Check out the July Challenge!
Do you have a book you read in school that you swore was the worst book ever? Have you ever thought that maybe your teachers weren't out to torture you, and there may have been a method to their madness after all? Then the July Challenge is for you!
Details on the challenge can be found here...check it out, and join us!
Details on the challenge can be found here...check it out, and join us!
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Author: Frank Beddor, 2004.
Genre: Young Adult. Fantasy. Steampunk.
Other Details: AudioBook read by Gerard Doyle, 8 hours, 41 minutes. Hardback, 376 pages.
Fantasy has just declared war on Reality.
In Wonderland Princess Alyss Heart is celebrating her seventh birthday. For twelve years the land has been at peace following a bloody civil war during which Alyss' Aunt Redd had sought to wrestle the crown from Queen Genevieve. The Queen is uneasy as intelligence indicates that Redd is gathering her forces in the depths of the Chessboard Desert for a new campaign. All that is in Alyss' thoughts is her party though by the end of the day her fairytale life will be shattered as Redd murders both her parents and seizes control of the throne of Wonderland. Fleeing for her life, Alyss is thrust into an otherworldly portal by her bodyguard, Hatter Madigan and emerges in Victorian London. Separated from Madigan she takes up with a gang of street urchins and eventually is taken in by a foundling hospital. There they insist on spelling her name Alice.
She is adopted by the Liddell family of Oxford and for a time continues to speak of Wonderland and her royal origins though she is teased and taunted by other children and lectured by grown-ups about these 'fantasies'. The only person who listens to her is a family friend, the Reverend Charles Dodgson. Yet when in 1863, Dodgson presents the 11-year old Alyss with a book entitled Alice's Adventures Underground by Lewis Carroll, she is upset and outraged. For he had "transformed her memories of a world alive with hope and possibility and danger into make-believe, the foolish stuff of children." Time passes and her memories fade while in Wonderland Queen Redd, addressed as Her Imperial Viciousness, rules with an iron fist though a small resistance fights on in Alyss' memory, believing she was also killed the day Redd seized the throne. In our world, Hatter Madigan continues to search for the lost princess.
Of course, the story does not stop there and follows Alyss' life in our world as well as developments in Wonderland. This book was written for ages 10 and older, but also has an appeal for adult readers. The book has drawn both praise and criticism over its take on Wonderland. I fall firmly in the praise category, finding this a wonderfully imaginative story with an interesting steampunk aspect to Wonderland. Lewis' stories of Alice's adventures may be 140+ years old but it is still inspiring writers and artists either directly as here or indirectly as it did China Mieville for Un Lun Dun.
I bought this book for my husband soon after its publication but never got around to reading it myself. Having recently bought the audio download it has been my 'book in the car' for the last month though I have also dipped into the printed book as well. The audio book contains a bonus track of music inspired by the book entitled Looking Glass by Hypnogaja. The Looking Glass Wars is Book One of a proposed trilogy with Seeing Redd, already published and the third book currently being written.
The Looking Glass Wars web site has some exquisite conceptual art for the books and other treats.
Books 1-4; Books 5-8; Books 9-12; Books 13-16; Books 17-19; Books 20-22; Books 23-26; Books 27 and 28; Books 29-32; Books 33-37; Books 38-41; Books 42-44
45. The Interpretation of Murder – Jed Rubenfeld
This book belongs to a subgenre of historical fiction that I have taken a fancy to: Take any historical person you want and let him stumble upon a murder which makes him take on the role of a sleuth. In the case of Rubenfeld’s novel this historical person happens to be, the title gives it away, Siegmund Freud. Shortly after the famous psychoanalyst arrives in America in order to give a couple of lectures at an University, he is asked by the New York mayor for assistance in the case of the beautiful Nora Acton who has been wounded and left tied-up and half-naked by an unknown assaulter. Traumatized by this experience, she has now lost her speech as well as her memory, and that is were Freud joins the game. ( Mild Spoilers ahead. )
46. Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran - Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt
Eleven year old Momo suffers from the coldness of his distant father. His mother has left them when he was an infant, together with his elder brother Popol, a boy in every way more perfect than Momo (as his father assures him in every possible situation). That would be pretty worse if it wasn't for Monsieur Ibrahim, the only Muslim grocer in a Jewish street. Having stolen from him for quite some time, Momo must realize that Monsieur Ibrahim has seen through it all. The two of them become friends, and when his father too leaves one day, Monsieur Ibrahim is the only one who cares about Momo.
A cute, but somewhat disappointing book. Which doesn't mean that it is bad in that case, just that I think the story works better performed on stage or in the theatres. It's more about gestures and facial expressions, about watching, listening, smelling, than about words. I wanted to see Momo's father lonely hunched over his books, the hookers on the street, Monsieur Ibrahim's little shop, smell the various food crammed into it, watch the changing, colourful landscape on their way from Paris to the Mediterranean Sea or the dervishes dancing. Reading Monsieur Ibrahim I felt there was a whole world of visual experiences lacking, something that a small narrative or this narrative can never cover. I know that there is a movie adaption, and I hope I will get around to watching it someday.
47.-49. His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass – Philip Pullman
As I already said, I like books that work on many levels; that entertains you and yet stimulate you on an intellectual level. A book that keeps my eyes glued to the pages until the very end, that makes me love its characters and suffer with them, that is rich in language, visuality, originality and fantasy, that toys with ideas and thoughts, that's full of hidden references to literature, philosophy and science - that is the perfect book for me. Now I wouldn't say that His Dark Materials is the perfect book, but it was pretty damn good. References? Check. Ideas and thoughts? Check. Originality and fantasy? Check, to the point where I found it bizarrely abstract. ( And yet, ... )
45. The Interpretation of Murder – Jed Rubenfeld
This book belongs to a subgenre of historical fiction that I have taken a fancy to: Take any historical person you want and let him stumble upon a murder which makes him take on the role of a sleuth. In the case of Rubenfeld’s novel this historical person happens to be, the title gives it away, Siegmund Freud. Shortly after the famous psychoanalyst arrives in America in order to give a couple of lectures at an University, he is asked by the New York mayor for assistance in the case of the beautiful Nora Acton who has been wounded and left tied-up and half-naked by an unknown assaulter. Traumatized by this experience, she has now lost her speech as well as her memory, and that is were Freud joins the game. ( Mild Spoilers ahead. )
46. Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran - Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt
Eleven year old Momo suffers from the coldness of his distant father. His mother has left them when he was an infant, together with his elder brother Popol, a boy in every way more perfect than Momo (as his father assures him in every possible situation). That would be pretty worse if it wasn't for Monsieur Ibrahim, the only Muslim grocer in a Jewish street. Having stolen from him for quite some time, Momo must realize that Monsieur Ibrahim has seen through it all. The two of them become friends, and when his father too leaves one day, Monsieur Ibrahim is the only one who cares about Momo.
