Book Review: 11/22/63 by Stephen King

“For a moment everything was clear, and when that happens you see that the world is barely there at all. Don't we all secretly know this? It's a perfectly balanced mechanism of shouts and echoes pretending to be wheels and cogs, a dreamclock chiming beneath a mystery-glass we call life. Behind it? Below it and around it? Chaos, storms. Men with hammers, men with knives, men with guns. Women who twist what they cannot dominate and belittle what they cannot understand. A universe of horror and loss surrounding a single lighted stage where mortals dance in defiance of the dark.”

                             - Stephen King, 11/22/63

   I am just old enough to remember how the world changed in 1989, when I watched people torn down the Berlin Wall on TV as an 8 year old. A month later, George H.W Bush met up with Mikhail Gorbachev and ended the Cold War. The world was going to become a better place. Since then, I have witnessed a few other moments that changed the world; Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait in 1991, Nelson Mandela's release from the prison in 1994, the attacks at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and many many more. The long river of history is full of watershed moments, some good, some bad, but what would the world be like today, if some of those bad moments didn't happen in the past?

What if, JFK didn't die on November 22, 1963?

In 11/22/63, a quasi historical, time travel romance novel, prolific author Stephen King transported readers from the 21^th century world of iphone and broadband internet back to mid twentieth century, a world of root beer, Jazz music and swing dancing (lots of them), food without chemical preservatives, black and white TV, racial/gender inequity, Billy Graham, and the Cuban missile crisis. In 11/22/63, Stephen King takes his readers on an adventure to prevent the assassination of JFK. Let's take a deeper look at this book.

Synopsis:

The year was 2011, Jake Epping, age 35 and divorced, taught high-school English at Lisbon Fall, Maine. While Jake was grading essays of his GDE students, he was touched by an essay from the brain damaged school janitor. On the graduation day, Jake took the janitor to a local restaurant owned by his friend, Al Templeton, Al's Diner was well known for feeding customers with solid, meaty burgers at impossibly low prices. Soon, Al revealed his secret to Jake about a mysterious time traveling rift in the storage room of his restaurant. It is a rift that took its passengers back to 1958. Al enlisted Jake into a plan that is more than just traveling back in time to buy cheap meat. It was a plan that would change the fate of the world.. preventing the assassination of JFK on November 22, 1963.

Jake agreed to carry out this mission. He went through the rift, back to 1958, living, waiting, and embracing the life of an average US citizen of the era. At the turn of 1960, other than tracking the whereabouts and the life of a certain troubled young man called Lee Harvey Oswald, Jake's life was good. Jake found friends and a sense of belonging in the town of Jodie, he also met and fell in love with a beautiful highshcool librarian called Saide Dunhill. Life was going well for Jake. However, as the date 11/22/1963 approached, Jake soon discovered, the past has a way of preventing itself from being changed. Should Jake succeed in his mission, what would be in store for the world in 2011?

What I think about this book:

Stephen King is one of my favorite authors, and he proves why he is one of the greatest storytellers in modern American literature with 11/22/63. Everything about this book in masterfully crafted, and it is a truly amazing book. I had read some of Stephen King's books from The Dark Tower saga, and I have seen a few movie adaptations from Stephen King's literary works, such as The Shawshank Redemption, The Shining, The Green Mile, IT, Carrie, Misery, Salem's Lot etc.., and I liked them all. While I cannot say this is the best book Stephen King has ever inked on white paper because I haven't read his other monumental works (such as The Stand and Under the Dome), but out of all stories spun by Stephen King that I have encountered in the past, 11/22/63 is my favorite.

At 700+ pages, 11/22/63 is a fat, hefty tome that appears to be a daunting task to read. This is not true, this book is an absolute blast to read. In this book, Stephen King provided colorful, vivid, and honest descriptions of life in the US in the 1950s. These lively descriptions appealed to all five senses of a reader with masterfully rendered sentences tinged with good humor, which flowed naturally to fill every page. They described the music, food, conversations, streets, buildings and the social atmosphere of the era, bringing an engaging reading experience. It was so realistic that you'd start wondering if the author has access to time travel himself.

