November Quick Reviews

I’ve finally got some more reading done recently. K.W. Jeter’s Infernal Devices, Tim Powers’ The Stress of Her Regard and Cherie Priest’s Boneshaker.

Infernal Devices (1987)

Infernal Devices definitely has the whole steampunk vibe going, which isn’t surprising, as Jeter coined the term the year this novel was published, in a letter to Locus about his earlier novel Morlock Night. Infernal Devices is a fun little adventure novel, although the plot twists were generally unexpected. Steam power itself is not in much evidence here, as the technology in the story is more clockwork oriented. The mad scientist in this story has since passed away, and it is his “infernal devices” which remain the problem of the tale. Other now-common tropes of steampunk literature include mistaken identities, clockwork automata, and flying machines. This was a fast-paced novel, but I wish it had lingered in some areas. While enjoyable, it didn’t get very deep. Fans of steampunk literature should read this, but I probably won’t read this a second time.

The Stress of Her Regard (1989)

Tim Powers was another of the triumvirate of authors initially associated with steampunk (The third being Blaylock). I started reading Powers recently, as the Anubis Gates is sometimes considered steampunk. The Stress of Her Regard is not steampunk, however, but rather what is termed Secret History. Powers uses the real documented lives of historical figures, such as Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley and John Keats, weaving them together and providing a supernatural story which fits within the established historical record. In this story, great literary figures such as Byron and Shelley have relationships with supernatural beings identified as vampires (John Polidori, a contemporary of Byron and a character in this book, wrote a short story called “The Vampyre” which is the first known vampire story written in English). However, unlike the beautiful shiny vampires from Anne Rice (The Vampire Chronicles 1973) , Stephanie Meyer (Twilight 2005), or L.J. Smith (The Vampire Diaries 1991), the vampires in The Stress of Her Regard are ancient stone spirits. Powers weaves a powerful tale, and this work has considerable literary merit. Powers clearly did extensive research into mythology and history to write a fantastic book. While tween vamp fans probably won’t be interested in this story, but those familiar with the literature of the Romantic period should enjoy it. I’ll likely reread this novel again before the 2011 Renovation Worldcon, where Powers will be a Guest of Honour.

Boneshaker (2009)

Cherie Priest’s latest novel is set in an alternate history Seattle while the American Civil War has dragged on for nearly two decades. It has made it on Publishers Weekly’s list of the top novels of 2009. I was really looking forward to reading this story, and it lived up to my expectations. The book itself is crafted well. The text was printed in a dark brown ink. Still easily readable, but it gave this story a much more earthy feel. Boneshaker has two main characters which we follow into the walled off city inhabited by “rotters”. Of the two, Briar Wilkes is a more defined character. Zeke is, well, a teenaged boy.  While his search is for his family’s tarnished legacy, Briar is forced to confront her own personal relationship to the past horrors. Cherie Priest uses several of the common themes associated with steampunk literature of the past. Aside from the obvious airships, and brass goggles, Priest plays on mistaken identity, technological marvels, and the use of real historical figures, in the character of Princess Angeline, eldest daughter of Chief Seattle. The Seattle of Boneshaker is a very gritty, thick atmospheric feel. Cherie Priest has a clear vision of this alternate world, and I’m looking forward to reading future novels set in “The Clockwork Century” world.