Boneshaker by Cherie Priest - review of a steampunk novel

This book had a couple of technical errors that really irritated me but other than that it was a pretty good read.
The technical things, probably minor for most, but that really irritated me dealt with the air pumps a some other random issues. For I quite a while the main character was caught in an air pump inlet and somehow she was being blown back and forth. That must be some really inefficient pump! She should only be getting sucked in not blown out. Then there's other random things like a 200 foot wall around all of Seattle that was built in less than a year? To get away from a heavy soupy gas they go underground? Nobody notices dirigibles flying into Seattle, a city surrounded by hills, just because of a 200 foot wall? Sneaking up behind someone and shooting the in the head causes their brain to fly backwards towards the gun? Questionable facts here.

Otherwise though it was entertaining but the zombies were rather boring, the reviewed "suspense" was non-existent, and the characters were quite unbelievable.
The main character has been working in a plant that boils muck and water for 16 years yet suddenly she's a crack shot action hero better than people that have been living with the zombies for 16 years. A 15 year old boy is a complete moron and afraid to shoot a gun? An ordinary lowlife is able to pretend to be a mad scientist for 16 years?

It would have been much better if they just killed on the damn rotter zombies. It didn't appear to be too difficult to do. Flamethrowers anyone?

On second thought I'm lowering my review.
2/5


Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
My rating: 2 of 5 stars




View all my reviews

Essential Steampunk Literature

Here I will attempt to assemble a list of essential steampunk novels and where you can pick up a copy.

The Difference Engine (Spectra Special Editions)
by William Gibson - essential steampunk


Extraordinary Engines: The Definitive Steampunk Anthology
- steampunk short stories


Jules Verne's Moon Book - From Earth to the Moon & Round the Moon - Two Complete Books by Jules Verne - all about the moon. Of course there is also 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (Scholastic Classics)



The The Steampunk Trilogy
- 3 related Victorian stories

For further perusal here is an extensive list http://etheremporium.pbwiki.com/Steampunk%20Essentials

Steampunk Pathfinder

The concept of steampunk may originate from many different things from Jules Verne's writings to the question, "what if computers existed in the early 1800's and ran on steam?" It is best summed up by calling it a past that never was. Steampunk can be shown in many areas now including fashion, music, architecture, design, and as a lifestyle. This guide is inclusive as possible to show where to find steampunk information.


Definition, History, and General Information

Google Custom Search - Steampunk
http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=003261294807282304073:tnyykwdvlg4
or try this tinyurl: http://preview.tinyurl.com/steampunk
A custom google search of many of these sites. This search allows searching to be restricted to websites that deal with steampunk.

Wikipedia - Steampunk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk
Discusses the origins and history of steampunk. It's descriptions are thorough and this article provides plenty of examples of steampunk works and resources.

SteamPunk Magazine
http://www.steampunkmagazine.com/
A printable magazine with articles relating to steampunk. There is also a blog. As of this writing there are 4 published issues.

Brass Goggles
http://www.brassgoggles.co.uk/
The definitive steampunk blog. Brass Goggles links to and annotates what interesting things are going on with steampunk wherever they are going on. Projects and events are featured.

The Clockworkers Guild Journal
http://community.livejournal.com/anachrotech/
A blog that chronicles steampunk events and also announces meet-ups, especially in the Bay Area. The blog is collaborative with contributions from other steampunk blogs.

Honky-Tonk Dragon
http://honkytonkdragon.blogspot.com/
A blog with general steampunk information among other things. It has covered steampunk music.

Steampunk:
http://steampunk.wildwinter.net/
A site and database with steampunk projects, stories, and anecdotes. It also has an archive of The Lemniscate Club.

Gothic Steam Phantastic
http://www.xs4all.nl/~vanip/gsp/gspindex.htm
This site deals more with the gothic side of steampunk. There is a forum. There is also a detailed section on the sound of steampunk.


DIY and Watch Others Do It Guides

The Steampunk Workshop
http://steampunkworkshop.com/
A blog of the creations of Hieronymus Isambard "Jake" Von Slatt. He has created custom keyboards, work for burning man (including a beating heart for the man), and he showcases others art such as a steampunk scooter.

Datamancer.net - Technical Art and Steampunk Contraptions
http://www.datamancer.net/
A blog of the creations of Richard R. Nagy. Some of the most known works include computer modifications including a steampunk notebook computer.

Steam punk goggles tutorial
http://singularphotography.com/Goggles/
A tutorial on how to make brass goggles from some door lock hardware and leather.

