Scan barcode
flaminggecko's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Abandonment, and Blood
Moderate: Alcohol and War
brendalovesbooks's review
I'm 100 pages in. I'm bored, I don't care about the characters or what happens next. So that's it for me.
squaricalness's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
abaugher's review
5.0
Awesome steampunk zombie novel set during the American Civil War, but removed from that action because it takes place in Seattle. The greed for gold in Alaska prompted a contest to see who could create the best machine for digging under the ice. Naturally, it drew the attention of a power-crazed genius, who made a machine to go more directly to the source, and thus the Boneshaker was built. It was then used to drill a gaping hole through the underground of downtown Seattle and right into the bank vaults. It also accidentally unleashed an extremely toxic gas that turned people to zombies. Not really slow-moving stupid ones, though. As their hunger increased, so did their speed. A 200-foot-high wall was built around downtown to keep in "the Blight" and those affected by it.
The son of the genius who destroyed the city, now a teen, goes in to find proof that his father was a good man, and his mother follows him in to rescue him, knowing that he wasn't. And that's where the fun really starts. The story is full of underground tunnels, gas masks and shotguns, fast zombies with great hearing and the ability to climb ladders, fascinating characters with both noble and nefarious motives, and--of course--the ever-present and highly poisonous Blight.
I finished this book in bed, then had an awesome zombie dream of my own. Gotta love it.
The son of the genius who destroyed the city, now a teen, goes in to find proof that his father was a good man, and his mother follows him in to rescue him, knowing that he wasn't. And that's where the fun really starts. The story is full of underground tunnels, gas masks and shotguns, fast zombies with great hearing and the ability to climb ladders, fascinating characters with both noble and nefarious motives, and--of course--the ever-present and highly poisonous Blight.
I finished this book in bed, then had an awesome zombie dream of my own. Gotta love it.
rui_leite's review
4.0
A good setting, advanced but surprisingly plausible steam-based technology, a bunch of solid and interesting characters, and a decent plot...oh, yes, and a few zeppelin-pirates and zombies thrown in to add some flavour...this seems to be what you need in order to have a good Steampunk story. At least that was what Miss Cherie Priest used here and it worked.
Boneshaker is, in fact, a very well achieved story, independently of its genre.
But, from the very beginning, you could see that the author knew, quite well, what she was doing as she managed to dose every ingredient with care.
The first chapter sets you up nicely in the world, with a prologue taken from an alternate history book that reminded me of Verne at his best. You very much had a normal nineteen century Seattle with an added incredible drilling machine, the Boneshaker, that causes much chaos and mayhem on its inaugural drill, partially destroying the city and unleashing a strange gas, “the Blight”, that brings about, amongst other things, a mini-zombie-apocalypse. So, sixteen years later, the city centre is walled up in order to keep the rotters and the gas in, while everyone else lives (or survives) outside, in the outskirts.
And yes, Miss Priest manages to make you read all this and not think, for one second, it might be just a wee bit over the top, which only shows she did it well.
An important part in all of this mix is the retro-futuristic technology that’s present throughout the book, not only the titular Boneshaker, but a series of other devices and machines, powered by steam, electricity or gas. Once again I was glad to see Miss Priest did not make them feel glued on, throwing inventions just because they might look “cool”, but instead they appeared organically, revealed to the reader just when the plot called for them (and they indeed looked and sounded cool nevertheless). Really, the amount of detail and the care with which these were shown are two of the strongest points in this book.
And then we have the characters. Boneshaker had a pretty good set of them indeed. For a start, something that I enjoyed very much, was there was never any lack of strong females, as Briar (a caring, but never soppy mother), Lucy (my favourite, I have to say - a one armed, strong, imposing, bartender) and “The Princess” (a mysterious old lady that kicks rear ends) are more than enough to make this book worth reading. Zeke, Briar’s teenage son, is sometimes as silly and pig-headed as any teenager should be, but he never becomes annoying. (When dealing with teenage characters that is, indeed, something to be admired.) And finally we have a strong and convincing antagonist in Minnericht, the half-crazed inventor who remains off page most of the time, but always, makes his presence felt, and has a good mystery to back him up. When he does turn up, he does not disappoint.
The only thing that didn’t work so well in all of this, to me at least, was “Briar’s great big secret”, quite frankly it was rather easy to guess, but the way it plays out in the end makes it a very minor flaw and absolutely forgivable.
So, yes, after having read Boneshaker, I may say that I understand the steampunk genre a bit better and that I can see now, clearly, how it can be used in written form to a very good effect.
Well done that, Miss Priest!
(And also, I have to say, thank you Adeselna for letting me know and borrow this gem!)
Boneshaker is, in fact, a very well achieved story, independently of its genre.
But, from the very beginning, you could see that the author knew, quite well, what she was doing as she managed to dose every ingredient with care.
