Benjamin Thomas's Reviews > The Bookman

Now how could I not read a book with the title “The Bookman”?

This is the first of a trilogy and based on this one, I will be seeking out the other two. It’s billed as “steampunk” which always worries me. Steampunk and I have a sordid history. Sometimes it’s really interesting but more often than not I find the authors trying to be cute rather than providing good solid stories with proper characterization.

I found this one to be a bit of both to be honest. But in the end, it’s a fun read. The author takes great delight in throwing in a bunch of literary characters and letting them dance on the page with interesting historical figures. Imagine Irene Adler leading Scotland Yard, Moriarty as Prime Minister, and adventuring with Jules Verne, Karl Marx, Gilgamesh, Mycroft Holmes, Nikola Tesla, Tom Thumb, and many more. Oh…and aliens in the form of lizards are the ruling class.

It’s a great mashup of characters and concepts, but fortunately, the author develops a nice plot that keeps the pages turning as well. I really got the feeling that the author wrote this novel for his own pleasure rather than for any particular audience. The steampunk technology aspects were of lesser impact that most I’ve read, included mostly for world building, with the exception of automatons which were integral to the story. The nature of the Bookman was not what I was expecting but a welcome bonus. Extra points for including the character of Sir Harry Flashman VC. You can’t go wrong if you insert that character, even if only as window dressing.

I’ll be headed into book #2 very soon, with healthy anticipation.