Boneshaker Audio Book Review
AUTHOR: Cherie Priest
SOURCE: DB 70887
Reading time: 12 hours 25 minutes / Read by Mare Trevathan
NOTE: This is the Talking Book format used by the Library Of Congress.
Paperback, 416 pp Published 2009
Series (The Clockwork Century Followed by Clementine)
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(SPOILER Alert: The following Audio Book review may contain spoilers. I've tried to keep certain parts as general as possible.)
While researching zombie novels, I came across Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. This Hugo Award Nominee , Nebula Award Nominee and Locus Award winner also introduced me to steampunk novels. I was disappointed that this wasn't more of a zombie novel, but I was happy to discover a new world with interesting characters and steam-driven technologies.
The Boneshaker novel is the first book in the Clockwork Century Universe but there is a short story that came out in 2009 called 'Tanglefoot' which is available for free on the Subterranean website.
http://subterraneanpress.com/magazine/fall_2008/fiction_tanglefoot_a_story_of_the_clockwork_century_by_cherie_priest
the Clockwork Century Universe Reading Order
01 Boneshaker 2009
02 Clementine 2010
03 Dreadnought 2010
04 Ganymede 2011
05 The Inexplicables 2012
06 Fiddlehead 2013
On November 30, 2011 it was announced that there will be a Boneshaker movie produced by Hammer Films and Cross Creek Pictures.
In this Clockwork Century universe England broke the Union’s naval blockade and formally recognized the Confederate States of America. England's interaction has caused the war to go on for close to two decades. The Civil War has brought on a mini Industrial Revolution where inventors play a key part in developing technology that will tip the scales in favor of the North or the South, usually based on who is the highest bidder.
Are you hooked yet? You can see all the possibilities that Cherie Priest has set up in her alternate Universe for this book as well as future novels..
With the Civil War under way and the Klondike Gold Rush the Pacific Northwest is heavily populated in the 1860s. The Klondike is in northwest Canada east of the Russian-owned Alaska, and the Russians don't want to be left out of the gold rush.
A Seattle Inventor named Leviticus Blue builds his Incredible Bone-shaking Drill Engine with funding from Russian prospectors.
The Russians want The boneshaker tested before it's used to mine for gold in the Alaskan ice. When Leviticus Blue decides to test the Boneshaker under the streets of Seattle, 10000+ people are startled when several blocks of downtown Seattle are destroyed. People are killed during the accident and during the commotion millions of dollars are stolen from the bank vaults.
It looks like Leviticus Blue found gold without having to go all the way to Alaska!
Unfortunately the Boneshaker drilled through a vein of unbreathable blight gas. The toxic gas starts rising and starts killing people. Those who aren't killed are turned into zombies/rotters. O.K. this sounds a little weird, but isn't absurd. One of the speculations is that the blight gas may be from Mount Rainier which is actually a 500,000 year old volcano located southeast of Seattle. Plenty of authors use the digging up of some ancient evil, this just happens to be a volcano instead of some ancient burial ground.
Leviticus Blue, the Boneshaker and millions of dollars are missing, but the Walking Dead are here and are looking to form the world's largest Grunge Band!
To keep the blight and rotters contained a huge wall is built around the city of Seattle which is two hundred feet high and fifteen to twenty feet wide.
We then fast-forward 15 years to the 1880's and we're introduced to Leviticus Blue's wife and son who have been surviving on the outskirts of the wall.
Briar Wilkes was married to Leviticus Blue, the man who many believe was responsible for the destruction of Seattle.
If that wasn't bad enough, her father Maynard Wilkes was a lawman who many believe was responsible for the prison riots during the evacuation of Seattle.
Briar is raising her 15 year old son Zeke Wilkes and they have to live with the sins of her father and husband.
Zeke wasn't born when his father disappeared and Grandfather died, and grows frustrated with his mother's reluctance to talk about either of them. He decides to enter the walled city through the underground tunnels with the intent of clearing the family name.
When Briar finds out what he's done, she goes after him, but an earthquake collapses parts of the tunnels, so she needs to find another way into the city.
Time to storm the castle! Waiting inside the castle there are zombies, blight gas, drug dealers, revolutionaries and a princess. You can't have a castle without a princess!
So how does one get into the city of Seattle with the tunnels out of commission? Not by catapult. The Civil War is still going on and there are Combat dirigibles.
