A debut so magical… so extraordinary… it has to be read to be believed….
Imprisoned for life aboard a zeppelin t... read full description
reviews
Mar 19, 2011
Jonathan
rated it: 
For fans of the literary fantastic, I can't recommend this book highly enough. Just beware: it is both VERY literary and VERY fantastical. By that, I mean the writing and structure of the story is subtle and complex, sometimes with a dreamy feeling and bits that the reader has to think about to fully figure out. And the story is a full-on explosion of strange landscapes, odd technologies and futuristic social customs that fully immerse the reader in a world that is most definitely not our own. P
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Sep 23, 2011
Mel B.
rated it: 
Though I was a little disheartened by the way things turned out at the end of the book, the tale itself was well spun and gripping. Harold seemed like an anti-hero -- detached from all parts of his life, except when very young -- yet Prospero Taligent thinks he knows what Harold wants: to be the prototypical hero rescuing the maiden. [return][return]The strange world of mechanical men was interesting. I found myself loving this world, even in all of its noise and weirdness and yes, bits of evil.
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Oct 04, 2011
Jack
rated it: 
The title of Dexter Palmer’s debut novel was the first hook for me. The second was ascertaining this was a steampunk novel, a genre for which I have a penchant. And although I got my literary rocks off on the allusion[s] to Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” the retro themes such as the Graf zeppelin and anti-progressive technologies – and the to-and-fro of the story itself, partly told by the main character in first person and partly told by an omniscient narrator – I finally gave up, stuck in mid-bo
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Sep 09, 2011
Emily
rated it:
http://em-and-emm.blogspot.com/2011/01/d...
If you were to get a giant literary blender, combine equal parts from Shakespeare's The Tempest with the steampunk genre, add in a little Jules Verne, a little Franz Kafka, and the tiniest dash of Ovid, you'd get something that roughly approximates this novel. Probably one of the more unusual books I have ever read, The Dream of Perpetual Motion is probably also one of the most lyrically elegiac novels I have ever read.
The story p More...
If you were to get a giant literary blender, combine equal parts from Shakespeare's The Tempest with the steampunk genre, add in a little Jules Verne, a little Franz Kafka, and the tiniest dash of Ovid, you'd get something that roughly approximates this novel. Probably one of the more unusual books I have ever read, The Dream of Perpetual Motion is probably also one of the most lyrically elegiac novels I have ever read.
The story p More...
Aug 23, 2011
Lizz
rated it:
It can’t be un-read. Dexter Palmer’s _The Dream of Perpetual Motion_ promised, on the back cover, to be “beautifully written, stunningly imagined, and wickedly funny… a heartfelt meditation on the place of love in a world dominated by technology,” not to mention “gorgeously surreal… exhilarating, passionate, enthralling… constantly turning, giving off more energy than it receives, its movement at once beautiful and counterintuitive.”
I should have known that was too many adje More...
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Aug 20, 2011
Daniella
rated it: 
A hypocritical, boring, and deeply misogynistic critique of post-modernism, this dreamy novel has poorly developed characters, a shallow plot, and unimaginative setting. If I could un-read this book, I would.
BEWARE! There are spoilers in this review, because I cannot express how wrong this book is without revealing critical details.
1. Hypocrisy:
Palmer weaves elements of Shakespeare's _The Tempest_ into the book, but in a nonsensical, non-meaningful way. Prospero, Miranda More...
BEWARE! There are spoilers in this review, because I cannot express how wrong this book is without revealing critical details.
1. Hypocrisy:
Palmer weaves elements of Shakespeare's _The Tempest_ into the book, but in a nonsensical, non-meaningful way. Prospero, Miranda More...
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Jul 13, 2011
Jeff
rated it:
It was lovely. Not hard science-fiction. Not Arthur C. Clarke.
It was very poetic. It captures a sense of personal, an intimate journey into the fantastic. Not realistic at all. A certain type of reader will hate this sentimentality.
<spoiler>
There's a scene where her father is making the unicorn for her, it was powerful and graphic, unexpected. He has a horse and he's drilling a hole in its head and putting the horn on, and saying something like "B More...
It was very poetic. It captures a sense of personal, an intimate journey into the fantastic. Not realistic at all. A certain type of reader will hate this sentimentality.
