her husband caused. Then, the unthinkable happens - her son finds a way into the city, determined to clear his father's name. Briar goes in after her boy, willing to risk it all to bring him out alive.
Wow. I love the very concept of this book, and it lived up to its promise. Boneshaker is a fantastic romp through an alternate history Seattle. The world building is believable, complete in steampunk glory; the Civil War rages on, airships rule the skies, and incredible inventions help keep "rotters" at bay. Briar Wilkes is a wonderful heroine. She's not some skinny sexy girl. No, she's a thirty-five-year-old mother treated as an outcast for what her husband did, and her son Zeke is all she has left. Since I lived near Seattle and loved the area, this book felt somewhat personal. I could really see it in my head.
Loved it, loved it, loved it. Definitely among my top ten for the year....more
This is how to write a non-direct book sequel.[return][return]I read Boneshaker a year ago. It set the background for Priest's Clockwork Century worldThis is how to write a non-direct book sequel.[return][return]I read Boneshaker a year ago. It set the background for Priest's Clockwork Century world: A United States where the Civil War has gone on for decades, resulting in advanced steampunk technology. There's also the small matter of a massive drill digging a hole in Seattle that released volcanic gases that turns people into zombies.[return][return]Dreadnought begins on the east coast. Mercy Lynch is a nurse in a Confederate war hospital when she learns her husband died in a POW camp. To complicate things further, she gets a telegram informing her that her estranged father is near death in Seattle. With no reason to stay in Virginia, she sets off on a cross-country journey complicated by skirmishes and the looming presence of a massive Union train known as the Dreadnought. When the Dreadnought ends up being the safest passage west, Mercy buys the ticket, only to find there is much more going on. The Dreadnought isn't a safe ride--it's a moving target, with several rail cars of particular interest to rival parties. Mercy's going to need all of her know-how and a steady aim if she'll make it off alive.[return][return]Mercy is a fantastic heroine, all smart and spunky. I have a fondness for healer characters, and it was refreshing to see a nurse in a lead role. It really brought a new perspective to an alternative history book. This ends up as a gripping action book, with steampunk vehicles such as the Dreadnought becoming characters in their own right. There were a few plot elements that were left dangling, but overall this is a tight and very well-written book, and one I am definitely keeping on my shelf....more
Boneshaker, Priest's first book of her Clock work Century series, set an awfully high standard. It used the background a steampunk-style Seattle overrBoneshaker, Priest's first book of her Clock work Century series, set an awfully high standard. It used the background a steampunk-style Seattle overrun by noxious gas and zombies, all while the Civil War continues to ravage the rest of the United States well into the 1880s. Clementine takes place immediately after the first book, though following different characters across the country. While I enjoyed the setting, the emotional punch simply wasn't there. Part of the appeal of Boneshaker was the sense of danger with every step, especially as a mother sought out her missing teenage son in the ruins of Seattle. No such motivation drove this plot.[return][return]Clementine is a short action-adventure novel involving dirigibles, a former-Confederate spy named Belle Boyd, and a escaped slave pirate who just wants his flying ship back. The characters are fun, but the stakes didn't feel high enough. It was implied that Very Bad Things could happen, but nothing did. Belle Boyd and Captain Hainey are both ruthless and shrewd, but not endearing in the slightest.[return][return]In all, it's not a bad story, but it doesn't have the luster of the first book. Maybe I set my expectations too high. If you enjoy steampunk and alternative histories, it's a good read--but wait until it's out in paperback....more
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