Clockwork Heart

Oct 11, 2010

Janina rated it

Shelves: lovestory-romance, read-in-2010, urban-fantasy, titles-i-love, fluff, love-triangle, given-away, adult-fiction

Well. It took me quite a while to finish this book, and although it wasn't bad at all, I have to say that it didn't really manage to hold my attention for longer spans of time. I would read a chapter or two and then be absolutely content with putting the book away. Sometimes, I even found myself leafing through the book to see how many pages I had until the next chapter break. This is normally not a good sign. I also thought that some passages would have needed a good editor.

At the sam...more

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Dec 25, 2010

oliviasbooks rated it

Shelves: fantasy, steampunk, romance, read-2010, crime_fiction, swapped-or-given-away, love-triangle

The first 300 pages I would have rated 4-5 stars, the last 70 or 80 only 3. [downgraded in hindsight from 4 stars to only 3 five months later, because the book faded so quickly from my mind.] Maybe I'll have the time to write a proper review later on, but I quickly state my reasons for the downgrading now:
- The solving of the crime was quite unorganized, zickzacky and holey. I had the impression as if the author had to bridge a big gap between the wonderful first three quarters of the plot ...more

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Mar 19, 2011

Suzanne Lazear added it

I don't give stars or ratings, but that's just me. This book rocks!

Imagine a world quite unlike our own–a great, industrial city where there are sky trolleys, winged messengers, and the city itself is run by a supercomputer and council of untouchables. In this city the caste system is alive and well. Those of the highest caste hide behind masks and robes. Even entering from one part of the city to another could be problematic depending on caste. Only the Icarii are free to move about ...moreI don't give stars or ratings, but that's just me. This book rocks!

Imagine a world quite unlike our own–a great, industrial city where there are sky trolleys, winged messengers, and the city itself is run by a supercomputer and council of untouchables. In this city the caste system is alive and well. Those of the highest caste hide behind masks and robes. Even entering from one part of the city to another could be problematic depending on caste. Only the Icarii are free to move about from section to section and mingle among the castes.

Taya is a young Icarus, couriering messages across the city with the help of giant metal wings. A daring mid-air rescue causes her paths to cross with the Forlore brothers–charming Alister is a member of the highest caste and part of the council, but the brooding, surly Christof has forsaken his birthright and lives among the cities poorest as a clockmaker. Taya is plunged into a web of murder, mystery, intrigue, civil-unrest, and top-secret computer program. She’ll have to decide who to trust and who’s side she’s on, her life–and the fate of the city–depends on it.

Pagliassotti’s world is rich and alive, full of detail and nuance but not in an overwhelming way. You can almost feel the grit of the mines and hear the rustle of the fine robes and the hum of the Great Engine that is the heart of the city. This world is truly a fine example of genre blending–and genre bending–combining elements of fantasy, scifi, romance, steampunk, and clockpunk and not quite like anything else out there. Gadgets abound, from sky trolleys and metal wings to the Great Engine itself.

Clockwork Heart is a fun and exciting read, hooking me from the very first page. It felt a little heavy on the romantic elements in the beginning, but not enough for me to put the book down. The pace quickly picks up and we’re launched into a wild, intriguing story with plenty of twists, turns, and gadgets. Taya, Alister, and Christof are all compelling characters and the ending felt satisfying. The world building is unique and vibrant. The only thing I’d like to see is a sketch of the “Icarus Dress” that Taya wears to the party thrown in her honor. This would be a great escapist read to take on vacation or any time you want something a bit different.

Link to original review: http://ageofsteam.wordpress.com/2010/05/...(less)

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Feb 14, 2011

Kim Ryser rated it

Shelves: 2011booksread, steampunk

Giving this book five stars is probably a little generous, but I can't actually think of any faults with it and I enjoyed it so much, I'm gonna stick with 5 stars. To be honest, I didn't really expect much from this book, but I'll pretty much read anything steampunk at this point. First of all, I wouldn't really call this book steampunk, though it certainly contains elements that steampunks enjoy. It's first and foremost a fantasy. Ondinium is a fantasy city with a rigid caste system and lar...more

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Jun 30, 2010

Lucy rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Clockwork Heart was an unexpected delight. I bought it on the strength of a single-paragraph review in a blog, and had no idea of the plot, characters, anything.

