Clementine by Cherie Priest copyright 2010 by Cherie Priest, published by Subterranean Press, PO Box 190106, Burton, MI 48519 http://www.subterraneanpre...moreClementine by Cherie Priest copyright 2010 by Cherie Priest, published by Subterranean Press, PO Box 190106, Burton, MI 48519 http://www.subterraneanpress.com ISBN 978-1-59606-366-2 available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble for $4.99 for the eBook
Clementine is the second installment set in Cherie Priest’s “Clockwork Century” world. It is a world where the American Civil War still continues, great and terrible machines are being made and the city of Seattle, Washington is walled in and quarantined.
Clementine picks up the story of Croggon Hainey, a runaway slave who years before stole a Union war dirigible he renamed the Clementine. The Clementine is stolen so Hainey sets off in another stolen airship to try to recapture the Clementine and a race across the country, from Seattle, Washington to Louisville, Kentucky is on.
As Hainey races to recapture the Clementine, Maria Isabella Boyd, better known as “Belle” Boyd, a former Confederate spy has just gone to work for the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, her job, to make sure the Clementine makes it safely to her destination. She’s given the information that Hainey, a man wanted by the Confederacy Belle used to serve, is hot on the Clementine's tail. Belle is given a free hand to deal with Hainey any way she wants, including turning him over to her former pals within the Confederate Army.
Clementine is a really good read, although I didn’t like it as much as the first Clockwork Century novel Boneshaker. There is plenty of action in Clementine, but I didn’t feel as though there was enough tension in the book. It’s there in places, but it builds and releases coming to only a moderate climax at the end of the book. I personally prefer novels that continue to build their tension throughout the book without any of the periodic drop-offs that I experienced while reading Clementine.
I really enjoyed the characters in Clementine and the interplay that takes place between them. I was already slightly acquainted with Croggon Hainey through Boneshaker. To me he is the Civil War equivalent of a Rambo, rushing in guns blazing saying to hell with the consequences. He knows he wants his ship back and he’ll run over anyone or anything that gets in his way.
Clementine is worth the time it takes to read it. It’s relatively short. It’s fun and it’s a definite must read if you are a fan of Priest and her Clockwork Century world. (less)
Cherie Priest does a wonderful job in creating a world that will scare your socks off. If you live in Seattle BONESHAKER might just give you nightmare...moreCherie Priest does a wonderful job in creating a world that will scare your socks off. If you live in Seattle BONESHAKER might just give you nightmares.
Priest gives a view of an alternate reality where the Civil War has lasted for years beyond its actual span and Seattle has been destroyed by a machine designed to tunnel through the frozen Alaskan landscape in order to access gold veins far beneath the surface. The destruction caused by this machine allows a poisonous gas to escape that causes people exposed to it to turn into zombies called rotters. Priest provides reasons why all of these events takie place so it's easy to enter into her fantasy world and suspend your disbelief.
BONESHAKER is populated with villians, heroes, zombies and air pirates. There is a wonderful buld-up of action throughout the story that leaves you panting on the edge of your seat. There is one major problem, the book is missing two pages near the end. It was very frustrating because I knew I was missing a great scene and there was nothing I could do about it. After emailing Ms. Priest she contacted her editor, according to whom one need simply send the defective book to the address below and the publisher will replace the book with one that is not faulty.
But, the missing pages don't affect the plot or the backbone of the story. It's just a great action scene near the end of the book that probably would have built the tension even more before allowing its release.
Here's an example of Priest's writing:
"Briar reached for her satchel and hastily reloaded. If the rotters had breached the building, she might have to shoot her way through them on her way to the basement.
Her hands paused as she held the canister of shells, but only briefly.
If she went downstairs and they came behind her, she'd be trapped there.
She recommenced loading the rifle, and fast. Trapped downstairs, trapped upstairs. The differences were small, and she was damned either way. Better to keep her gun loaded and her options open.
The cacophony had escalated, and Briar wondered if she hadn't already lost the option of seeking a subterranean escape. She locked the cartridges into place and took another long look over the edge.
On the street the swarm gethered and clotted. The number of rotters had at least tripled, more than making up for the small handful she'd dispatched on her way up the hotel's exterior."
BONESHAKER by Cherie Priest, copyright 2009, A Tor Book, Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, http://www.tor-forge.com ISBN 978-0-7653-1841-1 %15.99 U.S., $20.50 Canada available through Tor Books at the website above, online from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other online retailers. Also available at local book stores.(less)
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