Scan barcode
A review by drey72
The Rise of Ransom City by Felix Gilman
4.0
The Rise of Ransom City is my first Felix Gilman, and it’s a pretty nifty read. The story’s interesting — part autobiography, part alternative history, part adventure — all told from Harry’s point of view, and with a few sidebars to introduce or explain certain characters. We learn of Harry’s childhood days, and how his father incurs the debt with the Line that ruins him. We learn how Harry teaches himself Stuff, invents the Apparatus, and sets off to earn his fame and fortune.
We meet his traveling companions, and watch as they live the life of traveling salesmen shaking the dust from town to town, selling an idea so outrageous it gets them in trouble more often than not… After all, there’s a war going on, and ideas have no place in war time. Especially ideas based on machines built by Harry, that may or may not work.
There’s a witty dryness to Harry’s narration that I appreciated, and I loved how old-timey The Rise of Ransom City felt. This is one of those stories that could so easily have not worked, but it does. The world-building is excellent, and realistic. The Agents, the Linesmen, the war-weary townspeople, the Engines, and Harry — I could actually see them in my mind as I read Harry’s story autobiography. And Harry’s escapades are nothing if not entertaining.
The only thing I can nitpick on, is Ransom City itself. I wanted to know if it lived up to Harry’s dreams and expectations… My nitpicking notwithstanding, this should be on the pick-up list for steampunk fans who love the wild west!
drey’s rating: Excellent!
We meet his traveling companions, and watch as they live the life of traveling salesmen shaking the dust from town to town, selling an idea so outrageous it gets them in trouble more often than not… After all, there’s a war going on, and ideas have no place in war time. Especially ideas based on machines built by Harry, that may or may not work.
There’s a witty dryness to Harry’s narration that I appreciated, and I loved how old-timey The Rise of Ransom City felt. This is one of those stories that could so easily have not worked, but it does. The world-building is excellent, and realistic. The Agents, the Linesmen, the war-weary townspeople, the Engines, and Harry — I could actually see them in my mind as I read Harry’s story autobiography. And Harry’s escapades are nothing if not entertaining.
The only thing I can nitpick on, is Ransom City itself. I wanted to know if it lived up to Harry’s dreams and expectations… My nitpicking notwithstanding, this should be on the pick-up list for steampunk fans who love the wild west!
drey’s rating: Excellent!