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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
Do you know steampunk? Steampunk is a combination of science fiction and fantasy, re-written history and alternate realities. Often there are elements of (obviously) steam powered objects and robotics set within a time not too different from our own recent past, but even that isn't a given. Speculative fiction at its heart, it's a genre as wide open as science fiction itself but with so many wonderfully unique twists and turns that you will be amazed by what the authors within this anthology have come up with.
Fourteen different authors (some very familiar, if you're a young adult fan), fourteen different stories. Set in locations all across the globe (and beyond) in all different time periods, from ancient Rome to a post-apocalyptic future. Talking dolls and robotic dance instructors, crazy hand-held gadgets and steam powered cars - anywhere your imagination can take you, you might find it in this anthology. The real stand-outs for me were Nowhere Fast by Christopher Rowe, The Ghost of Cwmlech Manor by Delia Sherman and Clockwork Fagin by Cory Doctorow. But OH I liked some of the others too! Sometimes mysterious, sometimes romantic, what I enjoyed most is that I just never knew what crazy thing I'd read about next. Guns that can slow down time? Orphans with robotic limbs? Seriously. Awesome stuff.
You can't go wrong with this collection - and that's the great thing about an anthology. If one story doesn't catch your fancy, go ahead and try the next one. I'd be surprised if you didn't find a new author to try. Put on your helmet and goggles, catch a ride on a dirigible, and get ready to explore.
Fourteen different authors (some very familiar, if you're a young adult fan), fourteen different stories. Set in locations all across the globe (and beyond) in all different time periods, from ancient Rome to a post-apocalyptic future. Talking dolls and robotic dance instructors, crazy hand-held gadgets and steam powered cars - anywhere your imagination can take you, you might find it in this anthology. The real stand-outs for me were Nowhere Fast by Christopher Rowe, The Ghost of Cwmlech Manor by Delia Sherman and Clockwork Fagin by Cory Doctorow. But OH I liked some of the others too! Sometimes mysterious, sometimes romantic, what I enjoyed most is that I just never knew what crazy thing I'd read about next. Guns that can slow down time? Orphans with robotic limbs? Seriously. Awesome stuff.
You can't go wrong with this collection - and that's the great thing about an anthology. If one story doesn't catch your fancy, go ahead and try the next one. I'd be surprised if you didn't find a new author to try. Put on your helmet and goggles, catch a ride on a dirigible, and get ready to explore.
3.5 stars is closer but on the lower side. Some stories I really liked, others I didn't care for at all and felt I wasted time on a couple even.
These were the ones I actually enjoyed (above 2.5 stars worth):
Some Fortunate Future Day by Cassandra Clare - Rose is a bit scary in her obsessions. But I also feel bad for her, all alone. I want to know her age!
Last Ride of the Glory Girls by Libba Bray - Alt reality western. Some parts were strange but others good. I wanted to get know what she would do in the end. A lot very too vague but would love to see fleshed out into a full story.
Clockwork Fagin by Cory Doctorow - Great orphanage story! Love what these kids do (less what specifically they do to get an automaton..eww..) to improve their lives, despite their situation.
Hand in Glove by Ysabeau S Wilce - I didn't care much for the writing style, felt too much like parts taken from other stories, including Frankenstein and a certain spooky family movie/series that has seen many remakes). Yet still decent and curious.
The Ghost of Cwmlech Manor by Delia Sherman - This was really good. Another favorite here. A gothic tale, old manors, and automatons. I kept expecting a hint of romance though...
Gethsemane by Elizabeth Knox - Started off interesting but felt too scattered. Who people really were and why they did what they did. The ending does cover it but it felt broken in execution.
The Summer People by Kelly Link - What rich possibilities!! I wanted more! Were there fae?! Who are the summer people exactly?! I want a full novel of this. Ending was a bit confusing though.
Steam Girl by Dylan Horrocks - Sci-fi meets steampunk in this tale within a tale. And what is the truth in the story? Very creative.
Everything Amiable and Obliging - Sentient automatrons?? A hint of romance...gone wrong. I really enjoyed this one as well.
The Oracle Engines - Strange historical story sent in Roman times. A story of Caesar, Crassusm Pompei and Marcus as never told. Interesting at times, but slow and overdrawn.
These were the ones I actually enjoyed (above 2.5 stars worth):
Some Fortunate Future Day by Cassandra Clare - Rose is a bit scary in her obsessions. But I also feel bad for her, all alone. I want to know her age!
Last Ride of the Glory Girls by Libba Bray - Alt reality western. Some parts were strange but others good. I wanted to get know what she would do in the end. A lot very too vague but would love to see fleshed out into a full story.
Clockwork Fagin by Cory Doctorow - Great orphanage story! Love what these kids do (less what specifically they do to get an automaton..eww..) to improve their lives, despite their situation.
Hand in Glove by Ysabeau S Wilce - I didn't care much for the writing style, felt too much like parts taken from other stories, including Frankenstein and a certain spooky family movie/series that has seen many remakes). Yet still decent and curious.
