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A review by hank
The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder
3.0
This book was outrageous! It is hard to even describe the madness that went on. Alt-history, steampunk, sci-fi, lunacy. I both appreciated and did not appreciate knowing nothing about the book before starting. The beginning was rough to say the least, the writing is the worst part about the novel and since the story had not started I almost gave up in the first 40 pages.
From human-animal hybrids, mechanical, centipede like trash collectors,, and James Bond in the Victorian era, Hodder has jammed much into the story. Too much you say? Well it did start reaching farcical levels but for me that was part of the charm. Burton was kind of a Bond and James Kirk hybrid, no skill or language was too difficult and no situation deserved other than charging headlong into it. He too was a bit over the top but kept just this side of cartoonish.
I hated the writing. So much so I averaged my 3.5 down. There were too many smack you in the face passages where Hodder was telling you what to feel and then he would repeat himself. He got lost, as many authors do, in trying to capture the Victorian era speech without it adding anything to the book.
I am glad I read the book, it was quite enjoyable but will not continue with the series. It was a mad romp through the 1800s and fun if you keep your expectations low.
From human-animal hybrids, mechanical, centipede like trash collectors,
Spoiler
time travelI hated the writing. So much so I averaged my 3.5 down. There were too many smack you in the face passages where Hodder was telling you what to feel and then he would repeat himself. He got lost, as many authors do, in trying to capture the Victorian era speech without it adding anything to the book.
I am glad I read the book, it was quite enjoyable but will not continue with the series. It was a mad romp through the 1800s and fun if you keep your expectations low.