Briar Wilkes gets a ride over the wall on the airship Naamah Darling. The crew are Sky pirates who smuggle lemon sap a drug made from the blight.
Captain Andan Cly is freakishly huge and was one of the prisoners released by Briar's father Maynard Wilkes. The lawman Maynard Wilkes lost his life to the blight while saving the prisoners and has become a folk hero to many of the criminals who dealt with him.
Fang is the Chinese navigator. His tongue was cut out so he navigates by using hand signs and head movements. Rodimer is the first mate.
NOTE: Later in the novel there is a cool midair grappling battle between two airships. Two later novels in the series have both captains heavily involved in the storyline.
02 Clementine 2010 Captain Croggon Beauregard Hainey
04 Ganymede 2011 Captain Andan Cly
Once inside the walls we meet a rich cast of characters who are forced to live underground since the rotters walk the street levels. Most of these characters see Maynard Wilkes as a hero and are more than willing to help out any of his family members. Below is a list of the more memorable and noteworthy characters.
Jeremiah Swakhammer is well-armored and his mask is described as a combination of horse head / squid with two round filters and an amplifier. He is equipped with Dr. Minnericht’s Doozy Dazer which is a rotter stun gun.
Lucy O’gunning is the barkeeper/Proprietor of a underground bar Maynard's ( named after Maynard Wilkes). Her arm was amputated after a rotter bite, and she now has a mechanical one in it's place.
Princess Angeline is a a knife-wielding Native American princess who rescues Zeke. She is the most deadly female character in the vook.
Doctor Minnericht is a scientist, inventor and sap dealer. The underground crime-lord's mask looks like a steel skull with illuminated blue tinted goggles. His technology helps the people within the wall survive. Lucy o’gunning can thank him for her mechanical arm, and Jeremiah Swakhammer's Doozy Dazer can stun rotters for three minutes. His technological talent has lead many to believe the he may be Leviticus Blue.
The rest of the story is a thrill ride to unite mother and son and resolve the questions about Leviticus Blue. If I go into more detail I'll end up giving away parts of the plot and spoiling the book.
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FINAL THOUGHTS
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This book seemed like it took 10 chapters just to get both characters within the walls, but once inside the adventure was non-stop.
The zombies seem like they are more of a nuisance and the fear of the gas turning characters into zombies is more of a threat than they ever were.
The character of Zeke was annoying, and at times it seemed like he'd take turns with his mother being held hostage, or being told what to do. Thankfully the secondary characters are awesome enough to keep the story going.
There was a little too much "Girl Power" at the end. Three of the most prominent male characters are either killed from behind or end up being carried off by women, yet Zeke was allowed to live.
Since this was my first steampunk novel I have nothing to compare it to, but it did make me want to pick up another steampunk novel. I also would like to follow the series, and hope there additional audio books to follow.
FINAL RATING 3.5/5
As always Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Frank Hipolito started listening to audio books and audio podcasts after a medical condition left him with Cortical Blindness. The Helen Keller Institute worked with him on touch typing and he decided to share his reviews online.
The audio books are usually downloaded from the National Library Service for the Blind's BARD website and are used on a digital talking-book player, While the audio podcasts are usually downloaded through Itunes.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Sports Fiction Bestsellers
A few months ago a family member recommended that I listen to Calico Joe by John Grisham. He knew that I was a big baseball fan and thought I would enjoy this sports fiction story.
At first I was skeptical but decided to give it a shot. I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it to any baseball fan.
I also liked the way he told the story, and decided to see if there were any other sports fiction stories written by best-selling authors. Below are a short list of Sports Fiction Bestseller stories that I found and intend to read.
Any Baseball, Football, Basketball or Hockey suggestions are welcome.
Calico Joe DB 74690
John Grisham
Reading time: 5 hours, 23 minutes. Read by Patrick Downer.
In 1973 Chicago Cubs record-breaking rookie Joe Castle from Calico Rock, Arkansas, steps up to bat against New York Mets pitcher Warren Tracey--and the outcome changes both their lives. Decades later Warren is dying, and his son Paul tries to bring the two ballplayers back together. Bestseller. 2012.
Bleachers DB 56894
John Grisham
Reading time: 4 hours, 26 minutes. Read by Nick Sullivan.
