Clockwork Angels

The Novel

De: Neil Peart - contributor, Kevin J. Anderson

Narrado por: Neil Peart

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.

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.

Order vs Chaos

Extreme order vs extreme chaos. The Watchmaker vs the Anarchist. These opposing forces push and pull Owen through his adventures outside of his comfortable upbringing. Like God and Satan playing with Job, they both try to show how their world is better than the alternative. Rush fans will enjoy the many references to lyrics and titles and Neil's voice is expressive and comfortable.

I love this man

But he puts me to sleep listening to him read. Very baratone. Great story though! Even better album!