<spoiler>
There's a scene where her father is making the unicorn for her, it was powerful and graphic, unexpected. He has a horse and he's drilling a hole in its head and putting the horn on, and saying something like "B More...
May 15, 2011
Laurie
rated it: 
I finished this book five days ago and still cannot quite figure out how I feel about it. I’ve written and deleted things three times now.
It’s not what I expected- the cover promised an airship (which was provided, sure enough), mechanical men (ditto) and an alternate, Steampunk-ish history (once again, provided). I expected adventure from this, but this was not provided.
It’s not an adventure novel at all; it’s part reworking of ‘The Tempest’, part philosophy, and part soci More...
It’s not what I expected- the cover promised an airship (which was provided, sure enough), mechanical men (ditto) and an alternate, Steampunk-ish history (once again, provided). I expected adventure from this, but this was not provided.
It’s not an adventure novel at all; it’s part reworking of ‘The Tempest’, part philosophy, and part soci More...
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Mar 10, 2011
Marcus
rated it:
Of all the Steampunk novels I have read until now, The Dream of Perpetual Motion is the strangest and most bizarre tale. If I had to sum it up in one sentence it would be this:
Shakespeare’s The Tempest set in a Steampunk world while Shakespeare was on a bad trip.
Mr. Palmer draws heavily on The Tempest in his novel, I also recommend everyone to get themselves at least somewhat acquainted with the plot of The Tempest and the protagonists and their role. Knowledge about this play add More...
Shakespeare’s The Tempest set in a Steampunk world while Shakespeare was on a bad trip.
Mr. Palmer draws heavily on The Tempest in his novel, I also recommend everyone to get themselves at least somewhat acquainted with the plot of The Tempest and the protagonists and their role. Knowledge about this play add More...
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May 08, 2010
Paul
rated it:
Hello Miranda.
The Tempest is one the most potent of Shakespeare's plays. The idea of the singular genius, living apart from the rest of humanity despite, or perhaps because of his unique gifts. An innocent, sheltered daughter of that genius, kept from the world. Caliban, who believes he is heir to Prospero's holdings and powers. Dark secrets. Hidden abilities. The conflict between the private and the public. The meaning of humanity.
Is it any wonder that it makes for stron More...
The Tempest is one the most potent of Shakespeare's plays. The idea of the singular genius, living apart from the rest of humanity despite, or perhaps because of his unique gifts. An innocent, sheltered daughter of that genius, kept from the world. Caliban, who believes he is heir to Prospero's holdings and powers. Dark secrets. Hidden abilities. The conflict between the private and the public. The meaning of humanity.
Is it any wonder that it makes for stron More...
Apr 22, 2010
Andrew
rated it:
I thought the book was very well written. While the book is written mostly in journal form (with every other chapter being a journal entry, and the chapters in between being a relatively short account of "the present"), this positively adds to the progression of the plot. Not overly sci-fi, the main story occurs in the early 1900s but with certain technological advances that the world has yet to see (at least on a large scale). It's almost as though Dexter Palmer has created a Sci-Fi/N
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Jul 03, 2010
Ben
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Feb 09, 2012
Sara
rated it:
I've been trying to decide how I feel about this book. I know I liked it and I can point out the parts that I especiallie liked, but I didn't love it and I also know why.
I liked that this book made me think. I like the thing it made me thin about... the place of love in a world full of technologie... the ways in which the rituals of love change... the ways in which they don't...
I recently read "The fault in our stars" and I've been thinking about what it means More...
I liked that this book made me think. I like the thing it made me thin about... the place of love in a world full of technologie... the ways in which the rituals of love change... the ways in which they don't...
I recently read "The fault in our stars" and I've been thinking about what it means More...
May 20, 2010
Americanogig
rated it:
At first this novel screamed Steampunk and it was,I suppose, but in a very slight understated way. Miranda, Prospero, Caliban and even Ferdinand make their appearance in what is essentially The Tempest retold. The story begins with the main character floating above the world in a dirigible that is supposedly a perpetual motion machine that will carry him forever. Yet he notices definite signs of wear and tear and knows that it is slowly winding down even though the resident robots were traine
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Mar 23, 2010
Debut Authors
rated it:
I’ve been putting off reviewing The Dream of Perpetual Motion for a few days. Honestly, it is because I don’t know if I can do Dexter Palmer’s work of art justice. But, since the really nice marketing people over at St. Martin’s Press sent me a copy of this book, I feel that I probably should give it a whirl.
