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Cuttlefish #1
Cuttlefish
The smallest thing can change the path of history. The year is 1976, and the British Empire still spans the globe. Coal drives the world, and the smog of it hangs thick over the canals of London. Clara Calland is on the run. Hunted, along with her scientist mother, by Menshevik spies and Imperial soldiers, they flee Ireland for London. They must escape airships, treachery and capture. Under flooded London's canals they join the rebels who live in the dank tunnels there. Tim Barnabas is one of the under people, born to the secret town of drowned London, place of anti-imperialist republicans and Irish rebels, part of the Liberty - the people who would see a return to older values and free elections. Seeing no further than his next meal, Tim has hired on as a submariner on the Cuttlefish, a coal fired submarine that runs smuggled cargoes beneath the steamship patrols, to the fortress America and beyond. When the ravening Imperial soldiery comes, Clara and her mother are forced to flee aboard the Cuttlefish. Hunted like beasts, the submarine and her crew must undertake a desperate voyage across the world, from the Faeroes to the Caribbean and finally across the Pacific to find safety. But only Clara and Tim Barnabas can steer them past treachery and disaster, to freedom in Westralia. Carried with them--a lost scientific secret that threatens the very heart of Imperial power. From the Hardcover edition.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2012
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286 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 15, 2012
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? Honestly, no. For on thing, there’s what I am not calling “character impersonators” on the front, which I have never liked. It always spoils my own imaginings of what the characters look like. And for another, despite the awesome sail/submarine, the cover makes me a little bored.
Characters: I like that Clara, Protagonist No. 1, is as adventurous as she is. In an adventure story, it’s always good to have an adventurous protagonist. And Clara is astonishingly useful. But she also has a feminist attitude, and her crush on Tim gets very old. Tim, Protagonist No. 2, is also pretty acceptable. He’s not as adventurous as Clara, but he does what needs to be done, and he also demonstrates quite a bit of usefulness. But, his harping on people not liking him because he’s black gets old (we got it the first time), and his crush on Clara is annoying after a time as well. The rest of the characters didn’t make much of an impression on me either way. They were different enough from each other to be easily remembered, and they came across as very realistic, very human characters, but there was nothing particularly special about them that stood out, either.
The Romance: While the story doesn’t spend a whole lot of time on Clara and Tim’s mutual attraction, it spends enough time that it got annoying. Authors seem to think that a boy and girl are not capable of being just really good friends. The romance was not needed - there is no reason on Earth why they couldn‘t have just been friends, - and it did at times threaten to slow the story down.
Plot: The plot itself was interesting: a scientist on the run from several governments because of a discovery they made, a world of coal-powered submarines and water - awesome! But there were several flaws with presentation. For one, I thought the whole premise for why the world was covered in water - Global Warming - was just lame, and felt like an interjection of personal opinion. Can we please have an adventure story without the political agenda? The other flaws were: the Author waited until well over half the book was finished to explain exactly how it is Great Britain maintained its hold on the rest of the world. Even so, you have to read the Author’s Note at the end to fully grasp the world’s political situation, and even that didn’t make much sense.
Believability: I’ll give the Author tremendous points for his submarine, the Cuttlefish. It was entirely believable, and absolutely awesome. He clearly spent a lot of time designing it, and I applaud an Author who wants a plausible working contraption in his story, and not just something he cobbled together and then said, “Hey, it’s fiction; in this world, it works.” One aspect that made me cock an eyebrow in doubt was how readily Captain Malkis dismissed the idea of a spy on board his vessel. Even if the suggestion was coming from a couple of kids, I think the Captain would have taken into consideration.
Writing Style: I enjoyed the Author’s descriptions of the submarine, which were actually very easy to follow and understand. The rest of the writing was so-so, and the Author used “. . .” in very odd places. At the beginning of dialogue, at the end, in the middle, in the middle of the middle. And rarely did he use it because a character had trailed off in mid-sentence, or another character was butting in, or they were musing. It was just there.
Content: None.
