The Waking Engine

One of those books that takes you with the sheer imagination of it all. If you want something different that blends together a number of genres (though if I had to choose one to shove it in, I'd say it fits under the Urban Fantasy umbrella). It's a wonderful debut and one of the better fantasy books of 2014. While there are a few flaws that hold the novel back, the strengths definitely outweigh the weaknesses. The story is basically a wild twist on the whole 'I died and now face a strange afterlife' conceit. In some ways, it reminds me of Sean Williams’ The Crooked Letter, though not as infused with horror. Either way, the protagonist ends up somewhere he wasn't expecting to go -- and a good thing for us too, the place is captivating. I was quite surprised the different elements of the story all just worked together as a cohesive whole -- and worked very well indeed -- when you toss a number of vastly different genres into the same story with many disparate elements, it's an easy thing for the book to get lost. But these many different things make The Waking Engine an interesting, and eclectic read indeed.This is a book with some strong worldbuilding -- those of you who like their worlds so large where the borders are only vaguely defined or completely unknowable, will find themselves right at home. The strange afterlife, the different residents, the eclectic world, it's bizarre yet utterly fascinating place you just want to linger in. The prose too is strong indeed. It's lyrical and compelling. This is an author who knows how to write and write beautifully. And it's a good thing indeed -- the powerfully large (and precise) vocabulary he uses is needed to fully define and flesh out the strange world. For a rather strange yet very much scintillating novel -- one that, by the last page will have you feeling like you just came back from a very, very far, and very strange journey to distant, exotic lands -- this is a novel to really sink your teeth into. Good things will be coming from this author in the future, mark my words.