The Mechanical
The vastly imaginative tale of clockwork men, alchemy and revolution
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- 3,99 €
Beschreibung des Verlags
'A MAJOR TALENT' George R. R. Martin
Set in a world that might have been, of mechanical men and alchemical dreams, The Mechanical confirms Ian Tregillis's place as one of the most original voices in speculative fiction.
My name is Jax.
That is the name granted to me by my human masters.
I am a slave.
But I shall be free.
'Tregillis launches a series with this superb alternate history filled with clockwork men and ethical questions on the nature of free will . . . The rich characters and gripping story really make this tale soar' Publishers Weekly
'A hugely entertaining novel' SFX
'Absolutely fascinating, and unapologetically clever' Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviews
'The Mechanical is as intricate and exquisite as the clockwork wonders it brings to life' NPR
'Tregillis presents a fascinating look at the nature of free will and the existence of the soul, wrapped up in an absolutely thrilling adventure story. Jax is an amazing, sympathetic character, and the world of the clockmakers and their slaves is so absorbing that readers will be dying for the next entry in this new series' Library Journal
'With The Mechanical, Tregillis displays the craftsmanship and precision of a master clockmaker . . . I would recommend The Mechanical to any reader with an interest in well-written and engaging fantasy story set in an elegantly constructed alternate history' SFFworld
'His characters are as convincing as ever, the plotting is beautifully articulated . . . readers with an interest in dark, intelligent fantasy will find much to admire here' Kirkus
'In the tradition of Isaac Asimov, Tregillis's latest novel combines classic robotics with historical fiction to riveting ends . . . The story manages to posit broad questions, such as how one defines humanity and free will . . . It's also just plain exciting, with intense fight scenes and exhilarating narrow escapes. Readers will no doubt be rooting for the 'rogue' robots' RT Book Reviews
The Alchemy Wars
The Mechanical
The Rising
The Liberation
Also by Ian Tregillis:
The Milkweed Triptych
Bitter Seeds
The Coldest War
Necessary Evil
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Tregillis (Something More Than Night) launches a series with this superb alternate history filled with clockwork men and ethical questions on the nature of free will. The Calvinist Dutch empire, with the help of the mechanical soldiers ("Clakkers") that are imbued with intelligence and enslaved through magic, has been dominant since defeating the French in the 17th century. Two centuries later, their only opponents are small French and Papal outposts in the New World. Against this background, French spymaster Berenice Charlotte de Mornay-P rigord, Vicomtesse de Laval, attempts to manage her secret agents abroad. One of those agents is Father Luuk Visser, a Catholic priest undercover as a pastor in the Hague, who knows he's soon going to be exposed. He uses one of the Clakkers, Jax, to smuggle an item across the Atlantic. As Berenice, Luuk, and Jax go on their separate journeys (only briefly intersecting), they uncover multiple dastardly plots, learn terrifying secrets, and have to cope with knowing that all three of them have destroyed innocent lives. Tregillis's complex setting is elegantly delivered, and the rich characters and gripping story really make this tale soar.
