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mamthew42's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up Infernal Devices at random - literally. I sorted our Libby selection randomly and chose the first book that looked interesting. It's a 1986 steampunk novel by K. W. Jeter, the guy who coined the term "steampunk" the very next year. Jeter didn't invent the genre, exactly - he was using the term to describe works by himself and a few of his contemporaries, and many of the aspects of the genre were common in works predating Jeter by decades if not centuries. That said, while I was expecting an early clockwork, steam, and airships romp, I taken by surprise at just how much is going on in this book.
Infernal Devices uses the frame device of publicly disgraced protagonist George Dower writing his side of recent events to publish in an effort to clear his name. While this would normally mean the novel has an unreliable narrator, Mr. Dower is guileless and bland enough that he doesn't come across as having the creativity necessary to conceive of a story like this. The narrator's own simplicity is very funny and also functions as a plot device, in what I read as a parody of the plodding, information-heavy narrative voices common in 19th century novels. His own bland racism, classism, and misogyny even while viewing himself as being too enlightened for such bigotries functions similarly; it's a pretty similar narrative voice to Watson in Sherlock Holmes or any given protagonist in Dracula, which makes the batshit 80s-ness of the events around him stand out as so much funnier than they might have been from a more contemporary voice - or even a more self-aware one.
As it is, Infernal Devices runs the gamut of absolutely wild plot points. It draws heavily from Lovecraft with its own take on the Innsmouth People, and that's just the opening act. It also brings in time travelers, doomsday devices, warring secret societies, musical automatons and more, all using clockwork devices as a stand-in for technology. It's genuinely best described as "madcap" - at one point, Dower finds himself running from three different zany mobs at once, Scooby-Doo style. It's a very funny book.
I was a little surprised that the book has much less to say about politics and social issues than contemporary steampunk books, or its own contemporaries in the genre steampunk was named after, cyberpunk. Victorian England isn't really used for its issues of class or colonialism, but more a playground for the author to play in. The most interesting insight it has on politics isn't about the protagonist's time at all, but instead comes from a time traveler about the late 20th century, where he says a world-destroying device didn't really even register to him as something to be frightened of because everyone in a hundred years will be constantly trying to destroy the world for clout anyway. It's a good moment, but it seems to be there partly to keep the doomsday machine from actually functioning as a nuclear analogue. Jeter wants to assure the reader that this world destroyer is just here for fun, not to remind the reader of the grim reality of their own life.
Despite its being pretty light on substance, though, I had a ton of fun with this book. Each new wrinkle in the story was a fun and unexpected surprise that kept me guessing and kept me laughing. Can't ask for much more than that.
Infernal Devices uses the frame device of publicly disgraced protagonist George Dower writing his side of recent events to publish in an effort to clear his name. While this would normally mean the novel has an unreliable narrator, Mr. Dower is guileless and bland enough that he doesn't come across as having the creativity necessary to conceive of a story like this. The narrator's own simplicity is very funny and also functions as a plot device, in what I read as a parody of the plodding, information-heavy narrative voices common in 19th century novels. His own bland racism, classism, and misogyny even while viewing himself as being too enlightened for such bigotries functions similarly; it's a pretty similar narrative voice to Watson in Sherlock Holmes or any given protagonist in Dracula, which makes the batshit 80s-ness of the events around him stand out as so much funnier than they might have been from a more contemporary voice - or even a more self-aware one.
As it is, Infernal Devices runs the gamut of absolutely wild plot points. It draws heavily from Lovecraft with its own take on the Innsmouth People, and that's just the opening act. It also brings in time travelers, doomsday devices, warring secret societies, musical automatons and more, all using clockwork devices as a stand-in for technology. It's genuinely best described as "madcap" - at one point, Dower finds himself running from three different zany mobs at once, Scooby-Doo style. It's a very funny book.
I was a little surprised that the book has much less to say about politics and social issues than contemporary steampunk books, or its own contemporaries in the genre steampunk was named after, cyberpunk. Victorian England isn't really used for its issues of class or colonialism, but more a playground for the author to play in. The most interesting insight it has on politics isn't about the protagonist's time at all, but instead comes from a time traveler about the late 20th century, where he says a world-destroying device didn't really even register to him as something to be frightened of because everyone in a hundred years will be constantly trying to destroy the world for clout anyway. It's a good moment, but it seems to be there partly to keep the doomsday machine from actually functioning as a nuclear analogue. Jeter wants to assure the reader that this world destroyer is just here for fun, not to remind the reader of the grim reality of their own life.
