Welcome to the bizarre and dangerous world of Victorian London, a city teetering on the edge of revolution. Its people are ushering in a new era of technology, dazzled each day by new inventions. Airships soar in the skies over the city, whilst ground trains rumble through the streets and clockwork automatons are programmed to carry out menial tasks in the offices of lawyers, policemen and journalists. But beneath this shiny veneer of progress lurks a sinister side. For this is also a world where lycanthropy is a rampant disease that plagues the dirty whorehouses of Whitechapel, where poltergeist infestations create havoc in old country seats, where cadavers can rise from the dead and where nobody ever goes near the Natural History Museum.
| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
'Automata, clattering railway carriages, hansom cabs and 'pea soupers', gas lit streets and the doffing of caps, gruff policemen, mad scientists, arrogant industrialists, seances, pentagrams, addictions to laudanum and a few ravening zombies...Mann is at the forefront of the new generation of UK genre movers and shakers' --SFRevu.com
'Fans of Alan Moore's work will likely enjoy Mann's depiction of Victorian asylums, slums, aristocratic soirees and things that go bump in the night' --Strange Horizons
'An enormous pile of awesome'; Chris Roberson, World Fantasy Award finalist and Sidewise Award Winner. 'Mann's imagination has clearly run wild in this quirky and well realised version of the world, and this is no bad thing!It's fun, it's exciting, and Mann has a very agreeable hand that's easy to appreciate!He has a sharp talent for writing and a surplus of enthusiasm for the genre' SCIFI Now 'The author does a superb job of recreating nineteenth century London...a thoroughly engaging story!Excellent world building; captures the Sherlock Holmes feel; never a boring passage. Bottom line: A hugely entertaining book. 4.5 out of 5.' SF Signal. 'I absolutely loved it' Lou Anders --Various
'Fans of Alan Moore's work will likely enjoy Mann's depiction of Victorian asylums, slums, aristocratic soirees and things that go bump in the night' --Strange Horizons
'An enormous pile of awesome'; Chris Roberson, World Fantasy Award finalist and Sidewise Award Winner. 'Mann's imagination has clearly run wild in this quirky and well realised version of the world, and this is no bad thing!It's fun, it's exciting, and Mann has a very agreeable hand that's easy to appreciate!He has a sharp talent for writing and a surplus of enthusiasm for the genre' SCIFI Now 'The author does a superb job of recreating nineteenth century London...a thoroughly engaging story!Excellent world building; captures the Sherlock Holmes feel; never a boring passage. Bottom line: A hugely entertaining book. 4.5 out of 5.' SF Signal. 'I absolutely loved it' Lou Anders --Various
About the Author
George Mann is the Consultant Editor of Solaris Books, the major SF/Fantasy imprint of BL Publishing/Games Workshop. He is the editor of The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction and The Solaris Book of New Fantasy and the author of The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (Constable Robinson), The Human Abstract (Telos), The Severed Man (Telos) and The Child of Time (Telos, with David J. Howe). His short stories have appeared or are due to appear in venues such as Black Sails, Apex Digest, Triquorum and an anthology of Doctor Who stories. He regularly attends the major science fiction and fantasy conventions in both the UK and the US. He lives near Grantham with his wife and son.
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By zac
Format:Paperback
Like others I bought this on the strength of the excellent cover, having no knowledge of the author - and overall I enjoyed it. Whilst the characters and the setting are familiar and the debt to Sherlock Holmes etc is clear, thats OK with me - its SF! The plot is nicely put together, with everything from zombies to airships thrown into the mix and I can forgive any implausibilties such as the lead characters powers of regeneration.
There are the makings of a nice series here and the author knows it, eg references to other adventures such as the 'Hambleton affair'. I wish him luck. For me though the writing style was the real problem and never drew me in. Some of the dialogue really grated (eg "you can choose to help us or choose to create a situation for yourself" - in 1901?).
I can't recommend this book overall. I think the reviewer who classed this book as a missed opportunity pretty much summed it up. I hope that the author can round out the characters in future episodes, as the setting should give him plenty of room to play in.
I never thought that this book would be my first Amazon review. What prompted me was this: I can't be the first to wonder whether the reviewer Lou Anders is the same quoted on the front cover of my copy ("I absolutely loved it"), and thanked by the author in his acknowledgements. I feel that somehow he should have mentioned this in his review, if true.
