The City Of Ember

The City of Ember Series: A Penny Dreadful Review

            The world ended in bombs and disease. Survivors struggled to rebuild society from scratch in a deadly game of trial and error. Meanwhile, a secret city thrives underground, a failsafe or a backup plan, if you will, built by scientists and engineers who feared looming disaster. Hundreds of years ago, the city was stocked with everything the population could need and sealed away from the world. This is the city of Ember.

            But Ember’s supplies can’t last forever. As their generator falters and the food vanishes, something must be done. Two brave children, Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow, embark on a quest to save their city.

            And that’s only the first book.

            The author, Jeanne DuPrau, is a master of human nature. She explores all the things fear can do, how wars start, and all the permutations of human kindness. The child heroes of this city do more than save their families: they save themselves and they save the future. I love the humanity of her characters – they dream and grow, make mistakes, learn, and seem even more human than most humans I know.

            There’s a graphic novel series of these books, opening up access to those who can’t yet read chapterbooks. The art is expressive and lovely, and the story is at bottom the same, but certain things get left out. And yes, someone’s made a movie. I have yet to see it, however, and I cannot tell you if it is a good adaptation.

The unmistakable Steampunk optimism runs throughout the City of Ember series. There’s the sense that yes, the world is broken, but if we put our minds to it, we can fix everything. Ingenuity answers our questions and solves our problems.

            Jeanne DuPrau’s City of Ember series might just restore your faith in humanity. It’s a wonderful series, appropriate for even those Steampunks that are just starting to read longer books. I give it a four and a half gears out of five. Pick this up for your young ones today. Tomorrow may be too late!

Your Correspondent From The Bookstore,

Penny J. Merriweather

Captains Stupendous

Captains Stupendous: A Penny Dreadful Review

            This week, I encountered the most absurd work of literary brilliance I have ever read. It is a book from Telos Publishing (www.telos.co.uk) entitled Captains Stupendous and authored by Rhys Hughes.

            This exceedingly odd book chronicles the encounters of one Welsh journalist with a fungal infection with the larger-than-life Faraway brothers. Lloyd Griffiths, the journalist narrator, insists this collection of increasingly strange adventures is entirely truthful. This is, it is claimed, not a work of fiction at all, but a history. Truth is, after all, stranger than fiction.

            The narrative begins as a fairly standard novel in the Victorian style of first-person adventure interspersed with scenes of important information. The beginning reminds me rather of Moby Dick. It deals with fairly standard Steampunk adventures – airplanes and propulsion systems, bandits and inventions. Then, the narrative becomes muddled, the scenes and tenses blurring, time and place becoming unhooked and frenetic. The plot becomes steadily wilder, including dinosaurs, animated skeletons, locomotive men, and eventually time travel. The characters who aren’t narrating break the fourth wall and address the reader.

I feel that this tonal inconsistency works well and is masterfully executed. I feel that it suits the bizarre events it describes. This is a complicated and fascinating work that probably ought to be studied in universities. I am quite certain I’ve missed something. If books that make you think are not your cup of tea, I suggest that this flavor may not be to your liking. It is thought-provoking and very, very strange.

            I give this incredible adventure four gears out of five. I think I have to read it again to quite understand it. At any rate, I highly recommend it for the cultured Steampunk. It must be read to be believed.

Your Correspondent From The Bookstore,

Penny J. Merriweather

Beyond Victoriana

Beyond Victoriana: A Penny Dreadful Review

            Steampunk is about exploration. As such, it is not limited to the narrow confines of place, race, or era. The Victorian Age in our historical timeline happened all over the world. I believe Steampunk should reflect that. Beyond Victoriana, a blog written by a woman you may know as Ay-Leen the Peacemaker, believes that as well.

            Beyond Victoriana explores multicultural aspects of Steampunk, showcasing concepts, people, and projects that might not be showcased in other places. At times it is political, speaking of things such as what it truly means to be multicultural and what privilege means. At times, it is a hub of the arts, posting calls for anthology submissions or book reviews. Beyond Victoriana has won awards for “Best Political Steampunk” and “Best Multicultural Steampunk.” I feel that we could use more blogs like this one.

            I give this blog five gears out of five.  It is smart and will open your eyes and/or blow your mind. If you are new to Steampunk or are looking for depth in your Steampunk, I strongly recommend this blog. You can find this multicultural perspective at beyondvictoriana.com.

Your Correspondent From The Aethernet,

Penny J. Merriweather

Do Shut Up Mr. Simms

Do Shut Up Mister Simms: A Penny Dreadful Review

            In this delightful novella by Rachael Acks, Mister Simms, long relegated to the position of Adventure Assistant and Dog Walker, has an adventure of his own while the captain is away.

            An innocent shopping trip goes terribly awry when one of the pirate crew is nicked by security forces. If only Lucius had the patience to wait whilst the others perused teapots! Instead, Meriwether Octavian Simms, on strict instructions to avoid any “silly” courses of action, must accept help from the devious Deliah Nimowitz to break his crewman out of gaol. It goes about as well as he expects, and the price he must pay is embarrassing in the extreme. It involves dancing.

            It is marvelous to see a story from the point of view of Captain Marta Ramos’s long-suffering sidekick, and it is just the sort of lighthearted fun the series needs after the exceedingly bloody Blood In Elk Creek. It gives a detailed look into the psyches of a couple rather important secondary characters.

            I give Do Shut Up Mister Simms four gears out of five. It is a delightful addition to this series of adventures.

Your Correspondent From The Bookstore,

Penny J. Merriweather

Boilerplate

Boilerplate: A Penny Dreadful Review

            Let me tell you about the most novel of novels.  Boilerplate, by Paul Guinean and Anina Bennett is an alternative history framed as a coffee table book, complete with historical documents and photographic evidence.

            This unique work chronicles the adventures of a mechanical soldier created in 1893 and his inventor Archibald Campion, from his unveiling in Chicago to his ultimate disappearance in World War One.

            I find it delightful that one must do careful research to determine which parts of this book are fabrication and which are reality.  The automaton has been seamlessly grafted into history, and the authors entirely nailed the tone and look of a history book.

            I give it four out of five gears for sheer ingenuity.  In a couple of places, the supposed chronology is unclear, and at one point I was confused by an apparent gap, but it all made sense in the end.  I recommend seeking out Boilerplate.

            See more at www.boilerplaterobot.com.

Your Correspondent from the Bookstore,

Penny J. Merriweather