The world in this book, often over-emphasised in fantasy and its various subgenres of books, is beautifully balanced against the characters and plot. You get tastes of how it works, what it looks like, feels like to live in, woven carefully through the story. It's an interesting book in that the author hasn't devoted great s...more

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Sep 23, 2009

Michelle rated it

Shelves: fantasy, 2009

Chosen to become an icarus at age seven, Taya has spent her life as a messenger of the skies. Icarus fly on feather-light wings made of the precious metal ondinium, delivering mail throughout the three provinces of Ondinium: Primus, Secundus, and Tertius. As a way to protect its citizens, Ondinium has been divided into a many-layered social structure teeming with rules and codes of behavior, ranging from the lowest manual laborers to the highest or Exalteds who must wear heavy robes and masks in...moreChosen to become an icarus at age seven, Taya has spent her life as a messenger of the skies. Icarus fly on feather-light wings made of the precious metal ondinium, delivering mail throughout the three provinces of Ondinium: Primus, Secundus, and Tertius. As a way to protect its citizens, Ondinium has been divided into a many-layered social structure teeming with rules and codes of behavior, ranging from the lowest manual laborers to the highest or Exalteds who must wear heavy robes and masks in public to protect their purity (!). As an icarus, Taya is granted the unique position of residing outside of the different castes in order to fulfill her duties as a messenger.

When a cable car malfunctions, Taya is on hand to rescue an exalted and her son which unexpectedly puts her directly in contact with the exalted's family - including the lady's two cousins, the brothers Alister and Cristof Forlore. Both brothers seem interested in Taya and she's not really sure what to make of either of them: Alister the charming and handsome politician or Cristof who has rejected his caste and now fixes clocks in one of the rougher parts of town. Ondinium has always been plagued by spies and terrorists, but when a series of bombings and murders occurs, Taya is forced to work closely with the Forlore brothers who definitely are not what they seem.

This was the first Steampunk novel I've tried and it left me feeling a little underwhelmed. The premise caught my attention quickly enough, however, the characters and plot itself failed to really capture, and ultimately more important, keep my interest. I had to really force myself to continue reading and that's never a good sign. My mind often wandered while reading and I ended up creating all these random connections to other things: the province names Primus, Secundus and Tertius reminded me of the brother's names in Stardust and I kept thinking about the 2000 election and the eternal debate over torn chads every time the Great Engine's programming was explained. (Ondinium uses a type of punch card to run a steam-powered computer/engine.) Taya as a character held much promise on the surface: a girl who files around on metal wings who can cross class lines is a pretty good start, but she just never took flight for me. She had her moments, but I kept wondering how the story would have been handled if another author had written it.

Since one of the components of Steampunk seems to involve romance, I was hoping for a good love story at the least. Again I was disappointed as I never really felt any sort of connection between either of the Forlore brothers and Taya. Not to mention the continual awkwardness of two brothers falling for the same girl. Eek - I wasn't buying it.

Please don't take this to mean it was all bad - there were plenty of interesting scenes with promise. Overall, I just felt like the story could have been a little tighter. On the plus side, I loved the cover: the wings, the girl with the gear in her chest - awesome. I just kept hoping the story would measure up...(less)

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Jun 09, 2010

Blodeuedd Finland rated it

Shelves: fantasyromance, steampunk

So yes, fantasy romance steampunk is what I ended up calling this book. It takes place in another world, fantasy, there is a bit more romance so therefore romance. And last, the steampunk bit. This is not sci-fi, it is a society that has moved forward and you could place them sort of at the 19th century. There you have it.

Taya is an icarus, she flies with wings and delivers messages. She can fly freely in a society made up of three classes. The nobility, the middle class and th...more

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Jun 15, 2011

Annie rated it

Excuse me while I geek out about how ridiculously amazing this book was, it's probably become my new favorite, or at the very least a close second.

