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Mainspring (Mass Market Paperback)

by Jay Lake (Author)
3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
RRP: £6.99
Price: £4.84 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Product details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Tor Books; Reprint edition (1 Jul 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0765356368
  • ISBN-13: 978-0765356369
  • Product Dimensions: 16.8 x 10.7 x 2.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 286,303 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Product Description

Jay Lake's first trade novel is an astounding work of creation. Lake has envisioned a clockwork solar system, where the planets move in a vast system of gears around the lamp of the Sun. It is a universe where the hand of the Creator is visible to anyone who simply looks up into the sky, and sees the track of the heavens, the wheels of the Moon, and the great Equatorial gears of the Earth itself."Mainspring" is the story of a young clockmaker's apprentice, who is visited by the Archangel Gabriel. He is told that he must take the Key Perilous and rewind the Mainspring of the Earth. It is running down, and disaster to the planet will ensue if it's not rewound. From innocence and ignorance to power and self-knowledge, the young man will make the long and perilous journey to the South Polar Axis, to fulfil the commandment of his God.

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Customer Reviews

2 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
3.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, 12 Sep 2007
By A. C. F. Guile "eddygemmell" (London, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Mainspring (Hardcover)
Jay Lake is a master of short stories and has been for many years. This is his first novel.

It's good. Not amazing but good.

It's set in a alternative world in the early 1900's where the British Navy rule the skies in airships. This, essentially is why I bought the book, as the picture of the airship on the front caught my attention.

There's some great ideas about the world turning on a rail, Archangel Gabriel pops in and out and the world is divided into north and south with an immense wall separating the two. Strange creatures both good and bad live south of the divide.

The main character has been given the task of finding the Key Perilous and winding the mainspring of the world which is starting to slow down. He begins his journey not knowing why he has been chosen or where he should go. The reader follows him though his trials and tribulations.

I am a little surprised however that this isn't deemed a Young Adult (YA)novel rather than being marketed as more of a mainstream book. Perhaps the main character having a sexual relationship with a monkey-type of female has something to do with it!!!

The tone of the book says 'YA' to me as do most of the themes. It also reads a little clipped in places as if too much of the original have been cut for some reason. It almost moves too fast at times without enough explanation. Maybe that's just my taste or maybe that Jay's short story background coming through.

Overall, there are some great ideas and scenes. Characters are novel and overall I am glad I bought it. I suspect his next book will be better though.
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3.0 out of 5 stars Good!, 5 Jul 2009
I enjoyed reading this book. It's not amazing but it was good solid fun. I agree with the other review here that at times it felt like it was almost going too fast and felt like it had been severely edited. Maybe this is his usual style as I've not read any of his books before but I did enjoy it.
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