Does a new Steampunk novel play on an upcoming surveillance state in America?

Before I say anything, I have to make a confession. I never intended to review Dirt Town by Paula Baker and Aidan Davies. Back when I first joined their mailing list, I mistakenly clicked on an ARC link, so I was delivered a copy, which I, in turn, lost into cyberspace.

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Yeah, lucky me, right? Anyway, after reading K.J. Fieler’s gaslamp fantasy that contained some steampunk elements, I’ve since fallen head over heels for the genre, and part of me wants to write my own books in it.

But that ain’t happening anytime soon since I got Cursed Mage at bat, Spirit and Water on deck, and The Arcane Prophecy in the hole. Since they’re all sub-genres of fantasy, each in their own respective series, might I add but with a ton of cross-over, there’s no way I’ll be writing anything in any different genre. At least for the foreseeable future.

So, I have to get my good old steampunk fix through other authors, and Paula and Aidan might have something cooking. Maybe. This is a book I know I’m probably either going to either:

A) Really love, or,

B) Really love and hate myself for it

Why the latter? Oh, let me give you the rundown of what this work’s all about. And seriously, once you get to the bottom of this, you’ll know exactly what my dilemma is.

Dirt Town’s book blurb tilts this book in one of two directions

Here’s Dirt Town’s book description from the Zon:

Magic fuels privilege.

Robots enforce oppression.

One young doctor will ignite a revolution.

Doctor Aldrich Durante has everything: prestige, wealth, and the comfort of Upper Cairnisle, where robot guards patrol the streets and automatized carriages glide along glittering avenues. But his world unravels when he meets Fia, a daring orphan from the slums of Dirt Town.

Their chance encounter forces Aldrich to confront the dark truths of his society—grinding poverty, ruthless rulers, and machines designed to control, not protect. When Fia’s life is threatened by a dangerous loan shark, Aldrich steps in, risking his career and status to save her.

As injustice ignites a fire in Aldrich’s heart, he and Fia join forces against the corrupt Magisters who wield magic like a weapon. In a city teetering on the edge, their bond becomes a beacon of hope. But defying the system comes at a cost, and time is running out.

Can Aldrich and Fia spark a revolution before they’re silenced forever?

This book is either going to make me recommend it or give a few lectures

On one hand, this book’s blurb made me think of one of Ryan McMaken’s latest articles over at the Mises Institute: The New Hysteria: The Regime Pivots from Russians to Immigrants. Oh, and by the way, McMaken’s been rocking and rolling with his content lately, so there’s a weekend binge-read for me waiting to happen over at Mises when I’m not devouring fiction.

Anyway, the article talks about some of the technocrats who’ll be surrounding Donald Trump during Term No. 2 and, yeah, let’s just say our civil liberties ain’t gonna be in good shape if the likes of Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and Larry Ellison have it their way. You might remember one of Ellison’s most Orwellian quips, which McMaken included in his piece:

“Citizens will be on their best behavior because we are constantly recording and reporting everything that’s going on.”

That said, one reason I’m so hesitant to read new books or consume anything from an entertainment standpoint unless I either know the work or the authors lately is that there’s always the chance laissez-faire and free markets are wrongfully scapegoated.

But when the State intervenes in markets, it’s kind of hard to pass that off what Dr. Robert Malone calls “surveillance capitalism” as laissez-faire. Hence, let’s hope the authors didn’t get this one wrong.

Not that it’ll be a deal-breaker for me, but I’ve thrown books across the room and have scoffed and shaken my head a few times because the authors’ knowledge of economics and government rivals my knowledge of tennis.

Which is to say, I know nothing about tennis, even if I think I know the object of the game is for the player to get the ball past their opponent.

So, will this book call for some ‘collectivist utopia’ in which the ‘right people get into office and put evil capitalists in their respective places? Let’s hope not. Or, will it acknowledge that interventionism is, can, and will, in reality, lead to cronyism that’s often mistaken as laissez-faire? Let’s hope so.

Looking forward to the read

The plot looks intriguing and it mirrors that of my own work, which is why, despite my miscue, I want to read it once I wrap up Spirit Legacy for like the seventh time. Yeah, my reading time remains tacked to the 18th-19th respective hours of my day, so it’ll be a minute before I get this one up even if I was probably supposed to before it was actually published.

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Anyway, fingers crossed! Let’s hope I can give this book a solid breakdown and not have to sit here and point to the likes of a real economic expert Ryan McMaken, just to throw a name out there, about everything that’s wrong with the book’s message. In the world of fiction writing, which in case you haven’t noticed, has been primarily hijacked by the Left, you just never know.

Still, it’s steampunk, and I like my steampunk. Oh, and before I go, be sure to check me out on MeWe as I’ll be posting updates to all my reviews plus shorts there, too.