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The Gaslight Dogs (Middle Light #1)

by Karin Lowachee (Goodreads Author)

2.97 · rating details · 160 ratings · 64 reviews

At the edge of the known world, an ancient nomadic tribe faces a new enemy-an Empire fueled by technology and war.

A young spiritwalker of the Aniw and a captain in the Ciracusan army find themselves unexpectedly thrown together. The Aniw girl, taken prisoner from her people, must teach the reluctant soldier a forbidden talent - one that may turn the tide of the war and wi...more

Mass Market Paperback, 359 pages

Published April 1st 2010 by Orbit (first published 2010)

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Aug 29, 2011

Janice rated it

Shelves: 2011, fantasy, canadian-connection, love-the-cover, steam-punk

I chose this book for a challenge on the steampunk genre. It was listed on the listopia "Best Steampunk Books". From what I understand of steampunk, this did not meet the criteria.

The setting was a meld of 20th century Inuit life with Victorian underground and the wild west according to the author. There was a large paranormal element in that the story centered around people who were able to shapeshift into their spirit animal. But there was no technology, unless you co...more

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Apr 13, 2011

Megan rated it

I picked this up in the store, read the back, then the first page, and was hooked. Karin Lowachee has an incredibly unique writing style that challenges all conventional writing that I've encountered. The way she describes her world, so similar to our Victorian age but definitely of a different land, is rich with description and sentences that fall on the reader's tongue like a succulent meal. Like:

"His bones felt as creaky as a spinster's, or like a rocking chair left too long to...moreI picked this up in the store, read the back, then the first page, and was hooked. Karin Lowachee has an incredibly unique writing style that challenges all conventional writing that I've encountered. The way she describes her world, so similar to our Victorian age but definitely of a different land, is rich with description and sentences that fall on the reader's tongue like a succulent meal. Like:

"His bones felt as creaky as a spinster's, or like a rocking chair left too long to bleach, dried out by nightmare despite what the waking world poured on his head."

"The yellow lamp swayed behind the priest from its ceiling hook, and the light made his dark cowl and ebony skin seem deep-ice black."

The book follows two individuals primarily: Sjennonirk and Captain Jarrett Fawle, a native girl from the arctic and a soldier from one of the larger cities of that land. Each chapter switches perspective between them, and Karin has this knack for describing those chapters with these characters' viewpoints in mind. She uses words that reflect the character's background -- references to the environment and animal life of the arctic for Sjenn, and references to military and city life for Jarrett. The story itself is an interesting one, where Sjenn is the ankago of her people: the leader because she has what they call a "little spirit" inside of her. The little spirit is essentially another soul, that of a dog, or what we would call a wolf. It coexists inside of her, and she has the power to let it out, which renders her unconscious as the dog takes physical form next to her. Since the dog is a part of her it cannot be killed as long as she lives, it protects her unconscious body viciously. Karin talks extensively of the link the Kabliw have to their homes and their little spirits, and it becomes a central theme in Sjenn's dialogue when she is captured and brought to Jarrett's city. The book has themes of war, religion, politics, and dark pasts that interweave themselves into the present lives of the characters involved.

I personally didn't like the ending, but thought the ride was a fun one. There are a few slow parts, and the conflict is drawn out quite a bit without much in the way of clues or breakthroughs, but if the reader likes complex characters, imaginative worlds, and some political intrigue, it will probably be a good read.

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Sep 22, 2010

Paula rated it

Shelves: alternate-history, unfinished

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

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Sep 21, 2010

Book Calendar rated it

Shelves: fantasy, steampunk

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Gaslight Dogs by Karin Lowachee

This is a fantasy novel set during the American frontier period. The author in the interview at the back of the book describes how she wanted to combine the American west with an Inuit character. This makes the novel a little bit different. It creates an alternate history which combines steam technology with magic. The magic is spirit magic. This is the first book in a trilogy.

