No Pulitzer prizes here. This is a quick story with an interesting cast and some unique action sequences. For a good time, call Clementine.

Dreadnought is the third book from the so called Clockwork Century, preceded by Boneshaker and Clementine (novella). One might think that having alrea..Show More »dy 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


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The Clockwork Century series had really had me as a serious follower. Boneshaker was the first "Steampunk" book and actually the first audiobook that ..Show More »I ever listened to. It was this book that really got me into listening to audiobooks, I'm always trying to find one better and there have been a few, but in different genres, none in Steampunk. The following two were decent as well. Unfortunately, Ganymede disappointed me too many times in just the first two chapters and I was unable to get over this.

The first disappointment was the reader. It seems as though Eduardo Ballerini didn't pre read this book or even read the previous books. There were many times throughout the whole book where character voices lead into narration, this was tough to discern what was going on. I had to basically just forget the female voices, which wasn't hard since they all sounded the same anyway, and listen for myself to find the narration. Pre reading the book would have helped this. If Eduardo had read the previous books, or even better, listen to them. He would have found that princess Angeline did not sound like a princess, due to a throat injury, that Lucy was a gruff and tough older woman, not a bartender that is trying to get sweet on all her customers, and that Jeremiah Swackhammer was not an old elderly guy, just because he has a daughter in her twenties. Even though the story is no where near as great, I believe I would love this audiobook still if it was reread by Kate Reading. I didn't appreciate her during the readings, but her characters were top notch and can't be beat.

Second disappoint was the inconsistencies in the story. I have only gotten through half the story at this point but it is enough to piss you off that the writer, of all people, didn't even keep care to keep points consistent. Cly met Mercy at the end of Dreadnought... This one overlook almost ruined the book for me. As well, it never mentioned before Josphine and Ruthie went out to the pirate town that she had received Cly's response, however, two days later Ruthie magically got back to the boarding house, even though it was touch as nails to get to the pirate town, and mentioned that Josephine received the tap. This seems to me like it was something that should have been celebrated, or maybe offer up some instructions to the other ladies on what to do when he gets there, but instead the ladies just knew exactly what to do with Cly when he showed up...

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this audiobook on any other grounds but to follow up with the Clockwork Century. Hopefully any future CC books are paid more attention to previous details and read by Kate Reading ONLY.

I would however, recommend the first three, Boneshaker at the least.

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