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calbowen's review against another edition
1.0
This is one that should have been so enjoyable and it was not.
The Magic/Supernatural aspect of this was unoriginal and boring.
The characters had no real life to them - they just moved around the world like chess pieces in a bigger game.
The world building is disjointed at times, and the descriptions are lacking details.
Also, this writing style hearkens back to an older time period, which fits the style that I believe the author is trying to convey, and yet throwing in F*** and SH** and other non-niceties when people would not use those words as freely makes the time period discorded.
There is no point in this that I feel or care about a single character; nor do I believe that the recalled soldier is actually any good.
Lowry is just plain boring and useless to me. And the rank structure, though it exists, is fictional without explanation, so no clue what rank someone is, and being ex-military that throws more disjointedness into the mix.
The Magic/Supernatural aspect of this was unoriginal and boring.
The characters had no real life to them - they just moved around the world like chess pieces in a bigger game.
The world building is disjointed at times, and the descriptions are lacking details.
Also, this writing style hearkens back to an older time period, which fits the style that I believe the author is trying to convey, and yet throwing in F*** and SH** and other non-niceties when people would not use those words as freely makes the time period discorded.
There is no point in this that I feel or care about a single character; nor do I believe that the recalled soldier is actually any good.
Lowry is just plain boring and useless to me. And the rank structure, though it exists, is fictional without explanation, so no clue what rank someone is, and being ex-military that throws more disjointedness into the mix.
lucardus's review against another edition
3.0
Nicht schlecht geschrieben, interessante Welt, aber dennoch schafft Gilman es nicht, mir seine Protagonisten näher zu bringen. Ich bin gegenüber ihrem Schicksal weitgehend kaltherzig geblieben. Nach viel versprechendem Beginn hat sich die Handlung totgelaufen, ab und an kamen wieder gute Passagen, aber das reicht ingesamt nur für 3 Sterne, stellenweise wären sogar 2 angebracht, wegen beginnender Gleichgültigkeit gegenüber der Handlung. Die Story trägt nicht weit genug.
timinbc's review against another edition
3.0
Well, that was an interesting piece of world building. I don't think it entirely worked, but you have to applaud the effort.
The gray semi-automatons of the Line are quite believable; made me think of the movie Brazil. The people of the Gun are a bit more of a stretch, especially as we learn just how they function. The Hill Folk left me thinking of some of Miyazaki's ghost people.
I'll try to be vague from here on, but there will be semi-spoiling. Be warned.
The half-made world is an interesting idea, but poorly explored. All we get is that once you're entering the unmade part, anything could happen. The sun rises in the west, trees walk ... yet oddly, the air is breathable and the not-quite-right creatures are edible.
I don't mind the telepathy of the Gun, but I could do without the remote healing and the infinite supply of ammunition.
The book's too long. Two-thirds the length would have sufficed to tell the story.
And the General? Well, darn it, That was frustrating.
I'll probably read #2 just to see where it goes. And I think Gilman's got a bright future.
The gray semi-automatons of the Line are quite believable; made me think of the movie Brazil. The people of the Gun are a bit more of a stretch, especially as we learn just how they function. The Hill Folk left me thinking of some of Miyazaki's ghost people.
I'll try to be vague from here on, but there will be semi-spoiling. Be warned.
The half-made world is an interesting idea, but poorly explored. All we get is that once you're entering the unmade part, anything could happen. The sun rises in the west, trees walk ... yet oddly, the air is breathable and the not-quite-right creatures are edible.
I don't mind the telepathy of the Gun, but I could do without the remote healing and the infinite supply of ammunition.
The book's too long. Two-thirds the length would have sufficed to tell the story.
And the General? Well, darn it,
Spoiler
I knew about four pages after meeting him that we weren't going to find out his secret; not in this volume anyway.I'll probably read #2 just to see where it goes. And I think Gilman's got a bright future.
guppyur's review against another edition
3.0
Really good setup, great world and system, dragged out too long.
justplainrain's review against another edition
2.0
This book has everything I like (A miserable oppressive bureaucracy with accompanying architecture! Weird West! Possessed demon guns!). However, the native inhabitants of said Weird West, which is being colonized by European-but-in-name countries, are inhuman creatures with apparently less-than-human intelligence. They are in tune with the wilds, and have various supernatural powers. It's impossible to ignore.
mellhay's review against another edition
2.0
Dr. Liv Alverhuysen, a young widowed psychology doctor is going to the edge of the made world, or close to it. Out West. To help with victims of the four century war between The Guns, The Engines, and Hill Folk. All of the victims including the ones who had their minds shattered.
