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Ghosts of Engines Past
Paperback - 308 pagesAward winning steampunk from a master!Balloons were the only way to fly in 1840, and air safety standards were the stuff of science fiction...A modern day librarian in London is about to reserve a book for a Regency serial killer...When you think about it, they had the skills and materials to build a steam engine in 1449...Some people just don't appreciate art, but a two mile long metal dragon with a serious attitude problem can do more than just sneer...Some people in 1404 are listening to our radio broadcasts...A steampunk story written before steampunk was invented...It is 1303, and medieval aviation is about to get some serious funding in the name of love...If the Soviets had been a little better at quality control, the race to the moon might have gone a bit differently...The young Dragon Librarian Zarvora has an idea for a 2 Kilo-Slave computer. She is willing to shoot her way to the top to get funding for it... (a prequel story to the Greatwinter Trilogy)Some very brave people in 1852 are about to fly the first steam powered aircraft, and diet will mean the difference between life and death.This and much more incredible steampunkery to be found herein—buy now so you don't blow a gasket!
312 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2013
About the author
Sean McMullen
139 books97 followersDr. Sean McMullen, author of the acclaimed cyberpunk/steampunk Greatwinter Trilogy, is one of Australia's top Science Fiction and Fantasy authors.
Winning over a dozen awards (including multiple Analog Readers Awarda and a Hugo Award finalist), his work is a mixture of romance, invention and adventure, populated by strange and dynamic characters. The settings for Sean's work range from the Roman Empire, through Medieval Europe, to cities of the distant future. He is a musician, medievalist, star gazer, karate instructor, felineophile, and IT manager.
Winning over a dozen awards (including multiple Analog Readers Awarda and a Hugo Award finalist), his work is a mixture of romance, invention and adventure, populated by strange and dynamic characters. The settings for Sean's work range from the Roman Empire, through Medieval Europe, to cities of the distant future. He is a musician, medievalist, star gazer, karate instructor, felineophile, and IT manager.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 21, 2022
Rating: 3.5
Ghosts of Engines Past is a lovely collection of steampunk short stories that are a mixture of romance, invention, adventure and time travel, with dynamic characters. As in most collections, the quality of the stories varies, but I enjoyed most of them.
Ghosts of Engines Past is a lovely collection of steampunk short stories that are a mixture of romance, invention, adventure and time travel, with dynamic characters. As in most collections, the quality of the stories varies, but I enjoyed most of them.
September 22, 2017
This is an interesting assortment of stories. Besides being entertaining, the details on various (supposed) inventions made me think.
December 29, 2016
A collection of short stories in the science fiction steampunk genre. These stories are a mixed bunch with aliens, time travel, steam engines, radio across time, medieval flight, Russians on the moon, and steam-powered flying machines. In my opinion, the quality of the stories varies quite a bit too with my ratings varying from 2 to 4 stars out of 5. As a collection, I rate it as 3.5 stars (4 stars on goodreads when rounded).
The stories are:
1. Eight Miles: the narrator takes a hot air balloon ride to eight miles altitude - a height that can kill due to lack of oxygen. He has been hired by a wealthy man who has a reason for going that high. And in a time of ignorance and no safety standards, who is going to stop him? 3 stars.
2. The Constant Past: a serial killer from Regency London visits a library in 2010 to research the life of a woman from his era. 3 stars.
3. The Spiral Briar: a steam engine in 1449 is used to attack the Faerie realm. 2 stars.
4. The Art of the Dragon: a two mile long metal dragon eats the Eiffel Tower, then goes on a rampage eating the world's art. 3 stars.
5. Voice of Steel: people in 1404 are listening to radio transmissions from 2004 resulting in changes to the past and thus the present. 4 stars.
6. The Pharoah's Airship: a teenage first-year university student built an advanced aircraft in his garage, but is killed in a collision with a military jet. The authorities want to know more as it is apparent that his craft was more than it seemed. It turned out that he had done something similar twice before. 4 stars.
7. Tower of Wings: in 1303 a lady who has studied flight extensively prepares to fly from her besieged tower. 3.5 stars.
8. Svyatagor: a retelling of the moon race in 1969 with the Soviets as more active participants. 2 stars.
9. Dragon Black: the scene is a great library sometime in the far future, but with intrigue and duels this is no ordinary library. 2 stars.
10. Ninety Thousand Horses: in 1899 the fastest machines are steam trains, but a mad Englishman wants to build a steam-engine driven flying machine. 4 stars.
11. Electrica: in 1811 the Napoleonic wars are in full swing, and messages are sent by semaphore. The British, who are keen to get an advantage over the French, want to utilise an invisible semaphore invented by one of their homes for indebted peers. But he is also working with something else a little more bizarre. 4 stars.
12. Steamgothic: in 2012 someone has uncovered a steam-powered aircraft that was built in 1852. 4 stars.
The stories are:
1. Eight Miles: the narrator takes a hot air balloon ride to eight miles altitude - a height that can kill due to lack of oxygen. He has been hired by a wealthy man who has a reason for going that high. And in a time of ignorance and no safety standards, who is going to stop him? 3 stars.
2. The Constant Past: a serial killer from Regency London visits a library in 2010 to research the life of a woman from his era. 3 stars.
3. The Spiral Briar: a steam engine in 1449 is used to attack the Faerie realm. 2 stars.
4. The Art of the Dragon: a two mile long metal dragon eats the Eiffel Tower, then goes on a rampage eating the world's art. 3 stars.
5. Voice of Steel: people in 1404 are listening to radio transmissions from 2004 resulting in changes to the past and thus the present. 4 stars.
6. The Pharoah's Airship: a teenage first-year university student built an advanced aircraft in his garage, but is killed in a collision with a military jet. The authorities want to know more as it is apparent that his craft was more than it seemed. It turned out that he had done something similar twice before. 4 stars.
7. Tower of Wings: in 1303 a lady who has studied flight extensively prepares to fly from her besieged tower. 3.5 stars.
8. Svyatagor: a retelling of the moon race in 1969 with the Soviets as more active participants. 2 stars.
9. Dragon Black: the scene is a great library sometime in the far future, but with intrigue and duels this is no ordinary library. 2 stars.
10. Ninety Thousand Horses: in 1899 the fastest machines are steam trains, but a mad Englishman wants to build a steam-engine driven flying machine. 4 stars.
11. Electrica: in 1811 the Napoleonic wars are in full swing, and messages are sent by semaphore. The British, who are keen to get an advantage over the French, want to utilise an invisible semaphore invented by one of their homes for indebted peers. But he is also working with something else a little more bizarre. 4 stars.
12. Steamgothic: in 2012 someone has uncovered a steam-powered aircraft that was built in 1852. 4 stars.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews