MY RATING:
In Mainspring (SF Signal review), author Jay Lake created one of the more imaginative alternate Earth settings you'll find. One where Earth is literally a cog in the cosmic wheel, and evidence of God's existence is irrefutable. Lake returns to his world in the not-really-a-sequel novel, Escapement. This time, we get to visit more of the clockwork Earth and we find it's filled with enough interesting and stimulating wonders for several books, let alone one. Escapement isn't a direct sequel to Mainspring, you don't need to know the events from the first book (although they are alluded to in the text) to enjoy Escapement, but it's clear that this book is part of a large series. And as such, it's one of the few 'second-in-the-series' novels that not only are as good as the first, but better.

Where Mainspring was the story of one man's journey to fix the mainspring of Earth, Escapement concerns itself with three main characters. Paolina Barthes is a young woman who has lived her life on the Wall, the giant gear circling the Earth at the equator that conncts to the orbital track around the Sun. She is possesed of a once-in-a-lifetime intellect and creates a 'gleam' (think pocketwatch) that possess mystical powers. Threadgill Angus al-Wazir is a part Scottish, part Arabian airman of the Royal Navy who has been dispatched to help manage a project of epic proportions: to bore a tunnel through the Wall and reach the Southern Hemisphere. Librarian Emily Childress, briefly encountered in Mainspring, is being called to task for her part in the events that transpired in the previous novel. Along the way, she will end up much more than a mere librarian as she ends up playing a part in the search for the 'Golden Bridge' the Chinese are looking for to cross the Wall.

The best element of Escapement is the world Lake has built. We saw quite a bit of it in Mainspring, but only what the protagonist, Hethor, say. Here, with three, sometimes intertwining storylines, Lake has the opprtunity to explore much more of his creation, and does so. We get to see so many cool things: mechanical brass men, Chinese submarines, 'subways' deep inside the Wall, and a lot of other cool ideas. Escapement is worth the price just for the worldbuilding alone. Add in an interesting story and characters, and you have one of the best books of the year. If I had a Hugo nomination, this would be on it.

The story is told from the three points of view as mentioned above, with Paolina's story the main one. She has created the 'gleam', whose hands measure the beats of creation, the beating of her heart, the turning of the Earth, and the last to measure whatever she tunes it to. It is this last setting that shows Paolina is endowed with mystical, even Divine, power, as she can tune this last hand to whatever she wishes to have happen. She uses this sparingly, but to great effect throughout the story. Along the way she leaves her home on the Wall in an attempt to reach the 'wizards' in England who may be able to help her. She ends up where she least expects, after having many interesting encounters. Threadgil's story is also quite interesting. He has been asked to help the project in Africa that is attempting to bore a hole through the Wall. He must manage not only the logistics of the project, but also the security, as the 'dig' is often under attack by the denizens of the wall. After a particularly nasty attack, he finds himself in the compay of Paolina, and becomes her de facto guardian. Emily's story is the most self-contained, not merging with the other two until the end. Her's is a tale of secret societies, international espionage and betrayal. Events conspire to force her to play the part of a higher up in her secret organization, the ave bianco. She becomes friends with the captain of a Chinese submarine and helps decide the fate of the 'golden bridge' Chinese scholars are attempting to find.

Quite a bit of ground is covered in Escapement, but nothing feels rushed. However, because the story moves briskly, many of the wonders we encounter are left behind without a more in-depth study. This is a minor issue I had with the book. There is so many cool ideas present, I'd really like to learn more about them, particularly those pertaining to the Wall and the civilizations that have grown up on it. There's a fascinating history to be learned here, and I wish we were given more. The other minor issue? A cliffhanger ending. Sadly, the story had to end somewhere. Luckily there is more to come.

I hesitate to call this next item an 'issue'. A couple of times things seem to happen because the story demands it, one or two at the behest of Paolina's super power. However, I think the hint of deus ex machina is deliberate and I'm guessing that God is, indeed, intervening in events for an, as yet, unexplained purpose. I'm guessing He is forcing events along not only in this book, but in Mainspring as well. I'm guessing we'll learn more the plan in the next book.

Escapement is a worthy successor to Mainspring. If you haven't read either, I highly recommend you do so. You won't find a more unique steam/clockpunk setting. Both books are well worth the effort.

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Posted by JP Frantz at Tuesday June 10, 2008 at 2:28 AM
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