Cherie Priest's Boneshaker has been on my "To Read" list for quite some time, and armed with some gift cards, I went ahead and bought it. Let me just say I'm upset that I didn't get it sooner.
Let me copy part of the blurb on the front cover--a quote from an author I enjoy, Scott Westerfeld: "A steampunk-zombie-airship adventure of rollicking pace..." Read those three words again. Steampunk. Zombie. Airship. While those things are amazing by themselves, combined they hold unspeakable potential for greatness. However, I'll admit, I was a little wary before I started reading, because I didn't want the novel to drown in its own undead-steampunky decadence.
Boneshaker tells the story of late 19th century Seattle after a horrific accident caused by Dr. Leviticus Blue's Boneshaker drill decimates the city. The accident unleashes a vein of blight gas that transforms those who breathe it into zombies, or rotters as they are called in the novel. Seattle is walled-off in response, trapping those inside with the deadly gas and the even deadlier rotters.
Sixteen years after the accident, Zeke Wilkes, the son of the late Dr. Blue, ventures into the walled city to clear his father's name. His mother, Briar Wilkes, takes off in an attempt to rescue her son before it's too late. She meets air pirates and other characters who still live inside the drastically transformed, or some might say mutated, city.
The story was fast paced and filled with action. Briar was an intriguing protagonist because it became clear that she knew more about the Boneshaker and Dr. Blue than she initially let on. The way her bond with Zeke evolved over the course of the story moved me in ways I didn't expect to be moved by a zombie steampunk novel. It was so refreshing to see a strong female protagonist that didn't have to rely on overly large breasts or skintight clothing to survive. Briar was simply a woman who had lived a hard life and wanted to make sure her son was safe.
Some of the novel's best scenes reminded me of another book I love, Frank Herbert's Dune. While the two novels are very, very different, I saw some similarities between the gas-masked people living in Seattle and the desert-dwelling Fremen who live their lives encased in moisture reclaiming suits and masks. The blight gas affected every aspect of daily life for Seattle's residents in the same way that the constant struggle for water affects the people living on the planet Arrakis in Dune. That's just the vibe I got from those scenes. Who knows, maybe you'll experience something completely different. The book doesn't need to reference past science fiction classics to succeed though. Boneshaker stands on its own thanks to its extremely well-crafted universe and colorful characters.
Because it is set in a greater fictional universe--The Clockwork Century--parts of the novel, especially some involving some of the more minor characters, felt underdeveloped. I wanted to see more of those characters. I felt disappointed that I didn't get to see more of the universe Priest created. For example, the airship captain Andan Cly was one of the characters that intrigued me the most--a massive hulk of a man--but he only appeared in a few scenes. However, I did a little research and found out that Croggon Hainey, a minor character in this book, has a much bigger role in Clementine.
There are more novels set in this universe than just Boneshaker, so there's a good chance that I'll get to see more of the smaller characters in the future. I mean, it's definitely a good thing when a reader wants to know more about even the more minor characters in the story. So this little bit of "criticism" is really just a case of me wanting more.
Bottom line, if you like steampunk, zombies, airships, adventure, or any combination of the aforementioned, then this is a book for you. Hell, even if you don't like those things, give Boneshaker a try. I guarantee you'll be entertained. There's a reason it won the "Best SF Novel" award from Locus.
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