A cute, but somewhat disappointing book. Which doesn't mean that it is bad in that case, just that I think the story works better performed on stage or in the theatres. It's more about gestures and facial expressions, about watching, listening, smelling, than about words. I wanted to see Momo's father lonely hunched over his books, the hookers on the street, Monsieur Ibrahim's little shop, smell the various food crammed into it, watch the changing, colourful landscape on their way from Paris to the Mediterranean Sea or the dervishes dancing. Reading Monsieur Ibrahim I felt there was a whole world of visual experiences lacking, something that a small narrative or this narrative can never cover. I know that there is a movie adaption, and I hope I will get around to watching it someday.
47.-49. His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass – Philip Pullman
As I already said, I like books that work on many levels; that entertains you and yet stimulate you on an intellectual level. A book that keeps my eyes glued to the pages until the very end, that makes me love its characters and suffer with them, that is rich in language, visuality, originality and fantasy, that toys with ideas and thoughts, that's full of hidden references to literature, philosophy and science - that is the perfect book for me. Now I wouldn't say that His Dark Materials is the perfect book, but it was pretty damn good. References? Check. Ideas and thoughts? Check. Originality and fantasy? Check, to the point where I found it bizarrely abstract. ( And yet, ... )
I bought Once Upon a Time in the North yesterday on a whim. I was disappointed at first, because I had to pay full price when there was a coupon, and Lyra's Oxford was a little dissatisfying. This one, however, did not disappoint. Lee Scoresby, the Texan aeronaut, is the main character of this one, which makes me a little biased because I love him.
This isn't the kind of book you want to read unless you've already read the main series (His Dark Materials), because nothing (and especially not the dæmons) will make any sense unless you already know what they are. However, if you have read the main series - and especially if you love Lee or Iorek - you should spend the hour it'll take to read this because it's really enjoyable.
I really hope he writes more like this.
This isn't the kind of book you want to read unless you've already read the main series (His Dark Materials), because nothing (and especially not the dæmons) will make any sense unless you already know what they are. However, if you have read the main series - and especially if you love Lee or Iorek - you should spend the hour it'll take to read this because it's really enjoyable.
I really hope he writes more like this.
- Mood:
pleased
The Subtle Knife was the chosen book for June for our Borders' Reading Group and On Chesil Beach chosen as an alternative for those who didn't enjoy Northern Lightss and did not wish to continue with the Pullman trilogy. Interestingly both books explored themes of innocence and how small choices can change the course of a life or in the case of The Subtle Knife the history of many worlds.
Book 70: His Dark Materials Book 2 - The Subtle Knife.
Author: Philip Pullman, 1997.
Genre: Fantasy. Young Adult. Steampunk.
Other Details: 341 pages.
The book does not take up the continuation of Lyra Belacqua's story immediately. Instead the focus switches to Will Parry, a twelve year old English boy, who has fled to Oxford following an encounter with some suspicious men searching for some letters left behind by his father, an explorer who has been missing for many years. Will discovers a rip in the fabric of the world and travelling through finds himself in a new world. There he meets Lyra, who has been wandering since the events at the end of Northern Lights/The Golden Compass. Together they undertake the search for Will's lost father and also cross a number of times into Will's world. Meanwhile, Lee Scorsby is searching for Stanislaus Grumman, whom he believes will assist him in uncovering Lord Asriel's plans and in finding Lyra. In this he is assisted by witch-queen Serafina Pekkala.
Really these three books need to be considered as a whole as with The Lord of the Rings, it is a single book issued in three parts. However, I felt that in The Subtle Knife the story really began to take off. Here too the religious themes began to come to the fore as we learn of Lord Asriel's audacious plans. Some events in this book are deeply tragic and as with my first reading of it some years ago I found myself quite upset.
Book 71: On Chesil Beach.
Author: Ian McEwan, 2007.
Genre: Contemporary Literature. Period Drama. (early 1960s).
Other Details: 176 pages.
"They were young, educated, and both virgins on this, their wedding night, and they lived in a time when a conversation about sexual difficulties was plainly impossible."
With this opening line, McEwan neatly summarises the plot of this short novel that was short-listed for the Man Booker prize and won the 2008 Galaxy Best Book Award. Set in 1962, the sexual revolution of the 1960s is waiting in the wings. In flashbacks from the wedding night we learn of how Edward and Florence met and of their courtship. Florence is the daughter of a wealthy industrialist and an Oxford professor and is studying music while Edward's origins and aspirations are more humble. Aside from exploring the sexual mores of the late 1950s and early 1960s, McEwan also examines issues of class.
I remain in awe of McEwan's writing ability. He manages to write such beautiful prose but it never becomes inaccessible. He also is very economical in his writing and stated that with On Chesil Beach he wanted to write a book that could be read in the course of a few hours. As I said above the book does explore in a very understated way the idea of how the course of a life can change due to a small incident. This is a theme I have noted in other works by McEwan. I didn't find this as an engaging or powerful work as Atonement and felt that due to its length it remained more of a beautifully written sketch than an exploration of its stated themes.
Read the First Chapter on The New Yorker website.
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Author: Philip Pullman, 1997.
Genre: Fantasy. Young Adult. Steampunk.
Other Details: 341 pages.
The book does not take up the continuation of Lyra Belacqua's story immediately. Instead the focus switches to Will Parry, a twelve year old English boy, who has fled to Oxford following an encounter with some suspicious men searching for some letters left behind by his father, an explorer who has been missing for many years. Will discovers a rip in the fabric of the world and travelling through finds himself in a new world. There he meets Lyra, who has been wandering since the events at the end of Northern Lights/The Golden Compass. Together they undertake the search for Will's lost father and also cross a number of times into Will's world. Meanwhile, Lee Scorsby is searching for Stanislaus Grumman, whom he believes will assist him in uncovering Lord Asriel's plans and in finding Lyra. In this he is assisted by witch-queen Serafina Pekkala.
Really these three books need to be considered as a whole as with The Lord of the Rings, it is a single book issued in three parts. However, I felt that in The Subtle Knife the story really began to take off. Here too the religious themes began to come to the fore as we learn of Lord Asriel's audacious plans. Some events in this book are deeply tragic and as with my first reading of it some years ago I found myself quite upset.
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Author: Ian McEwan, 2007.
