Sean Randall reviewed Empire state by Adam Christopher
Review of 'Empire state' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
"Time to save the world. Rad stopped and considered. Two worlds."
It's difficult to wax enthusiastic about a book I new I wouldn't really enjoy.The reviews were all very promising and the blurb fascinating, but even there, there was a warning bell. Steampunk is an sf&F subgenre that I have yet to enjoy in any way, shape or form. Now, now - yes, I've had very little exposure to it, I know. But having not liked it anywhere else, I see no reason to push it onto myself unnecessarily.
So, that's the first demerit. Second, and more specific to this novel, is the setting - the Speakeasy, 1930's prohibition period of the US's history is one I am not particularly enamored of, mainly because I had to study it in depth for two years when I would have preferred continuing with the First World War. Those tortuous years gave me …
"Time to save the world. Rad stopped and considered. Two worlds."
It's difficult to wax enthusiastic about a book I new I wouldn't really enjoy.The reviews were all very promising and the blurb fascinating, but even there, there was a warning bell. Steampunk is an sf&F subgenre that I have yet to enjoy in any way, shape or form. Now, now - yes, I've had very little exposure to it, I know. But having not liked it anywhere else, I see no reason to push it onto myself unnecessarily.
So, that's the first demerit. Second, and more specific to this novel, is the setting - the Speakeasy, 1930's prohibition period of the US's history is one I am not particularly enamored of, mainly because I had to study it in depth for two years when I would have preferred continuing with the First World War. Those tortuous years gave me a fine appreciation for the stock market but a rather irritating outlook on that era, and so when I began to realise where this book was sett and what powered it's primary technologies (steammen, airships and so forth) I was tempted to trash it.
But I didn't.
I in fact read it to the end and, rather surprisingly, liked it!
Even more worryingly, the comic superhero thing? I hate that, too. "The Skyguard and the Science Pirate" and everything that you associate with it... it reminds me of mindless, silly, juvenile drivel, the sort of thing I probably lapped up as a preteen and doubtless secretly enjoyed for a year or two afterward. I'm not saying it's the type of material that can't be well written, but it's part of a pulp era that doesn't appeal to me in the least.
So for all that, I really enjoyed it. The writing was engaging, the characters distinctive. I felt a little at sea on occasion, Rad seemed one of the least competent detectives imaginable and his view throughout was a bit narrow, but the denouement was exciting, the writing good and the science at least vaguely interesting.
I'll certainly be looking at [a:Adam Christopher|590743|Adam Christopher|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1301580226p2/590743.jpg]'s further works, reading the reviews, maybe even sample chapters. I am, for all that this book should have gotten on my nerves, rather impressed.