Creedmoor, we meet while he is traveling on a gambling boat. To the edged of the world he is sent by his masters, The Guns, in search of a mad man. Creedmoor's character will have you curious of his history right away.
Lowry, a Sub-Invigilator for the Line and servant to the Engines, is sent to extract the General, from the West. Lowry will not stop for anything and will not fail his mission and the only thing at the end of failure is death.
This is a hard one for me to review as I have mixed feelings on this book. I enjoyed the blend of demons and guns, the engines and demons (which may be what many consider steampunk), and the un-made world not yet ready for time and so many new creatures - the Wild West we could say. This idea and world was unique to me, and made me curious about the connection of the two. I even liked the idea of the general having a knowledge that could end all, but felt that I never got any more information to move the story plot further forward. I felt it kind of stalled in the plot movement for me. The story telling style reminds me of a similarity to Joe Abercrombie, yet different as it's not as abrupt with battles nor character drawing for me.
I enjoyed two of the characters out of the whole cast: John Creedmoor and the General. Yet, as much as I enjoyed reading of the scenes with John Creedmoor or seeing if the General will get better, they seemed to be the only characters I could get into. John Creedmoor and his attachment to the Guns was one of darkness and yet almost feel as he's fighting for something that just might be good.
In the end I new more of the world and characters created here, but nothing more of the happenings of the story plot. I might pick up the next book to see if I can find more out.
Creedmoor, we meet while he is traveling on a gambling boat. To the edged of the world he is sent by his masters, The Guns, in search of a mad man. Creedmoor's character will have you curious of his history right away.
Lowry, a Sub-Invigilator for the Line and servant to the Engines, is sent to extract the General, from the West. Lowry will not stop for anything and will not fail his mission and the only thing at the end of failure is death.
This is a hard one for me to review as I have mixed feelings on this book. I enjoyed the blend of demons and guns, the engines and demons (which may be what many consider steampunk), and the un-made world not yet ready for time and so many new creatures - the Wild West we could say. This idea and world was unique to me, and made me curious about the connection of the two. I even liked the idea of the general having a knowledge that could end all, but felt that I never got any more information to move the story plot further forward. I felt it kind of stalled in the plot movement for me. The story telling style reminds me of a similarity to Joe Abercrombie, yet different as it's not as abrupt with battles nor character drawing for me.
I enjoyed two of the characters out of the whole cast: John Creedmoor and the General. Yet, as much as I enjoyed reading of the scenes with John Creedmoor or seeing if the General will get better, they seemed to be the only characters I could get into. John Creedmoor and his attachment to the Guns was one of darkness and yet almost feel as he's fighting for something that just might be good.
In the end I new more of the world and characters created here, but nothing more of the happenings of the story plot. I might pick up the next book to see if I can find more out.
whiskyrob's review against another edition
2.0
It was alright, a bit long. Interesting concepts wrapped around a not so interesting plot.
beastreader's review against another edition
4.0
The year is 1889.
Thirty years ago, The General built the Red Valley Republic. At this time the world was lush with trees and grass. The world was evolving. Flash forward to present day. The world is desolate…thanks to the battle between the Lines and the rebel Guns. The Lines are focused on industry and spreading it across the world as quickly as possible. The Guns are the bandits of the world. They fight not with words but with weapons and violence.
Liv Alverhuysen is a doctor of Psychology. Dr. Alverhuysen receives a letter addressed to her late husband from Mr. Howell. Mr. Howell is the director of the House Dolorous. Mr. Howell wants Liv’s husband to come out West and share his teachings with the world. Liv is in need of some adventure and packs her bags and travels West.
John Creedmoor is an Agent of the Gun. The General has a secret locked away in his mind. A secret that who ever possess this knowledge will gain ultimate power. John wants this power for himself. He is a loner and likes it this way. While aboard the steam ship John meets Doctor Alverhuysen. John must make a choice…protect Liv or watch out for himself.
The Half-Made World is the first book I have read by Mr. Gilman. After reading this book, I now have Felix Gilman on my radar and plan to read more of his work. This book is a mixture of sci-fi and a Western. I absolutely fell for this book.
