Another month, another book in the Steampunk Challenge.
And this puts me in a strange place. I just mentioned a few days ago that I don’t like giving reviews that are less than positive because any book that I dislike, others will love, and I kind of hate to dissuade anyone from reading a book that they might have been interested in otherwise. And yet I’m in this challenge which involves at the very least, writing a few words about the books I read.
And in this case, I can’t rave about it.
The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters
However.
Dahlquist needed a bit of assistance in plotting. He’s a playwright and this was his first novel. I got a bit tired of the lather/rinse/repeat nature of the story with his three main characters constantly getting captured, witnessing horrifying things, and then escaping. Again. And again. And again. His three main characters are an odd and intriguing trio–a heroine who wants to find out why her fiance has written her a strange and unexpected “Dear Jane” letter and thus begins an investigation into dark, dangerous places. An assassin who dwells in such places. And a very proper gentleman whose sense of duty draws him into dark, dangerous places. Sounds like a good start, doesn’t it?
So please don’t listen to me. Go read it for yourself. This immense chunk of Victorian steampunk has a lot to sink your teeth into and the odds are great that you’ll be one of the ones who love it.
Earlier steampunk challenge reviews.
Sidebar: This is the second book I’ve read that was inspired by a dream where I thought the author could have done a much better job finding a way to incorporate that dream into fiction. And a gazillion people didn’t agree with me on the first one
, by Mary Ann Shaffer
, by Marion Chesney
, by Marion Chesney
, by Ariana Franklin
by Margiad Evans
by Jo Beverley
by Jo Beverley
by Jo Beverley
planet pooks 
I love the cover of this one. Not sure whether I wuld like the book after reading your review. I hate that wash, rinse, repeat cycle.
Rikki
A lot of people love this, so it may be just me. But, yeah, it did feel a little like the Perils of Pauline, one close call after another, with our valiant trio of protags always coming out okay.
I’ve recently finished volume 1 and yes, the initial stages were engrossing but then – oh no, he’s in the clutches of the evil contessa, oh my, he’s knocked unconcious, dear me, they haven’t killed him when they had the chance, how nice, there’s a handy window/ladder/trapdoor….and then came the thing that really, really, really made me hate it. The ending which is no ending, but merely another cliffhanger which is meant to make you rush out and buy volume 2. Well, no. I don’t mind trilogies or any other kind of ologies, but then you must play fair. The book must stand alone as well as being part of a greater whole. I know many ologies don’t do that, but none of them play as unfairly as this one does. Either issue the book as whole or suffer the consequences – in this case, me not buying the next book, or any other book by mr. Dahlquist, fine wordsmith though he is.
For those who dote on sequels and florid prose, this is great. For me – it’s back to Pratchett.