The Dream of Perpetual Motion, by Dexter Palmer, is a memorable steam-punk inspired debut where imagination is given free reign. Colorful and eccentric, Palmer's first novel takes readers off the beaten path to a wonderfully illustrated world populated with rich and vibrant characters.
A debut so magical… so extraordinary… it has to be read to be believed…. Imprisoned for life aboard a zeppelin that floats high above a fantastic metropolis, the greeting-card writer Harold Winslow pens his memoirs. His only companions are the disembodied voice of Miranda Taligent, the only woman he has ever loved, and the cryogenically frozen body of her father Prospero, the genius and industrial magnate who drove her insane.
The tale of Harold’s life is also one of an alternate reality, a lucid waking dream in which the well-heeled have mechanical men for servants, where the realms of fairy tales can be built from scratch, where replicas of deserted islands exist within skyscrapers.. As Harold’s childhood infatuation with Miranda changes over twenty years to love and then to obsession, the visionary inventions of her father also change Harold’s entire world, transforming it from a place of music and miracles to one of machines and noise. And as Harold heads toward a last desperate confrontation with Prospero to save Miranda’s life, he finds himself an unwitting participant in the creation of the greatest invention of them all: the perpetual motion machine.
Beautifully written, stunningly imagined, and wickedly funny, The Dream of Perpetual Motion is a heartfelt meditation on the place of love in a world dominated by technology.You enjoyed Pinion or Boneshacker and want more clock/steam punk? Done. Just follow these simple giveaway instructions for your chance to win a copy of The Dream of Perpetual Motion (giveaway runs till 5/10/10 @ 11:59 PM EST):
E-mail me your name and address, with "DREAM" as the subject of the email. Snarky comments increase your chances of winning and win bonus entries for future giveaways. Open worldwide as long as delivery doesn't require the mounting of an expedition into remote wilderness.