Genre: Contemporary Literature. Period Drama. (early 1960s).
Other Details: 176 pages.
"They were young, educated, and both virgins on this, their wedding night, and they lived in a time when a conversation about sexual difficulties was plainly impossible."
With this opening line, McEwan neatly summarises the plot of this short novel that was short-listed for the Man Booker prize and won the 2008 Galaxy Best Book Award. Set in 1962, the sexual revolution of the 1960s is waiting in the wings. In flashbacks from the wedding night we learn of how Edward and Florence met and of their courtship. Florence is the daughter of a wealthy industrialist and an Oxford professor and is studying music while Edward's origins and aspirations are more humble. Aside from exploring the sexual mores of the late 1950s and early 1960s, McEwan also examines issues of class.
I remain in awe of McEwan's writing ability. He manages to write such beautiful prose but it never becomes inaccessible. He also is very economical in his writing and stated that with On Chesil Beach he wanted to write a book that could be read in the course of a few hours. As I said above the book does explore in a very understated way the idea of how the course of a life can change due to a small incident. This is a theme I have noted in other works by McEwan. I didn't find this as an engaging or powerful work as Atonement and felt that due to its length it remained more of a beautifully written sketch than an exploration of its stated themes.
Read the First Chapter on The New Yorker website.
14) The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (399 Pages, YA Fantasy)
After being told repeatedly by people for years that I should read this series, I sat down and sped through the first book. It was great world building, and I found it very engrossing, but I'm unsure the slowish writing style and high level philosophy and politics would appeal to the younger readers it's aimed for. 4/5
15) The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (352 Pages, YA Fantasy)
I love the plot, the philosophical and political underpinnings and commentary, and the basic premise of the trilogy. The story alone is enough to get me reading. However, I found it harder to suspend my disbelief with this book than in the first. I am no stranger to speculative fiction and am used to encountering talking animals, magic, strange machinery etc. in my reading. But I have a much harder time swallowing unrealistic human behavior. This was a very minor nag in the back of my mind in the back of my mind in the second book of the trilogy, and barely registered when I read the first. In the first book, Lyra was unusually precocious, which I was able to accept. What I have a harder time accepting was the actions of the adults in The Subtle Knife, which seem to be irrationally focused on Lyra, Will, and their respective tools. I understand that as a children's book, the adults are going to be less developed and more cardboardish than the children -- this is true of Harry Potter as well. But it was done in a clumsy enough way that it annoyed me throughout the reading. Yet, despite the wordage I've devoted to it, it is something easily pushed to the back of my mind. I'm partway through The Amber Spyglass now and don't expect I'll be stopping until the very last page, unrealistic portrayals of adults or no. 4/5
16) The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (544 Pages, YA Fantasy)
Many of the things that annoyed me in the previous two barely registered. The plot moved so fast that I kept reading just to find out what will happen! Such a great, if bittersweet, ending that was the end of a great journey of growing up for both Lyra and Will. I didn't find the trilogy to be as anti-Christian as other reviewers. But then, I believe that each individual takes from books what they will, despite what the author may have intended. Whatever Pullman's intended message (and he has said in many places what it was), I got one that was much milder, which was simply "Question authority and don't blindly follow oppressive regimes." Which I think is a rather good message, actually. 4.5/5
17 & 18) Nobody's Baby But Mine and This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (376 & 400 Pages, Romance)
These were part of an omnibus and part of Phillip's Chicago Stars series. Fluffy fun. The perfect way to relax after a hard week. 4/5
19) Through Wolf's Eyes by Jane Lindskold (579 Pages, Fantasy)
I am so very glad that I didn't let my lackluster response to The Buried Pyramid keep me from reading this book, which was highly recommended by a friend. In Through Wolf's Eyes, Lindskold reinvents the "raised by wild wolves" storyline with Firekeeper being thrust into not only an unfamiliar human world, but a world full of political machinations and subtleties. While the rate at which Firekeeper takes to being human is too fast to be truly believable, it is a criticism that is easily overlooked to enjoy the story. The cast of characters are well fleshed-out and it was a joy to read of Firekeeper's reactions to the human world and the humans' reactions to Firekeeper's world. I'll definitely be picking up the next book in the series. 4.5/5
My Goodreads Shelf
After being told repeatedly by people for years that I should read this series, I sat down and sped through the first book. It was great world building, and I found it very engrossing, but I'm unsure the slowish writing style and high level philosophy and politics would appeal to the younger readers it's aimed for. 4/5
15) The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (352 Pages, YA Fantasy)
I love the plot, the philosophical and political underpinnings and commentary, and the basic premise of the trilogy. The story alone is enough to get me reading. However, I found it harder to suspend my disbelief with this book than in the first. I am no stranger to speculative fiction and am used to encountering talking animals, magic, strange machinery etc. in my reading. But I have a much harder time swallowing unrealistic human behavior. This was a very minor nag in the back of my mind in the back of my mind in the second book of the trilogy, and barely registered when I read the first. In the first book, Lyra was unusually precocious, which I was able to accept. What I have a harder time accepting was the actions of the adults in The Subtle Knife, which seem to be irrationally focused on Lyra, Will, and their respective tools. I understand that as a children's book, the adults are going to be less developed and more cardboardish than the children -- this is true of Harry Potter as well. But it was done in a clumsy enough way that it annoyed me throughout the reading. Yet, despite the wordage I've devoted to it, it is something easily pushed to the back of my mind. I'm partway through The Amber Spyglass now and don't expect I'll be stopping until the very last page, unrealistic portrayals of adults or no. 4/5
16) The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (544 Pages, YA Fantasy)
Many of the things that annoyed me in the previous two barely registered. The plot moved so fast that I kept reading just to find out what will happen! Such a great, if bittersweet, ending that was the end of a great journey of growing up for both Lyra and Will. I didn't find the trilogy to be as anti-Christian as other reviewers. But then, I believe that each individual takes from books what they will, despite what the author may have intended. Whatever Pullman's intended message (and he has said in many places what it was), I got one that was much milder, which was simply "Question authority and don't blindly follow oppressive regimes." Which I think is a rather good message, actually. 4.5/5
17 & 18) Nobody's Baby But Mine and This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (376 & 400 Pages, Romance)
These were part of an omnibus and part of Phillip's Chicago Stars series. Fluffy fun. The perfect way to relax after a hard week. 4/5
19) Through Wolf's Eyes by Jane Lindskold (579 Pages, Fantasy)
I am so very glad that I didn't let my lackluster response to The Buried Pyramid keep me from reading this book, which was highly recommended by a friend. In Through Wolf's Eyes, Lindskold reinvents the "raised by wild wolves" storyline with Firekeeper being thrust into not only an unfamiliar human world, but a world full of political machinations and subtleties. While the rate at which Firekeeper takes to being human is too fast to be truly believable, it is a criticism that is easily overlooked to enjoy the story. The cast of characters are well fleshed-out and it was a joy to read of Firekeeper's reactions to the human world and the humans' reactions to Firekeeper's world. I'll definitely be picking up the next book in the series. 4.5/5
My Goodreads Shelf
Book 41: His Dark Materials Book 1 - Northern Lights (USA title: The Golden Compass).