A good pairing by Liv and John. Liv is stable minded, whereas, John is balls to the wall guns a flaring. I would want to be a loner like John. Neither the Lines or Guns would be ideal to join up with. They each had their flaws. I must admit though that there were a few times when I did wish that the story line would more faster. Overall, A Half-Made World is better than I could imagine it to be.
Thirty years ago, The General built the Red Valley Republic. At this time the world was lush with trees and grass. The world was evolving. Flash forward to present day. The world is desolate…thanks to the battle between the Lines and the rebel Guns. The Lines are focused on industry and spreading it across the world as quickly as possible. The Guns are the bandits of the world. They fight not with words but with weapons and violence.
Liv Alverhuysen is a doctor of Psychology. Dr. Alverhuysen receives a letter addressed to her late husband from Mr. Howell. Mr. Howell is the director of the House Dolorous. Mr. Howell wants Liv’s husband to come out West and share his teachings with the world. Liv is in need of some adventure and packs her bags and travels West.
John Creedmoor is an Agent of the Gun. The General has a secret locked away in his mind. A secret that who ever possess this knowledge will gain ultimate power. John wants this power for himself. He is a loner and likes it this way. While aboard the steam ship John meets Doctor Alverhuysen. John must make a choice…protect Liv or watch out for himself.
The Half-Made World is the first book I have read by Mr. Gilman. After reading this book, I now have Felix Gilman on my radar and plan to read more of his work. This book is a mixture of sci-fi and a Western. I absolutely fell for this book.
A good pairing by Liv and John. Liv is stable minded, whereas, John is balls to the wall guns a flaring. I would want to be a loner like John. Neither the Lines or Guns would be ideal to join up with. They each had their flaws. I must admit though that there were a few times when I did wish that the story line would more faster. Overall, A Half-Made World is better than I could imagine it to be.
scopique's review against another edition
3.0
I really liked Gilman's urban fantasy books, Thunderer and Gears of the City. This one takes place in the American West-steampunk universe, and is nowhere near urban fantasy. I'm not generally a fan of steampunk, but this time the usual anachronistic technology was melded with supernatural elements that seemed pretty incongruous at first, but started to grow on my about midway through.
It wasn't a chore to read (unlike Mieville's The City And The City), but I didn't really feel super-compelled either. I didn't really care for many of the characters, with the exception of John Creedmore, who was SUPPOSED to be a horrible killer, but who came off as a mix between Mark Twain and Val Kilmer's portrayal of Doc Holliday from the movie Tombstone (at least in my mind XD). The rest of the characters were pretty transient, which is sad because the protagonist is supposed to be the doctor, Liv Alverhuysen.
Maybe it's because the characters are actually in the service of much higher powers: The Line and The Gun, two supernatural forces who inhabit machinery (massive steam engines for The Line, and finely crafted firearms for The Gun). With these two forces at war, constantly looming over everything and basically destroying everything they come into contact to for their own selfish reasons, any and all characters are pretty much throw-aways in the service of one or the other. It's the neutral characters who suffer the most, since they can't possibly stand up to either without spiritual support of their own (which is actually present in the form of a hospital. Seriously).
Overall, it's a well written book, IMO. Steampunk fans may get a bigger kick out of it then I did, but it was a quick and easy read, so long as you're not expecting a groundbreaking or groundshaking novel of millennial importance.
It wasn't a chore to read (unlike Mieville's The City And The City), but I didn't really feel super-compelled either. I didn't really care for many of the characters, with the exception of John Creedmore, who was SUPPOSED to be a horrible killer, but who came off as a mix between Mark Twain and Val Kilmer's portrayal of Doc Holliday from the movie Tombstone (at least in my mind XD). The rest of the characters were pretty transient, which is sad because the protagonist is supposed to be the doctor, Liv Alverhuysen.
Maybe it's because the characters are actually in the service of much higher powers: The Line and The Gun, two supernatural forces who inhabit machinery (massive steam engines for The Line, and finely crafted firearms for The Gun). With these two forces at war, constantly looming over everything and basically destroying everything they come into contact to for their own selfish reasons, any and all characters are pretty much throw-aways in the service of one or the other. It's the neutral characters who suffer the most, since they can't possibly stand up to either without spiritual support of their own (which is actually present in the form of a hospital. Seriously).
Overall, it's a well written book, IMO. Steampunk fans may get a bigger kick out of it then I did, but it was a quick and easy read, so long as you're not expecting a groundbreaking or groundshaking novel of millennial importance.