Too hard to get into

I don't know if it is the narration (which is very dry) or the style (so many long dull wordy monologues that feel like they don't really add anything) but I just couldn't get on with this at all. I loved Peripheral and Agency, love the genre, and know this is a cult classic, but I couldn't get past the first few chapters. I rarely give up on a read/listen but this beat me.

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Very awkward voice performance

Excellent book with great concept, sadly ruined by poorly matched voice performance. Text deserves better.

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Interesting content but rather fragmented

Like many I think I went into this famous Steampunk novel with high expectations. I've not read a huge amount of the genre (Jeter, Moorcock, Powers, Hunt, and Talbot's Luther Arkwright) but enough to perhaps have an opinion on how it sits within that genre.
The authors create an alternate history wherein the invention of an analog computer running on cards (Babbage's Difference Engine) has long reaching effects on society, social reform, the dominance of science, and world politics, pushing the British Empire to the fore of the world's power and industry. I like the detail and nuance of the background in their world. The utilisation of real historical figures in alternative roles is also well written, and the middle section during civil unrest and a polluted 'Stink' is the most engaging portion.
The three lead characters are interesting enough, and make development of sorts with the greatest attention on Mallory, the archetype adventurer popular in Steampunk books. He's a good character and the cast he brings with him, especially Fraser, suitable counterpoints. Oliphant serves as a device to tie it all together in the final chapters.
Yet the plot, based around a set of cards that pass from hand to hand, is fragmented and struggles in many places. I get the sense it could have been told far more efficiently and the authors indulge in detail that would enrich a more tightly written story, but here feels padding and excessive. The ending, a collection of vignettes, wasn't really satisfying and although the truth about the cards was clever it felt flat amongst the belated narrative dump of the world building.
Glad I read it, but felt it could have been better.

from an Audible viewpoint, narrator was good for the style of book.

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Great performace

The fragmented nature of the story's structure made it needlessly complex as a plot, but the story in itself was really good. Fine characters, good pacing, interesting setting. A few plot points didn't pay off that well, and especially the ending felt rushed and had a certain "blink and you miss it" revelation that I didn't like all that well. The narrator is one of the best I've heard in a while though!

It reads as one third adventure, one third detective novel, and one third spy thriller. I wouldn't recommend it to fans of Gibson's Sprawl stories though.

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Terrible narrator. Couldn’t get through the first chapter.

Can’t believe someone paid for this narrator. Sounds like the auto reader from TikTok. Such a shame.
I’m giving the story 5 stars as it’s William Gibson but I haven’t read it so obviously have no idea.

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1 person found this helpful

Decent start, loses impetus quickly

I'd been sitting on the fence for this book for a while. in concept it sounds interesting, but the sample didn't seem that engaging.

I eventually decided to give it a try, and - at first - quite enjoyed the book.
Before even the halfway mark, though, I was losing interest. The main character (the second, and the one with the biggest focus) came across as an arrogant boor. And I really didn't need sex scenes that add nothing to the book.

in theory the book is about a mysterious set of punch cards, but up to the point I gave up (with 2 hours to go) they've been nothing but a mcguffin to drive parts of the plot.

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