Conclusion: Even for having a sequel, the end was very abrupt. But the climax was exciting. As a whole, I enjoyed the story’s adventure and the submarine - who wouldn’t love the submarine? It completely makes the book. But the world’s politics were not made very clear, the whole Great Melt was just lame, and the protagonists were not the world’s greatest. Still, the adventure makes it worth it.
Recommended Audience: Steampunkers, girl-and-guy read, fifteen and up.
Characters: I like that Clara, Protagonist No. 1, is as adventurous as she is. In an adventure story, it’s always good to have an adventurous protagonist. And Clara is astonishingly useful. But she also has a feminist attitude, and her crush on Tim gets very old. Tim, Protagonist No. 2, is also pretty acceptable. He’s not as adventurous as Clara, but he does what needs to be done, and he also demonstrates quite a bit of usefulness. But, his harping on people not liking him because he’s black gets old (we got it the first time), and his crush on Clara is annoying after a time as well. The rest of the characters didn’t make much of an impression on me either way. They were different enough from each other to be easily remembered, and they came across as very realistic, very human characters, but there was nothing particularly special about them that stood out, either.
The Romance: While the story doesn’t spend a whole lot of time on Clara and Tim’s mutual attraction, it spends enough time that it got annoying. Authors seem to think that a boy and girl are not capable of being just really good friends. The romance was not needed - there is no reason on Earth why they couldn‘t have just been friends, - and it did at times threaten to slow the story down.
Plot: The plot itself was interesting: a scientist on the run from several governments because of a discovery they made, a world of coal-powered submarines and water - awesome! But there were several flaws with presentation. For one, I thought the whole premise for why the world was covered in water - Global Warming - was just lame, and felt like an interjection of personal opinion. Can we please have an adventure story without the political agenda? The other flaws were: the Author waited until well over half the book was finished to explain exactly how it is Great Britain maintained its hold on the rest of the world. Even so, you have to read the Author’s Note at the end to fully grasp the world’s political situation, and even that didn’t make much sense.
Believability: I’ll give the Author tremendous points for his submarine, the Cuttlefish. It was entirely believable, and absolutely awesome. He clearly spent a lot of time designing it, and I applaud an Author who wants a plausible working contraption in his story, and not just something he cobbled together and then said, “Hey, it’s fiction; in this world, it works.” One aspect that made me cock an eyebrow in doubt was how readily Captain Malkis dismissed the idea of a spy on board his vessel. Even if the suggestion was coming from a couple of kids, I think the Captain would have taken into consideration.
Writing Style: I enjoyed the Author’s descriptions of the submarine, which were actually very easy to follow and understand. The rest of the writing was so-so, and the Author used “. . .” in very odd places. At the beginning of dialogue, at the end, in the middle, in the middle of the middle. And rarely did he use it because a character had trailed off in mid-sentence, or another character was butting in, or they were musing. It was just there.
Content: None.
Conclusion: Even for having a sequel, the end was very abrupt. But the climax was exciting. As a whole, I enjoyed the story’s adventure and the submarine - who wouldn’t love the submarine? It completely makes the book. But the world’s politics were not made very clear, the whole Great Melt was just lame, and the protagonists were not the world’s greatest. Still, the adventure makes it worth it.
Recommended Audience: Steampunkers, girl-and-guy read, fifteen and up.
June 28, 2016
I enjoyed some of Freer's adult works, so I was interested in reading what he had to give to the YA market. To say I was impressed is an immense understatement. The characters were complex without being overblown and relationships grew organically out of the shared experiences and obstacles that were faced. Mr Freer did an amazing job and I can't recommend this book enough.
October 14, 2012
I personally haven’t read many “Steampunk” books so I never really know what to expect when it comes to a genre I haven’t read much of, I know that sounds pretty obvious but you will be surprised just how often you can read something and feel like you’ve been reading it forever. With that said, I have really come to like the whole Steampunk thing.. It’s different and actually pretty interesting. I wouldn’t say that Cuttlefish is overly Steampunk or anything if that makes sense, but it is pretty obvious that it’s a factor in the book. I think one of the things that originally got me interested in this book was seeing that Garth Nix had a blurb on the cover which really hyped it up for me. I am glad I decided to read it though.
