The number of literary references dizzy and delight me, but somehow don't make up for the fact that I'm still left with so many questions. This trilog...moreThe number of literary references dizzy and delight me, but somehow don't make up for the fact that I'm still left with so many questions. This trilogy is a lot of fun, quick-paced and full of allusions and minglings of history and fiction and a possible future. There are some great kickass female characters (and I don't just mean Lucy Westenra, Action Heroine, I mean Havisham as well, and Irene Adler, and Queen Victoria).
It's hard to take it seriously, though, partly because it's such a mass of allusions and homages. The plots of a dozen other stories swirl up with Lavie Tidhar's plot and I just can't keep them separate -- and I imagine anyone who hasn't read a fair few of the books referenced would be equally confused in the other direction.(less)
Camera Obscura is another fun action-filled story -- gore-filled, too. Milady De Winter is a more compelling character than Orphan: she seems less wis...moreCamera Obscura is another fun action-filled story -- gore-filled, too. Milady De Winter is a more compelling character than Orphan: she seems less wishy-washy. Still, both of them are at the mercy of the plot: they're pawns, being moved by peripheral characters. Which... is a little too obvious to the reader, all along. So I can't say it impresses me or is likely to stick in my mind.
But it's also not to be totally dismissed. It really is fun, and the world Lavie Tidhar has created is bizarre and colourful and fascinating.(less)
I don't know what to think about this. I read about halfway through this, and then by chance read the reviews here on goodreads, and my suspicions wer...moreI don't know what to think about this. I read about halfway through this, and then by chance read the reviews here on goodreads, and my suspicions were confirmed. I was enjoying it in a way -- the world at least, the ideas -- but I couldn't enjoy the characters because there seemed to be very little to them. I never got an idea of what drove any particular character or why -- I didn't get enough of a sense of any of them to really like them.
Add to that the problems raised in other reviews, and I decided not to waste my time. I skimmed through and peeked at some of the bits other people highlighted. I suggest you read this review for a clearer idea -- for a start.(less)
This has to get five stars because it kept me up at night, tantalised me when I didn't get chance to read, and enchanted me totally. While it's market...moreThis has to get five stars because it kept me up at night, tantalised me when I didn't get chance to read, and enchanted me totally. While it's marketed (and shelved by me) as YA, it's China Miéville: there's plenty to keep you guessing no matter how old you are.
I love the ideas, the bits of other stories (Moby Dick being a prominent one), the worldbuilding, the pace of it... The use of & for "and" took some getting used to, but all in all I loved it, and I think the prose was pretty awesome. The whole bit about the & being like a trainline...
The end, what they discover, sort of made me laugh, and then the sailing off at the end -- perfect. The characters are all interesting, sympathetic in their own weird ways -- I have huge affection for Daybe, and Captain Narphi fascinated me.
Really, even if you haven't got on with China Miéville's work before, I do recommend this one.(less)
The Kingdom Beyond the Waves is much more coherent a narrative than The Court of the Air -- I suppose it probably helps that a lot of the world is est...moreThe Kingdom Beyond the Waves is much more coherent a narrative than The Court of the Air -- I suppose it probably helps that a lot of the world is established already, and that some of the characters and concepts are familiar, but the story does seem to flow better too. Well enough that I think I will read the third book (if my library ever gets it in, anyway) and give Stephen Hunt the benefit of the doubt one more time. The last half of the book was genuinely gripping, though I did pause partway through for a long time before getting back into it.
It's fun to read, quite a lot of fun, but... I don't know. Too many characters, too few bonds between characters, too many improbable survivals and last minute rescues. (less)
I've been meaning to pick up The Court of the Air for a long time. Can't remember how Stephen Hunt got on my radar, but he's been sort of hanging arou...moreI've been meaning to pick up The Court of the Air for a long time. Can't remember how Stephen Hunt got on my radar, but he's been sort of hanging around there for a while, so I grabbed this from the library on one of my recent trips there. I'm not entirely sure I want to read the sequel: The Court of the Air has some astonishing ideas, and some really great bits, and even some characters I found interesting, but it got tangled up in itself. The writing is competent enough but the planning leaves something to be desired: it's like looking at the wrong side of a bit of cross-stitching -- you can see what it's meant to look like, but it's a bit of a mess.