There are the makings of a nice series here and the author knows it, eg references to other adventures such as the 'Hambleton affair'. I wish him luck. For me though the writing style was the real problem and never drew me in. Some of the dialogue really grated (eg "you can choose to help us or choose to create a situation for yourself" - in 1901?).
I can't recommend this book overall. I think the reviewer who classed this book as a missed opportunity pretty much summed it up. I hope that the author can round out the characters in future episodes, as the setting should give him plenty of room to play in.
I never thought that this book would be my first Amazon review. What prompted me was this: I can't be the first to wonder whether the reviewer Lou Anders is the same quoted on the front cover of my copy ("I absolutely loved it"), and thanked by the author in his acknowledgements. I feel that somehow he should have mentioned this in his review, if true.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Recipe for a steampunk novel: You will need:
1 victorian London - present.
A variety of steam-driven machines - present.
Several improbably capable clockwork automata - present.
Lots and lots of airships - check.
But:
1 involving 'ripping yarn' of a plot - missing
several interesting characters - absent
plenty of atmosphere - nope
a handful of plot twists the reader can't spot a mile off - uh uh.
This just doesn't work.
Dialogue: others have noted the dreadfully non-victorian dialogue; here's another example: people in the nineteenth century didn't say "How the devil are you?" - that's what modern people say if they are pretending to be cod-victorians.
Scene-setting: I never once believed I was in victorian London - even a steampunk version of it. There's no scenery, no colour, nothing to put me in the place. Compare Pullman's Sally Lockhart stories for how to do that really well.
Technology: I'm not convinced Mann knows his history of science and engineering. An example: one of the main characters goes back to her apartment and lights a gas grill to make some toast. In 1901? Not (completely) chronologically impossible, but it's hugely unlikely, and certainly unusual enough for it to be commented on in the text, if the writer had realised that and wasn't just being lazy.
He also never really talks about the way technology has changed society, except in banner-waving statements about clockwork robots putting people out of work, and that's never examined in any more detail. So even the technology he does discuss comes across as a two-dimensional maguffin - it's just 'Oo look! There's a steam taxi! Right, on with the plot.'
Even that I could cope with if the plot cracked on enough, but it doesn't. It plods, and when you don't really care about the two-dimensional characters that's not something you can get away with.
The cover sums up the whole book - superficially steampunk but look closer and you'll be disappointed. It's desperately trying to be steampunk, but the main image is a stock shot of a zeppelin with a very simple, non-victorian and not-very-well-drawn gondola tacked on badly at the bottom.
Avoid.
1 victorian London - present.
A variety of steam-driven machines - present.
Several improbably capable clockwork automata - present.
Lots and lots of airships - check.
But:
1 involving 'ripping yarn' of a plot - missing
several interesting characters - absent
plenty of atmosphere - nope
a handful of plot twists the reader can't spot a mile off - uh uh.
This just doesn't work.
Dialogue: others have noted the dreadfully non-victorian dialogue; here's another example: people in the nineteenth century didn't say "How the devil are you?" - that's what modern people say if they are pretending to be cod-victorians.
Scene-setting: I never once believed I was in victorian London - even a steampunk version of it. There's no scenery, no colour, nothing to put me in the place. Compare Pullman's Sally Lockhart stories for how to do that really well.
Technology: I'm not convinced Mann knows his history of science and engineering. An example: one of the main characters goes back to her apartment and lights a gas grill to make some toast. In 1901? Not (completely) chronologically impossible, but it's hugely unlikely, and certainly unusual enough for it to be commented on in the text, if the writer had realised that and wasn't just being lazy.
He also never really talks about the way technology has changed society, except in banner-waving statements about clockwork robots putting people out of work, and that's never examined in any more detail. So even the technology he does discuss comes across as a two-dimensional maguffin - it's just 'Oo look! There's a steam taxi! Right, on with the plot.'
Even that I could cope with if the plot cracked on enough, but it doesn't. It plods, and when you don't really care about the two-dimensional characters that's not something you can get away with.
The cover sums up the whole book - superficially steampunk but look closer and you'll be disappointed. It's desperately trying to be steampunk, but the main image is a stock shot of a zeppelin with a very simple, non-victorian and not-very-well-drawn gondola tacked on badly at the bottom.
Avoid.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This was my first experience of a steam punk novel, not sure if it will be my last. The story revolves around the the investigation into an airship crash in Victorian London, with zombies clockwork robots and glowing ghostly policeman thrown in for good measure. heading up this investigation is the partnership between Sir Maurice Newbury and his female assistant Hobbes.