After fifteen years former high school quarterback Neely Crenshaw returns to his hometown, where he learns that legendary football coach Eddie Rake lies dying. With other Spartans he reminisces about the "glory days" of their youth while contemplating his own lost potential. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2003.
Playing for pizza DB 65195
John Grisham
Reading time: 7 hours, 42 minutes. Read by David Hartley-Margolin.
Third-string quarterback Rick Dockery of the Cleveland Browns disgraces himself in a championship game and is fired. Dockery insists that his agent, Arnie, find him another job. When Arnie comes through, Dockery heads to Parma, Italy, where he faces culture shock. Bestseller. 2007.
Blockade Billy ; Morality DB 71282
Stephen King
Reading time: 3 hours, 8 minutes. Read by Erik Sandvold.
Two tales of horror. In Blockade Billy (2010) baseball catcher William Blakely is called up to the major leagues. But after runners are injured at home plate, his third-base coach discovers Billy's secrets. In "Morality" (2009) nurse Nora gets an intriguing proposition. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller. 2010.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
-----------------------------------------------------
Frank Hipolito started listening to audio books and audio podcasts after a medical condition left him with Cortical Blindness. The Helen Keller Institute worked with him on touch typing and he decided to share his reviews online.
The audio books are usually downloaded from the National Library Service for the Blind's BARD website and are used on a digital talking-book player, While the audio podcasts are usually downloaded through Itunes.
At first I was skeptical but decided to give it a shot. I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it to any baseball fan.
I also liked the way he told the story, and decided to see if there were any other sports fiction stories written by best-selling authors. Below are a short list of Sports Fiction Bestseller stories that I found and intend to read.
Any Baseball, Football, Basketball or Hockey suggestions are welcome.
Calico Joe DB 74690
John Grisham
Reading time: 5 hours, 23 minutes. Read by Patrick Downer.
In 1973 Chicago Cubs record-breaking rookie Joe Castle from Calico Rock, Arkansas, steps up to bat against New York Mets pitcher Warren Tracey--and the outcome changes both their lives. Decades later Warren is dying, and his son Paul tries to bring the two ballplayers back together. Bestseller. 2012.
Bleachers DB 56894
John Grisham
Reading time: 4 hours, 26 minutes. Read by Nick Sullivan.
After fifteen years former high school quarterback Neely Crenshaw returns to his hometown, where he learns that legendary football coach Eddie Rake lies dying. With other Spartans he reminisces about the "glory days" of their youth while contemplating his own lost potential. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2003.
Playing for pizza DB 65195
John Grisham
Reading time: 7 hours, 42 minutes. Read by David Hartley-Margolin.
Third-string quarterback Rick Dockery of the Cleveland Browns disgraces himself in a championship game and is fired. Dockery insists that his agent, Arnie, find him another job. When Arnie comes through, Dockery heads to Parma, Italy, where he faces culture shock. Bestseller. 2007.
Blockade Billy ; Morality DB 71282
Stephen King
Reading time: 3 hours, 8 minutes. Read by Erik Sandvold.
Two tales of horror. In Blockade Billy (2010) baseball catcher William Blakely is called up to the major leagues. But after runners are injured at home plate, his third-base coach discovers Billy's secrets. In "Morality" (2009) nurse Nora gets an intriguing proposition. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller. 2010.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
-----------------------------------------------------
Frank Hipolito started listening to audio books and audio podcasts after a medical condition left him with Cortical Blindness. The Helen Keller Institute worked with him on touch typing and he decided to share his reviews online.
The audio books are usually downloaded from the National Library Service for the Blind's BARD website and are used on a digital talking-book player, While the audio podcasts are usually downloaded through Itunes.
My Chemical Romance Interviews
My Chemical Romance is one of my favorite bands, and they are from my original homestate of New Jersey. I was saddened when the band announced its break-up on March 22, 2013. I came across this cool two-part interview where Kevin Smith interviews Gerard Way and Mikey Way during two episodes of his podcast called SModcast.
Some of the topics of interest discussed include:
How the band formed in 2001 after the events of September 11th.
Gerard Way being held at gunpoint while working at a comic book store.
WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE discussed line by line.
And great Flashbacks to Jersey Lore!
The SModcast Comedy Podcast features interviews Hosted By Kevin Smith.
http://smodcast.com/channels/smodcast/feed/
Below are the two podcasts for My Chemical Romance
SModcast 234: My Chemical Bromance Tuesday, December 04, 2012
In which our hero has a play date with Gerard and Mikey Way.
