From the Bookshelf of Weird Westerns…

Tin Swift (Age of Steam, #2)

Devon Monk

Why we're reading this: Super steampunky western reminiscent of Bioshock:Infinite.
[close] Super steampunky western reminiscent of Bioshock:Infinite.

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

Apr 27, 2015 audrey rated it really liked it

Shelves: weird-west, eldritch-horrors, idaho, steampunk, the-fridge-is-full-gents-move-along

So perilously, perilously close to being a five-star book. So close.

Let's start with how this book opens in the super-fun part of Happily Ever After, namely the bit that comes after that, when everything's gone to hell. I LOVE THIS. AUTHORS: DO MORE OF THIS.

No wait, let's start with how this book was everything I really wanted Bioshock: Infinite to be that it wasn't. I really felt some strong parallels between Booker DeWitt and Cedar Hunt, and Alabaster Saint and Zachary Comstock, and the whole So perilously, perilously close to being a five-star book. So close.

Let's start with how this book opens in the super-fun part of Happily Ever After, namely the bit that comes after that, when everything's gone to hell. I LOVE THIS. AUTHORS: DO MORE OF THIS.

No wait, let's start with how this book was everything I really wanted Bioshock: Infinite to be that it wasn't. I really felt some strong parallels between Booker DeWitt and Cedar Hunt, and Alabaster Saint and Zachary Comstock, and the whole corrupt-general-looking-for-post-Civil-War-revenge portion of the game.

And the airships! The airships are wonderful. They are probably my favorite airships ever, due in no small part to the sheer technical excellence of Monk's writing ("The ship's frame screeched under the strain of the dive, her tin bones singing out like a hundred wet fingers over fine crystal"), and how lyrically and extensively they are described. Let us pause here now for the wanton Thank You For Awesome Worldbuilding Dance.

*shimmies*

And just like in the first book, randomly lovely details appear unexpectedly but consistently, now with the added bonus of Captain Hink, who is hilarious. There is also a scene I am not going to spoil for you, but will simply say that it seemed an entirely accurate portrayal of what happens when a hero tries to get his swerve on while the rest of his airship crew is trying to sleep in the same room.

The disconnect between the steampunk Western and the dark fairy stories I felt in the first book don't appear in this one, mainly because the steampunk Western section has clobbered the fairy story into submission. The fairies kind of do their dark and evil thing around the edges of this great big glorious steampunk Western with AIRSHIPS, which I don't think I mentioned that I loved more than a day off, because I am very picky about my AIRSHIPS and having thought it over these are definitely my favorite AIRSHIPS ever.

I did kind of wish that the Madder brothers had had a larger role in the story, and I did object to a major impetus of the story being a thing that happened to one of the characters that I am only going to say HOY, ICEBOX (aka Booker, Catch!) at, which is why we are not seeing our elusive special friend Mr Fifth Star here. But seriously, there is so much *zzzzzip bang! whoosh!* here, and so much action and adventure (AIRSHIPS!) and so many beautiful things that I am hard-pressed to complain.

*recommences worldbuilding dance* ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Feb 03, 2014 Sarah E B marked it as to-read

Nov 20, 2014 G rated it really liked it

Oct 11, 2015 Bill Cidell marked it as not-in-library

Jan 06, 2017 Jennifer Monsen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy-westerns

Group Home Bookshelf Discussions

Photos Videos

Send invite Members Polls