Steampunk Adventure Beneath the Sea and In the Skies
Hunt, Stephen ~ The Kingdom Beyond The Waves ~ TOR, 2008 ~ 556 pages ~ Audience: adults, some teens ~ Rating: Very Good.
Opening:
“Amelia Harsh wiped the sweat from her hands across her leather trousers, then thrust her fingers up into Mombiko’s vice-tight grip. The ex-slave hauled her onto the ledge, the veins on his arms bulging as he lifted her up the final few feet to the summit.”
Publication History:
This is the second volume in an unnamed series. The first volume was The Court of the Air.
Setting:
This is a world where various species, including Steammen and flying lizards share land and air with humans. These vary notably in their culture, economic and political systems and use of technology. There is also a fair degree of what seems like magic to this reader. It all blends together quite well in what most consider to be steam punk. Key punch computer systems called transaction engines allow a fairly high standard of analysis and development in the Jackalian lands and territories. Except for the absence of petroleum, technology is at the 19th century level.
Abraham Quest has risen from absolute poverty to become the richest man in Jackals. He is a model employer, caring for his employees, and more than anything else wanting to create a much more perfect society. Such a society may have existed a very long time ago in the near mythical Camlantis. He believes that Camlantis exists somewhere and that it will provide the tools needed to create that more perfect society. He has used all of his wealth and his unusual intellectual abilities to create two expeditions to find Camlantis and use it to advance human kind.
Plot:
While the plot is somewhat complex and may be challenging for those who have not read Court of the Air, the main thread is an expedition financed and staffed by Quest to find the Kingdom Beyond the Waves — some part of Camlantis now lost under the deep waters of the Shedarksea. Amelia’s father died because of one of Quest’s economic ventures so she hates him. However, she will do almost anything to find fabled Camlantis. She will be the lead archaeologist on a submarine that will go deep into a deadly jungle river to find Camlantis ruins. Along the way, there are many challenges and considerable action involving creatures wild and mad. In fact, the story is as much an adventure story as it is a combination of SF with some fantasy elements. Amelia believes that the discovery of Camlantis will usher in generations of peace and prosperity for all. However, there are unexpected risks and problems.
Characters:
Amelia is the lead character. She is bright, talented, physically tough, and somewhat naive about society and the difference that Camlantis might make. I found it hard to really like her, but I did respect her drive. Commodore Black, an old friend, will captain the submarine along with former crew members — not all of whom are trust-worthy. Then there are Quest’s hardened and deadly female mercenaries, Furnace-breath Nick who wages a personal war against those in power in neighboring Quatershift, and the Steamman Iron Flanks. There are many characters and the landscapes are unusually well described and notably different, especially the jungles of Lionjeli and the lost Camlantis.
Physical Book:
The book is divided into 25 chapters. Print is reasonably large and white space is adequate. See-through is better than average. Maps showing the route of the quest would aid the readers as would one showing Jackals and the surrounding countries The front cover illustration by Max Schindler shows the submarine and a person in a diving suit. The submarine clearly shows that this is not a contemporary story.
Recommendation:
The Court of the Air received considerable praise and the steampunk genre or sub-genre is quite popular. It is a cross-over series with considerable action in a setting combining alternate history, SF, and fantasy. In some respects, it’s a bit like a SF story about lost civilizations written by Dicken. Hunt is extremely inventive in his settings, characters, and descriptions. Writing is clear and flows very well. There are quite a few surprises and unexpected twists as well as constant threats that keep pages turning.
A good choice for most SF/fantasy collections, but do insure that the earlier volume is held and available. A steampunk exhibit, bibliography, and related art would be appropriate if the readers’ advisor has not already done that.
