SOLVED. SciFi/Dystopia book about a future where technology was lost and reverted to 19th century [s]

[Matt]

Main character is a boy, he has heard legends of a technological past and is constantly curious about any tech that may have survived. I remember he see a boat and wonders if it is powered by a motor but admits to himself it's probably a horse providing the power below deck. Read this book in the early/mid 90's it was published in the 70's or 80's though. Possibly YA. Thanks I appreciate any help.

[Feliks]

Probably not the title you have in mind, but Pavane is a book exactly like this.

[Matt]

That's not the one but I will check it out for sure. Sounds interesting.

[Feliks]

Good man

[Andy]

Possibly The Wild Shore The Wild Shore

[Krazykiwi]

Possibly Edgar Pangborn's Davy

[Matt]

I'll have to get a copy of Davy... Sounds like a candidate

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Be sure to come back and let us know if that's it or not.

[Michele]

Perhaps Star Man's Son, 2250 A.D or The Long Tomorrow?

What was the story arc -- was the main character on some sort of journey, was he trying to solve a mystery, etc.?

[Justanotherbiblophile]

Not _Star Man's Son_, no boat (large enough to hold horses) scene in that one.

[D.M.]

Sounds like John Christopher, but not sure what book.

[Jilly]

Could it be Ayn Rand's "Anthem?"

[Daphne]

River Rats has the boy and the "all tech is gone" storyline and a boat. It isn't quite what you described, but maybe take a look.

[Matt]

I think it's "The Prince in Waiting" by John Christopher. Just trying to get a copy now...

[Justanotherbiblophile]

There's a 'Possibly Solved' folder that I use to house threads like that - you can bump it back to 'Unsolved' if it turns out to not be the book, etc.

There's a link called 'edit' by the end of the subject/header of your thread, once you're in there, you can select a different folder than 'Unsolved'

[Michele]

Matt wrote: "I think it's "The Prince in Waiting" by John Christopher. Just trying to get a copy now..."

The Prince in Waiting for the clickiness...

[[deleted user]]

Sounds like Peter Dickinson's Changes Trilogy. There's definitely a boat big enough to hold horses. Could be book 1 The Devil's Children or book 2 Heartsease

[Cumbling Michael]

It also sounds a lot like L E Modesitt's The Magic Engineer, (view spoiler)[ In which the main character (a boy/youth at the beginning) seeks to build a steam engine to power a boat, in a world where such technology existed in the past, but is now forbidden. The world of the story has active magic, based on order and chaos, which are always in balance. An increase in one leads to an increase in the other. Since the building of complex machines brings more order into the world, it also causes an increase in harmful chaos. For this reason, any engineering beyond simple blacksmithing is banned. Needless to say, the main character finds ways around this prohibition. (hide spoiler)]

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Matt, did your book turn out to be "The Prince in Waiting?"

[Matt]

It was The Magic Engineer