Dave is a fantastic writer, I was impressed by how engaging the story became. Especially considering the fact that I felt it started off a little slow. Once you get over a early hump, this book gets pretty great. As far as the story goes, I honestly don’t think I really had any issues with it. I do remember having trouble trying to figure out exactly what was going on sometimes, but beyond that I feel like Dave really did a fantastic job with the book. It was unique, and different. Which is always nice to see in a book, after awhile it can become difficult to find something that is really unique. But Dave did a great job pulling it off while making sure that while unique, the story was also really enjoyable.
Along with the story, the characters were also deeply engaging. There was a pretty wide cast of characters in the book, not even going to bother going into a ton of detail simply due to the fact that we would be here forever if I tried to touch on everything. I really did enjoy the characters though, and not just the focal characters such as Clara and Tim, but ALL of them were really great and they all had something great to bring to the story.
Another thing that I want to talk about which I don’t usually do in a lot of my reviews, is the world building. This book takes place in a world with a mix of places we know and then also made up places, and the year is 1976. But things are just very, very different. Literally everything about the countries, etc. in the book is completely made up, which I always like to see. I love when authors take real life places, and change things around to help make things really interesting. It’s hard to explain exactly how it is all changed, unless you read the book. But for me, this was probably one of the most enjoyable factors for me.
While this book was really good, I don’t think it was absolutely amazing. Which is why it only gets the four stars. I do think it is a book people will enjoy, and it has a lot of interesting things going on, and did I mention that Dave is a pretty awesome writer? I am sure I did, but hey, it deserves to be said again. If this book sounds like something you might enjoy, then I am pretty sure you will. It’s honestly a pretty straightforward book, there really aren’t to many surprises or anything tossed in this one. While surprises can be a good thing, I don’t feel like they were really needed in Cuttlefish, simply due to it being a pretty great story by just being more linear. So by all means check this book out if it sounds like something you might like. I am sure you will most likely enjoy it.
Dave is a fantastic writer, I was impressed by how engaging the story became. Especially considering the fact that I felt it started off a little slow. Once you get over a early hump, this book gets pretty great. As far as the story goes, I honestly don’t think I really had any issues with it. I do remember having trouble trying to figure out exactly what was going on sometimes, but beyond that I feel like Dave really did a fantastic job with the book. It was unique, and different. Which is always nice to see in a book, after awhile it can become difficult to find something that is really unique. But Dave did a great job pulling it off while making sure that while unique, the story was also really enjoyable.
Along with the story, the characters were also deeply engaging. There was a pretty wide cast of characters in the book, not even going to bother going into a ton of detail simply due to the fact that we would be here forever if I tried to touch on everything. I really did enjoy the characters though, and not just the focal characters such as Clara and Tim, but ALL of them were really great and they all had something great to bring to the story.
Another thing that I want to talk about which I don’t usually do in a lot of my reviews, is the world building. This book takes place in a world with a mix of places we know and then also made up places, and the year is 1976. But things are just very, very different. Literally everything about the countries, etc. in the book is completely made up, which I always like to see. I love when authors take real life places, and change things around to help make things really interesting. It’s hard to explain exactly how it is all changed, unless you read the book. But for me, this was probably one of the most enjoyable factors for me.
While this book was really good, I don’t think it was absolutely amazing. Which is why it only gets the four stars. I do think it is a book people will enjoy, and it has a lot of interesting things going on, and did I mention that Dave is a pretty awesome writer? I am sure I did, but hey, it deserves to be said again. If this book sounds like something you might enjoy, then I am pretty sure you will. It’s honestly a pretty straightforward book, there really aren’t to many surprises or anything tossed in this one. While surprises can be a good thing, I don’t feel like they were really needed in Cuttlefish, simply due to it being a pretty great story by just being more linear. So by all means check this book out if it sounds like something you might like. I am sure you will most likely enjoy it.
