Bookworm Speaks!- Worldshaker by Richard Harland

Bookworm Speaks! 

Worldshaker by Richard Harland

****

Steampunk is considered to be alternate history by many of its enthusiasts and it is. It describes an age of the past that diverted from our own timeline into a different time. Often times there is tipping point that branches one timeline from the other. Often times it is a war, something goes down differently than what is written in history books and everything changes. But some books take it to another level and not just tell a story of the same age just with a few differences, but change an entire world. Worldshaker by Richard Harland is a book like that.

The Story: After a catastrophic war with an alternate Napoleon, Europe is now a polluted wasteland and the former Empires of Europe have abandoned it, but the age of imperialism is far from over as these empires now inhabit massive, city-sized ships called juggernauts that travel over the land and sea crushing all in their path. The juggernaut of the British Empire is the Worldshaker and Colbert Porpentine is set to rule it when he comes of age. All is going well until one day Col discovers a girl in his quarters, a girl named Riff from the lower decks. A Filthy, the worker class who slave endlessly in Worldshaker’s massive engines and face constant abuse and exploitation from Colbert’s fellows. Thus begins an adventure through the corridors of the mountain ship to overthrow a regime and bring justice not just to the Filthies but to the world beyond the bulkheads.

The Good: The shining star of this text is the setting. Some of the first adventure books ever written take place upon ships at sea and Worldshaker follows in the proud tradition while adding its own unique motif’s. The story takes place on a massive ship that is now the home of the British Empire. While there is not that much in the way of naval jargon beyond port, stern, and deck, this works to the books benefit as too much technicalities can confuse and alienate readers. While there are most likely key details missing, the world that is built upon the Worldshaker is very British and with many Victorian trappings. The level of detail adds a layer of depth to the Worldshaker and really give the ship a great amount of atmosphere.

Whether this is intentional or not, one can see trappings of the Mortal Engines series by Phillip Reeve. A moving city that selfishly consumes all in its path. This is not to the book’s detriment and may in fact be a reach on the part of Bookworm, but both volumes can be viewed as a metaphor on how modern countries can be viewed as consuming the wealth of smaller weaker ones. Both books say this a trend that needs to stop.

What the author does well is the characterization of Colbert Porpentine. Colbert is not a heroic character, not at first anyway. He does not seem all that strong at all as a matter of fact. Since he was the eldest son, he was being groomed as the new supreme commander almost from birth. The reader gets the real sensation that Colbert is really just being swept away by his environment and has made very few decisions about his life. His journey into a revolutionary is very palatable and the reader can get a real sense of his internal confusion as he goes against the very things he was raised to embrace with all his heart.

In contrast, Riff is strong and it is her who is Colbert’s guide to a stronger world. In most cases the inverse of this situation is the norm in books such as this, where it is the delicate girl who is strengthened by the boy. While it is clear that the two have feelings for each other, the author is wise to not make them a real couple in this volume. In a market saturated with romance, the fact that these two characters have to work out their feelings for each other really adds another layer of realism to the text.

The Flaws: The main flaw in this book is very same instrument that makes it so good: the setting. In a few rare exceptions, the Steampunk genre is obsessed with Victorian England, a trend that is becoming increasingly tiresome in modern literature. It is understandable to some extent. Victorian England was a key player in the industrial revolution and the same time period was considered to be the Golden Age of Britain especially in the field of science and engineering. The fact is that there are many other time periods and countries that fit that same description. Say what you will about the Bioshock Infinite video game, at least it did something different by making its steampunk aesthetic set in early twentieth century America and not across the pond in the nineteenth century. No disrespect Queen Victoria, but your realm has been done to death, and despite being set on a ship, the society is a dead ringer for the Victorian age, complete with the exploitation by the upper classes which begs the question of why that time period is regarded as a Golden Age.

The story itself, while not poorly written, is not the books strong suit. The story of the uprising, the revolution, is a timeless one and for good reason. The quest for freedom is a good story, but in this book it feels pretty predictable. The reader knows that the Filthies will emerge triumphant from the bitter struggle and Colbert and Riff will grow into the leaders that the new order needs. On that note, while Colbert goes through tangible changes, Riff on the other hand does not change all that much. While she is intended to be Colbert’s guide to the truth a little more character development beyond seeing the upper classes as more than monsters would have lead to a more dynamic partnership between the two.

Final Verdict: Worldshaker is a fun, seafaring adventure and good read for any fan of steampunk or seafaring tales.

Four out of Five Stars