The settlers in this novel are a bit different. They a...more

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Sep 03, 2010

Andrew Liptak rated it

In the summer of 2002, my friend Sam Gallagher passed me a copy of a book that he had just read, Warchild, by Karin Lowachee, which I read through quickly, and really enjoyed – I blew through the next two books in the trilogy, Burndive and Cagebird, both of which were fun reads, but nothing that really inspired me like the first one. I ended up buying a couple of copies of the book, passing one along to a college friend who shared a mutual interest in science fiction books. Then, Karin fell off ...moreIn the summer of 2002, my friend Sam Gallagher passed me a copy of a book that he had just read, Warchild, by Karin Lowachee, which I read through quickly, and really enjoyed – I blew through the next two books in the trilogy, Burndive and Cagebird, both of which were fun reads, but nothing that really inspired me like the first one. I ended up buying a couple of copies of the book, passing one along to a college friend who shared a mutual interest in science fiction books. Then, Karin fell off the map, and for a while, I wondered if the Warchild trilogy had been a fluke. It had won a number of nominations, and it would have seemed that Lowachee was going to become one of those bigger names in the Science Fiction genre.

Karin is back this year, after a multiple year break, with The Gaslight Dogs, a fantasy/historical novel that is the first of a proposed trilogy set in an interesting new world. Captured after murdering a Kabwi soldier, a spiritwalker named Sjennonirk is compelled to teach her people’s abilities to an officer in the southern people’s army – Captain Jarrett Fawle, the son of a prominent general. The Fawle family has some secrets, and as events transpire, the younger Fawle carries the same abilities that Sjenn carries: the ability to contain part of one’s more wild side or spirit into a physical manifestation – The Dog.

Over the course of this story, Sjenn, the reluctant prisoner and teacher demonstrates and teaches Jarrett about these specific abilities, something that his father intends to wield as a sort of weapon within his army. Over the course of the story comes with it a twisted plot of familial history and drama, multi-cultural issues and the central issue of the responsibilities of power. Lowachee puts together an interesting tale that is in need of its follow up novels, with a compelling world and characters to go along with it.

We’ve seen both with Lowachee’s books: a strong sense for building worlds permeated her Warchild novels, creating a plausible space culture, in all of its different facets. The same carries over very well with the change of genre here, where Inuit culture and the historical conquest of the North American continent really informs the world that has been set up. If anything, the novel provides a great change in venue away from the typical European settings in which most fantasy novels seem to be laid down in. Lowachee deserves praise for adapting the historical elements of real life into her fictional novel so seamlessly.

One of the main elements that really stands out for me is just how stripped down and stark this novel feels for a sort of speculative fiction entry: Karin uses her magic sparingly, pushing to the roots of what are likely mythological or other stories in the real world, but leaving the magic for specific instances: The Calling of the Dog, for example, is one of the few instances in which magic or supernatural forces are at work here, and honestly, the book works much better for those efforts: it feels, as a whole, far more realistic.

The sparse use of magic provides the backdrop for some of the more pressing matters in the book: the characters. Sjenn, General and Captain Fawle and the numerous supporting characters that appear throughout the book, each with their own motivations and objectives, which play out over the book. Sjenn is attempting to figure out her surroundings and get back to her people (although only slightly, which confused me a little), Jarrett is torn between his duty between his family and military duties, while General Fawle seems to be bent on acquiring power, no matter what is in his way.

There’s clearly a good sense here that characters really make the story here, and for the most part, that’s true. There were times when character reactions felt a bit forced (Jarrett’s drinking/rebelling against his father) and character actions were a bit unclear, and there were points where a character simply vanished for most of the book. A glossary / character list would have been a bit helpful, but those are superficial matters.

