…Boneshaker
I cheat, as I’ve only read 88 pages of Boneshaker. Even so, I give my impressions now, when I’ve got a few moments to write them down.
Today, I’m going to talk about presentation. Some readers may think this sounds a bit silly, but the outward appearance of a book influences my reading experience. The heft of it in your hand, the cover art’s style and layout, the binding quality, the choice of font and paper, all of these communicate a theme before you’ve started reading the first sentence. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell possessed a marvelously evocative cover, with its stark lettering and ragged-edged pages. Boneshaker, specifically, the Sci Fi Essential Books edition (there is only one edition available at present, but I assume variants will arrive sometime in the future), is another gorgeous novel. Combining old American newspaper font and beautiful art, the cover is stylish and distinctive. Jon Foster did a fantastic job, and I recommend you check out his webpage for more examples of his work. Incredible! I’ve included his concept sketches for Boneshaker’s cover. Cracking open the pages reveals a sepia-toned font that is quite lovely, furthering the impression of the Wild West. The choice of a font color other than black is unusual, and I was thrown off when I first saw it; however, it works. Even before I started reading, Boneshaker had impressed me.
That notion of the rough-and-tumble, American Old West of the late 1800s continued after I started reading. Not a coincidence, as that is Boneshaker’s chosen setting, specifically a wrecked Seattle. Cherie Priest conjures up a brilliant (if slightly tarnished) world, not the Wild West of gunslingers or cattle ranchers, but the squat mass of humanity that plopped down wherever gold was found. Many steampunk works choose a Victorian theme, so Boneshaker’s gritty style feels fresh. So far, Briar Wilkes, a world-weary but tough-as-nails protagonist, has piqued my interest. After the mincing politeness of every character in Leviathan, a little down and dirty refreshes. Too soon to say whether I’ll enjoy the entire novel or not, but kudos to the gorgeous design.
P.S.: For curious readers, there is a webpage dedicated to this setting, worth checking out. Cherie Priest has more to come!