Author: Philip Pullman, 1995.
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult. Steampunk.
Other Details: 399 pages.
"There are some themes, some subjects, too large for adult fiction; they can only be dealt with adequately in a children's book." - Philip Pullman, Acceptance Speech for the 1996 Carnegie Medal.
Inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost and the writings of William Blake this book's themes are indeed large looking at the myth of creation and rebellion, examining the nature of reality, thoughts about religion and spirituality, science and cosmology, fate and free will, and of love, loyalty and betrayal. However, despite these weighty aspects it still manages to be a spellbinding adventure with a wide appeal. I had first encountered the series in audio book format some years ago. However, I had wanted to reread the series for some time and was pleased when the books were chosen as the selection for my Borders reading group for April, June and August as it also provided an opportunity for group discussion.
The story is set in an alternative world that is close enough to ours to have cities such as Oxford and London and yet strange enough to have beings such as talking armoured bears and witches who live hundreds of years. Another trait of this world is that each human has a visible animal-formed dæmon that is the manifestation of their soul. The setting also seems almost Victorian or Edwardian in terms of the modes of dress, transport and degree of scientific development. Whether this is because of the influence of the Church, which appears to not have undergone a Reformation or faced the challenge of the Enlightenment, isn't clear. Certainly the Church continues to exert a great influence over their society.
The first novel opens in Oxford at Jordan College where 11-year old orphan Lyra Belacqua becomes caught up in monumental events surrounding her uncle Lord Asriel's investigations into the origins of the mysterious Dust. When her friend Roger disappears she fears he has been taken by a group known as the Gobblers and ends up travelling to the North to find and rescue him. Along the way she and her dæmon Pantalaimon meet with a variety of characters: the sinister Mrs. Coulter, the Gyptians, the balloonist Lee Scoresby, the witch queen Serafina Pekkala, and the armoured bear Iorek Byrnison.
While I had enjoyed Northern Lights when I'd first encountered it, I found on this second reading that my appreciation had significantly increased for what Pullman was seeking to undertake as well as for the overall story, setting and characterisations. As someone who has long worked with animal totems, I loved his conception of the dæmons, especially after reading that he had been inspired by works of art such as da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine. Having encountered other examples of steampunk since my earlier reading I also found this aspect of the novel more engaging this time around. Given that this is the first of three books it is a little hard to say much about my responses to the story as a whole so that will wait until August when I've read The Amber Spyglass.
Author: Philip Pullman, 1995.
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult. Steampunk.
Other Details: 399 pages.
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Inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost and the writings of William Blake this book's themes are indeed large looking at the myth of creation and rebellion, examining the nature of reality, thoughts about religion and spirituality, science and cosmology, fate and free will, and of love, loyalty and betrayal. However, despite these weighty aspects it still manages to be a spellbinding adventure with a wide appeal. I had first encountered the series in audio book format some years ago. However, I had wanted to reread the series for some time and was pleased when the books were chosen as the selection for my Borders reading group for April, June and August as it also provided an opportunity for group discussion.
The story is set in an alternative world that is close enough to ours to have cities such as Oxford and London and yet strange enough to have beings such as talking armoured bears and witches who live hundreds of years. Another trait of this world is that each human has a visible animal-formed dæmon that is the manifestation of their soul. The setting also seems almost Victorian or Edwardian in terms of the modes of dress, transport and degree of scientific development. Whether this is because of the influence of the Church, which appears to not have undergone a Reformation or faced the challenge of the Enlightenment, isn't clear. Certainly the Church continues to exert a great influence over their society.
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While I had enjoyed Northern Lights when I'd first encountered it, I found on this second reading that my appreciation had significantly increased for what Pullman was seeking to undertake as well as for the overall story, setting and characterisations. As someone who has long worked with animal totems, I loved his conception of the dæmons, especially after reading that he had been inspired by works of art such as da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine. Having encountered other examples of steampunk since my earlier reading I also found this aspect of the novel more engaging this time around. Given that this is the first of three books it is a little hard to say much about my responses to the story as a whole so that will wait until August when I've read The Amber Spyglass.
2 - Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale
My rating - 4/5
Genre - Dark fantasy, steampunk
Summary (from the back of the book) - "Belimai Sykes is many things: a Prodigal, the descendant of ancient demons, a creature of dark temptations and rare powers. He is also a man with a brutal past and a dangerous addiction. And Belimai Sykes is the only man Captain William Harper can turn to when faced with a series of grisly murders. But Mr. Sykes does not work for free and the price of Belimai's company will cost Captain Harper far more than his reputation. From the ornate mansions of noblemen, where vivisection and sorcery are hidden beneath a veneer of gold, to the steaming slums of Hells Below, Captain Harper must fight for justice and for his life. His enemies are many and his only ally is a devil he knows too well. Such are the dangers of dealing with the wicked."
Personal thoughts - I enjoyed this story, despite a few flaws. I hesitate to call it a novel, as it flies along with rather little in the way of character or story development. It seems more like, as one of the quotes on the cover says, a "gothic fairy tale," not so much in subject matter as in style. I'm strongly reminded of Neil Gaiman's work here. I don't mind reading such a style - it fit quite well here, actually - but I don't think I will ever enjoy it as much as a fully developed novel, like The Mirador was. The relationship between the two main characters was enough to pull me into the story, though - I finished this one in a single day. There were a few places where the writing was annoyingly choppy, but it wasn't enough to really detract overall. And the small, intimate scenes between Belimai and Harper were absolutely beautiful - I'll definitely be reading some of those again.
Total: 2/50
My rating - 4/5
Genre - Dark fantasy, steampunk
Summary (from the back of the book) - "Belimai Sykes is many things: a Prodigal, the descendant of ancient demons, a creature of dark temptations and rare powers. He is also a man with a brutal past and a dangerous addiction. And Belimai Sykes is the only man Captain William Harper can turn to when faced with a series of grisly murders. But Mr. Sykes does not work for free and the price of Belimai's company will cost Captain Harper far more than his reputation. From the ornate mansions of noblemen, where vivisection and sorcery are hidden beneath a veneer of gold, to the steaming slums of Hells Below, Captain Harper must fight for justice and for his life. His enemies are many and his only ally is a devil he knows too well. Such are the dangers of dealing with the wicked."