The Gaslight Dogs represents a solid comeback for Lowachee and her fantastic prose. It’s been a very long wait indeed for her books, but not only was it worth it, it was worth it to see that she didn’t try and do something over again, testing new ground and stories, which makes me more interested in a follow up novel.
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Aug 12, 2010

Chris rated it

Shelves: dogs-wolves-foxes, fantasy, retold-fairy-tales-influence

Have you ever heard Inuit thoart singing? I recently heard a musical composition for Nanook of the North, and it incorpated the style. If you are a Westener, it's strange, very beautiful, type of music. It's almost like purring cats, except it's not; it really sounds like walking on the snow and ice, but only more so. It's tough but beautiful, but different than the beauty of bagpipes, very different, less warlike and more nature like Apparently, it also could be a dying art form. It is le...more

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Sep 26, 2010

Shomeret rated it

Shelves: fantasy, my-reviews

This is a radically different alternate history continuity. The alternate Europeans are more mysterious than the alternate Inuits because we have no idea what they left behind in their native Circusia. So we can't be certain about what motivates them. What seems familiar about them may not be familiar at all.

I had a hard time orienting myself at first in what seemed to be my own country. Then I realized that the Canadian author had created an alternate Canada. Then it all started t...more

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Apr 05, 2011

Eli rated it

Shelves: 2011, fiction, spec, steampunk-etc

(3.5. Where are my half-stars?!? Waah.)

Sometimes in a dream, I feel like I have cotton balls stuffed in my ears and the wrong end of a pair of binoculars taped to my eyes. The dream is vivid, and it's lovely or horrible, but I feel distant from it and have trouble connecting.

That's how I felt while reading this book. A sense of place leaps off every page; Lowachee imbues the book with myriad sensual details. And I found the characters intensely real and engaging and the t...more

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Apr 11, 2010

K. Bird rated it

For me Gaslight Dogs was a study in contradictions. The writing, poetical throughout, sometimes got on my nerves with the vagueness of it. The characters, while completely and totally believable and real, never reached out and put their hands into my chest and squeezed my heart, despite their circumstances.
The story, while interesting, never quite seemed to understand where it was going.
The story starts with a Aniw (think inuit) girl taken forcibly from her village for killing a sold...moreFor me Gaslight Dogs was a study in contradictions. The writing, poetical throughout, sometimes got on my nerves with the vagueness of it. The characters, while completely and totally believable and real, never reached out and put their hands into my chest and squeezed my heart, despite their circumstances.
The story, while interesting, never quite seemed to understand where it was going.
The story starts with a Aniw (think inuit) girl taken forcibly from her village for killing a soldier who broke into her home and may or may not have tried to rape her (the vagueness of what he was doing sets the theme for the entire story). A general of the western-analog people (the soldiers) has learned of the spirit dogs that the Aniw can call upon and will force the girl to teach his son about Calling them.
But the son, a captain in the army, doesn't want to learn. And mixed up in this are multiple currents regarding colonialism, appropriation, racism, and prejudice.
Those parts were very interesting, indeed, and while I never felt close to the girl or the captain, I did care what happened to them.
Where my frustration lay was in the lack of activism the girl seemed to have (granted she was imprisoned and far from her tundra home, but she just went along with everything) as well as the captain. And, disappointingly enough, the story never quite resolves the issues of her exile, the captain's spirit dog, the war their cultures are having, or how they will escape the general's nefarious plans. At the end, the story peters out and we're left with the two main characters riding off into the wilds in different directions. Very unsatisfying and not at all the kind of payoff I wanted after spending so much time in their angst and thoughts.
As a contemplative book on themes of prejudice and colonialism, Gaslight Dogs is a winner. As a full-formed narrative, look somewhere else.

This Book's Food Designation Rating: Those single slices of layer cake you find wrapped up at the grocery store that look so good and rich but when you open it and put it in your mouth it turns out to be not at all the taste you were looking for.(less)

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Nov 09, 2011

Andrea Blythe rated it

Shelves: fiction

This is a vision of an alternate world that presents wild west style frontier very similar to our own historical west. It presents a group of colonizing whites, who are at conflict with the native population. Lowachee does an excellent job of portraying both perspectives, showing how the differences in cultural perspectives are at the heart of the conflict. They don't understand each other and why they live the way they live.