The first chapter sets you up nicely in the world, with a prologue taken from an alternate history book that reminded me of Verne at his best. You very much had a normal nineteen century Seattle with an added incredible drilling machine, the Boneshaker, that causes much chaos and mayhem on its inaugural drill, partially destroying the city and unleashing a strange gas, “the Blight”, that brings about, amongst other things, a mini-zombie-apocalypse. So, sixteen years later, the city centre is walled up in order to keep the rotters and the gas in, while everyone else lives (or survives) outside, in the outskirts.
And yes, Miss Priest manages to make you read all this and not think, for one second, it might be just a wee bit over the top, which only shows she did it well.
An important part in all of this mix is the retro-futuristic technology that’s present throughout the book, not only the titular Boneshaker, but a series of other devices and machines, powered by steam, electricity or gas. Once again I was glad to see Miss Priest did not make them feel glued on, throwing inventions just because they might look “cool”, but instead they appeared organically, revealed to the reader just when the plot called for them (and they indeed looked and sounded cool nevertheless). Really, the amount of detail and the care with which these were shown are two of the strongest points in this book.
And then we have the characters. Boneshaker had a pretty good set of them indeed. For a start, something that I enjoyed very much, was there was never any lack of strong females, as Briar (a caring, but never soppy mother), Lucy (my favourite, I have to say - a one armed, strong, imposing, bartender) and “The Princess” (a mysterious old lady that kicks rear ends) are more than enough to make this book worth reading. Zeke, Briar’s teenage son, is sometimes as silly and pig-headed as any teenager should be, but he never becomes annoying. (When dealing with teenage characters that is, indeed, something to be admired.) And finally we have a strong and convincing antagonist in Minnericht, the half-crazed inventor who remains off page most of the time, but always, makes his presence felt, and has a good mystery to back him up. When he does turn up, he does not disappoint.
The only thing that didn’t work so well in all of this, to me at least, was “Briar’s great big secret”, quite frankly it was rather easy to guess, but the way it plays out in the end makes it a very minor flaw and absolutely forgivable.
So, yes, after having read Boneshaker, I may say that I understand the steampunk genre a bit better and that I can see now, clearly, how it can be used in written form to a very good effect.
Well done that, Miss Priest!
(And also, I have to say, thank you Adeselna for letting me know and borrow this gem!)
dromwald's review
5.0
Airships, zombies, duster wearing, hard-nosed frontier heroines, incredible steam powered inventions and blokes with bloody big guns - what's not to like about this steampunk masterpiece?? Yeah, I liked it!
revisins's review
5.0
In Boneshaker, readers can find a fascinating, thrilling, almost cinematic literary experience. With crisp, vivid imagery, Cherie Priest presents her dual narrative of Briar Wilkes and her son, Zeke that grips from the prologue and does not let go even during the denouement. Readers of any discerning, mature age will find Boneshaker a worthy read.
This novel was my first exposure to Priest’s work, and I am proud to proclaim that I am fan for life. I have picked up the novels of The Clockwork Century (which Boneshaker is the introductory story) as they are released and each one is a gripping yarn. I also went further into her back catalogue and found her novels in her Eden Moore series absolutely fantastic.
The plot of Boneshaker has been abridged and summarized many times here and I will not add to that pile. Instead, what I can attempt is to present the grime and grit of the story as a tantalizing read. The pages and font in presented in a sepia tone—furthering an immersion into the filth that drips from every corner in the book. The strong points of this novel are its atmosphere and world building. Priest sets up so many doll houses and fleshed-out characters that you just want scenes to play out well beyond the pages of the chapters.
I recommend this book at every opportunity. If you are willing to try a new genre (Steampunk) and don’t mind following a strong willed female protagonist—please do yourself a favor and pick this novel up in any medium that suits your fancy.
This novel was my first exposure to Priest’s work, and I am proud to proclaim that I am fan for life. I have picked up the novels of The Clockwork Century (which Boneshaker is the introductory story) as they are released and each one is a gripping yarn. I also went further into her back catalogue and found her novels in her Eden Moore series absolutely fantastic.
The plot of Boneshaker has been abridged and summarized many times here and I will not add to that pile. Instead, what I can attempt is to present the grime and grit of the story as a tantalizing read. The pages and font in presented in a sepia tone—furthering an immersion into the filth that drips from every corner in the book. The strong points of this novel are its atmosphere and world building. Priest sets up so many doll houses and fleshed-out characters that you just want scenes to play out well beyond the pages of the chapters.
I recommend this book at every opportunity. If you are willing to try a new genre (Steampunk) and don’t mind following a strong willed female protagonist—please do yourself a favor and pick this novel up in any medium that suits your fancy.
interrobangda's review
5.0
Easy and entertaining, this novel managed to avoid the pitfall of becoming just another zombie story by focusing on its more unique points and the very realistic, interesting characters. Priest's descriptions of scenery and detail are frequent without being tedious and add strongly to the atmosphere her book creates.
dream_book_12's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5