This steam-punk novel is narrated by Harold Winslow, a writer for a greeting-card company. The story alternates between the first and third person as Harold writes to his imagina More...
This steam-punk novel is narrated by Harold Winslow, a writer for a greeting-card company. The story alternates between the first and third person as Harold writes to his imagina More...
Sep 10, 2009
Ab
rated it:
Since there's no description of what this book is about, like, ANYWHERE, I'm just going to type what the book has on it. Obviously I'm reading the ARC.
"Imprisoned aboard a zeppelin floating high above a steampunk metropolis, greeting card writer Harold Winslow is composing his memoir. His companions are the only woman he has ever loved and the cryogenically frozen body of her father, the devilish genius Prospero Taligent.
Amidst a world where deserted islands exist More...
"Imprisoned aboard a zeppelin floating high above a steampunk metropolis, greeting card writer Harold Winslow is composing his memoir. His companions are the only woman he has ever loved and the cryogenically frozen body of her father, the devilish genius Prospero Taligent.
Amidst a world where deserted islands exist More...
Apr 02, 2010
Stephen
rated it:
This re-spinning (spinning like a top!) of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', set in an alternative present, floats above the earth in a dirigible powered by a flawed perpetual motion machine. Palmer does with this what the best in fantastical literature does, fusing the mythical with the ordinary. Carnivals take on a new imagery of being held together precariously with tin-men-robots while keeping that magical grime that we overlook with childhood. Miracles no longer exist, replaced by logic. This fa
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May 22, 2010
Matt
rated it:
In some cases, a spiffy cover can make me read it and be very impressed. Case in point: Cherie Priest's "Boneshaker," which I was drawn to from awesome cover art alone. In other cases, a great jacket design can make me read it, and feel like I wasted several hours of my life. "The Dream of Perpetual Motion" is one of these cases.
Although it is not the worst book that I ever read, Palmer's debut novel fails on so many levels. It manages to try to do too much, while More...
Although it is not the worst book that I ever read, Palmer's debut novel fails on so many levels. It manages to try to do too much, while More...
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Nov 08, 2009
Roxane
rated it:
I'm giving up on this one. Besides, I was mostly reading it for work (note that it's in the agency-author shelf, yes this is a newly created shelf for those books I'm reading because/thanks to work! These will be advance reading copies or manuscript mostly).
The book in and of it self is not bad really, it's just in terrible need of some serious editing which, my understanding is, it's not going to get...
I will only say that this book will probably appeal more to mainstre More...
The book in and of it self is not bad really, it's just in terrible need of some serious editing which, my understanding is, it's not going to get...
I will only say that this book will probably appeal more to mainstre More...
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Feb 27, 2011
MB
rated it:
I finished reading The Dream of Perpetual Motion last night before going to bed. It’s an amazing book.
I was wandering around Barnes and Noble earlier this month, and ran across the trade paperback in the fiction department. It looked interesting, so I picked it up. When I got home I set in on my desk and a couple of days later went to add it to my book database only to discover that I already had a copy. Unfortunately this is not all that uncommon an occurrence. So I went down to th More...
I was wandering around Barnes and Noble earlier this month, and ran across the trade paperback in the fiction department. It looked interesting, so I picked it up. When I got home I set in on my desk and a couple of days later went to add it to my book database only to discover that I already had a copy. Unfortunately this is not all that uncommon an occurrence. So I went down to th More...
Dec 19, 2009
Neil
rated it:
This is a great book with some serious flaws that shouldn't stop you from giving it a whirl.
The story is told from the point of view of Harold Winslow, a greeting card writer who narrates the story while trapped with only the company of himself, a voice, and his memories while floating through the sky in a perpetual motion flying machine that may or may not be working. From this vantage he tells the story of his family (a mildly inventive, but largely inneffectual toy-making father More...
