Reviews

Clockwork Lives: The Graphic Novel by Neil Peart, Kevin J. Anderson

author_d_r_oestreicher's review against another edition

4.0

Clockwork Lives by Kevin J Anderson is a sequel to Clockwork Angels. The blurb presents this book as a steampunk Canterbury Tales. To bring the analogy up to date, it is a steampunk series (like a TV series): a collection of independent stories loosely tried together with a continuing narrative.

If you like steampunk, this volume offers plenty of gears and steam engines, with mechanical people, balloon travel, and lots of alchemy. A fun read.

For a detail click: http://1book42day.blogspot.com/2016/07/clockwork-lives-by-kevin-j-anderson.html

fjcoco's review against another edition

adventurous relaxing tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

namaenani's review against another edition

3.0

So... the worldbuilding in this book is lovely, and the individual vignettes are great, but I just can't get past the premise.

The idea that this man had a fortune hidden away, and allowed his daughter to make her life smaller and smaller in order to take care of him, then used his will to forcibly evict her from her home after his death is...bad.

If he had this fortune, and wanted her to travel, why does he need an ultimatum and a magic book? Hire a nurse to do home care, then send Marinda out to have adventures. He could even tell her it's what he would have done with his life if he could have, and all he wants is for her to bring back tales to tell. It would have opened her world before his death, and not felt like an ASTOUNDINGLY cruel dismissal of his daughter's agency and autonomy.

Regardless of how much Marinda ended up enjoying her adventures, I could not get past the fact that she was forced out of her home mere days after her father's death and told only that it was for her own good.

Ew.

sangloup's review

5.0

Book Nerd Your Way 2021... Book #25

I wasn't too sure about this one when I picked it up, but it turned out to be a really good book. The artwork was amazing and the story was brilliant. Remember to live your live to the fullest, you only get one.

hadiqa01's review against another edition

4.0

"Even so far from Albion, she discovered that most of these people spent day after day ticking off the calendar as if it were a list of duties instead of a journey to be enjoyed and fulfilled. Was it living or just existence? Most of these people accomplished little, strived for little, and went nowhere. Even old men had far too little to tell after a lifetime of living..."

Beautiful beautiful concept... The book emphasizes getting out of one's comfort zone and doing things that you wouldn't normally do. Live an adventurous life and meet different people, see different countries, cities and so on. That is absolutely wonderful... I wish the writer could've included something about the Aurora Borealis in some cold country/city. My experience of seeing the Aurora Borealis for the first time is unforgettable. I bet Marinda would've enjoyed it too :D

There were lots of stories but my favorite was the Underworld Books owners'. Man, that was incredibly done. The Watchmaker's daughter's story was really interesting. I had my doubts about him and her story confirmed it, smh I was surprised to see her travel even further and really enjoyed it. The cavewomen story/ending was crazy...didn't expect that at all...

Great cover, which got my attention pretty fast :p and good character development.

Somethings that bothered me just a teensy bit:
1. it became slightly boring because I knew wherever she goes she'll be collecting stories. Ofc I looked forward to the next story but I knew that's the max it would happen in the book (tho I did get a surprise when / why she goes further than Albion).

2. Most of the book isn't dialogues, it's just narration.

3. This book shouldn't be in the adult section. Sounds more like a YA.

So, this is a great book overall. I contemplated a lot between a 5 and 4 rating but I'll say it's a 4.4 and I rarely give ratings this high.

" Why had she been content with a humdrum existence? Why had Marinda think that a quiet life was equivalent to a perfect life? "

jshannon75's review against another edition

3.0

Interesting premise--woman travels, discovers the world and finds romance in a dystopian utopia. But as other reviewers mention, the overall depth was lacking in characters and the narrative.

megwesley's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is a book filled with stories of adventure. Miranda (the main character) is far from loveable when you first meet her, but as she goes on her journey to fill the mysterious book her father leaves her, she develops into her own person. Worth a read and worth reading more than once.

kendallinge's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

mattytomtom's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

sabduo's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25