The Lost Future of Pepperharrow

By: Natasha Pulley

Narrated by: Thomas Judd

Length: 13 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's Summary

Step back into the enchanting world of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. This extraordinary sequel takes listeners to Japan, where time, destiny and love collide to electrifying effect.

For Thaniel Steepleton, an unexpected posting to Tokyo can’t come at a better moment. The London fog has made him ill, and doctor’s orders are to get out.

His brief is strange: the staff at the British Legation have been seeing ghosts, and his first task is to find out what’s going on. But staying with his closest friend, Keita Mori, in Yokohama, Thaniel starts to experience ghostly happenings himself. For reasons he won’t say, Mori is frightened. Then he vanishes.

Meanwhile, something strange is happening in a frozen labour camp in northern Japan. Takiko Pepperharrow, an old friend of Mori’s, must investigate.

As ghosts appear across Tokyo and the weather turns bizarrely electrical, Thaniel grows convinced that it all has something to do with Mori’s disappearance - and that Mori might be in far more trouble than any of them first thought.

©2020 Natasha Pulley (P)2020 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Critic Reviews

"A Japan that never was, a future lost, ghosts that are not dead, random numbers, clairvoyant Samurai...not even a partial list of ingredients can do justice to this wonderful cake of a book. A lovely blending of steam punk ether science, Japanese historical figures, and a time-defying thriller." (Robin Hobbs)

Fascinating but

You really need a working knowledge of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street before reading this follow-up.
Although I’d loved Watchmaker, I spent most of this book feeling rather puzzled and hoping it would all make sense at some point.
It’s a vast tale with historical/political events unfolding amidst evocative descriptions of London fog, electrical storms and chalk clouds.
The subtle blurring of the mystical, mechanical and scientific was wonderful but the atmosphere was disrupted by too much constant movement.
The story felt fragmented and was difficult to relax into, partly because of the split timelines and partly because there were so many names of people and places to remember.
Ultimately it feels over-complicated. Another reviewer says it benefits from a second reading, but I need a breather first.

Excellent sequel

I loved The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, the first book in the series, and the sequel did not disappoint. Good enough to stand alone even if you haven't read the first one better of course if you have. The only challenge is because the chapters jump between characters and time (for a good section one characters story is operating in January and another in February) you have to really pay attention to the character names and the dates listed at the beginning of chapters. Overall great book and great narrator.

A brilliant sequel to Watchmaker

Ugh, i just love Natasha Pulley. Do yourself a favor and read all of their books, they are glorious

brilliant!

I seldom get drawn into a book the way I was pulled into this trilogy. this final volume was brilliant, moving and suspenseful in a very gentle way.

I love this book

Terrific read, great follow up to The Watchmaker of Filigree street . Fast paced an unpredictable

So Satisfying!

I really really enjoyed this book--it's a follow up to Watchmaker of Filigree Street (also great), but I think it could stand on its own. It's so easy to care about these characters that even if you're meeting them for the first time you'll be sucked in. I love the way this world does steampunk/sci-fi, very different from other kinds of historical science fiction I've encountered (although, granted, I'm just beginning to dip my toes into the genre). Great reader--kept the characters distinguishable and made the world believable.

10/10 would definitely recommend!

This destoryed my heart in the best way!

Have you ever finished a book and it gives you whiplash? You are all immersed in it, you're ride or die with the characters, plot, and writing style, and then it ends and you feel like you went from 70mph to hitting a tree and the airbags just hit you in the gut and you're laying there confused about what to do now in life?

Yeah that was me with this one.

The Lost Future of Pepperharrow has all the mystery and eerie magical realism that Pulley's other books do. I think out of all of them Pepperharrow is the weirdest, but that's what I love about it. Her character's are alway 3-dimensional and I always end up loving them, even the ones I think I'll hate forever. She has an unique style of writing where I am unable to really go into detail about her books without making it feel like I am spoiling the whole story. Everything ties together so well that just picking at one piece doesn't do the story justice.

