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abigcoffeedragon's review
1.0
This is only good for you if you enjoy the style of writing from 100 years ago. This reads like a Jules Verne novel (in writing style, not in quality) and that is not a compliment.
Jules Verne is known for his wonderful tales, but the writing style from his time was so wordy while saying nothing. This reads like someone that spent too much time reading Verne so that he could write his own coined term, "Steampunk". This novel was published in 2013. Speech can be indicative of the time period, but not the exposition. The boredom of this novel makes me never desire to read a Jeter novel again - ever.
Again, if you like the older style writing, this might be enjoyable for you, but 25% in and i couldn't care less about anything in this book, and I felt like i was covered in the dust of a long bygone age.
Jules Verne is known for his wonderful tales, but the writing style from his time was so wordy while saying nothing. This reads like someone that spent too much time reading Verne so that he could write his own coined term, "Steampunk". This novel was published in 2013. Speech can be indicative of the time period, but not the exposition. The boredom of this novel makes me never desire to read a Jeter novel again - ever.
Again, if you like the older style writing, this might be enjoyable for you, but 25% in and i couldn't care less about anything in this book, and I felt like i was covered in the dust of a long bygone age.
calbowen's review against another edition
1.0
This is only good for you if you enjoy the style of writing from 100 years ago. This reads like a Jules Verne novel (in writing style, not in quality) and that is not a compliment.
Jules Verne is known for his wonderful tales, but the writing style from his time was so wordy while saying nothing. This reads like someone that spent too much time reading Verne so that he could write his own coined term, "Steampunk". This novel was published in 2013. Speech can be indicative of the time period, but not the exposition. The boredom of this novel makes me never desire to read a Jeter novel again - ever.
Again, if you like the older style writing, this might be enjoyable for you, but 25% in and i couldn't care less about anything in this book, and I felt like i was covered in the dust of a long bygone age.
Jules Verne is known for his wonderful tales, but the writing style from his time was so wordy while saying nothing. This reads like someone that spent too much time reading Verne so that he could write his own coined term, "Steampunk". This novel was published in 2013. Speech can be indicative of the time period, but not the exposition. The boredom of this novel makes me never desire to read a Jeter novel again - ever.
Again, if you like the older style writing, this might be enjoyable for you, but 25% in and i couldn't care less about anything in this book, and I felt like i was covered in the dust of a long bygone age.
husito's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I loved the writing style and the scenes described. I wish the Iron Lady would've got more screen time, though.
branch_c's review
3.0
At the beginning I was reminded of why I still consider [b:Infernal Devices|49808|Infernal Devices|K.W. Jeter|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1230562287s/49808.jpg|48716] one of the best steampunk novels ever.
With the return of George Dower in this book, we get more of his late father's ingenious clockwork inventions, plus gigantic walking lighthouses, steam mines, and hints of communication with whales and with the oceans themselves. It's clever absurdity of the best possible kind, and Jeter is the absolute master of the pseudo-Victorian writing style with its subtly humorous language.
Unfortunately, the story takes a couple of turns in the middle that left me much less impressed. I'm not sure if the reader, along with Dower, is meant to find the ridiculous concept of "fex" to be distasteful or not, but along with other half-joking references to bizarre kinkiness, it came across as juvenile and not particularly funny.
Then the initially fascinating lighthouse concept is transformed into a squalid and implausible conspiracy led by the unfortunately ridiculous major villain. This so-called Iron Lady is too absurd to be taken seriously, not creative enough to be taken humorously, and the conspiracy she leads makes little logical sense.
Toward the end, when the action cranks up for the climax, there's a slight return to the bright promise of the beginning, but it's too little too late, and leaving me with a barely average impression of the book overall.
With the return of George Dower in this book, we get more of his late father's ingenious clockwork inventions, plus gigantic walking lighthouses, steam mines, and hints of communication with whales and with the oceans themselves. It's clever absurdity of the best possible kind, and Jeter is the absolute master of the pseudo-Victorian writing style with its subtly humorous language.
Unfortunately, the story takes a couple of turns in the middle that left me much less impressed. I'm not sure if the reader, along with Dower, is meant to find the ridiculous concept of "fex" to be distasteful or not, but along with other half-joking references to bizarre kinkiness, it came across as juvenile and not particularly funny.
Then the initially fascinating lighthouse concept is transformed into a squalid and implausible conspiracy led by the unfortunately ridiculous major villain. This so-called Iron Lady is too absurd to be taken seriously, not creative enough to be taken humorously, and the conspiracy she leads makes little logical sense.
Toward the end, when the action cranks up for the climax, there's a slight return to the bright promise of the beginning, but it's too little too late, and leaving me with a barely average impression of the book overall.
abigcoffeedragon's review against another edition
1.0
This is only good for you if you enjoy the style of writing from 100 years ago. This reads like a Jules Verne novel (in writing style, not in quality) and that is not a compliment.
Jules Verne is known for his wonderful tales, but the writing style from his time was so wordy while saying nothing. This reads like someone that spent too much time reading Verne so that he could write his own coined term, "Steampunk". This novel was published in 2013. Speech can be indicative of the time period, but not the exposition. The boredom of this novel makes me never desire to read a Jeter novel again - ever.
Again, if you like the older style writing, this might be enjoyable for you, but 25% in and i couldn't care less about anything in this book, and I felt like i was covered in the dust of a long bygone age.
Jules Verne is known for his wonderful tales, but the writing style from his time was so wordy while saying nothing. This reads like someone that spent too much time reading Verne so that he could write his own coined term, "Steampunk". This novel was published in 2013. Speech can be indicative of the time period, but not the exposition. The boredom of this novel makes me never desire to read a Jeter novel again - ever.
Again, if you like the older style writing, this might be enjoyable for you, but 25% in and i couldn't care less about anything in this book, and I felt like i was covered in the dust of a long bygone age.