THE CLOCKWORK DYNASTY
Daniel H. Wilson
Doubleday Books
August 1, 2017
June Stefanov is sixteen when her grandfather, a veteran of the Seige of Stalingrad, presents her with an odd relic and the tale of an "angel" who saved him on the battlefield. His savior dropped the relic, and the grandfather has hidden it away ever since. He gives it to June in the belief that she can find out its secrets but warns her to never show it to anyone. June has become an anthropologist specializing in ancient technologies and while working under a grant from a mysterious conglomerate and examining a mechanical doll, is plunged into a world of violence and beings that she could never have imagined. There are robots, "avtomat," immensely old and powerful walking in her world, and what they are seeking is the very relic she possesses. She is saved from what assuredly would be death by another avtomat, Peter.
June and Peter embark on a trip back in time through Peter's memories ranging from 3000 BC China, the reign of Peter the Great and London in 1725 right up to World War II and the present day. Told in alternating chapters, Peter's life, and that of his "sister" Elena, are a fascinating tale of blending into the human populace with greater or lesser success. However, the avtomat are finally dying out, cannibalizing and waging war on each other. The factions think that June's relic will be the answer to survival.
I have read some steampunk in the past and enjoyed it, but I have to admit that the gorgeous cover of Clockwork Dynasty sold me. It is a genre-bending, high action fantasy read that kept me immensely entertained throughout. I need to point out that there is a lot of graphic violence that should be taken into account by sensitive readers. I recommend it for fantasy lovers of all kinds looking for something different, and those who prefer a strong female lead.
Thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions above are my own.
RATING- 4.5 Stars
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