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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
This is the book that kickstarted my love of all things Steampunk. It was the first time I'd experienced it and the aesthetic world sunk it's claws into my imagination.
As a book it's an enjoyable romp through an alternative Victorian England and I'd recommend it as a great place to start if you're curious.
As a book it's an enjoyable romp through an alternative Victorian England and I'd recommend it as a great place to start if you're curious.
Mark Hodder’s The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack takes the grandfather paradox and runs with it in spectacular fashion. It starts out as a steampunk novel that uses historical figures as characters (such as Sir Richard Francis Burton, Algernon Swinburne, and Isambard Kingdom Brunel), but it becomes rapidly apparent that this novel is more than that when we start to learn the history and motivations of the eponymous Spring Heeled Jack. I would have finished this book sooner, but I had to keep running to Wikipedia to find out what really happened with these characters. As I read, I was astounded to see just how much actual history Hodder incorporated into his fiction. It’s amazing what Hodder’s done just by throwing a time traveler into the mix...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
"The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack" is a brilliant blend of history, mystery and science fiction that tries to deal with the question of time travel and the havoc it would wreak on the past/future. The premise finds two characters from the Victorian era, Sir Richard Francis Burton and Algernon Swinburne, trying to stop the mysterious Spring Heeled Jack from preying on young women. But Spring Heeled Jack possesses powers that are not of their time, and strange creatures and unusual happenings are turning up all over London. A wonderful blend of speculative science and of historical characters cast in new roles, all set in an alternate Victorian London at its grimmest and grimiest, this book is a delight for lovers of Steampunk fiction at its finest.
I really enjoyed this while I was reading it, and devoured it in 2 days, but for some reason when I sat down to update my Goodreads, I couldn't remember what the last book I finished was. So this was a very enjoyable read, but not very memorable. That said, I'll totally pick up the next one.
Wow, it took me a year to finish this book. Why? (mild spoilers ahead)
Well, at first it felt really fresh, really new, really fun, and then it slowly dribbled out into this tedious, messy chore that I felt I needed to slog through, just to get it off my currently-reading shelf. Normally I would just ditch this kind of book to my 'unfinished' pile. But there was something that was still so charming about it.
I love the premise: alternate history due to time travel paradox, where science accelerates a bit too fast during the very fun Victorian era, to give a beautiful steampunk setting. But that's about all I really enjoyed.
I very much disliked the characters. Burton (main character) was the only one I felt somewhat sympathic towards, and that only because we actually saw his reasoning first-hand. I felt mostly apathy towards any of the main villains, including Spring-Heeled Jack himself. In fact, I think I ended up loathing Jack, but not for being a flawed character, but because the author wrote him so badly. Yes, perhaps you do need a sort of filter to protect your mind, if you're going to time travel. That's something worth exploring. On the other hand, traveling to another culture on our planet (change in place, not time) can give a similar shock to less-robust minds, and somehow most do not end up having a complete mental break down. To me, it just felt like an easy way out, an easy way to explain Jack's brain fragmentation.
I can suspend my disbelief to go with the alternate history. I can even somehow concieve a land where our great historical figures (Darwin, Nightingale, etc.) have turned evil, and let their love of science completely trounce ethics. But there were too many things piled ontop of each other in this book, and it turned from a fun premise into a miserable, rigerous slog.
So, I finished the book, mostly because I was exhausted and needed something to read to stay awake, and it was one of the few on my phone I was already somewhat familiar with. I think I'm done with the steampunk genre for now, unfortunately. It's one of my favorite, but authors keep butchering it, instead of letting it flourish (for instance, China Mieville lets it flourish and build beautiful creations).
Well, at first it felt really fresh, really new, really fun, and then it slowly dribbled out into this tedious, messy chore that I felt I needed to slog through, just to get it off my currently-reading shelf. Normally I would just ditch this kind of book to my 'unfinished' pile. But there was something that was still so charming about it.
I love the premise: alternate history due to time travel paradox, where science accelerates a bit too fast during the very fun Victorian era, to give a beautiful steampunk setting. But that's about all I really enjoyed.