Despite its being pretty light on substance, though, I had a ton of fun with this book. Each new wrinkle in the story was a fun and unexpected surprise that kept me guessing and kept me laughing. Can't ask for much more than that.
garrettcz's review against another edition
DNFed about 20 pages in. I really disliked how this was written. It is so long winded and I was bored out of my mind.
corita's review against another edition
3.0
J. W. Jeter wrote Infernal Devices in 1987. He also coined the term Steampunk to describe the new Victorian books he, Tim Powers, and James P. Blaylock were writing. I wanted to go back to Steampunk's beginnings, and since Jetter is one of the touchstone authors, I decided to read Infernal Devices first.
The Story
The narrator, George Dower, runs a clockwork shop, which he inherited from his father. His primary problems is that he knows little about clocks and makes a living accepting small jobs his assistant can handle. George's life is uneventful until an "Ethiope" comes into the shop and convinces George to try and fix one of his father's complicated clockwork mechanisms. The "leather-skinned" man gives George a strange coin, and the Victorian adventure begins.
George is curious about the coin, and, putting the mechanical device aside, sets out to investigate the coin's origins and meaning.
His adventures twist and turn in every imaginable way. He winds up in the seedy part of town, is in trouble with A Ladies Union for the Suppression of Carnal Vices, falls in with a criminal who speaks in 20th century American vernacular, repels numerous sexual advances, and is betrayed by nearly everyone.
The story might be described as Monty Python meets the Pink Panther in Victorian England. Humor runs throughout the tale. There are lots of clockwork devices, which George cannot manage and often destroys. Most of the social problems and issues of the era are addressed in a dark brooding atmosphere.
"The Complete Destruction of the Earth" chapter is funny, and for a while I thought the story might take a better turn, but alas, for me, it didn't.
My Response
On an intellectual level I like the story and see value in what Jeter is doing. However, to be truthful, it took me an agonizingly long time to read it.
Here are the strengths of the book:
•the humor,
•an honest look at the dark side of Victorian life and the social issues,
•the automatons and clockwork gadgets,
•Scape and the sexually aggressive women, who were far more interesting characters than George.
Here are the issues I had with the book:
•the Victorian language--I know I'm supposed to love Dickens, but I don't; the language is tedious and puts me to sleep;
•the first person narration; George is an unsympathetic character, which was my biggest issues--I really didn't care what happened to him;
•the unrealistic and often contorted plot twists, which I either figured out or suspected.
Since I love Monty Python, Douglas Adams, and Terry Pratchett, it's a little odd that I found this a difficult read. I think, if you like Victorian language and are engaged with a protagonist who is thick and naive, you'll enjoy the book. It's not bad. In many ways, it's excellent, but for me it was flat.
The Story
The narrator, George Dower, runs a clockwork shop, which he inherited from his father. His primary problems is that he knows little about clocks and makes a living accepting small jobs his assistant can handle. George's life is uneventful until an "Ethiope" comes into the shop and convinces George to try and fix one of his father's complicated clockwork mechanisms. The "leather-skinned" man gives George a strange coin, and the Victorian adventure begins.
George is curious about the coin, and, putting the mechanical device aside, sets out to investigate the coin's origins and meaning.
His adventures twist and turn in every imaginable way. He winds up in the seedy part of town, is in trouble with A Ladies Union for the Suppression of Carnal Vices, falls in with a criminal who speaks in 20th century American vernacular, repels numerous sexual advances, and is betrayed by nearly everyone.
The story might be described as Monty Python meets the Pink Panther in Victorian England. Humor runs throughout the tale. There are lots of clockwork devices, which George cannot manage and often destroys. Most of the social problems and issues of the era are addressed in a dark brooding atmosphere.
"The Complete Destruction of the Earth" chapter is funny, and for a while I thought the story might take a better turn, but alas, for me, it didn't.
My Response
On an intellectual level I like the story and see value in what Jeter is doing. However, to be truthful, it took me an agonizingly long time to read it.
Here are the strengths of the book:
•the humor,
•an honest look at the dark side of Victorian life and the social issues,
•the automatons and clockwork gadgets,
•Scape and the sexually aggressive women, who were far more interesting characters than George.
Here are the issues I had with the book:
•the Victorian language--I know I'm supposed to love Dickens, but I don't; the language is tedious and puts me to sleep;
•the first person narration; George is an unsympathetic character, which was my biggest issues--I really didn't care what happened to him;
•the unrealistic and often contorted plot twists, which I either figured out or suspected.
Since I love Monty Python, Douglas Adams, and Terry Pratchett, it's a little odd that I found this a difficult read. I think, if you like Victorian language and are engaged with a protagonist who is thick and naive, you'll enjoy the book. It's not bad. In many ways, it's excellent, but for me it was flat.
hank's review against another edition
3.0
Almost completely gave up at 5 pages in. The victorian type language was much too thick and overdone. It also happens at the beginning of chapters. I pressed on and was rewarded by a decently entertaining book. I liked the mystery, the dog, the always wondering who was clockwork and who wasn't.