Personal thoughts - I enjoyed this story, despite a few flaws. I hesitate to call it a novel, as it flies along with rather little in the way of character or story development. It seems more like, as one of the quotes on the cover says, a "gothic fairy tale," not so much in subject matter as in style. I'm strongly reminded of Neil Gaiman's work here. I don't mind reading such a style - it fit quite well here, actually - but I don't think I will ever enjoy it as much as a fully developed novel, like The Mirador was. The relationship between the two main characters was enough to pull me into the story, though - I finished this one in a single day. There were a few places where the writing was annoyingly choppy, but it wasn't enough to really detract overall. And the small, intimate scenes between Belimai and Harper were absolutely beautiful - I'll definitely be reading some of those again.
Total: 2/50
106. Katharine Paterson. Bridge to Terabithia. Children's Lit
This was a beautifully written book on friendship, imagination, and courage as both Jess and Leslie learn to take risks. I felt I got to know the characters well in a short amount of time. Rating: 4*/5 = great
107. John Irving. The Hotel New Hampshire. Fiction
Like other Irving books I've read, this one was both funny and sad as well as quirky at times. The story kept me engaged as I wanted to find out what happens next to Franny, John, Frank, Lilly, Egg, etc. Rating: 4*/5 = great
( Books 108-110 )
Progress:
This was a beautifully written book on friendship, imagination, and courage as both Jess and Leslie learn to take risks. I felt I got to know the characters well in a short amount of time. Rating: 4*/5 = great
107. John Irving. The Hotel New Hampshire. Fiction
Like other Irving books I've read, this one was both funny and sad as well as quirky at times. The story kept me engaged as I wanted to find out what happens next to Franny, John, Frank, Lilly, Egg, etc. Rating: 4*/5 = great
( Books 108-110 )
Progress:
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110 / 150 books (73.3%) |
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39,126 / 45,000 pages (86.9%) |
Hey, y'all. I'm Eliza. I just joined after finding the community at LibraryThing. I decided to read 50 in 2007 -- and I'm at number 54 now. Very proud of myself, too, since I maxxed out at 22 in 2006.
I'm doing it again next year and so I made it official at 50/08 but wanted to keep track of it here, too. I'm glad to have found this comm. I'm a freelance writer, a work at home mom of a 2-year-old, and volunteer librarian. I live in Youngstown, Ohio, and want to be a novelist if I grow up. I love YA, New York, and historicals, and thus my favorite YA book is A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly. The book that's resonated the most with me this year was Bottom of the Harbor, a collection of essays by the late, and lovely, Joseph Mitchell. The book that creeped me out the most this year was Sweet Land Stories by E.L. Doctorow. The book that disappointed me the most this year was The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. The book that surprised me the most this year was New Moon by Stephenie Meyer.
I have a growing interest in steampunk, so if anyone has any good suggestions for me, I'll be grateful.
I'm doing it again next year and so I made it official at 50/08 but wanted to keep track of it here, too. I'm glad to have found this comm. I'm a freelance writer, a work at home mom of a 2-year-old, and volunteer librarian. I live in Youngstown, Ohio, and want to be a novelist if I grow up. I love YA, New York, and historicals, and thus my favorite YA book is A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly. The book that's resonated the most with me this year was Bottom of the Harbor, a collection of essays by the late, and lovely, Joseph Mitchell. The book that creeped me out the most this year was Sweet Land Stories by E.L. Doctorow. The book that disappointed me the most this year was The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. The book that surprised me the most this year was New Moon by Stephenie Meyer.
I have a growing interest in steampunk, so if anyone has any good suggestions for me, I'll be grateful.
- Mood: chipper
- Music:"Way Back Home" - The Wreckers
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I did it. I didn't actually think I would, but I read fifty books this year.
Book 46 was Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross. This was a really well written piece of historical fiction, centering on the Dark Ages legend of Pope Joan, a woman who disguised herself as a man, joined a monastic order, became a priest, and eventually became Pope. The only sort of hokey part of the book was when, after she has disguised herself as a man, she runs into her father, who gets so upset by the fact that she's dressed as her now dead brother, he has a stroke, and thus he can not give her away. My favorite part was the rich historical setting the book was placed in. I recommend this one.
Book 47 was A Cup of Tea By Amy Ephron. This was a very short book that I believe came to me from my Aunt a year or two ago. I read this one in a little over a day (probably 2.5 hours of reading total before/after work). The story is set in 19teens New York City (right before, during/just after America's involvement in WWI) and is about Eleanor. Eleanor is a poor woman who is taken in and given a cup of tea by Rosemary, a rich society woman. When Rosemary's fiance, Philip, is struck by Eleanor's beauty, Rosemary hurries her out the door with fifteen dollars. Jane, a mutual friend of Philip and Rosemary's intrudes on Eleanor a bit, finding her a job. The rest of the story is how all the character's lives are affected by this one, simple act. The beauty of the story is that some of the most inconsequential things in the book end up being very significant. I'd say more, but that would ruin the book and the story.
Book 48 was a free book that I downloaded from WOWIO (www.wowio.com. It's free to join, you can download three books a day. For free.) Fertility Goddesses, Groundhog Bellies, and the Coca Cola Company: the origins of modern holidays by Gabriella Kalapos was...an interesting read. The history behind the different holidays covered in the book WERE genuinely interesting. However, I didn't care much for the author's bias slamming itself in my face ever few pages. She seems to have expected ancient (I do mean ANCIENT) man to have had the same sort of appreciation for science that we have today. And I have some empathy for her damage with organized religion (especially Christianity) but she needs to tone it down. I think her book would've been more thought provoking without her constant intrusions.
Book 49 was another WOWIO book: A History of Britain: the key events that have shaped Britain from Neolithic times to the 21st century by Richard Dargie. This was just really fascinating. It didn't go into a lot of depth into the history it covered, but how could it? A great book if you want an overview of ALL the important highlights in British history from...well...the Neolithic until about 2006/2007.
Book 50 was one I snagged from my sister. A Steampunks' Guide to the Apocalypse by Margaret Killjoy was just fun. It's a very short basic survival guide written in a Victorian steam-punk style that gives tips on how to survive the Apocalypse. There wasn't a lot of instruction on how to fashion your own steam engine, however it recommends learning how to do so BEFORE the coming crisis, so that the tips in the book can be fully realized.