She does this by writing both from the perspective of Sjenn,...more

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Mar 07, 2011

Clare-Dragonfly rated it

Shelves: 2011, fantasy

There are two POV characters in this book. One is an Aniw (based on the Inuit) ankago, a woman with shaman-like powers. The other is a Ciracusan (the invaders of this America-analogue continent) army captain. Both of them spend about 80% of their time whining.

To be fair, they have a lot to whine about. However, that neither justifies them nor makes this book any more interesting.

I kept reading this book mostly because the world was interesting, and a little bit because th...moreThere are two POV characters in this book. One is an Aniw (based on the Inuit) ankago, a woman with shaman-like powers. The other is a Ciracusan (the invaders of this America-analogue continent) army captain. Both of them spend about 80% of their time whining.

To be fair, they have a lot to whine about. However, that neither justifies them nor makes this book any more interesting.

I kept reading this book mostly because the world was interesting, and a little bit because the characters were interesting. However, I didn't learn enough about the world, and the characters were simply never proactive. I am actually wracking my brain for a time when one of the characters did something that wasn't compelled by another character, a government, or the spirits inside them, and I can't think of a single one. Unless you count doing something in spiteful reaction to being told to do the opposite thing, which I don't.

I was interested at first in the ankago magic (Sjennonirk, the ankago, doesn't like that word, but it seems to be the most appropriate to use when reviewing the book), but it was explained insufficiently for me, and what I did learn sounded like a pretty ineffective and useless system. It was also disappointing to have the Aniw character ripped from her land nearly at the beginning of the book and therefore see almost nothing of her culture.

Even with outside forces pushing the characters along, the plot seemed interminably slow, which made more sense after I reached the end and realized there would have to be a sequel (I've now learned that it's the first book in a trilogy). There were several interesting developments, actually, in about the last thirty pages, but considering how slowly the plot moved in this book, I have no expectation that the next will be worth my time or effort.

Additionally, the prose is a bit overwrought, and there are many very strange word choices. I might call it poetic if the odd choices made sense to me and helped describe what was going on more evocactively, but most of the time, they don't. As a random off-the-top-of-my-head example, a tracker's walk is described as a "pony gait." Now, surely ponies go "clip-clop" while the tracker goes "..." because he's a tracker?(less)

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Jan 03, 2011

Estara Swanberg rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, read-in-2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. What I wanted to read was a book about the girl on the cover (who by the way is well captured there). It might be steampunk or not - I thought it might be a different take on a situation similar to Kate Elliott's Cold Magic.

What this book is about is the manpain of a soldier who would just like to fight against clear-cut enemies on the frontier of his people (which feels like the American West, but isn't quite because supposedly the soldiers are invading their own former country). He k...moreWhat I wanted to read was a book about the girl on the cover (who by the way is well captured there). It might be steampunk or not - I thought it might be a different take on a situation similar to Kate Elliott's Cold Magic.

What this book is about is the manpain of a soldier who would just like to fight against clear-cut enemies on the frontier of his people (which feels like the American West, but isn't quite because supposedly the soldiers are invading their own former country). He keeps being overpowered and overruled by his intense, ruthless General father.

It didn't start out this way - the book starts from the viewpoint of Senn and how her Eskimo-inspired (Lowachee credits her experiences among the Inuit) culture suddenly gets invaded by these soldiers from the south.

This book never seemed to belong to the heroine because she is mostly shut inside cells, almost starving (because she isn't offered food she knows how to eat). Her alter-ego, the Dog that looks like a wolf, has more agency but they both think of each other as being a second soul. Also the Dog is a dog and so not something I can identify with.

If the general's son had been a more sympathetic character, I might have enjoyed the story more, but he is trapped, accepting, revulsed, used and abused. I don't need to read that in my fiction, especially not when the ending clearly shows that this is the start of the story and descent into darkness of a character who had no empathy with the girl.

