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Book Review of Boneshaker (Clockwork Century, Bk 1)

Boneshaker (Clockwork Century, Bk 1)
SteveTheDM avatar reviewed on + 204 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


Boneshaker is the story of Briar Wilkes searching for her son Zeke in walled-in Seattle swarming with zombies and the deadly fumes that transform the living into the walking dead. Oh, and did I mention that this is a steampunk alternate-history setting? This story has the most intriguing and fascinating setup of any novel I've read in the past few years, and the world that Priest has created is well worth exploring.

The story itself is basically a time-pressure rescue story, with a strong sub-plot of searching for family history. The narrative flips back and forth between Briar and Zeke, as they each explore the deadly downtown Seattle. It works, and it's fun.

Ultimately, though, I wound up caring a lot more about the world than about the protagonists of the story... Which is unfortunate. The middle of the novel dragged a bit, but did manage to pick up by the end.

Boneshaker has also been nominated for a 2010 Hugo award (while I was reading it, which made me feel like I was a trend-setter for once...).

4 of 5 stars.