July 24, 2012
Though written for the YA (Young Adult) crowd, this 53 year-old thoroughly enjoyed it. Having said that, I have a weakness for the steampunk genre as many of you know. Still, I think that the book makes for an entertaining Summer-time read.
Britain dominates a world suffering from global warming as the result of its use of coal. At a certain point the leadership decided that it is better to rule a watery hell than to serve the people, a very Paradise Lost mentality. I guess that they are plenty of lessons here for all of us.
While the characters were interesting, I loved the detail given about the submarine Cuttlefish. I don’t think that I have read more about a fictional ship from an author since Patrick O’Brian. The description and the abilities of the ship are simply fantastic.
All in all, I really enjoyed the book and I give it 4 stars out of 5. Steampunk fans of any age should enjoy it.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Pyr. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Britain dominates a world suffering from global warming as the result of its use of coal. At a certain point the leadership decided that it is better to rule a watery hell than to serve the people, a very Paradise Lost mentality. I guess that they are plenty of lessons here for all of us.
While the characters were interesting, I loved the detail given about the submarine Cuttlefish. I don’t think that I have read more about a fictional ship from an author since Patrick O’Brian. The description and the abilities of the ship are simply fantastic.
All in all, I really enjoyed the book and I give it 4 stars out of 5. Steampunk fans of any age should enjoy it.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Pyr. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
May 9, 2012
Review to come!
January 18, 2013
Although written as a Y/A book, the Alternate History elements are fantastic. Cuttlefish exists in a steam powered world and the action takes place on a coal /steam propelled submarine.
April 9, 2018
A gorgeous steampunk adventure. Highly recommended for YA.
June 14, 2018
Steampunk alternate history action-adventure! He even expands the point of divergence in the appendix, as it's an unusual one.
The opening does some weaving back and forth from the present to the past, about Tim on the steampunk submarine of the title, and Clara is snuck out of her school by her mother, only to be captured by Menshevik agents and have to escape an airship. More tangles about how they land on the Cuttlefish.
Subsequent adventures include accusations of theft, a canal, changes of plan, the question of what Clara's grandmother researched, Clara's imprisoned father, the flooding of London, and more.
The opening does some weaving back and forth from the present to the past, about Tim on the steampunk submarine of the title, and Clara is snuck out of her school by her mother, only to be captured by Menshevik agents and have to escape an airship. More tangles about how they land on the Cuttlefish.
Subsequent adventures include accusations of theft, a canal, changes of plan, the question of what Clara's grandmother researched, Clara's imprisoned father, the flooding of London, and more.
June 18, 2012
I received this book from the author in return for an honest review.
Mr. Freer is a former Marine Biologist and was conscripted (at 17!) as a Medic in the Angdan/South African conflict. He's done all sorts of interesting (sometimes weird) jobs and you can read all about him on his website: www.davefreer.com. Oh yeah, don't be startled by the burly wild man in the photos - that's Mr. Freer!
CUTTLEFISH is a steampunk novel set in 1976. There has been a disastrous global warming and much of the world has flooded. Britain's answer was to return to military rule. The people thought it was a temporary solution, but you know how groups in power are - they like to stay in power! The story centers around two teens:
Clara Calland - on the run with her mom. Mom's a scientist who holds a secret she wants the world to share, but we all know the world never learned to share.
Tim Barnabas - a boy from the drowned tunnels of London, he signed on as a cabin boy for the submarine in order to be taken care of and to send money home for his mother.
The story centers around the group's travel iln a submarine. Even the technical parts were fascinating, due to Mr. Freer's beautiful writing. I could actually 'see' how the submarine sails worked. Wait, did I just say 'submarine sails'?! Oh yes, indeed. The submarine is amazing and I loved it!
The characters are wonderful, they come across as real people. They were, in turn, scared/nervous/angry with nothing supernatural about them. What a breath of fresh air!