Women are basically non-existing in this book. We get Senn, an old mother-subsitute housekeeper and a competent female priest that everyone else is afraid of. The interesting priest, Father Bari, basically dies at the beginning of the story.

Technically the story is well-written and draws you along, but it leaves me with a taste of bitterness and hopeless rage in my mouth. I don't need that in my fiction. I won't be reading on in this series.

P.S. I'll never understand what was "Gaslight" about the dogs, but I bet that name was a decision of the publisher.(less)

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Apr 27, 2010

Heather rated it

If you are expecting steampunk with Inuits, you'll be disappointed. If you're expecting something exactly like the Warchild series, you might be disappointed. But if you're expecting brilliant writing, characters that breathe as surely as the person sitting next to you, and heart-rending decisions and predicaments set among an eerily familiar setting, you'll love Gaslight Dogs.

This was not a quick read. The prose requires concentration, but that's fine with me, because the words are ...more

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Aug 16, 2010

Stefan rated it

Shelves: fantasy, www-fantasyliterature-com-review

Karin Lowachee, who has written three highly acclaimed SF novels, released her first fantasy novel, The Gaslight Dogs, in April 2010 — and it’s another good one. The novel has two memorable main characters, Sjennonirk (or Sjenn for short) and Jarrett, as well as several well-drawn side characters. Sjenn is the young spiritwalker of her Anwi (think: Inuit) tribe, who finds herself taken captive by the Ciracusan army and transported from the frozen north to the gaslit city of Nev Anyan. Jarrett is...moreKarin Lowachee, who has written three highly acclaimed SF novels, released her first fantasy novel, The Gaslight Dogs, in April 2010 — and it’s another good one. The novel has two memorable main characters, Sjennonirk (or Sjenn for short) and Jarrett, as well as several well-drawn side characters. Sjenn is the young spiritwalker of her Anwi (think: Inuit) tribe, who finds herself taken captive by the Ciracusan army and transported from the frozen north to the gaslit city of Nev Anyan. Jarrett is a captain in the Ciracusan army — and the son of a powerful general — who returns on leave to the same city after a fearful encounter with Qoyotariz, a warrior of one of the many tribes Ciracusa is battling.

This is a strong, emotionally gripping novel that deserves much more attention than it received when it first came out. Karin Lowachee’s prose is powerful and often uniquely styled. Be warned: you won’t find much exposition here, and as a result the first few chapters can be a bit confusing as the new vocabulary and names trickle into the story. I actually ended up reading them twice, partly to connect the dots on some world-building details that are implied rather than explained, and partly to enjoy the beautiful prose and Lowachee’s often surprising word choices and similes. Some books can be read quickly, and some need to be savored and enjoyed slowly; The Gaslight Dogs is most definitely an example of the latter.

Also impressive is the way Karin Lowachee quickly and deftly adds depth to her characters. Within the first pages of their respective chapters, you’ll have a solid idea of who Sjenn and Jarrett are, and as the book progresses, they are placed in emotionally wrenching situations that add layer upon layer to their personalities. However, the emotion in this novel is often understated: certain scenes contain powerful but almost silent clashes of worldviews and personalities, and their true impact may not strike you initially and hit you long after reading them.

The Gaslight Dogs’ fantasy world is fascinating, but not everything is explained in this first novel. There are many hints at a complex history that’s impacting the story in ways we may not yet understand. Even though there is no indication of it on the book’s cover (featuring a beautiful illustration by Sam Weber), this is actually the first book in a planned trilogy, but rest assured: the ending, while open, is extremely poignant and more than satisfying, so the novel works very well as a standalone.