This book scores big points on characterization. Every character appeared in this book, from the main characters to supporting characters, are memorable, interesting and believable. I really like the way the book portrayed Lee Harvey Oswald as a mentally disturbed, troubled young man with family problems, instead of just an impersonal villain with a name that appeared on the pages of history books or TV documentaries. The protagonist, Jake Epping, is someone the readers can relate to in this book. In the story, Jake is a hero who made mistakes every now and then, but that's ok, because he learn from them and he was generally brave and noble.

Stephen King also succeeded in creating the right amount of suspense and mysteries that will keep the readers turning the pages. I felt a real sense of danger for every character that made appearance in the story and I cared for them. When I was reading this book, I truly felt Jake's every step, and I was so eager to find out what was going to happen next. The main female protagonist, Sadie Dunhill, is bound to make a deep impression in readers' minds, her character is courageous, noble and loyal. Her relationship with Jake was genuine and heartwarming as they worked through difficulties in their relationship, like everything else in this book, it felt real. I am not a fan nor a reader of romance books, my favorite genre is epic/heroic fantasy books about sword swinging, death dealing barbarians, but in Stephen King's 11/22/63, I found myself moved by the beautiful love story between Sadie and Jake. I felt for them, and I wanted them to have a happy ending so badly. When I read the last two sentences in the closing chapter of the book, I smiled. Even after I put the book back on my shelve, I still kept on thinking about the love story between Jake and Sadie, and the numerous scenes of them dancing. 11/22/63 is a truly remarkable story.

This book also asked an interesting question: Would we really be better off, if certain bad things didn't happen in the past?

I speculate a lot of people on earth share some form of experience (be it collectively or individually), about bad things happened in the past. Then sometimes we all wonder, would I be better off if X didn't happen? Or, why did X happen, was there a purpose or a reason behind it? Unlike Jake, we don't have access to a time traveling rift to find the answer, but even in the story, changing the past doesn't always lead to a better future. Among the gulfs of uncertainty that is life, I suppose we can be pretty certain, that what we do now can influence the lives of people around us. Therefore, instead of getting stuck in the past, why don't we help each other, hold each others' hands like Jake and Sadie did, spur each other on, and together dance a good dance that ripples goodness into each others' lives? A dance in defiance of the dark. Because as Jake would say, dancing is life.

11/22/63 is one heck of an achievement in the genre of literary fictions. Highly recommended.

*Below is a book trailer for 11/22/63, from Hodder Books

Book review: Fiddlehead by Cherie Priest (The Clockwork Century #5)

All good things must come to an end.

Fiddlehead, is the fifth and final book, to Cherie Priest's sci-fi, Steampunk series, The Clockwork Century. In this book, readers are once again, transported to a world of alternate history version of the America, during the American Civil War. This time, the heroines and heroes will team up with historical icons such as Abraham Lincoln, to foil a secret, sinister plot that will not only prolong the civil war, but also endanger the entire world. Let's have a look.

Synopsis:

Belle Boyd was a retired ex-spy. Personal circumstances and fate made her an unpopular, untrustworthy character in the eyes of both the Union and the Confederacy. In her mid forties, Belle found herself an unemployed widow, and disgraced by the public. One day, a door of opportunity opened up to her, when she finally got a job with Pinkerton Detective Agency.

Not long after Belle started her new job, she was assigned to provide assistance in a new mission, at the request of Abraham Lincoln. The mission, is to protect Lincoln's friend, Gideon Bardsley, an ex-slave, and a genius scientist who invented an advanced machine know as Fiddlehead, which tipped the balance of power significantly towards the Union. For his invention, Gideon was targeted by the Confederacy for assassination. In this mission, Belle's notorious reputation meant both camps did not fully trust her, every step she took was met with suspicion. Adding to all the troubles, is a hidden plot that seek to rip benefits from the decades long conflict between the Union and the Confederacy, threatening to release a weapon of terror which could endanger the entire world. Could Belle succeed in her mission, will the Civil War finally come to an end?

What I think about this book:

It is over! Fiddlehead concludes the story of The Clockwork Century, which started in Boneshaker. When I look back at the series in general, I found by large, The Clockwork Century series, is very original and imaginative. This series manages to be refreshing and creative, by drawing from several genres such as horror, sci-fi, Steampunk, together with a tinge of historical fictions. Cherie Priest successfully constructed an alternate history version of America during the Civil War, which is believable, interesting, and fun. Fiddlehead, carried on the best features in this series, and told an exciting adventure, bringing The Clockwork Century series to a closure.