( The List )
Hopefully I'll post a few more books before the end of the year. :)
- Mood: ecstatic
13) Dirty Magic by Carol Hughes
14) The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
15) The Goblin Wood by Hilari Bell
14) The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
15) The Goblin Wood by Hilari Bell
Monthly update... I've been slacking. However, I have decided to take up the "Around the World in 100 Books" challenge, though that one will probably stretch beyond my specified reading deadline - being January - due to two reasons: a) the deadline is for reading all of the story(*) books I own, and has the caveat that I must read the story books I own before I buy any more (ones that I have already paid for such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows are exempt from this and can enter the reading rotation when releassed), and b) due to reason A, I only have a dozen countries represented in my current unread story book collection.
So here we go...
4. Romanitas by Sophia McDougall (442 pages)
A bit slow to start, and didn't feel finished at the end, but I suppose that is because it will have a sequel eventually. I also didn't feel any sort of real attachment to any of the characters. they were just figures through which this alternate world was explored. Despite these flaws, however, I really must commend Sophia McDougall on the fascinating world she has created - that is, a world answering the question "What if Rome never fell?" Her world construction is magnificient and detailed, and quite plausible in its appearance. With such a magnificent setting, but a lack in identifiable characters, this setting could make a wonderful roleplaying game setting supplement, but as a novel, is fairly dry.
5. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (351 pages)
6. The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (288 pages)
7. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (465 pages)
The His Dark Materials trilogy was recommended to me by a variety of friends, since I enjoy books with fantastical elements in a familiar world. This book also provided both alternate and familiar worlds, which were quite fascinating to explore. I love the daemon concept, and am eagerly awaiting the first book being made into a movie come the end of this year. What I enjoyed most about this trilogy, however, was just a slight little detail - Latvian characters! As a Latvian-Canadian, I'm always eager to see Latvian characters appear in literature, and it makes me all kinds of happy when the Latvian characters are actually Latvian. More often in popular culture any "Latvian" character is actually Russian or German in name, language and appearance. The Latvian witches in this story had Latvian names, which made me quite content.
8. 8 Minutes Idle by Matt Thorne (474 pages)
This was an odd book on various fronts - completely mundane, but absurdist and surrealist at the same time. I often enjoy books like this, a favourite of mine in this genre being The Scheme For Full Employment by Magnus Mills. In this one, however, you take a normal call centre and call centre worker and descend into absurdity from there. The ending left something to be desired though - it went beyond the absurdity of mundanity into adversity and oddity, which I don't quite appreciate in this type of literature.
( Previous books, Page totals, Around the World in 100 Books countries )
Next up: Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi, A Map to the Door of No Return by Dionne Brand, The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, Paradise Lost by John Milton.
(*) I couldn't figure out a good way to name this category - I'd say "fiction", but some of the books are non-fiction. I'd say "novel", but some of these books are plays. So I've settled for "story", which encompasses anything written in a non-formal manner (formal being things such as scholarly writing or non-fiction meant for popular consumption).
So here we go...
4. Romanitas by Sophia McDougall (442 pages)
A bit slow to start, and didn't feel finished at the end, but I suppose that is because it will have a sequel eventually. I also didn't feel any sort of real attachment to any of the characters. they were just figures through which this alternate world was explored. Despite these flaws, however, I really must commend Sophia McDougall on the fascinating world she has created - that is, a world answering the question "What if Rome never fell?" Her world construction is magnificient and detailed, and quite plausible in its appearance. With such a magnificent setting, but a lack in identifiable characters, this setting could make a wonderful roleplaying game setting supplement, but as a novel, is fairly dry.
5. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (351 pages)
6. The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (288 pages)
7. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (465 pages)
The His Dark Materials trilogy was recommended to me by a variety of friends, since I enjoy books with fantastical elements in a familiar world. This book also provided both alternate and familiar worlds, which were quite fascinating to explore. I love the daemon concept, and am eagerly awaiting the first book being made into a movie come the end of this year. What I enjoyed most about this trilogy, however, was just a slight little detail - Latvian characters! As a Latvian-Canadian, I'm always eager to see Latvian characters appear in literature, and it makes me all kinds of happy when the Latvian characters are actually Latvian. More often in popular culture any "Latvian" character is actually Russian or German in name, language and appearance. The Latvian witches in this story had Latvian names, which made me quite content.
8. 8 Minutes Idle by Matt Thorne (474 pages)
This was an odd book on various fronts - completely mundane, but absurdist and surrealist at the same time. I often enjoy books like this, a favourite of mine in this genre being The Scheme For Full Employment by Magnus Mills. In this one, however, you take a normal call centre and call centre worker and descend into absurdity from there. The ending left something to be desired though - it went beyond the absurdity of mundanity into adversity and oddity, which I don't quite appreciate in this type of literature.
( Previous books, Page totals, Around the World in 100 Books countries )
Next up: Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi, A Map to the Door of No Return by Dionne Brand, The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, Paradise Lost by John Milton.
(*) I couldn't figure out a good way to name this category - I'd say "fiction", but some of the books are non-fiction. I'd say "novel", but some of these books are plays. So I've settled for "story", which encompasses anything written in a non-formal manner (formal being things such as scholarly writing or non-fiction meant for popular consumption).
- Music:Zdob și Zdub - Doina Haiducului
23. Harm's Way by Colin Greenland: I had been looking for this book on a friend's suggestion and ultimately found it on eBay/Half.com. To my shock, it had the cheesiest cover! It shows an angel who appears to be based on Fabio about to embrace a young woman in Victorian dress. I was mortified by this romance novel cover as it was not at like the book my friend described, but finally got over it and read the damn thing. I'm a bit angry at the cover now, as it totally misrepresents the book. The "angel" in question is a minor character in the story and is from a winged race of aliens who are called angels in English. They are not the chiseled Fabios imagined on the cover, but a feral race barely able to talk and with lewd and rude behavior. Anyway, this book is a cross between space romances like the John Carter of Mars series and the writings of Charles Dickens, and it tells the story of Sophie Farthing, a poor, downtrodden girl with great intelligence and pluck. Sophie lives with her abusive, drug-addicted father who has been unable to get past the death of her mother. By turns he scares and thrills her with exciting tales of space exploration. A chance encounter with a stranger puts Sophie on an adventure of her own and in great danger. Though she never quite believes in herself, along the way kind strangers and shadowy men with agendas of their own see the potential in Sophie and help her, whether consciously or not. Sophie and the worlds she inhabits are richly and stylishly developed, but the plot (and some of the supporting characters) is thin and mostly an excuse for moving Sophie around the universe to explore new places. If you like cultural details, steampunk and alien races, this is a very enjoyable book. If you can get past the awful cover. 310 pages, 7 out of 10.