Now obviously the main protagonist has to have a major failing, he just wouldn't be a detective if he didn't have some failing. In this case it is an addiction to laudanum. Here in lies my first problem with this book, why does he have to have an addiction, especially laudanum, this seems to de the drug of choice for Victorian detectives.
Secondly, everything bar the Kitchen sink is thrown into the mix, secret meetings with the monarchy, clockwork powered robots, a slightly dubious scientist, a power mad business man, and lets not forget fog shrouded streets of London. Yet for all these things Mann, never to truly capture any sense or fell of Victorian London, regardless of its steam punk leanings. Reading this novel it was hard pushed to imagine the characters walking around London, even though all that was missing was a young boy shouting "shine your shoes guv'nor.
The novel read flat, at no point did I feel compelled to turn the page. Yet, this is where it becomes murky, would I recommend this novel to someone else, no I wouldn't, but will I buy the sequel, probably. There is a really good pulp novel sitting here, waiting to be edited and rewritten in to leaner more fast paced story. Hopefully the second novel sees a progression in the writing, with a few off the clichés thrown out in favour of some more original thoughts and ideas.
This novels deserve 2 and half outr of five.
Now obviously the main protagonist has to have a major failing, he just wouldn't be a detective if he didn't have some failing. In this case it is an addiction to laudanum. Here in lies my first problem with this book, why does he have to have an addiction, especially laudanum, this seems to de the drug of choice for Victorian detectives.
Secondly, everything bar the Kitchen sink is thrown into the mix, secret meetings with the monarchy, clockwork powered robots, a slightly dubious scientist, a power mad business man, and lets not forget fog shrouded streets of London. Yet for all these things Mann, never to truly capture any sense or fell of Victorian London, regardless of its steam punk leanings. Reading this novel it was hard pushed to imagine the characters walking around London, even though all that was missing was a young boy shouting "shine your shoes guv'nor.
The novel read flat, at no point did I feel compelled to turn the page. Yet, this is where it becomes murky, would I recommend this novel to someone else, no I wouldn't, but will I buy the sequel, probably. There is a really good pulp novel sitting here, waiting to be edited and rewritten in to leaner more fast paced story. Hopefully the second novel sees a progression in the writing, with a few off the clichés thrown out in favour of some more original thoughts and ideas.
This novels deserve 2 and half outr of five.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
I paid money for this?
I'm sorry to say that I've given this book two stars rather than one because I have, in fact, read worse. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Braggadocchio
2.0 out of 5 stars
irritating
Poorly paced. Poorly written: (why have a character "reach" the top of the stairs when he can "crest" them instead?) Corny and cliched. Read more
Published 5 months ago by bat chain puller
4.0 out of 5 stars
A fun read.
I recently read this book and found it to be highly enjoyable. Other reviewers have mentioned that the plot and characters could be richer, but this could be because the author was... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Piers Harper
3.0 out of 5 stars
Decent Tongue in Cheek Steampunk Adventure
This first entry in a steampunk mystery series introduces the dynamic (and sure to become romantic) duo of Sir Maurice Newbury and Miss Veronica Hobbes. Read more
Published 12 months ago by A. Ross
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Ripping Yarn
After reading and not enjoying The Necropolis Railway (see my separate review), I was hoping The Affinity Bridge would help confirm everything I had hoped the Steampunk genre would... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Lee
3.0 out of 5 stars
Dull but worthy
This is the second book in the `steampunk' genre I have read; this seems a fascinating genre, and I am keen to sample the authors. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Keen Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars
Automatons, Zombies and Murder
A light read and excellent introduction to the Steampunk genre. It pulls Victorian/Edwardian London into the 21st century, creating easily understandable characters, enjoyable plot... Read more
Published 17 months ago by NickyTC
2.0 out of 5 stars
This is steampunk?
Ok I haven't finished the book yet but it will have to be a pretty stunning reveal to make it worthwhile - not sure I can be bothered. Read more
Published 21 months ago by P. J. Conquer
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Promising Start
As I sat down to write this review, I found myself wondering what first drew me to this book. Was it my keen interest in the steampunk genre? Read more
Published 21 months ago by David Kerr
5.0 out of 5 stars
Steampunk that works!
I didn't think I was going to enjoy this - I'd originally bought it for my OH - so included it on my TBR Challenge for this year. Read more
Published 23 months ago by SazzyMCH
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Fantasy
- Books > Fiction > Historical
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