The most pressing question, after finishing the novel, is the true nature of the “little spirits.” At first they may appear to be standard animal familiars or guiding spirits, but you’ll quickly realize that there’s a lot more going on here. The novel’s characters, powerful prose and well-realized world would be enough to have me run to the bookstore for the sequel, but my main motivation will be finding out more about these mysterious spirits. Regardless, The Gaslight Dogs is an excellent fantasy novel, and highly recommended to anyone looking for an original and emotionally gripping story.(less)

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Jan 02, 2012

Lauryn rated it

Shelves: alternate-history, fantasy

I wanted to like this book more than I did. In the end, I just could not connect with either of the main characters. I found Jarrett to be intolerable and Sjenn to be extremely frustrating. I did not understand Jarrett's complete prejudice or intolerance. His complete resistance to actually listening and dealing with what was happening nearly drove me insane. Sjenn was equally frustrating in that the reader was most often given as little information as her captors. We know what is alien and dist...more

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Apr 17, 2010

Alchymyst added it

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi-steampunk, could-not-finish

I am about halfway through this, and I am afraid I'll have to either put it on hold, or mark it as 'did not finish'. I really wanted to like this book. I mean, fantasy/steampunk with Inuits? How great is that? Unfortunately, it's just isn't as good as I was hoping it would be. The characters are uninspiring, the story is not bad but does not grab, the writing style is occasionally poetic, but mostly infuriating (I am still not sure I understand this sentence, for example: 'A rare enough quality ...more

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Dec 03, 2011

Helena R-D rated it

I thought this book had great potential-being steampunk and mixing Inuit like magic and beliefs into a tale that was supposed to be reminiscent of the colonialism that ran rampant in Canada during the late 18th and early 19th Century in the North.

It ran out of steam halfway through, what with the main character being unredeemable, the female lead disappearing and the story just getting more convoluted with no actual plot resolution as the book went on. I am starting to suspect that thi...more

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May 10, 2010

Daestwen rated it

Shelves: fantasy

This book was a bit of a disappointment for me. The concept was fascinating, but the execution poor and often wandering. The characters were believable but their conversations were constantly described with very forced battle metaphors, and their convictions were often replaced with what was need for the plot. The plot itself seemed to be only half thought out, and where many intriguing issues were raised, none were dealt with to any satisfaction. I kept waiting for this book to make good on it'...more

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Apr 30, 2011

Melissa rated it

I did not care for this book. One star might be a little harsh -- how about 1.5? It was a good idea that drug along picking up steam occasionally to flit here and there randomly before dragging some more. It had some interesting parts, but I could not get into either main character, the writing was often vague and/or convoluted, and the ending was horrifying (in its stupidity as well as actual horrible events). I sure hope there is a sequel, although I do not plan to read it. Makes me curse...more

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Jun 22, 2011

ambyr rated it

Shelves: stand-alone-novel, protagonist—multiple-genders, author—female, book-club, author—poc, genre—alternate-history, acquired—library, genre—fantasy—secondary-world, own—never, thrown-with-great-force, bored-now

This may not be the worst-paced book I've ever read, but it's certainly in contention for the title. It's not helped by the publisher's decision to release it without any hint that it is (the Internet tells me) book one of a series. (Why do you do this, publishers? Why?) But even if I'd known going in not to expect a complete story, I would still have been thrown by the decision to have action-packed 50 first and last pages and absolutely nothing in the middle.

And I do mean nothing. Th...more

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Aug 13, 2010

Sandi rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: nook-book, fantasy, 2010

I really don't know what to say about The Gaslight Dogs. I read a lot of books in a wide variety of genres/styles. I have never read anything like this book. I don't think I ever found the terror that I should have felt. The scenes that should have frightened me just broke my heart. The one thing the author never does is give everything away. Even though the book seems to have a definitive ending, by the end, there are still many unanswered questions. I am looking forward to reading the n...more

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Apr 06, 2010

Tina Burns rated it

I bought this thinking it would be a bit of steam or should I say gaspunk and paranormal. (Wouldn't you w/ the title?) I was disappointed. Nothing about this story says gleans any meaning from "Gaslight". The tribal names were impossible to pronounce and the storyline dragged on and on. I gave it three stars because there were some parts that the story actually held my interest. I'm not sure if I'm becoming romance bent or what, but putting some heat or tension between some of these ch...more