# of Books Read: 23
# Total Page Count: 9082
Average rating: 7.53
% towards total books for the year (60): 38.33%
% towards total pages (18,000): 50.54%
# of Books Read: 23
# Total Page Count: 9082
Average rating: 7.53
% towards total books for the year (60): 38.33%
% towards total pages (18,000): 50.54%
Book 40: The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by Gordon Dahlquist.
( cover art )
Set in an unnamed city very much like Victorian London, the novel opens with a young heiress, Celeste Temple, being coldly rejected by her fiance via letter. Unsatisfied and angered by his vague explanation, she decides to uncover the truth through the tried and tested means of following him. This results in her attending a masked ball at a lonely manor where she discovers that he has become part of a sinister cabal. These 'dream eaters' are rich, highly placed in society, decadent and seeking to hatch various nefarious plans around the alchemically created glass books of the title.
Celeste meets up with Cardinal Chang, an assassin for hire whose quarry at the masked ball has been murdered by a third, unknown party and Doctor Svenson, surgeon to the Prince of the Duchy of Mackenburg. The Prince is in the country to celebrate his engagement to another heiress whose familial home is the main setting for these sinister goings-on. These two men soon become Celeste's allies and the unlikely trio take on the cabal.
Set over a period of three days, there are a lot of words and plot within its 760+ pages. A number of reviewers described Glass Books as 'challenging' and I wouldn't dispute this description. It took me ages to read this book and at times I set it aside for a week or more before heading in again. This was more my fault than the book's due to academic commitments and my getting side-tracked by other novels.
I do feel that it does suffer some from a difficult format. It was originally released as 10 single chapter parts sent to subscribers on a weekly basis. Given that most of the chapters deal with the events surrounding a single protagonist, Temple, Chang or Svenson, the plot often goes back around on itself to catch up on their activities. The novel also unfolds from the viewpoints of the protagonists rather than an omnipotent observer and given this the villains of the piece, who are many, are not as well fleshed out as one might hope for.
So many of the characters wear masks within the novel that it was almost impossible not to be reminded of Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, which also had mysterious, sexual rites taking place at a stately home and an innocent thrust into the middle of it. I found it interesting that the novel evolved from a dream as it does have a dream-like quality to it especially the scenes in the maze-like manor.
Despite my quibbles and intermittent reading I did find it a fascinating novel with a strong female lead in Celeste Temple whom I adored. The line where she wonders whether she is the most debauched virgin alive is classic. I'll probably give it another read through when I have the chance and also will keep my eye out for its sequel, which is currently being written.
( cover art )
Set in an unnamed city very much like Victorian London, the novel opens with a young heiress, Celeste Temple, being coldly rejected by her fiance via letter. Unsatisfied and angered by his vague explanation, she decides to uncover the truth through the tried and tested means of following him. This results in her attending a masked ball at a lonely manor where she discovers that he has become part of a sinister cabal. These 'dream eaters' are rich, highly placed in society, decadent and seeking to hatch various nefarious plans around the alchemically created glass books of the title.
Celeste meets up with Cardinal Chang, an assassin for hire whose quarry at the masked ball has been murdered by a third, unknown party and Doctor Svenson, surgeon to the Prince of the Duchy of Mackenburg. The Prince is in the country to celebrate his engagement to another heiress whose familial home is the main setting for these sinister goings-on. These two men soon become Celeste's allies and the unlikely trio take on the cabal.
Set over a period of three days, there are a lot of words and plot within its 760+ pages. A number of reviewers described Glass Books as 'challenging' and I wouldn't dispute this description. It took me ages to read this book and at times I set it aside for a week or more before heading in again. This was more my fault than the book's due to academic commitments and my getting side-tracked by other novels.
I do feel that it does suffer some from a difficult format. It was originally released as 10 single chapter parts sent to subscribers on a weekly basis. Given that most of the chapters deal with the events surrounding a single protagonist, Temple, Chang or Svenson, the plot often goes back around on itself to catch up on their activities. The novel also unfolds from the viewpoints of the protagonists rather than an omnipotent observer and given this the villains of the piece, who are many, are not as well fleshed out as one might hope for.
So many of the characters wear masks within the novel that it was almost impossible not to be reminded of Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, which also had mysterious, sexual rites taking place at a stately home and an innocent thrust into the middle of it. I found it interesting that the novel evolved from a dream as it does have a dream-like quality to it especially the scenes in the maze-like manor.
Despite my quibbles and intermittent reading I did find it a fascinating novel with a strong female lead in Celeste Temple whom I adored. The line where she wonders whether she is the most debauched virgin alive is classic. I'll probably give it another read through when I have the chance and also will keep my eye out for its sequel, which is currently being written.
100. Larklight, OR The Revenge of the White Spiders! OR To Saturn's Rings and Back!: A Rousing Tale of Dauntless Pluck in the Farthest Reaches of Space Philip Reeve, illustrated by David Wyatt (5/5)
This marvelously steampunk-ish YA novel is set during an alternate Victorian era in which many of the Victorian conceptions of outer space are correct: Venus is a jungle planet, Mars is populated with an ancient and fallen civilization, etc. People travel by means of aether-ships, which run on alchemical engines, and steam-powered automata act as household servants.
The endpapers of the book on their own are well worth checking out -- they're filled with advertisements for "Pure Icthyomorph Liver Oil: Most Invigorating," "Aether-Vestas: Bringing Light to the Darkest Reaches of the Galaxy," and "Rossetti's Goblin Fair 'Come Buy, Comr Buy!' 42 Stalls: Fruit, Berries, Treen, Owl Wheedling, Country Crafts, Exotic Conserves, Bog Pettling, Scalding and Rummaging."
The story itself is a ripcracking adventure yarn with its tongue firmly in cheek. I think kids will like this book, but adults will probably find it even more amusing, because of all the sly references to other works of literature and to history and Victorian culture.
This marvelously steampunk-ish YA novel is set during an alternate Victorian era in which many of the Victorian conceptions of outer space are correct: Venus is a jungle planet, Mars is populated with an ancient and fallen civilization, etc. People travel by means of aether-ships, which run on alchemical engines, and steam-powered automata act as household servants.