I very much disliked the characters. Burton (main character) was the only one I felt somewhat sympathic towards, and that only because we actually saw his reasoning first-hand. I felt mostly apathy towards any of the main villains, including Spring-Heeled Jack himself. In fact, I think I ended up loathing Jack, but not for being a flawed character, but because the author wrote him so badly. Yes, perhaps you do need a sort of filter to protect your mind, if you're going to time travel. That's something worth exploring. On the other hand, traveling to another culture on our planet (change in place, not time) can give a similar shock to less-robust minds, and somehow most do not end up having a complete mental break down. To me, it just felt like an easy way out, an easy way to explain Jack's brain fragmentation.
I can suspend my disbelief to go with the alternate history. I can even somehow concieve a land where our great historical figures (Darwin, Nightingale, etc.) have turned evil, and let their love of science completely trounce ethics. But there were too many things piled ontop of each other in this book, and it turned from a fun premise into a miserable, rigerous slog.
So, I finished the book, mostly because I was exhausted and needed something to read to stay awake, and it was one of the few on my phone I was already somewhat familiar with. I think I'm done with the steampunk genre for now, unfortunately. It's one of my favorite, but authors keep butchering it, instead of letting it flourish (for instance, China Mieville lets it flourish and build beautiful creations).
I don't know why I took so long to read this book, it is a very good story. Although it is quite a long book, it is a very quick read.
I really like the idea used by the author of including a whole group of more or less famous historical figures in the book, but completely change their lives. Still, of course, he does not hesitate to turn to real events when he needs it. I really liked that in the end of the book the author decided to confront the characters' real bios with their fictional counterparts, it was really fun.
And so we have the main character - Sir Richard Burton - an adventurer and traveler, whose extraordinary knowledge and experience allow him to face the unusual task entrusted to him by the prime minister. He is partnered by a thrill-seeking poet, Algernon Swinburne. This is also a very interesting character, but I think his potential hasn't been fully used yet. Swinburne brings a comic twist to the story while also counterbalancing Burton. Together, they make a fascinating duo. I see great potential here, which I will be happy to discover in future books.
Burton must solve the mystery of a mythical creature that has been attacking young girls for years. There are many twists and turns and unexpected answers. Although it all boils down to answering the traditional question of time travelers: what if we change the course of history so that we are never born. And although this question also appears in other books, the story pretty well describes the consequences and despair of Edward as he tries to rectify his mistake.
There are some dark themes in the book. Mostly, the somber topic of sexual harassment of young girls, but it was handled quite delicately. Even so, if you are sensitive about it, be warned that it does come up here, although the scenes are not very detailed.
Generally, this book has a humorous tone, which I like very much. Though for me, it could be even more humorous and more ironic.
I think now that I know how much fun this can be, I will soon be reading another book in this series.
I really like the idea used by the author of including a whole group of more or less famous historical figures in the book, but completely change their lives. Still, of course, he does not hesitate to turn to real events when he needs it. I really liked that in the end of the book the author decided to confront the characters' real bios with their fictional counterparts, it was really fun.
And so we have the main character - Sir Richard Burton - an adventurer and traveler, whose extraordinary knowledge and experience allow him to face the unusual task entrusted to him by the prime minister. He is partnered by a thrill-seeking poet, Algernon Swinburne. This is also a very interesting character, but I think his potential hasn't been fully used yet. Swinburne brings a comic twist to the story while also counterbalancing Burton. Together, they make a fascinating duo. I see great potential here, which I will be happy to discover in future books.
Burton must solve the mystery of a mythical creature that has been attacking young girls for years. There are many twists and turns and unexpected answers. Although it all boils down to answering the traditional question of time travelers: what if we change the course of history so that we are never born. And although this question also appears in other books, the story pretty well describes the consequences and despair of Edward as he tries to rectify his mistake.
There are some dark themes in the book. Mostly, the somber topic of sexual harassment of young girls, but it was handled quite delicately. Even so, if you are sensitive about it, be warned that it does come up here, although the scenes are not very detailed.
Generally, this book has a humorous tone, which I like very much. Though for me, it could be even more humorous and more ironic.
I think now that I know how much fun this can be, I will soon be reading another book in this series.
3.6/5 highly entertaining. Also: time travel, man. Should've listened to Grandpa Simpson's advice to Homer on his wedding day: If you ever travel back in time, don't step on anything! Because even the tiniest change can alter the future in ways you can't imagine.
