Ray

Along with “Breath” this should be re-read from time to time. Another treasure.

Butchers steampunk world lifts off

Second in his new series, this is a rollicking fast paced adventure novel which I enjoyed in my younger years but has I think gone out of vogue except perhaps for what is described as “young adult”.He deserves to be more widely read than he already is simply for the fun of a good yarn well told.

If like me you are addicted to books about “How it all began”, Chickens and Eggs, and whether Albumen, Yolks, and Eggshells were all preconditions, and if so, where did they come from. Then, I guarantee this will not disappoint and will in fact intrigue you. It's big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to this book. [See what I did there?] Or to put it another way it's turtles all the way down with each one examined till..... spoilers he never mentions the butler!
Many will hate it from very early on. Wheres, he going with this will be the cry. A marathon back to the starting line. It's the journey not necessarily the destination. I for one enjoyed it.

Added this for fun. Told by Michael Morpurgo. Illustrated by Michael Foreman. Both are simply stellar yes supernova brilliant when it comes to their work for children. Morpurgo, not being a scholar of old English quotes his sources as Heaney, Crossley-Holland, and my first reading at about age 9 by Rosemary Sutcliff. He can't go wrong with these three. I was a late teenager when I discovered Foreman and have loved his distinctive style ever since.

If you can find it, this would make a great present for any boy who thinks he likes a bit of gore and blood both in text and illustration. Not that any girl “shouldn't” like it just that it's short on any romance but it does have a heroic combatant saving the world from monsters.

Previously published as “Best New SF 7 “ by Robinson Publishing 1993
And
“The Years Best Science Fiction, Tenth Annual Collection”, Gardner Dozois 1993