SModcast 235: 2 Way Street Tuesday, December 11, 2012
In which Gerard and Mikey Way take us through WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE, line by line.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
-----------------------------------------------------
Frank Hipolito started listening to audio books and audio podcasts after a medical condition left him with Cortical Blindness. The Helen Keller Institute worked with him on touch typing and he decided to share his reviews online.
The audio books are usually downloaded from the National Library Service for the Blind's BARD website and are used on a digital talking-book player, While the audio podcasts are usually downloaded through Itunes.
Some of the topics of interest discussed include:
How the band formed in 2001 after the events of September 11th.
Gerard Way being held at gunpoint while working at a comic book store.
WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE discussed line by line.
And great Flashbacks to Jersey Lore!
The SModcast Comedy Podcast features interviews Hosted By Kevin Smith.
http://smodcast.com/channels/smodcast/feed/
Below are the two podcasts for My Chemical Romance
SModcast 234: My Chemical Bromance Tuesday, December 04, 2012
In which our hero has a play date with Gerard and Mikey Way.
SModcast 235: 2 Way Street Tuesday, December 11, 2012
In which Gerard and Mikey Way take us through WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE, line by line.
-----------------------------------------------------
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
-----------------------------------------------------
Frank Hipolito started listening to audio books and audio podcasts after a medical condition left him with Cortical Blindness. The Helen Keller Institute worked with him on touch typing and he decided to share his reviews online.
The audio books are usually downloaded from the National Library Service for the Blind's BARD website and are used on a digital talking-book player, While the audio podcasts are usually downloaded through Itunes.
Scott Snyder Interview
Before I lost my vision last year, I was lucky enough to meet Scott Snyder. He was signing for fans at my local comic book store during Christmas 2011. He was a great guy and you could tell that he really enjoyed what he was doing. Lucky for me what he was doing was writing Batman. He was the mastermind behind The Court Of Owls which took Batman in a direction nobody had taken him before.
I came across this cool Scott Snyder interview by Kevin Smith on his Fat Man on Batman podcast.
Some of the topics of interest discussed include:
Scott Snyder's work history before comics.
The court Of Owls.
The secrets Of Becoming A Disney Park Character.
The Fat Man on Batman Podcast features interviews Hosted By Kevin Smith and usually revolves around Batman and Comics in general..
http://smodcast.com/channels/fatman-on-batman/feed/
Below is a description of the episode.
Fat Man on Batman 19: Scott Snyder: Of Cowls and Owls
Thursday, December 06, 2012
In the Fat Cave this week, beware the Court of Owls that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime. New 52 Batman mastermind Scott Snyder has talent and Talons to spare as he shares tales of a passionate journey to Gotham City that took him to infinity and beyond.
-----------------------------------------------------
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
-----------------------------------------------------
Frank Hipolito started listening to audio books and audio podcasts after a medical condition left him with Cortical Blindness. The Helen Keller Institute worked with him on touch typing and he decided to share his reviews online.
The audio books are usually downloaded from the National Library Service for the Blind's BARD website and are used on a digital talking-book player, While the audio podcasts are usually downloaded through Itunes.
I came across this cool Scott Snyder interview by Kevin Smith on his Fat Man on Batman podcast.
Some of the topics of interest discussed include:
Scott Snyder's work history before comics.
The court Of Owls.
The secrets Of Becoming A Disney Park Character.
The Fat Man on Batman Podcast features interviews Hosted By Kevin Smith and usually revolves around Batman and Comics in general..
http://smodcast.com/channels/fatman-on-batman/feed/
Below is a description of the episode.
Fat Man on Batman 19: Scott Snyder: Of Cowls and Owls
Thursday, December 06, 2012
In the Fat Cave this week, beware the Court of Owls that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime. New 52 Batman mastermind Scott Snyder has talent and Talons to spare as he shares tales of a passionate journey to Gotham City that took him to infinity and beyond.
-----------------------------------------------------
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
-----------------------------------------------------
Frank Hipolito started listening to audio books and audio podcasts after a medical condition left him with Cortical Blindness. The Helen Keller Institute worked with him on touch typing and he decided to share his reviews online.
The audio books are usually downloaded from the National Library Service for the Blind's BARD website and are used on a digital talking-book player, While the audio podcasts are usually downloaded through Itunes.
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