Book Review: Clockwork Heart by Dru Pagliasotti

Clockwork Heart
Author: Dru Pagliassotti
Series: Clockwork Heart, Book 1
Publication: EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing; 1 edition (November 29, 2013)

Description: Flight is freedom, but death hangs in the skies...

Taya soars over Ondinium on metal wings. She is an icarus, a courier privileged to travel freely across the city’s sectors and mingle indiscriminately amongst its castes. But even she cannot outfly the web of terrorism, loyalty, murder, and intrigue that snares her after a daring mid-air rescue. Taya finds herself entangled with the Forlore brothers, scions of an upperclass family: handsome, brilliant Alister, who sits on Ondinium’s governing council and writes programs for the Great Engine; and awkward, sharptongued Cristof, who has exiled himself from his caste and repairs clocks in the lowest sector of the city. Both hide dangerous secrets, in the city that beats to the ticking of a clockwork heart.

My Thoughts: This was a great fantasy story set in a steampunky sort of world. Taya is an icarus who flies on metal wings and is made more buoyant by carrying blocks of ondinium. She works as a messenger in this society which is rigidly sorted into castes. She is part of a caste that than mingle with all castes. She has dreams of being a diplomat who travels to other lands.

One day she rescues two members of the Exalted caste who are in a wireferry accident and is attacked coming back from her sister's wedding by spies from Alzana who would like her wings. She is saved by a mysterious clockwright who is an exile from the Exalted class. Pretty soon she is up to the tips of her wings in the danger and intrigue that is growing in her city.

There are two men involved with her. Alister Forlore sits on the governing council and is one of the foremost programmers of the Great Engine that runs the city. His brother Cristof is the clockwright who rescues her. Alister is the more attractive being a man filled with charm and smooth words. Cristof lacks his brother's charm but has the benefit of being honest.

When it appears that terrorists have killed Alister and his brother-in-law - the husband and father of the people Taya rescued from the wireferry accident, Taya and Cristof band together to investigate the murders.

I loved the relationship between Taya and Cristoff. I loved the world. Who - besides Cristof who is afraid of heights - hasn't had dreams of flying? Taya has a great job! I liked Cristof's determination to go his own way and his love for his brother.

Luckily, this is the first book of a trilogy and I have the other two on my Kindle. I can't wait to see what happens next for these characters.

Favorite Quote:

He sighed. "I will do my best to avoid being bossy, rude, prudish, a pain in the tail, or too rarely sweet. Will that do, Icarus?"

"Yes." She gave him a thoughtful look. "It should be quite a change of pace."

He gave her a dark look and she laughed, hugging him.

I bought this one for my Kindle. You can buy your copy here.