This is an entertaining book to read, as long as you don't take certain things, such as historical accuracy too seriously. This book is also filled with high-octane action scenes, the pace of the story is very fast. Despite the rapid pace of the story, I was still bored at several places. Mostly because I found the main characters uninteresting. Once again, like other books in The Clockwork Century series, the characterization in Fiddlehead is somewhat flat. Compared to Rector in The Inexplicables, or Mercy Lynch in Dreadnought, the main protagonist of this book, Belle Boyd, is somewhat 2 dimensional and uninteresting, her motivation was not well defined and unclear. Other supporting characters such as Abraham Lincoln, president Grant etc.. remain largely undeveloped even by the book's end. Having said these, the antagonist of the story, Katharyn Haymes, is a well portrayed villain, who surrounded herself with an aura of cunning and mystery, while her motivation was well explained and defined.

As I turn to the last page of Fiddlehead, I was glad to have read The Clockwork Century series. This is my first experience with Steampunk novels, and it is a fun reading experience. This series has left me with sweet memories of larger than life adventures, set in a world of intrigues, zombies, and steam powered machinery.

Book Review: The Inexplicables by Cherie Priest (The Clockwork Century #4)

The Inexplicables is the fourth book to Cherie Priest's Steampunk, sci-fi series titled, The Clockwork Century. I have read the three previous books in this series, while they are not my favorites, but I found these books generally fun, and easy to read. Without further delay, let me review this book.

Synopsis:

In this book, the author returns to alternate history version of Seattle during the American Civil War, where Seattle was a city filled with poisonous gas released from the underground, following a mining incident from 15 years ago. The poisonous gas, nicknamed by the locals as “the blight”, turned people into mindless, flesh eating zombies.

The people fled from Seattle, settled down in the outskirt of the city, and built a high wall to contain the poisonous gas within. However, some residents chose to stay in the city, and formed a small community in Seattle. The story in this book follows the journey of an individual called Rector, an orphan who lived in a monastery in the outskirt of Seattle. As Rector grew up, he hung out with the wrong crowd, and eventually became a dealer selling a type of drugs called SAP, which is made from the poisonous gas in Seattle.

When Rector came to age at 18, he was expelled from the monastery. Being an addict to SAP, Rector has no money and nowhere else to go. However, he was pretty sure that he was haunted by the ghost of his former friend, Ezekiel Wilkes, who was thought to have died six months ago, when he sneaked into the forbidden city of Seattle. Rector believed that Ezekiel's ghost was pestering him, so he set out on a journey, broke into the city of Seattle to find his old pal's corpse to give it a proper burial.

When Rector finally broke through into the city, he came into contact with the people from the small community who stilled lived in Seattle. However, what he discovered, was more than just the true fate of his old friend, but something more, something inexplicable...

What I think about this book:

The Inexplicables, just like the three previous books in this series, is a fun and quick read. However, this time around, there are more elements of horror and suspense compared to the previous books, as the readers journey along the characters in the book, venturing in the deserted city of Seattle, encountering masses of zombie hordes, then peel away, layer by layer, the mysteries surrounding the legend of the Inexplicables. This book a ride of thrill.

One of the biggest weaknesses with The Clockwork Century books, is the characterization, it was somewhat flat. In The Explicables, however, the characterization seem to have improved over the previous books. The main protagonist, Rector, is an interesting character. In this book, Rector started off as a drug addict, who has no future prospects other than a life in a career as a criminal, while in his drug abuse, he faced certain death due to the his failing health. However, as the story develops, Rector found friends and a place he belonged to, among the exiles who lived in Seattle, and it changed his life forever. I found the characterization in this book to be more interesting and thoughtful compared to its three predecessors. In fact, I found The Inexplicables to be the best book in The Clockwork Century novels yet. After I finished reading this book, I wish Rector all the best with his future life among his friends, and hope he would not return to the life of drug addiction. Overall, I enjoyed The Inexplicables, and I look forward to reading the next book, Fiddlehead, where the story of The Clockwork Century will reach a final conclusion.

Movie Review: Godzilla (3D)

The king of all monsters returns!

His name is, Godzilla.