The story is told from the point of view of Harold Winslow, a greeting card writer who narrates the story while trapped with only the company of himself, a voice, and his memories while floating through the sky in a perpetual motion flying machine that may or may not be working. From this vantage he tells the story of his family (a mildly inventive, but largely inneffectual toy-making father More...
Oct 07, 2011
Jim
rated it:
Oh, dear. How to describe? First, a bit of explanation...I am a mostly non-practicing admirer of steam punk. By that, I mean I don't go to conventions, dress up in costumes (though I reserve that right - I have been known to dress up for the major holidays, like St. pats) or blog as a character. I am attracted to the visual part of steam punk, and have a set of brass goggles my family gave me. I took apart a Nerf pistol and had a lot of fun punking it. But reading about it?I wasn't sure.
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Aug 05, 2011
Rob
rated it:
A fictional riff on Shakespeare's "The Tempest" (yes, another one) with a distinctly steampunk flavor. Set in imaginary city "Xeroville" in an alternate 'early 20th century' in which 'tin-men' automotons and flying cars exist, but radio remains the only broadcast medium and manual typewriters, wax-cylinder phonographs etc. remain the standard. (A good visual analogue might be the retro-futurism of Fritz Lang's "Metropolis".) Ten-year-old protagonist Harold Winslow i
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May 13, 2010
Paul
rated it:
A friend posted something about this book in an internet forum. The cover alone almost sold me on the book, and then when I read the premise, I knew that I would be moving this book straight to the top of my reading queue (which I did). There are books on that queue that have been waiting for years to be read, so they were a bit upset, but I promised I would get to them one day.
The Dream of Perpetual Motion is the story of Harold Winslow and how his life intersected with the mad gen More...
The Dream of Perpetual Motion is the story of Harold Winslow and how his life intersected with the mad gen More...
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Jul 20, 2010
Emily
rated it:
I adore the cover art for this book. There are gears and rivets and copper plates and an honest-to-god zeppelin. You can't get more steampunk-y than this. However: book, cover, judgement. You know the drill.
The Dream of Perpetual Motion is the kind of book that I'd hate to have to read in school. On the surface, it's about a boy named Harold who meets, loves, and then tries to save a girl named Miranda from her father, the genius tycoon Prospero Taligent. Of course, that's like sayi More...
The Dream of Perpetual Motion is the kind of book that I'd hate to have to read in school. On the surface, it's about a boy named Harold who meets, loves, and then tries to save a girl named Miranda from her father, the genius tycoon Prospero Taligent. Of course, that's like sayi More...
Feb 23, 2010
jordan
rated it:
Other reviewers have already offered excellent overviews of this novel, so I won’t be redundant by repeating their efforts. In Dexter Palmer’s debut novel an alternate 20th century rises beneath the shadow of the singular genius, Prospero Taligent, whose “metal men” serve as servants as workers. Yet it is not from Prospero’s perspective that we hear the tale, but largely from Harold Winslow who as a child was fortunate enough to be among the 100 lucky kids invited to the birthday party of Tali
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Feb 08, 2012
Blair
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This story was much like the character Caliban: a patchwork of many different types of literary genres. Fantasy, horror, science fiction, adventure and even some humourous interludes and situations wrestle for your attention between the pages of this wonderful book. The story focuses on the life of Harold Winslow, a young boy recruited as a play-partner for the daughter of a reclusive mad genius/scientist Prospero Taligent. A man responsible for the creation of mechanical men that inhabit the
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Jun 23, 2011
Jeremy
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Apr 16, 2011
Roving though Barnes and Noble last night, I realized how long it's been since I've read adult fiction. Which is strange, considering adult fiction is quite possibly the love of my life. The friend I was with said she'd been meaning to check this out, and described it as "some sort of steampunk." I've skimmed a bit and the prose seems lovely, and the premise tells the story of a man "imprisoned for life aboard a zeppelin that floats high above a fantastic metropolis" as he "
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Jul 15, 2010
Kelle
rated it:
This book was in the 3.5 range. An interesting science fiction book (which I know makes most of you stop reading now) about a sort of futuristic world with mechanical men. The story revolves around one man and his chance meeting with the creator of mechanical men and what came of it. Strange, never quite sure where it's going, but at the same time very poetic and introspective. I'm not sure I completely enjoyed the rather negative tone of the whole book, but I found the world the author crea
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