So we have a fascinating submarine that has quite a few modes of energy, a scientific secret, exotic locales, two teens who are exploring the possibilities of a relationship and the possibility of spies and more. Do yourself a favor and buy this one, it's a great read and will have you daydreaming of sailing on a submarine.
Mr. Freer is a former Marine Biologist and was conscripted (at 17!) as a Medic in the Angdan/South African conflict. He's done all sorts of interesting (sometimes weird) jobs and you can read all about him on his website: www.davefreer.com. Oh yeah, don't be startled by the burly wild man in the photos - that's Mr. Freer!
CUTTLEFISH is a steampunk novel set in 1976. There has been a disastrous global warming and much of the world has flooded. Britain's answer was to return to military rule. The people thought it was a temporary solution, but you know how groups in power are - they like to stay in power! The story centers around two teens:
Clara Calland - on the run with her mom. Mom's a scientist who holds a secret she wants the world to share, but we all know the world never learned to share.
Tim Barnabas - a boy from the drowned tunnels of London, he signed on as a cabin boy for the submarine in order to be taken care of and to send money home for his mother.
The story centers around the group's travel iln a submarine. Even the technical parts were fascinating, due to Mr. Freer's beautiful writing. I could actually 'see' how the submarine sails worked. Wait, did I just say 'submarine sails'?! Oh yes, indeed. The submarine is amazing and I loved it!
The characters are wonderful, they come across as real people. They were, in turn, scared/nervous/angry with nothing supernatural about them. What a breath of fresh air!
So we have a fascinating submarine that has quite a few modes of energy, a scientific secret, exotic locales, two teens who are exploring the possibilities of a relationship and the possibility of spies and more. Do yourself a favor and buy this one, it's a great read and will have you daydreaming of sailing on a submarine.
May 4, 2013
In an alternative history, the secret to the mass production of ammonia is still a secret to humanity as of 1953, and so the main fuel used is coal. Supplies are starting to run low, and the amount of soot and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has led to the Great Melt, which has raised sea levels high enough to make most of London a city of canals. The British Empire still runs the world, but its hold on power is growing tenuous as various famines and resource wars spring up. Enter young Tim, who lands a job as a cabin boy on a submarine (coal-powered and illegal), and is quickly met by young Clara, who, along with her scientist mother (who is learning the secret to ammonia), is on the run from the British. The submarine travels around much of the world seeking asylum for its two political prisoners, who are targets for the ruthless Duke Malcolm.
I wavered on this book somewhat. Plenty of steam, slight on the punk. It features solid science (always a plus), backed with an interesting alternate history, but the characters were often cut out of stock and the writing could be quite pedestrian. There are times when it feels as if the author is writing down a bit, treating his two main characters and his readers as if they are children and not teens. Still, for readers who enjoyed Scott Westerfeld’s book Leviathan, this will make a good follow-up. A long author’s note at the end also explains the basic science and the alternate history.
I wavered on this book somewhat. Plenty of steam, slight on the punk. It features solid science (always a plus), backed with an interesting alternate history, but the characters were often cut out of stock and the writing could be quite pedestrian. There are times when it feels as if the author is writing down a bit, treating his two main characters and his readers as if they are children and not teens. Still, for readers who enjoyed Scott Westerfeld’s book Leviathan, this will make a good follow-up. A long author’s note at the end also explains the basic science and the alternate history.
September 7, 2012
This was cataloged for adults in my lib. but it's definitely a great teen read if you're a steampunk fan. The main characters are a teen boy & girl & I'm thinking there will be another book coming to continue the story. One quibble is that it is described as alternate history, giving two conflicting dates- 1953 & 1976- at the end of the book, the author states it takes place in 1953. What I loved about it most was the use of a submarine with unique power sources & a race across the world trying to evade both English & American forces. A new steampunk author for me to add to my list!
August 6, 2013
A rollicking fantasy sea adventure part, post-natural disaster fiction, and part steampunk feel, but all a fun adventure. Romance is NOT the main focus of this book and really starts as friendship, mutual respect and only at the end turns into a bit of a largely chaste romance so is good for younger teens. Good for fans of a long detailed adventure with lots of battles, think Leviathan. Both the main female and male character have transformations that challenge their gender, class, racial background etc.
