Here are our thoughts about the first five chapters of Boneshaker
...(Brace for it, guys -- it's epic.)
Shel: Okay, so when I first heard zombies + steampunk + air pirates, I figured there would have to be some humor...but given the start, I'm guessing not so much. Yes? Am I alone in this feeling? Me thinks there be some dark rainy nights ahead.
Monica: No. You are most definitely *not* alone. And don’t forget, it’s not just raining, it’s *acid* raining! This has pretty much negated any plans I had of moving to Seattle, let me tell you.
Shel: I still like the thought of living in Seattle. Zombies, air pirates, and acid rain, I can take them! The lack of potential jobs for me there...may stop me though.
Back to the book, I like the poetic language of the opening...all those gold-winged rumors and the way humanity goes from a trickle to a flow. Very nice. I also like the dark and cold setting Priest creates. Nice and creepy.
Monica: Really, I like her entire writing style. I haven’t checked out anything else she’s done, but depending on how Boneshaker goes I may have to. She sounds like she’s… reciting a story to us, as an audience.
Shel: I was kinda hoping the book would follow Zeke's point of view a little more. I know this is a crossover novel, but I think it has more of an adult leaning. Not that Briar isn't bitter and angsty enough to carry her own story. She certainly is.
Monica: Don’t worry! I think there’s still time! We’re only seventy pages in, after all. I’m personally hoping Hale comes back; I feel like he has more potential than just as an Introduction To The Main Characters Through Another Character character. Plus, he’s geeky. I do love me my geeks. (PS, speaking of Briar, I’m not going to lie -- I totally cheered when she got out the goggles. NOW it’s steampunk. (NOW we can cosplay….)
Shel: I've been amused by many of the secondary characters, especially some of the air pirates. I really hope they come back, cause I wants to know me more!
Monica: Shhh, Shel! We're not *up* to the air pirates yet! ;)
Shel: Wowzers how about that description of what the drug lemon sap does to a person: "Sap didn't just damage the mind; it turned the body necrotic. Gangrene would catch and sprawl, creeping out from the corners of mouths and eating away cheeks and noses. Fingers and toes would fall away, and in time, the body might fully transform into a parody of the undead "rotters" who no doubt still shambled hopelessly through the walled-up quarters" (pp. 52-53). Ugh. Glad we don't have any lemon sap in this reality. That'd suck.
Monica: Great, thanks Shel. I’m pretty sure you just jinxed us. I’m going to start building barricades and prepping for an onslaught of rotters.
Shel: Kay, you do that. I'm going to sit back and do nothing. When the bad shiz goes down, just expect me to knock on your day. Sound fair? It totally does, right?
Monica: So, was I the only one who started quietly humming the “Court of Miracles” song when Zeke hit the tunnels? I sense he’s going to be meeting some fun-yet-dangerous folks pretty soon. Hopefully, at least one of them can juggle. And perhaps we’ll get some acerbic humor, since heaven knows there’s been nothing so far.
Shel: I think you might have been alone with the song. I do like the thought of a juggler though. At the very least, we could break out the Wii Fit Plus and take a break from reading to do the juggling exercise.
What do you think so far, our few but dear readers?
We'll continue our discussion on Wednesday (this time pages 69-157). See you then!
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