Customer Reviews

Heart of Veridon

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

_Heart of Veridon_ is an enjoyable pulp crime story that takes place in an excellent steampunk fantasy setting.

At first, it isn't clear how the fantasy aspect matters. When an artifact of unknown significance falls into the hands of downfallen ex-pilot and small-time criminal Jacob Burn, people start trying to kill him. He doesn't know why. He doesn't understand who is after him. He's not sure whom he can trust. And for a while, it doesn't particularly matter that he is a steampunk cyborg in a city full of steampunk cyborgs, steam-driven trams, mysterious religions, and at least a couple of intelligent non-human minority populations. He's just a tough guy on the run, doing whatever it takes to escape and figure out what's going on.

But long before the end, hidden truths about Veridon open up, and the fantasy elements begin to make a difference in how the story unfolds. While some of Veridon's secrets are foreshadowed a little too heavily, others are completely surprising. The linkage of plot and setting turns out to be very solid and, along with some fairly engaging action, makes the story worth reading.

There are a few rough spots, though. It's hard to like the way that the main character antagonizes his own friends and acquaintances. Several supporting characters aren't developed as strongly as their roles in the story probably merit. The names for people and things, given the exotic quality of the setting, are sometimes absurdly mundane (I had to assume I was reading names translated into English equivalents). And the ending is abrupt and feels slightly implausible based on facts established within the story--it works, but the poignancy the author aimed at is undermined by questions about whether it should work.

Jacob Burn is the fallen son of a noble founding family within the ancient city of Veridon. Where once he brushed shoulders with the elite social classes, now he mingles with the criminals. Jacob was on the "Glory of Day" zepliner when it crashed. He had been handed a strange artifact, a Cog, from a former acquaintance just before it happened. In the aftermath, Jacob is the only survivor. If not for the biotics within him, Jacob would be dead. Should still be dead! However, unknown to Jacob, the bionics within his chest are not what he believes they are. Jacob had gone into the Academy to become a Pilot. It should have been a Pilot Engine placed within him. He is about to learn otherwise.

The city of Veridon is mainly comprised of machinery. The technology which makes up the city comes from up the river. Pieces often float down the river and they are salvaged. The people of Veridon cannot create the brilliant technologies they find, but they have learned to use them. A couple of years ago an expedition had been sent up the river to find the source. None returned ... until now. The only thing brought back is the Cog, on the zepliner that ends up falling from the sky. And something has followed the Cog back to Veridon.

Jacob finds himself on the run. The Badge (law), Council and Church are all trying to either possess Jacob or kill him. Friends and family abandon and/or betray him. At the center of it all is an angel. A sentient technological creation in the form of a metal angel, seeking the return of the Cog. The Council has split between the old Families and the Young Seats. Each side yearns for control of the Cog, and Jacob if they can get hold of him. As an array of machines, two-faced friends, and strange creatures pursue Jacob, he must stay one step ahead as he tries to figure out what the Cog is, who and what HE is, and how to live long enough to see tomorrow.

***** FIVE STARS! This is the first of a trilogy and I wish that I could get my hands on the next two books quickly. I did not simply read this book, I all but inhaled it. I could not read fast enough to see what would happen next. Twists and surprises lurk behind every corner, keeping me on the edge of my seat. The flavor of Pulp Fantasy has not tasted this rich in a long time. Recommended! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Heart of Veridon is a wonderfully mixture of urban fantasy, steampunk, and crime-noir, and Akers hits the tones perfectly. It's full of haunting imagery, set pieces in a very compelling plot. I kept thinking the entire time I was reading it what a great Alex Proyas film it would make. I hope, now that the publisher has changed hands, the new Solaris will sign the sequel up ASAP. Because although the book is a stand-alone, I really want to know more about this fascinating world.

Tim Akers' The Heart of Veridon ( Solaris 2009) is a mix of fantasy, noir, science fiction, and punk; a novel situated in a strange and unique world, told in the first person, by a cog-works creature named Jacob Burn, whose claim to fame initially is that he has crashed in not one but two zepliners and lived to tell the tale. Burn, an ex-pilot, a graduate of the Academy, works as an enforcer for a shady crime syndicate and is personally managed by a beautiful hooker named Emily, who may or not be a double agent. The novel begins en medias res; a zepliner is in flames and falls into the Reine, a river of some importance, inhabited by unique creatures, the Fehn. The Fehn, although not fully described, are important to the plot, because they, along with the anansi, are indigenous to the world and provide the novel with some of its internal weirdness, especially when juxtaposed against the humans, who seem to be relatively newcomers to the world.

These comparisons and conclusions are not clear because we learn of things through conversation. Uncertainty, however, is not detrimental to the novel's plot or success; instead, I would argue it is one of the novel's strengths: Akers builds his universe slowly, parceling out details of his weird world incrementally, along with the development of the plot. His stylistic choice works because it is consistent with its noir antecedents. The plot takes its energy and impetus from the novels of Hammett and Chandler and first person point-of-view. The result is that these choices create both tension and expectation. Imagine, a half-man, half machine Marlowe in a weird, fantastic world conducting one of his convoluted investigations. And, consistent with noir, further imagine our (somewhat unreliable) narrator wise-cracking and skylarking his way through a brutal and dangerous plot that involves a conflict between two religions and a marauding cogs-work angel. It is this religious struggle that provides the plot's internal complexity and intimates a rich, created world, not yet fully disclosed and the existence of some more serious themes that are not immediately apparent.