Exploring, Steampunk, goggles DIY and How To Projects
http://www.instructables.com/id/Goggles/
or try this tinyurl: http://preview.tinyurl.com/66v8e5
A number of tutorials on different steampunk goggle projects including ones made from cheap welding goggles and other hardware.

The Steampunk Home
http://thesteampunkhome.blogspot.com/
A blog about how to live in a steampunk styled home with modifications and items that would fit a steampunk lifestyle.

Steampunk Pirate Gun Mod
http://www.instructables.com/id/Steampunk-Pirate-Gun-Mod/
A tutorial on how to turn a toy pirate gun into a steampunk pirate gun.

How To Make A Kick Ass Steampunk Nerf Gun
http://weeklygeekshow.com/2007/09/how_to_make_a_kick_ass_steampu.php
A simple how-to dealing with Nerf toys and their steampunk possibilities.

wicked anomie: sociology run amok: Novice Steampunk Gun Mod
http://wickedanomie.blogspot.com/2007/12/novice-steampunk-gun-mod.html
Another steampunk gun mod, this one involves little pirate toy guns.

Art and Sculpture

Neverwas Haul Times
http://www.xlounge.com/neverwas/neverwas_proposal.html
A web page dedicated the the proposals involved in revaming of the Neverwas Haul, a self-propelled 3-story Victorian house. The moving sculpture has made appearances at Burning Man and the Makers Faire.

The Telectroscope
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/telectroscope/
This was a scultpure that visually connected New York with London through a mysterious steampunk tunnel. It allowed people in these cities to see each other in real time.

Steampunk Treehouse
http://www.steamtreehouse.com/
This site displays information about the Steampunk Treehouse, a large installation that has made appearances at Burning Man and the Coachella festival. There is a media gallery, philosophy section, and construction information.

Fashion

The Steampunk Style Test

http://www.helloquizzy.com/tests/the-steampunk-style-test

A fun little quiz to give you your steampunk style results.

Originals: Rayguns: Weta Collectibles, Exclusive Polystone Collectibles
http://www.wetanz.com/rayguns/
Purchase finely crafted ray guns for your steampunk outfit. It's also a great place to get ideas about steampunk crafting possibilities.

Steampunk Fashion
http://community.livejournal.com/steamfashion/
A steampunk fashion blog. Different articles of steampunk and Victorian clothing and other articles are discussed. There are also some event announcements.

Flickr: Steampunk Gear
http://www.flickr.com/groups/steampunkgear/
A forum for posting images and discussions regarding steampunk wear and gadgetry.

Music

The Clockwork Cabaret
http://www.clockworkcabaret.com/
The online presence of a steampunk devoted radio show. The episodes can be downloaded or subscribed via a podcast player.

GAMP Musings: Steampunk Music
http://dgamp.blogspot.com/2008/06/steampunk-music.html
A evaluative summary of steampunk music with links to the artists and albums.

Abney Park
http://www.abneypark.com/
The website for the popular steampunk group Abney Park. The site has some tracks you can listen to, tour information, and other media.


Forums

Tribe.net Steampunk Forum
http://tribes.tribe.net/289351f7-caa2-4c33-b02a-ddf0a99a77c8
or try this tinyurl: http://preview.tinyurl.com/5dt7uz
The forum on tribe.net for steampunk discussion. This allows social networking environment with steampunk peers.

Flickr: Steampunk
http://www.flickr.com/groups/steampunk/
A forum for the posting of images and discussions relating to steampunk.

Flickr: Second Life®Group - Steampunk
http://www.flickr.com/groups/sl-steampunk/
A place to share screnshots and images from the steampunk city in the Second Life, New Babbage, and discuss related topics about the Second Life universe.


Comics, Anime, Film, and Television

The Big Database of Comic Books - Steampunk
http://www.comics-db.com/DC_Comics/S/Steampunk/
A searchable database for the comic Steampunk as well as other DC comics. As of this writing it consists of information about the number, date, and some publication information for each issue but the synopsis and other content is missing.

Legend
http://x.webring.com/hub?ring=legendsteampunk
A webring dedicated to the television show Legend and other steampunk films and television series.

last exile
http://halo-productions.com/LastExile/
A site with media and information about the steampunk anime Last Exile.There are character summaries, an episode guide, and galleries.


Games

The Passively Multiplayer Online Game, PMOG
http://pmog.com/
A steampunk themed game that is played while browsing the web via a browser plugin. Players create pathfinders, lay mines, and create and follow hyperlinks to websites. Playing the game is currently free.

Neo Steam
http://ns.clubhanbit.jp/
A massively multiplayer online game for Korean and Japanese players. The game has a steampunk theme. If you can read either of those languages you may be able to play or determine more about it.

