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Product Description

Book Description
'A visionary steam-powered heavy metal fantasy. Gibson and Sterling create a high-Victorian virtual reality of extraordinary richness and detail' Ridley Scott, creator of ALIEN

Synopsis
The computer age has arrived a century ahead of time with Charles Babbage's perfection of his Analytical Engine. The Industrial Revolution, supercharged by the development of steam-driven cybernetic Engines, is in full and drastic swing. Great Britain, with her calculating-cannons, steam dreamnoughts, machine-guns and information technology, prepares to better the world's lot ...

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Inside This Book (Learn More)

First Sentence
Composite image, optically encoded by escort-craft of the trans-Channel airship Lord Brunel: aerial view of suburban Cherbourg, 14 October 1905. Read the first page

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Customer Reviews

40 Reviews

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(9)

Average Customer Review

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

Superb!, 27 Jun 2000

By A Customer

This book is the best `alternative history' novel, and one of the best SF novels I have read so far. The authors did their homework before writing this book; the atmosphere, the historical details and the psychology of the 19th-century characters are utterly credible, as is the science. I had no problem with the numerous digressions from the main storyline; they thoroughly immerse you into the culture of the time - or the alternative culture that might have been.

I'm a great fan of Baxter, who also has stories in which some discoveries or inventions are made "too early", but those lack the feeling of authenticity The Difference Engine manages to generate. There should be more books like this.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

There's something more here., 23 Mar 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Difference Engine (Spectra Special Editions) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a very interesting book, not so much for the alternate history, but the larger question of what has Lady Ada done.

I must admit that I didn't come upon the answer myself, but the novel did stimulate much thought and discussion, and finally, illumination.

I'd recommend this novel, but only if you'll allow the authors to tell the story. Much like Gene Wolfe, if you insist on interpreting this story yourself you'll miss it.

And here's the clue: the Difference Engine is the main character.

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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

A very believable alternate history, 4 Sep 2000

By A Customer

I bought this at a book shop a while ago on the title alone, and I thought it was worth it.
If you know a little about Babbage and are intruiged by the potential his (uncompleted) machines had, I think you can really imagine the world this book depicts. Not just the mechanics of Babbages creations and their offspring, but the mechanics of society which has evolved along with them. Two merged Revolutions, both Industrial and Informational.
I also found the story to be interesting, but excuse me if I rave about the setting it is in most of all. :)

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Great text book
Unfortunately dry.
This book is packed with great historical ideas and intriguing inventions, but so are many physics and history books. Read more

Published on 16 Jul 2005

wasted effort
I found this book in John Clute's encyclopedia of Science fiction, as one of the classics of the 90's. I run to read it and was disappointed, like many other reviewers. Read more

Published on 28 Feb 2005 by RAMON

A book that shouldn't be written
It's always a pity to see a talented author suddenly to come out with an hopelessly weak title. You sometimes just wish that he had the guts NOT to write when he feels that it's... Read more

Published on 24 Dec 2002 by Sergei Barbarash

But only for the fantastic scene setting
Can't believe this book, I got totally engrossed in the background and atmosphere of a heady London where gaining information and the ability 'wipe' people was simply a case of... Read more

Published on 18 April 2002 by iamvaughanie