Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Genre: Steam Punk

Setting: A Steam Punk version of Seattle.

First Sentence: Unpaved, uneven trails pretended to be roads; they tied the nation's coasts together like laces holding a boot, binding it with crossed strings and crossed fingers.

In her novel Priest has brought Steam Punk to the Pacific Northwest.  Here we have all the classic elements of this genre: a toxic poisonous fog, the ravenous undead rotters, evil geniuses, and advanced machinery powered by coal, oil, electricity, and steam.

Sixteen years ago, Briar Wilkes was a very young bride married to Dr. Lividicus Blue.  Dr. Blue was an inventor.  He was hired by the Russians to design an excavating machine capable of reaching gold buried deep under the frozen tundra of the Yukon.  Dr. Blue invented the Boneshaker.  On its initial test run, Dr. Blue's invention unleashed a poisonous chemical cloud from deep within the earth: the blight gas. 

The blight gas is lethal to most.  Those who do not die are doomed to become rotters.  Rotters are undead beings whose minds are only focused on finding living flesh to consume.

In order to contain the gas, huge walls were built to surround the areas most affected by the gas.  Incredibly, there are people who have found a way to survive within the walls.

Dr. Blue is blamed for the destruction his machine caused.  For years his wife and their son have had to live with his tarnished reputation.

Now Briar's fifteen year old son, Zeke, wants to find out the truth about his father.  So he finds a way under the wall and into the toxic, dangerous city.  When Briar discovers where Zeke has gone, she too finds her way over the wall.

Can Briar save her son from the dangers of the walled in city?

Will Zeke discover the truth about his father?

I liked this book.  Priest has a writing style that is easy to read.  I enjoyed all of the interesting characters that the author used to people her steam punk Seattle.

If you are a fan of steam punk,  I encourage you to check out this American version of the genre.

Only one complaint: the edition of the novel which I read was printed in sepia ink.  The tan letters were a strain on these sixty year old eyes.

                                                               

I Hope You Find Me by Trish Marie Dawson

Genre: Dystopian Fiction

Setting: Southern California, in a dystopian world.

FYI: Some Adult Content

First Sentence:  I can't remember how long their bodies burned, but I do remember the sun setting before it was over, just beyond the still and dismal outline of Downtown San Diego.

This novel is the first in Dawson's Find Me series which currently has two books.

Riley watched her two children die from the Red Plague.  Now she has to find a safe place to live.  As she prepares to leave San Diego, she leaves notes to help her friends and family find her.

She first finds Connor, a handsome man with a secret past.

She also finds that her notes lead dangerous people to find her as well.

There are very few people left alive.  There are also some apparently dead people who seem to be alive.  Can Riley, Connor, and their friends find a safe place to restart their lives?

In this novel, the author begins an interesting series.  We are introduced to the main characters, and to some interesting mysteries.  Even though this novel has more romance than my usual reading fare, I enjoyed it.  The plot was pretty believable, and the characters seemed realistic.  And the hints at the ghost/zombies piqued my interest.

Over all it was an enjoyable visit to a dystopian world.  I liked it.

                                                        

1356 by Bernard Cornwell

Genre: Historical Fiction

Setting: France, AD 1356

First Sentence: He was lost.

The main character of this novel is Sir Thomas of Hookton.  Fans of Cornwell's novels will recognize the name.  Thomas is the main character of Cornwell's Grail Quest series.

Once again, Thomas's life intersects with a holy relic.  This time it is the sword of St. Peter.  Legend has it that the sword is imbued with holy power.  It is said that the possessor of the sword will have victory in battle.

So the sword is sought by both church and political leaders.  Even Thomas's lord has ordered him to look for the sword.

Thomas has sworn to destroy the sword if he finds it.  Through personal experience he understands the great cost of possessing such a holy relic.

France and England are at war.  Thomas's search for the sword takes him to the English army.  At the head of the army is the Black Prince, Edward the Prince of Wales.

Thomas and his followers join with the English army.  Eventually they fight the French at the battle of Poitiers.  If you enjoy reading about medieval battles, you will enjoy the author's description of this battle.

Cornwell's story is a grand tale of the knights of old.  We have knights in shining armor, castles and sieges, a damsel in distress, a chaste knight, jousting tournaments, and the carnage of battle in the middle ages.

Cornwell's well constructed writing style transports us to those olden days.  For me it was a real page turner, and a fabulous read.