August 27, 2016
A steampunk/alternate history YA (middle grade?) fiction piece with interesting main characters and plenty of action. Be patient with the beginning. It takes a little bit to be figure out where you are and what kind of world this is-- and some of the language was baffling (reminded me of when I dove into the Hornblower books), but I enjoyed the gradual unfolding of the world (instead of an info dump at the beginning). Clara is an energetic, intelligent heroine and Tim has depths and a potential for some serious growth. I look forward to reading more in the series.
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December 3, 2015Graded By: Alix
Cover Story: A Little More Y Than A
BFF Charm: Yay!
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: He Said, She Said
Bonus Factors: Underground Railroad, Waterworld, Science
Anti-Bonus Factor: Racism
Relationship Status: Surprisingly Fun OkCupid Date
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: A Little More Y Than A
BFF Charm: Yay!
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: He Said, She Said
Bonus Factors: Underground Railroad, Waterworld, Science
Anti-Bonus Factor: Racism
Relationship Status: Surprisingly Fun OkCupid Date
Read the full book report here.
August 3, 2012
3.5/4 stars
Though the pacing was occasionally slow, I loved the two young protagonists. The last 50 pages kept me on the edge of my chair, and I could not put the book down. Dire peril chased after the submarine crew, with each hazard more deadly than the last. I am very much looking forward to more adventures with Tim and Clara.
Full review here: http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com/?p=6905
Though the pacing was occasionally slow, I loved the two young protagonists. The last 50 pages kept me on the edge of my chair, and I could not put the book down. Dire peril chased after the submarine crew, with each hazard more deadly than the last. I am very much looking forward to more adventures with Tim and Clara.
Full review here: http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com/?p=6905
May 18, 2024
Based on some comments, I thought this book was steampunk. It is definitely alternate history with air ships and coal powered submarines, but there are no ray guns, mechanical prostitutes, or zombies.
I liked it. One nice twist is the villains--the British Empire, controlled by Imperial Intelligence. Cuttlefish is a good YA adventure story. Kent and Doc will both like it.
I liked it. One nice twist is the villains--the British Empire, controlled by Imperial Intelligence. Cuttlefish is a good YA adventure story. Kent and Doc will both like it.
May 9, 2012
Not a bad little steampunk adventure. It's got the adventure and fun of a Cherie Priest novel, the character-building of a Jim Blaylock piece, and the Drowned World of a Stephen Baxter. All in all, it falls apart a bit toward sthe end, but it manages to be a good read most of the way through.
June 28, 2013
This is a good book for mid-teens. It is an alternative history and I loved the adventure and academic aspect. It was good to read a teen book where there is a love story without having it take over the book. It was also good to read a book in which the scientists are women.
August 11, 2012
Fun book, good characters. Targeted at the YA audience, it has a depth that kept this mature reader engaged. I could easily see it being made into a movie.
September 7, 2012
It started off with a bang and kept right on going.
I really enjoyed this book and the thought that went into the world building. I'll be looking for more of Dave Freer's books.
I really enjoyed this book and the thought that went into the world building. I'll be looking for more of Dave Freer's books.
July 7, 2013
Slow-going at first, but good characters and story. Read my full review at Forever Young Adult.
June 6, 2013
It was a well-rounded, fast-paced read that I enjoyed.
September 15, 2013
A fun alternate history story. Decent blend of technical details outlining alternate history thread with ok character development. The end came too abruptly and that made me grumpy!
February 5, 2014
The plot leaps into action with very little background into motive or history.
The story alternates between Tim and Clara, the young people on board the Cuttlefish a coal fueled submerine.
The story alternates between Tim and Clara, the young people on board the Cuttlefish a coal fueled submerine.
February 3, 2016
Started out really good, and then got really boring and ended in a very disappointing manner. Too bad, really.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews