Ratings8
Average rating3.8
"The air pirate Andan Cly is going straight. Well, straighter. Although he's happy to run alcohol guns wherever the money's good, he doesn't think the world needs more sap, or its increasingly ugly side-effects. But becoming legit is easier said than done, and Cly's first legal gig--a supply run for the Seattle Underground--will be paid for by sap money. New Orleans is not Cly's first pick for a shopping run. He loved the Big Easy once, back when he also loved a beautiful mixed-race prostitute named Josephine Early--but that was a decade ago, and he hasn't looked back since. Jo's still thinking about him, though, or so he learns when he gets a telegram about a peculiar piloting job. It's a chance to complete two lucrative jobs at once, one he can't refuse. He sends his old paramour a note and heads for New Orleans, with no idea of what he's in for--or what she wants him to fly. But he won't be flying. Not exactly. Hidden at the bottom of Lake Pontchartrain lurks an astonishing war machine, an immense submersible called the Ganymede. This prototype could end the war, if only anyone had the faintest idea of how to operate it.... If only they could sneak it past the Southern forces at the mouth of the Mississippi River... If only it hadn't killed most of the men who'd ever set foot inside it. But it's those "if onlys" that will decide whether Cly and his crew will end up in the history books, or at the bottom of the ocean"--
"The air pirate Andan Cly is going straight. Well, straighter. Although he's happy to run alcohol and guns wherever the money's good, he's not sure the world needs more sap, or its increasingly ugly side effects. But reforming is easier said than done: the captain's first legal gig will be paid for by sap money, because the Seattle Underground is in dire need of supplies. New Orleans is not Cly's first pick for a shopping run. He loved the Big Easy once, back when he likewise loved a beautiful mixed-race prostitute named Josephine Early, but that was a decade ago. He's still on Jo's mind, he learns when she sends him a telegram about a peculiar piloting job. It's a chance to complete two lucrative jobs at once. He sends his old paramour a note and heads for New Orleansl, with no idea of what he's in for--or what she wants him to fly. But he won't be flying. Not exactly. Hidden at the bottom of Lake Pontchartrain lurks an astonishing war machine, an immense submersible called the Ganymede. This prototype could end the war, if only anyone had the faintest idea of how to operate it....if only they could sneak it past the Southern forces at the mouth of the Mississippi River....if only it hadn't killed most of the men who'd ever set foot inside it. Now the only question is whether Cly and his crew will end up in the history books, or at the bottom of the ocean. "--
Reviews with the most likes.
What a total bummer. In the past, I've always counted on Cherie Priest to provide quick-moving stories with lots of twists and action. Some of them I was pretty lukewarm about, like [b:Boneshaker 1137215 Boneshaker (The Clockwork Century, #1) Cherie Priest https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1398725701s/1137215.jpg 1124460] and [b:Bloodshot 8140731 Bloodshot (Cheshire Red Reports, #1) Cherie Priest https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389139452s/8140731.jpg 12937194], but for the most part I had good feelings towards the Clockwork Century series, particularly after the awesomeness that was [b:Dreadnought 7911067 Dreadnought (The Clockwork Century, #2) Cherie Priest https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389139447s/7911067.jpg 10282187]. Ganymede was nowhere near that level though. Instead of the full throttle excitement of the previous book, all I got was a slogging journey with a few scatterings of zombies and a battle that the main characters didn't even have direct stakes in.There just never felt like there was any threat, any real complication in the story. Andan Cly's trip to New Orleans is easy enough, his meet up with an old flame is rather anticlimactic, as they are both mature adults and exceptionally over it. It takes a long time to get him in to the vessel that titles the book, and while its not an easy boat to drive, you never feel any peril. It reads more like a laundry list than a novel. For such a dramatic set up (submarines! battle at Barataria Bay! zombies!), this book is largely uneventful.The characters are alright I guess, entertaining and funny at times, but I never felt invested in any of them. Josephine is strong-willed and tough, so you know, good for her and stuff. Andan Cly is Andan Cly, big dude with a simple mind. Everyone involved is on the verge of settling down, not growing or progressing in significant ways that would drive the plot forward. Maybe everyone was just too good-intentioned. There was no antagonist to speak of, not even a spanner in the works. Even the pirates seemed like sweethearts.So this was a really surprising let down. I had been meaning to get around to reading this book for years, and this is what I was waiting for. I think I'm going to be putting Cherie Priest aside for a while now.
Series
6 primary books7 released booksThe Clockwork Century is a 7-book series with 6 primary works first released in 2008 with contributions by Cherie Priest.