Aetheric Mechanics [Paperback]

Warren Ellis (Author), Gianluca Pagliarani (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 21, 2004

The newest addition to Warren Ellis' Apparat line of original graphic novels has arrived! The year is 1907, and Britain has entered into a terrifying war with Ruritania, whose strange metal planes darken the skies, and whose monstrous war engines cast looming shadows from across the channel. Doctor Robert Watcham, lately returned to London from the front, makes his homecoming to Dilke Street. There lives his old friend, and England's greatest amateur detective, Sax Raker. Even as his beloved city prepares for war, Raker is himself about to embark on the strangest (and, perhaps, the most important) investigation of his career: The case of the man who wasn't there. This is no simple matter of murder - Sax Raker faces haunting questions to which there are no cut and dried answers. Is the mysterious killer, at last, evidence for Raker's long-held belief in a secret criminal mastermind? Is it some apparition uniquely belonging to this singular city, a place that seems to have lost all semblance of sense two years ago? Or do all the signs point to something much, much worse? Following up the huge success of Crecy, Ellis turns his spark of mad genius to bring us a fantastical tale in this all-new original graphic novel illustrated in detailed perfection by Gianluca Pagliarani.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Warren Ellis is the award-winning British author of comic books, novels, and television, most often recognized for his sociocultural commentary and ground-breaking work in the genre of science fiction. His most recognizable works include Transmetropolitan, Planetary, and The Authority. He maintains a consistent online presence which includes the weekly delivery of the FREAKANGELS web comic to millions of fans. Ellis has published over 25 different creator-owned projects through Avatar Press (including BLACK SUMMER, IGNITION CITY, and GRAVEL, the last of which is in development as a film through Legendary Pictures), with many more planned.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Avatar Press; Original edition (October 21, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592910483
• ISBN-13: 978-1592910489
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.6 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #135,852 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Mystery
  • #35 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Science Fiction

More About the Author

Warren Ellis is one of the most prolific, read, and admired graphic novelists in the world and the creator of Transmetropolitan and The Authority. He lives in southern England with his partner, Niki, and their daughter, Lilith. He never sleeps.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Challenging, entertaining fiction from a experimental publisher, November 2, 2008

By 

J. Shurin "carnivore" (London) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aetheric Mechanics (Paperback)

Aetheric Mechanics is one of the newest releases from Apparat, the independent line of Warren Ellis-dominated comics. As a vanity press, Apparat publications have a tendency to vary wildly in their quality of work. In Aetheric Mechanics, however, the creative team of Ellis and Pagliarani has produced something very close to perfect.

In Aetheric Mechanics, Doctor Richard Watcham reunites with his old friend, detective Sax Raker. Against a backdrop of zeppelin attacks and mysterious 'aetheric' technology, the pair chase down an elusive serial killer - one who flickers in and out of existence like a ghost.

Despite the short length (40something pages), Aetheric Mechanics manages to introduce a fantastic steampunk universe, craft an engaging mystery and then introduce a plot twist that successfully tossesevery other steampunk world into the backseat. If it sounds complicated, it actually isn't - thanks to the writing and the art, the story is so absorbing it is easy to follow from start to finish. In further testament to the creative team's skill, the clever narrative devices and plot twists are also all secondary to the characters. Although the reader is constantly rocked by fantastic revelations, the emphsis is always on the characters and never on self-congratulatory world building.

Gianluca Pagliarani is an inspired choice for an artist. Although black and white, Pagliarani manages to lever in the detail necessary to bring the world of Aetheric Mechnics to life. The layout - especially vital in a space this short - is neatly done, balancing small panels of minute detail with breath-taking city-scapes.

Aetheric Mechanics is clever, clearly experimental and very entertaining. It pushes the boundaries of a fledgling genre, challenges the reader and, above all, gives fans of the graphic novel another rare and must-have read. -- PORNOKITSCH

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly Executed Alternate History/Sci-Fi, October 26, 2008

By 

Daniel V. Reilly (Upstate New York, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Aetheric Mechanics (Paperback)

AETHERIC MECHANICS is the latest stand-alone graphic novel in Avatar/Warren Ellis' Apparat line of comics, and it's a welcome addition to the line. Returning home to civilian life after two years on the front lines of Britan's war against Ruritania, Doctor Richard Watcham resumes his life as sidekick to the World's greatest Detective, Sax Raker. The duo are soon drawn into a strange mystery involving missing and murdered Scientists and a "Man who wasn't there"....The game is afoot!

On the surface, AETHERIC MECHANICS combines Alternate History and Steampunk with, what appears to be, a complete and total rip-off of Sherlock Holmes. Stick with it though, as Ellis uses the last few pages to completely turn the story upside-down, shaking up everything the reader was expecting from the book. The art, by Gianluca Pagliarani, fits the story perfectly, and the amount of detail he includes on each page is staggering. Graphic novel fans looking for something a bit different will not be disappointed.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun and beautiful., December 23, 2009

By 

S. Duke "SMD" (Placerville, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aetheric Mechanics (Paperback)

It's not very often that I get to review a graphic novel, so when a friend let me borrow this, I was really excited to tell you all about it.

Aetheric Mechanics takes place in an alternate Earth in which Britain is at war with a place called Ruritania, whose powerful technology is quickly turning the tide of the war in their favor. Doctor Richard Watcham returns from the war front and, upon reuniting with Sax Raker, an old friend and renowned amateur detective, he embarks on an investigation of bizarre origins.

I'm not familiar with Warren Ellis' work, but if Aetheric Mechanics is any indication of his talent in coming up with weird stories, then I suspect I'll enjoy just about anything he writes. There's a lot going on here, and the brief instances that explain the current situation (the war with Ruritania, etc.) add some depth to the world Mr. Ellis is working with. Aetheric Mechanics is also generally visually gorgeous, with an exceptional amount of detail throughout the piece. Add to that a strange, steampunk-ish murder mystery and there's plenty here to keep you entertained.

The dialogue is particularly strong here, unlike a lot of comics/graphic novels that try to write in a pseudo-Victorian/WW2-analogous era (assuming, of course, that I got the representative periods correct). Raker, for instance, has a distinct voice that will remind some, for reasons that become obvious when you read the story, of other detective types we've come to know. The other characters, while not as distinct as far as attention grabbing is concerned, hold their own in a world that will immediately spark some of the "gosh wow" desperately needed in quasi-SF tales.

The only problems I had with Aetheric Mechanics are probably normal things found within the comic/graphic novel industry. The story was, in my opinion, rushed, and I would have liked to see the story expanded over two or three volumes to give the twist ending greater impact. The result was that the relationships between characters were either left to reader assumption or not developed at all. Also, the lack of color and the pencil/ink combination removed some of the depth that needed to be there in certain panels (particularly the action-packed ones). Neither of these complaints ruined the experience for me, though.

Overall, I liked Aetheric Mechanics, despite its flaws. It's not perfect, and I hope that Mr. Ellis and his artists continue writing in this world (the ending leaves a lot to be told). I think this is one of those graphic novels that can't be left without sequels; it's too big to be alone. If you're a steampunk/detective mystery fan, then you should definitely check this one out.