Review: Clockpunk Story
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 20, 2014
What is Clockpunk? According to the Urban Dictionary:"Clockpunk is a sub-genre of the speculative historical fiction genre called Steampunk. Clockpunk is characterized by modern technologies accomplished using clockwork mechanisms and generally excluding steam power, electricity, and the internal combustion engine. The chronological setting for Clockpunk fiction is pre-Industrial Revolution, whereas steampunk is late 19th or early 20th century. A Clockpunk novel might include a world, Earth or another planet, which has been so dramatically revolutionized by DaVinci's mechanical inventions that its technology rivals our computers, phones, etc., while most other factors (some combination of social structure, politics, customs, clothing, etc.) would remain relatively true to the 15th century."In Forever Boy, dogs are routinely sacrificed to harvest the mandrake. When the mandrake, a perfect homunculus, is pulled from the ground, the dog dies in the process. The Magic Guild has decreed the harvesting work is more important than dogs' lives.Wizard Kadmeion and his assistant Bright are nearby when a mandrake removal doesn't follow the routine. The mandrake kills a man and the dog lives. Once the demon is in place within the mandrake, the wizard asks her why she didn't kill the dog. She replies, "The man was easier."When the dog finds Kadmeion and Bright, their adventures take an unexpected turn.Versatile author Lita Burke's first Clockpunk story is an entertaining read. The deeper levels of the story hold meanings for readers of all ages.