Clockwork Angels

The Novel

By: Neil Peart - contributor, Kevin J. Anderson

Narrated by: Neil Peart

Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Finalist, Package Design, 2014

I can’t stop thinking big....

International best-selling author Kevin J. Anderson teams up with Rush lyricist and drummer Neil Peart to expand the story set out in Clockwork Angels, the 20th studio album by the legendary rock band.

All the journeys of this great adventure -

It didn’t always feel that way

For more than two centuries, the land of Albion has been ruled by the supposedly benevolent Watchmaker, who imposes precision on every aspect of life. Young Owen Hardy from the village of Barrel Arbor dreams of seeing the big city and the breathtaking Clockwork Angels that dispense wisdom to the people, maybe even catching a glimpse of the Watchmaker himself.

I was brought up to believe....

He watches the steamliners drift by, powered by alchemical energy, as they head toward Crown City - never dreaming that he is already caught between the grandiose forces of order and chaos, between the Watchmaker and his nemesis, the Anarchist. Owen’s journeys begin at a fabulous carnival with clockwork wonders beyond his imagination, and take him aboard airships, far into the Redrock Desert to seek lost cities, through storms at sea to encounters with pirates...and give him a chance at love.

Clockwork Angels: The Novel is a remarkable, innovative story unlike any other.

The basis for this novel, Clockwork Angels: The Album by Rush, is available now at rush.com.

©2012 Kevin J. Anderson (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Amazing!!

If you could sum up Clockwork Angels in three words, what would they be?

Imaginative Fun Thought-provoking(?)

What other book might you compare Clockwork Angels to and why?

Candide, you'll see.

What does Neil Peart bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Had no idea his speaking voice was so rich. He emoted enough to enhance without being indulgent. He may have a future in this profession if he can't get his music career rolling.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes, experience it for yourself.

Any additional comments?

I strongly recommend this book. It has many levels to enjoy and ponder.I have always wondered what talking with Neil Peart would be like. Now I have a quasi-idea. I have been a RUSH fan for decades, the lyrical Easter eggs in the text are so fun to discover."All is for the best"

Great story and ties the songs in their album

What made the experience of listening to Clockwork Angels the most enjoyable?

Great story with an ending that I can relate to. I also liked the author's reference to lyrics in older Rush songs.

Any additional comments?

Very satisfying read and also enjoyed the reading by Neil Peart.

Fans of Rush will like this book...

The story was actually pretty good, my husband enjoyed it and I enjoyed it as well. It just wasn't the type of story that I normally prefer...

Clock Works Angles

Would you try another book from Kevin J. Anderson and/or Neil Peart?

Yes. I have read books from both authors and wouldn't hesitate to do so again.

Would you be willing to try another one of Neil Peart’s performances?

Yes

Was Clockwork Angels worth the listening time?

Yes

Any additional comments?

First, I would like to give credit to the authors and ECW Publishing for offering a complimentary e book to all readers who purchased the hardcover. Not only was it effortless to download but the customer service was excellent.

The whole idea of supporting an album (Rush: Clockwork Angels) with a novel is not only unique but extremely creative. The partnership of Anderson/Peart/Syme makes the entire package a great experience for the reader and fan.

The storyline was reminiscent of Ayn Rand's "Anthem" and Rush's "2112" with the individual facing deciding between individualism and collectivism. The surprise though was that our main protaganist, Owen Hardy, was able to persevere and accept his fate and manage through it without having to change the world or set the world on fire.

I did find that the continuous use of Rush lines/lyrics a tad disruptive and somewhat cheesie for this reader as it distracted from the overall flow of the story. Instead of reading on, the reader stopped to pause and reflect on the many great songs Rush has recorded over the years. With that said, the use of the CA lyrics at the start of each chapter was extremely helpful in setting up each stage(s).

The books' ending was very well thought out and introspective ts to why Owen Hardy did what he did. And, to that end, the authors tended to their readers very well.

The CA package is extremely well done; with a good story line (Peart/Anderson), beautiful drawings (Hugh Syme), lyrics for each track of the album (Peart) and a great afterword from Peart to provide the backdrop for this working concept.

It is a story that young and old will enjoy.

well done

Well done, well polished and well read. Look for the Rush lyrics spattered like Salt Bea on a t bone.

Great collaberation and great story!

Pulls you in from the beginning and keeps you through the end. Neil's vision coming to fruition is both incredible and sad. So enjoyed the Neil and Kevin afterwards.

Light hearted fun.

Loved hearing the Rush Clockwork Angels lyrics popping up in many places here. Whimsical fun.

A STATUE HAS STABILITY

I HAVE NO FAITH IN FAITH
I only gave this a middling rating,but I will have to admit that I did enjoy lots of it. I liked the main character. He is naive and positive. I am a sucker for characters who don't give up. I also was reminded a lot of Robert Silverberg, the writing was very familiar to some of his work.

I rarely listen to music and I never heard this album by Rush. I think they should have included the album with the book. For me this was an adventure book. The book has a cool afterword which explains how the book was written and why. It pretty much explains each and every adventure.

If you like Robert Silverberg, you should like this.

NOTHING COULD STOP HER BEAUTY IN HIS EYES, NOT EVEN A MUSTACHE.

Love the story

This story resonates with me, for whatever reason. Maybe, as a truck driver from a small town, I understand the wanderlust. A classic coming-of-age story in a steampunk universe is something I didn't expect to like - but this has become my favorite story.

Neal Peart may be a tremendous drummer, a fantastic songwriter, and a good novel/story righter, but he's not a good narrator. He emphasizes the wrong words in sentences, overemphasizes words that don't need emphasis (me, my, I, and so forth), and overall sounds like he's narrating a children's book to a 3-year-old child. It detracts from the overall story. He makes Owen, 17 years old and a young man at the end of the story, sound like a wayward 6-year-old, and the Anarchist as a petulant child.

But ...... I listen to it anyway.. In fact, I just finished a third listen in a row, simply because I like the story.

Could Have Been Better

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I only recommend this book if you are wanted a deeper look into the story behind the lyrics for the Clockwork Angels project. It is difficult to tell which came first - the lyrics or the story.

Would you be willing to try another book from Kevin J. Anderson? Why or why not?

NO. I felt like I was being read to by my elementary school teacher. Other reviews of this author have also impacted that decision.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Neil Peart?

Yep - like his style. Wrong book for him to read, but I bet would be great on an "adult" reading-level performance.

Could you see Clockwork Angels being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Too shallow of a story to hold water. Visually, it could look great, and has potential if modified. I am a huge fan of RUSH, and would go see it no matter how it came out. However, I would hope that this idea is not pursued to avoid tarnishing the band's name or reputation.