Let me give you the synopsis from the cover:

Taya soars over Ondinium on metal wings. She is an icarus - a courier privileged to travel freely across the city's sectors and mingle indiscriminately among its castes. But even she can't outfly the web of terrorism, loyalty, murder, and intrigue that snares her after a daring mid-air re...more

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Apr 12, 2009

Samantha rated it

Shelves: 2009, own

I enjoyed Clockwork Heart for the most part, but must say that it just did not live up to all my expectations. Taya is an icarus in the country of Ondinium, where she flies on metal wings as a courier. Ondinium is definitely a character in its own right as Dru Pagliassotti does an amazing job at world building. Ondinium is a caste-society that enjoys many advances in technology that its neighbors don't possess. The major being the Great Engine which serves a multitude of purposes. After one...more

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Jul 08, 2010

Brian rated it

steampunkish romance novel, without much romance...or steampunk. basically, this is set in a steampunk world and the main character is an icarus. she dons wings made of the metal ondinium, metal lighter than air. which helps them fly around. her caste is the only one that can interact with the other three and are rumoured to be very promiscuous.

this book is dialogue driven, which is okay, but three pages of straight dialogue sometimes gets confusing cuz i didnt know who was sayin...more

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Jun 15, 2011

Mayetra rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 14, 2010

Ann rated it

· review of another edition

I bought this for my iPhone, as I was stuck at the hairdresser with only People magazine to read. It was a relatively inexpensive e-book.

It was a fast, enjoyable read, and a book that I would re-read. I may have to buy a physical copy of the book at some point, just so I can more easily flip through it.

It's a mystery combined with political intrigue combined with a fantasy and a bit of a coming-of-age story.

I'd say that it's a fantasy novel first, steampunk se...more

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Oct 26, 2011

Mandy rated it

Recommends it for: steampunk lovers, fantasy lovers, romance lovers, humor-preferring-readers

Shelves: gorgeous-cover-art, steampunk, stand-alone-books, other-worlds, urban-fantasy, read-in-2011

Clockwork Heart, by Dru Pagliasotti

3,5 stars

The story about Taya the ‘Icarus’ (a messenger flying across the city of Ondinium, on wings made of the feather-light metal ondium) starts mid-flight. Literally. On her way to deliver a message, Taya rescues Viera Octavus, one of the so-called ‘exalted’, and her son from an almost-crashing wire ferry. Because of her husbands political importance this may not have been an accident.
Shortly after the wire ferry crash, Taya me...more

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Oct 20, 2011

Madalina rated it

Shelves: adventures, female-protagonist, humor, love, fantasy

To adress the short introduction, the last time I read, steampunk was a subgenre of SF who used technology motifs and whose stories took place during the Regency period and were set in Great Britain, mostly England. Based on this, ''Clockwork Heart'' is about as steampunk as most novels set in a city named Odinium and set in an unspecified time.

The character Taya has very little to distinguish her apart from the great mass of now cliche badass female type but her passion for flying ...more

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Nov 19, 2009

Marianna rated it

Shelves: favorites, wishlist, heroine-with-red-hair

There were a lot of things that annoyed me about this book. The story was a little meh. The heroine was downright dense as a brick. But I enjoyed reading it for the most part. I thought the whole book reminded me of a Japanese manga: the attempt at a smart story/plot, a dumb (but courageous) heroine, some brooding men, surroundings only pictures could really explain. I think this book would have been better off as a manga/graphic novel. I think my favorite thing about the book was the romance, y...more

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Nov 23, 2010

Elvira rated it

Shelves: steampunk, mystery, romance

The story embodied great elements of steampunk, but took it into a new world order set in a caste system, instead of Victorian England. The evolution of the current world with it's current restrictions, technology advances, and backwardness steams from lessons learned from past wars. The story focusing on a young icarus, a mail courier who uses armature wings, who gets sucked into a terrorism plot after rescuing an Elated (upper caste) woman and child. Pagliassotti weaves the adventure, mystery ...more

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Jan 18, 2009

Schnaucl rated it

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, owned, read_2009, january

This was an okay book.

I liked the idea of winged messengers. I also like that the matchmaking program actually allowed for same-sex matches. I still don't think a computer can predict a perfect marriage, and I certainly don't think that everyone should be forced to be run through a program and abide by whatever result the computer prints out. At least there was a suggestion that people wouldn't be bound by the results.