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Oct 26, 2010

Megan rated it

Shelves: fantasy

Didn't quite hang together for me, despite the unique setting reminiscent of native Inuit lands, and the interesting "primitive" system of magic. Occasionally the language was overly baroque and there was an awkward simile (the "pay attention to me I'm a pretty turn of phrase" thing jarred me out of the story a couple of times), and I found the story and especially the ending unsatisfying. The characters just didn't have enough depth for me. I would not rule out giving this...more

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Aug 09, 2010

Jon rated it

Recommended to Jon by: Beyond Reality August 2010 Selection

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, read-in-my-40s

I mulled over this novel all weekend, avoided writing a review or rating it until I could cogently summarize my reactions. A four star rating in this instance, while warranted, doesn't accurately reflect my feelings. I didn't like this story, but I loved the writing. Vivid, sometimes visceral, yet sparse descriptions etching indelibly my imagination. Canine metaphors aptly placed and finely tuned.

On the surface, Gaslight Dogs might represent the clash between the pioneer spirit...more

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Nov 27, 2011

Michelle rated it

Shelves: fantasy, books-i-own

(originally posted on my livejournal account: http://intoyourlungs.livejournal.com/267...)

Back in 2010 I read and really enjoyed Lowachee's Warchild, so when I saw that The Gaslight Dogs was chosen as the November pick for The Women of Fantasy book club, I was more than pleased.

Overall, I liked this book. I don't think I liked it as much as Warchild though, but that isn't to fault the book either -- it really is good on its own merit.

I think one of my favorite asect...more(originally posted on my livejournal account: http://intoyourlungs.livejournal.com/267...)

Back in 2010 I read and really enjoyed Lowachee's Warchild, so when I saw that The Gaslight Dogs was chosen as the November pick for The Women of Fantasy book club, I was more than pleased.

Overall, I liked this book. I don't think I liked it as much as Warchild though, but that isn't to fault the book either -- it really is good on its own merit.

I think one of my favorite asects of this book was the world-building, which is obviously a very important aspect in a fantasy novel. I recently watched Nickoledeon's cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender (which is an amazing show that everyone should watch by the way -- don't let the fact that it's a cartoon deter you), which incorporates fantasy and fuses it with Asian and Inuit influences. The Gaslight Dogs reminded me of the Inuit infusion (though the magic systems are completely different) that I found in Avatar, and I loved it. The Victorian feel of the setting, though muted, was still present, and I think I liked that it wasn't overpowering. Lowachee also really captured the feeling of the north, and tied in the Inuit setting well. I loved the idea of the Middle Light, though I was sometimes confused about the "rules" of it. I've also been really distracted lately because of school, so that's probably just from a lack of attention on my part.

As far as characters go I also have no complaints. Sjenn is a likable character who's easy to root for, and not just because she's the victim of colonialism. She's strong, but she knows when to give in for the sake of her survival. Jarrett obviously wasn't very likable for the 3/4 of the novel, but he was a jerk for some a reason. I mean his dad? Holy crap. That would mess you up pretty bad. So yeah, not likable, but I still liked reading from his perspective and seeing the psychology behind the WHY he could be such a jerk. It was also nice that there wasn't any sexual tension between him and Sjenn (though I wouldn't be opposed to it either, if it were done well).

My only complaint about the book was that it felt like not a whole lot happened despite the 350+ page count. The end started to get really good and then it just... ended. This book is screaming for a sequel, and I know it's meant to be the first in a series. It definitely reads like one, with this installment making up a lot of the set-up (and a lot of this set-up is absolutely necessary). It's just too bad because I wish there had been a little bit of a brisker pace.

