Boneshaker by Cherie Priest is a steampunk, zombie thriller that will delight readers of horror and science fiction.Set in a slightly altered 1880 Seattle, Boneshaker follows the story of a mother and son who have been greatly effected by recent events. Sixteen years ago, inventor Levi Blue created a tunnel boring machine called the bone-shaking drill engine. It not only dug tunnels effectively, it collapsed most of downtown Seattle. And it opened a hole in the earth that released a blight that killed everyone who inhaled it - only to turn most of them into rotters who now plague the city.
Immediately a wall was built to keep the heavy gas in the downtown area. All who could escape to the outskirts did. But there are still people who live in the walled area.
Briar Wilkes, who dropped her married last name of Blue for safety, never told her son much about his father. Now that Zeke is 15, he has a plan to go to the old city and find something that can clear his father's name - or at least tell him more about the man.
Once Briar finds Zeke gone, she tracks him to the old city where they both have to face rotters, poisonous blight gas, gang-like territories, and a mad inventor who has taken over the city like a crime lord. Briar must find Zeke before their gas masks give out; and then, find a way out of the city.
Priest has created a believable world that feels both historic and futuristic, a true steampunk adventure. Though I am not a huge fan of zombies, this book was well worth the time. Priest is currently working on a book set in the same time period called Clementine. Boneshaker has been nominated for both the Nebula and the Hugo Awards.
Priest, Cherie. (2010). Boneshaker. New York: Tom Doherty Associates.
No comments:
Post a Comment