The plot was okay, but the "twist" was...more

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Jun 09, 2010

Janeen rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 29, 2011

Ben rated it

Shelves: bookmooch, sci-fi-and-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. While I didn't have very high expectations for this book, I was still somewhat disappointed. The writing is ok, the plot is mostly interesting, but the characters are pretty two dimensional and often annoying. All of them are basically caricatures, and their lack of depth and detail leaves you pretty much always knowing exactly what they are going to say and do. That is, except for Alister, who I honestly did not see as turning out to be the 'bad guy.' Which is another major problem with the boo...moreWhile I didn't have very high expectations for this book, I was still somewhat disappointed. The writing is ok, the plot is mostly interesting, but the characters are pretty two dimensional and often annoying. All of them are basically caricatures, and their lack of depth and detail leaves you pretty much always knowing exactly what they are going to say and do. That is, except for Alister, who I honestly did not see as turning out to be the 'bad guy.' Which is another major problem with the book; while there are certainly bad guys, there aren't really any BAD guys--any bad people at all. Alister is a little deranged, and is clearly just slightly unhinged from the traumatic murder suicide of his parents, and the beatings his father gave him before losing it completely. But, he honestly believes that what he was doing was good for the country, and was just trying to make the world a better place. He may be calculating and manipulative, but at heart the author leaves him as a good person, who you can't help feeling sorry for. Or at least that's what she tried to do, because I didn't feel sorry for him at all, mostly because throughout most of the book he is a smarmy bastard who I just wanted to punch in the face. Moreover, the fact that she broke up the two major threat plots into two clearly distinct instances, while an interesting move, ended up not working at all. You reach what you think is the climax of the book (what actually is the climax) when Alister, Christof, and Taya are battling in the Great Engine Room, only to discover that the book just keeps going. Any half-decent editor should have realized that solving another, almost completely distinct plot in the denouement is not good writing, and have informed the author that it would be better served as a fully-realized second book.

The various flaws aside, there are some positives in the book. The world of Ondinium which the author creates is incredibly interesting, gritty, and full of potential. The caste system and technology were very well thought out, but I felt that she didn't exploit them enough. Why create such an interesting political world (the Council and all that), and then not really do anything with it? There is so much potential in this book, in the world that the author creates, but no real characters to inhabit it. I'd be willing to give some of her other books (if she has any) a try, just to see if she has matured since this one, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were plagued with the same problems.(less)

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Jun 10, 2011

Chachic rated it

Recommended to Chachic by: Janice (Janicu)

Shelves: received-as-gifts, actual-books-owned, best-of-2011, out-of-print

Originally posted here.

I was confused for the first few pages of Clockwork Heart because it took me a while to be fully immersed in the worldbuilding and to understand the terms that go with it. This steampunk novel is set in a fictional country where there's a strict caste system. Only the icarii, couriers who can fly using metal wings, can move freely across all castes. It's funny because I'm afraid of heights but I would love to try flying using those icarus wings. Taya is an icar...moreOriginally posted here.

I was confused for the first few pages of Clockwork Heart because it took me a while to be fully immersed in the worldbuilding and to understand the terms that go with it. This steampunk novel is set in a fictional country where there's a strict caste system. Only the icarii, couriers who can fly using metal wings, can move freely across all castes. It's funny because I'm afraid of heights but I would love to try flying using those icarus wings. Taya is an icarus who suddenly gets involved in Ondinium's politics when she rescues the wife and son of one of the country's most powerful leaders. Taya was an easy character to like, she's a no-nonsense type of person who strives to be the best that she can be in her job. She loves to travel, which is fitting since she's an icarus, and longs to be assigned as an envoy in other countries. Another character that I liked right from the start is grouchy, sarcastic Cristof who's the exact opposite of his handsome and charming brother Alister. Cristof is a member of the highest caste in the country but he chose to turn his back on his prestigious lifestyle. He works as a clockwright instead because he's fascinated with the inner workings of clocks and other mechanical devices. I think he's the steampunk equivalent of a nerd and I found him endearing. Cristof's geeky charm trumps Alister's suave moves. Another intriguing aspect of the novel is the relationship between these two brothers and how they do what they can for the other person even though they have such different views in life.

