WorldShakerby Richard Harland
Book Design: Laurent Linn
End Paper Illustrations: Patrick Reilly
Published: 2009
Genre: Steampunk, Scifi, YA
Hardback: 400 pages
Rating: 5
Teaser:
This iron colossus, Colbert, this mechanical mountain, this predominator. You will be it and it will be you. Do you want that?
Sir, I do.
And he did, he did. He felt dizzy and drunk with the greaness of it all. He wasn't thinking of his duty to the Porpentine family or Queen Victoria. This was what he was born for; this was his inheritance! Yes! Yes! Yes!
-chapter 6, page 30
Description from author's site:
Col is the grandson and nominated heir of the Supreme Commander. He’ll become the most powerful person on the juggernaut when he’s completed his schooling and training. But one night, a girl Filthy from the engine rooms down Below tries to hide in his bedroom. The Filthies are dirty and ragged, never spoken about in polite society—but this one is on the loose and running free. ‘Don’t let ‘em take me,’ she pleads.
Every rational thought in Col’s head tells him to call the officers and hand her over. Yet there’s something about her …
Listen to the author reading passages or read extracts from Worldshaker.
Explore the juggernaut. Richard's site provides diagrams and illustrations of Worldshaker. You can zoom in to see the living quarters and different deck levels.
My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): 4-9-2
I really like the packaging of the book. You'll notice I added links to the artists above. There is texture to the cover. The rivets are raised so you get a bumpy-feel. The end paper includes illustrations of the outside of the Worldshaker with specifications of length, width, height, &etc. Also, most pages are partly outlined with piping. So visually, you get pulled into the inside of a ship - below decks.
Another enjoyable read. The topic of socialism (in a steampunk world) is brought up with this read - people who categorized as Upper Decks or Menials or Filthies and the various layers in between.
Interesting to note that although the main character of the story is a young man, most of the strong characters and leaders in the story are female.
Col, the main character, is a hero in the making and I'm looking forward to seeing him bloom in book 2.
Series:
Worldshaker
Liberator - the sequel (read extract)