I keep switching between 2 and 3 stars. How I wish half-stars were allowed!! Hodder tried to simultaneously juggle too many balls in the air IMO. The feeling that situations were "contrived" grew as the book progressed. If you throw tons of "cool" gadgets and gizmos at the reader, they tend to de-sensitize the reader. That is not a good thing to happen in a steam punk novel!
In the beginning, I enjoyed the book. But by the time I finished the book, the feeling that the book had overstayed its welcome was too pervasive to ignore. It takes guts to attempt a book like this...maybe Hodder should have written an easier book prior to attempting one this difficult?
At this point, I will not be pursuing sequels in this series. I have too many other series languishing on my "to read" shelf. I may change my mind in the future...one never knows!
In the beginning, I enjoyed the book. But by the time I finished the book, the feeling that the book had overstayed its welcome was too pervasive to ignore. It takes guts to attempt a book like this...maybe Hodder should have written an easier book prior to attempting one this difficult?
At this point, I will not be pursuing sequels in this series. I have too many other series languishing on my "to read" shelf. I may change my mind in the future...one never knows!
Immensely complicated, but fascinating most of the time. I had trouble keeping some details straight. Very very creative use of history, real people and alternate history. Some of the scenes are mind-blowing but I also culdn't help thinking of the world of Hellboy...
Is it selfish of me to ask for fewer pages in exchange for more stars?
Recommended for steampunk/sci-fi/alt-history fans
Is it selfish of me to ask for fewer pages in exchange for more stars?
Recommended for steampunk/sci-fi/alt-history fans
A great steampunk novel. It's difficult to really get into what this book is about without spoiling it some. I went in blind, and it was really fun to read and figure out what's going on as you read, so if you prefer, just go read this book and don't read the rest of my review.
Ok, they're gone. So the book is about Sir Richard Francis Burton, who is asked by the Prime Minister to look into some strange happenings in London. It becomes apparent that we're dealing with an alternate Victorian period. And also that time travel is involved. As a result of one single action, history has changed course and both mechanical technology and genetic experimentation has leaped forward. So there are steam-powered penny-farthings, personal flying rotor-chairs, and broom-cats that attract dirt to their electro-static fur and then digest it. Also talking parakeet messenger birds that insult everyone as they deliver messages.
Regardless of the whimsical natures of some of what I described, this is a dark book. The figures behind the technological advances are revealed to be truly grotesque and frightening. Although the language is fairly modern, this book truly feels Victorian and uses mostly historical figures and some historical events, though usually changed in some way. One of my only complaints is that this book feels heavily male, featuring the important actions of wealthy white men. However in the second half there are more active characters of color and a couple of strong female characters that get (off-camera) moments. I'd like to see a good female character introduced to this world. Or perhaps more of one of the female characters that appear so briefly in this.
As a final note, any fans of time travel have to read this book. It's one of the best to deal with the subject that I've read. Also recommended if you like The Anubis Gates as it's hard not to make comparisons.
Ok, they're gone. So the book is about Sir Richard Francis Burton, who is asked by the Prime Minister to look into some strange happenings in London. It becomes apparent that we're dealing with an alternate Victorian period. And also that time travel is involved. As a result of one single action, history has changed course and both mechanical technology and genetic experimentation has leaped forward. So there are steam-powered penny-farthings, personal flying rotor-chairs, and broom-cats that attract dirt to their electro-static fur and then digest it. Also talking parakeet messenger birds that insult everyone as they deliver messages.
Regardless of the whimsical natures of some of what I described, this is a dark book. The figures behind the technological advances are revealed to be truly grotesque and frightening. Although the language is fairly modern, this book truly feels Victorian and uses mostly historical figures and some historical events, though usually changed in some way. One of my only complaints is that this book feels heavily male, featuring the important actions of wealthy white men. However in the second half there are more active characters of color and a couple of strong female characters that get (off-camera) moments. I'd like to see a good female character introduced to this world. Or perhaps more of one of the female characters that appear so briefly in this.
As a final note, any fans of time travel have to read this book. It's one of the best to deal with the subject that I've read. Also recommended if you like The Anubis Gates as it's hard not to make comparisons.