The Ghost of Cwmlech Manor by Delia Sherman - This was really good. Another favorite here. A gothic tale, old manors, and automatons. I kept expecting a hint of romance though...
Gethsemane by Elizabeth Knox - Started off interesting but felt too scattered. Who people really were and why they did what they did. The ending does cover it but it felt broken in execution.
The Summer People by Kelly Link - What rich possibilities!! I wanted more! Were there fae?! Who are the summer people exactly?! I want a full novel of this. Ending was a bit confusing though.
Steam Girl by Dylan Horrocks - Sci-fi meets steampunk in this tale within a tale. And what is the truth in the story? Very creative.
Everything Amiable and Obliging - Sentient automatrons?? A hint of romance...gone wrong. I really enjoyed this one as well.
The Oracle Engines - Strange historical story sent in Roman times. A story of Caesar, Crassusm Pompei and Marcus as never told. Interesting at times, but slow and overdrawn.
I particularly enjoyed Steam Girl (Dylan Horrocks), The Last Ride of the Glory Girls (Libba Bray), Clockwork Fagin (Cory Doctorow), and Gethsemane (Elizabeth Knox). The Summer People (Kelly Link) was interesting, but not fleshed out enough to really pull you in (and it could have).
Note: Advanced review copy provided by Netgalley.
There are a couple of very strong stories in this collection, namely "The Clockwork Fagin" and "Steam Girl". A couple, while still wonderfully imaginative, suffer a bit from short story abruptus, the ones that come to mind are "Nowhere Fast," "Peace in Our Time," and "The Summer People." That last one is still one of my favorites of the collection, but had a somewhat dissatisfying ending, given all of the build up of the first part of the story.
Overall as a collection this is a great taste of the variety that steampunk has to offer. The majority of the stories focus on young adult or child protagonists, "Peace in Our Time" being one of the few exceptions. They are also overwhelmingly positive, only briefly dipping into the negative aspects of technology (again, "Peace in Our Time" and "Oracle Engine").
This collection also offers a larger variety of setting, from Roman Empire to the typical Victorian England and even California in the late alternate 1840's (or thereabouts). Yet, for the most part, these stories are moving away from the gadgetry, with "Clockwork Fagin" and "The Last Ride of the Glory Girls" being the two where gadgetry was most important. This is positive in the sense that steampunk is no longer so new that people are no longer neglecting character and storytelling for experimenting with the setting/technology, and disappointing in the sense that that is part of the fun of steampunk. I still think there is much to explore, and while I enjoyed this collection, I wouldn't say it pushed the envelope in the realm of steampunk.
A great collection, especially for younger to middle teens and huge steampunk fans, but might be a little too light on topic and gadgetry for the more casual fan or reader. Recommended, but not at the top of the list.
There are a couple of very strong stories in this collection, namely "The Clockwork Fagin" and "Steam Girl". A couple, while still wonderfully imaginative, suffer a bit from short story abruptus, the ones that come to mind are "Nowhere Fast," "Peace in Our Time," and "The Summer People." That last one is still one of my favorites of the collection, but had a somewhat dissatisfying ending, given all of the build up of the first part of the story.
Overall as a collection this is a great taste of the variety that steampunk has to offer. The majority of the stories focus on young adult or child protagonists, "Peace in Our Time" being one of the few exceptions. They are also overwhelmingly positive, only briefly dipping into the negative aspects of technology (again, "Peace in Our Time" and "Oracle Engine").
This collection also offers a larger variety of setting, from Roman Empire to the typical Victorian England and even California in the late alternate 1840's (or thereabouts). Yet, for the most part, these stories are moving away from the gadgetry, with "Clockwork Fagin" and "The Last Ride of the Glory Girls" being the two where gadgetry was most important. This is positive in the sense that steampunk is no longer so new that people are no longer neglecting character and storytelling for experimenting with the setting/technology, and disappointing in the sense that that is part of the fun of steampunk. I still think there is much to explore, and while I enjoyed this collection, I wouldn't say it pushed the envelope in the realm of steampunk.
A great collection, especially for younger to middle teens and huge steampunk fans, but might be a little too light on topic and gadgetry for the more casual fan or reader. Recommended, but not at the top of the list.
The comics were a little hard to read on my kindle, but overall I liked the stories. Except for the last one. It was too wordy and minutely detailed and I ended up skimming most of the story and skipping the last few pages. But the rest of the stories I loved. Especially Steam Girl.
This is a really delightful collection of stories. Some of them were so-so, but several of them were really beautiful and left me with a lot to think about.
My hands-down favorites were Nowhere Fast, by Christopher Rowe and Steam Girl, by Dylan Horrocks. In Nowhere Fast, Rowe shows us a picture of a future in which we have learned our lesson about the dangers of using non-renewable resources and disregarding our effect on our planet. But was in the right lesson? And what lesson are the people of this new age passing on to their children? The questions I was left to ponder after this story were frightening, but so very interesting that I couldn't dislike the story for its rather negative bent.
