By James P. Blaylock
Titan Books, $12.95, 276 pages
James P. Baylock is one of the first authors to have ventured into the realm of steampunk. Lord Kelvin’s Machine is the third in the series, and is a definite steampunk masterpiece. Professor Langdon St. Ives fights to beat his rival, Dr. Ignacio Narbondo, to the time machine held by Lord Kelvin’s machine in order to rescue his wife from the clutches of death, and prevent Dr. Ignacio Narbondo from dominating the world.
Full of danger, classic steampunk tropes and gadgets, and a surprising dose of humor, Lord Kelvin’s Machine is a fast paced and highly enjoyable read. Written with three separate story arcs that are woven into one, the narrative was surprisingly complex. While elements of the narrative can come across as clichéd, particularly with the recent influx of steampunk novels in the last few years, as one of the earliest in the genre, this novel still holds its own. Beautifully written, full of a large and dramatic cast of characters, and excellently paced, Lord Kelvin’s Machine is a must read for fans of steampunk classics.
Reviewed by Whitney Smyth
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