Godzilla is a reboot to the 1954 Japanese monster film, Godzilla. Like King Kong, Godzilla is one of the most iconic movie monsters. The story explored an interesting concept about man vs nature, where Godzilla is the physical embodiment of the wrath of nature. This 2014 reboot, is directed by the British director Garetj Edwards, who is often praised for his exceptional debut film “Monsters” in 2010. The early trailers sold Godzilla by showcasing some brilliant acting from Bryan Cranston (from Breaking Bad), together footage depicting a dark, gritty, solemn outlook to the film. All in all, it seems Godzilla has all the setup for a good movie. The marketing campaign and trailers certainly made a lot of promises, but when Godzilla finally stomps his way to the silver screen, can this movie deliver? I took a trip to the cinema last night to find out, if Godzilla 2014 measures up to the hype.

Synopsis:

Joe Bordy lived in Japan with his wife and son, he worked as a manager at a nuclear power plant. On a fateful day in 1999, a major incident occurred at the power plant, where it collapsed and melt down following what appeared to be tectonic plate movements. His wife was killed in the incident. The disaster site became a quarantined zone.

15 years later, Joe's son, Ford, has became a bomb disposal expert who worked for the United States army. He returned home to his wife and son after a mission, only to receive a phone call informing him, that his father, Joe, has been arrested in Japan for breaking into the quarantined zone. Ford flew to Japan to bail his father out of the prison. The following morning, Joe revealed to Ford, that he suspects the “tectonic plate movement” that caused the disaster 15 years ago was in fact, caused by something more sinister. Joe managed to convince Ford, to revisit the quarantined zone so he can retrieve some of his research data.

Little do this father and son duo know, that what they were about to discover in the quarantined zone, is but the beginning of something that is truly horrifying, where the hope of mankind will be closely knitted to the awakening of an ancient, legendary creature, Godzilla..

What I think about this film:

Godzilla 2014 is directed by Gareth Edwards, who debuted into the world of movie-making with another monster film in 2010, titled “Monsters”. I have watched Monsters and was thoroughly impressed by it. Therefore, when I heard Edward Gareth took up the chair of director for Godzilla, I was thrilled and raised the bar of expectation for this movie. After I bought the ticket at the cinema, as I walked in to find my seat, I couldn't help but felt excitements. However, after the movie, when the end credit hit the screen, I left the cinema with mixed feelings about this film.

Is Godzilla a bad movie? No, not at all. In fact, I thought it was a rather enjoyable, entertaining monster flick. Yet, there are several problems with this film, that just didn't quite live up to the expectations generated by all the hypes prior to the movie's release. This movie consists of 3 acts. The first two acts focused on the human stories, leading up to the final showdown between Godzilla and the other monsters in the final act.

The first two acts, however, are quite dull. The issue here is that, for a 2 hours long movie about Godzilla, this film shows very little of Godzilla in the first 70 minutes. It seems, to build up the suspense, the director intentionally tried to tease the audience by showing bits and pieces of Godzilla via subtle hints, while the movie tried to showcase the characterizations in the story, by focusing on the “human story” in the first two acts. Granted, this method of storytelling worked well with Steven Spielberg’s 1977 classic, Jaws, but Jaws had good actors and a story with interesting characterization. The same cannot be said about Godzilla, in this movie, the characterization is quite weak, and the lead actor (Aaron Taylor Johnson) didn't really fit the role. The result is, the first two acts of the movie felt rather unimpressive. Bryan Cranston's performance as Joe Bordy is what saved the first two acts from being a total bore. In other words, the suspense dragged on for too long.

However, by the time when the movie reached its final act, this is when all the awesomeness hit the audience in their faces. When I saw the big guy (Godzilla) finally being revealed in his full glory, and did his iconic roar, then all of the sudden, all flaws from the first 70 minutes of the movie are forgiven. The last 50 minutes of the movie is a true visual spectacle. In the final act, the CGI and the cinematography are visually stunning, together with exhilarating actions and dramas as the story develops at a relentless pace, the movie delivers a monstrously satisfying conclusion. I think it is going to be hard for other movies in 2014 to top the CGI in Godzilla; the monsters look detailed and awe-inspiring, the crumpling buildings look solemn, and it had a great sense of realism and immersion to it all. The sense of realism is further enhanced by the excellent cinematography works, where the audience are immersed into the final, epic showdown between Godzilla and his monstrous nemesis. The last 40 minutes of this movie, is the reason why I still watch this kind of movies at the cinema, on the big silver screen, instead of just watching it on my 55” 3D TV at home.