Media

New Babbage - A Steampunk City in Second Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlu5QmMWkpY
A video showing a fly through of the the city called New Babbage in the Second Life universe.

Steampunk Wallpaper
http://steampunkwallpaper.com/
A blog with daily wallpaper images created by the blog author using creative commons licensed works and images along with their own graphics design skills.

Steampunk Wallpaper

My friend and associate the autowitch has had one of his photos of a local sugar mill turned into steampunk wallpaper through creative commons usage.

This one by Chinese photographer sonyasonya is also pretty cool, but it reminds me of prison slave labor.

In other news here's some more steampunk music notes:

The Vernian Process has released another song titled "Crime of the Century." It's currently playable and downloadable from their myspace page. The song is a collaboration with Malcolm Schreeck. It's rather gothic and brooding, and maybe overly repetitive.

Fayettville, Arkansas had some kind of steampunk music festival called the Ravenwood Festival. Abney Park, The Ghosts Project, The Vernian Process, and Voltaire were there.

The Clockwork Cabaret took a trip to Tarboro, North Carolina where a steampunk ball was held. It also apparently had boat races and walking tours. I'm hoping it will be on the Clockwork Cabaret podcast soon.

Steampunk Music

I've been researching the interwebs for links to what might be called "Steampunk Music". Some of this I've found on myspace music that you can listen to or even download for free. There are amazon links for most everything.

Also check out http://www.sepiachord.com where there is a jukebox!

A steampunk music label: http://www.gildedagerecords.com/

Johnny Hollow - Dirty Hands Gothic steampunk

Rasputina - Oh Perilous World Ominous Cello , some tracks very steampunk, some not as much

Zoe Keating - One Cello X 16: Natoma etherial cello with looping ( I believe it is one very cute girl with her cello 16 times) - very cool.








Life Toward Twilight - I swear by all the flowers sounds as if recorded on a wax cylinder - something about death - you can download some of their songs (not on the album) here http://www.artistserver.com/LifeTowardTwilight and here's the myspace page http://www.myspace.com/lifetowardtwilight (has some album tracks)

Attrition - All Mine Enemys Whispers: The Story of Mary Ann Cotton album apparently contains Victorian poison bottle labels, some tracks a bit heavy

Abney Park - Lost Horizons - the quintessential steampunk album, very popular in the steampunk community but doesn't have as many steam related sounds as one might expect. Maybe they could use a steam engine at some point. I'd call it steampunk alternative.

Unextraordinary Gentleman - 5 Tales From God-Only-Knows Victorian synth-punk

Rube Waddell - Hobo Train a San Francisco quartet


Rosin Coven - Penumbra violin, cellos, bass, guitar, harp, vibraphone, trombone, drums, and vocal harmonies - myspace page http://www.myspace.com/rosincoven

Vagabond Opera - Get on the train vaudeville and cabaret - and trains - http://www.myspace.com/vagabondopera - from Portland

Voltaire - Ooky Spooky A more comedic album with violins and jig worthy tunes. Also has stuff about vampires and zombies. Maybe it's Halloween steampunk.
- http://www.myspace.com/voltairenyc


The Ghosts Poject Electronic steampunk with some sounds of strings and drums.

Dr. Steel looks very steampunk on the website - sounds like, umm - well cool website anyway - many tracks are very heavy and some are just weird or perhaps comical? http://worlddominationtoys.com/drsteel/enter.html

Boxcar Saints - Last Things A discussion on tribe says this is steampunk, I think its more western alternative something, but maybe

The Peculiar Pretzelmen - Uncanny Eyes http://www.myspace.com/pretzelmen - a vaudeville lounge sort of thing - pretty cool. I particularly like "pass the kerosene."

St34mpunk - some kids in Louisville, Colorado, electronic techno steampunk - not too refined yet but interesting - as of now you can download everything from the myspace page

Default Dot Exe - futuristic steampunk techno - can't find anything to buy or download though. It looks like they are now Man and Machines - http://www.myspace.com/manandmachines which does not sound as steampunk but is still more industrial goth techno something

The Vernian Process A collaborative project that's popping up in the news lately, or at least in blogs. Some of it sounds like video game music.


Opheliac
Emilie Autumn - Great violin and femail vocals, at least until she starts screaming.

Finally - here's a radio show http://www.clickcaster.com/clockworkcabaret Some of the stuff is very good, very steampunk, and on this list already. Some of it, well there is no real genre of steampunk yet, and what they think is steampunk, I think is.... not.

And here's a blog post with some good steampunk music selections: http://www.matrix-online.net/bsfa/website/matrixonline/Matrix_Features_4.aspx