Review: Cuttlefish

Jan •  22 •  2013
Review: CuttlefishCuttlefish by Dave Freer
Series: Cuttlefish # 1
Published by Pyr for the Young Adult on July 26th 2012
Genres: Young Adult-Steampunk/Fantasy
Source: FTC: Exchange for honest opinion, Publisher
Goodreads

The smallest thing can change the path of history. The year is 1976, and the British Empire still spans the globe. Coal drives the world, and the smog of it hangs thick over the canals of London. Clara Calland is on the run. Hunted, along with her scientist mother, by Menshevik spies and Imperial soldiers, they flee Ireland for London. They must escape airships, treachery and capture. Under flooded London’s canals they join the rebels who live in the dank tunnels there. Tim Barnabas is one of the underpeople, born to the secret town of drowned London, place of anti-imperialist republicans and Irish rebels, part of the Liberty - the people who would see a return to older values and free elections. Seeing no further than his next meal, Tim has hired on as a submariner on the Cuttlefish, a coal fired submarine that runs smuggled cargoes beneath the steamship patrols, to the fortress America and beyond. When the Imperial soldiery comes ravening, Clara and her mother are forced to flee aboard the Cuttlefish. Hunted like beasts, the submarine and her crew must undertake a desperate voyage across the world, from the Faeroes to the Caribbean and finally across the Pacific to find safety. But only Clara and Tim Barnabas can steer them past treachery and disaster, to freedom in Westralia. Carried with them—a lost scientific secret that threatens the very heart of Imperial power.

I have become a new fan of steam punk  I have not had the chance to read much in this genre but what I have been reading have been amazing.  This book could be considered one of my favorite books of this genre.
What I liked most was the idea of the submarine, Cuttlefish. The time I think that was taking into creating the idea of the sub was spectacular and Mr. Freer really made the understanding of how the sub worked clear based on his writing.
The characters were just what I see as normal and there was nothing really special about them at all. The book flowed together for me and everything that was out of the ordinary was made clear.
Dave Freer made this book quite understandable with everything out of this world. Steampunk fans will be sure to love this book.
I give it 4 bites!
FTC

2 Comments

  1. I didn’t expect it to be steampunk by looking at the cover! Oh now I’m so interested in this book. Your fave? I’m so putting this on the wishlist.

  2. Candace
    Jan 22, 2013

    I added this one to my wishlist awhile back just because it’s steampunk and that’s a favorite sub genre of mine. I’m glad you really enjoyed it! Hopefully one of these days I can get around to reading it!