tacanderson's review
3.0
The orignal short story that started off the entire Clockwork Century series. It's also an interesting piece because it shows a very real transition in author:Cherie Priest|221253] writing style from her southern ghost stories to her more popular steampunk. It's an interesting mix of both. I also recommend that you pick up [b:Clementine|7670800|Clementine (The Clockwork Century, #2)|Cherie Priest|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1277163268s/7670800.jpg|10282140], which includes some of the same characters. I'd give it four stars but it's just a short story and I cant quite rate it as well as the full books.
drowsyreaper's review
3.0
Sad and spooky. I think it might've been better if it had been a little longer, with the suspense dragged on more and the characters developed further. I got a sense of a larger story going on, and it's a little dissatisfying that the story ends so soon. I loved the mesh of technology with the supernatural.
verkisto's review
2.0
I was all set to start on Dreadnought, the next book in the Clockwork Century series, and saw that this short story actually came next, according to Goodreads. I downloaded it and sped through it in about a half an hour.
The story features two characters who appeared in Clementine, but the story takes place before the events in that book (and in fact even foreshadows some of those events). I'm not sure why this story falls after Clementine in the chronology of the series, especially when this story was also written before Boneshaker. I prefer to read stories in the order they were written, not based on the internal chronology of the series, since there can usually be subtle references to upcoming events if you read them out of order ( see: the Foundation series).
Dr. Smeeks, the senile inventor in the sanatorium, and his assistant Edwin are the main characters here, but this time Edwin is the inventor. He creates a clockwork friend, since as an orphan he has a hard time making friends, but what he assumed would be a machine under his control slowly begins to take on a life of its own. It's ostensibly a horror story, but its setting and feel fit right in with the series so far.
As a horror story, it's not all that satisfying. There's no real sense of why things are happening, as there's no explanation for why events happen the way they do. Not all horror requires it, but here, aside from a spooky prophecy from an inmate at the sanatorium, there's no other hint that the supernatural should happen here. In fact, the way the series has progressed, the supernatural feels out of place all together. Also, the threat felt mild, and I never felt like either of the characters in the story were in dire straits. There certainly was a threat, but it didn't feel severe enough for me to be concerned.
Fans of the series would probably enjoy the story, but it doesn't really add anything to the world of the Clockwork Century. I don't feel like it was a waste of time to read it, but I also feel like I could have skipped it and not suffered for it.
The story features two characters who appeared in Clementine, but the story takes place before the events in that book (and in fact even foreshadows some of those events). I'm not sure why this story falls after Clementine in the chronology of the series, especially when this story was also written before Boneshaker. I prefer to read stories in the order they were written, not based on the internal chronology of the series, since there can usually be subtle references to upcoming events if you read them out of order ( see: the Foundation series).
Dr. Smeeks, the senile inventor in the sanatorium, and his assistant Edwin are the main characters here, but this time Edwin is the inventor. He creates a clockwork friend, since as an orphan he has a hard time making friends, but what he assumed would be a machine under his control slowly begins to take on a life of its own. It's ostensibly a horror story, but its setting and feel fit right in with the series so far.
As a horror story, it's not all that satisfying. There's no real sense of why things are happening, as there's no explanation for why events happen the way they do. Not all horror requires it, but here, aside from a spooky prophecy from an inmate at the sanatorium, there's no other hint that the supernatural should happen here. In fact, the way the series has progressed, the supernatural feels out of place all together. Also, the threat felt mild, and I never felt like either of the characters in the story were in dire straits. There certainly was a threat, but it didn't feel severe enough for me to be concerned.
Fans of the series would probably enjoy the story, but it doesn't really add anything to the world of the Clockwork Century. I don't feel like it was a waste of time to read it, but I also feel like I could have skipped it and not suffered for it.
elevetha's review
3.0
This short story exists in the same universe as the Clockwork Century, but having read any of the books in the series is not a pre-requisite.
Tanglefoot is a darn disturbing little story, for all that it's been told before. A tale as old as time, and really we should know by now not to build automatons and AI. Just don't do it, I don't care how lonely you are, or how much you think it will help society. Best case scenario, it won't be a friend to you, and worst case, you're looking a veritable homicidal demon spawn.
Anyways.
Edwin eventually goes upstairs to the sanitarium to find Madeline and sneak her downstairs. Now Madeline turned out to be by far the most interesting character in this story, as she is a patient at this asylum, but we don't know why, and from all accounts, she seems to be a pretty sane badass who's entirely willing to take out a homicidal automaton from hell. I seriously need some backstory on this lady.
But even though their problem is taken care of, unfortunately this doesn't end happy. Edwin is still a lonely orphan boy whose best friend is an elderly scientist who is losing his mind. And Madeline is dragged off back to the sanitarium.
I was much impressed with how well the creepy tone of the story is brought across in the simple and yet horrifyingly disturbing descriptions of Tanglefoot - even just in his motions! It's written in such a way that's hella scary, but it's not grotesque and overt.
Tanglefoot is a darn disturbing little story, for all that it's been told before. A tale as old as time, and really we should know by now not to build automatons and AI. Just don't do it, I don't care how lonely you are, or how much you think it will help society. Best case scenario, it won't be a friend to you, and worst case, you're looking a veritable homicidal demon spawn.
Anyways.
Spoiler
The story is set in the basement of a sanitarium in the 19th century. If that doesn't tell you everything you need to know, then I don't know what will. Edwin, the son of one of the late patients, spends his time in the basement with Dr. Smeeks, a old weapons designer whose mental facilities are failing, and tinkers around with Smeek's leftovers. He makes an automaton, names it Ted, and Madeline, one of the patients, warns him that it doesn't have a soul. Beings without souls are ripe for "something else" to find it's way inside it. Edwin is appropriately disturbed but doesn't destroy Ted (BIG mistake) which has been gradually gaining a mind of it's own, and turning itself on and off, and keeps saying "Tanglefoot". And, oh yeah, is becoming increasingly homicidal.Edwin eventually goes upstairs to the sanitarium to find Madeline and sneak her downstairs. Now Madeline turned out to be by far the most interesting character in this story, as she is a patient at this asylum, but we don't know why, and from all accounts, she seems to be a pretty sane badass who's entirely willing to take out a homicidal automaton from hell. I seriously need some backstory on this lady.
But even though their problem is taken care of, unfortunately this doesn't end happy. Edwin is still a lonely orphan boy whose best friend is an elderly scientist who is losing his mind. And Madeline is dragged off back to the sanitarium.
I was much impressed with how well the creepy tone of the story is brought across in the simple and yet horrifyingly disturbing descriptions of Tanglefoot - even just in his motions! It's written in such a way that's hella scary, but it's not grotesque and overt.
octavia_cade's review
3.0
A creepy little story about a possessed doll, which goes the way of every other creepy little story about possessed dolls ever. This version of that old favourite has a steampunk flavour, however, and it's nicely told for all it's not too high on the originality scale.
bent's review
1.0
Meh. Pedestrian short story about a possessed automaton. You can see it coming a mile away. It's been done a hundred times before and much better. A lackluster effort that doesn't really take much advantage of the world that Priest has created.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review
4.0
Nice, dark steampunk story. You do not have to read the other Clockwork Century novels to understand this. Really good.
delz's review
4.0
This is a short story spun out of the novel Clementine. I have read several of Priest’s books and none of them were anything like this story. It was really creepy-scary. Dr. Smeeks a kind of mad scientist, developing all kinds of inventions is suffering from dementia. Smeeks has unofficially adopted a little orphan boy named Edwin. They’ve met in less than ideal circumstances. You see Smeeks works and lives in the basement of the Sanatorium he helped build and Edwin’s mom was a mental patient who died there. This is where the story really gets creepy. Edwin takes leftover parts from Smeeks inventions and he builds himself a “friend” an automaton. This is so different from Priest’s usual style of writing, but it’s so good. You really don’t want to miss it.
bozimus's review
2.0
This short story was not in the same league as the exceptional "Boneshaker" by the same author. To be fair, I am not that fond of short stories, so do not put too much stock in my opinion of this one. It was an interesting mixture of steampunk and horror. I still look forward to reading this author's longer works.