Review: Dystopian YA Steampunk Fun
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 10, 2014
Detective Kirin really comes into full bloom in this great second volume of City of Kings stories. His detective agency has a name, even if he's not entirely pleased with it, and word of his legendary talent is spreading. The four stories in this volume lead us through the winding alleys of the city and into both the High End and the Lower City neighborhoods where gangs are behaving oddly and on to all corners of the wild, dystopian sci-fi world created and captured so evocatively by Wagner.I liked how cinematic these stories were, especially with Kirin and company veering around in Jeeps and motorcycles, bullets flying, Security Agents who defy the laws of physics, all of Kirin's crew ending up in deep peril.  Lots of great fantasy action, plus intriguing narratives that added character to the world, including insight into patterns of human behavior, the impact of class and charisma and cults,  and a cool bit of philosophy about why entertainment is so vital to cyberpunks in the lower neighborhoods that got me thinking about contemporary  culture.  Has he finally met his match with the enigmatic Big Wolf (who might in face be a lot like our dear detective), or will all the odd behaviors and signs end up turning into puzzle pieces that fit together?I thoroughly enjoyed all the twists and brain puzzles, as well as the overall universe of this sequel. Highly recommend to fans of steampunk science mysteries and cyberpunk dreams.