There were some parts of the novel that went way over my head like the mechanics of the icarii's metal wings and the discussions about programming and subroutines. Programs what? But those things didn't pull me out of the story so I didn't really mind them. There's a lot of action, some mystery and political intrigue in Clockwork Heart, which made it such a fun book to read. I guess it shouldn't be a surprise that I enjoyed reading this because I'm a fan of political intrigue in fiction. You really don't have to be into steampunk to like this novel and I have a feeling most fantasy fans would take pleasure in reading Clockwork Heart. I was able to predict one of the plot points and had an "I knew it!" moment but all of the other events were a surprise. It's only the middle of the year but I have a feeling that this book will make it to my best of 2011 list. I really don't understand why it's out of print. I heard that there's a second book in the works and I'd love to read that as soon as it becomes available. Read this if you get the chance, it deserves to get more attention!(less)

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Apr 27, 2011

Maria rated it

Recommended to Maria by: Suzanne Lazear

Shelves: steampunk, romance, ya-steampunk

A Clockwork Heart takes place on a different world, one in which there are massive city-states and competing political systems that keep citizens very aware of complex loyalties and the possibility of conflict. Of the city states introduced Ondinium is the most stable and secure: After nearly being destroyed by war two centuries prior, the rulers of Ondinium have created a vast difference machine, known as the Great Engine, to regulate the running of the city and the choices that are made with ...moreA Clockwork Heart takes place on a different world, one in which there are massive city-states and competing political systems that keep citizens very aware of complex loyalties and the possibility of conflict. Of the city states introduced Ondinium is the most stable and secure: After nearly being destroyed by war two centuries prior, the rulers of Ondinium have created a vast difference machine, known as the Great Engine, to regulate the running of the city and the choices that are made with regards to policy. Ondinium is a society with a “caste system and strict, sometimes ruthless laws”: the exalteds reign at the top as the ruling class and live at the top of Ondinium Mountain in an area called Primus; further down on the mountain the Cardinal caste, or the middle class, live in Secundus; the famulate caste, or the working class, live at the base of the mountain in the smog and smoke of the industrial sector (64). A fourth social class, the Icarii, are winged messengers who can move freely between all three levels of society; they have great freedom and a special status, but in many ways have to be extremely careful about navigating the political structure. This city state is managed by a council of Decaturs, or senators, who create policy and form the body politic—there is no vote from the public. Although this society might seem oppressive, and there are factions who protest the strict controls dictated by this government, Ondinium is “envied [for its] material wealth and rich culture; its high rates of education and employment and low rates of poverty” (65).

The story begins with Taya, an Icarus who is delivering a message when a wireferry car overhead suffers a catastrophic failure. On board are exalted Viera Octavus and her four year-old son Ariq, and Taya must scramble to save the mother and child. Because she flies using wings made from metal that is lighter than air, Taya can rescue one at a time, but she has to move quickly. Rescue attempts are further impeded by the elaborate robes and mask that Viera is required to wear as a member of her caste. Taya employs every skill she has learned in her years of flying and, with a little help from a fellow icarii, is able to pull off an incredible rescue. Afterwards, however, questions remain: Was the accident, involving the wife of a Decatur, truly an accident, or the product of something more sinister?

The following day Taya delivers a message to Decatur Alister on Primus; Alister is talking to an individual Taya mistakes for a workman until she sees his face and realizes that the workman has the facial markings of the exalted class. Exalteds must wear robes that cover the entire body and prevent the showing of any skin, as well as porcelain masks while in public. Further, their masks prevent them from being able to speak, so they must be spoken for by their servants. Taya is shocked to discover that the clockwright is Alister’s older brother Cristof, who has chosen to cast off the trappings and live apart from his caste on in Tertius because he resents the restrictions imposed on exalteds. He is troubled by how there are “lower-castes who think exalteds aren’t human,” are “hiding some kind of grotesque deformity” behind the masks and robes,” and believe the elite class are “spirits or demons” (165). It immediately it becomes clear that the brothers are opposites in many ways: where Cristof is abrupt, cold, and more interested in his machines than people, Alister is the handsome charmer who can talk anyone into anything. Taya is charmed into telling the story of her rescue of Viera and Ariq the day before and learns that the brothers are Viera’s cousins; both immediately pledge to get to the bottom of what has occurred.

