Title: Boneshaker (Clockwork Century #1)

Author: Cherie Priest

Publisher: A Tor Book 2009

Genre: Steampunk; Zombie

Pages: 416

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Steampunk; Mount TBR; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: I own it!

Maternal love faces formidable challenges in this stellar steampunk tale. In an alternate 1880s America, mad inventor Leviticus Blue is blamed for destroying Civil War–era Seattle. When Zeke Wilkes, Blue's son, goes into the walled wreck of a city to clear his father's name, Zeke's mother, Briar Wilkes, follows him in an airship, determined to rescue her son from the toxic gas that turns people into zombies (called rotters and described in gut-churning detail). When Briar learns that Seattle still has a mad inventor, Dr. Minnericht, who eerily resembles her dead husband, a simple rescue quickly turns into a thrilling race to save Zeke from the man who may be his father. Intelligent, exceptionally well written and showcasing a phenomenal strong female protagonist who embodies the complexities inherent in motherhood, this yarn is a must-read for the discerning steampunk fan.

I had heard mixed things about this series, but I found that I really enjoyed the story of Briar and Zeke and their journey inside the wall.  Somehow I didn't realize that each book in the series is set in the same world, but doesn't follow the exact same characters.  My understanding is that characters overlap.  Once I understood how the story was structured, I liked this one even better.  I was afraid that there just wasn't enough story of Briar and Zeke to continue for six books and a novella.  Thankfully that is not the case.

As for this volume, it started off a bit slow, but once the action started, it never stopped until the last pages. While the rotters were a good villain, they stayed mostly in the background.  We quickly learn that the living inhabitants of the walled city are much more dangerous.  I loved the simultaneous paths of Briar and Zeke.  I loved when they eventually interacted with the same colorful characters.  I was rooting for their success throughout the entire book.  Overall, it was a very satisfying steampunk adventure novel.  I've got the novella on tap for my next read!

Clockwork Century:

• #1 Boneshaker
• #1.1 Clementine
• #1.2 Tanglefoot
• #2 Dreadnought
• #2.5 The Living Dead 2
• #3 Ganymede
• #4 The Inexplicables
• #5 Fiddlesticks
• #6 Jacaranda