I wrote this relatively brief treatment of Kevin Anderson’s Clockwork Angels in the Fall of 2015, after blowing through what was an unexpectedly well-constructed book. I’ve since read Clockwork Lives, which is just as good.
A Good Steampunk Novel Even for a Non-Rush Fan (like me)
(5 stars out of 5)
I don’t listen to Rush. Never have. Their music doesn’t do it for me. But I do like science fiction and fantasy, and so, when one of my Rush-adoring colleagues (who doesn’t like science fiction or fantasy) suggested I should look into a novel based on a Rush album, I figured I’d at least take a look.
I was, to say the least, surprised. Clockwork Angels is a beautifully realized steampunk world, with memorable characters, vivid locales, and just the right amount of pacing to keep the story moving at a steady pace. From the very outset I was swept up in a world of islands, airships, carnivals, and an equal measure of utopian and dystopian elements. The protagonist, Owen Hardy, is an everyman with a thirst for something exciting, and as such makes a wonderful guide through this world that, even when it is painful, still captivates. Yet he is by no means a vanilla person; his desires and interests come through, and when he succeeds or is beaten down, the reader feels it. Kevin Anderson’s prose really works.
My response to the question “do I have to be familiar with Rush” is probably self-evident by now, although a few caveats are in order. One, others have said that Rush easter eggs abound in the novel, although I can testify that being ignorant of them (which I obviously am) is not an impediment to appreciating the novel. Two, I did take some time to Google and skim over the liner notes and lyrics of Clockwork Angels before setting into the book; this is not required, but I found it enhanced the experience, since the novel follows the general arc of the album.
Overall, if you like speculative fiction (steampunk in particular) and are looking for something a little different, this is definitely worth a look. Highly recommended.