But nothing is as it seems in this world: There are spies for other city states, political unrest within Ondinium, and members of the governing council who are attempting to accomplish personal political goals, and it leads to a web of violence and deceit that results in an accident that takes the life of Viera’s husband Caster. It is now up to Taya to navigate the lies and intrigue that surround this event to figure out who is friend or foe, find justice for her friend Viera, and protect Ondinium from further harm.

I was intrigued by the blending of world cultures within the book: The caste system and reincarnation from India, the robes and masks from China, the walled city that requires special papers or identification to move from one level to the next from medieval Europe. The discussion on reincarnation added a spiritual feel to the text that could have been more strongly explored, especially because the ability to be reborn—or lack thereof—informs the legal system within the city state and how these characters interact with each other. Further, there is a cult of Goddess worship at the heart of this story, and she is often invoked and referred to. While I’m not sure how this aspect could have been more thoroughly explored, it adds a feeling of realism and authenticity to the world that Pagliasotti has created.

One of the greatest criticisms I have heard with regards to this book is that the second half is untidy and could have been done better. On this point I must reluctantly agree. The villain is ambiguous, and remains so through the end of the story, and the mystery within a mystery that drives the narrative is unnecessary. This could have been handled better, especially because the competing storylines seemed to leech energy from each other. Further, the villain commits reprehensible acts and much of the anger and disappointment I should have felt is reduced because the narrative doesn’t allow time for reflection and interpretation. Despite this, I still enjoyed the narrative as a whole, and I don’t feel that this is an issue that interfered with my ability to enjoy this book.

Another criticism I have with the book has to do with the Great Engine that runs the city; just what, exactly, does it do? The best description I could find states that the Great Engine is responsible for making “the most civilized nation in the world”: Every citizen is tested at a young age and “matched to a job well-suited to his personality and skills”; the industry on Tertius is “fast, safe, and efficient”; the merchant society on Secondus can “calculate resource supply and demand and make reasonable predictions to avoid shortages and avoid excesses” (141). I understand the idea of a computer and nowhere, in any part of my knowledge involving how they work, do I see a need for massive oiled gears and steam energy to make them work. I’m not saying that I needed a whole lot of explanation, I just want some idea of how a huge engine translates into a computational device.

Overall, I found Clockwork Heart to be an enjoyable read; there was plenty of action and the story had a certain innocence about it that made it easy to stay interested and keep reading. I would rate this book for ages 10 and up: There is romance, but it is gently developed, and Taya’s character is a professional woman who is proud of her career and ambitious. I would certainly have no problem with putting this book in a classroom library or recommending it a friend who is looking for science fiction/urban fantasy/.steampunk/.clock punk literature.
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Sep 06, 2010

Katrina Patton rated it

I know it sounds stupid but I abandoned this book 60 pages from the end. Why? Because there was no reason to finish. The way to kill the plot is to give the readers what they want before the actual end has arrived. The bad guy was caught and the two people who acted as romantic partners for each other had already kissed. Everything after that dragged on and on. I'm sure something else dramatic must happen in the final pages but honestly, after the 'climax' of the book had been reached, which, ho...more

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Aug 11, 2011

Maureen E rated it

Shelves: fantasy, simply-superb

by Dru Pagliossotti

The story of Taya, the icarus (basically just a winged messenger), and the unexpected turns her life takes after she rescues an Exalted.

I wasn’t expecting to love this book. The cover art was bad, it seemed like it might veer in a kind of trashy direction. Anyway, whatever the reasons, I was expecting to read it and not be highly impressed.

I was wrong. While it never astounded it me, it was an entirely enjoyable story, with some very well-wr...more

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Sep 26, 2011

Alexandra Shostak rated it

Shelves: favorites-forever, in-love-with-the-concept

Originally posted here: http://alexandrashostak.blogspot.com/201...

I absolutely loved this book. It's a steampunk on the science fiction side of things and the world building is gorgeously done and really clean. I loved reading about their world--and it was all set in a city, which makes me really happy, because I love urban settings.

