What a fantastic ride! The ending of this book made me actually made me pound my fists in the air and cheer. I already want to go back to Priest's verWhat a fantastic ride! The ending of this book made me actually made me pound my fists in the air and cheer. I already want to go back to Priest's version of Seattle to follow one of the hundreds of other tales that could be told there. This book is a rollercoaster adventure with rich, deep characters in a world so real I can practically smell it. /This/ is what steampunk is all about!...more
This is exactly what an anthology /should/ be. An excellent overview of the genre, with stories ranging from the whimsical to the picaresque to the asThis is exactly what an anthology /should/ be. An excellent overview of the genre, with stories ranging from the whimsical to the picaresque to the astonishing. If you're curious about steampunk, this is a fantastic place to start. If you already know steampunk, there's still some mind-blowing work here that might help you discover your new favorite author. There's even a section at the back detailing steampunk in other media, including a whole chapter devoted to comic books and another to movies and television. (!) I /cannot/ recommend this book enough....more
I wasn't very impressed when I first read this book. My favorite character at the time vanished with abouSometimes it *really* pays to re-read a book.
I wasn't very impressed when I first read this book. My favorite character at the time vanished with about forty pages left, and I didn't find the end compelling.
I can't remember when I first read the book, but it was years ago. Now that I'm older and have both read more and experienced more, I feel I got a lot more out of the book. I actually found Laurence Oliphant's struggle with his beliefs more compelling than Edward Mallory's accidental heroics. (Although, I have to admit, the moment when a paleontologist became an action hero was quite memorable.) I also didn't understand the significance of the curious MacGuffin "The Modus". Had I realized it before, I probably would have been more impressed.
When I first read the book, I found the ending confusing and unsatisfying. Now, the fact that the end is (minor spoiler) open-ended and leaves a lot open to interpretation just means that you'll spend more time thinking about the book after it's over.
All in all, this is definitely a classic of steampunk, and it definitely deserved its Hugo award nomination. This book has an amazingly detailed alternate-history London with cameos from a number of historical characters, an underground society of "clackers" (steampunk punch-card hackers!), and an eye-opening look at what might have happened if the Information Age started under Queen Victoria....more
This is my personal favorite Neal Stephenson book. It's mind-expanding, insightful, and features an unusually tidy (for Stephenson) ending. An absolutThis is my personal favorite Neal Stephenson book. It's mind-expanding, insightful, and features an unusually tidy (for Stephenson) ending. An absolute delight....more
China Mieville is one of the most original voices in science fiction today. Perdido street station is a dystopian steampunk masterpiece. Mieville creaChina Mieville is one of the most original voices in science fiction today. Perdido street station is a dystopian steampunk masterpiece. Mieville creates a completely believable world where Victorian-era science and magic can co-exist, where humans walk the grimy streets of New Crobuzon alongside the froglike Vodanyoi, the half-insect Khepri, the vulture-like desert dwelling, Garuda, and a host of others. I didn't want to leave New Crobuzon when the book was finished. And the ending is completely heartbreaking. It takes a gifted writer to not only build a fantastical world that is completely believable, and to make you care so much about its denizens....more
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