Final Verdict: This isn't my favorite read of the year, but I'm still more than happy that I had an excuse to dive into Lowachee's shot at fantasy. I really enjoyed the world-building in this book and I loved that the magic was so infused with Inuit influences. I got a little confused with how the magic worked, but I think that was more my fault (I've been very distracted with school lately). The two leads were great characters to read about, Sjenn being my favorite of the two: she's a tough heroine, but she knows when she's in over her head too. Jarrett can be fairly unlikable, but that doesn't lessen the reading experience; rather, I loved reading his chapters and seeing the psychology behind why he was such a jerk at times. Also, he's much better by the book's end. One of my only complaints is that it didn't feel like a whole lot happened, but that could be attributed to the fact that this is supposed to be the first in a series (that ending is screaming for a sequel) -- I really do hope Lowachee gets to put out a sequel, because I would definitely pick it up. So, a mild recommendation from me, and a definite if you're already a fan of Lowachee.(less)

· see review

Dec 06, 2011

S-- rated it

Shelves: 2011

Full thoughts here.

Why I Started: It sounded fascinating. I know, I know, that seems to be the standard answer, but here: imagine a story inspired by the Inuit and one by the frontier west and then smoosh them together into one. Add a strong dose of spirituality and I, at least, am pretty much sold.

Why I Finished: *points up* That. Also, I heart Sjennonirk whose name I keep mispronouncing and the clash between her culture and that of the Ciracusans. (I keep wanting to write S...more

· see review

Dec 18, 2011

Colin rated it

Shelves: speculativefiction, fiction

Uuuuuuuuuummmmmmm. I'm not quite sure what to say about this book. I feel really complicated about it. First off, I thought the writing was overdone and sometimes repetitive. Overly flowery language and descriptions like, "Feeling a tongue of cool air tickle the back of his neck, as if the commotion one street over somehow pushed a reminder to his reluctant stance, Jarret shouldered open the gate and stepped through." All that just to go through a gate? After I'd already been told how...more

· see review

Jan 23, 2011

Mary-Beth rated it

Shelves: fiction, fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book seems problematic for me, because the Ciracusans are virutally British and the Aniw are nearly Inuit. So it's a difficult book for me, because it often works with so many of the stereotypes associated with both groups of people. Qoyotariz is perhaps the worst, given he seems to be the epitome of the savage stereotype and his people, the Soreganee are the unequivocal bad guys of the novel.

It also just wasn't the book for me. The story was frustrating. Jarrett is the main cha...more

· see review

Apr 10, 2010

Danielle rated it

Recommends it for: Joci, John, Jude

Shelves: scifi-fantasy, recommend-to-joci

If you're expecting that this book may be part of the same sci-fi series as Karin Lowachee's last three publications (Warchild, Burndive and Cagebird), it's not. It's a fantasy, and a really interesting one. It also appears to be the first of a set or series, as well, as it ends with a cliffhanger. (Arrrgh! :D)

I heard something about steampunk... also, I think, a misleading idea. Think Inuit and Old West Rangers, and the effects of colonialism. Wrap that up with some "magic"...more

like 1 like

· see review

Aug 14, 2010

Kate rated it

I wanted to like this book, I really did. The concept is fantastic, but unfortunately the execution left something to be desired. The writing is clunky, and while the reader creates a decent connection with the female character, but the male character (as far as I can tell she is not intending on their relationship to be romantic) remains cold and distant, an idea rather than a person.

I also hated the ending, as it seemed like a cliffhanger ready for a sequel rather than a proper end...more

like 1 like

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About Karin Lowachee

Karin was born in South America, grew up in Canada, and worked in the Arctic. Her first novel WARCHILD won the 2001 Warner Aspect First Novel Contest. Both WARCHILD (2002) and her third novel CAGEBIRD (2005) were finalists for the Philip K. Dick Award. CAGEBIRD won the Prix Aurora Award in 2006 for Best Long-Form Work in English and the Spectrum Award also in 2006. Her second novel BURNDIVE debute...more

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title link	preview: The Gaslight Dogs
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The Gaslight Dogs (Middle Light #1)

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