Another likable thing about this Godzilla reboot, is that it pays homage to the 1954 Godzilla movie. This story explores the tension between human vs nature, where Godzilla represents the wrath of nature, an unstoppable force of nature, restoring the balance on earth when humans have over exploited the earth beyond the point of no return. In this movie, Godzilla is not the villain, but an anti-hero, whose cause happens to be inline with saving the humanity from a possible extinction. This is an interesting concept, because I wonder, perhaps metaphorically speaking, the extreme weather patterns that we currently experiencing, partly contributed by man-induced global warming, is also a form of “Godzilla”? If it is, can these extreme weather patterns (like Godzilla) somehow save us from a fate of extinction, as the nature "fights" back against our over-exploitation of planet earth?

Overall, Godzilla 2014 is a film that promises more than it delivers. The first two acts of the film are somewhat flat and unimpressive, but this movie is saved by its final act, where the true stars of this movie, Godzilla and monsters of titanic proportion, come to be locked in titanic battles, assaulting audience with stunning visual spectacles and awe-inspiring audio effects, leading to a very, very satisfying conclusion that will send fans of monster movies home with smiles on their faces.

*Note, this review is based on a viewing of the 3D version of the movie (but not the IMAX version)

Book Review: Ganymede by Cherie Priest (The Clockwork Century #3)

Ganymede, is the third book to Cherie Priest's “The Clockwork Century”. The story in Ganymede is loosely connected to the previous two books in the series. This is a cross country adventure set in New Orleans, and it is a steampunk novel set in alternate history version of the American Civil War, the story heavily revolves around the fictionalized struggles between the Union and the Confederate. Is this any good? Let's have a look.

Synopsis:

Captain Andan Cly is an air pirate of awesome reputation. He is planning to retire from a career of being an air pirate, and settle down in Seattle with his love interest. While he was preparing for a mission for a supply run, he received a telegram from his ex-lover, Josephine Early, who is an owner of a brothel in New Orleans, but in reality, a spy for the Union. Josephine wishes to hire Andan for a secret mission, a mission that will change the course of the American Civil War. This is a mission that can only be achieved by a pilot of great skills, a pilot such as Andan. The mission is, to smuggle a top secret, weaponised submarine called Ganymede from New Orleans into the hands of the Union.

What I think about this book:

Ganymede is an interesting book. It capitalizes on the well constructed world established in the previous two books, weaving a cross country adventure that is fun, but leaves much to be desired. The most interesting element in Ganymede (and in The Clockwork Century in general), is that the story features very strong female leads. In many ways, The Clockwork Century is a series of sci-fi novels where the lead characters are heroines instead of heroes. Personally, I found this refreshing. Another interesting aspect of this book is, there is a transgender character in this book. This is thought provoking because the author seeks to suggest that transgender people have always existed in history buy in secret (which is most likely true).

Aside from the interesting premises of the story, however, I found it difficult to get through this book. This is because the pacing of this book is somewhat uneven, and the characterization falls flat. I much prefer the previous installment in this series, Dreadnought, as opposed to Ganymede. The ending of the book, is once again, anti-climatic. Overall, this book has interesting ideas, but just doesn't flow every well. I can only hope that the next book, Inexplicables, will be a better read.

Book Review: Dreadnought by Cherie Priest (The Clockwork Century #2)

Dreadnought is the second book in Cherie Priest's “The Clockwork Century” series. This book is built on the premises of the previous book, Boneshaker. Like its predecessor, Dreadnought is a steampunk novel set in alternate history version of the American civil war. It has elements of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. Let's have a closer look:

Synopsis:

Nurse Mercy Lynch is stationed at a war hospital in Richmond, Virginia. One day, bad news reached Mercy when she was told her husband has died in a POW camp. Adding frost to the snow, she also received a telegram from the west coast informing her, that her father has sustained grave injuries, in danger of dying, and he wishes to see her.

Mercy set out on a journey to Tacoma to see her father, traveling thousands of miles between war-torn states. Eventually, she boarded a train pulled by a Union operated steam engine called Dreadnought, a mighty and terrifying steam engine equipped with awesome armory and weapons.

Very soon, Mercy discovered her hope for a peaceful journey quickly dissolved as the train was attacked by a band of Rebel soldiers. Their goal, to steal the mysterious cargo pulled by Dreadnought. Will Mercy survive this perilous journey?

