Dead Iron (The Age Of Steam #1) by Devon Monk
Steampunk Fantasy
July 5, 2011
Paperback
Roc Trade

Favorite Quote: “I mean to find his killer. And there is nothing that will stand in my way.”

Cedar Hunt and his brother Will were cursed with lycanthropy by a Pawnee God to hunt the Strange. Settling in the small town of Hallelujah, Cedar does some small time bounty hunting, haunted with the loss of his humanity and guilt of his brother’s death. When a small boy is stolen in the dead of the night, Cedar offers his service to the parents, vowing to find the boy or the body and destroy the one(s) who took him. Cedar’s mission brings him into contact with other ‘special’ inhabitants of Hallelujah. A young widow who demands revenge over the murder of her husband, a trio of brothers who’s inventions tell a different story then what they appear, and a young girl who is touched in a far different manner then the town believes.

What do you get when you combine the wild, wild west with steampunk? You get Devon Monk’s intriguing new novel-Dead Iron. Old world realism combined with mysticism and fantasy creates an engaging and sober tale about a reluctant hero cursed by the Gods and the journey he under goes when he is forced to accept his fate. I found the world building to be a somber affair built upon the basic elements of greed, despair, hope, and love as Ms. Monk paints for us a bleak landscape engaged in a quiet yet tremulous battle of magic versus technology. The Strange, the product of nightmares, are pushing their way across the plains by way of the railroad. Ms. Devon does a wonderful job of imparting to us the parallels between this world and ours. The town ignoring the magic surrounding them, therefore lessening it’s effectiveness. The impact of the ‘iron’ and technology on the environment. Even small town prejudice plays a role as it clears the way for the villain to achieve his goals.

The story starts out slowly, jumping around producing multiple POVs, setting up the plot and sub plots while acquainting us with the characters and their background. It’s really not until the middle of the book that the pacing and energy picks up. This almost reads like the second in the series. There are some areas that didn’t flesh out well, leaving some questions. I do hope Ms. Devon either writes a prequel or divulges more into the characters backgrounds in the second book. Though I enjoyed the world building, Dead Iron is primarily character driven. It’s the inhabitants of this story that brings this world to life and hold our attention. Their intense emotions are viable elements that build layer upon layer through out the story line as we are drawn into the complicated ties that will eventually bind these characters together.

Cedar Hunt, our hero, is a complex man. Educated at a university yet living on the fringes of society-you can feel the loneliness and despair that permeates his persona. He is the very embodiment of the lone gunman. Stoic and honorable; he is the perfect reluctant hero. He feels he is doomed to remain alone until he atones for the sins that weigh heavy on his soul. Sins of his own making and imagination. He doesn’t want the responsibility of saving the world or his small part of it. Yet his personal moral code demands no less so he will do what has to done, even at the risk of his own life. When he receives a sign that his brother Will may be alive, he has to deal with the Maddox brothers. A trio of brothers who’s advanced skills and inventions clash with the lazy, drunk personas they employ around the town. The brothers offer him a deal. Find a lost artifact of the Strange and they shall help him control his beast. By controlling his beast, he can begin to reclaim some of his lost humanity.

Although romance is almost nonexistent, we do see a preexisting love so powerful that it transcends death. Mae is a young widow whose love for her husband is so powerful that you almost feel like a voyeur as you read about her feelings towards him. Her husband Jeb, disappeared a month ago. She knows he would never willingly leave her. Their deep bond is forged in love and magic so she knows the minute his heart ceases beating. From that moment on, her life takes a radical turn as she channels all that love into a hate so deep that you can feel the blackness that rolls off her character. At no time do you ever doubt that the man responsible will survive.

Additional characters, such as Rose and the Maddox brothers, add depth, mystery, and suspense as we follow and guess at the roles they will play in the finale outcome of this story. I look forward to learning more about them and their places in this world. Ms Devon doesn’t pull any punches with our villains either. Crafted with care and detail, they are just as vibrant and fleshed out as our heroes. These are intelligent beings whose reasons give them all the power in the world to achieve their goals. Truly depraved individuals that had me rethinking my views on torture.

The ending is an intense climatic finale that had me clinging to the edge of my seat-never sure till the very end that good would triumph over evil. Ms. Devon plays it close to the vest and truly makes her characters work for their victory. Dead Iron is a beginning to an interesting world that is sure to appeal to all readers who love the versatility of steampunk and fantasy.

Overall Rating: B-

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Thanks to the publisher, we have one copy of Dead Iron to giveaway today! Open to U.S. only through July 8th.