First, like Matthew Hughes's The Damned Busters(Angry Robot Books 2011) that I reviewed a couple of weeks ago, The Heart of Veridon foregrounds religion. In Akers' novel, two religions, diametrically opposed to each other, vie for control of the city. Within the conflict, technology plays a major role, transforming men into machines. Second, Jacob Burn is an outcast from his class and his family; a member of the aristocracy who works with the criminal element of the city. A father/son conflict is obvious, which adds a further complexity to the novel. Third, there is a game-like quality to the novel. Like a game, part of the pleasure of the plot arises from the ability to explore, to discover new and unique wonders. One of the major plot devices is the discovery of a map, which illuminates another sector of the unknown world and promises further discoveries, new creatures, and more weirdness. Fourth, like most new weird, the city, its structure and its politics function as theme. Veridon is not only socially nuanced and class-burdened, it is virtually multi-layered. Throughout the story we travel from the sewers to the Tower, meeting different types of citizens and creatures. The polis theme complements the game-theme and situates the novel squarely within the sub-genre of new weird.

Heart of Veridon is a controlled work: consistent in theme, voice, and tone. Akers does not overreach himself; he holds back, saving more surprises for further books. Nevertheless, this novel stands on its own. All and all it is a very entertaining read.

In general, steampunk is as played-out as historical mash-ups, vampires, and zombies, but I really enjoyed this book. Great mystery/scifi/noir with action and soul. Highly recommend.

I've never been what you could call a "steam punk" fan...haven't explored the genre much and I'm not really sure what drew me to this book in the first place. I'm still not sure that I'll ever be a "steam punk" fan but I am absolutely positive that I am now a committed Tim Akers fan.

Akers is one of the most talented writers that I have come across in a long time. His ability to move a story along with snappy dialog and credible characters was refreshing after suffering through some of the utter garbage that I have subjected myself to lately. A little back-story fill-in would have helped a little as I'm still a little fuzzy about some of the major technical points in the book and perhaps a map would have been helpful as well but his writing skills left me with little doubt that Tim Akers could apply his talents to any genre out there and I would read it. I hope he finds an audience.

Tim Akers pulls you into the chased life of Jacob Burn, failed pilot, fallen noble, and flawed hero as he tries to avoid his pursuers while solving the mystery of a strange artifact. While hunted, Burn takes quite a beating, but keeps his attitude and delivers some blows as well. Using quick prose and short bursts of imagery, Akers paints a vivid picture of multi-layered Veridon. An ancient city that is grudgingly giving way to spiritual-mechanized "progress". As Burn discovers the complexities of his relationship to his friends, family, the church, and society in his alternative world ... we, as readers, inevitably, can make reflections about our own. Heart of Veridon is an engaging thriller that is intricate enough to savor more than once.

Heart of Veridon immediately caught my interest because of its Crime Noir and Steampunk themes, which it more than lives up to. Jacob Burn born into one of the founding families of Veridon is a cyborg of sorts with mechanical parts surgically implanted in his body in addition to his eerie silver eyes, which mark him as a zepliner pilot with the ability to standup to a lot of physical damage. Zepliner pilot is a very prestigious position for any citizen of Veridon as it take years of study and dozens of surgeries. Yet Burn failed as a pilot and turned to a life of crime for lack of motivation to do otherwise than drink. The noir style works well with wonderful dialogue and sequencing.

From the first chapter Akers keeps the octane on high and never lets off the gas. The quick paced Heart of Veridon is very action oriented with Jacob getting into some kind of scrap every other page. He is able to get out of all it only to fall into the next trap or barging somewhere he knows nothing good will come out of. Yet he soldiers on to find out the truth. Still you have to get 200 pages in before you even begin to know what is going on and the motivations behind everything Jacob has been tossed into, which are pretty intricate.

Jacob is helped out by a mysterious Anansi named Wilson. Akers creation of the Anansi species was impressively cool and original. They are a cross of humans and spiders, but don't call them spidermen or bugs. I'm very curious about their culture as you only meet Wilson, but there is obviously a lot more to them. The female lead, Emily, needed more fleshing out earlier on as she comes off a bit sidekick-ish. Akers was clearly trying to make her the strong-willed type, but it didn't really pan out that well and she came off bit as the damsel-in-distress who kept putting herself in danger in the first place. Her actions in one particular scene towards the end seemed unneeded and very impetuous given her nature throughout the rest of the narrative.

Akers knows how a spin a tale with depth, complexity, and a bit of humor. There are are a lot of interesting aspects including the mysterious Church of the Algorithm and a mechanical Angel who means business along with aristocratic echelon intent on selfishness, which always means a good time.

Heart of Veridon had me enrapt with the pulp style story and characters until the last page. There is a lot left to this world to explore and I hope Akers gets the chance to tell those tales.

Heart of Veridon is a fun start to am excellent steam punk trilogy. The protagonist, Jacob Burn is a likable anti-hero, and the author style allows the story to unfold at a cracking pace with more color and detail continuously being exposed. The style of the steam punk elements are unique and add depth to the story. Overall Heart of Veridon and it's sequel are excellent reads.

This was an excellent book and a good example of the growing steampunk subgenre. Akers successfully created a complex and believable civilization, as well as a mystery grounded in dark conspiracies, religious dogma and political machinations. Jacob is a perfect flawed hero, whose personal journey is compelling and surprising in turn.