There is a lot to enjoy about it, but it's bogged down by that confusion. On the one hand, it's the start of a series which could well improve a lot; on the other, I took a break from reading it for a couple of days and struggled to get my feet when I came back to it. That's going to get worse with an ongoing series that's still getting new books.
Still, I have the second book out of the library too, so I might as well at least try it. Stephen Hunt's work doesn't fill me with the same excitement as Philip Palmer's work does, so it doesn't really help his case that I discovered Philip Palmer at the same time.(less)
Caveat: the edition I got from the Kindle store was badly edited. A fair few typos caught my attention, and there were probably more that didn't leap...moreCaveat: the edition I got from the Kindle store was badly edited. A fair few typos caught my attention, and there were probably more that didn't leap out at me.
Still, in general, I found the stories entertaining. There are three in this volume, and honestly I liked the last one the best, because it had more humanity in it -- more emotion and a hint at character-depth, at least. But all three are interesting little stories; the first is the longest, and opens up a world that the other stories really don't show enough of: I'd read novels set in this 'verse, quite happily. The second amused me because of the references to old nursery rhymes and sayings, which I always like to wonder about -- are they nonsense, or is there some deeper meaning?(less)
This book really annoyed me because it could've been quirky and sweet, and there were even some beautiful lines that I could cut out and keep, but the...moreThis book really annoyed me because it could've been quirky and sweet, and there were even some beautiful lines that I could cut out and keep, but the tone kept vacillating and throwing me out of the story. It never quite settled down to being humour, or a fairytale, or a serious work of fantasy, or... anything. I felt jerked around by it and just ended up resentful.
Also, if you read the blurb and think it might be a children's book, it definitely isn't that. It is an adult book, with references to sex and prostitution and all sorts of things like that, and without any maturity to go with it, too.
Anyway, I got about three quarters of the way through and just didn't care. There are some lovely lines, lovely ideas, but it doesn't come together to be anything I could honestly say I liked.(less)
Island of Icarus is a steampunk novella, involving two men who come together by chance -- both ship wrecked -- and turn out to be perfect for one anot...moreIsland of Icarus is a steampunk novella, involving two men who come together by chance -- both ship wrecked -- and turn out to be perfect for one another. Jon has a prosthetic arm, and what's more was struggling with his sexuality and the loss of his fiancée. Marcus is an inventor, who saves him from a shipwreck, nurses him to health, and falls in love with him.
For such a short novella, it did well in making me care about the characters. The sex scenes are really well written, and the romance is believable, and sweet without being saccharine. The love between the two men comes through despite the word scarcely being mentioned, and that's part of what gives the sex scenes their appeal.(less)
City of Dreams & Nightmare is a bit patchy, but overall I had fun reading it. It reminded me of half a dozen other stories -- Stephen Hunt, with a...moreCity of Dreams & Nightmare is a bit patchy, but overall I had fun reading it. It reminded me of half a dozen other stories -- Stephen Hunt, with a touch of Miéville and all those fantasy stories where an unremarkable street-girl/street-boy becomes oh so terribly important. There were a lot of ideas, and I was fascinated, but around three-quarters of the way through it wears thin: suddenly we find out that everything has been orchestrated by someone, that the danger was never really that bad.
The overall effect is that things seem to be over almost as soon as they really began to move toward a climax, and then the last few chapters feel awkward. Obviously they're setting up the rest of the series, and some of it is really effective -- the scene in the Pits at the end, for example -- but some of it just feels rushed.