Steam Girl paints a picture of a life I feel like I lived myself, in high school, though its edges were more sharply defined. I envied the Steam Girl her talents of tale-weaving and drawing even as I saw myself in her. And I simply adore the way the story lets you decide its interpretation for yourself.
Also of note were Gethsemane, by Elizabeth Knox, which had a pleasantly Pompeii-flavored flare to it and waited to the very end to draw all the characters together, and - speaking of Rome - the delightfully Roman-flavored steampunk of The Oracle Engine, by M.T. Anderson. Romans with flying legions? Yes please!
It was also fun to have the several graphic shorts sprinkled in the collection. I've never delved much into the world of graphic fiction, and I'm not sure how I'd do with the long-form stuff, but the shorts were fun. Like taking coffee breaks.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend this to lovers of steam punk or even short fiction in general.
My hands-down favorites were Nowhere Fast, by Christopher Rowe and Steam Girl, by Dylan Horrocks. In Nowhere Fast, Rowe shows us a picture of a future in which we have learned our lesson about the dangers of using non-renewable resources and disregarding our effect on our planet. But was in the right lesson? And what lesson are the people of this new age passing on to their children? The questions I was left to ponder after this story were frightening, but so very interesting that I couldn't dislike the story for its rather negative bent.
Steam Girl paints a picture of a life I feel like I lived myself, in high school, though its edges were more sharply defined. I envied the Steam Girl her talents of tale-weaving and drawing even as I saw myself in her. And I simply adore the way the story lets you decide its interpretation for yourself.
Also of note were Gethsemane, by Elizabeth Knox, which had a pleasantly Pompeii-flavored flare to it and waited to the very end to draw all the characters together, and - speaking of Rome - the delightfully Roman-flavored steampunk of The Oracle Engine, by M.T. Anderson. Romans with flying legions? Yes please!
It was also fun to have the several graphic shorts sprinkled in the collection. I've never delved much into the world of graphic fiction, and I'm not sure how I'd do with the long-form stuff, but the shorts were fun. Like taking coffee breaks.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend this to lovers of steam punk or even short fiction in general.
Steampunk is a genre that appeals to a wide range of people, from diehard Hayao Miyazaki animation fans to those still mourning Fox's failure to recommission Joss Whedon's Firefly. So creating an anthology that works for all could have been a challenge, but the editors have done a good job, pulling together short stories and two graphic novellas by writers/artists, both well known and less known.
I won't summarize all the stories (and not doing so doesn't mean they are bad!), but here's a taster of the variety included.
It's easy to picture The Last Ride of the Glory Girls as an episode of the afor-mentioned Firefly series. (for non-Americans, mash up Star Wars, Farscape and Deadwood and you're at least part way to getting what Fox deprived us of). In a story with Pinkertons, train raids and a nascent gromance between the protagonist and the gang of girl outlaws she has been sent to infiltrate, Libba Bray provides a solid backdrop of landscape and characters in a story that asks us to imagine how we would use time if we could stop it for ten minutes. There's a stroppy Welsh apparition trying her best to save her descendant's estate in Delia Sherman's The Ghost of Cwmlech Manor; and in M.T. Anderson's The Oracle Engine, we get a portrait of Roman power politics and the hold that divination has, even for those who don't believe they are superstitious. My personal favourites are Kelly Link's The Summer People, where an unseen fairy folk give strange and wonderful devices and an otherworldly protection to those who tread carefully on their territory; and Dylan Horrock's lyrical and beautiful Steam Girl, where two unlikely teenage misfits find magic in an imaginary world.
I won't summarize all the stories (and not doing so doesn't mean they are bad!), but here's a taster of the variety included.
It's easy to picture The Last Ride of the Glory Girls as an episode of the afor-mentioned Firefly series. (for non-Americans, mash up Star Wars, Farscape and Deadwood and you're at least part way to getting what Fox deprived us of). In a story with Pinkertons, train raids and a nascent gromance between the protagonist and the gang of girl outlaws she has been sent to infiltrate, Libba Bray provides a solid backdrop of landscape and characters in a story that asks us to imagine how we would use time if we could stop it for ten minutes. There's a stroppy Welsh apparition trying her best to save her descendant's estate in Delia Sherman's The Ghost of Cwmlech Manor; and in M.T. Anderson's The Oracle Engine, we get a portrait of Roman power politics and the hold that divination has, even for those who don't believe they are superstitious. My personal favourites are Kelly Link's The Summer People, where an unseen fairy folk give strange and wonderful devices and an otherworldly protection to those who tread carefully on their territory; and Dylan Horrock's lyrical and beautiful Steam Girl, where two unlikely teenage misfits find magic in an imaginary world.
Great variety of stories from YA to adult. Contains traditional stories and comics as well.