The Clockwork Dynasty by Daniel H. Wilson (ARC) - Review

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I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Now: June, an anthropologist who specializes in ancient technology, discovers a hidden world that lurks just below our own when she comes across a secret inside a three hundred year old mechanical doll. Before she knows it both her career and her life are at stake, and she finds herself on a worldwide adventure with a brand new ally in her corner. Russia, 1725: The Tsar's mechanician brings to life Peter and Elena, two human-like machines who are destined to serve empires. The two siblings have trouble assimilating into this pre-Victorian society and find themselves pulled right into the heart of a war that's been going on for centuries.

I've been wanting to try a Daniel H. Wilson story for a while now and when I heard about The Clockwork Dynasty I was instantly intrigued by the clockwork automatons. Plus, I couldn't resist the idea of the steampunk elements featuring in both the early 18th century and the present day settings. Overall, I loved the scenes from the 1700s focusing on Peter and Elena - the mythology behind the avtomats (the automatons) is richly detailed and creative. I couldn't resist seeing how real life history tied into the story. Although I enjoyed June's story which is set in the present day and is expertly tied into the flashbacks, I found myself much more intrigued by the past's secret history. Anyway, the story has just about the perfect ending - it wraps up the core storyline, but leaves room for plenty more. I have my fingers crossed for more! If done well, I would love to see a movie or tv adaptation of this novel - plenty of action, adventure, and intrigue to go around. If you like sci-fi, robots, steampunk, clockwork automatons, Peter the Great and the Russian Empire, and Georgian era England, you will love this fast-paced, adventure filled new novel from the author of Robopocalypse.

I read this ARC from July 12 - 20, 2017 and my review is also on Goodreads.