I'm interested enough to read the other books at some point, though not to buy them if they're not in the library.(less)
I've had this book vaguely on my mental list of books that might be interesting for a long time, but I picked it up on pure whim. I'm interested in ho...moreI've had this book vaguely on my mental list of books that might be interesting for a long time, but I picked it up on pure whim. I'm interested in how many low reviews it has: I think the problem is that people expect something great and marvelously written from the book that inaugurated such a huge cultural phenomenon as steampunk. It's not that. It's fun, silly, often ridiculous, and in no way intended to be taken too seriously, I think.
It's a juxtaposition of ideas, written very much in the tradition of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells and with a protagonist that reminds me very much of the common mental image of bumbling, unintelligent John Watson. (Which usually ignores that he is a doctor, an army man, and capable of handling fire arms, not to mention trusted by Holmes who is obviously no idiot. He has a certain lack of imagination, yes, but he's not as stupid as the stereotype would have you believe -- and certainly not as stupid as the protagonist of this novel.)
I thought it was fun, and actually pretty absorbing. Not convincing as anything serious, but fun. I'm glad Angry Robot republished it, it's been a nice diversion from waiting for the slow wheels of the NHS to turn.(less)
I'd been meaning to read this for ages, but when I finally got round to it I couldn't really find any enthusiasm. Which is sad, since there are some a...moreI'd been meaning to read this for ages, but when I finally got round to it I couldn't really find any enthusiasm. Which is sad, since there are some awesome reviews out there, but it really didn't come together well -- the characters are all caricatures, and if he could write more stereotypically Victorian women I don't want to read him doing it. Oh for some capable, sensible women...
The alternate history and so on is interesting, and there's a certain energy to the prose, but it started slowly, the information came in lumps, and I just didn't get into it. Meh.(less)
Not sure what to make of this. It reminds me of a lot of other steampunk I've read, it's fun enough as a diversion, it was an easy and a quick read......moreNot sure what to make of this. It reminds me of a lot of other steampunk I've read, it's fun enough as a diversion, it was an easy and a quick read... it just didn't work for me, somehow. The patchwork quilt of literary and historical references, the rather perfunctory love story, heck, the rather perfunctory main character...
There's a lot of fun to be had here, in the adventure plot and the wild sequence of ideas, but it's not something I could really take seriously, somehow. I was reminded a lot of my thoughts on Stephen Hunt's work.(less)
The Strange Case of Finley Jayne is a quick, fun prequel to a book I haven't yet read, The Girl in the Steel Corset. It works reasonably well on its o...moreThe Strange Case of Finley Jayne is a quick, fun prequel to a book I haven't yet read, The Girl in the Steel Corset. It works reasonably well on its own, without having to infodump. If you're used to steampunky worlds, it isn't that different, at least at first glance.
It's not very subtle or very deep, but then, it is a short story/novella (not sure how many words it has and which exactly it qualifies as). Basically, it introduces the character of Finley Jayne, who is rapidly realising that she's very different to everyone else.
There's enough detail about the characters/situations to get me interested, and I'll be reading The Girl in the Steel Corset for some light fun, but it didn't bowl me over or anything like that.(less)
I went up and down on whether I liked The Inventor's Companion for the first 50% of it. I like the setting, and the fact that it's a serious explorati...moreI went up and down on whether I liked The Inventor's Companion for the first 50% of it. I like the setting, and the fact that it's a serious exploration of a caste system, rather than something done purely for titillation. I quickly got to love Gabriel for being a decent guy, though perhaps too good to be true. I got very fond of the supporting characters -- there was a lot of attention given to developing all the characters, which has been somewhat lacking in some of the other LGBT books I've read. It was a fully explored world, I think, bar for the fact that obviously it will develop after the political events of the story. Which is good, too: it's a satisfying, complete story, but there's scope for development, and I think it will be a series, according to what I've read.
I'm not sure what the problem in the first 50% or so was: I just didn't connect with the story at that point. What did get to me was the tension between Lucio and Gabriel, the feelings that grew between them, and the ways they found to be together. The fact that they communicated their problems and tried to work through them. And the supporting characters, too: their friendship for Gabriel, their growing understanding of and sensitivity to politics.