The endpapers of the book on their own are well worth checking out -- they're filled with advertisements for "Pure Icthyomorph Liver Oil: Most Invigorating," "Aether-Vestas: Bringing Light to the Darkest Reaches of the Galaxy," and "Rossetti's Goblin Fair 'Come Buy, Comr Buy!' 42 Stalls: Fruit, Berries, Treen, Owl Wheedling, Country Crafts, Exotic Conserves, Bog Pettling, Scalding and Rummaging."
The story itself is a ripcracking adventure yarn with its tongue firmly in cheek. I think kids will like this book, but adults will probably find it even more amusing, because of all the sly references to other works of literature and to history and Victorian culture.
This book fulfills the potential that The Difference Engine (the last book I read) failed to live up to. Stephen Hunt mixes fantasy and politics with a bit of steampunk and the result is an fast-moving, uniquely-detailed novel.
The story is set in the Kingdom of Jackals, a country that resembles Victorian England at the start of the Industrial Revolution, but with magic users and steam-driven computers, and craynarbians and steammen mixing with humans.
Two orphans are being hunted down for their genetic heritage, which they're unaware of. Molly Templar narrowly escapes an attempted murder on her first day as a working girl in a brothel. After discovering that the rest of her fellow orphans have been killed at the poorhouse where she was raised, Molly flees to the underground city to hide among political exiles and misfits. There she discovers a plot to destroy the country and is rescued by a tabloid reporter who believes the attempts on Molly's life are connected to a spate of murders.
Meanwhile in the countryside, Oliver Brooks is on the run after being framed for his uncle's murder. Oliver's fey background makes him the perfect scapegoat as many of his kind are deranged and imprisoned in asylums where they're tortured and experimented on.
Accompanying Oliver is the devious Harry, his uncle's friend and an agent of a secret government organisation called The Court of the Air. From Harry, Oliver learns that his uncle was also a Court agent and was killed to cover up a political conspiracy. Together they travel across the country to uncover the conspiracy while eluding Court agents, who want Harry dead, and the police, who want Oliver locked up in an asylum.
The story is set in the Kingdom of Jackals, a country that resembles Victorian England at the start of the Industrial Revolution, but with magic users and steam-driven computers, and craynarbians and steammen mixing with humans.
Two orphans are being hunted down for their genetic heritage, which they're unaware of. Molly Templar narrowly escapes an attempted murder on her first day as a working girl in a brothel. After discovering that the rest of her fellow orphans have been killed at the poorhouse where she was raised, Molly flees to the underground city to hide among political exiles and misfits. There she discovers a plot to destroy the country and is rescued by a tabloid reporter who believes the attempts on Molly's life are connected to a spate of murders.
Meanwhile in the countryside, Oliver Brooks is on the run after being framed for his uncle's murder. Oliver's fey background makes him the perfect scapegoat as many of his kind are deranged and imprisoned in asylums where they're tortured and experimented on.
Accompanying Oliver is the devious Harry, his uncle's friend and an agent of a secret government organisation called The Court of the Air. From Harry, Oliver learns that his uncle was also a Court agent and was killed to cover up a political conspiracy. Together they travel across the country to uncover the conspiracy while eluding Court agents, who want Harry dead, and the police, who want Oliver locked up in an asylum.
This book is a collaboration between sci-fi luminaries William Gibson and Bruce Sterling. Set in Victorian England, it's an alternate history that explores how English society would've been transformed if Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine had been successfully deployed (in reality the Analytical Engine wasn't completed because of a lack of funding and a lack of suitably sophisticated materials during that era).
The novel centres around a mysterious set of punch-cards and their connection to a series of murders in London. Dr Edward Mallory discovers that he's the next target after he rescues Lady Ada Lovelace from a couple of hoodlums and takes her briefcase away for safe-keeping. With asssistance from a dour police inspector and an undercover spy posing as a journalist, Mallory seeks to uncover the significance of the briefcase contents and why someome wants him dead.
What I liked best about this book is how the authors retrofit modern technology into Victorian sensibilities. Computers are huge steam-powered Engines made of intricately designed brass parts. They're programmed with punch-cards and operated by clackers. Faxes are personal telegraphic machines which can send and receive messages on spools of tape, and wealthy people get about on steam-powered cars called gurneys. (Despite these advances however, there's no air-conditioning and inventors are too busy playing with Engines and kinotropes to be developing a decent sewerage system).
Also interesting is the impact that the technological advances have on society. The introduction of the Engine coincides with the Industrial Revolution, and the Industrial Radical Party - headed by Lord Byron - has seized control of Parliament. The old class system has been replaced by a meritocracy, with a peerage of savants and industrialists at the top of the pecking order. The development of public policy and statistical analysis, new fields of study, are assisted by the number-crunching abilities of government Engines.
Apart from these aspects, I found this book to be a let-down. As a meander through an alternate history, it's great reading but the ending is a disappointment because when the significance of the cards is finally revealed, it's anti-climatic and doesn't sufficiently resolve some of the story-lines. The fragmented storylines aren't fully developed or resolved so it's hard to know exactly what some of the characters are trying to achieve with their actions and why certain objects are so important for the sake of England.
The novel centres around a mysterious set of punch-cards and their connection to a series of murders in London. Dr Edward Mallory discovers that he's the next target after he rescues Lady Ada Lovelace from a couple of hoodlums and takes her briefcase away for safe-keeping. With asssistance from a dour police inspector and an undercover spy posing as a journalist, Mallory seeks to uncover the significance of the briefcase contents and why someome wants him dead.
What I liked best about this book is how the authors retrofit modern technology into Victorian sensibilities. Computers are huge steam-powered Engines made of intricately designed brass parts. They're programmed with punch-cards and operated by clackers. Faxes are personal telegraphic machines which can send and receive messages on spools of tape, and wealthy people get about on steam-powered cars called gurneys. (Despite these advances however, there's no air-conditioning and inventors are too busy playing with Engines and kinotropes to be developing a decent sewerage system).
Also interesting is the impact that the technological advances have on society. The introduction of the Engine coincides with the Industrial Revolution, and the Industrial Radical Party - headed by Lord Byron - has seized control of Parliament. The old class system has been replaced by a meritocracy, with a peerage of savants and industrialists at the top of the pecking order. The development of public policy and statistical analysis, new fields of study, are assisted by the number-crunching abilities of government Engines.
Apart from these aspects, I found this book to be a let-down. As a meander through an alternate history, it's great reading but the ending is a disappointment because when the significance of the cards is finally revealed, it's anti-climatic and doesn't sufficiently resolve some of the story-lines. The fragmented storylines aren't fully developed or resolved so it's hard to know exactly what some of the characters are trying to achieve with their actions and why certain objects are so important for the sake of England.
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