Mainspring Audiobook

" also steampunk, but sort of mystical and dreamy steampunk. a little from the Doyle pile and a little from the Burroughs. "

" This book clearly demonstrates that steampunk is a genre for whackdoodles. I mean, it's not that I have a problem with the idea that England and China are locked in a battle to control the globe, which is literally a piece of machinery within the universe's giant clockwork. But the appearance of Brass Christ and the master clockmaker might have been a little much. "

" The end was pretty bizarre and I'm not sure I liked it, but the story was quite good overall and a nice re-imagining of Victorian England to boot. "

" Jay Lake wrote one of my favourite short stories in the Steampunk anthology, so I was really expecting better from this book -- but unfortunately, it really didn't do it for me. Hethor is your standard intrepid boy hero with hardly any characterisation, there's no smooth character development, his love interest is preternaturally supportive and understanding and flawless, the ending left me unfulfilled, the writing felt stilted and overly-formal at times, and I had a really hard time just grasping some of Lake's description and exactly how his world fits together. And in a world based entirely on clockwork and precision gears, that's pretty awfully important. "

" This is a great science fantasy novel, about the Earth as the deists imagined it, clockwork and springs and so on. "

" Got to the middle of the book and it felt so pointless and boring that I could not continue, as much as I love steampunk I just don't care enough to sit through a dull story. "

" *schnarch* "

" Clockpunk! "

" Great read, great concept and loved all 3 in the set. "

" This adult book had everything I like about teen books but longer and with some added touches. Very surreal in parts. I waited too long to review though and the details are cloudy. "

" I found this book to be daft, lazy, awkward, and occasionally offensive. "

" Great world building and fun story. Slipped up a bit in the last third where the story got a little off track, but definitely worth reading. "

" A little slow going so far. Reminds me of Scar Night which I'm thinking is vastly superior, but may continue. "

" Mainspring is absolutely everything you could want in a fantasy: original worldbuilding, heartfelt characters, exciting action, and more all beautifully realized in spare, straightforward language. Outstanding. "

" Good idea poorly executed. I quit half-way through because I was concerned I may yawn myself to death. "

" It had all the right elements of an awesome steampunk/clockpunk novel but many of the characters made choices I didn't understand and thus I felt less sympathetic towards their actions and the book. It may just be a style thing so I think if you enjoy the genre you should give it a shot. "

" interesting concept, complicated and complex characters "

" At times entertaining, mostly frustrating. I feel fairly confident saying I do not like steampunk. "