I will forever love Thaniel, Keita, Six, and Katsu. I wish there was a book three, but I can't imagine after all that happened in this that there will be.

Really amazing book

I waited not so patiently for this book, even pre-ordered it when it became available. I'm so thrilled to say that this is my favorite of Natasha Pulley's three books. I would recommend listening to or reading the others first. "The Watchmaker of Filigree Street" introduces the main characters. This goes further and the plot gets more complex. She has woven a story with interesting characters and events that I did not see coming. I'm not even sure how to classify this book, but perhaps Historical Fiction with some Supernatural. I'm going to continue watching this young author and try to wait patiently until her next book comes along.


This is the same narrator as "The Watchmaker of Filigree Street" and he has again done a great job. I would recommend the pair of books to anyone.

Impatiently waiting for more

While this does not live up to the greatness of the first book it was a decent sequel. I would’ve liked more about Katsu (clockwork octopus) and more of Thaniel and Mori together. I hope there will be more to come!

The woman is a genius

Another corker. Brilliant as her previous two and great (because I'm an old softie) to hear more about all those involved in The Watchmaker of Filigree Street.

There is no-one else who writes quite like her and they're beautifully narrated too. Don't be put off (if it's the sort of thing that does put you off) by the fantasy aspect because it's almost not about that although, of course, it is. That's the thing about this lady's books and why she is a genius. You can't explain what they are about because above and beyond everything, they are about the people in them.

Just give it a try, it's far, far, far more likely you'll enjoy it than you won't and if you don't it's not the end of the world. However, if it is the end of the world it won't really matter will it?!

Superb

What a superb sequel to the ‘Watchmaker of Filigree Street’. I wish I had re-listened to the ‘Watchmaker’ before embarking on this book, as they are so intrinsically linked and I’d forgotten important elements that were a little confusing to start.

The narrator was excellent at using different tones and subtle accents for the multiple characters which made it far easier to follow. There were so many important characters, it could have been difficult to keep up, but his characterful voice helped the story to flow nicely.

A beautiful story that kept me riveted from the moment I started, very well written.

I read it twice, 2nd time around I gleaned more

I really enjoyed this book as I am totally invested in the characters! However! ......the first time I read it I did find it a trifle confusing, the names and places are so strange to my ears that I couldn't always identify with the 'who, what and where', even so, on finishing the book my immediate reaction is to decide to read it again so that I can get it clear in my mind. I did get the overall story, but feel it needs a second try!
Definitely worth reading........ (twice 😄!)

Update after second reading!

Yes I definitely got so much more by reading it again, absolutely brilliant! I love this author!

A rather complicated drawn out book.

I did enjoy this book although I stopped halfway through and then picked it up later on. Not sure why as it is a very good story with some brilliant characters.

A truly amazing book

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone; it follows on so well from The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. The character development is amazing and the culture accuracy is extraordinary

Convoluted but back level of “Watchmaker”

Loved the watch maker of filigree street and really hated the next book. Back on form with this one, laughed out loud, worried and smiled.

Loved Pulley’s previous books, this just didn’t do it for me

I’ve loved Natasha Pulley’s previous books and have listened to them again and again, but this book just failed to recreate the same atmosphere or capture my imagination as the previous books.
I know almost all the other reviews are strongly positive, which is why I stuck with this book, despite wanting to give up again and again. Natasha’s previous books conjured a magical world that captivated me and I loved them. This one - not so much.

Tries to build too much

I really enjoy the characters and Japan in this story. It just got too much for me at some points. Would have loved a third installment.

Exquisite

This is just beautiful. Full of suspense and a story that moves quick enough to keep interest but slow enough to let you savour the strange and wonderful world she has built.

love her books

love her books. Have been looking forward to the conclusion of her story about the watchmaker. Thrilled.