And, I think the romantic elements made my heart leap more than it did when I was in middle school, and I realized for the first time in my l...more

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Jun 02, 2010

Lydia Presley rated it

Shelves: 2010, fiction, fantasy, steampunk

My first Steampunk novel was Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. I fell in love with the genre right then and there. Then I read Scott Westerfield's Leviathan and knew that it wasn't a fluke. I was officially smitten.

I put Clockwork Heart on my to be read list because first, I loved the cover and second, steampunk, um.. yes! I wasn't disappointed, and in fact was pleasantly surprised.

This was a pleasant mix of romance, mystery and steampunk. There were gadgets galore (even ...more

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May 27, 2011

Lia rated it

Shelves: urban-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 28, 2009

Janice (Janicu) rated it

http://janicu.livejournal.com/69341.html...

I'd seen this book mentioned a couple of times online but for some reason I had labelled it in my mind as not so intriguing until I read a review at the Book Smugglers blog (they gave it a 9 - "damn near perfection"). I put it on my books to read list at that point but I wasn't salivating over it like some other books.

A couple of weekends ago, my husband and I decided to go for a walk and ended up at Barnes and Noble. I...morehttp://janicu.livejournal.com/69341.html...

I'd seen this book mentioned a couple of times online but for some reason I had labelled it in my mind as not so intriguing until I read a review at the Book Smugglers blog (they gave it a 9 - "damn near perfection"). I put it on my books to read list at that point but I wasn't salivating over it like some other books.

A couple of weekends ago, my husband and I decided to go for a walk and ended up at Barnes and Noble. I saw a copy of Clockwork Heart and picked it up. I started reading a few pages. At first some of the terminology confused me. What's a wireferry? Lictors? Decator? Icarus? I would read for a bit then go back a page or two to reread something to understand a bit better. But the story itself started out in the middle of some action, so I was already interested.

The premise: This story starts when a metal car suspended by wires starts to tumble towards the ground as our heroine was stopping nearby for lunch. Taya is a citizen of Ondinium, a city divided into castes, "Primus for the exalteds; Secundus for the cardinals; and Tertius, for the plebians". Taya herself is an icarus, someone who trained to fly with wings made out of the metal ondium (which is lighter than air), and who is allowed to freely pass between the city's sections. She and her kind are messagers as well as trained for search and rescue, so of course Taya jumps into action to help the two passengers in the falling metal car. This chance encounter pushes Taya into the world of the exalteds and soon she is caught up in betrayals and political plots happening within the city. In particular, Taya is sucked into the world of two brothers - Cristof and Alister Forlore. Alister is the gracious, charming one who works as a decator (I translated this to something like - minister/politician), and Cristof is the gruff, abrupt one who works as a clockmaker.

By page 20 I was hooked. 50 pages in and I had the terminology down. I could not stop reading! And how did I miss Angie's pimping it too? She only put it on her best of 2008 list! I really chastized myself for not having this book on my radar earlier.

What I really loved was the world building. I have a very basic idea of steampunk so I came into this book with no expectations and was just blown away at the images of Ondinium while I was reading this book - from a city with winding, intricate streets, to the costumes of members of the different castes, and all the little nooks and crannies in between like the interesting things in Alister's crowded, paper filled office and in Cristof's watch shop. I also enjoyed the idea of card-punch computing (old-school!) being a large part of the plot and a system built upon this that is used to help run Ondinium. It was fantastic! The cherry on the top of all this was the slow moving romance that did not take over the book and worked alongside the mystery of what is going on in Ondinium.

The only negatives I can think of for this story were very minor. One was that at times I ran into a few typos like repeated phrases next to each other and missing words. I'm not really the most observant person about this type of thing so when I do catch it I figure others will. The other comment I had was on the ending well there was a really satisfying HEA for the romance, but the mystery part somehow didn't tie up to my complete satisfaction. The reveal was a bit of a surprise (when I mull this over I think that perhaps I was distracted by red herrings thrown in by the author), and yet WHY also didn't fully make sense to me. Maybe I expected to understand the reasons for the villains' actions more fully than was presented.

Overall: Already one of my favorite reads of this year, I think it's a shoo in for my best of 2009 list. This combines fantasy, steampunk, romance, action, and intrigue into something new and fresh. If you are the least bit interested go find this book. I was so addicted I just read this straight for hours and when I came up for air I was disoriented about how much time had passed.

