Review: Boneshaker

Posted by james m. toburen in Sci-Fi

Cherie Priest has been writing for most of the last decade, her first published work being the Eden Moore series, a trilogy in the Southern Gothic genre which has received favorable reviews, including a Blooker Prize for the opening entry, Four and Twenty Blackbirds (originally distributed on Priest’s blog before being published by Marietta Publishing in 2003 and released again in an expanded edition from Tor in 2005). Cherie Priest’s latest work, Boneshaker, garnered further critical buzz, including last week’s nomination for the prestigious Nebula Award for Best Novel of 2009. Boneshaker is the second piece in an invented history Priest is describing as the Clockwork Century. While the majority of steampunk works combine anachronous, steam-driven technology with stiff, Victorian society, Cherie Priest instead utilizes the rough-and-tumble late 1800′s of America for her latest novel’s setting. When describing Boneshaker, the most apt label is “fun,” loads and loads of fun; I’m not kidding, readers will grin while reading this novel, it entertains that well. Combining a fascinating world with a population of interesting characters and a pace best described as breakneck, culminating with nail-biting action and a surprising denouement, the first novel in the Clockwork Century grabs your attention and refuses to let go.

Even before cracking open the pages, Boneshaker’s cover is hard at work, creating its own unique brand of steampunk style. Combining an old American newspaper font with beautiful art from Jon Foster, the cover is stylish and distinctive. Inside, a distinctive sepia-toned font and a rustic city map of downtown Seattle continue this theme. The bulk of the story takes place in 1880 Seattle, but in this alternate history, the American Civil War has been protracted by English intervention and the early discovery of oil in Texas, resulting in dangerous technological advancements. After a catastrophic incident involving the eponymous drilling machine Boneshaker, a toxic gas known as “Blight” flooded the streets of Seattle, and exposure resulted in victims transforming into ravenous zombies, affectionately referred to as “rotters.” An immense wall was erected around the city to prevent the spread of contaminants, but a desperate few still call the streets of Seattle their home. Comparisons to Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan are inevitable: both novels were published in 2009, are set within 20 years of 1900, and utilize incredible steam-driven technology (also, distinctive one-word titles). However, Leviathan and Boneshaker are unique creatures that deserve to be judged on their own. Leviathan is clearly intended for teenagers and focuses on binary conflicts: commoner vs. nobility, biotechnology vs. traditional machinery, the societal roles of men vs. women. Boneshaker strikes off into very different territory. Where Leviathan concerned itself with old European conflicts, Boneshaker encapsulates the very American experience of Manifest Destiny, pioneers carving out an impossible living no matter the odds. The ruined city of Seattle, filled with hostile zombies, airtight underground dwellings, and drug-smuggling airships is a joy to read about, and I only wish I had more time to roam within the walls of this fascinating city.

Boneshaker’s narrative follows two characters, the first being Briar Wilkes, formerly Briar Blue, once wife to Leviticus Blue, the eccentric inventor responsible for the destruction of Seattle; the other is Ezekiel Wilkes, son to Briar and Leviticus, grandson to the legendary lawman Maynard Wilkes. The pair are trapped in a marginalized life on the outskirts of Seattle, popular targets for those still angry about past events. After years of torment and abuse at the hands of other children, Ezekiel resolves to clear the family name. To this end, he sneaks under the wall surrounding the ruined city, intent on finding evidence within his family’s old home. Of the two, Briar is the more interesting character, a somewhat distant mother, stubborn yet pragmatic, who will go to any lengths to rescue her wayward son, but Zeke moments of growth later in the story establish him as a dynamic character. After discovering Zeke missing, Briar follows. Along the way, the two encounter a myriad assortment of marvelous characters, including drug smugglers, an airship captain or two, a knife-wielding Native American princess, a maimed bartender with a mechanical arm (perhaps a reference to the French film A Very Long Engagement?), and the power-hungry Doctor Minnericht, a mad inventor whose technology makes life within the walls possible. Few of these individuals are who they seem at first, and Cherie Priest creates a challenging balance of positive and negative traits in each person. One of the greatest mysteries of the novel may be, “Why would anyone live in this forsaken place?” But by Boneshaker’s conclusion, many (but not all!) questions have been answered; after seeing their world and the niches they have carved out for themselves, each of the many inhabitants feels authentic and true, if not entirely sympathetic.

Boneshaker begins slowly, with the first eighty pages devoted to introducing the protagonists and establishing the differences in history between the Clockwork Century and our own timeline, but once Briar and Zeke are both within the walls, the danger escalates rapidly. For three hundred pages, the narrative is nonstop, so much so that the remaining 300 pages disappears in a flash. As the novel progresses, all paths lead to Minnericht, the locus for all of the riddles in this wrecked city. A hunger to unravel the secrets of Seattle’s history and Briar’s past hardships guarantees that readers will hesitate to put this novel down, no matter how late they find themselves reading. One of the most impressive aspects of Boneshaker is how many characters and facts are introduced without the action flagging. Once the story is underway, the pace never slows to engage in unnecessary explanations or fanciful world-building. The action ricochets from one exciting set piece to another, whether it be a grappling battle between airships, gun battles in a underground fortress, or fleeing from a horde of flesh-eating zombies (think of the sprinting 28 Days Later zombies, not their sedentary cousins from Evil Dead). At its heart, Boneshaker’s life blood is that of an adventure story, and rest assured, it delivers the adventure in spades.

The boundaries of this recently popular genre are still being defined, so the debate about whether Boneshaker qualifies as “proper” steampunk or some variant of historical fiction is sure to consume some steampunk enthusiasts, but such a debate can only limit the creativity of the genre, discouraging future creative works from artists unwilling to fit in a niche genre. Whether the Wild West qualifies as a steampunk setting or not, Boneshaker exhilarates with its myriad cast of intriguing characters and gripping action that never relents. For myself, I believe the change in scenery from the expected Victorian era to an unrelenting American Civil War is best described as brilliance, and this world is begging to be revisited. Luckily, Cherie Priest’s enthusiasm for The Clockwork Century means plenty more to come; readers should look forward to two additional novels in 2010, Clementine from Subterranean Press and Dreadnought from Tor Books. If these two novels equal the potential demonstrated by Boneshaker, 2010 promises to be an entertaining year indeed for steampunk enthusiasts.

Plot: 8
Characters: 8.5
Action: 9
Writing: 8.5

Overall (not an average): 8.5/10

Edition reviewed: Boneshaker

* Paperback: 416 pages
* Publisher: Tor Books; Original edition (September 29, 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0765318415
* ISBN-13: 978-0765318411