I didn't like many of the ancillary characters, the confusing setting and the end result. I did enjoy it and it isn't a waste of time.
I didn't like many of the ancillary characters, the confusing setting and the end result. I did enjoy it and it isn't a waste of time.
smitchy's review against another edition
2.0
I picked this up because it is supposedly one of the first "steampunk" novels. Jeter apparently coined the phrase. I'm not sure what I was expecting but I have to admit I struggled to get through it. Jeter does a great job of creating a very authentic Victorian vibe right down to his stuffy & staid main character. I found the story itself frustrating - just as the main character does as he is sent on wild goose chases and chased from end of England to the other without an explanation as to WTF is going on in sight.
spriggana's review
2.0
I have a Thing about stupid protagonists. I do understand that George Dower had to be like that for the plot to work, but it does not mean I have to like it…
sasha_in_a_box's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the Infernal Devices. The suspense and the weird mysteries were great, and it was worth it to read to the end; everything was tied up neatly, and not at all in a contrived way. The ending was awesome, I was delighted by the role all the strange characters ended up playing.
Getting into the book was kind of slow, I am not used to the Victorian (or pseudo-victorian?) language...That's more of my fault though. I think the intricacy and twisty-ness of the plot is a preference thing, but I personally enjoyed it. Not the greatest book ever, but a pretty great romp through the steam-punk Victorian insanity!
(A note about Morlock Night: I was about 60 pages away from finishing it, when it got stolen together with my purse and wallet... it was alright, but way too gimmicky. I'll perhaps come back to it one day, but I'm not going to actively pursue it right now.
Update:
My purse was recovered, and now I am done with Morlock Night. My review doesn't change, and I would give it 2 stars. Jeter should have decided if he wanted to go with fantasy or sci-fi. This particular genre mix didn't work for me at all.
Getting into the book was kind of slow, I am not used to the Victorian (or pseudo-victorian?) language...That's more of my fault though. I think the intricacy and twisty-ness of the plot is a preference thing, but I personally enjoyed it. Not the greatest book ever, but a pretty great romp through the steam-punk Victorian insanity!
(A note about Morlock Night: I was about 60 pages away from finishing it, when it got stolen together with my purse and wallet... it was alright, but way too gimmicky. I'll perhaps come back to it one day, but I'm not going to actively pursue it right now.
Update:
My purse was recovered, and now I am done with Morlock Night. My review doesn't change, and I would give it 2 stars. Jeter should have decided if he wanted to go with fantasy or sci-fi. This particular genre mix didn't work for me at all.
enelya's review
4.0
I’ve been coming across the subject steampunk every so often while browsing through my favorite genre Urban Fantasy. It seems only appropriate that I venture for the first time in the genre with the classic Infernal Devices.
The book introduces us to Dower Junior, son of renowned clockwork maker who inherits his shop and trade, but not his skill. The visit of a mysterious client starts a most disconcerting chain of events that will lead him far from the safety of his house.
The narrative is told from the point of view of the protagonist, recalling on the events that have come to pass. The book rolls out in different parts, which while following the same story path, introduce new elements or a scenery change in the story, and can be a little confusing until the reader (along with the main character) adapts to the new situation and the additional set of questions and unanswered riddles. Through a journey of mixed breeds, loony scientists, unique creations, devoted friends and unlikely allies it all comes together in a surprising and fully satisfying conclusion.
Well written and solidly constructed I found it a pleasant introduction to the steampunk genre and I’m looking forward my next clockwork expedition.
A last positive note to the preface/introduction, very informative, and to the cover, detailed and intriguing.
The book introduces us to Dower Junior, son of renowned clockwork maker who inherits his shop and trade, but not his skill. The visit of a mysterious client starts a most disconcerting chain of events that will lead him far from the safety of his house.
The narrative is told from the point of view of the protagonist, recalling on the events that have come to pass. The book rolls out in different parts, which while following the same story path, introduce new elements or a scenery change in the story, and can be a little confusing until the reader (along with the main character) adapts to the new situation and the additional set of questions and unanswered riddles. Through a journey of mixed breeds, loony scientists, unique creations, devoted friends and unlikely allies it all comes together in a surprising and fully satisfying conclusion.
Well written and solidly constructed I found it a pleasant introduction to the steampunk genre and I’m looking forward my next clockwork expedition.
A last positive note to the preface/introduction, very informative, and to the cover, detailed and intriguing.