Fast forward 30 or 40 years: that transcendent feeling I experienced reading as a child has unarguably enriched – and altered – my life. It’s become my career. I’ve written more than 6,000 genre fiction reviews – most of those for Barnes & Noble’s Explorations newsletter and BarnesandNoble.com – and I still read for that sense of escapism. (Only now I’m escaping changing diapers, which is ironic because the “poopy” oftentimes resembles my mother’s Hamburger Helper creations….) I take great pleasure in finding extraordinary reads, books that may have been overlooked by most of the reading populace, and then sharing my finds with you.
But I’ll admit it: I’ve become a little tainted, a little cynical. After reading so many science fiction and fantasy novels and stories, I’m finding it increasingly difficult to be “wowed” – to read something that just blows me away. I hear it all the time: it’s been done before. And I say it myself quite often. Discovering a novel that is not only singularly unique but also brilliantly written and profoundly moving is harder than it may seem.
Which brings me to Cherie Priest’s Boneshaker, an alternate history/steampunk adventure set in 19th century Seattle. It’s easily one of the best books I’ve ever read – a transcendent masterpiece of imagination. I’ve been a fan of Cherie’s from the very beginning – from her Eden Moore saga (paranormal fantasy/southern Gothic) to last year’s Lovecraftian Fathom to Boneshaker – and I’ve seen her blossom from a capable writer to one of the most exciting and innovative novelists in all of genre fiction.
Boneshaker is far and away her best work to date. (Have I said that this novel is a masterpiece yet?) Her world-building capabilities in Boneshaker are just jaw-dropping – the city of Seattle, the instruments and tools used, the clothing worn, the sights and sounds and smells…. It’s all pure perfection. Here’s the novel’s first few lines: “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. And over the great river, across the plains, between the mountain passes, the settlers pushed from east to west…”
And let’s not forget character development. The central characters in Boneshaker are realistically portrayed, endearing, and some are downright unforgettable – Briar Wilkes and her teenaged son Zeke, her infamous inventor father Leviticus Blue (who single-handedly destroyed Seattle), historian Hale Quarter, the giant Jeremiah Swakhammer, the enigmatic Minnericht, the swarms of undead rotters…. Superb characters, and the complex and loving and often tenuous relationship between Briar and her son fuels this narrative in a powerful way Poisonous gas. A ruined city. Zombies. Pirates. Airships... I don’t want to ruin any of the surprises for you. Suffice it to say that I absolutely loved this novel. I loved the meticulously imagined and wondrous world that Cherie has created and I think Boneshaker will be remembered historically as one of the “Big” releases that put steampunk back on the map. It’s an instant classic. And if you've never read Cherie Priest before, this is the perfect place to start.
Thomas_T
on
Paul, I would like to recomend a book called The Court of the Air if you haven't read it yet... great little steampunk fantasy novel.
I will get around to reading BoneShaker... it is on my list... really 
Thomas and Tig:
Aw man! I actually had this book in my hands last summer and I eventually went with something else! Thanks for the suggestion. I'll definitely pick it up the next time I visit my local B&N... That's why I love these forums, by the way.... it's like having a safety net beneath me: if I ever miss a book, someone here will inevitably say, "Hey! what about....?" Thanks again!
Paul
Kathy said-
"...I don't even know what "steampunk" is."
I'm new to Steampunk; I don't know if this is off topic or not but here's a link to a Steampunk band- Abney Park.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upZ33318g2c Love it! There's another Youtube video that talks about what Steampunk is; it should be listed on the right side when you go to this link 
Joan
