Shawn M. Peters

This was one of those books that I couldn't stop reading and yet once I did, because the story had ended, I was ultimately unsatisfied.

The imagery and atmosphere were gorgeous. I picked this book up because I wanted to read something steampunk and this book not only did not disappoint, it went over and above in providing me what I was craving. I could so easily visualize this heavily-industrialized area of London, from its frightening Gods to its citizens who were ill with the clacks.

Where show more the book lost me was with its characters. I found myself fascinated with Missy, Bergen, Tommy, Oliver, and even Baron Hume, but in the end the only character I really felt I had a handle on was Jeremy Longshore, a clickrat of great achievements.

All in all I enjoyed it even though it seemed there was a bit too much crammed into one small book. show less

This might be one of the best-written urban fantasy novels I've read recently. It's approach to the urban fantasy setting, and without giving away any spoilers, I found the concept of the Warden to be fascinating. Peters manages to weave in magical creatures, both mythological and original, in an effective effort of world building that doesn't feel cheap or tongue-in-cheek. The result is an urban fantasy novel that, while still having the trappings of the genre, feels new and unique.

The show more characters were interesting, although at times they acted in a manner that didn't make sense. For example (without spoilers), it isn't clear to me how it is possible for the protagonist to be so (supposedly) unaware of the mystical considering the descriptions of what she had to deal with growing up. That's really my only sticking part of this novel, as the whole is quite good, but it did throw me off a bit reading it which is the only reason I took off one star.

It says here that Ghost Ocean is Whitechapel #2, which was a surprise when I came to write this review. I had started on Whitechapel Gods quite a while ago, but I was very busy at the time and didn't get very far. I now feel compelled to pick up that book and give it another shot, both because Peters has impressed me with Ghost Ocean and because I am very curious what connection lies between the two stories. show less

The steampunk elements are incredibly steampunky, and pretty unnerving. The themes of man, machine, power, and man as machine are interesting. The plot is … pretty standard, unfortunately, and the characters don’t really bring it to life. Close, in parts, but not quite. There are some spots where the plot diverges from, “Oliver will get out of this and keep saving the day” and a fair number of those were cool, but lost points for being slightly confusing. Like, I had to stop and read show more the passages over to work out what had happened? But if all you want is literal human machines and clockwork animals and giant steam guns and robots, well, have I got a book for you.

6/10 show less

I don't rate books that I didn't finish. Why I didn't finish is because that the writing is unrelenting bleak.... The plot is interesting, and has so much possibility, but the writing, while adequate, is not fun. It is dark, bleak, and depressing. I really wish the writing was better, this world is fascinating and has a lot going for it.