I'd compare the romance aspect to Sandra McDonald's The Outback Stars (where the hero isn't exactly who you'd think he'd be at first, and there's caste/rank issues, but he turns out to be more compatible and honorable than other characters seem to allow), and the world building to Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age or Snow Crash (this blew me away like those books did).

This is the debut novel by this author, however she has published some short stories. Dru Pagliassotti is currently working on a sequel to Clockwork Heart tentatively titled Obstruction Currents. According to her blog she's also working on another (unrelated) novel called King's Monster. Which means no backlog for me to glom onto, and I have to wait for the next book. Meanwhile, new author to stalk and put on the auto-buy list. I'm excited to read whatever comes out next! (less)

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Jul 15, 2009

Liviu rated it

Shelves: 2008_release_read, genre-fantasy, read_2009

Very entertaining steampunk adventure with a dash of romance and mystery.

Ondinium is a city powered by the magic substance that gives its name, has a powerful calculating engine at its heart, and is divided in 3 caste areas at 3 levels on a mountain, one per caste, higher up of course, with the powerful "exalted" actually hedged by so many traditions and customs - in public they cannot show their faces, they have to wear some kind of robes - that the more rebellious ones ...more

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Jun 25, 2008

Kim rated it

Recommends it for: fans of romantic fantasy and/or science fiction (like Sharon Shinn)

Clockwork Heart is a fantasy* that brings in elements of steampunk, romance, and mystery to create a terrific escapist read. Taya is an icarus, a courier who flies above the city of Ondinium on lighter than air wings. When she saves the life of an Exalted, a member of the highest caste in Ondinium, she is entangled in a mystery involving terrorism and treason. Also involved are two very different brothers, scions of the exalted Forlore clan: charming and brilliant Alister, who works on the G...more

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Apr 02, 2008

Angie rated it

Shelves: belovedbookshelf, steampunk

This debut novel by Dru Pagliassotti is being billed as a steampunk romance/urban fantasy. And it is all of these. But it transcends each of them as well, making it IMO an incredibly enjoyable cross-genre read. I'm sitting here trying to think of someone I wouldn't recommend this book to and I'm coming up blank.

Taya is an icarus--a member of the messenger class. Every day she straps on a pair of metal wings and soars across the city of Ondinium delivering messages. Life in Ondinium ...moreThis debut novel by Dru Pagliassotti is being billed as a steampunk romance/urban fantasy. And it is all of these. But it transcends each of them as well, making it IMO an incredibly enjoyable cross-genre read. I'm sitting here trying to think of someone I wouldn't recommend this book to and I'm coming up blank.

Taya is an icarus--a member of the messenger class. Every day she straps on a pair of metal wings and soars across the city of Ondinium delivering messages. Life in Ondinium is extremely stratified. As an incarus, Taya is considered outside caste and is therefore able to move freely between the uber-powerful upper crust and the lower level plebeians. Social rank is marked by a subtle facial tattoo. And the "exalteds" (the highest of the high) only go out in public masked and heavily robed, to preserve their grace and purity.

Then one day Taya inadvertently rescues an exalted and her son. This seemingly minor event thrusts her into the realm of the exalteds and into the lives of two brothers--Alister and Cristof Forlore. Alister is the dashing younger brother, a gifted programmer, a rising star on the political scene, and an incorrigible lover of women. Cristof is the caustic older brother who has chosen to live outside his caste, maskless, working as a clockwright among the working class of Ondinium. As a rebel group known only as the Torn Cards terrorizes the city with a series of bombings, Taya is swept up in a murder mystery and must quickly learn how to navigate the deep waters between exalted and plebeian, charm and ruthlessness, and Alister and Cristof Forlore.

Clockwork Heart delighted me. I went into it complacently, wanting to love some characters and hate others unreservedly, but Ms. Pagliassottii's multi-faceted characterization made that impossible. I was forced to sit up and care about all of them, to see their flaws and their virtues, to really understand them and how they were themselves but also the product of the unique world they lived in, the society they were born into. A world built on the carefully delineated contrast between humanity and technology, privilege and humility. A truly engrossing read.(less)

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