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A review by nation
Mainspring by Jay Lake
1.0
Lake has, I'll admit, created a wonderfully interesting world, and oftentimes interesting worlds are at the heart of the fantasy/adventure genre. I want to explore it. But not like this.
What Lake seems frustratingly, maddeningly incapable of here is providing us with any reason to care about the people and situations occurring in his interesting world. I don't care if the Mainspring is rewound. I don't care if Hethor dies in the attempt. I don't care if his enemies thwart him, because I have as little reason to dislike them as I have to like Hethor. I don't care about the Chosen People, other than to be mildly repulsed by the seemingly casual racism with which they are portrayed**. I just don't care.
This book was too disappointing too many times. Its premises hit me on a lot of levels: Victoriana, airships, and steampunk? Check. Divides of power along hemispherical lines (otherwise known as imperialism)? Check. Religious/spiritual/magical schisms? God's language? Angels? Checkity check check. I'm even an amateur watch collector for chrissakes. If Lake can't get me into this book, I don't see how anybody could enjoy it.
**Tiny black apes who play drums and make big fires and teach our White scion invaluable lessons about spirituality and love while still regarding him as the leader of their life's quest? Come on. That's pretty repulsive.
What Lake seems frustratingly, maddeningly incapable of here is providing us with any reason to care about the people and situations occurring in his interesting world. I don't care if the Mainspring is rewound. I don't care if Hethor dies in the attempt. I don't care if his enemies thwart him, because I have as little reason to dislike them as I have to like Hethor. I don't care about the Chosen People, other than to be mildly repulsed by the seemingly casual racism with which they are portrayed**. I just don't care.
This book was too disappointing too many times. Its premises hit me on a lot of levels: Victoriana, airships, and steampunk? Check. Divides of power along hemispherical lines (otherwise known as imperialism)? Check. Religious/spiritual/magical schisms? God's language? Angels? Checkity check check. I'm even an amateur watch collector for chrissakes. If Lake can't get me into this book, I don't see how anybody could enjoy it.
**Tiny black apes who play drums and make big fires and teach our White scion invaluable lessons about spirituality and love while still regarding him as the leader of their life's quest? Come on. That's pretty repulsive.