Dreadnought

A Novel of the Clockwork Century

De: Cherie Priest

Narrado por: Kate Reading

Nurse Mercy Lynch is elbows deep in bloody laundry at a war hospital in Richmond, Virginia, when Clara Barton comes bearing bad news: Mercy's husband has died in a POW camp. On top of that, a telegram from the west coast declares that her estranged father is gravely injured, and he wishes to see her. Mercy sets out toward the Mississippi River. Once there, she'll catch a train over the Rockies and—if the telegram can be believed—be greeted in Washington Territory by the sheriff, who will take her to see her father in Seattle.

Reaching the Mississippi is a harrowing adventure by dirigible and rail through war-torn border states. When Mercy finally arrives in St. Louis, the only Tacoma-bound train is pulled by a terrifying Union-operated steam engine called the Dreadnought. Reluctantly, Mercy buys a ticket and climbs aboard.

What ought to be a quiet trip turns deadly when the train is beset by bushwhackers, then vigorously attacked by a band of Rebel soldiers. The train is moving away from battle lines into the vast, unincorporated west, so Mercy can't imagine why they're so interested. Perhaps the mysterious cargo secreted in the second and last train cars has something to do with it?

Mercy is just a frustrated nurse who wants to see her father before he dies. But she'll have to survive both Union intrigue and Confederate opposition if she wants to make it off the Dreadnought alive.

Reseñas de la Crítica

<p>“Maternal love faces formidable challenges in this stellar steampunk tale…. Intelligent, exceptionally well written and showcasing a phenomenal strong female protagonist who embodies the complexities inherent in motherhood, this yarn is a must read for the discerning steampunk fan.” —<i>Publishers Weekly, starred review on Boneshaker</i><br><br>“A mash-up of action, history, and science that is everything good about steampunk. If you like the genre, you'll love this, and if you've been worried that it's getting stale or trendy then you will be thrilled with Priest's way of taking the formula and turning it inside out. The setting is solid but the characters are what makes <i>Boneshaker </i>sing. Give Cherie Priest fifteen minutes of your time-- trust me--you won't look back.” —<i>Bookslut on Boneshaker</i><br><br>“Cherie Priest is high priestess of steampunk.” —<i>Seattle Times on Boneshaker</i></p>

Inventive not credible

Characters are well drawn and interesting technological fantasy steampunk but racing locomotives on seperate track was bit much

Mercy Lynch: nurse extraordinaire

Dreadnought is the third book from the so called Clockwork Century, preceded by Boneshaker and Clementine (novella). One might think that having already been introduced to the brass gears and levers of this war-torn continent some of the mystery and attraction might already have been spent. Not so. The travel story and adventure of Southern girl and Nurse Mercy Lynch is still very much a good and intriguing tale. We already know what a dirigible is, which instead of taking away some of the wonder of the story gives up space for the more human wonder of this desperate journey across a continent ravaged by a never ending civil war. I always feel somewhat dubious about a series where instead of having one continuing story about one or more people it instead picks up somewhere else completely with a new set of main character. Here though I felt that Mercy Lynch more than made up for the lack of Briar Wilkes, she is just as strong and just as determined, but thankfully in a different way.
No, I tell a lie. We do in fact briefly meet Briar Wilkes, which was an added bonus.
Anyway. I did like the book and if you liked Boneshaker I think you will too

Enjoyable story, but really bad math.

I enjoyed Boneshaker, and I overall liked this book. Mercy Lynch is a tough, intelligent woman. My favorite type of protagonist in a dark and daring adventure.
But in a book about trying to get from point A to point B on the map, you have to get the time vs. distance somewhere near close. At one point Mercy gets on a boat that can travel at 35 naughts (roughly 40 miles per hour) and needs to go 350 miles. This trip takes her about a week. longer than a cruise across the Atlantic! I don't want to give away too much, but a train that can go up to 95 miles per hour takes an awfully long time to go 2000 miles.
Usually I don't pay much attention to such things and tend to gloss over them when I read, but these were so glaring that they knocked me right out of the narrative. Hence, the three stars.
Otherwise, it was good book and an interesting expansion of the world created in Boneshaker. A world I would like to visit again.

A Fantastic Alternate History

I bought this book expecting steampunk, but I got so much more. There is action, adventure, alternative history, civil war, thought provoking race conflict, and... zombies. Admittedly, the last two points (thought provoking race conflict and zombies) made me most happy.

On another front, the narration was beautiful. I could listen to Kate Reading all day long. All in all, I recommend this audiobook.

Love big steam engines?

If you are a fan of steam engines, strange mechanical devises also powered by steam and a rip roaring adventure, then this book is for you. Don't care much for those things, then this book is still great fun. The story moves ahead like a runaway steam engine. Hang on for a great time.