The steampunk aspects of the story are in the background, and feel natural to the story. It isn't really about the machines: they're important, yes, and the fact that Gabriel is an inventor is entirely necessary to the plot and to his interactions with others, but it isn't about "oooh, exotic machines!".
I think I'll read any sequels to this, but I wouldn't be dashing for them. I'd probably want to wait and get them for a lazy, self-indulgent afternoon, and read them in one go to get into the world and story.
Oh, warning: it has a fair number of fairly explicit sex scenes, most homosexual and one heterosexual. It includes lots of references to forced sex.(less)
I'm not sure I enjoyed The Half-Made World. I was intrigued by it, which is something different. There's nothing here to hang your hopes on, to get em...moreI'm not sure I enjoyed The Half-Made World. I was intrigued by it, which is something different. There's nothing here to hang your hopes on, to get emotionally attached to: the Linesmen are interchangeable, the Line unpleasant; the Agents of the Gun are as bad or worse, though at least they're individuals; the General is nothing but a tool for the plot; Liv is colourless... Even the Republic is hollow. The narration follows a Linesman, an Agent, and Liv, who is neutral. It really just emphasises that there is no right or wrong: it's a sea of moral ambiguity. I don't even know what moral goodness would look like, in this world.
Creedmore is, despite being despicable, at least an interesting character. His conflict, his relationship with Marmion, his unpredictability and irreverence... If I kept reading for any of the characters, it was for him. He's colourful, at least, even if it's the colours of hell!
The world itself is interesting -- the concept of it, the idea of the Line and the Guns, and the half-made nature of it as you go out West. I was intrigued by the steampunk and Western aspects (though, again, I'm not sure I'd use the word enjoyed). Some of the most interesting things, the Folk, drift around on the outside...
And it's all very inconclusive. Has anything changed, at the end? It doesn't feel like it's waiting for a sequel -- it just trails off.
Despite all of that, which sounds very critical, I was (here's that word again) intrigued: I kept reading, all four hundred and eighty pages of it, which is something.(less)
Magic Under Glass was reasonably fun as a quick read -- I think it took me barely more than an hour -- but looking back on it, I find it lacking in su...moreMagic Under Glass was reasonably fun as a quick read -- I think it took me barely more than an hour -- but looking back on it, I find it lacking in substance. I didn't really get attached to the characters and world, or believe in the emotional bonds between the characters, and while I did want things to turn out right at the end, it was hardly nail-biting tension. I liked Annalie best, I think, and Linza: too bad they were secondary characters and plot devices. The prose itself is serviceable without being even slightly exciting, and Nimira's (first person) narration doesn't really offer anything unique.
Steam-Powered is a collection of steampunk stories, all to some degree or another involving lesbian characters. As the introduction points out, it's a...moreSteam-Powered is a collection of steampunk stories, all to some degree or another involving lesbian characters. As the introduction points out, it's a very diverse collection, with characters from all sorts of different cultures, and very few if any being purely about white Americans. That's one of the aims of the anthology, and it fulfils that very well.
I didn't love all the stories, and one or two of them bothered me by being a bit 'ooohh, exoticisation!"-y. Also, as someone who has sat through quite a few creative writing classes, and whose own writing is primarily short fiction, I'm extremely picky about short stories. I want hooks and twists and stings in the tails. It doesn't have to be a complex story, but it has to be told with very great care. Some of these just didn't work for me on that level.
Some of them I loved: N.K. Jemisin's "The Effluent Engine" was predictably good (predictably in the sense that I love Jemisin's work, anyway); I wanted a lot more of "Steel Rider" because I got sucked into that world and those characters; "Sleepless, Burning Life" was full of amazing imagery which I think is going to stick with me.
Worth a read? I definitely think so.
Just, don't get the Kindle version. It's not properly laid out in chapters so you can skip back to the beginning of a tale without remembering the location, there's no table of contents, each story is smushed into the last because there's no spacing between them... It's seriously detrimental in one of the stories because it has different time periods separated by titles, and the Kindle edition runs them all together.(less)
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