Worldshaker- Richard Harland

Synopsis:

"Col Porpentine understands how society works: the elite families enjoy a comfortable life on the Upper Decks on the great juggernaut Worldshaker, while the Filthies toil Below. And Col himself is being groomed by his grandfather, the supreme commander of Worldshaker, to be his successor. He has never questioned his place in the world, nor his illustrious future.

When Col mets Riff, a Filthy girl on the run, his world is turned on its head. All his life he has been taught that Filthies are like animals, without the ability to understand language or think for themselves. He has always known that all they are good for is serving in the Below, keeping Worldshaker running. But Riff is nothing like he ever expected. She is clever and quick, and despite the danger, Col is drawn to her. Can all the Filthies be like her? If Riff is telling the truth, then everything Col has always believed is a lie. And Col may be the only person with the power to do something about it — even if it means risking his whole future.

Richard Harland’s sweeping steampunk saga of romance, privilege, and social conscience will take readers on the ride of a lifetime to an enormous moving city that is at once strange and familiar."


Review: As soon as I saw this book I expected to love it. Dystopian, steampunk, romance... three of my favorite things. Unfortunately the book didn't completely live up to my expectations.

From the beginning I felt like the characters weren't completely realized. Many were underdeveloped and felt like stock characters. The relationship between Col and Riff didn't develop as much as I wanted it to either. I felt as though the author wanted Col to feel something for Riff, but never showed how it got to that point. In addition the plot of the story was rather predictable, although I can usually predict much of many books I read, this one seemed something that would be more enjoyable if I were a bit younger.

All that being said, I couldn't not finish the book. Usually if I don't like a book so much I have no trouble leaving it unfinished, but I couldn't with this one because I liked it enough that I wanted to know what happens. While I felt that there was much of this book that could have been further developed I did enjoy reading it. Apparently there is going to be a sequel called Liberator, although I don't know when it is to be released. I will probably end up reading it, although I will get it from a library this time. The first book wasn't good enough that I would want to pay for the second one as well.

Rating: B-


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Leviathan and Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi 
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest