The Mechanical

By: Ian Tregillis

Narrated by: Chris Kayser

From "a major new talent" (George R. R. Martin) comes an epic speculative novel of revolution, adventure, and the struggle for free will set in a world that might have been, of mechanical men and alchemical dreams.

My name is Jax.

That is the name granted to me by my human masters.

I am a slave.

But I shall be free.

Critic reviews

"A major talent."—George R.R. Martin on Bitter Seeds

"Superb alternate history filled with clockwork men and ethical questions on the nature of free will. ... Tregillis's complex setting is elegantly delivered, and the rich characters and gripping story really make this tale soar."—Publishers Weekly on The Mechanical

"The first thing readers will say after finishing this splendid book is: 'Wow.' The second thing will probably be: 'When can I read the next one?'"—Booklist on The Mechanical

"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 on The Mechanical

"Thrilling philosophical clock punk."—B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog on The Mechanical

"His characters are as convincing as ever, the plotting is beautifully articulated, the tone relentlessly grim and sometimes horrifying. And while the action rarely flags, Tregillis manages to pack in a good deal of philosophical probing...readers with an interest in dark, intelligent fantasy-will find much to admire here."—Kirkus on The Mechanical

Violence Abounds, Ending is Unsatisfying

This book is pretty good, kept me interested for most of it. however, it is definitely the first book in a series, so it ends a bit abruptly.

Spoiler below.

I found myself repeatedly wondering why Jax didn't use his freedom maker more often. We discover early on that it can free others, so why not use it on anyone who discovers that he's a rogue? Most frustrating part of the book.

New steampunk convert

After being more or less ambivalent about the subgenre for years, this book has brought me around. I'm a sucker for stories with robot protagonists, so I gave this a shot and was not disappointed. Tregillis has made a whole alternate history for Europe and North America rather than just stick some superficial cogs and waistcoats on and call it a day. The world building never bogs down the plot, which is one of the more exciting thrillers I've read recently.

slow star but worth it

The start i found to be abit slow, but it quiclky picked the pace of intruductions

The story was fascinating

Where does The Mechanical rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very creative alternative history. I loved the story and the way the author handled switching points of view. I did not enjoy the narrator and wish it had been read by someone more engaging.

A beautifully written work

A supremely beautiful novel with so many horrific implications. I'll be waiting impatiently for the next installment.