What I think about this book:

In comparison to its predecessor, Boneshaker, the pace in Dreadnought is a little bit slower. However, this is not saying that Dreadnought is boring. In fact, I enjoy Dreadnought more than Boneshaker. This time around, the characterization has improved, because the characters' thoughts and emotions are revealed to the readers. Having said this, there is still very little character development in this book. It feels like after the Mercy went through all the life threatening moments and her epic journey, her character didn't grow or change.

Without spoiling the story, I found the ending to be somewhat anti-climatic. There are some twists in the story but it won't surprise you that much. Where this book succeeds, is the world building and the description of scenes. The author brilliantly established a fantastic, yet believable alternate history version of the American Civil War, with funky steam powered machinery and flesh eating zombies. Overall, as long as you don't take this book too seriously, this is a fun read and a good way to escape into the world of steampunk. If you already liked Boneshaker, you will probably like this one too.

Book Review: Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (The Clockwork Century #1)

  Boneshaker, is a steampunk novel set in the alternate history version of Seattle, during the American civil war. This is unique in the genre of steampunk, because steampunk books are usually set in alternate Victorian era in England. The author of this novel is Cherie Priest, and this book won Hugo award for the best novel in 2010.

Personally, I don't know much about the steampunk subculture. My little experience with steampunk comes from movies such as Van Helsing and The League of Extra Ordinary Gentlemen (I have also seen people wearing funky things for Cosplay, walking down the streets). One day, when I was browsing in the bookshop, the cover arts of this book grabbed my eyes, and I decided to give this book a try. This book has zombies, airships, steam powered mechanical devices, and evil villains. At the first glimpse, this book certainly sounds as if it has all elements for making an awesome story, right? Well, let me share some of my thoughts about this book.

Synopsis:

The story of Boneshaker is set in alternate history version of Seattle. During the early stages of the American Civil war, some Russian investors commissioned Leviticus Blue, an engineering genius, to build Boneshaker, an incredible drill engine. Boneshaker was supposed to give the Russians advantages in the race for the Kondike gold race.

Unfortunately, Boneshaker went haywire during the test, and accidentally released a poisonous gas from the underground. This poisonous gas, known as the Blight, turned people into mindless zombies who thirst for the human flesh. The survivors fled the city in a mass exodus, repopulated at the outskirt of Seattle, then built high walls around Seattle to contain the Blight and the zombies inside.

16 years later, a teenage boy stole away from home, venturing into the dangerous city, to solve the mysteries surrounding Leviticus Blue and Boneshaker. After his mother realized her son has gone into the city, she also went into the city to find him. Dangerous gangs dominate the abandoned city, with flesh eating zombies lurking at every dark corner. Can the mother and the son escape from the city with their lives?

What I think about this book:

Upon the first glimpse, the story of Boneshaker sounds exciting and refreshing. However, after I read it, I discovered, while this book is fun, but it also has some major weaknesses despite its originality. Let me talk about them briefly.

First of all, on top of being original, this book succeeds in terms of pacing. The pace of the story is good. There aren't many boring moments in the book. Another strength of this book is that the scenes are well described, and quite vivid. These strengths make Boneshaker a fast moving book with well described scenery.

However, in my opinion, there are several major flaws in this book. The biggest weakness being the lack of character development, the characterization is fairly weak. The result is, I didn't really care about the characters, and I didn't care about what happened to them. Maybe I was expecting a bit too much, but as a reader, I was unable to connect with the characters in the book. Usually, when I read a book, I want to venture with the characters, know their inner most thoughts, and share their feelings and emotions. However, in Boneshaker, I felt like I was just observing the characters as they venture into a story, I didn't know their thoughts, I didn't know who they were, and I wasn't there with them. The characters didn't develop, they stayed the same people after all the dangers and toils. My experience of reading Boneshaker feels a bit like watching someone else playing a video game.

Having said this, it does not mean Boneshaker is a terrible book. As I have said, this book has some original ideas, and it is refreshing. I am not a fan of steampunk, but I like the flavors, the scenes, and the descriptions about alternate history version of Seattle. At the end of the day, I speculate Boneshaker is a book for those who are interested in exploring the steampunk subculture, and it is probably a must read for fans of this genre. As for me, I discovered Boneshaker is only the first book to a series of five books titled “The Clockwork Century”, all written by Cherie Priest. My habit is that if I start a series, then I have to finish it, so next, I will be reading the second book to this series.